cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anti-collusion fingerprinting scheme based on error correction ability of nonlinear combinatorial code

Digital fingerprinting is an available method that can identify the customer or owner of the digital media (image, video, etc) and protect the copyright of the content providers. Fingerprinting system embeds a unique fingerprint, which is the identity of the owner, into each individual copy of the original content. The monitor can detect the original user of the legal copies and track the usage of the copyrighted media content. The most serious problem to fingerprinting is how to resist the effective attack--collusion. Collusion is to use some different marked copies of the same original content and generate a new version from which the detector can't regain the correct fingerprint. In this paper we use combinatorial theory and construct nonlinear DBBD (Differential Balanced Block Design) code as fingerprint for digital media. The code is collusion-secure and has the capability of error correction which is beneficial to the robustness of the fingerprint. We also present a scheme for combining this collusion-secure fingerprinting code with a multi-resolution wavelet based watermarking mechanism. We use wavelet-watermarking techniques to embed and extract the fingerprints, and then use our detection scheme and the error correction ability of the DBBD code to find the pirates.
Anion Binding of Inorganic Phosphates by the Hexaaza Macrocyclic Ligand 3,6,9,17,20,23-Hexaazatricyclo[23.3.1.111,15]triaconta-1(29),11(30),12,14,25,27-hexaene

The interaction of mono-, di-, and tripolyphosphate anions with the various protonated forms of the hexaaza macrocyclic ligand BMXD, 3,6,9,17,20,23-hexaazatricyclo[23.3.1.111,15]triaconta-1(29),11(30),12,14,25,27-hexaene, was investigated by potentiometric equilibrium studies. The protonated ligand forms a number of stable binary complexes in solution with each of the anionic substrates and the strength of interaction increases in the order mono- < di- < tripolyphosphate. Formation constants for all the species found are reported and compared with those of analogous systems. The hexahydrobromide salt of BMXD, (H6BMXD)Br6·7H2O crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, space group Pna21, with a = 11.597(4) A, b = 12.604(4) A, c = 27.361(7) A, and Z = 4. The binary complex (H4BMXD-H2P2O7)Br2·5.2H2O crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group C2/c, with a = 28.194(6) A, b = 13.875(3) A, c = 20.811(4) A, β = 113.72(3)°, and Z = 8. The X-ray structure results reveal the nature of the interaction between t...
Assessment of KNOWLA: Knowledge Assembly for Learning and Assessment

The assessment of learning in large online courses such as Massive Online Open Courses, or MOOCs, requires tools that are valid, reliable, and can be automatically administered and scored. We have developed and assessed a tool called Knowledge Assembly for Learning and Assessment, or KNOWLA. The tool measures a student's knowledge in a particular subject by having her assemble a set of scrambled phrases into a logical order. Initial testing indicates that KNOWLA is reliable, and can be used to measure learning gains. KNOWLA also shows promise as a learning tool.
Intracellular mechanism of immune cell perturbations in burn and trauma

No Abstract. Keywords : injury; trauma; immunology; molecular biology; inflammation Archives of Ibadan Medicine Vol. 7 (1) 2006: 2-5
Intermingled Versus Segregated Housing of Regional Cornell and Regional Red Control in Floor Pens

Abstract Sire families of Regional Cornell White Leghorns (W.L.) and Regional Control Rhode Island Reds (R.I.R.) were housed in floor pens under segregated and intermingled regimes. Breed effects were significant (P
Modeling object classes in aerial images using texture motifs

We propose a canonical model for object classes in aerial images. This model is motivated by the observation that geographic regions of interest are characterized by collections of texture motifs corresponding to the geographic processes that generate them. We show that this model is effective in learning the common texture themes, or motifs, of the object classes.
Self-control and its manifestations among university students: An empirical test of Gottfredson and Hirschi's general theory

This article presents an empirical test of Gottfredson and Hirschi's general theory of crime. Measures of crime equivalents were regressed on a measure of self-control and other relevant independent variables to determine their independent effects. Self-control was found to have the strongest effect.
Large submacular hemorrhages after verteporfin therapy

Abstract Purpose To report the occurrence of large submacular hemorrhages after photodynamic therapy with verteporfin in age-related macular degeneration patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) composed of occult with no classic CNV in whom the hemorrhage precluded determining if additional therapy should be given within 3 months after initiation of treatment. Design Retrospective, noncomparative case series. Methods The records of all age-related macular degeneration patients who received verteporfin therapy for subfoveal lesions composed of occult with no classic CNV between February and July 2001 at The Wilmer Eye Institute were reviewed. Subjects who reported either having undergone a procedure to remove intraocular blood before a month 3 follow-up visit, or who had submacular hemorrhage at the month 3 visit that was severe enough to preclude determining if additional verteporfin therapy should be given were identified. Results Fifty-five eyes of 52 patients were reviewed. Five eyes (9% [95% confidence interval, 1.4%–16.6%]) developed submacular hemorrhage that precluded determining if additional verteporfin therapy should be given. Visual acuity 3 months after documentation of the hemorrhage decreased a median of 8.5 lines compared with pretreatment acuity. Conclusions Even in the absence of acute severe visual acuity decrease, submacular hemorrhage after verteporfin therapy can be associated with severe vision loss and preclude determining if additional therapy should be given.
A Graduate Curriculum Guided by Human Becoming: Journeying with the Possible

