cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
From Flawed Design to Misleading Information: The U.S. Department of Education's Early Intervention Child Outcomes Evaluation

It is a matter of concern when large, federally funded programs are evaluated using designs that produce misleading information. In this article, we discuss problems associated with an evaluation d...
Local Field Effect on Charge-Capture/Emission Dynamics

Charge-capture/emission is ubiquitous in electron devices. Its dynamics often play critical roles in device operation and reliability. Treatment of this basic process is found in many text books and is considered well understood. As in many electron device models, the individuality of immobile charge is commonly replaced with the average quantity of charge density. This has worked remarkably well when large numbers of individual charges (ensemble) are involved. As device geometries become very small, the ensemble “averaging” becomes far less accurate. In this paper, the charge-capture/emission dynamic of metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) is reexamined with full consideration of individual charges and the local field in their immediate vicinity. A dramatic modification of the local band diagram resulted, forcing a drastic change in emission mechanism. The implication is that many well-understood phenomena involving charge capture/emission will need to be reconsidered. As an example, this new picture is applied to the random telegraph noise (RTN) phenomenon. When the screening of a trapped charge by a polar medium such as SiO2 is quantitatively accounted for in this local field picture, a new physically sound RTN emission mechanism emerges. Similarly, the dynamics of poststress recovery of negative-bias instability of p-channel MOSFET can be more rationally explained.
Incidence, Severity, and Time Loss Associated With Collegiate Football Fractures, 2004-2005 to 2013-2014.

Background:The inherent risk of any time loss from physical injury in football has been extensively discussed, with many such injuries having a profound effect on the lives of National Collegiate A...
An Architecture for Analysis

We propose an architecture controlled by a thin computational layer designed to tightly correspond with the lambda calculus, drawing on principles of functional programming to bring the assembly much closer to myriad reasoning frameworks and specification languages. This approach allows assembly-level verified versions of critical code to operate safely in tandem with arbitrary code without the need for large supporting trusted computing bases.
Simultaneous Optical Bistable Switching of Adjacent Pixels on ZnS and ZnSe Interference Filters

Simultaneous switching of 10 pixels on a ZnSe interference filter has been demonstrated by using a fly’s eye lens array. Pattern recognition is demonstrated, and filter uniformity is discussed.
Tissue sampling in the era of precision medicine: comparison of percutaneous biopsies performed for clinical trials or tumor genomics versus routine clinical care

The purpose of the study was to determine if patients undergoing percutaneous biopsy for genetic profiling are undergoing more biopsies (procedures, passes per procedure), or experiencing more procedure-related complications. 60 patients undergoing biopsy procedures for genetic profiling were retrospectively compared with 60 consecutive control patients undergoing routine biopsies. Procedural details and related complications were collected. Results were analyzed using t-tests and logistic regression. Biopsied organs included mainly lung (n = 31), liver (n = 50), and lymph nodes (n = 18). The average number of core biopsy passes was 3.45 in the study group and 2.18 in the control group (0.73, 1.81; p = 0.0001). The average study patient underwent 1.44 biopsy procedures by radiology from 2016 to 2017, whereas the average control patient underwent 1.08 (0.1657, 0.5010, p = 0.0002). Results were similar when looking at the subset of patients undergoing liver biopsies. In our cohort of 120 patients total, only 6 complications were noted. There were 4 complications in the control patients and 2 complications in the study patients, all of which were pneumothoraces in patients undergoing lung biopsy; only 2 of these required treatment. The odds ratio for a complication occurring from an increase in one core biopsy is 1.07 (0.601, 1.573; p = 0.775), suggesting no significant relationship among the number of biopsies taken and the probability of complication in this cohort. Patients being biopsied for genetic profiling or clinical study enrollment are undergoing more biopsy procedures and more biopsy passes per procedure, but are not experiencing a detectable increased rate of complications in this small cohort, single-center study.
Changes in prostate-specific antigen midway through salvage radiotherapy may be associated with long-term outcomes

