cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using attribution theory to understand social and academic motivation in African American youth

Principles from attribution theory concerned with perceived responsibility in self and others are used as a conceptual framework for examining social motivation (i.e., peer-directed, aggression) and academic motivation (i.e., achievement values) in African American youth. A series of studies on peer-directed aggression that was guided by the attributional framework is presented. Among the topics examined are: (a) the cognitive and socialization antecedents of aggressive boys' beliefs about others' responsibility, (b) their understanding of impression management strategies that individuals use to alter perceptions of responsibility, and (c) an intervention approach with aggressive African American boys that is designed to change biased perceptions about others' responsibility for negative outcomes. New findings on achievement values among African American adolescents that also fit within the attributional conception are then presented. The article concludes with a discussion of the importance of theory dri...
Energetic costs of prey ingestion in a scincid lizard, Scincella lateralis

The relative importance of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism during feeding was investigated in the ground skink, Scincella lateralis. Animals were fed crickets of three different sizes relative to body mass (5, 10, and 15% of body mass). Oxygen consumption and lactic acid production of animals during feeding were compared with those of animals at rest and when exercising intensely. Oxygen consumption was higher in feeding and exercising animals than in those at rest. Rates of oxygen consumption of animals consuming prey of 5 and 10% of body mass were not significantly different from each other, but were lower than rates of animals consuming prey of 15% of body mass. Lactic acid concentrations in feeding animals increased with increasing prey size. Concentrations in resting and feeding animals were not different, but those of exercising animals were significantly higher. These data suggest that, despite a positive correlation between prey size and lactic acid concentration, anaerobiosis is relatively unimportant in the support of prey handling for Scincella lateralis. The energetic requirements of feeding in this species are met largely by increased aerobic metabolism.
An ant colony optimization approach to addressing a JIT sequencing problem with multiple objectives

Abstract This research presents an application of the relatively new approach of ant colony optimization (ACO) to address a production-sequencing problem when two objectives are present — simulating the artificial intelligence agents of virtual ants to obtain desirable solutions to a manufacturing logistics problem. The two objectives are minimization of setups and optimization of stability of material usage rates. This type of problem is NP-hard, and therefore, attainment of IP/LP solutions, or solutions via complete enumeration is not a practical option. Because of such challenges, an approach is used here to obtain desirable solutions to this problem with a minimal computational effort. The solutions obtained via the ACO approach are compared against solutions obtained via other search heuristics, such as simulated annealing, tabu search, genetic algorithms and neural network approaches. Experimental results show that the ACO approach is competitive with these other approaches in terms of performance and CPU requirements.
Critical roles for arginine 1061/1060 and tyrosine 1057 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae arginine-specific carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase.

Abstract Carbamoyl-phosphate synthetases (CPSases) bind two molecules of ATP at two internally duplicated domains. Previous affinity labeling studies with the ATP analog 5′-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine (FSBA; Kim, H., Kelly, R. E., and Evans, D. R. (1991)Biochemistry30, 10322–10329; Potter, M. D., and Powers-Lee, S. G. (1992)J. Biol. Chem.267, 2023–2031) have identified several peptides as being near the ATP sites, with most of the FSBA-labeled peptides localized to the internally duplicated domains. However, two of the FSBA-labeled peptides were localized to the third domain of CPSase, an autonomously folded but flexible domain at the extreme C-terminus of the protein. These findings suggested that the C-terminal domain is also involved in interaction with both molecules of ATP and that it might serve to complement the ATP binding sites on the duplicated domains by participating in catalytic processing of the ATP molecules. To further define the role of the C-terminal domain in ATP utilization, we have now carried out site-directed mutagenic analysis of peptide 1052–1061 of theSaccharomyces cerevisiaearginine-specific CPSase. Aspartate residues at positions 1053, 1054, and 1056 did not appear to play a significant role in CPSase structure or function. However, tyrosine 1057 was critical for CPSase structure and the presence of one of the tandem arginyl residues at positions 1061 and 1060 was critical for CPSase catalytic function.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues in virtual worlds

In virtual worlds, users interact with each other by creating virtual identities through avatars. As the avatar creation process is constrained by the assumptions of designers who develop the avatar creation tools, some potential participants in virtual worlds are forced into narrow social roles that may not accurately represent them. Drawing on structuration theory and trust literature, we develop a research agenda that addresses how avatar-based technologies and user social identities may be mutually constructed and how identity misrepresentation may impact trust in virtual worlds. This paper demonstrates the importance of a discussion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) issues in virtual worlds. These issues require additional research that should closely examine the ongoing changes both in the technology facilitating the virtual worlds, as well as the social landscape that governs issues of diversity in general, and gender issues in particular.
Process‐resolved morphology of bismaleimide matrix composites

