cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stochastic variational formula for fundamental solutions of parabolic PDE

Letp(t, x, y) be the fundamental solution of a linear, second order partial differential equation of parabolic type. The functionI = −logp satisfies a nonlinear parabolic equation, which is the dynamic programming equation associated with a control problem of stochastic calculus of variations type. This gives a stochastic variational formula forp. The proof depends on a result of Molchanov about the asymptotic behavior ofp(t, x, y) for smallt.
Commitment Without Regrets: Online Learning in Stackelberg Security Games

In a Stackelberg Security Game, a defender commits to a randomized deployment of security resources, and an attacker best-responds by attacking a target that maximizes his utility. While algorithms for computing an optimal strategy for the defender to commit to have had a striking real-world impact, deployed applications require significant information about potential attackers, leading to inefficiencies. We address this problem via an online learning approach. We are interested in algorithms that prescribe a randomized strategy for the defender at each step against an adversarially chosen sequence of attackers, and obtain feedback on their choices (observing either the current attacker type or merely which target was attacked). We design no-regret algorithms whose regret (when compared to the best fixed strategy in hindsight) is polynomial in the parameters of the game, and sublinear in the number of times steps.
Early Motion Following 4-Corner Arthrodesis Using Cannulated Compression Screws: A Biomechanical Study

Purpose To assess the ability of headless compression screws to maintain immobile bony contact throughout wrist cycling following simulated 4-corner arthrodesis. Our hypothesis was that the screw constructs would not permit displacement of the carpal bones and, therefore, could tolerate early postoperative range of motion in vivo. Methods Using 6 matched-paired cadaveric arms, 4-corner arthrodesis was performed using an all-cannulated compression screw construct (capitolunate, lunotriquetral, and triquetrohamate screws) or a partial compression screw combined with partial K-wire construct (2 crossing capitolunate screws with the lunotriquetral and triquetrohamate interfaces immobilized with 2 K-wires). Wrists were mounted and cycled 5,000 times. Intercarpal distances were measured at 0, 100, 1,000, and 5,000 cycles at fixed points of passive flexion. Because previously published studies considered intercarpal distances of greater than 1 mm as significant, we defined fixation failure as greater than 0.5 mm gapping. Results Neither screw construct showed any significant intercarpal gapping at any point during the experimental cycling (largest average intercarpal gapping was 0.2 mm). There were no significant differences between the constructs regarding gapping at any point. Conclusions In this biomechanical model, cannulated compression screws effectively resist significant intercarpal gapping during early motion after 4-corner arthrodesis. This may allow for immediate postoperative range of motion. Clinical relevance Early gentle range of motion may be possible immediately following 4-corner arthrodesis using a construct consisting of headless compression screws.
The Effects of Effort and Intrinsic Motivation on Risky Choice

People often need to trade off between the probability and magnitude of the rewards that they could earn for investing effort. The present paper proposes that the conjunction of two simple assumptions relating effort-induced reward expectations to prospect theory's value function provides a parsimonious theory that predicts that the nature of the required effort will have a systematic effect on such trade-offs. Using the case of frequency or loyalty programs, a series of five studies involving both real and hypothetical choices demonstrated that a the presence as opposed to absence of effort requirements enhances the preference for sure-small rewards over large-uncertain rewards; b the preference for reward certainty is attenuated when the effort activity is intrinsically motivating; and c continuously increasing the effort level leads to an inverted-U effect on the preference for sure-small over largeuncertain rewards. The studies also employ process measures and examine the mechanisms underlying the impact of the effort stream on the trade-off between the certainty and magnitude of rewards. The final section discusses the theoretical implications of this research as well as the practical implications with respect to frequency programs and other types of incentive systems.
Probing Electrostatic Effects: Formation and Characterization of Zwitterionic Ions and Their “Neutral” Counterparts in the Gas Phase

A dipolar ion and its nonzwitterionic counterpart were generated and characterized in the gas phase. A single charge site is found to be sufficient to lower the energy of a zwitterion well below its neutral counterpart. Charge separation in a dipolar anion enables hydrogen−deuterium exchange to take place with acids over an extraordinarily large range. These results provide a basis for studying electrostatic effects and understanding mass spectroscopic processes involving large biological molecules.
Modeling of Sodium Radiation from Reentry Flows at High Altitudes

DOI: 10.2514/1.40441 Akinetic-basedquasi-steady-statemodelisdevelopedtostudysodiumradiationintensityforreentryhigh-altitude flows of the blunt-body Stardust and a slender body. The sodium detected in the high-speed Stardust-reentry flow was from an impurity of the ablative thermal protection material. In this work, the particle-based direct simulation Monte Carlo method is used to obtain flow solutions, and a quasi-steady-state model is used to derive the sodium number-densitydistributionsinthegroundandexcitedelectronicstates.Thesodiumradiationintensityiscalculated based on the sodium number-density distributions in the excited states and agrees reasonably well with the observation data for the Stardust reentry at 81 km. It was also found that sodium radiation in the slender-body reentry flow will be orders of magnitude less than the value observed for the blunt body. Nomenclature A = coefficient, surface area B = coefficient c = light speed d = distance E = energy e � = electron h = Planck constant I = radiation intensity k = reaction rate, Boltzmann’s constant M = neutral species m = molecular mass N = number density Na = sodium atom T = temperature t = time x = distance along a line of sight � = wave length � = cross section � = lifetime of excited state Subscripts a = atomic species e = electron species g = ground state i = atomic ground or excited state 1= first excited state 2 = second excited state
Contrastive linguistics and language change: Reanalysis in Germanic relative clauses