Graduate education involves teaching-learning processes and experiences where faculty and students journey with adventure and trepidation all-at-once. In this column, notions regarding graduate education where the educational curriculum is guided by the human becoming school of thought as a conceptual framework are explored. Opportunities and challenges from both faculty and student perspectives are highlighted.
Contrasting emotion-bearing laughter types in multiparticipant vocal activity detection for meetings

The detection of laughter in conversational interaction presents an important challenge in meeting understanding, important primarily because laughter is predictive of the emotional state of participants. We present evidence which suggests that ignoring unvoiced laughter improves the prediction of emotional involvement in collocated speech, making a case for the distinction between voiced and unvoiced laughter during laughter detection. Our experiments show that the exclusion of unvoiced laughter during laughter model training as well as its explicit modeling lead to detection scores for voiced laughter which are much higher than those otherwise obtained for all laughter. Furthermore, duration modeling is shown to be a more effective means of improving precision than interaction modeling through joint-participant decoding. Taken together, the final detection F-scores we present for voiced laughter on our development set comprise a 20% reduction of error, relative to F-scores for all laughter reported in previous work, and 6% and 22% relative reductions in error on two larger datasets unseen during development.
Sintering of Mullite

Despite technological importance, limited information is available on the correlation of major processing variables with the sintering behavior and microstructure development of aluminum silicates containing mullite as the principal phase. Recent studies illustrate the excellent mechanical properties of mullite and the importance of controlled processing in achieving desired properties.1, 2
Spectrophotometry and the Development of Emissions for C/1996 B2 (Comet Hyakutake)

Abstract An analysis of the spectrophotometry of C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake) from 0.55 μm to 1.05 μm recorded between February 17 and April 17, 1996, is presented. We derive Afρ values and production rates of H 2 O, C 2 , NH 2 , and CN. In general we find the Haser model to be substantiated with no inconsistencies for different aperture sizes and different heliocentric and geocentric distances. Comet Hyakutake is the dustiest comet in our database of 39 comets (U. Fink and M. Hicks 1996. Astrophys. J. 459, 729–743) and both the dust and the H 2 O production rates follow a heliocentric dependence of ∼ r −1.5 , lower than the ∼ r −2.5 dependence found for P/Halley by U. Fink (1994. Astrophys. J. 423, 461–472). The Afρ values and the H 2 O production rates track the visual lightcurve quite well. Strong evidence for quenching of OI emissions close to the nucleus was observed in the March data due to the comet's small geocentric distance. While the CN production rate also has a dependence of ∼ r −1.5 with a CN/H 2 O ratio typical of most comets, the C 2 production rate has a much steeper slope, ∼ r −2.5 , and the C 2 /H 2 O ratio evolves from a typical cometary ratio to one that is exceedingly rich in C 2 . We feel that this is evidence for a significant CHON contribution to the overall C 2 production. The NH 2 production is considerably flatter and follows roughly a ∼ r −0.85 law. In February and March, Comet Hyakutake exhibited the highest relative NH 2 abundance of any comet in our database, but reverts to more a normal value in April. All together, we feel that the behavior of the comet's Afρ and production rates throughout its apparition argue for a more primordial comet than may be suggested by the orbital elements alone.
Distributed constrained heuristic search

A model of decentralized problem solving, called distributed constrained heuristic search (DCHS), that provides both structure and focus in individual agent search spaces to optimize decisions in the global space, is presented. The model achieves this by integrating decentralized constraint satisfaction and heuristic search. It is a formalism suitable for describing a large set of distributed artificial intelligence problems. The notion of textures that allow agents to operate in an asynchronous concurrent manner is introduced. The use of textures coupled with distributed asynchronous backjumping, a type of distributed dependency-directed backtracking that the authors have developed, enables agents to instantiate variables in such a way as to substantially reduce backtracking. The approach has been tested experimentally in the domain of decentralized job-shop scheduling. A formulation of distributed job-shop scheduling as a DCHS and experimental results are presented. >
Risk assessment in long QT syndrome: the Achilles heel of appropriate treatment.

How high was the risk in the each of the two subgroups of the “high-risk” patients in this study as determined by outcomes during the follow-up period? Cardiac arrest survivors Fifty-nine percent (10/17) of patients received a total of 169 appropriate and three inappropriate shocks. Of course, it is not known how many of the torsade events would have reverted spontaneously or how many patients would have died without the ICD. Equally important is that 7 of 17 (41%) patients did not require any shocks and apparently were not at high risk during the follow-up period. Patients with syncope while taking -blockers Review of the literature None of the nine patients with prior syncope while taking a -blocker required a shock. They were obviously not at high risk for a serious event. Review of the literature
Inhibition of bacterial adhesion by antibacterial surface pretreatment of vascular prostheses.

