cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SIDS IN UTAH

In Utah, the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) continues to be the leading cause of death in infants from one month to one year. 1982 statistics showed 175 post neonatal deaths with 82 attributed to SIDS. Although the cause of SIDS has been speculated, no single etiology or predictive factor has been determined. To identify which babies may be at risk, Utah SIDS counselors in 1977 began documenting demographic and epidemiological factors of each case they followed. This information was entered into the Dept. of Health's computer. In 1982, the State SIDS Program began a review of the first 5 yrs. data. Of 366 cases documented, 245 were males and 118 were females, a ratio consistent with most published studies. Sixty-four percent of SIDS deaths occurred in metropolitan areas in Utah. As previously reported by Standfast, there was a striking association between SIDS and cold weather. November, with 43 (11.7%) SIDS deaths, was Utah's peak month rather than January, as in other states. The average age of 12.8 wks. followed the national trend of 2-4 months. Mothers' ages ranged from 15-39 yrs. with the most frequent age being 21. One-hundred sixty-two cases (44.5%) of the infants had a cold or sniffles two weeks prior to death while 87 of the mothers had pregnancy complications. Of the cases reported, 81 (21.7%) were breast-fed at the time of death which supported evidence that breast-fed babies were not protected from SIDS. Although we found some variations in major risk factors, we conclude that Utah SIDS victims are similar to SIDS victims elsewhere.
PVT properties of concentrated aqueous electrolytes. III. Volume changes for mixing the major sea salts at I=1.0 and 3.0 at 25°C

The densities of mixtures of the six possible combinatons of the major sea salts (NaCl, Na2SO4, MgSO4, and MgCl2) were determined at constant ionic strengths of I=1.0 and I=3.0 at 25°C. The results are used to determine the volume changes for mixing (ΔVm) the major sea salts. The values of ΔVm were fit to equations of the form ΔVm where yi is the molal ionic strength fraction of solute i, and υ0 and υ1 are parameters related to the interaction of like-charged ions. The cross-square rule was found to hold at both ionic strengths. Density estimates were made without and with the addition of volume of mixing terms to Young's Rule and compared to the experimental values. The densities calculated with the addition of volume of mixing terms gave better estimates, demonstrating that the densities of concentrated brines can be more accurately estimated using ΔVm terms. The equations of Reilly and Wood which include the cross-square rule were used to estimate the densities of the cross mixtures (NaCl−MgSO4 and MgCl2−Na2SO4). The estimated densities agree with the measured values to within ±30 ppm at I=1.0 and ±125 ppm at I=3.0.
Comprehensive timeline of mesodermal development in the quail small intestine

Background: To generate the mature intestine, splanchnic mesoderm diversifies into six different tissue layers each with multiple cell types through concurrent and complex morphogenetic events. Hindering the progress of research in the field is the lack of a detailed description of the fundamental morphological changes that constitute development of the intestinal mesoderm. Results: We used immunofluorescence and morphometric analyses of wild-type and Tg(tie1:H2B-eYFP) quail embryos to establish a comprehensive timeline of mesodermal development in the avian intestine. The following landmark features were analyzed from appearance of the intestinal primordium through generation of the definitive structure: radial compartment formation, basement membrane dynamics, mesothelial differentiation, mesenchymal expansion and growth patterns, smooth muscle differentiation, and maturation of the vasculature. In this way, structural relationships between mesodermal components were identified over time. Conclusions: This integrated analysis presents a roadmap for investigators and clinicians to evaluate diverse experimental data obtained at individual stages of intestinal development within the longitudinal context of intestinal morphogenesis. Developmental Dynamics 241:1678–1694, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals,Inc.
Postoperative radiation therapy for endometrial cancer: Where do we go from here?

