cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Impact of the War on Pacific Coast Paper Distributors

IN THESE times of war borne change in our economic structure and a questioning attitude as to the essentiality of the various functions in our distributive system, the wholesale distributor sometimes hears his function spoken of as superfluous. This discussion concerns itself with the wholesale paper trade on the Pacific Coast, and endeavors to show by illustrations drawn from one particular industry how vital the distributor can be, how essential is his part in the war effort, and how great are his wartime sacrifices.
Antibody response to Asian influenza vaccination in man.

SummaryThe route of administration, either intradermal, subcutaneous, or intramuscular, did not significantly affect the antibody response following Asian influenza vaccination. Antibody titers produced were proportional to the total amount of vaccine inoculated whether given as a single dose or divided into 2 injections separated by an interval of 3 weeks. Hemagglutination-inhibition antibody titers in post-vaccinal sera were greater when determined with the TC and EFME lines of Asian virus than with early or later passages of the straight E line. Neutralization titers with the TC line in monkey cultures were considerably greater than those determined with the E lines in the allantoic sac. The geometric mean hemagglutination-inhibition antibody titer of a large group of postinfluenzal sera was used as the baseline for evaluation of antibody response to vaccine by using the same virus line and method of in-activation of non-specific inhibitor in sera in both cases.
Synthesis and Characterization of Photocurable Polyionic Hydrogels

In this study we describe preparation of polyionic hydrogels based on PEGylated polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) with varied chain length (MW=1500, 6000, or 12000) was first conjugated to the Starburst™ G3.0 PAMAM dendrimer to form stealth dendrimers. The free hydroxyl group of PEG was further converted to an acrylate group using acrolyl chloride and triethylamine. The conjugation was characterized with 1H-NMR. The loading degree of PEG on the dendrimer surface was estimated by using both the ninhydrin assay and 1H-NMR. Hydrogel formation was realized by subjecting dendrimer-PEG acrylate to UV exposure for a brief period of time at the presence of Eosin Y, triethanolamine and 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone. PEGylated G3.0 PAMAM dendrimer served as cross-linking agent to form hydrogels because of its multiple functionalities. The surface charges conferred by terminal groups on the dendrimer surface made the hydrogel polyionic with controllable charge density. This new type of hydrogel has many favorable biological properties such as non toxicity and non immunogenecity and multifunctional ties for a variety of in vivo applications. Current studies have demonstrated feasibility of chemistry and hydrogel formation.
A Cognitive Analysis of QUASAR's Mathematics Performance Assessment Tasks and Their Sensitivity to Measuring Changes in Middle School Students' Thinking and Reasoning

AbstractThis paper presents a conceptual framework for analyzing student responses to open-ended, mathematical assessment tasks. Using this framework, responses to three QUASAR assessment tasks were analyzed. The three tasks assess students' mathematical understanding, reasoning, problem solving, and communication within different content areas. Across administrative occasions, the tasks were administered to students using matrix sampling procedures. Analyses of student responses indicated that the tasks appear to measure the complex thinking and reasoning processes they were designed to assess. Furthermore, the quality of students' solutions improved between administrations, indicating that the tasks are sensitive to measuring changes over time in students' mathematical thinking and reasoning. The results of this study not only suggest the sensitivity of the QUASAR assessment tasks to capturing changes in students' thinking and reasoning, but also suggest the positive impact of the QUASAR project's refor...
Production of eosinophil-rich guinea pig peritoneal exudates.

A variety of methods for production of eosinophil-rich guinea pig peritoneal exudates were tested in order to procure large numbers of purified eosinophils. Repeated peritoneal lavage with saline did not produce peritoneal eosinophilia, nor did intraperitoneal injection of dextran beads. Mast cell degranulating agents polymyxin B and, to a lesser degree, compound 48/80 produced significant peritoneal eosinophilia after 6–8 wk of weekly intraperitoneal injections (p less than or equal to 0.05). After more than 8 wk of treatment a mean of 52.1 x 10(6) eosinophils comprising an average of 62% of the peritoneal exudate cells was recovered from polymyxin B-treated guinea pigs. However, polymyxin B-induced peritoneal eosinophilia was abolished by pretreatment with the antihistamine diphenhydramine. Metiamide, an H2 receptor antagonist, did not block the production of peritoneal eosinophils. This is a highly satisfactory method for preparing peritoneal eosinophils; however, the mechanism of action remains to be clearly elucidated.
Assessing Drought Vulnerability Using a Socioecological Framework

On the Ground Drought is a persistent problem on rangelands and adjusting management to respond appropriately is critical to both preserving natural resources and to maintaining financial viability. We explore the value of using a structured assessment approach to determining both social and ecological vulnerability. This approach allows for the identification of vulnerable ecosystems and business operations at regional and local scales as a basis for developing effective policies and programs.
Associated Negro Press (ANP)

