cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Three-dimensional reconstruction from serial sections III. AUTOSCAN, a software package in FORTRAN for semiautomated photomicrography.

Abstract A FORTRAN program, called AUTOSCAN, is described. This program permits the collection of photomicrographic data from serial sections to be semiautomated. In essence the user defines a box around a microscopic field of interest. Then the program drives the stage incrementally in the x and y directions, taking photographs of contiguous subfields. The box is defined by the use of a joystick and the “return” key. That is, movements of a joystick cause the stage to translate in the x and y directions. When a corner of the object is reached, as defined by cross-hairs in the microscope eyepiece, the user hits the return key. Repetition of this process at each corner defines a “box” within which photographs are to be taken. AUTOSCAN then calculates the step size and the number of frames to be taken from the user-defined values for the magnification. The actual movements of the stage in the x and y directions and the photography are fully automated. Each frame of film has the x and y coordinates of the center of the subfield being photographed imprinted in one corner, along with other relevant data. The x and y coordinates permit the resultant information to be assembled correctly into two-dimensional montage.
Olfactory-mediated choice behavior in mice: developmental and genetic aspects.

Two experiments investigating the developmental and genetic aspects of an olfactory-guided choice behavior were completed. In the first experiment, the age at which a mouse pup responded to a container scented by the mother's odor was determined. Random-bred Swiss—Webster pups were tested from 3 to 12 days of age. Pups 9 to 12 days of age spent significantly more time exploring a container odorized by the scent of the mother than 3-day-old pups. In the second experiment, differences in olfactory-guided choice behavior among genetically different groups of mice were investigated. Significant differences in the development of the behavior were found when the T(5;13)264Ca translocation group carrying the W v marker was compared with three other groups: one carrying the marker only and two nonmarker control groups. It is possible that the difference is due to the position of the translocated material, since no differences were found between the marker group and the two nonmarker control groups.
Development of the rat septohippocampal projection: a retrograde fluorescent tracer study.

Abstract The belief that septohippocampal axons invade the hippocampal formation beginning at postnatal day 4 is based on histochemical and biochemical determinations of cholinergic markers. In the present study, injections of bisbenzimide, a fluorescent marker which is transported retrogradely, were made into the hippocampal formation at various ages beginning at birth. The extensive perikaryal labeling in the septum reveals that septal axons are present in the hippocampal formation as early as the day of birth, several days before their transmitter nature is established in the hippocampal formation.
Metabolic interactions between lead and copper in rats ingesting lead acetate

The effects of Pb ingestion with and without concurrent dietary Cu supplementation were determined on parameters associated with Cu deficiency in rats fed a nutritionally adequate diet. Groups of weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a purified (AIN-′76) diet and given Pb (0 or 500 ppm) and Cu (0, 6, or 12 ppm) as the acetate salt in deionized drinking water for 5 wk. A Pb-induced Cu deficiency resulted that was characterized by decreased levels of Cu in tissue and blood, decreased activities of the Cu-dependent enzymes, ceruloplasmin (serum) and Superoxide dismutase (erythocytes), and increased concentration of Fe in liver. These effects of Pb were prevented completely or in part by concurrent Cu supplementation. The Pb-induced decrease in hemoglobin and hematocrit values and the decrease in weight gain were not prevented by Cu supplementation of the diet and can therefore be assumed to be the direct result of a toxic effect of Pb. Although Pb ingestion resulted in decreased concentration of Cu in blood and tissue, additional dietary Cu had no effect on Pb levels.
Personality in relation to occupational outcomes among established teachers

Abstract Established teachers’ self-reports on Five-Factor Model (FFM) scales, interests, and attributions were studied in relation to two outcome criteria, choice of teaching specialty (niche selection) and quality of teaching. Choice of teaching specialty was most strongly associated with openness to experience, interest in the arts and/or sciences, and internal-locus attributions (ability and effort) in response to a positive classroom event. On the other hand, quality of teaching assessed by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards was positively associated with several facets of the FFM, and negatively associated with business interests and with a tendency to externalize blame. Unexpectedly, Conscientiousness was unrelated to teacher performance. Findings suggested that broadly defined personality characteristics impact more on niche selection than on performance within the chosen niche, whereas narrowly defined characteristics better predict performance, at least among established professionals.
Low mean level sustained and intermittent grip exertions: Influence of age on fatigue and recovery

The goal of this study was to quantify localised muscle fatigue resulting from low mean levels of exertion in younger ( 50 years) adults. Fatigue, elicited in the finger flexor muscles by intermittent (10% mean maximum voluntary contraction (MVC)) and sustained (8% MVC) handgrip exercises, was quantified by a muscle twitch force response before, immediately after and during 3 h following exercise. Despite greater mean loads, recovery time was shorter following intermittent than sustained contractions, which suggests that recovery from fatigue is more sensitive to rest within the work cycle than mean work. The more pronounced effects for younger than older individuals following the sustained exertion indicate that changes in muscle fibre type composition might predispose older individuals to be more resistant to fatigue resulting from sustained contractions of low level. Performing hand exertion tasks requiring low mean force levels contributes to similar long-lasting fatigue effects regardless of gender and age. Intermittent periods of complete rest reduce muscle fatigue. Since fatigue was not perceived during recovery from the tested sustained and intermittent contractions, subjective evaluations may not be a reliable indicator of localised muscle fatigue.
Core-level satellite structure in photoemission spectra of transition metals

