cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variability of in vivo reference point indentation in skeletally mature inbred rats.

Abstract Reference point indentation (RPI) has emerged as a novel tool to measure material-level biomechanical properties in vivo . Human studies have been able to differentiate fracture versus non-fracture patients while a dog study has shown the technique can differentiate drug treatment effects. The goal of this study was to extend this technology to the in vivo measurement of rats, one of the most common animal models used to study bone, with assessment of intra- and inter-animal variability. Seventy-two skeletally mature male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to in vivo RPI on the region between the tibial diaphysis and proximal metaphysis. RPI data were assessed using a custom MATLAB program to determine several outcome parameters, including first cycle indentation distance (ID-1st), indentation distance increase (IDI), total indentation distance (TID), first cycle unloading slope (US-1st), and first cycle energy dissipation (ED-1st). Intra-animal variability ranged from 13% to 21% with US-1st and Tot Ed 1st-L being the least variable properties and IDI the most highly variable. Inter-animal variability ranged from 16% (US-1st) to 25% (ED-1st and IDI). Based on these data, group size estimates would need to range from 9 to 18/group to achieve sufficient power for detecting a 25% difference in a two-group experiment. Repeat tests on the contralateral limb of a small cohort of animals ( n =17) showed non-significant differences over 28 days ranging from −6% to −18%. These results provide important data on RPI variability (intra- and inter-animal) in rats that can be used to properly power future experiments using this technique.
Twinkling Fractal Theory of the Glass Transition: Rate Dependence and Time-Temperature Superposition

The twinkling fractal theory (TFT) of the glass transition temperature Tg provides a new method of analyzing rate effects and time-temperature superposition in amorphous materials. The rate dependence of Tg was examined in the light of new experimental and theoretical evidence for the nature of the dynamic heterogeneity near Tg .A sTg is approached from above, dynamic solid fractal clusters begin to form and eventually percolate rigidity at Tg. The percolation cluster is a solid fractal and to the observer, appears to ''twinkle'' as solid and liquid clusters interchange in dynamic equilibrium with a vibrational density of states g(x) � x d � 1 f . The solid-to-liquid twin- kling frequencies xTF are controlled by the Boltzmann population of intermolecular oscillators in excited energy levels of their anharmonic potential energy functions U(x) such that xTF ¼ x expB(T � 2 � T 2 )/kT in which T � � 1.2Tg. An oscillator changes from a solid to a liquid when a thermal fluctuation causes it to expand beyond its inflec- tion point in the anharmonic potential. This leads to a continuous solid fraction Ps near Tg given by PS � 1� ((1 � pc) T/Tg) where pc � 1/2 is the rigidity percolation threshold. Since g(x) is continuous from very low to very high frequencies, the complex twinkling dynamics existing near Tg produces a continuous relaxation spectrum with many dif- ferent length scales and times associated with the fractal clusters. The twinkling fre- quencies control the kinetics of Tg such that for a given observation time t when the rate c ( 1/t, only those parts of the twinkling spectrum with x ( c can contribute to relaxation or percolation upto time t. The most important results in this article are as follows: The TFT describes the rate dependence of Tg, both for DSC thermal heating/ cooling rates and DMA frequencies as the classic Tglnc law as Tg(c) ¼ Tgo þ (k/2B )l n c/co in which the constant B ¼ 0.3 cal/mol K 2 . The constant B appears quite universal for the 17 thermoset polymers investigated in this study and 18 linear polymers inves- tigated by others. Many other amorphous metal and ceramic glass materials exhibited the same rate law but required a new B value approximately half that for polymers. The same B ¼ 0.3 value was also used to successfully describe the TTS shift factors using the twinkling fractal frequencies xTF ¼ xexpB(T � 2 � T 2 )/kT ,a s lnaT(TFT) ¼ exp B(TRT 2 )/kT, which gave comparable results with the classical WLF equation, log aT ¼ (� C1(TTR))/(C2 þ (TTR)). The advantage of the TFT over the WLF is that C1 and C2 are not universal constants and must be determined for every material, whereas the TFT uses one known constant B which appears to be the same for all poly- mers. The TFT has also been found to describe the strong and fragile nature of the vis- cosity behavior of liquids and the rate and temperature dependence of the yield stress in polymers. V C 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 2578-2590, 2009
Measuring the leanness of manufacturing systems-A case study of Ford Motor Company and General Motors

In spite of the vast research published on lean manufacturing systems in several disciplines in the last decade, the concept remains underdeveloped for two reasons. First, it lacks a generally accepted definition. Different authors define lean in terms of its objectives, which vary, overlap and differ in different firms. Second, no study has developed a systematic and relative measure of lean production systems. With the lack of such a measure, two companies cannot be rated objectively on their progress toward becoming lean. This paper has two goals: first, to define manufacturing leanness as a unifying concept, and, second, to develop a systematic, long-term measure of leanness. Manufacturing leanness is a strategy to incur less input to better achieve the organization's goals through producing better output. The systematic measure of leanness has seven characteristics: relative, dynamic, long-term fuzzy logical, objective, integrative and comprehensive. The leanness measure utilizes the fuzzy-logic methodology since lean is a matter of degree. Applying the measure to compare the production leanness of Ford Motor Company and General Motors, the paper selects Honda Motor Company as the benchmarking firm. Selecting just-in-time (JIT), Kaizen, and quality controls as lean attributes, the paper uses surrogates for these attributes extracted from audited financial statements over the years 2001-2003. The results show that Ford's system is more than 17% leaner than GM's system vis-a-vis the benchmarked company's system.
Transparent ultralow-density silica aerogels prepared by a two-step sol-gel process

