cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stridor and Airway Compromise

A graduated approach to the diagnosis of airway lesion will rarely fail. The availability of state-of-the-art optical equipment, excellent anesthesia, and high-quality medical care have remarkably reduced the morbidity and mortality of airway diseases. Electrodiagnosis of vocal cord paralysis will differentiate fixed arytenoids from neurogenic paralysis in candidates for laryngeal repair and will help define the prognosis of neurogenic paralysis. The excellent results from epiglottoplasty in treating laryngomalacia and laryngotracheal reconstruction for stenosis make obsolete any management with tracheotomy and watchful waiting. Close cooperation and good communication between the pediatrician and the otolaryngologist remain the key points for successful management.
Higher Education as the Door to a Wider World: Oakland High School Leadership Seminar 2013

The goal of this service-learning project was to identify high school students who may not think they have the opportunity for a higher education. The theme was higher education as the door to a wider world. Messages shared gave these young adults skills to increase their self-confi dence and become better leaders at school and at home. Speakers were carefully selected as those who have experienced life’s hardships while following their dreams. Speakers gave hope to the Lafayette, Indiana Oakland High School Government class that anything is possible. Oakland students are starving for the tools that will make their life’s journey smoother, and it is our intent to help them through service-learning projects. In spring 2014, service-learning events were expanded to include Jefferson High School (also in Lafayette, Indiana) with the goal of adding two additional high schools in the near future. Through service-learning, we are looking for brilliant leaders in unexpected places, and, in return, we are getting unexpected returns. How does someone stay inspired to teach young adults? Look into the eyes of these students after one of our seminars and you will fi nd the answer.
Carbonaceous materials for efficient electrocatalysis

Abstract Precious noble metals (e.g. Pt, Pd, Ir, Ru), nonprecious transition metals (Fe, Co, Ni, Mo, etc.) and transition metal-based compounds (FeO, MoS2, etc.) have been extensively researched for energy conversion and storage, chemical and fuel production, and environmental protection. However, these metal-based catalysts often suffer from high cost, low selectivity, poor durability, and susceptibility to gas poisoning with adverse environmental effects. As a low-cost alternative, metal-free carbon-based catalysts have been proven to be efficient, and even more active than their metal-based counterparts for various energy-related electrocatalysis processes, including fuel cells, metal–air batteries, and catalytic water-splitting systems. In this chapter we present a critical overview of very recent developments on carbonaceous materials as either metal-free catalysts or support for metal catalysts for efficient electrocatalysis.
Optimizing sequestered carbon in forest offset programs: balancing accounting stringency and participation.

Although there is broad agreement that negative carbon emissions may be required in order to meet the global climate change targets specified in the Paris Agreement and that carbon sequestration in the terrestrial biosphere can be an important contributor, there are important accounting issues that often discourage forest carbon sequestration projects. The legislation establishing the California forest offset program, for example, requires that offsets be “real, additional, quantifiable, permanent, verifiable, and enforceable”. While these are all clearly desirable attributes, their implementation has been a great challenge in balancing complexity, expense, and risk. Most forest offset protocols carry similar accounting objectives, but often with different details, (e.g. Richards and Huebner in Carbon Manag 3(4):393–410, 2012 and Galik et al. in Mitig Adapt Strateg Glob Change 14:677–690, 2009). The result is that the complexity, expense, and risk of participation discourage participation and make it more difficult to achieve climate mitigation goals. We focus on the requirements for accounting and permanence to illustrate that current requirements disproportionately disadvantage small landowners. The simplified 1040EZ filing system for U.S. income taxes may provide insight for a protocol model that balances reward, effort, and risk, while still achieving the overall objectives of standardized offset protocols. In this paper, we present initial ideas and lay the groundwork behind a “2050EZ” protocol for forest carbon sequestration as a complement to existing protocols. The Paris Agreement states that “Parties should take action to conserve and enhance, as appropriate, sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases.” The Paris Agreement also refers to issues such as equity, sustainable development, and other non-carbon benefits. The challenge is to provide incentives for maintaining and increasing the amount of carbon sequestered in the biosphere. Monitoring and verification of carbon storage need to be sufficient to demonstrate sequestration from the atmosphere while providing clear incentives and simple accounting approaches that encourage participation by diverse participants, including small land holders.
Organization Risk Management on Network Vulnerability and Potential Data Breach

Human beings depend on advanced technology in various ways to accomplish specific tasks daily. Technology like everything else has positive and negative implications depending upon how it is used. Technology is expensive to develop and maintain. Creating network systems have become easier, however; protecting or keeping the data secure has become more challenging. A recent study shows that cybercrime is the number one threat to the viability of organizations in various industries. Organizational leaders are responding to this vulnerability by investing millions of dollars into its data security infrastructure. How can an organization secure its data from being breached? The need for shielding records against network attacks has become critical given the increase in frequency and magnitude of data breaches. Organizational leaders must address network risks and vulnerabilities by protecting the organization's data and network system from hackers. IT security professionals can provide high-level service with cost effective solutions across the organization. Training each team member to use data security tools prior to a data breach will position organizations to shift from reactionary cultural to a more proactive culture, while simultaneously increasing the lead time to respond when a data breach incident occurs.
Long Term Outcomes of Patients with Aggressive T-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Undergoing Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation: Retrospective Results from Single Center.

