cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CLINICAL IMPACT OF BETA-BLOCKER IN PATIENTS WITH CRITICAL LIMB ISCHEMIA UNDERGOING ENDOVASCULAR THERAPY

It has been reported that beta-blocker (BB) reduced cardiovascular events in patients with ischemic heart disease. However, little is known about the efficacy of BB in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). Between March 2004 and December 2011, 1873 CLI patients who underwent endovascular
Adjuncts in Social Work Programs: Good Practice or Unethical?

Social work education programs rely heavily on adjunct instructors, as do most academic institutions. This article adds to existing literature on adjuncts by focusing on the unique issues in social work education, using social work values and ethics as a focus. The benefits and detriments for adjuncts, programs, and students in schools of social work are reviewed. Social justice issues are explored with respect to adjuncts and nontraditional students. The author recommends supporting adjuncts by offering an orientation and a mentor, providing health benefits, distributing course times more evenly, and providing more advance notice of course offerings.
Low-frequency noise characteristics of AlSb/InAsSb HEMTs

Abstract Measurements of the low-frequency noise between 1 Hz and 100 kHz in AlSb/InAsSb HEMTs are reported. At room temperature, over the lower part of the frequency range, the slope of the noise level is close to ideal 1/ f . The corresponding Hooge parameter, α H , was found to be 1.4 × 10 −3 . In the high-frequency part of the spectrum, the start of a noise Lorentzian component is apparent. At lower temperatures, this component becomes fully visible and moves down in frequency with decreasing temperature, indicating the presence of a discrete trap level with an activation energy of 0.38 eV. Also at low temperatures, when the devices are illuminated with visible light, the noise increases greatly, displaying a prominent Lorentzian component with the characteristic 1/ f 2 slope above the corner frequency.
Diagrammatic Separation of Different Crystal Structures of A2BX4 Compounds Without Energy Minimization: A Pseudopotential Orbital Radii Approach

The A2BX4 family of compounds manifest a wide range of physical properties, including transparent conductivity, ferromagnetism, and superconductivity. A 98% successful diagrammatic separation of the 44 different crystal structures of 688 oxide A2BX4 compounds (96% for 266 oxide-only) is described by plotting the total radius of the A atom RA versus the radius of the B atom RB for many A2BX4 compounds of known structure types and seeking heuristically simple, straight boundaries in the RA versus RB plane that best separate the domains of different structure types. The radii are sums RA = Rs(A) + Rp(A) of the quantum-mechanically calculated “orbital radii” Rs(Rp), rather than empirical radii or phenomenological electronegativity scales. These success rates using first-principles orbital radii uniformly exceed the success rates using classic radii. Such maps afford a quick guess of the crystal structure of a yet unmade A2BX4 compound by placing its atomic orbital radii on such maps and reading off its structure type.
Safety, Security, Now Sustainability: The Nonfunctional Requirement for the 21st Century

Many software systems today control large-scale sociotechnical systems. These systems aren't just entangled with the environment but also with our dwindling resources and mostly unsustainable way of living, while the planet's population continues to grow. Dealing with sustainability requirements and systematically supporting their elicitation, analysis, and realization is a problem that has yet to be solved. Decades ago, the discipline of software engineering dealt with similar shortcomings in its processes by including safety and security as new system qualities. In light of the increasing consequences of inadequately addressing sustainability in developing software systems, software engineers must apply the lessons learned from these prior research efforts and identify the necessary research agenda. Considering sustainability in software engineering means more than energy efficiency and green IT, which are concerned with the first-order impacts of software systems. Software engineers must also take into account the second- and third-order impacts in the system context, even if they're hard to assess. By doing so, engineers have the potential to considerably improve civilization's sustainability. The Web extra at http://youtu.be/VC07j6a1XUw is a video in which author Birgit Penzenstadler talks about how software engineers can considerably improve civilization's sustainability by taking into account not just the first-order impacts of software systems but also their second- and third-order impacts.
Feasibility of community food item collection for the National Children's Study.

Abstract Background The National Children's Study proposes to investigate biological, chemical, physical, and psychosocial environmental exposures and their role on health outcomes in pregnant women and children. One specific area of concern is contaminant exposure through the ingestion of solid foods. National food contaminant databases may miss dietary exposures unique to specific communities and sources of food. Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of community food item collection for the assessment of pesticide exposure in pregnant women and young children. Methods A prospective observational design was used to test the food collection protocol in mothers (n = 45) of children aged 15–24 months in Salt Lake City, Utah. Foods for collection were based on: 1) frequency of different foods consumed by the target population as determined by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data; 2) child food frequency questionnaire; and 3) likelihood of pesticide contamination in the foods. Assessment measures included: demographics, environmental health survey, quality assurance checklist, and participant evaluation form. Results An average of three food items were obtained from 44 households, yielding a collection rate of 97.8%. Overall, 100% of the food samples were rated as acceptable. Moreover, a vast majority of mothers reported that the study was not burdensome (95.5%) and that preparing the food sample was easy (93.2%). Conclusions This study suggests that the community food item collection methodology shows promise as a low-burden approach for capturing dietary exposures on a household level, and appears to be a feasible tool for large population studies to assess dietary exposures unique to specific communities.
Research Note: Interactive Effects of Sodium Zeolite A and Eimeria acervulina Infection on Growth and Tissue Minerals in Chicks