Contrastive linguistic studies have focused almost exclusively on contrasting the synchronic grammars of modern standard language varieties. There may be some merit in expanding the scope of the enterprise to include contrastive investigations of grammatical systems with respect to how they change over time. Full understanding of some contrasts between grammars requires reference to the diachronic axis. This paper illustrates the point with one particular case in the Germanic languages, involving parallel instances of reanalysis of relative pronouns as relative complementizers in Yiddish, Afrikaans and Gothic. These parallel changes, operating on grammatical systems with slight differences in initial conditions, yield sharply different outcomes.
Use of PIT tags to assess individual heterogeneity of laboratory‐reared juveniles of the endangered Cumberlandian combshell (Epioblasma brevidens) in a mark–recapture study

The federally endangered Cumberlandian combshell (Epioblasma brevidens) was propagated and reared to taggable size (5–10 mm), and released to the Powell River, Tennessee, to augment a relict population. Methodology using passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags on these mussels greatly facilitated the detection process. The overall mean detection probability and survival rate of released individuals reached 97.8 to 98.4% and 99.7 to 99.9% (per month), respectively, during nine successive recapture occasions in the 2-year study period, regardless of seasonality. Nonhierarchical models and hierarchical models incorporating individual and seasonal variations through a Bayesian approach were compared and resulted in similar performance of prediction for detection probability and survival rate of mussels. This is the first study to apply the mark–recapture method to laboratory-reared mussels using PIT tags and stochastic models. Quantitative analyses for individual heterogeneity allowed examination of demographic variance and effects of heterogeneity on population dynamics, although the individual and seasonal variations were small in this study. Our results provide useful information in implementing conservation strategies of this faunal group and a framework for other species or similar studies.
Approximate Likelihoods for Generalized Linear Errors-in-variables Models

When measurement error is present in covariates, it is well known that naively fitting a generalized linear model results in inconsistent inferences. Several methods have been proposed to adjust for measurement error without making undue distributional assumptions about the unobserved true covariates. Stefanski and Carroll focused on an unbiased estimating function rather than a likelihood approach. Their estimating function, known as the conditional score, exists for logistic regression models but has two problems: a poorly behaved Wald test and multiple solutions. They suggested a heuristic procedure to identify the best solution that works well in practice but has little theoretical support compared with maximum likelihood estimation. To help to resolve these problems, we propose a conditional quasi-likelihood to accompany the conditional score that provides an alternative to Wald's test and successfully identifies the consistent solution in large samples.
Faculty perspectives regarding the undergraduate research experience in science and engineering

This study examined the perceptions of 155 science and engineering faculty at a mid-size university with a very extensive undergraduate research program. The faculty thought the undergraduate research experience provided important educational benefits to the students, in good agreement with results from a recent alumni survey. The faculty who supervised undergraduates for a longer period of time and who modified their research program to accommodate undergraduates perceived a greater enhancement of important cognitive and personal skills. Undergraduate research was also believed to provide important mentoring and teaching experience for graduate students who worked with undergraduate research assistants.
Derivatization Followed by Reductive Cleavage (DFRC Method), a New Method for Lignin Analysis: Protocol for Analysis of DFRC Monomers

A new method for selective and efficient cleavage of arylglycerol−β-aryl (β-O-4) ether linkages in lignins is introduced. The acronym “DFRC” relates to the reactions involved, derivatization followed by reductive cleavage. Derivatization, accompanied by cell wall solubilization, is accomplished with acetyl bromide in acetic acid; reductive cleavage of resulting β-bromo ethers utilizes zinc in an acidic medium. Following acetylation, degradation monomers (4-acetoxycinnamyl acetates) are quantified by GC, providing data analogous to those from analytical thioacidolysis. Keywords: Acetyl bromide; lignin; β-aryl ether; thioacidolysis; reductive elimination
Responses of leaf miners to atypical leaf production patterns

. 1. Larvae of two bivoltine species of leaf-mining Lepidop-tera, Acrocercops sp. and Neurobathra strigifinitella (Clem.), restrict feeding to young, second-flush leaves of their host trees in north Florida. 2. During 1980 and 1981, densities of both species varied greatly among thirty small water oaks (Quercus nigra), as did timing and extent of secondary leaf production. 3. In both years leaf-miner density at the end of the first generation (mid-August) was positively correlated with secondary leaf production. 4. Five trees abscised their leaves and reflushed new ones at atypical times of the growing season. When refoliation coincided with emergence of ovipositing adults, Acrocercops sp. and N.strigifinitella densities increased dramatically, indicating that both species are at times limited by availability of young leaves. 5. By staggering termination of diapause these leaf miners can exploit a temporally variable resource.
Metastatic Spiradenocarcinoma Occurring in an 8‐Year‐Old Boy

