cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Minority accountants’ views on gender and race biases, career limitations and suggestions for undergraduate educational institutions

Abstract This study documents perceptions of African-American accountants (210 males and 215 females), across a wide variety of organizations, with respect to discrimination, career advancement curtailment and mentoring support, as well as provides their input regarding what undergraduate educational institutions might do to help minority students overcome career advancement barriers. Results indicate that 49 and 26% of this study’s respondents perceive racial bias and curtailment of career advancement, respectively in their current position, and 32% of them have mentors. Respondents suggested providing co-ops or internships, mentoring programs, and emphasizing the importance of oral and written communication skills to help minority students prior to their entry into the profession. Respondents further indicated that educational institutions should conduct seminars on various topics including diversity issues, handling discrimination, the transition from college to work, and corporate politics and culture.
SLICE image analysis for diblock copolymer characterization and process optimization

While directed self-assembly of diblock copolymers is increasingly developed in terms of process flow, metrology and evaluation are the next crucial step in maximizing its effectiveness for integration into device design based on directed self-assembly trends. We present a novel image processing and data analysis program, SLICE (Sub-Lithography Imaging Computation and Evaluator), whose capabilities enable a systematic, automated analysis and characterization of directed self-assembly (SA) of block copolymers for high-density circuit integration. Key features such as defect-free region detection and trench-to-trench comparison of SA quality illustrate the potentially significant impact of SLICE to the process optimization and commercialization of sub-lithographic techniques.
The effect of environmental factors on swimming activity in sarsia tubulosa M. Sars (hydrozoa)

Two types of experiments were conducted to determine the effect of six environmental factors on the amount of time Sarsia medusae spend swimming (swimming activity). Sarsia housed in containers in groups of four, swam significantly more than either Sarsia housed in pairs or individually. This effect disappeared when the water volume per individual was held constant. Physical contact with other Sarsia or with the walls of the container is thought to be responsible for the increased activity of Sarsia in groups or in small volumes of water. A 2 × 4 factorial design was used to determine the effect of temperature, time since mechanical disturbance, starvation, and chemical food stimuli on swimming activity in Sarsia. No significant main effects or interactions were observed, due to the large standard deviation of the mean (25.05 ±13.65%) swimming activity. Mechanical disturbance at the beginning of the observation period tended to cause a trend toward lengthening interonset intervals. Sarsia's crumple respon...
Are there Jews and Christians in the Bible

The article shows that it is anachronistic to speak of either 'Christians' or 'Jews' in the biblical period. In the New Testament both 'Words are used pejoratively by outsiders. However, it became appropriate to speak of 'Jews' when referring to the period of Rabbinic Judaism onwards, and of 'Christians' since the christological debates of the fourth century C E. 'Israel' was the in-group name during the Second Temple period. Outsiders, like the Romans, called the entire land 'Judea' and all its inhabitants 'Judeans'. Members of the 'house of Israel' called all outsiders 'non-Israel' or 'the nations'. The article concludes with a discussion of the ancient point of view of labeling persons.
Optimal Technology R&D in the Face of Climate Uncertainty

This paper explores optimal near-term technology R&D in the face of uncertain damages caused by the buildup of greenhouse gases. The paper puts particular emphasis on understanding how optimal near-term R&D expenditures might vary based on the technologies pursued in the R&D program. The exploration is conducted in the context of varying impacts from R&D on the global abatement cost function. The R&D planning problem is considered first within a theoretical framework and is then pursued in a stylized application using the DICE model. The paper provides intuition into the circumstances under which near-term technology R&D might increase or decrease under uncertainty, thereby serving as a hedge against climate uncertainty.
Reassembling the nation: Iraq in Fragments and the acoustics of occupation

AbstractJames Longley's documentary Iraq in Fragments (2006), featuring a three-part narrative about the everyday life of Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds in Iraq under occupation, emphasizes the affective encounter of different worlds, seen as inassimilable yet not completely autonomous, through its fragmented structure and evocative use of sound. The contrast among the urban noise of Baghdad in the segment about Sunnis, the overpowering sectarian sounds of the Shiites, and the suspenseful quiet of the Kurds opens up a dissonant space in which each fragment becomes a testimony to the cultural, ethnic, and religious disquiet of the nation and, the heterogeneity of its sonic landscape. The fragments construe Iraq as an assemblage of discontinuous sounds and music, implying that it is impossible to capture the nation in its entirety and that the idea of the social as totality, which Bruno Latour (2005) and Manuel Delanda (2006) find problematic, is audio-visually untenable.
Ethnomedicine of menstruation in rural Dominica, West Indies.