The history of radiation therapy (RT) in the treatment of endometrial cancer has truly evolved. Beginning in the 1930s, endometrial cancer was treated with preoperative RT followed by surgery. In the 1970s, advocates for surgical staging initiated the first endometrial cancer staging studies by the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG), leading to identification of prognostic factors for treatment. In 1988, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) revised staging of endometrial cancer from a clinically staged malignancy to a surgically staged disease. While primary RT was still used for medically inoperable patients, postoperative RT, based on the information derived from surgical staging, became the standard. Postoperative RT was then recommended to women with intermediate-to-high risk of recurrence based on pathologic features as well as to women with advanced disease. Recently, several randomized clinical trials have addressed the use of postoperative pelvic RT for early-stage cancers. The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) convened a committee and in this journal presents their evaluation of the data from these trials to provide evidence-based guidelines for adjuvant radiation in the treatment of women with endometrial cancer. 1 The ASTRO guidelines recognize that the data from the literature do not support an overall survival benefit to postoperative RT in all patients. However, reduction in local recurrence has been well established. The present guidelines advocate for either no postoperative RT or the use of vaginal brachytherapy in the majority of women with early-stage endometrial cancer. The guidelines also recognize the value of RT in women with more advanced disease in order to control recurrence in the pelvis which cause many symptoms such as vaginal bleeding and pelvic pain, and can dramatically affect a patient's health-related quality of life. The Society of Gynecologic Oncology's (SGO) Clinical Practice Committee has also reviewed and formulated recommendations for women with endometrial cancer. The ASTRO guidelines are nicely aligned with the SGO's recommendations for treatment. Both groups' recommendations emphasize the use of vaginal brachytherapy as effective postoperative treatment in obtaining locoregional control with fewer adverse effects and improved quality of life. The limited recommendation for the use of external beam RT (EBRT) is important given recent studies demonstrating the late effects of pelvic RT, especially in young women. Investigators from the Norwegian Radium Hospital have recently provided 40year follow-up data from their randomized trial for early endometrial cancer. 2 Although the study represents an unplanned retrospective analysis without calculation of disease-specific overall survival, a decreased survival and increased risk of secondary malignancy in women less
A note on the empirical effectiveness of formal fiscal restraints

Abstract An important agrument in the current debate over European monetary integration is that a monetary union requires formal fiscal restraints limiting individual member states' budgetary powers to reduce the common monetary authority's risk of having to bail out insolvent member governments. This note presents empirical evidence on the effectiveness of fiscal restraints on state budgets in the United States. Nonparametric tests reveal that fiscal restraints significantly affect the probability of fiscal choices and performance, without however preventing extreme outcomes. Fiscal restraints induce substitution of nonrestricted for restricted debt instruments.
Geographic variability in amoeboid protists and other microbial groups in the water column of the lower Hudson River Estuary (New York, USA)

Abstract In comparison to other groups of planktonic microorganisms, relatively little is known about the role of amoeboid protists (amebas) in planktonic ecosystems. This study describes the first geographic survey of the abundance and biomass of amebas in an estuarine water column. Samples collected in the lower Hudson River Estuary were used to investigate relationships between ameba abundance and biomass and hydrographic variables (temperature, salinity, and turbidity), water depth (surface and near bottom), distance from mid-channel to shore, phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll fluorescence) and the occurrence of other heterotrophic microbial groups (heterotrophic bacteria, nanoflagellates, and ciliates) in the plankton. Although salinity increased significantly towards the mouth of the estuary, there were no significant differences in the abundance or biomass of any microbial group in surface samples collected at three stations separated by 44 km along the estuary's mid-channel. Peak biomass values for all microbial groups were found at the station closest to shore, however, cross-channel trends in microbial abundance and biomass were not statistically significant. Although ameba abundance and biomass in most samples were low compared to other microbial groups, clear patterns in ameba distribution were nevertheless found. Unlike other microbial groups examined, ameba numbers and biomass greatly increased in near bottom water compared to surface samples. Ameba abundance and biomass (in surface samples) were also strongly related to increasing turbidity. The different relationships of ameba abundance and biomass with turbidity suggest a rising contribution of large amebas in microbial communities of the Hudson estuary when turbidity increases. These results, emphasizing the importance of particle concentration as attachment and feeding surfaces for amebas, will help identify the environmental conditions when amebas are most likely to contribute significantly to estuarine bacterivory and C-flux.
Middle School Choices for Bilingual Latino/A Youth: When the Magnet School Represents “Status” and the Neighborhood School Represents “Solidarity”

Drawing on data collected during the second year of a longitudinal qualitative study that followed over 10 Latino/a bilingual students, this article foregrounds the experiences of participants during their sixth-grade year. The principle data sources included structured and unstructured interviews with teachers and students, school observations, and weekly small-group conversations in a courtyard outside of their classrooms. We focus on the experiences of Leila, Maricela, and Esperanza who were three of the sixth-grade girls actively recruited by their teachers to attend the district’s magnet school program for their upcoming seventh grade-year instead of their neighborhood middle school. We found that much of the reasoning behind their decision-making process centered around issues of status (e.g., how the magnet school offered better academic, economic, and professional opportunities for their future) and solidarity (e.g., attending the neighborhood school with their friends and siblings). In conclusion, we problematize the very nature of these so-called educational ‘choices’ for bilingual Latino/a youth.
Regional distribution of neuropeptide processing endopeptidases in adult rat brain

