cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Topic map editing in a java web portal

In this paper we describe the editing functionality of the Java Web Portal (P4J). P4J is a Topic Map-driven portal that allows students to access online course resources efficiently structured for easy navigation. The proposed P4J extension helps the instructors to easily and conveniently maintain their course resources through direct editing of their topic map underlying the portal.
Fragmentation Instability of Molecular Clouds

Turbulent motions observed in molecular clouds are thought to reflect initial conditions associated with cloud formation and may be sustained over the cloud lifetime by mechanical energy sources associated with star formation. This paper demonstrates that free energy stored in the magnetic fields of clouds represents another source of turbulent energy, which can be released through an instability driven by ambipolar drift. The instability operates even in cases in which the cloud would be dynamically stable if the magnetic field were completely frozen to the gas. The instability has a weak form, to which clouds are generally susceptible, and a strong form, which appears if the cloud is within about 30% of critical. In the strong form, the instability grows at a rate intermediate between the slow rate of ambipolar drift and the more rapid rates associated with dynamical processes. In the weak form of the instability the growth rate is close to the ambipolar drift rate. The instability drives turbulent motions, both compressive and vortical, and may accelerate the fragmentation of a molecular cloud into substructures.
The mid-Dinantian stratigraphy of a portion of central Pembrokeshire

The mid-Dinantian movements, whose importance have been demonstrated farther east in South Wales, are shown to be of greater magnitude in central Pembrokeshire than hitherto supposed. The trend of the shoreline of St. George's Land appears to have been controlled by movements along the locally developed Ritec fault. The Ritec fault was a barrier to sedimentation in mid-Dinantian times, causing breaks in sedimentation and the development of widespread coastal flats. The Upper Caninia Zone, represented by 350 feet of bioclastic limestones at Tenby, south of the fault, is represented by only 0 to 36 feet of algal-rich limestones and limestone conglomerates (bounded above and below by unconformities) in central Pembrokeshire.
COLOCALIZATION OF SEROTONIN RECEPTOR SUBTYPES 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C, AND 5-HT6 WITH NEUROPEPTIDES IN RAT STRIATUM

There are two primary output pathways from the striatum: a projection to the globus pallidus, and projection to the substantia nigra. Certain striatally expressed neuropeptides are differentially distributed between these two pathways. Specifically, enkephalin is expressed in striatopallidal neurons, whereas substance P and dynorphin are expressed in striatonigral neurons. Several serotonin receptors are also prominently expressed in the striatum, but little is known about how they fit into the molecular neuroanatomy described above. We used double-label in situ hybridization to determine the striatal distribution of the mRNAs of the serotonin2A (5-HT2A), serotonin2C (5-HT2C), and serotonin6 (5-HT6) receptors in relation to enkephalin, substance P, and dynorphin expressing output neurons. Rat brain sections were simultaneously hybridized with an 35S riboprobe for one of the serotonin receptors and a digoxygenin labeled riboprobe for one of the neuropeptides. Sections were examined by using brightfield microscopy, and the degree of colocalization of the two mRNAs determined. All the serotonin receptors colocalized extensively with all three of the neuropeptides examined. None of the serotonin receptors showed preferential colocalization in striatopallidal (enkephalin containing), or striatonigral (substance P or dynorphin containing) cells. The 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C mRNAs displayed a differential distribution with regard to the scattered islands of strongly dynorphin mRNA positive cells, which are thought to reside in the striatal patch compartment. Within these islands, 5-HT2C mRNA expression was much higher than in surrounding areas. 5-HT2A mRNA showed the opposite pattern with decreased expression over dynorphin rich cell clusters.
An Item Response Theory Analysis of the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument

The mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of preservice elementary teachers have been the subject of several studies. A widely used measure in these studies is the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MTEBI). The present study provides a detailed analysis of the psychometric properties of the MTEBI using Bayesian item response theory. We discuss local dependence between item pairs, psychometric quality of the items, validity of the scoring procedure, and measurement accuracy for teachers with different efficacy levels. Our findings suggest that in its present form, the test reliability of the MTEBI may not be as high as assumed to date. The scale, wording, and placement of the items need revision. Moreover, additional items need to be constructed to measure below average levels of efficacy more accurately. Ordering the items according to difficulty, we describe the structure of mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs and draw some implications for mathematics teacher educators.
Preprocedural white blood cell count and death after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Abstract Background Elevated inflammatory markers are associated with worse outcome after percutaneous coronary artery interventions (PCI). An elevation in the white blood cell (WBC) count is a nonspecific response to inflammation. We hypothesized that an elevated WBC count would be a predictor of death in patients undergoing PCI. Methods A total of 4450 patients undergoing percutaneous coronary artery intervention were divided into quintiles, based on their preprocedural WBC count (mean WBC count: quintile 1, 5.08 × 10 3 /μL; quintile 2, 6.58 × 10 3 /μL; quintile 3, 7.70 × 10 3 /μL; quintile 4, 9.14 × 10 3 /μL; and quintile 5, 13.4 × 10 3 /μL). Vital status was assessed through the use of the Social Security Death Index. Results There were a total of 504 deaths over a follow-up period of 48 months. The best survival was seen in quintile 2, with an increase in long-term mortality rates seen with both a higher or a lower WBC count ( P Conclusions A low or an elevated preprocedural WBC count in patients undergoing PCI is associated with an increased risk of long-term death. Our result provides further evidence to support the important role of inflammation in coronary artery disease.
Arsenic intoxication presenting as a myelodysplastic syndrome : A case report

