cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incorporating writing in advanced lab projects: A multiple case-study analysis

Key features of laboratory projects that allow for authentic use of writing include student agency, longer timescale, and lack of a predetermined outcome.
Ambrosia beetles and their associated fungi: research trends and techniques

General characteristics of ambrosia fungus-beetle mutualism are described and recent trends for innovative research briefly indicated. Techniques to locate, collect, transport, maintain, isolate, and study fungi and beetles in the field and in vitro are reviewed in detail. A synthetic basal medium for growing ambrosia fungi is described; this should enable researchers to investigate nutrition and enzymology of both the symbionts.
Telehealth Technology, Information, and Data System Considerations

This chapter explores the specific technologies that enable telehealth services in the areas of evaluation, monitoring, consultation, treatment, and care coordination. Historical, current, and future state applications are explored through case examples as a way to demonstrate technical functionality and capabilities. The foundational underpinning of broadband networks and the technological processes supported through telehealth vendors are presented. Additional discussions present examples of established systems, areas where interoperability is functional and the need for advancements in HIT technologies to better address security protocols and validate health analytics.
Divergence of Values and Goals in Participatory Research

Abstract Public participation in scientific research has gained prominence in many scientific fields, but the theory of participatory research is still limited. In this paper, we suggest that the divergence of values and goals between academic researchers and public participants in research is key to analyzing the different forms this research takes. We examine two existing characterizations of participatory research: one in terms of public participants' role in the research, the other in terms of the virtues of the research. In our view, each of these captures an important feature of participatory research but is, on its own, limited in what features it takes into account. We introduce an expanded conception of norms of collaboration that extends to both academic researchers and public participants. We suggest that satisfying these norms requires consideration of the two groups' possibly divergent values and goals, and that a broad characterization of participatory research that starts from participants' values and goals can motivate both public participants’ role in the research and the virtues of the research. The resulting framework clarifies the similarities and differences among participatory projects and can help guide the responsible design of such projects.
Does Global Surgery Interest Influence the Choice of Surgical Residency Program

OBJECTIVE Medical students actively seek global health opportunities. Surgical residents also show great enthusiasm for international missions, rotations and global surgery. Unfortunately, only 18% to 34% of all surgery residency programs offer such international opportunities. We surveyed fourth year medical students applying for surgery residency to determine if international surgery opportunities offered by a program would influence their match rank list. DESIGN A 20 question survey was given to interviewees at our surgery residency program. Survey was optional and anonymous. We queried prior volunteerism, interest in global surgery and importance of international opportunities offered during residency. SETTING Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack New Jersey PARTICIPANTS All candidates interviewing for general surgery residency at Hackensack University Medical Center from October 2019 to January 2020. RESULTS A total of 97 fourth year medical students interviewed, with a 66% response rate to the survey. Mean age was 27 years. 92% of students had volunteered during college and/or medical school. 41% of students had volunteered internationally. Majority of students were interested in a surgery residency program offering international opportunity. 78% of students planned to volunteer internationally after residency, and two-thirds planned to include global surgery in future career. Half of the students reported they would rank a residency program higher if it offered an international opportunity. Students who were immigrants were significantly more likely to rank a program higher in the match if an international opportunity was offered, compared to students born in the US (p CONCLUSIONS There is great interest in global surgery and international volunteer opportunities amongst fourth year medical students who apply for surgery residency. The majority of applicants have prior volunteer experience either locally or abroad. Majority of students plan to volunteer internationally after residency and are interested in academic global surgery careers. Students will rank surgery residency programs that offer international opportunities higher in the match.
Effects of footwear cushioning on leg and longitudinal arch stiffness during running.

Abstract During running, humans increase leg stiffness on more compliant surfaces through an in-series spring relationship to maintain constant support mechanics. Following this notion, the compliant midsole material of standard footwear may cause individuals to increase leg stiffness while running, especially in footwear with very thick midsoles. Recently, researchers have also proposed that footwear stiffness can affect the stiffness of the foot’s longitudinal arch (LA) via a similar mechanism. To test these ideas, we used 3D motion capture to record 20 participants running on a forceplate-instrumented treadmill while barefoot, and while wearing three types of sandals composed of materials ranging an order of magnitude in Young’s modulus: ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), and two varieties of polyurethane rubber (R30 and R60). We calculated leg stiffness using standard methods, and measured LA stiffness based on medial midfoot kinematics. While there was an overall significant effect of footwear on leg stiffness (P=0.047), post-hoc tests revealed no significant differences among individual pairs of conditions, and there was no effect of footwear on LA stiffness. However, participants exhibited significantly greater LA compression when barefoot than when running in EVA (P=0.004) or R30 (P=0.036) sandals. These results indicate that standard footwear midsole materials are too stiff to appreciably affect leg stiffness during running, meaning that increasing midsole thickness is unlikely to cause individuals to alter their leg stiffness. However, use of footwear does cause individuals to restrict LA compression when compared to running barefoot, and further research is needed to understand why.
Energy Use in Agriculture