Abstract Polytetrafluoroethylene grafts were pretreated with oxacillin, with the cationic detergent benzalkonium, or with both substances, either at room temperature or at 90° C. Inhibition zones ranging from 6.4 to 15.2 mm formed around all grafts incubated on Staphylococcus aureus —streaked agar plates except control disks and those treated with oxacillin. Treated grafts were exposed in vitro to S. aureus in high concentration, followed by distilled water lavage. The graft surface was then stained with ruthenium red to stain polysaccharides and studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Colonization of the graft surface by adhesive bacteria was demonstrated in all cases, although it was less prevalent on grafts pretreated with benzalkonium bound at 90° C. (J VASC SURG 1986;4:16-21.)
Prevascularization of porous biodegradable polymers.

Highly porous biocompatible and biodegradable polymers in the form of cylindrical disks of 13.5 mm diameter were implanted in the mesentery of male syngeneic Fischer rats for a period of 35 days to study the dynamics of tissue ingrowth and the extent of tissue vascularity, and to explore their potential use as substrates for cell transplantation. The advancing fibrovascular tissue was characterized from histological sections of harvested devices by image analysis techniques. The rate of tissue ingrowth increased as the porosity and/or the pore size of the implanted devices increased. The time required for the tissue to fill the device depended on the polymer crystallinity and was smaller for amorphous polymers. The vascularity of the advancing tissue was consistent with time and independent of the biomaterial composition and morphology. Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) devices of 5 mm thickness, 24.5% crystallinity, 83% porosity, and 166 μm median pore diameter were filled by tissue after 25 days. However, the void volume of prevascularized devices (4%) was minimal and not practical for cell transplantation. In contrast, for amporphous PLLA devices of the same dimensions, and the similar porosity of 87% and median pore diameter of 179 μm, the tissue did not fill completely prevascularized devices, and an appreciable percentage (21%) of device volume was still available for cell engraftment after 25 days of implantation. These studies demonstrate the feasibility of creating vascularized templates of amorphous biodegradable polymers for the transplantation of isolated or encapsulated cell populations to regenerate metabolic organs and tissues. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Long‐term response of a Mojave Desert winter annual plant community to a whole‐ecosystem atmospheric CO2 manipulation (FACE)

Desert annuals are a critically important component of desert communities and may be particularly responsive to increasing atmospheric (CO2 ) because of their high potential growth rates and flexible phenology. During the 10-year life of the Nevada Desert FACE (free-air CO2 enrichment) Facility, we evaluated the productivity, reproductive allocation, and community structure of annuals in response to long-term elevated (CO2 ) exposure. The dominant forb and grass species exhibited accelerated phenology, increased size, and higher reproduction at elevated (CO2 ) in a wet El Nino year near the beginning of the experiment. However, a multiyear dry cycle resulted in no increases in productivity or reproductive allocation for the remainder of the experiment. At the community level, early indications of increased dominance of the invasive Bromus rubens at elevated (CO2 ) gave way to an absence of Bromus in the community during a drought cycle, with a resurgence late in the experiment in response to higher rainfall and a corresponding high density of Bromus in a final soil seed bank analysis, particularly at elevated (CO2 ). This long-term experiment resulted in two primary conclusions: (i) elevated (CO2 ) does not increase productivity of annuals in most years; and (ii) relative stimulation of invasive grasses will likely depend on future precipitation, with a wetter climate favoring invasive grasses but currently predicted greater aridity favoring native dicots.
Incorporation of DNA and Protein Precursors into Macromolecules by Bacteria at −15oC

DNA and protein precursors were incorporated into trichloroacetic acid-precipitated material by bacterial cell suspensions during incubation for 50 to 100 days at −15oC. Incorporation did not occur at −70oC and was inhibited by antibiotics. The results demonstrate that bacteria can perform macromolecular synthesis under conditions that mimic entrapment in glacial ice.
Minireview: Transcriptional Regulation of Gonadal Development and Differentiation

The embryonic gonad is undifferentiated in males and females until a critical stage when the sex chromosomes dictate its development as a testis or ovary. This binary developmental process provides a unique opportunity to delineate the molecular pathways that lead to distinctly different tissues. The testis comprises three main cell types: Sertoli cells, Leydig cells, and germ cells. The Sertoli cells and germ cells reside in seminiferous tubules where spermatogenesis occurs. The Leydig cells populate the interstitial compartment and produce testosterone. The ovary also comprises three main cell types: granulosa cells, theca cells, and oocytes. The oocytes are surrounded by granulosa and theca cells in follicles that grow and differentiate during characteristic reproductive cycles. In this review, we summarize the molecular pathways that regulate the distinct differentiation of these cell types in the developing testis and ovary. In particular, we focus on the transcription factors that initiate these cascades. Although most of the early insights into the sex determination pathway were based on human mutations, targeted mutagenesis in mouse models has revealed key roles for genes not anticipated to regulate gonadal development. Defining these molecular pathways provides the foundation for understanding this critical developmental event and provides new insight into the causes of gonadal dysgenesis.
Quantitative BOLD: Mapping of human cerebral deoxygenated blood volume and oxygen extraction fraction: Default state

