cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Composition control in laser surface alloying

Laser surface alloying, a process of growing interest for local surface modification, relies upon a suitable composition and microstructure for satisfactory on-the-job performance. This paper reports the results of an initial systematic study of laser surface alloying nickel onto AISI 1020 steel substrates using a statistical experimental design technique. The objective was to relate processing conditions to dimensions, solute content, and microstructural refinement of the laser alloyed zones. Solute content was of principal concern as it is the single most important factor affecting the properties of laser surface alloys. The effects of varying the laser power, beam diameter, and speed on the width, depth, nickel content, and fluctuations in nickel content are reported. Interactions between process parameters are discussed, the reproducibility assessed, contour plots for solute content drawn. Dimensionless plots are developed that relate average solute content and microstructural refinement to process parameters. Previously published data for alloying chromium into 1018 steels are shown to contain similar trends. It is felt that such an approach would facilitate selection of processing conditions to obtain reproducibly the compositions and microstructures necessary for gainful utilization of laser surface alloys.
Commercial space transportation surveillance needs assessment

Integrating growing Commercial Space Transportation (CST) operations into the National Airspace System (NAS) is an emerging challenge for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This industry consists of new players, ideas, launch methods, and vehicle designs, in addition to traditional vertical rocket launches. Integrating commercial space vehicle operations in an efficient manner that minimizes impacts on other NAS users is essential for the future growth, development, and sustainability of the NAS.
Segregation at CuAu alloy surfaces

Abstract Experimental results for Auger measurements on clean evaporated CuAu alloy films having (111)-orientation are presented. Signals from Auger transitions at 72 eV, 239 eV, and 2024 eV from Au in the alloys were normalized to signals from pure Au references. The experimental data were converted to atomic layer compositions using a model which allowed the first two atomic layers to differ in composition from the bulk and using estimates of the energy dependence of the electron attenuation length derived from published results. Significant enrichment of the first layer with Au was found over the entire range of composition studied.
Informal Employment and Development: Patterns of Inclusion and Exclusion

At present, there is renewed interest in the informal economy worldwide. This renewed interest has rekindled some of the old debates about the phenomenon. This article will address two of the core debates: first, whether or not the informal economy is linked to the formal economy and modern capitalist development; and, second, whether or not the informal economy is outside the reach of government regulation. In so doing, it will raise a third dimension largely overlooked in the debates: the exclusion of the informal economy in economic development planning, especially at the local level. The article concludes with reflections on the exclusion of informal employment in local planning (by government) despite its inclusion in global production (through the market) and a vision for more inclusive approaches to economic development that take into account the size, composition, contribution and dynamics of the informal economy today.
Risk and Risk Aversion when States of Nature Matter

When uncertainty is associated with some intrinsically relevant states of nature, there is no reason for an agent to base his or her preferences only on prob- ability distribution of claims. We propose a new concept of risk for state-contingent claims that, unlike the standard concept of Rothschild-Stiglitz, does not identify state- contingent claims with their probability distribution. This concept is called mean- independent risk, and we provide a simple characterization in terms of marginal utilities of (non-expected) utility functions that exhibit aversion to mean-independent risk. We study implications of aversion to mean-independent risk on agents' choices under uncertainty.
Syndecan-4 Proteoglycan Cytoplasmic Domain and Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Bisphosphate Coordinately Regulate Protein Kinase C Activity

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) is involved in the organization of the actin cytoskeleton by regulating actin-associated proteins. The transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan syndecan-4 also plays a critical role in protein kinase C (PKC) signaling in the formation of focal adhesions and actin stress fibers. The cytoplasmic domain of syndecan-4 core protein directly interacts with and potentiates PKCα activity, and it can directly interact with the phos- phoinositide PIP2. We, therefore, investigated whether the interaction of inositol phosphates and inositol phospholipids with syndecan-4 could regulate PKC activity. Data from in vitro kinase assays using purified PKCαβγ show that in the absence of phosphatidylserine and diolein, PIP2 increased the extent of autophosphorylation of PKCαβγ and partially activated it to phosphorylate both histone III-S and an epidermal growth factor receptor peptide. This activity was dose-dependent, and its calcium dependence varied with PKC isotype/source. Addition of the cytoplasmic syndecan-4 peptide, but not equivalent syndecan-1 or syndecan-2 peptides, potentiated the partial activation of PKCαβγ by PIP2, resulting in activity greater than that observed with phosphatidylserine, diolein, and calcium. This study indicates that syndecan-4 cytoplasmic domain may bind both PIP2 and PKCα, localize them to forming focal adhesions, and potentiate PKCα activity there.
Effects of alpha irradiation on barium hollandite and nickel-iron spinel

