cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
"Happy Consciousness": Ideology and Hidden Curricula In Literacy Education

The content of five widely-used ABE reading series was analyzed 13 years ago by Gerald Coles (1977). Coles found racism, sexism, and socioeconomic stereotypes to "abound" in these materials. Using the same categories of racism, sexism, and the socioeconomic categories employed by Coles, this investigation reconstructed the Coles study to determine if hidden curricula still exist and, if so, to what extent. Findings indicate that today's most popular reading texts have improved since 1977, but only slightly. Cultural and political reproduction comprise two of the guiding ideologies for literacy education in the 1990s.
An improved method for determining bimolecular association constants from NMR titration experiments

Abstract A nonlinear regression procedure for fitting estimates of an association constant and saturation shifts to NMR titration experiments under fast-exchange conditions is described. The method assigns weights to each observation by propagating measurement errors through the fitted model. A series of Monte Carlo studies simulating a variety of possible experimental conditions has shown this method to be significantly superior to other methods commonly in use.
Active safety and collision alerts using Contextual Visual Dataspace

The Contextual Visual Dataspace (CVD) is a real-time representation of an automotive environment that combines automated 3D modeling and semantic labeling of a scene with dynamic object detection using infrastructure cameras. Our automotive active safety concept uses CVD to detect and track dynamic objects of interest, geo-register them into the semantically labeled 3D world space, analyze the paths of vehicles and pedestrians, infer intent and therefore make more accurate predictions of potential collisions, and finally give alerts to drivers and pedestrians and provide them with real-time situational awareness. The CVD system was demonstrated in a blind curve collision warning scenario.
X-ray induced behavioral reactions and detection mechanisms in the shrimp

Red Ghost Shrimp, Callianassa californiensis, were shown from behavioral and electrophysiological studies to respond to ionizing radiation. When exposed to X-rays at 52 R/sec, the majority of intact animals could detect and avoid further irradiation by escaping into a shielded section of the test chamber. Animals continued to display escape responses after removal of eyestalks and antennae. Significant avoidance activity also occurred with partial-body exposure and indicated the existence of a radiation-sensitive receptor on the abdomen. Electroretinograms elecited by beta- and X-radiation sources corresponded closely with the waveforms produced by visible light stimulation. Electroantennograms were recorded from isolated antennules following stimulation with glutamic acid, beta-, and X-radiation. Biphasic on-off phases were recorded with an intermediate phase present during the longer duration exposures. Similarly, bioelectrical potentials were recorded from swimmeret preparations with exposure to beta- and X-radiation. The electrophysiological evidence indicates that the eye, antennules, and possibly chemoreceptors on the abdominal segments serve as routes for detection of ionizing radiations.
Sector zoning in natural and synthetic calcites

Abstract Sector zoning refers to a compositional difference between coeval growth sectors in a crystal and results from differences in fluid-crystal element partitioning between nonequivalent faces of the crystal. Sector zoning involving the trace elements Mg, Mn, Fe, and Sr is common in natural calcite cements, and sector zoning of Mn has been induced in synthetic calcite crystals. Differences in surface structure between nonequivalent faces are seen as the principal causes for face-dependent partitioning.
Dose dependence of insulin-stimulated gastric secretion

The volume; concentrations of H, Na, K and Cl; osmolality; and pepsin concentration of 16 consecutive 15-min. samples of gastric juice were measured and related to venous blood sugar, hemoglobin, and hematocrit, and plasma Na, K, and osmolality in 9 conscious gastric fistula dogs after the I.V. injection of commercial insulin in doses of 0.15, 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 U/kg. Crystalline (glucagon-free) insulin in doses of 0.15 and 0.6 U./kg. gave essentially identical results.
Adolescents with cancer: Hypnosis for the reduction of the acute pain and anxiety associated with medical procedures

Eighteen adolescents with cancer were trained in hypnosis to ameliorate the discomfort and anxiety associated with bone marrow aspirations, lumbar punctures, and chemotherapeutic injections. Two patients rejected hypnosis. The remaining 16 adolescents achieved significant reductions in multiple measures of distress after hypnosis training. Preintervention data showed no pattern of spontaneous remission or habituation, and, in fact, an increasing anticipatory anxiety was observed before hypnotic treatment. Group reductions in pain and anxiety were significant at levels ranging from p p t -tests). Significant reductions were also found in Trait Anxiety. A non-significant trend toward greater self-esteem was present. The predicted changes in the Locus of Control and General Illness Impact were not found. Comparisons between hypnosis rejectors and successful users unusually showed higher levels of pretreatment anxiety in the former. The pragmatic nature of hypnosis as part of comprehensive medical care in oncology is noted.
Heart period and variability findings in preschool children with posttraumatic stress symptoms.