Abstract A theory of the satellite structure of the core-level photoemission spectrum of transition metals is presented. It is applied to the 2 p 3 2 level of metallic nickel. The calculation is carried out for both the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic states and is based on two scattering parameters, one intraband and one interband. Agreement with experiment is very good.
Transforming growth factor-β1 inhibits prolactin secretion and lactotropic cell proliferation in the pituitary of oestrogen-treated fischer 344 rats

Recently it has been shown that lactotropic cells in the anterior pituitary gland produce and secrete transforming growth factor-beta 1-(TGF-beta 1) like peptide. The in vivo action(s) of this peptide growth factor on lactotropic cells have not been studied. In this study we determined the effects of TGF-beta 1 on lactotropic cell function in estradiol-17 beta-treated ovariectomized rats. Intrapituitary administration of TGF-beta 1 significantly inhibited plasma levels of prolactin (PRL). In addition, TGF-beta 1 decreased pituitary weight and the DNA synthesis in lactotropes and reduced the PRL levels in the pituitary. These results suggest that TGF-beta 1 may be a physiological regulator of PRL secretion and lactotropic cell proliferation.
Distinct Voltage Sensor Gating of Cardiac NaV Channels

The channel-forming α subunit of voltage-gated Na+ (NaV) channels contains four domains (DI-DIV) each with six membrane-spanning segments (S1-S6). Voltage-clamp fluorometry (VCF) allows the tracking of the fourth charged segment (S4) in each domain with a site-directed fluorophore, which reports voltage-dependent changes in local protein conformation. We have created four novel channel constructs that enable us to study the voltage sensor movements within each of the domains in the human cardiac voltage-gated Na+ channel, hNaV1.5, in conjunction with the cut-open oocyte technique. Our results with hNaV1.5 show significant differences compared to previous VCF results from the rat skeletal muscle isoform (rNaV1.4). Previously, the rNaV1.4 DIII-S4 was shown to immobilize with kinetics that correlated with fast inactivation. In contrast, we show that hNaV1.5 DIII-S4 rapidly returns to the down-state even when fast inactivation has not yet recovered. Based on this result, we hypothesize that the local anesthetic lidocaine, which was shown to alter the DIII-S4 voltage dependence in rNaV1.4, also has a distinct interaction with hNaV1.5. Supporting this hypothesis, we show no significant change in DIII-S4 voltage-dependence with the application of lidocaine to hNaV1.5. Thus, previous lidocaine-hNaV1.5 results that conflict with rNaV1.4 VCF observations are now reconciled by our observation that the mechanism of interaction with the DIII-S4 differs between the two isoforms. In conclusion, despite high homology, significant functional differences exist between hNav1.5 and rNav1.4, in particular in the links between the DIII-S4, inactivation gating and lidocaine interaction.
Association between Anti-Cd4 Antibodies and a Decline in Cd4+ Lymphocytes in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Seroconverters

Serum specimens (n=161) from 31 persons before and after human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) seroconversion were tested for anti-CD4 antibodies. These antibodies were detected by both ELISA and Western blot in 55% (17/31) of subjects when HIV-1 seroconversion was detected and in 26% (8/31) from sera obtained 6-24 months earlier. A decrease in CD4 + cell number was associated more with development of anti-CD4 antibodies or peak anti-CD4 antibody activity than with development of anti-HIV-1 antibodies. Quantitative DNA polymerase chain reaction assay of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 7 seroconverters showed evidence of HIV-1 infection in 4 of 4 specimens obtained after HIV-1 seroconversion but was nonreactive for 12 of 12 specimens obtained before HIV-1 seroconversion, including 4 specimens positive for anti-CD4 antibodies by ELISA and Western blot. Therefore, anti-CD4 antibodies are frequently present in the sera of HIV-1-infected persons before and at the time HIV-1 seroconversion is detectable and are associated with a decline in CD4 + cell counts, but they are not a marker for HIV-1 infection in seronegative persons
Incidence and trends in psychopathology symptoms over time in adults with severe to profound intellectual disability.