Barium hollandite and nickel-iron spinel have been irradiated with alpha particles emitted from PuO/sub 2/ source in order to simulate the effects from alpha particle emitted in adjacent actinide-containing phases of the SYNROC assemblage. The unit cell of barium hollandite undergoes an apparent volume expansion of several percent and a weak transformation from a tetragonal to a monoclinic structure when irradiated with alpha particles to a fluence of 3 x 10/sup 20/ alphas/m/sup 2/ (approx.0.05 dpa). The spinel structure, however, is sable with respect to alpha irradiation and the irradiation-induced volume expansion of the unit cell is less than 0.2%. The results are compared with available neutron-irradiation data, and the differences in observed behavior discussed. 21 references, 5 figures.
What crystals of small analogs are trying to tell us about cellulose structure

The molecular geometries from crystal structures of 23 small molecules such as cellobiose were reviewed and extrapolated to give model cellulose chains. Within a given model, all monosaccharide units and their linkages are identical so the models are regular helices. Despite fairly large ranges for the glycosidic linkage torsion angles Φ and ψ, 29° and 57°, respectively, there is little variation in the n and h parameters of the model helices. They are extended, with h values (the advance per residue along the helix axis) of 5.04–5.27 A. Some models were slightly right-handed, with n values up to 2.12 residues per helix turn. Left-handed models were in the majority, and their n values were as large as −2.91. These results are consistent with known structures of cellulose and its derivatives. An exception comes from a heavily derivatized cellobiose molecule. It yields right-handed helices with n≈ 4.5 and h≈ 3 A. Because one half turn of this helix reverses the direction of the chain in a compact region, the linkage geometry is a model for chain-folding. Other derivatives that are unable to form the O3⋯O5′ hydrogen bond gave left-handed helices. The puckering of the glucose rings was also surveyed. A number of rings in small molecule structures are puckered to a degree that is similar to the puckering determined for methyl cellotrioside, cellotetraose, cellulose Iβ and cellulose II.
Motor units of the primary ankle extensor muscles of the opossum (Didelphis virginiana): functional properties and fiber types.

Motor units of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) and the single lateral gastrocnemius/soleus (LG/S) muscles of the opssum (Didelphis virginiana) were found to have uniformly slow contraction times relative to homologous muscles of the cat. Though a broad range of peak tetanic tensions was found among motor units from both muscles, most of the motor units were quite large relative to tension of the whole muscle. Comparison of the relative sizes of motor units showed that those of LG/S are significantly larger and slower than the units of MG. This suggests that the motor units of the two muscles may be differentially recurited during different behaviors. All of the MG and LG/S motor units were highly or moderately resistant to fatigue. Histochemical staining for NADH-diaphorase activity indicated consistently high levels of the enzyme in all of the fibers of both muscles. Apparently, all of the fast motor units consist of fast oxidative/glycolytic (FOG)-type muscle fibers. Our data provide functional evidence that the types of myofibrillar ATPase demonstrated by Brooke and Kaiser ('70), are not necessarily correlated to physiological classification of fiber types as slow oxidative (SO), fast oxidative/glycolytic (FOG), and fast glycolytic (FG) (Peter et al., '72). Perhaps compartmentalization of muscle fiber types may be a first step in the separation of muscles into multiple heads during the evolution of specialization to diverse locomotor habits among the mammals.
Early Earth: Microbes and the rise of oxygen

Reconstructions of atmospheric chemistry and microbial life early in the Earth's history have been contentious. Observations increasingly point to the evolution of complex and variable environments earlier in time.
Direct measurement of daytime sleepiness after administration of cetirizine and hydroxyzine with a standardized electroencephalographic assessment.

Alertness is a vital function, and medications that do not impair this vital function are clinically desirable in terms of safety. In a comparative study to measure daytime alertness objectively, 60 men and women in good health were assigned to receive either cetirizine, 5 mg, 10 mg, or 20 mg, hydroxyzine, 25 mg, or placebo in a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group design. Subjects slept in the laboratory for 2 consecutive nights to facilitate adaptation. During the second night, the subjects' sleep patterns were recorded by electroencephalogram (EEG), electrooculogram, and chin electromyogram. After the second night, subjects were awakened at 7:30 am and given a single dose of the assigned treatment. Multiple Sleep Latency Tests (standardized 20-minute opportunities to fall asleep in bed while EEG and eye movements are recorded) were given every 2 hours. Subjects who received cetirizine did not differ from control subjects given placebo in any measure of daytime alertness. Subjects who received hydroxyzine were significantly more sedated than were control subjects given placebo for about 4 hours after treatment. The data from this study provide evidence that cetirizine does not differ from placebo with respect to alertness. The usefulness of the specific and sensitive standardized electroencephalogram, compared with alternative assessments of daytime alertness, is discussed.
Family history of alcoholism in women with generalized anxiety disorder who have premenstrual syndrome : patient reports of premenstrual alcohol consumption and symptoms of anxiety