To examine the relationship between changes in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) by midpoint of salvage radiotherapy (SRT) for biochemically recurrent prostate cancer and long-term clinical outcomes. We conducted a retrospective study of men treated with SRT for biochemically recurrent prostate cancer at a single practice from 2004 to 2016. Patients were grouped based on PSA response at treatment midpoint: group 0, no change; group 1, decrease; group 2, increase. The primary endpoint was clinical failure measured from time of SRT completion and defined as serum PSA ≥ 0.2 ng/mL above post-radiotherapy nadir, initiation of androgen deprivation therapy, development of bone metastasis, or death from prostate cancer. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate freedom from clinical failure for each group, and differences between groups were examined using pairwise multiple comparison. Median follow-up was 51.6 months (range, 3.3–138.0). Of 76 eligible men, 13.1% experienced no change in PSA at midpoint of SRT (group 0), 68.4% experienced a decrease (group 1), and 18.4% experienced an increase (group 2). Four-year freedom from clinical failure rates were as follows: group 0, 60.0%; group 1, 58.3%; and group 2, 41.7%. Median time to clinical failure was 71.7 months (95% confidence interval, 46.9–96.5) for group 1; 26.8 months (95% confidence interval, 0.0–55.9) for group 2; and was not reached for group 0. There was a significant difference in four-year freedom from clinical failure between groups 1 and 2 (p = 0.036). PSA changes by the midpoint of SRT predict long-term prostate cancer control with increases in PSA associated with decreased freedom from disease progression.
The Mismatch between Expectations and Realities of AS 4 Audits: A Post-Implementation Research Analysis

We conduct a post-implementation research analysis of AS4, a standard guiding voluntary audits of material weakness (MW) remediation disclosures, to understand the reasons for the scarcity of AS4 audits in practice. We use multiple methods (experiments, comment letter analysis, and surveys) to understand the perspectives of key stakeholders. We find that regulators' expectations of the use of the standard did not come to fruition because an equilibrium market for active use of the standard could not be achieved. Managers desire to engage in AS4 audits for the riskier MWs but do not expect the associated costs to be high. Auditors are reluctant to audit riskier MWs, and would charge a considerable risk premium. Finally, we find that investors value AS4 audits especially for riskier MWs and find value in an AS4 audit for those risky MWs beyond that of the year-end audit. The overall findings of our study indicate a mismatch in the cost-benefit functions of the key stakeholders led to a lack of AS4 audits. Our findings are important given the high costs associated with standard development and approval.
One Hundred Years of Strain Sensing in Civil Structural Health Monitoring

Informed by the theory of structures and materials science, design of civil structures is based on criteria that deal with the stresses and deflections in the structure. Consequently, assessment of stresses and deflections in real structures became one important aim of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). In general, however, stress and deflection cannot be measured directly in real-life settings due to various limiting factors related to sensing technologies, site conditions, and properties of structural materials. Exceptions exist, and stresses and deflections can be directly monitored in very specific applications, but there are no technological solutions that can be generalized for that purpose. Strain is a parameter which is directly correlated to both stress and deflection. In addition, unusual structural behaviors (e.g., damage or deterioration) frequently have symptoms appearing as strain field anomalies. Hence, strain-based methods were among the first approaches applied in SHM. The first concepts of strain sensing were tackled in XIX century when Lord Kelvin demonstrated that electrical resistance of metallic conductors is related to their mechanical strain, and thus established the physical principle of a resistive strain gauge. However, the first strain sensor to be manufactured and applied in real-life settings is the vibrating wire sensor. Its creation was published in 1919 and the first applications were carried out in 1920’s. Since then, two generations of strain sensors matured and became regular tools applied in strain-based SHM: discrete electrical sensors, and fiber-optic sensors (both discrete and distributed). While the former provided short-gauge sensors that established bases in local strain monitoring, the latter provided long-gauge and 1Ddistributed sensors that greatly extended performance and applicability of strain-based SHM by enabling global structural monitoring and integrity monitoring. Current research aims to create a third generation of strain sensors that target expansion of integrity monitoring from 1D to 2D and 3D approaches, based on various technologies including 2D smart paints and surfaces, and 2D sensing skins and sheets, and 3D selfsensing materials, smart dust and sensing sand. This paper presents 100-year retrospective on strain sensing technologies employed in SHM, with aim to emphasize the milestones in creation of strain-based SHM and identify future directions.
The Role of Multimodality Imaging in Right Ventricular Failure

Right ventricular dysfunction is increasingly being recognized as a marker of poor prognosis in a variety of cardiovascular diseases. Hence, identification and accurate quantification of the degree of impairment is crucial. Although echocardiography remains the mainstay for right ventricular evaluation, multimodality noninvasive cardiac imaging provides additional useful corroborative assessment. Cardiac MRI is particularly useful for accurate quantification of right ventricular volumes and function, as well as myocardial tissue characterization. This article outlines the clinically useful applications of multimodality imaging for comprehensive assessment of the right heart and associated structures in the setting of right ventricular failure.
A reinforcement-learning model of active avoidance behavior: Differences between Sprague Dawley and Wistar-Kyoto rats

