cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Freeze-fracture and morphometric analysis of occluding junctions in rectal glands of elasmobranch fish

The structure of occluding junctions in secretory and ductal epithelium of salt-secreting rectal glands from two species of elasmobranch fish, the spiny dogfishSqualus acanthias and the stingrayDasyatis sabina, was examined by thin-section and freeze-fracture electron microscopy. In both species, occluding junctions between secretory cells are shallow in their apical to basal extent and are characterized by closely juxtaposed parallel strands. Average strand number in the dogfish was 3.5±0.2 with a mean depth of 56±5 nm; in the stingray a mean of 2.0±0.2 strands encompassed an average depth of 18±3 nm. In contrast, the linear extent of these junctions was remarkably large due to the intermeshing of the narrow apices of the secretory cells to form the tubular lumen. Morphometric analysis gave values of 66.8±2.5 and 74.9±4.6 m/cm2 for the length of junction per unit of luminal surface area in the dogfish and stingray, respectively. This junctional morphology is similar to that generally described for “leaky” epithelia. In comparison, the stratified ductal epithelium which carries the NaCl-rich secretion to the intestine is characterized by extensive occluding junctions which extend 0.6–0.8 μm in depth and consist of a mean of 12 strands arranged in an anastomosing network, an architectural pattern typical of “tight” epithelia. The length density of these junctions in the dogfish rectal gland was 7.6±0.1 m/cm2. The junctional architecture of the rectal gland secretory epithelium (few strands, large junctional length densities) is similar to that described for several other hypertonic secretory epithelia [20, 34] and is compatible with the recent model for salt secretion in rectal glands [39] and in other Cl− secretory epithelia which posits a conductive paracellular pathway for transepithelial Na+ secretion from intercellular space to the lumen to form the NaCl-rich secretory product.
Neonatal Immune Development in the Calf and Its Impact on Vaccine Response

In this article we cover the immunologic response as it develops, the components of passive immunity, and the immune response of young calves. We discuss interference from maternal immunity in the development of specific immunity and vaccine strategies for developing protection against pathogens in calves.
Stanislaw Ulam: The warmth and brilliance of an eclectic mind

We discuss several of Stanislaw Ulam's contributions to theoretical biology, in particular, his ideas on morphogenesis and on higher functions of the nervous system.
Association for Specialists in Group Work: Multicultural and Social Justice Competence Principles for Group Workers

Consultants A. Michael Hutchins Private Practice, Tucson, Arizona Deborah Rubel Oregon State University The Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW) is committed to understanding how issues...
Analytical survey of elements and other constituents in Central New York state sewage sludges

Thirty-nine elements, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), volatile N-nitrosamines and gamma emission were determined by several instrumental methods in sewage sludges from 24 communities in Central New York. Relatively high concentrations of certain elements or PCBs were found in sludges from specific communities. For example, antimony and certain rare earth elements used in glass manufacture were found at elevated levels in sludge from Corning, New York. Various volatile N-nitrosamines were found in all of the sludges in trace amounts. Gamma emission levels were relatively low in all sludges. One-third of the sludges would be classified as unsuitable for agricultural land application based on presently suggested federal guidelines for acceptable heavy metal or PCB concentrations in sludges. The question of the application of sludge to agricultural land is discussed.
Kinetic Analysis of the Phenyl-Shift Reaction in β-O-4 Lignin Model Compounds: A Computational Study

The phenyl-shift reaction for the β-radical of phenethyl phenyl ether (PhCH2ĊHOPh, β-PPE) is an integral step in the pyrolysis of PPE, which is a model compound for the β-O-4 linkage in lignin. We investigated the influence of natural occurring substituents (hydroxy, methoxy) on the reaction rate by calculating relative rate constants using density functional theory in combination with transition state theory, including anharmonic correction for low-frequency modes. The phenyl-shift reaction proceeds through an oxaspiro[2.5]octadienyl radical intermediate and the overall rate constants were computed invoking the steady-state approximation (its validity was confirmed). Substituents on the phenethyl ring have only little influence on the rate constants. If a methoxy substituent is located in the para position of the phenyl ring adjacent to the ether oxygen, the energies of the intermediate and second transition state are lowered, but the overall rate constant is not significantly altered. This is a conseque...
Skin sensitivity to thermal stimuli.