Introduction Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL) comprise 15-20% of adult non-Hodgkin lymphoma and have a poor prognosis; 5-year survival is less than 30% for the most aggressive subtypes. Allogeneic HCT (allo-HCT) is offered to eligible patients as a potentially curative modality in the salvage setting or in high risk patients to consolidate an initial response to frontline therapy. Objective To report clinical outcomes derived from large sample size and long-term follow up data. Methods We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 87 consecutive patients with PTCL who underwent allo-HCT at City of Hope from January 2000 to June 2018. Baseline patient demographic, treatment, and disease characteristics were summarized by descriptive statistics. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank test. Cumulative incidences of time to relapse and time to non-relapse mortality (NRM) were calculated with relapse and NRM as competing risks. Cumulative incidences of acute and chronic GVHD were calculated as time to onset of GVHD with relapse and death as competing events for GVHD. Results Median age at allo-HCT was 49 (range 2-70) years. Histologies were PTCL-NOS (n=21); transformed CTCL (n=19); NK TCL (n=17); AITL (n=15), ALCL (n=7); γδTCL (n=6) and other rare subtypes (n=2). No patients had a prior auto transplant. 42 patients (48%) had myeloablative conditioning; FTBI-based (n=39), or BEAM regimen (n=3). 45 patients (52%) had reduced intensity conditioning with a fludarabine/melphalan based regimen in 39. Sibling HCT was done in 47 (54%) patients. MUD HCT was done in 36 (41%); donors were fully HLA matched for 15 (17%) patients and mismatched in 21 (24%); 4 (5%) got haploidentical HCT. The most common GVHD prophylaxis was tacrolimus/sirolimus (n=54). Stem cell source was PBSC in 77 (88%), bone marrow in 5 (6%), and cord blood in 5 (6%) patients. At allo-HCT 25 (29%) patients were in complete remission, 25 (29%) in partial remission, 22 (25%) with induction failure and 14 (16%) with relapsed disease. The median follow-up among survivors was 6.9 years (range 1.1-15.5). The 5- and 10-year PFS was 47% (95% CI: 36%-58%) and 38% (95% CI: 26%-50%), respectively. The 5- and 10-year OS was 53% (95% CI: 41%-63%) and 42% (95% CI: 29%-54%), respectively (Fig.1). At day 100 after allo-HCT, the rate of acute GVHD grade II-IV was 41% (95% CI: 30%-51). Chronic GVHD rates at 3 years were 62% (95% CI: 51%-72%), with extensive GVHD of 55% (95% CI: 44%-65%). On univariate analysis, age (> 60 or not), sex, TBI-based conditioning, donor type, stem cell source or remission status prior to allo-HCT did not predict for OS. Conclusions This large single-institution series with a long-term follow-up on allo-HCT outcomes in patients with high-risk, aggressive T-cell NHL shows encouraging survival outcomes for these patients with limited treatment options.
The effects of ulinastatin-containing autologous cold blood cardioplegic solution on the cardiac function of infants after open heart surgery

Objective To investigate the effects of ulinastatin-containing autologous cold blood cardioplegic solution on the cardiac function of infants after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery.Methods Sixty infants younger than 10 months old,who underwent ventricular septal defect repair under cardiopulmonary bypass,were randomized into autologous cold blood cardioplegia group (30 patients,Group A)and ulinastatincontaining cold blood cardioplegia group (30 patients,Group B).CI,SI and LCWI were monitored 1 and 6 hours after opening the aorta.The time and rate of cardiac resuscitation,as well as the dependence on the inotropic drugs,were intraoperatively monitored.Results The automatic resuscitation rate in two groups was not siynificantly ( P ＞ 0.05).The time for automatic resuscitation were (34.2 ± 4.7) s and (52.1 ± 6.5 ) s for Group B and Group A,respectively ( P ＜ 0.05 ).The rate of dependence on inotropic drug were 40.0％ (12/30) and 66.7％ (20/30)for Group B and Gro~p A,respectively (P ＜ 0.05).Mter the operation,the CI,SI and LCWI of group B were higher than that of group A ( P ＜0.05 ).Conclusion Ulinastatin-containing autologous cold blood cardioplegic solution is beneficial to the functional cardiac recovery of the infants after heart bypass surgery by protecting the immature myocardium. Key words: Infant; Congenictal heart disease; Ulinastatin; Autologous blood cardioplegic solution; Myocardial protection
Simulation and Emulation of X-Ray Diffraction from Dynamic Compression Experiments