A series of silicone-modified bismaleimide resins have been examined as matrices for high performance continuous fiber-reinforced composite materials. Detailed studies of the interrelation between processing, structure, and properties of both the neat resin and corresponding carbon-fiber-reinforced composite have identified that the silicone additive provides important morphological modification to the bismaleimide matrix for toughness improvements while, at the same time, retaining the elevated temperature performance. Micrographs of fracture surfaces of cured samples demonstrate remarkable similarities to fracture surfaces of rubber-modified epoxy matrices. Specifically, a fracture surface covered with noncommunicating microcavities of 1.5 μm in diameter was observed. However, unlike rubber-modified epoxies where the observed features are assumed to be created during fracture of the specimen, this study demonstrates that the microcavities are created during the cure process and, thus, exist in the bulk of the material before fracture. In simulated cures of the material either while obsered directly in a polarizing microscope or indirectly inside thermal analysis cells (DSC, TGA) and with examination of fractured surfaces of samples cured according to different temperature profiles, it is established that the silicone modifier, in conjunction with the processing conditions, is responsible for the morphological developments. Accordingly, a mechanism describing the observed morphology was proposed based on physical changes that the silicone additive experiences in relation to specific volatile products emitted during the cure process.
Amelanotic Lentigo Maligna Melanoma Manifesting as a Dermatitislike Plaque

• A 72-year-old man with a previous history of an amelanotic melanoma on his left forearm had an erythematous plaque excised from his right shoulder. Although the clinical impression was a dermatitis, a biopsy specimen revealed an amelanotic lentigo maligna melanoma. To our knowledge, this is the first patient described with an amelanotic lentigo maligna melanoma as a second primary tumor to an apparent previous amelanotic melanoma, manifesting as a dermatitislike plaque. (Arch Dermatol1983;119:423-425)
Using the tasting room experience to create loyal customers

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to determine if positive affect, in combination with product quality, fair pricing, and customer‐focused operations leads to higher levels of customer satisfaction and repurchase intentions.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 89 undergraduate and graduate business students, ages 23 to 59, each visited a winery they had never visited before. Afterward they filled out a questionnaire evaluating the winery on product quality, fair pricing, feelings of commitment towards the winery, positive emotions felt, preference for wine, overall customer satisfaction, and repurchase intentions. Data were analyzed using multiple regression. Repurchase behavior was the dependent variable.Findings – Product quality, positive emotions felt, preference for wine, customer commitment, and fair pricing were all significant predictors of repurchase intentions.Research limitations/implications – The findings are based on a small sample of 89 business students. Future research could r...
Retrovirus-mediated transduction of adult hepatocytes

Retrovirus-mediated gene transfer was used to develop a method for introducing genes into primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes. Subconfluent monolayers of hepatocytes, cultured in hormonally defined media on different matrix substrata, were infected with helper-free stocks of a replication-defective retrovirus that constitutively expresses high levels of beta-galactosidase. Retrovirus-mediated transduction was measured by two methods: (i) an in situ cytochemical stain that specifically detects the expression of viral expressed beta-galactosidase, and (ii) Southern blot analysis, which measures the relative copy number of integrated provirus. Maximal transduction efficiency of approximately equal to 25% was achieved when the cells were infected after 3 days in culture; matrix had little effect on transduction efficiency. Enzyme cytochemical (catalase and glucose 6-phosphatase) and peroxidase immunocytochemical (asialoglycoprotein and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase) analyses of the cultures indicated that greater than 95% of cells were hepatocytes. The demonstration of hepatocyte-specific organelles in cells expressing the viral-directed beta-galactosidase provided unambiguous evidence for the transduction of hepatocytes. These methods should be useful in the development of liver-directed somatic gene therapy and in the study of liver-specific gene regulation.
Remote Video Supervision in Adapted Physical Education

Supervision for beginning adapted physical education (APE) teachers and inservice general physical education teachers who are learning to work with students with disabilities poses a number of challenges. The purpose of this article is to describe a project aimed at developing a remote video system that could be used by a university supervisor to reduce travel time and costs while increasing both the timing and the quality of the feedback provided to teachers. More specifically, this article demonstrates two ways in which a remote video camera, worn by a teacher, can be used to provide feedback and improve the pedagogical skills of APE teachers.
Convergent evolution of the maxilla-dental-complex among carnivorous archosaurs

