cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Psychometric properties of a measure to assess beliefs about modifiable behavior and emotional distress

Abstract Background Assessing beliefs about the helpfulness of modifiable behaviors related to mental health could inform public health efforts to prevent emotional distress. This study examined the psychometric properties of a measure to assess beliefs about the helpfulness of modifiable behaviors involved in the development of anxiety and depression. The relationship between beliefs about modifiable behaviors and actual engagement in modifiable behaviors was also examined. Methods Item pool generation was based on a review of the literature. Experts (N = 10) and participants (N = 50) reviewed the items for content validity. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the resultant Beliefs about Behaviors and Emotional Distress Scale (BBEDS) for item reduction in a sample of MTurk participants (Study 1, N = 371). A confirmatory factor analysis was completed in a second MTurk sample (Study 2, N = 373). Construct validity was then examined in a sample of college students (Study 3, N = 215). Results The questionnaire included 16 items across four domains: health behavior (0.77 ≤ α ≤ 0.84), social support (0.72 ≤ α ≤ 0.76), substance use (0.75 ≤ α ≤ 0.76), and avoidance (0.81 ≤ α ≤ 0.83). The BBEDS had adequate psychometric properties supporting its use to assess beliefs about the helpfulness of modifiable behaviors related to the development of emotional distress. BBEDS scores were associated with engaging in some but not all modifiable behaviors. Conclusions The BBEDS may be a useful instrument to assess beliefs about the helpfulness of modifiable behaviors implicated in the development of anxiety and depression.
Misalignment Correction in Wireless Power Transfer of Electric Vehicles by Angular Compensation

In this paper, an alignment strategy is proposed for correcting the misalignment between stationary and vehicle coils of an Electric Vehicle (EV) during wireless charging operation. The idea of the proposed method is based on antenna mechanical alignment concept in telecommunication. The proposed system aligns the coils through angular rotation and is therefore capable of mitigating misalignment in all directions. This is achieved by accurate tilting of both stationary and vehicle coils in the desired direction. ANSYS Maxwell software package is used to evaluate the effect of tilting both coils during misalignment in Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) and it is shown that the proposed approach can significantly improve efficiency in misaligned conditions. Simulation results show that an efficiency reduction of 9.73% due to a 130 mm misalignment can be mitigated to a reduction of only 3.31% when the proposed tilting approach is used.
President Trump’s Narcissism Reconsidered

This chapter focuses on several key Trump psychological traits, all related to the dominant narrative and related memes of Trump’s narcissism and its political consequences. Simply assigning a name to a behavior without an understanding of the term used or fairly presenting the range of evidence needed to support claims associated with such analyses, reflects a lapse of professional ethics and personal integrity. It is also a recipe for substantively shallow analysis. The chapter then turns to a consideration of the difference between impatience and impulsiveness, and their relationship to Trump’s psychology and leadership style. We then examine the real nature of Trump’s narcissism, not only what that term really means, but its real role in Trump’s psychology. The chapter concludes with a detailed analysis of Trump’s motivation to seek the presidency, including several that have never before been examined.
Effects of supplemental watering on loggerhead (Caretta caretta) nests and hatchlings

Abstract The influence of environmental conditions during sea turtle egg development makes the ongoing threat of climate change particularly concerning. The nest environment greatly influences several aspects of sea turtle hatchling biology, including developmental rate and sexual differentiation. Various studies examine the effectiveness of watering nests as a mitigation strategy for high temperatures and dry conditions but few have rigorously identified the impacts across multiple nesting seasons and weather conditions. This study experimentally examined the impact of increased moisture on loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) hatchling sex ratios and hatching success across three nesting seasons. Supplemental water was added to experimental treatments while control treatments received only ambient water as rainfall. Sand moisture and nest temperature were measured throughout incubation. Overall, watering nests lowered nest temperatures and increased nest sand moisture. Watered nests had significantly higher hatching success; however, nests that received the highest treatment amounts had similar hatching success as controls. After hatchlings emerged, nests were inventoried and a sample of hatchlings from each nest was collected and their sex was verified. Only nests watered with the highest water volume treatment produced significantly more males. Watering nests may mediate the effects of high temperatures and desiccation associated with climate change. However, as temperatures continue to increase, watering nests may not prove effective in mitigating for entirely female-producing beaches.
Adult Inflammatory Multi-System Syndrome Mimicking Kawasaki Disease in a Patient With COVID-19

We describe a 46-year-old male with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection who presented as a Kawasaki-like syndrome with features including prolonged fever, bilateral conjunctivitis, oral mucosal swelling, diffuse erythematous rash, cervical and hilar lymphadenopathy, as well as cardiovascular complications and multi-organ failure There are several reports of a similar clinical entity mimicking Kawasaki disease (RD) in the pediatric population, which has been termed Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome 'Temporally Associated with SARS-CoV-2 (DIMS TS) by the Royal College of Pediatric and Child Health To our knowledge, to date, there has been only one case report of COVID-19 presenting as KD in an adult patient
A Smart Factory Setup based on the RoboCup Logistics League