Background: Traumatic experiences for young children might result in profound neurodevelopmental changes, compared with adults. Our aim was to examine autonomic control of heart rate in traumatized young children. Methods: Sixty-two children who had suffered traumas and 62 nontraumatized control children, aged 20 months to 6 years, were assessed for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, interbeat interval, respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), family rehearsal of the trauma, and parent– child relationship quality. Results: Traumatized children with PTSD and traumatized children without PTSD both had decreased heart period in response to a trauma stimulus relative to the nontraumatized group (both p .0167). There was no main effect for RSA change scores; however, there was a significant interaction effect between parental positive discipline with PTSD symptoms and RSA. The most symptomatic children had decreased RSA during the trauma stimulus when they had caregivers with less positive discipline during a clean-up task (p .0125). There were marginally significant interactions for interbeat interval change between positive discipline and family rehearsal with PTSD symptoms. Conclusions: These findings underscore that psychopathology in young children ought to be assessed in the context of psychophysiology and parent– child relationships to optimally understand the mechanisms of maladaptation during this complex developmental period.
Comparison of ultracentrifugal stability parameters with long‐term shelf stability of emulsions

The validity of prediction of shelf stability from ultracentrifugal parameters determined on newly prepared Nujol-in-water emulsions stabilized with sodium dodecylsulfate (0.2 to 0.4%), cetylpyridiniumchloride (0.1 to 0.2%), Triton X-100 (0.08 to 0.4%), or Tween 20 (0.08 to 0.4%) was tested by allowing samples to age for periods up to 3 yr. They were then reexamined visually, and an empirical rating scheme devised for describing their stability semiquantitatively. In some cases it was also possible to redetermine the ultracentrifugal parameters on the aged emulsions. None of the ultracentrifugal parameters of the fresh emulsions predicted the order of actual shelf stability correctly in all cases. Possible reasons for the discrepancies are discussed.
Identification of novel TCDD-regulated genes by microarray analysis

TCDD exposure of multipotential C3H10T1/2 fibroblasts for 72 h altered the expression of over 1000 genes, including coordinated changes across large functionally similar gene clusters. TCDD coordinately induced 23 cell cycle-related genes similar to epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced levels but without any affect on the major mitogenic signaling pathway (extracellular signal-regulated kinase, ERK). TCDD treatment also decreased glycolytic and ribosomal clusters. Most of these TCDD-induced changes were attenuated by the presence of EGF or an adipogenic stimulus, each added during the final 24 h. TCDD prevented 10% of EGF-induced gene responses and 40% of adipogenic responses. Over 100 other genes responded to TCDD during adipogenesis. This group of responses included complete suppression of three proliferins and stimulations of several cytokine receptors. Despite these varied secondary effects of TCDD, direct AhR activation measured by integrated AhR-responsive luciferase reporters was similar under quiescent, EGF-stimulated or adipogenic conditions. Only 23 genes were similarly induced by TCDD regardless of conditions and 10 were suppressed. These 23 genes include: 4 genes previously recognized to contain AhR response elements (cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1B1, CYP1A1, NAD(P)H quinone reductase 1 (NQO1), and aldehyde dehydrogenase 3A1); two novel oxidative genes (alcohol dehydrogenase 3 and superoxide dismutase 3); and glypican 1, a plasma membrane proteoglycan that affects cell signaling. Further experiments demonstrated that TCDD maximally induced NQO1, glypican 1 and alcohol dehydrogenase 3 by 6 h. Glypican 1 activates the actions of many growth factors and therefore may contribute to secondary effects on gene expression.
Raising Africa?: Celebrity and the Rhetoric of the White Saviour

The ‘White Savour’ is a timeworn vehicle for celebrities in Hollywood film, where actors perform as heroes who save the day against dark and ominous adversaries. Pop stars take on personas and ‘exotic’ characters as well. And with increasing visibility, the famous perform real-life hero roles as philanthropists for social causes around the so-called ‘developing’ world. This essay explores how the celebrity philanthropist is constructed as redeemer of distant Others and how this role mingles with a celebrity’s on-stage personas to create the White Saviour, a powerful brand of cultural authority. It examines the power of Bono, Jolie and Madonna as key figures in contemporary African celebrity aid and diplomacy work, and at Madonna and Jolie as famous mothers. I argue that their campaigns employ a universalizing rhetoric of individualism that reinscribes colonial narratives of Africa’s diverse peoples as passive and helpless, and that ultimately burnishes the celebrity brand.
Conditioned Gaussian Probability Density

A workable expression is developed in the case of bivariate Gaussian variables for the probability density function of one variable conditioned on a range of values for the other variable. Such an expression is useful in evaluating sturctural reliability with correlated modes of collapse. A lengthy expression for trivariate Gaussian variables is also presented.
INVARIANT IMBEDDING AND THE COMPUTATION OF INTERNAL FIELDS FOR TRANSPORT PROCESSES.

