cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimal tuning of weighted kNN- and diffusion-based methods for denoising single cell genomics data

The analysis of single-cell genomics data presents several statistical challenges, and extensive efforts have been made to produce methods for the analysis of this data that impute missing values, address sampling issues and quantify and correct for noise. In spite of such efforts, no consensus on best practices has been established and all current approaches vary substantially based on the available data and empirical tests. The k-Nearest Neighbor Graph (kNN-G) is often used to infer the identities of, and relationships between, cells and is the basis of many widely used dimensionality-reduction and projection methods. The kNN-G has also been the basis for imputation methods using, e.g., neighbor averaging and graph diffusion. However, due to the lack of an agreed-upon optimal objective function for choosing hyperparameters, these methods tend to oversmooth data, thereby resulting in a loss of information with regard to cell identity and the specific gene-to-gene patterns underlying regulatory mechanisms. In this paper, we investigate the tuning of kNN- and diffusion-based denoising methods with a novel non-stochastic method for optimally preserving biologically relevant informative variance in single-cell data. The framework, Denoising Expression data with a Weighted Affinity Kernel and Self-Supervision (DEWAKSS), uses a self-supervised technique to tune its parameters. We demonstrate that denoising with optimal parameters selected by our objective function (i) is robust to preprocessing methods using data from established benchmarks, (ii) disentangles cellular identity and maintains robust clusters over dimension-reduction methods, (iii) maintains variance along several expression dimensions, unlike previous heuristic-based methods that tend to oversmooth data variance, and (iv) rarely involves diffusion but rather uses a fixed weighted kNN graph for denoising. Together, these findings provide a new understanding of kNN- and diffusion-based denoising methods and serve as a foundation for future research. Code and example data for DEWAKSS is available at https://gitlab.com/Xparx/dewakss/-/tree/Tjarnberg2020branch.
Tools for the analysis of high-dimensional single-cell RNA sequencing data.

Breakthroughs in the development of high-throughput technologies for profiling transcriptomes at the single-cell level have helped biologists to understand the heterogeneity of cell populations, disease states and developmental lineages. However, these single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies generate an extraordinary amount of data, which creates analysis and interpretation challenges. Additionally, scRNA-seq datasets often contain technical sources of noise owing to incomplete RNA capture, PCR amplification biases and/or batch effects specific to the patient or sample. If not addressed, this technical noise can bias the analysis and interpretation of the data. In response to these challenges, a suite of computational tools has been developed to process, analyse and visualize scRNA-seq datasets. Although the specific steps of any given scRNA-seq analysis might differ depending on the biological questions being asked, a core workflow is used in most analyses. Typically, raw sequencing reads are processed into a gene expression matrix that is then normalized and scaled to remove technical noise. Next, cells are grouped according to similarities in their patterns of gene expression, which can be summarized in two or three dimensions for visualization on a scatterplot. These data can then be further analysed to provide an in-depth view of the cell types or developmental trajectories in the sample of interest. This Review provides the non-expert reader with an overview of the different steps involved in the analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing data. The authors also provide insight into the strengths and pitfalls of available analysis tools.
Destroying Ourselves: Is it Time to Find an Alternative to the Gas Tax?

As America enters the new decade, we enter a period of significant change. With the unexpected rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans are now questioning the current system and are looking for positive change. Politicians and policymakers need to seize this opportunity to protect Americans in ways past administrations have failed. One of those changes needs to be a proactive policy that combats climate change and shifts the American economy and the American public away from fossil fuels. This Note suggests that new system will be a collection of tax policies that incentivize a shift toward renewable energy and tax breaks for the formation and expansion of renewable energy businesses, as well as penalties that trigger Americans to change the way they think about how they consume fuel.
Versatile 3D Multi-Sensor Fusion for Lightweight 2D Localization

Aiming for a lightweight and robust localization solution for low-cost, low-power autonomous robot platforms, such as educational or industrial ground vehicles, under challenging conditions (e.g., poor sensor calibration, low lighting and dynamic objects), we propose a two-stage localization system which incorporates both offline prior map building and online multi-modal localization. In particular, we develop an occupancy grid mapping system with probabilistic odometry fusion, accurate scan-to-submap covariance modeling, and accelerated loop-closure detection, which is further aided by 2D line features that exploit the environmental structural constraints. We then develop a versatile EKF-based online localization system which optimally (up to linearization) fuses multi-modal information provided by the pre-built occupancy grid map, IMU, odometry, and 2D LiDAR measurements with low computational requirements. Importantly, spatiotemporal calibration between these sensors are also estimated online to account for poor initial calibration and make the system more "plug-and-play", which improves both the accuracy and flexibility of the proposed multi-sensor fusion framework. In our experiments, our mapping system is shown to be more accurate than the state-of-the-art Google Cartographer. Then, extensive Monte-Carlo simulations are performed to verify both accuracy, consistency and efficiency of the proposed map-based localization system with full spatiotemporal calibration. We also validate the complete system (prior map building and online localization) with building-scale real-world datasets.
Trends (2005-2016) of perfluoroalkyl acids in top predator fish of the Laurentian Great Lakes

