cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Supplementation with aged garlic extract improves both NK and γδ-T cell function and reduces the severity of cold and flu symptoms: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled nutrition intervention

Summary Background & aims Earlier studies show that dietary bioactive compounds can modify proliferation of γδ-T cells. Garlic contains numerous compounds that have this potential and, in addition, has been shown to influence NK cell function. Our primary aim was to demonstrate that aged garlic extract could modify these immune cells. Methods A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel intervention study recruited 120 healthy subjects (60 per group) to determine the effect of aged garlic extract supplementation (2.56 g/d) on immune cell proliferation and cold and flu symptoms. Results After 45 d of consuming an encapsulated aged garlic extract, γδ-T cells (p = 0.039, n = 56) and NK cells (p = 0.043, n = 56) were shown to proliferate better compared to placebo. After 90 d of supplementation, illness diary entries showed that the incidence of colds and flu, a secondary outcome, were not statistically different; however, the group consuming the aged garlic extract appeared to have reduced severity as noted by a reduction in the number of symptoms reported (21% fewer, p Conclusions These results suggest that supplementation of the diet with aged garlic extract may enhance immune cell function and that this may be responsible, in part, for reduced severity of colds and flu.
“Well, It Is Complicated …” Edwards, L. & Crocker, S. (Eds.). (2008). Psychological Processes in Deaf Children With Complex Needs: An Evidence-Based Practical Guide. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. 204 pages. $34.95.

The quote above, used by Marc Marschark to start off his forward to this book, aptly summarizes working with deaf children and the difficulties of writing about that work. Edwards and Crocker have taken on the daunting challenge of reviewing and summarizing the literature on the development of deaf and hard-ofhearing children with the goal of providing ‘‘evidencebased’’ guidelines. Furthermore, they have attempted to make the book appropriate for professionals in mental health and education as well as parents and families. This requires a rather delicate balance. Edwards and Crocker may teeter from time to time but never completely fall. The book is divided into eight chapters, one introductory overview of the ‘‘experience’’ of childhood deafness, five that cover specific developmental disorders or difficulties, one on cochlear implants and a last chapter on professional issues. Edwards and Crocker live and work in the United Kingdom, so the professional issues are most pertinent to that country but do have relevance to others. In each of the ‘‘disorders’’ chapters, the authors seek to present what is currently known about the disorder in deaf children, any formal data on assessment and intervention approaches, the implications for professionals working with deaf children and the parents of these children, as well as occasional case descriptions. The literature reviews are fairly comprehensive, and they cover cognitive, social/emotional, and developmental difficulties. Additionally, one chapter is devoted to tinnitus, a pervasive and potentially troubling symptom that is not frequently covered. While reading this book, our limited knowledge
Sex differences in verbal aggression use in romantic relationships: a meta‐analytic study and review

Purpose – The current study aimed to investigate potential sex differences in the use of verbal aggression in romantic relationships.Design/methodology/approach – The current study used meta‐analytic methodology to analyze 20 studies to understand gender differences in the use of verbal aggression in romantic relationships.Findings – The results found that women used more verbal aggression than men in romantic relationships; however, overall levels of verbal aggression use were relatively high regardless of sex.Research imitations/implications – Limitations of the current research, such as calling for less exploratory research and the need for theories grounded in human coupling research, and suggestions for future research are provided.Practical implications – Advice for clinicians and practitioners regarding verbal aggression in romantic relationships is discussed with particular emphasis on the possibility of including measures against verbal aggression in interventions on positive couple communication...
Optical Properties of Sb, Te, and Ti Films in the Vacuum Ultraviolet*

The reflectivity and transmissivity of Sb, Te, and Ti films have been measured in the range from 1600 to 450 A in order to compare the frequency at which the films change from a reflecting to a transmitting medium with the plasma frequency predicted by Bohm and Pines and also with electron energy characteristic losses in metals observed by Marton et al. and by Powell.
A freeze-fracture study of the papillary layer of the rat incisor enamel organ

Abstract After tooth enamel has been secreted it undergoes maturation or hardening. This process is mediated by ruffled and smooth-ended ameloblasts and associated papillary layer cells. The cells of the papillary layer are characterized by large numbers of mitochondria, coated vesicles, microvilli, and gap junctions. These features have led numerous investigators to speculate that the papillary layer is an ion-transporting epithelium. We have conducted freeze-fracture studies of the rat papillary layer in order to better characterize the surface features of these cells. The cell membranes of the papillary cells contained large numbers of intramembrane particles of various sizes ranging from 4 to 9 nm in diameter. Gap junctions were present at the cell surface and in the cytoplasm in the form of annular gap junctions. The intramembrane particles or connexons of both types of gap junctions were about 8–9 nm wide and were either packed randomly or present in the so-called ‘crystallized’ state. At the interface between smooth-ended ameloblasts and papillary layer cells, a well-developed zonula occludens was present along the basal surfaces of the ameloblasts and several large gap junctions were formed between the two cell types. The capillary network associated with the papillary layer was characterized by a thin endothelium containing large numbers of fenestrations.
Music as Metaphysics: Structure and Meaning in Skryabin's Fifth Piano Sonata*

