cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Preliminary and Subsequent Stages to Integrating Pedagogical Innovation: The Crux of the Matter for the Innovator.

Within the extremely competitive environment of higher education, professors make a conscious decision to engage in pedagogical innovation projects. Through this qualitative research, I revisit the experience of thirty-two innovators who gravitate between risks and uncertainty, particularly as they teach at a university where research prevails over teaching. The results provide us with in-depth insight into the specific conditions and processes of pedagogical innovation, shedding light on the optional stages and delineating those that appear to be fundamental to the innovation process. Dans le contexte extremement competitif de l’enseignement superieur, les professeurs choisissent consciemment d’entreprendre des projets d’ innovation pedagogique. Cette recherche qualitative porte sur les experiences de 32 innovateurs qui gravitent entre risques et incertitudes, notamment lorsqu’ils enseignent dans une universite ou la recherche prevaut sur l’enseignement. Les resultats permettent d’apprehender en profondeur les conditions et demarches specifiques de l’innovation pedagogique en distinguant les etapes optionnelles de celles qui semblent fondamentales dans le processus l’innovation.
Removal of Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus in Pig Manure by Continuous and Intermittent Aeration at Low Redox Potentials

Abstract A laboratory experiment was conducted to study the effect of intermittent and continuous aeration at an airflow rate of 0·0667 l min −1 l −1 of manure on redox potential, pH, organic carbon, total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), ammonium nitrogen (NH + 4 -N) and soluble orthophosphate. Results showed that aeration at this rate could not bring redox potential up to truly aerobic level. A reduction of 24 and 26·4% in TKN and organic carbon, respectively, was observed during the continuous aeration process. The continuous aeration at this airflow rate also reduced the initial NH + 4 -N by 32·3%. Intermittent aeration was approximately as half as efficient in removal of organic carbon, TKN and NH + 4 -N as the continuous aeration. However, within a 24 h aeration period, 75% of soluble orthophosphate was removed from solution for both treatments, suggesting that the phosphorus removal efficiency was independent of aeration schemes, so energy could be saved while still maintaining the removal efficiency.
Intracellular Regulatory Networks are close to Monotone Systems

Several meso-scale biological intracellular regulatory networks that have specified directionality of interactions have been recently assembled from experimental literature. Directed networks where links are characterized as positive or negative can be converted to systems of differential equations and analyzed as dynamical systems. Such analyses have shown that networks containing only sign-consistent loops, such as positive feed-forward and feedback loops function as monotone systems that display well-ordered behavior. Perturbations to monotone systems have unambiguous global effects and a predictability characteristic that confers advantages for robustness and adaptability. We find that three intracellular regulatory networks: bacterial and yeast transcriptional networks and a mammalian signaling network contain far more sign-consistent feedback and feed-forward loops than expected for shuffled networks. Inconsistent loops with negative links can be more easily removed from real regulatory networks as compared to shuffled networks. This topological feature in real networks emerges from the presence of hubs that are enriched for either negative or positive links, and is not due to a preference for double negative links in paths. These observations indicate that intracellular regulatory networks may be close to monotone systems and that this network topology contributes to the dynamic stability.
Baseline Prostate-specific Antigen Level in Midlife and Aggressive Prostate Cancer in Black Men

Abstract Background Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) measurement in midlife predicts long-term prostate cancer (PCa) mortality among white men. Objective To determine whether baseline PSA level during midlife predicts risk of aggressive PCa in black men. Design, setting, and participants Nested case-control study among black men in the Southern Community Cohort Study recruited between 2002 and 2009. A prospective cohort in the southeastern USA with recruitment from community health centers. A total of 197 incident PCa patients aged 40–64 yr at study entry and 569 controls matched on age, date of blood draw, and site of enrollment. Total PSA was measured in blood collected and stored at enrollment. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Total and aggressive PCa (91 aggressive: Gleason ≥7, American Joint Committee on Cancer stage III/IV, or PCa-specific death). Exact conditional logistic regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for PCa by category of baseline PSA. Results and limitations Median PSA among controls was 0.72, 0.80, 0.94, and 1.03 ng/ml for age groups 40–49, 50–54, 55–59, and 60–64 yr, respectively; 90th percentile levels were 1.68, 1.85, 2.73, and 3.33 ng/ml. Furthermore, 95% of total and 97% of aggressive cases had baseline PSA above the age-specific median. Median follow-up was 9 yr. The OR for total PCa comparing PSA >90th percentile versus ≤median was 83.6 (95% CI, 21.2–539) for 40–54 yr and 71.7 (95% CI, 23.3–288) for 55–64 yr. For aggressive cancer, ORs were 174 (95% CI, 32.3–infinity) for 40–54 yr and 51.8 (95% CI, 11.0–519) for 55–64 yr. A composite endpoint of aggressive PCa based on stage, grade, and mortality was used and is a limitation. Conclusions PSA levels in midlife strongly predicted total and aggressive PCa among black men. PSA levels among controls were similar to those among white controls in prior studies. Patient summary Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level during midlife strongly predicted future development of aggressive prostate cancer among black men. Targeted screening based on a midlife PSA might identify men at high risk while minimizing screening in those men at low risk.
Stroke Prophylaxis for Atrial Fibrillation? To Prescribe or Not to Prescribe-A Qualitative Study on the Decisionmaking Process of Emergency Department Providers.