Conventional silica sol-gel chemistry is limited for the production of transparent ultralow-density aerogels because (1) gelation is either slow or unachievable, and (2) even when gelation is achieved, the large pore sizes result in loss of transparency for aerogels <.020 g/cc. We have developed a two-step sol-gel process that circumvents the limitations of the conventional process and allows the formation of ultralow-density gels in a matter of hours. we have found that the gel time is dependent on the catalyst concentration. After supercritical extraction, the aerogels are transparent, uncracked tiles with densities as low as .003 g/cc. 6 figs., 11 refs.
Adenovirus-mediated gene transfer into dissociated and explant cultures of rat hippocampal neurons

Genetic manipulation offers great potential for studying the molecular and cellular processes which control or regulate the complex developmental properties of neurons. Gene transfer into neurons, however, is notoriously difficult. In this study we have used a replication-defective adenovirus (Adv/RSV beta gal), expressing beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) as a reporter gene, to infect dissociated cultures of rat hippocampal neurons and hippocampal slice cultures. Because future studies will require either long-term (e.g., developmental) or short-term (e.g., electrophysiological) expression of recombinant genes in neuronal cultures, we have optimized infection conditions for each situation. The Adv/RSV beta gal construct infects neurons and glial cells equally well, with no apparent alterations in cellular morphology. In slice cultures, the same efficiency and temporal control of beta-gal expression following Adv/RSV beta gal infection was achieved. Focal application of the adenoviruses, by microinjection, permitted infection of discrete subregions within the hippocampal explants. Whole cell recordings of dissociated hippocampal neurons and field recordings from the explant cultures, infected with Adv/RSV beta gal at low multiplicities of infection, indicated no significant alteration in the electrophysiological profiles of neurons in these cultures. The results demonstrate the utility of adenoviruses as gene transfer vectors for primary cultures of neurons. Adenovirus-mediated gene transfer into slice cultures also provides an opportunity to study development or plasticity in an environment where the circuitry and cytoarchitecture of the tissue are preserved and the areas of genetic manipulation can be spatially isolated.
Histologic Lichenoid Features in Oral Dysplasia and Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective This study describes the occurrence of histopathologic characteristics of oral lichenoid mucositis in epithelial dysplasia and squamous cell carcinoma. Study Design This retrospective review examined 352 histologic specimens of group 1 (mild to moderate dysplasia), group 2 (severe dysplasia or carcinoma in situ), and group 3 (squamous cell carcinoma) for correlation between 5 histologic characteristics frequently found in oral lichen planus and grade, age, gender, and oral subsite. Results In this sample, 29% of all cases exhibited 3 or more lichenoid features. Lichenoid features were significantly more frequent in group 1 over group 2 lesions for cases meeting a minimum lichenoid threshold ( P = .001). No statistically significant patterns were noted for age or gender. The buccal mucosa was significantly overrepresented ( P = .039) and the floor of the mouth was significantly underrepresented ( P = .049) in regard to lichenoid feature frequency. Conclusions This study confirms the frequent correlation of lichenoid characteristics in oral premalignant and malignant lesions.
Super/hypersonic aerodynamic characteristics for a transatmospheric vehicle concept having a minimum drag forebody

Experimental longitudinal and lateral-directional aerodynamic characteristics were obtained for a generic transatmospheric vehicle concept having a replaceable minimum drag forebody shape. The alternate forebody tested was a 1/4-power series body. Tests were made over a range of Mach numbers from 2 to 10 at a nominal Reynolds number, based on a length of 2.3 x 10 to the 8th and angles of attack from -4 to 20 deg. The minimum drag forebody provided significant improvements in minimum drag and L/D for the configuration as well as a longitudinally stabilizing increment. Although the baseline configuration is longitudinally unstable, the L/D improvements at low to moderate angles of attack would enhance cruise performance. Varying wing incidence angles was demonstrated as an effective horizontal trim device without significant trim drag penalties.
Scientific and regulatory issues relevant to assessing risk for developmental neurotoxicity: an overview.

