cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LEWIS ACID‐BASE THEORY APPLIED TO GLASS

According to the Lewis theory of acids and bases, glass formers, such as SiO2, B2O3, P2O5, BeF2, GeS2, etc., may be classified as acids because they are electron-pair acceptors in glass reactions and the modifiers, Na2O, CaO, NaF, Na2S, etc., are bases because they are electron-pair donors; Al2O3, Fe2O3, BeO, MgO, ZnO, etc., the intermediates, may be classified as amphoteric.
Analysis of mosquito genome structure using graphical genotyping

Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers provide effective tools for establishing the genotype at many loci for individual mosquitoes. RFLP genotypes can be organized to provide information concerning parental origin or the allelic configuration of various chromosome segments. Whole genome genotypic information for individuals can be represented in a simple graphic format, termed graphical genotyping. In this study, RFLP markers were used to demonstrate the utility of using graphical genotyping to easily and quickly evaluate the entire genome of the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Two substrains selected for susceptibility and refractoriness, from a strain highly susceptible to the filarial worm parasite Brugia malayi, were compared. Graphical genotyping provided a mechanism to rapidly evaluate genome structure both within and between the two substrains with a simple visual analysis. This information was used in related studies to identify a new locus influencing B. malayi susceptibility in A. aegypti. Graphical genotyping also provided perspectives on some features of genome structure in A. aegypti. It suggested the presence and location of a genetic lethal on chromosome 3 and possible inversion polymorphisms associated with each of the three A. aegypti chromosomes.
Informal Reading Inventories and ELL Students

With the increasing amount of testing taking place in classrooms, teachers may question how appropriate those assessments are for the growing numbers of English language learners (ELLs) in the United States. One of the assessment options for classroom teachers is the informal reading inventory (IRI), which is the most frequently used assessment tool for all students. Because of disagreement regarding the reliability and validity of IRIs for use with native English speakers, teachers should exercise greater caution when using them with ELLs, both in choosing the specific IRI and in interpreting the results based on the influence of students' accents on word pronunciations, familiarity with culturally specific content, the kinds of questions asked, and the relevance to classroom instruction and to students' culture. In addition, teachers should evaluate students' reading ability using several measures rather than a single assessment. Other informal assessments are available for use with ELLs.
FOLDING-DEPENDENT BINDING OF THYROTROPIN (TSH) AND TSH RECEPTOR AUTOANTIBODIES TO THE MURINE TSH RECEPTOR ECTODOMAIN

The mouse TSH receptor ectodomain (mTSHR-ecd) was amplified from murine thyroid complementary DNA and ligated into the pAcGP67B insect cell vector, and the nucleotide sequence was confirmed. Employing a baculovirus-insect cell system, the mTSHR-ecd (amino acids 22–415) was expressed as a fusion protein with the gp67 insect cell signal sequence at the NH2-terminus and a C-terminal six-histidine tag. Protein expression was assessed by Western blot using a murine monoclonal antibody (recognizing amino acids 22–35) and a rabbit antipeptide antibody (recognizing amino acids 397–415). These antibodies detected two principal species of mTSHR-ecd, one glycosylated (66 kDa) and one nonglycosylated (52 kDa), in cell lysates of infected insect cells. More than 10% of these species were present in a water-soluble (cytosolic) fraction. This fraction was then used to purify, under native conditions, 100-μg amounts of mTSHR-ecd using nickel-nitrilo-triacetic (Ni-NTA) resin chromatography. The purified cytosolic mTSHR-ec...
Autonomic regulation of a chloride current in heart

In isolated heart cells, beta-adrenergic receptor stimulation induced a background current that was suppressed by simultaneous muscarinic receptor stimulation. Direct activation of adenylate cyclase with forskolin also elicited this current, suggesting regulation by adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP). This current could be recorded when sodium, calcium, and potassium currents were eliminated by channel antagonists or by ion substitution. Alteration of the chloride equilibrium potential produced changes in the reversal potential expected for a chloride current. Activation of this chloride current modulated action potential duration and altered the resting membrane potential in a chloride gradient-dependent manner.
Acute changes in left ventricular diastolic function: cigarette smoking versus nicotine gum.