In this paper we present SMART-FACTORY, a setup for a research and teaching facility in industrial robotics that is based on the RoboCup Logistics League. It is driven by the need for developing and applying solutions for digital production. Digitization receives constantly increasing attention in many areas, especially in industry. The common theme is to make things smart by using intelligent computer technology. Especially in the last decade there have been many attempts to improve existing processes in factories, for example, in production logistics, also with deploying cyber-physical systems. An initiative that explores challenges and opportunities for robots in such a setting is the RoboCup Logistics League. Since its foundation in 2012 it is an international effort for research and education in an intra-warehouse logistics scenario. During seven years of competition a lot of knowledge and experience regarding autonomous robots was gained. This knowledge and experience shall provide the basis for further research in challenges of future production. The focus of our SMART-FACTORY is to create a stimulating environment for research on logistics robotics, for teaching activities in computer science and electrical engineering programmes as well as for industrial users to study and explore the feasibility of future technologies. Building on a very successful history in the RoboCup Logistics League we aim to provide stakeholders with a dedicated facility oriented at their individual needs.
Feeding Infants at the Breast or Feeding Expressed Human Milk: Long-Term Cognitive, Executive Function, and Eating Behavior Outcomes at Age 6 Years.

Objective To examine how expressed milk feeding diverges from feeding at the breast in its association with neurodevelopment and behavior. We hypothesized that longer and exclusive feeding at the breast only (ie, no formula, no feeding expressed milk) would be associated with the optimal cognitive developmental, executive function, and eating behaviors and that expressed milk feeding would be associated with less-optimal outcomes. Study design The Moms2Moms cohort (Ohio, US) reported infant feeding practices at 12 months postpartum and children’s global cognitive ability, executive function, and eating behaviors at 6 years. Linear and log-binomial regression models estimated associations with durations of feeding at the breast, expressed milk, human milk (modes combined), and formula. Results Among 285 participants, each month of exclusive feeding at the breast only was associated with a decreased risk of clinically meaningful executive function (working memory) deficit (adjusted relative risk [RR] 0.78, 95% CI 0.63-0.96) but was unassociated with inhibition (adjusted RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.85-1.01). Feeding expressed milk was not clearly related to executive function outcomes. No associations with global cognitive ability were observed. Weak associations were observed with eating behaviors for some feeding practices. Conclusions Feeding at the breast may offer advantages to some aspects of executive function that expressed milk may not. Large, prospective studies exploring mechanisms could further distinguish the effect of feeding mode from that of nutrients.
Cache-Aided Interference Management Using Hypercube Combinatorial Design With Reduced Subpacketizations and Order Optimal Sum-Degrees of Freedom

We consider a cache-aided interference network which consists of a library of $N$ files, $K_{T}$ transmitters and $K_{R}$ receivers (users), each equipped with a local cache of size $M_{T}$ and $M_{R}$ files respectively, and connected via a discrete-time additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel. Each receiver requests an arbitrary file from the library. The objective is to design a cache placement without knowing the receivers’ requests and a communication scheme such that the sum Degrees of Freedom (sum-DoF) of the delivery is maximized. This network model with one-shot transmission was firstly investigated by Naderializadeh et al. , who proposed a scheme achieving an order-optimal one-shot sum-DoF of $\min \left \{{\frac {M_{T}K_{T}+K_{R}M_{R}}{N}, K_{R}}\right \}$ . One of the biggest limitations of this scheme is the requirement of high subpacketizations. This paper attempts to design new algorithms to reduce the file subpacketization in such a network without hurting the sum-DoF. In particular, we propose a new approach for both prefetching and linearly coded delivery based on a combinatorial design called hypercube . The proposed approach reduces the subpacketization exponentially in terms of $K_{R} M/N$ ( $M=M_{T}$ or $M_{R}$ represents the transmitter/receiver cache size) and achieves the identical one-shot sum DoF when $\frac {M_{T}K_{T}+K_{R}M_{R}}{N} \leq K_{R}$ .
Recite the last bylaw: chiefs and child marriage reform in Malawi

In the study of modern chieftaincy in Africa, scholars have identified chiefs as important intermediaries for promoting increased voter turnout, new health policies and development initiatives. I add to this literature the importance of chiefs as cultural intermediaries. Using recent child marriage reform efforts in Malawi as a case study, I find that chiefs are key actors needed to implement culturally embedded policy changes. Drawing on descriptive evidence from 12 months of fieldwork across all three regions of Malawi, I find that chiefs are responsible for shifting cultural practices related to child marriage. Using a unique blend of democratic and non-democratic powers, chiefs in Malawi are defying expectations and using their position to promote girls’ rights. These findings contribute to our broader understanding of the political and cultural power of modern chiefs.
XACML policies for exclusive resource usage