This study sought to determine whether family history of alcoholism is related to patient reports of premenstrual alcohol consumption and whether family history of alcoholism is related to severity of anxiety-related symptoms, in women who suffer simultaneously from both premenstrual syndrome and generalized anxiety disorder. Fifty-four women with generalized anxiety disorder and prospectively demonstrated premenstrual syndrome were questioned about family history of alcoholism and alcohol consumption patterns across the menstrual cycle. Seventy-six percent of the sample reported having an alcoholic first- or second-degree relative. Furthermore, 74% of those women having a paternal-side family history of alcoholism, but only 22% of those without such a family history, reported increased alcohol consumption premenstrually. Forty-one of these women were assessed by means of psychiatric rating scales during both the premenstrual and follicular phases of the menstrual cycle. During the premenstrual, but not the follicular, phase of the menstrual cycle, women with a paternal-side family history of alcoholism experienced more severe anxiety-related somatic, but not psychic, symptoms of anxiety, than those without such a family history. These findings suggest that family history of alcoholism may be related to premenstrual alcohol consumption patterns and to the severity of premenstrually experienced somatic symptoms of anxiety in women with premenstrual syndrome, and that these women may be self-medicating with alcohol.
Difference in thermal-inactivation kinetics of two strains of tobacco mosaic virus.

Abstract 1. 1. A comparative analysis of the thermal inactivation of U1 and U2 tobacco mosaic virus gave calculated rate constants of 0.043 min −1 for U1 and 0.69 min −1 for U2. Infectious RNA's obtained from U1 and U2 has inactivation characteristics similar to U1 tobacco mosaic virus except that brief heat treatments enhanced the infectivity of both of the RNA's. 2. 2. As U2 is inactivated, infectious RNA is released into solution. The protein subunits coagulate and can be removed by low-speed centrigugation. Whereas thermal inactivation is a first-order process, decrease in soluble protein resulting from denaturation is a zero-order process. 3. 3. The extreme thermal lability of U2 can be accounted for as the simple release of infectious RNA, the act of release resulting in a reduction of “apparent” infectivity to a level of 1% of that of the RNA contained in a nucleoprotein particle.
Structural and functional mitochondrial abnormalities associated with high levels of partially deleted mitochondrial DNAs in somatic cell hybrids.

Kearns-Sayre syndrome (KSS) is a progressive and ultimately fatal human encephalomyopathy that is associated with large-scale deletions of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). To gain new insights into the developmental pathobiology of this disease, we studied the maintenance and expression of deleted mtDNAs (Δ-mtDNAs) in somatic cell hybrids generated by fusion of HeLacot cells with a KSS fibroblast clone containing both wild-type and Δ-mtDNAs. We observed that Δ-mtDNAs were preferentially maintained over the KSS wild-type mtDNAs (wt-mtDNAs) in almost all isolated hybrid clones. Mitochondrial metabolism was not compromised in hybrids containing as much as 70–79% Δ-mtDNAs. Two clones containing more than 99% Δ-mtDNA were severely deficient in oxidative phosphorylation and exhibited abnormal, enlarged mitochondria. These clones had undetectable levels of mtDNA-encoded polypeptides, but contained normal amounts of a nuclear DNA-encoded mitochondrial protein. The data suggest a nonrandom pattern of mtDNA segregation in the triplasmic hybrids and a correlation among Δ-mtDNA, structural mitochondrial abnormalities, and mitochondrial dysfunction.
Fixturing features selection in feature-based systems

Fixturing is one of the important steps involved in process planning for machining. This paper deals with finding fixturing features from the design and machining features in a feature-based CAD system. A methodology for consideration of forces and moments generated during machining are presented for drilling and milling processes. The maximum forces and moments generated are primarily used to find fixturing features like supporting, locating, and clamping features. A feature-based approach to fixturing analysis is ideally suited in a CAD/CAM/CAE system based on feature-based design and analysis.
Observables, maximal symmetric operators and POV measures in quantum mechanics

There has been a lot of interest in generalizing orthodox quantum mechanics to include POV measures as observables, namely as unsharp observables. Such POV measures are related to symmetric operators. The present paper examines how symmetric operators arise and how they can represent observables.
Pregnancy after breast cancer. The relationship of pregnancy to breast cancer development and progression

6. The safety of pregnancy after breast cancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 6.1. Published clinical data on subsequent pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 6.2. Influence of pregnancy on subclinical breast cancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 6.3. Limitations of published literature on subsequent pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 6.4. The ‘healthy mother effect’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 6.5. Theoretical concerns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 6.6. Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Pityriasis rubra pilaris exacerbation with topical use of imiquimod

