cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Catalytic wet oxidation of phenol in a trickle bed reactor over a Pt/TiO2 catalyst.

Abstract Catalytic wet oxidation of phenol was studied in a batch and a trickle bed reactor using 4.45% Pt/TiO 2 catalyst in the temperature range 150–205°C. Kinetic data were obtained from batch reactor studies and used to model the reaction kinetics for phenol disappearance and for total organic carbon disappearance. Trickle bed experiments were then performed to generate data from a heterogeneous flow reactor. Catalyst deactivation was observed in the trickle bed reactor, although the exact cause was not determined. Deactivation was observed to linearly increase with the cumulative amount of phenol that had passed over the catalyst bed. Trickle bed reactor modeling was performed using a three-phase heterogeneous model. Model parameters were determined from literature correlations, batch derived kinetic data, and trickle bed derived catalyst deactivation data. The model equations were solved using orthogonal collocations on finite elements. Trickle bed performance was successfully predicted using the batch derived kinetic model and the three-phase reactor model. Thus, using the kinetics determined from limited data in the batch mode, it is possible to predict continuous flow multiphase reactor performance.
Integration of Mathematical and Physical Simulation to Calibrate Car-Following Behaviour of Unimpaired and Impaired Drivers

Traffic patterns can be modelled by mathematical microsimulation. People can be modelled by driving simulators that resemble flight simulators. This paper shows how driver car-following behaviour from driving simulators can be transferred to traffic microscopic simulation. We capture driver behaviour through physical driver simulator experiments. Subjects holding cell phone conversations while driving simulators are impaired initiating delays. A Genetic Algorithm formulation optimises the car-following parameters. The findings show that psychological experiments can be replicated, in general, in a traffic microsimulation tool. We report that traffic microsimulators model unimpaired drivers more accurately than impaired drivers.
Vascular surgery collaboration during pancreaticoduodenectomy with vascular reconstruction.

Background Once thought to have unresectable disease, pancreatic cancer patients with portal venous involvement are now reported to have comparable survival after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) with vascular reconstruction (VR) as compared with patients without vascular involvement. We hypothesize that a multidisciplinary approach involving a vascular surgeon will minimize morbidity and improve patency of VRs. Methods We identified 204 patients who underwent PD for pancreatic adenocarcinoma from 1997 to 2008. Patients who underwent PD with VR ( N = 42) were compared with those who underwent standard PD ( N = 162). VRs were performed by a vascular surgeon and involved primary repair ( N = 8), vein patch ( N = 25), or interposition grafting ( N = 9) with femoral or other venous conduit. Results Patients undergoing PD with VR had larger tumors (3.0 cm vs. 2.5 cm, P P = 0.84) or lymph nodes metastases (50% vs. 38%, P = 0.14). The VR group had higher median blood loss (875 mL vs. 550 mL, P = 0 P = 0.01), positive lymph nodes ( P = 0.01), and increasing tumor size ( P = 0.01), but not VR ( P = 0.28). When evaluated by computed tomography scans within 6 months postoperatively, 97% of reconstructions remained patent. Conclusions The need for VR is not a contraindication to potentially curative resection in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Assistance of a vascular surgeon during VR may allow moderate-volume centers to achieve outcomes comparable with high-volume centers.
Modification of islet of langerhans surfaces with immunoprotective poly(ethylene glycol) coatings via interfacial photopolymerization.

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) has been used previously to alter immune interactions and systemic clearance of therapeutic proteins. We present herein chemical approaches for the conceptually similar treatment of therapeutic cells and tissues whereby immune and cell adhesive interactions may be reduced or interrupted, in the context of the transplantation of xenogeneic islets of Langerhans for the treatment of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Visible-light-initiated interfacial photopolymerization of multifunctional PEG-based macromers was performed directly upon the surface of rat islets of Langerhans to produce conformal barrier hydrogel coatings with thickness of order 10 μ;m. The islets continued to be normal in ultrastructure and function as reflected by response to a glucose challenge in vitro. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The long-term correlates of family foster care

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to examine long-term correlates of experiencing family foster care sometime before the age of 19. Subjects for the study were selected from participants in the 1988 National Survey of Families and Households. Three groups were compared: 101 adults experiencing family foster care, 101 adults selected at random, and 101 adults matched to those experiencing family foster care on age, race, gender, parent's educational attainment, and the presence of a stepparent. Within the areas of self-sufficiency, behavioral adjustment, family and social support, and personal well-being, 36 indicators of adult adjustment were examined. When compared with the adults in the randomly selected comparison group, adults experiencing family foster care were less adjusted on 20 of 36 indicators, particularly in the areas of education, economic well-being, marital relations, and community involvement. Adults in the foster care group were similar to the adults in the matched comparison group on almost all indicators of adjustment.
Oxidation of alkenes to enones using tert-butyl hydroperoxide in the presence of chromium carbonyl catalysts

Abstract Treatment of alkenes with t-butyl hydroperoxide in the presence of Cr(CO) 6 or Cr(CO) x (CH 3 CN) y species results in oxidation of allylic methylene groups to give α,β-unsaturated ketones, selectively in the presence of certain alcohols, and in moderate to excellent yields.
The Word Problem in the Baumslag group with a non-elementary Dehn function is polynomial time decidable

Abstract We prove that the Word Problem in the Baumslag group G ( 1 , 2 ) = 〈 a , b ; a a b = a 2 〉 which has a non-elementary Dehn function is decidable in polynomial time.
Biologically relevant lyotropic liquid crystalline phases in mixtures of n-octyl β-D-glucoside and water. Determination of the phase diagram by fluorescence spectroscopy.