This work presents the first assessment of temporal trends (2005-2016) for perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in top predator fish of the Laurentian Great Lakes except Lake Ontario, for which we provide a post-2008 update. Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) or walleye (Sander vitreus; Lake Erie only) collected annually from 2005 to 2016 were analyzed for 12 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and 4 perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) with carbon chain lengths between 4 and 16 (C4-C16). Individual analyte concentrations generally decreased in fish basin-wide between 2005 and 2016, including Lake Ontario lake trout previously found to lack declining PFAA concentrations up until 2008. Declining fish PFAA burden reflects a positive response to the industrial phase-outs of these chemicals. Notable exceptions to this general decline included most analytes in lake trout collected from Lake Superior near Keweenaw Point and C6 and C8 PFSAs and C9 PFCAs in Lake Erie lake trout and walleye, which exhibited constant or increasing concentrations in recent years. Recent increases in Lake Superior shoreline development and mobilization from increased sediment resuspension and contamination from biosolids-amended agricultural soils in the Lake Erie watershed are plausible explanations for these cases. However, data scarcity prohibits confirmation of these suspected causes. The lingering lack of declining concentrations noted in this study together with the ongoing evolution of the fluorinated chemical industry emphasize the vigilance needed to better understand how past and future emissions will affect the Great Lakes and global ecosystems.
The Complex and Critical Role of Glycine 12 (G12) in Beta-Connexins of Human Skin

Glycine is an amino acid with unique properties because its side chain is composed of a single hydrogen atom. It confers conformational flexibility to proteins and conserved glycines are often indicative of protein domains involving tight turns or bends. All six beta-type connexins expressed in human epidermis (Cx26, Cx30, Cx30.3, Cx31, Cx31.1 and Cx32) contain a glycine at position 12 (G12). G12 is located about halfway through the cytoplasmic amino terminus and substitutions alter connexin function in a variety of ways, in some cases altering protein interactions and leading to cell death. There is also evidence that alteration of G12 changes the structure of the amino terminus in connexin- and amino acid- specific ways. This review integrates structural, functional and physiological information about the role of G12 in connexins, focusing on beta-connexins expressed in human epidermis. The importance of G12 substitutions in these beta-connexins is revealed in two hereditary skin disorders, keratitis ichthyosis and erythrokeratodermia variabilis, both of which result from missense mutations affecting G12.
The trajectory of PTSD among youth in foster care: A survival analysis examining maltreatment experiences prior to entry into care.

Abstract Background Youth in foster care are more likely than non-foster care youth to experience posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While research has identified maltreatment as a risk factor for PTSD, this research remains limited because it tends to only (a) examine a single type or dimension of maltreatment and ignore the polyvictimization and heterogeneity in exposure, and (b) study this relation across a short period time or retrospectively at the end of care. Objective The current study used survival analysis to simultaneously examine the influence of maltreatment characteristics on the risk of receiving a PTSD diagnosis at any time in care following entry into care. Participants/Setting : 291 youth (Mean age at entry = 9.71; 53 % female; 49 % Black) in foster care and their primary caregivers from a large, Midwestern county. Methods Information on PTSD diagnosis was extracted from Medicaid records, and information on maltreatment and time in care was extracted from case files. Survival analysis was then used to determine the association between maltreatment and risk of PTSD diagnosis. Results When examined independently, each dimension (frequency, severity) of the four maltreatment types was significantly associated with PTSD diagnosis risk (all hazard ratio’s [HR] > 1.00), except sexual abuse frequency. In the comprehensive model with all dimensions examined simultaneously, only neglect frequency for youth entering care in adolescence (HR: 1.13[1.03−1.23]), and neglect severity (HR: 1.27[1.05−1.52]) and emotional abuse frequency (HR: 1.24[1.00−1.53]) for youth entering care pre-adolescence, were associated with PTSD diagnosis risk. Additionally, age of entry into care was associated with PTSD diagnosis risk (HR: 2.34[1.88−2.92]), as adolescents tended to spend fewer days in care before receiving a diagnosis. Conclusions Results suggest that researchers who study PTSD in youth in foster care should consider the entirety of youth’s maltreatment exposure and the context of care to more accurately determine what aspects of youth’s history contributes to receiving a PTSD diagnosis.
Strategic Route Planning to Manage Transit’s Susceptibility to Disease Transmission

Transit agencies have experienced dramatic changes in service and ridership because of the COVID-19 pandemic. As communities transition to a new normal, strategic measures are needed to support con...
Gameful Learning and the Syrian Conflict: Developing Global Learning Competencies in a Complex Conflict