Study objective Although clinical guidelines recommend oral anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation patients at high risk of stroke, emergency physicians inconsistently prescribe it to patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation. We interview emergency physicians to gain insight into themes influencing prescribing of oral anticoagulation for patients discharged from the ED with new-onset atrial fibrillation. Methods From September 2015 to January 2017, we conducted semistructured qualitative interviews with a purposeful sampling of 18 ED attending physicians who had evaluated a patient with new-onset atrial fibrillation within the past 30 days. Interview prompts examined physicians’ attitudes toward prescription of oral anticoagulation therapy and current clinical guidelines. We used a constructivist grounded theory approach to analyze data and develop a theory on prescribing practices among emergency physicians. Results Three broad domains emerged from our analyses. (1) Oral anticoagulation prescribing practice: underlying themes affecting oral anticoagulation prescribing from the ED included physician practice patterns, beliefs, and barriers (including experience, comfort, and insurance coverage), and patient factors (including comorbidities, bleeding risk, and social concerns). Ultimately, these themes indicated physician discomfort and a sense of futility in prescribing oral anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation. (2) Guideline usage for oral anticoagulation prescribing: regardless of experience, most emergency physicians did not report using clinical guidelines when treating patients. (3) Recommendations for improved prescribing: physicians recommended the development of a validated, reliable, simple, accessible, and population-specific guideline that considers patient social factors. Conclusion The decision to prescribe oral anticoagulation in the ED is complex. Improving guideline adherence will require a multifaceted approach inclusive of system-level improvements, physician education, and the development of ED-specific tools and guidelines.
Collaborative and Passive Channel Gain Estimation in Fading Environments

Dynamic spectrum access techniques are typically aided by knowledge of the wireless channel gains among participating radios, as this knowledge allows the potential interference impact of any radio’s transmissions on its neighbors to be quantified. We present a technique for collaborative inference of the channel gains which relies solely on the radios monitoring their aggregate transmitted and received energies as they transmit their data packets. We demonstrate that through low data-rate exchange of these energy metrics among bursty networks, the gains can be jointly estimated within a dB and with low latency on the order of seconds. In particular, we derive the best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE) for the gains. While this estimator relies on knowledge of fading parameters not known in practice, we propose a practical variant which achieves performance comparable to the BLUE in the realistic fading setting used in our simulations.
Impaired Retinal Vascular Reactivity in Diabetic Retinopathy as Assessed by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.

Purpose To assess retinal vascular reactivity in healthy controls and subjects with diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods A total of 22 healthy control eyes and 16 eyes with DR were enrolled. Images were acquired using a commercially available swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) system. Three conditions were tested for each patient (hyperoxia, hypercapnia, and room-air) by employing a non-rebreathing apparatus that delivered appropriate gas mixtures (100% O2, 5% CO2, room air). Vessel skeleton density (VSD) and vessel diameter index (VDI) were compared between the conditions using mixed-model ANOVA adjusting for age and hypertension. Significant gas or interaction effects were followed by a Bonferroni adjusted pairwise post hoc analysis. Statistical significance was defined at P < 0.05. Results The mixed-model ANOVA of the VSD found a significant intraindividual gas effect (F[2, 70] = 20.3, P < 0.001) and intergroup effect (F[1, 35] = 6.9, P = 0.001), and interaction effects (F[2, 70] = 4.6, P = 0.03). The post hoc pairwise comparison found significant differences among all three gas conditions in the healthy controls. In the subjects with DR, there were significant differences in VSD between hyperoxic and room air, and between hyperoxic and hypercapnic conditions, but not between hypercapnic and room-air conditions. Similar results were found for VDI. Conclusions The retinal capillaries, assessed with SS-OCTA, in subjects with DR preferentially reacted to hyperoxia but not hypercapnia, while the healthy controls reacted to both. The difference in the vascular reactivity may be indicative of the underlying pathophysiology of DR.
Personnel Preparation Programs in Visual Impairments: A Status Report.

This article is the third in a series of studies of personnel preparation programs and their faculties. It reports on issues that were included in the first two studies, such as the availability of...
Structural Transformation around the World: Patterns and Drivers

The conventional view of structural transformation is informed by three stylized facts of economic development: (i) all economies exhibit declining employment in agriculture, (ii) all economies exh...
Safety of vaginal estrogens: a systematic review.

