cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computers and Assessment: Understanding Two Technologies.

Abstract This article examines the relationship between computers and writing assessment. In addition to providing a review of the literature on computer-mediated assessment, the essay discusses the relationship of assessment and computers as two technological forms that share positivist assumptions about their value-free roles as instruments with application for solving large-scale problems independent of context. This technocentric use of computers and assessment is critiqued in terms of the prevailing theories of language and written communication that are dependent upon individual and group contexts. In this light, computerized assessment of student writing based upon analyses of word counts and other surface features of written communication is viewed as a relapse to student-writing assessment through the use of multiple-choice tests of usage and mechanics. Suggestions are offered for using computers to deliver, organize, review, and share assessment procedures that include the reading of student writing by human judges.
Enzymatic adaptations in newborn pig-liver.

Abstract Numerous studies during the neonatal period in the rat have demonstrated that many changes occur in the activities of liver enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism especially those of glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, and glycogen synthesis and degradation. Such information, however, has not been available in the newborn pig. The present study of several regulatory enzymes was undertaken to determine if an enzymatic defect could explain fasting hypoglycemia in the newborn pig. The hepatic liver enzymes, non-specific hexokinase, glucokinase, glucose-6-phosphatase, UDPG: α-glucan glucosyltransferase, phosphorylase, phosphofructokinase, aldolase, fructose diphosphatase, and phosphopyruvate carboxylase have been measured in developing pig liver. The activity of all hepatic enzymes except hexokinase were low in fetal tissue and increased after birth in livers from both fed and fasted pigs. Hexokinase activity was present prior to birth and remained essentially unchanged after birth and was not affected by prolonged starvation. Liver glycogen was rapidly mobilized at birth in both fed and fasted newborn animals. It is concluded that a defect in enzymes measured under the stated assay conditions does not exist and can not be offered as an explanation for the observed fasting hypoglycemia in newborn pigs.
Discrimination in the lab: Does information trump appearance?

Abstract Using a laboratory experiment, we find evidence consistent with statistical discrimination in a public good and group formation game. In the game, payoff relevant information is presented to subjects, thereby making it costly to discriminate when choosing group members. We find that behavior is correlated with race and people use race to predict behavior. However, race only matters when information on behavior is absent. These results are further confirmed when incentives are in place to encourage behavior that is counter to stereotypes. Not all subjects discriminate in the same way, suggesting unfamiliarity and some in-group, out-group bias. Overall, the evidence points to a lack of information rather than discriminatory preferences.
Department of Defense needs for medical equipment

ABSTRACT Smart materials and structures are unknown to the medical community; therefore the opportunityexists to apply these new technologies to health care. A background of the emerging emphasis onadvanced medical technologies and the information environment in which these technologies arebased will provide a perspective that will enable designers of smart structures to envison newapplications for products. A broad overview of the changes and new requirements for advanced medical technologies is presented, and a scenario-based illustration of the modem medical battlefield will provide insight for the application of smart structures to health care. Key words: smart structures, smart materials, advanced medical technologies, remote sensors, health care requirements Smart materials and structures are familiar staples to thescientific community, researchers, industry and other commercialsectors; however they are considered as futuristic or even magicby the medical community, and in particular to the busy practicing
Assessment of Function: Critically Important to Acute Care of Elders

Abstract Assessment of functional status in hospitalized elders provides essential information that can assist maintenance or restoration of self-care. Nurses i
Sufficient enlargements of minimal volume for finite-dimensional normed linear spaces

Let BY denote the unit ball of a normed linear space Y. A symmetric, bounded, closed, convex set A in a finite-dimensional normed linear space X is called a sufficient enlargement for X if, for an arbitrary isometric embedding of X into a Banach space Y, there exists a linear projection P:Y→X such that P(BY)⊂A. The main results of the paper: (1) Each minimal-volume sufficient enlargement is linearly equivalent to a zonotope spanned by multiples of columns of a totally unimodular matrix. (2) If a finite-dimensional normed linear space has a minimal-volume sufficient enlargement which is not a parallelepiped, then it contains a two-dimensional subspace whose unit ball is linearly equivalent to a regular hexagon.
Refractive Index Matching With Distortion Measurements in a Bed of Irregularly Packed Spheres

Experimental flow visualization in porous media is often conducted using optical techniques such as PIV and PTV for velocity field estimation and LIF for concentration field measurements. The porous bed is made optically accessible to laser light and imaging by matching refractive indices of the liquid phase to that of the solid matrix, including the channel walls. The methods most commonly employed to match the refractive indices have been to maximize the transmitted intensity through the bed or to rely on refractometers for measurement of the liquid and solid phases. Refractometers with sensitivity of 0.001 could still cause refraction problems in a porous bed, while accuracy and sensitivity of transmission based methods are limited by the camera resolution and noise scattered by impurities and stray light caused by reflections at interfaces. Both these methods fail to provide uncertainty estimates for particle position determination due to slight refractive index mismatching. This work presents a method for assessing the matching of refractive indices that relies on measuring distortion of a target when imaged through a porous bed. The target used is a grid of 250 μm dots irradiated with light at the necessary wavelength at which refractive indices are to be matched. Two principle types of distortion are quantified, distortion of the image centroid due to interface refraction and intensity distortion within the image for index mismatching as low as 0.0005.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Palaeoclimate: Patagonian dust machine