The effects of chemical exposure on the developing nervous system have been documented in both humans and animals for a variety of agents. However, the comparability of these effects has not been carefully evaluated to determine the predictability of animal models to adverse effects in humans. A workshop sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse was held on April 11-13, 1989, to address the Qualitative and Quantitative Comparability of Human and Animal Developmental Neurotoxicity. Invited experts were asked to review the human and animal data on several agents that are known to cause developmental neurotoxicity in humans, including lead, methylmercury, selected abused agents, anticonvulsants, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), ethanol and X-irradiation, and to make quantitative comparisons on a specific end point basis as well as on a functional category basis. In addition, they were asked to make quantitative comparisons when adequate dose-effect data were available. The data also were evaluated in the context of the proposed EPA developmental neurotoxicity testing battery to determine whether or not the battery would adequately detect the effects of each agent. Finally, four work groups were asked to reach consensus on issues relating to: 1) comparability of end points across species for developmental neurotoxicity; 2) testing methods in developmental neurotoxicity for use in human risk assessment; 3) weight-of-evidence and quantitative evaluation of data from developmental neurotoxicity studies; and 4) triggers for developmental neurotoxicity testing.
Comparative study of immature and mature olfactory receptor cells in adult frogs

We describe a method to produce frog olfactory epithelium with a population of developmentally synchronized receptor cells suitable for electrophysiological studies. The epithelium is ablated with ZnSO4 and allowed to regenerate for 10 days. Generation of new cells is then blocked by continuous treatment with hydroxyurea. Since new receptor cells are generated beginning on the 6th day after ablation, it is reasonable to assume that receptor cells in the preparation originated between the 6th and 10th days following ablation. The age range of these cells would be no more than 5 days. The cells develop normally and in relative synchrony. Olfactory epithelia with developmentally synchronized receptor cells were used for a physiological study of response properties as a function of developmental age. Developmental stages of receptor cells were confirmed by fine-structure analysis. There were no differences in the polarities or shapes of electro-olfactograms (EOGs) recorded from olfactory epithelia composed of immature or mature receptor cells. However, amplitudes of the main negative components in EOGs recorded from epithelia composed of mature receptor cells were generally higher than those from epithelia composed of immature cells. The majority of immature olfactory receptor cells had low spontaneous activity or none at all. Mature olfactory receptor cells had a variety of frequencies of spontaneous activity ranging from less than one to more than 70 spikes/min. Extracellular single unit activity recordings showed that, contrary to what has been observed in rat embryos, olfactory receptor cells in regenerating epithelial of adult frogs do not go through a stage in which they respond to all odorants.
Self-Assembly-Induced Ultrafast Photodriven Charge Separation in Perylene-3,4-dicarboximide-Based Hydrogen-Bonded Foldamers

We report the synthesis, self-assembly characteristics, and ultrafast electron transfer dynamics of a perylene-3,4-dicarboximide (PMI) covalently linked to an N,N′-bis(3,4,5-tridodecyloxyphenyl)melamine electron donor (D) via a biphenyl spacer (PMI-Ph2-D). Synchrotron-based small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) measurements in methylcyclohexane solution show that PMI-Ph2-D self-assembles into π–π stacked, hydrogen-bonded foldamers consisting of two or three hexameric rings or helices. Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy reveals that photoinduced charge separation within these nanostructures occurs by a unique pathway that is emergent in the assembly, whereas electron transfer does not occur in the PMI-Ph2-D monomers in tetrahydrofuran.
Preparation of human angiotensinogen for plasma renin concentration assay

Abstract A three step procedure is given for the partial purification of human angiotensinogen. A 94-fold purification with an overall recovery of 15% was obtained when fresh frozen human plasma was used as the starting material. The endogenous renin activity of the product was less than 0.04 ng/mg protein per h. This is a feasible method for producing human angiotensinogen for use in the plasma renin concentration assay.
Ameloblast cycling patterns as measured by fluorochrome infiltration of rat incisor enamel

Abstract Rapid modulation of maturation ameloblasts between smooth-ended and ruffle-ended forms may play an important part in the development of normal dental enamel. Previous studies of modulation rates relied upon measurements of stained or fluorescing bands on the enamel surface of whole incisors along with separate histological sections for cell-band dimensions. The present study utilized direct measurement of maturation-ameloblast bands and fluorescing regions of underlying enamel in the same histological sections, which increased the accuracy and ease with which modulation rates could be determined. Rats were injected with calcein at various times before killing and preparation of survey midsagittal sections of the lower incisors. The lengths of bands of smooth-ended ameloblasts and underlying fluorescing regions of enamel were measured throughout the maturation zone. Modulation rates were found to range from 238 μm/h (early maturation) to 91 μm/h (late maturation). Calcein diffused into enamel to varying degrees depending upon the location within the maturation stage. This new approach of direct measurement greatly facilitates the investigation of ameloblast modulation and provides additional insights into progressive structural changes in enamel during maturation.
The effect of bleomycin on the uptake and incorporation of [14C]choline into phospholipids in hamster lung tissue slices.