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to assess the interactive effects of dietary sodium zeolite A (SZA) and experimental Eimeria acervulina infection on growth and tissue mineral concentrations in chicks. The average initial weight of the chicks was 71.8 g, and the experimental periods were from 5 to 15 days posthatching. In both experiments, the corn-soybean meal basal diet was supplemented with 0 or .75% SZA and fed to uninfected chicks or to chicks infected with 4 × 105 sporulated E. acervulina oocysts on Days 0, 3, and 6 of the experiments. Both coccidial infection and SZA reduced (P .10) plasma Ca or P, tibia P, liver Ca, Zn, Fe, or Mn, or pancreas Cu. Sodium zeolite A increased (P
BRST and Osp(2|2)

Abstract A canonical system with first-class constraints admits a Parisi-Sourlas type Osp(2|2) in variance for each of its constraints and the standard BRST and anti-BRST operators are generators in a direct sum representation of the Osp(2|2) Lie algebra. This direct sum representation has two additional nilpotent anticommuting generators which are on an equal footing with the standard BRST operators, and any one of these four operators could be used as the BRST operator of the theory.
Accounting standards, the institutional environment and issuer incentives: Effect on timely loss recognition in China

Abstract Accounting income of Chinese companies reporting under both domestic ASBE accounting standards and International Accounting Standards (“IAS”) is shown to lack timely incorporation of economic losses. This is less surprising for ASBE-compliant income, because although ASBE standards are based on IAS, they lack important asymmetric rules, such as lower-of-cost-or-market, and impairment of long-term assets. More striking is the absence of timely loss incorporation in financial statements certified by international auditors as IAS-compliant. IAS resemble common-law standards and are widely believed to increase financial reporting quality. The timely incorporation of losses has become perhaps the single most important feature of income reporting under common law (Basu (1997), Ball, Kothari and Robin (2000)). We attribute the result to the comparatively low incentive of managers and auditors to recognise economic losses in a timely fashion and, conversely, to comparatively high political and tax influe...
Synthesis and preliminary characterization of new conducting salts derived from bis(ethylenedithio)tetraselenafulvalene (BETS)

Abstract Nine new conducting salts of BETS have been synthesized by electrocrystallization. The resistivities of these materials have been monitored to low temperatures. The resistivities of α-(BETS)2MHg(SCN)4 (M = NH4 and K), which are isostructural with well known BEDT-TTF (ET) compounds, decrease smoothly and monotonically from room temperature to 0.4 K, but neither are superconductors. X-ray structural data are reported.
In situ jejunal uptake from liposomal systems

Abstract The in situ uptake from the rat jejunum of liposomes prepared from various saturated phosphatidylcholines in the presence or absence of cholesterol was determined. Liposomes prepared from distearoylphosphatidylcholine, with or without cholesterol, were taken up at the fastest rate (apparent first-order uptake of intact liposomes with a half-life of about 15 min). The lipid components of liposomes could not be found in compartments where liposomes would be expected to accumulate, i.e. liver, spleen, lymph nodes, or thoracic lymphatic duct. Furthermore, inulin, when encapsulated in the liposomes, could not be found in the urine. When either PEG-4000 (a non-absorbable marker) or glucose (an absorbable marker) was entrapped within the liposome, all of the liposomes and markers that were taken up still remained associated with the jejunum and the liposomes remained intact.
Perturbative QCD corrections to the ratio R for tau decay

The perturbative QCD correction to the semihadronic decay rate of a heavy lepton is expressed as an expansion in ..cap alpha../sub s/. In the case of the tau lepton, the ratio of the semihadronic and electronic decay rates is R = 3(1+..cap alpha../sub s//..pi..+5.20(..cap alpha../sub s//..pi..)/sup 2/ +104.0(..cap alpha../sub s//..pi..)/sup 3/). The use of R to give a precise determination of ..cap alpha../sub s/ is advocated.
Development of Simple Functional Markers for Low Glutelin Content Gene 1 (Lgc1) in Rice (Oryza sativa)

Abstract Rice with low glutelin content is suitable as functional food for patients affected by kidney failure. Low glutelin-content gene Lgc1 in rice has a 3.5-kb deletion between two highly similar glutelin genes GluB4 and GluB5, which locates on the short arm of chromosome 2. To improve the selection efficiency in low glutelin-content rice breeding, two molecular markers designated as InDel-Lgc1-1 and InDel-Lgc1-2 were developed to detect the low glutelin-content gene Lgc1. A double PCR detection indicated that combined use of the two markers could easily distinguish the genotypes of Lgc1 from different rice varieties. Therefore, as a simple and low-cost technique, the molecular marker could be widely used to identify different varieties with Lgc1 gene and applied in marker-assisted selection of low glutelin-content rice.
Escherichia coli DNA photolyase is a flavoprotein