Most of the dust in Antarctic ice cores originates in the glacial outwash of Patagonia. Sedimentary evidence suggests that during the last glacial period, pro-glacial lakes provided an on/off switch for the dust flux to Antarctica.
Violence exposure and depressive symptoms among adolescents and young adults disconnected from school and work

The psychological effects of exposure to different types of violence among urban adolescents and young adults are not yet well understood. This study investigated exposure to neighborhood violence, relationship violence, and forced sex among 677 urban African Americans aged 16–23 enrolled at an employment and training center. We assessed prevalence of each violence exposure type, the relation of each exposure type to depressive symptoms, and the extent to which exposure to multiple violence types is additively associated with depressive symptoms. Potential gender differences were also explored. Nearly 60% of our sample reported violence exposure, with males reporting more neighborhood violence and females reporting more forced sex. For both genders, each violence exposure domain was independently associated with depressive symptoms, and exposures in multiple domains had an additive effect on depressive symptom levels. These findings have implications for developing strategies to improve mental health outcomes among urban adolescents and young adults. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Gilgamesh is required for rutabaga-independent olfactory learning in Drosophila.

Summary Cyclic AMP signaling in Drosophila mushroom body neurons, anchored by the adenylyl cyclase encoded by the rutabaga gene, is indispensable for olfactory memory formation. From a screen for new memory mutants, we identified alleles of the gilgamesh ( gish ) gene, which encodes a casein kinase Iγ homolog that is preferentially expressed in the mushroom body neurons. The gish -encoded kinase participates in the physiology of these neurons underlying memory formation since the mutant memory deficit was rescued with expression of a gish cDNA in these neurons only during adulthood. A cellular memory trace, detected as increased calcium influx into the α′/β′ neuron processes in response to the odor used for conditioning, was disrupted in gish mutants. Epistasis experiments indicated a lack of genetic interactions between gish and rutabaga . Therefore, gish participates in a rutabaga -independent pathway for memory formation and accounts for some of the residual learning that occurs in rutabaga mutants.
Mechanistic comparison of cyclic ester polymerizations by novel iron(III)-alkoxide complexes: Single vs multiple site catalysis

The complexes Fe2(OCHPh2)6 and L2FeOR (R = Et or CHPh2, L = N,N‘-bis(trimethylsilyl)benzamidinate) were structurally characterized, and comparative studies of the behavior of those compounds comprising the same alkoxide (Ph2HCO-) in polymerizations of e-caprolactone (CL) and d,l-lactide (LA) were performed. Both Fe2(OCHPh2)6 and L2FeOCHPh2 are effective polymerization catalysts, as reflected by molecular weight control, polydispersities, and end group analysis, but the diiron complex generally exhibits greater polymerization control, particularly for CL. Kinetic investigations of the polymerization of CL revealed the same first-order dependence on [CL] for both catalysts, but different orders in [catalyst] that signified a distinct contrast in mechanism. Analysis that invoked the presence of a termination-causing impurity at low concentration yielded a first-order dependence on [Fe2(OCHPh2)6], but the order in [L2FeOCHPh2] was found to be one-half. This fractional dependence was interpreted by using a mod...
New combinations and one new variety in Trifolium (Leguminosae)

This report includes fifteen varietal combinations and a description of a new variety,T. haydenii var.barnebyi.
Mechanism of action of epidermal growth factor‐induced porcine oocyte maturation

EGF has been reported to promote oocyte maturation in several species, although the mechanism of action is not yet known. The present study is designed to determine the pathway used by EGF to enhance porcine oocyte maturation. Oocytes were aspirated from 2-5 mm follicles and cultured with various treatments in Medium-199 at 37 degrees C, 100% relative humidity, and 5% CO2 for 48 hr for the maturation study and 3 hr for intracellular cAMP measurement. Although treatment with 100 IU/ml hCG stimulated both intracellular cAMP formation and oocyte maturation, 10 ng/ml EGF stimulated oocyte maturation only. Dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) inhibited oocyte maturation at 10(-5), 10(-4), and 10(-3) M concentration s in the control medium. However, in the presence of 10 ng/ml EGF, dbcAMP inhibited oocyte maturation only at a concentration of 10(-3) M. Increasing concentrations of EGF (i.e., 25 and 50 ng/ml) were ineffective in overcoming the inhibitory effect of dbcAMP at 10(-3) M. In contrast, EGF reversed the decreased maturation rate caused by transforming growth factor-beta. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), a tumor-promoting phorbol ester, enhanced the spontaneous maturation rate; 4 alpha-phorbol dideconoate, an inactive phorbol ester, did not show this effect. PMA- and EGF-stimulated porcine oocyte maturation is reversed by calphostin-C, a PKC inhibitor. In conclusion, EGF's promotional activity on porcine oocyte maturation is independent of the cAMP pathway and probably mediated by the PKC pathway.
Isolation of cDNA clones encoding the 20K T3 glycoprotein of human T-cell receptor complex