Abstract Individuals with intellectual disability (ID) have a high risk for developing comorbid psychopathology. While researchers have shown that symptoms of psychopathology remain relatively stable in children with ID over time, little research has been conducted to demonstrate symptom stability for adults with ID. Incidence of psychopathology symptoms was examined in 124 adults with severe to profound ID. Then, trends in symptoms of psychopathology over time were studied in 74 of those individuals who had data collected quarterly over the span of one year. Data from the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped – Second Edition (DASH-II) were evaluated for each of the 13 subscales, as well as the total DASH-II score. For all of the scales except PDD/Autism, symptoms did not fluctuate significantly over the one year period. The PDD/Autism scale revealed a significant change in symptoms from Time 1 to Time 3. The implications of these results are discussed.
Silicon photonic components and networks

Significant progress in silicon photonics has led to flattop filters, polarization independence, low power modulators and switches, and low dark current germanium detectors. Future challenges reside in implementing silicon photonic networks.
Discovering user profiles

In this paper we describe techniques for the discovery and construction of user profiles. Leveraging from the emergent data web, our system addresses the problem of sparseness of user profile information currently faced by both asserted and inferred profile systems. A profile mediator, that dynamically builds the most suitable user profile for a particular service or interaction in real-time, is employed in our prototype implementation.
Low-profile embedded array design for endfire scanning using transformation electromagnetics

The form-invariant nature of Maxwell's equations has led to the transformation electromagnetics/optics device design technique [1], where electromagnetic phenomena in the transformed coordinate system are interpreted as the result of modifications to material properties in the untransformed system. Starting with the invisibility cloaks [2], the coordinate transformation approach has been used to design a variety of electromagnetic/optical devices such as a field rotator [3] and beam bends/expanders [4, 5]. Source transformation results if the original domain contains sources [6]; the source distribution in the transformed system is given in terms of the original source configuration and the coordinate transformation. The source transformation has been recently applied to arrays [7].
Small‐Angle Neutron Scattering for In Situ Probing of Ion Adsorption Inside Micropores

systems. The observed phenomena, however, were not always confirmed in other carbon materials or electrolytes, and the universality of such observations remains a topic of debates in the scientific community. The challenge comes from the difficulty of independently tuning various material properties needed for systematic experimental studies and from the high complexity of realistic materials systems for ab initio simulations.
Changing Childrearing Beliefs Among Indigenous Rural-to-Urban Migrants in El Alto, Bolivia†

Sociologists have long noted that childrearing shapes young people's life chances. Worldwide, rural-to-urban migration is growing, yet we know little about whether or how migrants adopt new childrearing beliefs during this rapid social transformation. Using interviews with 63 parents and ethnographic observation at a public school, I examine how rural-to-urban migration affects the childrearing beliefs of indigenous peasants who move to the city of El Alto, Bolivia. Many migrants reject rural childrearing's reliance on corporal punishment and limited verbal communication, instead embracing more open communication, limited physical punishment, and parent–child trust. Urban organizations and social ties expose parents to a new childrearing model, and parents find this model credible when they observe that it buffers children from urban dangers that threaten young people's mobility chances. Adopting urban childrearing ultimately entails accepting an underlying model of children's agency, wherein children need internal motivation instead of external impulsion. This case shows that individuals’ childrearing beliefs are more malleable than previous sociological studies suggest. I close with policy implications for parental education and child well-being initiatives.
Intertrial interval length and discrimination learning in young chicks

One- and 4-day-old chicks were trained on a successive go/no-go discrimination to determine whether an increase in the length of the intertriai interval (ITI) would improve discrimination performance. For all intervals, the 4-day-old chicks showed a greater separation in response latencies on S+ and S− trials than did the 1-day-old chicks, and chicks of both ages showed a similar decrease in their differential performance onS+ and S− trials as the ITI length was increased. These results do not support the assumption that the young animal learns best with long rather than short intervals between trials.
A simple computational principle predicts vocal adaptation dynamics across age and error size

The brain uses sensory feedback to correct errors in behavior. Songbirds and humans acquire vocal behaviors by imitating the sounds produced by adults and rely on auditory feedback to correct vocal errors throughout their lifetimes. In both birds and humans, acoustic variability decreases steadily with age following the acquisition of vocal behavior. Prior studies in adults have shown that while sensory errors that fall within the limits of vocal variability evoke robust motor corrections, larger errors do not induce learning. Although such results suggest that younger animals, which have greater vocal variability, might correct large errors more readily than older individuals, it is unknown whether age-dependent changes in variability are accompanied by changes in the speed or magnitude of vocal error correction. We tested the hypothesis that auditory errors evoke greater vocal changes in younger animals and that a common computation determines how sensory information drives motor learning across different ages and error sizes. Consistent with our hypothesis, we found that in songbirds the speed and extent of error correction changes dramatically with age and that age-dependent differences in learning were predicted by a model in which the overlap between sensory errors and the distribution of prior sensory feedback determines the dynamics of adaptation. Our results suggest that the brain employs a simple and robust computational principle to calibrate the rate and magnitude of vocal adaptation across age-dependent changes in behavioral performance and in response to different sensory errors.
Effects of osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1, BMP-7) on gene expression in cultured medial collateral ligament cells.

Osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1, also called BMP-7), a member of the BMP family and the TGF-β superfamily, induces formation of new bone and cartilage, but also regulates a wide array of processes. In the present study, the expression of several characteristic biochemical markers of ligaments, such as Six1, Scleraxis, aggrecan, and type I collagen in primary cultures of adult rat medial collateral ligament (MCL) cells was determined. The effects of OP-1 on cell proliferation and on gene expression were subsequently examined. OP-1 stimulated cell proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity, and the steady-state mRNA levels of the transcription factor Runx2/Cbfa1 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The mRNA levels of type I collagen only increased slightly, but the activity of the cloned collagen promoter increased by 2-fold in transiently transfected MCL cells. OP-1 also stimulated aggrecan mRNA expression. The mRNA levels of Six1 and Scleraxis were not detectably altered by OP-1. In control cultures, the steady-state mRNA levels of ActR-I, BMPR-IA, BMPR-IB, and BMPR-II increased as a function of time in culture. The mRNA levels of BMP-1 and -4 increased significantly after 12 days, but those of BMP-2 and -6 did not change. The GDF-1, -3, -5, -6, and -8 mRNA levels in the control cultures also increased as a function of time. OP-1 treatment stimulated mRNA expression of BMPR-IA and BMPR-II, but had little effect on ActR-I and BMPR-IB mRNA expression. OP-1 lowered the BMP-1, -2, and -6 mRNA levels without changing the BMP-4 mRNA level. OP-1 treatment also reduced the mRNA levels of GDFs detected. In summary, the present study demonstrated that OP-1 stimulated cell proliferation and mRNA expression of several biochemical markers in this ligament cell culture model and established the spatial and temporal appearance of several members of the TGF-β superfamily. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Semaphorin 3B and 3F Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms are Associated With Prostate Cancer Risk and Poor Prognosis

Purpose: SEMA3B and SEMA3F are 2 closely related genes lying 80 kb apart on chromosome 3 that have been shown to suppress tumor formation in vivo and in vitro. Each gene has a single nucleotide polymorphism that results in a nonsynonymous coding change, rs2071203 (SEMA3B) and rs1046956 (SEMA3F), as well as noncoding single nucleotide polymorphisms.Materials and Methods: We performed a case-control study of 789 prostate cancer cases and 907 controls from 3 races/ethnicities to determine possible associations of 10 variants with prostate cancer risk or prognosis.Results: The risk of prostate cancer increased more than 2-fold in Hispanic men with TT alleles at rs2071203 in SEMA3B and with CC alleles for rs2072054 at the 5′ end of SEMA3F (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.12–4.04, p = 0.02 and OR 2.55, 95% CI 1.34–4.84, p = 0.0045, respectively). These 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms were also associated with a poor prognosis in Hispanic men (2.71 and 3.48-fold increased risk). A frequent G-C-G-G-A-T-C-C-T-G haplotype enco...
Securing Scan Design Using Lock and Key Technique

Scan test has been a common and useful method for testing VLSI designs due to the high controllability and observability it provides. These same properties have recently been shown to also be a security threat to the intellectual property on a chip (Yang et al., 2004). In order to defend from scan based attacks, we present the lock & key technique. Our proposed technique provides security while not negatively impacting the design's fault coverage. This technique requires only that a small area overhead penalty is incurred for a significant return in security. Lock & key divides the already present scan chain into smaller subchains of equal length that are controlled by an internal test security controller. When a malicious user attempts to manipulate the scan chain, the test security controller goes into insecure mode and enables each subchain in an unpredictable sequence making controllability and observability of the circuit under test very difficult. We present and analyze the design of the lock & key techniques to show that this is a flexible option to secure scan designs for various levels of security
Underachievement is many-sided

The concept of underachievement, though widely used and voluminously researched, is still ill-defined. The reason seems to be that underachievers are defined merely in terms of the discrepancy between their predicted and earned grades. So classified, the groups are too heterogeneous to be psychologically meaningful. There are different types of achievers and underachievers who need to be identified and different educational climates that need to be studied, if the concept of underachievement is to become productive in our thinking about high school and college students
A real-time initial-condition injection technique for implementation of discrete/continuous control-algorithms

A generic signal-processing technique is described that enables computer-simulation studies, and practical hardware-implementation, of “real-time-determined” changes/updates in the “real-time initial-conditions” that must be “injected” into various real-time integration-operations comprising a Discrete/Continuous (D/C) Control-Algorithm. An illustrative example is presented. The “initial-condition injection” technique introduced here is also applicable-to a broad-variety of computational or simulation applications involving the real-time imposition of a sequence of strategic "jump"-changes/updates of the evolving real-time values of various state-variables xi (t) associated with a dynamical system or process. For instance, such as those encountered-in the simulation of Newtonian dynamics associated-with “abrupt” changes in mass and/or “momentum” that are natural consequences of various kinds of elastic and non-elastic impacts, collisions, and mass-separations/mergings.
Efficient Techniques for Directed Test Generation Using Incremental Satisfiability