A case of arsenic intoxication presenting as a myelodysplastic syndrome is reported. A 41-year-old woman with a 6-month history of gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms was noted to be pancytopenic at presentation. A bone marrow aspirate revealed dysmyelopoietic changes involving all three marrow cell lines. Subsequent analysis of urine for heavy metals demonstrated very high levels of arsenic. Treatment with British anti-Lewisite (BAL) resulted in the resolution of gastrointestinal symptoms and hematological abnormalities although the neurological complications progressed. This case emphasizes that heavy metal intoxication should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any individual presenting with the hematological features of myelodysplasia especially when accompanied by clinical features considered atypical for primary or secondary myelodysplasia.
Fluoranthene, but not benzo[a]pyrene, interacts with hypoxia resulting in pericardial effusion and lordosis in developing zebrafish

Previous research has documented several PAHs that interact synergistically, causing severe teratogenicity in developing fish embryos. The coexposure of CYP1A inhibitors (e.g. FL or ANF) with AHR agonists (e.g. BaP or BNF) results in a synergistic increase in toxicity. As with chemical CYP1A inhibitors, it has also been shown that CYP1A morpholinos exacerbate BNF-induced embryotoxicity. We hypothesized that a hypoxia-induced reduction in CYP1A activity in BNF or BaP-exposed zebrafish embryos would similarly enhance pericardial effusion and other developmental abnormalities. BaP, BNF, ANF, and FL exposures, both individually and as BaP+FL or BNF+ANF combinations, were performed under hypoxia and normoxia. CYP1A activity in the BaP+hypoxia and BNF+hypoxia embryos was reduced by approximately 60% relative to normoxia embryos. Although CYP1A activity was significantly reduced, we did not observe any increase in pericardial effusion in either group. An unexpected yet particularly interesting result of these experiments was the observed interaction of both FL and ANF with hypoxia. Relatively high, yet environmentally relevant concentrations of FL (100-500 microg L(-1)) interact with moderate hypoxia (7.3% DO) through an unknown mechanism, resulting in pericardial effusion and severe lordosis. Additionally, ANF exposures (100 microg L(-1)) which are not normally teratogenic caused dramatic pericardial effusion, but not lordosis, when embryos were coexposed to hypoxia. These results suggest that reduced CYP1A activity may not exclusively underlie observed developmental toxicity, and that hypoxia may exacerbate the developmental toxicity of some PAH mixtures.
Synaptic plasticity in the adult spinal dorsal horn: The appearance of new functional connections following peripheral nerve regeneration

Peripherally regenerated fibers were impaled in the dorsal columns. Each impaled fiber's adequate stimulus was determined and the fiber was activated by passing brief (200 ms) current pulses through the microelectrode. Cord dorsum potentials (CDPs) elicited by fiber stimulation were recorded at 8 sites, and then the fiber was injected with Neurobiotin (NB). In the same preparations, dorsal horn cells were impaled and their receptive fields (RFs) mapped; areas of skin from which the most vigorous responses were elicited were noted. Needle electrodes inserted into these cutaneous "hot spots" were used to electrically activate minimal numbers of peripherally regenerated fibers while simultaneously recording the resulting CDPs and any intracellular EPSPs. This allowed determination of connectivity between regenerated fibers and dorsal horn cells with overlapping RFs. In agreement with findings in intact animals, NB revealed long-ranging collaterals which were not seen using intraaxonally injected horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Although there was no qualitative difference in their morphology compared to those seen in controls, the correlation between spatial distribution of boutons and amplitudes of the monosynaptic CDPs of peripherally regenerated fibers revealed significant shifts in the functional efficacy of many central connections. Transcutaneous electrical stimulation revealed a significantly higher incidence of connectivity between regenerated fibers and cells with overlapping RFs at 9-12 months (86%) than at 5-6 months (34%). Although there was no obvious anatomical reorganization of afferent projections in the dorsal horn, the observed functional changes with time following transection show the formation of new functional central connections.
Poincaré like inequalities for semigroups, cosine and sine operator functions

Here we present Poincare type general Lp inequalities regarding semigroups, cosine and sine operator functions.
The Distribution of IRAS Galaxies Towards the Bootes Void