Based in Chicago, ANP was the oldest black newspaper service. Founded in 1919 by Claude A. Barnett, who remained its director until his death, it served an increasing number of newspapers. ANP claimed about 114 subscribers, mostly weeklies, by 1935. Besides news stories and opinion articles, it provided essays as well as book and movie reviews. It also supplied by-lined columns on race relations from key journalists, including William L. Pickens (1881–1954), field secretary of the NAACP. Their contributions articulated African American dignity and demands for civil rights and economic justice. Barnett contributed pieces on the plight of tenant farmers.
Embedded Solenoid Inductors for RF CMOS Power Amplifiers

The fabrication of a surface micromachined, epoxy-embedded, high-Q electroplated inductor, and the simultaneous integration of four of these devices with a foundry-fabricated CMOS RF power amplifier, is described. The embedded nature of these inductors allows conventional handling and packaging of inductor/chip systems without additional consideration for the inductor structure. A 6-turn inductor fabricated on silicon shows a peak Q-factor of 20.5 at 4.5 GHz and an inductance of 2.6nH. To demonstrate the technology, a power amplifier was implemented in a 0.24-µm CMOS foundry technology. Four inductors were integrated on the power amplifier. The resultant system demonstrated a gain of 6.7 dB at 0.8 GHz.
Curling, ripples, dimples: Observations from a condition survey of animation cels

Many animated films of the twentieth century were created using the method based on hand-painted animation cels. Cels are transparent sheets of cellulose nitrate, cellulose acetate, or polyester th...
The King-Devick (K-D) Test of Rapid Eye Movements: A Bedside Correlate of Disability and Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis (IN4-2.004)

OBJECTIVE: We examined the King-Devick (K-D) test as a measure of vision and eye movements in multiple sclerosis (MS), and determined the relation of K-D scores to visual function, quality of life, work disability, and history of optic neuritis (ON). BACKGROUND: Based on rapid number naming and requiring DESIGN/METHODS: Patients with MS and controls completed the K-D test. Scores represent time to read single-digit numbers on 3 cards. Patients completed low-contrast acuity, high-contrast visual acuity (VA), spectral-domain OCT, NEI-VFQ-25, 10-Item Neuro-Ophthalmic Supplement, and MS Functional Composite. RESULTS: In the MS cohort (n=81), K-D scores were higher (worse) than controls (54.7±15.7 vs. 41.2±7.2 seconds, p=0.003 least squares means, adjusting for age). Higher K-D scores in MS were associated with worse scores for vision-specific quality of life (p CONCLUSIONS: The K-D test captures visual dysfunction, neurologic impairment, and quality of life in MS. K-D scores reflect work disability and structural changes by OCT. History of ON and abnormal binocular acuities were associated with worse K-D scores, suggesting that K-D captures afferent and efferent visual components. The K-D test should be considered as a rapid global visual performance measure. Supported by: NEI K24 EY 018136. Disclosure: Dr. Moster has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cutter has received personal compensation for activities with Sanofi-Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cleveland Clinic, Daichi-Sankyo, GlaxoSmithKline Inc., Genmab Biopharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly & Company, Medivation, and Modigenetech. Dr. Cutter has received compensation for serving as the president of Pythagoras, INC. Dr. Cutter has received research support from various pharmaceutical corporations. Dr. Galetta has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec and Teva Neuroscience as a speaker. Dr. Galetta has received research support from Biogen Idec. Dr. Balcer has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec, Questcor, Novartis, and Vaccinex.
Correlating Ballast Volume Deficit with the Development of Track Geometry Exceptions Utilizing Data Science Algorithm

This paper introduces the application of a data science algorithm in analyzing Big Data related to the volume of missing ballast in a track section and the development of track geometry defects. The data intensive algorithms are necessary in order to effectively analyze over 100,000 segments of track representing nearly 1000 miles (1700 km) of data containing over 23,000 track geometry exceptions or defects. The specific analysis tool used was logistic regression, which allowed for modeling a dichotomous output, and this tool was implemented with encouraging results. Missing ballast data was obtained from a hy-rail-mounted LIDAR-based ballast profile measurement system and correlated to track geometry defects that developed along the inspected track locations on a major US class I railroad. Analyses were conducted to provide a determination of the proportion of segments that develop geometry exceptions as a function of missing ballast volume. Parameter studies were performed for curvature and annual millions of gross tons (MGT) as well. The logistic regression analysis was then performed and the resulting model was used to calculate the probability that a given track segment will contain or develop track geometry exceptions. The relationship between an increase in missing or deficient ballast and increased probability of developing a track geometry defect was developed and confirmed.
Sub-nanosecond ground-to-space clock synchronization for nanosatellites using pulsed optical links