We recently saw the case of an 8-year-old boy with histologic findings of spiradenocarcinoma. Malignant adnexal tumors in children are exceedingly rare, and cases of spiradenocarcinoma in children are absent in the literature. We report the case of an 8-year-old boy with metastatic spiradenocarcinoma. A biopsy 2 years before his presentation at our institution was interpreted as a benign lesion, but when the lesion regrew, a repeat biopsy was performed that demonstrated ominous findings, prompting a reexcision. This reexcision demonstrated an area with significant necrosis, many mitoses, and cellular pleomorphism apparently arising out of a sharply demarcated, adjacent, lower-grade area. The histologic features of this patient's biopsies were those of spiradenocarcinoma, potentially arising out of a preexisting spiradenoma, a finding that has not been documented previously in this age group. Staging studies demonstrated multiple bilateral pulmonary nodules, which were confirmed using thoracoscopic biopsy to be metastatic disease. His chemotherapy regimen has included several cycles of cisplatin and 5-flourouracil, with ongoing disease progression of pulmonary disease. It has been 16 months since he presented to our institution (>3 years since the appearance of his initial lesion). Imaging studies demonstrate a slowly increasing size and number of pulmonary lesions. The long-term prognosis is guarded.
Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy: Initial Experience and Comparison to the Open Surgical Approach

AbstractDuring an 18-month period, 6 laparoscopic partial nephrectomies were attempted, 4 of which were successful. The surgical technique was modified and improved between cases aided by new laparoscopic instrumentation, such as the argon beam coagulator and the 7.5 MHz. ultrasonic sector scanning system. In a retrospective comparison between laparoscopic and open partial nephrectomy, estimated blood loss was 525 ml. for the former versus 708 ml. for the latter procedure. However, operating time was more than 2 hours longer with the laparoscopic approach. The major advantages of the laparoscopic procedure appear to be a more rapid return to full diet, less postoperative pain and less requirement for parenteral narcotics. Despite the small size of this series and limited followup data, convalescence may be shortened by 4 weeks after laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. Patients with benign diseases of the kidney, especially with a duplicated collecting system, who require partial nephrectomy may be considere...
Effects of High Protein Intakes on Cholesterolemia and Atherogenesis in Growing and Mature Chickens Fed High-Fat, High-Cholesterol Diets

Atherogenesis can be modified by the amount of protein in the diet, both in young, growing cockerels and in mature roosters and hens on high-cholesterol, high-fat diets. Protein supplementation suppresses atherosclerosis while low-protein enhances it. Any nutritionally good protein--animal or vegetable--was found to have this effect. The hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis-promoting effect of butter and egg yolk could be prevented by the simultaneous feeding of large amounts of casein or egg albumen respectively. Unlike ordinary hens, oviduct-ligated hens on high-fat, high-cholesterol diets failed to exhibit intensified hypercholesterolemia and atheroselerosis on the low-protein ration.
Go back to start: gathering baseline data about gaming in libraries

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop some baseline data about games in libraries in North America. The term games is taken broadly in this piece to mean all types of games from card and board games to video games. The focus is primarily on public libraries, but there is some discussion of school and academic libraries as well.Design/methodology/approach – There were two surveys done. The first was a phone survey of 400 public libraries, selected at random. The second survey was a Web‐based convenience sample of libraries of different types. In both studies, we asked questions about the support of gaming in the library, the types of gaming programs run in the library, and the goals and outcomes of those gaming programs.Findings – Around 78 per cent of public libraries support gaming of some type. About 40 per cent run formal gaming programs, and about 20 per cent circulate games. The larger the library, the more likely they are to support gaming. The primary goals of gaming in libraries are to...
HIGH-RISK PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION RESULTS IN SUBSTANTIAL REVERSE REMODELING OF THE LEFT VENTRICLE IN ISCHEMIC CARDIOMYOPATHY

Reverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling is associated with decreased clinical events. The PROTECT II study was a multicenter trial of high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with hemodynamic support randomized to Impella 2.5 or intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) in patients with ischemic
Maxillary sinus perforations and closures.

Abstract The management of various types of oroantral perforation has been discussed in detail. Oroantral perforation often occurs in spite of adequate precautions in the surgical extraction of a tooth opening into the floor of the sinus. Failure to heal is generally due to infection or to a drain, plug, or gauze pack that has been inserted in the extraction wound after the perforation during removal of a root or during curettage. Plastic closure following such an accident may not be successful, either for technical reasons or because the sinus becomes infected. An alveolar opening often can be repaired by direct transposition of a fullthickness pedicle palatal flap. With this single-stage operation, a fistula may be adequately closed even though several attempts have been made with other techniques.
Spectroscopic characterization of hydroxylated nanoballs in methanol.