Because Skryabin's mature philosophy centers on a temporal narrative, issues of long-range coherence can overcome the technical–cultural division in studies of the composer's music. The essence of that narrative is captured in the program attached to the Fifth Piano Sonata, Op. 53 (1907). Two threads can be exposed by a close reading of the sonata: (a) a multistage, ascending bass line that allegorizes cycles of birth and death and (b) temporal and pitch motives that depict various “ages of existence” in a theosophical cosmology. Such close readings are needed to test the relevance of Skryabin's metaphysics to a better understanding of his music. * I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Eric McKee and Simon Morrison for their generous and insightful help revising earlier drafts of this text.
A three dimensional unsteady iterative panel method with vortex particle wakes and boundary layer model for bio-inspired multi-body wings

The ability of UAVs to operate in complex and hostile environments makes them useful in military and civil operations concerning surveillance and reconnaissance. However, limitations in size of UAVs and communication delays prohibit their operation close to the ground and in cluttered environments, which increase risks associated with turbulence and wind gusts that cause trajectory deviations and potential loss of the vehicle. In the last decade, scientists and engineers have turned towards bio-inspiration to solve these issues by developing innovative flow control methods that offer better stability, controllability, and maneuverability. This paper presents an aerodynamic load solver for bio-inspired wings that consist of an array of feather-like flaps installed across the upper and lower surfaces in both the chord- and span-wise directions, mimicking the feathers of an avian wing. Each flap has the ability to rotate into both the wing body and the inbound airflow, generating complex flap configurations unobtainable by traditional wings that offer improved aerodynamic stability against gusting flows and turbulence. The solver discussed is an unsteady three-dimensional iterative doublet panel method with vortex particle wakes. This panel method models the wake-body interactions between multiple flaps effectively without the need to define specific wake geometries, thereby eliminating the need to manually model the wake for each configuration. To incorporate viscous flow characteristics, an iterative boundary layer theory is employed, modeling laminar, transitional and turbulent regions over the wing’s surfaces, in addition to flow separation and reattachment locations. This technique enables the boundary layer to influence the wake strength and geometry both within the wing and aft of the trailing edge. The results obtained from this solver are validated using experimental data from a low-speed suction wind tunnel operating at Reynolds Number 300,000. This method enables fast and accurate assessment of aerodynamic loads for initial design of complex wing configurations compared to other methods available.
Evaluating the economics and environmental friendliness of conceptual designs for new and retrofitted chemical processes

This work describes a method for using spreadsheet analyses of process designs and retrofits to provide simple and quick economic and environmental evaluations simultaneously. The method focuses attention onto those streams and components that have the largest monetary values and potential environmental impacts. Through example processes, including the hydrodealkylation of toluene and the pyrolysis of dichloroethane, results show that alternative processes are easy to evaluate. The method reveals its power from the simple and quick results that are obtained. Thus, the method allows one to focus on more than just economics and meeting environmental regulations and to free time for considering aspects of pollution prevention.
Theory of principal components analysis and applications to multistory frame buildings responding to seismic excitation

Abstract Described herein is a technique of multivariate statistical analysis applied to the post-processing of dynamic response data. The data may represent the linear or nonlinear response of structures, and may be obtained from computed simulations or from the measured response of instrumented structures. When applied to displacement response data, an ordered set of orthonormal mode shapes is obtained. The principal components analysis (PCA) mode shapes coincide with or are related to the elastic mode shapes for linear elastic systems, and depart from these shapes as nonlinear response becomes more prominent. The PCA modes provide an unambiguous and simple description of the ‘predominant’ mode of structures responding to earthquake ground motions, and thus improve the theoretical basis of nonlinear static procedures that use ‘equivalent’ single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) systems for representing the response of structures subjected to damaging earthquake ground motions (e.g. the capacity spectrum and displacement coefficient methods). Where greater fidelity is desired, the most efficient representations are obtained by including as few PCA modes as are needed for the degree of precision desired. This paper presents the theory of PCA and illustrates its application to a 12-story frame building responding linearly and nonlinearly to earthquake ground motions. ‘Equivalent’ SDOF models of the structure are developed based on the PCA mode shapes, and these are applied to estimate the computed displacement histories.
Evaluation of Bacillus anthracis and Yersinia pestis sample collection from nonporous surfaces by quantitative real-time PCR.