Intratracheal administration of the anticancer drug bleomycin to hamsters produced an increase in the uptake and incorporation of [14C] choline into phospholipids of lung slicesin vitro. The stimulatory effect is opposite to the results obtained previously using [14C] acetate and would appear to occur distal to cytidine diphosphocholine. Although alternate explanations are possible, the results are consistent with morphological evidence, published by others, indicating an increase in lung phospholipid following bleomycin treatment, and illustrate the significance of precursor selection when evaluating the effects of xenobiotics on phospholipid synthesis.
Cerebral infarct in head injury: relationship to child abuse

Abstract Background: To determine whether CT-detected cerebral infarct in young children is associated more often with abuse or unintentional head injury. Methods: Retrospective case-control study of injured children under age 6 who had abnormal initial head CT scans and who were admitted to the only Level I pediatric trauma center in Washington State for closed head injury (CHI) from January 1, 1992 to December 31, 1998. Results: Fifteen children developed cerebral infarct after CHI during the 7 year period. These cases were compared to 53 controls (those who did not develop infarct). After adjusting for the presence of SDH and for severity of injury, patients with infarcts were six times more likely to have been abused than patients without infarcts (OR 6.1; 95% CI, 1.02–36.0). Conclusions: Cerebral infarct after CHI appears to result more frequently from abuse than unintentional injury in young children.
Origins of modern premedical education.

The author reviews the contributions of those individuals and major academic and professional organizations responsible for the development of the modern concepts of the premedical education of a physician. The late 19th century gave rise to scientifically-based medical education in U.S. medical education. It followed that this new emphasis, in medical schools, on laboratory investigation of disease processes demanded a sound introduction to the natural sciences by those who would be candidates for this type of challenging education. Starting with a vocal few, the message gradually was received throughout the country that a properly schooled physician must have the equivalent of a broad baccalaureate education in the natural sciences as well as in the traditional humanities. This essential was recognized by a small nucleus of individuals responsible for the creation of The Johns Hopkins University in 1876 and its school of medicine in 1893; the group was led by the university's first president, Daniel Coit GILMAN: Almost simultaneously other established academic institutions incorporated similar changes and a new era began.
Specificity of emotion-related effects on attentional processing in schizotypy

Objectives In the schizophrenia spectrum, cognitive functions such as perception, language, and attention have been shown to be adversely influenced by negative affect. The present study addressed three issues of specificity and one issue of mechanism regarding affect-related attentional disruption in schizotypy: (1) Is attentional disturbance from negative affective stimuli specific to positive (PS) but not negative schizotypy (NS)? (2) Do positive affective stimuli also foster attentional disturbance? (3) Are anxiety and depression differentially related to PS and NS? (4) Whatever the degree of specificity in these relationships, does anxiety mediate the relationship between schizotypy and attentional disturbance?
Intergroup Attitudes among Ethnic Minority Adolescents: A Causal Model.

To examine the influence of ethnic identity and intergroup contact on adolescents' attitudes toward other ethnic groups, we studied eighth and eleventh graders from 2 predominantly non-White school districts. Surveys completed by 547 adolescents from 3 ethnic groups (133 African Americans, 219 Latinos, and 195 Asian Americans) assessed in-group and out-group attitudes, out-group interaction, out-group contact, and ethnic identity. A causal model suggested 2 pathways leading to positive out-group attitudes. In one pathway, ethnic identity increased with age and predicted positive in-group attitudes; these attitudes contributed to positive out-group attitudes. In a separate pathway, ethnic diversity outside of school led to more out-group interaction in school, which in turn predicted positive out-group attitudes. The results support developmental and multiculturalism views of intergroup relations.
Effects of systemic hypoxemia and catecholamines on arterial potassium ion concentrations before and after β-adrenergic blockade☆

Abstract Arterial blood potassium concentrations were measured in dogs before, during and following adrenaline and noradrenaline infusion and systemic hypoxemia. Adrenaline infusion produced marked but transient hyperkalemia that was followed by significant hypokalemia. Systematic hypoxemia resulted in a large increase in the arterial blood concentration of potassium that was not followed by hypokalemia. Noradrenaline infusion resulted in a small increase in arterial potassium but no significant hypokalemia. Beta-adrenergic blockade diminished and delayed the maximum increases in arterial potassium concentration associated with hypoxemia and adrenaline and blocked completely the marked hypokalemia that followed adrenaline infusion. The absence of hypokalemia following hypoxemia and the presence of it with adrenaline infusion offers suggestive evidence that the potassium changes associated with systemic hypoxemia may not be mediated solely through adrenaline release.
Efficient convex relaxation for stochastic optimal distributed control problem

This paper is concerned with the design of an efficient convex relaxation for the notorious problem of stochastic optimal distributed control (SODC). The objective is to find an optimal structured controller for a dynamical system subject to input disturbance and measurement noise. With no loss of generality, this paper focuses on the design of a static controller for a discrete-time system. First, it is shown that there is a semidefinite programming (SDP) relaxation for this problem with the property that its SDP matrix solution is guaranteed to have rank at most 3. This result is due to the extreme sparsity of the SODC problem. Since this SDP relaxation is computationally expensive, an efficient two-stage algorithm is proposed. A computationally-cheap SDP relaxation is solved in the first stage. The solution is then fed into a second SDP problem to recover a near-global controller with an enforced sparsity pattern. The proposed technique is always exact for the classical H 2 optimal control problem (i.e., in the centralized case). The efficacy of our technique is demonstrated on the IEEE 39-bus New England power network, a mass-spring system, and highly-unstable random systems, for which near-optimal stabilizing controllers with global optimality degrees above 90% are designed under a wide range of noise levels.
The Time Evolution of a Vortex-Flame Interaction Observed via Planar Imaging of CH and OH