Objective This systematic review included clinical trials of Food and Drug Administration-approved vaginal estrogens. The primary objective of this systematic review was to examine the comparative safety of the Food and Drug Administration-approved vaginal estrogen preparations among postmenopausal women. Methods We performed a PubMed search of the primary literature from January 1, 1966 to July 16, 2019 for English-language clinical trials. Manual review of retrieved citations identified additional citations. Results Of 882 retrieved citations, 75 clinical trials met inclusion criteria. Maximum trial duration was 52 weeks. None of the trials predesignated breast or endometrial cancer, cardiovascular events, or venous thromboembolism as primary outcomes. Studies were not designed to rule out an increase in endometrial carcinoma risk with long-term use of vaginal estrogen. There were few head-to-head comparisons. Fifty trials examined serum sex steroid and gonadotrophin levels; assay methodologies varied. Serum estradiol levels were 11 pg/mL at baseline or during placebo use and increased to a mean of 30 pg/mL after treatment. Estradiol levels were usually highest during the first 12 weeks of treatment, and were higher for estrogen creams than for inserts or rings. The 22 trials of endometrial thickness and the 15 trials of endometrial biopsy did not clearly demonstrate endometrial proliferation after vaginal estrogen treatment, but data were limited, and studies did not always perform systematic endometrial biopsy. Conclusions Newer low-dose estradiol rings, tablets, and inserts appear to induce the least increases in serum hormones, possibly indicating greater safety. Limited evidence in trials lasting up to 52 weeks suggest endometrial safety of vaginal estrogen use. Long-term trials are needed. : Video Summary:http://links.lww.com/MENO/A513.
Outcome of Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) with Multiple ABL1 Kinase Domain Mutations during Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy.

We investigated the impact of carrying more than one BCRABL1 mutation in 207 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (102 chronic, 61 accelerated, and 44 blast phase) post-imatinib failure. Seven (8%) of 92 patients carrying mutations had more than one mutation: 4 (4%) in chronic phase, 2 (2%) in accelerated phase, and one (1 %) in blast phase. The cytogenetic response rate to second generation TKIs for patients with no, one, or more than one mutation was 88%, 69%, 50% (P=0.03) in chronic phase, 54%, 42%, 50% in accelerated phase (P=0.67), and 35%, 25%, 0% (P=0.63) in blast phase, respectively. No differences were observed in event free survival or overall survival in accelerated or blast phase according to their mutational status. However, the 4-year event free survival rates among patients in chronic phase with no, one, or more than one BCR-ABL1 mutation were 56%, 49%, and 0%, respectively (P=0.02), with overall survival rates of 91%, 69%, and 75%, respectively (P=0.13). In conclusion, patients with more than one BCR-ABL1 mutation fare worse than those with no or one mutation.
What Is Title IX? Toward a Campus-Based Pedagogy to Study Inequality:

In this article, we propose a campus-based pedagogy to teach sociology. We offer the example of a project designed to critically assess university Title IX policy and situate it within existing soc...
Encoding and consolidation of motor sequence learning in young and older adults.

Abstract Sleep benefits motor memory consolidation in young adults, but this benefit is reduced in older adults. Here we sought to understand whether differences in the neural bases of encoding between young and older adults contribute to aging-related differences in sleep-dependent consolidation of an explicit variant of the serial reaction time task (SRTT). Seventeen young and 18 older adults completed two sessions (nap, wake) one week apart. In the MRI, participants learned the SRTT. Following an afternoon interval either awake or with a nap (recorded with high-density polysomnography), performance on the SRTT was reassessed in the MRI. Imaging and behavioral results from SRTT performance showed clear sleep-dependent consolidation of motor sequence learning in older adults after a daytime nap, compared to an equal interval awake. Young adults, however, showed brain activity and behavior during encoding consistent with high SRTT performance prior to the sleep interval, and did not show further sleep-dependent performance improvements. Young adults did show reduced cortical activity following sleep, suggesting potential systems-level consolidation related to automatization. Sleep physiology data showed that sigma activity topography was affected by hippocampal and cortical activation prior to the nap in both age groups, and suggested a role of theta activity in sleep-dependent automatization in young adults. These results suggest that previously observed aging-related sleep-dependent consolidation deficits may be driven by aging-related deficiencies in fast learning processes. Here we demonstrate that when sufficient encoding strength is reached with additional training, older adults demonstrate intact sleep-dependent consolidation of motor sequence learning.
Urinary PGE-M in Men with Prostate Cancer