A redshift survey was completed for 342 galaxies detected by the IRAS in the direction of the Bootes void discovered by Kirshner et al. The number density of IRAS galaxies is well determined from the shallower full-sky redshift survey of Strauss et al. Four IRAS galaxies are found within the void as defined by Kirshner et al., of which three are part of a complete sample, implying a density depression of a factor of 4. The underdense region continues to a distance of at least 4000 km/s from the nominal center of the void. Three of the IRAS galaxies studied in this paper were previously unknown. These galaxies have emission-line spectra characteristic of H II regions, and red continuum magnitudes ranging from 16 to 17.5 mag, and thus are bright enough to have been detected in a wide-angle redshift survey as deep as that of Kirshner et al. The luminosity function derived from this sample is in good agreement with that of Lawrence et al.
Positional Power, Class, and Individual Earnings Inequality: Advancing New Structuralist Explanations

This article seeks to advance “new structuralist” theory by considering the effects of positional power and class on individual earnings. We contend that positional power, that is the power wielded...
Discovery of Novel Inhibitors of A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease 17 (ADAM17) Using Glycosylated and Non-Glycosylated Substrates

A disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAM) proteases are implicated in multiple diseases, but no drugs based on ADAM inhibition exist. Most of the ADAM inhibitors developed to date feature zinc-binding moieties that target the active site zinc, which leads to a lack of selectivity and off-target toxicity. We hypothesized that secondary binding site (exosite) inhibitors should provide a viable alternative to active site inhibitors. Potential exosites in ADAM structures have been reported, but no studies describing substrate features necessary for exosite interactions exist. Analysis of ADAM cognate substrates revealed that glycosylation is often present in the vicinity of the scissile bond. To study whether glycosylation plays a role in modulating ADAM activity, a tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) substrate with and without a glycan moiety attached was synthesized and characterized. Glycosylation enhanced ADAM8 and -17 activities and decreased ADAM10 activity. Metalloprotease (MMP) activity was unaffected by TNFα substrate glycosylation. High throughput screening assays were developed using glycosylated and non-glycosylated substrate, and positional scanning was conducted. A novel chemotype of ADAM17-selective probes was discovered from the TPIMS library (Houghten, R. A., Pinilla, C., Giulianotti, M. A., Appel, J. R., Dooley, C. T., Nefzi, A., Ostresh, J. M., Yu, Y., Maggiora, G. M., Medina-Franco, J. L., Brunner, D., and Schneider, J. (2008) Strategies for the use of mixture-based synthetic combinatorial libraries. Scaffold ranking, direct testing in vivo, and enhanced deconvolution by computational methods. J. Comb. Chem. 10, 3–19; Pinilla, C., Appel, J. R., Borras, E., and Houghten, R. A. (2003) Advances in the use of synthetic combinatorial chemistry. Mixture-based libraries. Nat. Med. 9, 118–122) that preferentially inhibited glycosylated substrate hydrolysis and spared ADAM10, MMP-8, and MMP-14. Kinetic studies revealed that ADAM17 inhibition occurred via a non-zinc-binding mechanism. Thus, modulation of proteolysis via glycosylation may be used for identifying novel, potentially exosite binding compounds. The newly described ADAM17 inhibitors represent research tools to investigate the role of ADAM17 in the progression of various diseases.
Teaching Manual Communication to Preservice Teachers of the Deaf in an Accredited Comprehensive Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Program

NOTING THAT there are no standardized manual communication curricula or proficiency assessments available to teacher preparation programs, the author used a case study to describe how preservice teachers of the deaf are taught to incorporate American Sign Language and various forms of signed English as effective communication tools for students who are deaf and hard of hearing. An accredited undergraduate teacher preparation program located in a rural area was selected for the study. Eight curricular components were examined, and data were triangulated from observations, interviews, and document analyses. The author found (a) that manual communication was taught in three required courses making up 6.57% of the overall curriculum, (b) direct application to the classroom was limited, and (c) there was minor misalignment across the eight curricular components examined. The program did not require an exit-level proficiency exam.
Singing in groups for Parkinson's disease (SING-PD): A pilot study of group singing therapy for PD-related voice/speech disorders

Parkinson's disease related speech and voice impairment have significant impact on quality of life measures. LSVT(®)LOUD voice and speech therapy (Lee Silverman Voice Therapy) has demonstrated scientific efficacy and clinical effectiveness, but musically based voice and speech therapy has been underexplored as a potentially useful method of rehabilitation. We undertook a pilot, open-label study of a group-based singing intervention, consisting of twelve 90-min weekly sessions led by a voice and speech therapist/singing instructor. The primary outcome measure of vocal loudness as measured by sound pressure level (SPL) at 50 cm during connected speech was not significantly different one week after the intervention or at 13 weeks after the intervention. A number of secondary measures reflecting pitch range, phonation time and maximum loudness also were unchanged. Voice related quality of life (VRQOL) and voice handicap index (VHI) also were unchanged. This study suggests that a group singing therapy intervention at this intensity and frequency does not result in significant improvement in objective and subject-rated measures of voice and speech impairment.
Sintering Behavior of Beryllium Oxide