Many important aspects of the dynamic thermo-mechanical response of materials occur at the mesoscale, i.e. a physical scale of interactions smaller than what can be adequately described by homogenous behaviors, yet larger than the scale of the atomic lattice. Concurrent advancements in computational power, continuum theory, and experimental diagnostics are enabling unprecedented understanding of such interactions. However, we cannot develop a sufficient level of confidence in such mesoscale capability until the constitutive description of the underlying constituents is reliably representative of their actual physical behavior. Therefore, there is a strong need to combine experimental, modeling, and data-science techniques to validate models of the thermomechanical response of individual single crystals. One experimental diagnostic with high potential impact to shock physics and materials science is in-situ x-ray diffraction. This paper is primarily focused on simulation of x-ray diffraction in shock physics, but with an aim toward quantifying parametric uncertainty of simulation models. We develop and demonstrate a data-science and model-driven approach to constrain the parameterization of continuum models of crystal lattice deformation associated with the shock response of crystalline materials. The framework is built around the connection between continuum hydrodynamic simulations of lattice deformation and a new Bragg diffraction simulation code, BarberShop. The dynamic deformation of a crystal lattice is modeled using the DiscoFlux model within an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian hydrodynamic code, FLAG. These detailed continuum simulations of lattice deformation can be computationally slow, thus a statistical model is used to emulate the evolution of lattice deformation fields in time and across the considered model parameter space. Emulated lattice deformation fields can then be generated rapidly for any combination of physics model parameters. In turn, these fields can be fed into BarberShop to realize a rapid prediction of Bragg diffraction patterns associated with particular values of physics model parameters. The framework enables parameterization of the single crystal model to obtain Bragg diffraction patterns that most closely resemble a corresponding measurement. Furthermore, the framework naturally provides sensitivities of the lattice deformation to the physics parameters. We highlight the utility of this framework through the application to a synthetic closed-loop inverse problem leading to the parameterization of a single crystal material model. As a model problem, we consider the dynamic response of the energetic molecular crystal, cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (or RDX), under dynamic compression induced by simulated flyer plate impact experiments.
Who Should Sign a Professional Baseball Contract? Quantifying the Financial Opportunity Costs of Major League Draftees:

Players selected in the annual Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft have a choice of whether to enter the system or pursue a career outside of professional baseball. As with any choice, th...
Assessing the Influence of OCT-A Device and Scan Size on Retinal Vascular Metrics

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of device and scan size on quantitative optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) metrics. Methods The 3 × 3 mm scans from Optovue AngioVue and Zeiss AngioPlex systems were included for 18 eyes of 18 subjects without ocular pathology. The foveal avascular zone (FAZ) was segmented manually by two observers, from which estimates of FAZ area (using both the nominal image scale and the axial length corrected image scale) and acircularity were derived. Three scan sizes (3 mm, 6 mm HD, and 8 mm) from the AngioVue system were included for 15 eyes of 15 subjects without ocular pathology. For each subject, larger image sizes were resized to the same resolution as 3 × 3 mm scans, aligned, then cropped to a common area. FAZ area, FAZ acircularity, average and total parafoveal intercapillary area, vessel density, and vessel end points were computed. Results Between the devices used here, there were no significant differences in FAZ acircularity (P = 0.88) or FAZ area using scaled (P = 0.11) or unscaled images (P = 0.069). Although there was no significant difference in FAZ area across scan sizes (P = 0.30), vessel morphometry metrics were all significantly influenced by scan size. Conclusions The scan devices and sizes used here do not affect FAZ area measures derived from manual segmentations. In contrast, vessel morphometry metrics are affected by scan size. As individual differences in axial length induce differences in absolute scan size, extreme care should be taken when interpreting metrics of vessel morphometry, both between and within OCT-A devices. Translational relevance A better characterization of the confounds surrounding OCT-A retinal vasculature metrics can lead to improved application of these metrics as biomarkers for retinal and systemic diseases.
Secure High-Level Synthesis: Challenges and Solutions

High-level synthesis (HLS) has significantly reduced time and complexity of the hardware design by raising the abstraction to high-level languages (HLL) like C/C++. HLS has allowed non-hardware engineers to quickly prototype and test their algorithmic flow, and enabled hardware developers to build hardware quicker for emerging algorithmic designs such as machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) networks. However, current HLS tools were not designed with security in mind as they only optimize the design for area, power, time, and throughput. As a result, security vulnerabilities may be introduced in the HLS-generated RTLs unintentionally. In this paper, we discuss some of the optimizations performed by HLS and present bad design coding practices in HLL that could lead to security vulnerabilities in the RTL. We also explore potential solutions, their limitations, and challenges moving forward to bring attention towards development of automated verification tools and guidelines to ensure secure HLS translation.
Molecular Graph Generation via Geometric Scattering