Between 2014 and 2016, the Syria Simulation was delivered as an in-person, tabletop role-playing game to over 700 students at a liberal arts university in Texas. This low-fidelity, 3-h simulation was designed to address global learning programs and course outcomes by asking students to analyze events from multiple geopolitical perspectives while role-playing key actors and organizations in the Syria conflict. Game design was grounded in high-impact curriculum design and instructional design practice while employing game design mechanics to target twenty-first-century competencies and enhance student engagement. A diverse faculty team used a gameful, experiential strategy to challenge students to tackle the complex problem of achieving peace in the Middle East. This gameful approach to learning immersed students within an authentic, experiential setting, challenged their decision-making, and provided opportunities for reflection. Role-play enabled students to play conflict actors and supported cooperative learning goals while shaping student perspectives on the conflict. In this chapter, we discuss the Syria Simulation project through these theoretical lenses and describe the ways in which the game’s design reflects an experiential system of rules, play, and culturally responsive design. We will also describe the game’s design and development process, and its impact on student engagement, and we will explain its integration into a liberal arts curriculum. We also present a model for how narrow identification of learning problems, threshold concepts, strategic design of game mechanics, and an engagement ethos can be used to support powerful, playful, high-impact learning for a range of learning outcomes and student participation.
Optimizing Robotic Simulation Training Among Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN) Residents: A Randomized Pilot Study

Study Objective To assess the efficacy of an accelerated robotic simulation protocol in reducing repetitions needed to achieve training proficiency among OBGYN residents. Design Randomized controlled trial. Setting University teaching hospital. Patients or Participants Fifteen robotic-naive OBGYN residents from post-graduate years 1 to 4 were randomized to one of two pathways. Of those, thirteen completed the study. Interventions Residents were randomized into either the Express (accelerated) Pathway to Proficiency (EPP) or the Basic (conventional) Pathway to Proficiency (BPP) Protocols for training on the da Vinci Skills Simulator. As chosen by an expert robotic surgeon, the BPP training exercises consisted of Sea Spike (SS) 1 and 2, Energy Pedal (EnP) 1 and 2, and Ring Rollercoaster (RR) 1 and 3, while the EPP intervention group trained on the highest level of each exercise, specifically SS 2, EnP 2, and RR 3. The residents performed each exercise until they reached a proficiency level of 80%. The primary outcome was the number of repetitions required to achieve proficiency for each training exercise. Transfer of the acquired skills to one non-practiced exercise, Vessel Energy Dissection (VED), was assessed as the secondary outcome. Measurements and Main Results Participants in the EPP group acquired proficiency significantly faster (fewer repetitions required) in the EnP exercise (2.00±0.58 [EPP] vs 3.17±0.41 [BPP], p=0.002). The number of repetitions needed to acquire proficiency for SS (17.29±15.06 reps [EPP] vs 17.50±5.17 reps [BPP], p=0.97) and RR (19.14±15.22 reps [EPP] vs 21.00±13.83 reps [BPP], p=0.82) was similar between groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups with VED (p=0.98). Conclusion The EPP protocol, consisting of fewer training exercises, was not shown to be inferior to the BPP protocol. Our study suggests residents can train on the EPP Protocol without significant difference in acquisition and transfer of skills. Further research into this novel accelerated training protocol is warranted as an alternative to conventional training.
Pilot land data system

During the fall of 1983, the Information Systems Office of NASA's Office of Space Science and Applications assembled a Working Group to develop initial plans for a Pilot Land Data System (PLDS). Workshops coordinated planning and concept development activities between land-related and computer science disciplines, and examined land research requirements, information science technology requirements, PLDS architecture, and methodologies for system evaluation. The PLDS will be a limited-scale distributed information system to explore scientific, technical and management approaches to satisfy land science research needs. PLDS will pave the way for a Land Data System to improve data access, processing, transfer and analysis, fostering an environment in which land science information synthesis can occur on a scale not previously possible owing to limits to data assembly and access and efficiency of processing.
Chapter 4 Studies of Shaker Mutations Affecting a K+ Channel in Drosophila

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the evidence that the Shaker locus in Drosophila is the site for the structural gene of a K+ channel. It discusses the strategies to be used for the molecular cloning of the Shaker locus. The recently isolated hybrid dysgenesis-induced Shaker mutants, which can be useful in the initial cloning and subsequent analysis of DNA from the Shaker locus, are described. The molecular studies of K+ channels are important because these channels play important roles in the control of neuronal activity and synaptic efficacy. The genetics of Drosophila and mutations of the Shaker locus offer an alternative approach for cloning K+ channels in the absence of high-affinity toxins or antibodies against K+ channels. In addition to providing a starting point for cloning, dysgenesis-induced Shaker mutants can also supply abundant new mutations that are considered useful in later molecular analysis. Genetic analyses using electrophysiological assays including voltage clamping provide strong evidence that the Shaker locus contains the structural gene for a K+ channel, the A channel.
Ethnobotany of purple coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia, Asteraceae) and other Echinacea species

