cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Performances of Low-Income, African American Preschool and Kindergarten Children on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised

This study examined test performances of 105 low-income, urban, African American preschool and kindergarten boys and girls on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R). Most children performed more than one standard deviation below the mean, and a scoring adjustment to the test failed to change this distribution substantially. The findings indicate that the PPVT-R is not appropriate for use with this population.
Components of group risk taking

Abstract In a partial replication of an earlier study by Wallach and Kogan, group risk taking was examined under conditions of discussion and information exchange. Group size was also manipulated. Unlike the earlier findings, a risky shift occurred in the information exchange condition, where the subjects only revealed to one another the contents of their prior decisions. A stronger risky shift was found when discussion was permitted. Risky shift was more pronounced the larger the size of the group. The extent of risky shift on a decision problem was found to be positively related to the initial level of risk on that problem. The results appear to support Brown's “value of risk” theory of group risk taking more closely than any other theory.
Removal of a fractured locator abutment screw fragment.

Background Although, dental implants have been a predictable option to support several types of restorations, mechanical problems are not uncommon. Retaining and abutment screw loosenings/fractures are one of the most common technical problems. Aim To present a step-by-step technique in order to remove a broken locater abutment screw fragment. Materials and methods A 56-year-old, edentulous man with a fractured locator abutment screw in an implant was referred to our clinic from a private practice. His dentist placed a narrow platform locator abutment onto a regular platform implant and the fracture occurred. Attempts to remove the fractured fragment using a periodontal probe and a manual screw removal driver were unsuccessful. Results This clinical report presents a situation in which a fractured locater abutment screw fragment was successfully removed using an implant repair kit. Conclusion A fractured locater abutment screw fragment was successfully removed using an implant repair kit including drills, drill guides and tapping instruments. To avoid similar complications, it is recommended to use appropriate manufacturer specified torque values in conjunction with compatible restorative components. Clinical significance Retaining and abutment screw loosenings/fractures are one of the most common mechanical problems associated with the implant components. This clinical report showed how to remove a broken screw fragment using proper armamentarium and technique, which might help clinicians eliminate similar problems.
Simulation of networks with ideal switches

Recently developed simulation techniques that may be used for switched networks, as typified by switching power converters, are reviewed. The use of the numerical inverse Laplace transform is useful in performing equation integration and resolution of inconsistent initial conditions. Step-size control algorithms used for error control are examined and it is seen that an algorithm which does not change the step size at each step may be exploited to optimize simulation speed by reusing the previously determined factorization of the system matrix. Two examples are given which illustrate the relative gains of this optimization as well as illustrating the need for sparse matrix techniques in solving equations. The problem of simulating networks containing unsolvable intermediate topologies is also highlighted.
Preparation of neuraminidase-resistant human α1-Protease inhibitor and its clearance in rat blood circulation

Abstract 1. 1. The sialic acid residues of human α 1 -protease inhibitor were modified by periodate oxidation and subsequent reductive amination with ethanolamine and sodium cyanoborohydride. 2. 2. The modified inhibitor retained its original trypsin inhibitory activity and was not digested by neuraminidase from Clostridium perfringens . 3. 3. The modified inhibitor disappeared from rat blood circulation at the same rate as the native inhibitor.
Fatal septicemia and bullae caused by non-01 Vibrio cholerae

Bullous lesions associated with non-01 Vibrio cholerae developed in a patient with hepatic cirrhosis who had recently ingested raw oysters. He died of overwhelming sepsis despite 5 days of aggressive antibiotic therapy. Non-01 V. cholerae was isolated from blood, peritoneal fluid, and bullae. The organism produced a cytotoxic factor that destroyed Chinese hamster ovary cells. Although septicemia caused by non-01 V. cholerae is uncommon, cutaneous manifestations of this organism are even rarer. Our patient represents the first reported case of bullous lesions associated with non-01 V. cholerae septicemia.
Single molecule characterization of α-synuclein in aggregation-prone states.

α-Synuclein (αS) is an intrinsically disordered protein whose aggregation into ordered, fibrillar structures underlies the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. A full understanding of the factors that cause its conversion from soluble protein to insoluble aggregate requires characterization of the conformations of the monomer protein under conditions that favor aggregation. Here we use single molecule Forster resonance energy transfer to probe the structure of several aggregation-prone states of αS. Both low pH and charged molecules have been shown to accelerate the aggregation of αS and induce conformational changes in the protein. We find that at low pH, the C-terminus of αS undergoes substantial collapse, with minimal effect on the N-terminus and central region. The proximity of the N- and C-termini and the global dimensions of the protein are relatively unaffected by the C-terminal collapse. Moreover, although compact at low pH, with restricted chain motion, the structure of the C-terminus appears to be random. Low pH has a dramatically different effect on αS structure than the molecular aggregation inducers spermine and heparin. Binding of these molecules gives rise to only minor conformational changes in αS, suggesting that their mechanism of aggregation enhancement is fundamentally different from that of low pH.
Influence of background noise on the early components of the averaged electroencephalic response to clicks.

