cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring the impact of holiday gifts: An economic and environmental comparison of DVDs and books received as gifts

Abstract To purchase environmentally-responsible gifts that are well-received by recipients, transparency in reporting welfare gain (gift value to recipient) and environmental impact are important. As a step toward greater transparency, we compared the environmental impact and welfare gain of books and DVDs received as gifts. We used life cycle assessment (LCA) to compare gift impact using two functional units: (1) one gift, and (2) two hours of in-home visual entertainment for one person. We assessed two retail scenarios for each gift: (1) online purchase with home delivery, and (2) store purchase. Results from a survey of 1000 individuals indicated that welfare gains were large and significant for books and DVDs in all price ranges. The price of the gift was significant (p = 0.060) in determining welfare gain for books, but it was for DVDs (p = 0.037) with partners choosing higher welfare gain gifts. Results indicated lower environmental impacts across all categories for e-commerce. The global warming potential (GWP) of DVDs or paperbacks ordered online was almost equivalent (2.13 and 2.12 kg CO2 eq., respectively). Ordering hardcovers online more than doubled GWP (4.58 kg CO2 eq.). DVD GWP was highly sensitive to impact from movie creation and film popularity. Using different estimates of film impact and viewings increased DVD production impact from 1.21 to between 7.2870 and 17.78 kg CO2 equivalents per DVD, making both paperback and hardcover books ecologically preferable in GWP terms. Using the second functional unit of 2 h of in-home visual entertainment for one person, book GWP dropped (1.3035 and 0.8995 kg CO2 eq. for hardcovers and paperbacks purchased in-store, respectively). While the impact of DVDs also dropped, even with 4 individuals viewing the movie at the same time, the GWP per functional unit remained higher for DVDs (at 1.5545 kg CO2 eq.). This study is a novel combination of LCA and economic surveys to better inform consumer gift choices and potentially impact consumer behavior. Results demonstrate that books and DVDs were high welfare gain and low impact gifts; impact from driving to the store exceeded gift production impact.
Gastroduodenal Injury: Role of Protective Factors

The gastroduodenal mucosal layer is a complex and dynamic system that functions in an interdependent manner to resist injury. We review and summarize the most updated knowledge about gastroduodenal defense mechanisms and specifically address (a) the mucous barrier, (b) membrane and cellular properties, and vascular, hormonal, and (c) gaseous mediators. Trefoil factor family peptides play a crucial role in cellular restitution by increasing cellular permeability and expression of aquaporin channels, aiding cellular migration and tissue repair. Additionally, evidence suggests that the symptoms of functional dyspepsia may be attributed to alterations in the duodenum, including low-grade inflammation and increased mucosal permeability. The interaction of the various mucosal protective components helps maintain structural and functional homeostasis. There is increasing evidence suggesting that the upper GI microbiota plays a crucial role in the defense mechanisms. However, this warrants further investigation.
Online course computer science student presentations online

Computer Science and other courses involving live (or prerecorded) student presentations have been difficult to offer online, especially when presenting and non-presenting students are located considerably geographically distant from a physical campus of the offering institution or can not meet at specified times. This paper will consider tools and techniques supporting online course Computer Science (or other) student presentations and attendance, significantly including situations in which students are located in different geographic spaces or are on different time schedules; both synchronous and asynchronous presentations and attendance will be considered. An example course will be examined, and a link to a related example student presentation will be indicated, in the paper.
An efficient MILP-based aging-aware floorplanner for multi-context coarse-grained runtime reconfigurable FPGAs

Shrinking transistor sizes are jeopardizing the reliability of runtime reconfigurable Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), making them increasingly sensitive to aging effects such as Negative Bias Temperature Instability (NBTI). This paper introduces a reliability-aware floorplanner which is tailored to multi-context, coarse-grained, runtime reconfigurable architectures (CGRRAs) and seeks to extend their Mean Time to Failure (MTTF) by balancing the usage of processing elements (PEs). The proposed method is based on a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) formulation, the solution to which produces appropriately-balanced mappings of workload to PEs on the reconfigurable fabric, thereby mitigating aging-induced lifetime degradation. Results demonstrate that, as compared to the default reliability-unaware floorplanning solutions, the proposed method achieves an average MTTF increase of 2.5× without introducing any performance degradation.
Enhancing the content- and language-integrated multiple literacies framework: Systemic functional linguistics for teaching regional diversity