Avoidance behavior is a typically adaptive response performed by an organism to avert harmful situations. Individuals differ remarkably in their tendency to acquire and perform new avoidance behaviors, as seen in anxiety disorders where avoidance becomes pervasive and inappropriate. In rodent models of avoidance, the inbred Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat demonstrates increased learning and expression of avoidance compared to the outbred Sprague Dawley (SD) rat. However, underlying mechanisms that contribute to these differences are unclear. Computational modeling techniques can help identify factors that may not be easily decipherable from behavioral data alone. Here, we utilize a reinforcement learning (RL) model approach to better understand strain differences in avoidance behavior. An actor-critic model, with separate learning rates for action selection (in the actor) and state evaluation (in the critic), was applied to individual data of avoidance acquisition from a large cohort of WKY and SD rats. Latent parameters were extracted, such as learning rate and subjective reinforcement value of foot shock, that were then compared across groups. The RL model was able to accurately represent WKY and SD avoidance behavior, demonstrating that the model could simulate individual performance. The model determined that the perceived negative value of foot shock was significantly higher in WKY than SD rats, whereas learning rate in the actor was lower in WKY than SD rats. These findings demonstrate the utility of computational modeling in identifying underlying processes that could promote strain differences in behavioral performance.
Understanding cognitive performance during exercise in Reserve Officers' Training Corps: establishing the executive function-exercise intensity relationship

The executive functioning aspect of cognition was evaluated during graded exercise in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets. Executive function declined at exercise intensities of ≥80% of heart r...
Sterile Neutrinos in a 6 × 6 Matrix Approach

Quark-lepton symmetry invites consideration of the existence of sterile neutrinos. Long ago, we showed that this approach predicts large neutrino mixing amplitudes. Using a Weyl spinor approach, we show, in an analytic example, how this, and pseudo-Dirac pairing, can develop within a reduced rank version of the conventional see-saw mechanism, from small intrinsic mixing strengths. We show by numerical examples that mixing of active and sterile neutrinos can affect the structure of oscillations relevant to extraction of neutrino mixing parameters from neutrino oscillation data.
Common stock offerings across the business cycle

Abstract It is well known that historically a larger number of firms issue common stock and the proportion of external financing accounted for by equity is substantially higher in expansionary phases of the business cycle. We show that this phenomenon is consistent with firms selling seasoned equity when they face lower adverse selection costs, which occurs in periods with more promising investment opportunities and with less uncertainty about assets in place. Thus, firm announcements of equity issues are predicted to convey less adverse information about equity values in such periods. Empirically, we find evidence that generally supports these predictions. Consistent with historical patterns, firms in recent times have tended to increase equity more frequently in expansionary periods. While business cycle variables have significant explanatory power, interest rate variables are generally insignificant. The adverse selection effects as measured by the average negative price reaction to seasoned common stock offering announcements is significantly lower in expansionary periods and in periods with a relatively larger volume of equity financing. These offer announcement effects are less negative for smaller stock offerings and for issuers with less uncertainty about assets in place.
Trends in Educational Technology: What Facebook, Twitter, and Scopus Can Tell us about Current Research and Practice

Using large-scale, public data sources, this editorial provides a high-level description of educational technology trends leading up to and encompassing the year 2020. Data sources included (a) 17.9 million Facebook page posts by K-12 educational institutions in the U.S., (b) 131,760 tweets to the #EdTech hashtag on Twitter, and (c) 29,636 educational technology articles in the Scopus database. We provide a variety of descriptive results in the form of participation frequency charts, keyword matches, URL domain link counts, co-occurring hashtags, tweet text word trees, and common word and bigram frequencies. Results from the analysis of Facebook posts indicated that (a) schools increasingly used the platform over time, (b) the pandemic increased frequency (but not the nature) of use, (c) schools are progressively sharing more media, information, and tools, and (d) some of these tools align with trends identified by Weller (2020) while others do not. Analysis of tweets indicated that (a) discussions in 2020 revolved around “remote learning” and related topics, (b) this emphasis shifted or morphed into “elearning” and “online learning” as the year progressed, (c) shared posts were primarily informational or media-based, and (d) the space was heavily directed by a relatively small group of Superusers. Last, analysis of articles in Scopus indicated that (a) online learning is historically the most-researched topic in the field, (b) the past decade reflects a shift to more “open” and “social” topics, and (c) there seems to be a lag or disconnect between emergent high-interest technologies and research. Taken together, we conclude that these results show the field’s preparation for addressing many challenges of 2020, but propose that, moving forward, we would be better served by embracing greater philosophical plurality and better addressing key issues, including equity and practicality.
Safety of Breastfeeding by Mothers With COVID-19: New Evidence From Israel.