Abstract Here we present the design and ground testing for a nanosatellite mission that will demonstrate terrestrial-to-space clock synchronization using a pulsed optical link to a low Earth orbiting nanosatellite. The 1 kg, 1 L nanosatellite payload comprises fully redundant chip-scale atomic clocks, microprocessor-based clock counters, picosecond event timers, and avalanche photodetectors. During flight operations, an experimental satellite laser ranging facility, located at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, will emit nanosecond optical pulses of infrared laser light towards the nanosatellite. By reflecting the emitted pulses off of a retroreflector array mounted on the nadir face of the nanosatellite and returning the pulses back to the ground, the laser ranging facility will record the round-trip light-travel time of the laser pulses. At the same time, one of the avalanche photodetectors will record the arrival time of the pulses at the nanosatellite. By combining these data, the discrepancy between the ground and space clocks can be determined, in addition to the range to the satellite. Laboratory testing of the space instrument indicates a short term time-transfer precision of less than 200 ps, equivalent to a range accuracy of 6 cm. This flight instrument will comprise roughly 1U of a 3U CubeSat mission manifested for launch in the Fall of 2017 through NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative program.
TMOD-09. HUMAN PLURIPOTENT STEM CELL-BASED MODELS OF NEUROBLASTOMA

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a malignant tumor that accounts for ~15% of all pediatric cancer mortality. Nearly half of patients present with high-risk disease that has poor outcome, and the proto-oncogene MYCN is amplified in 45% of high-risk cases. Further, relapsed neuroblastoma demonstrates frequent activation of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, including mutations in tumor suppressor NF1 and epigenetic silencing of the gene. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) represent a valuable tool by which to further dissect the genetic requirements of high-risk NB. Human iPSCs are superior to genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) at capturing the telomere biology and chromosomal landscape of primary human neuroblastoma. Further, they can be genetically manipulated to determine the genetic drivers of the disease. As proof of principle, we first differentiated normal human iPSCs toward trunk neural crest cells (NCC), the putative cells of origin for NB. We subsequently introduced established genetic drivers of NB (MYCN, ALK) and orthotopically implanted the resulting trunk NCCs into the renal capsules of immunocompromised mice. Three months post injection, tumors developed in 60% of MYCN/ALK mice, 10% in MYCN alone, and no tumors developed in ALK alone or empty vector. Tumors were transplantable and expressed markers typically found in NB, while lacking markers of other tumors such as rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, and lymphoma. To show we can use our model to evaluate candidate drivers of NB, we knocked out NF1 in MYCN trunk NCCs using CRISPR/Cas9 and implanted these cells orthotopically in mice. 80% of mice with MYCN/NF1 modified cells developed tumors while NF1 knockout alone did not. Thus, we have generated the first human iPSC model of NB driven by MYCN and have shown the utility of our model in validating cooperating mutations. MH and TZ contributed equally to this work.
Primary graft dysfunction after heart transplantation: Incidence, trends, and associated risk factors.

Changes in heart transplantation (HT) donor and recipient demographics may influence the incidence of primary graft dysfunction (PGD). We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate PGD incidence, trends, and associated risk factors by analyzing consecutive adult patients who underwent HT between January 2009 and December 2014 at our institution. Patients were categorized as having PGD using the International Society for Heart & Lung Transplantation (ISHLT)–defined criteria. Variables, including clinical and demographic characteristics of donors and recipients, were selected to assess their independent association with PGD. A time-trend analysis was performed over the study period. Three-hundred seventeen patients met inclusion criteria. Left ventricular PGD, right ventricular PGD, or both, were observed in 99 patients (31%). Risk factors independently associated with PGD included ischemic time, recipient African American race, and recipient amiodarone treatment. Over the study period, there was no change in the PGD incidence; however, there was an increase in the recipient pretransplantation use of amiodarone. The rate of 30-day mortality was significantly elevated in those with PGD versus those without PGD (6.06% vs 0.92%, P = .01). Despite recent advancements, incidence of PGD remains high. Understanding associated risk factors may allow for implementation of targeted therapeutic interventions.
Exercise is Associated With Increased Small HDL Particle Concentration and Decreased Vascular Stiffness in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

ObjectivePatients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have increased cardiovascular (CV) risk. In the general population, exercise improves several CV risk factors. In a cross-sectional study, we examined the hypothesis that more exercise is associated with protective traditional and non-traditional CV r
Charter School Enrollment Effects: A Review of Results from Recent Large-Scale Studies

Responding to calls for increased accountability regarding performance of students in public schools and concerns over the capacity of public schools to improve outcomes, school choice has become a mainstream and often controversial issue in public education; it is also a priority of the current federal government administration. Given the mixed evidence of effects on academic performance of charter school enrollment, along with the common perception that charter schools fail to meet the needs of special populations of students—including students with disabilities and English language learners (ELLs)—this study examined the performance of these subgroups across traditional public schools and charter schools. Specifically, we reviewed five recent large-scale studies that assess the impact of charter schools on academic performance paying particular attention to how students with disabilities and students identified as ELLs fare in charter schools relative to their peers served in traditional district schools.
Visual Loss and Depression