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance In Dominica, women offer dysmenorrhea, delayed menses, and menorrhagia as prevalent menstrual troubles. Dominican humoral theory considers menstruation to be “hot” such that menstrual problems are caused by the introduction of too much “cold” in the body. These conditions can be painful and may require herbal medicine. Our method finds the most culturally salient plants for these conditions—those which are of common knowledge across the population. We hypothesize that cultural agreement on ethnobotanical treatments (1) reflects their perceived ethnophysiological efficacy, and that (2) salient plants contain bioactive compounds appropriate for the menstrual conditions for which Dominicans employ the plants. Materials and Methods Qualitative data on local explanatory models and treatment of menstrual conditions were collected using participant-observation, focus groups, and informal key informant interviews. Quantitative ethnobotanical data come from freelist (or “free-list”) tasks, conducted with 54 adults. Results Mean salience values calculated from freelisted data reveal that the same four plants, Cinnamomum verum (synonym Cinnamomum zeylanicum) (Lauraceae), Mentha suaveolens (Lamiaceae), Pimenta racemosa (Myrtaceae) and Sphagneticola trilobata (synonym Wedelia trilobata) (Asteraceae) are used to treat dysmenorrhea and delayed menses. The only remedy reported for menorrhagia, Sphagneticola trilobata (Asteraceae), is also a treatment for dysmenorrhea and delayed menses. The Dominican humoral system views menstruation as a "hot" condition, yet these "bush medicines" are also "hot." Dominicans do not view menstruation as a problem, rather, they reckon that excess "cold" in a woman׳s menstruating body impedes menstrual function to cause problems thus requiring "hot" plants to alleviate their symptoms. A literature review revealed that all four plants contain analgesic, anti-nociceptive, and anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, Mentha suaveolens is muscle-relaxing and anti-spasmodic, Cinnamomum verum has a mild anti-coagulant, and Sphagneticola trilobata has wound healing, anti-stress, and sedative properties. Conclusions In Dominican menstrual problems there is correspondence between cultural consensus, bioactivity, and humoral theory. Examining the ethnophysiology of menstruation and its complications provides evidence for the expectations of actions and effectiveness of locally culturally salient medicinal plants.
Phase I control chart based on a kernel estimator of the quantile function

To measure the statistical performance of a control chart in Phase I applications, the in-control average run length (ARL) is the most frequently used parameter. In typical start up situations, control limits must be computed without knowledge of the underlying distribution of the quality characteristic. Assumptions of an underlying normal distribution can increase the probability of false alarms when the underlying distribution is non-normal, which can lead to unnecessary process adjustments. In this paper, a control chart based on a kernel estimator of the quantile function is proposed. Monte Carlo simulation was used to evaluate the in-control ARL performance of this chart relative to that of the Shewhart individuals control chart. The results indicate that the proposed chart is more robust to deviations in the assumed underlying distribution (with respect to the in-control ARL) and results in an alternative method of designing control charts for individual units. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Upper critical field of high-quality single crystals of KFe2As2

Measurements of temperature-dependent in-plane resistivity $\ensuremath{\rho}(T)$ were used to determine the upper critical field and its anisotropy in high-quality single crystals of the stoichiometric iron arsenide superconductor KFe${}_{2}$As${}_{2}$. The crystals were characterized by the residual resistivity ratio $\ensuremath{\rho}(\text{300}\phantom{\rule{4.pt}{0ex}}\text{K})/\ensuremath{\rho}(0)$ up to 3000 and the resistive transition midpoint temperature ${T}_{c}=3.8$ K, significantly higher than in previous studies on the same material. We find increased ${H}_{c2}(T)$ for both directions of the magnetic field, which scale with the increased ${T}_{c}$. This unusual linear ${H}_{c2}({T}_{c})$ scaling is not expected for an orbital-limiting mechanism of the upper critical field in clean materials.
Adoptive transfer of PR1 cytotoxic T lymphocytes associated with reduced leukemia burden in a mouse acute myeloid leukemia xenograft model

Background aims Tumor antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) have been used in the treatment of human cancer, including leukemia. Several studies have established PR1 peptide, an HLA-A2.1-restricted peptide derived from proteinase 3 (P3), as a human leukemia-associated antigen. PR1-specific CTL elicited in vitro from healthy donors have been shown to lyse P3-expressing AML cells from patients. We investigated whether PR1-CTL can be adoptively transferred into NOD/SCID mice to eliminate human leukemia cells.
Avian erythroblastosis virus: transformation-specific sequences form a contiguous segment of 3.25 kb located in the middle of the 6-kb genome

