cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential effects of depolarization on the growth of crayfish tonic and phasic motor axons in culture

Previous studies have demonstrated neuron-specific differences in the inhibitory effects of depolarization upon neurite outgrowth. We examined whether there is a relationship between the normal impulse activity level of an axon and the effect of depolarization upon its growth. Inactive phasic motor axons and active tonic motor axons grow from crayfish abdominal nerve cord explants in culture. Depolarization of these axons with high K solutions produced greater inhibition of advancing growth cones from the phasic axons than from the tonic axons. During the period 20-40 min after the beginning of depolarization, tonic axon growth cones continued to advance, whereas phasic axon growth cones retracted. During chronic depolarization, all of the phasic axons retracted during the first day and approximately half of the phasic axons had degenerated after 4 days of depolarization. The majority of tonic axons continue to grow after 3 days of depolarization, and all of the tonic axon growth survived the 4 days of depolarization. The different responses of the growing phasic and tonic axons to depolarization appear to be Ca2+ dependent. The inhibitory effects of depolarization upon phasic axon growth were reduced by the Ca2+ channel blockers La3+ and Mg2+. Application of a Ca2+ ionophore, A23187, produces greater inhibition of phasic axon growth than tonic axon growth. This study demonstrates that depolarization produces greater inhibition of growth from inactive motor axons than from active motor axons. This is likely due to differences in Ca2+ regulation and/or sensitivity to intracellular Ca2+.
A large single-center experience of EUS-guided FNA of the left and right adrenal glands: diagnostic utility and impact on patient management.

Background EUS-guided FNA of the left and right adrenals has been described, but data are very limited. Objectives Our primary objective was to determine the impact of the diagnostic utility of EUS-guided FNA of adrenal glands on patient management. Our secondary objective was to determine predictors of malignant adrenal involvement. Study Design Observational study. Setting Tertiary referral center. Patients Patients with enlarged adrenal(s) on abdominal imaging underwent EUS-guided FNA. The left adrenal (n = 54) was sampled via the transgastric approach and the right adrenal (n = 5) via a transduodenal approach. Results Fifty-nine patients (63% men, median age 65 years) were evaluated. The median adrenal gland size was 25 × 17 mm. Adrenal tissue adequate for interpretation was obtained in all of the patients. EUS-guided FNA confirmed malignancy in 22 (37%) patients. Based on size (≥30 mm) alone, EUS had an accuracy of 68%. Patients with malignant cytology had higher standard uptake value scores on positron-emission tomography compared with patients with benign adrenal masses ( P P P = .015), whereas a size of 30 mm or larger (adjusted OR 1.30; P = .774) and hypoechoic nature (adjusted OR 12.05; P = .148) were not. All patients except 2 with malignant cytology were treated with systemic therapy without the need for additional invasive biopsies or surgery. No immediate complications were encountered. Limitations Lack of surgical criterion standard; 1 experienced endosonographer. Conclusions EUS-guided FNA of the adrenal glands is a minimally invasive and safe approach that documents or excludes malignant involvement. EUS-guided FNA should be the first next test to evaluate enlarged adrenal glands because it directs therapy and affects patient management.
The prediction of the 11B NMR signal positions of trigonal boranes using statistical methods Part 2: the use of symmetrical modeling techniques in non-orientable systems

Abstract The use of symmetrical modeling techniques in non-orientable systems is discussed with respect to the prediction of the 11B NMR line positions in trigonal boranes. Two mathematical models which utilize the Field (F), Resonance (R), Charton's Steric (ν), and Molar Refractivity (MR) parameters are presented. When the more precise model, containing 14 variables, is used to predict the line positions of a group of compounds from a data base of n = 355, the correlation coefficient of observed versus predicted values is r = 0.984 with a standard deviation of s = 3.5.
Magnetic-free non-reciprocity and isolation based on parametrically modulated coupled-resonator loops

Communication systems require non-reciprocal electromagnetic propagation, which is difficult to realize in circuits. An alternative is demonstrated by modulating the phase of strongly coupled resonators in a circular configuration.
X-ray structures of the apo and MgATP-bound states of Dictyostelium discoideum myosin motor domain.

Abstract Myosin is the most comprehensively studied molecular motor that converts energy from the hydrolysis of MgATP into directed movement. Its motile cycle consists of a sequential series of interactions between myosin, actin, MgATP, and the products of hydrolysis, where the affinity of myosin for actin is modulated by the nature of the nucleotide bound in the active site. The first step in the contractile cycle occurs when ATP binds to actomyosin and releases myosin from the complex. We report here the structure of the motor domain of Dictyostelium discoideum myosin II both in its nucleotide-free state and complexed with MgATP. The structure with MgATP was obtained by soaking the crystals in substrate. These structures reveal that both the apo form and the MgATP complex are very similar to those previously seen with MgATPγS and MgAMP-PNP. Moreover, these structures are similar to that of chicken skeletal myosin subfragment-1. The crystallized protein is enzymatically active in solution, indicating that the conformation of myosin observed in chicken skeletal myosin subfragment-1 is unable to hydrolyze ATP and most likely represents the pre-hydrolysis structure for the myosin head that occurs after release from actin.
Development of diet-induced insulin resistance in adult Drosophila melanogaster.