A 95-year-old woman is brought in by her family for poor vision. She only provides “yes” or “no” answers to questions and seems to have a blunted affect. Her family members report that she has been complaining about her vision being poor “for years” and that the three other ophthalmologists she saw previously had told them she was “just getting older.” She had undergone uncomplicated cataract extraction with intraocular lens placement bilaterally ten years prior. Her previous visual acuity had been 20/25 OU with correction. Over the last few years, however, she had moderate geographic atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium centrally and her vision was now 20/70 OU, but her glasses had not been changed in years. She complained that she was no longer able to read and do her crossword puzzles. The family reported that she seemed more withdrawn recently and was not eating very well. They were concerned that perhaps it was because she could not see her food. She was on no medications and lived in a retirement home.
Improvements in human health through production of human milk proteins in transgenic food plants.

Plants are particularly suitable bioreactors for the production of proteins, as their eu-karyotic nature frequently directs the appropriate post-translational modifications of recombinant proteins to retain native biological activity. The autotrophic growth of plants makes this in vivo biosynthesis system economically competitive for supplementation or replacement of conventional production systems in the future. For the production of biologically active proteins, food plants provide the advantage of direct delivery via consumption of transformed plant tissues. Here we describe the production of recombinant human milk proteins in food plants for improvements in human nutrition and health, with emphasis on enhanced nutrition for non-breast fed infants as well as children and adults. Nutritional improvements in edible plants generated through advancements in recombinant DNA technology are rapidly repositioning the world for enjoyment of a more healthful diet for humans in all age groups.
5-year incidence of thrombocytosis and the effect on heparin dose response and heparin requirements.

Thrombocytosis has been shown to be associated with heparin resistance. Contact activation of platelets results in release of Platelet Factor 4 from alpha granules present in the platelet cytoplasm. Platelet Factor 4 is a cationic substance that neutralizes heparin. This could result in inadequate heparinization during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Inability to adequately anticoagulate patients with thrombocytosis could result in a poor clinical outcome. A retrospective review of pump records from 1991 to 1996 was used to assess the frequency of thrombocytosis, describe the demographic characteristics of patients with thrombocytosis, and determine the effects on patient heparin dose response (HDR) and additional heparin requirements. A platelet count of 400,000/mm3 was chosen as a cut-off for thrombocytosis. Of the 3281 patients undergoing CPB during this time period, a total of 571 patients were included in this review: 99 had high platelet counts. The over-all prevalence of thrombocytosis during this time period was 3.0%. Patients with thrombocytosis tended to be younger (p = .02), have lower preoperative HCT (p 480 sec (p < .05). Multiple linear regression was performed and concluded that age, use of NTG and heparin drip preoperatively, and platelet count were significant predictors of the heparin dose response. Use of plasmapheresis to remove platelet-rich plasma (PRP) before CPB was performed in 22 patients, six of whom had high platelet counts. In these patients, removal of PRP resulted in no difference in the amount of additional heparin required pre-CPB to reach an ACT of 480 sec. (p = NS) Additional studies are needed to determine whether use of plasmapheresis is a cost-effective and clinically useful option in patients with thrombocytosis.
Stochastic Unit Commitment Performance Considering Monte Carlo Wind Power Scenarios

Stochastic versions of the unit commitment problem have been advocated for addressing the uncertainty presented by high levels of wind power penetration. However, little work has been done to study trade-offs between computational complexity and the quality of solutions obtained as the number of probabilistic scenarios is varied. Here, we describe extensive experiments using real publicly available wind power data from the Bonneville Power Administration. Solution quality is measured by re-enacting day-ahead reliability unit commitment (which selects the thermal units that will be used each hour of the next day) and real-time economic dispatch (which determines generation levels) for an enhanced WECC-240 test system in the context of a production cost model simulator; outputs from the simulation, including cost, reliability, and computational performance metrics, are then analyzed. Unsurprisingly, we find that both solution quality and computational difficulty increase with the number of probabilistic scenarios considered. However, we find unexpected transitions in computational difficulty at a specific threshold in the number of scenarios, and report on key trends in solution performance characteristics. Our findings are novel in that we examine these tradeoffs using real-world wind power data in the context of an out-of-sample production cost model simulation, and are relevant for both practitioners interested in deploying and researchers interested in developing scalable solvers for stochastic unit commitment.
Quasi-Chemical Theory with Cluster Sampling from Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics: Fluoride (F-) Anion Hydration.

Accurate predictions of the hydration free energy for anions typically has been more challenging than that for cations. Hydrogen bond donation to the anion in hydrated clusters such as F(H2O)n – ca...
Facebook, body esteem, and body surveillance in adult women: The moderating role of self-compassion and appearance-contingent self-worth.