University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona; *Departments of Internal Medicine, Divisions of Cardiology, East Carolina University Br odySchool of Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina, USASummaryBackground: Echocardiographic evidence of diastolic dys-function has been demonstrated during acute cigarette smok-ing in patients with coronary artery disease. Similar studies inhealthy patients have shown conflicting results. Furthermore,it is unclear whether nicotine or some other cigarette-relatedsubstance is responsible for these observations. Hypothesis: The purpose of the study was to confirm or re-fute acute effects of cigarette smoking on diastolic function inhealthy patients and to compare diastolic effects of a cigaretteto smokeless nicotine delivery (nicotine gum).Methods: In all, 27 healthy volunteers were self-assignedinto one of two cohorts. A baseline echocardiogram was per-formed in all patients. The first cohort proceeded to smoke acigarette and the second to chew a piece of nicotine gum. With-in minutes after exposure, another echocardiogram was per-formed. Traditional measures of diastolic function were com-pared before and after substance exposure by paired t-tests. Results: The cigarette cohort showed echocardiographicevidence of diastolic dysfunction after smoking. The E:A ratio(time integral) decreased from 2.95 to 2.22 (p<0.002). Atrialreversal pulmonary velocity, atrial reversal duration, and colorflow propagation all showed statistically significant alterations(p<0.05). The nicotine gum cohort showed no change in tra-ditional diastolic parameters. Conclusions: Diastolic function is impaired during acuteexposure to cigarette smoke but unchanged after exposure tonicotine gum. It is therefore unlikely that nicotine alone is re-sponsible for cigarette-induced acute diastolic dysfunction. Key words: cigarette smoking, diastolic function, Dopplerechocardiography, nicotineIntroductionIn clinical practice, smokers often complain of decreasedexercise tolerance. Often, the cardiovascular and pulmonarywork-up fails to show significant disease. Since diastolic func-tion is a major component of exercise tolerance, it follows thatcigarette exposure may affect diastolic function in these pa-tients. Previous studies have demonstrated a relationship be-tween cigarette smoking and acute echocardiographic evi-dence of diastolic dysfunction in patients with coronarydisease.
Folding in Human Telomerase RNA Pseudoknots: Kinetic and Thermodynamic Studies via Single-Molecule FRET

Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein (RPN) responsible for maintaining the ends of linear eukaryotic chromosomes and has serious implications for both aging and cancer. The single RNA component of the RNP enzyme has a highly conserved pseudoknot motif that is critical for proper biological function. Single-Molecule Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (smFRET) microscopy is used to investigate the folding kinetics and thermodynamics of a minimal wild-type (WT) pseudoknot construct. Urea is used in conjunction with the smFRET experiments to: (i) aid in determination of the kinetic and thermodynamics parameters and (ii) develop a qualitative picture for the folding landscape. These results are compared and contrasted to the results of a nearly identical RNA construct with a 2 nt substitution mutation associated with the genetic disorder dyskeratosis congentia (DKC). As expected, the WT RNA construct (ΔG°WT = −4.2 ± 0.2 kcal/mol) is substantially more stable than the DKC construct (ΔG°DKC = 0.26 ± 0.05 kcal/mol]. The kinetic origin of this differential stability is the result of a substantially increased folding rate constant (∼400 times faster) for the WT and a subtle reduction of the unfolding rate constant (∼5 times slower).View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide
Observation of period multiplication and instability in a dc glow discharge.

The temporal dynamics in the fluctuations of the plasma floating potentials from an undriven dc glow discharge argon plasma at an intermediate gas pressure of 250 mTorr and at the range of discharge currents I=6-50 mA are investigated. In this study, the discharge current I is used as the plasma system's bifurcation parameter in analogy with the parameter space of a numerical dynamical system. Over several regions of the discharge current, the floating potential fluctuation time series data has been indicative of random noise, periodic oscillations, and irregular fluctuations. As the bifurcation parameter (discharge current) is increased, the Fourier spectrum of the data shows increased signs of period multiplication, quasiperiodicity, and instabilities. In addition, the computations of the correlation dimension provide some insight into the complex nature of the instabilities in the glow discharge plasma.
Instantons - how significant numerically at short distances?☆

Abstract It is attempted to calculate the instanton effects in the hadronic cross section of e+e− annihilation, the magnetic form factor of quark, and the potential of heavy quark-antiquark by expanding the quark-instanton interaction in the dilute gas limit.
Endophthalmitis associated with extrusion of a ganciclovir implant

Abstract PURPOSE: To report a case of endophthalmitis with associated scleral defect after intravitreal positioning of a ganciclovir implant. METHOD: Interventional case report. A 39-year-old woman developed acute endophthalmitis 1 month after insertion of a ganciclovir implant. The eye was enucleated. RESULTS: Pathologic examination of the enucleated globe revealed an intrascleral location of the implant suture tab and a vitreous abscess. CONCLUSION: Intraocular infection resulted from a scleral gap containing a foreign body (surgical implant). Appropriate surgical techniques should minimize the risk of ganciclovir implant extrusion.
The fate of several migrant genes in isolated populations of Drosophila melanogaster

Sepia-eyed flies carrying the slow electrophoretic variant of either Est-6 or Adh were introduced in low numbers and at infrequent intervals into populations of wildtype flies (+ se /+ se ) that were also homozygous for the fast moving variant of either Est-6 (50 populations) or Adh (50 populations). After 24 generations, the frequency of the sepia alleles was approximately 25%, although there was considerable variation from population to population. The fate of the Est-6 slow allele corresponded closely to that of sepia (which is located ten map units distant), although one population retained the slow allozyme variant but rejected sepia. The Adh slow allele was also retained by many populations. A number of them retained Adh-S but not sepia, and vice versa; these loci are on different chromosomes. The advantage of sepia heterozygotes was estimated to be about twice that of wildtype homozygotes. The data suggest that the selective advantage resides not with the sepia locus itself, but with a nearby chromosomal region.
A novel lithography technique for formation of large areas of uniform nanostructures