The role of immune response modifiers is increasing in the treatment of dermatologic diseases. Imiquimod, a toll-like receptor agonist, results in up-regulation of proinflammatory cytokines for improved immune surveillance. Although topical use is generally well-tolerated, imiquimod can potentially result in systemic effects and exacerbate generalized inflammatory papulosquamous diseases of the skin. We report the case of a 67-year-old man who was treated with imiquimod for actinic keratosis and developed fever and a progressive erythematous papulosquamous eruption that was histologically consistent with pityriasis rubra pilaris.
The evaporation and condensation coefficient of water, ice and carbon tetrachloride

Abstract The evaporation and condensation coefficients of water, ice and carbon tetrachloride were determined in the same experimental apparatus. Both low and high values were obtained for all three materials. An unsteady-state experimental method was used and the high values resulted when the evaporating or condensing times were very short. Surface temperature errors of two different types are shown to be the major factor in contributing to low values. The condensation coefficient of water is at least 0·7 and could easily be 1·0. Condensation coefficients of 0·55 were measured for ice and 0·94 for carbon tetrachloride.
Colistin Dosing and Nephrotoxicity in a Large Community Teaching Hospital

Thirty adult patients who received intravenous colistin (5.1 ± 2.4 mg/kg/day) were reviewed to evaluate dosing with respect to nephrotoxicity, which occurred in 10 (33%) patients within the first 5 days of treatment. Excessive colistin dosing was frequent (47%), often (71%) resulted from the use of actual body weight in obese patients, and was associated with higher rates of nephrotoxicity (80% versus 30%, P = 0.019).
Technique for Replacement of Accidentally Removed Percutaneous Biliary Drainage Catheter

A simple technique for replacement of accidentally removed percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage catheters is described. It requires no special catheters or wires and can be performed with material generally available in any angiographic suite.
Control design for seismically excited buildings: sensor and actuator reliability

In this paper we present control design methods that provide desirable levels of performance and simultaneously account for actuator and sensor reliability (or malfunction) for buildings under seismic excitations. Performance is defined in terms of the disturbance attenuation (i.e. L2 gain) from the disturbances to the controlled outputs of the system. The reliability of actuators and sensors refers to the deviation of actual control forces or actual sensor measurements from their ideal levels. Simulation results for a six-storey building are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the control analysis and design method presented. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Clash of Cultures

Larry Moneta, Vice President for Student Affairs at Duke University, examines the clash of campus cultures at Duke University and reports on the efforts of a University Task Force on Campus Culture to understand and address the negative influences of student peer culture.
Retromandibular fossa approach to the high cervical internal carotid artery: an anatomic study.

Objective Access to the high cervical internal carotid artery (ICA) is technically challenging for the treatment of lesions in and around this region. The aims of this study were to analyze the efficacy of approaching the high cervical ICA through the retromandibular fossa and to compare preauricular and postauricular incisions. In addition, the relevant neural and vascular structures of this region are demonstrated in cadaveric dissections. Methods The retromandibular fossa approach was performed in four arterial and venous latex-injected cadaveric heads and necks (eight sides) via preauricular and postauricular incisions. This approach included three steps: 1) sternocleidomastoid muscle dissection; 2) transparotid dissection; and 3) removal of the styloid apparatus and opening of the retromandibular fossa to expose the cervical ICA with the internal jugular vein along with Cranial Nerves X, XI, and XII. Results The posterior belly of the digastric muscle and the styloid muscles were the main obstacles to reaching the high cervical ICA. The high cervical ICA was successfully exposed through the retromandibular fossa in all specimens. In all specimens, the cervical ICA exhibited an S-shaped curve in the retromandibular fossa. The external carotid artery was located more superficially than the ICA in all specimens. The average length of the ICA in the retromandibular fossa was 6.8 cm. Conclusion The entire cervical ICA can be exposed via the retromandibular fossa approach without neural and vascular injury by use of meticulous dissection and good anatomic knowledge. Mandibulotomy is not necessary for adequate visualization of the high cervical ICA.
Chloride conductance expressed by ΔF508 and other mutant CFTRs in Xenopus oocytes

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is associated with expression of a chloride conductance that is defective in cystic fibrosis (CF). Xenopus oocytes injected with RNA coding for CFTR that contained mutations in the first nucleotide binding fold (NBF1) expressed chloride currents in response to raising adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) with forskolin and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX). The mutant CFTRs were less sensitive than wild-type CFTR to this activating stimulus, and the reduction in sensitivity correlated with the severity of cystic fibrosis in patients carrying the corresponding mutations. This demonstration provides the basis for detailed analyses of NBF1 function and suggests potential pharmacologic treatments for cystic fibrosis.
Two Careers, One Employer: Couples Working for the Same Corporation