Urinary PGE-M is a stable metabolite of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). PGE2 is a product of the inflammatory COX signaling pathway and has been associated with cancer incidence and metastasis. Its synthesis can be inhibited by aspirin. We investigated the association of PGE-M with lethal prostate cancer in a case–control study of African American (AA) and European American men. We measured urinary PGE-M using mass-spectrometry. Samples were obtained from 977 cases and 1022 controls at the time of recruitment. We applied multivariable logistic and Cox regression modeling to examine associations of PGE-M with prostate cancer and participant survival. Median survival follow-up was 8.4 years, with 246 deaths among cases. Self-reported aspirin use over the past 5 years was assessed with a questionnaire. Race/ethnicity was self-reported. Urinary PGE-M levels did not differ between men with prostate cancer and population-based controls. We observed no association between PGE-M and aggressive disease nor prostate-cancer-specific survival. However, we observed a statistically significant association between higher (>median) PGE-M and all-cause mortality in AA cases who did not regularly use aspirin (HR = 2.04, 95% CI 1.23–3.37). Among cases who reported using aspirin, there was no association. Our study does not support a meaningful association between urinary PGE-M and prostate cancer. Moreover, PGE-M levels were not associated with aggressive prostate cancer. However, the observed association between elevated PGE-M and all-cause mortality in AA non-aspirin users reinforces the potential benefit of aspirin to reduce mortality among AA men with prostate cancer.
5'-Cap sequestration is an essential determinant of HIV-1 genome packaging.

HIV-1 selectively packages two copies of its 5′-capped RNA genome (gRNA) during virus assembly, a process mediated by the nucleocapsid (NC) domain of the viral Gag polyprotein and encapsidation signals located within the dimeric 5′ leader of the viral RNA. Although residues within the leader that promote packaging have been identified, the determinants of authentic packaging fidelity and efficiency remain unknown. Here, we show that a previously characterized 159-nt region of the leader that possesses all elements required for RNA dimerization, high-affinity NC binding, and packaging in a noncompetitive RNA packaging assay (ΨCES) is unexpectedly poorly packaged when assayed in competition with the intact 5′ leader. ΨCES lacks a 5′-tandem hairpin element that sequesters the 5′ cap, suggesting that cap sequestration may be important for packaging. Consistent with this hypothesis, mutations within the intact leader that expose the cap without disrupting RNA structure or NC binding abrogated RNA packaging, and genetic addition of a 5′ ribozyme to ΨCES to enable cotranscriptional shedding of the 5′ cap promoted ΨCES-mediated RNA packaging to wild-type levels. Additional mutations that either block dimerization or eliminate subsets of NC binding sites substantially attenuated competitive packaging. Our studies indicate that packaging is achieved by a bipartite mechanism that requires both sequestration of the 5′ cap and exposure of NC binding sites that reside fully within the ΨCES region of the dimeric leader. We speculate that cap sequestration prevents irreversible capture by the cellular RNA processing and translation machinery, a mechanism likely employed by other viruses that package 5′-capped RNA genomes.
A Detailed Study of the Cedar City Landslide, Utah, U.S.A

On October 8, 2011, a massive landslide caused severe damage to State Route 14 (SR 14) in Cedar Canyon, 5 km outside Cedar City, Utah, U.S.A. The landslide detached approximately 1.1 million m3 of material from the south side of the canyon, displaced parts of the road, and covered a 365-m stretch of the road under more than 30-m thick debris. Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) drilled three borings through the landslide material, placed slope inclinometers in the borings, and conducted a geophysical survey. We made detailed field observations, mapped discontinuities, and collected bedrock and colluvial soil samples for laboratory testing. The results of the study show that the landslide is a combination of rotational and translational movement, with majority of the failure occurring along the contact between the colluvial soil and the underlying bedrock. The triggering mechanism was most likely a rain and snow storm prior to October 8. Remedial measures, used by UDOT, to repair landslide and SR14 include re-grading the landslide slope to 1.75H:1V, placing riprap at the bottom of the slope to allow drainage, and installing a retaining wall below the road on the west side of the landslide.
A Low Noise, High Resolution Silicon Temperature Sensor

High resolution temperature measurement is essential for determination of blood perfusion in biomaterials. A compact, low noise, high resolution temperature sensor designed for use in an invasive tissue property measurement probe is presented. The technique uses feedback to improve linearity and reduce noise. Data from test chips shows temperature resolution of 6.8 m°C. The chips were fabricated using a 1.75 um double poly, single metal modified CMOS process designed for this project.
An extracellular nuclease from Serratia marcescens. I. Purification and some properties of the enzyme.

An extracellular nuclease was isolated from Serratia marcescens culture fluid which rapidly hydrolyzed DNA and RNA at approximately the same rate. The activity of the enzyme was purified 2600-fold with a final recovery of 25%. The ratio of enzymatic activity with RNA as substrate to that with DNA as substrate remained approximately constant throughout the purification and in all studies of the properties of the enzyme, leading to the conclusion that both activities are associated with a single protein. The enzyme required Mg++ or Mn++ for activity, and had a pH optimum of 8.5. Heating the enzyme to 44° or higher reduced enzymatic activity; after 40 min at 44°, all activity was abolished. The nuclease could be stored in glass-sealed ampules at 4° for up to 3 months without loss of activity. These properties, in conjunction with the specificity reported in the accompanying paper, make this enzyme potentially useful as a reagent for the study of nucleic acid structure and function.
Advanced power estimation techniques

