cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An axisymmetric boundary integral model for incompressible linear viscoelasticity: application to the micropipette aspiration contact problem.

The micropipette aspiration test has been used extensively in recent years as a means of quantifying cellular mechanics and molecular interactions at the microscopic scale. However, previous studies have generally modeled the cell as an infinite half-space in order to develop an analytical solution for a viscoelastic solid cell, In this study, an axisymmetric boundary integral formulation of the governing equations of incompressible linear viscoelasticity is presented and used to simulate the micropipette aspiration contact problem. The cell is idealized as a homogenous and isotropic continuum with constitutive equation given by three-parameter (E, τ 1 , τ 2 ) standard linear viscoelasticity. The formulation is used to develop a computational model via a correspondence principle in which the solution is written as the sum of a homogeneous (elastic) part and a nonhomogeneous part, which depends only on past values of the solution. Via a time-marching scheme, the solution of the viscoelastic problem is obtained by employing an elastic boundary element method with modified boundary conditions. The accuracy and convergence of the time-marching scheme are verified using an analytical solution. An incremental reformulation of the scheme is presented to facilitate the simulation of micropipette aspiration, a nonlinear contact problem. In contrast to the halfspace model (Sato et al., 1990), this computational model accounts for nonlinearities in the cell response that result from a consideration of geometric factors including the finite cell dimension (radius R), curvature of the cell boundary, evolution of the cell-micropipette contact region, and curvature of the edges of the micropipette (inner radius a, edge curvature radius ∈). Using 60 quadratic boundary elements, a micropipette aspiration creep test with ramp time t * =0.1 s and ramp pressure p * /E=0.8 is simulated for the cases a/R =0.3, 0.4, 0.5 using mean parameter values for primary chondrocytes. Comparisons to the half-space model indicate that the computational model predicts an aspiration length that is less stiff during the initial ramp response (t=0-1 s) but more stiff at equilibrium (t = 200 s). Overall, the ramp and equilibrium predictions of aspiration length by the computational model are fairly insensitive to aspect ratio a/R but can differ from the half-space model by up to 20 percent. This computational approach may be readily extended to account for more complex geometries or inhomogeneities in cellular properties.
The impacts of science and technology policy interventions on university research: Evidence from the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative

Abstract We examine how the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), a recent U.S. government science and technology (S&T) program launched in 2000, affects the nature of university research in nanotechnology. We characterize the NNI as a policy intervention that targets the commercialization of technology and a focused research direction to promote national economic growth. As such, we expect that the NNI has brought about unintended consequences in the direction of university–industry knowledge flows and the characteristics of university research output in nanotechnology. Using a difference-in-differences analysis of U.S. nanotechnology patents filed between 1996 and 2007, we find that, after the NNI, U.S. universities have significantly increased knowledge inflows from the industry, reduced the branching-out to novel technologies, narrowed down the research scope, and become less likely to generate technological breakthroughs, as compared to other U.S. and non-U.S. research institutions. Our findings suggest that, at least in the case of the NNI, targeted government S&T programs may increase the efficiency of university research, but potentially do so at a price.
Temporal assessment of caspase activation in experimental models of focal and global ischemia

Abstract Rodent models of focal and global ischemia were used to examine caspase activation. Several readouts were employed on identical tissue to provide correlative measurement of caspase induction, activation and enzymatic activity. In a rat focal ischemia model, caspase-3 enzymatic activity, as recorded by DEVD–AMC cleavage, peaked in penumbral cortex at 6–12 h following ischemia, correlating with increases in caspase 3-cleaved substrates of PARP and α-spectrin and subsequent disappearance of caspase-3 zymogen. Although induction of caspases 8 and 2 proteins was detectable as early as 6 h following ischemia, examination of the same tissues for caspase 8 or 2 enzymatic activities did not show significant modulation up to 12 h after ischemic insult. Caspase 9 induction was evident only after 24 h postischemia and did not correlate with elevated LDHD–AMC cleavage. Following global ischemia in gerbils, levels of caspase-3 enzyme activity peaked at 12 h in hippocampal tissue extracts. Cleaved caspase-3 signal was prominent in NeuN-positive layers in the CA1 region 6–12 h following ischemia. Interestingly, strong caspase-3 immunoreactivity was also detected in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus, a known region of ischemia-induced neurogenesis. Caspase-3 activation may be responsible for the loss of these cells, thereby hindering the endogenous recovery process.
Stability of oil-in-water emulsions. The effect of dispersed phase and polysaccharide on creaming