The extensible access control markup language (XACML) is the standard access control policy specification language of the World Wide Web. XACML does not provide exclusive accesses to globally resources. We do so by enhancing the policy execution framework with locks.
Attenuation Characteristics of Conventional, Micromachined, and Superconducting Coplanar Waveguides

In this chapter the attenuation characteristics of conventional, micromachined, and superconducting coplanar waveguides are presented. Closed form equations based on the conformal mapping technique, the mode-matching method, and the modified matched asymptotic expansion technique are presented in order to compute the attenuation constant of a coplanar waveguide. Recently silicon (Si) and silicon-germanium (SiGe) based integrated circuits have emerged for RF/microwave applications, and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based switches and actuators are being explored for potential phased array antenna applications. This chapter examines the attenuation characteristics of coplanar waveguides on CMOS grade low- and high-resistivity silicon wafers, and on micromachined silicon wafers. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the attenuation characteristics of high-temperature superconducting coplanar waveguides.
The dissociation of D-fructose 1,6-diphosphatase by adenosine 5'-phosphate.

Abstract Adenosine 5'-monophosphate, an inhibitor of the d-fructose 1,6-diphosphatase isolated from Candida utilis, induces a specific dissociation of this enzyme at pH 9.2. On the basis of sucrose density gradient centrifugation and gel filtration on Sephadex G-100, it may be concluded that the molecule has dissociated into subunits having one-half the molecular weight of the native enzyme. The dissociation occurs only at alkaline pH and in the cold. It is prevented by low concentrations of fructose 1,6-diphosphate (0.01 mm). d-Fructose 1,6-diphosphatase which has been desensitized to the inhibitory action of 5'-AMP is not dissociated. The results suggest that the dissociation induced by 5'-AMP may be an extreme manifestation of more subtle alterations in the quaternary structure of the enzyme which occur in the presence of substrate at physiological pH.
A highly integrated quad band low EVM polar modulation transmitter for GSM/EDGE applications

A polar modulation transmitter, fabricated in BiCMOS technology, is presented. It uses an offset loop transmitter to achieve both GSM and EDGE phase modulation. For the 8PSK modulation, the amplitude information is reconstructed through the use of a saturated GSM power amplifier with collector voltage modulation. This solution does not require the use of SAW filters and RF isolators and maintains excellent EVM and good ACPR over a wide range of VSWR. This transmitter is part of a quad band GSM/EDGE highly integrated transceiver.
Abstract 2710: Lead based development and evaluation of selective estrogen mimics in tamoxifen resistant breast cancer

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Tamoxifen is the standard of care for many patients with ER+ breast cancer and works by antagonizing the actions of estrogen at ER. However it poses an increased risk of endometrial cancer and thrombotic events, and most significantly, 30-50% women develop resistance to tamoxifen therapy, underlining the need for superior therapeutic options. Paradoxically, prior to tamoxifen therapy, estradiol (E2) and the ER agonist, diethylstilbestrol, had been used in breast cancer therapy, though with serious side effects. Development of Selective Estrogen Mimics (SEMs) that cause regression of tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer, but without the side effects of E2, represents a rational therapeutic strategy. Novel SEMs were developed, which in vitro in 3D cultures and in vivo caused complete regression of tamoxifen-resistant xenografts, with characteristics similar to those of E2. These SEMs did not fuel growth of estrogen-dependent T47D xenografts and did not cause uterine growth. SEM mediation of classical ER-signaling was profiled in MCF7 and MDA-MB231:β41 cells. A tamoxifen-resistant cell line, MCF-7: 5C, was used to assay induction of cell death by both E2 and the SEMs and to probe the mechanism of action. Several SEMs were observed to act as partial agonists at ERα , suggesting ideal characteristics as therapeutics. Structure-activity relationships were explored, suggesting that partial ERα agonist have the capacity to cause regression of tamoxifen-resistant tumors, without adverse effects associated with estrogenic actions in normal gynecological tissues of the breast and uterus, which might contribute to carcinogenesis. The ER-mediated agonist/antagonist activity, regression efficacy, and pharmacokinetic profiles of these SEMs were examined to obtain lead compounds that are effective with minimal estrogenic side effects. In MCF-7:5C cells, SEM-induced cell death was mediated by activation of classical nuclear ERα signaling, via induction of apoptosis. This research paves the way for use of SEMs with partial agonist activity at ER for use in tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer with enhanced safety profiles. Citation Format: Hitisha Patel, Rui Xiong, Jiong Zhao, Mary Ellen Molloy, Debra Tonetti, Gregory R.J Thatcher. Lead based development and evaluation of selective estrogen mimics in tamoxifen resistant breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2710. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2710
Culture and Cognition