Abstract This study examined how Facebook use and specific Facebook activities were associated with body esteem and body surveillance in adult women. This study also examined whether self-compassion and appearance-contingent self-worth moderated the relationship between Facebook appearance comparison and body esteem, and the relationship between Facebook appearance comparison and body surveillance. Self-report measures were administered to adult women (N = 232) between the ages of 20 and 72 (M = 35.91) recruited through MTurk. Results indicated that Facebook appearance-exposure and Facebook appearance comparison significantly related to body surveillance, whereas only Facebook appearance comparison significantly related to body esteem. Overall Facebook use and Facebook intensity were not significantly associated with either body esteem or body surveillance. Self-compassion and appearance-contingent self-worth significantly related to body esteem and body surveillance. However, neither self-compassion nor appearance-contingent self-worth significantly moderated the relationship between Facebook appearance comparison and body surveillance. Similarly, a lack of significant moderation was found for the relationship between Facebook appearance comparison and body esteem. The importance of studying body image and Facebook activities in adult women is discussed. Additionally, the importance for researchers to examine how specific Facebook activities, beyond Facebook use, are linked with body image in this population is also highlighted.
Disparities in Survival and Health Outcomes in Childhood Leukemia

The aim of this review is to summarize the current literature on pediatric leukemia disparities with attention to not only racial and ethnic disparities, but also socioeconomic disparities. We focus on disparities in survival as well as other health-related outcomes, including end-of-life care and late effects. While progress has been made in decreasing some disparities, most notably in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia, disparities along many axes persist. Proposed etiologies include differences in the genomic alterations of the leukemia itself to differences in access to care that operate through socioeconomic status, insurance, and geographic location. As approaches to therapy become increasingly technical and complex, particular attention to the equitable distribution of these personalized therapeutic interventions is essential. Moving beyond simple descriptive studies to focus on mechanisms of existing disparities will allow for design of interventions to reduce or eliminate disparities in pediatric leukemia.
New synthetic route for polyricinoleic acid with Tin (II) 2-ethylhexanoate.

Abstract Polyricinoleic acid (PRA) is a biodegradable polymer of ricinoleic acid, a hydroxy fatty acid present in castor oil. Depending upon the chain length, this homopolymer finds varied applications in oleochemical and allied industries. In the current research, we have first demonstrated synthesis route for PRA using Tin (II) 2-ethylhexanoate as a catalyst. The multiple operational variables such as the effect of the reaction time, temperature, catalyst loading, water condensation and recuperation of polymer were studied systemically. Under the optimized conditions, PRA with a molecular weight of ∼4kD was synthesized at 150 °C within 14 hrs. Using solvent extraction, the unreacted monomer and catalyst were recycled back to the next round of polymerization. The final PRA product was characterized as a single molecule with superior functional properties and suggesting to its use as an environmentally friendly biopolymer.
Machine Learning Comparison in Entity Resolution

This paper describes experiments using and comparing multiple machine learning (ML) algorithms for entity resolution (ER). In these experiments, person references were classified as "linked" or "not linked" by the four different methods. The objective of the experiments was to compare the linking performance of each method to evaluate the effectiveness of various ML techniques as an extension or augmentation to existing ER Systems. Each experiment used synthetic data. In this paper, some promising empirical results are reported that demonstrate favorable performance of the ML techniques.
MISCODED: AN IMITATOR OF A CODE STEMI

Neurogenic stress cardiomyopathy (NSC) is associated with troponin and ST-segment elevation that can mimic MI. NSC is seen with hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, or subarachnoid hemorrhage. Rarely, it may be observed in patients with cerebral metastatic disease. 33-year-old
The Dalai Lama and Religious Diversity

This article challenges exclusivist interpretations of the Buddha, and proposes alternative readings of early Buddhist texts that allow for the existence of the ultimate goal of the spiritual life outside Buddhism. The article clarifies the differences between exclusivist and non-exclusivist exegesis of the Buddha and suggests that exclusivist readings of his thought are a later scholastic development in the history of Buddhism. The main thesis of the article is that the Buddha cannot be considered an exclusivist because he did not understand the Dhamma and selfenlightened beings (paccekabuddhas) in sectarian terms as being the monopoly of any school. What the Buddha excludes from being paths to the final goal of the spiritual life are specific teachings incompatible with the Dhamma and the Noble Eightfold Path. This exclusion of specific teachings rather than of entire schools entails “specific exclusivism,” which is different from holding a sectarian “exclusivist view” of all non-Buddhists traditions anywhere and at any time.
Cardiogenic Shock from an Acute Rupture of an Infectious Saphenous Vein Graft Aneurysm

Untreated infectious aneurysms of native coronary artery and aortocoronary bypass grafts are associated with high mortality. Early diagnosis proves difficult given nonspecific presenting symptoms; however, once recognized, early intervention is essential to mitigate complications such as myocardial ischemia or pericardial tamponade. In this case report, we describe the successful surgical management of a patient who presented 2 months after diagnosis of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia with cardiogenic shock from rupture of an infected saphenous vein graft aneurysm resulting in pericardial tamponade.
Unanswered Questions about Spaced Interleaved Mathematics Practice