The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is increasingly utilized as an alternative to costly rodent models to study human diseases. Fly models exist for a wide variety of human conditions, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s Disease, or cardiac function. Advantages of the fly system are its rapid generation time and its low cost. However, the greatest strength of the fly system are the powerful genetic tools that allow for rapid dissection of molecular disease mechanisms. Here, we describe the diet-dependent development of metabolic phenotypes in adult fruit flies. Depending on the specific type of nutrient, as well as its relative quantity in the diet, flies show weight gain and changes in the levels of storage macromolecules. Furthermore, the activity of insulin-signaling in the major metabolic organ of the fly, the fat body, decreases upon overfeeding. This decrease in insulin-signaling activity in overfed flies is moreover observed when flies are challenged with an acute food stimulus, suggesting that overfeeding leads to insulin resistance. Similar changes were observed in aging flies, with the development of the insulin resistance-like phenotype beginning at early middle ages. Taken together, these data demonstrate that imbalanced diet disrupts metabolic homeostasis in adult D. melanogaster and promotes insulin-resistant phenotypes. Therefore, the fly system may be a useful alternative tool in the investigation of molecular mechanisms of insulin resistance and the development of pharmacologic treatment options.
Adult-born hippocampal neurons are more numerous, faster-maturing and more involved in behavior in rats than in mice

Neurons are born throughout adulthood in the hippocampus and show enhanced plasticity compared with mature neurons. However, there are conflicting reports on whether or not young neurons contribute to performance in behavioral tasks, and there is no clear relationship between the timing of maturation of young neurons and the duration of neurogenesis reduction in studies showing behavioral deficits. We asked whether these discrepancies could reflect differences in the properties of young neurons in mice and rats. We report that young neurons in adult rats show a mature neuronal marker profile and activity-induced immediate early gene expression 1-2 weeks earlier than those in mice. They are also twice as likely to escape cell death, and are 10 times more likely to be recruited into learning circuits. This comparison holds true in two different strains of mice, both of which show high rates of neurogenesis relative to other background strains. Differences in adult neurogenesis are not limited to the hippocampus, as the density of new neocortical neurons was 5 times greater in rats than in mice. Finally, in a test of function, we find that the contribution of young neurons to fear memory is much greater in rats than in mice. These results reveal substantial differences in new neuron plasticity and function between these two commonly studied rodent species.
Magnetic sensitivity of a MAGFET of uniform channel current density

Abstract The MAGFET (magnetic metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor) consists of a MOSFET structure with additional diffused contacts into the channel region. The MAGFET sensor provides process compatibility with monolithic MOS integrated circuits. The magnetic sensitivity of a MAGFET for various rectangular geometries has been theoretically calculated by Carr and Hong. The present work provides detailed experimental data for rectangular p-channel, enchancement-mode MAGFET devices fabricated using the optimum geometry and various substrate orientations. Previous calculations have been extended to device operation in the triode region. Results are compared with experiment for a range of drain current values. The experimental results are in close agreement with theory, both in the triode operating region and at pinch-off. The theoretical match of calculations to experiment is improved by including the mobility variation with gate voltage.
Cellular apoptosis and cytotoxicity of phenolic compounds: a quantitative structure-activity relationship study.

In this comprehensive study on the caspase-mediated apoptosis-inducing effect of 51 substituted phenols in a murine leukemia cell line (L1210), we determined the concentrations needed to induce caspase activity by 50% (I50) and utilized these data to develop the following quantitative structure−activity relationship (QSAR) model: log 1/I50 = 1.06 B52 + 0.33 B53 − 0.18π2,4 − 0.92. B53 and B52 represent steric terms, while π2,4 represents the hydrophobic character of the substituents on the ring. The strong dependence of caspase-mediated apoptosis on mostly steric parameters suggests that the process is a receptor-mediated interaction with caspases or mitochondrial proteins being the likely targets. Conversely, cytotoxicity studies of 65 electron-releasing phenols in the L1210 cell line led to the development of the following equation: log 1/ID50 = −1.39σ+ − 0.28 B52,6 + 0.16 log P − 0.58I2 − 1.04I1 + 3.90. The low coefficient with log P may pertain to cellular transport that may be enhanced by a modest i...
Comparison of ram sperm interaction with bovine cervical mucus.