Early components of the averaged electroencephalic response (AER) were studied in 10 normal-hearing subjects. Clicks were presented monaurally at 24 dB SL in the presence of an ipsilateral white no...
Functional matrix factorizations for cold-start recommendation

A key challenge in recommender system research is how to effectively profile new users, a problem generally known as cold-start recommendation. Recently the idea of progressively querying user responses through an initial interview process has been proposed as a useful new user preference elicitation strategy. In this paper, we present functional matrix factorization (fMF), a novel cold-start recommendation method that solves the problem of initial interview construction within the context of learning user and item profiles. Specifically, fMF constructs a decision tree for the initial interview with each node being an interview question, enabling the recommender to query a user adaptively according to her prior responses. More importantly, we associate latent profiles for each node of the tree --- in effect restricting the latent profiles to be a function of possible answers to the interview questions --- which allows the profiles to be gradually refined through the interview process based on user responses. We develop an iterative optimization algorithm that alternates between decision tree construction and latent profiles extraction as well as a regularization scheme that takes into account of the tree structure. Experimental results on three benchmark recommendation data sets demonstrate that the proposed fMF algorithm significantly outperforms existing methods for cold-start recommendation.
Characterization and prediction of CO2 saturation resulting from modeling buoyant fluid migration in 2D heterogeneous geologic fabrics

Abstract Understanding the pore saturation of CO 2 injected into heterogeneous rocks for permanent storage is a key challenge for constraining storage efficiency (capacity), plume migration extent, and seismic imaging. Much work on fluid flow and saturation has focused on traditional pressure-gradient driven flow represented by viscous multi-phase Darcy flow. Here we investigate CO 2 saturations resulting from buoyancy-driven capillary flow, where buoyancy forces dominate viscous forces. These low capillary number flow regimes (Ca −4 ) exist some distance from injection wells, potentially representing the majority of the storage domain during and after injection. We simulate CO 2 -brine buoyant displacement patterns using invasion percolation (IP) methods in various decimeter-scale, highly resolved heterogeneous 2D models. Different sedimentologic fabrics result in dramatic variability of total CO 2 saturation. We seek a generalized predictive model that allows CO 2 saturation resulting from capillary flow to be estimated reasonably for 2D domains from fundamental geologic and fluid properties. We focus on three metrics of pore threshold pressure in clastic porous materials: the central value (median; mean), the range (standard deviation), and the ratio of the horizontal to vertical correlation length. These are formalized in the description of 54 clastic facies and three fabrics. An ‘IP Saturation Predictor’ model is derived by linear interpolation of simulation results from synthetic stochastic models representing a wide range of facies and fabrics. To validate model results, we compare the predictive model with flow simulations in model domains extracted from highly resolved natural geologic sedimentary samples at similar resolution.
Calculation of the transition state theory rate constant for a general reaction coordinate: Application to hydride transfer in an enzyme

An expression for the transition state theory rate constant is provided in terms of the potential of mean force for a general reaction coordinate and the mass-weighted gradient of this reaction coordinate. The form of the rate constant enables the straightforward calculation of rates for infrequent events with conventional umbrella sampling and free energy perturbation methods. The approach is illustrated by an application to hydride transfer in the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase using a hybrid quantum/classical molecular dynamics method. Inclusion of the nuclear quantum effects of the transferring hydrogen increases the transition state theory rate constant by a factor of 244.
Adrenal medullary enkephalin-like peptides may mediate opioid stress analgesia

Different patterns of fact shock activate opioid and nonopioid mechanisms of stress analgesia in the rat. Opioid, but not nonopioid, stress analgesia is reduced by adrenal demedullation and denervation and is potentiated by reserpine, a drug known to increase concentrations of adrenal medullary enkephalin-like peptides. It is suggested that adrenal enkephalins mediate opioid stress analgesia.
Serre finiteness and Serre vanishing for non-commutative P1-bundles

Abstract Suppose X is a smooth projective scheme of finite type over a field K, E is a locally free O X -bimodule of rank 2, A is the non-commutative symmetric algebra generated by E and Proj A is the corresponding non-commutative P 1 -bundle. We use the properties of the internal Hom functor H om Gr A (−,−) to prove versions of Serre finiteness and Serre vanishing for Proj A . As a corollary to Serre finiteness, we prove that Proj A is Ext-finite. This fact is used in [I. Mori, J. Pure Appl. Algebra, in press] to prove that if X is a smooth curve over SpecK, Proj A has a Riemann–Roch theorem and an adjunction formula.
Economic coalition strategies for cost reductions in microgrids distribution networks