Abstract Distribution patterns of cutaneous thermal sensitivity in human subjects were studied by mapping large areas of skin with stimulators the tip temperatures and diameters of which were controlled. The maps show that skin sensitivity to cold and warm stimuli is distributed in the form of large sensory fields rather than isolated “spots.” These sensory fields have a variety of sizes and shapes. Generally, they consist of highly sensitive areas, ranging in size from 6 cm 2 to spot-like peaks, surrounded by larger, less sensitive regions. Moreover, there are persistent fluctuations of thermal sensitivity in successive maps of the same area of skin. Fluctuation usually took two forms: marked changes primarily at the boundaries of the sensory fields; and “fragmentation” and “coalescence” of the fields themselves. It was also observed that small, warm stimuli produce frequent reports of pricking, stinging sensations at temperatures that evoke pleasant warmth when applied normally to large areas of skin. This observation suggests that the spatial properties of warm stimuli play an important role in determining the quality of cutaneous experience.
The moral significance of the material culture

Ethics as a philosophical discipline has always been preoccupied with theory to the detriment of practice and the exclusion of material culture. Lately, practice has been rehabilitated, but material culture continues to be ignored. Cultural critics and sociologists have attended to it but have also refrained from a moral assessment of it. The findings of Csikszentmihalyi and Rochberg‐Halton, however, reflect two kinds of cultural realities that sponsor two kinds of conduct. The first kind, represented by musical instruments, I call commanding reality. It invites social and physical engagement and provides orientation within the world. The second kind, exemplified by stereos, consists of consumable commodities and conduces to a life of distraction and disorientation. I conclude that ethics is not just a matter of conduct within whatever reality but of deciding which kind of reality we favor over the other. My plea is on behalf of commanding reality. Modern philosophy has been at two removes from the real w...
Clinical implications of sex in acute temporomandibular disorders

ABSTRACT Background Previous research on temporomandibular disorders, or TMDs, has been somewhat limited, with studies having low numbers of subjects, restricting the focus to women or looking at patients already diagnosed with chronic TMD. Because early intervention is beneficial, it is important to understand the symptoms that men and women have in the acute stage of TMD. Methods A total of 233 patients (161 women, 72 men) with acute TMD symptoms were assessed with a battery of biopsychosocial measures. Patients were diagnosed as having TMD on the basis of research diagnostic criteria, or RDC, for TMD. After six months, patients were reassessed to determine whether they continued to have pain, thus classifying them as having chronic TMD. The authors found that 153 patients (47 men, 106 women) had developed a chronic condition, while 80 patients (25 men, 55 women) no longer reported pain (nonchronic). Results Female and male patients who developed chronic TMD differed significantly from patients who had acute symptoms that subsided. Women who developed chronic TMD exhibited significantly more psychosocial distress and impairment than women who did not develop chronic TMD, in terms of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition, or DSM-IV, diagnoses; Beck Depression Inventory, or BDI, scores; Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory scores; Multidimensional Pain Inventory, or MPI, scores; and physical and psychological measures assessed with the RDC for TMD. Men who developed chronic TMD differed significantly from men who did not develop chronic TMD, in that they exhibited more impairment in terms of DSM-IV diagnoses and BDI and RDC measures. Conclusions These findings provide evidence that significant differences exist between men and women in regard to acute TMD symptoms. Clinical Implications The biopsychosocial differences between men and women suggest that some treatments may be more beneficial for women than for men.
Therapeutic Alliance With Youth in Residential Care: Challenges and Recommendations

The therapeutic alliance has consistently been shown to be a strong predictor of therapy outcome across theoretical orientations, presenting problems, and modes of treatments in youth (Shirk & Karver, 2003; Shirk, Karver, & Brown, 2011). As the intensity of treatment increases from outpatient to inpatient to residential, the difficulty in alliance formation also increases. Multiple factors can affect a youth’s ability to form an alliance in a residential facility. Internal factors, such as the youth’s psychopathology and temperament, may play a role. Familial factors, including abuse or neglect are common. Community factors, such as being removed from the home, could play a part. Institutional factors, including moving from a lower level to a higher level of treatment, could be another piece of the puzzle. Therapist factors may also play a role.
Application of adeno-associated viral vectors in behavioral research.

Viral vectors afford the capability of genetically manipulating the expression of neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, hormones, and their receptors in specific brain sites of adult animals of any species. Hence, they are a powerful tool for investigating the neurochemistry underlying complex cognitive processes and behaviors. Here we discuss how the recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) can be engineered for use in neurobehavioral studies, techniques for site-specific delivery of vector into the brain, characterization of expression profiles, and biosafety issues. Finally, we discuss issues of experimental design and interpretation of behavioral results in viral vector studies.
enList: Automatically Simplifying Privacy Policies

Online social networking sites have become extremely popular. Due to the pervasiveness of these sites, it is important to provide tools that allow users to specify detailed policies controlling access to their data. However, the policies specified using existing tools are often complex, verbose, and difficult to understand. In this paper, we study the policy simplification problem. Given a complex or verbose policy, our goal is to automatically produce an equivalent policy that is easier to understand. We propose a novel framework called enList, which automatically extracts friend "lists" (semantically meaningful subgroups of a user's friends) and then simplifies an existing policy using the lists. A laboratory-based user study confirms that the resulting policies are easier for users to comprehend, remember, and maintain than the policies produced by an existing recommendation tool.
Properties of Osteoconductive Biomaterials: Calcium Phosphates