Abstract The creaming of concentrated alkane-in-water emulsions stabilised by a non-ionic surfactant has been measured in the presence of hydroxyethylcellulose polysaccharide. Creaming rates under gravity were determined by visual observation. In the emulsions containing polysaccharide the creaming was much more rapid than expected from consideration of the oil droplet size, density difference, the rheological properties of the continuous phase and the current oil concentration. Flocculation effects would appear to be the primary mechanism for the anomalous behaviour, although other effects cannot be entirely ruled out at this stage. The final oil concentrations in the creamed emulsion phases have also been measured, and an interpretation is given in terms of the pressure in the cream, the droplet size and the interfacial tension.
Institutionalizing Social Support Through the Church and into the Community

The positive influence of social support on such health related outcomes as patient adherence to medical regimens and stress reduction at the worksite has captured the attention of public health researchers and practitioners alike. Yet, the broader social outcome of building community competency to undertake and sustain health related solutions without constant intervention from professionals still remains elusive. The difficulty may lie with the need to uncover on each occasion the various roles and functions of social support structures that may or may not exist in a given community. The intent would then be to graft an intervention onto these existing roles and functions in order to mirror the naturally occurring social support structures. A conceptual framework that has been used to institutionalize health related activities through the role and function of the black Church, as a social unit of identity and solution for rural black communities in North Carolina, is put forth for consideration.
Increase of lysosomal enzymes in skin cancers.

THE function of the lysosome in the pathogenesis of cancer is unknown. In the normal cell these cytoplasmic structures bound to the membrane are thought to be constituents of an intracellular digestive system. Exogenous material that will eventually be digested is engulfed by a cell membrane1. These newly formed lysosomes are thought to be long lived structures involved in numerous digestive events.
Conservation of waterlogged archaeological corks using supercritical CO2 and treatment monitoring using structured-light 3D scanning

Abstract Archaeological waterlogged cork is one the most unpredictable archaeological materials to conserve. Over the years, various techniques designed to conserve waterlogged wood have been applied to cork with less than satisfactory results. These techniques include freeze drying with or without consolidant, air-drying and silicone oil treatment. Alternatively, recent studies demonstrated that methanol exchange followed by supercritical CO2 drying can overcome most of the limitations of the latter techniques when applied to organic waterlogged materials. In 2005, a joint research project was initiated between the Warren Lasch Conservation Center (WLCC) and Parks Canada to evaluate the use of supercritical CO2 drying on significant archaeological corks and composite artifacts from several shipwrecks. This paper will discuss the drying process of the various corks and the techniques employed to monitor their appearance and dimensions, namely conventional measurement techniques and structured-light 3D scanning combined with three-dimensional inspection.
Simulation of chemical oscillations in membranes

A computer simulation model has been developed to follow chemical oscillations in a membrane for immobilized enzyme systems. It is a discrete particle type model which follows the spatial and temporal fluctuations of the concentrations in a reaction involving two substrates. The parameters can be readily varied to allow dissipative structures to result from the sustained nonlinear reaction kinetics and to determine which parameters cause damping of the oscillations. The nature of the diffusion mechanism allows extension to more than one dimension.
Multilevel optimization of space trusses using continuum modelling

A new concept of using continuum modelling in multilevel decomposition of structural optimization problems is presented. Its practicality is demonstrated by applying it to the optimization of large beam-like space structures. The results of the optimization scheme are tested against traditional optimization procedures for numerical accuracy and computational efficiency. Results from both optimization methods are presented for comparison.
Sensitivity of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal axis to the positive feedback effects of estrogen in ovariectomized anestrous and diestrous sows

Abstract This study was conducted to determine if the chronic failure of weaned sows to return to ovarian cyclicity is due to a decreased capacity of estradiol-17β (E2) to evoke luteinizing hormone (LH) discharge. Primiparous, ovariectomized sows were randomly assigned at five sows/group in a 2 × 4 factorial design. Sows were treated intramuscularly (i.m.) with 0, 2.5, 5.0, or 10.0 μg estradiol-17β benzoate (EB)/kg body weight (BW). Factor A was reproductive state (anestrous or diestrous), and factor B was EB dose. Blood samples were collected prior to EB injection and at 4-h intervals for 7 days after treatment. LH and E2 concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). There was an EB dose effect on the numbers of sows responding to EB with LH surges. Five anestrous and four diestrous sows had LH surges in response to 10 μg EB/kg, whereas 5.0 μg EB/kg induced LH surges in four anestrous and two diestrous sows. One anestrous and none of the diestrous sows had an LH surge when injected with 2.5 μg EB/kg BW. There were no differences in the characteristics of LH surges between ovariectomized anestrous sows and ovariectomized diestrous sows. Mean peak E2 concentration and area under the curve (AUC) were similar between anestrous and diestrous sows, but differed (P
CHILDHOOD PARENTAL LOSS AND ADULT PSYCHOPATHOLOGY: EFFECTS OF LOSS CHARACTERISTICS AND CONTEXTUAL FACTORS