The integration of information and communication technologies with renewable energy sources will upgrade the conventional power distribution network to a Smart Grid, a smart and economic network, which can reduce power loss and carbon footprints. The power distribution network in the Smart Grid can be regarded as composing of multiple microgrids that include the customers, micro-sources and controllers. We propose the Adaptive-Economic Power Distribution Algorithm (AEPDA), which adaptively changes the topology of the distribution network in order to reduce the power transmission distance and maximize the utilization of renewable energy sources. The algorithm works in two operation states: the "online" mode when the microgrids are connected to the main power transmission grids and the "off-line" mode when the microgrids are disconnected from the main grid and are islanded. In the "on-line" mode, the On-Line Economic Microgrids Coalition Algorithm (OLEMCA) can form optimal coalitions among the mirco-grids; in the "off-line" mode, the Off-Line Micro-sources Coalition Algorithm (OLMCA) optimizes the coalitions among the micro-generators in each microgrid. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithms can reduce the power loss in the "on-line" mode and reduce costs for the customers in the "off-line" mode.
Relationships among communicative acts, social well-being, and spiritual well-being on the quality of life at the end of life in patients with cancer enrolled in hospice

Background: The importance of communication in close, personal relationships has been well-documented. At the end of life, communication, social relationships, and spirituality seem to have greater importance. Some studies suggest that the quality of life at the end of life (QOLEOL) involves these components. Objective: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the communicative acts of love, gratitude, and forgiveness, and to explore the extent to which the communicative acts, social well-being, and spiritual well-being predict the overall QOLEOL when controlling for physical symptoms. Design: Cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational design. Setting/subjects: A convenience sample of all adult hospice patients, aged 35–80, with a cancer diagnosis, residing in their private home in a community setting, was recruited from a large, non-profit hospice program in the midwestern United States. Measurements: Patients completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–General (FACT-G) social/family w...
Asymmetric crystallization and melting kinetics in sodium: A molecular-dynamics study.

Computer-simulation studies of the crystallization and melting of a model of sodium have been carried out to determine the (001) steady-state velocity versus temperature relation in the temperature region 81 to 497 K. Using a form of transition-state theory there is an apparent slope discontinuity in the velocity versus temperature relation at the melting point, which is correlated with slope discontinuities in averaged order parameters for planes buried in the crystal; planes appear to soften more per unit temperature increase above the melting point leading to larger melting velocities.
Using Terrain-depicting Primary Flight Displays for performing instrument-referenced tasks: Can we empirically test for ‘Equivalent level of safety’ ?

A study was conducted to determine if primary flight displays (PFDs) depicting terrain could be used with a level of safety equivalent to electronic attitude-direction indicators (EADIs) without terrain. Five groups of 8 pilots each flew scenarios in a flight simulator using one of three PFDs with or without guidance cues. Performances of instrument-referenced maneuvers using the EADI were measured, followed by trials with an experimental format. Performance measures included initial response time, total recovery time, and control reversals. Traditional parametric analyses found no significant performance differences between groups. Analyses using confidence intervals to assess equivalence of distributions showed group performances were essentially the same. Pilot preferences were examined and are reported. It was concluded that the specific terrain representations did not reduce the level of safety for these specific maneuvers. This technique is recommended for applicants wishing to demonstrate a level of safety equivalent to existing systems. Language: en
Analysis of a Band 7/MEC-2 Family Gene of Porphyromonas gingivalis

In vivo-induced antigen technology has previously been used to identify 115 genes induced in Porphyromonas gingivalis W83 during human infection. The aim of this study was to determine if one of these genes, PG1334, was important for the virulence of P. gingivalis. Analysis of plaque samples from persons with periodontitis revealed that PG1334 was expressed in 88.0% of diseased sites, compared with 42.1% of healthy sites, even though P. gingivalis was detected in equal numbers from both sites. A mutant of PG1334 was found to adhere to and to invade better than the parent strain, but did not persist as well in human coronary artery endothelial cells. Additionally, the mutant did not persist as well in a mouse abscess model. This gene appears to be important for the virulence of P. gingivalis, both in vivo and in vitro.
Apparatus note: a system for detecting and recording movements of the head.