Since Ogawa et al. (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1990;87:9868-9872) made the fundamental discovery of blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) contrast in MRI, most efforts have been directed toward the study of dynamic BOLD (i.e., temporal changes in the MRI signal during changes in brain activity). However, very little progress has been made in elucidating the nature of BOLD contrast during the resting or baseline state of the brain, which is important for understanding normal human performance because it accounts for most of the enormous energy budget of the brain. It is also crucial for deciphering the consequences of baseline-state impairment by cerebral vascular diseases. The objective of this study was to develop a BOLD MR-based method that allows quantitative evaluation of tissue hemodynamic parameters, such as the blood volume, deoxyhemoglobin concentration, and oxygen extraction fraction (OEF). The proposed method, which we have termed quantitative BOLD (qBOLD), is based on an MR signal model that incorporates prior knowledge about brain tissue composition and considers signals from gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and blood. A 2D gradient-echo sampling of spin-echo (GESSE) pulse sequence is used for the acquisition of the MRI signal. The method is applied to estimate the hemodynamic parameters of the normal human brain in the baseline state.
Association of recent exposure to ambient metals on fractional exhaled nitric oxide in 9–11 year old inner-city children

Exposure to ambient metals in urban environments has been associated with wheeze, and emergency room visits and hospitalizations due to respiratory illness. However, the effect of ambient metals exposure on airway inflammation, and how these associations may be modified by seroatopy, has not been determined. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is a reliable proxy marker of airway inflammation. We hypothesized that recent ambient concentrations of Ni, V, Zn and Fe would be associated differentially with proximal and distal fractions of exhaled NO, and that these associations would be modified by seroatopy. As part of the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) birth cohort study, 9–11 year old children (n = 192) were evaluated. Ambient measures of Ni, V, Zn and Fe were obtained from a local central monitoring site and averaged over 9 days based on three 24 h measures every third day. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) samples were obtained at constant flows of 50 (FENO50), 83 and 100 mL/s, and used to determine surrogate measures for proximal (JNO) and alveolar (Calv) inflammation. Seroatopy was determined by specific IgE at age 7. Data were analyzed using multivariable linear regression. Ambient V and Fe concentrations were associated positively with FENO50 (p = 0.018, p = 0.027). Ambient Fe was associated positively with JNO (p = 0.017). Ambient Ni and V concentrations were associated positively with Calv (p = 0.004, p = 0.018, respectively). A stronger association of Ni concentrations with Calv was observed among the children with seroatopy. These results suggest that ambient metals are associated differentially with different fractions of FENO production, and this relationship may be modified by seroatopy.
The Localism of Bolivian Science Tradition, Policy, and Projects

State-sponsored science and technology projects are increasingly prominent in Bolivia. Evo Morales has implemented a series of new legal and infrastructure programs to foster the growth of these fields because of the promise they hold for fostering Bolivian development using local materials and methods. The content of and justification for these projects differ from those of earlier positivist or desarrollista models. Morales’s emphasis on scientific research is congruent with the preexisting ideological and practical commitments of the Bolivian bioscientific and biomedical community. Because of the localism integral to scientific practice in Bolivia, these research projects are “Bolivian science,” not “science in Bolivia.” Bolivian science challenges common assumptions in the science-studies and philosophy-of-science literature regarding who does science, what the appropriate venues for it are, and how its practice is justified.
Monitoring and Guidance of HIFU Beams with Dual-Mode Ultrasound Arrays

We present experimental results illustrating the unique advantages of dual-mode array (DMUA) systems in monitoring and guidance of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) lesion formation. DMUAs offer a unique paradigm in image-guided surgery; one in which images obtained using the same therapeutic transducer provide feedback for: 1) refocusing the array in the presence of strongly scattering objects, e.g. the ribs, 2) temperature change at the intended location of the HIFU focus, and 3) changes in the echogenicity of the tissue in response to therapeutic HIFU. These forms of feedback have been demonstrated in vitro in preparation for the design and implementation of a real-time system for imaging and therapy with DMUAs. The results clearly demonstrate that DMUA image feedback is spatially accurate and provide sufficient spatial and contrast resolution for identification of high contrast objects like the ribs and significant blood vessels in the path of the HIFU beam.
Language variation and corpus linguistics