The purpose of this study was to determine whether childhood parental death and childhood parental separation are linked to lifetime depressive and anxiety disorders after controlling for related risk factors. Participants were 105 individuals from the community, including a group with separation/desertion from a parent, a group with childhood parental death, and a matched control group whose parents remained married and living together. Participants completed interviews and questionnaires assessing symptoms of anxiety and depression, family psychiatric history, childhood maltreatment, and childhood parental relationships. Participants with separation/desertion and those with parental death were significantly more likely than the control subjects to report the subsequent onset of symptoms of a depressive or anxiety disorder. These effects were not fully explained by parental relationships or childhood maltreatment. However, in the group with parental separation only, family history of depressive and anxiety disorders accounted for the apparent effect of parental separation. These findings indicate that parental death may be a specific risk factor for depressive and anxiety disorders. For parental separation/desertion, our results highlight the overriding influence of risk factors that commonly co-occur with this form of parental loss.
“My little sister had a disaster, she had a baby”: Gendered performance, relational identities, and dialogic voicing

This paper discursively analyzes an extended personal narrative from a life history interview with a Mexican woman immigrant in California, in which the teller details the varying reactions of family and community members to her younger sister’s unmarried pregnancy in a Mexican village at a time of increasing emigration. In analyzing the narrator’s account of these events, the paper focuses on her orchestration of multiple discourses and social voices, arguing that through her juxtaposition of competing gender ideologies, the teller performs a traditional “good woman” identity, while at the same time creating discursive space for other girls and women to make different choices.
An Inventory for the '80s

In the autumn of 1984, Tutt Library at Colorado College decided to buck the trend among libraries and began an inventory of its main Dewey Decimal collection. Excluded from the inventory were government publications, special collections, theses, current best sellers, paperbacks, and videotapes. Tutt's last inventory was taken in 1958, and its remnants had never been cleared from the shelflist. The library, which houses approximately 210,343 titles in 319,198 volumes (including special collections), wanted more precise information to assist it in making decisions on choosing a security system and online catalog and circulation systems; it also looked forward to other benefits, such as:
Prediction of composite properties from a representative volume element

Abstract A vigorous mechanics foundation is established for using a representative volume element (RVE) to predict the mechanical properties of unidirectional fiber composites. The effective elastic moduli of the composite are determined by finite element analysis of the RVE. It is paramount in such analyses that the correct boundary conditions be imposed such that they simulate the actual deformation within the composite; this has not always been done previously. In the present analysis, the appropriate boundary conditions on the RVE for various loading conditions are determined by judicious use of symmetry and periodicity conditions. The non-homogeneous stress and strain fields within the RVE are related to the average stresses and strains by using Gauss theorem and strain energy equivalence principles. The elastic constants predicted by the finite element analysis agree well with existing theoretical predictions and available experimental data.
Pulsed excimer laser deposition of ferroelectric thin films

Abstract Pulsed UV excimer laser ablation was employed to deposit multi-axial, bi-axial and uni-axial ferroelectric compositions of PZT, bismuth titanate and lead germanate respectively. In general, a fluence lower than 2 J/cm2 caused a preferential evaporation of volatile components, resulting in stoichiometric imbalance. However, the fluences beyond 2 J/cm2 enabled the deposition of stoichiometric thin films of multi-component oxide systems. The intrinsic bombardment due to the energetic ablated species during the thin film deposition seemed to influence the composition, structure, orientation and the electrical properties. The electrical characterization of ferroelectric films indicated a dielectric constant of 800–1000, a Pr of 32μC/cm2 and Ec of 130KV/cm for polycrystalline PZT films and the corresponding quantities were measured to be 150, 7 μC/cm2 and 20 KV/cm for in-situ crystallized c-axis preferred oriented bismuth titanate films. Lead germanate thin films oriented along c-axis (003) showed a di...
A New Species of the Roughy Genus Hoplostethus (Teleostei: Trachichthyidae) from the Philippines

ABSTRACT A new species of roughy in the genus Hoplostethus is described from a single specimen collected at depths of 648 to 660 m just east of the Calagua Islands off the east coast of Luzon Island, Philippines. It is characterized by extremely thick fin spines (greatest width of dorsal fin spines 17.4% to 23.1% of spine length; width of spines on pelvic fin 12.9% to 14.2% of spine length; width of anal fin spines 24.4% to 34.2% of spine length), lack of black pigment in the spinous portion of the dorsal fin, and a unique combination of counts and morphometric characters (56 digitiform pyloric caeca, 13 enlarged ventral scutes, ventral fin origin to anal fin origin 38.7% of standard length).
Living Alone: Elderly Chinese Singaporeans