Functional validation is a major bottleneck in the current SOC design methodology. While specification-based validation techniques have proposed several promising ideas, the time and resources required for directed test generation can be prohibitively large. This paper presents an efficient test generation methodology using incremental satisfiability. The existing researches have used incremental SAT to improve counterexample (test) generation involving only one property with different bounds. This paper is the first attempt to utilize incremental satisfiability in directed test generation involving multiple properties. The contribution of this paper is a novel methodology to share learning across multiple properties by developing efficient techniques for property clustering, name substitution, and selective forwarding of conflict clauses. Our experimental results using both software and hardware benchmarks demonstrate that our approach can drastically (on average four times) reduce the overall test generation time.
Jurors' use of standards of proof in decisions about punitive damages

Standards of proof define the degree to which jurors must be satisfied that a fact is true, and plaintiffs in civil lawsuits assume the burden of proving their claims to the requisite standard of proof. Three standards-preponderance of evidence, clear and convincing evidence, and beyond a reasonable doubt-are used by different jurisdictions in trials involving liability for punitive damages. We investigated whether individual mock jurors apply these standards appropriately by instructing them to read two personal injury trial summaries and to use one of three standards in either qualitative or quantitative format when deciding punitive liability. Results showed that jurors tended not to incorporate the standard into their judgments: defendants were just as likely to be found liable when the plaintiff's burden was high ("beyond a reasonable doubt") as when the burden was low ("preponderance of evidence"). The format of the instruction also had a negligible effect. We suggest that nonuse of the standard of proof is related to jurors' preferences for less effortful or experiential processing in situations involving complicated or ambiguous material.
Reduction in Gastroenteritis With the Use of Pentavalent Rotavirus Vaccine in a Primary Practice

OBJECTIVES: Pentavalent rotavirus (RV) vaccine (RV5) was licensed in 2006 and recommended for routine childhood immunization. A significant decrease in the number of RV hospitalizations has been described. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of RV5 on acute gastroenteritis (AGE) seen in a primary practice. METHODS: In July 2004, surveillance was initiated among children who were younger than 5 years and seen in a large pediatric practice in New Orleans for those who presented AGE, as determined by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes. Primary care physician office visits, emergency department visits, and hospital admissions were identified by review of records. RV testing was performed only on those who were seen at the hospital. RESULTS: Approximately 16,000 children who were younger than 5 years were followed in the practice during each year. For 2006-2007, 2007-2008, and 2008-2009, 11.1%, 40.3%, and 45.6% of age-eligible children, respectively, received > or =1 dose of RV5. As compared with 2004-2005 (before RV5), in 2007-2009, there was a significant decrease in all-cause AGE office visits (23%) and hospitalizations (50%). RV-positive cases (emergency department visits or hospitalizations) decreased by 67%. The decrease in RV-positive cases was more evident among children who were younger than 2 years (81%), with a strong trend among those who were aged 2 to <5 years (41%). CONCLUSIONS: Increased use of RV5 in a pediatric practice was associated with fewer AGE office visits and hospitalizations. The reduction was specific for RV-positive AGE and seen among children who were targeted for immunization as well as older groups, suggesting a herd-immunity effect.
Regression analysis of reusable program components

An integrated regression analysis is proposed for the reverification of software components that are modified for a new application. The basis for the method is clustering, i.e., automatic identification of the modifications. The clustering is used to formulate a regression fault hypothesis about the existence of a fault in the new component and testing the hypothesis using static and dynamic (execution-based) analysis. >
Referral Delay in Back Pain Patients on Worker's Compensation: Costs and Policy Implications

Low back pain (LBP), a common illness that may progress to chronic disability, costs many billions for care, lost work, and compensation. Conventional medicine does not effectively restore chronic LBP patients to work; multidisciplinary rehabilitation does, but limited or delayed access risks unnecessary costs, additional morbidity, and permanent disability. The authors examine costs of delayed treatment for 23 disabled LBP patients in a rehabilitation program. Compensation costs average $26,159 per patient, a sum covering treatment for 3 patients. Additional medical and societal costs are estimated. Factors causing delay, such as economic incentives and ignorance about pain, and policies to remediate these problems, are discussed.
Minimal Surgery with Renal Preservation in Anomalous Complete Duplicated Systems: Is it Feasible?

AbstractFrom 1985 to 1993, 33 female and 4 male patients 0 to 3 years old presented with abnormal complete duplex systems of whom 25 had a prenatal diagnosis of hydronephrosis. Diagnosis in 40 ureteral moieties included ureteroceles in 10, ectopic ureteral insertions with reflux and obstruction in 17, and refluxing lower ureters in 13. Of 40 renal units only 6 (15 percent) required upper pole moiety ablation for pyelonephritis or nonfunction. None of the ablated renal tissue showed evidence of dysplasia. With the advent of prenatal diagnosis and minimal surgical intervention complete duplex anomalous urinary systems can be salvaged with preservation of altered renal units.
Evaluating Ruralnet: Teaching with the Internet