A typical mathematics assignment consists of one or two dozen practice problems relating to the same skill or concept, yet empirical evidence suggests that there is little or no long-term benefit from working more than a few problems of the same kind in immediate succession. Alternatively, randomized experiments in the laboratory and classroom have shown that scores on delayed tests improve markedly when most of the practice problems are arranged so that (a) problems of the same kind are distributed across many assignments spaced weeks apart, and (b) problems of different kinds are interleaved within the same assignment. In this commentary, we describe these math practice strategies and suggest additional lines of research regarding students’ and teachers’ perceptions of the efficacy and difficulty of these strategies.
Three-dimensional diagnostics and measurements of inertial confinement fusion plasmas

Recent inertial confinement fusion measurements have highlighted the importance of 3D asymmetry effects on implosion performance. One prominent example is the bulk drift velocity of the deuterium–tritium plasma undergoing fusion (“hotspot”), vHS. Upgrades to the National Ignition Facility neutron time-of-flight diagnostics now provide vHS to better than 1 part in 104 and enable cross correlations with other measurements. This work presents the impact of vHS on the neutron yield, downscatter ratio, apparent ion temperature, electron temperature, and 2D x-ray emission. The necessary improvements to diagnostic suites to take these measurements are also detailed. The benefits of using cross-diagnostic analysis to test hotspot models and theory are discussed, and cross-shot trends are shown.
Highly Efficient and Catalyst-Free Synthesis of Benzimidazoles in Aqueous Media

A convenient and highly efficient, catalysts-free synthesis of benzimidazoles in an aqueous medium has been developed. The conditions of the synthesis were optimized, and its scope was successfully extended to various substrates with good to excellent yields. The experimental procedure is simple, and the products can be isolated by filtration followed by recrystallization from water.
Spectra in low-rank localized layers (SpeLLL) for interpretable time-frequency analysis.

The time-varying frequency characteristics of many biomedical time series contain important scientific information. However, the high-dimensional nature of the time-varying power spectrum as a surface in time and frequency limits its direct use by applied researchers and clinicians for elucidating complex mechanisms. In this article, we introduce a new approach to time-frequency analysis that decomposes the time-varying power spectrum in to orthogonal rank-one layers in time and frequency to provide a parsimonious representation that illustrates relationships between power at different times and frequencies. The approach can be used in fully nonparametric analyses or in semiparametric analyses that account for exogenous information and time-varying covariates. An estimation procedure is formulated within a penalized reduced-rank regression framework that provides estimates of layers that are interpretable as power localized within time blocks and frequency bands. Empirical properties of the procedure are illustrated in simulation studies and its practical use is demonstrated through an analysis of heart rate variability during sleep.
Quantum Mechanics for Scientists and Engineers: Interaction of different kinds of particles

Prerequisites: Chapters 2–7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, and 16. So far in the treatment of creation and annihilation operators, we have considered operators, including especially Hamiltonians, in which we are concerned with only one kind of particle (i.e., either identical bosons or identical fermions). Many important phenomena involve interactions of different kinds of particles (e.g., interactions of photons or phonons with electrons). Here, we discuss how to handle operators for such situations. As a specific, and particularly useful example, we discuss the electron–photon interaction. This leads us through perturbation theory in this operator formalism to a proper quantum mechanical treatment of absorption and stimulated and spontaneous emission. States and commutation relations for different kinds of particles The approach is an extension of what we have done before. We need two additions. First, though we continue to work in the occupation number representation, we must include the description of the occupied single-particle states for each different particle in the overall description of the states. Second, we need commutation relations between operators corresponding to different kinds of particles. In considering the occupation number basis states – for example, for a system with two different kinds of particles – we simply have to list which states are occupied for each different kind of particle. Suppose that we have a set of identical electrons and a set of identical bosons (e.g., photons).
Design of Tile Drainage for Falling Water Tables

An equation is derived for the spacing of the drains in terms of the rate of water-table drop, the depth of an impervious layer below the drains, the hydraulic conductivity of the soil, and an assumed constant drainable pore space. The solution is based on the Dupuit-Forchheimer assumptions. It treats the depth of the water-bearing stratum as a variable, so that it is not restricted to cases in which the water-table fluctuation is a small percentage of the aquifer thickness. To account for the convergence of flow toward the drains when drain spacing is not large relative to aquifer depth, the use of a graphical correction is proposed, adapted from a tabulation of equivalent depths by Hooghoudt. The solution is in terms of an incomplete beta function which can either be evaluated numerically from a simple graph or determined within 3% from an approximate equation. A comparison with an earlier, widely used, solution by Glover illustrates the significance of the improvements.
Laminin, a multidomain protein. The A chain has a unique globular domain and homology with the basement membrane proteoglycan and the laminin B chains.