Culture and cognition is a rapidly growing subfield within sociology. Scholars working in this area address how aspects of both social structure and culture impact the ways in which social actors think. From the literature, one learns about specific processes and styles that individuals adopt when engaged in thought, cognitive patterns that characterize certain groups or communities, and thought styles that emerge in specific situations and social contexts. New works pay special attention to the links between mind, body, and sociocultural context. In this essay, I define the general focus of the field, review its intellectual roots, discuss recent turns in its literature, and identify issues for future research. Keywords: culture; cognition; mind; brain; embodiment; sociocultural context; schemas; cognitive styles; graded membership; enculturation
Examination of materials by coherent light techniques

The diffraction and interference of coherent light from lasers can be used to record and analyze metallographic structures. Optical transforms, holography, optical correlation, and other coherent light methods are presently being applied to materials problems ranging from basic research to testing and inspection. This paper describes the basic concepts used in some of these methods and describes examples of their application. Holography is a particularly attractive method for measuring changes in the shapes of objects, especially because it allows interferometric measurements without special surface preparation. The use of holography for studies of crystal growth and electropolishing is described in some detail, and reconstructed holograms are shown. Holography and other coherent light techniques can often reveal the presence of defects or inhomogeneities even when quantitative evaluation of the optical output is difficult.
Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain: An Approach to Diagnosis and Management

Stroke is a significant source of mortality and long-term disability in the United States. Of persons who survive a stroke, approximately 50% will have hemiplegia, half of whom will live with a nonfunctional arm. Hemiplegic shoulder pain (HSP), which occurs in most patients with hemiplegia, reduces participation and worsens outcomes in rehabilitation. Management of HSP is challenging because its causes are multifactorial and there is limited, conflicting, or nonspecific evidence in support of most treatments. This article develops an effective approach for diagnosis and treatment using the best available evidence to aid practitioners in obtaining optimal results.
Recruiting 9126 Primary Care Patients by Telephone: Characteristics of Participants Reached on Landlines, Basic Cell Phones, and Smartphones.

Abstract In primary care, collecting information about patient health behaviors between appointments can be advantageous. Physicians and researchers who embrace phone-based technology may find valuable ways to monitor patient-reported outcome measures of health (PROM). However, the level of phone technology sophistication should be tailored to the phone use of the population of interest. Despite the growing use of telephones as a means to gather PROM, little is known about phone use among primary care patients. As part of an ongoing study, the authors recruited primary care patients (N = 9126) for a health behavior screening study by calling them on the primary contact number listed in their medical record. The current study evaluated the frequency with which individuals were reached on landlines, basic cell phones, and smartphones, and examined participant characteristics. The majority of participants (63%) used landlines as their primary contact. Of the 37% using cell phones on the recruitment call, mos...
American Geography and Geographers: Toward Geographical Science

Geoffrey J. Martin. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2015. xxix and 1210 pp., maps, diagrams, illustration notes, bibliography, indexes. $195.00 (ISBN 978-0-19-533602-3).Geoffrey J. Martin is...
CMOS operation below freezeout

A description is given of a cryogenic CMOS process, Rockwell Cryogenic CMOS (RC/sup 2/), for use in readout circuits for impurity band conduction detectors that must operate at a temperature of 12 K or less. The RC/sup 2/ process has been successfully used to implement both analog and digital circuits that operate very well at 10 K. The behavior of RC/sup 2/ FETs in the weak inversion region is discussed. To minimize the power consumption of the large arrays of analog detector readout circuits, the subthreshold region of FET operation is utilized. MOSFETs at these temperatures exhibit the kink effect and have long time constants to reach equilibrium after a large bias change, which must be considered in circuit design. It is concluded that the RC/sup 2/ approach has overcome some of the major obstacles to basic functionality of circuits at temperatures below freezeout and in weak as well as strong inversion. >
Sexual receptivity and exhaustion in the female golden hamster

Abstract The duration of sexual receptivity of estrous female golden hamsters is directly related to both the amount of stimulation received from the male and the time from the onset of stimulation. Receptivity, as measured by lordosis duration, is highest in unmated females and declines following mating. If sufficient stimulation is received females will become totally unreceptive within two hr. If time separates each mating, less stimulation is required to inhibit lordosis. As the incidence of lordosis decreases, the probability of fighting increases.
Learning Through Joint Ventures: A Framework Of Knowledge Acquisition

Joint ventures (JVs) are becoming an increasingly important organizational form in international business. When JVs are formed, valuable learning opportunities may be created for the venture partners. The primary objective in this paper is to explore the conditions under which firms exploit JV learning opportunities through the acquisition of knowledge. A framework of knowledge acquisition by JV partner firms is proposed. Using JV partner organizations as the primary level of analysis, the paper identifies various factors that influence the acquisition of learning, its value to the learning organization, and the migration of knowledge from the JV to the parent. Two firm specific learning-based concepts are developed: alliance knowledge accessibility and knowledge acquisition effectiveness.
Stress/strain development around a spherical inclusion in a polymeric matrix: The effects of particle and matrix mechanical characteristics and thermal expansivity difference