In this report, the photophysical properties of self-assembled [Cu2(5-OH-bdc)2L2]12 [where (5-OH-bdc)2- = 5-hydroxybenzene-1,3-dicarboxylate and L is a dimethyl sulfoxide, methanol, or water ligand] hydroxylated nanoballs (OH-nanoball) were examined in methanol using optical absorption and steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence methods. The optical spectrum of the OH-nanoball is dominated by ligand absorbance at 305 nm and a weaker Cu2+-to-ligand charge-transfer transition at ∼695 nm, which are distinct from the absorption of either the free ligand (∼312 nm) or Cu2+(NO3)2 (>750 nm) in methanol. The corresponding emission spectrum of the OH-nanoball originates from the emission of the ligand and is centered at ∼360 nm with a shoulder at ∼390 nm. The emission from the OH-nanoball is significantly quenched relative to the free ligand [Φ5-OH-H2bdc = 0.014 and ΦOH-nanoball = (5.6 ± 0.5) × 10-5]. The addition of bases such as imidazole results in an increase in the emission intensity of the OH-nanoball sol...
The prolactin family and pregnancy-dependent adaptations

The prolactin gene family represents species-specific expansions of hormones/cytokines contributing to the regulation of pregnancy-dependent adaptations. In this review, we discuss the prolactin family expansion in the mouse and rat, its link- age with viviparity and its potential role in regulating adaptations to physiological stressors.
Growth performance and antibiotic tolerance patterns of nursery and finishing pigs fed growth-promoting levels of antibiotics

Theobjectiveofthisstudywastoevaluatetheimpactofgrowth-promotinglevelsofantibioticsindietsfornurseryandfinishingpigsongrowthperformanceandantibiotictolerancepatterns.Gilts(n=200, initial body weight was 6.2±0.003 kg), were allotted based on body weight to one offour treatments in a 2×2 factorial randomized complete block design. Nursery treatmentsconsistedoffeedingnoantibiotics(CON)oranantibioticdiet(ANTI)containingchlortetracycline(CTC; 55mg/kg). At the end of the nursery phase, one-half of the pigs receiving CON wereswitched to a diet containing antibiotic (virginiamycin; VIR, 11mg/kg) and one-half of the pigsreceiving ANTI were switched to CON for the remainder of the trial. This created four treatmentsfor the ﬁnishing phase, consisting of: control in nursery and ﬁnishing (CC), antibiotic in nursery,controlinﬁnishing (AC),controlinnursery,antibioticinﬁnishing (CA),or antibioticsthroughout(AT). The pigs were weighed at the diet changes during the nursery (weeks 1, 3, and 5) andﬁnishing (weeks 7, 9, 13, 17, and 20) phases. Fecal samples were collected at all diet changes forisolationoffecalcoliformsandEnterococcusandsubsequentlytestedfortolerancetoCTCandVIR.After1 week,CONpigsweighedless(7.09vs.7.28kg)andhadlowerADG(149vs.180 g/day)andADFI (174 vs. 192 g/day) than ANTI pigs (Pb0.05). No performance differences were observedduringtheremainderofthestudy.Attheinitiationofthestudy(week0),theabilityofcoliformstogrowinthepresenceofCTCandVIR,respectively,were68and73%andincreasedto90and96%atweek19(timeeffect,Pb0.001).Atweek17,toleranceofcoliformstoCTCwasgreaterforCA(98%)than AC (86%, time×treatment effect, Pb0.004). Enterococcus tolerance to CTC at week 7 waslower for CC (55%) compared to AT (76%), AC (74%) and CA (83%, time×treatment effect,Pb0.001).Atweek9,EnterococcustoleranttoCTCandVIR,respectively,waslowerforCC(15and18%) than AT (31 and 40%), AC (35 and 35%), and CA (44 and 43%, time×treatment effect,Pb0.001).Antibioticgrowthpromotershadlittleimpactongrowthperformanceinclean,isolatedfacilities with high labor inputs. The tolerance of bacteria to antibiotics ﬂuctuated over time andpersisted regardless of the use of antibiotic growth promoters.© 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
We saw each other on the subway: secure, anonymous proximity-based missed connections

There is an inherent tension between the value provided by Location-Based Services (LBSs) and the location-privacy concerns they raise. Unfortunately, users are often forced to either boycott LBS applications completely or fully trust a centralized service with their location data. In this paper, we propose several techniques for resolving this tension. In particular, we present a mechanism by which peers who shared a physical location and time can be matched by a central server, without compromising peer-to-server or peer-to-peer anonymity. We utilize k-anonymity techniques to maintain location privacy and cryptographic techniques to provide both a proof of this co-location and an end-to-end confidential channel that is invulnerable to server snooping and man-in-the-middle attacks.
Debonding in Multilayered Composites of Zirconia and LaPO4