Laminin (Mr = 800,000) is a glycoprotein consisting of three chains, A, B1, and B2, and has diverse biological activities. Previously we reported the complete primary structure of the B1 and B2 chains of mouse laminin deduced from cDNA sequence (Sasaki, M., Kohno, K., Kato, S., Martin, G. R., and Yamada, Y. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 935-939; Sasaki, M., and Yamada, Y. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 17111-17117). Here we describe the isolation, characterization, and sequence of cDNA clones spanning 9,520 bases which encode the entire A chain of mouse laminin. The nucleotide sequence of the clones contains an open reading frame of 3,084 amino acids including 24 amino acids of a signal peptide. The A chain contains some eight distinct domains including alpha-helices, cysteine-rich repeats and globules. There is considerable sequence and structural homology between the A chain and the B1 and B2 chains. However, the A chain has a unique globular structure containing homologous repeats at the carboxyl terminus and constituting one third of the molecular mass of the chain. Furthermore, the A chain contains three globules and three cysteine-rich domains at the amino terminus, whereas the B1 and B2 chains have only two each of such domains. The A chain shows homology to the basement membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan core protein and the extracellular domain of the Drosophila neurogenic protein Notch. There is an RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) sequence in one of the cysteine-rich domains of the A chain. This potential cell binding sequence could be active as another adhesion signal in addition to the previously identified cell binding sequence YIGSR (Tyr-Ile-Gly-Ser-Arg) of the B1 chain.
Automatic Excursion Detection in Manufacturing: Preliminary Results.

In the past decades, high-volume manufacturing processes have grown increasingly complex. If a failure in these systems is not detected in a timely manner, it often results in tremendous costs. Therefore, the demand for methods that automatically detect these failures is high. In this work, we address the problem of automatic excursion detection based on parametric tests. Overlooking the complexity of wafer fabrication processes, we propose two structurally simple excursion detection models: Naive Bayes classifier and boosted decision stumps. We apply these models in the domain of semiconductor manufacturing, compare them to offthe-shelf classification techniques, and show significant gains in the precision and recall of detected excursions. These results encourage our future work that should primarily focus on increasing the recall of our models.
Low frequency current oscillations due to electron retrapping by the AsGa antisite defect in GaAs

Large amplitude current oscillations with a thermally activated frequency and thermally — stimulated current oscillations were observed in semi-insulating GaAs for the first time. These oscillations were found at DC electric fields above 500 Vcm−1, about one order of magnitude below the electric-field threshold for Gunn oscillations. The activation energy of the oscillation frequency was found to be 0.8 eV corresponding to the dominant electron trap energy in semi-insulating GaAs (the so-called EL2 level recently attributed to the antisite arsenic [1]). A model proposed to explain the phenomena of voltage — controlled negative resistance in semi-insulating GaAs exposes the role of EL2 defect in the trapping process. The capture of electrons from the conduction band by the EL2 defect has a configurational barrier of approximately 70 meV. The presence of an electric field enhances this electron capture process which makes possible the migration of slow domains.
Inhaled insulin: a breath of fresh air? A review of inhaled insulin

Abstract Purpose Despite many advances in diabetes care over the last century, some elements of insulin therapy remain inadequate for optimal care of the patient with diabetes. There is a need for improved pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of rapid-acting insulin analogues to mimic physiologic insulin secretion. In addition, a major barrier to successful insulin therapy has been patient resistance. Alternative routes of insulin administration, including inhaled insulin, have been under investigation for several years. This review discusses the rationale for pulmonary delivery of insulin, compares previous inhaled insulin products, reviews the literature on the safety and efficacy of a current inhaled insulin formulation under investigation, and compares this product with other prandial insulin products. Methods English-language studies and reviews of inhaled insulin were searched in MEDLINE, the ClinicalTrials.gov registry (through May 2014), and the US Food and Drug Administration Website. Findings Inhaled insulin has several favorable characteristics due to pulmonary anatomy/physiology and the lack of injections. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies have shown a time–action profile suitable for prandial insulin use. Inhaled insulin seems to be safe and effective compared with other prandial insulin products and may be preferable to subcutaneous rapid-acting insulin analogues in terms of time–action profiles and rates of hypoglycemia. Small decreases in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) have been shown with inhaled insulin, although this finding is not progressive over time and reverses with cessation of the medication. Implications Although several inhaled insulin products have been under investigation, only one (Exubera ® [Nektar Therapeutics, San Carlos, California/Pfizer Inc, New York, New York]) was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, and it was pulled from the market after only a short period of time. Technosphere ® insulin (MannKind Corporation, Valencia, California) is currently the only inhaled insulin that remains under investigation. A review of the past and present literature on inhaled insulin is pertinent in understanding the current status of inhaled insulin and its risks and benefits. The current literature suggests that inhaled insulin could be a valuable option for prandial insulin administration, with a favorable risk to benefit ratio in some patients.
A novel treatment of global cerebral ischaemia with a glycine partial agonist.