Abstract While content- and language-integrated instruction has been considered crucial for the development of literacy in a foreign language (FL) (e.g., Cammarata, Tedick, & Osborne, 2016), implementing an integrated approach is often challenging. This article demonstrates how systemic functional theory (SFL) (Halliday & Matthiessen, 2014) that establishes explicit connections between the linguistic and the social can be instrumental for integrated pedagogy design that promotes a critical orientation to text. Responding to the need to diversify content typically taught in German curricula, the article shows how instructors can expose learners to the multifaceted nature of the German cultural cosmos by focusing on two regions through Sorbian and Mecklenburg tales. Enhancing the pedagogy of multiliteracies (The New London Group, 1996), the article presents SFL-based concepts as tools for textual analysis and content- and language-integrated exploration of the texts. We demonstrate how instructional tasks based on the SFL analysis provide learners with a critical lens to examine how variation in the narrative structure and patterns of language use construe particular aspects of regional cultures and point to conceptualizations of human-nature relationships and gender roles that differ from traditional fairytales. In doing so, genre-based tasks help learners reflect on cultural representations and creatively apply linguistic and content knowledge.
Evaluation of the Robot Operating System 2 in Lossy Unmanned Networks

The Robot Operating System 2 (ROS 2) is an open source middleware used for robotic applications. ROS 2 provides extensive security enhancements and quality of service (QoS) profiles not available in ROS 1. This paper studies the performance of ROS 2 in a small network of nodes, similar to how a group of unmanned assets would operate. Specifically, we analyze ROS 2 under varying QoS and security constraints in a wireless, lossy environment. This is the first work to comprehensively study ROS 2 network performance using QoS and security classification as a function of network scale in an environment that uses Wi-Fi communications. We custom build a simulation architecture that integrates ROS 2 with NS-3, an open source network simulator. Network performance metrics include latency and message drop rate. We show that enabling security results in a higher message drop rate across all QoS profiles. We also show that scaling the network to more nodes results in various consequences with the use of different QoS settings, including an increase in the average latency of messages. We also highlight some of the limitations there were observed with NS-3 and ROS 2.
A Case of Idiopathic Recurrent Spontaneous Bladder Rupture.

Background. A female patient presented four years following spontaneous bladder rupture with a recurrent spontaneous bladder rupture. Summary. Urinary bladder rupture is a condition usually caused by trauma or surgical instrumentation. Spontaneous bladder rupture is a much more uncommon condition and is associated with intoxication, radiation, stricture, or neurogenic bladder. We describe a case of a 40-year-old woman with a history of three caesarian sections with an idiopathic recurrent spontaneous bladder rupture. Originally, she presented with one day of worsening severe abdominal pain. CT showed possible ischemic bowel. She was taken to the operating room (OR) and found to have a bladder rupture. This was repaired, and she did well postoperatively. Four years later, she presented to the emergency department (ED) with one week of worsening abdominal pain that became severe acutely. Given that she had a similar issue four years prior the patient was suspicious, her bladder was again ruptured. CT cystogram showed contrast extravasation into the peritoneum. The patient was taken urgently to the operating room for an open repair of the bladder rupture. She did well following the procedure. Conclusion. Spontaneous bladder rupture is a surgical emergency and should be in the differential diagnosis of any patient with peritonitis with elevated creatinine and free intraperitoneal fluid. This diagnosis should especially be considered if the patient has a history pelvic radiation, neurogenic bladder, or intoxication. We submit that a history of multiple pelvic surgeries should be included in this list. CT cystogram is the diagnostic test of choice. Operative repair is generally the treatment for this condition.
Modeling hereditary spastic paraplegias using induced pluripotent stem cells

Abstract Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs), a heterogeneous group of neurological disorders, are caused by axonal degeneration involving the long corticospinal tract which leads to the progressive spasticity and weakness of lower limbs. Over 80 different gene loci associated with HSP have been identified. Studying various HSP proteins reveals several common cellular themes in these debilitating diseases including vesicular trafficking, organelle shaping and morphogenesis, lipid/cholesterol metabolism, and endolysosomal and autophagic dysfunction. Though animal and cell models have been developed to study HSP, it remains a challenge to obtain patient-specific cortical neurons that are specifically affected and impaired in HSP. Recently, the discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provides a promising tool in neurological disease modeling due to their ability of self-renewal and capability of differentiation into various cell types. HSP patient iPSC-derived cortical projection neurons offer a unique source for HSP modeling to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms, reveal neuronal pathological phenotypes, and test potential drugs. Here, we will introduce HSP and different common cellular themes, summarize in vitro HSP models using human pluripotent stem cells, and discuss the current challenges and future directions of HSP iPSC modeling.
A COMPARISON OF SEVEN PREFERENCE MAPPING TECHNIQUES USING FOUR SOFTWARE PROGRAMS: COMPARISON OF MAPPING TECHNIQUES