* Abbreviations: COVID-19 — : coronavirus disease 2019 EBF — : exclusive breastfeeding SARS-CoV-2 — : severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 WHO — : World Health Organization Human milk is the ultimate food to promote healthy growth and development of children aged <2 years.1 Optimal breastfeeding practices, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), include initiation of skin-to-skin contact with breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for 6 months, then continued breastfeeding with appropriate complementary foods for up to 2 years and beyond.1 The WHO also recommends that mothers with suspected or confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) should be encouraged to initiate or continue to breastfeed.2 However, concerns have been raised about whether mothers with COVID-19 can transmit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to their infant or young child through breastfeeding or horizontally. In a case series of 53 women infected with SARS-CoV-2 and their 55 mostly breastfed infants reported in this issue of Pediatrics , Shlomai et al3 report no neonatal SARS-CoV-2 infections, … Address correspondence to Marcel Yotebieng, MD, MPH, PhD, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 3300 Kossuth Ave, Bronx, NY 10467. E-mail: marcel.yotebieng{at}einsteinmed.org
Creating Livable Communities

A livable community, as a practical term, is a place-based vision focusing on land-use elements that promote residents of all ages and abilities to live, work, and play in their community. Livability through physical design expands across community elements of streets, commercial and residential uses, and public spaces. As a planning effort, livable communities advance decades of responses toward urban sprawl and community health. In this chapter, we present conceptual frameworks from key planning predecessors including growth management strategies, comprehensive planning approaches, smart growth movements, and sustainable development to community health. Furthermore, we review the research evidence on livable environments health and economic benefits to a community and contributions to the quality of life. Understanding that sustainability provides the framework for considering livable communities in terms of equity and access, we present illustrative case studies providing evidence of mobilization, government programs, and collaboration for improved services and conditions to humanize public space. We are of the view that existing injustices to livable communities in land use and zoning decisions create ongoing health disparities so much that in some jurisdictions, Zip codes are used as predictors of health outcomes. Livability is a place-making outcome predicated on the relationship of multiple community development theories in areas of supportive community characteristics. We review the need for research evidence to guide livability policies and indicators for sustainable livable communities.
Trends and Issues in Qualitative Research Methods

In the almost two decades since the first AECT Handbook article on qualitative research debates about research philosophy, design, and purposes have led to clashes of opinion in the field of educational communications and technology as well as in the larger sphere of educational research. At the same time, the number of publications on qualitative methods specific to the field has increased, expanding the understanding of the potential of such approaches to explore, describe, and explicate key issues in instructional design and the application of technology to learning. While other chapters have included examples of qualitative studies related to specific disciplinary topics, this chapter focuses on trends in the use of qualitative research design and emerging approaches more generally. Within this framework, issues of design, methods, and knowledge generation are reviewed and examined through a sample of recent directions in qualitative studies and designs. For each method reviewed, examples are provided along with common issues and potential directions for future use of these.
Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms of Pancreas: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) arise from main pancreatic duct (MD-IPMN) and/or branch ducts (BDIPMN), and are characterized by intraductal papillary proliferation of mucin-producing epithelial cells exhibiting various degrees of dysplasia.1 IPMNs have a potential for malignant transformation with a well-described adenoma carcinoma sequence. We present endoscopic images from 3 cases of IPMN: without dysplasia, with high-grade dysplasia, and with invasive carcinoma.
Radiative Transfer in the Atmosphere and Ocean: Basic Scattering Processes

Introduction In the next two chapters we will study the physical basis for the three types of light–matter interactions that are important in planetary media – scattering, absorption, and emission. In this chapter we concentrate on scattering, which may be thought of as the first step in both the emission and absorption processes. The classical concept of the Lorentz atom is first used to visualize the process of scattering, which encompasses both coherent processes, such as refraction and reflection, as well as the many incoherent processes that comprise the main topics of this chapter. Consideration of the classical interaction of a plane wave with an isolated damped, simple harmonic oscillator helps to introduce the concept of the cross section. The scattering cross section is expressed in terms of the frequency of the incident light, the natural frequency of the oscillator, and the damping rate. A simple extension of the concept is then made to scattering involving excited quantum states. This approach also helps to understand three different scattering processes (Rayleigh, resonance, and Thomson scattering) using one unified description. It also gives the Lorentz profile for absorption in terms of the classical damping rate, which apart from a numerical constant agrees with the quantum mechanical result. This approach also allows for a description of the two principal mechanisms responsible for broadening of absorption lines in realistic molecular media: pressure broadening and Doppler broadening. Radiation interacts with matter in three different ways: through emission, absorption, and scattering.
Dimensions of Culture (Shalom H. Schwartz) – Overview

Israeli psychologist Shalom H. Schwartz has theorized, in a framework of cultural dimensions, that there are seven cultural value types (affective autonomy, egalitarianism, embeddedness, harmony, hierarchy, intellectual autonomy, and mastery). Keywords: cross-cultural psychology; Shalom H. Schwartz
Biologic effect of dental materials. 6. Effects of isobutyl cyanoacrylate on HeLa cells in vitro.