: Corpus linguistics deserves serious attention from linguists and applied linguists, since it is of direct relevance to linguistic description, language variation, lexicography, and language education. Linguists tend to be indifferent to corpora, however, as the predominant paradigm in linguistics is based on introspective data, i.e. native speaker intuition. Research has shown that intuitions are not 100 per cent reliable; the notion of ‘core’ grammar needs to be modified to accommodate the systematic differences across registers at all linguistic levels. Moreover, what linguists perceive as significant principles of linguistic organization may not coincide with their distribution in patterns of use. One goal of applied linguistics is to see what correspondences can be established between the two sets, i.e. the set of underlying principles of linguistic organization and the patterns of use of these principles revealed by analyses of corpora. Regrettably, applied linguists have not embraced corpus linguistics any more enthusiastically than formal linguists. Corpus linguistic analyses have their problems, too. This paper examines a set of data from the lexicon and grammar of world Englishes to suggest that a complete reliance on patterns of use may not solve all the problems of language description, study of variation, language instruction, translation, and lexicography. Furthermore, whereas analyses of corpora are effective in revealing dialect variation, they are not of great use in accounting for diatypic variation, i.e. the permanent characteristics of users of language and recurrent features of their language use, which are crucial for understanding human linguistic behavior.
Collective Choice and Community Forestry Management in Mexico: An Empirical Analysis

Abstract Democratic participation has increasingly become a natural resource management policy approach for governments around the world. Yet, its effective application across stakeholder groups remains a challenge. With original survey data from Mexico, a country with extensive common property forestland, we assess the effect of incorporating both local representation and outside technical expertise on forest management. Descriptive statistics show how existing community governance accommodates local management decision-making. The empirical analysis constructs and compares multidimensional indices for rule conformance and forest conditions with measures of local and professional service providers' involvement in community forums. Regression results suggest that active use of these forums for disseminating information and seeking management plan approval improves rule conformance, which, in turn, leads to better forest conditions.
Clofarabine Plus Low-Dose Cytarabine Is as Effective as and Less Toxic Than Intensive Chemotherapy in Elderly AML Patients

Abstract Introduction Most patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) age ≥ 60 years are not offered intensive induction because of high mortality. Phase 2 studies of clofarabine plus low-dose cytarabine (CLDA) as frontline therapy for elderly AML patients demonstrated high response and acceptable toxicity. Patients and Methods We hypothesized that induction therapy with CLDA provides equivalent outcomes to but is less toxic than intensive induction in these patients. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a propensity score-matched comparison of AML patients age ≥ 60 years given induction CLDA versus idarubicin and cytarabine (IA). Ninety-five patients in both groups were matched according to their propensity score. Results We did not observe statistically significant differences in response, overall survival, or mortality rate between the two induction regimens. However, CLDA produced significantly fewer grade 3 or worse toxicities (46% for CLDA vs. 62% for IA; P = .03). Furthermore, among responders, the median response duration was significantly longer with CLDA when we censored patients who underwent stem cell transplantation (15.9 months for CLDA vs. 7.0 months for IA; P = .033). Conclusion Compared with intensive induction, CLDA offers equivalent responses and survival but less toxicity in clinically well-matched cohorts of elderly AML patients. Prospective randomized trials to confirm these findings are warranted.
Cultural Dynamics and the Development of the Oneota Life-Way in Wisconsin

An evolutionary and ecological approach is used in an attempt to define the causes and motivations involved in the process of Oneota development in Wisconsin. A primary thesis of this paper is that the Oneota life-way emerged from a Woodland base modified in the direction of the Mississippian pattern. The rapid appearance of a qualitatively distinctive pattern of socio-political organization, the multi-band or "tribal," is thought to be responsible in part for the difficulty in tracing this development. It is suggested that this level of integration became firmly established as the dominant socio-political structure throughout the northeastern United States by A.D. 1100-1200. Early Oneota settlements (A.D. 900-1300) are then contrasted to late Oneota settlements (A.D. 1300-1600) in Wisconsin and a difference in cultural ecological adaptation is suggested. Examples of organizational change in other cultures are briefly illustrated to suggest that the pattern of development may be at least in part recurrent.
Diagnostic pitfalls in soft tissue pathology

This lecture will focus on commonly encountered traps which may mislead pathologists when interpreting soft tissue lesions. These have been selected to reflect issues raised most frequently in consultation cases, based mainly on either over- or under-interpretation of morphological or immunohistochemical findings. Key themes include awareness of natural history (e.g., an inappropriate clinical context for a given diagnosis), benign lesions often mistaken for malignant (e.g., cellular benign fibrous histiocytoma, cellular schwannoma or lipomas with microscopic fat necrosis), malignant lesions easily mistaken as benign (e.g., low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma and solitary fibrous tumour) and misinterpretation of immunohistochemical stains (e.g., use of needlessly broad panels, excessive antigen retrieval, mistaken assumptions regarding specificity and speculative but unvalidated use of biomarkers to distinguish benign from malignant).
Preparation-morphology-performance relationships in cobalt aerogels as supercapacitors.