Multilayered composites consisting of LaPO4 (La-monazite) layers alternating with various ZrO2-based materials were fabricated to investigate whether LaPO4 provides a weakly bonded interface suitable for promoting toughening, as previously observed in the system LaPO4/Al2O3. The following ZrO2-based materials were assessed: Y-ZrO2, Y-ZrO2/Al2O3, Ce-ZrO2, and Ce-ZrO2/Al2O3. Debonding was observed in all cases. The composites containing Y-ZrO2 and Y-ZrO2/Al2O3 were stable, with no reactions, at temperatures up to at least 1600°3C. However, in the composites containing Ce-ZrO2, interdiffusion of Ce and La occurred, resulting in formation of a pyrochlore-like phase and, in the case of the Ce-ZrO2/Al2O3 composite, a (Ce,La)Al11O18 magnetoplumbite phase.
Cell Wall Loosening in the Fungus, Phycomyces blakesleeanus

A considerable amount of research has been conducted to determine how cell walls are loosened to produce irreversible wall deformation and expansive growth in plant and algal cells. The same cannot be said about fungal cells. Almost nothing is known about how fungal cells loosen their walls to produce irreversible wall deformation and expansive growth. In this study, anoxia is used to chemically isolate the wall from the protoplasm of the sporangiophores of Phycomyces blakesleeanus. The experimental results provide direct evidence of the existence of chemistry within the fungal wall that is responsible for wall loosening, irreversible wall deformation and elongation growth. In addition, constant-tension extension experiments are conducted on frozen-thawed sporangiophore walls to obtain insight into the wall chemistry and wall loosening mechanism. It is found that a decrease in pH to 4.6 produces creep extension in the frozen-thawed sporangiophore wall that is similar, but not identical, to that found in frozen-thawed higher plant cell walls. Experimental results from frozen-thawed and boiled sporangiophore walls suggest that protein activity may be involved in the creep extension.
Biomarkers of perchlorate exposure are correlated with circulating thyroid hormone levels in the 2007–2008 NHANES

Previous epidemiological studies provide conflicting evidence as to whether environmental perchlorate exposure can affect levels of circulating thyroid hormones in the general population. We investigated the statistical relationships between biomarkers of perchlorate exposure and serum thyroid hormone levels in 2007–2008 National Health and Nutrition Evaluation Survey (NHANES) subjects. Generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) were developed to estimate the relationships between T3 and T4 levels and creatinine-adjusted urinary perchlorate excretion. The models included covariates related to gender, age, ethnicity, income, smoking status, prescription medications, and biomarkers of exposures to other goitrogenic ions and phthalate ester metabolites. Where necessary, relationships between hormone levels and covariates were represented as nonlinear smoothed terms. The effect of the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid (HPT) axis on serum hormone levels was taken into account by including a term for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in the models. Regression coefficients for perchlorate were significant and negative in GAMMs predicting total T4 and free T3 levels in males, females, and for the entire cohort when phthalate ester biomarkers and other covariates were included. Coefficients for perchlorate were also significant and negative in regressions predicting free T4 levels in males and in the entire study population. The consistency of these results suggests that HPT axis controls do not completely compensate for small changes in thyroid hormone levels associated with perchlorate and phthalate ester exposures.
Another view of the forest-parametric factor evaluation

Among the less orderly problems are those with various combinations of multiple decision-makers (and/or multiple objectives) interacting with characteristics which may be poorly defined and unclearly related. One method that has been applied to a variety of these kinds of problems is referred to as parametric factor evaluation. A summary description of the method is presented together with a brief review of the history of its use in two different settings: government systems acquisition and academic evaluation of proposed research and project designs. >
Abuse and neglect of adults with mental retardation in different residential settings

Eighty-two per cent of all cases of abuse or neglect of an adult with mental retardation substantiated by the Abuse Investigation Division of the Connecticut Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities over a five-year period occurred in the victim's residence. Chi square analyses revealed that there was significantly more abuse in institutions and group homes and significantly less in the individual's own home. Furthermore, analyses revealed that there was significantly more personal neglect in group homes and community training homes and significantly less in own homes. The results were discussed and recommendations made regarding ways of reducing abuse and neglect.
Low cost reconfigurable impedance tuner in organic substrate for system-on-package (SOP) applications

A reconfigurable X-band tuner that consists of two shunt stubs has been designed and demonstrated on an organic substrate for the first time. Each stub is sub-divided into three capacitive radial stubs. The preliminary results of the tuner presented here use open and close sections of transmission line as ideal switches. Future implementation of this circuit will use p-i-n diodes as switching elements. Several impedance combinations have been successfully measured and the preliminary results are presented.
Using Support Vector Machines for Lane-Change Detection

Driving is a complex task that requires constant attention, and intelligent transportation systems that support drivers in this task must continually infer driver intentions to produce reasonable, ...
Population–Employment Models: Stationarity, Cointegration, and Dynamic Adjustment

. Population and employment in the 50 United States are found to be non-stationary and cointegrated. Vector error correction (VEC) models exhibit dynamics with adjustment to shocks essentially completed in 30–35 years. This contrasts with adjustment periods between one and two centuries for non-stationary models specified in levels. These dynamic adjustment patterns support the hypothesis that relatively long adjustment periods and slow dynamics are probably the spurious results of using non-stationary levels of population and employment outside of a VEC model framework. Recommendations for modeling the population–employment relationship are offered based on the findings reported.
Lessons Learned From Conducting Workshops with University Agricultural Faculty and Secondary School Agricultural Teachers in Egypt