When mixed with water, n-octyl β-d-glucoside forms self-assembled nanostructures, several of which are liquid crystalline and all of which depend on the water/glucoside ratio and temperature. For practical use of these phases, a detailed understanding of the conditions under which they exist (i.e., the isobaric phase diagram) is required. We use the fluorescence of the dye molecule prodan as a new approach to probe the phases formed in these mixtures. The prodan fluorescence signal depends on the polarity of its environment and thus the phase(s) in which the dye exists. Visual inspection of the total fluorescence signal can qualitatively determine the phases present, including coexisting phases. Temperature-induced phase changes are also detected from variations observed in the prodan fluorescence spectrum. The sensitivity of this new technique allows the single- and multiple-phase regions to be mapped carefully for the first time.
A reconfigurable bus structure for multiprocessors with bandwidth reuse

Abstract Shared bus is one of the most popular communication media for tightly coupled multiprocessing environments. However, a shared bus can provide only limited bandwidth, a fact that limits its usability. In this paper we propose a re-configurable bus structure with both temporal and spatial/spectral bandwidth expansion and describe a method for reusing part of the bandwidth available from temporal and spatial/spectral bandwidth expansion without introducing any buffering delay. Two polynomial time algorithms are developed to optimally reconfigure the bus under the design constraints for a given traffic pattern. For one algorithm the architecture is geared to obtain low average system response time. The other algorithm minimizes the system response time on a different architecture that is designed to reduce the disparity of response time among different nodes. We have compared the performance of reconfigured buses with that of the traditional slotted buses for uniform and localized traffic patterns and found that the reconfigured bus outperforms the traditional slotted bus substantially in most practical scenarios.
Infrared laser interferometer for measuring air-bearing separation

The design and characteristics are presented for an infrared instrument capable of measuring air-bearing separation distances over a mechanical bandwidth ranging from dc to 30 kHz. The measurement technique involves monitoring optical intensity variations of the interferometric cavity formed by two air-bearing surfaces. This intensity varies between a minimum at zero separation and a maximum at a distance equal to one-quarter of the optical wavelength. For air-bearing distances less than 1 µm, a convenient source is the 3.391 µm infrared line of the helium-neon laser. By continually monitoring a fraction of the intensity of the optical source, a real-time analog division can be performed on the spacing signals to produce an output independent of laser intensity variations. Room-temperature indium arsenide detectors were selected for their high responsivity and rapid rise time.
Optimal tubes [spacecraft modelling]

A technique devised to cut down the number of polygons required to model and render the Voyager spacecraft is presented. It requires the solution of a simple geometric problem: find the tangent lines from a point to a circle. He describes two ways of solving this problem, one using conventional analytical geometry and the other using homogeneous coordinates. The latter provides some useful generality. >
Photodegradable Hydrogels for Dynamic Tuning of Physical and Chemical Properties

We report a strategy to create photodegradable poly(ethylene glycol)-based hydrogels through rapid polymerization of cytocompatible macromers for remote manipulation of gel properties in situ. Postgelation control of the gel properties was demonstrated to introduce temporal changes, creation of arbitrarily shaped features, and on-demand pendant functionality release. Channels photodegraded within a hydrogel containing encapsulated cells allow cell migration. Temporal variation of the biochemical gel composition was used to influence chondrogenic differentiation of encapsulated stem cells. Photodegradable gels that allow real-time manipulation of material properties or chemistry provide dynamic environments with the scope to answer fundamental questions about material regulation of live cell function and may affect an array of applications from design of drug delivery vehicles to tissue engineering systems.
Capturing clinical expertise: An analysis of knowledge “mining” through expert system development

Abstract This article examines the viability of expert system development as a tool for better understanding and operationalizing the complex cognitive processes underlying clinical procedural knowledge (inference, reasoning, and decision-making). Emphasis here is on the learning benefits potentially attainable through the process of probing (or mining) an expert's declarative and procedural knowledge and of representing (or modeling) this knowledge. As a basis for analysis and illustration, linkages are made to current models of memory and information processing and to experience with a specific expert system development project.
Overexpression of COUP-TF1 in murine embryonic stem cells reduces retinoic acid-associated growth arrest and increases extraembryonic endoderm gene expression