Investigation of human orientation in space often requires accurate and continuous measurement of the position and attitude of the body and its parts. Such measurement is required, for example, in a current research program relating changes in the orientation of the head to changes in the apparent orientation of objects under asymmetrical conditions of stimulation, such as monaural sound and monocular light (Wapner, Cirillo, & Baker, 1969). More specifically, a system was required to measure and record continuously angular movements of the head in three planes: nod forward and badcward (sagittal plane), tilr from side to side (frontal plane), and twist from left to right (transverse . plane). The system was not required to measure translatory movements of the head, i.e., its absolute location in a set of spatial coordinates. While such a system was made use of earlier in the research alluded to (Gunter, Chandler, Wapner, & Werner, 1952; Wapner & Werner, 1957), advances in technology have made it possible recently to develop the more convenient and sophisticated system to be described. Head movemenrs are detected using three sensor units mounted on the head-piece of a welder's safety mask (see Fig. 1). As schematically shown in the figure, this consists of a lightweight adjustable band circling the head above the ears (A), supported by a second band across the crown of the head (B), roughly from one temple to the other. The sensor units are miniature synchro transmitters (C) designed to operate with a 400 Hertz reference voltage.
Public sector accounting in the public administration curriculum

Abstract Many studies have shown that state and local government units frequently are not in conformance with GAAP because their financial statements do not fairly reflect the activities of the organization. Insufficient education and training of public personnel, particularly in the accounting area, is believed to be a major reason for this deficiency. This study surveys the master of public administration/affairs curricula to determine if college administrators have responded to this problem. Fifty-one percent of the responding master of public administration/public affairs programs either require or offer graduate level accounting courses. Is this accounting requirement adequate?
X-ray optics design approach for an SXLS lithography beamline

As part of the development of a synchrotron-based x-ray lithography beamline, progress has been made in designing an optics system which meets the current industrial requirements. The primary goals of the optics are to achieve 0.25 micrometers line resolution over a 50-mm-wide by 25-mm-tall exposure field. The beamline optics must also provide a 5% power uniformity over the exposure field and enough power to achieve a 60-wafer-per-hour throughput with 20 exposure fields. In this paper, a description of a beamline optics system is presented for use with the Superconducting X-ray Lithography Source (SXLS) being built by Brookhaven National Laboratory with assistance from the Grumman Corporation. The basic design approach, performance characteristics, and some design data will be discussed.
Preparation and Evaluation of Arylazide‐Substituted Pyridine Adenine Dinucleotides for Photoaffinity Labeling Experiments

Two pyridine-modified NAD’analogs, 3–(3-azido benzo-yl) pyridine adenine dinucleotide 1 and N-(3-azido-5-car-boxyl) phenyl nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide 2 have been prepared and evaluated for photoaffinity labeling experiments. The syntheses were accomplished via a mammalian NADase-catalyzed base exchange reaction. The new NAD+ analogs retained the carbonyl or carhox-amido functional group at the 3 position of the pyridine ring. The analog 1 is the first pyridine-modified azido derivative of NAD+ that has shown coenzyme activity in a stereospecific hydride transfer reaction catalyzed by a dehydrogenase. Both NAD+ analogs have shown potential for the study of active sites of NAD+-utilizing enzymes.
Dislocation drag mechanisms in normal state metals

Dislocation motion between barriers is determined by the electrons and phonons in metals of relatively high purity. This is especially true in the case of close packed metals such as copper or aluminum. At low temperatures, where the phonon density goes to zero, the electrons are the important components of the drag process, and the electron drag can be independently varied by a magnetic field. As the authors show, the change in stress from changing a magnetic field is solely related to the motion of dislocations, with such elementary considerations as magnetostriction and temperature change not being of importance. Furthermore, the experiements show that in the temperature range where the phonons become important, the change in stress with a change in magnetic field goes to zero. This is consistent with the dislocation motion, while travelling between barriers, being determined by the phonons present at that temperature. A straightforward explanation for this observation is that the phonons, with an increased density at the higher temperatures, are not affected by a magnetic field, and their increased density now controls the dislocation velocity. With this increased damping from the phonons the dislocations motion is no longer underdamped and as a consequence the magneticmore » field no longer affects the dislocation drag through the electrons. This and other experiments are described, as well as a discussion of the results in terms of the string model of a dislocation.« less
Relations among stability parameters in the surface layer

Observations at 5 sites have been analyzed to determine relations among variables used to assess the effect of stability on dispersion. The variables compared were Monin-Obukhov length, Richardson number, bulk Richardson number and Pasquill and Turner categories. All the relationships differ with different terrain roughness.
Performance management of manufacturing system networks