In July of 2007, a three–member team from the U.S. conducted a series of workshops in the Arab Republic of Egypt as part of the Capacity Building component of the AERI Linkage Project, conducted by MUCIA and the University of Illinois, and funded by USAID. The purpose of the workshops was to provide secondary agricultural teachers with the skills to implement internship experiences with their students. For the workshops, a train–the–trainer approach was taken. The purpose of this paper was to document the experiences of that team of faculty. This inquiry can provide guidance for future activities that include: (1) delivering workshops in a foreign country and/or (2) working with people from Egypt. It was concluded that the international activities conducted during this project were rewarding for all team members. We strongly encourage all faculty to consider engaging in international development activities and programs. Based on the observations and experiences, two primary recommendations are offered: (1) know the potential audience, learn the culture, and understand the local situation and (2) plan well, and be prepared to alter plans as the activity or program progresses.
Preparing the Next Generation of Teacher Educators: The Role of Practitioner Inquiry

Although the NCATE Blue Ribbon Panel Report challenges those responsible for teacher preparation to design clinically rich programs, there is little discussion about preparing teacher educators to actualize these innovations. This study explored how practitioner inquiry could serve as a mechanism to facilitate the development of the next generation of teacher educators. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand what 16 doctoral student participants, from across two different university contexts, learned about becoming teacher educators as a result of engaging in practitioner inquiry. Findings suggest doctoral students developed an appreciation of inquiry as a tool for continuous instructional improvement and became active in program innovation. Doctoral students also broadened their understanding of educational research while uncovering tensions related to conducting research. These findings suggest inquiry as a relevant action for doctoral students to develop their abilities to innovate the...
AIBP:: A Novel Molecule at the Interface of Cholesterol Transport, Angiogenesis, and Atherosclerosis

Cardiovascular disease, which is often driven by hypercholesterolemia and subsequent coronary atherosclerosis, is the number-one cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Based on long-term epidemiological studies, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels are inversely correlated with risk for coronary artery disease (CAD). HDL-mediated reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) is responsible for cholesterol removal from the peripheral tissues and return to the liver for final elimination.1 In atherosclerosis, intraplaque angiogenesis promotes plaque growth and increases plaque vulnerability. Conceivably, the acceleration of RCT and disruption of intraplaque angiogenesis would inhibit atherosclerosis and reduce CAD. We have identified a protein called apoA-I binding protein (AIBP) that augments HDL functionality by accelerating cholesterol efflux. Furthermore, AIBP inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 activation in endothelial cells and limits angiogenesis.2 The following discusses the prospect of using AIBP as a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of CAD.
3D XY and Lowest Landau Level Fluctuations in Deoxygenated YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 − δ Thin Films

Conductivity measurements reflect vortex solid melting in ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}{\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}{\mathrm{O}}_{7\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\delta}}$ films. Field-independent glass exponents ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{g}\ensuremath{\simeq}1.9$ and ${z}_{g}\ensuremath{\simeq}4.0$ describe the transition ${T}_{g}(H)$ for $0lH\ensuremath{\le}26\mathrm{T}$. At low fields, 3D $\mathrm{XY}$ exponents ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\mathrm{XY}}\ensuremath{\simeq}0.63$ and ${z}_{\mathrm{XY}}\ensuremath{\simeq}1.25$ are also observed, with ${z}_{\mathrm{XY}}$ smaller than expected. These compete with glass scaling according to multicritical theory. A predicted power-law form of ${T}_{g}(H)$ is observed for ${0.5T}_{c}l{T}_{g}l{T}_{c}$. For ${T}_{g}l{0.5T}_{c}$, 3D $\mathrm{XY}$ scaling fails, but a self-consistent lowest Landau level analysis becomes possible, obtaining ${T}_{c2}(H)$ with positive curvature.
Recapture of Marked Black Cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Males After Long-Range Transport

Surface synoptic weather maps, atmospheric trajectory forecasts, and observational upper-air reports (radiosonde data) were used to estimate the relative displacement of black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel), moths dyed with Calco Red N-1700 from two release sites. Among significant ( P < 0.05) average capture of natural males on 13–15 June 1984, were two marked by Calco Red (Passaic Color and Chemical Company, Paterson, N.J.), one near Elkhart, Iowa (41°30'N latitude), and the other near Centerville, Iowa (40°45'N latitude), 1,142 and 1,043 air km, respectively, from Crowley, La., where 6,928 males were released 4–11 June 1984. A release of 9,799 males (capable of flight) on 16–28 May 1985 resulted in captures of three males marked by Calco Red, among significant ( P < 0.05) captures of natural moths, one observed near Bates City, Mo. (39°00'N latitude), one near Sac City, Iowa (42°30'N latitude), and a third near Shawnee Mission, Kans. (39°00'N latitude). These marked moths were recovered 960, 1,175, and 921 air km, respectively, from the release site (College Station, Tex.). A release of 3,520 males (capable of flight) on 17–21 July 1985 resulted in a single marked male being observed 24 July near Rock Rapids, Iowa, 1,266 air km north of College Station. Seemingly, many of the captured natural and all of the recaptured marked moths were capable of arriving in the trapping zones in two to four nights. The atmospheric low-level jet (300–900-m elevation) and a surface synoptic system of low pressure over the Plains states (that induces air flow northward) are theorized as being necessary for moth transport.
How Do Large Australian and Swiss Banks Implement Downsizing