Various methods are used to create a preference map based on different theories to model and analyze relationships between product descriptors and consumer preferences. Several programs offer solutions to understand influences and relationships between a descriptive sensory profile and consumer liking, but researchers need to know the (dis)advantages and (dis)similarities of these programs. This study compares the advantages and disadvantages of four statistical software programs and seven multivariate techniques for three empirical studies: milk, paint and fragrance. Internal and external preference mapping are included in this study. No multivariate method consistently generated a high percentage of consumers who mapped closest to their most-liked products. Also, neither the variance nor the complete solution was explained among descriptors and consumers. Of particular interest is that the high percent variance explained in descriptors and/or consumers did not guarantee a preference mean vector that was close to the most-liked product. For uncomplicated data, researchers can use any method/program to create a preference map when consumer data are highly homogenous in product liking patterns. XLSTAT PLS2 (Addinsoft, New York, NY) and Unscrambler PLS2 (passified; CAMO Software Inc., Woodbridge, NJ) are recommended for less homogenous consumer data. For complex heterogeneous data, multidimensional preference analysis is recommended for understanding consumer preference. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This research provides comparisons of various perceptual mapping techniques and statistical computer packages for creating preference maps. Results from the study show that when the interpretation of maps is implemented visually without supportive underlying findings from the original data and basic analyses, preference maps may be misleading. Such use appears common in the literature suggesting that analysis using preference mapping techniques is either overused or inappropriately used in some cases.
Selective Inactivation of the Exonuclease Activity of Bacteriophage T7 DNA Polymerase by in Vitro Mutagenesis

The 3′ to 5′ exonuclease activity of bacteriophage T7 DNA polymerase (gene 5 protein) can be inactivated selectively by reactive oxygen species. Differences in the enzymatic properties between the two forms are exploited to show by a chemical screen that modification of a histidine residue reduces selectively the exonuclease activity. In vitro mutagenesis of the histidine at residue 123, and of the neighboring residues, results in varying reduction of the exonuclease activity, including mutant enzymes that have no detectable exonuclease activity; as a consequence their polymerase activity is increased up to 9-fold. T7 phage containing the mutant genes have a greatly reduced burst size and demonstrate up to a 14-fold increase in the spontaneous mutation rate.
Solute Flux Coupling in a Homopore Membrane

Our previous studies on solute drag on frog skin and synthetic heteropore membranes have been extended to a synthetic homopore membrane. The 150-A radius pores of this membrane are formed by irradiation and etching of polycarbonate films. The membrane is 6-µm thick and it has 6 x 108 pores cm–2. In this study, sucrose has been used as the driver solute with bulk flow blocked by hydrostatic pressure. As before on heteroporous membranes, the transmembrane asymmetry of tracer solute is dependent on the concentration of the driver solute. Tracer sucrose shows no solute drag while maltotriose shows appreciable solute drag at 1.5 M sucrose. With tracer inulin and dextran, solute drag is detectable at 0.5 M sucrose. These results are in keeping with the previous findings on heteropore membranes. Transmembrane solute drag is the result of kinetic and frictional interaction of the driver and tracer solutes as the driver flows down its concentration gradient. The magnitude of the tracer flux asymmetry is also dependent on the size of the transmembrane pores.
A comparison of greenhouse gas emissions and potential electricity recovery from conventional and bioreactor landfills

Abstract As methane constitutes about 50% of landfill biogas, reduction of methane emissions from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills results in climate change mitigation. As such, it is important for a landfill lifetime model to properly reflect the manner in which biogas is managed. The goal of this research is to compare landfill biogas management in a conventional landfill with a bioreactor landfill during a 100-year time horizon. This comparison concentrates on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions balances and electricity generation potential from recovered biogas using reciprocating internal combustion engines (RICE), which leads to avoiding GHG emissions due to fossil fuel displacement. The results estimated that the total amount of GHG emissions released to atmosphere, including fugitive methane emissions and the avoided effect of electrical energy production, was 668 and 803 kg carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents (CO2E) per metric ton (t) of landfilled MSW for the conventional and the bioreactor landfill, respectively. This study underscores the importance of installing an aggressive gas collection system early for bioreactor landfills, and for investigating methods of improving gas collection efficiency during active landfilling.
Ultraminiature encapsulated accelerometers as a fully implantable sensor for implantable hearing aids

Experiments were conducted to evaluate a silicon accelerometer as an implantable sound sensor for implantable hearing aids. The main motivation of this study is to find an alternative sound sensor that is implantable inside the body, yet does not suffer from the signal attenuation from the body. The merit of the accelerometer sensor as a sound sensor will be that it will utilize the natural mechanical conduction in the middle ear as a source of the vibration. With this kind of implantable sound sensor, a totally implantable hearing aid is feasible. A piezoresistive silicon accelerometer that is completely encapsulated with a thin silicon film and long flexible flex-circuit electrical cables were used for this study. The sensor is attached on the middle ear ossicles and measures the vibration transmitted from the tympanic membrane due to the sound in the ear canal. In this study, the sensor is fully characterized on a human cadaveric temporal bone preparation.
The Slosson intelligence test as a quick screening test of mental ability with profoundly and severely retarded children.