Production of food in the United States today has become an energy-intensive industry. All aspects of farming in the United States now involve use of machinery, all of which, of course, require energy for operation. A much higher percentage of the land under cultivation today for production of food is irrigated than was the case early in the twentieth century. Most of farm irrigation today involves pumping of water, an energy-intensive operation, as opposed to gravity-feed systems used a few decades ago. Until the early to mid-twentieth century, plant nutrient requirements were provided by animal manure, combined with careful crop rotation. Today, the great majority of crop fertilizer requirements are supplied by chemical fertilizers. Production of most chemical fertilizers is very energy intensive. This is particularly true for nitrogen fertilizers containing ammonia. The plant nutrient in which soils are most often deficient, thereby requiring fertilizer application, is nitrogen, and by far the most often-used form of nitrogen is anhydrous ammonia. Production of ammonia is extremely energy intensive.
The Nature of Supreme Court Power: Neither Force, Nor Will

The judiciary, on the contrary, has no influence over either the sword or the purse; no direction either of the strength or of the wealth of the society; and can take no active resolution whatever. It may truly be said to have neither FORCE nor WILL, but merely judgment; and must ultimately depend upon the aid of the executive arm even for the efficacy of its judgments. Alexander Hamilton In June of 2007, the United States Supreme Court handed down its decision in Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 (2007; hereafter Parents ). In his plurality opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts declared that the Fourteenth Amendment requires school districts to assign students “to the public schools on a nonracial basis ” ( Parents 2007, 84) and therefore prohibits the race-conscious programs in the Seattle and Louisville school districts designed to promote racial diversity. Sharon Browne, the principal attorney for the parents challenging the school's assignment process, called the rulings “the most important decisions on the use of race since Brown v. Board of Education ” (Rosen 2007) and predicted that, like Brown , the Court's ruling would have “a tremendous impact on the rest of the nation” (Lambert 2007). However, several legal scholars disagreed: “School districts are going to continue to do indirectly what they tried to do directly,” said Peter H. Schuck of the Yale Law School.
Metabolic Pathway Databases

Metabolic pathway databases may draw on enzyme, compound and gene databases, but usually go beyond them to show how enzyme reactions link to one another and ultimately form pathways for catabolism, anabolism or other necessary cellular functions. Public metabolic databases may contain information on pathways shared by many organisms; these may omit specialized metabolism. Others may limit themselves to share or unique pathways found in specific organisms, or specialized metabolism. Metabolic pathway databases are a resource for metabolic engineering. Genetic material from microbes, plants and animals is being modified at the present time; these modifications are often based on information mined from a pathway database. Mining of metabolic data is still in its infancy. Based on information stored in today's metabolic databases, it may be possible in the future to predict metabolic pathways for the biodegradation of novel environmental toxins or biosynthesis of needed specialty chemicals. Key concepts: Metabolic databases contain information on enzymes, compounds and genes organized in metabolic pathways. Metabolic databases may contain information on pathways shared by many organisms, or may limit themselves to pathways in specific organisms or to specific types of pathways. Metabolic databases are a resource for metabolic engineering, which needs information on the genes, enzymes and pathways found in target organisms. Keywords: metabolism; databases; world wide web
TFTR poloidal coil fault analysis

A problem that arose in Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) operations near the end of 1984 was that the time required to build the plasma current up to high levels was longer than anticipated, requiring more volt-seconds to overcome the plasma power dissipation. To remedy this problem, it was decided to drive the ohmic heating (OH) system at 24 kA instead of the design value of 20 kA in mode B. Precautionary fault analyses had to be made before machine operation could be attempted at these levels to lessen the possibility of a coil failure since such a failure would have been catastrophic. Additionally, the time schedule called for a prolonged shutdown within a 12-week period from the time this study was undertaken, and it was desired to perform these experimental runs before the shutdown; therefore the study had to be completed several weeks before this shutdown.
Partitioning of spherical particles into fibrous matrices

Abstract The equilibrium partitioning of molecular or colloidal solutes between a bulk phase and the interstices of a fibrous matrix is studied in the case when the matrix is of low or moderate density. Geometrical concepts necessary to define a random-fiber model are presented. The concentration profile for hard-spherical particles around a single fiber immersed in a bulk phase is calculated by application of nonlocal density functional theory and by Monte Carlo simulation. The solute concentrations inside matrices of low and moderate fiber densities are calculated by superposition of the single-fiber concentration profiles.
Bis[1,3‐bis(diphenylphosphino)propane]rhodium Tetrafluoroborate