Graph neural networks (GNNs) have been used extensively for addressing problems in drug design and discovery. Both ligand and target molecules are represented as graphs with node and edge features encoding information about atomic elements and bonds respectively. Although existing deep learning models perform remarkably well at predicting physicochemical properties and binding affinities, the generation of new molecules with optimized properties remains challenging. Inherently, most GNNs perform poorly in whole-graph representation due to the limitations of the message-passing paradigm. Furthermore, step-by-step graph generation frameworks that use reinforcement learning or other sequential processing can be slow and result in a high proportion of invalid molecules with substantial post-processing needed in order to satisfy the principles of stoichiometry. To address these issues, we propose a representation-first approach to molecular graph generation. We guide the latent representation of an autoencoder by capturing graph structure information with the geometric scattering transform and apply penalties that structure the representation also by molecular properties. We show that this highly structured latent space can be directly used for molecular graph generation by the use of a GAN. We demonstrate that our architecture learns meaningful representations of drug datasets and provides a platform for goal-directed drug synthesis.
Sy-STEM-ic Bias: An Exploration of Gender and Race Representation on University Patents

People of color and women are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math (“STEM”) fields in the United States. Through both intentional and unintentional structural barriers, universities continue to lose valuable intellectual resources by perpetuating a lack of gender, racial, and ethnic diversity as people climb the academic ladder. Identifying racial and gender disparities between university campus populations and their patent representation quantifies the qualitatively observed systemic racism and sexism plaguing STEM. Although many have written about racial and gender underrepresentation in STEM, no author has ever endeavored to simultaneously quantify the racial and gender gap at universities in the United States, especially not in the field of patent inventorship recognition. Without data quantifying the underrepresentation of women and people of color, specifically when protecting their intellectual property rights, universities cannot show that their programs designed to close these gaps are, in fact, effective. This is the first paper to quantitatively estimate the patent gap between white, male inventors, inventors of color, and female inventors at Ivy League institutions, Historically Black Colleges or Universities (“HBCUs”), research institutions, and other highly ranked universities in the United States. By comparing the racial and gender representation on university patents to the representation at the university, the data can conclusively demonstrate that intellectual property underrepresentation is rampant within a seemingly equalizing environment, where every student and faculty member theoretically has equal access to university funding and legal representation to obtain patents on their intellectual property. Universities and researchers can use this data to determine whether mentorship, outreach, tenure-track, and funding programs implemented to close racial and gender gaps are effective or simply restorative justice theater. With underrepresentation gaps of over 2600%, universities are obligated to pursue programs for practical academic equity, rather than false promises of equal opportunity.
A Validated Pre-Operative Risk Prediction Tool For Discharge to Skilled Nursing or Rehabilitation Facility Following Anatomic or Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty.

Background As bundled payment models continue spread, understanding the primary drivers of cost excess helps providers avoid penalties and ensure equal healthcare access. Recent work has shown discharge to rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities (SNF) to be a primary cost driver in total joint arthroplasty, and an accurate preoperative risk calculator for shoulder arthroplasty would not only help counsel patients in clinic during shared decision-making conversations, but also identify high-risk individuals who may benefit from preoperative optimization and discharge planning. Methods Shoulder arthroplasty cohorts from two geographically diverse, high-volume centers were reviewed, including 1,773 cases from Institution #1 (56% anatomic) and 3,637 from Institution #2 (50% anatomic). The predictive ability of a variety of candidate variables for discharge to SNF/rehab was tested, including case type, sociodemographic factors, and the 30 Elixhauser comorbidities. Variables surviving parameter selection were incorporated into a multivariable logistic regression model built from Institution #1’s cohort, with accuracy then validated using Institution #2’s cohort. Results 485 (9%) shoulder arthroplasties overall were discharged to post-acute care (anatomic: 6%, reverse: 14%, p Conclusions This validated preoperative clinical decision tool reaches excellent predictive accuracy for discharge to SNF/rehab following shoulder arthroplasty, providing a vital tool for both patient counseling and preoperative discharge planning. Further, model parameters should form the basis for reimbursement legislation adjusting for patient comorbidities, ensuring no disparities in access arise for at-risk populations. Level of Evidence Level III; Retrospective Case Control Design; Prognosis Study
New Handbook on Materials Structures, Properties, Processing, and Performance