Summary.-The study investigated the test-retest reliability of the Slosson Intelligence Test when administered and scored by 9 special education teachers who had no experience in psychological testing. Subjects were 53 profoundly and severely retarded children, ranging in age from 5 to 16 yr. Pearson productmoment coefficients were .92 for girls, .96 for boys, and .$Pi for all subjects for scores on rwo occasions. The results support Slosson's contention that the test can be reliably administered by personnel with little psychometric knowledge. With the advent of Public Law 94-142 special education teachers have been increasingly requested to provide evaluations for profoundly and severely retarded students in their classrooms. Many administrators require that the students be assessed yearly on norm-referenced adaptive and intellectual measures. In many schools the Slosson Intelligence Test is being used for retesting purposes where individual intelligence tests are required. Slosson (4) reported test-retest reliability of .97 within a 2-mo. interval for a heterogeneous sample of 139 individuals from ages 4 to 50 yr. Also, Slosson has compared IQs from the Slosson Intelligence Test and the Stanford-Binet. Product-moment correlations yielded coefficients from .90 to .98 ac each age from 4 to 18 yr. and above, derived from a heterogeneous population of 701 individuals. However, published validity studies (1, 2, 3, 5) with the mentally retarded comparing Slosson and Stanford-Binet IQs have consistently yielded lower correlation coefficients (range .60 to .91). Decisions concerning the assignment of levels of retardation based on Slosson IQs appear to be particularly risky in situations involving children characterized by a restricted range of intelligence. For example, in cwo studies (2, '6) 7% and 16% of their students were misclassified by the Slosson IQs with respect to special class placement eligibility, respectively, using the Stanford-Binet as the criterion for comparison. Unfortunately, the usefulness of the test in estimating intellectual functioning of severely and profoundly retarded students is questionable as studies with this population on reliability and validity are lacking. The prime purpose of this study was to assess the test-retest reliability of the test when administered to severely and profoundly retarded children by special education teachers who were enrolled in a diagnostic course on assessment. Another purpose was to assess Slosson's (4) contention that the test can be mastered by personnel with limited psychometric knowledge and experience. Subjects were 53 severely and profoundly mentally retarded children who lived in
Simplified pressure model for quantitative shrinkage porosity prediction in steel castings

In order to reduce the computational effort, a simplified pressure model is proposed for predicting shrinkage-related defects in steel castings. Based on the specific conditions developing during casting solidification, the governing fluid flow equations (i.e., Stokes and Darcy) have been reformulated such as the pressure field could be calculated only based on volume (density) changes occurring during the solidification process. Velocity is thus eliminated from the governing equations of fluid flow therefore simplifying the method of solution for pressure and tremendously reducing the computational effort. Model development and simulation results are presented and discussed.
Ritualizing modernity's gamble: The iconic photographs of the Hindenburg and challenger explosions

(2004). Ritualizing modernity's gamble: The iconic photographs of the Hindenburg and challenger explosions. Visual Communication Quarterly: Vol. 11, No. 1-2, pp. 4-17.
Bis(ethyl-3-oxo-butanolato-O1,O3)-bis(2-propanolato)titanium (Tyzor) DCR) as a reactant and catalyst in the polymerization of 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate (IEM)

The reaction of bis(ethyl-3-oxo-butanolato-O1, O3)-bis(2-propanolato)titanium (Tyzor DCR) and 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate (IEM) in different molar ratios, at room temperature produced the trimer of IEM in high yields with ethyl acetoacetate, isopropyl acetoacetate, and titanium dioxide, which are derived from Tyzor DCR, as by-products. The reaction products were identified by FTIR,1H NMR,13C NMR, G.C. and M.S. procedures. The study showed that Tyzor DCR acts as a catalyst in this reaction.
Effects of Calcium and Dairy on Body Composition and Weight Loss in African‐American Adults

Objective: Our objective was to determine the effects of dairy consumption on adiposity and body composition in obese African Americans. Research Methods and Procedures: We performed two randomized trials in obese African-American adults. In the first (weight maintenance), 34 subjects were maintained on a low calcium (500 mg/d)/low dairy (<1 serving/d) or high dairy (1200 mg Ca/d diet including 3 servings of dairy) diet with no change in energy or macronutrient intake for 24 weeks. In the second trial (weight loss), 29 subjects were similarly randomized to the low or high dairy diets and placed on a caloric restriction regimen (−500 kcal/d). Results: In the first trial, body weight remained stable for both groups throughout the maintenance study. The high dairy diet resulted in decreases in total body fat (2.16 kg, p < 0.01), trunk fat (1.03 kg, p < 0.01), insulin (18.7 pM, p < 0.04), and blood pressure (6.8 mm Hg systolic, p < 0.01; 4.25 mm Hg diastolic, p < 0.01) and an increase in lean mass (1.08 kg, p < 0.04), whereas there were no significant changes in the low dairy group. In the second trial, although both diets produced significant weight and fat loss, weight and fat loss on the high dairy diet were ∼2-fold higher (p < 0.01), and loss of lean body mass was markedly reduced (p < 0.001) compared with the low dairy diet. Discussion: Substitution of calcium-rich foods in isocaloric diets reduced adiposity and improved metabolic profiles in obese African Americans without energy restriction or weight loss and augmented weight and fat loss secondary to energy restriction.
Micromachined Fabry-Perot cavity pressure transducer with optical fiber interconnects