Performance management of communication networks is critical for speed, reliability, and flexibility of information exchange between different components, subsystems, and sectors (e.g., factory, engineering design, and administration) of production process organizations in the environment of computer integrated manufacturing (CIM). Essential to this distributed total manufacturing system is the integrated communications network over which the information leading to process interactions and plant management and control is exchanged. Such a network must be capable of handling heterogeneous traffic resulting from intermachine communications at the factory floor, CAD drawings, design specifications, and administrative information. The objective is to improve the efficiency in handling various types of messages, e.g., control signals, sensor data, and production orders, by on-line adjustment of the parameters of the network protocol. This paper presents a conceptual design, development, and implementation of a network performance management scheme for CIM applications including flexible manufacturing. The performance management algorithm is formulated using the concepts of: (1) Perturbation analysis of discrete event dynamic systems; (2) stochastic approximation; and (3) learning automata. The proposed concept for performance management can also serve as a general framework to assist design, operation, and management of flexible manufacturing systems. The performance management procedure has been tested via emulation on a network test bed that is based on the manufacturing automation protocol (MAP) which has been widely used for CIM networking. The conceptual design presented in this paper offers a step forward to bridging the gap between management standards and users' demands for efficient network operations since most standards such as ISO and IEEE address only the architecture, services, and interfaces for network management.
Red clover yield and composition as influenced by phosphorus, potassium rate and source, and chloride

Abstract Nine cuttings of ‘Alaskland’ red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) grown in the greenhouse in a 24 factorial experiment were made over a 2‐year period. Annual applications of two P and two K rates and sources in the presence and absence of additional C1 were made. The higher P rate did not increase clover yield, but did increase P percentage of and P uptake by the last five clippings only when K2SO4 was used. Total C1 uptake was reduced by the higher P application. The higher K rate increased clover yield and P uptake. K source had no significant effect on clover yield. Uptake of C1 and C1 percentage were greater with KC1 than with K2SO4 while total P uptake tended to be greater with K2SO4. Annual applications of 408 kg C1/ha depressed clover yield, P uptake and dry matter percentage, and increased C1 percentage and uptake. Available NO3‐N, P, and K in the soil were reduced by the nine clippings.
Perioperative Comparison of Robotic Assisted Laparoendoscopic Single-Site (LESS) Pyeloplasty Versus Conventional LESS Pyeloplasty

Abstract Background Conventional laparoendoscopic single-site (C-LESS) pyeloplasty is technically challenging due to instrument clashing, loss of triangulation, and difficulty sewing. Application of the da Vinci S or Si robotic platforms could potentially overcome these challenges. Objective Compare our initial experience with robotic assisted laparoendoscopic single-site (R-LESS) pyeloplasty to our latter experience with C-LESS pyeloplasty (ie, after the initial 15 patients). Design, setting, and participants This single-institution retrospective observational cohort study involved consecutive patients who presented with symptomatic ureteropelvic junction obstruction and who were deemed suitable for single-incision pyeloplasty by the treating surgeon. Measurements Demographic, clinical, perioperative, and early postoperative comparative outcomes. Results and limitations Ten patients each underwent R-LESS or C-LESS pyeloplasty by a single surgeon between March 2009 and July 2011. For R-LESS and C-LESS groups, age, gender distribution, body mass index, proportion of patients with prior abdominal surgery, estimated blood loss, and hospital length of stay were statistically similar. Mean operative time was significantly longer for R-LESS (226 vs 188min; p =0.007). C-LESS pyeloplasty alone required an accessory port for the anastomosis in 10 of 10 cases. Two conversions to standard laparoscopy and two postoperative complications occurred in 3 of 10 patients in the C-LESS group, compared with no conversions and one postoperative complication in the R-LESS group ( p =0.26). Study limitations are a retrospective design, a modest number of patients, and a lack of quantification of subjective outcomes such as instrument clashing and maneuverability. Conclusions Adaptation of the da Vinci Si robotic surgical platform to laparoendoscopic single-site pyeloplasty appears to reduce the physical learning curve for this complex procedure. Future prospective, comprehensive evaluation of additional outcomes including subjective parameters, cosmesis, and longer term functional outcomes will help better define its role in minimally invasive dismembered pyeloplasty and better estimate its associated learning curve.
ANALYSIS OF OPTICAL AND TERAHERTZ MULTILAYER SYSTEMS USING MICROWAVE AND FEEDBACK THOERY

tree results are more stable than RWG ones. As the last example, a rectangular parallel capacitor, shown in Figure 7, is presented. The negative input reactance is plotted in Figure 8, compared with the one from free space. It is demonstrated again that loop-tree basis maintains the low- frequency scale invariance property very well. 6. CONCLUSION Numerical analysis of electrically small structures embed- ded in a layered medium is presented in this letter. By decomposing the current into the divergence-free part and the nondivergence-free part according to the property of the current in the low frequency regime, we can capture both capacitance and inductance physics, which are of the same importance in circuit physics. Mathematically, loop-tree decomposition combined with frequency normalization makes the matrix stable. The matrix-friendly formulation of LMGF is implemented for its elegant form, and frequency scaling property of the matrix element with this kernel is analyzed before frequency normalization. The con- nection matrix is applied to make the final system amenable to iterative solvers. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Detection of simian immunodeficiency virus RNA from infected rhesus macaques by the polymerase chain reaction

Abstract A rapid method for the detection of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) RNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of experimentally infected rhesus macaques by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is reported. The PCR was carried out with a complementary DNA (cDNA) template using 3 pairs of primers that were designed to anneal to homologous sequences in conserved regions of 3 molecular clones of SIV mac . The specificity of the primers was confirmed by performing the PCR with template DNA from the 3 molecular clones. SIV-specific RNA was detected from 30 and 50 infected PBMC/6.25 × 10 5 PBMC of two animals.
Dead zone elimination in acoustic arrays.