The sintering behavior of BeO in a reducing atmosphere was studied between 1500 and 2100 deg C. Above 1700 deg C the firing temperature had only a small effect on the density after heating for 24 hours. At 1700 deg C during the first 3 to 5 hours there was a large increase in the density of the body accompanied by a simultaneous rapid rate of grain growth. Firing for longer times resulted in more moderate increases in both density and grain growth. The graingrowth characteristics were unchanged by most oxide additions although compacts of higher density resulted. Oxide additives which formed a liquid phase at the sintering temperatare enhanced both the sinterability and grain growth of beryllia. (auth)
A study of atom exchange between O2(1Δ) and ozone

It has recently been suggested that isotope exchange between excited bimolecular oxygen and ozone may be partially responsible for the enrichments in stratospheric heavy ozone. To begin evaluating this possibility we have investigated the reaction ^(18)O_2(^1Δ)+^(16)O_3→(labeled ozone products) using a fast-flow reactor and molecular beam mass spectrometry. No reaction was observed, implying that the rate coefficient must be less than 5 × 10^(−16) cm^3/s molecule at 300 K, roughly two orders of magnitude smaller than is required to account for the atmospheric anomalies.
A Comparison of High School Student Ratings of Teaching Effectiveness with Teacher Self-Ratings: Factor Analytic and Multitrait-Multimethod Analyses

Two classes of each of four hundred high school teachers were rated for teaching effectiveness by the teachers and by their students using the same instrument. Separate factor analyses yielded highly similar underlying dimensions. Convergent validity coefficients were significant for all factors. These findings provide support for the validity of high school student ratings of instruction.
Nonequilibrium Modeling of Two-Phase Critical Flows in Tubes

A nonequilibrium two-phase flow model is described for the analysis of critical flows in variable diameter tubes. Modeling of the two-phase flow mixture in the tube is accomplished by utilizing a one-dimensional form of conservation and balance equations of two-phase flow which account for the relative velocity and temperature differences between the phases. Closure of the governing equations was performed with the constitutive equations which account for different flow regimes, and the solution of the nonlinear set of six differential equations was accomplished by a variable step numerical procedure. Computations were carried out for a steam--water mixture with varying degrees of liquid subcooling and stagnation pressures in the vessel upstream of the tube and for different tube lengths. The numerical resuls are compared with the experimental data involving critical flows with variable liquid subcoolings, stagnation pressures, and tube lengths, and it is shown that the nonequilibrium model predicts well the critical flow rate, pressure distribution along the tube, and the tube exit pressure.
Freeze-fracture analysis of gap and septate junctions in embryos of a moth*

Abstract Gap and septate junctions were examined in embryos of Manduca sexta (tobacco hornworm). The junctions observed were similar in structure to those reported for adult insect tissues. In the epidermis typical pleated septate junctions were found. Associated with the pleated septate junctions were inverted gap junctions which had irregularly arranged particles and pits. In the midgut typical smooth septate junctions were found. Associated with these septate junctions were gap junctions which had a regular hexagonal packing pattern. This codistribution of gap and septate junction types is discussed in light of current theories that the gap junction types are alternative forms of the same structure in different metabolic environments. In addition to these gap and septate junctions a new junction, perhaps a modified pleated septate junction, is described.
Recharacterizing Eulerian: Intimations of new duality

Abstract Eulerian graphs are shown to be characterized by being connected with each edge in an odd number of circuits, as compared with the traditional characterization having each cutset contain an even number of edges. This result is proved in the general context of binary matroids, and the intriguing sort of duality present is analyzed using syntactical duality principles.
How large are the subsidies provided by the system of financing unemployment insurance

Abstract The method presently used to finance state unemployment compensation incorporates a tax incentive designed to stabilise employment—the firm's assigned tax rate varies with the amount of unemployment. States have imposed floors and ceilings on the tax rates inhibiting the stabilizing effect and creating a cross-subsidization from firms with stable employment to firms with unstable employment. Past efforts at accurately measuring the cross-subsidization have been hampered by the unavailability of data at the individual firm level. This study uses longitudinal data on individual firms to analyze cross-subsidization by industry.
A Gamma-Ray Flare from PKS 2255?282

A gamma-ray flare from the quasar PKS 2255-282 was detected in 1997 December by the EGRET instrument on board the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO). Previously undetected at gamma-ray energies, the source remained bright for 2 weeks of observations with weak evidence of gamma-ray variability within the flare observation. The average flux was (1.6±0.3)×10−6 cm−2 s−1 above 100 MeV with a hard power-law index of 1.7±0.3. This places the outburst among the brightest detected by EGRET. A later Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) observation revealed a simple power-law spectrum with photon index 1.8 and 2-10 keV flux of 1.44×10−11 ergs cm−2 s−1. This paper describes the CGRO and RXTE observations and data analysis, the source identification, and gamma-ray variability. We also consider the broadband spectrum, albeit on the basis of nonsimultaneous multiwavelength measurements, and the nature of the outburst from this source in the context of other known gamma-ray blazars.
Superparamagnetic composite colloids with anisotropic structures.