Asian societies maintain the norm that older people should live with their children. Yet some older people live alone. This is the first study to explore social isolation, strategies of coping, and preferences about living arrangements among Chinese Singaporeans aged 65+ who live alone. Data from 19 semi-structured interviews were analyzed. The elderly people who live alone either have no other alternative, or they choose it despite opportunities to live with others. Regardless of the initial reason, solo-dwellers in Singapore succeed at living alone by developing behavioral and psychological strategies that help overcome social isolation. Their main link to the “outside” world is access to medical and social services. Despite some hardships, many prefer living alone because it has become familiar and personally comfortable.
After Effects, or Velvet Revolution

This article is a first part of the series devoted to the analysis of the new hybrid visual language of moving images that emerged during the period 1993–1998. Today this language dominates our visual culture. It can be seen in commercials, music videos, motion graphics, TV graphics, and other types of short non-narrative films and moving image sequences being produced around the world by the media professionals including companies, individual designers and artists, and students. This article analyzes a particular software application which played the key role in the emergence of this language: After Effects. Introduced in 1993, After Effects was the first software designed to do animation, compositing, and special effects on the personal computer. Its broad effect on moving image production can be compared to the effects of Photoshop and Illustrator on photography, illustration, and graphic design. This analysis is used to support the author’s theory that the logic of the new visual language is that of remixability. Normally remixing involves combining content – for example, different music tracks. In this case what gets remixed is not only the content of different media or simply their aesthetics, but their fundamental techniques, working methods, languages, and assumptions. United within the common software environment, cinematography, animation, computer animation, special effects, graphic design, and typography have come to form a new metamedium. A work produced in this new metamedium can use all techniques that were previously unique to these different media, or any subset of these techniques.
Theorizing the hemisphere Inter-Americas work at the intersection of American, Canadian, and Latin American studies

This article advocates an 'inter-Americas studies' perspective that bridges the institutionalized fields of American, Canadian, and Latin American studies, which have traditionally provided separat...
MEASURING PRODUCTIVITY AND ITS COMPONENTS FOR FISHERIES: THE CASE OF THE ALASKAN POLLOCK FISHERY, 1994–2003

Traditional productivity measures have been much less prevalent in fisheries economics than other measures of economic and biological performance. It has been increasingly recognized, however, that modeling and measuring fisheries' production relationships is central to understanding and ultimately correcting the repercussions of externalities and poorly designed regulations. We use a transformation function production model to estimate productivity and its components for catcher–processors in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands pollock fishery, before and after the introduction of a cooperative system that grants exclusive harvesting privileges and allows quota exchange. We also recognize the roles of externalities from pollock harvesting by incorporating data on climate, bycatch, and fish biomass. We find that productivity has been increasing over time, that many productive contributions and interactions of climate, bycatch, and fishing strategies are statistically significant, and that regulatory changes have had both direct and indirect impacts on catch patterns and productivity.
Oceanographic work of the Buffalo Museum of Science in 1930

As reported at previous meetings the scientific work of the Buffalo Museum of Science is for the most part carried on jointly with other institutions. This policy of coordinated effort making possible correlation of results and elimination of duplication has proven very satisfactory In five such programs in which the Museum has participated during the past three years. During the past year, members of the scientific staff have engaged in one cooperative oceanological program and several special problems carried on by individual members.
Essential amino acids involved in glucan-dependent aggregation of Streptococcus sobrinus.

Abstract The active site of the glucan-binding lectin (or agglutinin) (GBL) of Streptococcus sobrinus was probed by specific amino acid modifying reagents. Reagents specific for carboxylates, imidazolium, phenolic, and lysyl residues inactivated the cell bound GBL, whereas agents specific for sulfhydryl, disulfide, and guanidinium groups had no effect on the lectin. A low molecular weight α-(1 → 6)-glucan provided partial protection against the reagents which inactivated the protein, whereas an α-(1 → 4)-glucan, incapable of complexing with the lectin, afforded no protection. A reagent specific for tryptophan, 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide (HNB) did not cause a loss of GBL activity, although N -bromosuccinimide, a reagent capable of oxidizing tryptophan and less selective than HNB, was a very effective inhibitor of the glucan-dependent cellular aggregation. In the latter case, α-(1 → 6)-glucan did not protect. Hydroxylamine partially restored the loss of lectin activity due to treatment of the cells with N -acetylimidazole (highly specific for tyrosine), glycine methyl ester plus water-soluble carbodiimide (specific for carboxylates), and diethylpyrocarbonate (specific for histidine). Because the soluble form of GBL rapidly loses activity when purified, it was necessary to perform the chemical modification of the amino acid side chains employing the cell-bound form of the lectin. Because specific ligand [α-(1 → 6)-glucan] protected against the inactivation of the agglutinin by selected reagents and because lectin activity could be restored in some cases, it was possible to identify likely essential amino acid residues needed for glucan binding. The results, taken together, suggest that aspartic (and/or glutamic) acid, histidine, lysine, and tyrosine are critical amino acids responsible for agglutinin activity. Present efforts are directed to the design and synthesis of glucan analogues which may serve as affinity inactivating agents of the lectin. Such glucan derivatives may be of value in studies on the role of the lectin in cariogenesis.
IIP3 estimation from the gain compression curve