A monolithically integrated Fabry-Perot cavity pressure transducer has been fabricated using micromachining techniques that are fully compatible with silicon IC processing technology. Surface micromachining can produce a high quality micro cavity without the wafer bonding process that has been commonly used in previously fabricate Fabry-Perot pressure transducers. Dielectric film stacks consisting of layers of silicon nitride and silicon dioxide were used as mirrors. An air gap cavity was formed by selectively etching a sacrifical polysilicon layer. Remote pressure measurement was demonstrated using the micromachined Fabry-Perot cavity and a multimode optical fiber interconnect. The measured response of the sensor has been compared with theoretical simulation which takes into account the averaging effect caused by the shape of the deflected mirror in the cavity.
Techniques for mapping tasks to machines in heterogeneous computing systems

Abstract Heterogeneous computing (HC) is the coordinated use of different types of machines, net-works, and interfaces to maximize their combined performance and/or cost-effectiveness. HC systems are becoming a plausible technique for efficiently solving computationally intensive problems. The applicability and strength of HC systems are derived from their ability to match computing needs to appropriate resources. In an HC system, tasks need to be matched to machines, and the execution of the tasks must be scheduled. The goal of this invited keynote paper is to: (1) introduce the reader to some of the different distributed and parallel types of HC environments; and (2) examine some research issues for HC systems consisting of a network of different machines. The latter purpose is pursued by considering: (1) the quantification of heterogeneity; (2) the characterization of techniques for mapping (matching and scheduling) tasks on such systems; (3) an example HC resource management system; and (4) static and dynamic heuristics for mapping tasks to machines in such HC systems.
Discrimination of Tonal Direction on Verbal and Nonverbal Tasks by First Grade Children

This study investigated the ability of first grade children to discriminate tonal direction on verbal and nonverbal tasks. The verbal tasks required the children to mark a written word on an answer sheet indicating discrimination between paired tonal patterns, and to give spoken verbal descriptions of the tonal direction of patterns they had played or heard. Children were allowed to use their own vocabulary in their descriptions. The nonverbal tasks required the children to play tonal patterns on resonator bells that matched those played by the investigator. Subjects scored significantly higher on the non-verbal tasks than on the verbal tasks. They scored significatly higher on the written tests than on the spoken tests. Many of these children could perceive differences in tonal patterns and could match directional patterns without being able to verbalize the concept of tonal direction using traditional music terminology.
Catalyst-Dependent Routes to Ring-Opening Metathesis Alternating Copolymers of Substituted Oxanorbornenes and Cyclooctene

The alternating copolymerization of cis-cyclooctene and 1-substituted oxanorbornenes with commercially available ruthenium-based olefin metathesis catalysts was investigated. We determined that RuCl2(CHPh)(PCy3)2 performs a standard alternating copolymerization with these monomers. Unexpectedly, another route to the desired alternating copolymer was revealed. The “sequence editing” route involves the initial polymerization of cis-cyclooctene, followed a ring-opening cross metathesis step that introduces the 1-substituted oxanorbornene monomer in the polycyclooctene chain and largely avoids oxanorborene homopolymerization. Selectivity for alternating diads in the polymer exceeds 90%. Polymer molecular weight can be controlled by linear olefin chain-transfer reagents during sequence editing.
Relationship-Relevant and Family-Friendly eHealth: Innovations in Interactive Health Communication Systems

As the reach of the Internet grows, eHealth is fast becoming a major adjunct to traditional delivery of health information and support worldwide. Existing Interactive health communication systems, however, typically target individual users, focus on individual rather than on relational health, and neglect the relational and familial context of individual health issues. Reviewing developments primarily in the United States, this article applies a “marriage and family lens” to examine web-based technologies for health and well-being and suggests innovations to make eHealth both relationship relevant and family friendly. Although recent innovations offer great promise for supporting the relational “fabric” of family life, specific cautions and the need for research on effectiveness are underscored.
Activity Theory as a Framework for Designing Constructivist Learning Environments