We report a unified set of emulsion polymerization processes for the synthesis of a series of spherical and nonspherical magnetite−polystyrene (Fe3O4−PS) composite colloids with the superparamagnetic cores concentrically or eccentrically positioned inside polystyrene shells. The interfacial tension between the inorganic core and monomer-swollen polymer shell and the effect of swelling and phase separation have been employed to tune the morphology and structure of the composite colloids. The uniform size, anisotropic structure/shape, and the additional magnetic control make these colloidal particles ideal building blocks for the fabrication of novel functional devices and materials.
Predictive Value of Sat Scores and High School Achievement for Success in a College Honors Program

Records of 402 students (206 men and 196 women) in the Honors Program at Marquette University were studied. The Verbal and Mathematics portions of the College Board Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT-V and SAT-M) and high school grade point average (HSGPA) were shown to have moderate predictive validity for the entire group. However, sex differences were seen. Only SAT-M for women was found to have practical usefulness in predicting success in the Honors Program.
A Raman spectroscopic study of a vibration‐vibration near resonant energy transfer mechanism in liquid toluene‐d5

The polarized signals from the methyl group stretching coordinate of toluene-d5 have been analyzed by the time correlation technique. Based upon the polarized signal correlation function of the 2922 cm−1 signal and the presence of Fermi resonance in the molecule, mechanistic interpretations of a vibrational internal conversion process are offered.
Vibration in Grease Lubricated Bearing Systems

In this study a dynamic bearing apparatus is designed, developed and used to evaluate noise and vibration of bearings lubricated with various greases under different operating conditions. Eight different greases are evaluated for their vibration and noise characteristics. The threshold, kurtosis and mean square methods are used to quantify grease vibration and rank the greases based on their bearing vibration. The results indicate that ultra-filtered greases exhibit the lowest bearing vibration in the mid-frequency range amongst all greases tested. Presented at the 55th Annual Meeting Nashville, Tennessee May 7–11, 2000
Is There Value-Added from the Review Process in Economics?: Preliminary Evidence from Authors

Do referees employed by journals merely screen acceptable from unacceptable manuscripts or are they charged with an additional value-adding responsibility vis-a-vis the papers they review? Drawing from editorial correspondence provided by survey respondents, I address this question by examining the relationship between citations of published papers and comments provided by reviewers and editors. Referees' comments demonstrate a positive impact on subsequent citation of papers, while comments made by editors show no such impact. Value-adding by editors appears to derive principally from efficient matching of papers with reviewers.
How useful are mean-variance considerations in stock trading via feedback control?

In classical finance, when a stochastic investment outcome is characterized in terms of its mean and variance, it is implicitly understood that the underlying probability distribution is not heavily skewed. For example, in the “perfect” case when outcomes are normally distributed, mean-variance considerations tell the entire story. The main point of this paper is that mean-variance based measures of performance may be entirely inappropriate when a feedback control law is used instead of buy-and-hold to modulate one's stock position as a function of time. For example, when using a feedback gain K to increment or decrement one's stock position, we see that the resulting skewness measure S(K) for the trading gains or losses can easily become dangerously large. Hence, we argue in this paper that the selection of this gain K based on a classical mean-variance based utility function can lead to a distorted picture of the prospects for success. To this end, our analysis begins in a so-called idealized market with prices generated by Geometric Brownian Motion (GBM). In addition to the “red flag” associated with skewness, a controller efficiency analysis is also brought to bear. While all feedback gains K lead to efficient (non-dominated, Pareto optimal) controllers, in the mean-variance sense, we show that the same does not hold true when we use a return-risk pair which incorporates more information about the probability distribution for gains and losses. To study the efficiency issue in an application context, the paper also includes a simulation for Pepsico Inc. using the last five years of historical data.
Differences and similarities in development of corneal nerve damage and peripheral neuropathy and in diet-induced obesity and type 2 diabetic rats.

Purpose Peripheral neuropathy has been shown to exist in prediabetic and diabetic patients and animal models. However, the development of peripheral neuropathy in prediabetes and posthyperglycemia is likely different. The purpose of this study was to examine the progression of peripheral neuropathy in diet-induced obese rats and high-fat-fed rats treated with a low dose of streptozotocin, a model for type 2 diabetes, using standard endpoints as well as corneal sensitivity and innervation. Methods Diet-induced obese rats and high-fat/low-dose streptozotocin diabetic rats were used to examine standard peripheral neuropathy endpoints and innervation of the cornea and corneal epithelium using corneal and standard confocal microscopy, respectively, and corneal sensitivity using a Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer at three different time points. Results Obese rats and to a greater extent diabetic rats were insulin resistant. Obese and diabetic rats had developed sensory nerve deficits, but only diabetic rats had motor nerve dysfunction as determined by measuring nerve conduction velocity, thermal nociception, and intraepidermal nerve fiber density. In the cornea there was a decrease in corneal nerve fiber length, innervation of the corneal epithelium, and corneal sensitivity in both diet-induced obese and diabetic rats. Conclusions These studies demonstrate that changes in corneal nerve innervation and sensitivity occur in both obese and type 2 diabetic rat models that are consistent with development of peripheral neuropathy. Examination of corneal nerve changes may be valuable endpoints for exploring potential treatments for peripheral neuropathy in both prediabetes with insulin resistance and diabetes.
Structure analyses of dodecylated single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Alkylation of nanotube salts prepared using either lithium, sodium, or potassium in liquid ammonia yields sidewall-functionalized nanotubes that are soluble in organic solvents. Atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy studies of dodecylated SWNTs prepared from HiPco nanotubes and 1-iodododecane show that extensive debundling results from intercalation of the alkali metal into the SWNT ropes. TGA-FTIR analyses of samples prepared from the different metals revealed radically different thermal behavior during detachment of the dodecyl groups. The SWNTs prepared using lithium can be converted into the pristine SWNTs at 180−330 °C, whereas the dodecylated SWNTs prepared using sodium require a much higher temperature (380−530 °C) for dealkylation. SWNTs prepared using potassium behave differently, leading to detachment of the alkyl groups over the temperature range 180−500 °C. These differences can be observed by analysis of the solid-state 13C NMR spectra of the dodecylated SWNTs that have...
On empirical mode decomposition for ultraspectral sounder data compression