Abstract Advances in career development research require scholars to move from analysis of the career paths of individuals to a life course approach to the interlocking career paths of couples. Increasingly, not only are U.S. workers married to other workers, but significant numbers of couples work for the same employer. Drawing on a subsample of employees in dual-earner households in five corporations in upstate New York (and their spouses), this study examines both the direct and indirect effects of being a coworker on career development, work circumstances, and spillover. Being part of a coworking couple positively predicts men's job prestige, tenure, and commitment to work (in terms of working long hours, heavy workload, etc.). These effects, as well as spillover, are most pronounced for younger men without children. For wives, coworking corresponds with increased income and increased spillover between work and family, especially for younger coworking women without children.
Trapped-Ion Effect on Charging of a Dust Grain in Plasma, and Shielding Around the Grain

In previous calculations of the shielding around a dust grain in a plasma, the ion and electron currents to the grain, and the charge acquired by the grain, the plasma ions have typically been assumed collisionless. We show that the inclusion of ion charge-exchange collisions enormously changes this physics, by creating a class of negative-energy trapped ions. Under typical dusty plasma conditions, these trapped ions slowly accumulate, and in steady state they dominate the shielding cloud in the nonlinear region near a dust grain, greatly increase the ion current to the grain, and reduce the negative charge acquired by the grain. We present a self-consistent analytic calculation of the grain charge, plasma currents, and shielded potential.
A new Schizosaccharomyces pombe chronological lifespan assay reveals that caloric restriction promotes efficient cell cycle exit and extends longevity.

We describe a new chronological lifespan (CLS) assay for the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Yeast CLS assays monitor the loss of cell viability in a culture over time, and this new assay shows a continuous decline in viability without detectable regrowth until all cells in the culture are dead. Thus, the survival curve is not altered by the generation of mutants that can grow during the experiments, and one can monitor the entire lifespan of a strain until the number of viable cells has decreased over 106-fold. This CLS assay recapitulates the evolutionarily conserved features of lifespan shortening by over nutrition, lifespan extension by caloric restriction, increased stress resistance of calorically restricted cells and lifespan control by the AKT kinases. Both S. pombe AKT kinase orthologs regulate CLS: loss of sck1+ extended lifespan in over nutrition conditions, loss of sck2+ extended lifespan under both normal and over nutrition conditions, and loss of both genes showed that sck1+ and sck2+ control different longevity pathways. The longest-lived S. pombe cells showed the most efficient cell cycle exit, demonstrating that caloric restriction links these two processes. This new S. pombe CLS assay will provide a valuable tool for aging research.
Conjugal Transfer of Genetic Material in Lactococci: A Review

Abstract The ability to mediate conjugal transfer of DNA is widespread among the lactococci. In the 9 yr since conjugation was first demonstrated in lactococci, a wide variety of phenotypes have been shown to be conjugally transferred. Recently, conjugation was used in constructing lactococcal strains with increased industrial utility. This review will discuss the mechanisms of conjugal transfer in lactococci, the range of conjugally transferred phenotypes, and the practical significance conjugation has in future strain construction strategies. Additionally, the terminology of plasmid conjugative processes will be presented.
Applying key concepts from nature: transition state stabilization, pre-concentration and cooperativity effects in dendritic biomimetics

Abstract Since the early days of dendrimers, their role as synthetic macromolecular catalysts has been of great interest. The attraction towards these materials is attributed in part to their hierarchical, organized architecture and globular shape. In addition, dendrimers are unique amongst synthetic macromolecules for their structural precision and the high-level of control over both functional group placement within their structure and the chemical character of the nanoenvironment they create both in their interior and at their surface. The opportunities presented by these unusual functional macromolecules have led to many studies into their use in catalytic applications, especially as synthetic enzyme mimics. Recent examples of dendrimers employing transition state stabilization, molecular pre-concentration and cooperativity between branches or surface groups to achieve enhanced reactivity will be covered in this review.
Enzymatic mechanism of steroid ring A aromatization.

One pathway of steroid degradation by microorganisms involves a gd-hydroxylation, followed by a 1,2-dehydrogenation (or vice versa) with the formation of a 9, lo-seco phenol. (Dodson and Muir 1958a,b). The degradation of A4-androstene-3,17-dione could thus be visualized 4 as foIiows: A -androetene-3,17-dfone (1)~ 90(-hydroxy-4-androetene3 L 17-dione (Ha) or dJ 4 -androstadiene-3,17-dione (IIb) + 9, lo-seco3-hydroxy-1,3,5(10)-androstatriene-9,17-dione (IVa). This mechanism of steroid ring A aromatization bears close similarity to the formation of estrogens from androgenic steroids in mammals (Ryan 1959). Therefore the present investigation is undertaken in an attempt to define the intermediates and reaction sequence. 0
The Holy Spirit as Conscience Collective

Catholic Charismatics often talk about "God," "Jesus," "the Holy Spirit," or simply "the Lord" as an active partner in interaction. Most sociologists regard such statements as outside the epistemological purview of an empirical discipline; God is relegated to the inaccessible domain of the "specifically religious." In this paper I suggest that "the Holy Spirit" is a manifestation of a learnable pattern of social interaction that may generate a superindividual dialogic unity, what Durkheim called a conscience collective, or what has more recently been called shared or distributed cognition. The internalization of this intersubjective process then becomes the basis for the intrasubjective experience of dialogue with the divine.
Teaching about Communicating Assessment Results and Grading.