The epistemic assumptions of constructive learning are different from those of traditional instruction, so classical methods of needs and task analysis are inappropriate for designing constructivist learning environments (CLEs). This paper argues that activity theory provides an appropriate framework for analyzing needs, tasks, and outcomes for designing CLEs. Activity theory is a socio-cultural, socio-historical lens through which designers can analyze human activity systems. It focuses on the interaction of human activity and consciousness within its relevant environmental context. Since conscious learning emerges from activity (performance), not as a precursor to it, CLEs should attempt to replicate the activity structures, tools and sign systems, socio-cultural rules, and community expectations that performers must accommodate while acting on some object of learning. After explicating assumptions of activity theory and briefly describing the components of CLEs, this paper describes a process for using activity theory as a framework for describing the components of an activity system that can be modeled in CLEs.
Update on pharmacologic therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Early identification and intervention before the onset of symptomatic disease is the goal of management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 30,79 Most patients with COPD need pharmacologic therapy. The judicious use of appropriate medications in a stepwise fashion is the recommended approach to treating patients with COPD and can improve airflows and provide significant symptomatic relief. 2,13,30,92 Patient response to treatment must be monitored and therapy should be customized for each individual. 2,13,30,92 Part of any successful pharmacologic intervention is patient education, including information related to medication dosing and timing, expected medication benefits, and potential side effects. Collaborative self management allows a well-educated patient to participate actively in his or her medical care. Anticipated outcomes from education include increased compliance with medication usage, earlier intervention during exacerbations, and, potentially, reduced health care costs owing to improved stability of disease.
Effects of Compression Force, Particle Size, and Lubricants on Dissolution Rate

The effects of compression force, particle size, and lubricant concentration on the dissolution rates of compressed disks of salicylic acid, aspirin, and an equimolar mixture of aspirin and salicylic acid were investigated. Compression forces from 450 to 9100 kg had no effect on dissolution rates. With 5% starch incorporated into an equimolar mixture of aspirin and salicylic acid, the dissolution rates were independent of compression forces from 910 to 9100 kg. A 10-fold change of particle size of the materials being compressed did not affect the dissolution rates. An increase in the concentration from 0.1 to 5% of calcium stearate, glyceryl monostearate, magnesium stearate, and stearic acid progressively slowed the dissolution rate. An increase in the concentration from 0.1 to 5% talc and polyethylene glycol 4000 did not affect the dissolution rates. An increase in the concentration of starch from 0.1 to 5% progressively increased the dissolution rates.
Partial purification and characterization of DNA-dependent RNA polymerases in the southern Armyworm (Spodoptera eridania)

Abstract 1. Three major forms of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, tentatively identified as polymerases I, II and III have been solubilized and partially purified by DEAE-Sephadex chromatography from the larval midgut of the southern Armyworm ( Spodoptera eridania , Cramer). 2. The partially purified RNA polymerases exhibited an absolute requirement for all four nucleotide triphosphates and an exogenous template and activity was stimulated by Mn 2+ . Greatest activity was observed with poly(dA-sT) as a template. The polymerases were inhibited by actinomycin D with denatured DNA as a template but not with poly(dA-dT). 3. RNA polymerase II was extremely sensitive to inhibition by α-amanitin (I 50 = 10 −9 M). 4. RNA polymerase II cochromatographs on DEAE with a third polymerase (tentatively identified as RNA polymerase III) which is highly stimulated by poly(dA-dT) and insensitive to α-amanitin. 5. True RNA polymerase activity could not be measured in fractions prior to DEAE chromatography due to the presence of an endogenous nuclease which interfered with the assay. 6. Unusual ribohomopolymerase activity was observed in the crude nuclear fraction and resulted in the incorporation of any one of the single nucleotide triphosphates. This activity was inhibited by actinomycin D but not by α-amanitin.
Internationalizing the Business Curriculum: Bridging the Academic Culture Gap

Rapid global change, driven especially by the telecommunications and computing industries, are rapidly transforming the international economic, social, and cultural landscape. Affected are both urban and rural businesses who face intense competition at home and abroad. If the U.S. is to continue to maintain a competitive advantage in the global marketplace, educational institutions must prepare the next generation of leaders for a pluralistic world in which multiculturalism dominates. This paper addresses one aspect of preparing university graduates for the global setting: the meshing of the business and economics disciplines with other relevant curricula. It describes first the underlying philosophy that supports federal funding for integrative initiatives designed to enhance students' multi-cultural competence. Second, in the form of a case study, it recounts the experience of a particular program that was successfully implemented recently at the University of Kentucky. Third, this case study can serve as a model for integrative cross-curricular efforts at institutions of higher learning elsewhere.
Bulawayo's Fiery Past

Terence Ranger (Oxford, James Currey, 2010), ix+281 pp, £45.00 hardback, ISBN 9781847010209 The real power of Terence Ranger's Bulawayo Burning is his intentional decision to limit the narrative sc...
Radial field piezoelectric diaphragms

A series of active piezoelectric diaphragms were fabricated and patterned with several geometrically defined Inter-Circulating Electrodes “ICE” and Interdigitated Ring Electrodes “IRE”. When a voltage potential is applied to the electrodes, the result is a radially distributed electric field that mechanically strains the piezo-ceramic along the Z-axis (perpendicular to the applied electric field). Unlike piezoelectric bender actuators, the Radial Field Diaphragm (RFD) strains concentrically yet affords high displacements without any appreciable XY-strain beyond its perimeter, as both the radial and tangential strain field approach zero at the boundary independent of actuator movement. The result is a Z-axis deflection that has a conical profile. This article covers the fabrication and characterization of these RFDs as a function of poling field strength, ceramic thickness and geometry, electrode type, line spacing, surface topography, the resulting localized strain field and displacement as a function of ...
The Schur complement and the inverse M-matrix problem