The complete amino acid sequence of one of the polypeptide chains of the human T3/T-cell receptor complex, the T3 glycoprotein (T3-δ-chain) of relative molecular mass 20,000, was deduced from cDNA clones derived from HPB-ALL cells and a human T-cell clone. Inspection of the 171-amino acid sequence reveals a signal peptide, a 79-amino acid extracellular domain, one transmembrane region and a 44-amino acid intracellular domain which show no sequence homology with members of the T-cell receptor/immunoglobulin/MHC multi-gene family. The T3 δ-chain is coded for by a single-copy gene the expression of which is restricted to T lymphocytes in humans and mice.
Handicaps to improve reputation

An agent may be able to address a task at different times, with the state of nature more favorable to the task in some periods than in others. Success on a task will therefore more greatly improve the agent’s reputation if he is constrained in choosing when to address the task than if he enjoys flexibility in timing. These considerations can explain why presidents emphasize achievements in their first 100 days in office, and why performance of the economy in only some periods of a president’s term affect elections.
Confirming psychogenic nonepileptic seizures with video-EEG: Sex matters

Abstract The influence of gender on psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) diagnosis was examined retrospectively in 439 subjects undergoing video-EEG (vEEG) for spell classification, of whom 142 women and 42 men had confirmed PNES. The epileptologist's predicted diagnosis was correct in 72% overall. Confirmed epilepsy was correctly predicted in 94% men and 88% women. In contrast, confirmed PNES was accurately predicted in 86% women versus 61% men (p = 0.003). Sex-based differences in likelihood of an indeterminate admission were not observed for predicted epilepsy or physiologic events, but were for predicted PNES (39% men, 12% women, p = 0.0002). More frequent failure to record spells in men than women with predicted PNES was not explained by spell frequency, duration of monitoring, age, medication use, or personality profile. PNES are not only less common in men, but also more challenging to recognize in the clinic, and even when suspected more difficult to confirm with vEEG.
Off-Design Performance Analysis of a Solid-Oxide Fuel Cell/Gas Turbine Hybrid for Auxiliary Aerospace Power

A solid-oxide fuel cell/gas turbine hybrid system for auxiliary aerospace power is analyzed using 0-D and 1-D system-level models. The system is designed to produce 440 kW of net electrical power, sized for a typical long-range 300-passenger civil airplane, at both sea level and cruise flight level (12,500 m). In addition, a part power level of 250 kW is analyzed at the cruise condition, a requirement of the operating power profile. The challenge of creating a balanced system for the three distinct conditions is presented, along with the compromises necessary for each case. A parametric analysis is described for the cruise part power operating point, in which the system efficiency is maximized by varying the air flow rate. The system is compared to an earlier version that was designed solely for cruise operation. The results show that it is necessary to size the turbomachinery, fuel cell, and heat exchangers at sea level full power rather than cruise full power. The resulting estimated mass of the system is 1912 kg, which is significantly higher than the original cruise design point mass, 1396 kg. The net thermal efficiencies with respect to the fuel LHV are calculated to be 42.4 percent at sea level full power, 72.6 percent at cruise full power, and 72.8 percent at cruise part power. The cruise conditions take advantage of pre-compressed air from the on-board Environmental Control System, which accounts for a portion of the unusually high thermal efficiency at those conditions. These results show that it is necessary to include several operating points in the overall assessment of an aircraft power system due to the variations throughout the operating profile.
The failure of supplemental dietary copper to prevent cuprizone-induced alterations in mouse hepatocytes.

Summary Weanling mice were fed a powdered complete diet containing either 0.5% cuprizone, 0.5% cuprizone + 0.01% copper sulfate, or 0.01% copper sulfate. With cuprizone as the sole additive, hepatic mitochondria became greatly enlarged. When the diet contained cuprizone + copper sulfate, giant mitochondria were still present, and, in addition, numerous lysosome-like structures became evident. When only copper sulfate was added to the normal diet, the mitochondria were of normal size, but the hepatocytes contained abundant lysosomes. Dietary supplementation with cuprizone or with cuprizone + copper sulfate resulted in considerably depressed (20–50%) rates of mitochondrial oxidation. Supplementation solely with copper sulfate produced virtually no changes in oxidative activity. It may be concluded that the subcellular effects of cuprizone are not based on its ability to produce copper deficiency by chelation of copper, but on other properties of this drug.
Abstract B212: Inhibition of Gli transcriptional factors sensitizes multiple carcinoma cell lines to erlotinib treatment.