Aim: We will validate sample collection methods for recovery of microbial evidence in the event of accidental or intentional release of biological agents into the environment. Methods and Results: We evaluated the sample recovery efficiencies of two collection methods – swabs and wipes – for both nonvirulent and virulent strains of Bacillus anthracis and Yersinia pestis from four types of nonporous surfaces: two hydrophilic surfaces, stainless steel and glass, and two hydrophobic surfaces, vinyl and plastic. Sample recovery was quantified using real-time qPCR to assay for intact DNA signatures. We found no consistent difference in collection efficiency between swabs or wipes. Furthermore, collection efficiency was more surface-dependent for virulent strains than nonvirulent strains. For the two nonvirulent strains, collection efficiency was similar between all four surfaces, albeit B. anthracis Sterne exhibited higher levels of recovery compared to Y. pestis A1122. In contrast, recovery of B. anthracis Ames spores and Y. pestis CO92 from the hydrophilic glass or stainless steel surfaces was generally more efficient compared to collection from the hydrophobic vinyl and plastic surfaces. Conclusions: Our results suggest that surface hydrophobicity may play a role in the strength of pathogen adhesion. The surface-dependent collection efficiencies observed with the virulent strains may arise from strain-specific expression of capsular material or other cell surface receptors that alter cell adhesion to specific surfaces. Significance and Impact of the Study: These findings contribute to the validation of standard bioforensics procedures and emphasize the importance of specific strain and surface interactions in pathogen detection.
Progress in manipulating zeolite morphology and related applications

The control of zeolite morphology is of interest because it will permit the rational design of products that have a wide array of applications, from catalysis to thin films for electronic devices. Over the past couple of years, some progress has been made in manipulating zeolite crystal shape, though much more mechanistic understanding has to be gained for targeted design of zeolite morphology. There have also been important studies that have linked zeolite morphology and the presence of hierarchical porosity with improved functionality like catalytic activity and selectivity.
Active Interaction Control of Tall Buildings Subjected to Near-Field Ground Motions

Near-field earthquake ground motions may contain distinctive coherent velocity pulses. Strong ground motions with such large velocity pulses can be damaging to structures located within the near-field region. A class of semiactive control algorithms referred to as active interaction control (AIC) have been developed as a means of suppressing the vibration of building structures during moderate to large earthquakes. Modal response-based AIC control approaches have been shown to be effective in suppressing the vibrations of building structures subjected to far-field ground motion, it is believed that a wave propagation behavior will control the structural response at least for the first few cycles of reflection under the action of near-field ground motions with coherent velocity pulses. To verify the effectiveness of the AIC control approaches in the case of near-field ground motions, a numerical simulation for a 20-story steel-framed building subjected to a sample of near-field ground motions, has been performed and the results are presented in this paper.
Hygroscopicity of consumer spray product aerosol particles

Abstract Consumer spray products are a major category of indoor aerosol particle sources. To provide a quantitative basis for modeling respiratory deposition of indoor aerosol particles, the hygroscopicity of six kinds of consumer spray product particles was studied. It was found that their hygroscopicity varied significantly depending on the nature of the products, with some showing significant hygroscopic growth, some showing moderate hygroscopic growth, and some that were not hygroscopic at all. The particle growth ratios ranged from 1.0 to more than 3.0. A semi-empirical model was used to evaluate the hygroscopic growth of the different kinds of particles. These results could provide the input data needed for a lung deposition model to predict the effect of hygroscopic growth on particle regional deposition and related health effects.
Relationship of pre-surgery metabolic and physiological MR imaging parameters to survival for patients with untreated GBM

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) are heterogeneous lesions, both in terms of their appearance on anatomic images and their response to therapy. The goal of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of parameters derived from physiological and metabolic images of these lesions. Fifty-six patients with GBM were scanned immediately before surgical resection using conventional anatomical MR imaging and, where possible, perfusion-weighted imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging, and proton MR spectroscopic imaging. The median survival time was 517 days, with 15 patients censored. Absolute anatomic lesion volumes were not associated with survival but patients for whom the combined volume of contrast enhancement and necrosis was a large percentage of the T2 hyperintense lesion had relatively poor survival. Other volumetric parameters linked with less favorable survival were the volume of the region with elevated choline to N-acetylaspartate index (CNI) and the volume within the T2 lesion that had apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) less than 1.5 times that in white matter. Intensity parameters associated with survival were the maximum and the sum of levels of lactate and of lipid within the CNI lesion, as well as the magnitude of the 10th percentile of the normalized ADC within the contrast-enhancing lesion. Patients whose imaging parameters indicating that lesions with a relatively large percentage with breakdown of the blood brain barrier or necrosis, large regions with abnormal metabolism or areas with restricted diffusion have relatively poor survival. These parameters may provide useful information for predicting outcome and for the stratification of patients into high or low risk groups for clinical trials.
AN UNUSUAL SEX-DETERMINATION SYSTEM IN SOUTH AMERICAN FIELD MICE (GENUS AKODON): THE ROLE OF MUTATION, SELECTION, AND MEIOTIC DRIVE IN MAINTAINING XY FEMALES