For a spherical inclusion embedded in an infinite polymeric matrix, the Goodier Model, combined with thermal stress contribution, is applied to establish the stress/strain fields around a spherical particle in different particle/matrix combinations, including TiO2, alumina, silica, steel, polystyrene, and polyvinyl butyral particles embedded in a range of polymeric matrices. This approach provides the basis for examining the effects of different parameters such as Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio of the particle and matrix, and the thermal history of samples on the failure-initiation criteria. An explanation is provided for divergent results obtained for very soft and elastic particles. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Matrix models, integrable structures and T-duality of type 0 string theory

Abstract Instanton matrix models (IMM) for two-dimensional string theories are obtained from the matrix quantum mechanics (MQM) of the T-dual theory. In this paper we study the connection between the IMM and MQM, which amounts to understand T-duality from the viewpoint of matrix models. We show that type 0A and type 0B matrix models perturbed by purely closed string momentum modes (or purely winding modes) have the integrable structure of Toda hierarchies, extending the well-known results for c = 1 string. In particular, we show that type 0A (0B) MQM perturbed by momentum modes has the same integrable structure as type 0B (0A) MQM perturbed by winding modes, which is a nontrivial check of the T-duality between the matrix models. The MQM deformed by NSNS winding modes are used to study type 0 string in 2D black holes. We also find an intriguing connection between the IMM and the MQM via tachyon condensation. The array of alternating D-instantons and anti-D-instantons separated at the critical distance plays a key role in this picture. We discuss its implications on sD-branes in two-dimensional string theories.
Impulsivity in Learning Disabled Children: Past Research Findings and Methodological Inconsistencies

Literature which either supports or refutes a higher incidence of cognitive impulsivity in learning disabled (LD) children is critically reviewed to illustrate past inconsistencies in methodology and resulting interpretive distortions. Issues addressed include: the inappropriateness of generalizing from findings based on sample-specific methodologies with the Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT), the lack of research incorporating MFFT norms, inconsistent administration of the MFFT, and inconsistencies in sample characteristics. Cognitive-tempo classification methodologies are also discussed. Although conclusions suggest some evidence of a cognitive impulsivity-LD link, such a connection is clouded by past methodological inconsistencies. Methodological changes are proposed to aid future researchers in clarifying the relationship between impulsivity and LD.
Fermi-surface radii in copper, silver, and gold

New Fourier expansions for the Fermi-surface radii of copper, silver, and gold have been obtained on the basis of high precision de Haas --- van Alphen data. The radii agree with the values quoted by Halse to better than 0.2% except for gold near the $〈100〉$ direction, where the Halse values are about 0.6% too large.
Artificial rain and cold wind act as stressors to captive molting and non-molting European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris).

Abstract Free-roaming animals continually cope with changes in their environment. One of the most unpredictable environmental phenomena is weather. Being able to respond to weather appropriately is crucial as it can be a threat to survival. The stress response, consisting of increases in heart rate and release of glucocorticoids, is an important mechanism by which animals cope with stressors. This study examined behavioral, heart rate, and corticosterone responses of captive European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) to two aspects of weather mimicked under controlled conditions, a subtle (3 °C) decrease in temperature and a short, mild bout of rain. Both decreased temperature and exposure to rain elicited increases in heart rate and corticosterone in non-molting starlings. Molt is an important life history stage in birds that affects feather cover and may require a different response to weather-related stressors. We repeated the experiment in molting starlings and found increases in heart rate in response to rain and cold wind. However, the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA)-axis was suppressed during molt, as molting starlings did not increase corticosterone release in response to either stimulus. These data suggest these stimuli induce increased allostatic load in starlings, and that animals may adjust their response depending on the life-history stage.
Penetrating Keratoplasty After Ocular Trauma

We reviewed the records of 41 patients who underwent penetrating keratoplasty for a corneal opacity caused by trauma between Jan. 1, 1983, and Dec. 31, 1988. Most of the patients were young males whose average age was 35 years. Common tools accounted for many injuries (14 of 41, 34%). Sixteen injuries (39%) were work-related. Thirty-six patients (88%) had corneal scars from a perforating injury, four patients (10%) had corneal edema, and one patient (2%) required emergency penetrating keratoplasty for extensive tissue loss. Of the 39 patients with one year of follow-up, 31 (82%) maintained clear corneal grafts. Rejection occurred in nine of 39 patients (23%) and only three (33%) of the rejections resolved. Visual outcome was favorable with 20 patients (51%) attaining best-corrected postoperative visual acuity of 20/20 to 20/40, nine patients (23%) attaining visual acuity of 20/50 to 20/100, and ten patients (26%) attaining visual acuity of 20/200 or worse. Preoperative retinal disease (six of 39, 15%), astigmatic errors (five of 39, 13%), graft failures (four of 39, 10%), and postoperative glaucoma (12 of 39, 31%) adversely influenced the outcome. Although the prevalence of postoperative complications is relatively high, good visual results can be obtained in patients who undergo penetrating keratoplasty after ocular trauma.
Variation of DNA repair capacity in progeria cells unrelated to growth conditions