The aberrant activation of Hedgehog/Gli transcriptional factor has been implicated with a broad spectrum of lethal tumors. Targeted inhibition at cell membrane level of the Hh pathway, i.e. Smo and Hh inhibitors, has shown promising anti-tumor activity in both preclinical and clinical trials. A growing body of evidence has revealed additional mechanisms of Gli activation which are independent of Hh/SMO regulation and are stimulated by the crosstalk between components downstream of Hh/Smo and several other oncogenic signaling pathways, such as the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) pathways. We hypothesized that the simultaneous inhibition of the EGFR pathway and Gli function could abrogate the interaction and result in synergistic anti-tumor effects. In order to test this hypothesis, we have undertaken studies in multiple lung cancer and mesothelioma cell lines. Effects of combination treatments with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib and an Hh pathway inhibitor were examined by using MTS assay. In our studies, the application of the Hh pathway inhibitor sensitized lung cancer cells to erlotinib treatment with a higher than 10 fold decrease of IC50. We also used the CalcuSyn software to calculate Combination Index (CI), in order to evaluate the effects of combination treatments (CI 1 indicates Antagonisim). In many lung and mesothelioma cell lines, the dual treatment of the Hh inhibitor and erlotinib showed synergistic effects with a Combination Index (CI) lower than 0.7. To elucidate the mechanism of the crosstalk between the two pathways, we have examined the activities of EGFR and Hh pathways upon single and dual treatments. Based on our studies, we speculate that dual inhibition of Hh/Gli and EGFR pathways may become a promising targeted therapy for lung cancers and mesothelioma. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2011 Nov 12-16; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2011;10(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B212.
Heavy Metals—Toxicity and Environmental Pollution

The screaming Japanese cats of Minamata, the dying birds of Sweden, and the staggering pigs of New Mexico should have taught mankind a fundamental fact of environmental biology. Unfortunately, the lesson to be constantly relearned from those mercury-poisoned animals is that all organisms—from man with 1013 cells to the mindless single cell—are programmed by the same basic substance, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). With such a shared relationship, it would be expected that the response of all organisms to chemicals would qualitatively be the same. Yet, it is curious that to this very day, a lethal or debilitating action of a chemical to animals which may not have been manifested or observed in man, is often disregarded or jocularly dismissed—usually by those who have an economic interest in continuing the use of the chemical in question.
Bag confinement chiral breaking effect on a goldstone pion

Abstract We present a model in which the pion is a bound-state Goldstone boson in QCD and then the quarks are confined by a MIT bag-like boundary condition. We depart from the MIT cavity approximation in that we dynamically break chiral symmetry prior to confinement and we confine only in the q q relative coordinate, leaving translation invariance in the total coordinate. We find M π = 120 MeV, and a bag diameter R π =7 GeV −1 .
Electrochemical and surface spectroscopic investigation of copper(111) films on ruthenium(0001)

The direct coupling of electrochemical and ultrahigh vacuum surface spectroscopic probes has been employed to study Cu(111) films deposited in vacuum on an Ru(0001) substrate. A quantitative correlation was found for Cu coverage measurements made in vacuum and in solution using thermal desorption spectroscopy and linear sweep voltammetry. This quantitative correlation indicates that the Cu overlayer pseudomorphic structure generated in vacuum is retained or restored upon immersion in solution. Equivalent amounts of charge were measured for vacuum-deposited and electrodeposited Cu monolayer films, indicative of pseudomorphic initial growth of Cu films in solution. A disparity was found in the energetics of thermal desorption and anodic dissolution of Cu of ca. 8 kJ mol−1, indicative of a greater stability of monolayer versus bulk Cu in solution compared with vacuum.
Effect of bovine herpesvirus-1 on expression of interleukin-2 receptors and effect of interleukin-12 on lymphocyte proliferation.

Expression of the interleukin-2 receptor α chain (IL-2Rα) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from Holstein calves, both experimentally-infected with bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) and controls, was measured by flow cytometry. Expression of IL-2Rα was 35% and 23% higher in infected calves than controls, on days 2 and 3 postinfection (PI), respectively. Concurrent with this increase in IL-2Rα expression, a significant decrease (P < 0.001) was observed in the PHA-induced proliferative responses of PBMC from infected compared with control calves. In vitro treatment with recombinant human (rhu) IL-12 enhanced PHA-induced proliferative responses of PBMC from both infected and control calves. This rhuIL-12 enhancement of mitogen-induced proliferative responses was significant (P < 0.001) in infected calves on day 2 PI and was sufficient to abrogate the decrease observed due to BHV-1 infection. Since the expression of the β and γ chains of IL-2R was not measured it is difficult to speculate as to the status of high affinity receptor expression during BHV-1 infection. However results of the present study suggest that the decrease in proliferative responses observed during infection may not be due to a decrease in IL-2Rα expression but may possibly be due to a selective down-regulation of signal transduction through IL-2R and/or by modulation of the expression of other cytokines involved in lymphocyte activation and proliferation.
A microscopic theory for antiphase boundary motion and its application to antiphase domain coarsening

Abstract A microscopic diffusional theory for the motion of a curved antiphase boundary is presented. The interfacial velocity is found to be linearly proportional to the mean curvature of the boundary, but unlike earlier theories the constant of proportionality does not include the specific surface free energy, yet the diffusional dissipation of free energy is shown to be equal to the reduction in total boundary free energy. The theory is incorporated into a model for antiphase domain coarsening. Experimental measurements of domain coarsening kinetics in Fe-Al alloys were made over a temperature range where the specific surface free energy was varied by more than two orders of magnitude. The results are consistent with the theory; in particular, the domain coarsening kinetics do not have the temperature dependence of the specific surface free energy.
Surface concentration profile and surface energy in binary alloys