The West Virginia K-12 RuralNet Project has provided training to public school teachers on the use of Internet resources in a manner consistent with the West Virginia State Science Curriculum Framework and the National Science Education Standards. This article presents a summary of quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the RuralNet Project. We validated instruments to assess Level of Use of Internet (LOU) and Personal Internet Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Scale (PITEBS) with inservice teachers who were participants in this Internet based professional development project. The instruments were then used to assess differences among completers and non-completers of summer workshops and different level users of Internet technology. The LOU and PITEBS appear ready to be utilized for future research and evaluation studies.
A four-stage FM broadcast audio peak limiter

The design of a peak limiter processor for FM broadcast audio is described. The limiter has four gain control stages. The basic peak limiting function is performed in the first and second stages by a slow-attach-slow-release stage followed by a fast-attack-fast-release stage. Preemphasis control is performed in the third and fourth stages, which are part of a filter that emulates the transmitter preemphasis network. A peak clipper at the output of the preemphasis controller provides protection from overmodulation by short duration peaks that are not controlled by the four limiter stages. >
Microbial cycling of mercury in contaminated pelagic and wetland sediments of San Pablo Bay, California

San Pablo Bay is an estuary, within northern San Francisco Bay, containing elevated sediment mercury (Hg) levels because of historic loading of hydraulic mining debris during the California gold-rush of the late 1800s. A preliminary investigation of benthic microbial Hg cycling was conducted in surface sediment (0-4 cm) collected from one salt-marsh and three open-water sites. A deeper profile (0-26 cm) was evaluated at one of the open-water locations. Radiolabeled model Hg-com- pounds were used to measure rates of both meth- ylmercury (MeHg) production and degradation by bacteria. While all sites and depths had similar total- Hg concentrations (0.3-0.6 ppm), and geochemical signatures of mining debris (asNd, range: -3.08 to -4.37), in-situ MeHg was highest in the marsh (5.4±3.5 ppb) and £ 0.7 ppb in all open-water sites. Microbial MeHg production (potential rate) in 0-4 surface sediments was also highest in the marsh (3.1 ng g -1 wet sediment day -1 ) and below detection (<0.06 ng g -1 wet sediment day -1 ) in open-water locations. The marsh exhibited a methylation/ demethylation (M/D) ratio more than 25· that of all open-water locations. Only below the surface 0-4-cm horizon was significant MeHg production potential evident in the open-water sediment profile (0.2-1.1 ng g -1 wet sediment day -1 ). In-situ Hg methylation rates, calculated from radiotracer rate constants, and in-situ inorganic Hg(II) concentra- tions compared well with potential rates. However, similarly calculated in-situ rates of MeHg degrada tion were much lower than potential rates. These preliminary data indicate that wetlands surrounding San Pablo Bay represent important zones of MeHg production, more so than similarly Hg-contaminat- ed adjacent open-water areas. This has significant implications for this and other Hg-impacted sys- tems, where wetland expansion is currently planned.
Size and heterozygosity influence partner selection in the Formosan subterranean termite

In monogamous species that exhibit extensive biparental investment, such as termites, both sexes are predicted to be selective when choosing a mate. Size-related traits are expected to be important in partner selection because the fat reserves of the colony founders sustain the incipient colony. Partner relatedness and heterozygosity determine the degree of inbreeding and genetic diversity within the colony and may thus also influence partner selection. To test these predictions, we investigated whether phenotypic and genetic traits influence mate choice and/or competitive advantage during pair formation of Formosan subterranean termites, Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). Pair formation in termites normally occurs within a short period after swarming when alates form tandem pairs on the ground. Alates were collected from 5 light trap samples in the French Quarter of New Orleans, LA. From each sample, both tandem pairs and single individuals were collected and their sex, body weights, and head widths were recorded. Pairwise relatedness and individual levels of heterozygosity were determined by microsatellite genotyping. Males in tandem pairs with females had a significantly larger head width than males that did not form tandem pairs. Weights as well as head widths of tandem running partners were positively correlated. For the majority of the samples, relatedness between tandem partners did not differ from the relatedness to members of the other tandem pairs. Thus, no kin discrimination occurred during tandem running. However, females engaged in tandem running had a higher degree of heterozygosity than females that remained single. These findings suggest partner selection and/or competitive advantage based on size-related phenotypic parameters and genetic diversity. The pairing advantage of heterozygous females might explain previous findings of sex-biased alate production depending on the degree of inbreeding in colonies of several species of the genus Coptotermes.
Feeding specializations of the Mexican burrowing toad, Rhinophrynus dorsalis (Anura: Rhinophrynidae)

Of the several, unrelated anuran taxa that feed underground, the Neotropical pipoid, Rhinophrynus dorsalis, seems to be the most specialized ant- and termite-feeder. The snout is covered with a curious and apparently unique epidermal amour. The buccal and oesophageal linings are ornately folded. The lips effect a double closure along the long, wedgeshaped, edentate maxillary arch. Peculiar submandibular glands seem to enhance the seal of the lips. The results of morphological, cinematographic, and muscle stimulation studies reveal that Rhinophrynus has a mechanism of tongue protrusion basically distinct from that of other frogs that project their tongues by means of a lingual flip. In Rhinophrynus. the intrinsic tongue muscles act to stiffen the organ, exerting hydrostatic pressure on the fluid contents of the lingual sinus. Actual protrusion of the tongue through the buccal groove involves shifting the organ forward via protraction of the hyoid by muscles extrinsic to the tongue-a mode that is unique among anurans and one highly suited for securing small insect prey in subterranean burrows.
Transanal endoscopic microsurgery: safe for midrectal lesions in morbidly obese patients