Archosaurs first appeared in the Late Permian, and during the subsequent Mesozoic Era they evolved several different clades of carnivores, all of which can trace their origins back to a primitively carnivorous form. Three aspects of the maxillary teeth of carnivorous archosaurs were investigated for potential functional correspondences with the form of their associated maxillary bone: mean and maximal tooth lengths; medio-lateral and antero-posterior tooth bending strengths; and total external surface area of teeth. A fourth investigation looked at the depth of the skull relative to its length for any potential functional correspondence with total tooth area or mean maxillary tooth length. All linear and areal dimensions were normalized to correct for size-related factors. A good correspondence was found between long teeth and teeth with high bending strengths and the amount of bone in the ventral region of the maxilla; and this condition was observed to have evolved independently in rauisuchians, at least three times in theropod dinosaurs, and crocodylomorphs. No plausible relationship was found between the total surface area of the teeth and maxillary form. Working under the assumption that larger predators will generally attack and dismember larger prey, the observed changes in maxillary form are interpreted as a biomechanical response for increasing support of the teeth during a phylogenetic increase in body size, and the concomitant increase in the size of prey. A strong correlation also exists between normalized maxillary tooth lengths (mean tooth length divided by skull length) and skull aspect ratios (mean skull depth divided skull length). It is proposed that increases in the length of teeth, and the presumed increase in the depth of penetration by the teeth, are associated with an increased resistance to sagittal (dorso-ventral) bending of the skull for all sizes of carnivorous archosaurs.
Molecular Transistors with Perpendicular Gate Field Architecture: A Strong Gate Field Effect

In this work we study the transport properties of molecular transistors with bridges based on 1,4-benzene-dithiol (BDT) and 2-nitro-1,4-benzene-dithiol (nitro-BDT) using ab initio electron propagator calculations that include electron correlations. In the proposed architecture of a transistor, the gate electric field is chosen to be perpendicular to the plane of a benzene ring. For the transistor with a BDT molecular bridge, strong negative differential resistance is found. This behavior does not exist in the traditional architecture where the gate field is parallel to the benzene ring plane. We find that the peak in the IV curves strongly depends on gate voltage. Our results show that the position of the peak shifts toward lower values of source-drain voltage with the gate voltage. A molecular transistor based on the nitro-BDT molecular bridge also reveals a strong negative differential resistance behavior. We find well-pronounced maxima and minima for both positive and negative values of source-drain vo...
Enhancement of microbial removal of pyritic sulfur from coal using concentrated cell suspension of T. ferrooxidans and an external carbon dioxide supply

Results are reported of preliminary experiments conducted to improve the rate of sulfur removal from coal particles using a concentrated cell suspension of pure T. ferrooxidans and an external source of carbon dioxide.
Accuracy of birth certificate and hospital discharge data: a certified nurse-midwife and physician comparison.

Objectives: Birth certificate and hospital discharge data are relied upon heavily for national surveillance and research on maternal health. Despite the great importance of these data sources, the recording accuracy in these datasets, comparing birth attendant type, has not been evaluated. The study objective was to assess the variation in chart documentation accuracy between certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and physicians (MDs) for selected maternal variables using birth certificate and hospital discharge data. Methods: Data was obtained on women delivering in 10 Washington State hospitals that had both CNM and MD-attended births in 2000 (n = 2699). Using the hospital medical record as the gold standard of accuracy, the true positive rate (TPR) for selected maternal medical conditions, pregnancy complications, and intrapartum and postpartum events was calculated for CNMs and MDs using birth certificate data, hospital discharge data, and both data sources combined. Results: The magnitude of TPRs for most recorded maternal medical conditions, pregnancy complications, and intrapatum and postpartum events was higher for CNMs than for MDs. TPRs were significantly higher in birth certificate records for pregnancy-induced hypertension, premature rupture of membranes, labor augmentation, induction of labor, and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) for CNM-attended births relative to MDs. Among combined data sources, CNM TPRs were significantly higher for pregnancy-induced hypertension and premature rupture of membranes. Conclusions: CNMs had consistently higher accuracy of recorded maternal medical conditions, pregnancy complications, and intrapartum and postpartum events when compared to MDs for all data sources, with several being statistically significant. Our findings highlight discrepancies between CNM and MD hospital chart documentation, and suggest that epidemiologic researchers consider the issue of measurement error and birth attendant type.
Diurnal and seasonal variations in thyroid function of neotenic tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum).

No dirunal variations for plasma thyroxine (T4) in neotenic tiger salamander larvae were apparent in October, and T4 levels at 1200, 1800, and 2400 hr exceed those observed in May. A significant response to ovine thyrotropin (TSH) occurred only at 0600 hr in October. Plasma T4 and triiodothyronine (T3) were greatest in May at 0600 and 1800 hr, respectively, and ovine TSH significantly elevated T3 and T4 levels at all times except for T4 at 0600 when the maximal T4 level was observed. Maximal endogenous T4 (May) and maximal sensitivity to TSH (October) occurred at the end of the scotophase when plasma melatonin levels were greatest. Circulating levels of melatonin appear to be positively associated with thyroid function in this species.
Depression in the Chinese aging population: leveraging cultural humility to improve the quality of care of a vulnerable population