Bone is formed by a series of complex events involving the mineralization of extracellular matrix proteins rigidly orchestrated by cells with specific functions of maintaining the integrity of the bone. Bone, similar to other calcified tissues, is an intimate composite of the organic (collagen and noncollagenous proteins) and inorganic or mineral phases. The bone mineral idealized as calcium hydroxyapatite, Ca10 (PO4)(6)(OH)2, is a carbonatehydroxyapatite, approximated by the formula: (Ca,X)(10)(PO4,HPO4,CO3)(6)(OH,Y)2, where X are cations (magnesium, sodium, strontium ions) that can substitute for the calcium ions, and Y are anions (chloride or fluoride ions) that can substitute for the hydroxyl group. The current author presents a brief review of CaP biomaterials that now are used as grafts for bone repair, augmentation, or substitution. Commercially-available CaP biomaterials differ in origin (natural or synthetic), composition (hydroxyapatite, beta-tricalcium phosphate, and biphasic CaP), or physical forms (particulates, blocks, cements, coatings on metal implants, composites with polymers), and in physicochemical properties. CaP biomaterials have outstanding properties: similarity in composition to bone mineral; bioactivity (ability to form bone apatitelike material or carbonate hydroxyapatite on their surfaces), ability to promote cellular function and expression leading to formation of a uniquely strong bone-CaP biomaterial interface; and osteoconductivity (ability to provide the appropriate scaffold or template for bone formation). In addition, CaP biomaterials with appropriate three-dimensional geometry are able to bind and concentrate endogenous bone morphogenetic proteins in circulation, and may become osteoinductive (capable of osteogenesis), and can be effective carriers of bone cell seeds. Therefore, CaP biomaterials potentially are useful in tissue engineering for regeneration of hard tissues.
Polyculture production of juvenile fishes for survival in nature

Production of seed for stock enhancement projects requires consideration of the behavioural quality of the animals to be released in the wild. Our approach to improving behavioural quality of hatchery fish is to raise them in polyculture with the plants or animals that fish normally utilize as shelter in nature. Results suggest that such ‘naturalized’ systems provide a broad improvement in behaviour as both predator avoidance and feeding skills were improved relative to control hatchery fish. In addition fish in a naturalized system grew better and were more tolerant of stress than were fish reared by traditional hatchery methods. We hypothesize that the spatial heterogeneity of our ‘naturalized’ systems provided training in both hiding and seeking and that these activities improved feed conversion and stress tolerance.
Developmental Reversals in False Memory: A New Look at the Reliability of Children’s Evidence

Classic research that was initiated in response to heavy reliance on children’s evidence in certain types of criminal cases showed that the incidence of false memories declines steadily between childhood and young adulthood. This developmental decline pattern became the centerpiece of much expert testimony, and it has been treated as settled science in court rulings. It is not settled science. A large number of studies have recently appeared on developmental reversals, an opposite pattern in which false memories for events that preserve the gist of experience increase dramatically between early childhood and young adulthood. Developmental reversals challenge the forensic principle that children’s evidence is inherently more infected with false memories than adults’ evidence.
The Relationship Between Serum Calcitonin and Calcium in the Hemodialysis Patient

An increase in the serum calcium level is known to stimulate calcitonin secretion, but whether calcitonin contributes to calcium regulation in the dialysis patient is not known. Because we recently observed in the rat that (1) a sigmoidal calcitonin-calcium curve was present, and (2) calcitonin stimulation decreased the calcemic response to parathyroid hormone (PTH), the relationship between serum calcitonin and calcium was studied in six hemodialysis patients. To evaluate both the calcitonin-calcium and PTH-calcium relationships, hemodialysis with a low-calcium dialysate (2 mg/dL) was performed and followed 1 week later by hemodialysis with a high-calcium dialysate (8 mg/dL). The calcitonin-calcium relationship was best represented as a sigmoidal curve that was opposite in direction to the PTH-calcium curve. The range of the calcitonin-calcium curve was less than the PTH-calcium curve; as a percent of maximal, the minimal calcitonin was higher than the minimal PTH, 61% ± 5% versus 26% ± 4% ( P P = 0.01). Finally, a significant correlation was observed between basal and maximal calcitonin ( r = 0.99, P
Corn Seeds Affected by Heavy Cosmic Ray Particles

Corn seeds of a special genetic stock were recovered from two satellite flights and the plants grown from them were examined for abnor malities. Some evidence for a slight increase in chromosomal deletions was observed, which was predicted from the flux of heavy cosmic ray primary particles. Nothing unexpected was observed.
Speed analyses of stimulus equivalence.