The purple coneflower, Echinacea angustifolia, was the most widely used medicinal plant of the Plains Indians. It was used for a variety of ailments, including toothache, coughs, colds, sore throats, snakebite, and as a painkiller. H. C. F. Meyer used it as a patent medicine in the 1870s and introduced it to the medical profession. Recent scientific research (mostly German) onEchinacea species has shown that they possess immunostimulatory activity. Increased cultivation ofE. purpurea andE. angustifolia may be needed to meet the increased demand for its roots and to alleviate the effects of overharvesting of wild stands.
"You Need to Get Them Where They Feel it": Conflicting Perspectives on How to Maximize the Structure of Text-Message Psychological Interventions for Adolescents

Mobile psychological interventions are of growing interest, particularly for populations with little access to traditional mental health services. Optimum structural components of these interventions are unknown. In this study, twenty-one adolescents (age 13-17) with past two week depressive symptoms were recruited from the emergency department to participate in a semi-structured interview, to inform development of a text-message-based depression prevention intervention. Teens expressed conflict about intervention structure. Although trust and reliability were essential to sustain engagement, teens disagreed about how to best maintain reliability, whether the program should be "pushed" or "pulled", and what the ideal degree of human interaction would be. These findings highlight the challenges in automating psychological interventions that are normally delivered face-to-face. Data indicate a broad desire for developing tailoring methods for system design (duration, frequency, and level of interactivity). The paper closes with thoughts about potential solutions to these structural issues for mobile psychological interventions.
Chemistry of trifluoromethyl compounds

Abstract Bis(trifluoromethyl)zinc and methyl(trifluoromethyl)zinc have been identified by 19 F and 1H NMR methods. The compounds were formed in the following reactions: (1) dimethylzinc and bis(trifluoromethyl)mercury and (2) dimethylzinc and bis(trifluoromethyl)cadmium.
Migration of Zonal Flows Detected Using Michelson Doppler Imager f-Mode Frequency Splittings

The small-scale zonal flows in the outer part of the solar convection zone were recently detected by Kosovichev & Schou using f-mode frequency splittings. Results from five 72 day time series (Schou et al.) show a slight drift of the pattern toward the equator in a manner similar to that seen in the so-called torsional oscillation observed using surface Doppler shift measurements. Here I describe results using 12 72 day time series of the Michelson Doppler Imager medium-l data. These results show a clear drift of the pattern toward the equator. Also, the near-surface rotation rate close to the solar poles is observed to be slower than expected from an extrapolation from lower latitudes and to be changing with time.
Evolution of Lengthscales in Partially Solidified Systems

The effect of capillarity-driven diffusion on the recalescence of mushy zones is studied in pure materials. A global description of this phenomenon is presented which relates a characteristic lengthscale of the microstructure, R, to the mean undercooling of the mixture, . Experiments on mushy zones in succinonitrile, ethylene carbonate and ice/water indicate that the mean undercooling decays as t-1/3, implying that the characteristic lengthscale of the system grows as t1/3. This result is in agreement with the interpretation of coarsening as a statistical ripening phenomenon.
SEE Change: Making the Transition to a Sustainable Enterprise Economy

Foreword James E. Post Preface 1. The context for SEEing change 2. Redefining wealth as wellbeing 3. Rethinking capitalism 4. The emerging responsibility and sustainability agendas 5. Business Unusual 2.0 6. Crossing sector boundaries 7. Boundary spanners 8. Towards sustainable enterprise 9. Leading SEE Change 10. Towards a sustainable enterprise economy Bibliography Index
An Economy of Annihilation, on Wheeler Winston Dixon's Visions of the Apocalypse: Spectacles of Destruction in American Culture

Wheeler Winston Dixon _Visions of the Apocalypse: Spectacles of Destruction in American Cinema_ London: Wallflower Press, 2003 ISBN 1-903364-74-4 169 pp.
Ionized Winds from Young Stellar Objects

The observations and the theory of the radio and infrared emission from ionized winds of young stellar objects are reviewed and discussed.
Induction of Tumor Immunity and Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Responses Using Dendritic Cells Transfected with Messenger RNA Amplified from Tumor Cells

Unique patient-specific tumor antigens may constitute the dominant antigens in the antitumor immune response. Hence, vaccination with the patient's own repertoire of tumor antigens may offer a superior strategy to elicit protective immunity. We have shown previously that dendritic cells transfected with mRNA isolated from tumor cells stimulate potent CTL responses and engender protective immunity in tumor-bearing mice. In the current study, we demonstrate that tumor mRNA, isolated from murine tumor cell lines or from primary human tumor cells microdissected from frozen tissue sections, can be amplified without loss of function. This study provides the foundations for an effective and broadly applicable treatment that does not require the characterization of the relevant antigenic profile in each patient and will not be limited by tumor tissue availability for antigen preparation.
Estimation of Glaciers and Sea‐Ice Extent and their Properties