Depression is a global public health problem, with broad social, economic and personal consequences. However, there exists incomplete understanding of the psychological distress of Chinese older adults, which is often exacerbated by the cultural and linguistic barriers at the individual, family and community levels. This paper reviews the epidemiology of depression among Chinese older adults and also explores the barriers to treatment. Since depression in the Chinese aging population is a multifaceted issue, a culturally appropriate and interdisciplinary approach to improve the quality of life and quality of care for the Chinese older adults is critical. We propose that leveraging cultural humility models in conjunction with existing cultural competency training could be a novel strategy to enhance training of healthcare professionals dealing with depression in Chinese aging populations. Future research is needed to explore the causal mechanism and consequences associated with depression in representative...
Conspectus for a History of Economic and Business Literature

Economic and business literature has hitherto served restricted purposes, although by no means unimportant ones. Chiefly it has been called upon to explain specific events or trends, from the issuance of assignats to the decline of laissez faire, or it has been surveyed to reveal the emergence and evolution of certain concepts significant for economic theory or economic analysis. Business literature has been especially neglected, unless one includes within that term writings on behalf of the East India Company on economic policies or unless one remembers the books and pamphlets utilized by historians of the East India and other such enterprises in the compounding of their volumes. By and large it is accurate to assert that parts of the literature have been used, but the whole has been overlooked.
Compact Coverages Generate Spectral Frames

This note proves a useful characterization of spectral frames: a frame is spectral if and only if it can be generated from a compact coverage relation, where compactness is defined in the usual topological sense.
Reproductive function in female mice lacking the gene for endothelial nitric oxide synthase.

Nitric oxide (NO) acts as a neuronal messenger in both the central and peripheral nervous systems and has been implicated in reproductive physiology and behavior. Pharmacological inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) with the nonspecific NOS inhibitor, L-N G -nitro-Arg-methyl ester (L-NAME), induced deficits in both the number of ovarian rupture sites and the number of oocytes recovered in the oviducts of mice. Female neuronal NOS knockout (nNOS2/2) mice have normal numbers of rupture sites, but reduced numbers of oocytes recovered following systemic injections of gonadotropins, suggesting that NO produced by nNOS accounts, in part, for deficits in ovulatory efficiency observed after L-NAME administration. Additionally, endothelial NOS knockout (eNOS2/2) mice have reduced numbers of ovulated oocytes after superovulation. Because endothelial NOS has been identified in ovarian follicles, and because of the noted reduced breeding efficiency of eNOS2/2 mice, the present study sought to determine the role of NO from eNOS in mediating the number of rupture sites present after ovulation. Estrous cycle length and variability were consistently reduced in eNOS2/2 females. The number of rupture sites was normal in eNOS2/2 mice under natural conditions and after administration of exogenous GnRH. After exogenous gonadotropin administration, eNOS2/2 females displayed a significant reduction in the number of ovarian rupture sites. Female eNOS2/2 mice also produced fewer pups/litter compared to WT mice. These data suggest that NO from endothelial sources might play a role in mediating rodent ovulation and may be involved in regulation of the timing of the estrous cycle. © 1999 Academic Press
Rapid gastric pH improvement from NPO to enteral-fed period with intermittent intravenous (IV) pantoprazole (P) vs. continuously infused cimetidine (C)

Rapid gastric pH improvement from NPO to enteral-fed period with intermittent intravenous (IV) pantoprazole (P) vs. continuously infused cimetidine (C)
Access to Experimental Therapies and AIDS

For a variety of reasons, the AIDS epidemic is forcing a thorough reassessment of many of the standards by which the terminally ill and other medical patients are treated by health-care systems throughout the world. This has generally been a good thing. It has provided needed motivation for public policy-makers to take seriously a range of health-care issues that have often been downplayed, ignored, or debated with vigour only within the relatively mute pages of the academic journals of health-care professionals, philosophers, law professors and others. Issues such as euthanasia, testing for dangerous communicable diseases, palliative care, and even important general questions about the distribution and availability of health-care resources have been pushed toward the front of the public health-care agenda largely because of the impact of AIDS. And it is fair to say that these matters are often being addressed with an urgency and sensitivity that would be absent without the political impetus that was unleashed along with this disease. One of the most controversial issues that has arisen concerns access to experimental therapies by the terminally ill. As is the case in other areas, the political forces generated by the AIDS tragedy have created an opportunity for productive review of policies and practices that undoubtedly deserve scrutiny and reform. However, my aim in this paper is to urge caution on some of the advocates of reform. I will argue that many recent proposals to enhance access to experimental therapies by the terminally ill rest on philosophically unsupportable grounds and pose an unjustifiable threat to the public interest in finding safe and effective therapies for terminal illnesses.
Operations Sequencing in Flexible Production Lines With Bernoulli Machines