This chapter describes a methodology and techniques for power estimation and analysis at behavioral, register-transfer and gate levels of design abstraction. The major components of the proposed methodology are survey sampling techniques, probabilistic compaction techniques, RTL co-simulation engine, power macro-modeling, and high-level power estimation.
Robot-based haptic perception and telepresence for the visually impaired

With the advancements in medicine and welfare systems, the average life span of modern human beings is expanding, creating a new market for elderly care and assistive technology. Along with the development of assistive devices based on traditional aids such as voice-readers, electronic wheelchairs, and prosthetic limbs, a robotic platform is one of the most suitable platforms for providing multi-purpose assistance in human life. This research focuses on the transference of environmental perception to a human user through the use of interactive multi-modal feedback and an assistive robotic platform. A novel framework for haptic telepresence is presented to solve the problem, and state-of-the-art methodologies from computer vision, haptics, and robotics are utilized. The objective of this research is to design a framework that achieves the following: 1) This framework integrates visual perception from heterogeneous vision sensors, 2) it enables real-time interactive haptic representation of the real world through a mobile manipulation robotic platform and a haptic interface, and 3) it achieves haptic fusion of multiple sensory modalities from the robotic platform and provides interactive feedback to the human user. Specifically, a set of multi-disciplinary algorithms such as stereo-vision processes, three-dimensional (3D) map-building algorithms, and virtual-proxy based haptic volume representation processes will be integrated into a unified framework to successfully accomplish the goal. The application area of this work is focused on, but not limited to, assisting people with visual impairment with a robotic platform by providing multi-modal feedback of the environment.
Enhanced Reliability in Scheduling Critical Tasks for Hard Real-Time Distributed Systems

Hard real-time systems are characterized by the execution of tasks under strict time constraints. The importance of meeting a task execution deadline makes the scheduling scheme a central issue for the correctness and reliability of such systems. While reliability is one of the objectives, it cannot be guaranteed that any system be free from faults during its operational lifetime. Thus, in systems performing critical activities, measures that provide fault tolerance should be included [2].
Dental care plan assessment using the CAHPS Dental Plan Survey.

Objectives: The performance of a recently developed survey instrument that inquires about patients' experiences with the receipt of dental care was examined to evaluate its potential utility as a patient-reported outcome measure for dental care plans. Methods: Individuals with dental insurance (n = 1,216) were surveyed using the Consumer Assessment of Health Care Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Dental Plan Survey. The instrument's pre-established composite and rating scores were compared across dental insurance carriers (6 most common and all others combined) using ANOVA. In addition, each score was analyzed separately using multivariate regression with respondent and plan characteristics as independent variables. Results: There was significant differentiation among dental insurance carriers for three of the six scores (dental care composite, access to care composite, and dentist rating). Several respondent characteristics were associated with higher scores, including age, race, income level, and oral health self-rating. Having a choice of dental plans, and years with one's dental plan were associated with higher dental plan ratings, while having to find a new dentist to use the plan tended to lower all scores except the cost and services composite. Conclusions: The results reported here reflect differences among dental insurance carriers, rather than among the many different dental plans offered by those carriers. Nevertheless, the CAHPS instrument scores reflected differences among patients' experiences (composite scores) and ratings (rating scores) across carriers, suggesting both that the instrument should be a useful tool for assessing patient-reported outcomes, and that comparisons of these outcomes should control for respondent characteristics as well as specific plan characteristics.
Dual role for Fcγ receptors in host defense and disease in Borrelia burgdorferi-infected mice.

Arthritis in mice infected with the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, results from the influx of innate immune cells responding to the pathogen in the joint and is influenced in part by mouse genetics. Production of inflammatory cytokines by innate immune cells in vitro is largely mediated by Toll-like receptor (TLR) interaction with Borrelia lipoproteins, yet surprisingly mice deficient in TLR2 or the TLR signaling molecule MyD88 still develop arthritis comparable to that seen in wild type mice after B. burgdorferi infection. These findings suggest that other, MyD88-independent inflammatory pathways can contribute to arthritis expression. Clearance of B. burgdorferi is dependent on the production of specific antibody and phagocytosis of the organism. As Fc receptors (FcγR) are important for IgG-mediated clearance of immune complexes and opsonized particles by phagocytes, we examined the role that FcγR play in host defense and disease in B. burgdorferi-infected mice. B. burgdorferi-infected mice deficient in the Fc receptor common gamma chain (FceRγ-/- mice) harbored ~10 fold more spirochetes than similarly infected wild type mice, and this was associated with a transient increase in arthritis severity. While the elevated pathogen burdens seen in B. burgdorferi-infected MyD88-/- mice were not affected by concomitant deficiency in FcγR, arthritis was reduced in FceRγ-/-MyD88-/- mice in comparison to wild type or single knockout mice. Gene expression analysis from infected joints demonstrated that absence of both MyD88 and FcγR lowers mRNA levels of proteins involved in inflammation, including Cxcl1 (KC), Xcr1 (Gpr5), IL-1beta, and C reactive protein. Taken together, our results demonstrate a role for FcγR-mediated immunity in limiting pathogen burden and arthritis in mice during the acute phase of B. burgdorferi infection, and further suggest that this pathway contributes to the arthritis that develops in B. burgdorferi-infected MyD88-/- mice.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAN‐MACHINE ATTITUDES AND PERFORMANCE