Abstract Several foci of chicken embryo fibroblasts transformed by avian erythroblastosis virus (AEV) strain ES-4 were found to produce virus progeny containing the RNA of the replication-defective AEV in excess over the RNA of the helper virus. The size of AEV RNA was determined by methylmercury-agarose gel electrophoresis and electron microscopy to be 28 S or 6 kb. About 40 to 45% of this RNA is homologous by RNA-DNA hybridization to the RNA of other chicken leukosis and sarcoma viruses; the rest of the genome is AEV specific. These AEV specific sequences, which presumably contain the genetic information responsible for transformation form a contiguous stretch of 3.25 kb, located by heteroduplex mapping in the center of the 6 kb genome between two segments of 1.06 kb at the 3′ end and 1.64 kb at the 5′ end which are homologous to the genome of avian sarcoma virus. From the length of the region showing homology between AEV and avian sarcoma virus at the 5′ end of the genome and from the known sequence composition of the AEV-specific 75K protein (Hayman et al. , 1979), it can be deduced that the initiation point for the N terminus of the gag protein p19 is located about 1.0 kb from the 5′ end of the genome in avian oncoviruses. Nonproducing AEV-transformed chicken embryo fibroblasts were also isolated. Infectious AEV could be rescued from these cells only with chicken leukosis viruses; unrelated avian retroviruses were ineffective, probably because AEV requires complementation in the gag and pol genes, in addition to env .
Ability of Viral Topoisomerase II To Discern the Handedness of Supercoiled DNA: Bimodal Recognition of DNA Geometry by Type II Enzymes†

Previous studies with human and bacterial topoisomerases suggest that the type II enzyme utilizes two distinct mechanisms to recognize the handedness of DNA supercoils. It has been proposed that the ability of some type II enzymes, such as human topoisomerase IIα and Eschericia coli topoisomerase IV, to distinguish supercoil geometry during DNA relaxation is mediated by elements in the variable C-terminal domain of the protein. In contrast, the ability of human topoisomerase IIα and β to discern the handedness of supercoils during DNA cleavage suggests that residues in the conserved N-terminal or central domain of the protein are involved in this process. To test this hypothesis, the ability of Paramecium bursaria chlorella virus-1 (PBCV-1) and chlorella virus Marburg-1 (CVM-1) topoisomerase II to relax and cleave negatively and positively supercoiled plasmids was assessed. These enzymes display a high degree of sequence identity with the N-terminal and central domains of eukaryotic topoisomerase II, but naturally lack the C-terminal domain. While PBCV-1 and CVM-1 topoisomerase II relaxed under- and overwound substrates at similar rates, they were able to discern the handedness of supercoils during the cleavage reaction and preferentially cut negatively supercoiled DNA. Preferential cleavage was not due to a change in site specificity, DNA binding, or religation. These findings are consistent with a bimodal recognition of DNA geometry in which topoisomerase II uses elements in the C-terminal domain to sense the handedness of supercoils during DNA relaxation and elements in the conserved N-terminal or central domains during DNA cleavage.
The state of research funding from the National Institutes of Health for criminal justice health research.

BACKGROUND: Over 20 million Americans are currently or have been incarcerated. Most are from medically underserved populations; 1 in 3 African American men and 1 in 6 Latino men born in 2001 are projected to go to prison during their lifetime. The amount of funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to understand and improve the health of persons involved with the criminal justice system is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To describe NIH funding for research on the health and health care needs of criminal justice-involved persons. DESIGN: Review of NIH grants (2008-2012) in the RePORT (Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools) database. Setting: U.S. criminal justice system. Patients: Criminal justice-involved persons participating in NIH-funded clinical research. Measurements: NIH research and training grants awarded, by number, type, research area, institute or center, and dollar amount. RESULTS: Of more than 250 000 NIH-funded grants, 180 (CONCLUSION: Federal funding for research focused on understanding and improving the health of criminal justice-involved persons is small, even compared with the NIH's overall investment in health disparities research. The NIH is well-positioned to transform the care of current and former prisoners by investing in this critical yet overlooked research area. Language: en
On-Board Characterization of Engine Dynamics for Health Monitoring and Control

This paper introduces a feature extraction method for characterization of gas turbine engine dynamics for the purpose of engine health monitoring as well as optimum control. For a vehicle health monitoring system that is comprehensive in its scope, and timely and accurate in its diagnosis, high fidelity engine models and a large amount of high-speed data both in steady-state as well as in transients are needed. However, limited computational resources available on-board, and the limited bandwidth capacity and the high cost of real-time data transmission place serious barriers in fulfilling that need. The approach presented in the paper seeks to overcome these barriers by separating the initial feature extraction stage of diagnostics algorithms from the modeling and trending stages. The first part which includes the detection of time instances that are critical to diagnosis and control is performed on board, while the latter is performed on a ground station. The approach is applied to the startup transient in a propulsion engine. A 50-fold reduction in data size is realized while achieving a highly accurate prognosis of hydro-mechanical assembly (HMA) failures.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Medical student attitudes to risk taking and self-perceived influence on medical practice.