Classical analysis of transistor amplifier performance shows 9.6 dB as the difference between the input-referred third-order intercept point (IIP3) and 1-dB gain compression point. An analysis of amplifier gain compression shows that this is not the case, that at least fifth-order harmonics play a role in the gain compression curve and that the classical analysis is incorrect for submicrometer RF transistor amplifiers. Another approach is presented that estimates the values of IIP3 from a single-tone RF power gain data. This approach is successfully applied to simulations of a common-source amplifier and a differential amplifier with resistive load. Measurements of commercial amplifiers show that IIP3 can be estimated from their gain compression curves. This modeling approach of determining IIP3 from gain compression curves can simplify test protocol, shorten test time, and lower cost of integrated-circuit production test.
Shelf-ready books using PromptCat and YBP: Issues to consider (An analysis of errors at the University of Arkansas)

In 2005/2006, the authors evaluated cataloging and physical processing supplied through the University of Arkansas Libraries' shelf-ready contract with YBP Library Services and PromptCat. The authors examined 298 titles from three samples, with emphasis placed on series headings. Results showed that while 99.33% of titles received records and 99.66% of records received correctly matched their corresponding books, 27.05% of records exhibited errors affecting catalog access, and records for 38.59% of titles needed modification. Moreover, 32.11% of series headings required further attention to comply with local authority procedures. This study should prove useful to other libraries contemplating a shelf-ready contract and the level of quality control they wish to exercise.
The distribution of pairwise genetic distances: a tool for investigating disease transmission

Whole-genome sequencing of pathogens has recently been used to investigate disease outbreaks and is likely to play a growing role in real-time epidemiological studies. Methods to analyze high-resolution genomic data in this context are still lacking, and inferring transmission dynamics from such data typically requires many assumptions. While recent studies have proposed methods to infer who infected whom based on genetic distance between isolates from different individuals, the link between epidemiological relationship and genetic distance is still not well understood. In this study, we investigated the distribution of pairwise genetic distances between samples taken from infected hosts during an outbreak. We proposed an analytically tractable approximation to this distribution, which provides a framework to evaluate the likelihood of particular transmission routes. Our method accounts for the transmission of a genetically diverse inoculum, a possibility overlooked in most analyses. We demonstrated that our approximation can provide a robust estimation of the posterior probability of transmission routes in an outbreak and may be used to rule out transmission events at a particular probability threshold. We applied our method to data collected during an outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, ruling out several potential transmission links. Our study sheds light on the accumulation of mutations in a pathogen during an epidemic and provides tools to investigate transmission dynamics, avoiding the intensive computation necessary in many existing methods.
Fiber-based phase-sensitive optical low coherence reflectometer for birefringence imaging of nerves

A fiber based dual channel phase-sensitive optical low coherence tomography system is proposed for birefringence imaging neural tissues. The system measures relative optical path length differences between the orthogonal modes of the polarization-maintaining fiber in highly scattering media with high lateral and longitudinal spatial resolution. Because of the ability of detecting ultra-small changes in refractive index, system has uses in many bio-medical optical imaging applications such as monitoring cell and tissue dynamics, imaging of phase objects, and functional studies.
Substitution of Clinical Experience With Simulation in Prelicensure Nursing Programs: A National Survey in the United States

Abstract Background Some states allow simulation substitution of supervised clinical instruction. However, a review of the literature found that a standard substitution ratio for simulation hours to supervised clinical hours does not exist among prelicensure nursing programs. Method A descriptive survey was sent to more than 1,400 prelicensure schools of nursing. Results Schools of nursing reported various substitution ratios demonstrating ambiguity between institutions. Conclusion This study provided an initial view of current practices related to simulation as a substitution for supervised clinical experiences.
Hypertensive crisis as the first manifestation of renal disease in children and adolescents: a report of three cases and review of the literature

Introduction: Hypertensive crisis is a life-threatening condition, defined as severe hypertension complicated with acute target-organ dysfunction (mainly neurological, renal or cardiac). It rarely occurs in childhood and most children and adolescents who presents with hypertensive crisis symptoms have secondary hypertension, mainly of renal etiology. Casereports: We present the cases of three children with severe hypertension of different renal etiology who presented with the characteristic features of hypertensive emergency. Case 1 is a 11-year-old girl with reflux nephropathy who at admission had blood pressure (BP) as high as 250/200 mmHg. She was lethargic, with headache, vomiting and a 3-month history of weight loss. Case 2 is a 13-year-old boy with renal artery stenosis who had clinical presentation of generalized tonic-clonic seizures and BP 220/150 mmHg. Case 3 is a 9-year-old boy with chronic renal insufficiency of unexplained etiology and BP as high as 220/135 mmHg. This patient, like two others, presented dominantly with symptoms of hypertensive encephalopathy, as well as signs of renal damage. All three patients have documented hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In the patient who had renal artery stenosis, the removal of his dysplastic atrophic right kidney failed to normalize his blood pressure.
Activity Structures and the Unfolding of Problem-Solving Actions in High-School Chemistry Classrooms