The mechanism of sex determination in mammals appears highly conserved: the presence of a Y chromosome triggers the male developmental pathway, whereas the absence of a Y chromosome results in a default female phenotype. However, if the Y chromosome fails to initiate the male pathway (referred to as Y*), XY* females can result, as is the case in several species of South American field mice (genusAkodon). The breeding genetics in this system inherently select against the Y* chromosome such that the frequency of XY* females should decrease rapidly to very low frequencies. However, in natural populations of Akodon, XY* females persist at substantial frequencies; for example, 10% of females are XY* in A. azarae and 30% in A. boliviensis. We develop a mathematical model that considers the potential roles of three evolutionary forces in maintaining XY* females: Y-to-Y* chromosome transitions (mu- tation), chromosome segregation distortion (meiotic drive), and differential fecundity (selection). We then test the predictions of our model using data from breeding colonies of A. azarae. We conclude that any single force is inadequate to maintain XY* females. However, a combination of segregation bias of the male and female Y chromosomes during spermatogenesis/oogenesis and increased fecundity in XY* females could account for the observed frequencies of XY* females.
Late Devonian to early Carboniferous turbidite facies and basinal development of the Eastern Klamath Mountains, California

Abstract The Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous Bragdon Formation, Eastern Klamath Mountains, California, is a thick turbidite sequence deposited as a submarine fan complex within an arc-related basin. Laminated mudstone and less abundant “classical” turbidites comprise most of the lower part of the Bragdon and represent a lower fan environment. Amalgamated beds of normally graded to massive sandstone and pebbly sandstone occur throughout the Bragdon but are most abundant in its upper half, where they are associated with very thick channel-fill beds of pebbly sandstone and conglomerate. The upper half of the Bragdon Formation represents a mid fan to upper fan environment, and it also includes closely interbedded “classical” turbidites interpreted as interchannel or levee deposits. An upper slope facies of bioturbated mudstone with an Early Carboniferous fauna occurs at the top of the formation. Clastic material in the Bragdon Formation indicates little contemporaneous vulcanism and was probably derived from Lower Paleozoic metasediments which were uplifted to the north. Deposition of the Bragdon was initiated by rifting and subsidence of an underlying Middle Devonian arc complex. Infilling of the resulting basin during the Late Devonian and Early Carboniferous is indicated by overlap of turbidite facies across Middle Devonian arc deposits and by an upward stratigraphic trend in the Bragdon from lower fan to upper fan and slope environments.
An Experimental Nondestructive Microwave Ferrite Core Readout Using Stripline

A static ferrite storage readout technique is described which utilizes microwave transmission phenomena rather than voltage induction to achieve readout. Reversible, rotational impulse switching is used to effect nondestructive interrogation of a small toroidal core which is coupled to a strip-type ``sense line.'' The core coupled to the stripline causes an electrically controllable discontinuity in the transmission line. The change of stripline transmission characteristics during interrogation, in turn, is dependent upon the remnant state of the core. Detection of a microwave signal transmitted through the stripline yields a bipolar signal which may be used to identify the remnant state of the core. The microwave readout technique which utilizes an XN-band signal permits readout of information in an extremely short duration of time. Experimental results are given to demonstrate readout in as little time as 3 nanoseconds. Utilization of the technique for readout of information from a mass memory configuration is potentially possible.
Research Methodology and the Question of Validity