Abstract Many peptide hormone and neuropeptide precursors undergo post-translational processing at mono- and/or dibasic residues. An enzymatic activity capable of processing prodynorphin at a monobasic processing site designated ‘dynorphin converting enzyme’ has been previously reported in rat brain and bovine pituitary. In this study the distribution of dynorphin converting enzyme activity in ten regions of rat brain has been compared with the distribution of subtilisin-like processing enzymes and with the immuno-reactive dynorphin peptides. The distribution of dynorphin converting enzyme activity generally matches the distribution of immuno-reactive dynorphin B-13 in most but not all brain regions. The regions that are known to have a relatively large number of immuno-reactive dynorphin-neurons also contain high levels of dynorphin converting enzyme activity. The distribution of dynorphin converting enzyme activity does not match the distribution of subtilisin-like processing enzyme or carboxypeptidase E activities. Taken together the data support the possibility that the dynorphin converting enzyme is involved in the maturation of dynorphin, as well as other neuropeptides, and peptide hormones.
Paths of entry into alcoholics anonymous: consequences for participation and remission.

: Background: This study compared individuals with alcohol use disorders who, in the first year after initiating help-seeking, entered Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) only, entered professional treatment and AA together, or entered professional treatment only Methods: A sample of initially untreated individuals (N= 362) was surveyed at baseline and 1 year, 3 years, 8 years, and 16 years later. At each contact point, participants described their participation in AA and treatment and their current alcohol-related functioning. They also described their reasons for entering AA and/or treatment and the perceived benefits of these sources of help Results: Compared with individuals who initially participated only in treatment but later entered AA, those who entered treatment and AA together participated in AA longer and more frequently and were more likely to achieve remission. Among individuals who initially participated only in AA, those who later entered treatment had poorer remission outcomes than those who did not enter treatment. Longer duration of participation in AA was associated with a higher likelihood of remission at all four follow-ups; individuals who dropped out of AA were more likely to relapse or remain nonremitted. Conclusions: Compared with individuals who participated only in professional treatment in the first year after they initiated help-seeking, individuals who participated in both treatment and AA were more likely to achieve remission. Individuals who entered treatment but delayed participation in AA did not appear to obtain any additional benefit from AA.
A Critical Assessment of Using Children to Participate Actively in Hostilities in Lubanga Child Soldiers and Direct Participation

The first judgment of the International Criminal Court, delivered on 9 March 2012, raises a pivotal and equally controversial issue of what constitutes ‘active participation in hostilities’ for the purpose of the child solider offences under the Rome Statute in the case against Thomas Lubanga Dyilo. The Majority (Judge Fulford and Judge Blattmann) adopted a broad definition of the notion of ‘active’ participation and the Minority (Judge Benito) an even more ample one. This was achieved by distinguishing between ‘active participation in hostilities’ and ‘direct participation in hostilities’ and by recourse to the travaux preparatoires of the Rome Statute and to human rights norms. The purpose of this contribution is to demonstrate that the meaning of ‘active participation in hostilities’ under Articles 8(2)(b)(xxvi) and 8(2)(e)(vii) of the Rome Statute is not ambiguous or obscure, but is the same as that of ‘direct participation in hostilities’ under international humanitarian law. Recourse to supplementary means of interpretation by the Trial Chamber, be it to the travaux preparatoires, or to human rights norms, was unnecessary and misguided. The contribution will also draw some conclusions on how criminal liability before the ICC may be excluded for Articles 8(2)(b)(xxvi) or 8(2)(e)(vii) of the Rome Statute on the basis of the broad definition adopted by the Trial Chamber of the notion of ‘active participation in hostilities’ and will discuss other consequences arising from the judgement at hand.
Using model-based assurance to strengthen diagnostic procedures

In previous work we described Diagnostic Tree for Verification (DTV), a partially automated software engineering technique by which diagnostic trees generated from system models are used to help check out diagnostic procedures. Diagnostic procedures are instructions used to isolate failures during operations. Assuring such procedures manually is time-consuming and costly. This paper reports our recent experience in applying DTV to diagnostic procedures for lighting failures in NASA's Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU), a prototype for astronauts' living quarters. DTV identified missing and inconsistent instructions, as well as more-efficient sequences of diagnostic steps. Unexpectedly, the most significant benefit was finding assumptions that will not remain true as the system evolves. We describe both the challenges faced in applying DTV and how its independent perspective helped in assuring the procedures' adequacy and quality. Finally, the paper discusses more generally how software systems that are model-based, rapidly evolving and safety-critical appear most likely to benefit from this approach.
Double Inclusion Model for Multifunctional Piezoelectric Composites