Abstract Background Transanal endoscopic microsurgery is a safe option for proximal rectal tumors in morbidly obese patients for whom transabdominal pelvic dissection often is fraught with morbidity. Methods From a database of 318 patients who underwent transanal endoscopic microsurgery, we report a retrospective case-control study of 9 patients with a body mass index range of 35 to 66 with sessile rectal lesions 6 to 15 cm from the anal verge who underwent transanal endoscopic microsurgery. Case subjects were compared with 15 controls and matched for age, tumor type, and level of tumor. The average body mass index of controls was 30 ( P t test analysis, perioperative outcomes (surgical time, blood loss, and hospital length of stay) and postoperative complications were compared. Results Sessile tumors were located 7 to 11 cm from the anal verge with a diameter of 1 to 4 cm. Patient and tumor factors such as age, distal tumor margin from anal verge, and tumor diameter were not significantly different between case subjects and controls. Surgical blood loss, surgical time, and hospital length of stay were not significantly different between the 2 groups. One complication occurred among the cases. No complications occurred in the control group. All patients had complete surgical resections with negative margins. Conclusions Transanal endoscopic microsurgery in morbidly obese patients is a safe, feasible, and a viable alternative to low anterior resection.
Case: Fighting International Fraud with the FCPA

This case introduces students to the fraudulent acts committed by United States (U.S.) companies selling to international companies that fall under the Securities and Exchange Committee‘s (SEC) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) of 1977. All but ignored from the mid 1970‘s to the 1990‘s, the SEC has increased enforcement of the FCPA against many companies since the year 2000. The four case objectives for student learning about the FCPA are to: perform research on the FCPA; examine reasons codes of conduct are difficult to enforce internationally; develop critical thinking skills to determine how identified frauds were committed; and develop business writing and speaking skills. The case objectives are accomplished by having students perform the following: studying the FCPA; selecting and researching a recent FCPA case that was brought by the SEC; reviewing and understanding this company’s code of conduct; and by preparing a report and presenting a comparative analysis of their findings to the class. This case can be used in a fraud, forensic, auditing, or international accounting class to introduce the students to the FCPA and to study how companies committed fraud in violation of the law. It can also be used to cover codes of conduct, governance, and accountability.
Financial “Rules” for Child and Youth Care Managers

Contemporary realities demand that child and youth care managers cast off their traditional avoidance of all things financial. This article offers a jargon-free list of twelve financial “rules” for thriving in turbulent times. Grounded in a concept of client-centered, results-based agency “performance,” rules include promoting an entrepreneurial spirit throughout the organization, destroying the “taboo” on open discussion of financial matters, slashing program development time, and spending lavishly on recruitment and universal staff training.
Operationalizing Culturally Responsive Instruction: Preliminary Findings of CRIOP Research.

BackgroundMany scholars have espoused the use of culturally responsive instruction (CRT) for closing achievement gaps, yet there is a paucity of research supporting its effectiveness. In this artic...
Student Engagement in Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (SERSCA) Program: Sharing a Program Model from Design and Development through Evaluation

The Student Engagement in Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (SERSCA) Program at California State University, Stanislaus provides support for student engagement in these areas from idea conception through dissemination. Through assistantships, mini-grants, the Student Research Competition, and travel grants, the Program is designed to improve the overall quality of education and increase retention, GPA, the number of units completed, degree completion, and enrollment in graduate or professional school. In this article we provide an overview of the SERSCA Program and preliminary evaluation findings from the first year of implementation.
Enhancement of Metastases by L-Asparaginase in Allogeneic and Isogeneic Mouse Tumor Systems

Previous studies by various investigators have clearly demonstrated the immunosuppressive activity of L-asparaginase in a variety of experimental models as well as in man. We have studied the effect of L-asparaginase in allogeneic (Sl80 in C57BL/6 mice) and in isogeneic (Sl in A/jax mice) tumor systems and in both, a striking enhancement of metastases was noted from the foot-implanted tumor to the regional popliteal nodes. In these studies1,2, it was shown that L-asparaginase was effective in small doses which were not toxic nor antitumor and that the mechanism of action was most likely through immune suppression. Further studies on the mechanism of action have now shown that L-asparaginase becomes localized in lymphoid tissue, probably as an antigen and that this preferential localization followed by cytotoxic effect can explain the immunosuppressive action. The purpose of this report is to describe these studies and comment on the significance of the findings.
Critical care of the immunocompromised patient