Escherichia coli DNA photolyase (photoreactivating enzyme) was purified to homogeneity from a strain that greatly overproduces the protein. The purified enzyme has absorption peaks at 280 and 380 nm, a fluorescence emission peak at 480 nm and, upon denaturation, releases a chromophore that has the spectroscopic properties of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), indicating that FAD is an intrinsic chromophore of the enzyme.
An Assessment of the Perceived Relevance of the CACREP Standards

This study examined the extent to which the 1988 Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) Standards were judged by counselor educators as relevant to the preparation of counselors. A majority of the 102 institutional representatives, regardless of whether they represented CACREP-accredited or nonaccredited programs that offered a master's degree only or a master's degree and doctorate and had few or many faculty members, judged the CACREP Standards to be crucial or important to accreditation. Respondents' judgments of the relevance of the CACREP Standards, however, differed significantly (p<.05) by numerical size of program faculty and by whether the program was CACREP-accredited or non-CACREP-accredited.
Eye-head coordination in the guinea pig II. Responses to self-generated (voluntary) head movements.

Retinal image stability is essential for vision but may be degraded by head movements. The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) compensates for passive perturbations of head position and is usually assumed to be the major neural mechanism for ocular stability. During our recent investigation of vestibular reflexes in guinea pigs free to move their heads (Shanidze et al. in Exp Brain Res, 2010), we observed compensatory eye movements that could not have been initiated either by vestibular or neck proprioceptive reflexes because they occurred with zero or negative latency with respect to head movement. These movements always occurred in association with self-generated (active) head or body movements and thus anticipated a voluntary movement. We found the anticipatory responses to differ from those produced by the VOR in two significant ways. First, anticipatory responses are characterized by temporal synchrony with voluntary head movements (latency ~1 versus ~7 ms for the VOR). Second, the anticipatory responses have higher gains (0.80 vs. 0.46 for the VOR) and thus more effectively stabilize the retinal image during voluntary head movements. We suggest that anticipatory responses act synergistically with the VOR to stabilize retinal images. Furthermore, they are independent of actual vestibular sensation since they occur in guinea pigs with complete peripheral vestibular lesions. Conceptually, anticipatory responses could be produced by a feed-forward neural controller that transforms efferent motor commands for head movement into estimates of the sensory consequences of those movements.
SHARP: a scalable approach to architecture-level reliability prediction of concurrent systems

Early prediction of reliability is important in building dependable software. Existing approaches are unable to model concurrent systems in a scalable way. To address the scalability challenge, we propose a framework that is applicable at the architecture level. Our framework achieves scalability by approaching the system from the perspective of usage scenarios and by employing a hierarchical solution. Specifically, we solve lower granularity scenario-based submodels and a higher granularity system model; we then combine their results to obtain a system reliability estimate. Our evaluation indicates that (a) the proposed hierarchical framework is accurate, and (b) that it is more scalable than existing techniques.
Circadian patterns of rat anterior pituitary and target gland hormones in serum: Determination of the appropriate sample size by statistical power analysis

Abstract (1) Experiments were performed to ascertain circadian fluctuations in the serum concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL), testosterone (T), growth hormone (GH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and corticosterone in rats. (2) Serum LH, TSH, T and corticosterone varied throughout the 24-hr period, but the magnitude of change for LH, TSH and T was small compared with the range of individual animals' hormone concentrations at a given time point. (3) Statistical power analyses were performed on the LH, TSH, and corticosterone data in order to determine retrospectively the sample size necessary to reduce the possibility of a Type II (beta) statistical error to an acceptable level. (4) The results of these analyses indicate that many similar studies already published used too few animals and thus were biased toward not rejecting the null hypothesis.
Cholesterogenesis, lipogenesis, cholesterol degradation to bile acids, and histopathology of the liver in LA/N-cp obese rats

Various lipid parameters were determined in lean control and LA/NIH-corpulent (LA/N-cp) rats, a normotensive strain showing metabolic characteristics associated with human Type IV hyperlipidemia. Hepatic and plasma total cholesterol, high density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly higher in the obese group than in the control group. Depending upon whether the data were expressed as per gram tissue or per organ, the rates of de novo fatty acid synthesis in the liver and adipose tissue were higher by 61% to 127% (P < .05) and 79% to 355% (P < .05), respectively, in the obese group compared with the lean control group. Similarly, hepatic rate of cholesterol synthesis was higher by 46% to 107% (P < .05) in the obese animals compared with the lean ones. In vivo hepatic rate of HDL2 cholesterol degradation to bile acids was lower in the obese group by 48% to 63% (P < .05). This was confirmed in the perfused liver in spite of the fact that cholesterol uptake from HDL2 was 3- to 4-fold higher in the obese group. These changes in lipid parameters of the obese animals were neither caused by hyperphagia because they were pair-fed with the control group nor caused by increased rate of food consumption because they were meal-fed. At the same time, all these lipid parameters were 17% to 20% higher in ad libitum-fed obese than in pair-fed obese group. Histopathological evaluation of the livers in the obese and control groups also showed prominent lipid droplets in the cytoplasm of the obese liver but not in the lean control liver. Thus, the possible causes of obesity in the LA/N-cp obese rats are higher synthetic rates of lipids coupled with lower rate of degradation of cholesterol to bile acids.
Interaction design for literature-based discovery