Abstract Ram sperm penetration in estrous bovine cervical mucus was evaluated from ejaculates collected during long (16L:8D) and short (8L:16D) photoperiods with varying ambient temperatures. The distance traveled by vanguard sperm was affected by an interaction of the photoperiod and temperature (P
Common student misconceptions in electrochemistry: Galvanic, electrolytic, and concentration cells

This study replicates, with additions, research done by Garnett and Treagust. Garnett and Treagust's interview questions for galvanic and electrolytic cells were used with modifications; concentration cell questions were asked in a similar manner. These questions were administered to 16 introductory college chemistry students after electrochemistry instruction. Student misconceptions most commonly encountered included notions that electrons flow through the salt bridge and electrolyte solutions to complete the circuit, plus and minus signs assigned to the electrodes represent net electronic charges, and water is unreactive in the electrolysis of aqueous solutions. New misconceptions identified included notions that half-cell potentials are absolute and can be used to predict the spontaneity of individual half-cells, and electrochemical cell potentials are independent of ion concentrations. Most students demonstrating misconceptions were still able to calculate cell potentials correctly, which is consistent with research suggesting that students capable of solving quantitative examination problems often lack an understanding of the underlying concepts. Probable origins of these student misconceptions were attributed to students being unaware of the relative nature of electrochemical potentials and chemistry textbooks making misleading and incorrect statements. A minor technical flaw in the Garnett and Treagust study is also addressed. J Res Sci Teach 34: 377–398, 1997.
Glossary of computer vision terms

Une liste de 308 termes relatifs a la vision par ordinateur avec leur definition est proposee.
Splitting the degeneracy of harmonically-bound identical spinless bosons: Pairwise delta-function potentials

Abstract The formalism developed in Part I is applied to the pairwise δ-function potential. For this purpose the first-order perturbation caused by the δ-potential is expressed in terms of creation and annihilation operators. Splittings of energy levels are calculated for low excited states of three-, four-, and five-particle systems. The correlation diagrams are constructed to connect the energy levels of clusters corresponding to this nearly-nonrigid limit and those of the nearly-rigid molecules calculated in the harmonic approximation. The construction is carried out for an arbitrary pairwise interaction between three or four particles and for the Lennard-Jones potential in the case of the five-particle system.
Left Main Coronary Artery Protection During Transcatheter Aortic Valve Deployment

![Figure][1] [![Graphic][3] ][3][![Graphic][4] ][4] A 68-year-old man with severe senile calcific aortic valve stenosis was being prepared for transapical transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiogram demonstrated a 5 × 5 mm calcified
Gestational, periparturient and preweaning growth traits of Holstein versus Gir x Holstein F1 crossbred dairy calves born to Holstein dams.

The objectives of this study were to assess the gestational, periparturient and preweaning growth traits of Holstein vs Gir × Holstein (G × H F1) crossbred dairy calves. Holstein cows (n=64) pregnant with Holstein (H × H) calves (bulls, n=16; heifers, n=18) or G × H (bulls, n=8; heifers, n=22) calves were sampled from 60 days of gestation through calving for serum progesterone (P4) and in utero placentome sizes, and at parturition for calving ease scores (CES), calf vigour scores (CVS), and placental characteristics. Post-calving calf measures included birth weight (day 0) and body weight (kg), hip width (HW), body length (BL), wither height (WH), hip height (HH) and heart girth (HG) through 42 days of age. Serum IgG and calf vital function tests (respiration rate (RR), heart rate (HR), rectal temperature (RT) and fecal scores) were recorded on days 1, 3, 7 and 14 of age (a.m. and p.m.). Serum gestational P4 was higher (p<0.05) for cows with H × H than G × H calves. Placentome measurements in utero were greater (p<0.01) for H × H calves than for G × H calves, while at parturition placental characteristics did not differ (p0.10). Gestation length, CES and CVS also did not differ (p0.10) between H × H and G × H calves. Calf RR and HR were higher (p<0.05) for H × H than G × H calves at both a.m. and p.m., while RT, fecal scores and serum IgG did not differ (p0.10) between H × H and G × H calves. Birth weight did not differ (p0.10) between H × H and G × H calves within sex. Moreover, bulls did not differ (p0.10) in any of the growth measures between H × H and G × H calves, whereas H × H heifers at days 28 and 42 of age were greater (p<0.05) in all growth traits than G × H heifers. Nevertheless, the relative change in growth measures over time (days 0 to 42) did not differ (p0.10) between H × H and G × H calves. While subtle differences in gestational, early growth and vital function characteristics were observed, these data suggest very similar developmental profiles between H × H and G × H calves.
Safe Swaddling and Healthy Hips: Don't Toss the Baby out With the Bathwater

To the Editor. — Swaddling has made a comeback over the past several years, thanks in part to its popularization in modern parenting guides.1–3 In their commentary on this ancient practice, Mahan and Kasser4 succinctly summarized numerous reports that associated swaddling with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). They noted, however, that it is unclear whether DDH is promoted by all forms of swaddling or only with “traditional” infant-wrapping techniques practiced by certain ethnic groups. This possibility was also raised in a recent systematic review of swaddling,5 and this distinction is of paramount importance. The studies cited by Mahan and Kasser correlating DDH and swaddling …
Pricing policy reactions to agglomeration in a market with spatial search