Abstract It is well known that if M is a nonnegative nonsingular inverse M-matrix and if A is a nonsingular block in the upper left hand corner, then the Schur complement of A in M, (M ⧸ A), is an inverse M-matrix. The converse of this is generally false. In this paper we give added restrictions on M or A to insure the converse, and give some necessary and sufficient conditions for HMH−1, where H = I⊕(−I), to be an M-matrix.
Comparative precision of distributed-backscatter Doppler lidars.

Simple formulas for the standard deviation that is available from Doppler velocity estimators through the use of direct-detection frequency discriminators for targets spread in range are derived and contrasted with the fundamental limits provided by the Cramer–Rao bounds for both direct-detection and heterodyne systems. The structures of these formulas is sufficiently similar to facilitate a meaningful comparison among the different systems and to provide a basis for the evaluation of experimental performance.
Ideology Awareness Project: An Exercise in Item Unit Content Analysis

The following describes an exercise in the content analysis of political ideologies. The method may be used to analyze virtually any type of material. Causal, solution, and outcome codes are given for the dominant ideologies on American social science. Detailed instructions are given for assigning an overall ideological code to a particular item. The author has used this method to analyze the ideological content of the writings of elite journals of social criticism. For most students, this exercise marks their introduction to such periodicals. Thus the exercise is valuable for teaching students to employ content analysis as a method of research, and in introducing them to the ideological statements of America's leading social critics.
ERP/ERP II issues and answers: session overview

This is the fourth year at HICSS where there is a session devoted to ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems research. Last year, participants at the session discussed the idea of expanding ERP to include the add-on products sometimes called ERP II or EAI (Enterprise Application Integration or expanded ERP systems). Based on this suggestion, the mini-track was modified to include ERP II systems as well. There were 10 full papers submitted and 1 other paper that was partially complete. The papers selected for this year’s conference cover a full range of topics from conceptual modeling to specific case studies. Even though software sales are depressed, ERP systems remain in the forefront of software development activities. More important, however, ERP is just the beginning of a future trend towards EAI. Some think that EAI, a term even more vague than ERP, is the future of computing systems and a necessary foundation for full integration of enterprise-wide applications [Manchester, 1999, Stein, 1999, and Teresko, 1999]. The literature is just beginning to define what EAI means, but all agree that it is a pre-requisite to successful deployment of e-commerce and e-business applications. Most simply, EAI is the opening of internal systems to customers and suppliers so that e-business can be enabled through the Internet. How EAI can take place is still a large question. The first paper addresses this broader area of EAI. “Towards a Novel Framework for the Assessment of Enterprise Application Integration Packages” provides a conceptual framework that can be used both to select an appropriate EAI solution for an enterprise and to conduct further research in EAI implementation. Similarly, the second paper, “Benefits of an ERP Maintenance Model to Management”, introduces a model to use to
Foundations of stochastic development.

Abstract A consistent mathematical theory of stochastic poikilotherm development has been derived based upon a minimum set of biological assumptions obtained from the literature. In the subsequent analysis, the resulting developmental rate can be justifiably represented as a random variable. Three cases are considered: (1) developmental rates dependent only on temperature, (2) rates dependent on both temperature and age, and (3) rates dependent on a general function of temperature and time. The analysis provides a mathematical foundation for the current practice of superimposing a probability distribution function on a biological time scale to describe the development of individuals from a population.
Regulation of astroglial responsiveness to neuroligands in primary culture

Previous studies from this laboratory indicate that type-1 astroglia in primary culture are pharmacologically heterogeneous. Two competing hypotheses were proposed to explain the development of glial heterogeneity. First, that the heterogeneity may reflect stable subclasses of astroglia that express a set of receptor-signalling systems. Second, that astroglia can undergo qualitative changes in their expression of receptor-signalling systems with time in vitro. To distinguish between these two hypotheses, experiments were designed to examine neuroligand-evoked calcium responses within clones of type-1 astroglia. If stable and distinct subsets of astroglia were present, a clone derived from a single cell would exhibit uniform responses to a given set of neuroligands. Alternatively, if the pharmacological properties of astroglia underwent qualitative changes, astroglial clones should contain pharmacologically distinct cells. A video-based imaging system and the Ca2+ indicator dye Fura-2 were used to monitor receptor-mediated increases in Cai2+ upon receptor activation. Interestingly, only a fraction of the cells within a given clone responded to carbachol or histamine with an increase in Cai2+, whereas treatment with a P2Y purinergic receptor agonist generally increased Cai2+ in 100% of the cells within the clone. To examine the stability of the receptor signalling over time, individual astroglia within a number of clones were tested on different days for their ability to respond to neuroligands. The results of these experiments indicated that individual astroglial cells tended to lose their responsiveness to certain ligands such as carbachol and histamine as they developed responsiveness to others such as norepinephrine. Our data indicate that during development neurotransmitter receptors on astroglial cells are regulated by both internal and external mechanisms. Glial proliferation produces a variety of pharmacologically distinct astroglial cells. Exposure to neurotransmitters can qualitatively turn off some, but not all, astroglial receptor systems.
Experience with simultaneous ventriculo-peritoneal shunt placement and myelomeningocele repair