Rapid growth in the scientific literature makes it increasingly difficult for scientists to keep abreast of findings outside their own narrowing fields of expertise. To help biomedical researchers address this problem, LitLinker uses literature-based discovery to find new connections between biomedical terms that could lead to new directions in research. In this paper, we discuss the design of an interface that supports researchers' interactive exploration of the identified connections. Because the interface suggests many possible new connections, researchers must be able to understand how connections are established and to evaluate those connections based on their own expertise. Based on the results of our user study, we have further tailored the interface to support the work processes of biomedical researchers. LitLinker's interaction design promotes user-comprehension of the complex relationships among connected terms and allows for dialogue with researchers on the use of literature in scientific discovery.
Nicotinic receptors that bind α-bungarotoxin on neurons raise intracellular free ca2+

Many populations of vertebrate neurons have a membrane component that binds alpha-bungarotoxin and cholinergic ligands. Despite the abundance of this component and its similarities to nicotinic receptors, its function has remained controversial. Using a fluorescence assay, we show here that activation of the component elevates the intracellular concentration of free Ca2+, demonstrating a receptor function for the toxin-binding component. Whole-cell voltage-clamp and intracellular recordings did not detect a significant current resulting from receptor activation, possibly because the currents were small or the receptors rapidly desensitized. The rise in intracellular free Ca2+ caused by the receptor was prevented by Ca2+ channel blockers. This suggests a signaling cascade likely to have important regulatory consequences for the neuron.
Exclusive heavy-meson production in Z0 decay.

The exclusive two-body decay of the Z/sup 0/ to heavy mesons is analyzed in the framework of perturbative QCD. We present a general formalism for calculating the decay widths to vector+vector, vector+pseudoscalar, and pseudoscalar+pseudoscalar mesons with arbitrary constituent masses. Numerical estimates of the branching ratios for different exclusive decay modes of the Z/sup 0/ are presented.
Coordinate suppression of ERBB2 and ERBB3 by enforced expression of micro-RNA miR-125a or miR-125b.

Deregulation of micro-RNAs (miRNAs) is emerging as a major aspect of cancer etiology because their capacity to direct the translation and stability of targeted transcripts can dramatically influence cellular physiology. To explore the potential of exogenously applied miRNAs to suppress oncogenic proteins, the ERBB oncogene family was chosen with a bioinformatics search identifying targeting seed sequences for miR-125a and miR-125b within the 3′-untranslated regions of both ERBB2 and ERBB3. Using the human breast cancer cell line SKBR3 as a model for ERBB2 and ERBB3 dependence, infection of these cells with retroviral constructs expressing either miR-125a or miR-125b resulted in suppression of ERBB2 and ERBB3 at both the transcript and protein level. Luciferase constructs containing the 3′ 3′-untranslated regions of ERBB2 and ERBB3 demonstrated ∼35% less activity in miR-125a- and miR-125b-expressing cells relative to controls. Additionally, phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and AKT was suppressed in SKBR3 cells overexpressing either miR-125a or miR-125b. Consistent with suppression of both ERBB2 and ERBB3 signaling, miR-125a-or miR-125b-overexpressing SKBR3 cells were impaired in their anchorage-dependent growth and exhibited reduced migration and invasion capacities. Parallel studies performed on MCF10A cells demonstrated that miR-125a or miR-125b overexpression produced only marginal influences on the growth and migration of these non-transformed human mammary epithelial cells. These results illustrate the feasibility of using miRNAs as a therapeutic strategy to suppress oncogene expression and function.
Tight Integration of Plasmonic Nanoresonators with On-chip Silicon Nitride Photonic Guided Wave Structures

Plasmonic nanoresonators can localize light beyond diffraction limit and can provide large field enhancements and thus can be used in sensing and spectroscopy applications. Here, we numerically show that efficient excitation of plasmonic resonances of nanoparticles is possible when they are integrated with Silicon Nitride waveguides in an integrated hybrid photonic-plasmonic platform.
Cardiac MR assessment of myocardial iron deposition in sickle cell disease: risk factors and association with cardiac function

Methods 22 patients with SCD (Hb SS) at a steady state had T2* sensitive cardiac MRI (1.5 T AvantoTM, Siemens) from January 2009 to August 2009. All patients were receiving regular transfusion every 3-4 weeks and chelation therapy. For each patient, a T2* value obtained from the interventricular septum. Cardiac T2* values of > 25 ms were recorded as normal, 20-25 ms as borderline and < 20 ms as abnormal.
Mitotic cell recognition with hidden Markov models