In flexible manufacturing environments, the performance of a production system is often affected by the sequence of operations. While performance evaluation, improvement and lean design of production systems have been studied extensively, the joint effect of productivity and quality parameters on operations sequencing remains practically unexplored. Indeed, determining the optimal operation sequence has significant implications from both practical and theoretical perspectives. In this paper, in the framework of Bernoulli reliability and quality models, we develop effective indicators that are simple and easy to implement in practice to determine the optimal operation sequence that maximizes the system's production rate.
A study of particle initiation in vinyl chloride emulsion polymerization using response surface experimentation

Vinyl chloride monomer was polymerized in an emulsion system in the presence of a redox catalyst and relatively low concentrations of emulsifier. The effects of sodium bisulfite, potassium persulfate, and commercial sodium lauryl sulfate concentrations on particle initiation were determined by response-surface experimentation. A regression equation was developed which describes the number of particles per unit volume initiated in this vinyl chloride emulsion system. At subcritical emulsifier concentrations, the number of particles initiated was dependent primarily upon the emulsifier and sodium bisulfite concentrations and to a lesser degree upon the persulfate concentration. As the critical micelle concentration was approached, an apparent change in the particle initiation mechanism was observed, in that the sodium bisulfite concentration ceased to have an effect. In this system the change occurred at a concentration of 0.005% emulsifier.
Silicon interposer platform with low-loss through-silicon vias using air

A silicon interposer platform featuring low-loss through-silicon vias (TSVs) using air is proposed and demonstrated. The proposed low-loss TSVs are fabricated by partially etching silicon between the signal and ground TSVs. High-frequency characterization in the 10 MHz-to-20 GHz frequency range demonstrates that the proposed TSVs reduce capacitance by 63.2% at 20 GHz compared to conventional TSVs.
Elevated International Normalized Ratio as a Manifestation of Post-thrombolytic Coagulopathy in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background A serious complication of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in acute ischemic stroke is hemorrhage. Coagulation factors that may potentially increase the risk of bleeding after tPA are not well understood. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 284 acute ischemic stroke patients who received tPA. Post-tPA coagulopathy was defined as a documented elevation of international normalized ration (INR) > 1.5 within 24 hours after IV tPA without a known cause. Results We identified 21 (7.4%) patients with an elevated INR post-thrombolysis. The mean age was 68.3 years (standard deviation ± 11.9) and 57% were male. The mean initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (pre-tPA) was 15.8 (range, 4-35). Liver disease or alcohol abuse was noted in 19%. There were 2 tPA protocol violations who received more than 90 mg tPA. The mean post-tPA INR was 2.03 (range, 1.5-4.7) and the elevation in INR was documented within a mean 5.4 hours (range, 1-15) after tPA initiation. Repeat INR levels returned to normal during their hospital stay in 19 patients. Hypofibrinogenemia was noted in 10 of 12 patients who had fibrinogen levels drawn within 48 hours after tPA initiation and in all 7 patients with fibrinogen levels drawn the same time as the elevated INR. Among the 6 patients with bleeding complications, 2 patients had symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage. Conclusions We report an under-recognized early transient coagulopathy associated with elevated INR in stroke patients after treatment with tPA.
Correcting systematic bias and instrument measurement drift with mzRefinery

Systematic bias in mass measurement adversely affects data quality and negates the advantages of high precision instruments. We introduce the mzRefinery tool into the ProteoWizard package for calibration of mass spectrometry data files. Using confident peptide spectrum matches, three different calibration methods are explored and the optimal transform function is chosen. After calibration, systematic bias is removed and the mass measurement errors are centered at zero ppm. Because it is part of the ProteoWizard package, mzRefinery can read and write a wide variety of file formats. In conclusion, we report on availability; the mzRefinery tool is part of msConvert, available with the ProteoWizard open source package at http://proteowizard.sourceforge.net/
Characterizing solid-state ignition of runaway chemical reactions in Ni-Al nanoscale multilayers under uniform heating

Nanoscale layers of nickel and aluminum can mix rapidly to produce runaway reactions. While self-propagating high temperature synthesis reactions have been observed for decades, the solid-state ignition of these reactions has been challenging to study. Particularly elusive is characterization of the low-temperature chemical mixing that occurs just prior to the ignition of the runaway reaction. Characterization can be challenging due to inhomogeneous microstructures, uncontrollable heat losses, and the nonuniform distribution of heat throughout the material prior to ignition. To reduce the impact of these variables, we heat multilayered Ni/Al foils in a highly uniform manner and report ignition temperatures as low as 245 °C for heating rates ranging from 2000 °C/s to 50 000 °C/s. Igniting in this way reveals that there are four stages before the reaction is complete: heating to an ignition temperature, low temperature solid-state mixing, a separate high temperature solid-state mixing, and liquid-state mixing. Multiple bilayer spacings, heating rates, and heating times are compared to show that the ignition temperature is a function of the bilayer spacing. A symmetric numerical diffusion model is used to show that there is very little chemical mixing in the first 10 ms of heating but significant mixing after 50 ms. These predictions suggest that ignition temperatures should increase for the slowest heating rates but this trend could not be identified clearly. The modeling was also used to examine the kinetic parameters governing the early stages of solid-state diffusion and suggest that grain boundary diffusion is dominant.
On the matching of seen and felt shape by newly sighted subjects