A method 7 combining the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) 6 and the principal component analysis (PCA) was recently proposed for lossless compression of ultraspectral sounder data. In that method, data residual is obtained via the linear regression of the data against m intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) which are obtained from the EMD of the data mean, followed by the linear regression of the IMF regression error against a truncated number, n, of the corresponding principal components (PCs). In this paper we show that this two-stage (m IMFs + n PCs) linear transform approach is not as good as its counterpart two-stage (m PCs + n PCs) linear transform approach in terms of data residual and compression ratio of ultraspectral data, given the same number of IMFs and PCs used respectively at the first stage, followed by the same number of PCs used at the second stage. Mathematically, the two-stage (m PCs + n PCs) linear transform approach is equivalent to a single linear transform with (m + n) PCs. In other words, the simple PCA compression method outperforms this combined EMD and PCA compression method. This is expected because the PCA (a.k.a. the Karhunen-Loeve transform or the Hotelling transform) is known to be the optimal linear transform in the sense of minimizing the mean squared error. Our compression experiment confirms our conjecture that the role of EMD in the EMD + PCA approach is not only redundant but also degrades the compression ratios as compared to the PCA approach. We also compare the effect of using a partial set of 1502 channels against using the full set of 2107 channels, and show that the EMD + PCA approach does not break the 3:1 lossless compression barrier when compressing the full set of 2107 channels in the standard ultraspectral test data set. Our lossless PCA approach is the first to break the 3:1 compression barrier for the full set of this class of data.
Meta‐analysis of the heterogeneity in association of DRD4 7‐repeat allele and AD/HD: Stronger association with AD/HD combined type

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine whether association studies between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) and the dopamine receptor 4 gene 7-repeat (DRD4 7R) allele vary systematically based on study characteristics. A total of 27 empirical studies with 28 distinct samples using either case–control or family-based association analyses were included. Consistent with previous meta-analytic work [Gizer et al. (2009), Hum Genet 126:51–90], the DRD4 7R allele was associated with AD/HD across studies (OR = 1.33; 95% CI = 1.16–1.53, z = 4.04, P = 0.00005) and there was significant systematic variability among studies (Q = 54.24; P = 0.001; I2 = 50.22). To account for the variability among studies, sample and study level covariates were examined. No differences in overall effect size emerged between family-based and case–control studies. However, the risk allele frequency in the control population accounted for a significant portion of the variance in overall effect size within case–control studies. In addition, evidence for the association between the DRD4 7R allele and distinct AD/HD subtypes emerged across family-based and case–control studies. The proportion of AD/HD, combined type individuals within the AD/HD sample was associated with a significant increase in the magnitude of association between the DRD4 7R allele and AD/HD. Conversely, an increase in the proportion of AD/HD, predominantly inattentive type individuals within the AD/HD sample was associated with a decrease in study effect size. Implications regarding AD/HD etiological and phenotypic heterogeneity are discussed. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Composition-dependent oxygen vacancy formation in multicomponent wide-band-gap oxides