The ability to direct the morphology of cobalt sol–gel materials by using the simple synthetic parameters in epoxide-driven polycondensations has been dramatically demonstrated, and the influence of such morphological differences upon the supercapacity of the materials has been explored. Precursor salt, epoxide, and solvent all influence the speed of the sol–gel transition and the size and shape of the features observed in the as-prepared materials, thereby leading to highly varied microstructures including spheres, sponge-like networks, and plate assemblies of varied size. These morphological features of the as-prepared cobalt aerogels were observed for the first time by high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM). The as-prepared aerogel materials were identified by powder X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetry as weakly crystalline or amorphous cobalt basic salts with the general formula Co(OH)2–nXn where X = Cl or NO3 according to the precursor salt used in the synthesis. For all samples, the...
A Species of Endogone from Corn Causing Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhiza

An Endogone causing vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza has been found on corn in Illinois. The species is similar to the unnamed Endogone reported by Mosse from strawberry in England. Extra-matrical c...
ULV Particle Size Deposition on Immature Greenhouse Whiteflies

A scanning electron microscope procedure was used to determine which spray particle sizes deposit effectively on immatures of Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) following ULV applications by 2 different application techniques. Spray application techniques which maximize use of machine airblast to create air circulation within the foliage caused deposit of larger spray particles (i.e., allowed a larger portion of the spray particle size output to deposit successfully) on the immature stages. An optimum spray particle size of 15–25 µm (mass median diam) is supported for ULV applications in greenhouse floriculture.
An analysis of the prescriptions of anti-infective agents used in our hospital in the year of 2005

Objective:To analyze the practical application of anti-infection agents in our hospital and evaluate the rationality of its practical application.Methods:The prescriptions in 4 days were randomly picked out with their utility ratio calculated.It was with the method of DDDs that the application of anti-infection agents in the hospital in 2005 was collected and statistically analyzed, and the rationality of application evaluated.(Results:) Distribution sum of the anti-infection agents took up 55.73% of the total sum of the prescriptions.The utility ratio of prescriptions was 50.66%,of which the utility ratio of combination of two medicines was 60.61% and the utility ratio of combined three medicines 2.38%.Penicillium medicine took up 44.76% of anti-infection agents DDDs,cephalosporin medicines 25.88%,macrolides medicines 6.72% and anti-virus agents 12.89%.Conclusions: The variety of anti-infection medicines were in accordance with the physical development of children and the causes of diseases,but the utility ratio of prescriptions was a little higher than regular requirements.
Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Optic Pathway Gliomas

Optic pathway gliomas (OPGs) are low-grade neoplasm of the precortical visual pathway commonly associated with neurofibromatosis type 1. Although these tumors rarely threaten life, up to half of affected children will undergo visual acuity loss that cannot be corrected with refractive lenses. Given the variability in clinical course and the importance of visual function in the treatment of OPG, advanced magnetic resonance (MR) techniques that help identify early vision loss or predict future dysfunction would be important in the management of OPG. In this article, we review the clinical features and management of OPGs and discuss recent advances in MR imaging (MRI) applicable to OPGs, including MR spectroscopy, diffusion-weighted imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, MR perfusion imaging, and MR fingerprinting. If these techniques can be used to help inform clinical decision making, MRI may provide a fast and noninvasive method to help guide clinical practice.
Humoral factor(s) in hypertensive rats trophic for cultured aortic smooth muscle cells.

Humoral factors in one-kidney, one-clip (1K,1C) hypertension in rats increase growth of smooth muscle cells cultured from rat arteries. To further characterize the plasma factor or factors involved...
Lewis Acid Catalysis with Cationic Dinuclear Gold(II,II) and Gold(III,III) Phosphorus Ylide Complexes

The dinuclear gold(II,II) and gold(III,III) complexes [Au2(μ-PY)2(MeCN)2]OTf2 (2-OTf2) and [Au2(μ-PY)2(μ-CH2)(MeCN)2]OTf2 (3-OTf2) (PY = [(CH2)2PPh2]−) have been synthesized and evaluated as Lewis acid catalysts for Mukaiyama addition and alkyne hydroamination reactions. 2-OTf2 and 3-OTf2 provide similar or improved catalytic activity for these reactions compared to the commonly used gold(I) Lewis acids Ph3PAuOTf and IPrAuOTf. The versatile Lewis acidity of 2-OTf2 was further demonstrated by its superior performance in a cascade reaction involving intramolecular hydroamination followed by intermolecular conjugate addition to generate a 2,3-substituted indole.
Experimental Models of Cortical Malformations