In this paper, we argue for a more systematic approach for studying the relationship between classroom practices and scientific practices—an approach that will likely better support the systemic reforms being promoted in the Next Generation Science Standards in the USA and similar efforts in other countries. One component of that approach is looking at how the nature of the activity structure may influence the relative alignment between classroom and scientific practices. To that end, we build on previously published research related to the practices utilized by five high-school chemistry teachers as they enacted problem-solving activities in which students were likely to generate proposals that were not aligned with normative scientific understandings. In that prior work, our analysis had emphasized micro-level features of the talk interactions and how they related to the way students’ ideas were explored; in the current paper, the analysis zooms out to consider the macro-level nature of the enactments associated with the activity structure of each lesson examined. Our data show that there were two general patterns to the activity structure across the 14 lessons scrutinized, and that each pattern had associated with it a constellation of features that impinged on the way the problem space was navigated. A key finding is that both activity structures (the expansive and the open) had features that aligned with scientific practices espoused in the Next Generation Science Standards—and both had features that were not aligned with those practices. We discuss the nature of these two structures, evidence of the relationship of each structure to key features of how the lessons unfolded, and the implications of these findings for both future research and the training of teachers.
Mechanical ventilation demographics between 1999 and 2009

Efforts at many levels are being directed at decreasing the economic burden of mechanical ventilation (MV), its related complications and their consequences. Our aim was to determine the length of MV, reintubation rates and use of noninvasive ventilation (NIV), over a 10-year period.
Proteolistics: a biolistic method for intracellular delivery of proteins.

In this work, an intracellular protein delivery methodology termed ''proteolistics'' is described. This method utilizes a biolistic gun appa- ratus and involves a simple protein/projectile prepa- ration step. The protein to be delivered is mixed with a gold particle microprojectile suspension and is placed onto a gene gun cartridge, where it is dehydrated using either lyophilization or room-temperature air-drying. Subsequent intracellular protein delivery is achieved in plant and mammalian tissues upon bombardment. Because the method does not require modification of delivery agents or cargo biomolecules and involves a simple physical deposition of the protein onto the microprojectiles, there is no restriction on protein type in terms of molecular weight, isoelectric point or tertiary structure. Because the method delivers protein through the widely used gene gun system, it can be readily applied to any tissue or organism amenable to biolistics. A variety of proteins with molecular weight ranging from 24 to 68 kDa and isoelectric point from 4.8 to 10.1 were tested in this work. It is anticipated that this simple and versatile technique will offer biologists a powerful tool for basic research in areas such as understanding of cell and gene functions and for biotechnological applications such as genome editing.
Physical Aging of Polyetheretherketone: Characterized by Creep Tests in Compressive and Flexural Modes

The influence of physical aging on the creep compliance of polyetherether ketone (PEEK), a high temperature semicrystalline thermoplastic, is reported for loading in the compressive and flexural modes. These modes were investigated because, (1) these are relevant modes from a practical viewpoint, and (2) earlier studies in tensile and shear modes have indicated that the aging rates depended on the mode of loading. For PEEK at its equilibrium crystallinity of about 33 vol%, the aging shift rate at 130°C in the com pressive mode was found to be 0.89 ± 0.01 whereas in the flexural mode it was 1.01 ± 0.02. These parameters provide a quantitative measure of aging, and can be used for making long-term creep predictions at temperatures below the glass transition temperature.
Influence of beta-adrenergic blockade upon hemodynamic response to exercise assessed by Doppler echocardiography.