The formation and distribution of oxygen vacancy in layered multicomponent In$AM$O${}_{4}$ oxides with ${A}^{3+}=\text{Al}$ or Ga and ${M}^{2+}=\text{Ca}$ or Zn and in the corresponding binary oxide constituents is investigated using first-principles density functional calculations. Comparing the calculated formation energies of the oxygen defect at six different site locations within the structurally and chemically distinct layers of In$AM$O${}_{4}$ oxides, we find that the vacancy distribution is significantly affected not only by the strength of the metal-oxygen bonding, but also by the cation's ability to adjust to anisotropic oxygen environment created by the vacancy. In particular, the tendency of Zn, Ga, and Al atoms to form stable structures with low-oxygen coordination results in nearly identical vacancy concentrations in the InO${}_{1.5}$ and GaZnO${}_{2.5}$ layers in InGaZnO${}_{4}$, and only an order of magnitude lower concentration in the AlZnO${}_{2.5}$ layer as compared to the one in the InO${}_{1.5}$ layer in InAlZnO${}_{4}$. The presence of two light-metal constituents in the InAlCaO${}_{4}$ along with Ca failure to form a stable fourfold coordination as revealed by its negligible relaxation near the defect, leads to a strong preference of the oxygen vacancy to be in the InO${}_{1.5}$ layer. Based on the results obtained, we derive general rules on the role of chemical composition, local coordination, and atomic relaxation in the defect formation and propose an alternative light-metal oxide as a promising constituent of multicomponent functional materials with tunable properties.
Functional neuroimaging studies of post-traumatic stress disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant problem that can affect individuals who have been exposed to a traumatic event or events, such as combat, violent crime or childhood abuse. Over the past several years, neuroimaging studies of PTSD have focused on elucidating the brain circuits that mediate this disorder. In this article, we will briefly introduce some of the methods used in functional neuroimaging studies of PTSD. We will then review functional neuroimaging studies that have reported significant findings in the amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and insula. Finally, we will suggest future directions for research.
Dynamics of competition among estuarine sand-burrowing amphipods

Abstract The sand-burrowing haustoriid amphipods Acanthohaustorius millsi Bousfield and Pseudohaustorius caroliniensis Bousfield are vertically segregated in the upper oxidized sediment and the underlying reducing layer respectively. Laboratory perturbation experiments of both density and species composition were carried out in transparent cores containing equal sections of oxidized and reduced sand from an intertidal flat in North Inlet, South Carolina. Amphipod collections for experiments unavoidably involved a third haustoriid species, Lepidactylus dytiscus Say, but competitive interactions between the other two species were as predicted. At high density and in the presence of Acanthohaustorius millsi, Pseudohaustorius caroliniensis assumed its usual deeper vertical distribution. In the former's absence, this species underwent a niche shift into the oxidized habitat. At low densities, however, both species coexisted in the oxidized layer. It is suggested that competition between P. caroliniensis and the other haustoriid species occurs when tidal disturbance and/or interstitial food availability is minimal. Niche plasticity in P. caroliniensis is presumably maintained by temporal resource heterogeneity, making both disturbance and competition important in the regulation of this assemblage, the relative importance of each changing through time.
Thick film sol gel PZT transducer using dip coating

A sol gel process has been used to develop a 30 /spl mu/m thick PZT coating on a sapphire wafer. The sol gel film was removed and plated with platinum electrodes. The free-standing film had a free dielectric constant (/spl epsiv//sup T/) of 820, a thickness-mode coupling coefficient (k/sub t/) of 0.17, a speed of sound (c) of 3700 m/s, and an acoustic impedance (Z) of 28.9 MRayls. The film resonated at 62 MHz. These results were similar to KLM simulation results. A sol gel transducer was built by first backing the film with 2.2 mm thick silver epoxy. The transducer resonated at 32, 64, and 92 MHz. At 32 MHz, the transducer had a bandwidth of 40%. The insertion loss at 47 MHz was -66 dB. A 32 MHz image was constructed with this transducer by off-line processing of 40 rf-lines of data.
OpenMP on Networks of Workstations

We describe an implementation of a sizable subset of OpenMP on networks of workstations (NOWs). By extending the availability of OpenMP to NOWs, we overcome one of its primary drawbacks compared to MPI, namely lack of portability to environments other than hardware shared memory machines. In order to support OpenMP execution on NOWs, our compiler targets a software distributed shared memory system (DSM) which provides multi-threaded execution and memory consistency. This paper presents two contributions. First, we identify two aspects of the current OpenMP standard that make an implementation on NOWs hard, and suggest simple modifications to the standard that remedy the situation. These problems reflect differences in memory architecture between software and hardware shared memory and the high cost of synchronization on NOWs. Second, we present performance results of a prototype implementation of an OpenMP subset on a NOW, and compare them with hand-coded software DSM and MPI results for the same applications on the same platform. We use five applications (ASCI Sweep3d, NAS 3D- FFT, SPLASH-2 Water, QSORT, and TSP) exhibiting various styles of parallelization, including pipelined execution, data parallelism, coarse-grained parallelism, and task queues. The measurements show little difference between OpenMP and hand-coded software DSM, but both are still lagging behind MPI. Further work will concentrate on compiler optimization to reduce these differences.
Population viability of recolonizing cougars in midwestern North America