Context Little has been published on medical student risk-taking attitudes and behaviours and whether students think these attributes will affect how they treat patients. Objectives Our aims were to assess for an association between risk-taking attitudes and behaviours, such as problematic substance use, self-reported risky behaviours, and self-reported accidents, and to test for an association between risk-taking attitudes and student perceptions of the influence of these attitudes on future clinical practice. Methods Three consecutive classes of Year 2 medical students (n = 315) completed a self-administered, 29-item questionnaire. Risk-taking attitudes were evaluated using a 6-question, risk-taking scale adapted from the Jackson Personality Inventory (JPI). Results A significant positive correlation was demonstrated between risk-taking attitudes (JPI) and problematic substance use (r = 0.34; P < 0.01), self-reported risky behaviours (r = 0.47; P < 0.01), and self-reported accidents (r = 0.33; P < 0.01). Students who did not think their attitudes toward risk would affect their clinical decision making scored significantly higher on our measure of risk-taking attitudes (t306 = − 4.60; P < 0.01). Students who did not think that their drinking, drug taking or sexual behaviour would affect how they counselled patients on these matters scored significantly higher on our measure of problematic substance use (t307 = − 2.51; P = 0.01). Conclusions Although risk-taking attitudes have been associated with significant differences in clinical decision making among doctors, in our sample students with high risk-taking attitudes and behaviours were significantly less likely than their colleagues to think their attitudes would affect their clinical practice. Implications for medical education are discussed.
Gametic and somatic tissue-specific heterogeneity of the expanded SCA1 CAG repeat in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 is associated with expansion of an unstable CAG repeat within the SCA1 gene. Male gametic heterogeneity of the expanded repeat is demonstrated using single sperm and low–copy genome analysis. Low–copy genome analysis of peripheral blood also reveals somatic heterogeneity of the expanded SCA1 allele, thus establishing mitotic instability at this locus. Comparative analysis of a large normal allele and a small affected allele suggests a role of midstream CAT interspersions in stabilizing long (CAG)n stretches. Within the brain, tissue–specific mosaicism of the expanded allele is also observed. The differences in SCA1 allele heterogeneity between sperm and blood and within the brain parallels the findings in Huntington disease, suggesting that both disorders share a common mechanism for tissue–specific instability.
Susceptibility to ischemia-induced ventricular fibrillation in isolated female rat hearts varies moderately with estrous cycle stage.

Abstract Introduction The vast majority of studies employing the isolated perfused rat heart model to study ischemic arrhythmias have used male rats only. The objective of this study was to determine the susceptibility to ischemia-induced ventricular fibrillation (VF) in isolated female rat hearts in each stage of the estrous cycle that corresponds with a different endogenous reproductive hormonal environment. Methods Hearts were isolated from female rats under pentobarbital anesthesia and perfused with modified Krebs solution containing 3 mM K + . Experiments were grouped according to estrous cycle stage that was determined by prior vaginal lavage (n = 10–13 per group). A group of male rat hearts was used as the control. Regional ischemia was induced by coronary ligation and maintained for 30 min. The incidence of VF was determined from the ECG. Results The incidence of VF in male hearts was 100%, while the incidence of VF in female hearts was also high but varied moderately with stage of the estrous cycle (diestrus 70%, metestrus 100%, proestrus 90%, estrus 69%; P > 0.05). Compared to male hearts, the onset of VF was similar in all groups except for hearts excised from rats in proestrus, in which it was delayed. There was no difference between groups in an arrhythmia score, ischemic zone size, or baseline electrocardiographic or hemodynamic variables. Discussion In conclusion, the susceptibility of isolated female rat hearts to ischemic VF is comparable to that of male rat hearts, meaning that isolated female rat hearts can be used as controls in studies to assess antiarrhythmic drug efficacy. Since female rats can be used for isolated heart studies of ischemic VF, the need to cull female rats is reduced. However, the variation in VF susceptibility in female rat hearts that is associated with the different stages of the estrous cycle may affect statistical power that could potentially lead to Type II statistical errors. This problem can be prevented with careful randomization.
Effectiveness of a Breath-Actuated Nebulizer Device on Asthma Care in the Pediatric Emergency Department

The breath-actuated nebulizer (BAN) is a new respiratory device to deliver short-acting β-agonists to patients with asthma exacerbations. This pediatric convenience sample experimental study compares the BAN with conventional nebulizers and demonstrates that the BAN allows for shorter treatment times to achieve improved clinical asthma scores with less albuterol, shorter emergency department length of stay, and fewer hospitalizations.
Weathering degradation of EVA encapsulant and the effect of its yellowing on solar cell efficiency

After five or more years of weathering, the degradation of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) encapsulant in photovoltaic (PV) modules resulted in a yellow to dark brown color. Degraded EVA shows a substantial increase in the gel content and a large to complete loss of the ultraviolet (UV) absorber, Cyasorb UV 531. The EVA discoloration is caused by the formation of polyconjugated (C=C)/sub n/ double bonds of various lengths. Acetic acid and other volatile organic components are also produced from the photothermal decomposition of the EVA. The solar cell efficiency was reduced by approximately 9% by a light-yellow-brown EVA and approximately 50% by a dark-brown EVA. Weathered PV modules with dark-brown EVA also show a approximately 50% decrease in efficiency. >
Crystal Ball Gazing Training and Accreditation in 2000 A.D.