[70196-21-3] C54H52BF4P4Rh (MW 1014.61) InChI = 1S/2C27H26P2.BF4.Rh/c2*1-5-14-24(15-6-1)28(25-16-7-2-8-17-25)22-13-23-29(26-18-9-3-10-19-26)27-20-11-4-12-21-27;2-1(3,4)5;/h2*1-12,14-21H,13,22-23H2;;/q;;-1;+1 InChIKey = QJQXKVYGXRCRLF-UHFFFAOYSA-N (catalytic decarbonylation of aldehydes2, 3) Solubility: sol CH2Cl2, acetone, MeCN, m-xylene, toluene; slightly sol MeOH; insol diethyl ether. Analysis of Reagent Purity: 31P NMR: δ = 6.4, JRh–P = 132 Hz (ambient temp, acetone-d6, downfield from 85% H3PO4). Electronic absorption spectroscopy: λmax, nm (log emax) 406 (3.49). Preparative Method: all manipulations are carried out under a nitrogen atmosphere with use of standard Schlenk techniques. Rh2Cl2(1,5-cyclooctadiene)2 (400 mg, 1.63 mmol) is dissolved in 50 mL of degassed acetone to which Silver(I) Tetrafluoroborate (337 mg, 1.73 mmol) is added to precipitate AgCl. The mixture is stirred for 1 h and filtered. The filtrate is added to an acetone solution of dppp (1,3-Bis(diphenylphosphino)propane) (1.58 g, 3.84 mmol). The acetone is partially evaporated under vacuum leaving a precipitate of orange-yellow flakes of [Rh(dppp)2]BF4 in high yield. Purification: the product [Rh(dppp)2]BF4 is recrystallized from a solvent mixture of CH2Cl2 and Et2O by a standard layering technique. The orange-yellow flakes of [Rh(dppp)2]BF4 are dissolved in a minimum amount of CH2Cl2 in a Schlenk tube equipped with a rubber septum. A volume of Et2O (ca. 3 times the CH2Cl2 volume) is carefully layered on top with use of a syringe or cannular tube. The solvents are allowed to slowly diffuse, and large red crystals are isolated. The red crystals are washed with Et2O and dried under vacuum.4 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: the catalyst is air stable in the solid state. However, it is recommended that it be stored under N2. Decarbonylation reactions must be carried out in the absence of oxygen.
Negotiating episcopal support in the Merovingian kingdom of Reims (ad 561–75)

Minimal scholarly attention has been paid to the ecclesiastical policies of King Sigibert I of Reims (r. 561–75). An examination of Sigibert's policies suggests the lengths to which the king went to attract and maintain episcopal allies in strategic and politically divided civitates. While Gregory of Tours in his Decem Libri Historiarum blamed Sigibert's death on his stubborn refusal to heed episcopal counsel, the bishop of Tours recognized that the king of Reims was not consistently hostile to the church and its bishops, and saw the circumstances of Sigibert's untimely death as ultimately tragic.
Changing Public Opinion on Same-Sex Marriage: The Case of California

Though public opposition to same-sex marriage seems reasonably stable nationally, support in California has grown substantially in the past two decades. Using data from six Field Polls of Californians since 1985, we explore the roots of that growth in individual attitude change and population changes. Cohort replacement can explain half the growth. Although all groups of Californians say that they have become more accepting of homosexual relations since they turned 18, the pattern is strongest for liberals, Democrats, and the less religious. These groups have also become much more supportive of same-sex marriage, while conservatives, Republicans, Protestants, and African-Americans appear at least as opposed today as they were two decades ago.
Coherence and chaos in solid state laser systems

Summary form only given. The stability of the amplitude and phase of the light emitted by laser arrays is relevant to their applications. The basic problem of phase and amplitude stability of two coupled phase locked Nd:YAG lasers has been investigated both experimentally and theoretically.
Induction of heat shock gene expression in RAT1 primary fibroblast cells by ELF electric fields

Recent studies have demonstrated that the Ku70 gene fragment can be placed in the anti-sense orientation under the control of a heat-inducible heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) promoter and activated through heat shock exposure. This results in attenuation of the Ku70 protein expression, inhibiting cellular repair processes, and sensitizing the transfected cells to exposures such as the ionizing radiation exposures used clinically. However, achieving the tissue temperatures necessary to thermally induce the HSP70 response presents significant limitations to the clinical application of this strategy. Previous findings suggest an alternative approach to inducing a heat shock response, specifically through the use of extremely low frequency (ELF) electrical field stimulation. To further pursue this approach, we investigated HSP70 responses in transfected rat primary fibroblast (RAT1) cells exposed to 10 Hz electric fields at intensities of 20–500 V/m. We confirmed that low frequency electric fields can induce HSP70 heat shock expression, with peak responses obtained at 8 h following a 2 h field exposure. However, the approximate threefold increase in expression is substantially lower than that obtained using thermal stimulation, raising questions of the clinical utility of the response. Bioelectromagnetics 34:405–413, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Deuterium spin relaxation and molecular motion in a binary liquid-crystal mixture