Abstract An improved formulation for the orientation-dependence of multi-layer surface segregation is developed in terms of bond enthalpy and strain energy minimization. Inclusion of this result in the Gibbs adsorption isotherm yields the surface energy. Sample calculations of the surface energy isotherm for solid AuCu and liquid CuNi alloys are in good agreement with published experimental data. The conditions for the existence of an extremum in the surface energy isotherm, originally derived by Defay et al. from a monolayer model, are re-examined on the basis of a multi-layer model. Their results are found applicable to this more general situation in the absence of strain energy. An orientation-dependence of the extremum surface energy, but not of the composition at which the extremum surface energy occurs, is demonstrated.
Quantifying the L-arginine paradox in vivo.

Abstract NO and PO 2 microelectrodes were used to quantify the effects of increased availability of l -arginine in an exteriorized rat mesentery and small intestine microcirculatory preparation in n = 16 rats. During short periods of elevated l -arginine added to the superfusion bath, transient changes in perivascular NO or PO 2 were measured at 171 perivascular sites near intestinal arterioles and venules, simultaneously with tissue perfusion using laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). Excess l -arginine increased perivascular NO over twofold, by 411 ± 42 nM above the baseline of 329 ± 30 nM ( P P 2 were observed after excess l -arginine, with a similar increase in tissue perfusion by 42.0 ± 12.3% ( P l -arginine causes a significant increase in NO production throughout the microcirculation of this preparation, with increased tissue perfusion, and provides direct in vivo evidence for the l -arginine paradox.
Eigenvalue Conditions for Convergence of Singularly Perturbed Matrix Exponential Functions

We investigate convergence of sequences of $n\times n$ matrix exponential functions $t\rightarrow e^{tA_{k}^{-1}}$ for $t>0$, where $A_{k}\rightarrow A$, $A_{k}$ is nonsingular and $A$ is nilpotent. Specifically, we address pointwise convergence, almost uniform convergence, and, viewing the exponential as a Schwartz distribution, weak$^{\ast}$ convergence. We show that simple results can be obtained in terms of the eigenvalues of $A_{k}^{-1}$ alone. In particular, a necessary and sufficient condition for weak$^{\ast}$ convergence in terms of eigenvalue behavior is attainable. We then apply our results to real-analytic matrices $A(\varepsilon)$ as $\varepsilon\rightarrow0^{+}$. Our work is applicable to matrices over both $\mathbb{R}$ and $\mathbb{C}$.
Elevated Calcium Acutely Regulates Dynamic Interactions of NHERF2 and NHE3 Proteins in Opossum Kidney (OK) Cell Microvilli

Abstract The brush border (BB) Na+/H+ exchanger NHE3 is rapidly activated or inhibited by changes in trafficking, which mimics renal and intestinal physiology. However, there is a paradox in that NHE3 has limited mobility in the BB due to its binding to the multi-PDZ domain containing the NHERF family. To allow increased endocytosis, as occurs with elevated intracellular Ca2+, we hypothesized that NHE3 had to be, at least transiently, released from the BB cytoskeleton. Because NHERF1 and -2 are localized at the BB, where they bind NHE3 as well as the cytoskeleton, we tested whether either or both might dynamically interact with NHE3 as part of Ca2+ signaling. We employed FRET to study close association of NHE3 and these NHERFs and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching to monitor NHE3 mobility in the apical domain in polarized opossum kidney cells. Under basal conditions, NHERF2 and NHE3 exhibited robust FRET signaling. Within 1 min of A23187 (0.5 μm) exposure, the NHERF2-NHE3 FRET signal was abolished, and BB NHE3 mobility was transiently increased. The dynamics in FRET signal and NHE3 mobility correlated well with a change in co-precipitation of NHE3 and NHERF2 but not NHERF1. We conclude the following. 1) Under basal conditions, NHE3 closely associates with NHERF2 in opossum kidney cell microvilli. 2) Within 1 min of elevated Ca2+, the close association of NHE3-NHERF2 is abolished but is re-established in ∼60 min. 3) The change in NHE3-NHERF2 association is accompanied by an increased BB mobile fraction of NHE3, which contributes to inhibition of NHE3 transport activity via increased endocytosis.
Detection of lung cancer in bronchial brushing specimens by FISH.

Evaluation of: Liu YZ, Wang Z, Fang LL et al. A potential probe set of fluorescence in situ hybridization for detection of lung cancer in bronchial brushing specimens. J. Cancer Res. Clin. Oncol. 138(9), 1541–1549 (2012).Bronchial brushing cytology specimens collected during flexible bronchoscopy are an important part of the diagnostic workup of patients with indeterminate pulmonary nodules. Unfortunately, false-negative diagnoses are not uncommon when sampling peripheral nodules, especially small nodules <2 cm in diameter. A number of studies have evaluated different FISH probe sets to increase the detection rate of lung cancer on bronchial brushings and washings. Most studies have shown that FISH with routine cytology increases the sensitivity of lung cancer detection over routine cytology alone, while maintaining high specificity. In this article, the authors review a recently published three-probe FISH assay for the detection of lung cancer in bronchial brushing specimens.
Cell surface location of discoidin, a developmentally regulated carbohydrate-binding protein from Dictyostelium discoideum.