Abstract The functional substitutability of stimuli in equivalence classes was examined through analyses of the speed of college students' accurate responding. After training subjects to respond to 18 conditional relations, subjects' accuracy and speed of accurate responding were compared across trial types (baseline, symmetry, transitivity, and combined transitivity and symmetry) and nodal distance (one- through five-node transitive and combined transitive and symmetric relations). Differences in accuracy across nodal distance and trial type were significant only on the first tests of equivalence, whereas differences in speed were significant even after extended testing. Response speed was inversely related to the number of nodes on which the tested relations were based. Significant differences in response speed were also found across trial types, except between transitivity and combined trials. To determine the generality of these comparisons, three groups of subjects were included: An instructed group was given an instruction that specified the interchangeability of stimuli related through training; a queried group was queried about the basis for test-trial responding: and a standard group was neither instructed nor queried. There were no significant differences among groups. These results suggest the use of response speed and response accuracy to measure the strength of matching relations.
The Possessor's Agency: Private Art Collecting in the Colonial Andes

In 1797 a woman named Maria Angela Cachicatari commissioned an accounting of her estate from a scribe in the city of Puno, Peru. Located on the western shores of Lake Titicaca, Puno was the colonia...
Risk and Corporate Rates of Return: Reply

Abstract : The report expands a previously reported viewpoint and presents some further empirical evidence about risk, other influences on profits and average rates of return. (Author)
SU‐D‐17A‐07: Development and Evaluation of a Prototype Ultrasonography Respiratory Monitoring System for 4DCT Reconstruction

Purpose: Respiratory motion artifacts are commonly seen in the abdominal and thoracic CT images. A Real-time Position Management (RPM) system is integrated with CT simulator using abdominal surface as a surrogate for tracking the patient respiratory motion. The respiratory-correlated four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) is then reconstructed by GE advantage software. However, there are still artifacts due to inaccurate respiratory motion detecting and sorting methods. We developed an Ultrasonography Respiration Monitoring (URM) system which can directly monitor diaphragm motion to detect respiratory cycles. We also developed a new 4DCT sorting and motion estimation method to reduce the respiratory motion artifacts. The new 4DCT system was compared with RPM and the GE 4DCT system. Methods: Imaging from a GE CT scanner was simultaneously correlated with both the RPM and URM to detect respiratory motion. A radiation detector, Blackcat GM-10, recorded the X-ray on/off and synchronized with URM. The diaphragm images were acquired with Ultrasonix RP system. The respiratory wave was derived from diaphragm images and synchronized with CT scanner. A more precise peaks and valleys detection tool was developed and compared with RPM. The motion is estimated for the slices which are not in the predefined respiratory phases by using block matchingmore » and optical flow method. The CT slices were then sorted into different phases and reconstructed, compared with the images reconstructed from GE Advantage software using respiratory wave produced from RPM system. Results: The 4DCT images were reconstructed for eight patients. The discontinuity at the diaphragm level due to an inaccurate identification of phases by the RPM was significantly improved by URM system. Conclusion: Our URM 4DCT system was evaluated and compared with RPM and GE 4DCT system. The new system is user friendly and able to reduce motion artifacts. It also has the potential to monitor organ motion during therapy.« less
Experience with Urogenital Reconstruction of Ischiopagus Conjoined Twins

AbstractPurpose: Ischiopagus conjoined twins are joined at the lower chest or abdomen down to the pelvis. We review our experience with such patients at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.Materials and Methods: Six sets of ischiopagus twins were separated and their treatment is discussed. In addition, reports on 36 sets of ischiopagus twins are reviewed.Results: If a shared bladder is present, 1 twin retains it while the other receives a temporary urinary drainage system. Later, the twin without a bladder undergoes reconstruction to create a continent catheterizable pouch. When 4 kidneys are present the opposite ureter is reimplanted or crossed with transureteroureterostomy. Twins with 2 sets of genitalia can usually undergo separation and reconstruction appropriately. Occasionally single external genitalia are present and secondary reconstructive genitoplasty is required.Conclusions: Multiple staged genital reconstructions are required but with proper planning satisfactory outcomes will result.
Fitting of Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory to measured microwave conductivity of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 films

Ajustement de l'expression BCS du couplage faible, dans la limite locale et avec un libre parcours moyen fini des porteurs de charge, aux mesures des parties reelles et imaginaire de la conductivite micro-onde. En-dessous de T c , on evoque un modele de milieu effectif pour decrire un melange des regions d'etat normal et supraconducteur
Socioeconomic Status and Behavior Problems: Addressing the Context for School Safety

Violence in the schools is a fundamental concern for students, educators and communities as they collectively address issues that make schools safer. A longitudinal analysis of disciplinary referrals was conducted with a large countywide school district to measure differences across socioeconomic status and school level. These variables proved to be critical in identifying and targeting schools that may need to be the focus of prevention and intervention efforts. Other suggestions related to the effects of school violence on academic instruction and methods for the targeting of services are discussed along with implications for educators and mental health professionals in school based settings.
Prazosin as cause of urinary incotinence

Abstract A case is described in which urinary incotinence developed in a patient on prazosin hydrochloride. Prazosin hydrochloride depressed the urethral pressure profile by selectively blocking the postsynaptic alpha-adrenoceptors in the proximal urethra. Older hypertensive women are particularly susceptible to development of urinary incotinence. Precuation should be exercised in prescribing this new drug in these patients.
Depression: "vicious" or variable?