Past satellite missions have demonstrated the utility of spaceborne remote sensing in studies of polar ice. Because of their ability to “see” into polar ice without regard to cloud cover or solar lighting, microwave remote sensing instruments have played and will continue to play an increasing role in such studies and in long-term monitoring the polar regions. Microwave sensors can be either active radars which transmit and receive, or receive-only radiometers. Spaceborne microwave sensors such as radiometers and scatterometers offer wide-area, frequent coverage but at lower resolution and a longer historical database. The historic data sets are particularly important since they provide a baseline for studies of global change. Synthetic aperture radar systems possess high resolution capability but have restricted spatial and temporal coverage. Microwave sensors are sensitive to snow and ice structure and are particularly sensitive to freeze/thaw conditions. Optical sensors can also be active (Lidars) or passive. Laser altimeters are an example of an active optical sensor. They provide accurate ice sheet topography information. Passive optical sensing is useful in change detection and infrared ice temperature sensing. In this chapter, essential background in microwave and optical remote sensing of sea-ice, glaciers and ice sheets is provided, along with application examples. Keywords: emission; glacier; ice sheet; microwave sensing; radiometer; scattering; scatterometer; sea ice
Modification of substrate reactivity using soluble polymeric supports

Abstract The effects of polymer size and solvent on the reactivity of a soluble polymer-bound substrate in heterogeneous hydrogenation reactions has been examined using PEG polymer ligands. Hydrogenation of a substrate was completely suppressed by virtue of the polymer's size and/or immiscibility with some catalysts. Changing solvents significantly perturbed reactivity of such soluble polymer-bound substrates even using Pt C .
The influence of the characteristics of the activating polyelectrolyte in the preparation and on the properties of interpolymer ion exchange membranes. III. Some considerations concerning peculiarities of the functional properties of polyelectrolyte activated ”internal swelling” membranes.

Abstract The basic assumption of the fixed charge theory of ionic membranes in its classical form, that the functional groups of ion exchange membranes are held immovably in the rigid pore structure of such membranes, is not adequate in the case of many polyelectrolyte activated membranes. Except in the case of extremely narrow pored matrices, the polyelectrolyte in the pores of such membranes can undergo configurational changes and different degrees of absorption and desorption according to the ambient ionic strength, and also according to the pH of the milieu in the case of weak-acid and weak-base activating polyelectrolytes. The spatial distribution of the functional ionic groups in such membranes depends therefore on the electrolyte content of the ambient solution. The term “internal swelling” membranes is suggested for membranes of this nature to distinguish them sharply from the nonswelling membranes of the classical type which have an invariant internal structure. Internal swelling membranes, particularly in the range of medium matrix porosities, can be expected to show characteristic differences in their functional behavior, according to the ambient milieu. The anticipated hydraulic, electroosmotic, permeability, and osmotic peculiarities of internal swelling membranes are discussed, and reference is made to the few pertinent experimental data available in the literature.
@ Face Value? Nonverbal Communication & Trust Development in Online Video-Based Mediation

Mediation is a process wherein a third party, or mediator, attempts to assist two conflicting parties in dealing with their dispute. Research has identified party trust in the mediator as a key element required for mediator effectiveness. In online video-based mediation, the addition of technology to the mix poses both challenges and opportunities to the capacity of the mediator to build trust with the parties through nonverbal communication. While authors researching the field of Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) have often focused on trust, their work has typically targeted text-based processes. As ODR embraces video-based processes, nonverbal communication becomes more salient. Nonverbal communication research has identified examples of specific actions that can contribute to trust. This paper combines that research with current scholarship on trust in mediation and on nonverbal communication in mediation, to map out the landscape mediators face while seeking to build trust through nonverbal communication in online video-based mediation. Suggestions for future research and implications for practice are noted, holding relevance to researchers and practitioners in any field in which trust, nonverbal communication and technology converge.
Group-theoretic constraints on the structure of the class group

Let Kk be a Galois extension of number fields and G its Galois group. By considering the class group of K as a G module we are able to make assertions about its structure once the class number is known. Applications are made to cyclic cubic fields and the 2-class group of cyclotomic fields.
Single and double ionization of He by 0.5–8 MeV/q Liq+ (q = 1, 2, 3) ions

Abstract Single and double ionization of He by Liq+ projectiles (q = 1, 2, 3) have been investigated in the energy range 0.5–8 MeV/q. Target ionization associated with specific outgoing projectile charge states was identified using time-of-flight techniques. The primary goal of this work was to investigate the ionization of He by “structured” projectiles and to determine the effect of the projectile electrons on the ionization process. For all energies investigated, the double-to-single ionization ratios associated with electron capture and loss are significantly larger than those for direct ionization (no projectile charge change). The direct double-to-single ionization ratios are largely independent of the incoming projectile charge state, apparently depending only on the nuclear charge. For single-electron capture and single-electron loss, the ratios depend quite strongly on the incoming projectile charge state, however.
Infinite games played on finite graphs