. Price dispersion (variation) and agglomeration are common characteristics of spatial markets, in particular, markets with imperfect consumer information and search. However, pricing and location strategies in these markets are not well analyzed since spatial search is difficult to model without restricting the spatial dimension of the problem. This paper analyzes pricing and location strategies in a market with spatid search using a probabilistic modeling strategy that does not restrict search patterns in the plane. Specifically, the analysis considers the pricing strategy of an isolated firm in response to the agglomeration of competing firms. Results indicate that spatial and temporal price dispersion are effective responses to competitors'agglomeration. However, the relative effectiveness of these strategies varies with market conditions. In addition, agglomeration can have some counterintuitive effects. This paper also provides insights into existing theories of spatial search and spatial competition in spatially-restricted (linear and circular) markets.
Chip-Based Scanometric Detection of Mercuric Ion Using DNA-Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles

We have developed a chip-based scanometric method for the detection of mercuric ion (Hg2+). This method takes advantage of the cooperative binding and catalytic properties of DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles and the selective binding of a thymine−thymine mismatch for Hg2+. The limit of detection of this assay in buffer and environmentally relevant samples (lake water) is 10 nM (2 ppb) Hg2+, which is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limit of [Hg2+] for drinkable water and 1 order of magnitude lower than previous colorimetric assays. This assay is capable of discriminating Hg2+ from 15 other environmentally relevant metal ions. The method is attractive for potential point-of-use applications due to its high throughput, convenient readout, and portability.
L'anthropologie française entre sciences coloniales et décolonisation (1880–1960)

Li-Chuan Tai, Paris, Publications de la Societe francaise d'histoire d'outre-mer, 2010, 340 pp, 20.00€, 978 2859 700478 There are many different ways to write the complex history of the professiona...
Effects of 72 hours sleep deprivation on wound healing in the rat

The purpose of this study was to examine effects of sleep deprivation on cellular and biochemical markers of wound healing. Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene tubing inserted in subcutaneous tissue created miniature wounds in the dorsal skin of 12 rats. Seven days later, 6 rats were deprived of sleep by the platform method for 72 hr; control rats remained on usual sleep/wake routines. Numbers of macrophages, granulocytes, fibroblasts, and extent of connective tissue present and total amounts of protein, DNA, and hydroxyproline in the implants were not different between sleep-deprived and control rats. There is no evidence from this study that sleep deprivation impairs cellular and biochemical indicators of tissue repair.
Educators as "Seed People" Growing a New Future

In the following text of her Dewitt Wallace-Reader’s Digest Distinguished Lecture at the 2003 AERA annual meeting, Lisa Delpit argues that educators must look beyond standardized test scores and scripted instructional programs if their desire is to educate all children. Educators must cease questioning the capacity of low income, students of color and, instead, create rigorous, engaging instruction based on knowing who the students are, including their cultural, intellectual, historical, and political legacies. Furthermore, they must look to pre-integration African-American institutions where “counternarratives” were developed to affirm Black intelligence and provide the motivation for students to achieve.
Effects of Interscholastic Athletic Participation on the Social, Educational, and Career Mobility of Hispanic Girls and Boys:

This study examined the social, educational, and career mobility effects of interscholastic athletic participation on subsamples of Hispanic girls and boys drawn from the High School and Beyond Stu...
Experimental Investigation on Electrochemical Properties of Ionic Polymer–Metal Composite:

Platinum has been used as an effective electrode material for ionic polymer– metal composite (IPMC) actuators. Realizing that platinum is a common catalyst for many electrochemical reactions; the platinum surface in IPMCs allows many components to be adsorbed. Therefore, under imposed electrical potentials, platinum electrodes used for IPMCs introduce complex electrochemical phenomena on the platinum–electrolyte interface. This study points out that the electrochemical characteristics of platinum are important in understanding the fundamental actuation mechanism of IPMCs. Electrochemical analyses, including voltammetry, AC impedance, and capacitance measurements, on IPMC samples are carried out in aqueous solutions. Such experimental results reveal the complex electrochemical behavior of IPMCs, including inductive behavior in higher frequencies than has originally been expected. The Mott-Schottky experiment is also performed to investigate the charge transfer and the possible adsorption mechanism associat...
Transmission probabilities and particle-wall contact for Knudsen diffusion in pores of variable diameter

Knudsen dynamics simulations were performed in cylindrical pores with multiple sections of different diameters. The number and location of hits between particles and the pore walls can be related to the known distributions in the uniform diameter cases. Both sweep-gas and pass-through modes of operation were examined. The contact of the particles traveling inside the pores with the pore walls can be regulated by adjusting the aspect ratio (section length/section diameter) of the pore sections and the ratio of their cross-sectional areas. The results were found to be independent of the transition angle between sections except for very smooth transitions. Analytical expressions were developed to relate the transmission probability in pores of multiple sections to the transmission probabilities of the constituent sections.
Rapid reversibility of autoinduction of carbamazepine metabolism after temporary discontinuation