The analysis of the rules of speaking for a specific speech community is the first step in understanding what it means to be communicatively competent among that group. We must have reliable descriptions of these rules and patterns in order to improve second language instruction and assessment. However, there are serious questions as to the best methods of gathering and analyzing the very data upon which such descriptions must rest. This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of different research approaches to the study of everyday speech behavior and hence to our understanding of communicative competence. Methodology is one of the most basic questions for any discipline dealing with human interaction. Language learning and the acquisition of the rules for appropriate speech behavior are no exception. The questions of what constitutes data and how we treat data are fundamental to the entire enterprise of explaining and describing the acquisition of a second language, both from the point of view of linguistic and of sociolinguistic rules (or, recognizing that the two are inextricably interwoven, research into the acquisition of what has come to be known as communicative competence). No matter what else we do, we must remember that if data are inadequate, there is always the danger that the theory and conclusions drawn from them could be unreliable and misleading. For this reason, the question of data source must be kept open to constant examination and reexamination regarding its validity. The approaches toward the gathering of data for linguistic analysis are roughly of two types: observation and elicitation. Within the category of elicitation, we can include all techniques in which subjects are aware that what they say (or in some cases, what they say they say) is being studied by an investigator. This category would include such widely differing techniques as the elicitation of
Kupffer Cell Stimulation with Corynebacterium parvum Reduces Some Cytochrome P450-Dependent Activities and Diminishes Acetaminophen and Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Liver Injury in the Rat

Chemical activation of Kupffer cells in vivo by vitamin A or latex beads is associated with a worsening of hepatic injury induced by the P450-dependent hepatotoxins acetaminophen (ACET) and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and by the P450-independent toxin galactosamine (GLN). Immunostimulants such as Corynebacterium parvum (CP) also activate Kupffer cells, but do so while prompting release of soluble mediators which depress microsomal oxidative activities in cultured hepatocytes. Therefore, we sought to characterize the effects of CP on hepatic injury in vivo due to ACET and CCl4 while employing GLN as a control. Hepatic microsomal oxidative activity and glutathione (GSH) disposition were examined since each influences susceptibility to injury from ACET or CCl4. Rats were given CP 28 mg/kg i.v. 5 days before challenge with hepatotoxicant. Hepatic injury was assessed 24 hr after hepatotoxicant administration by measurement of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity and review of histological sections. Livers from parallel groups of rats were used to prepare microsomal and cytosolic fractions, to measure tissue GSH, or for perfusion to assess GSH efflux. Significant reductions in injury due to ACET or CCl4 were observed while injury due to GLN was potentiated. Serum ALT levels after ACET were 3000 +/- 620 in controls vs 170 +/- 45 IU/liter in the CP-treated group and ALT levels after CCl4 were 3100 +/- 500 in controls vs 1700 + 450 IU/liter in the CP-treated group. In contrast, serum ALT levels after GLN were 920 +/- 230 in controls vs 1700 +/- 370 in the CP-treated group. Patterns of hepatic injury observed on histological sections were those characteristic for each toxin and the severity of injury correlated well with alterations in serum ALT levels for each agent. Hepatic microsomal fractions from rats pretreated with CP showed significantly diminished total cytochrome P450 content as well as reduced activity for two P450IIE1 substrates, p-nitrophenol and 7-ethoxycoumarin. While sinusoidal efflux of GSH increased by 40% in rats pretreated with CP and cytosolic glutathione-S-transferase activity fell slightly, tissue GSH levels were unaffected. These data demonstrate that CP decreases microsomal cytochrome P450 content, reduces biotransformation of two P450IIE1 substrates, and diminishes ACET- and CCl4-induced hepatic injury. In contrast, hepatic injury due to the P450-independent toxin GLN was enhanced. Thus, chemical and immune stimulation of Kupffer cells may result in divergent effects on susceptibility to injury from individual hepatotoxins.
Computing Particle Surface Areas and Contact Areas from Three‐Dimensional Tomography Data of Particulate Materials

Microtomography is an emerging technique for particle and particulate-materials characterization. To use this technology effectively, robust and accurate computational algorithms are needed to compute relevant particle properties, including particle surface area and particle-particle contact area. However, the most accurate algorithms that have been developed for computing the exposed (void/solid) surface area in a microtomography image cannot be used directly for computing surface areas or particle-particle contact areas for individual particles in a dense packing. This paper presents an algorithm for extracting particle contact areas from a digitized, segmented image of a packed granular material, which in turn can be used to find individual particle surface areas (even if the complete surfaces are not exposed because of contacts in the packing). Results show that small errors in the binary surface-area computations are magnified in the course of determining particle contact areas; the total error in the computation depends mainly on the size of the contact area in voxel units.
A Cherenkov counter designed as a muon trigger for the SDC detector

Abstract A test of a gas Cherenkov counter was performed at Fermilab in the High Energy Muon Lab in order to understand its performance as a trigger counter for muons above a given momentum. This counter was built so that it could rotate relative to the beam direction to simulate the bending of muon tracks in the toroidal magnet of the Solenoidal Detector Collaboration (SDC) being designed for use at the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC). The SDC Cherenkov counter is so designed that a high momentum muon would emit Cherenkov light that is focussed on the face of a photomultiplier tube while a low momentum muon in the forward element of the SDC detector is bent to large enough angles so that the light is focused away from the photomultiplier tube. We present the observed changes in pulse height as the counter is rotated and the simulated resultant trigger efficiency for a given photomultiplier output pulse.
Comparisons in the strucure of avian muscle spindes