Vitamin A (retinol [Rol]) and its metabolites are essential for embryonic development. The Rol metabolite all-trans retinoic acid (RA) is a biologically active form of Rol. The orphan nuclear receptor chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription-factors (COUP-TF) proteins have been implicated in the regulation of several important biological processes, such as embryonic development and neuronal cell differentiation. Because there is evidence that COUP-TFs function in the retinoid signaling network during development and differentiation, we generated murine embryonic stem (ES) cell lines which stably and constitutively overexpress COUP-TF1 (NR2F1) and we analyzed RA-induced differentiation. COUP-TF1 overexpression resulted in reduced RA-associated growth arrest. A 2.4+/-0.17-fold higher Nanog mRNA level was seen in COUP-TF1 overexpressing lines, as compared with wild-type (WT) ES cells, after a 72 hr RA treatment. We also showed that COUP-TF1 overexpression enhanced RA-induced extraembryonic endoderm gene expression. Specifically, COUP-TF1 overexpression increased mRNA levels of GATA6 by 3.3+/-0.3-fold, GATA4 by 3.6+/-0.1-fold, laminin B1 (LAMB1) by 3.4+/-0.1-fold, LAMC1 by 3.4+/-0.2-fold, Dab2 by 2.4+0.1-fold, and SOX17 by 2.5-fold at 72 hr after RA treatment plus LIF, as compared with the increases seen in WT ES cells. However, RA-induced neurogenesis was unaffected by COUP-TF1 overexpression, as shown by the equivalent levels of expression of NeuroD1, nestin, GAP43 and other neuronal markers. Our results revealed for the first time that COUP-TF1 is an important signaling molecule during vitamin A (Rol)-mediated very early stage of embryonic development.
Truth and trustworthiness in research.

We have recently reached a watershed in the research community’s consideration of the ethics of research. The way is now open for a more nuanced discussion than the one of the last decade in which attention to legal and quasi-legal procedures for handling misconduct dominated. The new discussion of ethical issues focused on trustworthiness takes us beyond consideration of conduct that is straightforwardly permitted, forbidden or required, to consideration of criteria for responsible behavior. This paper develops an overview of the subject of trustworthiness among researchers. It illustrates and discusses various types of betrayal and defections in research conduct, and locates these in relation to many of the situations discussed elsewhere in this issue. Beginning with the breaches of trust that constitute major wrongdoing in research (“research misconduct”), I argue that these are more often examples of negligence or recklessness than they are of “fraud.” Acts of negligence and recklessness figure not only in misconduct, narrowly defined, but in many lesser betrayals and defections that undermine trust. The presence or absence of an intentional deception is not a reliable indicator of the seriousness of some moral lapse. Such a lapse, where it does occur, may be simply a particularly poor response to perennially difficult research responsibility. Finally, I consider trust and trustworthiness among collaborating researchers and a range of intentional and unintentional behaviors that influence the character of these trust relationships. The supervisor-supervisee relationship is of particular significance because it is both a difficult area of responsibility for the supervisor and because this relationship is formative for a new researcher’s subsequent expectations and behavior.
Study of solid state fault interruption device for medium voltage distribution systems with distributed generators

Solid state fault interruption devices (FID) can interrupt fault currents much faster than the presently available circuit breakers. Due to their current inability to block system level voltages, presently available semiconductor devices are connected in series to increase blocking capability of the fault interrupting device. To verify the ability of the interruption device for use in a medium voltage distribution system, a FID model is subjected to simulated tests for continuous current carrying capability, rated fault current interruption, and lightning impulse withstand tests. A simulation to demonstrate the ability of the FID to interrupt fault currents in a 7.2kV distribution system and to study the effect on system voltages is shown.
Genome organization, natural genetic engineering and adaptive mutation

Bacterial evolution is considered in the light of molecular discoveries about genome organization, biochemical mechanisms of genetic change, and cellular control networks. Prokaryotic genetic determinants are organized as modular composites of coding sequences and protein-factor binding sites joined together during evolution. Studies of genetic change have revealed the existence of biochemical functions capable of restructuring the bacterial genome at various levels and joining together different sequence elements. These natural genetic engineering systems can be subject to regulation by signal transduction networks conveying information about the extracellular and intracellular environments. Mu-mediated araB-lacZ coding sequence fusions provide one example of adaptive mutation (increased formation of useful mutations under selection) and illustrate how physiological regulation can modulate the activity of a natural genetic engineering system under specific conditions.
Experimental study of the sublimation of ice through an unconsolidated clay layer: Implications for the stability of ice on Mars and the possible diurnal variations in atmospheric water