Abstract : A classical problem of long standing in the theory of transport processes is the determination of the internal intensity function in a finite, homogeneous, isotropically scattering slab which is illuminated by uniform parallel rays of radiation. The authors provide an effective computational solution for this problem using an imbedding technique. They show how to compute the source function, characterized as the solution of a system of ordinary differential equations with a complete set of initial conditions. The X and Y functions of Chandrasekhar play a key role. (Author)
Genetic Variation for Maysin and Its Analogues in Crosses among Corn Inbreds

The isolation and identification of maysin and two of its analogues, 3'-methoxymaysin and apimaysin (3'M+A),in the silks of corn, Zea mays L., has given plant breeders a new tool for reducing damage by larvae of the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie). This study was initiated to examine the inheritance of these compounds so that a logical course for developing germplasm with high concentrations can be determined. Incorporation of the compounds into corn hybrids for the southern USA can then proceed. Twelve inbred lines were crossed in all combinations and evaluated for maysin and the sum of 3'-methoxymaysin plus apimaysin concentrations in their silks. Analysis of data from 2 yr by Griffing's Method 3 Model I revealed that reciprocal and maternal effects were not significantly different from zero. Subsequent pooling of reciprocal crosses in a Gardner-Eberhart Analysis II gave significant main effects (P < 0.01) and years x entries interactions (P < 0.05). Further partitioning of the variation established additive effects as the predominant source of genetic variation among the 66 crosses evaluated. Selection for increased maysin and (3'-methoxymaysin plus apimaysin) concentrations in corn silks should be successful by means of a simple backcrossing procedure or routine recurrent selection within a population. One or two inbreds, among the 12 tested, appear to be good candidates for establishing a selection program because they have both good general and specific combining ability. Maysin concentration and the sum of its analogues 3'-methoxymaysin and apimaysin are closely correlated in corn silks (r = 0.81, P < 0.01).
Modeling the Shape and Growth of Bacterial Cells

In bacterial cells, the peptidoglycan cell wall is the stress-bearing structure that dictates cell shape. Although many molecular details of the composition and assembly of cell-wall components are known, how the network of peptidoglycan subunits is organized to give the cell shape during normal growth has been relatively unexplored. We have introduced a computational physical model of the bacterial cell wall to complement experimental studies of cell-shape determination, with a particular focus on rod-shaped cells like Escherichia coli. First, the model predicts the mechanical response of cell shape to peptidoglycan damage and perturbation. We observe a surprising robustness of cell shape to peptidoglycan defects, helping explain the observed porosity of the cell wall and the ability of cells to grow and maintain their shape even under conditions that limit peptide crosslinking. Interestingly, according to the model, many common bacterial cell shapes can be realized via modest local patterning of peptidoglycan density. Second, we introduced growth processes into the model via insertion of new glycan strands, formation of new peptide crosslinks, and cleavage of old crosslinks (1). The growth model suggests that maintaining a rod shape requires glycan insertion to be insensitive to fluctuations in cell-wall density and stress. Suggestively, in light of the role of MreB in maintaining rod-shaped growth, we find that a simple helical pattern of insertion is sufficient for many-fold elongation without significant loss in rod shape. Finally, we demonstrate that both the length and prestretching of newly inserted strands can regulate cell width. In sum, we show that simple physical rules can allow bacteria to achieve robust, shape-preserving cell-wall growth.1. Furchtgott L, Wingreen NS, Huang KC. Mechanisms for maintaining cell shape in rod-shaped Gram-negative bacteria. Mol Microbiol. 2011;81(2):340-53.
Effect of mixing time, freeze-drying and baking on phenolics, anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity of raspberry juice during processing of muffins.

BACKGROUND: Consumption of baked products constitutes an important part of a daily breakfast considering that people are continually grabbing meals on the go. Among baked products, muffins rank third in breakfast products and attract a broad range of consumers. Incorporation of red raspberry juice into muffins can add value to the product while preserving health benefits to the consumer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of mixing time, freeze-drying and baking on the phenolic and anthocyanin contents and antioxidant capacity of raspberry juice during the preparation of muffins. RESULTS: Freeze-drying of raspberry batters reduced their phenolic content and antioxidant capacity regardless of mixing time. Non-freeze-dried raspberry batter mixed for 5 min had the highest phenolic content (0.88 mg gallic acid equivalent g−1 dry matter (DM)). Non-freeze-dried raspberry muffins had the highest antioxidant capacity (0.041 µmol Trolox equivalent g−1 DM). Freeze-dried raspberry batters mixed for 5 and 10 min had the highest anthocyanin content (0.065 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside g−1 DM). Baking reduced the anthocyanin content of both non-freeze-dried and freeze-dried raspberry muffins. CONCLUSION: Despite the reduction in valuable compounds, muffin is a vehicle for the delivery of these compounds. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Efficient Viscous Design of Realistic Aircraft Configurations

This paper addresses the use of the Constrained Direct Iterative Surface Curvature (CDISC) design method in the aircraft design process. A discussion of some of the requirements for practical use of CFD in the design process is followed by a description of different CFD design methods, along with their relative strengths and weaknesses. A detailed description of the CDISC design method highlights some of the aspects of the method that provide computational efficiency and portability, as well as the flow and geometry constraint capabilities. In addition, an efficient approach to multipoint design, the Weighted Averaging of Geometries (WAG) method, is described and illustrated using a couple of simple examples. The CDISC and WAG methods are then applied to a complex generic business jet geometry using an unstructured grid flow solver to demonstrate the multipoint and multicomponent design capabilities of these methods. Introduction
Estimating future global per capita water availability based on changes in climate and population