Abstract Deuterium spin relaxation has been studied as a function of temperature, concentration, and site of deuteration for both components of a binary nematic liquid-crystal mixture of 4-methyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl- d 11 (1CB) and 4- n -pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl- d 6 (5CB). Relaxation rates of Zeeman order R 1Z and quadrupolar order R 1Q were determined by two different techniques. It was found that the standard method, based on sum and difference (SAD) magnetization generated by a Jeener-Broekaert sequence, suffers from serious systematic error due to frequency-selective excitation, large linear phase corrections, and unavoidable baseline distortion. Broadband Jeener-Broekaert (BBJB) sequences can be used to achieve uniform excitation of quadrupole order, while echo techniques can be used both with inversion-recovery (IR) and BBJB sequences to eliminate baseline artifacts. This new approach of performing two separate experiments (IR/BBJB) yields spectral densities J 1 ( ω 0 ) and J 2 (2 ω 0 ) with precision and accuracy significantly greater than those determined by the SAD method. For 1CB, the SAD results were not accurate enough for detailed analysis but a satisfactory interpretation of the temperature-dependent IR/BBJB data for 1 CB methyl and aromatic deuterons was achieved in terms of a model with three correlation times. The same model was successfully used to account for relaxation of the alkyl chain C, deuterons in the liquid-crystal molecule 5CB. Measurements on 10 and 25 mol% mixtures showed that the correlation times and activation energies for rotational motion of both 1CB and 5CB are concentration independent.
Left ideals and derivations in semiprime rings

Abstract This paper obtains Posner's theorem for products of derivations on left ideals in semiprime rings, so describes when a product of derivations D and E of a semiprime ring R can act as a derivation on a left ideal L of R . This result yields a quick argument for a theorem of H. Bell and W.S. Martindale on centralizing derivations of L . Finally results in the literature extending the notion of a centralizing derivation to the situation when D ( x ) x − xE ( x ) is central for all x ∈ L are obtained as special cases of a more general result here.
Stereoselective iterative one-pot synthesis of N-glycolylneuraminic acid-containing oligosaccharides.

The use of an N-acyloxazolidinone-protected S-adamantanyl thiosialoside allows the highly stereoselective, one potmulticomponent synthesis of α-sialoside-based oligosaccharides.
Preferential use of organic nitrogen for growth by a non-mycorrhizal arctic sedge

PLANT growth in arctic tundra is strongly nitrogen limited despite large pools of soil organic nitrogen1–4. Here we report that fieldcollected roots of Eriophorum vaginatum, an arctic sedge, rapidly absorb free amino acids, accounting for at least 60% of the nitrogen absorbed by this species in the field. In solution culture, Eriophorum accumulates more nitrogen and biomass when supplied with amino acids than when grown on inorganic nitrogen, whereas Hordeum vulgare (a cereal adapted to mineral soils) grows least when nitrogen is supplied as amino acids. To our knowledge, this is the first documentation of preferential absorption and use of organic nitrogen by a non-mycorrhizal vascular plant. The direct absorption of amino acids by Eriophorum short-circuits the bottleneck in arctic nitrogen cycles imposd by temperature-limited mineralization.
Gluon-axigluon decay of the Z0

Abstract We compute the decay rate of Z 0 into gluon plus axigluon in the chiral color model. Results are plotted as a function of axigluon mass for various choices of unknown fermion masses.
A straightforward method for generating soft transferable pseudopotentials

Abstract We present a simple procedure for generating first-principles norm-conserving pseudopotentials which are very soft and therefore have good convergence properties when used in plane-wave calculations of the band structure and total-energy of materials. Using diamond as a test case, we show that our pseudopotential is more efficient for plane wave calculations than the most commonly used pseudopotentials.
"Tears in my eyes 'cause somebody finally understood": client perceptions of practitioners following brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify practitioner qualities and traits that clients with brain injury see as important. METHOD: An opportunistic sample of 51 participants with brain injury was interviewed about perceptions of service access and effectiveness. An interview guide was used to gather data for this phenomenological qualitative study. Four interviewers individually conducted audiotaped interviews, which were then transcribed. Coding and theme development were completed using HyperRESEARCH software. RESULTS: Three themes regarding practitioner qualities emerged from the data: (a) roles of the provider, (b) perceived helpfulness of services, and (c) personal characteristics of the providers. Beneficial provider roles included advocate, friend, mentor, and team member. Perceptions of helpfulness of the services included relevance, meaningfulness, practical application, skill development potential, and whether periodic feedback on progress was provided. Personal characteristics of the provider valued by the participants were clear and honest communicator, supportive, respectful, good listener, and understanding. CONCLUSIONS: Practitioners need to pay increased attention to the perceptions of care and services of clients with brain injury. The current study closely supports previous research related to quality of care in the medical and community arenas and offers some additional suggestions to professionals who work with persons with brain injury, including learning how to time giving information to clients and how to understand client concerns without being prescriptive. Future research in this area needs to focus on and describe providers who demonstrate an ability-through their willingness to don a variety of roles, their helpful services, and their personal characteristics-to meet the unique needs of clients with brain injury.
Polarization dependence of surface enhanced Raman scattering on a single dielectric nanowire