A new approach to predict the electroelastic properties of multiphase piezoelectric composites is proposed and its validity is demonstrated on a new form of piezoelectric fiber composite (PFC). PFCs are a group of materials recently developed in order to overcome the fragile nature of monolithic piezoceramic materials. Several PFC designs have been developed; however, because the electrodes are generally separate from the piezoelectric fiber they can be difficult to embed into the composite. This limitation has typically left these materials as surface-bonded sensor or actuators that are generally separate from the structure. If the fibers are embedded they provide little strength to the composite due to their low tensile modulus compared with traditional reinforcements. To avoid the limitations associated with current PFCs, a novel active structural fiber (ASF) was developed that can be embedded in a composite material to perform sensing and actuation, in addition to providing load bearing functionality [1]. Currently only a one dimensional model has been developed to predict the effective longitudinal piezoelectric coupling coefficient of the ASF and a lamina incorporating the fiber. In order to fully understand the electroelastic properties of the material, this paper will introduce a three dimensional micromechanics model to estimate the effective electroelastic properties of the multifunctional composites with different design parameters. The three dimensional model is formulated by extending the double inclusion model to multiphase composites with piezoelectric constituents. The double inclusion model is modified by applying the principles used to adapt the Mori-Tanaka model for two phase piezoelectric composites, which has been shown to be very accurate for two phase materials. The double inclusion model has been chosen for the ASF studied here because it is designed to model composites reinforced by inclusions with multi-layer coatings. The accuracy of our extended double inclusion model will be evaluated through a three dimensional finite element analysis (FEA) on a representative volume element (RVE) of the ASF composite. The results will demonstrate that the micromechanics model developed here can very accurately predict the electroelastic properties of the multifunctional composites.
Jurgen Habermas "What is universal pragmatics?"

One of the most difficult tasks for any professional communicator is identifying and negotiating the political shoals in an organization. In his essay "What is universal pragmatics?" Habermas (1979) describes a broad, universal concept of pragmatics (the study of language use in a specific situation), one that is useful for analyzing how power affects organizational communication. By exploiting the sociological aspect of Habermas' universal pragmatics, communicators can use his theory to understand how power affects communication in the workplace. I briefly describe Habermas' theory, modify his theory to relate more specifically to communication in an organization, and provide a brief example illustrating the theory's usefulness.
Masculinity, condom use self-efficacy and abusive responses to condom negotiation: the case for HIV prevention for heterosexual African-American men

Background This study explored the role of masculinity and perceived condom use skills in African-American men’s abusive response to female partners’ condom requests. Methods: Eighty African-American men aged 18–29 years completed measures on sexual behaviour, responses to condom requests, condom use self-efficacy and other masculine constructs. Men also were tested for sexually transmissible infections. Results: Men’s condom use self-efficacy explained 16.5% of the variance in abusive response to condom requests, beyond demographics and masculine constructs. The full model accounted for 63% of the variance. Conclusions: Many HIV interventions with women encourage condom negotiation. Findings highlight the need to address men’s condom use skills and masculine norms.
Tonic Changes in EEG Power Spectra during Simulated Driving

Electroencephalographic (EEG) correlates of driving performance were studied using an event-related lane-departure paradigm. High-density EEG data were analyzed using independent component analysis (ICA) and Fourier analysis. Across subjects and sessions, when reaction time to lane-departure events increased, several clusters of independent component activities in the occipital, posterior parietal, and middle temporal cortex showed tonic power increases in the delta, theta, and alpha bands. The strongest of these tonic power increases occurred in the alpha band in the occipital and parietal regions. Other independent component clusters in the somatomotor and frontal regions showed less or no significant increase in all frequency bands as RT increased. This study demonstrates additional evidence of the close and specific links between cortical brain activities (via changes in EEG spectral power) and performance (reaction time) during sustained-attention tasks. These results may also provide insights into the development of human-computer interfaces for countermeasures for drowsy driving.
Measurement of the B0 and B+ meson masses from B0→ψ(′)KS0 and B+→ψ(′)K+ decays

Using a sample of 9.6x10{sup 6}BB(bar sign) meson pairs collected with the CLEO detector, we have fully reconstructed 135 B{sup 0}{yields}{psi}{sup (')} K{sub S}{sup 0} and 526 B{sup +}{yields}{psi}{sup (')}K{sup +} candidates with very low background. We fitted the {psi}{sup (')}K invariant mass distributions of these B meson candidates and measured the masses of the neutral and charged B mesons to be M(B{sup 0})=5279.1{+-}0.7[stat]{+-}0.3[ syst] MeV/c{sup 2} and M(B{sup +})=5279.1{+-}0.4[stat]{+-}0.4[ syst] MeV/c{sup 2}. The precision is a significant improvement over previous measurements. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
Organizational Conflict in Public Bureaus A Model