Human populations are profoundly affected by water stress, or the lack of sufficient per capita available freshwater. Water stress can result from overuse of available freshwater resources or from a reduction in the amount of available water due to decreases in rainfall and stored water supplies. Analyzing the interrelationship between human populations and water availability is complicated by the uncertainties associated with climate change projections and population projections. We present a simple methodology developed to integrate disparate climate and population data sources and develop first-order per capita water availability projections at the global scale. Simulations from the coupled land-ocean-atmosphere Community Climate System Model version 3 (CCSM3) forced with a range of hypothetical greenhouse gas emissions scenarios are used to project grid-based changes in precipitation minus evapotranspiration as proxies for changes in runoff, or fresh water supply. Population growth changes, according to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) storylines, are used as proxies for changes in fresh water demand by 2025, 2050 and 2100. These freshwater supply and demand projections are then combined to yield estimates of per capita water availability aggregated by watershed and political unit. Results suggest that important insights might be extracted from the use of the process developed here, notably including the identification of the globe's most vulnerable regions in need of more detailed analysis and the relative importance of population growth versus climate change in altering future freshwater supplies. However, these are only exemplary insights and, as such, could be considered hypotheses that should be rigorously tested with multiple climate models, multiple observational climate datasets, and more comprehensive population change storylines.
Root reductant release as a measure of sorghum cultivar iron efficiency

Abstract Measurement of root reductant levels developed during plant Fe stress was tested as a possible assay for sorghum cultivar Fe‐efficiency screening. Iron‐stressed sorghum was shown to release reductants into CaCO3 buffered nutrient solution; however, considerably more plants could be tested by extracting reductants from excised roots of Fe‐stressed sorghum in 35 ml of pH 3 nutrient solution and 1 mM glucose. An Fe‐efficient cultivar, RT×2536, and an Fe‐inefficient cultivar, BT×378, could be separated by measurement of reductants released into CaCO3 buffered nutrient solution and by an excised root extraction method; however, neither method was as effective as visual rating methods.
Detection and enumeration of Dekkera anomala in beer, cola, and cider using real‐time PCR

Aims: In this article, a quantitative real-time PCR assay for detection and enumeration of the spoilage yeast Dekkera anomala in beer, cola, apple cider, and brewing wort is presented as an improvement upon existing detection methods, which are very time-consuming and not always accurate. Methods and Results: Primers were designed to exclude other organisms common in these beverages, and the assay was linear over 6 log units of cell concentrations. The addition of large amounts of non-target yeast DNA did not affect the efficiency of this assay. A standard curve of known DNA was established by plotting the Ct values obtained from the QPCR against the log of plate counts on yeast peptone dextrose medium and unknowns showed exceptional correlation when tested against this standard curve. The assay was found to detect D. anomala at levels of 10–14 CFU ml−1 in either cola or beer and at levels of 9·4–25·0 CFU ml−1 in apple cider. The assay was also used to follow the growth of D. anomala in brewing wort. Conclusions: The results indicate that real-time PCR is an effective tool for rapid, accurate detection and quantitation of D. anomala in beer, cola and apple cider. Significance and Impact of the Study: This method gives a faster and more efficient technique to screen beer, cola, and cider samples and reduce spoilage by D. anomala. Faster screening may allow for significant reduction in economic loss because of reduced spoilage.
HOXA9 promotes homotypic and heterotypic cell interactions that facilitate ovarian cancer dissemination via its induction of P-cadherin

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a lethal disease that frequently involves the peritoneal cavity. Dissemination of EOC is a multi-step process in which exfoliated tumor cells survive in the peritoneal fluid as multi-cellular aggregates and then form invasive implants on peritoneal surfaces. The mechanisms that control this process are poorly understood. We previously identified that high expression of the developmental patterning gene HOXA9 is associated with poor survival in EOC patients. In this study, we investigated the significance and mechanisms of HOXA9 in controlling aggregation and implantation of floating EOC cells. HOXA9 was inhibited by shRNAs or expressed in EOC cells that were propagated in suspension cultures and in the peritoneal cavity of mice. Cell death was assayed by flow cytometry and ELISA. Cell aggregation, attachment and migration were evaluated by microscopy, transwell chamber assays and histopathologic analysis. DNA-binding of HOXA9 and its effect on expression of the cell adhesion molecule P-cadherin were assayed by chromatin immunoprecipitation, quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot. HOXA9 and P-cadherin expression was evaluated in publicly available datasets of EOC clinical specimens. We identified that HOXA9 promotes aggregation and inhibits anoikis in floating EOC cells in vitro and in xenograft models. HOXA9 also stimulated the ability of EOC cells to attach to peritoneal cells and to migrate. HOXA9 bound the promoter of the CDH3 gene that encodes P-cadherin, induced CDH3 expression in EOC cells, and was associated with increased CDH3 expression in clinical specimens of EOC. Inhibiting P-cadherin in EOC cells that expressed HOXA9 abrogated the stimulatory effects of HOXA9 on cell aggregation, implantation and migration. Conversely, these stimulatory effects of HOXA9 were restored when P-cadherin was reconstituted in EOC cells in which HOXA9 was inhibited. These findings indicate that HOXA9 contributes to poor outcomes in EOC in part by promoting intraperitoneal dissemination via its induction of P-cadherin.
Signal Sequence Mutations as Tools for the Characterization of LamB Folding Intermediates