Although Joiner (this issue) has offered an important and original article, with much that merits attention and praise, we are concerned about the degree to which the manuscript dramatizes the persistence and recurrence of major depressive disorder. Our view of the literature is that it suggests a much more variable course of depression, with some individuals experiencing persistent and/or recurrent episodes, others recovering rapidly from single episodes, with every point between these two extremes also represented. We argue that, for both scientific and political reasons, it is important not to overemphasize one end of this dimension, but rather to search for explanatory concepts that capture the full range of depressive experience.
Transformation fingerprint: induced STAT3-C, v-Src and Ha-Ras cause small initial changes but similar established profiles in mRNA

Transformation fingerprint: induced STAT3-C, v-Src and Ha-Ras cause small initial changes but similar established profiles in mRNA
Hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier induces hepatic heme oxygenase 1 expression in Kupffer cells.

Background Kupffer cells (liver macrophages) are a key initiator of inflammation following hepatic insults such as infection, ischemia/reperfusion, and rejection. Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) is protective against inflammatory injury. A hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier (HBOC) has been shown to prevent organ inflammation from hemorrhagic shock as well as induce HO-1 at the cellular level. Therefore, we hypothesize that HBOC can induce Kupffer cell HO-1 production. Methods Mice administered 20% blood volume HBOC or saline intravenously were sacrificed at 0, 12, 24, 48 hours (n = 4-6/group). Hepatic protein underwent Western blotting for HO-1 and heat shock protein 72. Hepatic frozen sections underwent immunofluorescent staining for HO-1/CD68. Results Following HBOC injection, hepatic HO-1 fold change peaked at 12 hours (7.3 ± 0.8) (p Conclusion HBOC induces hepatic HO-1 expression in Kupffer cells without heat shock protein response. These data provide the basis for further investigation into a clinical therapy to induce Kupffer cell HO-1 expression with the goal of attenuating the hepatic immunoresponse to various insults.
Multiconformational Surfaces in Porphyrins: Previews into Excited-State Landscapes

The crystal structures of four different conformers of the sterically encumbered porphyrins ZnDPP, H2DPP, and NiDPP are reported (DPP = 2,3,5,7,8,10,12,13,15,17,18,20-dodecaphenylporphyrin). In com...
NEUROFIBROMATOSIS IN CHILDREN

The literature suggests that the presence of 2 of the following is necessary to diagnose neurofibromatosis (NFT): 5 or more cafe au lait spots > 0.5 cm. in diameter, positive family history or biopsy-proven neurofibromas. Fifty-one children seen between 1952 and 1972 at Columbus Children's Hospital meet these criteria. Eighty-six percent showed neurofibromas, 53% had a positive family history and 80% showed cafe au lait spots. Although 22% showed cafe au lait spots at birth only 50% of the cases had been diagnosed by age 5. Fifty-five percent had bone abnormalities primarily kyphoscoliosis. Seven of these patients required surgical correction. Twenty-five percent had facial neurofibromas and showed gross facial asymmetry. Other significant findings include mental retardation in 16%, developmental defects notably growth retardation and delayed sexual development in 22%. Involvement of renal arteries was noted in one patient and an ovarian teratoma and sarcoma in 2 others. Recognition of the diagnosis of NFT early would allow genetic counseling, attention to complications such as skeletal and growth difficulties, and surveillance for tumors.
Glu11 Site Cleavage and N-Terminally Truncated Aβ Production upon BACE Overexpression†

Amyloid beta peptides (A beta) are generated by the proteolytic processing of the amyloid beta precursor protein (APP). The newly identified beta-site APP-cleaving enzyme (BACE) cleaves APP at Asp1 as well as between Tyr10 and Glu11 of A beta, producing C-terminal fragments (CTFs) C99 and C89, respectively. Subsequent cleavage by gamma-secretase gives rise to A beta 1-40/42 and A beta 11-40/42. Although both full-length and A beta peptides truncated at residue 11 have been identified in amyloid plaques in the AD brain, the relative proportion of these two cleavage products produced by BACE and secreted into the medium by cultured cells is unknown. Using cell lines stably overexpressing BACE, we found that A beta 11-40 and A beta 11-42 are major A beta cleavage products generated by BACE. We further showed that BACE utilizes both full-length APP as well as C99 as substrates for the production of C89, and that A beta 11-40/42 can be generated by sequential cleavage of single APP molecules by BACE and gamma-secretase. Taken together, the abundance of A beta 11-40/42 produced by BACE suggests that their roles in AD pathogenesis may be underestimated.
The Effects of Schema-Based Instruction on the Proportional Thinking of Students With Mathematics Difficulties With and Without Reading Difficulties