Planar laser-induced fluorescence imaging diagnostics of OH and CH are used to examine a premixed laminar flame subjected to a strong line-vortex pair. Results are reported for a fuel-rcih lamiar CH{sub 4}-air-N{sub 2} rod-stabilized flame. The flow studied was highly reproducible, which enabled the use of phase-sampled imaging to provide time-resolved image sequences. Image sequences are shown for a condition sufficient to produce localized extinction of the primary flame. Results indicate that a breakage in the CH front is not preceded by any distinct change in the OH front. The structure of the CH and OH profiles during the transient leading up to, and through the breakage of the CH front do not appear to be consistent with the concept of a strained laminar flame.
Composite Plasmon Resonant Nanowires

We present an experimental study of the polarization-dependent scattering of light from homogeneous and multisegment silver, gold, and nickel nanowires. The metallic nanowires are prepared within a polycarbonate membrane template by a combination of electroplating (gold and nickel) and electroless (silver) growth processes. The size range of the nanowire segments is such that surface plasmon resonances are supported, dominating the optical spectra. We characterize the light scattering properties of individual composite nanowires using an optical microscope configured for single particle spectroscopy. Because of the scattering efficiency associated with the plasmon resonance, very narrow (∼30 nm diameter) nanowires can be readily observed under white-light illumination, with the spectral characteristics of each subsection easily distinguishable. Because of their compactness, these simply prepared multiisegment plasmon resonant nanowires are capable of hosting a large number of segment sequences over a comp...
Constrained by our connections: white matter's key role in interindividual variability in visual working memory capacity.

Visual working memory (VWM) plays an essential role in many perceptual and higher-order cognitive processes. Despite its reliance on a broad network of brain regions, VWM has a capacity limited to a few objects. This capacity varies substantially across individuals and relates closely to measures of overall cognitive function (Luck and Vogel, 2013). The mechanisms underlying these properties are not completely understood, although the amplitude of neural signal oscillations (Vogel and Machizawa, 2004) and brain activation in specific cortical regions (Todd and Marois, 2004) have been implicated. Variability in VWM performance may also reflect variability in white matter structural properties. However, data based primarily on diffusion tensor imaging approaches remain inconclusive. Here, we investigate the relationship between white matter and VWM capacity in human subjects using an advanced diffusion imaging technique, diffusion kurtosis imaging. Diffusion kurtosis imaging provides several novel quantitative white mater metrics, among them the axonal water fraction (faxon), an index of axonal density and caliber. Our results show that 59% of individual variability in VWM capacity may be explained by variations in faxon within a widely distributed network of white matter tracts. Increased faxon associates with increased VWM capacity. An additional 12% in VWM capacity variance may be explained by diffusion properties of the extra-axonal space. These data demonstrate, for the first time, the key role of white matter in limiting VWM capacity in the healthy adult brain and suggest that white matter may represent an important therapeutic target in disorders of impaired VWM and cognition.
Eavesdropping of woodchucks (Marmota monax) and eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus) on heterospecific alarm calls

Individuals of 1 species might obtain information by eavesdropping on calls produced by a syntopic species. Intercepting alarm calls allows the eavesdropper to respond with antipredator behavior without the need to produce its own call, which might attract the attention of a predator. We examined eavesdropping on heterospecific alarm calls by nonsocial eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus) and woodchucks (Marmota monax), which live in the same community, share some predators, are solitary, and produce distinct alarm calls. If these 2 species recognize heterospecific alarm calls, we should see antipredator behaviors similar to those displayed upon hearing a conspecific’s alarm call. We broadcast single alarm calls of woodchucks, eastern chipmunks, and American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) to individuals of the first 2 species, using the territorial song of the syntopic male black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) as a control. Woodchucks became more vigilant after hearing both conspecific and heterospecific alarm calls compared with controls; however, they spent more time vigilant in response to conspecific alarm calls compared to heterospecific alarm calls. Thus, woodchucks apparently can recognize heterospecific alarm calls, but they appear to process conspecific and heterospecific calls differently. Eastern chipmunks responded to heterospecific alarm calls, but sample sizes were small and the results not definitive. Our results suggest that nonsocial mammals might benefit from eavesdropping on heterospecifics.
The Effects of Religious Commitment on the Academic Achievement of Urban and Other Children