How do we recognize identities between seen shapes and felt ones? Is this due to associative learning, or intrinsic connections these sensory modalities? We can address this question by testing the capacities of newly sighted subjects to match seen and felt shapes, but only if the subjects can see the objects well enough to form adequate visual representations of their shapes. In light of this, a recent study by R. Held and colleagues fails to demonstrate that their newly sighted subjects' inability to match seen and felt shape was due to a lack of intermodal connections rather than a purely visual deficit, as the subjects may not have been able visually to represent 3D shape in the perspective-invariant manner required for intermodal matching. However, the study could be modified in any of several ways to help avoid this problem.
Postfire Regrowth of Vaccinium consanguineum (Ericaceae) in the Costa Rican Páramos

Se estudio el crecimiento de Vaccinium consanguineum Klotzsch en el paramo de Buenavista, Costa Rica, cinco afios despues del incendio de 1992 , usando 50 plantas en cada uno de dos lugares. Las alturas Inedias fueron 72.6 ± 24.6 cm en Asuncion y 75.2 ± 17.6 cm en Zacatales, mientras que las medias antes del incendio diferian en 30 cm. Esta diferencia puede explicarse por diferencias en la cronologia de incendios. recientes u otras condiciones ambientales locales.
The design of a knowledge-based system for electronic package design

The development of an integrated CAD (computer-aided design) resource of design tools and databases which provides a valuable tool in the design of electronic packages is described. Results of various test cases are presented and used to evaluate the performance of the developed knowledge-based system and identify areas of needed improvements. The following issues which are important in electronic package design are discussed: electrical characterization, mechanical stress, thermal distribution, and wireability analysis. >
Scalable XQuery type matching

XML Schema awareness has been an integral part of the XQuery language since its early design stages. Matching XML data against XML types is the main operation that backs up XQuery type expressions, such as typeswitch, instance of, or certain XPath operators. This interaction is particularly vital in data-centric XQuery applications, where data come with detailed type information from an XML Schema document.So far there has been little work on the optimization of those operations. This work presents an efficient implementation of the runtime aspects of XML Schema support. We propose type ranks as a novel and uniform way to implement all facets of type matching in the W3C XQuery Recommendation. As a concise encoding of the type hierarchy defined by an XML Schema document, type ranks minimize the cost of checking the runtime type of XQuery singleton items. By aggregating type ranks, we leverage the grouping capabilities of modern DBMS implementations to efficiently execute type matching on XQuery sequences. In addition, we improve the complexity bounds incurring with typeswitch expressions over existing approaches. Experiments on an off-the-shelf database system demonstrate the potential of our approach.
Two-dimensional phase unwrapping with use of statistical models for cost functions in nonlinear optimization

Interferometric radar techniques often necessitate two-dimensional (2-D) phase unwrapping, defined here as the estimation of unambiguous phase data from a 2-D array known only modulo 2pi rad. We develop a maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) estimation approach for this problem, and we derive an algorithm that approximately maximizes the conditional probability of its phase-unwrapped solution given observable quantities such as wrapped phase, image intensity, and interferogram coherence. Examining topographic and differential interferometry separately, we derive simple, working models for the joint statistics of the estimated and the observed signals. We use generalized, nonlinear cost functions to reflect these probability relationships, and we employ nonlinear network-flow techniques to approximate MAP solutions. We apply our algorithm both to a topographic interferogram exhibiting rough terrain and layover and to a differential interferogram measuring the deformation from a large earthquake. The MAP solutions are complete and are more accurate than those of other tested algorithms.
Colloid Transport and Retention in Unsaturated Porous Media: A Review of Interface-, Collector-, and Pore-Scale Processes and Models