With nanotechnology becoming widely used, many applications such as plasmonics, sensors, storage devices, solar cells, nano-filtration and artificial kidneys require the structures with large areas of uniform periodic nanopatterns. Most of the current nano-manufacturing techniques, including photolithography, electron-beam lithography, and focal ion beam milling, are either slow or expensive to be applied into the areas. Here, we demonstrate an alternative and novel lithography technique - Nanosphere Photolithography (NSP) - that generates a large area of highly uniform periodic nanoholes or nanoposts by utilizing the monolayer of hexagonally close packed (HCP) silica microspheres as super-lenses on top of photoresist. The size of the nanopatterns generated is almost independent of the sphere sizes and hence extremely uniform patterns can be obtained. We demonstrate that the method can produce hexagonally packed arrays of hole of sub-250 nm size in positive photoresist using a conventional exposure system with a broadband UV source centered at 400 nm. We also show a large area of highly uniform gold nanoholes (~180 nm) and nanoposts (~300nm) array with the period of 1 μm fabricated by the combination of lift-off and NSP. The process is not limited to gold. Similar structures have been shown with aluminum and silicon dioxide layer. The period and size of the structures can also be tuned by changing proper parameters. The technique applying self-assembled and focusing properties of micro-/nano-spheres into photolithography establishes a new paradigm for mask-less photolithography technique, allowing rapid and economical creation of large areas of periodic nanostructures with a high throughput.
Reaper eliminates IAP proteins through stimulated IAP degradation and generalized translational inhibition.

Reaper eliminates IAP proteins through stimulated IAP degradation and generalized translational inhibition
Evaluation of Individuals With Pulmonary Nodules: When Is It Lung Cancer?: Diagnosis and Management of Lung Cancer, 3rd ed: American College of Chest Physicians Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines

Objectives The objective of this article is to update previous evidence-based recommendations for evaluation and management of individuals with solid pulmonary nodules and to generate new recommendations for those with nonsolid nodules. Methods We updated prior literature reviews, synthesized evidence, and formulated recommendations by using the methods described in the "Methodology for Development of Guidelines for Lung Cancer" in the American College of Chest Physicians Lung Cancer Guidelines, 3rd ed. Results We formulated recommendations for evaluating solid pulmonary nodules that measure > 8 mm in diameter, solid nodules that measure ≤ 8 mm in diameter, and subsolid nodules. The recommendations stress the value of assessing the probability of malignancy, the utility of imaging tests, the need to weigh the benefits and harms of different management strategies (nonsurgical biopsy, surgical resection, and surveillance with chest CT imaging), and the importance of eliciting patient preferences. Conclusions Individuals with pulmonary nodules should be evaluated and managed by estimating the probability of malignancy, performing imaging tests to better characterize the lesions, evaluating the risks associated with various management alternatives, and eliciting their preferences for management.
Development of an Educational Small Scale Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) Setup

In this paper, development of an educational small scale hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) learning module is discussed. The module is comprised of all the key components of an actual HEV that have been scaled down to provide an ideal test platform to evaluate and study hybrid power trains as well as simulate both electric and HEV systems. The test platform consists of low cost off-the-shelf RC parts controlled by Arduino microcontroller boards. LabVIEW is used as an interface to interact with the user, allowing power flow and energy analysis while simulating different drive cycles.
Dynamic security regions of power systems

A method for deriving dynamic security regions of power systems is developed. A power system operating state is defined to be dynamically secure with respect to a given disturbance if the system, starting in that state maintains transient stability after experiencing the disturbance. Specifically, these are regions of prefault angles such that the post-fault system is asymptotically stable. The proposed approach is to construct affine approximations to the nonlinearities in the transient stability model and then derive quadratic bounds on the errors between the nonlinearities and their approximation. These are then used to derive sufficient conditions for a polytope of operating states to be dynamically secure.
Reversing the Trend of Engineering Enrollment Declines With Innovative Outreach, Recruiting, and Retention Programs

This paper discusses an all-encompassing approach to increase the number of students in engineering through innovative outreach, recruiting, and retention programs. Prior to adopting these programs, the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at the University of Oklahoma (OU), Norman, experienced a reduction in engineering enrollment similar to the trend that has occurred across the U.S. over the last few years. As a result, the school investigated the key factors that influence selection of engineering as a career path and initiated a corrective program to reverse this trend. The program involves focusing on the present through retention, on the immediate future through recruiting, and on the distant future through outreach. The focus of all of these programs is to mobilize the OU-ECE faculty and student body to present advanced engineering technologies, innovative demonstrations, and hands-on activities at a level that the individual student can understand and appreciate. Student surveys and interviews are used to assess the program qualitatively, and OU-ECE enrollment numbers are used as a quantitative assessment.
Are Colombian Street Children Neglected? The Contributions of Ethnographic and Ethnohistorical Approaches to the Study of Children