Large Australian and Swiss banks have been trimming their workforces since the mid-1990s. With further rounds of downsizing activities predicted, this study sought to identify, examine, and compare the adopted organizational downsizing implementation strategies. The primary purpose of this cross-cultural study was to determine how large Australian and Swiss banks implemented downsizing in their most recent endeavors. The research has revealed three key findings. First, Australian banks primarily adopted workforce reduction strategies, whereas Swiss banks employed a mixture of organization redesign, workforce reduction, and systemic strategies. Second, Australian banks had considerable depth in their downsizing, whereas Swiss banks had more breadth in their overall strategies. Third, Australian banks favored reorientation approaches, whereas Swiss banks embraced reinforcement approaches. It remains unclear as to why large Australian and Swiss banks differed in the selection of implementation strategies and why they diverged in their overall approaches to downsizing. Further research is required to explore aspects that are likely to influence the adoption of downsizing strategies in both Australia and Switzerland.
This blessed land: Crimea and the Crimean Tatars

This blessed land: Crimea and the Crimean Tatars, by Paul Robert Magocsi, Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 2014, 152 pp., $24.95 (hbk), ISBN 978-0-772-75110-2This Blessed Land by Paul Robert Magocsi fills a notable gap in the English-language literature on Crimea. While the scope of the book is vast, beginning before the Common Era and ending in 2013, Magocsi succeeds in crafting a narrative that is both balanced and engaging. While one might initially be skeptical of such a broad undertaking, this history of Crimea will provide anyone who is interested with deep insight into a fascinating region from the earliest civilizations in prehistoric times to its experience as part of multiethnic, independent Ukraine. The cadence throughout is superb: there is enough detail to provide a compelling story yet the book never becomes mired in details.Comprised of 10 chapters and 152 pages, the book begins with a beautiful description of the land itself. The chapter on Crimea's earliest civilizations brings this period to life with animated prose. Subsequent chapters provide descriptions of the Kipchak, Mongol, Tatar, and Italianate presences leading up to and overlapping with the Crimean Khanate. The middle chapters, "Crimea in the Russian Empire" and "Crimea in War and Revolution", do an especially admirable job of untangling the complex currents and forces at work in these time periods. The author also maintains his equilibrium through subsequent chapters that cover the delicate topics of World War II and the exile of the Crimean Tatars. The book ends with a chapter on Crimea in independent Ukraine.One of the greatest strengths of this book is its ability to strike a balance, achieving a degree of objectivity that is lacking in a great deal of the scholarship on Crimea. This is a particularly significant achievement, considering the extent to which, in the region, ethnic groups promote and disseminate separate and often diametrically opposed interpretation of the past. Magocsi avoids over-sympathizing with any of the groups, finding middle ground. The conventional tropes used in Crimea to keep groups separate are exposed. As one example, he provides evidence that the enmity between Slavic Christian Cossacks and Muslim Tatars was never as unbridgeable as it has been portrayed to be. Another example is that Empress Catherine II, often vilified as a colonizer, is depicted as rational, rather than callous or cruel. A little-known but important fact, one conveniently forgotten in Crimea today, is that the so-called Crimean Tatar battalions under the German command during World War II were comprised of men from multiple ethnic groups.Another contribution of this book is the stunning variety of visual materials to support the text. In addition to some superlative maps, there are exquisite photographs. Where pictures are non-existent, Magocsi provides illuminating drawings and lithographs. …
Review Essay: Material Rhetorics Meet Material Feminisms

Cara A. Finnegan, Editor Review Essay Material Rhetorics Meet Material Feminisms Marita Gronnvoll Barbara A. Biesecker and John Louis Lucaites (eds.), Rhetoric, Materiality, & Politics (New York: P...
Estimated Time of Arrival Prediction based on State-Dependent Transition Hybrid Estimation Algorithm

The essential functions of air traffic management involve predicting and controlling the spatial and time relationships of aircraft at critical waypoints such as metering fixes and feeder gates. In the descent stage, for aircraft entering the terminal airspace, the Descent Advisor, a decision support tool in the current practice, assists the controllers to generate advisories for merging, sequencing, and separating while providing assistance for the prediction and resolution of conflicts. With the implementation of the Next Generation Air Transportation System, more accurate aircraft position information will be available, which lays the foundation for more accurate and reliable positioning, navigation and tracking, and therefore provides the basis for 4-dimensional trajectory based operations. In this paper, an aircraft’s trajectory estimation and estimated time of arrival (ETA) prediction algorithm is proposed. The proposed algorithm uses a stochastic nonlinear hybrid system to accurately model the aircraft descend procedure and the State-Dependent-Transition Hybrid Estimation method for ETA prediction. The proposed algorithm is demonstrated with a continuous descent approach example.
Heterologous desensitization of response mediated by selective PKC-dependent phosphorylation of G(i-1) and G(i-2).