This study examines the direct, indirect, and common-cause effects of three organizational attributes of public bureaus-size, specialization, and centralization of authority-on lateral and vertical...
Using a relational database as an index to a distributed object database in engineering design systems

A description is given of a pragmatic architecture for engineering design systems that divides the databases of those systems into a relational database and an object-oriented database. In the architecture, the relational database is used to find designs in the object database, and the object database is used to support the concurrent editing of designs by multiple users and processes on networks of workstations. The architecture has the advantage of allowing the relational database to concentrate on providing fast indexing methods to find designs, and allowing the object database to concentrate on providing good concurrency and version control tools for design editing. The authors describe the two-part architecture, give classifications for the types of data that can be extracted from the object database and put into the relational database, and give formulas that can be used to quantify the size of the relational database. >
Some features of the volcanic sequence in the Cascade Range in Oregon

The following is a condensed version of part of report on geology and ore-deposits of Cascade Range in Oregon in preparation; it is published by permission of the Director, United States Geological Survey. In a certain sense the Cascade Range is the dissected western margin of the large area of dominantly volcanic rocks in the northwestern part of the United States. This is particularly true of the Range in California and in the southernmost part in Oregon, but farther north topographic features, distribution of rock types, and linear elements appear which distinguish the Cascade Range from adjacent provinces. It is the purpose of this paper to point out these elements and to show the distribution and stratigraphic arrangement of rock types, so far as our present knowledge permits, as well as some of their petrographic features.
The Influence of Forward Vision and Target Size on Apparent Inter-Vehicular Spacing

When one car follows another, the driver of the following car makes spacing judgments based on observing the lead ear within his field of vision. This visual field depends on a variety of design features of the following car, such as hood geometry, and is difficult to quantify simply. One quantity which relates to the driver visual field is the amount of roadway obscured from his view by his automobile. It is possible that the amount of this obscuration could influence spacing judgments. Furthermore, it is possible the size of the lead car, as characterized by the rear bumper length, might influence, spacing judgments. A laboratory experiment using color slides was devised to investigate if the amount of forward obscuration or target size influenced apparent spacing. The color slides showed the view of a driver seated in one car following another. Two different models of cars, with different values of forward obscuration and target size, served as lead and following cars. The influence of forward obscuration was also investigated by elevating the rear of one of the following cars. It was found that the lead ear target size did not systematically influence apparent spacing. On the other hand, changes in forward obscuration, whether caused by different following cars, or by elevating the rear of the same car, did influence apparent spacing; the same spacing appeared greater for smaller forward obscuration. These findings are related to reported test-track results.
Electronics development for the Utah electrohydraulic total artificial heart

Recent developments in the electronics and embedded software of the electrohydraulic total artificial heart under development at the University of Utah are discussed. These include development of a new brushless DC motor commutator, implementation of the implanted electronics in hybrids, integration of a transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) and telemetry system into the controller, and packaging of a short-term, totally implantable system. A discussion of future plans for the totally implantable system is given. >
Altered gene expression during rat Wolffian duct development following di(n-butyl) phthalate exposure.

Di(n-butyl) phthalate (DBP) is a common plasticizer and solvent that disrupts androgen-dependent male reproductive development in rats. In utero exposure to 500 mg/kg/day DBP on gestation days (GD) 12 to 21 decreases androgen biosynthetic enzymes, resulting in decreased fetal testicular testosterone levels. One consequence of prenatal DBP exposure is malformed epididymides in adult rats. Reduced fetal testosterone levels may be responsible for the malformation, since testosterone is required for Wolffian duct stabilization and their development into epididymides. Currently, little is understood about the molecular mechanisms of Wolffian duct differentiation. The objective of this study was to identify changes in gene expression associated with altered morphology of the proximal Wolffian duct following in utero exposure to DBP. Pregnant Crl:CD (SD) rats were gavaged with corn oil vehicle or 500 mg/kg/day DBP from GD 12 to GD 19 or 21. There were only small morphological differences between control and DBP-exposed Wolffian ducts on GD 19. On GD 21, 89% of male fetuses in the DBP dose group showed marked underdevelopment of Wolffian ducts, characterized by decreased coiling. RNA was isolated from Wolffian ducts on GD 19 and 21. Together with empirical information, cDNA microarrays were used to help identify candidate genes that could be associated with the morphological changes observed on GD 21. These candidate genes were analyzed by real-time RT-PCR. Changes in mRNA expression were observed in genes within the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) pathway, the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family, the extracellular matrix, and in other developmentally conserved signaling pathways. On GD 19, immunolocalization of IGF-1 receptor protein demonstrated an increase in cytoplasmic expression in the mesenchymal and epithelial cells. There was also a variable decrease in androgen receptor protein in ductal epithelial cells on GD 19. This study provides insight into the effects of antiandrogens on the molecular mechanisms involved in Wolffian duct development. The altered morphology and changes in gene expression following DBP exposure are suggestive of altered paracrine interactions between ductal epithelial cells and the surrounding mesenchyme during Wolffian duct differentiation due to lowered testosterone production.
Transformed Mixed Model Equations: A Recursive Algorithm to Eliminate A−1