Recommendations and proposals related to training and accreditation from various conferences as well as the Task Force on the Scope and Criteria of Accreditation and the Joint Council on Professional Education in Psychology are reviewed. This review focuses on the potential effects of these recommendations on counseling psychology students, trainers, and programs. Finally, implications for counseling psychology training based on the possible implementation of the recommendations are suggested.
Socioeconomic, Anthropomorphic, and Demographic Predictors of Adult Sexual Activity in the United States: Data from the National Survey of Family Growth

Introduction Individuals who engage in regular sexual intercourse are more likely to report good overall quality of life. Studies of sexuality in adolescents have focused on high-risk behaviors whereas similar studies in older adults have focused on sexual dysfunction. Given a paucity of data on the sexual behaviors of young adults and the possibility of important relationships between sexuality and overall health, we sought to determine factors that influence the frequency of intercourse in adult men and women in the United States.
Applications of Carl Rogers' theory and practice to couple and family therapy: a response to Harlene Anderson and David Bott

Recent articles by Harlene Anderson and David Bott in the Journal of Family Therapy (Volume 23) are a gratifying examination of the contribution of Carl Rogers’ philosophy and practice to family therapy. However, in my view, an already existing highly effective application of Rogers’ approach to couple and family therapy was omitted from Bott’s review of the literature. My reading of the two articles has inspired the following response given in the spirit of dialogue with the hope of furthering a conversation on this subject.
Proper Aerosol Inhalation Technique for Delivery of Asthma Medications

Forty-two (42) children with asthma, 7 to 15 years old, who had been taking aerosol medications from canister nebulizers for longer than 6 months were evaluated for adequacy of aerosol inhalation technique. The mouthpiece of a canister nebulizer was modified so that actuation of the canister and inhalation through the mouthpiece could be recorded. Of 42 patients, 24 had correct inhalation technique (they synchronized the actuation of canister and inhalation); 18 (43%) did not. The most frequent mistake (11 patients) was releasing the aerosol into the mouth without inhaling. Those who inhaled incorrectly were taught the correct technique by repeated instructions and demonstrations; 11 learned it within 5 minutes, but 7 required a longer instruction period. Most had retained the technique when retested later. The physician should teach each patient the correct technique when aerosol therapy is started and should check again on follow-up examinations to assure that the patient obtains maximum benefit from aerosol therapy.
Acute sphenoid sinusitis leading to contralateral cavernous sinus thrombosis: a case report

Introduction: The objective of this article was to report a case of isolated, acute, right-sided sphenoid sinusitis that progressed to contralateral cavernous sinus thrombosis in an 18-year-old male patient. We describe the atypical presentation of this case and discuss the relevant anatomy, pathogenesis, presentation, diagnostic evaluation and treatment. Case report: A case report of sphenoid sinusitis leading to contralateral cavernous sinus thrombosis was reviewed and presented along with a comprehensive literature review of the relevant anatomy, pathophysiology, microbiology, diagnostic work-up and treatment options. Conclusion: Cavernous sinusthrombosis is a rare clinical entity in the antibiotic era. However, limited sphenoid sinusitis may progress to cavernous sinus thrombosis in spite of maximal medical treatment, as highlighted in this case report. The mainstay of treatment includes early diagnosis allowing aggressive intravenous antibiotics and appropriate surgical management.
Human Capital Pipelines: Competitive Implications of Repeated Interorganizational Hiring

This article offers pipelines as a new perspective on human capital heterogeneity between firms. Using resource-based theory logic, we define pipelines as repeated interorganizational hiring and a practice firms use to differentially acquire and accumulate human capital and mitigate human capital risks. Pipelines are a ubiquitous staffing practice with ambiguous implications for firm performance that to date have eluded scholarly examination. Thus we use a systems framework to highlight input, output, and process contingencies in which pipeline hiring can create advantage over rivals—contingencies of human capital scarcity in the labor market, the choice of firm activity system, and product market ambiguity (i.e., credence qualities), respectively. Collectively, the article’s theoretical foundations provide new insights for human resource, strategy, and human capital fields and open the conceptual space of pipelines for examination by organizational scholars. We discuss the theoretical, empirical, and pra...
Nonlinear evolution of quantum states in the adiabatic regime.