Abstract Discoidin, a carbohydrate-binding protein, is present on the surface of aggregation-competent but not vegetative cells of Dictyostelium discoideum as revealed by immunofluorescent and immunoferritin labelling techniques. Immunofluorescence studies after in situ fixation, showed that the protein was diffusely distributed on the surface of aggregating or streaming cells. With living cells, fluorescent caps formed, indicating that the protein can migrate freely in the membrane. Immunoferritin labelling also demonstrated cell surface antigenic sites. The presence of discoidin on the cell surface of aggregation-competent cells is consistent with its presumed function as a cell adhesion molecule.
Abraham as an iconoclast: Understanding the destruction of ‘images’ through Qur'anic exegesis

Abstract The question of Islam and its aversion to images has caused modern scholars to search for a theological basis in Islam's traditional sources. Much work has been done on the various hadiths that indicate that graven images are forbidden and particular verses in the Qur'an that allude to an aversion to them. However, little work has been done to understand this issue through the qur'anic parables and exegesis. This paper explores the issue of Islam and image through qur'anic exegesis, in particular, the story of Abraham as a youth breaking the idols in his polytheistic town. By tracing the commentary of some of the major exegetes of the Qur'an, such as al-aabarī, al-Rāzī, Ibn Kathīr and Sayyid Quab, this article considers how Islam has viewed images and how that view has either fluctuated or remained constant over time.
Effect of kidney surface temperature on single nephron filtration rate.

SummaryIn dog kidneys prepared for micropuncture experiments, the thesis that exteriorized organs with an intact circulation may demonstrate reduced function due to exposure to cool (21-23°) room temperatures, was tested by measuring superficial proximal and distal SNGFR on the surface of kidneys either protected against heat loss with a plastic wrap or unwrapped and exposed to room temperature. No significant differences in GFR or RBF could be detected between these conditions. However, temperature at the kidney surface was 37° in wrapped kidneys but fell (P < .002) to 35° in the unwrapped state. The lower surface temperature was associated with reduced values for proximal SNGFR, 72 ± 7 vs. 52 ± 4 nl/min (P < .02) and distal SNGFR, 46 ± 4 vs. 30 ± 7 nl/min (P < .02). The results indicate that the uninsulated kidney prepared for micropuncture may have decidedly lower values for superficial SNGFR measured by total collections of tubular fluid from either proximal or distal sites. These data also suggest th...
Estimating Educational Production Functions with Correction for Drops

Problems or sample selection in explaining student performance in economics classes are identified, and Heckman's two-step method is used to correct the implied bias in both Cobb-Douglas and translog-type learning functions. The effects of gender and other explanatory variables are then examined.
Kinetic studies of rod outer segment binding and ingestion by cultured rat RPE cells.

Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells selectively phagocytize rod outer segments (ROS) by a process which may be mediated by specific cell surface receptors. We have studied the kinetics of this process using rat RPE cells grown in tissue culture. By cooling RPE cells to 17°C, the binding and ingestion phases of phagocytosis can be separated. Maximum ROS binding with minimum ingestion occurs at 17°C; above 17°C the rate of ingestion increases markedly. Thus it is possible to measure the kinetics of ROS binding to RPE cells at 17°C and of ROS ingestion at 37°C. At 17°C, ROS binding is saturable, both with respect to time and to ROS concentration. ROS ingestion saturates after 4 hr of incubation at 37°C, after which the cells are refractory to further ROS ingestion for 1–2 hr. During this recovery period, rapid digestion of the internalized ROS takes place. Cycloheximide, when present at a concentration (2 × 10−5 M) which inhibits protein synthesis by 92%, has no effect on ROS phagocytosis or on the recovery of ROS ingestion at 37°C. This suggests that if receptors mediate the ingestion of ROS by RPE cells, they are not degraded after the ROS are internalized. Dystrophic rat (RCS-p+) RPE cells exhibit normal binding, but very limited ingestion of ROS at 37°C. The rate and amount of ROS binding to these cells at 37°C is comparable with that occurring to normal cells at 17°C. These observations support the hypothesis that there are a limited number of receptors which are specific for ROS binding on the surface of normal and dystrophic rat RPE cells.
Oscillatory pair-creation probabilities in time-dependent subcritical forces

We examine the pair-production process from vacuum in a subcritical force field. If this force field is turned on linearly in time, the number of created electron-positron pairs does not increase monotonically but in a rather oscillatory way with a universal frequency related to twice the electron’s rest mass energy. As a consequence of this oscillatory growth pattern, the final number of created pairs could be controlled by an optimized temporal dependence of the pulse shape of the force.
Evidence for practice: education about the dangers of acetaminophen.