Data from ethnographic notes, ethnohistorical documents, and standardized tests given to Colombian street children illustrated that the children functioned with adequate mental health. Using cross-cultural comparisons, including North American “runaways,” it was shown that street children lived as nomadic entertainers in a politically volatile sedentary society. They were abused by society because they challenged the concept of “family” depicted by the dominant social class. Adolescence was shown to be a developmental period defined by historical and societal phenomena.
Potential for Collaborative Writing in Professional Communication and Health Studies Through Service-Learning

Two professors teaching in professional writing and health studies have incorporated service-learning projects into their courses and included similar writing goals. Though employing different meth...
Deformation from Inflation of a Dipping Finite Prolate Spheroid in an Elastic Half‐Space as a Model for Volcanic Stressing

Exact analytic expressions are given for the deformation field resulting from inflation of a finite prolate spheroidal cavity in an infinite elastic medium. The field is equivalent to that generated by a parabolic distribution of double forces and centers of dilatation along the spheroid generator. Approximate, but quite accurate, solutions for a dipping spheroid in an elastic half-space are found using the half-space double force and center of dilatation solutions. We compare results of the surface deformation field with those generated by the point source ellipsoidal model of Davis (1986). In the far field both models give identical results. In the near field the finite model must be used to calculate displacements and stresses within the medium. We also test the limits of applicability of the finite model as it approaches the surface by comparing the surface displacement field from a vertical spheroid with that calculated from the finite element method. We find the model gives a satisfactory approximation to the finite element results when the minimum radius of curvature of the upper surface is less than or equal to its depth beneath the free surface. Comparison of surface displacements generated by the point and finite element models gives good agreement, provided this criterion is satisfied. We have used the finite model to invert deformation data from Kilauea volcano, Hawaii. The results, which compare favorably with those obtained from the point ellipsoid model, can be used to estimate the distribution of stresses within the volcano in the near field of the source.
A neurologic etiology for tracheomalacia

To date, major works on tracheomalacia have assumed a structural etiology and have proposed therapies as such. We describe a possible neurologic etiology for tracheomalacia in a child with clinically significant tracheomalacia that resolved in synchrony with each treatment of his recurring hydrocephalus. Endoscopy confirms remarkable expansion of tracheal diameter 7 days after decreasing intracranial pressure. The possibility of a neurologic etiology for tracheomalacia casts this condition in a new light with potential therapeutic implications.
Mineralogy and Water Quality Parameters in Rill Erosion of Clay–Sand Mixtures

Accuracy of the prediction of rill erodibility can be improved, in part, through an increased understanding of soil variables controlling particle detachment. To test the hypothesis that rill erodibility of clay-sand mixtures increases (i) as the dominant clay mineral changes from montmorillonite to illite to kaolinite, (ii) as total salt in the eroding fluid decreases, and (iii) when Ca is replaced by Na, concentrated flow erosion tests were conducted by mini-flume test procedures. Chelsea fine sand was mixed with 2 to 20% (w/w) Ca or Na forms of either kaolinite, illite, or montmorillonite, and water to a moisture potential of -490 Pa. Rill erodibility of Ca-montmorillonitesand mixtures was 4 to 40 times less than for Ca-illite-sand and Ca-kaolinite-sand mixtures. Na-montmorillonite-sand mixtures were one-half as erodible as Ca-montmorillonite, while Na-kaolinite and Na-illite were 3 to 25 times as erodible as their Ca forms. Decreasing salt concentration of the eroding fluid from 0.01 to 0.001 M in all cases decreased the critical shear stress value on average 0.8 Pa. Decreasing the salt concentration from 0.1 to 0.001 M had no effect on the erodibility of Ca-kaolinite and Na-montmorillonite, but increased the erodibility of Ca-illite and Ca-montmorillonite. The erodibility of clay-soil mixtures decreased from 9.6 to 0.04 ms m -1 as the water holding capacity of the clay in the mixture increased from 0.2 to 6.9 g g - and appears to be related to the effective surface area of the clay.
Distributed monitoring of conditional entropy for anomaly detection in streams

In this work we consider the problem of monitoring information streams for anomalies in a scalable and efficient manner. We study the problem in the context of network streams where the problem has received significant attention.
Productive inventory and case/agreement contingencies: a methodological note on Rispoli (1999).