We investigate adiabatic evolution of quantum states as governed by the nonlinear Schrodinger equation and provide examples of applications with a nonlinear tunneling model for Bose-Einstein condensates. Our analysis not only spells out conditions for adiabatic evolution of eigenstates but also characterizes the motion of noneigenstates which cannot be obtained from the former in the absence of the superposition principle. We find that Aharonov-Anandan phases play the role of classical canonical actions and are conserved in the adiabatic evolution of noneigenstates.
The Predator Deterrence Function of Primate Alarm Calls

It is generally assumed that alarm calls function in intraspecific communication, for example to warn close relatives about the presence of a predator. However, an alternative hypothesis suggests that, in some cases, signallers may also gain fitness benefits in directly communicating to the predator, for example by advertising perception and unprofitability to predators that depend on unprepared prey. In this study, we show that six monkey species in Tai forest, Ivory Coast, produce significantly more alarm calls to leopards than to chimpanzees, although both are notorious monkey predators. The conspicuously high vocalization rates to leopards had adaptive consequences for the monkeys. By following a radio-collared leopard, we found that after detection and high alarm call rates the leopard gave up its hiding location and left the group significantly faster than would be expected by chance. We discuss these data with respect to the various functional hypothesis of alarm call behaviour and conclude that the high alarm call rates to leopards are part of an anti-predator strategy in primates that may have evolved to deter predators that depend on surprise.
Constructivist values for Web-based instruction: university and NSA collaboration

CSULA was charged with assisting the NSA (National Security Agency) in the research, development, documentation and the necessary expertise to convert a face-to-face course to a multimedia Web-based course called "EEO 100: Equal Employment Opportunity Law and Diversity Training for Selection Boards." The focus of the work was on ways to encourage interactive learning and the use of motivational strategies online. EEO 100 is directed to employees of the NSA who serve or who may serve on boards, panels, or committees charged with the responsibility of rating workers for selection purposes.
Subchronic toxicology of humic acid following chlorination in the rat.

A subchronic 90‐d study was conducted with chlorinated and nonchlorinated humic acids using male Sprague‐Dawley rats. Body weight gain, terminal organ and body weights, food and fluid consumption, clinical chemistries, hematological parameters, and urinalyses were determined for all animals. Selected organs were examined microscopially. Significant findings were confined to those rats given the high dose of chlorinated humic acid (1.0 g/l total organic carbon). The terminal body weight and average weekly body weight gain were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the high‐dose group as compared to the distilled‐water control group. This difference can be partially explained by a 16% lower daily fluid consumption. The average weight of the kidneys was significantly higher in the 1.0‐g/l chlorinated humic group as compared to distilled‐water controls. Hematological parameters and clinical chemistry values were normal in all treatment groups. The most significant finding was the increased incidence and severity ...
Gravitational Optics Studies of Dark Matter Halos

One of the best methods that we have for exploring the distribution of dark matter throughout the universe is to measure its gravitational influence on the observed shapes of background galaxies. On linear scales of ∼ 3 – 300 kpc, when the dark matter distribution is dominated by individual galaxy halos, the investigation is best performed statistically by correlating the orientations of the source galaxies with the position angles of the foreground lens galaxies. Recent observational programs have shown that the large-scale mass to light ratio in red bandpasses is ∼ 100 solar units, and is apparently independent of galaxy type. The prospects for improving the precision of these measurements and for extending them to larger length scales over the next five years are good.
Nonrigid image registration in shared-memory multiprocessor environments with application to brains, breasts, and bees

One major problem with nonrigid image registration techniques is their high computational cost. Because of this, these methods have found limited application to clinical situations where fast execution is required, e.g., intraoperative imaging. This paper presents a parallel implementation of a nonrigid image registration algorithm. It takes advantage of shared-memory multiprocessor computer architectures using multithreaded programming by partitioning of data and partitioning of tasks, depending on the computational subproblem. For three different biomedical applications (intraoperative brain deformation, contrast-enhanced MR mammography, intersubject brain registration), the scaling behavior of the algorithm is quantitatively analyzed. The method is demonstrated to perform the computation of intra-operative brain deformation in less than a minute using 64 CPUs on a 128-CPU shared-memory supercomputer (SGI Origin 3800). It is shown that its serial component is no more than 2% of the total computation time, allowing a speedup of at least a factor of 50. In most cases, the theoretical limit of the speedup is substantially higher (up to 132-fold in the application examples presented in this paper). The parallel implementation of our algorithm is, therefore, capable of solving nonrigid registration problems with short execution time requirements and may be considered an important step in the application of such techniques to clinically important problems such as the computation of brain deformation during cranial image-guided surgery.
Semantics-Aware Storage and Replication of Trust Metadata in Mobile Ad-hoc Networks