I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the accomplishment of one of our editorial advisory board members. Dr. Larry Murr, of the University of Texas El Paso, recently authored a new book entitled Handbook of Materials Structures, Properties, Processing and Performance. This 1152-page handbook covers a wide range of materials science and engineering topics, and will be of interest to scientists, designers, and engineers alike. Published by Springer Reference, this text provides a thorough discussion of several fundamental materials engineering subjects, such as chemical and physical properties, crystal structures, and electromagnetism. These central topics are discussed in thorough detail, and both the theoretical and practical aspects are reviewed. The chapter on fracture modes and mechanisms, for example, provides background information on the mechanics of crack nucleation and propagation, while also providing exemplar microstructures and fracture surfaces from failed components. In addition to these fundamental topics, this book also covers what might be considered the more specialized, and more contemporary materials topics—biomimetics and biomaterials, additive manufacturing, nanomaterials, extreme deformation, and computational modeling. In this manner, the book serves as a review of the essentials, as well as a guide for exploring new frontiers in materials, processing and manufacturing. Magnetic, optoelectronic, and photonic material developments are also covered. While not intended to be the sole source of materials information for any of these particular topics, the book provides a good discussion of the current state and future developments for all of these subjects. Unique perspectives are provided for selected topics that may not otherwise be found in a typical reference book. The chapter on nanotechnology, for example, includes a very interesting discussion on nanotechnology that can be found in historical artifacts, such as pigments and early iron-age weapons. & Ryan M. Deacon ryan.deacon@asminternational.org
Qué es la buena enseñanza

Este ensayo discute la idea de que los buenos profesores son aquellos docentes que logran un exito considerable al alentar los enfoques de aprendizaje y los resultados profundos entre sus estudiantes. Partiendo de este concepto, el autor y su equipo investigaron la buena docencia universitaria. Deseaban localizar y estudiar a los profesores que sostienen los enfoques profundos para ensenar. Los resultados iniciales de ese estudio fueron publicados en 2004 por el autor en su libro Lo que hacen los mejores profesores universitarios. Igualmente, dicha investigacion sobre excelencia docente ha sido el foco de las actividades de la Academia de Investigacion para el Aprendizaje Universitario en la Universidad Estatal de Montclair, donde el autor trabaja con sus colaboradores. Este articulo resume sus hallazgos.
SU 3 mass differences in fifth interaction and tadpole results

We examine the medium strong mass splittings for pseudo-scalar mesons, vector mesons and spin-2/3 baryons in the framework of the «fifth interaction» proposed by Ne’eman. In addition to the resonance contributions from the low-lying states, we write an expression for the contribution from f8 Regge exchange in terms of contributions to electromagnetic mass differences from A 2 0 Regge exchange. Assuming that the A 2 0 Regge pole gives the correct contribution to the e.m. mass differences, we estimate the contribution of the f8-meson. In the approximation of neglecting the continuum spectrum, the ratio of tadpole contributions is given by the ratio of coupling constants of the f8-meson with hadrons. The results of the tadpole model are in agreement with the subtraction scheme of Segre. We also find that in the presence of such anSU 3-symmetry-breaking term, the renormalization of the hadronic weak-strangeness-changing vector current vertex, to second order in such a term, is quadratically divergent.
Direct to consumer advertising of prescription drugs. An idea whose time should not come.

Direct to consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs is expanding dramatically in the United States, and there is some sentiment in favour of allowing this practice to come to the United Kingdom.1 Such advertising is a powerful tool, designed to create a demand, in order to maximise profits. Extending the scope of already ubiquitous promotions about “post-nasal drip,” “unsightly rashes,” or “cures” for baldness has little to do with educating patients or relieving suffering. It will, however, inevitably drain healthcare dollars, dramatically increase unnecessary prescribing, and strain patient-doctor relationships. Typical direct to consumer advertising for prescription drugs in the US consists of glossy promotional materials suggesting that the advertised product represents a major medical advance, accompanied (because of Federal Drug Administration regulations, and over the objections of the pharmaceutical industry) by tiny print “information” presented in medical jargon which virtually no consumers can understand. 1 2 These advertisements—whose “rules for doing DTC right” include “always focus on benefits, not problems”3 …
Novelty Seeking as a Phenotypic Marker of Adolescent Substance Use

Trait novelty seeking has been consistently implicated in substance use, yet the origins and mechanisms of novelty seeking in substance use proneness are unclear. We aimed to characterize novelty seeking as a phenotypic marker of substance use proneness in adolescence, a critical period for drug use experimentation. To this end, we parsed novelty seeking’s two constituent subdimensions – exploratory excitability (drive for novel experience) and impulsiveness (careless decision-making) – and explored the individual relations of these dimensions to: (1) the use of a variety of licit and illicit substances, (2) family history of substance use, and (3) subjective drug effects. Five hundred eighty five adolescents (mean age = 14.5 years) completed surveys of key variables. Results indicated that, when accounting for the covariation among exploratory excitability and impulsiveness, impulsiveness emerged as the more salient correlate of substance use and was independently associated with initiation of nearly all drug classes. Mediation analyses of the mechanisms of novelty seeking-related risk illustrated that impulsiveness mediated the association of family history of substance use with both initiation and past 30-day frequency of use. Both impulsiveness and exploratory excitability were associated with increased positive and negative subjective drug effects, and the analyses supported a significant indirect pathway from impulsiveness to a more frequent use via positive subjective effects. Although limited by a cross-sectional design, these findings suggest that impulsiveness-like aspects of the novelty seeking construct may represent a useful phenotypic marker for early substance use proneness that potentially (1) increases initiation risk, (2) has familial origins, and (3) promotes more frequent use by altering subjective drug response.
Political Party Platforms Symbolic Politics and Criminal Justice Policy