lamBA23DA25Y and lamBA23YA25Y tether LamB to the inner membrane by blocking signal sequence processing. We isolated suppressors of lamBA23DA25Y and lamBA23YA25Y, all of which mapped within the LamB signal sequence. Most interesting were mutations that changed an amino acid with a strong positive charge to an amino acid with no charge. Further characterization of two such suppressors revealed that they produce functional LamB that is localized to the outer membrane with its entire signal sequence still attached. Biochemical analysis shows that mutant LamB monomer chases into an oligomeric species with properties different from those of wild-type LamB trimer. Because assembly of mutant LamB is slowed, these mutations provide useful tools for the characterization of LamB folding intermediates.
Learning to create data-integrating queries

The number of potentially-related data resources available for querying --- databases, data warehouses, virtual integrated schemas --- continues to grow rapidly. Perhaps no area has seen this problem as acutely as the life sciences, where hundreds of large, complex, interlinked data resources are available on fields like proteomics, genomics, disease studies, and pharmacology. The schemas of individual databases are often large on their own, but users also need to pose queries across multiple sources, exploiting foreign keys and schema mappings. Since the users are not experts, they typically rely on the existence of pre-defined Web forms and associated query templates, developed by programmers to meet the particular scientists' needs. Unfortunately, such forms are scarce commodities, often limited to a single database, and mismatched with biologists' information needs that are often context-sensitive and span multiple databases.We present a system with which a non-expert user can author new query templates and Web forms, to be reused by anyone with related information needs. The user poses keyword queries that are matched against source relations and their attributes; the system uses sequences of associations (e.g., foreign keys, links, schema mappings, synonyms, and taxonomies) to create multiple ranked queries linking the matches to keywords; the set of queries is attached to a Web query form. Now the user and his or her associates may pose specific queries by filling in parameters in the form. Importantly, the answers to this query are ranked and annotated with data provenance, and the user provides feedback on the utility of the answers, from which the system ultimately learns to assign costs to sources and associations according to the user's specific information need, as a result changing the ranking of the queries used to generate results. We evaluate the effectiveness of our method against "gold standard" costs from domain experts and demonstrate the method's scalability.
AN OPEN TRIAL OF EMDR AS TREATMENT FOR CHRONIC PTSD

In a prepilot study, eight adults with chronic PTSD underwent three 90-minute sessions of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) at one-week intervals in an open trial. None of the seven who completed treatment met criteria for current PTSD two months later. Significant decreases in measures of pathology and disturbance were recorded. A controlled trial of EMDR is under way.
Retinal arterial macroaneurysms : risk factors and natural history

A case control study was conducted to identify the systemic and ocular risk factors for retinal arterial macroaneurysms. Forty-three patients with 52 photographically confirmed macroaneurysms were located. Forty-three age-matched, race-matched concurrent control patients were also identified. The patients with macroaneurysms had decreased visual acuity (p less than 0.0001) and a higher prevalence of hypertension (p = 0.037), female sex (p = 0.099), and retinal vein occlusions (p = 0.055) than controls. In patients with both a macroaneurysm and venous occlusion there was a 12.0 times higher prevalence of macroaneurysms in the area of retina drained by the occluded vein (p less than 0.05). Common findings associated with macroaneurysms included retinal haemorrhage (81% of patients), retinal exudate (70%), vitreous haemorrhage (30%), macular involvement (30%), and distal arteriolar narrowing (26%). Arteriolar occlusion occurred spontaneously (8%) or after laser photocoagulation (16%).
Science with laser guide stars at lick observatory

The Lick Observatory laser guide star adaptive optics system has been significantly upgraded over the past two years in order to establish it as a facility science instrument on the Shane 3 meter telescope. Natural Guide Star (NGS) mode has been in use in regular science observing programs for over a year. The Laser Guide Star (LGS) mode has been tested in engineering runs and is now starting to do science observing. In good seeing conditions, the system produces K-band Strehl ratios >0.7 (NGS) and >0.6 (LGS). In LGS mode tip/tilt guiding is achieved with a V~16 natural star anywhere inside a 1 arcminute radius field, which provides about 50% sky coverage. This enables diffraction-limited imaging of regions where few bright guidestars suitable for NGS mode are available. NGS mode requires at least a V~13 guidestar and has a sky coverage of <1%. LGS science programs will include high resolution studies of galaxies, active galactic nuclei, QSO host galaxies and dim pre-main sequence stars.
Associations between adolescents' sexual Risk behavior and scores on six psychometric scales: Impulsivity predicts Risk