Acoustic imaging systems utilizing multi-element acoustic transducers in the transmit receive mode suffer from an artifact named dead zone area due to the loss of the acquired information in that area. The artifact shows up on the displayed image as a very bright region due to the receivers saturation next to the transducer face and extending further out in the field as a fixed pattern noise. An investigation of the cause of this artifact, and a method for its elimination is presented in this paper.
Why Universities Need Institutional Researchers and Institutional Researchers Need Faculty Members More Than Both Realize

This paper provides an overview of research that I have conducted during my career using data sets collected by offices of institutional research. Many of the examples discussed in the paper deal with graduate education. The paper illustrates how valuable the data collection efforts by these offices are to academic researchers interested in helping to formulate institutional, state and national higher education policies. It concludes with suggestions for how the usefulness of institutional researchers to colleges and universities can be improved and stresses that institutional researchers and administrators would be wise to involve more faculty members in research that aids in institutional decision making and the formulation of public policy towards higher education.
The Trypanosoma cruzi flagellum is discarded via asymmetric cell division following invasion and provides early targets for protective CD8+ T cells

Summary During invasion of host cells by Trypanosoma cruzi , the parasite that causes Chagas disease, the elongated, flagellated trypomastigotes remodel into oval amastigotes with no external flagellum. The underlying mechanism of this remodeling and the fate of the flagellum are obscure. We discovered that T. cruzi trypomastigotes discard their flagella via an asymmetric cellular division. The flagellar proteins liberated become among the earliest parasite proteins to enter the MHC-I processing pathway in infected cells. Indeed, paraflagellar rod protein PAR4-specific CD8 + T cells detect infected host cells >20 hr earlier than immunodominant trans-sialidase-specific T cells. Overexpression of PAR4 in T. cruzi enhanced the subdominant PAR4-specific CD8 + T cell response, resulting in improved control of a challenge infection. These results provide insights into previously unappreciated events in intracellular invasion by T. cruzi and highlight the importance of T cells that recognize infected host cells early in the infectious process, in the control of infections.
A catch to integrin activation

T cells interact with chemokines displayed on cells outside and inside blood vessels of the lymph node. New work shows that these chemokines exert distinct activation effects on T cell integrins depending on their mechanical environment.
pasilla, the Drosophila Homologue of the Human Nova-1 and Nova-2 Proteins, Is Required for Normal Secretion in the Salivary Gland

From a screen for genes expressed and required in the Drosophila salivary gland, we identified pasilla (ps), which encodes a set of proteins most similar to human Nova-1 and Nova-2. Nova-1 and Nova-2 are nuclear RNA-binding proteins normally expressed in the CNS where they directly regulate splicing. In patients suffering from paraneoplastic opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia (POMA), Nova-1 and Nova-2 proteins are present as auto-antigens. Consistent with a role in splicing, PS is localized to nuclear puncta. The salivary glands of ps mutants internalize normally and maintain epithelial polarity. However, the mutant salivary glands develop irregularities in overall morphology and have defects in apical secretion. The secretory defects in ps mutants provide a potential mechanism for the loss of motor function observed in POMA patients.
Game theory and environmental disputes

The courts have provided the traditional battleground for conflicts between environmental interest groups and those whose actions in some way have an adverse impact on the environment The judicial process is a time-consuming one in which all sides usually must concede to some points. Environmental disputes involve complex scientific issues which the court system is not set up to comprehend, so that the process gives the parties to a dispute the sense of having lost control of their own destinies.
Nightwatch. The Politics of Protest in the Andes

Nightwatch. The Politics of Protest in the Andes. Orin Starn. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1999. xi. 329 pp., photographs, maps, illustrations, notes, bibliography, index.
Folacin and Ascorbic Acid Retention in Fresh Raw, Microwave, and Conventionally Cooked Spinach

Fresh spinach was assayed for total folacin and reduced ascorbic acid content, before and after cooking by a microwave and conventional method. Mean ascorbic acid content of raw, microwave cooked and conventionally cooked spinach was 26.5 mg/lOOg, 13.5 mg/l00g, and 17.0 mg/lOOg, respectively. Ascorbic acid content was decreased significantly by both cooking methods; retention was 47% in microwave and 51% in conventionally cooked spinach. Total folacin content of raw, microwave, and conventionally cooked spinach was 161 mcg/lOOg, 183 mcg/lOOg, and 157 mcg/lOOg, respectively. Retention of folate was 77% in conventionally cooked and 101% in microwave cooked spinach.
Design of monitoring system for distributed applications