Rispoli (1999) suggests that previous studies arguing for a contingency between the case of subject pronouns and the presence/absence of verbal agreement in the acquisition of English (e.g. Schutze, 1997) suffer from methodological problems, and presents new data that fail to support earlier findings. I show that Rispoli's methodology unnecessarily biases his study against finding the predicted contingencies: it fails to take account of children's productive lexical inventory of pronoun forms. As a result, syntactic versus morphological sources of error fail to be distinguished. I explain why this distinction is crucial within the AGR/Tense Omission Model, and clarify its predictions.
Biomimetic magnesium-carbonate-apatite nanocrystals endowed with strontium ions as anti-osteoporotic trigger.

Abstract The present work investigates the preparation of biomimetic nanocrystalline apatites co-substituted with Mg, CO 3 and Sr to be used as starting materials for the development of nanostructured bio-devices for regeneration of osteoporotic bone. Biological-like amounts of Mg and CO 3 ions were inserted in the apatite structure to mimic the composition of bone apatite, whereas the addition of increasing quantities of Sr ions, from 0 up to 12 wt.%, as anti-osteoporotic agent, was evaluated. The chemical–physical features, the morphology, the degradation rates, the ion release kinetics as well as the in vitro bioactivity of the as-prepared apatites were fully evaluated. The results indicated that the incorporation of 12 wt.% of Sr can be viewed as a threshold for the structural stability of Mg–CO 3 -apatite. Indeed, incorporation of lower quantity of Sr did not induce considerable variations in the chemical structure of Mg–CO 3 -apatite, while when the Sr doping extent reached 12 wt.%, a dramatically destabilizing effect was detected on the crystal structure thus yielding alteration of the symmetry and distortion of the PO 4 . As a consequence, this apatite exhibited the fastest degradation kinetic and the highest amount of Sr ions released when tested in physiological conditions. In this respect, the surface crystallization of new calcium phosphate phase when immersed in physiological-like solution occurred by different mechanisms and extents due to the different structural chemistry of the variously doped apatites. Nevertheless, all the apatites synthesized in this work exhibited in vitro bioactivity demonstrating their potential use to develop biomedical devices with anti-osteoporotic functionality.
Demystifying the Chemistry Literature: Building Information Literacy in First-Year Chemistry Students through Student-Centered Learning and Experiment Design

This paper describes curriculum modules developed for first-year general chemistry laboratory courses that use scientific literature and creative experiment design to build information literacy in a student-centered learning environment. Two curriculum units are discussed: Exploring Scientific Literature and Design Your Own General Chemistry Laboratory Experiment. The modules sequentially develop and expand upon students’ chemical literacy, including the use of scientific literature to support experiment design. Student success is dependent on developing and using information literacy in service to critical thinking and practical analytical problem solving. A longitudinal study of students participating in this project surveyed self-assessed attitudes and beliefs. Initial findings suggest that introducing the scientific literature and building information literacy skills in first-year chemistry courses provide immediate and long-term benefits to student performance and engagement in the sciences. Course m...
Autism spectrum disorders: an update on oral health management.

Abstract Dental professionals caring for patients with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will need to provide oral health care based on a family-centered approach that involves a comprehensive understanding of parental concerns and preferences, as well as the unique medical management, behaviors, and needs of the individual patient. Background With the rising prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), oral health providers will find themselves increasingly likely to care for these patients in their daily practice. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive update on the medical and oral health management of patients with autism spectrum disorders. Methods The authors conducted a literature review by searching for relevant articles written in English in the PubMed database pertaining to the medical and oral health management of autism, including caries status, preventive, behavioral, trauma, and restorative considerations. Conclusions A detailed family centered approach based on parental preferences and concerns, the patient's challenging behaviors, and related comorbidities can serve to improve the treatment planning and oral health management of dental patients with ASD.
Unfolding a Curved Elastic Sheet

A curved elastic sheet is flattened on a rigid flat plate by vertical end forces. The problem is governed by a non-dimensional parameter, B, which signifies the relative importance of flexural rigidity to the applied force and the natural radius. The elastica equations are solved by elliptic functions, perturbation for small B, and numerical integration. Force-displacement characteristics and sheet configurations are found. The results may be applied to sandwiched leaf springs.
The effects of polyploidy on life span of Didymium iridis

Abstract The life spans of Didymium iridis plasmodia, representing isogenic ploidal series, decrease with increasing ploidy levels. Polyploid nuclei, especially 8 N and above, are unstable and rapidly decrease in nuclear size. The survivors of this process reach a stable diploid to tetraploid level which they maintain until the start of programmed senescence. The termination of the life span is then accomplished by a distinct senescent phase which is characterized by progressively increasing nuclear size.
Optical method for inspecting surface defects inside a small bore

Most automotive powertrain parts made of castings have surface defects such as pores. However, detecting pores inside small diameter bores is a challenge because of the limited dimensional accessibility. Adding to this difficulty is the auto industry's desire to conduct the porosity inspection in-line, i.e. within the machining production cycle time of a part. A technique or equipment that meets these requirements currently does not exist. In order to meet these demands, it is necessary to develop an entire new methodology to inspect the inner surface of small diameter bores. This paper presents an innovative methodology to inspect the porosity of the inner surface of small bores and to provide their characteristics such as size and location. A prototype measurement system was built and tested in the lab. Experimental results showed the proposed method to be reliable and consistent.
Automated finger spelling by highly realistic 3D animation