Abstract For Henderson's L defined such that LL′ = A , a numerator relationship matrix, a recursive algorithm is derived to overwrite a matrix B with L′B or, for square B , with L′BL working directly from a list of sires and dams (or maternal grandsires). The matrix L is never computed. Matrices so formed have application in procedures that use mixed model equations for estimating variance components.
Women and Alcohol-Use Disorders A Review of Important Knowledge and Its Implications for Social Work Practitioners

• Summary: This article reviews the extent of current knowledge, particularly with reference to US sources about gender-specific alcohol-related life experience consequences, and explores the implications of these differences for practice.• Findings: Alcohol affects women in significantly different ways from men. Women’s consumption of alcohol is capable of inflicting more severe problems over shorter periods of time with less alcohol consumed. The sequence of alcohol-related life experience consequences also differs significantly between genders. Women with alcohol-use disorders experience gender-specific medical impairments as well as other significant differences and are more likely to be exposed to victimization.• Applications: The purpose of this article is to provide social work practitioners with relevant information about the effects of alcohol on women. It also provides important interviewing strategies for workers who will encounter women with alcohol-related problems. These strategies are inten...
Left ventricular assist device therapy improves utilization of donor hearts

AbstractObjectives: We sought to determine the survival experiences of patients bridged to heart transplantation with either intravenous (IV) inotropes or an implantable left ventricular assist dev...
Virtual Engineering Lab

The world wide web (www) provides alternative means for delivery of the courses and services, providing learners with an extraordinary range of options. There are few, if any, studies that have attempted to evaluate the learning achieved through the use of simulated laboratories in virtual environments, perhaps because of the difficulties in designing tight experiments for such studies. The purpose of this study would be to investigate the effectiveness of simulated labs in engineering and present the results. Specifically, this study examines whether computer simulations are as effective as physical laboratory activities in teaching college-level electronics engineering students about the concepts of signal transmission, modulation and demodulation. Two sections of the same college course with a total of 80 subjects participated in this study. After receiving the same lecture at the same time, the subjects in each course were randomly split into two treatment groups. One group completed two laboratory experiments using the computerized simulation program, while the other completed the same two laboratory experiments using the traditional physical laboratory equipments. Upon the completion of the laboratory assignments, the performance instrument was individually administered to each student. The groups were compared on understanding the concepts, remembering the concepts, and displaying a positive attitude toward the treatment tools. Scores on a validated Concepts Test were collected once after the treatment and another time after three weeks of the study. The validated Attitude Survey and qualitative study was administered at the completion of the treatment.
Processing of CT sinograms acquired using a VRX detector

A 'variable resolution x-ray detector' (VRX) capable of resolving beyond 100 cycles/main a single dimension has been proposed by DiBianca, et al. The use of detectors of this design for computed-tomography (CT) imaging requires novel preprocessing of data to correct for the detector's non- uniform imaging characteristics over its range of view. This paper describes algorithms developed specifically to adjust VRX data for varying magnification, source-to-detector range and beam obliquity and to sharpen reconstructions by deconvolving the ray impulse function. The preprocessing also incorporates nonlinear interpolation of VRX raw data into canonical CT sinogram formats.
A plausible connection: Models examining the relations between evaluation, plausibility, and the refutation text effect

Abstract Students are often asked to make evaluations of scientific explanations, which may involve judgments about the plausibility of competing alternatives. We examined undergraduate students' critical evaluations and plausibility perceptions of climate change when reading two different types of text: expository and refutation. Our findings show that greater critical evaluation and higher plausibility related to more knowledge after reading, but only with the refutation text. Furthermore, we found that greater plausibility had a stronger effect on knowledge after reading the refutation text, whereas greater background knowledge had a stronger effect on knowledge after reading the expository text. We also examined changes in students' plausibility and knowledge. There was significant changes in plausibility and knowledge with the refutation text, but no significant change in either variable with the expository text. These results suggest that evaluations and judgments about plausibility may be factors contributing to the refutation effect and knowledge reconstruction.
Interethnic differences of drug-metabolizing enzymes