Abstract The concept of an infinite game played on a finite graph is perhaps novel in the context of an rather extensive recent literature in which infinite games are generally played on an infinite game tree. We claim two advantages for our model, which is admittedly more restrictive. First, our games have a more apparent resemblance to ordinary parlor games in spite of their infinite duration. Second, by distinguishing those nodes of the graph that determine the winning and losing of the game (winning-condition nodes), we are able to offer a complexity analysis that is useful in computer science applications.
Evaluation of Cleaning and Washing Processes for Cotton Fiber: Part III: Carding and Dust Levels 1

Washing decreases the dust concentrations emitted from cotton processed in a model card room. The higher the washing and rinsing temperatures, the greater the reduction. In 5 of 10 trials, the amount of dust added to the background concentration in the card room while processing washed cotton was 0.05 mg/m3 or less. The rate at which cotton can be carded is reduced by wash ing. Processability is improved by insuring that the cotton is not wet while carding, using a static eliminator at the doffer crush rolls, increasing the relative humidity of the ambient atmosphere, and using a wire-wound feed roll rather than a fluted feed roll at the lickerin. Processability is also im proved by applying a finish to the washed cotton. The effects of mechanically precleaning and washing the cotton on Shirley Analyser trash analyses were examined, but attempts to predict dust concentrations from these measurements were not successful.
Optimal initial conditions for eastern roll high jump

In mathematical models of athletic performance the competitor is often viewed as a state determined dynamic system, whose states are the positions, orientations and their first time derivatives of as many body segments as are deemed necessary to adequately describe the motion. The time rates of change of the states depend on the states themselves and on certain inputs ū(t) (generally muscle torques), which the competitor specifies at all times throughout the event.
Temporal arteritis: a clinical approach.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a clinical guide to the evaluation of temporal arteritis. DESIGN: A Medline English-language search of the literature from 1966 to 1998, including more than 300 articles about temporal arteritis, was performed to develop a guide to the evaluation of temporal arteritis. RESULTS: A user-friendly guide to the evaluation of temporal arteritis was developed based on the following criteria: (1) clinical suspicion, (2) laboratory testing, and (3) temporal artery biopsy. CONCLUSION: A clinical guide to the evaluation of temporal arteritis may assist clinicians in the care of patients with this condition. J Am Geriatr Soc 47:1364–1370,1999.
Aliens in the Education Matrix: Recovering Freedom

New teachers will find a rapidly changing school environment that has major implications for teaching and learning. New teachers will need to understand some of the forces and consequences of current policies and powerful ideological, political, and commercial interests that have shaped the way we think of the aims, methods, and contents of contemporary school experiences. The drift towards standardization of teaching and learning processes, and centralization of control, also reduces local professional and community awareness and responsibility for leadership, and becomes unconscious. New teachers can and must join the forces that recover conscious and creative leadership and control of instruction.
Spirituality and subjective religiosity among African Americans, Caribbean Blacks, and Non-Hispanic Whites

Patterns and correlates of self-perceptions of spirituality and subjective religiosity are examined using data from the National Survey of American Life, a nationally representative study of African Americans, Caribbean blacks, and non-Hispanic whites. Demographic and denominational correlates of patterns of subjective religiosity and spirituality (i.e., religious only, spiritual only, both religious/spiritual, and neither religious/spiritual) are examined. In addition, the study of African Americans and Caribbean blacks permits the investigation of possible ethnic variation in the meaning and conceptual significance of these constructs within the U.S. black population. African Americans and Caribbean blacks are more likely than non-Hispanic whites to indicate that they are "both religious and spiritual" and less likely to indicate that they are "spiritual only" or "neither spiritual nor religious. " Demographic and denominational differences in the patterns of spirituality and subjective religiosity are also indicated. Study findings are discussed in relation to prior research in this field and conceptual and methodological issues deserving further study are noted.
Myocardial dysfunction and pathology associated with environmental stress in squirrel monkey: effect of vagotomy and propranolol.

The influence of autonomic innervation on stress-induced cardiomyopathy and heart rate changes was analyzed by selective removal of parasympathetic and sympathetic myocardial inputs. Squirrel monkeys with bilateral cervical vagotomy or β-adrenergic receptors blocked by propranolol were studied in shock stress and restraint situations. Because propranolol reduced stress-induced lesions and tachycardia, enhanced sympathetic β-receptor activity was considered responsible for these effects in intact monkeys. No role for increased parasympathetic activity in myocardial pathology was indicated. Enhanced sympathetic activity was also implicated by lesions and tachycardia of vagotomy monkeys. However, vagotomy alone induced myocardial pathology and confounded the effects of shock stress. Stress-induced cardiac arrest in both vagotomy and propranolol monkeys was observed. An imbalance of either autonomic input was suggested to be responsible for this dysfunction. Thus, autonomic innervation was involved in stress-induced cardiomyopathy and heart rate changes.
A Plethora of Carbene Interconversions on the C5H4S Energy Surface: A Computational Study