How should a course on classroom assessment differ from an introductory psychometrics course? How should such a course be taught? How large a role should instruction concerning grading and communicating play in such a course?
Do Government Tools Influence Organizational Performance?: Examining Their Implementation in Early Childhood Education

This article explores whether the multiple tools used by government to implement social policy influence organizational performance. This analysis focuses on three tools—grants, contracts, and vouc...
The effort effects of prizes in the second half of tournaments

Abstract The theory of tournaments predicts that a worker's effort depends on the difference between the winning and losing prizes, as well as the degree that increases in effort affect the probability of winning. This paper tests these predictions using a data set from Arabian horse racing. Jockeys increase their efforts (lower their times) in the second half of races when the amount of prize money lost by dropping a place is greater and when there is less distance between them and their closest competitors. These findings are consistent with the theory.
The RSA Public Key Crypto-System

One of the principal motivations for the flurry of work that has been done on factorization and primality testing over the past decade has been the invention by Rivest, Shamir, and Adleman in 1977 of a “public key cryptosystem” based on the fact that multiplication of two large primes is much easier then factoring the resulting product.
Multicenter Study Evaluating Performance of the Smart Group B Streptococcus (GBS) Assay Using an Enrichment Protocol for Detecting GBS Colonization in Patients in the Antepartum Period

Group B streptococcus (GBS) remains the leading cause of infectious morbidity and mortality in infants born in the United States, especially among black infants. Because a newborn can acquire GBS during and after delivery, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that pregnant women be screened for rectovaginal GBS colonization during the antepartum period between weeks 35 and 37 of gestation and, if they are colonized, that intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis be administered. A prospective investigational study was undertaken from 2 May 2006 to 14 August 2006 at three sites to establish the performance characteristics of the Smart GBS LB assay on the SmartCycler II system for detecting GBS colonization in subjects in the antepartum period from combined vaginal/rectal swab-based specimens after broth enrichment. Results were compared to broth enrichment culture and to the predicate device, the BD GeneOhm StrepB direct assay. The collected specimens were randomized for swab testing order. Each swab sample was processed simultaneously by culture, Smart GBS LB assay, and the BD GeneOhm StrepB assay. A total of 310 subjects were enrolled, with 306 subject results included in the study. Compared to enrichment culture, the Smart GBS LB assay demonstrated a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 98.6%, 90.4%, 77.1%, and 99.5%, respectively. The Smart GBS LB assay demonstrated substantially equivalent or better performance than culture or the predicate device. Screening of broth enrichment fluids by nucleic acid amplification testing requires careful handling during sample processing to avoid possible contamination.
Continuous precipitation polymerization of acrylic acid in supercritical carbon dioxide: The polymerization rate and the polymer molecular weight

The precipitation polymerization of acrylic acid in supercritical carbon dioxide was studied in a continuous stirred tank reactor with 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile) as the free-radical initiator. The reactor temperature was between 50 and 90 C, the pressure was 207 bar, and the average residence time was between 12 and 40 min. The product polymer was a white, dry, fine powder that dissolved in water. A wide range of polymer molecular weights (5-200 kg/mol) was obtained. The effects of the operating variables on the polymerization rate and on the polymer molecular weight were evaluated. The observed kinetics suggested that polymerization took place in both the supercritical fluid and the precipitated polymer particles.
Occupational, Environmental, and Irritant-Induced Cough

Occupational and environmental irritants play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic cough. An irritant is a non-corrosive chemical, which causes a reversible inflammatory change on living tissue by chemical action at the site of contact. The clinical and pathologic spectrum of chemically induced respiratory tract irritation ranges from neurogenically mediated alterations in regional blood flow, mucus secretion, and airway caliber to the initiation of cough. In an evolutionary perspective, two types of cough reflexes were created for different protective purposes, but each type used the same anatomic and physiologic neural and muscular structures. The mechanosensory type evolved as human ancestors adapted phonation over olfaction and the larynx moved in close proximity to the esophageal opening. The chemosensory type evolved to protect against an injured lung from a respiratory tract infection or after inhaling high levels of irritant gases and particulates that accumulated in confined quarters of early times. For this latter type of cough reflex, normally quiescent transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channels TRPV1(vanilloid) and TRPA1 (ankyrin) become activated or hyperactivated after lung injury, with lung inflammation, or in response to chemicals. Although animal and laboratory investigations support the possibility of human TRPpathies, further investigations are essential for the further elucidation of the role of TRP cationic channels in instigating chronic cough in humans.
Finding their place in TC: using a community of practice model to research emerging TC professionals