We have studied the sublimation of ice and water vapor transport through various thicknesses of clay (<63 µm grain size). We experimentally demonstrate that both adsorption and diffusion strongly affect the transport of water, and that the processes of diffusion and adsorption can be separately quantified once the system comes to a steady state. At shallow depths of clay, water vapor transport is determined by diffusion through both the atmosphere and the clay layer, whereas at greater depth the rate of sublimation of the ice is governed only by diffusion through the clay. Using two different models, we determine the diffusion coefficient for water vapor through unconsolidated clay layer to be 1.08 ± 0.04 × 10 −4 and 1.29 ± 0.06 × 10 −4 m 2 s −1 . We also determined the adsorption isotherms for the clay layer, which follow the Langmuir theory at low water vapor pressure (<100 Pa, where a monolayer of water molecules forms on the surface of the clay) and the BET theory at higher pressure (where multiple water layers form). From our analysis of both types of isotherms we determined the adsorption constants to be α = 4.9 ± 1.0 × 10 −2 Pa −1 and c = 30 ± 10, respectively, and specific surface areas of 1.10 ± 0.2 × 10 5 and 9.0 ± 0.7 × 10 4 m 2 kg −1 , respectively. Finally, we report a theoretical kinetic model for the simultaneous diffusion and adsorption from which we determine adsorption kinetic constants according to the Langmuir theory of ka = 2.5 ± 0.5 × 10 −4 s −1 and kd = 8.7 ± 3.6 × 10 −5 s −1 . If the martian regolith possesses diffusive properties similar to those of the unconsolidated montmorillonite soil we investigated here, it would not represent a significant barrier to the sublimation of subsurface ice. However, at the low subsurface temperatures of high latitude (180 K on average), ice could survive from the last glaciation period (about 300 to 400,000 years ago). Higher subsurface temperatures in the equatorial regions would prevent long-timescale survival of ice in the shallow subsurface. In agreement with previous work, we show that adsorption of water by a clay regolith could provide a significant reservoir of subsurface water and it might account for the purported diurnal cycle in the water content of the atmosphere.
Hydrothermal metallogenesis in the Bauer Deep of the south-eastern Pacific

SEDIMENTS from the East Pacific Rise that are unusually enriched with iron, manganese, and other metals1,2,3 are correlated with areas of high heat flow on oceanic ridges. With the discovery that sediments rich in iron directly overlie oceanic basaltic basement, it has been suggested that such deposits were formed by circulating hydrothermal fluids generated during mid-oceanic rift volcanism4,5. Other suggested origins are: authigenic precipitation of iron and manganese from seawater6, submarine weathering of basaltic debris, and precipitation during diagenetic remobilisation of manganese in the sediment column7. Our geochemical evidence supports the hydrothermal metallogenesis hypothesis.
Payment for sex in a macaque mating market

In primate sexual relationships, males and females can cooperate through social trade. Market-like trading of sexual activity has been theorized, but no data have yet been presented that clearly show its existence. I collected data to test whether biological market theory could account for exchanges of male-to-female grooming and sexual activity in longtailed macaques. I explored male-to-female grooming, rates of sexual activity, and groomingemating interchanges, which were male-to-female grooming bouts that directly involved mating. Male-to-female grooming mainly occurred when females were sexually active, and males groomed females longer per bout when mating, inspection, or presentation of female hindquarters was involved. Moreover, male-to-female grooming was associated with an increase in female rates for all forms of sexual activity, where in contrast, female-to-male grooming was associated with decreased rates of mating in the groomed males. Males did not preferentially mate with swollen females or invest more grooming in them during groomingemating interchanges, as swellings did not seem to be a reliable indicator of female fertility. Rank status was correlated with grooming payment during groomingemating interchanges in favour of higher-ranked males and females. In support of a biological market interpretation, the amount of grooming a male performed on a female during groomingemating interchanges was related to the current supply of females around the interaction. The results provided evidence of a groomingemating trade that was influenced by a mating market.
Dihydropyridine Action on Voltage-dependent Potassium Channels Expressed in Xenopus Oocytes

Dihydropyridines (DHPs) are well known for their effects on L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels. However, these drugs also affect other voltage-dependent ion channels, including Shaker K+ channels. We examined the effects of DHPs on the Shaker K+ channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Intracellular applications of DHPs quickly and reversibly induced apparent inactivation in the Shaker K+ mutant channels with disrupted N- and C-type inactivation. We found that DHPs interact with the open state of the channel as evidenced by the decreased mean open time. The DHPs effects are voltage-dependent, becoming more effective with hyperpolarization. A model which involves binding of two DHP molecules to the channel is consistent with the results obtained in our experiments.
The adsorption of formic acid on Y zeolites: A multiple-pulse nuclear magnetic resonance study

Abstract A series of multiple-pulse nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques have been applied to the study of the adsorbed state of formic acid on ammonium-Y (NH4Y) and ultrastable hydrogen-Y (HY) zeolites. It is determined that the formic acid is adsorbed on the zeolites in two different forms: as unidentate and bidentate formate species, which can be distinguished by the symmetry of the 13C chemical shift powder patterns. Cross-polarization NMR techniques exploit differences in the 13C1H dipolar couplings to separate the two groups. The ratio of bidentate to unidentate species is about 52:48 on the NH4Y zeolite and about 83:17 on the ultrastable HY zeolite at a coverage of 0.3 monolayer. The strength of the 13C27Al dipolar interaction suggests that the bidentate formate ions are bonded to the Al atoms of the zeolites. The 1H NMR spectrum of the carbonyl hydrogen, isolated by a dipolar-difference technique, is shifted downfield from that of neat formic acid, indicating that the hydrogen has become more acidic.
Call Your Legislator: A Field Experimental Study of the Impact of a Constituency Mobilization Campaign on Legislative Voting