Polymorphisms exhibited by drug-metabolizing enzymes are well known and have been investigated for many years. Recently, the exploding field of pharmacogenetics has focused not only on the characterization of enzymes responsible for drug biotransformation but also, on describing the sources of variability in enzyme activity. While initial observations and studies focused on populations of Caucasian origin, reports for other populations followed. The incidence of a poor or slow metabolizer phenotype for a given enzyme caused by allelic variants may vary significantly between populations. The question arises as to whether a prediction of the phenotype (i.e. distribution and/or enzyme activity) can be accurately ascertained from genotype information gathered in a related population. This is exemplified by NAD(P):quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) investigated in Canadian Native Indian (CNI), Inuit and Chinese populations and the cytochromes P4502C19 and 2D6. While the two North American Native populations are genetically distinct, they are both descendants from northern Asia. Consequently, one might suspect that on a pharmacogenetic basis, CNI and Inuit would be more comparable to Chinese as opposed to Caucasian populations. This is certainly not the case as demonstrated for all three enzymes. Also, for a reliable phenotype prediction, one needs to pay attention to ethnic "mixing" which occurs between certain populations. Ethnic diversity constitutes both a challenge and an opportunity to prudently apply pharmacogenetics so that variability in both drug disposition and effect may be better understood.
Characterization of Thermal Oxides of Laser Annealed Polysilicon

We report an investigation of the effects of laser processing on the thermal oxides of polysilicon. LPCVD polysilicon, 500 nm thick, deposited on 500 nm thermal oxide of single crystal silicon was laser processed at various stages in the process sequence for device fabrication. Effects of CW Ar + and pulsed 1.06 and 0.53 μm laser processing were investigated. Laser annealed polysilicon was oxidized in a steam ambient. Using a second level of polysilicon, guard ring diode and capacitors were fabricated. Electrical characterization revealed an improvement in breakdown field strengths of these oxides without deleterious effects on any of the associated interfaces.
Microsatellite Marker-Based Analysis of Rice Varieties in National Regional Yield Trial of Southern China

A total of 199 rice varieties in the national regional yield trial of southern China in 2005 were assayed with a preferred set of 12 microsatellite markers(SSR). A DNA fingerprint database containing genotypic data of the 199 rice varieties at the 12 marker loci was constructed. It was found that the dominant alleles in conventional rice varieties were the same as in hybrid rice at most of the marker loci, but they differed greatly from indica to japonica rice. Conventional rice was of high homozygosity and most hybrid rice was of high heterozygosity. The variation in number of heterozygous loci was evident for hybrid rice with a normal distribution. On comparison among hybrid rice combinations derived from the same cytoplasmic male sterile(CMS) line, general consistency of the maternal allele of major CMS lines was observed at the SSR loci. Moreover, the distinctness assay of rice variety in the national regional yield trial of southern China, and the expansion of DNA fingerprint database and the number of SSR markers for a feasible test were discussed.
Automation process design of the engine piston rod tightening

The article has explained the reason of designing the engine piston rod tightening automation process, introduced the structure and characteristic of the automatic fasten equipment which is reformed in detail, and described the specific course of work . The piston rod tightening process has been changed by automatic four-splindle fasten equipment which has been fastened by semi-automatic two-splindle tighten equipment in manual, switches the different type tightening procedure automatically, beyond the equipment to insure the stationarity in tightening process, removes the quality potential by manual operation effectively, and monitors the bolt angle, plays an avoid stretch effect and improves the tightening efficiency and the ability of quality control on line.
Management of the left atrioventricular valve in the repair of complete atrioventricular septal defects.

Left atrioventricular valve regurgitation in atrioventricular canal defects is usually due to malalignment of the edges of the cleft or to annular dilatation. Intraoperative assessment and correction of left atrioventricular valve incompetence is critical for successful outcome in the surgical management of complete atrioventricular canal defects. Although some have elected not to suture the cleft in the setting of minimal incompetence, we have found that this often results in significant left atrioventricular valve insufficiency, necessitating reoperation. From January 1982 through December 1990, 105 patients with complete atrioventricular canal underwent definitive repair. Repair was performed with a single pericardial patch technique in 86 patients (82 %). Intraoperative assessment of left atrioventricular valve competence was performed in all cases. Ninety-six patients (91%) required suturing of the cleft and 63 (60%) required annuloplasty to establish satisfactory competence of the left atrioventricular valve. The overall early mortality rate was 10.5% (11/105 patients). From 1986 to 1990, the early mortality rate decreased to 7.7% (6/78 patients). In a mean follow-up of 39 months (range 1 to 106 months), late survival was 96% (90/94 operative or early survivors). Reoperation was performed on eleven (11.5%) patients; six (6.3%) for failure of the atrioventricular valve repair, three for patch dehiscence, and two for residual ventricular septal defects. These data demonstrate that routine approximation of the cleft and aggressive use of left atrioventricular valve annuloplasty is safe and results in an excellent outcome with a low incidence of reoperation for failure of left atrioventricular valve repair. (J T horac C ardiovasc S urg 1992;104:196–203)
Youth–Adult Relationships and Positive Youth Development