Abstract Children will find interaction with machines an increasing feature of their environment. To determine if attitudes towards machines affect performance of the man‐machine team, these attitudes must not only be measured, but also correlated to specific performance criteria. The attitudes of 45 elementary school subjects toward typewriter, watch, bicycle, ship, automobile, were measured with a modified Semantic Differential scaling technique. The experimental group (N=22) received typewriter training. The matched control group (N=23) did not. Achievement scores, typing performance scores, attitude scale scores, and personality test scores were intercorrelated. The experimental group scored significantly higher on. four of the five man‐machine attitude scales. High typewriter performance scores in the experimental group correlated significantly with positive attitudes toward all machines. Future experimentation with this instrument should include the gathering of developmental data on attitudes towar...
Bone death in hip fracture in the elderly.

We examined femoral head bone from 50 cadavers and from 21 patients who had suffered pathologic fracture of the femoral neck. We used a histochemical technique for lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity to demonstrate osteocyte viability. The femoral heads were removed within 36 hours of death or fracture, as LDH activity persists in the cytoplasm of viable cells for this time at 37° after interruption of the blood supply. In the controls, there was an age-related reduction in mean osteocyte viability, from 88±7% (mean±SD) at age 10–29 years to 58±12% at age 70–89 years. In the hip fracture patients, mean osteocyte viability was 58±21% but there was much variability in both osteocyte viability and bone mass. In 5 fracture patients, there was extensive osteocyte death, suggesting that most of the femoral head bone was nonviable; these patients had little microfracture callus. Others had predominantly viable bone which was usually osteoporotic, and their bone frequently showed microfracture callus. Osteomalacia was not seen in any patient. It is suggested that bone death, in addition to osteoporosis, may sometimes contribute to hip fracture in the elderly.
Quantitative Determination of Allicin in Garlic: Supercritical Fluid Extraction and Standard Addition of Alliin

A quantitative method is described for the determination of allicin (2-propene-1-sulfinothioic acid S-2-propenyl ester) in garlic, using standard additions of alliin (l-(+)-S-allylcysteine sulfoxide) in conjunction with supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and high performance liquid chromatography analysis with UV−vis absorbance detection. Optimum CO2-SFE conditions provided 96% recovery for allicin with precision of 3% (RSD) for repeat samples. The incorporation of an internal standard (allyl phenyl sulfone) in the SFE step resulted in a modest improvement in recovery (99%) and precision (2% RSD). Standard additions of alliin were converted to allicin in situ by endogenous alliinase (l-(+)-S-alk(en)ylcysteine sulfoxide lyase, EC 4.4.1.4). Complete conversion of the spiked alliin to allicin was achieved by making additions after homogenization-induced conversion of the naturally occurring cysteine sulfoxides to thiosulfinates had taken place, thus eliminating the likelihood of competing reactions. Concen...
THE PROPERDIN SYSTEM AND IMMUNITY VII. ALTERATIONS IN PROPERDIN LEVELS AND RESISTANCE TO INFECTION IN MICE FOLLOWING THE ADMINISTRATION OF TISSUE POLYSACCHARIDES

High molecular weight polysaccharide complexes derived from normal and neoplastic mammalian tissues were found to combine with properdin and to inactivate C'3 in vitro. These polysaccharide preparations were also found to alter properdin levels and non-specific resistance to Gram-negative infection in mice. In these manifestations, the tissue polysaccharides bore a marked resemblance to bacterial lipopolysaccharides. Some implications of the interactions of tissue polysaccharides and properdin in certain disease states are considered.
Analysis of the Integrity of the Microwave Landing System (MLS) Data Eu nctions

The microwave landing system (MLS) transmits angle, data, andrange information for use by airborne receivers. In this paper, theintegrity of the data functions is analyzed in terms of the probabilityof undetected errors remaining in the data. The data format andintegrity requirements were derived from the MLS standards andguidance material defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Results show that the performancerequirements can be met by: 1) averaging the received data bits ofseveral samples of the same word using a majority voting;2) reducing the bit error rate at the output of the receiver'sdecoder; and 3) a combination of the above techniques.
Optical and Photoemissive Properties of Palladium in the Vacuum Ultraviolet Spectral Region