Our measurements of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) on Ga2O3 dielectric nanowires (NWs) core/silver composites indicate that the SERS enhancement is highly dependent on the polarization direction of the incident laser light. The polarization dependence of the SERS signal with respect to the direction of a single NW was studied by changing the incident light angle. Further investigations demonstrate that the SERS intensity is not only dependent on the direction and wavelength of the incident light, but also on the species of the SERS active molecule. The largest signals were observed on an NW when the incident 514.5 nm light was polarized perpendicular to the length of the NW, while the opposite phenomenon was observed at the wavelength of 785 nm. Our theoretical simulations of the polarization dependence at 514.5 nm and 785nm are in good agreement with the experimental results.
Genetic and Economic Implications of Selecting for Milk Protein

Abstract Genetic and phenotypic parameters from Holsteins were used to estimate genetic and economic implications of including milk protein in the pricing system. Postulated variable market values were used to construct selection indexes with and without selection for protein content by the dairyman. Nine combinations of three fat values and three protein values along with a tenth case, where all market value was assigned to protein and fat content, were investigated. Responses in percentages of fat and protein were always of the same sign within a market scheme, and usually of opposite sign to the response in carrier (milk minus yields of fat and protein). Only when component values exceeded 42% of the total market price did percentages of fat and protein increase with index selection. Selection indexes based on carrier and fat percentage only were from 91 to 100% as effective as the three trait indexes.
Effects of acute inorganic lead administration on in vivo drug metabolism and cytochrome P-450 in the rat

Abstract An acute dose of inorganic lead acetate (4.0 mg kg i.p.) prolonged rat methohexital-induced narcosis while doses of 1.5 and 2.0 mg kg i.p. did not. The in vivo metabolism of methohexital was tested 24 h after the administration of the lead. Hepatic cytochrome P-450 content was decreased 12 to 24 h following the administration of 4.0 mg kg i.p. lead acetate. Hepatic microsomal protein and cytochrome B5 content did not change 12 or 24 h following lead treatment.
Toxoplasma gondii migration within and infection of human retina.

Toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis is a common blinding retinal infection caused by the parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. Basic processes relating to establishment of infection in the human eye by T. gondii tachyzoites have not been investigated. To evaluate the ability of tachyzoites to navigate the human retina, we developed an ex vivo assay, in which a suspension containing 1.5×107 parasites replaced vitreous in a posterior eyecup. After 8 hours, the retina was formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded, and sections were immunostained to identify tachyzoites. To determine the preference of tachyzoites for human retinal neuronal versus glial populations, we infected dissociated retinal cultures, subsequently characterized by neuron-specific enolase or glial fibrillary acidic protein expression, and retinal cell lines, with YFP-expressing tachyzoites. In migration assays, retinas contained 110–250 live tachyzoites; 64.5–95.2% (mean = 79.6%) were localized to the nerve fiber layer, but some were detected in the outer retina. Epifluorescence imaging of dissociated retinal cultures 24 hours after infection indicated preferential infection of glia. This observation was confirmed in growth assays, with significantly higher (p≤0.005) numbers of tachyzoites measured in glial verus neuronal cell lines. Our translational studies indicate that, after entering retina, tachyzoites may navigate multiple tissue layers. Tachyzoites preferentially infect glial cells, which exist throughout the retina. These properties may contribute to the success of T. gondii as a human pathogen.
Effect of Antenna Mutual Coupling on Degree of Freedom of MIMO Systems

The effective channel matrix for a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system is formulated and investigated when mutual coupling among the antenna elements is taken into consideration. It is found that, in general, the antenna mutual coupling decreases the degree of freedom (DoF) of MIMO channels when the inter-element distance is less than several wavelengths. But the DoF reduction is not monotonia with the decreasing of the inter-element distance.
Color screening effects on hadronization in relativistic heavy ion collisions

The effects of color screening on the hadronization of a parton plasma into a hadron gas are examined at the energies of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. It is found to have the tendency to prevent hadronization, therefore delaying the conversion of the partons into a hadron gas. Because of the continual expansion, the resulting hadron gas number densities are lower when screening is included. This should reduce the hadronic noise to genuine signals of the quark-gluon plasma. In this sense, color screening is favorable and should be included in numerical models. In any case, we advocate that numerical models should allow the confining forces and color screening to act on each other so as to undergo the phase transition in a natural way. Hadronization is also shown to seriously disrupt parton equilibration and is yet another reason why full parton chemical equilibration should not be expected. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
Validation of a LC-APCI-MS/MS method for quantification of methadone, 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine (EDDP) and 2-ethyl-5-methyl-3,3-diphenylpyraline (EMDP) in infant plasma following protein precipitation.