We present the design of a new 3D animation tool for self-teaching (signing and reading) finger spelling—the first basic component in learning any sign language. We have designed a highly realistic hand with natural animation of the finger motions. Smoothness of motion (in real time) is achieved via programmable blending of animation segments. The hand is utilised by a programmed that automatically converts text to finger spelling with controllable playback speed and playback views. The programme can be operated in two modes for two basic applications: learning to read (finger spelling) and learning to sign. For both modes, multi-sided views are provided. In addition, for the signing mode, a mirror view is provided for the common technique of using a mirror for feedback in practising finger spelling. An additional view revealing the joint structure of the hand allows the signer to practise the subjective view without having to guess the position of the fingers. This is the first example of highly realistic 3D animation that can be used practically to teach a basic aspect of sign language. The method is applicable more generally to sign language, and this finger-spelling application should be regarded as a first step toward the extension of highly realistic 3D animation to sign language in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Inoculation of basidiomycetes into mice: tissue reaction and survival of fungi in tissues.

Summary Culture suspensions of ten species of Basidiomycetes were inoculated intravenously, intraperitoneally, and subcutaneously into mice. Tissue lesions were observed in lungs, omentum, and skin after one and two months, and fungi were viable in the tissue up to two months after inoculation. Fungus cells undoubtedly spread from the site of inoculation or from the lungs, but the dissemination of the organism was not confirmed histologically. Zusammenfassung Kultursuspensionen von 10 Basidiomyceten wurden intravenos, intraperitoneal und subkutan in Mause injiziert. Gewebelasionen wurden in den Lungen, im Omentum und an der riant nach einem und zwei Monaten beobachtet. Die Pilze waren im Gewebe bis zu zwei Monaten nach der Infektion lebensfahig. Zweifellos breiteten sich Pilzzellen vom Okulationsort oder von den Lungen aus, aber die Verbreitung dieser Organismen wurde histologisch nicht bestatigt.
The Great Child-Care Experiment What Are the Lessons for School Improvement?

Child-care settings provide a national laboratory for testing questions related to parental choice in K-12 schooling. Operating in open-market conditions with little oversight by the government, the child-care field embodies many of the organizational characteristics advocated under certain school choice models. In fact, parents’ general satisfaction with child care suggests that they are unlikely to act as major catalysts of K-12 reform. Their definitions of excellence in child care are somewhat at odds with professional bench-marks, and their procedures for investigating child-care organizations are often cursory. The national child-care experiment also illustrates the tensions between crafting educational remedies at the local level and tightening the technology of teaching through bureaucratic oversight.
Effects of nitrate on in vivo nitrate reductase activity of seedlings from three open-pollinated families of Robinia pseudoacacia

In vivo NO5 reductase activity (NRA) was determined in eightand nine-week-old nodulated seedlings from three open-pollinated families of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) that were grown in sand culture and fertilized with 0,0.5, 1.0, 5.0, or 15.0 mM NO?. Nitrate reductase activity was induced by NO?. Unlike many temperate legumes, enzymatic activity was typically much higher in leaves than in roots. This may have energetic ramifications because of the potentially lower energy costs of NOT reduction in leaves than in roots.
Inducible bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue elicited by a protein cage nanoparticle enhances protection in mice against diverse respiratory viruses.

Background Destruction of the architectural and subsequently the functional integrity of the lung following pulmonary viral infections is attributable to both the extent of pathogen replication and to the host-generated inflammation associated with the recruitment of immune responses. The presence of antigenically disparate pulmonary viruses and the emergence of novel viruses assures the recurrence of lung damage with infection and resolution of each primary viral infection. Thus, there is a need to develop safe broad spectrum immunoprophylactic strategies capable of enhancing protective immune responses in the lung but which limits immune-mediated lung damage. The immunoprophylactic strategy described here utilizes a protein cage nanoparticle (PCN) to significantly accelerate clearance of diverse respiratory viruses after primary infection and also results in a host immune response that causes less lung damage.
A nanoparticle-coated chemiresistor array as a microscale gas chromatograph detector for explosive marker compounds: flow rate and temperature effects