Measurements of the optical properties of evaporated films of Pd for the spectral region from 2 to 24 eV are reported for films prepared and studied in a vacuum of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$ Torr. The results are correlated with the photoemissive properties of similarly prepared samples for photon energies of 10.2 to 22.4 eV. Interband transitions are identified from the optical data at 1.3, 3.6, 15.2, and 20.5 eV. Pronounced peaks appear in the energy-loss function $\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{Im}[\frac{1}{(\ensuremath{\epsilon}+1)}]$ at 7.3 eV and in $\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{Im}(\frac{1}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}})$ at 7.6 eV. Structure in the photoelectron energy-distribution curves is identified, by correlation with the optical data, as being due to the effects of interband transitions and photoelectron excitation of collective electron oscillations. The temporal dependence of the photoelectron energy distribution curves is also studied.
Regeneration of transgenic loblolly pine expressing genes for salt tolerance

Salinity stress is one of the most serious factors limiting the distribution and productivity of crops and forest trees. The detrimental effects of salt on plants are a consequence of both a water deficit resulting in osmotic stress and the effects of excess sodium ions on critical biochemical process. A novel approach to improve salt tolerance has been established by using the technology of plant genetic transformation and using loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) as model plant. Mature zygotic embryos of loblolly pine were infected withAgrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA 4404 harbouring the plasmid pBIGM which carrying the mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase (Mt1D) and glucitol-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (GutD). Organogenic transgenic calli and transgenic regenerated plantltes were produced on selection medium containing 15mg/L kanamycin and confimed by Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA. Salt tolerance assays demonstrated that the salt tolerance of transgenic calli and regenerated plantlets were increased. These results suggested that an efficientAgrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation protocol for stable integration of foreign genes into loblolloy pine has been developed and this could be useful for the future studies on engineering breeding of conifers.
Event duration memory: The effects of delay-interval illumination and instructional cuing

The effect of interference treatments on pigeons’ working memory for event duration was investigated, using a successive matching-to-sample procedure. In three experiments, birds were trained to match different keylight durations (2 or 6 sec) to different comparison colors (red or green) following delays of 0 to 12 sec. The interfering effect of delay-interval illumination and illumination change was assessed in Experiments 1 and 2. It was found that the absolute levels of houselight illumination influenced delayed matching accuracy. Birds trained with houselight illumination showed larger decrements in matching accuracy with increasing delays than did birds trained with darkened delay intervals. In addition, increases in delay-interval illumination relative to baseline produced greater interference with delayed matching accuracy than did decreases in houselight illumination relative to baseline. In Experiment 3, the effect of interpolated instructional cues to remember or forget was examined. As in other directed forgetting experiments employing conventional modality characteristics as the samples to be remembered, it was found that instructional cues to forget, presented during the delay interval, reduced matching accuracy compared to instructional cues to remember. It was concluded that these findings support models of temporal memory that assume temporal information is coded into categorical information onto some nontime dimension over models that assume temporal information is remembered amodally as specific time durations.
Characterization of munitions disturbance and contaminant loading

Munitions use is a significant disturbance in Army impact areas and little is known about ecosystem response to this type of disturbance. This study describes a first-order approximation methodology used to characterize the spatial extent of munitions use and the associated potential for contaminant inputs in an impact area at Fort Greely, Alaska. Utilizing munition expenditure data, failure rates, and an estimate of cratering effects, the study determined that less than 0.03 percent of the total high-hazard impact areas are exposed to munitions, and a maximum theoretical high-explosive contaminant loading rate within the target array area of 0.46 g m−2 yr−1. These approximations show good correlation to measured contaminant concentrations highlighting the possibility of using this methodology for impact-area management. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ischemic venous thrombosis: Its hidden agenda

Ischemic venous thrombosis (IVT) is the most severe form of venous thrombosis. The purpose of this article is to describe this rare clinical condition and to review 14 cases of IVT that involve the lower extremities, emphasizing its association with cancer. Between September 1995 and November 1997, 9 women and 5 men, ranging in age from 37 to 75 years (mean 58.6 years), were treated for IVT. Malignancy was the most prevalent risk factor, occurring in 86% (12 of 14) of the patients, and was not diagnosed in 58% (7 of 12) of the cases until after IVT occurred. A postoperative state and a previous history of thrombophlebitis were the next most common risk factors and were equal in frequency (39%). Venous gangrene was present in 79% (11 of 14) of the cases, resulting in 11 amputations in 9 patients. The mortality rate was 71% (10 of 14) of the patients, with 40% of the deaths occurring within 2 months of the diagnosis of IVT. These data support the belief that a strong association exists between IVT and cancer and that IVT may precede the diagnosis of cancer, representing a potential marker for an undiagnosed malignancy. Furthermore, the combination of extensive venous gangrene and disseminated cancer has a poor prognosis.
Ending Welfare As We Know It (Again): Welfare State Retrenchment, 1989–1995