24-year-old female with no significant medical A presented to the emergency department with complaints of nausea and vomiting for 2 days and right upper quadrant pain for 8 hours. The patient explained that she was in a minor car crash the previous week and has a mild case of ‘‘whiplash’’ for which she was treated with oxycodone with acetaminophen (Percocet; Endo Pharmaceuticals, Chadds Ford, Pa). She stated that 2 days earlier she took a ‘‘handful’’ of acetaminophen (Tylenol; McNeil Pharmaceutical, Guelph, Ontario, Canada) in addition to several doses of Percocet for her neck pain. The patient’s laboratory test results on admission (approximately 48 hours after the ingestion) showed an acetaminophen level of 87 Ag/mL (therapeutic range, 5 to 20 Ag/mL), an aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level of 1243 IU/L (normal range, 15 to 37 IU/L), an alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level of 1537 IU/L (normal range, 30 to 65 IU/L), and a bilirubin level of 6.3 mg/dL (normal range, 0.1 to 1 mg/dL), indicating significant liver damage that often precedes liver failure (Table 1). We admitted the patient immediately and gave her a loading dose of acetylcysteine (Mucomyst; Apothecon, Inc., Princeton, NJ) orally, to be followed by an additional 17 maintenance doses. We treated her nausea with 5 mg of intravenous metoclopramide (Reglan; Baxter Pharmaceutical, Deerfield, Ill) every 6 hours and started her on 0.9% normal saline solution intravenously at 100 mL/hr to maintain adequate hydration. During the first 24 hours after the patient is transferred to the intensive care unit, she developed confusion, lethargy, and became unresponsive. She was intubated to protect and maintain her airway, continued to receive
Glacial-interglacial variability in Tropical Pangaean Precipitation during the Late Paleozoic Ice Age: simulations with the Community Climate System Model

Abstract. The Late Paleozoic Ice Age (LPIA), the Earth's penultimate "icehouse climate", was a critical time in the history of biological and ecological evolution. Many questions remain about the connections between high-latitude glaciation in Gondwanaland and low-latitude precipitation variability in Pangaea. We have simulated the Earth's climate during Asselian-Sakmarian time (299–284 Ma) with the Community Climate System Model version 3 (CCSM3), a coupled dynamic atmosphere-ocean-land-sea-ice model. Our simulations test the sensitivity of the model climate to direct and indirect effects of glaciation as well as variability in the Earth's orbit. Our focus is on precipitation variability in tropical (30° S–30° N) Pangaea, where there has been the most interpretation of glacial-interglacial climate change during the LPIA. The results of these simulations suggest that glacials generally were drier than interglacials in tropical Pangaea, though exceptional areas may have been wetter, depending on location and the mode of glaciation. Lower sea level, an indirect effect of changes in glacial extent, appears to reduce tropical Pangaean precipitation more than the direct radiative/topographic effects of high-latitude glaciation. Glaciation of the Central Pangaean Mountains would have greatly reduced equatorial Pangaean precipitation, while perhaps enhancing precipitation at higher tropical latitudes and in equatorial rain shadows. Variability evident in strata with 5th order stratigraphic cycles may have resulted from precipitation changes owing to precession forcing of monsoon circulations and would have differed in character between greenhouse and icehouse climates.
Three-dimensional printing to facilitate anatomic study, device development, simulation, and planning in thoracic surgery

Abstract Background The development and deployment of new technologies in additive 3-dimensional (3D) printing (ie, rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing) in conjunction with medical imaging techniques allow the creation of anatomic models based on patient data. Objective To explore this rapidly evolving technology for possible use in care and research for patients undergoing thoracic surgery. Methods Because of an active research project at our institution on regional lung chemotherapy, human pulmonary arteries (PAs) were chosen for this rapid prototyping project. Computed tomography (CT) and CT angiography in combination with segmentation techniques from 2 software packages were used for rapid generation and adjustment of the 3D polygon mesh and models reconstruction of the PAs. The reconstructed models were exported as stereolithographic data sets and further processed by trimming, smoothing, and wall extrusion. Results Flexible 3D printed replicas of 10 patient PAs were created successfully with no print failures; however, 1 initial test print with a 1 mm mural thickness was too fragile so the whole group was printed with a 1.5 mm wall. The design process took 8 hours for each model (CT image to stereolithographic) and printing required 97 hours in aggregate. Useful differences in anatomy were defined by this method, such as the expected greater number of proximal branches on the left versus right (2.5 ± 1.1 vs 1.0 ± 0.0; P = .001). Conclusions Reconstructed models of pulmonary arteries using 3D rapid prototyping allow replication of sophisticated anatomical structures that can be used to facilitate anatomic study, surgical planning, and device development.
Hybrid Integrated Label-Free Chemical and Biological Sensors