Using the 1992 NELS data set, this study assessed the effects of student religious commitment on the academic achievement of urban and other children. The results indicate that religiously committed urban children performed better on most academic measures than their less religious counterparts, even when controlling for SES, race, and gender. The same general pattern held for all the children in the sample as well. In addition, the effects for religiosity were usually greater for urban children than they were for nonurban children. Supplementary analyses indicated that there were no differences between Catholic and Protestant students, but there were differences between religious students of Christian faith versus students of other religious faiths. These results suggest that when researchers study the effects of religion on the academic achievement of children, the religious nature of the students should be considered. The significance of these results is discussed.
Quasi-planar bulk CMOS technology for improved SRAM scalability

A simple approach for manufacturing quasi-planar bulk MOSFET structures is demonstrated and shown to be effective not only for improving device performance but also for reducing variation in 6T-SRAM read and write margins, in an early 28 nm CMOS technology. With optimization of the pocket implant doses, voltage scaling is facilitated. Since its benefits increase with decreasing channel width, quasi-planar bulk MOSFET technology should be advantageous for future CMOS technology generations (22 nm and beyond).
Germline and Somatic Mutations in Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor Genes CDKN1A, CDKN2B, and CDKN2C in Sporadic Parathyroid Adenomas

The molecular pathogenesis of sporadic parathyroid adenomas is incompletely understood. The possible role of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKI) genes was raised by recognition of cyclin D1 as a parathyroid oncogene, identification of rare germline mutations in CDKI genes in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1; that in rodents, mutation in Cdkn1b caused parathyroid tumors; and subsequently through identification of rare predisposing germline sequence variants and somatic mutation of CDKN1B, encoding p27kip1, in sporadic human parathyroid adenoma. We therefore sought to determine whether mutations/variants in the other six CDKI genes CDKN1A, CDKN1C, CDKN2A, CDKN2B, CDKN2C, and CDKN2D, encoding p21, p57, p14ARF/p16, p15, p18, and p19, respectively, contribute to the development of typical parathyroid adenomas. In a series of 85 sporadic parathyroid adenomas, direct DNA sequencing identified alterations in five adenomas (6 %): Two contained distinct heterozygous changes in CDKN1A, one germline and one of undetermined germline status; one had a CDKN2B germline alteration, accompanied by loss of the normal allele in the tumor (LOH); two had variants of CDKN2C, one somatic and one germline with LOH. Abnormalities of three of the mutant proteins were readily demonstrable in vitro. Thus, germline mutations/rare variants in CDKN1A, CDKN2B, and CDKN2C likely contribute to the development of a significant subgroup of common sporadic parathyroid adenomas, and somatic mutation in CDKN2C further suggests a direct role for CDKI alteration in conferring a selective growth advantage to parathyroid cells, providing novel support for the concept that multiple CDKIs can play primary roles in human neoplasia.
Media multitasking behavior: Concurrent television and computer usage.

Abstract Changes in the media landscape have made simultaneous usage of the computer and television increasingly commonplace, but little research has explored how individuals navigate this media multitasking environment. Prior work suggests that self-insight may be limited in media consumption and multitasking environments, reinforcing a rising need for direct observational research. A laboratory experiment recorded both younger and older individuals as they used a computer and television concurrently, multitasking across television and Internet content. Results show that individuals are attending primarily to the computer during media multitasking. Although gazes last longer on the computer when compared to the television, the overall distribution of gazes is strongly skewed toward very short gazes only a few seconds in duration. People switched between media at an extreme rate, averaging more than 4 switches per min and 120 switches over the 27.5-minute study exposure. Participants had little insight in...
Supporting prospective teachers' conceptions of modelling in science

This study investigated prospective secondary science teachers' understandings of and intentions to teach about scientific modelling in the context of a model‐based instructional module. Qualitative methods were used to explore the influence of instruction using dynamic computer modelling. Participants included 14 secondary science prospective teachers in the USA. Research questions included: (1) What do prospective teachers understand about models and modelling in science? (2) How do their understandings change, following building and testing dynamic computer models? and (3) What are prospective teachers' intentions to teach about scientific models? Scaffolds in the software, Model‐IT, enabled participants to easily build dynamic models. Findings related to the process, content, and epistemological aspects of modelling, including: (a) prospective teachers became more articulate with the language of modelling; and (b) the module enabled prospective teachers to think critically about aspects of modelling. ...
Lead Selenide Nanostructured Aerogels and Xerogels

Abstract. The synthesis of PbSe nanostructured gels via a sol-gel nanoparticle assembly method, followed by CO2-supercritical drying to make aerogels, is reported. Effective thiolate-capping of PbSe nanoparticles and the eventual controlled removal of the thiolates led to formation of a gel as opposed to a colloidal precipitate. Spherical PbSe nanoparticles were prepared by a precapping method, while cube-shaped nanoparticles were made by a post-capping procedure. Morphologically, spherical nanoparticles assembled into a colloidal (pearl-necklace) gel network, whereas cube-shaped nanoparticles formed a hierarchical gel network. Band-gap measurements show that both spherical and cube-shaped PbSe gels are blue shifted with respect to bulk PbSe, consistent with quantum confinement. Aerogels exhibit higher surface areas than xerogels indicating the higher degree of porosity and lower density of the former, and this is reflected in a greater extent of quantum confinement in aerogels relative to xerogels.
Testosterone-induced increase in muscle size in healthy young men is associated with muscle fiber hypertrophy.