In the late 1980s and 1990s, the Aid to Families with Dependent Children fell victim to a dramatic retrenchment as states submitted waivers, or permission slips to experiment with their public assistance programs by implementing new methods of exclusion and regulation. We find that Republican states were quick to submitfederal waivers to the the AFDC program, as were states with high AFDC payments. As Soule and Zylan (1997) found in their study of an earlier wave of welfare retrenchment in the U.S., states with higher minority group populations and heavier AFDC caseloads were quick to pass waivers. Following Pierson (1994, 1996), we find that states with an increasing tax revenue base and with a high proportion of Social Security recipients were quick to submit waivers, while states with a high proportion of Unemployment Insurance recipients were slow to do so. We also find evidencefor the geographic diffusion of waiver submission and that states experiencingfiscal crisis were more susceptible to the diffusing of waivers. Finally, wefind that states which are traditionally innovative with regard to policy decisions served as referents to other states puzzling over whether or not to submit waivers. Students of welfare reform in the U.S. were little surprised when Bill Clinton pledged in 1992 to "end welfare as we know it"and fewer were surprised that what he meant by that was ending entitlement to public assistance under Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). The AFDC program has been the focus of the discourse of welfare reform for more than forty years, and this discourse was
Deconvolution of heat pulse transients

Abstract We point out that heat pulse transients must be deconvolved to separate the heat flux transient from the transient response of the local excitation density.
An Evaluation of Methods for Encoding Multiple, 2D Spatial Data

Datasets over a spatial domain are common in a number of fields, often with multiple layers (or variables) within data that must be understood together via spatial locality. Thus one area of long-standing interest is increasing the number of variables encoded by properties of the visualization. A number of properties have been demonstrated and/or proven successful with specific tasks or data, but there has been relatively little work comparing the utility of diverse techniques for multi-layer visualization. As part of our efforts to evaluate the applicability of such visualizations, we implemented five techniques which represent a broad range of existing research (Color Blending, Oriented Slivers, Data-Driven Spots, Brush Strokes, and Stick Figures). Then we conducted a user study wherein subjects were presented with composites of three, four, and five layers (variables) using one of these methods and asked to perform a task common to our intended end users (GIS analysts). We found that the Oriented Slivers and Data-Driven Spots performed the best, with Stick Figures yielding the lowest accuracy. Through analyzing our data, we hope to gain insight into which techniques merit further exploration and offer promise for visualization of data sets with ever-increasing size.
The Strategic Advantages of American Power

Strategic Advantage: Challengers, Competitors, and Threats to America's Future. By Bruce Berkowitz. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 2008. 304 pp., $26.95 (ISBN-13: 978-1589012226). At the start of a new presidency, many students of international politics consider again the role of the United States in international politics and the possibility of changing that role. Indeed, this is one of the central questions that define this period of international politics. The essence of the debate is captured by two issues. First, can the United States continue to be the dominant state in international politics; and, second, should it continue to be so. Bruce Berkowitz addresses these questions in this impressive study. He makes a significant contribution to the growing foreign and defense policy literatures that address the causes of American hegemony and the myriad of topics associated with its continuation or demise (Kupchan 2003; Bacevich 2005; Layne and Thayer 2007; Murphy 2007). Berkowitz may be categorized as a thoughtful and cautious proponent of American preponderance and as an insightful student of the mechanics of its propagation. Berkowitz's central arguments are that the United States must labor hard to maintain its dominant position in a dynamic and protean international environment where there are considerable risks …
Character and the ethical conduct of research.

(1992). Character and the ethical conduct of research. Accountability in Research: Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 1-11.
The case for electronic medical records—why the time to act is now

Research consistently suggests that electronic medical records (EMRs) provide many clinical and economic benefits associated with their adoption. Improved coordination of patient care, reduced medication errors, and improved preventive screening rates are just a few of the clinical benefits. The federal government has placed considerable emphasis on interoperability in the hopes that providers at different facilities will be able to exchange health data to maximize the quality and speed of care. The administrative benefits of EMRs include reduced transcription costs, more accurate coding, and increased efficiency of claims submission. Because of their potential, the federal government has progressively increased its efforts to facilitate the widespread adoption of interoperable EMR systems. This article discusses the government's health information technology incentive programs for Medicare and Medicaid providers, and reviews the overall “meaningful use” edibility criteria. Electronic prescribing bonuses are also discussed. This article hopes to demonstrate that because EMRs are likely to become mandatory in the near future, it is important for physicians to consider EMR implementation now while they can receive the maximum amount of reimbursement for their investments under the current incentives.
Synthesis and evaluation of photolytically and thermally crosslinkable polyimide copolymers with diacetylene functionality

The polyimide block copolymers with diacetylene functionality were prepared in a two-step process: (1) oligomeric imide formation terminated with 1-amino-3-ethynylbenzene, and (2) oxidative coupling of the acetylene-terminated polyimides with p- and/or m-diethynylbenzene or bispropargyl ether of Bisphenol A to form block copolymers, or oxidative coupling within themselves in the presence of a copper (I) catalyst. The resulting copolymers were crosslinked with UV irradiation or thermal treatment. The thermal crosslinking process and the thermal stability of the crosslinked materials were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and isothermal gravimetric analysis (IGA), respectively.