A study of muscle spindles in several species of birds was made to determine if avian intrafusal (IF) fibes are separable into the nuclear bag and chain fiber types found in mammals, and whether prominent differences in spindle structure might exist among species. Van Gieson-stained serial sections of the sartorius, a flexor muscle, and the antigravity adductor profundus muscle were examined in the chicken, quail, pigeon and canary. Avian IF fibers did not exhibit the pronounced “bag” of nuclei characteristic of mammalian nuclear-bag fibers, although the non-striated region at mid-length was marked by a moderate excess of eccentric, vesicular nuclei. No consistent differentiation in pattern of nuclear aggregation or manner of fiber termination among fibers of a spindle was detected, nor was there unequivocal bimodality in cross-sectional areas. These characteristics in bird spindles, therefore, do not afford trustworthy criteria for separation of types of IF fibers. The number of spindles per unit volume was particularly high in the canary and lowest in the chicken muscles. Spindles in the chicken were larger and more complex than canary spindles in respect to numbers of fibes per spindle, spindle length, and cross-sectional area of intrafusal fibers at the equator. Values for the quail and pigeon ocupied an intermediate position. Relation of the differences in spindle structure to the size of the bird and to other factor is discussed, and some contrast between avian and mammalian spindles are pointed out.
The effects of deliberate practice and feedback to teach standardized handoff communication on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of first-year residents.

Background: Residents’ shift length reduction and communication errors in transitions of care necessitate educating residents on handoff communication. Purpose: We examined the change in knowledge, attitudes, and practices of 1st-year residents after implementing a curriculum using deliberate practice to teach handoff communication. Methods: First-year residents completed a needs assessment survey and a video assessment of handoff practices. They participated in a brief curriculum using lecture and deliberate practice with feedback to teach a standardized approach to handoff communication. Change in knowledge, attitudes, and practices were measured with survey and video assessments. Results: Eleven 1st-year residents completed the course and final assessments. Residents’ comfort with performing handoffs and their perceived efficiency indicated improvement. Practices improved, with increased inclusion of important features of handoffs (6.31 to 7.64, p < .001). Conclusions: A brief curriculum utilizing deli...
Critical media literacy and popular film: Experiences of teaching and learning in a graduate class

This chapter describes the use of popular film and semiotics for the development of critical media literacy in a graduate-level education course.
On zero-inertia and kinematic waves

Small perturbation analysis of the linearized open-channel flow equations leads to the conclusion that zero-inertia waves propagate in the downstream direction only with a speed equal to that of kinematic waves. In addition, such an analysis indicates that kinematic waves travel with no attentuation in amplitude. In this work, it is shown both by theory and nonlinear numerical experiments that zero-inertia waves propagate both in the downstream and upstream direction. In fact, the zero-inertia wave characteristics are horizontal lines, and the problem requires two-point boundary data, which extends the applicability of zero-inertia models to cases of great practical interest. It is also shown the nonlinear kinematic-wave characteristics are inclined relative to each other and that they may intersect to create a kinematic shock. This shock is always present in wave motion on a dry bed and leads to significant subsidence of the depth and discharge in the flow behind it, a behavior which is not due to amplitude attentuation, as in the case of dynamic waves. Merely it is due to a consequence of the presence of the kinematic-shock front.
Modification of response of mouse neuroblastoma cells in culture by serum type.

The effect of various types of serum on morphological and biochemical changes in mouse neuroblastoma cells (clone NBP2) in culture was studied. The extent of spontaneous morphological differentiation varied markedly depending upon the type of serum and was maximal in agammaglobulin calf serum (CS). The extent of morphological differentiation after treatment of cells with cyclic AMP-stimulating agents was also dependent upon serum type and was least pronounced in fetal calf serum. The doubling time and extent of clumping varied with the type, of serum. The activity of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in NB cells was dependent upon serum type and it was highest in newborn CS and agammaglobulin CS. Although elevation of intracellular levels of cyclic AMP in NBP2 clone invariably stimulates neurite formation and TH activity, these functions were increased in certain sera without a significant increase in the cellular cyclic AMP levels. The present study shows that neurite formation, growth rate and TH activity are regulated by more than one mode, one of which is mediated by cyclic AMP. The above changes are independently regulated in the sense that the expression of one can be increased in the absence of others.
The active center of thrombin and trypsin.