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to identify associations of six paper-and-pencil instruments with a composite index of sexual risk behavior among adolescents. Adolescents (N = 478) were sampled from community-based organizations, two homeless shelters, a detention center, and a drug treatment center. Participants completed a battery of 12 risk behavior questions and six scales: Attitudes Toward Prevention, Social Provision Scale, AIDS Knowledge Test, Condom Attitude Scale for Adolescents, Impulse Control Scale, and the Risk Taking Propensity Inventory. Multiple linear regression assessed associations for males and females separately. The Millon Impulse Control Scale and the Risk Taking Propensity Inventory were associated with risk outcome for males and females. The Condom Attitudes Scale predicted risk outcome in males. For both genders, the Risk Taking and the Millon Impulse Control Scales were collinear. The Millon Impulse Control Scale was the best measure of risk outcome for both genders, bu...
Using Time-Compression To Make Multimedia Learning More Efficient: Current Research and Practice

It is now common practice for instructional designers to incorporate digitally recorded lectures for Podcasts (e.g., iTunes University), voice-over presentations (e.g., PowerPoint), animated screen captures with narration (e.g., Camtasia), and other various learning objects with digital audio in the instructional method. As a result, learners are spending more time learning from audio-enhanced digital learning materials for both formal and informal purposes. In this paper, we present digital time-compression as a way to reduce the amount of time learners will spend on a learning task, while still maintaining acceptable intelligibility, pitch, and scores on important dependent measures (e.g., recall, recognition, comprehension, satisfaction). Research dating back to the 1950s is reviewed and framed in the context of multimedia learning environments. Recent research developments are reviewed and a discussion is provided emphasizing several design principles for this technology. Recommendations for future research are provided.
Concurrent counting is harder than queuing

In both distributed counting and queuing, processors in a distributed system issue operations which are organized into a total order. In counting, each processor receives the rank of its operation in the total order, where as in queuing, a processor gets back the identity of its predecessor in the total order. Coordination applications such as totally ordered multicast can be solved using either distributed counting or queuing, and it would be very useful to definitively know which of counting or queuing is a harder problem. We conduct the first systematic study of the relative complexities of distributed counting and queuing in a concurrent setting. Our results show that concurrent counting is harder than concurrent queuing on a variety of processor interconnection topologies, including high diameter graphs such as the list and the mesh, and low diameter graphs such as the complete graph, perfect m-ary tree, and the hypercube. For all these topologies, we show that the concurrent delay complexity of a particular solution to queuing, the arrow protocol, is asymptotically smaller than a lower bound on the complexity of any solution to counting. As a consequence, we are able to definitively say that given a choice between applying counting or queuing to solve a distributed coordination problem, queuing is the better solution.
Defining the nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) threshold in human participants: A comparison of different scoring criteria

Despite the widespread use of the nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) paradigm in clinical and experimental pain research, there is currently no consensus on how best to define NFR threshold. Accordingly, the present studies were designed to assess the accuracy and reliability of different NFR threshold scoring criteria. Study 1 compared 13 scoring criteria in their accuracy for identifying the presence of the NFR, then generated empirically derived cut-points for the best criteria, and examined the test-retest reliability of NFR thresholds derived from these cut-points. Study 2 evaluated the replicability of these findings in an independent sample. Results from the two studies suggested that standardized peak (NFR Interval Peak z score) and mean (NFR Interval z score) biceps femoris electromyogram (EMG) activity were accurate and reliable criteria for defining NFR threshold. Acknowledging that cut-points may need to be adjusted for different research designs, graphs depicting sensitivity and specificity across a range of cut-points have been provided to facilitate researcher's decision-making. It is hoped that the results of these studies will promote a standard NFR threshold assessment methodology, and further encourage the application of the NFR paradigm in the investigation of mechanisms and characteristics of both painful and non-painful diseases.
Heidegger on Time and Being