Patients in whom carbamazepine (CBZ) monotherapy is discontinued for preoperative EEG/video monitoring often display toxicity if their previous maintenance dosage is resumed, even after a few days without CBZ. To determine whether this is due to rapid reversibility of autoinduction of CBZ metabolism, single-dose studies of CBZ pharmacokinetics were performed before and after discontinuation for monitoring in 6 adults receiving CBZ monotherapy. The CBZ-free period was 5.7 +/- 1.1 days (mean +/- SD). The pharmacokinetic parameters of CBZ before and after discontinuation were volume of distribution (Vd) 1.28 +/- 0.29 versus 1.22 +/- 0.331/kg (NS), elimination half-life (t1/2) 13.7 +/- 1.67 versus 22.2 +/- 2.36 h (p < 0.001), and clearance (Cl) 1.54 +/- 0.39 versus 0.92 +/- 0.32 L/kg/day (p = 0.012). Assuming that deinduction is a first-order process, a deinduction t1/2 of 3.84 days was obtained by log linear regression analysis. We showed that after CBZ discontinuation half of the enzymatic autoinduction is already lost after 3.84 days, indicating very rapid deinduction. Our results also provide the necessary information to predict clearance and appropriate dosage reduction for CBZ at time of reintroduction.
On the inclusion of the complete symmetry group in the unimodular group

Abstract : The complete symmetry of a group of a material is usually assumed to consist only of transformations which preserve the density of the material. In this paper it is shown that for a large class of materials this restriction is in fact a consequence of the Clausius-Duhen inequality. It is shown that elastic materials and a particular type of rate dependent materials fall into this class; the proof extends to quasi-elastic materials and quasi-Rivlin-Ericksen materials of all orders. Finally certain restriction which the Clausius-Duhen inequality places on the individual (stress, heat flux, entropy, etc.) Symmetry groups are established for an elastic material. (Author)
Herpes simplex virus hepatitis in mice: an electron-microscopic study.

Abstract Hepatitis developed in newborn Swiss mice following intraperitoneal inoculation with herpes simplex virus. The titer of virus in the liver rapidly rose and reached a maximum level (10 6·3 TCD 50 /gm of liver) by day 2; virus was not yet detectable in the blood at this time. Our findings suggested that virus directly penetrated the liver capsule and invaded and destroyed adjacent parenchymal cells. Light-microscopic examination revealed a layer of necrotic hepatic cells which were contiguous with the liver capsule and also extended along connective tissue septa of the liver. Electron-microscopic examination revealed that serosal cells of the liver capsule, and the adjacent hepatocytes, were infected. Extracellular virions intermixed with necrotic cell debris were seen along the liver capsule; virus particles were seen also within the basement membrane separating the capsule from underlying parenchyma. Nonenveloped virions (100 mμ in diameter) developed within nuclei of hepatocytes and frequently appeared to differentiate in or nearby foci of polygonal-shaped ring forms (35–45 mμ in diameter) which resembled virus cores. Plexiform tubular structures (about 10 mμ in diameter) were occasionally seen in foci of developing virions, but their significance is unclear.
Gender as an Organizing Feature in Parent-Child Relationships.

This article reviews findings from a longitudinal study of single-earner and dual-earner families with school-age children. We first summarize similarities and differences in the experiences of boys and girls and their mothers and fathers in terms of three ongoing daily family processes: (1) parental monitoring of children's everyday experiences, whereabouts, and companions; (2) parent-child involvement in joint activities; and (3) children's involvement in household chores. We then review findings linking these family processes and family context (single vs. dual earner) to boys' and girls' psychosocial functioning. These findings generally reveal different patterns of psychological adjustment, school achievement, conduct problems, and evaluations of parents as a function of the intersection of gender, family process, and family context. These themes are discussed in terms of the ecological perspective on human development.
Microwave Plasma Synthesis of Nanostructured γ‐Al2O3 Powders

Nanostructured Al2O3 powders have been synthesized by combustion of aluminum powder in a microwave oxygen plasma, and characterized by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. The main phase is γ-Al2O3, with a small amount of δ-Al2O3. The particles are truncated octahedral in shape, with mean particle sizes of 21–24 nm. The effect of reaction chamber pressure on the phase composition and the particle size was studied. The γ-alumina content increases and the mean particle size decreases with decreasing pressure. No α-Al2O3 appears in the final particles. Electron microscopy studies find that a particle may contain more than one phase.
A Quantitative Model and Analysis of Information Confusion in Social Networks