A distributed system testbed consists of two subsystems, an instrumentation subsystem and an experimentation subsystem. The instrumentation subsystem provides sufficient capabilities for the users to test, debug, and obtain test results from the experimentation subsystem. The paper describes the design and implementation of a testbed with emphasis on the monitoring functions provided by the instrumentation subsystem. This testbed was applied to a prototype telephone switching system, UICPBX (University of Illinois at Chicago Private Branch Exchange), which is developed to show the feasibility of simulating distributed switching systems in a network of Sun workstations. The functions of the instrumentation subsystem in the UICPBX testbed include dynamic display of system status, logical configuration layout of the target subsystem, object-oriented approaches for user interface, nondeterministic behaviour control tool, typical debugging facilities, and test data input to the target subsystem. Problems that result from various difficulties involved in such work and solutions to them are also discussed in detail.
Tie Strength, Embeddedness, and Social Influence: A Large-Scale Networked Experiment

We leverage the newly emerging business analytical capability to rapidly deploy and iterate large-scale, microlevel, in vivo randomized experiments to understand how social influence in networks impacts consumer demand. Understanding peer influence is critical to estimating product demand and diffusion, creating effective viral marketing, and designing “network interventions” to promote positive social change. But several statistical challenges make it difficult to econometrically identify peer influence in networks. Though some recent studies use experiments to identify influence, they have not investigated the social or structural conditions under which influence is strongest. By randomly manipulating messages sent by adopters of a Facebook application to their 1.3 million peers, we identify the moderating effect of tie strength and structural embeddedness on the strength of peer influence. We find that both embeddedness and tie strength increase influence. However, the amount of physical interaction between friends, measured by coappearance in photos, does not have an effect. This work presents some of the first large-scale in vivo experimental evidence investigating the social and structural moderators of peer influence in networks. The methods and results could enable more effective marketing strategies and social policy built around a new understanding of how social structure and peer influence spread behaviors in society. This paper was accepted by Alok Gupta, special issue on business analytics.
Management of Complications in Renal Replacement Therapy

Renal replacement therapies (RRTs) are frequently employed for treatment of patients suffering from acute kidney injury in the intensive care unit (ICU). Multiple modalities of RRT are currently available. These include intermittent hemodialysis, continuous renal replacement therapies, and hybrid therapies, such as sustained low-efficiency dialysis. Because of the high complexity of ICU patients, physicians must be aware of the limitations and complications of both intermittent and continuous dialysis modalities that can contribute to patient morbidity and mortality. In this article, we highlight the recognized complications of RRTs and the treatment approach to these complications.
Cost and programme availability in co‐operative pre‐schools

Co-operative pre-schools offer parents the option of.exchanging volunteer labour for price savings. Relative to private pre-schools, co-ops have lower tuition, lower teacher-student ratio, more field trips, less structure, shorter sessions, and less emphasis on school readiness.
Polyincestuous Families An Exploratory Study

Forty-eight polyincestuous families were examined to determine the characteristics of this type of sexual abuse and subcategories of polyincest. The mean number of perpetrators per family was 3.3, and the mean number of victims 2.7. Almost 40% of perpetrators were female. Five families had only male victims, 19 only female, and 24 both male and female victims. In 71% of cases, there were offenders from both within the nuclear family and the extended family. In approximately 60% of cases, there were victims or offenders from outside the family who were involved in the sexual abuse. In more than a third of cases, there appeared to be a belief system supporting incest, and in about 40% victims seemed to find something positive in the sexual abuse. Forty-five of the cases could be classified into one of three categories, based on some perpetrator characteristics: (a) offenders: a mother and a father figure; (b) offenders: male relatives; and (c) offenders: a mother figure, a father figure, and others.
Prevalence of radioactive signals from surveillance of an emergency department.