Abstract Isobutyl 2-cyanoacrylate was cytotoxic when freshly polymerized but not after having been exposed to air for 24 hours before polymerization. This indicates that the toxic component is volatile and perhaps not necessary. It is therefore suggested that an investigation be made to determine whether or not the compound may be produced without the volatile component, with retention of its desirable properties.
Knowledge-based security administration in a distributed environment

The problem of computer security has recently become more prominent, especially with the growing interest in distributed systems. One major aspect is access control, especially to ensure that only those users who need to work with sensitive data are authorized to do so.A major drawback of most existing systems for security administration is the difficulty to enforce the compliance of an actual implementation with the intended security policies. Traditionally, an enterprise has expected its system administrators to ensure policy compliance. However, the complexity of distributed systems and cumbersome security administration programs make it almost impossible for an administrator to achieve this. Moreover, the same problems exist for an auditor who has to review the security system and check its consistency with enterprise policies.In this article we propose to use knowledge-based methods to support administrators and auditors in their respective tasks. Global enterprise security policies can be laid down in a separate enterprise-wide security database which may then be consulted during normal administrative work.The knowledge-based system itself performs consistency checks of the authorization changes formulated by the administrator and helps to detect holes in the security specification. Whenever the system comes up with an inconsistency the administrator may choose to receive an explanation of why the proposed action would violate the security policies and thus he or she is able to select an appropriate alternative action.Finally, it supports the auditor in finding out whether certain security principles are satisfied by the underlying operational access control system. The auditor can formulate security principles on an intuitive declarative level and have them checked against the existing authorizations.
Climbing Fibers Mediate Vestibular Modulation of Both “Complex” and “Simple Spikes” in Purkinje Cells

Climbing and mossy fibers comprise two distinct afferent paths to the cerebellum. Climbing fibers directly evoke a large multispiked action potential in Purkinje cells termed a “complex spike” (CS). By logical exclusion, the other class of Purkinje cell action potential, termed “simple spike” (SS), has often been attributed to activity conveyed by mossy fibers and relayed to Purkinje cells through granule cells. Here, we investigate the relative importance of climbing and mossy fiber pathways in modulating neuronal activity by recording extracellularly from Purkinje cells, as well as from mossy fiber terminals and interneurons in folia 8–10. Sinusoidal roll-tilt vestibular stimulation vigorously modulates the discharge of climbing and mossy fiber afferents, Purkinje cells, and interneurons in folia 9–10 in anesthetized mice. Roll-tilt onto the side ipsilateral to the recording site increases the discharge of both climbing fibers (CSs) and mossy fibers. However, the discharges of SSs decrease during ipsilateral roll-tilt. Unilateral microlesions of the beta nucleus (β-nucleus) of the inferior olive blocks vestibular modulation of both CSs and SSs in contralateral Purkinje cells. The blockage of SSs occurs even though primary and secondary vestibular mossy fibers remain intact. When mossy fiber afferents are damaged by a unilateral labyrinthectomy (UL), vestibular modulation of SSs in Purkinje cells ipsilateral to the UL remains intact. Two inhibitory interneurons, Golgi and stellate cells, could potentially contribute to climbing fiber-induced modulation of SSs. However, during sinusoidal roll-tilt, only stellate cells discharge appropriately out of phase with the discharge of SSs. Golgi cells discharge in phase with SSs. When the vestibularly modulated discharge is blocked by a microlesion of the inferior olive, the modulated discharge of CSs and SSs is also blocked. When the vestibular mossy fiber pathway is destroyed, vestibular modulation of ipsilateral CSs and SSs persists. We conclude that climbing fibers are primarily responsible for the vestibularly modulated discharge of both CSs and SSs. Modulation of the discharge of SSs is likely caused by climbing fiber-evoked stellate cell inhibition.
Processing and management of underway marine geophysical data at Scripps

Underway marine geophysical data (navigation, depth, Sea Beam, magnetics and gravity) collected on Scripps cruises are processed and displayed at sea or on shore on Vax computers under the Unix BSD 4.3 operating system. An online master abstracts file allows users to search a database containing more than 1300 cruise legs from Scripps and other sources by geographic region or data type. A description is given of data management under Unix, single-cruise-leg processing, multicruise data management, Sea Beam data processing and archiving, and plotting displays. >
Enabling Design-Centric eBusiness Applications

This talk discusses a research project on models for supporting of end-to-end eBusiness processes associated with design-centric applications. Design-centric applications are those where various business processes are initiated in the context of a design process. Our focus is on ad-hoc design environments that are characterized by collaborative processes among the initiators of the design and other players involved in moving the conceptual design to an actual implementation. This project is done in collaboration with the department of architecture, and the specific domain chosen for it is office design (either Business-to-Business or Business-to-Consumer). The conceptual results, however, apply to numerous other domains such as contract manufacturing, general construction projects, and designing and building one-of-a-kind complex products. The project examines next-generation eBusiness models and processes that best support collaborative office design, procurement of products and services, negotiations, and implementing (or building) the contacted solutions. A prototype system will be described and various implementation alternatives discussed.
Development of interpretive criteria and quality control limits for macrolide and clindamycin susceptibility testing of Streptococcus pneumoniae