The theory of symbolic politics is used to examine the elements of criminal justice policy in political party platforms. It is hypothesized that political parties use their party platforms to make symbolic, rather than substantive, statements. Data were collected from the digital archives of both the American Presidency Project and the American Reference Library consisting of all political party platforms from 1868 to 2004. A content analysis of these party platforms, as they related to crime and justice issues, offers partial support for the claim that presidents and political parties use these party platforms primarily for evoking symbols.
Analysis of Kinetics Using a Hybrid Maximum-Entropy/Nonlinear-Least-Squares Method: Application to Protein Folding

Abstract A hybrid analysis that combines the maximum entropy method (MEM) with nonlinear least squares (NLS) fitting has been developed to interpret a general time-dependent signal. Data that include processes of opposite sign and a slow baseline drift can be inverted to obtain both a continuous distribution of lifetimes and a sum of discrete exponentials. Fits by discrete exponentials are performed with initial parameters determined from the distribution of lifetimes obtained with the MEM. The regularization of the parameter space achieved by the MEM stabilizes the introduction of each successive exponential in the NLS fits. This hybrid approach is particularly useful when fitting by a large number of exponentials. Revision of the MEM "prior" based on features in the data can improve the lifetime distribution obtained. Standard errors in the mean are estimated automatically for raw data. The results presented for simulated data and for fluorescence measurements of protein folding illustrate the utility and accuracy of the hybrid algorithm. Analysis of the folding of dihydrofolate reductase reveals six kinetic processes, one more than previously reported.
Correlation between soil pH, Heterodera glycines population densities, and soybean yield.

Soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines Ichinohe) is the most damaging pathogen of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] in the United States. Observations in fields suggest that high H. glycines population densities are associated with high soil pH, but H. glycines and soil pH have not been linked to soybean yield. The objective of our study was to assess the relationship between soil pH and H. glycines population densities and subsequent effect on yield. Experiments were conducted in Wisconsin from 1997 to 2000 and in Iowa from 1996 to 1998. Results were consistent among the experiments and showed a positive correlation between soil pH and H. glycines population densities and a negative correlation between yield and both soil pH and H. glycines population densities in both states. In the Wisconsin experiment, yield of both H. glycines-resistant and H. glycines-susceptible cultivars decreased as pH increased, but the decrease was less with H. glycines-resistant cultivars. Overall, results indicate that H. glycines population densities and the impact of nematode population densities on soybean yield are related to soil pH; however, the mechanism of these interactions is unknown.
Interrelationships among Activity Variables in One-Year-Old Infants

The interrelationships among three categories of objective measures of activity were investigated: (a) motor activity, (b) ambulatory activity, and (c) investigatory activity. Activities were assessed during a standardized free-play situation. A factor analysis of the activity measures yielded no unitary dimension of activity but rather multidimensional or specific components of activity. The results supported the theoretical position that activity should be viewed not as homogeneous but as a differentiated construct.
Reliability Challenges and System Performance at the Architecture Level

The challenge for future reliable systems is to provide protection against all types of errors while delivering performance and managing power and complexity. This article gives an overview of reliability challenges, and describes techniques and methodologies that can be used to achieve error detection and correction in a complex, high-performance system.
Enhancement of Epidermal Growth Factor Signaling and Activation of Src Kinase by Gangliosides

In a recent study, inhibition of cellular ganglioside synthesis blocked growth factor-induced fibroblast proliferation. Conversely, enrichment of cell membrane gangliosides by ganglioside preincubation enhanced growth factor-elicited cell proliferation. In the absence of serum and growth factors, NeuNAcalpha2-3Galbeta1-3GalNAcbeta1-4(NeuNAcalpha2-3)Galbeta1-4Glcbeta1-1Cer (G(D1a)) acted like a growth factor when cells were pretreated with the ganglioside, stimulating proliferation of normal human dermal fibroblasts and Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts. In contrast, growth inhibition was observed when high concentrations of gangliosides were continuously present in the culture medium during incubation of fibroblasts with growth factors (Li, R., Manela, J., Kong, Y., and Ladisch, S. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 34213-34223). Here, we investigated the mechanisms whereby gangliosides elicit proliferation-coupled signaling in normal human dermal fibroblasts. Incubation of the fibroblasts with G(D1a) enhanced epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor autophosphorylation and Ras and MAPK activation in a dose-dependent manner. Exposure of the cells to G(D1a) also enhanced the phosphorylation of Elk-1 by the activated MAPK. Brief pretreatment of the cells with PD98059 blocked the enhancing effect of gangliosides on EGF-induced MAPK activation. In the absence of serum and growth factors, G(D1a) incubation induced phosphorylation of Src kinase, Ras activation, and phosphorylation of MAPK and Elk-1 in a dose-dependent manner. The activation of Src kinase was confirmed by enhanced Src kinase activity. Brief treatment of the cells with PP1 blocked the activation of Src kinase and MAPK. Again, PD98059 treatment inhibited ganglioside-elicited MAPK phosphorylation. Among the gangliosides tested, G(D1a), was the most active molecule, whereas lactosylceramide was the least active one, indicating relative structural specificity of the ganglioside action. In conclusion, gangliosides promote fibroblast proliferation through enhancement of growth factor signaling and activation of Src kinase.
Boundary Conditions in Quantum Mechanics