The potential energy surface for the reaction of atomic carbon with thiophene has been studied computationally. Intermediates which are energetically viable include the 2- and 3-thienylcarbenes 8 and 11, thiacyclohexa-3,5-dien-2-ylidene, 10, and thiacyclohexa-2,3,5-triene, 6. In accord with experimental data, 6 and 8 are in equilibrium. The lowest-energy pathway for rearrangement of 6 to 8, which is endothermic by 14.5 kcal/mol, involves ring opening to Z-2-penten-4-ynthial which then recloses to carbene 8. A 1,4 addition of C across the diene system in thiophene generates an ylid which rearranges with little or no barrier to cyclopentadienethione, the global minimum on this potential energy surface.
1642 LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF RENAL FUNCTION AND MORPHOLOGY IN UNI-NEPHRECTOMIZED RATS

To evaluate the long term effects of a 50% reduction in nephron population, we studied male Sprague-Dawley rats weight (BWT) 250±20 gm. Animals were subjected to either a sham operation (S) or right nephrectomy (N). Animals were maintaine on standard lab chow, Intra-arterial blood pressure (B.P.). glomerular filteration rate (GFR) and renal plasma flow (RPF) were measured at 4, 8 and 12 months (Mo.). Animals were then sacrificed, left kidney (LK) weighed and processed for histolog. Results: (Mean ± S.D.* = p<.05) No morphologic changes were noted in 4 and 8 mo. S and N animals. Twelve mo. S rats showed 0-2%, segmental glomerulosclerosis. Twelve mo. N rats showed Mean 13%, segmental glomerulosclerosis. Our study shows that in the male rat, a 50% reduction in renal mass leads to functional and morphological damage to the contralateral kidney over a one year period.
The Penultimate Teaching Machine

This paper discusses the possibility of building an electronic transducer to take the place of the existing teaching machines. The tasks that can be performed by such a machine as well as the advantages and risks involved are discussed.
Relations between a Liquid and Its Glasses

Ideas developed to describe the simulated glass transition in simple models, like hard spheres, are applied to real materials in which temperature, rather than density, is the important variable. The free energy of a liquid is expressed in terms of the free energy of all the glasses that it samples. The assumption that all glasses of the same substance have the same heat capacity allows an estimate of the number of glasses that it can form and the distribution of their enthalpies, from heat capacity measurements on the liquid and an experimental glass. The results suggest a thermodynamic glass transition underlying the experimental kinetic transition. The same ideas explain the relation between thermodynamic and kinetic measures of fragility in liquids, and they show that the fragility of a liquid is directly related to the total number of glasses that the material can form.
Synthesis of 9‐cis‐retinoic acid and C‐20‐[3H3C]‐9‐cis‐retinoic acid with high specific activity

The synthesis of 9-cis-retinoic acid starting from 2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexanone is described. The same methodology was extended for the synthesis of deuterium and tritium labeled 9-cis-retinoic acid with high specific activity (73 Ci/mmol). In this methodology, a Grignard reaction was utilized for introducing three tritium atoms simultaneously in the final synthetic steps. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Action Research as Professional Development: a US case study of inquiry‐oriented inservice education

Abstract Action research has been claimed by writers in the social reconstructionist tradition of teacher education to improve teachers’ understanding of their own practices and the situations in which they are carried out. A graduate course in action research, which was designed to engage inservice education students as participant inquirers into their own professional practices, provided an opportunity to examine these claims. Despite the emancipatory conception of action research embedded in the structure of the course, the practitioner students maintained a technical orientation and depoliticized approach to their inquiries. The author's own inquiry into his course practices revealed a pedagogical, an epistemological, and a political dilemma in conducting university‐based action research courses.
Periocular necrotizing fasciitis with visual loss pathogenesis and treatment.

Objective To illustrate the role of clinically necessary aggressive subcutaneous debridement with limited excision of necrotic skin in treating necrotizing faciitis, while demonstrating the histopathologic basis of orbital spread and blindness complicating this disorder. Design Observational retrospective case series. Participants Seven consecutive patients cared for by the Eye Plastic and Orbital Surgery Services at the University of Michigan and University of Iowa. Methods Retrospective review of ocular findings, systemic features, management, outcome, and histopathology of debrided tissue from 7 patients with periocular necrotizing fasciitis. Main Outcome Measures Patient survival and morbidity. Results Bilateral involvement was present in 6 of the 7 patients. Five patients suffered ophthalmic or central retinal artery occlusion with loss of vision. All patients underwent extensive debridement of subcutaneous tissue with sparing of overlying nonnecrotic skin and intensive systemic antibiotic therapy. Four patients required unilateral exenteration. After a mean follow-up of 38 months, 6 patients were alive; 1 died perioperatively due to septic shock. Histopathology, not previously described, showed inflammation to spread preferentially along eyelid fibrofatty–fascial tissue planes into the orbit and along orbital fibrous septae, leading to intense perivascular inflammation, thrombosis, and ocular infarction. Conclusions Necrotizing fasciitis is a potentially fatal disease that often causes blindness when affecting the periocular region. To reduce morbidity and mortality in severe infections, prompt subcutaneous debridement and limited resection of necrotic skin are usually necessary.
Catalytic Cracking of Isobutane and 2-Methylhexane over USY Zeolite: Identification of Kinetically Significant Reaction Steps