Our ability to accurately simulate the transport and retention of colloids in the vadose zone is currently limited by our lack of basic understanding of colloid retention processes that occur at the pore scale. This review discusses our current knowledge of physical and chemical mechanisms, factors, and models of colloid transport and retention at the interface, collector, and pore scales. The interface scale is well suited for studying the interaction energy and hydrodynamic forces and torques that act on colloids near interfaces. Solid surface roughness is reported to have a significant influence on both adhesive and applied hydrodynamic forces and torques, whereas non-Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (DLVO) forces such as hydrophobic and capillary forces are likely to play a significant role in colloid interactions with the air–water interface. The flow field can be solved and mass transfer processes can be quantified at the collector scale. Here the potential for colloid attachment in the presence of hydrodynamic forces is determined from a balance of applied and adhesive torques. The fraction of the collector surface that contributes to attachment has been demonstrated to depend on both physical and chemical conditions. Processes of colloid mass transfer and retention can also be calculated at the pore scale. Differences in collector- and pore-scale studies occur as a result of the presence of small pore spaces that are associated with multiple interfaces and zones of relative flow stagnation. Here a variety of straining processes may occur in saturated and unsaturated systems, as well as colloid size exclusion. Our current knowledge of straining processes is still incomplete, but recent research indicates a strong coupling of hydrodynamics, solution chemistry, and colloid concentration on these processes, as well as a dependency on the size of the colloid, the solid grain, and the water content.
Concepts for production modeling systems based on multiple user types

A production modeling system (PMS) is a computer-based modeling environment for developing and applying computer models in the production system design process. A PMS has several key characteristics including a single model representation of the system which enables multiple analysis types, adaptability of PMS functionality to the system under study, transparent information transfer between analyses, and gateways to external information sources. In addition, a PMS supports multiple user types including those that make decisions, those that use models to evaluate alternatives, those that construct models, those that tailor the PMS to the system under study, and those that build the software that provides the functionality of the PMS. A PMS is implemented through the integration of multiple analysis techniques such as simulation and optimization, databases, and knowledge bases. >
Design and experiments of wide area wireless network for sensors and actuators

A new wireless network for the wide area ubiquitous network (WAUN), which is used for transmitting and receiving information for sensors and actuators, is studied. The wireless network for the WAUN needs to have wide cell coverage with a low transmission rate to support new applications economically using low-end wireless terminals. The transmission power of the wireless terminal of the WAUN must be very low to enable a very long battery lifetime. To meet the above requirements, an experimental wireless system, which uses a powerful FEC and the diversity technique, for use in WAUNs is designed, and its feasibility is evaluated by field experiments. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of the WAUN. That is, the 10 mW transmission power wireless terminal communicates with the access point 5 km away.
Regulation and pro-inflammatory function of interleukin-17 family cytokines

The interleukin-17 (IL-17) family consists of six cytokines in mammals. Among them, IL-17 and IL-17F are expressed by a novel subset of CD4(+) helper T cells and play critical function in inflammation and autoimmunity. IL-17E, also called IL-25, has been associated with allergic responses. Here, I summarize recent work by my laboratory as well as other investigators in understanding the regulation and function of these three cytokines. From these studies, IL-17 family cytokines may serve as novel targets for pharmaceutical intervention of immune and inflammatory diseases.
Avoidance learning and retention as a function of type of apparatus and Cs Interval.

-The avoidance behavior of rats was observed under the conditions of a jumping or a running apparatus paired with a 5or a 10-sec. CS interval. It was determined that the latency of S's response late in acquisition was dependent on the duration of CS interval but independent of the type of apparatus. Trials to criterion of acquisition indicated that Ss in the running apparatus required more trials than those in the jumping appararus. After 3 days, extinction trials to criterion indicated that more trials to criterion were required for Ss in the running appararus and having the 10-sec. CS interval.
Regional skeletal muscle measurement: evaluation of new dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry model

Although there is growing interest in studying muscle distribution, regional skeletal muscle (SM) mass measurement methods remain limited. The aim of the present study was to develop a new dual-ene...
Jak/STAT signaling inhibition enhances costimulation blockade and promotes transplant acceptance (TRAN1P.943)

Transplant tolerance induction through costimulation blockade (CoB) remains an elusive goal. Recent evidence suggests that inflammatory cytokines (IC) contribute to the activation of alloreactive T cells in a CD28- and CD40-independent manner. We aimed to delineate the possible synergism between CD28 blockade and inhibition of IC signaling via Jak/STAT inhibition. First, we measured the impact on mouse T cell activation via quantification of IL-2 secreting cells at 24h post in vitro stimulation. Although CTLA4-Ig diminished the proportion of IL-2+ cells, the concomitant addition of the supernatant (MATSup) from maturing dendritic cells completely abolished this effect. This suggested an early impact of IC on T cell activation. MATSup counteracted the anti-proliferative effect of CTLA4-Ig on both CD4 and CD8 T cells. However, addition of the Jak3/1 inhibitor Tofacitinib (Tofa) completely restored the effect of CTLA4-Ig in presence of MATSup. In a BALB/c to B6 heart transplant model a short course of Tofa (d0-6) synergized with CTLA4-Ig promoting long term graft survival (MST untreated: 11d, CTLA4-Ig only: 36d, Tofa+CTLA4: 114d). Survival was associated to lower Th1 cell production and, unexpectedly, an increment in graft infiltrating Treg. Overall, our results indicate that inflammatory cytokines counteracts the efficacy of CoB. However, this effect can be neutralized via transient inhibition of Jak signaling - a promising new immunoregulatory strategy we define Enhanced CoB.
Ease of Retrieval Effects on Relationship Commitment The Role of Future Plans