Summary Fibroblasts from two progeria patients were tested for their capacity to repair γ-irradiated DNA. An immunofluorescence host cell reactivation (HCR) assay was employed to compare normal, progeria, and Xeroderma Pigmentosum strains. HCR decreased markedly over a three day period in confluent cultures, indicating that growth conditions can substantially effect the DNA repair observed in HCR of cultured fibroblasts. Using a variety of growth conditions, one progeria strain showed decreased HCR, while a second progeria strain showed normal HCR. These results suggest both that heterogeneity for DNA repair capacity exists among progeria fibroblast strains and that decreased DNA repair capacity is unlikely to be the basic genetic defect in progeria.
Non-genomic effects of aldosterone: new actions and questions.

Although the classical actions of aldosterone are mediated through genomic pathways, there is a growing recognition of important nongenomic responses to aldosterone. New data are presented from two laboratories showing a nongenomic effect of aldosterone to activate protein kinase C (PKC) in heart and kidney. Among the actions of PKC is the stimulation of transcription factors, raising the question of whether there is an inter-relationship of nongenomic with genomic influences – aldosterone induced nongenomic effects might modulate genomic effects. This expanded role of aldosterone will require exploration in future studies.
Utilization of a potentially universal downstream primer in the rapid identification and characterization of V lambda genes from two new human V lambda gene families.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has increased dramatically the speed of cloning and characterizing numerous genes. However, its application to identifying and analysing new germline Ig-variable (V) gene families has been hampered by the lack of sequence information in the downstream flanking regions of the concerned V genes, which are deleted during V(D)J rearrangements. To circumvent this problem, the possibility was explored that a degenerate downstream primer may be used in conjunction with a specific upstream primer, to clone members of new Vβ gene families, as much less is known about Vλ genes than Vh and Vk genes in humans. Firstly the feasibility and the specificity of a degenerate primer was examined by comparing it with an established downstream primer in amplifying known Vλ1 genes. The results were positive. Thus, the degenerate primer was used to clone and characterize germline Vλ genes of the recently defined Vλ8 and Vλ9 gene families. This current strategy may help speed up the identification and characterization of all human Vλ genes. Moreover, a similar strategy can be applied to identify and characterize rapidly new V genes of either known or unknown Ig and T-cell receptor V gene families.
Spreading Our Wings: International Education as Journeys of Enriched Learning

In the 21st century, the impact of globalization has increased the importance of the internationalization of education (Jiang, 2010; Lam, 2010). Because it is imperative for the success of their gr...
Methane-assisted combustion synthesis of nanocomposite tin dioxide materials

Abstract Combustion synthesis of tin dioxide (SnO2) was studied using a new synthesis approach where the combustion environment was augmented to control the temperature and flow conditions using methane as a supplemental fuel. The experiments were carried out at atmospheric pressure using a multi-element diffusion flame burner with a gas-phase precursor for SnO2 and solid-phase precursor for metal additives. In the methane-assisted (MA) system, the inert carrier gas was replaced with methane as the transport gas for the SnO2 and metal additive precursors. Two additive precursors were investigated: gold acetate and aluminum acetate. Particle morphology, primary particle size, crystallinity, phase, molecular and elemental composition were studied using transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Particle imaging velocimetry and thermocouple measurements provided velocity and temperature data for the synthesis environment experienced by particles. The MA system provided conditions for rapid sintering of particles into large faceted single crystals of SnO2 (dp = 46 nm) compared to methane unassisted system (dp = 19 nm), thus offering a degree of control over grain size. Additionally, large aspect ratio (2.6 ± 0.9) single crystal SnO2 particles were produced using the MA system. Gold-doped SnO2 produced using the MA system yielded gold particles encapsulated in a layer of SnO2. The characteristic reaction-, coagulation- and sintering-times were investigated for nanoparticle formation in the two systems using simplified models. The analysis provided qualitative justification for the trends observed in particle morphology. The modification of characteristic times in this study demonstrates a route for controlling size and morphology of single or multicomponent systems.
Depolymerization of GeO2 and GeO2 = Sb2O3 glasses by Bi2O3

Glasses that contain at least 60 mol% GeO2 were prepared in the Bi2O3 · GeO2 and Bi2O3 · Sb2O3 · GeO2 systems. Their densities, refractive indices, and infra-red spectra were recorded. Negative molar volume deviations and positive refraction deviations occur for all of the binary glasses. These create deviations for the 60 to 80 mol % GeO2 ternary glasses that indicate non-ideal mixing when Sb3+ substitutes for Bi3+. Also, the main Ge-O stretching vibration shifts to as low as 695 cm−1 for the Bi2O3-rich binary and ternary glasses. All of these findings show that Bi2O3 more effectively depolymerizes GeO2 than does Sb2O3. The probable structural reasons for this behaviour are discussed.
RELATIVE BLOCKING EFFECTS IN K = 2 AND BETA VIBRATION BANDS.