Do campaigns encouraging constituents to contact their legislator influence public policy? We answer this question with a field experiment in which Michigan state legislators are randomly assigned to be contacted by their constituents about a specific bill or to a control group. The field experimental design allows us to produce internally and externally valid estimates of the effects on legislative voting of a campaign in which constituents are urged to contact their legislator. The estimated effect is substantial: being targeted by constituent contacts increases the probability of supporting the relevant legislation by about 12 percentage points. We discuss the normative and theoretical implications of these results.
Beneficial Effect of Liver Feeding on Swimming Capacity of Rats in Gold Water.

SummaryImmature rats raised to maturity on a purified ration containing 10% whole liver powder swam for a significantly longer period at a water temperature of 20°C than rats fed a similar ration c...
Multiple vehicle Bayesian-based domain search with intermittent information sharing

This paper focuses on the development of Bayesian-based domain search strategies for distributed multiple autonomous vehicles with intermittent information sharing. Multi-sensor fusion based on observations from neighboring vehicles is implemented via binary Bayesian filtering. We will prove that, under appropriate sensor models, the belief of whether objects exist or not will converge to the true state. An uncertainty map based on these probabilities is constructed to guide the vehicles' motion. It will be shown that all objects in the search domain will be detected. Different motion control schemes are numerically tested to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.
Is His Heroism Hailed and Hers Hidden? Women, Men, and The Social Construction of Heroism:

Two studies examined how the social construction of heroism affects the representation of women and men as heroes. In the first study, community participants defined heroism or identified heroes. A...
DIABLO: A Warehouse-Scale Computer Network Simulator using FPGAs

Motivated by rapid software and hardware innovation in warehouse-scale computing (WSC), we visit the problem of warehouse-scale network design evaluation. A WSC is composed of about 30 arrays or clusters, each of which contains about 3000 servers, leading to a total of about 100,000 servers per WSC. We found many prior experiments have been conducted on relatively small physical testbeds, and they often assume the workload is static and that computations are only loosely coupled with the adaptive networking stack. We present a novel and cost-efficient FPGAbased evaluation methodology, called Datacenter-In-A-Box at LOw cost (DIABLO), which treats arrays as whole computers with tightly integrated hardware and software. We have built a 3,000-node prototype running the full WSC software stack. Using our prototype, we have successfully reproduced a few WSC phenomena, such as TCP Incast and memcached request latency long tail, and found that results do indeed change with both scale and with version of the full software stack.
Perspectival Thoughts and Psychological Generalizations

Summary Against an externalist view popularized, among others, by Evans and McDowell I shall show fiat object-dependent thoughts are psychologically spurious. This version of externalism is contrasted with the picture that thoughts are object-independent. It is argued that object-independent thoughts are perspectival and context-sensitive and that these perspectival thoughts, unlike object-dependent thoughts: (i) deal with delusion in an intuitive and elegant way; (ii) support psychological generalizations in a straightforward way; (iii) do not need to be fully articulated and, as such, fit with an economical rule governing our thinking activity. To state my point I shall mainly concentrate on perceptual thoughts and emphasize how they are contextually related to the external world.
EXPERIMENTAL INFECTION OF HAWAI`I `AMAKIHI (HEMIGNATHUS VIRENS) WITH WEST NILE VIRUS AND COMPETENCE OF A CO-OCCURRING VECTOR, CULEX QUINQUEFASCIATUS: POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON ENDEMIC HAWAIIAN AVIFAUNA

Introduced mosquito-borne avian disease is a major limiting factor in the recovery and restoration of native Hawaiian forest birds. Annual epizootics of avian pox (Avipoxvirus) and avian malaria (Plasmodium relictum) likely led to the extinction of some species and continue to impact populations of susceptible Hawaiian honeycreepers (Drepanidinae). The introduction of a novel pathogen, such as West Nile virus (WNV), could result in further population declines and extinctions. During September and October 2004, we infected Hawai`i `Amakihi (Hemignathus virens) with a North American isolate of WNV by needle inoculation and mosquito bite to observe susceptibility, mortality, and illness in this endemic passerine, and to determine the vector competence of the co-occurring, introduced mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus. All experimentally infected Hawai`i `Amakihi became viremic, with a mean titer >105 plaque-forming units (PFU)/ml, and they experienced clinical signs ranging from anorexia and lethargy to ataxia....
A New Model for Predicting the MRTD Curve for Thermal Imagers