How do perceptions of future romantic plans affect close relationships? In three studies, we examined the effects of ease of retrieval of future plans on romantic relationship commitment. We hypothesized that greater ease of retrieval would be associated with greater relationship commitment among those who were high in need for cognition. Study 1 participants listed either two or 10 future plans and completed a measure assessing need for cognition. Results showed that high need for cognition individuals asked to list two instead of 10 future plans reported greater commitment, but those low in need for cognition showed the opposite pattern. Study 2 replicated this effect while controlling for plan substitutability. Study 3 examined the mediational role of commitment doubt. Those high in need for cognition listing more plans had more doubts and reported lower commitment. These findings suggest that perceptions of future plans can influence relationship commitment under specific conditions.
A Necessary and Sufficient Condition of Wiener

(1947). A Necessary and Sufficient Condition of Wiener. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 54, No. 3, pp. 151-155.
Polycrystalline Communication Links: Microelectronic Chip Interconnects

All microelectronic chip interconnects are composed of polycrystalline films with properties that vary discretely with grain orientation. Techniques for dealing with this variation are developing as diminishing dimensions accentuate the effects of grain orientation. Variations in metallization microstructure affect mass transport and median failure time for metallization wearout mechanisms. Stability of adhesion layers, barrier layers and redundant conduction layers is influenced by the microstructure of the films in contact with each other. Intermetallic reactions, which are of no concern with single-level metallization, can become significant for multi level metallizations. Ti/AI systems provide typical examples of these trends.
A War for Liberty: On the Law of Conscientious Objection

One common understanding of the Second World War is that it was a contest between liberty and tyranny. For many at the time – and for still more today – ‘liberty’ meant the rule of law: government constrained by principle, procedure, and most of all, individual rights. For those states that claimed to represent this rule-of-law tradition, total war presented enormous challenges, even outright contradictions. How would these states manage to square the governmental imperatives of military emergency with the legal protections and procedures essential to preserving the ancient ‘liberty of the subject’? This question could be and was asked with regard to many areas of law. The traditional order of property rights, for instance, was already in disarray thanks to the shocks of monopoly capitalism, labour militancy, the First World War, and the profound crisis of the Great Depression. Yet few rights would more directly test a wartime government's conception of the rule of law than the right of conscientious objection. The refusal of alleged pacifists to participate in the often lawless violence of the Second World War posed fundamental practical and normative challenges for all combatants – but especially for those who understood themselves to be fighting for individual liberty.
Current situation of periodontal disease among middle school students in Shiyan urban area in 2011

[Objective]To understand the current situation of periodontal disease among middle school students in Shiyan urban area,analyze the influencing factors of oral health in students,and provide the scientific basis for carrying out the effective prevention measures.[Methods]According to the stratified random sampling principle,4 917 students were collected from 2 middle schools in Shiyan urban area,and the data were analyzed with SPSS 13. 0.[Results]2 462 students had the periodontal disease among 4 917middle school students,and the incidence rate was 50. 1%. Among 2 581 male students,1 409 had the periodontal disease with the incidence rate of 54. 6%,while there were 1 053 cases of periodontal disease among 2 336 female students,with the incidence rate of 45. 1%. The incidence rate in male students was significantly higher than that in female students(χ2= 44. 398,P 0. 01).[Conclusion]The incidence rate of periodontal disease among middle school students in Shiyan urban area is high,and poor oral hygiene and diet habits are the important factors that cause oral diseases. The society,school,parents and students should strengthen the early prevention of periodontal disease,carry out the early detection to implement the timely and effective treatment,improve the health education,promote the formation of good oral hygiene habits,to reduce the incidence rate of periodontal disease among middle school students.
Related Factors of Syphilis Infection among STD Clinic Attendants in Huairou District of Beijing in 2009

[Objective]To understand the status of syphilis infection among STD clinic attendants and its related factors in Huairou district of Beijing,provide the scientific basis for making the strategies and measures of prevention and control.[Methods]The sentinel surveillance data of demography,sexual behavior,high risk behavior and serological detection of STD clinic attendants in Huairou district of Beijing in 2009 were statistically analyzed with SPSS software and χ2 test.[Results]In 2009,329 STD clinic attendants were detected,and the detection rate of syphilis infection was 15.2%.Syphilis infection was related to education background,nonmarriage or extramarital sexual behavior,multiple sexual partners,condom use,population flow and so on.[Conclusion]The health education,behavior intervention and standardized treatment should be improved among STD clinic attendants,so as to avoid further infection and spread induced by bridge population.