Abstract A validated, quantitative LC–APCI-MS/MS method for methadone, EDDP and EMDP in 200-μL plasma is presented. Specimen preparation was limited to protein precipitation and centrifugation. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Synergi Hydro-RP 80A (50 mm × 2.0 mm, 4 μm) column with gradient elution. The assay was linear from 1 to 500 ng/mL, with intra- and inter-assay accuracy ≥87.5% and intra- and inter-assay precision
Surface species on manganese

Abstract Infrared spectra of the stable surface species formed at 25 °C by the interaction with a Mn surface of methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, n-butanol, isobutanol, 2-propanol, 2-butanol, t-butanol, diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran, acetaldehyde, acetone, allyl alcohol, and methyl vinyl ether have been obtained. From the spectra it is concluded that: (i) alkoxides are quite stable surface species, (ii) a coordinate covalent bond of oxygen to the surface is not stable, (iii) the OH bond is readily broken, (iv) the degree of surface coverage by alkoxide structures is in the order primary > secondary > tertiary, (v) the CC bond does not strongly add to the surface, and (vi) the CH bond does not readily break at 25 °C to form dissociatively adsorbed hydrocarbons. It is suggested that attachment of a reacting complex to the Mn surface is more likely to be through an oxygen atom than a carbon atom.
Evaluation apprehension and response withholding in solution of anagrams

Abstract Sixty male Ss who were classified as high or low scorers on the Sarason Test Anxiety Scale performed a difficult anagrams task either alone, before a passively observing experimenter or in the presence of an experimenter who both observed and evaluated the S's performance. Ss who were high in test anxiety attempted fewer anagrams and had fewer correct solutions in the Evaluated condition than in the Alone condition, but also had a higher proportion of correct solutions out of total attempts. Low test-anxiety Ss did not show variable performance across conditions for any measure. Follow-up studies showed that when Ss were encouraged to attempt partial solutions neither test anxiety nor experimental treatment influenced any of the measures of performance. State anxiety change scores from baseline to post-treatment assessment showed a generally negative correlation between anxiety and number of anagrams attempted. The results indicate that fear of failure engendered by test anxiety and experimenter evaluation caused Ss to withhold responding.
Lymph node compression of the pulmonary artery causing a continuous murmur.

Abstract A patient with lymph node compression of the left pulmonary artery is presented in whom a continuous murmur suggested the diagnosis of patent ductus arteriosus. The numerous causes of continuous murmurs are tabulated and the mechanism of the production of continuous murmurs by vascular narrowing is reviewed.
A critique of the asset pricing theory's tests Part I: On past and potential testability of the theory

Testing the two-parameter asset pricing theory is difficult (and currently infeasible). Due to a mathematical equivalence between the individual return/‘beta’ linearity relation and the market portfolio's mean-variance efficiency, any valid test presupposes complete knowledge of the true market portfolio's composition. This implies, inter alia, that every individual asset must be included in a correct test. Errors of inference inducible by incomplete tests are discussed and some ambiguities in published tests are explained.
Duodenal web resection via hybrid natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES)

Abstract Congenital duodenal atresia, stenosis, and webs are a common cause of proximal obstruction in the newborn period. A variety of surgical techniques have been described for the treatment of duodenal webs. Open and laparoscopic duodenotomy with web resection have been well described; endoscopic resection has also shown to have promising success. We describe a case of a 2-year-old male with a duodenal web, which was resected via an existing gastrostomy site utilizing a modified hybrid natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES).
Are we overmedicating our children

To the Editor .— I was dismayed, yet not surprised, after reading the report by Mandell et al1 concerning psychotropic medication use among children with autism spectrum disorders. Having a child with classic autism who is now 12 years old and treating >150 families in 2 different states (New York and Virginia) who have children with autism, I have personally witnessed the increased use of psychotropic medications and their adverse effects. However, the evidence-based data for this increase are sparsely supported in the literature.2, …
Adaptive path planning and obstacle avoidance for a robot with a large degree of redundancy

A new algorithm for path planning and obstacle avoidance for redundant planar robots is proposed. The task of path planning is formulated as a sequence of nonlinear programming problems. For each problem, the objective is to minimize the distance between the current location of the end-effector and a desired location. Two penalties are added to each objective function to ensure that the robot is not colliding with any obstacle and that its links are not crossed over. The effects of mechanical stops and limits for maximum joint movements are also incorporated as inequality constraints. The algorithm uses an adaptive scheme to activate the fewest number of the outboardmost joints, and none of the inboard ones if possible, to reach a desired location. The algorithm is especially useful when the number of joints is large. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The binding of fluorocatecholamines to adrenergic and dopaminergic receptors in rat brain membranes