A six-laboratory collaborative study was conducted to develop MIC and zone diameter quality control limits and interpretive criteria for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Streptococcus pneumoniae with azithromycin, clarithromycin, dirithromycin, and clindamycin. The MICs of all of the agents plus erythromycin for 302 clinical isolates of pneumococci that had been selected with an emphasis on resistant strains were determined by use of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS)-recommended broth microdilution procedure. The zone diameters of the isolates were also determined for the same agents except erythromycin by the NCCLS disk diffusion test procedure. Repeated testing of S. pneumoniae ATCC 49619 with different sources and lots of media and disks allowed development of MIC and zone diameter quality control ranges for these agents. Interpretive criteria for the MIC of azithromycin were established and were as follows: susceptible, or = 2 micrograms/ml. The interpretive criteria advocated for the MICs of clarithromycin and clindamycin were as follows: susceptible, or = 1 microgram/ml. Comparison of MICs and disk diffusion zone diameters led to the development of interpretive criteria for the zone diameters for azithromycin, clarithromycin, and clindamycin that correlated well with these MIC breakpoints. Testing of this organism collection also led to the reestablishment of the erythromycin MIC breakpoints as being identical to those of clarithromycin, which resulted in equivalent cross-susceptibility and cross-resistance for the three macrolides that are currently marketed in the United States. Thus, the susceptibility of pneumococci to azithromycin and clarithromycin can be predicted accurately by testing only erythromycin in clinical laboratories. This recommendation, as well as the interpretive and quality control criteria that are described, have been accepted by NCCLS and are included in the latest NCCLS susceptibility testing guidelines.
Evaluating strategies for integrating environmental models with GIS: Current trends and future needs

Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as an environmental modeling framework allows modelers to use database, data visualization, and analytical tools in a single integrated environment. Environmental modelers can take advantage of GIS by taking one of the two general approaches: loosely coupling or tightly coupling. Loosely-coupled modeling is primarily for taking advantage of database and visualization tools in GIS. Loosely-coupled modeling can be improved by capitalizing on GIS analytical tools and techniques. Conversely, tightly-coupled models, which are completely encapsulated within a GIS environment, take full advantage of the database, the visualization, and the analysis capabilities of a GIS. These two general strategies for integrating environmental models with GIS, a case study to integrate a groundwater flow model with GIS, and needed improvements for GIS integration in environmental modeling are discussed in this paper.
An improvement for glueball mass calculations on a lattice

Abstract We report on a method for improving the statistics of glueball calculations on a lattice. A test calculation is performed, on a 12 3 × 16 lattice, of the mass gap of QCD in the quenched approximation. We find that, at a β value of 5.7, where β =6/ g 2 , reliable mass estimates can be obtained from two-point correlation functions over 4 lattice spacings.
Adaptive Filtering: An Integrated Autoregressive/Moving Average Filter for Time Series Forecasting

This paper extends the applicability of a heuristic filtering technique, adaptive filtering, by dealing with a number of practical considerations in time series forecasting. These are problems that have been raised by other researchers examining this technique and by practitioners using it for time series analysis. These modifications make adaptive filtering much more comparable to the Box-Jenkins methodology for autoregressive/moving average processes. A specific application of adaptive filtering is provided.
Water movement in woody stems during freezing.

Abstract Water movement during freezing was measured qualitatively in stems of Kalmia latifolia and quantitatively in stems of Ilex opaca . Acid fuchsin dye readily penetrated Kalmia stems when the dye was applied after the first exotherm had been passed. The dye did not penetrate after the second exotherm was passed. The quantity of water moving through the Ilex stems did not decrease with the first exotherm, but the flow ceased at the end of the second exotherm. These results were interpreted to indicate that the primary path of water movement in the stems was cell wall microcapillaries rather than the vessels.
Measurement correlations between elliptic and higher-order flow harmonics in 2.76 TeV Pb+Pb collisions using the ATLAS detector

Abstract Measurements of correlations between elliptic and higher-order flow harmonics in 2.76 TeV Pb+Pb collisions are presented. The correlations are measured as a function of centrality, as well as the ellipticity of the collision geometry. The origin of the measured correlations is determined by comparing to initial geometry models, and by fitting the data to functions whose forms are motivated by hydrodynamic considerations. The correlations are shown to give an insight into understanding of the initial geometry and expansion mechanism of the medium produced in heavy-ion collisions.
COLON SHORT CHAIN FATTY ACID (SCFA) PROFILE IN THE NEWBORN