Information consumers in online social networks receive information from multiple information providers, which results in confusion. The amount of confusion depends on three main factors-(a) attributes of the source, (b) characteristics of the consumer and (c) trust relation between the information provider and the consumer. While information confusion has been qualitatively observed in social networks, no quantitative model or analysis was presented. We present the first quantitative model to analyze confusion in the presence of multiple information providers. We address the following fundamental issues-(i) What is a good model for confusion? (ii) How does the quality of information degrade due to confusion? (iii) What are good strategies for the information providers to control the power or the intensity with which the information is transmitted? The scenario is modeled as a non-cooperative game with pricing, whose Nash equilibrium provides the solution to the questions posed above. We use data from Twitter (e.g., on full body scan in airports) and diabetes outreach networks to illustrate the analysis. We use the solution of the non-cooperative game to study the confusion levels of consumers, in terms of the aggressiveness and passiveness of the information providers. Results indicate that confusion levels are high in in networks in which all information providers are equally trusted. In networks where information providers are unequally trusted, the confusion levels are moderate.
Rethinking optical engineering capstone design experience

We developed a three quarter capstone project course sequence for our ABET accredited optical engineering program. In the first course of the sequence we teach design methodology based on a mini-project done concurrently with lectures outlining the product development process. The mini-project is centered on the design of an imaging system. The kit used for this design project consists of a webcam, 20 lenses, and a collection of lens tubes and adaptors. Over the next two quarters the students choose from a selection of client-based projects, where the focus is on team work that culminates in a functional prototype.
A Biomechanical Model for Augmented Human Rotator Cuff Repairs

Rotator cuff tears affect 40% or more of those over age 60 and are a common cause of pain and disability. Surgical repairs have high failure rates that range from 20 to 90%. Hence, natural and synthetic scaffolds are being developed to mechanically augment tendon repairs and to biologically enhance the intrinsic healing potential of the patient. When used as an augmentation device, scaffolds are believed to provide some degree of load sharing in a manner that decreases the likelihood of tendon re-tear. While significant advances are being made in the development of scaffolds, no studies have investigated the degree of load sharing provided by a scaffold used for rotator cuff repair augmentation. Furthermore, the manner in which loads on an augmented rotator cuff repair are distributed amongst the various components of the repair is not known, nor is the relative biomechanical importance of the various components of the repair. To answer these questions, the objectives of this study are to (1) develop quasi-static analytical models of simplified rotator cuff repairs, (2) validate the models by comparing the predicted model force to experimental measurements of force for human rotator cuff repairs, and (3) use the models to predict the degree of load sharing provided by a scaffold used for rotator cuff repair augmentation.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Immediate Retention of Objective Test Answers as a Function of Feedback Complexity

AbstractOne hundred and sixteen college students were tested to determine how the type of feedback given to them during or after a multiple-choice test would affect retention of the correct answers. The students were divided into four groups: l) no feedback, 2) feedback after the test had been completed, 3) immediate feedback after each item, and 4) immediate feedback after each item with the student searching for tile correct answer until it was found. Each student was given a 50-item intelligence-type test using one of the feedback methods. After completion of the test, the student immediately took the same test again to assess retention. The three feedback groups improved on the retest more than the no feedback group (p .001). Comparison of the three feedback groups showed differences in degree of improvement, the group having feedback after test completion doing better than the two groups with immediate feedback after each item (p C.05).
Sedimentation processes in a coral reef embayment: Hanalei Bay, Kauai

Oceanographic measurements and sediment samples were collected during the summer of 2006 as part of a multi-year study of coastal circulation and the fate of terrigenous sediment on coral reefs in Hanalei Bay, Kauai. The goal of this study was to better understand sediment dynamics in a coral reef-lined embayment where winds, ocean surface waves, and river floods are important processes. During a summer period that was marked by two wave events and one river flood, we documented significant differences in sediment trap collection rates and the composition, grain size, and magnitude of sediment transported in the bay. Sediment trap collection rates were well correlated with combined wave-current near-bed shear stresses during the non-flood periods but were not correlated during the flood. The flood's delivery of fine-grained sediment to the bay initially caused high turbidity and sediment collection rates off the river mouth but the plume dispersed relatively quickly. Over the next month, the flood deposit was reworked by mild waves and currents and the fine-grained terrestrial sediment was advected around the bay and collected in sediment traps away from the river mouth, long after the turbid surface plume was gone. The reworked flood deposits, due to their longer duration of influence and proximity to the seabed, appear to pose a greater long-term impact to benthic coral reef communities than the flood plumes themselves. The results presented here display how spatial and temporal differences in hydrodynamic processes, which result from variations in reef morphology and orientation, cause substantial variations in the deposition, residence time, resuspension, and advection of both reef-derived and fluvial sediment over relatively short spatial scales in a coral reef embayment.
Disparities in trauma care: are fewer diagnostic tests conducted for uninsured patients with pelvic fracture?