Abstract Some clues to the nature of the groups in the active center of thrombin and trypsin have been gleaned from plots of the variations of pKm and log Vmax with pH. These curves were obtained both on the free enzymes and in the presence of either Ca++ or Ni++. At least three or more groups are implicated in each active center or are affected by ES complex formation and subsequent decomposition. While the chemical identity of some of the groups are probably in common for both enzymes, the data emphasize the individuality of each enzyme.
From the Question Concerning Technology to the Quest for a Democratic Technology: Heidegger, Marcuse, Feenberg

Andrew Feenberg?s most recent contribution to the critical theory of technology, Questioning Technology , is best understood as a synthesis and extension of the critiques of technology developed by...
The plurality of payers’ perspectives on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

This review focuses on the economic considerations of pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from the perspective of the myriad stakeholders: patients and their families; institutions providing care; and employers/payers who are covering its costs. The article is organized by phase of transplant and by component of cost. In addition to referenced peer-reviewed literature, preliminary empirical data are also included with which to understand the cost implications. Areas of future research are identified.
Predicting the Mineral Composition of Dust Aerosols. Part 1; Representing Key Processes

Abstract. Soil dust aerosols created by wind erosion are typically assigned globally uniform physical and chemical properties within Earth system models, despite known regional variations in the mineral content of the parent soil. Mineral composition of the aerosol particles is important to their interaction with climate, including shortwave absorption and radiative forcing, nucleation of cloud droplets and ice crystals, heterogeneous formation of sulfates and nitrates, and atmospheric processing of iron into bioavailable forms that increase the productivity of marine phytoplankton. Here, aerosol mineral composition is derived by extending a method that provides the composition of a wet-sieved soil. The extension accounts for measurements showing significant differences between the mineral fractions of the wet-sieved soil and the emitted aerosol concentration. For example, some phyllosilicate aerosols are more prevalent at silt sizes, even though they are nearly absent at these diameters in a soil whose aggregates are dispersed by wet sieving. We calculate the emitted mass of each mineral with respect to size by accounting for the disintegration of soil aggregates during wet sieving. These aggregates are emitted during mobilization and fragmentation of the original undispersed soil that is subject to wind erosion. The emitted aggregates are carried far downwind from their parent soil. The soil mineral fractions used to calculate the aggregates also include larger particles that are suspended only in the vicinity of the source. We calculate the emitted size distribution of these particles using a normalized distribution derived from aerosol measurements. In addition, a method is proposed for mixing minerals with small impurities composed of iron oxides. These mixtures are important for transporting iron far from the dust source, because pure iron oxides are more dense and vulnerable to gravitational removal than most minerals comprising dust aerosols. A limited comparison to measurements from North Africa shows that the model extensions result in better agreement, consistent with a more extensive comparison to global observations as well as measurements of elemental composition downwind of the Sahara, as described in companion articles.
Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors as a Tool to Up-Regulate New Fungal Biosynthetic Products: Isolation of EGM-556, a Cyclodepsipeptide, from Microascus sp.

The histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) was used to turn on the biosynthesis of EGM-556, a new cyclodepsipeptide of hybrid biosynthetic origin, isolated from the Floridian marine sediment-derived fungus Microascus sp. The absolute configurations of three chiral centers were determined by Marfey’s derivatization. EGM-556 represents one of the few examples in which silent biosynthetic genes, encoding a new secondary metabolite, were activated by means of epigenetic manipulation of the fungal metabolome.
A distributed workflow management system with case study of real-life scientific applications

Supporting large-scale scientific workflows in distributed network environments and optimizing their performances are crucial to the success of collaborative scientific discovery. We develop a generic scientific workflow platform, referred to as SciFlow, which constitutes a flexible framework to facilitate the distributed execution and management of scientific workflows and incorporates a class of workflow mapping schemes to achieve optimal end-to-end performances. The functionalities of SciFlow are provided and its interactions with other tools or systems are enabled through web services for easy access over standard Internet protocols while being independent of different platforms and programming languages. The performance superiority of SciFlow over existing workflow mapping schemes and management systems is illustrated by extensive simulations and is further verified by large-scale experiments on real-life scientific workflows through effective system implementation and deployment in distributed network environments.
Technology-Supported Mathematics Activities Situated Within an Effective Learning Environment Theoretical Framework

In the past 3 years, content-based technology integration has been a significant focus at the University of Colorado at Boulder's (UCB) School of Education. Assisted by a United States Department of Education's Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology (PT3) grant, UCB School of Education faculty and instructors are continually challenged to use technology effectiv ely and innovatively across the teacher preparation program. Using technology appropriately and meaningfully has been an overarching theme across all content areas and, specifically, in mathematics.
Robert Noyce and the tunnel diode