Carbohydrates are fermented by anaerobic colon flora to gas (CO2, H2, CH4) and SCFA (acetate, propionate, and butyrate) in human adults. SCFA absorption is critical to normal colon function. Human neonates rely on colon bacteria to retrieve over 50% of lactose (LAC) calories. Yet SCFA pathways are unlikely to be significant in neonates since the colon at birth is sterile and only gradually acquires an anaerobic flora. Kecal SCFA levels were profiled over the initial 21 days of life. Methods: York piglets, n=38, 0-21 day, had feces removed surgically from cecum, right and left colon sites. Samples (n=111) were centrituged and supernate analyzed for electrolytes (EL:sodium, potassium, bicarbonate and chloride), SCFA, osmolality, and pH. Results: Newborns showed early production of SCFA (mmoles/kg stool). Levels stablized between days 5 and 14, with an abrupt accumulation in the cecum following day 14. Acetate predominated early, with propionate and butyrate responsible for later peak levels in total SCFA. Production and assimilation of SCFA is nearly complete proximal to the left colon. By two-way analysis of variance, age and colon site are significant factors, p < .001. The combined osmolar contributions of EL and SCFA account completely for luminal mOsm after day 16. Prior, there is an “osmolar gap”, suggesting that LAC or its fermentation products are present in the lumen and are removed by pathways other than SCFA.
Role of iron and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid in the bactericidal activity of a superoxide anion-generating system.

Abstract In an earlier study, an enzymic superoxide anion-generating system consisting of acetaldehyde plus xanthine oxidase was found to be toxic to Staphylococcus aureus. Both superoxide anion (O ) and its dismutation product hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were required and it was proposed that (O ) and H2O2 interact to form the more powerful bactericidal agent(s), hydroxyl radical (OH·) and/or singlet oxygen. Iron chelated by EDTA appears to be a heretofore unrecognized requirement for the xanthine oxidase bactericidal system. The evidence is as follows: (1) the addition of iron salts to the xanthine oxidase system increased bactericidal activity whereas the iron chelators diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) and desferrioxamine were inhibitory; (2) dialysis of the EDTA-containing xanthine oxidase preparation abolished bactericidal activity which was restored on the addition of EDTA; (3) removal of trace amounts of iron by passage of salt solutions through a Chelex-100 column abolished bactericidal activity which was restored on the addition of iron. Iron and EDTA were most effective when present at 1:1 stoichiometry and they could not be replaced by a variety of other metals or chelators. The bactericidal activity of the acetaldehyde-xanthine oxidase-iron-EDTA system was inhibited by superoxide dismutase, catalase, and the OH · scavengers ethanol and mannitol, suggesting that the complex served as a catalyst of the reaction between (O ) and H2O2 to form OH· (Haber-Weiss reaction). Possible reasons for the relative catalytic specificity of iron-EDTA are considered.
Studies on plasmalogen-selective phospholipase A2 in brain.

Plasmalogen-selective phospholipase A2 (PlsEtn-PLA2) has been purified from pig brain using multiple column chromatographic procedure. The purified enzyme migrates as a single band on polyacrylamide. It is stimulated by Triton X-100 and inhibited by sodium deoxycholate. Purified PlsEtn-PLA2 is inhibited by iodoacetate, and this inhibition can be prevented by β-meracaptoethanol. Treatment of neuronal cell cultures with kainic acid stimulates PlsEtn-PLA2 activity in a dose-dependent manner, and this stimulation can be blocked by Ly294486, a selective kainic acid receptor antagonist. Activities of PlsEtn-PLA2 are markedly increased in plasma membrane and synaptosomal plasma membrane fraction prepared from nucleus basalis and hippocampal region of brains from Alzheimer disease patients compared to age-matched controls. It is proposed that accumulation of ceramide and increased expression of cytokines may be responsible for the stimulation of PlsEtn-PLA2 in Alzheimer disease.
β-Adrenergic control of atrial natriuretic factor secretion from dispersed rat atrial myocytes

Adrenergic control of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) secretion was studied using perifused, dispersed atrial myocytes. ANF secretion was stimulated by as little as 1 nM epinephrine (EPI) or the beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (ISO). The response to EPI was completely blocked by equimolar propranolol but not by phenoxybenzamine suggesting that, at least in this system, the adrenergic control of ANF secretion is mediated by beta-adrenergic receptors.
Communicating service quality: are business‐to‐business ads different?