Abstract Although cougar ( Puma concolor ) populations have been absent from most of midwestern North America for >100 years, the combination of long-distance dispersal and a significant increase in presence of cougars in the Midwest since 1990 suggests an eastward range expansion. Building on previous research on potential cougar habitat in the Midwest, we modeled two scenarios that could impact recolonization of cougars (annual harvest of cougars in western populations versus no harvest) in a spatially explicit population viability analysis (PVA). We built a stage-based demographic model for cougars using values for survival and fecundity from 40 years of published literature. We then modeled population viability of cougars in the Midwest for 25 years in RAMAS/GIS. We calculated λ = 1.083, and found that our study area comprised 9.6% highly suitable habitat patches for cougars. Our no-harvest model indicated all eight large patches of habitat in the Midwest occupied after 25 years; the harvest scenario found seven of eight large patches occupied. Both models were most sensitive to changes in dispersal rates and distances, and were least sensitive to changes in stage matrix means or deviations. We suggest that cougars are likely to recolonize habitat patches in the Midwest in the next 25 years, regardless of current harvest pressure. Our study is an important step forward in understanding cougar potential in the Midwest, as successful conservation and management strategies will require an integrated approach regarding the potential for presence of a large carnivore in the region.
PREPARATION OF HIGH SOLID CONTENT GLASS PARTICLE-POLYMETHACRYLATE COMPOSITE BY AN ADVANCE WETTING METHOD

An advanced wetting method is used to prepare a composite with a high content of ceramic particles in a matrix of photocured polymethylmethacrylate. The method allows for the preparation at minimum stirring of high quality samples with up to 59% solid in volume. The samples present reasonable flow characteristics prior to curing, with high hardness and fracture toughness in the fully cured state. Practical implications of the preparation method for dental restorative applications are studied. The method is also useful in the preparation of similar composites for other practical applications.
Growth of human bronchial epithelial cells at an air-liquid interface alters the response to particle exposure

Background We tested the hypothesis that normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells 1) grown submerged in media and 2) allowed to differentiate at air-liquid interface (ALI) demonstrate disparities in the response to particle exposure.
Toward Open Source Kenya: Creating and Sharing a GIS Database of Nairobi

To make good decisions about the future direction of cities we need data to contextualize and make recommendations that are based on past results and potential models for the future. Yet access to information including geographic information systems (GIS) is challenging, particularly as data are often seen as a commodity or source of power by those who control it, a dynamic more severe in contexts like Kenya. By generating GIS data for our own transportation model and then sharing them with those interested in doing research on Nairobi, we experienced firsthand some of the power dynamics associated with accessing and generating information in the developing country context. The project had several important lessons: (1) Simply developing data does not make them open; how “open access” is provided to the data is just as important as making them freely available. (2) Developing data can show commitment to a particular place or project that can help generate support for stronger partnerships and project goal...
The detection of changes in heparin activity in the rabbit: a comparison of anti-xa activity, thrombelastography, activated partial thromboplastin time, and activated coagulation time.

UNLABELLED: Thrombelastography (TEG) has been used to detect both exogenous and endogenous circulating heparin activity in clinical and laboratory settings. Thus, in this study I sought to compare the sensitivity of TEG, activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and activated coagulation time (ACT) values with changes in anti-Xa activity after small-dose heparin administration in rabbits. Conscious rabbits (n = 11) had blood obtained from ear arteries for hematological analyses after the administration of 0, 10, 20, and 30 U/kg of IV heparin. Anti-Xa activities after the administration of 0, 10, 20, and 30 U/kg of heparin were, respectively, 38 +/- 9 mU/mL, 74 +/- 15 mU/mL, 105 +/- 14 mU/mL, and 134 +/- 17 mU/mL; all values were significantly different from each other. TEG variables (R and alpha) significantly (P < 0.05) changed between 0, 10, and 20 U/kg heparin doses, but a difference between 20 and 30 U/kg could not be discerned secondary to loss of a detectable clot. The aPTT was significantly (P < 0.05) different between 0, 20, and 30 U/kg doses. ACT values were significantly different between the 0 U/kg heparin dose and all other doses; however, there were no significant differences between the 10, 20, and 30 U/kg heparin doses. Changes in anti-Xa activity were significantly linearly related to R (r = 0.81, P < 0.0001), alpha (r = -0.85, P < 0.0001), aPTT (r = 0.74, P < 0.0001), and ACT (r = 0.41, P = 0.005). In this model of small-dose heparin administration, TEG variables were more sensitive to changes in heparin activity than aPTT and ACT. IMPLICATIONS: Changes in thrombelastography (TEG) variables more sensitively reflect changes in circulating heparin activity than activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and activated coagulation time (ACT) after small-dose heparin administration in rabbits. Thus, TEG may be more helpful than aPTT and ACT in the detection of heparin in both laboratory and clinical settings wherein heparin may play a role in coagulopathy.
Sensitivity of a direct sampling digital correlation receiver for aperture synthesis radiometry

This paper continues the authors' investigation of a novel direct RF sampling digital radiometer (DSDR) that would be suitable for use in large L-band aperture synthesis sensors. The authors' focus is to solve for the noise-equivalent sensitivity (NE/spl Delta/T) of a two-element, correlation DSDR, which would generate the visibility samples for aperture synthesis. An outline of the discrete-time statistical NE/spl Delta/T derivation is presented for typical Earth remote sensing design conditions. They find that a hypothetical 3-bit L-band DSDR could attain a sensitivity within 3.8% of the figure for an ideal analog correlation radiometer.