Peak aortic blood flow acceleration and velocity measured by Doppler echocardiography have been documented to be accurate descriptors of left ventricular systolic function. Both acceleration and velocity are reduced in the presence of β-blockade at rest and during exercise. Whether and to what extent the simultaneous alterations in heart rate (HR) due to β-blockade affect these parameters has received little study. In order to determine the influence of alterations in HR on Doppler measurements of velocity and acceleration, 10 healthy men were studied during upright exercise under control conditions, following propranolol administration, and following propranolol plus transesophageal atrial pacing. In addition, we assessed the response of stroke volume (measured as flow velocity integral) during β-blocked and control exercise. Propranolol significantly reduced acceleration and velocity during all stages of exercise compared with control values (p < 0.05). Increasing the HR during exercise via pacing had no effect on acceleration or velocity compared with propranolol administration alone, thus demonstrating that during upright exercise, changes in acceleration and velocity are independent of alterations in HR. At low levels of exercise, propranolol significantly reduced flow velocity integral (FVI) compared with control (−1.14 cm, p < 0.05.). At high levels of exertion, however, FVI exceeded values obtained during control conditions (1.2 cm at stage 4). Pacing during β-blockade reduced FVI at high levels of exercise but had no effect at lower levels. Our results suggest that during low levels of exercise stroke volume is increased as a consequence of both increased contractility and augmented left ventricular filling. At high levels of exertion, stroke volume plateaus and then falls due to its primary dependence on the Frank-Starling mechanism, which is limited and then diminished by tachycardia.
Sex ­ based differences in vascular function

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality for both men and women in the USA. However, there are differences between the sexes in age-dependent onset, severity, symptoms and outcomes. Basic research into the causes of sex-dependent differences in cardiovascular disease is ongoing and includes investigation into genetic variation in expression and distribution of receptors for the sex steroids; specificity of natural and synthetic ligands that activate the sex steroid receptors; and intracellular mechanisms that are activated by the receptors in all components of the vessel wall and blood elements, which integrate to regulate vascular tone, vascular repair and remodeling in health and disease. In this era of personalized medicine, basic research into mechanisms of sex differences in vascular function will result in improved prevention, detection and treatment of cardiovascular disease in both men and women.
The Falkens: A Tax Case

Personal finance students want to learn about taxes. Personal finance texts, however, often concentrate on an overview of the tax system; since rules and forms change annually, textbook authors concentrate their short problems on the fundamentals. The Falken case allows students to use actual forms and schedules to complete a comprehensive example. Instructors can include only those “modules” that meet their students’ needs, and they easily can update the exhibits as laws change.
A 13b linear 40MS/s pipelined ADC with self-configured capacitor matching

Using statistical matching properties of capacitor arrays, a pipelined ADC self-configures the MDAC capacitor array for best matching from many trial combinations. A 0.18mum CMOS prototype achieves 13b linearity and over 80dB SFDR at 43MS/s. The chip consumes 268mW from a 1.8V supply and occupies 3.6mm2
Hybrid System Approach to Nuclear Plant Monitoring

This chapter is based upon a final report prepared by Charles River Analytics Inc., Cambridge, MA for the U.S. Department of Energy, Germantown, MD under Contract No. DE-FG02-91-ER81178. It describes the results of contract efforts to develop a nuclear plant monitoring system based on a hybrid neural network knowledge base approach. The program was directed by Mr. James M. Mazzu of Charles River Analytics Inc. with Dr. Alper K. Caglayan as the program manager. Mr. Paul G. Gonsalves contributed to the project.
Characterization of Protein Aggregating Tungstates: Electrospray Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Extracts from Prefilled Syringes and from Tungsten Pins Used in the Manufacture of Syringes

Glass prefilled syringes (PFS) are increasingly becoming a container of choice for storing and administering therapeutic protein products to patients. Tungsten leaching from a PFS is known to induce protein particle formation and the source was traced to the tungsten pins used in the manufacturing process of the syringe barrels. Study of the tungstates present in extracts from both tungsten pins used in the syringe manufacturing process and from single syringes from various suppliers was undertaken. Electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI/MS) was chosen as a technique with the sensitivity to characterize tungstates at levels (~ 1 ppm of elemental tungsten) observed in single syringes. Extraction solvents were chosen to simulate the range (pH 4.0-7.0) typically used for therapeutic protein formulation. A commercial product formulation buffer was also used as an extraction solution to characterize tungstate species used for tungsten-spiking studies of protein. All pin and syringe extracts from various manufacturers were similar in regards to containing stable Na/K containing lacunary polytungstate ([W11O39]7-) species, which were the main species present in syringe extracts and are different than the metatungstate ([W12O39]6-) species identified in commercially available sodium polytungstate and as the main species in pin extracts. These stable Na/K containing polytungstates species present in pin and syringe extracts are likely formed during the glass manufacturing process at >400°C and may have the capability to subsequently form larger polytungstate complexes.
Affective Intensity and Sponsor Identification

This study focuses on the accurate identification of corporate sponsors among consumers attending a NASCAR event. The results of this study support prior experimental work (e.g., Johar and Pham 199...
The effect of surgical ICU triage patterns on differing severity adjusted outcomes in France and the United States

Introduction Surgical patients treated in French intensive care units (ICU’s) appear to have higher mortality rates than patients in the United States. We hypothesized that this may be due to the French practice of not transferring dying patients from the ICU. We wished to determine if the different mortality rates could be explained by transfer practices for dying patients or other factors such as severity of illness.
Monitoring Toward the Achievement of Project Goals – The Practical Experience of the Southwestern Poverty Reduction Project in China