Technical communication is evolving rapidly. As a result, new practitioners often have a difficult time placing themselves in their own field. New practitioners, even seasoned professionals, may feel mastery over what they consider to be only small slices of the whole TC spectrum and little confidence in the diversity of settings in which technical communicators may find themselves working. However, confidence in applying TC skills and knowledge in a wide variety of work settings is necessary to thrive in a professional environment where new technologies and organizational cultures develop quickly. Innovative training is required to prepare new practitioners with a complete foundation they can comfortably use in the unpredictable contexts of TC practice. At the University of Washington, we created a capstone course to collectively address these varied, critical TC training needs. Our program, the Technical Communicator Professional Portfolio Program (TC3P), combined the enabling power of peer-led learning with the integrative properties of professional portfolio creation. This paper discusses how we used communities of practice (CoPs) literature as both an analysis framework to make sense of TC students' processes and to inform TC3P program design iteration. Specifically, we will examine how our findings can be illustrated as communities of practice principles and how an analysis of the students' work behavior revealed participants generating a community of practice. Finally, examples will be given of how these findings were used to inform an iterative design of the TC3P to further improve the program's capacity for preparing professional technical communicators.
Introducing Transit Preferential Treatment: Is a Political Maverick Necessary for Public Transportation to Innovate?

Buses, and more generally at-grade public transportation, remain the most important component of transit services in all urban areas but the steady increase in travel demand, especially in private automobiles, has resulted in a growing level of congestion, affecting both cars and public transportation. The innovative introduction of preferential treatment is surprisingly not generalized in spite of its benefits, raising the question of whether preferential treatment is transferable. By applying the agenda-building theory to the context of public transportation, the paper outlines how innovative policy making can be introduced and determines if the presence of a policy entrepreneur is a necessary and sufficient condition. Using 11 cities in Europe and America as case studies, essential elements have been identified for addressing public reaction, institutional fragmentation, and the stance of decision makers. It can be concluded that the rising concerns about transportation and the emergence of mixed decis...
Redo laparoscopic surgery for achalasia.

Operative treatment of achalasia can fail in 10% to 15% of patients. No information is available on the outcome of laparoscopic reoperation for achalasia. Data from patients undergoing redo surgery for achalasia were prospectively collected. The data were analyzed, and a questionnaire was sent to all the patients. Eight patients underwent redo procedures at our institution between 1994 and 1998. The reasons for failure of the initial operations were incomplete myotomy (n=5), incorrect diagnosis (n=2), and new onset of reflux symptoms (n=1). All the redo procedures were performed laparoscopically. All the patients except one had excellent or good results. The average symptom severity score for dysphagia, regurgitation, chest pain, cough, and heartburn all improved after redo procedures. The average quality of life score improved from poor to good. Laparoscopic reoperation for achalasia is safe and feasible. It results in symptom improvement for most patients. Surgeon experience and recognition of the cause for failure of the original operation are most important in predicting the outcome.
HRTBLDb: an informative data resource for hormone receptors target binding loci

Three hormone receptors, the estrogen receptor (ER), the androgen receptor (AR) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) play an important role in regulating the cellular differentiation tissue development of skin, bone, the brain and the endocrine system; therefore, there is a strong scientific need to identify and characterize hormone receptor transcriptional regulation. Given that the vast amount of regulatory data for hormone being produced by ChIP-based high-throughput experiments is widely scattered in disparate, poorly cross-indexed data stores, a flexible platform for organizing and relating these data would provide significant value. We created a data management system called the Hormone Receptor Target Binding Loci, HRTBLDb (http://motif.bmi.ohio-state.edu/hrtbldb), to address this problem. This database contains hormone receptor binding regions (binding loci) from in vivo ChIP-based high-throughput experiments as well as in silico, computationally predicted, binding motifs and cis-regulatory modules for the co-occurring transcription factor binding motifs, which are within a binding locus. It also contains individual binding sites whose regulatory action has been verified by in vitro experiments. The current version contains 44 673 binding elements with 114 hormone response elements which are verified by in vitro experiments; 75 binding motifs which occur with a hormone response element and whose co-regulatory action is verified by in vitro experiments; 18 472 binding loci from in vivo experiments; and 26 012 computationally predicted binding motifs.
A high performance sensorimotor beta rhythm-based brain–computer interface associated with human natural motor behavior