Administration of replacement doses of testosterone to healthy hypogonadal men and supraphysiological doses to eugonadal men increases muscle size. To determine whether testosterone-induced increas...
Comparison of efficacy and safety of intracoronary sodium nitroprusside and intravenous adenosine for assessing fractional flow reserve

Objectives The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of intracoronary (IC) nitroprusside and intravenous adenosine (IVA) for assessing fractional flow reserve (FFR). Background IV infusion of adenosine is a standard method to achieve a coronary hyperemia for FFR measurement. However, adenosine is expensive, causes multiple side effects, and is contraindicated in patients with reactive airway disease. Sodium nitroprusside (NTP) is a strong coronary vasodilator but its efficacy and safety for assessing FFR is not well established. Methods We compared FFR response and side effects profile of IC NTP and IVA. Bolus of NTP at a dose of 100 μg and IVA (140 μg/kg/min) were used to achieve coronary hyperemia. Results We evaluated 75 lesions in 53 patients (60% male) mean age 61.6 ± 13.9 years. Mean FFR after NTP was similar to FFR after adenosine (0.836 ± 0.107 vs. 0.856 ± 0.106; P = 0.26; r = 0.91, P < 0.001). NTP induced maximal stable hyperemia within 10 sec (mean: 6.4 ± 1) which lasted consistently between 38 and 60 sec (mean 51 ± 7.5). NTP caused significant (14%), but asymptomatic decrease in mean blood pressure which returned to baseline within 60 sec. Adenosine caused shortness of breath in 26%, headache and flushing in 19%, and transient second degree heart block in 6% of patients. No adverse symptoms were reported after NTP. Conclusions IC NTP is as effective as IVA for measuring FFR. NTP is better tolerated by patients. Since NTP is inexpensive, readily available, well tolerated, and safe, it may be a better choice for FFR assessment. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Mean Age of Ocean Waters Inferred from Radiocarbon Observations: Sensitivity to Surface Sources and Accounting for Mixing Histories

A number of previous observational studies have found that the waters of the deep Pacific Ocean have an age, or elapsed time since contact with the surface, of 700‐1000 yr. Numerical models suggest ages twice as old. Here, the authors present an inverse framework to determine the mean age and its upper and lower bounds givenGlobalOceanDataAnalysisProject(GLODAP) radiocarbonobservations, andthey show that the potential range of ages increases with the number of constituents or sources that are included in the analysis. The inversion requires decomposing the World Ocean into source waters, which is obtained here using the total matrix intercomparison (TMI) method at up to 2 83 28 horizontal resolution with 11 113 surface sources. The authors find that the North Pacific at 2500-m depth can be no younger than 1100 yr old, which is older than some previous observational estimates. Accounting for the broadness of surface regions where waters originate leads to a reservoir-age correction of almost 100 yr smaller than would be estimated with a two or three water-mass decomposition and explains some of the discrepancy with previous observational studies. A best estimate of mean age is also presented using the mixing history along circulation pathways. Subject to the caveats that inference of the mixing history would benefit from further observations and that radiocarbon cannot rule out the presence of extremely old waters from exotic sources, the deep North Pacific waters are 1200‐1500 yr old, which is more in line with existing numerical model results.
Effects of core nonuniformities on the performance of MHD generators

The effects on MHD generator electrical performance of nonuniform temperature and electrical conductivity distributions in the core of a combustion plasma were investigated. Experiments were performed in which the plasma temperature field in a laboratory scale MHD generator was perturbed by injecting room-temperature nitrogen at the channel mid-height upstream of the active region of the generator. Measurements were made of channel transverse (Faraday) voltage and current as well as spatially resolved voltage and temperature distributions. A model was developed by extending a one-dimensional nonuniform plasma analysis to include weak property variations in the flow direction. The electrical model was coupled with a properties model which described the evolution of a perturbation as the solution to the turbulent convective-diffusion equation in the plasma core region. The resulting quasi-two-dimensional model agreed with experimental data, which showed an impedance increase with nonuniformity strength and Hall parameter. The model was applied to a pilot-plant scale channel and a significant decrease in power production was predicted as a result of nonuniform core properties originating in combustor components. 8 references.
Interpreting the Evidence for Effective Interventions to Increase the Academic Performance of Students With ADHD: Relevance of the Statistical Significance Controversy

This article reviews the literature on interventions targeting the academic performance of students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and does so within the context of the statistical significance testing controversy. Both the arguments for and against null hypothesis statistical significance tests are reviewed. Recent standards promulgated by both the American Psychological Association and more recently by the American Educational Research Association are discussed. The ADHD literature is reviewed with respect to reporting of statistical, practical, and clinical significance and to the reporting of explicit, direct comparisons of obtained effect sizes with those in the related prior literature. It is suggested that a greater emphasis on (a) effect size reporting and (b) replicability comparisons will better enable practitioners to select evidence-based educational interventions.
A Hybrid solid-state storage architecture for the performance, energy consumption, and lifetime improvement