This work describes a method for detecting mitotic cells in time-lapse microscopy images of live cells. The image sequences are from the Large Scale Digital Cell Analysis System (LSDCAS) at the University of Iowa. LSDCAS is an automated microscope system capable of monitoring 1000 microscope fields over time intervals of up to one month. Manual analysis of the image sequences can be extremely time consuming. This work is part of a larger project to automate the image sequence analysis. A three-step approach is used. In the first step, potential mitotic cells are located in the image sequences. In the second step, object border segmentation is performed with the watershed algorithm. Objects in adjacent frames are grouped into object sequences for classification. In the third step, the image sequences are converted to feature vector sequences. The feature vectors contain spatial and temporal information. Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) are used to classify the feature vector sequences into dead cells, cell edges, and dividing cells. Discrete and continuous HMMs were trained on 500 sequences. The discrete HMM recognition rates were 62% for dead cells, 77% for cell edges, and 75% for dividing cells. The continuous HMM results were 68%, 88% and 77%.
Domestic versus International R&D Spillovers

Abstract Implicit in the literature on cooperative R&D is the assumption that cooperating firms are located in a single country. We extend the standard model to the two-country case and compare noncooperative R&D, competing national RJVs, and a global RJV.
Cauchy problems involving non-selfadjoint operators

We consider the differential equation where for each is f(t) an element of a Hilbert space H and H: dom H → H is a closed, densely defined linear operator with real spectrum. We present a class, the U-scalar operators, which possess a representation of the form on a dense set. Here E(S), s∊R is a family of possibly unbounded commuting projections. U-scalar operators are a generalization of spectral operators of scalar type. If H is U-scalar we show that defines a one parameter group of denselydefined linear operators and that, for a dense set of initial conditions f0, a strong solution of (1) is given by f(t)=B(t)f0. We give necessary and sufficient conditions for an operator to be U-scalar. We prove that U-scalar operators do not possess residual spectrum
A carry-free algorithm for finding the greatest common divisor of two integers

Abstract We investigate a variant of the so-called “binary” algorithm for finding the GCD (greatest common divisor) of two numbers which requires no comparisons. We show that when implemented with carry-save hardware, it can be used to find the modulo B inverse of an n-bit binary integer in a time proportional to n, using only registers of length proportional to n. Such a hardware implementation of this algorithm set up for finding inverses with respect to a 336 bit modulus B would have applications in the currently expanding field of secure data transmission and storage. In such an implementation, multiplication in linear time-both modulo B and ordinary—would come along as a by-product because multiplication can be achieved by a sequence of nine inversions, some additions and negations.
Endomyocardial biopsy in hemochromatosis: clinicopathologic correlates in six cases

Abstract Clinical and pathologic features of cardiac hemochromatosis diagnosed by endomyocardial biopsy in six men, aged 32 to 75 years (mean 52), are described. Echocardiography demonstrated left ventricular enlargement and marked global systolic dysfunction in five. Cardiac catheterization demonstrated normal coronary arteries, increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and decreased left ventricular systolic function in all five so studied. Stainable iron was present in all endomyocardial biopsy specimens from the five patients with decreased left ventricular systolic function. Histologically, iron was detected only within the sarcoplasm, and its extent varied inversely with ventricular function. Thus, cardiac hemochromatosis represents a storage rather than an infiltrative disease. These results indicate that stainable iron is consistently observed in endomyocardial biopsy specimens from patients with impaired left ventricular systolic function. Iron staining is recommended for endomyocardial biopsy specimens from patients with idiopathic cardiac dysfunction.
Alkyne adducts of [W2(OCH2tBu)8]. Cases of perpendicular and skewed bridges in equilibrium with terminal bonded isomers

Alkynes react with a suspension of [W 2 (OCH 2 tBU) 8 ](M=M) in hydrocarbon solvents to give alkyne adducts W 2 (μ-RCCR')(OCH 2 tBu) 8 , where R = H and R' = Ph, Me, Me 3 Si and R = Me and R' = Me and Ph. For PhC≡CH, there is a μ-perpendicular mode of alkyne bonding, θ = 84°, but for MeC≡CH and MeC≡CMe, the bridging alkyne is distinctly skewed with respect to the W-W axis, 0 = 64° and 67°, respectively. In contrast, the PhC≡CMe adduct has the alkyne bonded to only one tungsten, η 2 -PhC≡CMe, with the alkyne C≡C axis being 30° from the W-W axis. In all of these structures, there are alkoxide bridges, and the dinuclear unit may be viewed as a confacial bioctahedron where either one alkyne and two alkoxides or three alkoxides occupy the bridging face. In toluene-d 8 , NMR spectroscopic studies indicate that certain of these alkyne adducts (MeC≡CH, MeC≡CMe, PhC≡CMe, and Me 3 SiC≡CH) exist as a mixture of alkyne-bridged and η 2 -alkyne-bonded isomers. The isomers are fluxional on the NMR time scale by rapid exchange of terminal and bridging alkoxide groups. However, μ-η 2 alkyne exchange is slow on the NMR time scale. The structural data are compared with electronic structure calculations employing density functional theory on model compounds of formula W 2 (alkyne)(OMe) 8 . The calculations suggest that a μ-parallel mode of bonding is energetically favorable relative to u-perpendicular and, further, that the energy difference between bridge and terminal alkyne adducts is, in all cases, less than 5 kcal mol - 1 .
An Analysis of the Arabidopsis Pollen Transcriptome