To explore the reliability of a high performance brain–computer interface (BCI) using non-invasive EEG signals associated with human natural motor behavior does not require extensive training. We propose a new BCI method, where users perform either sustaining or stopping a motor task with time locking to a predefined time window. Nine healthy volunteers, one stroke survivor with right-sided hemiparesis and one patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) participated in this study. Subjects did not receive BCI training before participating in this study. We investigated tasks of both physical movement and motor imagery. The surface Laplacian derivation was used for enhancing EEG spatial resolution. A model-free threshold setting method was used for the classification of motor intentions. The performance of the proposed BCI was validated by an online sequential binary-cursor-control game for two-dimensional cursor movement. Event-related desynchronization and synchronization were observed when subjects sustained or stopped either motor execution or motor imagery. Feature analysis showed that EEG beta band activity over sensorimotor area provided the largest discrimination. With simple model-free classification of beta band EEG activity from a single electrode (with surface Laplacian derivation), the online classifications of the EEG activity with motor execution/motor imagery were: >90%/∼80% for six healthy volunteers, >80%/∼80% for the stroke patient and ∼90%/∼80% for the ALS patient. The EEG activities of the other three healthy volunteers were not classifiable. The sensorimotor beta rhythm of EEG associated with human natural motor behavior can be used for a reliable and high performance BCI for both healthy subjects and patients with neurological disorders. Significance: The proposed new non-invasive BCI method highlights a practical BCI for clinical applications, where the user does not require extensive training. M This article features online multimedia enhancements (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)
Habermas in the Lab: A Study of Deliberation in an Experimental Setting

This study outlines a new paradigm for the investigation of the effects of deliberation on political decisions. Specifically, it uses the ultimatum game as a situation in which the opportunity to deliberate and the placement of this opportunity are experimentally manipulated. Structural factors, such as the players' roles and their ability to vote on the proposal being offered, are also manipulated as a basis for comparison. Two outcomes are examined: the games' allocations, and players' perceptions of fairness. After controlling for structural factors, deliberative opportunity creates a more equitable distribution of money and enhances fairness perceptions. However, these results hold only when such an opportunity occurs before the proposal stage. Deliberative opportunity after the proposal stage has no discernible impact. A survey of participants found that their personal characteristics and political predispositions influence perceptions offairnessfor proposers, but notfor acceptors. These findings demonstrate the potential benefits ofdeliberation while highlighting the importance of the nature of its implementation in determining its level of success.
Acute inhibition of GSK causes mitochondrial remodeling

Recent data have shown that cardioprotection can result in the import of specific proteins into the mitochondria in a process that involves heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) and is blocked by geldanamy...
Primary vascular tumors of the lungs: a review

Unlike their counterparts in other organ systems, primary vascular neoplasms of the lung are rare. Most of these lesions have only been reported as isolated case studies or small series. When dealing with malignant lesions, metastasis from extrapulmonary sites will have to be excluded before a primary location in the lungs can be confirmed. In this review, the clinicopathologic, immunophenotypical, ultrastructural, and molecular biologic characteristics of primary vascular tumors of the lungs are discussed. The tumoral conditions that will be addressed include hemangioma, lymphangioma, epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, angiosarcoma, and Kaposi's sarcoma. Their respective differential diagnoses will also be discussed.
Benefits of Resident Work Hours Regulation

The new regulations for resident work hours are part of a long evolutionary process of change in medical education, representing the most dramatic innovation in recent history to calibrate the work hours for residents. Implementing the requirements has not been easy. Most institutions and departments have experienced serious challenges (1–3). Moreover, many educators are concerned that by focusing on a maximum number of work hours and a “deadline” for leaving the hospital, the regulations threaten both the educational process and the meaning of professional responsibility. Despite these current challenges, we highlight several positive effects of the new regulations. This is not to say that our own initial experience has been universally positive. We have, like others, been challenged to ensure continuity and quality of patient care, protect valued educational experiences, and continue to emphasize collegiality and teamwork. Although data that validate the positive outcomes are scarce, we believe that the changes have had and will continue to have positive effects (Table). SHORT- AND LONG-TERM BENEFITS FOR THE PUBLIC A primary driver in the institution of resident work hour limitations was to improve patient care in training institutions. Such care must include human sensitivity by and for providers, as well as system effectiveness for patients. Fortunately, the regulations are occurring simultaneously with greater attention to system function, assessment of care, and a commitment to improved care. It has become apparent that improved system function with less frequent errors will require more than restricted hours. Evaluation of the effect of New York’s restricting housestaff working hours suggested an increase in delays of test ordering and in complications (4). Other data indicate that increased shift work to accomplish the restrictions may increase errors, possibly as a side effect of more frequent handoffs and cross-coverage of patients (5). Other results show that for the public to experience desired positive effects, the regulations must be coupled with more extensive system revision (6). Thus, in the short term, the regulations should provide patients with providers who are more rested; in the long term, the system analysis brought about by the regulations should provide patients with an improved system of care, going beyond the limitation of physician hours. BENEFITS FOR THE TRAINEE