The Southwestern Poverty Reduction Project is widely recognized as a successful project in achieving its goals in China. Its monitoring system played a very important role in project management. To ensure project impact, the system employed both traditional and innovative methods in monitoring. However, this donor-oriented monitoring system also caused delay and distortion during information flow to a certain degree.
Oral Terbutaline for the Treatment of Priapism

AbstractThe widespread use of penile injections in the management of erectile dysfunction has led to an increased incidence of priapism. It has been suggested that terbutaline, a β-agonist, might be beneficial in treating priapism in this setting. We randomized 24 patients with prolonged erections to a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. We did not find any benefit of oral terbutaline over placebo in these patients.
Two-sided Platforms and Organizations: Implications for Governance and Innovation Management

Over the past decade, there has been increasing research interest spanning multiple disciplines to understand the emergence and governance of platform-based businesses and their associated ecosyste...
Thin film phase transformation kinetics: From theory to experiment

Abstract The Level-set method simulation is used to address the effect of finite size on kinetics of thin film phase transformations. The results are first interpreted using the classic Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov (JMAK) description of a nucleation and growth phase transformation that yields the average Avrami exponent and rate constant as a function of film thickness. The analysis reveals that the JMAK framework can yield a spurious thickness dependent activation energy for the transformation. To overcome this problem, we propose an analysis that allows all the kinetic parameters, including the nucleation rate and interface growth velocity in films to be determined from experiment.
Device-to-device (D2D) communications with social awareness [Message from the Editor-in-Chief]

Device-to-device, D2D, as specified by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), is a promising technology of the evolving 5G architecture. This Special Issue is dedicated to the social-aware aspects of D2D where mobile devices aim to detect the proximity of other users by exploiting their social structure and how human relationships can impact information dissemination. Coverage of this Special Issue includes social-aware vehicular communications, where moving vehicles can exchange content directly with each other, as well as preserving data mining computing aspects. Other important topics covered are radio resource allocation in D2D networks, social-aware neighbor discovery, and social-aware direct connectivity for D2D communications, sharing computation resources, as well as other interesting aspects of D2D communications that are generally based on social structure.
The public sphere and social capital: Unlikely allies in social media interactions?

The formative sociological concepts of the public sphere and social capital have traced similar paths through a range of social science scholarship over decades, evolving as new technology, such as connected Internet technologies, have altered the way society interacts. Interestingly, there is very little scholarship linking these two important theories. This conceptual paper examines the modest body of literature that has considered the public sphere and social capital in tandem. It offers a viewpoint that social capital generation could be a possible byproduct of rational-critical discourse in a public sphere-like space. Despite the reservations of Habermas himself about the ability of the Internet and social media to breathe life into his concept of the public sphere, this paper suggests that social media — notably Twitter hashtags — are a plausible place to look for evidence of social capital generation through deliberative democratic discussions.
A Phase II Study of Intermittent Sunitinib in Previously Untreated Patients With Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Purpose Sunitinib is a standard initial therapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), but chronic dosing requires balancing toxicity with clinical benefit. The feasibility and clinical outcome with intermittent sunitinib dosing in patients with mRCC was explored. Patients and Methods Patients with treatment-naive, clear cell mRCC were treated with four cycles of sunitinib (50 mg once per day, 4 weeks of receiving treatment followed by 2 weeks of no treatment). Patients with a ≥ 10% reduction in tumor burden (TB) after four cycles had sunitinib held, with restaging scans performed every two cycles. Sunitinib was reinitiated for two cycles in those patients with an increase in TB by ≥ 10%, and again held with ≥ 10% TB reduction. This intermittent sunitinib dosing continued until Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors-defined disease progression while receiving sunitinib, or unacceptable toxicity occurred. The primary objective was feasibility, defined as the proportion of eligible patients who underwent intermittent therapy. Results Of 37 patients enrolled, 20 were eligible for intermittent therapy and all patients (100%) entered the intermittent phase. Patients were not eligible for intermittent sunitinib because of progressive disease (n = 13), toxicity (n = 1), or consent withdrawal (n = 3) before the end of cycle 4. The objective response rate was 46% after the first four cycles of therapy. The median increase in TB during the periods off sunitinib was 1.6 cm (range, -2.9 to 3.4 cm) compared with the TB immediately before stopping sunitinib. Most patients exhibited a stable sawtooth pattern of TB reduction while receiving sunitinib and TB increase while not receiving sunitinib. Median progression-free survival to date is 22.4 months (95% CI, 5.4 to 37.6 months) and median overall survival is 34.8 months (95% CI, 14.8 months to not applicable). Conclusion Periodic extended sunitinib treatment breaks are feasible and clinical efficacy does not seem to be compromised.