In flowering plants, male gametogenesis occurs in the anthers. The division of a diploid sporogenic cell results in two cells with very different fates—the tapetal initial cell and the pollen mother cell. The tapetum, which supplies nutrients to the developing pollen, is formed from the tapetal
Intervals and tests for weighted sum of percentiles θ(p) and θ(1−p) for symmetrical populations

Available is a random sample from a distribution that is continuous, symmetrical, and reasonably well-behaved. Approximate one-sided and two-sided confidence intervals (provide tests) are developed forAθ(p)+Bθ(1−p), where θ(p) is the population 100p percentile, 1/2≦p<1, andA, B can be any positive or negative numbers. The interquantile and other ranges are special cases. Asymptotically, a confidence coefficient value is precisely determined. The statistics used are weighted sums (with weightsA andB) of two percentage points of the sample. Many comparisons of population percentiles can be made through suitable choice ofp, A, andB.
Using response time distributions to examine top-down influences on attentional capture

Three experiments examined contingent attentional capture, which is the finding that cuing effects are larger when cues are perceptually similar to a target than when they are dissimilar to the target. This study also analyzed response times (RTs) in terms of the underlying distributions for valid cues and invalid cues. Specifically, an ex-Gaussian analysis and a vincentile analysis examined the influence of top-down attentional control settings on the shift and skew of RT distributions and how the shift and the skew contributed to the cuing effects in the mean RTs. The results showed that cue/target similarity influenced the size of cuing effects. The RT distribution analyses showed that the cuing effects reflected only a shifting effect, not a skewing effect, in the RT distribution between valid cues and invalid cues. That is, top-down attentional control moderated the cuing effects in the mean RTs through distribution shifting, not distribution skewing. The results support the contingent orienting hypothesis (Folk, Remington, & Johnston, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 18, 1030–1044, 1992) over the attentional disengagement account (Theeuwes, Atchley, & Kramer, 2000) as an explanation for when top-down attentional settings influence the selection of salient stimuli.
Is there a natural right to healthcare

In recent years, policy debates in the United States have focused heavily on rising healthcare costs and what measures can be taken to ensure greater provision of healthcare to individuals of limited means. Much of the rhetoric on this subject has taken on an explicitly moral character, and one common sentiment is that healthcare is or should be viewed as a basic human right. However, the notion of a right to healthcare has not been well articulated, and critics have failed to distinguish between legal and moral rights. Additionally, there are numerous problems inherent to viewing healthcare as a basic human right-many of which are in direct conflict with distinctly American conceptualizations of rights. The present paper reviews the debate over “rights”-both legal and natural-to healthcare, and argues that problems associated with natural rights arguments render them severely compromised. Instead, market systems commonly accepted in American society may be better suited to reducing healthcare costs and increasing access to services in the United States.
Polaron transport in quasi-one-dimensional semiconductor heterostructures

Abstract In a semiconductor heterostructure which confines electrons to one dimension, the modification of the electronic density of states changes the characteristics of the scattering mechanisms which determine the transport properties of the system. In particular, polar-optical phonon emission for electrons which have just enough energy to emit a phonon is enhanced. We have calculated the energy-momentum curve for polarons, the quasi-particles of the electron-phonon interaction, which are confined to one dimension by a parabolic potential well. We find that a finite energy gap separates the one-phonon states from the zero-phonon states, which have a very small group velocity just below the phonon energy. Thus, a polaron in an electric field can only propagate by emitting phonons. Depending on the electric field and the parameters of the well, one-dimensional confinement of the electron states can result in a reduction in the drift velocity of electrons. Conversely, at high electric field, real phonon emission can occur with near unit probability, thus providing a cooling mechanism which prevents electrons from transferring to the L-valley while allowing them to drift at 2 × 10 7 cm/s.
Polar grid fraction as an estimator of montane tropical forest canopy structure using airborne lidar

Compared with more traditional proportion-based and height percentile-based estimators, the GRID estimator increased validation R2 by 14.5% for GF and 6.0% for tPAR over the next best estimator. LAI was still best estimated with the more traditional statistic based on the proportion of ground returns in 14 m × 14 m moving kernels. By applying the models to a 2 × 2 m grid across the lidar coverage area, extreme values occurred in the estimations of all three response variables when using proportion-based and height percentile-based estimators. However, no extreme values were estimated by models using the GRID estimator, indicating that models based on GRID may be less influenced by spurious data. These results suggest that the GRID estimator is a strong candidate for any project requiring estimates of canopy metrics for large areas.
Evolution of C4 photosynthesis in response to changes in carbon and oxygen concentrations in the atmosphere through time