We present a new model for predicting the minimum resolvable temperature difference (MRTD) curve of thermal imaging systems (TIS). The analysis for the new model concentrates on contrast reduction due to spatial frequency limiting factors of subsystem components. Curves have been generated for this model for a system with typical component values. These results are compared with curves generated from the commonly accepted Ratches-Lawson (R-L) model. This proposed model leads to a simpler development for an MRTD predictor and appears to provide a more reliable tool for forecasting the performance of a TIS.
Ethnicity and Changing Functional Health in Middle and Late Life: A Person-Centered Approach

Objectives. Following a person-centered approach, this research aims to depict distinct courses of disability and to ascertain how the probabilities of experiencing these trajectories vary across Black, hispanic, and White middle-aged and older Americans. Methods. Data came from the 1995–2006 health and Retirement study, which involved a national sample of 18,486 Americans older than 50 years of age. Group-based semiparametric mixture models (Proc Traj) were used for data analysis. Results. Five trajectories were identified: (a) excellent functional health (61%), (b) good functional health with small increasing disability (25%), (c) accelerated increase in disability (7%), (d) high but stable disability (4%), and (e) persis tent severe impairment (3%). however, when time-varying covariates (e.g., martial status and health conditions) were controlled, only 3 trajectories emerged: (a) healthy functioning (53%), moderate functional decrement (40%), and (c) large functional decrement (8%). Black and hispanic Americans had significantly higher probabilities than White Amer icans in experiencing poor functional health trajectories, with Blacks at greater risks than hispanics. Conclusions. Parallel to the concepts of successful aging, usual aging, and pathological aging, there exist distinct courses of changing functional health over time. The mechanisms underlying changes in disability may vary between Black and hispanic Americans.
Swimming Performance and Physiological Responses to Exhaustive Exercise in Radio-Tagged and Untagged Pacific Lampreys

Abstract Populations of Pacific lamprey Lampetra tridentata have declined in the Columbia River basin. One factor that may have contributed to this reduction in population size is an excessive use of energy by adult lampreys as they negotiate fishways at dams during spawning migrations. To gain an understanding of the performance capacity of Pacific lampreys, we estimated the critical swimming speed (U crit) and documented physiological responses of radio-tagged and untagged adult lampreys exercised to exhaustion. The mean (±SD) U crit of untagged lampreys was 86.2 ± 7.5 cm/s at 15°C, whereas the U crit for radio-tagged lampreys was 81.5 ± 7.0 cm/s, a speed that was significantly lower than that of untagged fish. The physiological responses of tagged and untagged lampreys subjected to exhaustive exercise included decreases in blood pH of 0.3–0.5 units, a 40% decrease in muscle glycogen levels, a 22% increase in hematocrit for untagged fish only, and a 4- to 5-fold increase in muscle and a 40- to 100-fold ...
Blueprint for the Diagnosis of Difficulties with Cardinality

Children frequently have difficulties solving exercises involving missing addends. In most cases these children lack mental images for the cardinal numbers.This manuscript describes a diagnostic procedure for assessing children's mental images and knowledge of cardinal numbers, 0 through 9. The diagnostic procedure includes the assessment of a child's visual memory, visual perception, symbol recognition, oral naming of numerals, and symbol-set linkage. These skills must be possessed by a child in order for him/her to be successful with cardinal numbers and missing addend exercises.
Lipid goal achievement and trends in lipid-lowering therapy in veterans undergoing carotid endarterectomy.

Secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease after carotid endarterec- tomy should include management of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, but increased LDL levels are undertreated in these patients. We examined trends in statin use and LDL goal achievement in veterans undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA), a medically high-risk group with high rates of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The records of all CEA performed between 1995 and 2005 in the Connecticut Veter- ans' Affairs (VA) hospital were reviewed. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to analyze long-term outcomes. ANOVA was used for comparisons between groups. A total of 309 CEA procedures were performed in 298 patients. The mean follow-up was 4.1 years. Statin use increased over time (12% in 1995, 84% in 2005) and mean LDL levels decreased (105 mg/dl in 1997, 90 mg/dl in 2007). The number of patients achieving LDL goals of 100 mg/dl or 70 mg/dl increased. Mean HDL levels decreased (53 mg/dl in 1997 and 38 mg/dl in 2007). Patients with three or more comorbid medical condi- tions were more likely to achieve LDL goals. At 12 years, freedom from stroke was 91%, freedom from myocardial infarction was 46% and survival was 12%. In conclu- sion, over the last decade, among patients who have undergone CEA, statin use has increased and LDL levels have improved.
Step Training Improves the Speed of Voluntary Step Initiation in Aging