The quantum mechanical expression for the current density is a function of the external vector potential. As a result, the sources of $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{A}}(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{r}})$ can induce spurious sources of $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{j}}(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{r}})$, if the wave functions are not carefully chosen. The ideal infinite solenoid is given as an example, and boundary conditions which enforce momentum conservation across the solenoid wall are introduced. As a consequence of these boundary conditions, the wave function in the exterior region is not, in general, single valued; it is a single-valued function multiplied by the well known Dirac phase factor.
A small, sturdy and durable rotator for the continuous agitation of yeasts in liquid cultures

Abstract A 6 rpm gearmotor was used in the fabrication of a compact rotator to handle a small number of microbial culture-flasks. The primary application was the production of a steady source of information yeast inocula for larger, experimental cultures. The apparatus is relatively inexpensive, robust, maintenance-free and suited to continuous operation.
Molecular orbital studies of hydrogen bonds. IV. Hydrogen bonds in excited states of H2CO with H2O

Abstract Ab initio calculations for the interacting system of lower excited states of planar and bent H2CO with H2O have been carried out with a minimum basis set, using the recently proposed electron-hole potential method. The blue shifts of the η-π* transition are evaluated as 1100 and 1420 cm−1 for the singlet and triplet transitions, respectively. In the η-π* states of bent H2CO, the most stable geometry is one in which an H2O hydrogen atom is coordinated to the carbon atom.
Life in the Fast Track: How States Seek to Balance Incentives and Quality in Alternative Teacher Certification Programs

The prospect of overseeing the rapid preparation of many participants in fast-track alternative certification programs presents several challenges for state education officials who seek to maintain, or even enhance, the quality of the state’s teaching force. This study examined a range of fast-track alternative teacher certification programs in 11 sites in three states—Connecticut, Louisiana, and Massachusetts. We found that participants were attracted by the incentives of the fast-track programs but also expected to have coursework and student-teaching experiences that would prepare them well to teach in September. Overall, candidates were satisfied with what the programs offered, though many wanted more preparation in content-based pedagogy and better student-teaching placements. There were advantages and disadvantages to centralized and decentralized approaches by the states to ensure quality of participants.
Lead alters the immunogenicity of two neural proteins: a potential mechanism for the progression of lead-induced neurotoxicity.

Some heavy metals have been suspected of playing a role in the pathogenesis of nervous system diseases such as multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease. In these d...
Targeting and subsequent selection of somatic hypermutations in the human Vκ repertoire

The number and distribution of nucleotide substitutions in human VkappaJkappa genes were examined using a PCR technique that analyzed nonproductive and productive rearrangements amplified from genomic DNA of individual B cells. The results indicate that the mutational mechanism introduces replacement (R) mutations comparably throughout the length of the VkappaJkappa rearrangement, but tends to target specific triplets. Moreover, hotspots of mutational activity were identified in complementarity determining regions (CDR). A marked increase in the frequency of R mutations in CDR was noted when productive were compared to nonproductive rearrangements, indicating that these were selected into the expressed repertoire. Of note, amino acids encoded by codons adjacent to hotspots of mutation were also positively selected implying that similar regions were targeted for hypermutation and subsequent selection. In contrast to the distribution of CDR mutations, R mutations in the framework (FR) regions tended to be eliminated from productive VkappaJkappa rearrangements, implying that the somatic hypermutational machinery frequently introduced amino acid changes that were deleterious to the structural integrity of the kappa chain protein. The difference in the ratio of R to silent mutations in CDR and FR in the expressed repertoire, therefore, reflects the summation of positive selection of R mutations in the CDR and the elimination of R mutations in the FR. The data indicate that the balance between targeted mutation of VkappaJkappa rearrangements and subsequent selection and elimination governs the pattern of mutations manifest within the expressed kappa repertoire.
Intramolecular Catalysis of the Hydrolysis of N-Dimethylaminomaleamic Acid.