Abstract A study of blocking effects in rotation and vibration bands in deformed even nuclei is made using a perturbed symmetric model. In particular the extent of blocking effects in K = 2 bands (gamma vibration bands of the symmetric model) is compared with the extent of blocking effects in β-vibration bands for various nuclei. The difficulty of applying the symmetric model to those nuclei where the effects may be most directly compared is discussed. Results from nuclei examined suggests that the K = 2 bands in deformed even nuclei are more rotational than vibrational in character.
Multidimensional Audience Analysis for Dynamic Information

As technical communication gains the technology to deliver dynamic custom documents, the importance of audience analysis increases. As a major factor in supporting dynamic adjustment of document content, the audience analysis must clearly capture the range of user goals and information needs in a flexible manner. Replacing a linear audience analysis model with a multidimensional model provides one method of achieving that flexibility. With a minimum of three separate dimensions to capture topic knowledge, detail required, and user cognitive ability, this model provides the writer a means of connecting content with information requirements and ensuring the dynamic document fits varying audience needs.
Inhibition of calcium-dependent nitric oxide synthase causes ileitis and leukocytosis in guinea pigs.

As nitric oxide reduces gut epithelial permeability, we designed a study to determine if chronic nitric oxide synthase inhibition predisposes the gut to inflammation. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors were administered in the drinking waterad libitum, for seven days: aminoguanidine (10 µg/ml), a selective inhibitor of the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase; andNG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME, 1, 10, and 100 µg/ml), which inhibits both the constitutive and inducible forms. Control animals drank tap water only or water withd-NAME, the inactive enantiomer. After one week, circulating leukocyte count and tissue myeloperoxidase activity were measured.l-NAME (100 µg/ml), but notd-NAME or aminoguanidine, caused a twofold increase in a circulating leukocyte numbers. This increase in leukocyte numbers was time- and dose-dependent, but the differential count was unaltered. Tissue myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity as an index of granulocyte infiltration was comparable in all groups in the stomach, jejunum, colon, liver, lung, kidney, heart, and skeletal muscle. However, ileal MPO activity was elevated threefold in thel-NAME- (100 µg/ml) treated group (P<0.05). Results in thed-NAME and aminoguanidine groups were similar to controls.l-NAME administration resulted in a reduction in NOS activity ([14C]citrulline formation) in the ileum but not jejunum, whereas cGMP levels were elevated in both ileum and jejunum. We conclude that chronic inhibition of the constitutive form of nitric oxide synthase predisposes the ileum to inflammation and leads to a progressive leukocytosis.
On Some Tests of Hypotheses Relating to the Exponential Distribution When Some Outliers are Present

Abstract In this paper the robustness of some of the existing tests for the exponential distribution when some outliers are present is reviewed. It is noted that the tests proposed by Epstein and Sobel [4] can be used without any major modification in the presence of outliers and a more suitable flexible test criterion is proposed for the exponential lower limit which is superior to Carlson's statistic [2] in all situations. The distribution of this statistic is derived and tables are constructed to facilitate the use of this statistic. Also some tests for outliers in the exponential case are proposed.
Long-Range Course Planning by College Students.

A group of 633 college students at a large midwestern public university was asked fifteen questions pertaining to personal long-term course planning. The results indicated that only 48% of the students sketched out a tentative listing of at least two courses per term for one or more subsequent semesters when first planning courses for the current semester. Long-range planning was positively correlated with the number of years students had already spent in college and with students' perception of the following factors: course planning utility, degree of certainty about pursuing one's current first choice of career, and degree of commitment in using college coursework as a means of achieving a career goal (all p < 0.001). Long-range planning was negatively correlated with the anticipation of a possible change in academic interests. Such planning was not significantly correlated with students' entrance examination aptitude scores or grade point averages. Thus, students' long-range planning of courses was associated more strongly with career commitment than with recent academic performance or aptitude.
Polymer-based highly multimode electro-optic waveguide modulator

A unidirectional electrooptic modular based on an asymmetric highly multi-mode waveguide coupler is demonstrated. A modulation depth of more than 90 percent is experimentally achieved at 633nm wavelength with an index modulation of 3.0 X 10-4.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Application of a Magnetic Lens Spectrometer to the Measurement of Gamma Radiation from Zn(65) and Co(60)

A thin magnetic lens spectrometer for the investigation of gamma-ray spectra is described. The effect of the thickness of the radiator used for the production of photoelectrons and the influence of the earth's magnetic field are reported. Based on a calibration of the instrument by means of annihilation radiation and the F line of ThB, energy values of ${1.10}_{6}$ Mev for the gamma-ray of ${\mathrm{Zn}}^{65}$, and ${1.15}_{5}$ and ${1.31}_{7}$ Mev for the two lines of ${\mathrm{Co}}^{60}$ are obtained. The probable error is estimated as 0.5 percent.
Five Reasons to Download Adobe Presenter