Background. Falls related to balance dysfunction are among the major problems of older individuals. The timing characteristics of protective voluntary stepping are critically related to effective balance recovery and are often delayed and slowed with age. This study investigated the influence of step training on the timing characteristics of voluntary step initiation in younger and older adults. Methods. Voluntary reaction time stepping was evaluated before and after training in 12 younger adults and 8 healthy community-dwelling older adults who performed a 3-week regimen of either twice weekly induced step training (destabilizing large waist pulls) or voluntary step practice to a somatosensory reaction stimulus cue (nondestabilizing small waist pulls). Results. Overall, the first step initiation times were slower for the older than for the younger subjects for both the somatosensory reaction stimulus cue task and an auditory transfer cue task. Step completion time was completed earlier for the young posttraining subjects, and older subjects generally had a longer step length. Training resulted in significant reductions in step initiation timing for the old (17%) and young (15%) subjects. Across age groups, the induced training group showed greater reductions in step initiation time than the voluntary practice group for the auditory transfer cue task. Conclusions. A 3-week period of either voluntary or waist-pull-induced step training reduced step initiation time in older and younger adults. Moreover, compared with voluntary step practice, induced step training resulted in a significantly greater improvement in reaction time stepping for an auditory transfer cue task. At least in the short term, such step training has the potential to help older adults perform more like younger adults in their step initiation timing.
One teacher’s reflective journey and the evolution of a lesson: Systematic reflection as a catalyst for adaptive expertise

This conceptual article provides a classroom-based example of the ways systematic reflection can improve teaching practice, impact student learning, and be a catalyst for adaptive expertise and the development of pedagogical content knowledge for high school mathematics teaching. Mark, a novice mathematics teacher, used a cycle of systematic reflection to adapt one basic statistics lesson over several years. An administrator’s observation and a professional development opportunity served as critical incidents that focused Mark’s reflective inquiry on improving student engagement. In several cycles of noticing, reflecting, and making adaptations he worked to balance student engagement with deep application of core mathematical principles. Mark’s progression from descriptive reflection to comparative and critical reflection resulted in improvements in his students’ engagement with and application of the core mathematical principles, as well as changes in the focus of his reflection: from a novice focus on h...
C. elegans GATA factors EGL-18 and ELT-6 function downstream of Wnt signaling to maintain the progenitor fate during larval asymmetric divisions of the seam cells

The C. elegans seam cells are lateral epithelial cells arrayed in a single line from anterior to posterior that divide in an asymmetric, stem cell-like manner during larval development. These asymmetric divisions are regulated by Wnt signaling; in most divisions, the posterior daughter in which the Wnt pathway is activated maintains the progenitor seam fate, while the anterior daughter in which the Wnt pathway is not activated adopts a differentiated hypodermal fate. Using mRNA tagging and microarray analysis, we identified the functionally redundant GATA factor genes egl-18 and elt-6 as Wnt pathway targets in the larval seam cells. EGL-18 and ELT-6 have previously been shown to be required for initial seam cell specification in the embryo. We show that in larval seam cell asymmetric divisions, EGL-18 is expressed strongly in the posterior seam-fated daughter. egl-18 and elt-6 are necessary for larval seam cell specification, and for hypodermal to seam cell fate transformations induced by ectopic Wnt pathway overactivation. The TCF homolog POP-1 binds a site in the egl-18 promoter in vitro, and this site is necessary for robust seam cell expression in vivo. Finally, larval overexpression of EGL-18 is sufficient to drive expression of a seam marker in other hypodermal cells in wild-type animals, and in anterior hypodermal-fated daughters in a Wnt pathway-sensitized background. These data suggest that two GATA factors that are required for seam cell specification in the embryo independently of Wnt signaling are reused downstream of Wnt signaling to maintain the progenitor fate during stem cell-like divisions in larval development.
Runx1 and Runx3 Are Involved in the Generation and Function of Highly Suppressive IL-17-Producing T Regulatory Cells

CD4(+)Foxp3(+) T regulatory cells (Tregs) display phenotypic and functional plasticity that is regulated by cytokines and other immune cells. Previously, we determined that during co-culture with CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells and antigen presenting cells, Tregs produced IL-17. Here, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the differentiation of IL-17-producing Treg (Tr17) cells and their molecular and functional properties. We determined that during stimulation via TCR/CD3 and CD28, the combination of IL-1β and IL-2 was necessary and sufficient for the generation of Tr17 cells. Tr17 cells expressed Runx1 transcription factor, which was required for sustained expression of Foxp3 and RORγt and for production of IL-17. Surprisingly, Tr17 cells also expressed Runx3, which regulated transcription of perforin and granzyme B thereby mediating cytotoxic activity. Our studies indicate that Tr17 cells concomitantly express Foxp3, RORγt, Runx1 and Runx3 and are capable of producing IL-17 while mediating potent suppressive and cytotoxic function.
Peeling mechanism of tomato under infrared heating: Peel loosening and cracking