Abstract Chronic treatment of gerbils with 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid (a high affinity, partial agonist at strychnine-insensitive glycine receptors) resulted in a 3-fold increase in survival, a significant improvement in neurological status, and an extensive protection of vulnerable brain regions following severe forebrain ischaemia. A bolus of 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid 30 min prior to ischaemia did not further improve outcome compared to gebrils receiving their last injection 24 h to ischaemia. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that chronic treatment with a glycine partial agonist desensitizes the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor complex. Pharmacological intervention at the strychnine-insensitive glycine receptor may be an effective means of ameliorating the consequences of neuronal degeneration caused by excitotoxic phenomena.
Insulin Receptors in the human placenta with relation to gestational age

An intent is made to clarify the role of insulin in fetal growth. Specific insulin binding sites were determined in human placentas obtained after normal deliveries in fullterm,preterm adequates for gestational age and small-for-dates. Highly purified membranes were obtained by ultracentrifugation in a saccharose linear gradient. In the standard binding assay a tracer amount of monoiodinated 125 I-Insulin 128 pM. and increasing amount(0,208-2080nM) of unlabeled insulin were incubated with membrane(200-600ug) for 20hr. at 4oC. in 0,4ml. of Krebs' Ringer phosphate buffer containing 1%B.S.A. This method produces less than 5% degradation of labeled hormone and no receptor degradation.The date on binding was analysed by the Scatchard plot method from which was obtained the total concentration of receptor sites and by plotting the average affinity profile.The negative coope rativity was assessed in the three placental groups by the Hill plot.Although individual differences with regard to gestational age were observed no statistical differences were found between prematures adequates and fullterms.Preliminary results of the small for dates show a decrease of the number of receptor sites.It is suggested that the placental disfunction carries an alteration in insulin receptors causing a small fetus.
Founder BRCA 1 and 2 mutations among a consecutive series of Ashkenazi Jewish ovarian cancer patients.

Abstract Objective. The purpose of this study was to describe the incidence of the three Ashkenazi Jewish founder genetic BRCA 1 and 2 mutations among an unselected, consecutive group of Ashkenazi Jewish ovarian cancer patients. Materials and methods. From 7/30/96 to 4/12/99, 92 Ashkenazi Jewish patients with histologically confirmed epithelial ovarian cancer had surgery. All of these patients had DNA extracted from 5-μm sections of their paraffin-embedded surgical specimen tissue blocks using the Qiagen QIAamp tissue extraction kit. A multiplex (triplex) polymerase chain reaction was performed to amplify fragments for the 185delAG, 5382insC, and 6174delT mutations. The products were hybridized with normal and mutant probes for each of the three mutations. All clinical data were collected retrospectively and statistical significance was evaluated using the χ 2 test or a two-tailed Fisher's exact test, depending on the sample size. Results. There were 23 patients positive for one of the three founder BRCA mutations. Fourteen patients were positive for the 185delAG mutation, 2 patients were positive for the 5382insC mutation, and 7 patients were positive for the 6174 delT mutation (61, 9, and 30%, respectively). This represented a 25% incidence (95% CI: 16–34%) of one of the three founder BRCA mutations among our 92 Ashkenazi Jewish ovarian cancer patients. None of the patients was positive for more than one mutation. There was no statistically significant difference in parity, histology, grade, or stage between the BRCA founder mutation positive and negative patients. The difference between the percentage of mutation carriers among patients with one affected first-degree relative (13/22 or 59%) compared to those without at least one affected first-degree relative (10/70 or 14%) was highly significant ( P = 0.001). Conclusions. Ashkenazi Jewish ovarian cancer patients represent a group with a high likelihood of being carriers of BRCA 1 and 2 genetic mutations, regardless of family history. As a result, all ovarian cancer patients who are of Ashkenazi Jewish descent should be counseled regarding BRCA 1 and 2 genetic screening, as well as the potential implications of these results for the patient as well as her relatives in terms of prognosis, screening, chemoprevention, and consideration of prophylactic surgical procedures.
Characterization of uniaxially drawn poly(4-methyl-pentene-1)

Abstract For poly(4-methyl-pentene-1) (PMP41) of increasing uniaxial draw, X-ray diffraction analysis reveals a shift of diffraction peaks at lower 2θ angle and the concurrent generation of new peaks at higher angles. The corresponding crystal structure at lower draw ratio is a common tetragonal form and that at higher draw is orthorhombic. The heat of fusion of the perfect tetragonal crystal of undrawn PMP41, obtained by X-ray diffraction and d.s.c., is 4.4kJ mol −1 . The crystallinity of drawn PMP41 increases with draw, up to ∼90% for a draw ratio > 30. The fraction of extended chains for a draw ratio of 10, calculated from the linear thermal expansion coefficient, is 26%. The modulus of drawn PMP41 is proportional to the fraction of extended chains.