Abstract The hypothesis is presented that C4 photosynthesis has evolved at least in part in response to reduced efficiency of C3 photosynthesis due to increased oxygen partial pressures in our recent atmosphere. Oxygen competition with carbon dioxide for the active rate on ribulose diphosphate car☐ylase was of little consequence when atmospheric levels of CO2 were high and those of O2 were low. However at the present low CO2 and high O2 partial pressures, adaptations for protecting the enzyme from oxygen have been selected.
Flow mapping in bubble columns using CARPT

A noninvasive Computer Automated Radioactive Particle Tracking (CARPT) Facility is used for the investigation of liquid recirculation and turbulence in a bubble column. The motion of a single neutrally buoyant radioactive particle is monitored by an array of scintillation detectors and analyzed by an on-line computer to map the flow field. Results for the mean flow patterns and turbulence in a 12″ diameter column are reported for the air-water system. This communication marks the first application of CARPT for tracing the liquid flow in bubble columns.
Linking physiological functions of iron.

Iron-sulfur clusters and hemes are two iron-containing prosthetic groups involved in important physiological functions. Identification of the gene responsible for anemia in a mutant zebrafish has revealed an unexpected link between iron-sulfur cluster assembly and heme synthesis in red blood cells.
Atypical frontal-striatal-thalamic circuit white matter development in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Objective Atypical development of frontal–striatal–thalamic circuitry (FSTC) has been hypothesized to underlie the early course of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); however, the development of FSTC white matter tracts remains to be studied in young patients. Method To address this gap, we scanned 36 patients with pediatric OCD compared to 27 healthy controls, aged 8 to 19 years, with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to measure fractional anisotropy (FA), an index of white matter coherence. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) were used to test differential effects of age on FA, across the whole brain, in those with OCD compared to healthy youth, followed by analyses in a priori regions of interest (anterior corpus callosum, anterior cingulum bundle, and anterior limb of the internal capsule [ALIC]) to further characterize developmental differences between groups. Results Patients with OCD showed more pronounced age-related increases in FA than controls in regions of interest, as well as several other white matter tracts. In patients, greater FA in anterior cingulum bundle correlated with more severe symptoms after controlling for age. Conclusions Our findings support theories of atypical FSTC maturation in pediatric OCD by providing the first evidence for altered trajectories of white matter development in anterior corpus callosum, anterior cingulum bundle, and ALIC in young patients. Steeper age-related increases of FA in these and other select white matter tracts in OCD, compared to those in healthy controls, may derive from an early delay in white matter development and/or prolonged white matter growth; however, confirmation of these possibilities awaits longitudinal work.
Developing Relationships With Employers Means Considering the Competitive Business Environment and the Risks It Produces

This study describes a series of focus groups conducted with employers. A series of 10 focus groups was conducted in 10 different communities in a midwestern state, with small, medium, and large communities represented. A total of 67 participants, representing human resources offices and direct supervisors, responded to questions regarding problems they faced in recruiting, selecting, training, accommodating, and promoting workers. Follow-up questions asked how the diversity and disability of job seekers affected these problems. Responses yielded several themes regarding their view of these problems, offering a frame from within which rehabilitation providers can better understand the issues facing employers. Fundamental to employers' concerns were the risks they took and the nature of the labor market that contributed to those risks.
Soil Moisture Feedbacks to Precipitation in Southern Africa

Abstract The effects of increased soil moisture on wet season (October–March) precipitation in southern Africa are investigated using the Community Climate System Model version 3 (CCSM3). In the CTRL case, soil moisture is allowed to interact dynamically with the atmosphere. In the MOIST case, soil moisture is set so that evapotranspiration is not limited by the supply of water. The MOIST scenario actually results in decreased precipitation over the region of perturbed soil moisture, compared to CTRL. The increased soil moisture alters the surface energy balance, resulting in a shift from sensible to latent heating. This manifests in two ways relevant for precipitation processes. First, the shift from sensible to latent heating cools the surface, causing a higher surface pressure, a reduced boundary layer height, and an increased vertical gradient in equivalent potential temperature. These changes are indicative of an increase in atmospheric stability, inhibiting vertical movement of air parcels and decre...
Effects of dopamine D1 receptor agonists in rats trained to discriminate dihydrexidine.