Critical behaviors of peeling tomatoes using infrared radiation heating are thermally induced peel loosening and subsequent cracking. Fundamental understanding of the two critical behaviors, peel loosening and cracking, remains unclear. This study aimed at investigating the mechanisms of peel separation for tomatoes subjected to a newly developed infrared dry-peeling process. Microstructural changes in tomato epidermal tissues under infrared heating were compared with those of fresh, hot lye and steam treated samples. Theoretical stress analyses coupled with the experimentally measured failure stress of tomato skin were combined to interpret the occurrence of peel cracking within a framework of elastic thin shell theory. With the use of light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, it was observed that peel loosening due to infrared heating appeared to result from reorganization of extracellular cuticles, thermal expansion of cell walls, and collapse of several cellular layers, differing from samples heated by hot lye and steam. Crack behaviors of tomato skin were attributed to the rapid rate of infrared surface heating which caused the pressure build-up under the skin and strength decrease of the skin. In order to achieve a sufficient skin separation for effective peeling using infrared, promoting rapid and uniform heating on the tomato surface is essential. The findings gained from this study provide new insights for developing the sustainable infrared dry-peeling technology.
Objectives for the Curriculum

The curriculum described here was developed in response to objectives set forth in Spring 1982 [104]. The premises and goals from that project plan are reproduced in this section. Although these objectives were formulated with Carnegie-Mellon in mind, they are appropriate for a wide variety of institutions.
Octanet- an electronic library network; the first four years: summary and evaluation

Presentation du systeme documentaire OCTANET, qui comprend 4 modules: pret interbibliotheque, courrier electronique, edition de rapports de gestion et de catalogue collectif. Cet article dresse le bilan de 4 ans d'utilisation de ce systeme
A B-tree assignment that is realistic enough that students can list it on their resumes: nifty assignment

High level languages like Python and Java, and even C++, abstract away so many details of what goes on "beneath the hood" when a computer program is running, that it becomes a challenge to open students' eyes to the fascinating interplay between algorithms and computer systems. In particular, the C++ Standard Template Library does such a good job with vectors, sets and maps, that it is hard to impart to students the subtle impact of issues such as memory management, that can profoundly affect the performance of a program. Most Computer Science curricula focus on the theory and abstract mechanics of algorithms, and then move onto the design principles of operating systems. In my experience, students do not get enough hands-on experience with the bits and bytes of their computer systems, and how the algorithms that they learn in the abstract interact with these bits and bytes.
Pharmaceutical Patents and Generic Entry Competition: A New View on the Hatch-Waxman Act

We present a formal analysis that sheds new light on the Hatch-Waxman Act. Hatch-Waxman restores incentives to develop new drugs by extending the patent life for them, but also promotes generic entry by reducing entry costs and by providing 180-day marketing exclusivity to a first challenger to the patent. Although these two objectives appear incompatible, our model shows that marketing exclusivity, with a significant entry cost reduction, contributes to incentive restoration. It finds however that social welfare is lower with marketing exclusivity. Finally, our analysis suggests that marketing exclusivity not be granted in the case of drugs for rare diseases.
Nonlinearity Index Theory for Flight Mechanics Applications

This paper introduces nonlinearity index theory for atmospheric flight mechanics. The nonlinearity index theory was originally developed for orbital mechanics applications within the context of an initial value problem, while aircraft dynamic systems more commonly experience an input excitation as well as sensitivity to initial conditions. This current research proposes an algorithm for applying the index to flight dynamics. The algorithm starts by gridding down the flight envelope to a set of points. Around each point, an elliptical subregion is defined as ratios of the altitude and Mach number bands. A set of nominal linear models is then generated at each point. The maximum deviation of each nominal linear model from the equivalent linear models over the local subregion is presented as the basis for various nonlinear index measures. Visualizing these metrics over the entire flight envelope delivers informative graphs by which the aircraft nonlinear dynamic characteristics can be quantified and qualified for applications such as motion analysis, handling qualities, and control design.
The Basis of the Rhythmic Flashing of the Firefly

During the first few hours after the onset of darkness the adult firefly, Photuris pennsylvanicus, emits light every now and then and with a not too irregular rhythm of about 55-100 flashes per minute at 21.5°C. During the rest of the time the animal normally does not produce light. Thus the insect differs from bacteria and fungi, which luminesce continuously.[1][1] The reason for the rhythmic flashing of the firefly is a subject of considerable interest and is dealt with in the present paper. [1]: #fn-1
Evaluationand Extension of Rice Varieties(Lines) in Regional(Performance) Test Resistant to Blast in Heilongjiang Province

The resistance to rice blast of 274 rice varieties(lines)in regional(performance)test of the third and fourth accumulated temperature zone from 2006 to 2010 were identified by artificial infection in Heilongjiang province.The results showed that the resistant levels varied greatly with the varieties,of which none was highly resistant(HR)to blast,134 or 48.6% of the tested varieties were resistant to leaf blast,152 or 55.5% of the tested varieties were resistant to panicle blast.During 2006 to 2010,26 rice varieties were released.They were Longjing 20,Heijing No.8,Kendao 18,Longjing 25,Longjing 26,Longjing 29,Kenjing No.2,Longjing 31 and so on.The total accumulative plant area of these varieties was 2 480 700 hm2,accounting for 15.9% of 5 years total rice planting area of Heilongjiang province.