Abstract Background Research from other medical specialties suggests that uninsured patients experience treatment delays, receive fewer diagnostic tests, and have reduced health literacy when compared with their insured counterparts. We hypothesized that these disparities in interventions would not be present among patients experiencing trauma. Our objective was to examine differences in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures administered to patients undergoing trauma with pelvic fractures using a national database. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted using the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB), 2002 to 2006. Patients aged 18 to 64 years who experienced blunt injuries with pelvic fractures were analyzed. Patients who were dead on arrival, those with an injury severity score (ISS) less than 9, those with traumatic brain injury, and patients with burns were excluded. The likelihood of the uninsured receiving select diagnostic and therapeutic procedures was compared with the same likelihood in the insured. Multivariate analysis for mortality was conducted, adjusting for age, sex, race, ISS, presence of shock, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) motor score, and mechanism of injury. Results Twenty-one thousand patients met the inclusion criteria: 82% of these patients were insured and 18% were uninsured. There was no clinical difference in ISSs (21 vs 20), but the uninsured were more likely to present in shock ( P P P = .01) and computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen ( P Conclusions Uninsured patients with pelvic fractures get fewer diagnostic procedures compared with their insured counterparts; this disparity is much greater for more invasive and resource-intensive tests and is less apparent in level 1 trauma centers. Differences in care that patients receive after trauma may be 1 of the mechanisms that leads to insurance disparities in outcomes after trauma.
Why Religious Education Matters: The Role of Islam in Multicultural Education

Islam has become an increasingly important topic in American society and education. This article will explore the rationale for teaching about religion in public schools, the role of Islam and Muslims in a multicultural society, and discuss numerous ways in which Islam can be incorporated into multicultural secondary school curricula.
Visualizing point sets, fractals, and quasicrystals using raster techniques

Abstract Algorithms for creating a natural Voronoi tiling associated with point sets are developed. These algorithms provide additional information about the tiling which can be readily visualized. Images created in this way can be quite striking. We illustrate the application of the algorithms on fractals, lattices, and quasicrystals.
Microdose gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist in the absence of exogenous gonadotropins is not sufficient to induce multiple follicle development

Because the effectiveness of the "microdose flare" stimulation protocol often is attributed to the dramatic endogenous gonadotropin release induced by the GnRH agonist, the aim of this study was to determine whether use of microdose GnRH agonist alone could induce multiple ovarian follicle development in normal responders. Based on these data, the duration of gonadotropin rise is approximately 24 to 48 hours and is too brief to sustain continued multiple follicle growth.
Compound helical configurations of polypeptide chains: structure of proteins of the alpha-keratin type.

Compound Helical Configurations of Polypeptide Chains: Structure of Proteins of the α-Keratin Type
Spatial memory in rats: Resistance to retroactive interference

Treatments that interfere with animals’ short-term retention (e.g., in delayed matching-to-sample) were studied using a spatial memory task. Rats performed in an eight-arm radial maze in which choosing each arm without repetition was the optimal behavior. Performances were interrupted between fourth and fifth choices for a delay of 15 sec to 2 min. A variety of events occurring during the delay interval did not disrupt memories for prior choices (as assessed by the accuracy of postdelay choices). The ineffective treatments included variations in visual and auditory environments, removal from the maze, food consumed during the delay, a distinctive odor added to the maze, or combinations of these manipulations. Additionally, performance on another spatial task (a four-arm maze) during the delay between Choices 4 and 5 did not interfere with performance in the eight-arm maze. These findings suggest that rats’ memories for spatial locations are immune to retroactive interference, at least within the range of conditions reported, and that the rat can successfully segregate memories for spatial locations established in different contexts.
An increase in crevasse extent, West Greenland: Hydrologic implications

[1] We compare high-resolution 1985 and 2009 imagery to assess changes in crevasse extent in the Sermeq Avannarleq ablation zone, West Greenland. The area occupied by crevasses >2 m wide significantly increased (13 ± 4%) over the 24-year period. This increase consists of an expansion of existing crevasse fields, and is accompanied by widespread changes in crevasse orientation (up to 45°). We suggest that a combination of ice sheet thinning and steepening are responsible for the increase in crevasse extent. We examine the potential impact of this change on the hydrology of the ice sheet. We provide a first-order demonstration that moulin-type drainage is more efficient in transferring meltwater fluctuations to the subglacial system than crevasse-type drainage. As enhanced basal sliding is associated with meltwater “pulses”, an increase in crevasse extent can therefore be expected to result in a net decrease in basal sliding sensitivity. An increase in crevasse extent may also accelerate cryo-hydrologic warming and enhance surface ablation.
Contracting for health services: an evaluation of recent reforms in Nicaragua.

Nicaragua has embarked on a reform of the way in which publicly provided medical care is organized and financed. A principal feature of the reforms includes a decentralization of decision-making authority coupled with an increase in local accountability. Local decision-making authority has been increased by allowing managers more freedom to allocate inputs. Accountability has been strengthened by stipulating what is expected of hospitals and health centres in the form of performance agreements, and tying rewards (i.e. bonuses) to the satisfaction of these requirements provides incentives. This paper provides a critical assessment of these reforms, and presents some early evidence of their effects.
Creation and application of voxelised dosimetric models, and a comparison with the current methodology as used for the International Commission on Radiological Protection's Reference Animals and Plants.