On January 31, 1962, Heidegger gave a lecture at the University of Freiburg in a Studium Generale directed by Eugen Fink. The title of the lecture, Zeit und Sein,1 is a reference to the third section of the first part of Being and Time, which was originally announced under that title in 1927, but not published at the time. The first part of Being and Time was devoted to an interpretation of Dasein in terms of temporality, and to an explanation of time as the transcendental horizon for the question concerning the meaning of Being.2 In 1927, however, Heidegger felt he was not able to deal adequately with the theme indicated by the title of the third section of Part I of the book and decided therefore to publish his work in incomplete form.
Identification of Ice-Nucleating Active Pseudomonas fluorescens Strains for Biological Control of Overwintering Colorado Potato Beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Laboratory studies were conducted to identify ice-nucleating active bacterial strains able to elevate the supercooling point, the temperature at which freezing is initiated in body fluids, of Colorado potato beetles, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), and to persist in their gut. Adult beetles fed ice-nucleating active strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens, P. putida, or P. syringae at 106 or 103 bacterial cells per beetle had significantly elevated supercooling points, from –4.5 to –5.7°C and from –5.2 to –6.6°C, respectively, immediately after ingestion. In contrast, mean supercooling point of untreated control beetles was –9.2°C. When sampled at 2 and 12 wk after ingestion, only beetles fed P. fluorescens F26-4C and 88–335 still had significantly elevated supercooling points, indicating that these strains of bacteria were retained. Furthermore, beetle supercooling points were comparable to those observed immediately after ingestion, suggesting that beetle gut conditions were favorable not only for colonization but also for expression of ice-nucleating activity by these two strains. The results obtained from exposure to a single, low dose of either bacterial strain also show that a minimum amount of inoculum is sufficient for establishment of the bacterium in the gut. Persistence of these bacteria in Colorado potato beetles long after ingestion was also confirmed using a polymerase chain reaction technique that detected ice-nucleating active bacteria by virtue of their ina genes. Application of these ice-nucleating active bacteria to elevate the supercooling point of this freeze-intolerant insect pest could significantly reduce their winter survival, thereby reducing local populations and, consequently, crop damage.
Influence of Plant Community Structure on Natural Enemies of Pine Needle Scale (Homoptera: Diaspididae) in Urban Landscapes

Pine needle scale, Chionaspis pinifoliae (Fitch), is a pest of many species of conifers in urban habitats and Christmas tree farms. We found that the scale was abundant in impoverished habitats, such as ornamental landscapes, and scarce in more natural, park-like habitats. Rates of parasitism were highest in impoverished habitats, suggesting that parasitoids were not effective in suppressing scale populations. Generalist predators, however, were more diverse and abundant in natural habitats and appear to be more effective in controlling scales in structurally complex plant communities. Total densities of arthropods and densities of plant-feeding species were greatest in impoverished habitats, suggesting that populations were poorly regulated. Outbreaks of pine needle scale in ornamental landscapes and Christmas tree farms may be discouraged by increasing plant structural and species diversity to favor natural enemies.
Use Of Honey-Sac Load and Dance Characteristics of Worker Honeybees to Determine Their Sugar Preferences

SummaryFrequency of dancing by returning honeybees (Apis mellifera) was shown to be positively correlated with concentration of sugar solution they had collected. Also, sucrose resulted in more dances than fructose, which in turn led to more dances than glucose.Amounts of these three sugars collected, when offered alone and in various combinations, showed sucrose to be the most acceptable sugar and glucose to be generally the least acceptable. However, at concentrations of 40% and 50% bees collected larger loads of glucose than of fructose. Mixtures of equal parts sucrose, glucose and fructose were collected in loads not significantly different in volume from other mixtures of these sugars.
Acute and Sublethal Activity of the Entomopathogenic Fungus Paecilomyces fumosoroseus (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) on Adult Aphelinus asychis (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae)

In order to be most effective, components of integrated pest management programs should act in concert with minimal antagonistic interaction between natural enemy groups and other interventions. Entomopathogenic fungi and insect natural enemies have the potential to complement or interfere with one another, depending on environmental conditions. The acute and sublethal effects of the hyphomycete fungus, Paecilomyces fumosoroseus (Wize) Brown & Smith, on adult female Aphelinus asychis Walker, a common parasitoid of the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), were studied under conditions of low (a55% RH) and high (≥95% RH) humidity at 24°C. Parasites exposed to dosages of P. fumosoroseus ranging from 3.75 to 3.75 × 103 conidia per square centimeter and incubated at 24°C in low or high relative humidity responded with mortality ranges of 20–33% and 33–88%, respectively. The effect of treatment with P. fumosoroseus at 5.2 × 104 spores per square centimeter (2× LC95 for D. noxia ) on foraging behavior of the parasitoid was studied with video image analysis 24–96 h after treatment with the fungus and incubation at low or high relative humidity. There was no significant difference between control and fungus-treated females that were incubated at the lower humidity in terms of percentage of time walking, turning, resting, and average walking speed. However, fungus-treated insects that were incubated at high relative humidity were significantly less active than their respective controls for percentage of time walking, walking speed, and distance covered. Also, average walking speed and distance walked by treated parasitoids incubated at low relative humidity for 96 h following treatment was significantly greater than treated insects incubated at the high relative humidity. Females treated with 2.6 × 104 spores per square centimeter and held in ≥95% RH for 24 h followed by incubation at 60% RH survived for an average of 5.7 d relative to 9 d for untreated females. The number of mummies produced per female per day was not significantly different between treated and untreated females, but more aphids were parasitized by the control insects due to longer survival. The limited untoward effect of P. fumosoroseus on adult A. asychis under conditions of lower humidity indicates good potential for their combined use for control of the Russian wheat aphid.
The clinical analysis of 66 neonates with urinary tract infection