This study examined the effect of schema-based instruction (SBI) on the proportional problem-solving performance of students with mathematics difficulties only (MD) and students with mathematics and reading difficulties (MDRD). Specifically, we examined the responsiveness of 260 seventh grade students identified as MD or MDRD to a 6-week treatment (SBI) on measures of proportional problem solving. Results indicated that students in the SBI condition significantly outperformed students in the control condition on a measure of proportional problem solving administered at posttest (g = 0.40) and again 6 weeks later (g = 0.42). The interaction between treatment group and students' difficulty status was not significant, which indicates that SBI was equally effective for both students with MD and those with MDRD. Further analyses revealed that SBI was particularly effective at improving students' performance on items related to percents. Finally, students with MD significantly outperformed students with MDRD on all measures of proportional problem solving. These findings suggest that interventions designed to include effective instructional features (e.g., SBI) promote student understanding of mathematical ideas.
A rapid inspection of atomic interference using superfluorescent picosecond pulses

The conventional method to measure atomic interference is usually based on incoherent processes which can be scaled by nano or microseconds. However, atomic interference may be studied in association with coherent process such as superfluorescence. Producing superfluorescent picosecond pulses in 87Rb vapor pumped by ∼100 fs laser pulses, we report an observation of quantum beat due to D-lines. The relative delay of the superfluorescent pulses is measured by the streak camera with picosecond time resolution, as a function of time interval between input pulses, which also enables us to study atomic interference.
Computer Simulation of the Sintering of Two Spheres

The early sphere on plate and two-sphere sintering models assumed single mechanisms and predicted specific neck radius and linear shrinkage dependencies on isothermal sintering time [1–7]. It gecame apparent that in many circumstances more than a single mechanism would be operative, and the observed time dependence of neck growth and shrinkage would be altered [5]. A method of analyzing initial sintering of spheres under conditions that grain boundary, volume and surface diffusion were occurring simultaneously was proposed and has proven successful for the investigation of sintering of spherical metallic particles with a narrow size distribution. A computer program was written which simulated sintering behavior which compared quite favorably with experimental data [8]. The following is a discussion of the model and its early successes.
Dissecting sub-epicardial hematoma: challenges to surgical management

A 67-year-old man developed a large dissecting sub-epicardial hematoma of his heart following a percutaneous coronary interventional procedure. While undergoing a dilatation of in-stent restenosis of a saphenous vein graft to the diagonal artery, he developed an anastomotic perforation that lead to a large sub-epicardial hematoma that sheared of all the epicardial vessels from the underlying myocardium. Emergent surgery was performed as he began to evolve a large myocardial infarction. Evacuation of the hematoma and gluing back of the epicardium was the only operation possible due to the complexity of the problem. Deteriorating hemodynamics post-operatively led to the placement of a percutaneous ventricular assist device despite which he succumbed. This case report is intended to alert the surgical community to such a rare complication of aggressive percutaneous intervention, difficulty in establishing an accurate diagnosis and repairing the sub-epicardial dissecting hematoma.
Simulation study of Time-Average-Frequency based clock signal driving systems with embedded Digital-to-Analog Converters

The Flying Adder (FA) architecture is one of the latest developments in the area of on-chip frequency synthesis. It has two operating modes: integer-FA mode and fractional FA mode. In the fractional FA mode, a concept of Time-Average-Frequency is used to synthesize certain frequencies that cannot be easily obtained using traditional methods. The issue of using Time-Average-Frequency to drive digital systems has been studied in previous publications by the authors. In this paper, we investigate the impact of using Time-Average-Frequency based clock signals to drive systems with embedded Digital-to-Analog Converters (DAC).
Displacement Vector Fields

So far we have discussed the problem how displacement vectors (DV) can be determined at single points in the image. Now we turn to the question how a continuous displacement vector field (DVF) can be estimated. The idea is to collect the sparse velocity information obtained with the local operations discussed in the last chapter and to compose it into a consistent picture of the motion in the scene observed.
A prototype for an advanced command language

The traditional view of command languages seems to be that, although they are the user's principal interface to an interactive computing environment, they serve merely as a medium for the invocation of other programs and, as such, do not deserve the same level of attention given to programming languages. It seems an axiom that command languages are destined to be opaque, irregular and awkward to use. It is our feeling, however, that because of their central involvement in the use of a computer system, command languages should be powerful, concise and regular; in short, aids to the user in his interaction with the system rather than obstacles to be overcome.In this paper we discuss a prototype for an advanced command language designed to facilitate the use of the computer as a tool by incorporating features that we have found useful in day-to-day experience: uniform invocation of system commands, user programs and command files; easy interconnection of programs, encouraging reusable, functional modules; variables and control structures; and dynamic command line facilities.Many of the concepts found herein are adapted from existing systems, notably the Multics [1] and UNIX [2] operating systems, while the underlying philosophy of computers and programs as tools is inspired by the book Software Tools, by Brian W. Kernighan and P. J. Plauger [3].
Nutrients, oxygen dynamics, stable isotopes and fatty acid concentrations of a freshwater tidal system, Washington, D.C.