This paper claims that Robert N. Noyce, co-founder of Intel Corp., was the inventor of the tunnel diode even as Leo Esaki received the 1973 Nobel Prize in physics for the achievement. When Esaki, then a 49-year old semiconductor research scientist at IBM Corp., won his Nobel Prize, neither he nor the Nobel committee had any idea about Noyce's work. Esaki had made a tunnel diode and measured its current versus voltage behavior 16 years earlier. The Nobel committee, in fact, dated Esaki's discovery from 1957, roughly contemporaneous with Noyce's recollected work in the same field. Noyce offers a notebook from 1956 which contains a complete description of the tunnel diode as proof.
$\ell_{2}/\ell_{1}$ -Optimization in Block-Sparse Compressed Sensing and Its Strong Thresholds

It has been known for a while that l1-norm relaxation can in certain cases solve an under-determined system of linear equations. Recently, E. Candes ("Robust uncertainty principles: Exact signal reconstruction from highly incomplete frequency information," IEEE Trans. Information Theory, vol. 52, no. 12, pp. 489-509, Dec. 2006) and D. Donoho ("High-dimensional centrally symmetric polytopes with neighborlines proportional to dimension," Disc. Comput. Geometry, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 617-652, 2006) proved (in a large dimensional and statistical context) that if the number of equations (measurements in the compressed sensing terminology) in the system is proportional to the length of the unknown vector then there is a sparsity (number of nonzero elements of the unknown vector) also proportional to the length of the unknown vector such that l1-norm relaxation succeeds in solving the system. In this paper, in a large dimensional and statistical context, we determine sharp lower bounds on the values of allowable sparsity for any given number (proportional to the length of the unknown vector) of equations for the case of the so-called block-sparse unknown vectors considered in "On the reconstruction of block-sparse signals with an optimal number of measurements," (M. Stojnic et al., IEEE Trans, Signal Processing, submitted for publication.
Combining Beamforming and Space-Time Coding Using Quantized Feedback

We combine space-time coding and transmit beamforming over multiple-antenna quasi-static fading channels using limited-rate channel state information at the transmitter (CSIT). The combining is performed using a class of constellation sets inspired from orthogonal designs and directional beamforming or in general, unitary preceding with quantized feedback. This constellation class is called partly orthogonal designs (PODs). The conventional way of combining coding and quantized feedback beamforming is through precoded space-time block codes (PSTBCs) that provide full-diversity order with all system configurations in terms of the number of feedback regions and the number of transmit antennas. PODs maintain the same advantage. However, they require less decoding and quantization complexity compared to PSTBCs. We develop POD structures, analyze their performance, and optimize them based on pairwise error probability analysis. PODs create a larger combining space compared to PSTBCs. We can show that with certain system configurations, PODs outperform PSTBCs. Using PODs, we also propose a combined coding, beamforming, and spatial multiplexing scheme over multiple-antenna multi-user channels that enables a low-complexity joint interference cancellation scheme.
A Perspective on Methods for Analysis of Measured Energy Data from Commercial Buildings

This paper provides a historical perspective on the methods used to analyze measured energy use in commercial buildings. It summarizes the capabilities and uncertainties of the regression methods used in most M&V applications today and the calibrated simulation approaches used for M&V, commissioning, and end-use disaggregation. The need for graphical indices is introduced and applications of artificial neural networks, Fourier series and spectral analysis methods for M&V and data acquisition are described.
Postcardiotomy mechanical circulatory support in the elderly

The role of mechanical circulatory support after cardiac operations in elderly patients is not clearly established. Between November 1985 and July 1989, 18 patients 65 years of age or older (mean age, 71 years; range, 65 to 82 years) were treated after cardiotomy with a centrifugal vortex or pneumatic mechanical ventricular assist device. This group comprised 1.9% of the 926 patients 65 years of age or older undergoing cardiac surgical procedures and 69% of the 26 patients requiring postcardiotomy support during this interval. Before institution of mechanical support, all patients were receiving maximal inotropic support and 16 patients had intraaortic balloon pumps inserted. Univentricular support was used in 9 patients (6 left, 3 right) and biventricular support in 9 patients. The mean duration of support was 45 hours (range, 8 to 118 hours). Twelve patients (67%) were successfully weaned, 8 (44%) were discharged from the hospital, and 6 (33%) remain alive 11 to 31 months postoperatively. Four of the 6 survivors are in New York Heart Association class I, 1 is in class II, and 1 is in class IV. The Combined Registry for ventricular assist device support has recently reported an overall survival rate of 12% in patients 65 to 70 years of age and 6% in those older than 70 years. Our results are comparable with those reported for younger patients and justify the use of postcardiotomy ventricular assist device support in the elderly.