Rationale The full D1 receptor agonist dihydrexidine (DHX) [(+/−)-trans-10,11-dihydroxy-5,6,6a,7,8,12b-hexahydrobenzo[a]phenanthridine hydrochloride] is under clinical development (DAR-100) for Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia. Despite the clinical development of DHX, very little is known about its discriminative stimulus properties in rats. To more fully characterize the discriminative stimulus properties of DHX, we trained rats to discriminate DHX (3 mg/kg, i.p.) from vehicle. Methods: Substitution tests in rats discriminating DHX (3 mg/kg, i.p.) from vehicle were performed with structurally distinct D1 receptor agonists with both partial and full intrinsic efficacy. In addition, the peripherally restricted D1 agonist, fenoldopam, was evaluated.
Modeling impulse propagation and extracellular potential distributions in anisotropic cardiac tissue using a finite volume element discretization

This paper describes a physically-based spatial discretization scheme for the bidomain equations used for modeling wavefront conduction in the heart. The discretization method uses unstructured finite volumes, or the boxes, that are formed as a secondary geometric structure from an underlying hexaderal mesh. The method enforces local flux conservation and thus is ideally suited for dealing with the spatially varying material properties and complex geometries that characterize realistic cardiac muscle. Several examples are presented to demonstrate the application of the method to large scale simulation of wavefront propagation in the heart.
Accountability for Doctors Who Torture

With Increasing Frequency, courts and medical licensing bodies are punishing physicians who abet torture. In 1975, Greece became the first post-World War II nation to court-martial and imprison one...
The scaling of acoustic streaming for application in micro-fluidic devices

Abstract Recent interest in MEMS devices in general, and in micro-fluidic devices specifically, has spurred a great deal of research into the behavior of fluids in very small-scale devices. Many novel techniques have been proposed for the propulsion of fluids in small scales devices including peristaltic and electrokinetic. More recently, investigations have considered the use of acoustic streaming: that is, the imposition of steady fluid momentum via nonlinear acoustic effects. The purpose of this manuscript is to overview the physics of acoustic streaming, discus the various physical phenomena which generate the effect, and to highlight the favorable scaling issues of acoustic streaming that make it a viable alternative in micro-fluidic devices.
Lessons Learned: Implementing the Case Teaching Method in a Mechanical Engineering Course

Background Case studies have been found to increase students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills, higher-order thinking skills, conceptual change, and their motivation to learn. Despite the popularity of the case study approach within engineering, the empirical research on the effectiveness of case studies is limited and the research that does exist has primarily focused on student perceptions of their learning rather than actual learning outcomes. Purpose (Hypothesis) This paper describes an investigation of the impact of case-based instruction on undergraduate mechanical engineering students' conceptual understanding and their attitudes towards the use of case studies. Design/Method Seventy-three students from two sections of the same mechanical engineering course participated in this study. The two sections were both taught using traditional lecture and case teaching methods. Participants completed pre-tests, post-tests, and a survey to assess their conceptual understanding and engagement. Results Results suggested that the majority of participants felt the use of case studies was engaging and added a lot of realism to the class. There were no significant differences between traditional lecture and case teaching method on students' conceptual understanding. However, the use of case studies did no harm to students' understanding while making the content more relevant to students. Conclusions Case-based instruction can be beneficial for students in terms of actively engaging them and allowing them to see the application and/or relevance of engineering to the real world.
Palomar 200-in. f/9 Cassegrain CCD camera

This article describes the design and construction of a CCD camera for the f/9 Cassegrain focus of the 200-inch (5m) Hale Telescope at Palomar Observatory. This instrument utilizes a set of 18-inch (0.45m) diameter lenses to change the Cassegrain focal ratio from f/16 to f/9, and the optical design prescription of these lenses is reported. For CCDs having 24 micrometers pixels, the f/9 focus gives a reciprocal plate scale of 9 pixels per arcsecond, which is well suited to precision photometry as well as future application to adaptive optics. In addition to the CCD and shutter, the instrument also incorporates an offset guider and an 8-position filter wheel.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Theory of Continuous Absorption of Oxygen at 1450A

The continuous absorption of ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ has lately been measured by Ladenburg, Van Voorhis and Boyce. Their suggested explanation in the term diagram of the molecule is compared to the corresponding matrix elements.
Where is the real transform boundary in California

[1] The zone of highest geodetically defined strain rate in California does not everywhere coincide with the surface trace of the San Andreas Fault (SAF). To determine whether this reflects the pattern of long‐term, permanent deformation, we analyzed the velocity field on swaths across the transform, located so as to avoid intersections among the major fault strands. Slip rates and flexural parameters for each fault were determined by finding the best fit to the velocity profile using a simple arctan model, representing the interseismic strain accumulation. Our slip rates compare well with current geologic estimates, which suggests that the present‐day velocity field is representative of long‐term motions. We find that the transform is a zone of high strain rate up to 80 km wide that is straighter than the SAF and has an overall trend closer to the relative plate motion vector than the SAF. Most sections of the SAF take up less than half of the total slip rate, and slip is transferred from one part of the system to another in a way that suggests that the SAF should not be considered as a unique locator of the plate boundary. Up to half of the total displacement takes place on faults outside the high strain rate zone, distributed over several hundred kilometers on either side. Our findings substantiate previous suggestions that the transform has the characteristics of a macroscopic ductile shear zone cutting the continental lithosphere, around which stress and strain rate decrease on a length scale controlled by the length of the transform.