Cooperation between nodes is essential for the functionality of a mobile ad-hoc network (MANET). However, since the nodes in a MANET are generally resource limited, some nodes could refuse service to other nodes to conserve their resources, thereby exhibiting selfish behavior. Also, since a MANET is often deployed in uncontrolled environments, some nodes could be compromised by an adversary and directed to act maliciously. A trust management framework in a MANETis useful to infer if nodes behave in a selfish or malicious manner, so that appropriate action could be taken, in order to maximize network performance. In this paper, we propose a scalable trust management scheme to partition and store an information network of trust metadata of nodes in a MANET. The simplicity of our scheme for trust metadata propagation and retrieval and its robustness to node failures, membership changes and mobility, make it a promising choice for trust management in a MANET. Simulation results that evaluate our scheme based on the trust management metrics we have defined demonstrate its performance benefits.
Transient Growth Requirement in Bacillus subtilis following the Cessation of Exponential Growth

During an investigation of the parameters controlling mutations in Bacillus subtilis we observed that this bacterium exhibits a transient growth requirement for two nonessential amino acids (glutamic acid and isoleucine) during a type of postexponential growth on a minimal medium.
On the long run relationship between gold and silver prices A note

This study examines the long run trend between the prices of gold and silver futures contracts traded on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange and concludes that the stable relationship between gold and silver prices has disappeared in the 1990s. The underlying causes and implications of this finding are discussed. D 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
Variable hormone responsiveness of osteoblast populations isolated at different stages of embryogenesis and its relationship to the osteogenic lineage

A variable response to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3] hormone treatment was observed for osteoblast cell populations isolated from 12- and 17-day-old embryonic chick calvariae. The younger embryonic cell population showed 2- and 5-fold inductions of osteocalcin and osteopontin gene expression, respectively, and a 25% inhibition of collagen gene expression when treated with 1,25-(OH)2D3. In contrast, these same genes all displayed approximately 80% inhibition of their expression when the older embryonic cell populations were treated with hormone. The hormone response was related to the appearance of the vitamin D3 receptor (VDR) and the developmental state of teh two cell populations by assessing the numbers of cells that were immunologically labeled for two osteoblast lineage, stage-specific surface makers (alkaline phosphatase and SB-5, an osteocyte marker) and the VDR. Using the sequence of marker presentation, with VDR appearing first, followed by alkaline phosphatase and then SB-5, models were tested using logistic regression analysis to validate this order of marker presentation and establish that the two embryonic ages of the cell populations represent discrete stages of their lineage. This analysis indicated that 1,25-(OH)2D3 treatment progressed the 12-day-old embryo cell populations along their lineage and that the hormone promoted the appearance of its own receptor (P < 0.001) However, the appearance of the VDR does not appear to be a determinant in the variable responses of the different embryonic aged cell populations to the hormone. These data quantitatively establish the unique nature of osteoblast cell populations within their lineage progression for cells isolated from embryos of different ages, such that cell populations isolated from younger embryos are comprised of primarily presumptive or immature osteoblasts, whereas cells isolated from older embryos are comprised of mature osteoblasts. These data also demonstrate that the genomic effects of 1,25-(OH)2D3 are dependent on the developmental stage of the osteoblast lineage, and the stimulatory actions of the hormone are targeted to immature osteoblasts, whereas the effect of the hormone on mature osteoblasts is inhibitory.
Supporting persistent social groups in ubiquitous computing environments using context-aware ephemeral group service

We analyze the role of the social group in a ubiquitous computing (Ubicomp) environment as a source of contextual information. A model is presented to address the social group member's perceptions of how devices in a ubicomp environment should aid them in collaboration. Based on the model a distributed context-aware group membership management scheme is developed. We then present a prototype implementation for a context-aware ephemeral group membership management scheme, along with a sample application, and experimental results that demonstrate the feasibility of our system.
Sol-gel-derived magnesium oxide precursor for thin-film fabrication

Magnesium oxide (MgO) precursors were prepared by the sol-gel method using magnesium acetate. The reaction products and intermediates obtained during the sol-gel processing of magnesium acetate under various conditions were analyzed thermally and spectroscopically. No organic groups were detected by infrared spectroscopy after heat treating the reaction products at 400 °C. A large exothermic differential thermal analysis peak below 400 °C demonstrated the oxidation of organic moieties in each product. It was found that the presence of an acid catalyst was crucial during the sol-gel processing of magnesium acetate to produce sols suitable for depositing MgO films. The MgO films fabricated on Si(111) substrates using the precursor sol showed (200) orientation regardless of the presence of surface oxides on the substrates.
Analysis of Azotobacter vinelandii strains containing defined deletions in nif genes required for FeMo-co biosynthesis