Introduction: Since the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, concerns have been raised regarding the threat of a radiological terrorist weapon. Although the probability of the employment of a nuclear device is remote, the potential of a radiological dispersal device (RDD) or “dirty bomb” is of concern. While it is unlikely that such a device would produce massive numbers of casualties, it is far more likely that it would result in pub- lic panic and perhaps even disable the local healthcare system. The utility of surveillance with radiation detectors in the healthcare setting has not been fully evaluated. Objective: The objective of this study was to characterize the prevalence of radioactive sources entering an urban emergency department (ED). Methods: A retrospective review of data obtained from a radiation detector positioned to detect radioactive people entering an ED of an urban academic hospital that serves 45,000 patients/year was performed. Graphical outputs of radioactivity were recorded in Microsoft Excel TM (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, US) spreadsheets in microREM/hour. Data were collected continuous-ly from 22 December 2003 to 22 January 2004. An event was defined as any elevation in radiation levels >95% confidence interval from the mean level of background radiation over 72 hours (h). Results: A total of 215 events were observed over a 28-day period, with a mean value of 7.7 events/day, and a maximum of 15 events/day. During the 28-day period, the baseline mean level of background radiation was 2–4 microREM/h. Readings ranged from 2,148.28–17,292.25 microREM/h with a maximum sustained detector exposure of 684.37 microREM. Distinct signal patterns were seen at both detectors including tonic, phasic, dual, and short duration spikes. Conclusion: The number of radioactive signals detected from persons entering the ED was much higher than expected. While the vast majority of these signals pose no health threat, they may make routine screening for a radiological terrorist event difficult.Further study is needed to determine this correlation.
Decision Modeling of Disagreements: Pediatric Hematologists’ Management of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

PURPOSE To identify core disagreements between pediatric hematologists who would treat children with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) on initial presentation ("Treaters") and those who would treat by observation ("Observers"), to determine whether each group's preferred stance was consistent with each individual's detailed perceptions, and to identify key variables in each stance. METHODS A decision model was constructed in collaboration with experts, and a detailed questionnaire was presented to a nationally representative committee of 25 pediatric hematologists. A full decision tree was specified for each respondent. RESULTS Nineteen (76%) experts responded; based on preference for initial treatment, 9 were Treaters and 10 Observers. Of the 30 probability/effectiveness variables, 8--almost all concerning treatment effectiveness--had at least one statistically-significant difference between the 2 groups regarding low, best, or high estimates. To convince Observers that treatment is effective would take a clinical trial with between 39 000 and 87 000 participants; to convince Treaters that treatment is not effective enough, between 97 000 and 114 000 participants. Observers' calculated numbers needed to treat (NNTs) of about 150 000 are more consistent (P = 0.0023) with their elicited maximum NTTs of about 500. CONCLUSION Physicians not specifically trained provided enough data to specify complete individual decision models. From the estimates provided, no practical clinical trial could convince hematologists who would treat children on initial presentation with ITP just to simply observe them or could convince those who would just observe to instead treat with available agents. Perceived burdens could be better characterized, perhaps by including parental perceptions and preferences.
Interactions of the Energy Transducer TonB with Noncognate Energy-Harvesting Complexes

The TonB and TolA proteins are energy transducers that couple the ion electrochemical potential of the cytoplasmic membrane to support energy-dependent processes at the outer membrane of the gram-negative envelope. The transfer of energy to these transducers is facilitated by energy-harvesting complexes, which are heteromultimers of cytoplasmic membrane proteins with homologies to proton pump proteins of the flagellar motor. Although the cognate energy-harvesting complex best services each transducer, components of the complexes (for TonB, ExbB and ExbD; for TolA, TolQ and TolR) are sufficiently similar that each complex can imperfectly replace the other. Previous investigations of this molecular cross talk considered energy-harvesting complex components expressed from multicopy plasmids in strains in which the corresponding genes were interrupted by insertions, partially absent due to polarity, or missing due to a larger deletion. These questions were reexamined here using strains in which individual genes were removed by precise deletions and, where possible, components were expressed from single-copy genes with native promoters. By more closely approximating natural stoichiometries between components, this study provided insight into the roles of energy-harvesting complexes in both the energization and the stabilization of TonB. Further, the data suggest a distinct role for ExbD in the TonB energy transduction cycle.
Free-Form Optimal Conjugation Design

The paper presents the first optimal conjugation design methodology based on free-form conjugation modeling theory. The methodology is implemented for planar circular gearing and general for any planar gearing. According to the previous research of free-form conjugation, conjugate profiles are modeled by contact path geometries or cutter geometries which are represented by NURBS (non-uniform rational B-splines). The interchangeability between control points and interpolation points of NURBS are introduced in general to offer reasonable constraints of special interpolation conditions in conjugation design. To adapt to the flexibility brought by free-form techniques, the determination of an important conjugate property—contact ratio is carried out through geometric relationship. To make use of NURBS for optimal design, conjugate properties and their differentiations are represented by important parameters and then by control points and interpolation points of NURBS. The interested properties are relative curvature, specific sliding ratio and nominal Hertz contact stress, which are the main factors of gear efficiency and wear. The properties are well-known for their difficulties in optimization. The paper shows that with appropriate manipulations in mathematics and programming, it is feasible for gradient based optimization methods, which are accurate and fast in convergence. The methodology is consistent with the regular optimization of geometry design, and can be integrated into geometry design systems. The examples show the effectiveness of the proposed optimization framework.Copyright © 2012 by ASME