Service quality has been widely examined in the area of consumer research. The SERVQUAL scale, in particular, has been used to examine consumer perceptions of service quality as well as the communication of service quality cues in advertising. The literature suggests that service quality is an important purchasing criterion among business customers; however, no studies have examined how service quality is communicated through advertisements targeting business customers, as opposed to general consumers. SERVQUAL consists of five dimensions of service quality ‐ assurance, empathy, reliability, responsiveness, and tangibles. Using these dimensions as a basis for the study, a content analysis revealed that advertisements targeting business customers communicate service quality differently than ads targeting general consumers.
Experimental and Theoretical Study of Alpha Particle Induced Charge Collection in GaAs FETS

An experimental angular dependence study was made of charge collection in state-of-the-art GaAs FETs. Numerical simulations of the transport of electrons in the active channel and in the semi-insulating substrate were also carried out. It is concluded that charge collected by funneling from the substrate is not significant. Both energy loss in the source and drain metallizations and degradation of the potential funneling profile at larger angles of incidence may also play major roles in the charge collection efficiency of the gate.
Is f0 (975) a QCD dilaton

Abstract Scale symmetries are broken spontaneously, explicitly and anomalously in QCD. It is argued that as a result, there must be a pseudo-Goldstone boson of dilatations, a dilaton. The mass of the dilaton is estimated by Dashen's theorem, whereas its interactions with pions are obtained from a low-energy effective lagrangian. The dilaton is identified as the f 0 (975) meson.
Conceptualizing and Measuring the Perceived Interactivity of Websites

The perceived interactivity of websites by site-visitors (PIsite) is defined as a psychological state experienced by a site-visitor during the interaction process. It manifests in three dimensions:...
Reply to Mazzeu: Human mutations in RYK might cause Robinow syndrome.

This is a response to a letter by Mazzeu (1). In our recent publication in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, we show that Ryk interacts with Vangl2 to control planar cell polarity (PCP). We further show that Wnt5a signals through Ryk and that the Ryk−/−;Vangl2−/− embryos resemble the Wnt5a−/− embryos (2). We have speculated that RYK might be involved in the etiology of Robinow syndrome, as mutations in human WNT5A cause dominant Robinow syndrome (DRS) and mutations in ROR2, another WNT5A receptor (3), cause recessive Robinow syndrome (RRS) (4, 5). It is encouraging to learn that a role of RYK mutations in DRS is being tested (1), but no mutations yet were found in the sequenced exons of RYK in 24 DRS patients. However, in a larger screening, sequencing all RYK exons and RYK regulatory elements might identify mutations in RYK in DRS patients. It should be noted that even defective WNT5A signaling is a major cause of DRS, mutations in one particular WNT5A signaling component may not be common in the DRS patients. For instance, WNT5A mutations were found in only two DRS cases (3). We have previously shown that Ror2 regulates Wnt5a signaling (6). As the Ror2−/− embryos show more severe phenotypes and resemble the Wnt5a−/− embryos more than the Ryk−/− embryos, it is likely that mutations in RYK cause RRS too. It is also possible that mutations in RYK may result in milder disease phenotypes that are difficult to identify. Screening for RYK mutations in RRS patients will help to clarify these possibilities.
A modified weakest-link model for describing strength variability of Kevlar aramid fibres

The mathematical description of a weakest-link model for fibre strength was developed in which there is no assumption regarding the test length with respect to the link length. The filament strength as a function of test length of three commercial Kevlar aramid yarns was compared with the model predictions. The model was found to fit the data well.
Technical Writing: Effective Communication:

Technical writing involves more than simply the “nuts and bolts” of preparing a good report. Good technical writing must be an effective communication, and in order for the writer (source) to obtain the desired response from the reader (receiver), he must have a clear conceptualization of the communication process. He must realize that the source, the message, the channel, and the receiver are important variables that influence the success of technical communication. The technical writer must be aware of the “filter” stages the receiver moves through before ultimately making a response to the message. The technical writer who creates a proper meld of the basics of good technical writing with an understanding of the communication process can produce an effective technical communication.
Morphological investigations of first-year sea ice pressure ridge sails

Abstract Sea ice pressure ridge sail heights and the dimensions of ice blocks that comprised the sails were measured for 30 ridges in April, 1980. The ridges were located from 30 to 200 km offshore in the Prudhoe Bay, Alaska region. Sail height was found to be a function of the thickness of the ice in the ridge. A reasonable relationship shows that height is dependent on the square root of block thickness. The data also verify that the ratio of sail height to ice block thickness is much larger for ridges composed of thin ice than for those composed of thick ice. Ridge width and cross-sectional area are also found to be related to block thickness. For the largest blocks in the ridge, block surface area is related to thickness squared, as would be expected from plate deflection theory. Examination of lateral variation of height and width along the ridge shows an expected large variation, particularly with height. No geographic variations of individual pressure ridge morphology were discernible from these data, but a laser profile taken during the study period shows that the mean heights and numbers of ridges decrease as the distance from the coast increases.