N- Dimethylaminomaleamic acid decomposes in aqueous solution by intramolecular reaction of the ciscarboxy group with the substituted carbamyl group. The reaction follows pseudo first-order kinetics and shows a dependence on p H. This compound retards plant growth probably because 1,1-dimethylhydrazine and 1,1-dimethylhydrazinium hydrogen maleate are products of its decomposition. Under similar conditions N- dimethylaminosuccinamic acid was stable.
Coordinated and adaptive power gating and dynamic voltage scaling for energy minimization

Customization and adaptation have emerged as the most effective paradigms for energy minimization. We em- ploy these paradigms to address coordinated power gating and dynamic voltage scaling for energy minimization of real-time tasks in both application-specific and programmable systems. For a given hardware platform, the first task in adaptation is to determine which hardware allocations and supply voltages should be used to execute a given set of tasks. In the case where tasks induce constant capacitance and are of sufficient length to render power gating and voltage scaling overheads negligible, we obtain the provably optimal solution using a combination of convex enclosure and convex optimization. Our next goal is to relax these two assumptions to consider overheads and non-uniformity in capacitance by subdividing each task into multiple subtasks at a fine granularity. In this case, we use another dynamic programming formulation to find a solution which is optimal in most practical cases. We have also developed a dynamic programming-based approach to minimize overheads of configuration switching.
The Design of Computer Programs for Use in Elementary and Secondary Schools

This article illustrates the two major components of a systematic approach to the development of computer based instructional programs for elementary and secondary schools: analysis and design. To explain and illustrate the two components of an existing elementary mathematics course that was developed by such a process is used as an example. Attention is called to the four major factors that must be considered in the design of any computer based course that is intended for use by elementary or secondary schools: 1. student characteristics and needs; 2. content characteristics; 3. computer capabilities and limitations; and 4. teacher requirements for planning and conducting instruction.
Effects of NaCl on vascular responsiveness in male rats.

Abstract 1. The effect of chronic salt treatment on systolic blood pressure and vascular adrenergic responsiveness was studied in rats. 2. Vascular reactivity of aortic smooth muscle to potassium chloride and sodium nitrite was similar in both groups, indicating that salt treatment did not alter the regular contraction and relaxation process of the smooth muscle. 3. Isoproterenol-induced relaxation was similar for both treated and control groups demonstrating that salt treatment had no effect on vascular β-adrenergic responsiveness. 4. However, when aortic smooth muscle was incubated with angiotensin II or norepinephrine, a significant increase in responsiveness was observed in the aortic smooth muscle of the salt-treated group compared to the control group. 5. Collectively, these results suggest that salt, per se , does not affect systolic blood pressure or peripheral β-adrenergic responsiveness, but does result in a significantly enhanced α-adrenergic responsiveness. The implication of these results for experimental hypertension are discussed.
Optically detected E.P.R. and low-field ENDOR of triplet benzophenone

The ENDOR spectrum of ^(13)C substituted (carbonyl carbon) triplet excited benzophenone was studied at ca. 100 G applied magnetic field by means of optical detection. The benzophenone was substitutionally dissolved in dibromodiphenylether (DDE). The ENDOR transitions and the E.P.R. transitions were studied as a function of applied field direction in the ab and bc crystal planes. The angle ϕ between the line joining the phenyl group centres and a principal axis of the fine structure tensor was found to be 23·6° ± 0·02° (standard deviation limited to one set of measurements). The principal axes of the 13C hyperfine tensor were within experimental error (±10°) coincident with the fine structure axes. The principal values of the hyperfine tensor were found to be : |A_(xx)/h| = 43·16 ± 1·84, |A_(yy)/th| = 22·66 ± 2·50, |A_(zz)/h| = 10·25 ± 1·30 MHz. The low-field ENDOR does not provide an indication of the signs of these tensor elements, so the value of the isotropic coupling constant cannot be measured. Two values of the anisotropic (dipole) hyperfine tensor elements were deduced on the assumption that the transitions frequencies are mainly determined by interactions between the nuclear spin and electron density on the carbonyl carbon atom. These values were (i) A_(xx)/^d/h = 17·82, A_(yy)/h = -22·68, A_(zz)/h = -15·14 MHz and (ii) A_(xx)/h = 39·73, A_(yy)/h = -26·09, A_(zz)/h = -13·63 MHz. Set (ii) is consistent with recent calculations of the spin density distribution in triplet benzophenone in which the orbital spin densities are 0·64 for the carbonyl carbon π-orbital, 0·17 for the oxygen π-orbital, and 0·88 for the non-bonding orbital on oxygen (all expressed as fractions of one electron). Isotope effects on the fine structure constants of triplet benzophenone were measured and found to be consistent with the changes occurring in the spin-orbit coupling with the ground state. The kinetic parameters for the excitation and de-excitation of the triplet substates were deduced from transient ODMR studies of benzophenone in DDE. The T_z spin state is mainly populated (85–88 per cent) and this is also the most strongly radiative state (k_z^r = 0·88). The steady-state populations of the three triplet levels are similar.