Abstract 2-Fluoronorepinephrine (IC 50 ≈0.7 μM) is a relatively selective ligand for displacement of radioactive dihydroalprenolol from β 1 -adrenergic receptors in membrane preparations from rat cerebral cortex. It is less potent (IC 50 ≈10 μM) in displacing dihydroalprenolol from β 2 -adrenergic receptors in rat cerebellar membranes and in displacing clonidine from α 2 -adrenergic receptors in rat cerebral cortical membranes. It is much less potent (IC 50 > 100 μM) in displacing WB-4101 from α 1 -adrenergic receptors in rat cerebral cortical membranes. In contrast, 6-fluoronorepinephrine is relatively selective for α-adrenergic receptors, being at least 50–200 times more potent at such receptors than at β-adrenergic receptors. 5-Fluoronorepinephrine like norepinephrine does not exhibit remarkable selectivity towards α- and β-adrenergic receptors. The 2-, 5- and 6-fluorodopamines are more potent ligands at α 1 -adrenergic receptors than at α 2 - and β-adrenergic receptors but the specificity is not markedly affected by the position of the fluorine substituent. The results suggest that the specificity exhibited by the 2- and 6-fluoronorepinephrine at adrenergic receptors is not primarily due to fluorine-induced changes in the physicochemical properties of the aromatic ring, but instead to stereoselective interactions of the ethanolamine side chain of norepinephrine with fluorine at either the 2- or 6-ring positron. The fluorodopamines like dopamine itself are more potent at dopaminergic than at α- or β-adrenergic receptors. The 2-, 5- and 6-fluorodopamines are all nearly equipotent with dopamine in the displacement of radioactive spiroperidol from dopaminergic receptors in membrane preparations from rat striatum, while the 2- and 6-fluorodopamine are somewhat less potent than dopamine or 5-fluorodopamine in displacement of radioactive apomorphine in striatal membranes.
Organizational and market factors associated with Medicare dependence in inpatient rehabilitation hospitals

Rehabilitation hospitals in the USA have been excluded from the Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS) system since 1982, and have received cost-based reimbursement. However, the 1997 Balanced Budget Act mandated a PPS for inpatient rehabilitation, to be implemented by the end of 2002. This study assesses rehabilitation hospitals' dependency on Medicare. Findings show that not-for-profit hospitals, facilities with fewer services, facilities with lower staffing levels, and hospitals with lower operating expenses and profits, have a higher proportion of their inpatient revenue coming from Medicare. These facilities may be vulnerable to the new PPS payment system.
Hyperhomocysteinemia and hypercholesterolemia associated with hypothyroidism in the third US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Hypothyroid (thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)> or =20 mIU/l; N=32) participants in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Phase 2 (1991-1994) were compared with non-hypothyroid subjects (0.5 mIU/l 12 micromol/l) and hypercholesterolemia (serum total cholesterol>6.2 mmol/l). After controlling for age, gender, and race ethnicity, the odds ratios (95% confidence interval (CI)) relating hypothyroidism to hyperhomocysteinemia and high total cholesterol were 4.9 (1.8-14.0) and 8.0 (2.9-21.9), respectively. Based on 26 hypothyroid and 5811 non-hypothyroid subjects with triglyceride concentration 4.6 mmol/l by the Friedewald equation) was 5.3 (95% CI, 1.3-20.9). Adding additional terms to the multivariate logistic regression model had little effect on the odds ratios relating hypothyroidism to high total or LDL-cholesterol, but adding terms for serum creatinine concentration >123.8 micromol/l and for red blood cell folate and serum vitamin B-12 concentrations resulted in an attenuated, but still significant (P<0.05), odds ratio relating hypothyroidism to hyperhomocysteinemia (2.5; 95% CI, 1.0-6.1). Controlling for cigarette smoking, heart attack/stroke history, body mass index, and serum albumin concentration did not affect the odds ratios. Hyperhomocysteinemia and hypercholesterolemia could help to explain the increased risk for arteriosclerotic coronary artery disease in hypothyroidism.
Specialized family planning clinics in the United States: why women choose them and their role in meeting women's health care needs.

Abstract Background Publicly funded family planning clinics provide contraceptive care to millions of poor and low-income women every year. To inform the design of services that will best meet the contraceptive and reproductive health needs of women, we conducted a targeted survey of family planning clinic clients, asking women about services received in the past year and about their reasons for visiting a specialized family planning clinic. Methods We surveyed 2,094 women receiving services from 22 family planning clinics in 13 states; all sites included in the survey were clinics that specialize in contraceptive and reproductive health services and were located in communities with comprehensive primary care providers. Results Six in 10 (59%) respondents had made a health care visit to another provider in the past year, but chose the family planning clinic for contraceptive care. Four in 10 (41%) respondents relied on the family planning clinic as their only recent source for health care. The four most common reasons for choosing a specialized family planning clinic, reported by at least 80% of respondents, were respectful staff, confidential care, free or low-cost services, and staff who are knowledgeable about women's health. Conclusions Specialized family planning clinics play an important role as part of the health care safety net in the United States. Collaborations between such clinics and comprehensive primary care providers, such as federally qualified health centers, may be one model for ensuring women on-going access to the full range of care they need.
Nineteenth Century Earthquake Investigations in California