This study examined the ability of protein kinase C (PKC) to induce heterologous desensitization by targeting specific G proteins and limiting their ability to transduce signals in smooth muscle. Activation of PKC by pretreatment of intestinal smooth muscle cells with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, cholecystokinin octapeptide, or the phosphatase 1 and phosphatase 2A inhibitor, calyculin A, selectively phosphorylated Gαi-1 and Gαi-2, but not Gαi-3 or Gαo, and blocked inhibition of adenylyl cyclase mediated by somatostatin receptors coupled to Gi-1 and opioid receptors coupled to Gi-2, but not by muscarinic M2 and adenosine A1 receptors coupled to Gi-3. Phosphorylation of Gαi-1 and Gαi-2 and blockade of cyclase inhibition were reversed by calphostin C and bisindolylmaleimide, and additively by selective inhibitors of PKCα and PKCɛ. Blockade of inhibition was prevented by downregulation of PKC. Phosphorylation of Gα-subunits by PKC also affected responses mediated by βγ-subunits. Pretreatment of muscle cel...
Purging of acute myeloid leukemic cells by ether lipids and hyperthermia

Ether lipids (EL) and hyperthermia have been shown to possess a relatively selective cytotoxicity to leukemic cells. In this study, the combined effects of EL (ET-18-OCH3, ET-16-NHCOCH3, or BM 41.440) and hyperthermia on the growth of hematopoietic progenitors, myeloid leukemic cell lines, and leukemic cells obtained from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were examined to determine if this combination resulted in a greater selective killing of leukemic cells than that achieved by either EL or heat alone. When the cells were treated simultaneously with EL (50 micrograms/mL) and hyperthermia (42 degrees C) for one hour, the killing of leukemic cell line cells was enhanced considerably. Among the three EL, however, the combination of ET-18-OCH3 and heat seemed to be the most cytotoxic to leukemic cell line cells with no effect on the growth of hematopoietic progenitors. An increase in the duration of treatment with ET-18-OCH3 to four hours with heat added during the last hour resulted in a further reduction of leukemic cell line cells while sparing 50% of hematopoietic progenitors after cryopreservation. The combined treatment with ET-18-OCH3 and heat also inhibited the growth of leukemic progenitors obtained from AML patients by 97% to 100%. These data indicate that the combined treatment with EL and hyperthermia might offer an efficient means to eliminate myeloid leukemic cells in vitro.
Role of hypoestrogenism or sex steroid antagonism in adhesion formation after myometrial surgery in primates

Objective To determine the contribution of estrogen in the development of pelvic adhesions during myometrial surgery. Design A randomized, prospective study in the nonhuman primate. Setting A primate colony, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School. Interventions All primates were assigned prospectively to one of three treatment groups: [1] GnRH analogue (GnRH-a), [2] mifepristone, or [3] vehicle control. After 3 months of treatment, a standard uterine fundal hysterotomy, for full thickness endometrial biopsy, was performed at the time of exploratory laparotomy, with subsequent scoring of utero-omental adhesions to the hysterotomy site at a future staging procedure based upon adhesion area, vascularity, and tenacity. Serum was drawn on the day of surgery for E 2 determination. Endometrial height, from the surface interface between the endometrium and myometrium, was used as a bioassay of estrogen activity. Results The hypoestrogenic (GnRH-a) group and the mifepristone group had significantly fewer utero-omental adhesions compared with the normally cycling control monkeys as measured by a lower adhesion score. Similarly, the endometrial thickness was significantly reduced in the GnRH-a and mifepristone groups (one-third) compared with the cycling controls, demonstrating the effects of either hypoestrogenism or noncompetitive estrogen antagonism. Serum E 2 on the day of surgery was predictive of the postoperative adhesion score by both a regression analysis and analysis of covariance. Conclusions The actions of E 2 seem to have a dramatic effect on the formation of pelvic adhesions after myometrial surgery.
Fluid Dynamics and Thrombosis

Maintenance of blood fluidity and, conversely, arrest of bleeding at sites of vascular injury, depend on complex interactions between clotting factors, platelets, endothelial cells, the subendothelial matrix and proteins of the fibrinolytic pathway. Products generated by one system, e.g., the coagulation cascade, invariably either enhance or inhibit reactions in other pathways. Cleavage of high molecular weight kininogen, for example, amplifies the intrinsic pathway of coagulation and simultaneously releases bradykinin, a peptide with strong vasoconstrictive properties(1). Endothelial cells secrete prostacyclin (PGI2), a potent inhibitor of platelet activity, and both tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and t-PA inhibitor, components that play central roles in fibrinolysis(2). In addition, endothelial cells express thrombomodulin, a protein that plays a role in the thrombin-dependent activation of protein C and which ultimately results in the inactivation of Factors Va and VIIIa and release of plasminogen activators(3). Moreover, thrombin generated through the coagulation cascade converts fibrinogen to fibrin, which serves to stabilize developing hemostatic plugs but which also functions as a platelet activating agent.