Resources to promote positive development in young people have been identified in many contexts such as families, schools, neighborhoods, and out-of-school time programs. The most important resources within these contexts are the relationships that young people have with committed, caring adults. In this chapter, we provide an overview of research, based on findings from the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development (PYD) and other scholarly work, on the essential role of adults in promoting PYD. We provide examples of organizations that have applied this research to their programming and practices to impact the well-being of young people. Finally, we provide priorities for practice and policy based on these findings. Specifically, we recommend that programs promote positive parenting behaviors, build cultural competence among their staff, engage parents more fully in programs, train staff and the youth in relationship-building skills, and thoughtfully consider how they create mentoring matches. Policy makers should invest in creating supportive youth systems in which youth voices are heard, such as family support programs and comprehensive community initiatives, to promote youth thriving.
Developing Academic Visibility in the Medical Sciences.

> If there is anything more annoying in the world than having people talk about you, it is certainly having no one talk about you. > > —Oscar Wilde You have achieved visibility in an academic field when people know your name, are familiar with your work, and think highly of your scientific
For all intents and purposes: Twitter as a foundational technology for teachers:

Twitter is increasingly accepted as an important educational technology and has been shown to serve a range of purposes. In fact, this variety suggests that Twitter has the potential to serve as a ...
Dislocations and other strain-induced defects in silicon–germanium (SiGe) nanostructures

Abstract: Strain in SiGe leads to a host of useful effects that can be exploited in device applications, including modulation of band structure, creation of band offsets and quantum confinement, and changes in growth mode. However, another natural consequence of introducing strain into SiGe alloys is the occurrence of plastic deformation via the creation of dislocations and other extended defects. Such defects can adversely affect device performance by a number of mechanisms that vary with the device’s principle of operation. The high nucleation barrier for surface dislocation half-loop nucleation combined with the low concentration of fixed dislocation sources dominated many of the early observations of extended defects in SiGe on Si(001). This chapter analyzes further consequences of metastability as well as cases where the barrier to dislocation introduction is lower.
Rapid differentiation of bacterial communities using high resolution melting analysis

Analysis of microbial communities is of broad interest in biology and high throughput sequencing is now the preferred method. However, some studies may not need the level of detail high throughput sequencing provides and its cost may limit the number of samples that can be sequenced. High resolution melting analysis (HRM) of 16S rRNA gene variable regions has been proposed as an efficient and low cost method to prioritize samples for sequencing but more specific primers are needed and its efficacy needs to be confirmed. We tested a more specific pair of primers and compared results concerning the structure of microbial communities in tadpole intestine and feces obtained using HRM, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and high-throughput sequencing performed in parallel. All three methods showed similar conclusions concerning the communities and revealed communities that differed among intestinal regions and feces. The improved HRM method targets a shorter amplicon in the V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene and uses non-degenerate primers, both of which increase the sensitivity of HRM. The HRM approach was shown to be as effective as DGGE for comparing microbial communities, is considerably easier to perform, and can be used to assess differences in microbial community structure among a large number of samples before committing to sequencing.
Decentralized power system state estimation via non-convex multi-agent optimization

Power system state estimation (PSSE) is a critical task for ensuring reliable, efficient system operation in power grids. As a result of the quadratic relationship between the voltage state variables and the observable quantities, the problem is non-convex and NP-hard in the worst case. In this paper, we present a decentralized approach for PSSE by casting it in the framework of multi-agent optimization. Two synchronous, gradient-consensus schemes are brought to bear upon the problem for the purpose of computing approximate solutions by performing gradient descent updates at each bus followed by local averaging over single-hop neighbors. In contrast to the prevailing state-of-art in decentralized PSSE, these algorithms feature guaranteed convergence to stationary solutions of the non-convex PSSE problem under very mild assumptions, at the expense of each bus having to maintain a local copy of the global state variable. Numerical experiments are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the methods.
Categories or Submarkets: Different Perspectives on Within-Industry Heterogeneity

In this panel symposium, we aim to stimulate a rich discussion between different perspectives of theories of heterogeneity within industries and markets. This heterogeneity has been defined through...