Label-free sensors based on electrical, mechanical and optical transduction methods have potential applications in numerous areas of society, ranging from healthcare to environmental monitoring. Initial research in the field focused on the development and optimization of various sensor platforms fabricated from a single material system, such as fiber-based optical sensors and silicon nanowire-based electrical sensors. However, more recent research efforts have explored designing sensors fabricated from multiple materials. For example, synthetic materials and/or biomaterials can also be added to the sensor to improve its response toward analytes of interest. By leveraging the properties of the different material systems, these hybrid sensing devices can have significantly improved performance over their single-material counterparts (better sensitivity, specificity, signal to noise, and/or detection limits). This review will briefly discuss some of the methods for creating these multi-material sensor platforms and the advances enabled by this design approach.
A Comprehensive Summary Review of Internet Advertising and Online Market Places that Provides Detailed Insights and Understanding On What Information Systems Discipline is About

To the best of our knowledge there has been no study that has published a literature review of Internet advertising, online market places, and social e-commerce in the Information System discipline journals. Publishing such articles relating to literature reviews of online market places and Internet advertising is extremely important and essential for the following reasons: 1 to provide insights and understanding to social media and online firms on strategies that can be implemented to improve Internet revenues and click-through rates, 2 provide a comprehensive analysis of some of the most influential studies in Internet advertising and social e-commerce, 3 present some of the benefits and limitations of prior studies in Internet advertising and social e-commerce, 4 encourage scholars and researchers in all disciplines to educate and enlighten college students on what Information systems consist of, and 5 present techniques to measure the effectiveness of Internet advertising and the vast monetary value of Internet advertising.
The role of airway fluoroscopy in the evaluation of children with stridor

Objective To determine the sensitivity and specificity of airway fluoroscopy in the diagnosis of pediatric laryngotracheal abnormalities. Design Retrospective chart review. Setting Tertiary care children's hospital. Patients Thirty-nine children, with a mean age of 18 months at the time of evaluation, were evaluated for stridor. Main Outcome Measures Diagnoses made by airway fluoroscopy and endoscopy. The medical records of patients who had undergone both airway fluoroscopy and airway endoscopy for the evaluation of stridor over a 5-year period were reviewed. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of airway fluoroscopy in the diagnosis of laryngomalacia, tracheomalacia, airway stenosis at any level, and airway mass lesions were determined using endoscopic evaluation as the “gold standard.” Results Twenty-three of 39 patients (59%) received a different diagnosis by airway endoscopy than by airway fluoroscopy. The sensitivity of airway fluoroscopy in the diagnosis of laryngomalacia, tracheomalacia, airway stenosis, and an airway mass was 27%, 20%, 69%, and 43%, respectively. The specificity for the same diagnoses was 100%, 94%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. Conclusions Airway fluoroscopy appears to be reliable in the diagnosis of laryngomalacia, tracheomalacia, airway stenosis, and airway masses because of its high specificity. However, its sensitivity in detecting these common causes of stridor is poor. Negative fluoroscopic study results require further diagnostic evaluation if the clinical indication exists; therefore, the value of fluoroscopy as a screening tool remains uncertain.
Distractibility moderates the relation between automatic alcohol motivation and drinking behavior

Research suggests that alcohol use is influenced by (a) the strength of automatic motivational responses to alcohol cues and (b) individual differences in self-control. The current study was designed to examine whether the self-control skill of inhibiting response to distracting stimuli would moderate the relation between automatic alcohol motivation and alcohol use. Eighty-seven hazardous drinkers completed baseline measures of automatic alcohol motivation and trait self-control and reported their drinking at a follow-up session 6 weeks later. Regression analyses demonstrated an interaction such that greater distractibility strengthens a positive relation between alcohol use and automatic alcohol motivation. These results contribute to a growing body of work indicating that self-control resources may help to inhibit the influence of automatic processes on alcohol behavior.
Heavy-metal adsorption by ferromanganese coatings on stream alluvium: Natural controls and implications for exploration

Abstract The adsorption of Cu and Zn by natural ferromanganese coatings on stream pebbles, collected from varied geologic environments, was studied utilizing aqueous solutions of Cu and Zn. Special emphasis was given to determining the effect on adsorption of several natural variables including metal concentration, pH and ionic strength. Conditions covered the range known to occur in streams. The potential of stream turbulence, coating age and periodic drying of coatings to alter adsorption characteristics was also investigated. Composition of the coatings studied varied considerably, but their adsorption characteristics were remarkably similar. Adsorption increased with metal concentration but was not significantly affected by solution aeration (simulating increased stream turbulence), increased ionic strength, air-drying for one year, or coating age. These results suggest that coatings represent a uniform sampling medium perhaps subject to less variation in metal adsorption behavior than fine-grained stream alluvium.
How can DNA computing be applied to digital signal processing

Although digital signals have been used as inputs in some DNA computing applications, there has been a small research regarding the application of DNA computing principles in solving DSP problems. This article offers a first step towards filling this gap and thus strengthening the ties between biology and signal processing. By focusing the attention of the article to a specific domain, the author believes that many new exciting applications of DNA computation can be discovered. A short overview of molecular biology and tools commonly used in DNA computing is also provided for presentation purposes. This article offers the signal processing community some future directions regarding the unexplored area of research in biocomputing technology.