In this review, Craig Wiggins takes a look at Adobe Presenter 9 and weighs the values of its new features.
Energy, time, and channel evolution in catastrophically disturbed fluvial systems

Abstract Two diverse fluvial systems show that with time, channels adjust such that the rate of energy dissipation is minimized. One fluvial system, characterized by high relief and coarse-grained sediment, was subjected to an explosive volcanic eruption; the other system, characterized by low relief and fine-grained sediment, was subjected to dredging and straightening. Study of the expenditure of kinetic- and potential-energy components of total-mechanical energy provide an energy-based rationale of the interdependency between processes and forms during channel evolution. Spatial and temporal trends of aggradation and degradation are similar although relative amounts of aggradation in the high-energy system are greatly enhanced by the deposition of large amounts of eroded bank material from upstream reaches. Degradation accompanied by widening is the most efficient means of energy dissipation because all components of total-mechanical energy decrease with time. Widening dominates energy dissipation in the coarse-grained system to offset increases in hydraulic depth caused by incision. In the low-energy fine-grained system, channel adjustment and energy dissipation are dominated by vertical processes because of low relative values of kinetic energy, and because eroded bank sediment is transported out of the drainage basin and does not aid in downstream aggradation, energy dissipation, or channel recovery. Specific energy is shown to decrease nonlinearly with time during channel evolution and provides a measure of reductions in available energy at the channel bed. Data from two sites show convergence towards a minimum specific energy with time. Time-dependent reductions in specific energy at a point act in concert with minimization of the rate of energy dissipation over a reach during channel evolution as the fluvial systems adjust to a new equilibrium.
Determining the shear properties of the PyC/SiC interface for a model TRISO fuel

Abstract The fracture behavior of TRISO-coated fuel particles is dependent on the shear strength of the interface between the inner pyrolytic carbon (PyC) and silicon carbide coatings. This study evaluates the interfacial shear properties and the crack extension mechanism for TRISO-coated model tubes using a push-out technique. The interfacial debond shear strength was found to increase with increasing sample thickness and finally approached a constant value. The intrinsic interfacial debond shear strength of ∼280 MPa was estimated. After the layer is debonded, the applied load is primarily transferred by interfacial friction. A non-linear shear-lag model predicts that the residual clamping stress at the interface is ∼350 MPa, and the coefficient of friction is ∼0.23, yielding a frictional stress of ∼80 MPa. These relatively high values are attributed to the interfacial roughness. Of importance in these findings is that this unusually high interfacial strength could allow significant loads to be transferred between the inner PyC and SiC in application, potentially leading to failure of the SiC layer.
Spatially Controllable Deposition of Electrospray Microparticles

Electrospray has been widely used in micro/nanotechnology which deposit micro/nanoscale particles on planar surfaces. However, in conventional electrospray approach the distribution of these particles patterned on the collecting surface is poorly controlled. This work introduces a programmable patterning method of electrospray, which microparticles are sprayed on micropatterned collecting chips. By manipulating the local electrical field using a combination of activated and floating electrodes, a good spatial contrast of microparticle patterning is obtained. In addition, the size-dependent contrast enhancement is demonstrated using a series of electrode arrays with different electrode patterns. Combined with encapsulation technique, this unique electrospray method promises potential applications in the field of functional cell/tissue engineering.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Bioassessment of an Appalachian headwater stream influenced by an abandoned arsenic mine.

Recent debate concerning the modification of safe drinking water standards for arsenic (As) has led to increased awareness of the risks As poses to both humans and the environment. However, few studies have examined the effects of As on the diversity and composition of aquatic assemblages in streams. Benthic macroinvertebrate surveys, chemical analysis of water column and sediment, and laboratory toxicity tests were conducted to assess effects of an abandoned As mine on a headwater stream, and to determine the primary component of toxicity. The average 48-hr LC50 value for Daphnia magna was 4316 μg As/L, and the average 96-hr LC50 value for Lepidostoma spp. was 2138 μg As/L. Reproduction was significantly reduced for D. magna at concentrations ≥312 μg As/L in water column laboratory bioassays, and for treatments in bioassays with sediments containing elevated As (≥2630 mg/kg). These results support the findings of the in-stream benthic macroinvertebrate survey as the density and percent Ephemeroptera + Plecoptera, + Trichoptera (EPT) were substantially lower at sites downstream of the mine compared to upstream reference sites. Results of bioassays comparing the toxicity of As-contaminated site water and upstream reference water spiked with As salts suggest that As is the primary component of toxicity impacting the stream. Measured As concentrations at downstream sites were above the recommended Criterion Maximum Concentration of 340 μg As/L and Criterion Continuous Concentration of 150 μg As/L for protection of aquatic life published by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. At the study site, elevated As concentrations likely prevent recruitment of benthic macroinvertebrates and recovery of the perturbed headwater stream.