A program evaluating simultaneous shunt placement and neural tube repair is described and compared with a concomitant series of patients whose surgeons preferred delayed shunting. Twenty-two patients had simultaneous closure of neural tube defects and placement of ventriculoperitoneal shunts; one was shunted 1 day prior to closure of a leaking myelomeningocele. Eleven other patients had closure of myelomeningoceles followed by shunting 6 to 14 days later. Four patients have not required shunting. Three patients needed complex flap rotations and silastic dural closures, but the complexity of the myelomeningocele closure was not a criterion for excluding simultaneous shunting. The only criteria were preference of the attending surgeon, and ventricular size. All but one in the simultaneous shunting (SS) group had moderate to marked hydrocephalus at birth; one initially selected not to have a shunt, but within 24 hours had marked increase in ventricular size by ultrasonography performed when the child was anesthetized for the myelomeningocele closure. In the SS group, surgical innovations included (1) use of the semilateral position for exposure of both operative sites for shunting and the myelomeningocele closure, (2) posteriorly-placed subcutaneous peritoneal catheter, and (3) a combined surgical approach using two surgeons and separate instrumentation. There was no operative mortality in either group; there were no infections within 30 days in either group. There was one infection at 5 months in the SS group, and one at 2 months in the delayed shunting (DS) group; the long-term infection rate was 5%, comparable to any published series. In the SS group, revisions were required in three patients, one with megachoroid requiring bilateral shunts. In the DS group, two had early shunt revisions and five had delayed revisions. Simultaneous shunting with neural tube closure is a viable option when ventriculomegaly is present, and offers some advantages.
Teaching Racism: Using Experiential Learning to Challenge the Status Quo.

Teaching about racism creates challenging issues for educators and students alike. Using experiential learning and a public-access curriculum to teach about racism and social inequality, graduate and undergraduate students participated in this elective course. The hybrid “minimester” course focused on affective responses to classroom activities, written assignments, and online discussion forum postings. A pretest-posttest survey design was used and the results showed statistically significant changes in racial attitudes and cultural awareness among participants.
The invertebrate Caenorhabditis elegans biosynthesizes ascorbate

l-Ascorbate, commonly known as vitamin C, serves as an antioxidant and cofactor essential for many biological processes. Distinct ascorbate biosynthetic pathways have been established for animals and plants, but little is known about the presence or synthesis of this molecule in invertebrate species. We have investigated ascorbate metabolism in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, where this molecule would be expected to play roles in oxidative stress resistance and as cofactor in collagen and neurotransmitter synthesis. Using high-performance liquid chromatography and gas-chromatography mass spectrometry, we determined that ascorbate is present at low amounts in the egg stage, L1 larvae, and mixed animal populations, with the egg stage containing the highest concentrations. Incubating C. elegans with precursor molecules necessary for ascorbate synthesis in plants and animals did not significantly alter ascorbate levels. Furthermore, bioinformatic analyses did not support the presence in C. elegans of either the plant or the animal biosynthetic pathway. However, we observed the complete (13)C-labeling of ascorbate when C. elegans was grown with (13)C-labeled Escherichia coli as a food source. These results support the hypothesis that ascorbate biosynthesis in invertebrates may proceed by a novel pathway and lay the foundation for a broader understanding of its biological role.
Cardioversion and Digitalis Drugs: Changed Threshold to Electric Shock in Digitalized Animals

The relationships between the action of digitalis drugs and the effects of cardioversion were studied in 44 dogs. Ventricular tachycardia provoked by either acetyl strophanthidin (AS) or ouabain could not be reverted to sinus rhythm by DC shock. When ventricular fibrillation was induced electrically during digitalis toxicity, defibrillation could be accomplished readily but the toxic arrhythmia due to digitalis remained unaltered. When ventricular fibrillation was induced by AS, it was also unaffected by repeated high energy discharges. In control animals the median energy to produce ventricular tachycardia by electrical discharge was 400 watt-seconds. Repeated electrical shocks did not change the level of energy required to produce ventricular tachycardia. However, following recovery from ouabain-induced ventricular tachycardia, the electrical threshold for ventricular tachycardia was 0.2 watt-second. A similar but less consistent response was noted after AS-induced ventricular tachycardia. The sensitiza...