The Anacostia River in Washington, D.C., USA is an urban waterway contaminated with PAHs, PCBs, metals and sewage. Although several studies have examined the heavy metal geochemistry within the river, no studies have examined basic biogeochemical processes within the Anacostia river system. This study examines nutrients, bacterial biomarkers, organic material, and carbon, nitrogen and sulfur sources in the system. High biological oxygen demand and low nitrogen (0.33–0.56 mg L−1) and phosphorus (0.014–0.021 mg L−1) concentrations were observed in three areas of the river. Downstream sites had higher nutrient concentrations and dissolved organic matter (up to 13.7 mg L−1). Odd-chain length and branched fatty acids (FAs) in the sediments indicated bacterial sources, but long chain FAs indicative of terrestrial primary production were also abundant in some sediments. Sediment carbon stable isotope analyses showed a mix of autochthonous and allochthonous derived materials, but most carbon was derived from terrestrial sources (−23.3 to −31.7‰). Sediment nitrogen stable isotopes ranged from −5.4 to 5.6‰, showing nitrate uptake by plants and also recycling of nitrogen within the river. Sulfur sources were generally between 3 and −5‰, reflecting local sulfate sources and anaerobic sulfate reduction.
Design of object-oriented simulations in C++

An object-oriented simulation (OOS) consisting of a set of object classes written in C++ can be used to create simulation models and packages. The simulations built with these tools possess the benefits of an object-oriented design, including the use of encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, run-time binding, and parameterized typing. These concepts are illustrated by creating a set of object frames which encapsulate simulation requirements. Simulation modeling is contained within a set of modeling frameworks. A network queuing simulation language is developed which has several notable features not available in other non-OOS languages. OOS provides full accessibility to the base language, faster executions, portable models and executables, a multi-vendor programming language, and a growing variety of complementary development tools.
Enzymatic transition states, transition-state analogs, dynamics, thermodynamics, and lifetimes.

Experimental analysis of enzymatic transition-state structures uses kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) to report on bonding and geometry differences between reactants and the transition state. Computational correlation of experimental values with chemical models permits three-dimensional geometric and electrostatic assignment of transition states formed at enzymatic catalytic sites. The combination of experimental and computational access to transition-state information permits (a) the design of transition-state analogs as powerful enzymatic inhibitors, (b) exploration of protein features linked to transition-state structure, (c) analysis of ensemble atomic motions involved in achieving the transition state, (d) transition-state lifetimes, and (e) separation of ground-state (Michaelis complexes) from transition-state effects. Transition-state analogs with picomolar dissociation constants have been achieved for several enzymatic targets. Transition states of closely related isozymes indicate that the protein's...
Can diet in conjunction with stress reduction affect the rate of increase in prostate specific antigen after biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer

Purpose: Epidemiological and laboratory evidence indicates that a Western diet is associated with an increased incidence of prostate cancer. Specific components of the diet, such as high saturated fat, low fiber and high meat content, may have greatest clinical significance in the later stages of tumor promotion and progression. However, departure from the conventional diet is difficult to initiate and maintain. Therefore, we combined the well-known Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program with a low saturated fat, high-fiber, plant-based diet to determine the effect on the rate of change in prostate specific antigen (PSA) in patients with biochemical recurrence after prostatectomy.Materials and Methods: We enrolled 10 men and their partners in a 4-month group-based diet and MBSR intervention. A pre-study post-study design in which each subject served as his own control was used to compare the rate of increase in and doubling time of PSA before and after intervention.Results: The rate of PSA incr...
CEO-Director Connections and Corporate Fraud

We study the propensity of firms to commit financial fraud using a sample of SEC enforcement actions from 2000 to 2006. Controlling for year effects, Fama-French 48-industry effects, and several firm characteristics, we find a significant relation between fraud probability and CEO-board connectedness. The nature of this relation depends on the institutional origin of the connection. While nonprofessional connectedness due to shared educational and non-business antecedents increase fraud probability, professional connections formed due to common prior employment decrease fraud. The positive effects of professional connectedness are pronounced only when individuals share prior service as executives. The impact of professional-connections persist after the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act while nonprofessional connections lose significance after SOX. Our results suggest that social ties matter and they can have very different effects depending on the institutional context in which the ties are formed. The results support a “collaborative board” perspective in which directors are not merely monitors but also provide advice and counsel to CEOs.
Biotic Interactivity between Grazers and Plants: Relationships Contributing to Atmospheric Boundary Layer Dynamics