In 1850 Philip Thomas Tyson observed that earthquakes of great energy must have occurred in very recent geological periods in the Coast Range of California. A few years later, in 1856, Dr. John Boardman Trask, San Francisco physician, California's first unofficial state geologist, and a founder of the California Academy of Natural Sciences, began to compile data on California quakes. His first contribution to seismology was a summary paper on California earthquakes from 1812 to 1855, which was followed by annual compilations on earthquake activity through 1865. Trask's papers were read at meetings of the California Academy of Natural Sciences and were published in the Proceedings of the Academy. Trask made a determination of the probable direction of motion and velocity of several earthquakes by the imaginative use of the telegraph and other means of communication. After 1866 Trask pursued other interests, and the Academy's concern for earthquakes waned. In the 1880s the center for earthquake studies shif...
Local and average heat transfer characteristics for a disk situated perpendicular to a uniform flow

Mesure en soufflerie du coefficient de transfert de chaleur moyen et de la repartition radiale du coefficient de transfert de chaleur pour un disque circulaire place dans un ecoulement normal uniforme pour des nombres de Reynolds allant de 5000 a 50000. Comparaison des valeurs experimentales du transfert de chaleur au point d'arret avec des previsions theoriques
High pressure phase transformations in neodymium studied in a diamond anvil cell using diamond-coated rhenium gaskets

Diamond anvil cells are used to generate high static pressures up to several megabars (hundreds of GPa) in very small volumes of material. We have explored a technique which employs a microwave plasma chemical vapour deposited diamond layer on one side of the rhenium gasket. The high yield strength of the diamond layer prevents excessive thickness reduction of the sample in the gasket hole. As a test case, we show energy dispersive x-ray diffraction data on rare earth metal neodymium to high pressures of 153 GPa using a synchrotron source. The increased sample thickness results in an unambiguous crystal structure determination of a monoclinic phase in neodymium above 75 GPa.
A Quantitative Analysis of Potassium Loss in Potatoes as a Result of Different Processing Methods

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To list optimal household methods for reducing potassium content of potatoes for dialysis patients. In an effort to increase variety, flexibility and compliance to the nutritional protocols for dialysis patients, this study investigated ways to optimize leaching of potassium from fresh potatoes. Potatoes were processed in a variety of methods including size of slices, duration of soaking, temperature of soaking, agitation while soaking, volume of water, addition of leaching agents, and cooking methods. Agitation, temperature of soaking water and addition of leaching agents did not significantly increase the amount of potassium that was leached out. Maximal loss of potassium was achieved when 4mm sliced potatoes were pressure cooked for 7minutes in a volume of water ten times that of the volume of the potatoes. The potassium content of raw, boiled, microwaved and pressure cooked potatoes per 100 gram serving were: 380(±54) mg, 76(±7) mg, 46(±5) mg, 29(±6) mg respectively. Raw potatoes contained 380(±54) mg of potassium per 100 gram serving. The pressure cooked potatoes contained 29(±6) mg of potassium per 100 gram serving. Sensory analysis of the products were conducted on 92 hemodialysis subjects at three dialysis centers. Overall acceptability of reduced potassium potatoes was found to be excellent.
Eight-year update of a prospective study of wide excision alone for small low- or intermediate-grade ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)

Whether wide excision with margins ≥1 cm is sufficient treatment for small low- or intermediate-grade ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is unclear. This is an updated analysis of a phase II, single-arm, prospective trial testing this hypothesis. A total of 158 patients with low- or intermediate-grade DCIS who underwent wide excision alone (without radiation or tamoxifen) were entered onto the trial from 1995 to 2002. Entry criteria included mammographic extent ≤2.5 cm, predominantly low or intermediate nuclear grade, and excision with final microscopic margins ≥1 cm. Eight-year minimum potential follow-up was required for inclusion in the analysis; the final population comprised 143 patients. Cumulative incidence curves were generated to assess rates of local recurrence (LR) or other events. Median follow-up time was 11 years. Nineteen patients (13 %) had LR as a first event within 8 years. Thirteen LR (68 %) were DCIS only and six (32 %) were invasive. Fourteen (74 %) occurred in the original quadrant. The 10-year estimated cumulative incidence of LR was 15.6 %. The estimated annual percentage rate of LR was 1.9 % per patient-year. With longer follow-up, there remains a substantial and ongoing risk of LR in patients with favorable DCIS treated with wide excision margins without radiation. This information should be useful as patients and clinicians weigh the options of wide excision with and without radiation.
A Fast Digital Spectral Analyzer

This paper describes a processor that is being used for radar and multichannel sonar spectral analysis of band-limited input signals. Its design is based on a shift-register implementation of a fast Fourier transform algorithm coupled with a single flow-through arithmetic unit. In less than 12 ms, 4096 complex input data samples can be transformed, making it one of the faster systems in operation. Speed is obtained by using an organization that performs the rapid data reordering required for executing the algorithm. A postprocessing unit is used to increase quality of estimation of line spectra in statistically random short-term spectra. The unit can be used either as an integrator or first-order recursive filter. It is implemented in a floating-point format to maintain dynamic range. Hardware is kept to a minimum by establishing minimum and maximum ratios of the two signals required in the recursive filter computation.