Reaction kinetics analyses were conducted for isobutane and 2-methylhexane conversion over USY zeolite (both calcined and steam-treated) at 773 K, where reaction is initiated by activation of the reactant paraffin. These analyses indicate that increasing the severity of catalyst steam treatment leads to an increase in the composite activation barriers of kinetically significant steps (initiation and hydride transfer), except for the reaction step involving dehydrogenation of the reactant paraffin, which may be enhanced by extraframework aluminum species introduced via steam treatment. We use sensitivity analyses to probe the degrees of rate control for all reaction steps as a function of the extent of conversion, reaction temperature, and size of the reactant molecule. Initiation steps (i.e., monomolecular reactions) have a high degree of rate control for both isobutane and 2-methylhexane at low conversions and high temperature, whereas the degree of rate control for hydride transfer steps becomes more si...
Evaluating the benefit of hearing aids in solving the cocktail party problem

The benefit of wearing hearing aids in multitalker, reverberant listening environments was evaluated in a study of speech-on-speech masking with two groups of listeners with hearing loss (younger/older). Listeners selectively attended a known spatial location in two room conditions (low/high reverberation) and identified target speech in the presence of two competing talkers that were either colocated or symmetrically spatially separated from the target. The amount of spatial release from masking (SRM) with bilateral aids was similar to that when listening unaided at or near an equivalent sensation level and was negatively correlated with the amount of hearing loss. When using a single aid, SRM was reduced and was related to the level of the stimulus in the unaided ear. Increased reverberation also reduced SRM in all listening conditions. Results suggest a complex interaction between hearing loss, hearing aid use, reverberation, and performance in auditory selective attention tasks.
From the Jaws of Oblivion

Accidentally erasing a file or program on the hard disk need not be a soul‐shattering experience, thanks to a nifty little utility called UNERASE. UNERASE is a compact, fast, standalone file “undeleter” for diskettes or fixed (hard) disks.
Balloon-Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration of a GastroRenal Shunt using Hydrogel-Coated Coil Embolization

Balloon-retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) can be an appropriate treatment modality for hepatic encephalopathy in the setting of portal-systemic shunting in selected patients. We describe a case of a large gastro-renal shunt that was successfully treated via combined BRTO and expandable hydrogel-coated coil embolization, with an emphasis on technique.
Defining Parents, Making Citizens: Nationality and Citizenship in Transnational Surrogacy

Over the past decade, India has attracted would-be parents from around the globe, many seeking to build their families through gestational surrogacy. Through extensive ethnographic fieldwork in India, I found that issues of nationality and citizenship for babies born via gestational surrogacy were among the most pressing concerns for commissioning parents. In this article, I consider the ways in which states and institutions define parents and make citizens, as well as how families created through surrogacy in India challenge these processes in new ways. By closely interrogating the ways that families, states, and global and local institutions define parenthood and citizenship within the context of transnational surrogacy, I show that while transnational surrogacy may challenge conventional understandings of kinship and family, it simultaneously renaturalizes state definitions of citizenship and motherhood.
O-Glycosidation reactions promoted by in situ generated silver N-heterocyclic carbenes in ionic liquids.

We herein report O-glycosidation reactions promoted via silver N-heterocyclic carbene complexes formed in situ in ionic liquids. Seven different room temperature ionic liquids were screened for the glycosidation reaction of 4-nitrophenol with tetra-O-acetyl-α-d-galactopyranosyl bromide. Good to excellent yields were obtained using Ag–NHC complexes derived from imidazolium halide salts to promote the glycosidation reaction, whereas yields considered moderate to low were obtained without use of the silver carbene complex. Anion metathesis of the ionic liquids with inexpensive alkylammonium halides also resulted in silver N-heterocyclic carbene formation and subsequent O-glycosidation in the presence of silver carbonate. Effective utility of this methodology has been demonstrated with biologically relevant acceptors (including flavones and steroids) where O-β-glycoside products were obtained selectively in moderate to good yields. We have also demonstrated that the Ag–NHC complex is a superior promoter to traditionally used silver carbonate for the glycosidation of polyphenolic acceptors. The ionic liquids used in the study could be recycled three times without apparent loss in activity.