The effects of flow rate and temperature on the performance of a microscale gas chromatographic (μGC) detector consisting of a chemiresistor (CR) array coated with different thiolate-monolayer-protected gold nanoparticles (MPNs) are described with respect to the analysis of three gas-phase markers of the explosive trinitrotoluene (TNT): 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT), 2,6-dinitrotoluene (2,6-DNT), and 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane (DMNB). In chamber tests, sensors were stable at 70 °C for several days in air, with <2% sensitivity drift per day and virtually no change in the array response patterns. In tests with a conventional upstream GC column, increasing the array temperature from 55–80 °C (1.2 mL min−1) led to similar (i.e., 4–6.6-fold) decreases in sensitivity, increases in the limits of detection (LODs), and increases in (estimated) chromatographic resolution. Increasing the flow rate from 1.1–3.7 mL min−1 (70 °C) led to ∼1.3–2-fold decreases in sensitivity and LOD for 2,4-DNT and 2,6-DNT, a ∼2-fold net increase in LOD for DMNB (passes through a maximum), and a <2-fold increase in resolution. Results indicate that the rates of desorption of the marker vapors out of the MPN films are important determinants of observed trends. With Si-micromachined focuser/injector and separation column devices placed upstream of a CR array held at 70 °C, a mixture of the two primary markers, 2,4-DNT and DMNB, and four similarly volatile alkane interferents was separated in 1.5 min at 3 mL min−1.
Supportive care needs of cancer patients: A literature review

Objective: This review of the research literature explored the supportive care needs of cancer patients of varying ages and genders at varying stages of cancer treatment. Method: We conducted a search of online databases of peer-reviewed studies published in the English language between 2009 and 2014. Results: This paper reviews research studies that explored the supportive care needs of cancer patients through focus groups, surveys, and interviews. The samples addressed varied in age, ethnicity, and gender. Significance of Results: One major need identified was the requirement of informational support. Other essential needs included emotional, spiritual, and financial support. Supportive care can be administered in various ways—for example, by religious communities or caregivers as well as providers. However, healthcare providers must recognize the supportive care needs of their patients and incorporate effective resources and interventions into treatment plans.
Validation of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) in Women with Female Orgasmic Disorder and in Women with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

The Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI; Rosen et al., 2000) is a self-report measure of sexual functioning that has been validated on a clinically diagnosed sample of women with female sexual arousal disorder. The present investigation extended the validation of the FSFI to include women with a primary clinical diagnosis of female orgasmic disorder (FOD; n = 71) or hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD; n = 44). Internal consistency and divergent validity of the FSFI were within the acceptable range for these populations of women. Significant differences between women with FOD and controls and between women with HSDD and controls were noted for each of the FSFI domain and total scores.
An extensible, modular architecture for simulating urban development, transportation, and environmental impacts

UrbanSim simulates the development of urban areas, including land use, transportation, and environmental impacts, over periods of 20 or more years. Its purpose is to aid urban planners, residents, and elected officials in evaluating the long-term results of alternate plans, particularly as they relate to such issues as housing, business and economic development, sprawl, open space, traffic congestion, and resource consumption. From a software perspective, it is a large, complex, system, with heavy demands for excellent space efficiency and support for software evolution. It consists of a collection of models that represent different urban actors and processes, an object store that holds the state of the simulated urban environment, a model coordinator that schedules models to run and notifies them when data of interest has changed, and a translation and aggregation layer that performs a range of data conversions to mediate between the object store and the models. The paper concludes with a discussion of the lessons learned regarding software architecture to support rapid evolution within the field of urban simulation.
A study of self‐actualization and self‐concept in intellectually gifted students

The self-actualization and self-concept of 368 intellectually gifted students in grades 4 through 12 from a rural school district in a southern state were investigated using the Reflections of Self by Youth (ROSY; Schatz & Buckmaster, 1981), the Maslowian Scale (Falk, Bard, Duffy, Grieco, & Markus, 1988), and the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale (Piers & Harris, 1969). School level and gender had significant effects on the ROSY. The mean for students at the high school level was higher than at either the elementary or junior high school level. The mean for girls was higher than for boys. A significant interaction between school level and gender was observed only on the Psychological subscale of the Maslowian Scale. The ROSY and Self-actualization subscale and Total score of the Maslowian Scale were significantly related to the Piers-Harris. The ROSY and the Maslowian Scale were found to share a significant relationship (r = .51).
Timing jitter in dispersion-managed soliton systems with distributed, lumped, and hybrid amplification

We analyze the role of distributed amplification in controlling timing jitter in dispersion-managed soliton systems and discuss, using analytical and numerical techniques, how timing jitter is reduced by up to a factor of two when lumped amplification is replaced by complete or partial distributed amplification. We derive an analytical expression for the timing jitter at any position within the fiber link in the case of ideal distributed amplification for which losses are exactly compensated by gain at every point. We show that the timing jitter is well approximated by this formula in the case of erbium-based amplification. We derive a similar expression for the timing jitter for lumped amplifiers and compare it with the case of distributed amplification. We find that with erbium-based distributed amplification, timing jitter depends on the density of dopants and is smaller for lower densities. In the case of hybrid Raman amplification, the transmission distance of a 40-Gb/s system can be increased by up to 30% depending on the amount of Raman gain. Finally, we show that timing jitter decreases for stronger maps at a given bit rate (constant minimum pulsewidth).
Validity in mixed methods research in education: the application of Habermas' critical theory