Objective To discuss the clinical features,diagnosis and treatment of choice in neonates with urinary tract infection.Methods Analyzed and summarized the clinical data of 66 neonates with urinary tract infection.Results The most common clinical features of these children include fever,jaundice,symptoms of respiratory system such as cough,tachypnea and sound of sputum,and symptoms of gastrointestinal system such as ventosity,vomiting,and diarrhea.Pneumonia,jaundice and septicemia were the main base diseases.The positive rate of renal ultrasound was 26.7%.The positive rate of urine culture was 56.9%.The top three pathogens are Enterococcus feces,Escherichia coli,and Klebsiella pneumonia.Enterococcus feces were sensitive to vancomycin and linezolid,but resistant to penicillin,erythromycin,clindamycin and quinolone antibiotics.Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia were sensitive to imipen em,but resistant to penicillin and most cephalosporins antibiotics.Conclusion Clinical manifestations of neonatal urinary tract infection are often atypical and presented as systemic symptoms.Urinalysis must be performed in every neonate with urinary tract infection.Renal ultrasound and urine culture can be done if needed.The most common pathogens are Enterococcus feces and Escherichia coli.Drug administration should be based on the results of drug sensitivity tests.
The new political economy of taxation in the developing world

ABSTRACTConcomitant with globalization, neoliberal tax reforms have spread across the globe since the early 1980s. In many countries, statutory rates, the number of tax brackets, and the incidence of tax allowances have been reduced for income taxes; in the developing world, international liberalization has also been associated with reduced revenues from trade taxes and increased pressures for expansion of the value added tax and income tax revenue intake. Yet, competition for mobile assets and new opportunities for tax avoidance potentially constrains taxation of corporate and personal income. Thus, contemporary conditions create especially severe challenges for the pursuit of greater income equality and enhanced public goods provision in developing nations. The present paper situates this special issue's contributions within the theoretical and empirical literatures that seek to explain contemporary changes in taxation. I argue that we know quite a lot about the tax effects of globalization, domestic po...
Renal failure in Laennec's cirrhosis. III. Diuretic response to administered water.

Abstract Although there are many studies concerned with the diuretic response to administered water in patients with decompensated Laennec's cirrhosis there are few observations in patients with marked reduction in glomerular filtration rate. The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the response to a water load in 11 patients with decompensated Laennec's cirrhosis and endogenous creatinine clearance less than 60 ml. per minute. Most patients did not elaborate a hyposmotic urine. Sodium concentration in the urine was lower than 10 mEq. per liter in most cases. These observations are more consistent with decreased renal perfusion than with acute tubular insufficiency or chronic parenchymal renal dysfunction as the mechanism responsible for decreased renal hemodynamics.
Multi-Dimensional Deprivation in the U.S.

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of multidimensional deprivation in the U.S. since the Great Recession, from 2008 to 2013. We estimate a Multidimensional Deprivation Index by compiling individual level data on several well-being dimensions from the American Community Survey. Our results indicate that the proportion of the population that is multidimensional deprived averages about 15 percent, which exceeds the prevalence of official income poverty. Lack of education, severe housing burden and lack of health insurance were some of the dimensions in which Americans were most deprived in. Though deprivation increased during the recession, it trended towards a decline between 2010 and 2013. Unlike the official and the supplemental poverty measure which did not show any decline, the deprivation index better reflects the economic recovery since the recession. Overall, the prevalence of deprivation was higher in the southern and the western states and among the Asian and the Hispanic population. Importantly, there was not much overlap between individuals who were income poor and those who were multidimensional deprived. In fact, almost 30 % of individuals with incomes slightly above the poverty threshold experienced multiple deprivations. Our analysis underscores the need to look beyond income based poverty statistics in order to fully realize the impact of the recession on individuals’ well-being.
Hypoxia-activated cytotoxicity of benznidazole against clonogenic tumor cells

Solid tumors contain numerous regions with insufficient oxygen concentrations, a condition termed hypoxia. Tumor hypoxia is significantly associated with metastasis, refractory to conventional cancer therapies, and poor patient survival. Therefore, eradication of hypoxic tumor cells will likely have significant impact on the overall progression-free patient survival. This article reports a new discovery that Benznidazole, a bioreductive drug currently used to treat Chagas disease caused by the parasitic protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is activated by hypoxia and can kill clonogenic tumor cells especially those under severe hypoxic conditions (≤0.1 % O2). This type of hypoxia selectivity is important in that severely hypoxic tumor microenvironment is where tumor cells exhibit the strongest resistance to therapy. Mechanistically, activation of Benznidazole coincides with the stabilization of the Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1α (HIF-1α), suggesting that Benznidazole is activated after tumor cells have entered into a fully hypoxic state. Under such hypoxic conditions, Benznidazole induces the formation of 53BP1 foci, a hallmark of DNA double-stranded breaks that can cause clonogenic inhibition or cell death. These results demonstrate that Benznidazole is a hypoxia-activated cytotoxin with the potential to specifically eliminate hypoxic tumor cells.