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses various aspects of experimental models of cortical malformations. Malformations of cortical development such as hemimegalencephaly, lissencephaly, and polymicrogyria are important causes of mental retardation and epilepsy. X-linked lissencephaly and subcortical band heterotopia (XLIS) is a striking malformation syndrome that causes SBH in heterozygous (carrier) females and classical lissencephaly in hemizygous males. The Bilateral periventricular nodular heterotopia (BPNH) gene has been mapped to chromosome Xq28 in several of the multiplex families, but has not been cloned. Cobblestone lissencephaly is an unusual brain malformation characterized by agyria, pachygyria, or even polymicrogyria with a pebbled surface, white matter abnormalities, enlarged ventricles, and some other abnormalities such as hypoplasia of the brain stem and cerebellum. The gene has been mapped to a small region in chromosome 9q31 by linkage disequilibrium in Japanese families. The autosomal recessive mouse mutant reeler causes tremors, impaired motor coordination, and ataxia in affected mice. The gene responsible for the reeler phenotype was recently isolated and the protein product was named reelin. It is suggested that reelin serves as a neuron-to-matrix adhesion molecule that provides an extracellular cue to migrating neuroblasts to promote early organization of the cortex.
Infinite Classes of Cyclic Steiner Quadruple Systems

A Steiner quadruple system of order n is said to be cyclic if it has an n-cycle as an automorphism. Infinite classes of Steiner quadruple systems are established by exploiting the structure of PGL(2, q ) (the projective linear group) for various prime powers q. Other recent results are surveyed and the known spectrum of cyclic Steiner quadruple systems for small orders is established. Several new systems are included in this discussion.
Construct Validation of a Program to Increase Use of Self-regulation for Physical Activity among Overweight and Obese Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Studies have revealed that overweight adults with type 2 diabetes have low rates of physical activity and are resistant to change. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to use construct validation of intervention methods to examine the impact of a 4-week behavioral intervention on the use of self-regulation skills for physical activity among overweight and obese adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: This study used a randomized control group design with pre- and posttesting. A 4-session theory-based intervention focused on applied, experienced-based assignments to encourage the use of self-regulation strategies. Results: The intervention produced statistically significant increases in the use of the following self-regulation skills: self-monitoring, goal setting, self-reward, social support, time management, and overcoming barriers. Translation to Health Education Practice: Health Educators can employ experience-based intervention to increase the use of self-regulation skills ...
Instructional Design Models

This chapter presents information about the role of models used for instructional design. While heuristics provide broad references for approaching instructional design, specific applications of procedures necessary to actually develop teaching and learning materials require more defined models. The purpose here is to promote a better understanding about the appropriate utilization of instructional design models. Instruction is posited here as including both teaching and learning, and that teaching and learning are inextricably connected with regard to the construction of knowledge and skills. Since the first appearance of instructional design models in the 1960s there has been an ever-increasing number of models published in both the instructional technology and other education literature based on the assumptions that instruction includes both teaching and learning. While there are hundreds of instructional design models, there have been only a few major distinctions among them, until recently. Still, instructional design models provide conceptual tools to visualize, direct, and manage processes for creating high-quality teaching and learning materials. The proper selection of instructional design models assists us in appropriately matching the right process with the right situation. Thus, instructional design models serve as a valuable source for matching the right creative process to the right design situation as well as an effective framework for conducting instructional design research.
Design and Performance Data on a Laboratory Size Liquid Nitrogen Plant

The need for a simple laboratory size liquid nitrogen generator is increasing rapidly as more and more organizations enter the cryogenic field, and research efforts in low-temperature applications increase. Arthur D. Little, Inc. has developed for the North American Philips Company, Inc. a compact liquid nitrogen plant employing as its source of refrigeration the Norelco gas liquefier.
Perineuronal Nets in the Adult Sensory Cortex Are Necessary for Fear Learning

Lattice-like structures known as perineuronal nets (PNNs) are key components of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Once fully crystallized by adulthood, they are largely stable throughout life. Contrary to previous reports that PNNs inhibit processes involving plasticity, here we report that the dynamic regulation of PNN expression in the adult auditory cortex is vital for fear learning and consolidation in response to pure tones. Specifically, after first confirming the necessity of auditory cortical activity for fear learning and consolidation, we observed that mRNA levels of key proteoglycan components of PNNs were enhanced 4 hr after fear conditioning but were no longer different from the control groups 24 hr later. A similar pattern of regulation was observed in numbers of cells surrounded by PNNs and area occupied by them in the auditory cortex. Finally, the removal of auditory cortex PNNs resulted in a deficit in fear learning and consolidation.
The Economics of Water Management to Reduce Waterlogging