Over the past decade, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has developed a comprehensive approach to environmental protection that includes the use of Reference Animals an...
Assignment of the lowest-lying THz absorption signatures in biotin and lactose monohydrate by solid-state density functional theory

The narrow terahertz (THz) features in crystalline biotin and lactose monohydrate observed in recent experimental studies are considered by solid-state density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The lowest-frequency THz features in both solid-state biotin and lactose monohydrate are assigned to external hindered rotational modes and not to the lowest-frequency internal modes predicted from isolated-molecule calculations. The motions of the molecules associated with these narrow THz features and the interactions between molecules in the hydrogen-bonded networks of these molecular crystals are discussed, and comparisons are made to similar studies on molecular crystals not exhibiting strong intermolecular interactions.
Let’s Not Talk About It: Suicide Inquiry in Primary Care

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to ascertain physician characteristics associated with exploring suicidality in patients with depressive symptoms and the infl uence of patient antidepressant requests. METHODS Primary care physicians were randomly recruited from 4 sites in northern California and Rochester, NY; 152 physicians participated (53%-61% of those approached). Standardized patients portraying 2 conditions (major depres- sion and adjustment disorder) and 3 antidepressant request types (brand specifi c, general, or none) made unannounced visits to these physicians between May 2003 and May 2004. We examined factors associated with physician exploration of suicidality. RESULTS Suicide was explored in 36% of 298 encounters. Exploration was more common when the patient portrayed major depression (vs adjustment disorder) (P = .03), with an antidepressant request (vs no request) (P = .02), in academic settings (P <.01), and among physicians with personal experience with depres- sion (P <.01). The random effects logistic model revealed a signifi cant physician variance component with ρ = 0.57 (95% confi dence interval, 0.45-0.68) indicat- ing that there were additional, unspecifi ed physician factors determining the ten- dency to explore suicide risk. These factors are unrelated to physician specialty (family medicine or internal medicine), sex, communication style, or perceived barriers to or confi dence in treating depression. CONCLUSIONS When seeing patients with depressive symptoms, primary care physicians do not consistently inquire about suicidality. Their inquiries into sui- cidal thinking may be enhanced through advertising or public service messaging that prompts patients to ask for help. Research is needed to further elucidate physician characteristics associated with the assessment of suicidality.
Robiginitalea biformata gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel marine bacterium in the family Flavobacteriaceae with a higher G+C content.

Two Gram-negative, chemoheterotrophic, non-motile, rust-coloured, marine strains were isolated from the western Sargasso Sea by high-throughput culturing. Characterization of the two strains by polyphasic approaches indicated that they are members of the same species. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences using three treeing algorithms revealed that the strains formed a coherent and novel genus-level lineage within the family Flavobacteriaceae. The dominant fatty acids were branched or hydroxy acids, i15 : 0, i15 : 1 and 3-OH i17 : 0 being the most abundant. The higher DNA G+C content of the strains (55–56 mol%) clearly differentiated them from other genera of the family Flavobacteriaceae (27–44 mol%). It is proposed, from the polyphasic evidence, that the strains be placed into a novel genus and a novel species named Robiginitalea biformata gen. nov., sp. nov., with strain HTCC2501T (=ATCC BAA-864T=KCTC 12146T) as the type strain.
Some properties of microcanonical rate constants

Abstract An isolated body is characterized by conserved properties such as its energy and angular momentum. The rates of processes occurring in that body can thus be investigated as a function of these properties. On the other hand the rates may be better known, both conceptually and experimentally, as a function of temperature. This paper surveys relations between rate descriptions in the two domains, as deduced using steepest descent techniques. The rudiments of these techniques are given in an appendix.
Psychrophilic and psychrotolerant fungi on bats and the presence of Geomyces spp. on bat wings prior to the arrival of white nose syndrome.

ABSTRACT Since 2006, Geomyces destructans, the causative agent of white nose syndrome (WNS), has killed over 5.7 million bats in North America. The current hypothesis suggests that this novel fungus is an invasive species from Europe, but little is known about the diversity within the genus Geomyces and its distribution on bats in the United States. We documented the psychrophilic and psychrotolerant fungal flora of hibernating bats prior to the arrival of WNS using culture-based techniques. A total of 149 cultures, which were obtained from 30 bats in five bat hibernacula located in four caves and one mine, were sequenced for the entire internal transcribed spacer (ITS) nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) region. Approximately 53 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at 97% similarity were recovered from bat wings, with the community dominated by fungi within the genera Cladosporium, Fusarium, Geomyces, Mortierella, Penicillium, and Trichosporon. Eleven Geomyces isolates were obtained and placed in at least seven distinct Geomyces clades based on maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analyses. Temperature experiments revealed that all Geomyces strains isolated are psychrotolerant, unlike G. destructans, which is a true psychrophile. Our results confirm that a large diversity of fungi, including several Geomyces isolates, occurs on bats prior to the arrival of WNS. Most of these isolates were obtained from damaged wings. Additional studies need to be conducted to determine potential ecological roles of these abundant Geomyces strains isolated from bats.