The substrate-reducing site of the MoFe protein of nitrogenase is believed to be a cluster called FeMo-co, which has a stoichiometry Mo:Fe6–8:S8–9:homocitrate (2, 8, 17, 18). It has been known for some time that in vivo. FeMo-co biosynthesis requires the participation of at least the nifO, B, N, E and V gene products (7). In 1984, Ugalde et. al. demonstrated that the biosynthesis of FeMo-co did not require the participation of the nifDK (MoFe protein) polypeptides (19). Subsequent reports, which demonstrated that the Fe protein (nifH) polypeptide was required for FeMo-co biosynthesis in both Klebsiella pneumoniae (6) and A. vinelandii (13), were therefore quite surprising. In the A. vinelandii study we discovered that although FeMo-co was present in a nifDK deletion strain, it was not present in a nifHPK deletion strain. This led us to construct a new A. vinelandii strain, called DJ54, which was deleted only for the nifH structural gene. When derepressed for nitrogenase synthesis this strain contained the MoFe protein polypeptides but did not contain FeMo-co (15).
Solubility of Atmospheric Gases in Freshwater

This chapter presents tabular information on the standard air saturation concentration (moist air at 1 atm) for oxygen, nitrogen, argon, and carbon dioxide gas in terms of μmol/kg, mg/L, and mL/L; and in terms of Bunsen coefficients L real gas/(L atm); mg real gas/(L mmHg); and mg real gas/(L kPa) for 0–40°C and freshwater conditions. Because the mole fraction of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is changing, solubility information is provided for 2010 (390 μatm) and for 2030 (440 μatm) based on projected atmospheric values. Tabular information is also provided to allow computation of standard air saturation concentrations of carbon dioxide gas directly as a function of atmospheric mole fraction. Conversion factors are presented to convert these concentrations to other commonly used units. Equations and tabular information are provided to compute air saturation concentration for moist air at local barometric pressure for the four atmospheric gases. Because of the importance of dissolved oxygen in biological processes, the air solubility concentration is also presented as a function of elevation for both metric and English elevations. Equations and tabular information are provided to allow conversion of concentrations in mg/L to partial pressures in mmHg. Sample problems are included for representative examples.
Promoting multicultural literacies through game-based embodiment: a case study of counselor education students and the role-playing game Oblivion

Purpose – This study aims to build on Gee’s (2003) earlier question exploring specifically the learning processes associated with broadening cultural empathy and exploring personal bias through gameplay in the role-playing game, Oblivion. Design/methodology/approach – Methodology for this case study (Stake, 1995) was informed by narrative (Reissman, 2001) methods that focused on collecting descriptions of the unique experiences of participants while being engaged in gameplay and their personal reflections synthesizing game-based engagement and course content. “Narrative research offers the possibility of exploring nuances and interrelationships among aspects of experience that the reader might better understand other related situations” (Josselson, p. 239). Our study focused on using narrative research methods to examine embodiment within the fictional world of the game as an experiential participatory-learning experience. Findings – All participants indicated that the most salient learning experiences of...
Introducing Tree Structural Defect Recognition to Youth: An Exploration of Feasibility Through a Comparison of Two Teaching Methods

Trees in urban settings require more care because they are more likely to develop structural defects that can be costly, dangerous, or more maintenanceintensive than those in natural settings. People need to understand how trees grow in the urban environment and how to recognize potentially hazardous structural defects, yet this is not a topic regularly presented in school curriculum. The objectives of this study were to determine if structural defect recognition in trees is an appropriate topic for sixth grade curriculum, and to explore the efficacy of two methods of teaching this topic. We introduced structural defects in trees to sixth grade students, as part of the normal science instruction at three public middle schools located in Broward County, FL. We found sixth grade students to be capable of recognizing and comprehending the implications of structural defects in trees following a short period of instruction. We compared hands-on, experiential instruction with a passive, illustrated lecture style instruction for teaching students to recognize structural defects in trees and determined that students exposed to both methods of instruction increased their ability to recognize defects overall. Moreover, we observed that students exposed to defects in trees via illustrated lecture style classroom instruction received significantly higher scores in the posttest than students exposed to the same material via a hands-on approach.
Augmenting Systems Models for the automatic generation of Risk artifacts

Systems modeling is becoming a standard methodology for engineering large scale, complex systems. One of the key goals in systems modeling is to make better decisions during the lifecycle of the system in question. A key technique used for this purpose is uncertainty management during design and operations. In this paper, we present an approach for augmenting the systems models with a few key elements that in turn enable the development of a plethora of risk and uncertainty management artifacts and support decision making. These artifacts have been derived from the fields of Probabilistic Risk Assessment, Fault Tolerant Computing and Reliability Engineering. The atomic level elements required for generating these artifacts are derived and we demonstrate the development of the artifacts from them. The approach presented in this paper bridges the gaps between Decision & Risk Analysis, Reliability Engineering and Fault Tolerant Computing within the context of practical aerospace applications.