Summary Proper critical care management of the immunocompromised patient requires an appreciation of the myriad causes of decompensation in this population, with particular attention to the role of infection. Although the differential diagnosis is often broad, aggressive attempts to narrow the diagnostic possibilities can be very risky in this population. In addition, a delay in initiating treatment caused by these diagnostic maneuvers can be lethal. Thus, the critical care physician who treats immunocompromised patients must be mindful of the spectrum of disorders common to this group and must use this knowledge to formulate and institute a meaningful, if empiric, treatment plan without delay.
Living Cationic Olefin Polymerization

Recently we have discovered that various tertiary ester and ether boron trichloride complexes induce truly living polymerization of isobutylene, 1,3,5-trimethylstyrene and copolymerization of isobutylene/ isoprene in CH3C1 and CH2C12 diluents over a wide range of temperatures (i.e., from 0° to -70°C). The $${\overline {\text{M}} _n}s$$ are determined by [Mo]/[Io], conversions are ∿100%, and the initiation efficienty is ∿L00%. The living nature of the processes is demonstrated by linear $${\overline {\text{M}} _n}$$ versus Wp (g polymer formed) plots starting at the origin and horizontal N (number of polymer moles) versus Wp plots. These living polymerizations give rise to tert.-chloro terminated products. The mechanism of termination has been studied. The use of difunctional esters and ethers produces α,ω- difunctional (telechelic) materials. Very recently three-arm star telechelic prepolymers have also been synthesized by a trifunctional ether⋅ BCl3 complex. The polymerization rates are rapid, and the experiments can be carried out under conventional laboratory conditions, i.e., by the use of stirred vessels under a blanket of nitrogen, in the presence of traces of moisture. Ease of operations has been demonstrated by the preparation of tert.-chloro telechelic liquid polyisobutylenes on the semicommercial scale (12l reactor). It appears that the stability of living cationic centers is due to undissociated species. The nature of these centers will be discussed.
Value of PET/CT in assessing post-radiotherapy changes in bone metastases

2725 Objectives We aimed to assess the value of PET and CT of the PET/CT in the detection of post Radiation Therapy (RT) changes in bone metastases (BM) Methods We retrospectively reviewed 2000 PET/CT scans of cancer patients and a log was kept to record cases with suspected BM. Of the 2000 PET/CT scans, 100 patients had suspected BM. 11 patients /100 (11%) received RT to 18 BM lesions with a typical RT dose of 30Gy in 10 fractions. Both the CT and the PET portions of the PET/CT were reviewed to identify SUV and CT bone window changes before and after RT to BM. Results 18 RT treated BM were found in 11 patients [mean age 67, range 46-86, M: F 4:7]. Primary cancer types were (4) breast, (4) lung, (1) renal cell carcinoma, (1) leiomyosarcoma, and (1) laryngeal. The BM were located in the spine, humerus, femur, pelvis, scapula, and ribs. The mean interval between baseline and follow-up PET/CT scans was 5 months (range 3-12) after RT. Baseline PET was SUV mean of 7.1 (range 2.4-10.6). Post RT SUV mean was 3.7 (range 1.7-11.9). On baseline CT of the PET/CT, BM were: 11 (61%) lytic, 4 (22%) mixed lytic/sclerotic, 2 (11%) CT negative and 1(6%) sclerotic. On post RT PET/CT, CT showed 16 (88%) of the BM became mainly sclerotic with 2 (12%) revealing no CT changes but had decreased SUV. Additionally, 2/16 (13%) sclerotic lesions had increased in SUV 3 months post RT. Conclusions FDG-PET/CT is valuable in detecting BM and assessing response to RT. Lytic lesions responded to RT by the development of sclerotic changes and decreased SUV. In absence of changes in CT bone windows, the decrease in SUV served as the only evidence of good response to RT. Further, increase in SUV is indicative of disease progression even in the presence of sclerotic changes. Metabolic changes were found to be more sensitive in the detection of BM and assessing response to RT with or without CT morphologic changes.
Nonlinear communication system simulation via conditional importance sampling

The basic concepts and advantages of the conditional importance sampling (CIS) technique are presented. By conditioning on random sources, this technique simplifies the problem of biasing to lower dimensionalities and, because of its adaptive nature, its biased PDF can be brought closer to the optimum solution. The CIS technique is applied to the simulation of bit error rate in nonlinear digital communication systems. The results obtained from a performance comparison of the CIS with an improved importance sampling technique using a system with two additive white Gaussian noise sources are presented. >
All-soft sensing platform based on liquid metal for liquid- and gas-phase VOC detection

This paper introduces an all-soft microfluidic sensing platform based on liquid metal (eutectic gallium-indium alloy, EGaIn) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) for volatile organic compound (VOC) detection in the liquid and gas phase. For device fabrication, an advanced liquid metal patterning method based on soft lithography is used to form interdigitated capacitors and integrate them with microfluidics. To highlight flexibility and stretchability, the electrical characteristics of the interdigitated capacitor are investigated subject to mechanical loading. Finally, VOC detection is demonstrated using the all-soft microfluidic sensing platform in both the liquid and gas phase.