In recent years, many systems have employed NAND flash memory as storage devices because of its advantages of higher performance (compared to the traditional hard disk drive), high-density, random-access, increasing capacity, and falling cost. On the other hand, the performance of NAND flash memory is limited by its “erase-before-write” requirement. Log-based structures have been used to alleviate this problem by writing updated data to the clean space. Prior log-based methods, however, cannot avoid excessive erase operations when there are frequent updates, which quickly consume free pages, especially when some data are updated repeatedly. In this paper, we propose a hybrid architecture for the NAND flash memory storage, of which the log region is implemented using phase change random access memory (PRAM). Compared to traditional log-based architectures, it has the following advantages: (1) the PRAM log region allows in-place updating so that it significantly improves the usage efficiency of log pages by eliminating out-of-date log records; (2) it greatly reduces the traffic of reading from the NAND flash memory storage since the size of logs loaded for the read operation is decreased; (3) the energy consumption of the storage system is reduced as the overhead of writing and reading log data is decreased with the PRAM log region; (4) the lifetime of NAND flash memory is increased because the number of erase operations are reduced. To facilitate the PRAM log region, we propose several management policies. The simulation results show that our proposed methods can substantially improve the performance, energy consumption, and lifetime of the NAND flash memory storage1.
Intravenous cyclosporine in refractory pyoderma gangrenosum complicating inflammatory bowel disease

Background Pyoderma gangrenosum complicates inflammatory bowel disease in 2–3% of patients and often fails to respond to antibiotics, steroids, surgical debridement or even colectomy. Methods We performed a retrospective chart analysis of 11 consecutive steroid-refractory pyoderma patients (5 ulcerative colitis, 6 Crohn's disease) referred to our practice and then treated with intravenous cyclosporine. Pyoderma gangrenosum was present on the extremities in 10 patients, the face in 2, and stomas in 2. At initiation of intravenous cyclosporine, bowel activity was moderate in 3 patients, mild in 4, and inactive in 4. All patients received intravenous cyclosporine at a dose of 4 mg/kg/d for 7–22 days. They were discharged on oral cyclosporine at a dose of 4–7 mg/kg/d. Results All 11 patients had closure of their pyoderma with a mean time to response of 4.5 days and a mean time to closure of 1.4 months. All seven patients with bowel activity went into remission. Nine patients were able to discontinue steroids, and nine were maintained on 6-mercaptopurine or azathioprine. One patient who could not tolerate 6-mercaptopurine had a recurrence of pyoderma. No patient experienced significant toxicity. Conclusion Intravenous cyclosporine is the treatment of choice for pyoderma gangrenosum refractory to steroids and 6-mercaptopurine should be used as maintenance therapy.
On the spurious occurrence of Tit for Tat in pairs of predator-approaching fish

An experimental analysis of the movements of predator-approaching fish is presented. The experiments evaluated two competing hypotheses. (1) Predator-approaching fish play the game- theoretical strategy Tit for Tat. Alternatively, (2) the movements of predator-approaching fish superficially resemble Tit for Tat, because fish independently orient to a predator and simultaneously attempt to stay close together. Experimental subjects were mosquitofish,Gambusia aYnis, approach- ing a green sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus. Two experiments were performed. Experiment 1 replicated results of Milinski (1987) and Dugatkin (1991), showing that Gambusia come closer to a visible predator when a mirror is oriented parallel to their direction of travel. Experiment 2 attempted to separate the eVects of common orientation and social cohesion in accounting for the frequency of Tit-for-Tat-like motions in pairs of predator-approaching Gambusia. Results of experiment 2 suggest that a simple additive combination of the eVects of (1) social cohesion in the absence of a visible predator and (2) orientation to a visible predator in the absence of a visible companion can account for the observed frequency of Tit-for-Tat-like motions for pairs of predator-approaching Gambusia. It is concluded that predator approach in shoaling fishes is probably a simple by-product mutualism, rather than cooperation maintained by reciprocity in a Prisoner's Dilemma.
Organo-soluble, segmented rigid-rod polyimides. Synthesis and properties

Several segmented, rigid-rod polyimides have been prepared that are soluble in organic solvents in their fully imidized form. The polymers were prepared from commercial dianhydrides and 2,2′-bis(trifluoromethyl)-4,4′-diaminobiphenyl (TFMB). Their intrinsic viscosities ranged from 1.0 to 4.9 dL/g. Tough, colorless films could be cast from m -cresol solutions at 100°C. The polymers had glass transition temperatures (Tgs) above 275°C and displayed outstanding thermal and thermo-oxidative stability. Fibers were prepared from the 3,3′,4,4′-tetracarboxybiphenyl dianhydride (BPDA) based polymers that had moduli of 130 GPa and tensile strengths of 3.2 GPa. The thermal expansion coefficients and dielectric constants of thin films (20–25 μm) of the polymers were as low as −2.40×10 −6 and 2.5, respectively.