ABSTRACTMixed methods approach has developed into the third methodological movement in educational research. Validity in mixed methods research as an important issue, however, has not been examined as extensively as that of quantitative and qualitative research. Additionally, the previous discussions of validity in mixed methods research focus on research design and procedure, rather than validity per se. This paper presents another perspective by using philosophical and methodological insights generated from Habermas’ critical theory, especially his Theory of Communicative Action and validity claims. Theoretical assumptions and how they are consistent with principles of mixed methods research are introduced. Three types of validity claims are explained with an example and how they are applied to understanding validity in mixed methods research is further discussed. This paper concludes with implications for educational research and future directions.
Urinary citrate levels do not correlate with urinary pH in patients with urinary stone formation.

Objectives Urinary excretion of citrate is dependent on glomerular filtration, tubular reabsorption, and excretion. Acid base status is thought to play a significant role in urinary citrate excretion. It has been assumed that increased urinary citrate will increase urinary pH. The aim of this study was to confirm the association of increased urinary citrate levels with increased urinary pH. Methods The 24-hour urine collections of all patients with stones referred to our clinic in the past 4 years were reviewed. The samples were collected and analyzed for routine stone risk profiles by a commercial laboratory (Litholink, Chicago, Ill). The Student t test and analysis of variance were used to compare the mean values as applicable. Pearson’s correlations were also calculated for each variable. Results A total of 572 patients had at least one 24-hour urine sample from the past 4 years. The mean urinary citrate was 305 mg/day. The mean urinary pH of all patients was 6.14. Statistical evaluation of all patients showed no correlation between urinary citrate and pH (r = −0.04, P = 0.36). In a subset of patients with urinary potassium greater than 100 mEq/day (n = 100), urinary citrate and urinary pH were both increased; however, there was still no correlation between the two (r = 0.011, P = 0.806). Conclusions Despite the current dogma that increasing urinary citrate increases urinary pH, in a cohort of patients with urinary stone formation who provided 24-hour urine specimens, no correlation was found between urinary citrate and urinary pH levels.
Ethylene hydrogenation catalysis on Pt(111) single-crystal surfaces studied by using mass spectrometry and in situ infrared absorption spectroscopy

Abstract The catalytic hydrogenation of ethylene promoted by a Pt(111) single crystal was studied by using a ultrahigh-vacuum surface-science instrument equipped with a so-called high-pressure cell. Kinetic data were acquired continuously during the catalytic conversion of atmospheric-pressure mixtures of ethylene and hydrogen by using mass spectrometry while simultaneously characterizing the surface species in operando mode by reflection–absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS). Many observations reported in previous studies of this system were corroborated, including the presence of adsorbed alkylidyne intermediates during the reaction and the zero-order dependence of the rate of hydrogenation on the pressure of ethylene. In addition, the high quality of the kinetic data, which could be recorded continuously versus time and processed to calculate time-dependent turnover frequencies (TOFs), afforded a more detailed analysis of the mechanism. Specifically, deuterium labeling could be used to estimate the extent of isotope scrambling reached with mixed-isotope-substituted reactants (C 2 H 4 + D 2 and C 2 D 4 + H 2 ). Perhaps the most important new observation from this work is that, although extensive H-D exchange takes place on ethylene before being fully converted to ethane, the average stoichiometry of the final product retains the expected stoichiometry of the gas mixture, that is, four regular hydrogen atoms and two deuteriums per ethane molecule in the case of the experiments with C 2 H 4 + D 2 . This means that no hydrogen atoms are removed from the surface via their inter-recombination to produce X 2 (X = H or D). It is concluded that, under catalytic conditions, hydrogen surface recombination is much slower than ethylene hydrogenation and H-D exchange.
A Code for Cross-Modal Working Memory.

In this issue of Neuron, Vergara et al. (2016) report that neurons in the pre-supplementary motor area represent the frequency of tactile and auditory stimuli held in working memory. Single neurons encode both types of information by using the same representation for both modalities.
An Operator calculus having applications in quantum electrodynamics

An alteration in the notation used to indicate the order of operation of noncommuting quantities is suggested. Instead of the order being defined by the position on the paper, an ordering subscript is introduced so that AsBs′ means AB or BA depending on whether s exceeds s′ or vice versa. Then As can be handled as though it were an ordinary numerical function of s. An increase in ease of manipulating some operator expressions results. Connection to the theory of functionals is discussed in an appendix. Illustrative applications to quantum mechanics are made. In quantum electrodynamics it permits a simple formal understanding of the interrelation of the various present day theoretical formulations. The operator expression of the Dirac equation is related to the author's previous description of positrons. An attempt is made to interpret the operator ordering parameter in this case as a fifth coordinate variable in an extended Dirac equation. Fock's parametrization, discussed in an appendix, seems to be easier to interpret. In the last section a summary of the numerical constants appearing in formulas for transition probabilities is given.