Abstract Drainage, groundwater withdrawals and altered irrigation practices are among the techniques for reducing waterlogging problems resulting from inefficient water use. However, these corrective measures are often not adopted since the private costs incurred by the individual operator quite often exceed the private benefits. Net social benefits are likely to be positive, so collective action may be appropriate. The overall objective of this paper is to develop an integrated approach combining both economic and physical considerations in order to evaluate possible collective alternative approaches to relieving waterlogging problems. Using survey data from the San Luis Valley, this paper presents a recursive linear programming model that includes both uncertainty and capital constraints. This model incorporates a weekly short-run water allocation model and a simplified water balance model of the groundwater to form a complete simulation model. The model was run using 20 years of historical climatological data to represent the long-run effects of policies which might be undertaken by the water users or by the Colorado State Engineer. Policy alternatives modeled include: investment in canal lining, total conversion to sprinkler irrigation, various restrictions on groundwater pumpage, and a modified quota-market system. A comparison of the economic and physical results of these simulated alternatives is made and policy recommendations are suggested
Specific loss of protein kinase activities in senescent erythrocytes

Rabbit erythrocytes of progressively increasing age were isolated using an avidin-biotin affinity technique and the activity of protein kinases and other enzymes was analyzed in cytosols and membranes from the isolated cells. The activities of cytosolic protein kinase C (PKC), cAMP-dependent kinase (PKA), and casein kinase type I and II (CKI and II) were all found to undergo an age-dependent decrease of twofold to fourfold over the 8-week lifespan of the cells. Membrane-associated tyrosine kinase showed little or no decrease, but membrane-associated CKI showed a dramatic eightfold decrease over the 8-week period. By contrast, various cytosolic enzymes, including lactate dehydrogenase, phosphoglycerate kinase, pyruvate kinase, and acid phosphatase, showed no change in activity over the same time period. Density-separated human erythrocytes showed qualitatively similar decreases in cytosolic protein kinase activities in the densest fractions, which contain the oldest cells. Our results show that aging erythrocytes undergo progressive loss of protein kinases that may adversely affect various cellular processes. The age-dependent loss of kinase activity reported here is one of the most striking manifestations of erythrocyte senescence yet to be reported.
The Practice and Implications of Finding Fluid During Point-of-Care Ultrasonography: A Review.

Importance Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) is an increasingly affordable and portable technology that is an important part of 21st-century medicine. When appropriately used, POCUS has the potential to expedite diagnosis and improve procedural success and safety. POCUS is now being adopted in medical education as early as the first year of medical school. While potentially powerful and versatile, POCUS is a user-dependent technology that has not been formalized or standardized yet within internal medicine residency training programs. Physicians and residency directors are trying to determine whether to incorporate POCUS, and if so, how. In this systematic review, basic concepts and applications of POCUS are examined, as are issues surrounding training and implementation. Observations A key use of POCUS is to detect fluid, and this is a cornerstone of POCUS teaching. Even in inexperienced hands, POCUS has shown to be more sensitive and specific than physical examination for conditions such as ascites, pleural effusion, and pericardial effusion. Detecting fluid requires a basic understanding of ultrasonography operation, sonographic anatomy, and probe orientation. Once fluid is localized, ultrasonographic guidance can increase success and decrease complications of common procedures such as thoracentesis or paracentesis. Conclusions and Relevance POCUS can augment physical examination and procedural efficacy but requires appropriate education and program setup. As POCUS continues to spread, internal medicine physicians need to clarify how they intend to use this technology. Equipment is now increasingly accessible, but programs need to determine how to allocate time and resources to training, clinical use, and quality assurance. Programs that develop robust implementation processes that establish proper scope of practice and include quality assurance that use image archival and feedback can ensure POCUS will positively impact patient care across hospital systems.
Big Data in Public Health: Terminology, Machine Learning, and Privacy.

The digital world is generating data at a staggering and still increasing rate. While these “big data” have unlocked novel opportunities to understand public health, they hold still greater potential for research and practice. This review explores several key issues that have arisen around big data. First, we propose a taxonomy of sources of big data to clarify terminology and identify threads common across some subtypes of big data. Next, we consider common public health research and practice uses for big data, including surveillance, hypothesis-generating research, and causal inference, while exploring the role that machine learning may play in each use. We then consider the ethical implications of the big data revolution with particular emphasis on maintaining appropriate care for privacy in a world in which technology is rapidly changing social norms regarding the need for (and even the meaning of ) privacy. Finally, we make suggestions regarding structuring teams and training to succeed in working wi...
Behind the Scenes of Clean Energy: The Environmental Footprint of Rare Earth Products

Critical to the functionality of energy efficient lighting, off-shore wind turbines, and electric vehicles are rare earth (RE)-containing phosphors and magnets. With an increase in the market penetration of these clean energy technologies, demand for RE-containing components is expected to grow. However, the production of rare earth elements (REEs) has an adverse impact on the environment. Existing literature provides some information on the environmental impacts but often fails to give a detailed production pathway that can be modeled without preexisting knowledge of life cycle analysis (LCA) or a dedicated LCA software. In this study, life cycle inventories were compiled based on representative production pathways in China using facility-level energy/material data. Phosphors and magnets using REEs from monazite/bastnasite deposits in Bayan Obo as well as ion-adsorption clays from China’s southern provinces are covered. Analysis of inventory data shows that electricity requirements and emissions to water...