Abstract During 1987 and 1988 First ISLSCP (International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project) Field Experiment (FIFE) studies conducted in the tallgrass prairie of central Kansas, variations in ungulate grazing intensity produced a patchy spatial and temporal distribution of remaining vegetation. Equally variable plant regrowth patterns contributed further to a broad array of total primary production that resulted in a pronounced mosaic of grazing impacts. This regrowth potential, derived from a relative growth rate (RGR) equation comparing ungrazed and grazed plants, determines much of the ecosystem dynamics within and among the grazed pastures and between years. Rates of change in new plant growth (ΔRGRg) ranged from −100% to +40%; however, 78% of the time in 1987 and 71% in 1988, productivity increased as a function of grazing intensity. Since plant growth potential in ungrazed (RGRug) and grazed systems (RGRg) have inherently different attributes, interactions with the abiotic environment may ...
Spectral-domain analysis of circular patch frequency selective surfaces

A computationally efficient method is presented for analyzing the scattering from frequency selective surfaces (FSS) comprised of circular metal patches. The formulation is carried out in the spectral domain where the convolution form of the integral equation for the induced current reduces to an algebraic one and the spectral-Galerkin technique is used to solve the resulting equation. Entire-domain basis functions that satisfy the edge condition are introduced to expand the unknown induced current on the metal patches. Calculated results using this procedure show good agreement with data reported by other authors.
Techniques for enhancing real-time CORBA quality of service

End-to-end predictability of remote operations is essential for many fixed-priority distributed real-time and embedded (DRE) applications, such as command and control systems, manufacturing process control systems, large-scale distributed interactive simulations, and testbeam data acquisition systems. To enhance predictability, the Real-time CORBA specification defines standard middleware features that allow applications to allocate, schedule, and control key CPU, memory, and networking resources necessary to ensure end-to-end quality of service support. This paper provides two contributions to the study of Real-time CORBA middleware for DRE applications. First, we identify potential problems with ensuring predictable behavior in conventional middleware by examining the end-to-end critical code path of a remote invocation and identifying sources of unbounded priority inversions. Experimental results then illustrate how the problems we identify can yield unpredictable behavior in conventional middleware platforms. Second, we present design techniques for ensuring real-time quality of service in middleware. We show how middleware can be redesigned to use nonmultiplexed resources to eliminate sources of unbounded priority inversion. The empirical results in this paper are conducted using TAO, which is widely used and open-source DRE middleware compliant with the Real-time CORBA specification.
Immobilized catalase: Deactivation and reactor stability

The quasi-steady behavior of a continuous flow reactor in which hydrogen peroxide is decomposed by immobilized catalase is investigated. Under certain conditions, reactors involving such substrate-inhibited, self-poisoning reactions are susceptible to sudden failure and the reactor moves catastrophically from high- to low-conversion quasi-steady states. This exchange-of-steady-states phenomenon is examined in the light of experimental evidence for the enzyme catalase from bovine liver.
An Evanescent-mode Cavity Resonator Based Thermal Sensor

This paper reports the use of an evanescent-mode cavity resonator as a temperature sensor. The frequency loading is achieved by a capacitive post in the center of the cavity confining the electric field in a small volume. The resonant frequency of a loaded evanescent-mode cavity is related to the capacitance of the loading mechanism. As a sensing mechanism, a rectangular array of thermally actuated bilayered microcantilever beams on a silicon substrate has been fabricated using conventional microfabrication processes and placed inside the resonator. A temperature change causes the microcantilevers to deflect, changing the parasitic capacitance of the cavity and hence the resonant frequency of the resonator. Loaded microwave cavities have been fabricated using a layer by layer stereolithographic process and then metallized. The Si hosting the cantilevers is attached to the cavity. The resonant frequency of the sensor is monitored as a function of temperature and varies from 11.34 GHz at room temperature to 12 GHz at 90degC. At room temperature, the sensor has a temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) of 0.029%/degC.
Convertible debt issuance, capital structure change and financing-related information: Some new evidence

This paper provides evidence on the valuation effects of convertible debt issuance. Common stockholders earn significant negative abnormal returns at the initial announcement of a convertible debt offering, and also at the issuance date. In contrast, the average valuation effect on common stock at the announcement of non-convertible debt offerings is only marginally negative, and is zero at issuance. The significant negative average effect on common stock value appears not to be systematically related to either the degree of leverage change induced by the convertible debt issuance or the extent to which the proceeds from issuance are used for new investment or to refinance existing debt. If, as appears likely, the issuance of convertible debt on average increases financial leverage, these results are inconsistent with evidence from other recent studies documenting common stock price effects of the same sign as the change in leverage. The evidence suggests that convertible debt offerings convey unfavorable information about the issuing firms, but the specific nature of such information remains unidentified.
Genetic evolution of neural networks that remember

The GENDALC system has been previously used to evolve NN topologies for natural language tasks. This paper presents results on additional tasks that require remembering and processing of previous input patterns. These results indicate that GENDALC is particularly well suited for tasks that require remembering.