cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variable measurement structures for the control of a tubular reactor

Abstract The feasibility of the variable measurements structure is investigated within the framework of controlling a tubular chemical reactor. An on-line sequential analysis of the temperature measurements along the length of the reactor, allows a fast and time-adaptive selection of the best measurements to be used in a low order, simple and robust control scheme. The approach has been developed for both static and dynamic cases. It is based on a recursive computation of the state estimate errors. Its theoretical and computational simplicity makes it attractive for on-line implementation. The procedure has been applied for the adaptive tubular reactor under pseudo-steady state and dynamic conditions with very encouraging results.
Evaluation and Management of Indeterminate Pulmonary Nodules

The radiologic evaluation and management of the indeterminate solitary pulmonary nodule provide common diagnostic dilemma. With continued technologic advancements in multidetector computed tomography leading to higher spatial resolution and greater overall sensitivity of computed tomography scanners, increasing numbers of indeterminate solitary pulmonary nodules are being detected. Malignant and benign solitary pulmonary nodules have similar imaging features. Clinical management of these incidental nodules relies not only on imaging characteristics but also on malignancy risk factors, along with the risks and benefits of further investigation.
Circadian Temperature Rhythm and Circadian-Circaseptan (about 7-Day) Aspects of Murine Death from Malaria

About-7-day (circaseptan) and circadian rhythms were sought and found in host-parasite relations of mice infected with Plasmodium berghei. Five inbred male DBA mice, about 18 weeks of age, were implanted with transsensors for temperature telemetry. Core temperature, monitored every 10 min for 3 days before the intravenous or intraperitoneal inoculation of 10(5) infected erythrocytes and thereafter until death, was analyzed by cosinor. A statistically highly significant circadian rhythm exhibited similarly synchronized acrophases. Core temperatures on the days immediately after malarial infection were mostly within the range of temperatures observed before injection. A mesor-hypothermic stage preceded death by several days. In a second study, 24 male BALB/c and 42 male DBA mice, 12 weeks of age, housed in three rooms on different regimens of light and darkness (alternating at 12-hr intervals), staggered by 8 hr, were inoculated ip with 10(4) infected erythrocytes, one-half at noon, the other half at midnight, within 0.5 hr of blood withdrawal. Thus, one endeavored to cover six circadian host stages (02, 06, 10, 14, 18, and 22 hr after light-on). At 54 and 51% overall mortality (irrespective of inoculation time), a circadian rhythm in susceptibility to malaria was demonstrated in these mice by the single cosinor fit of a 24-hr period (P less than 0.003 and less than 0.020, respectively). The single cosinor fit of a 7-day period further demonstrated a circaseptan rhythm (P = 0.014) in the mortality of both strains following the inoculation of P. berghei. The acrophase (360 degrees = 168 hr) was at -325 degrees from the inoculation time with 95% confidence limits extending from -276 to -378 degrees. Such predictable time relations of P. berghei to its murine host await the exploration of mechanisms underlying the circadian and infradian (7-day) rhythmicities here demonstrated and quantified with their uncertainties. Irrespective of mechanisms, information on such periodicities may also guide attempts to optimize treatment by timing according to the interactions of plasmodial virulence and host resistance that remain to be quantified separately.
Vinylcyclobutane-cyclohexene rearrangement: theoretical exploration of mechanism and relationship to the Diels-Alder potential surface.

The vinylcyclobutane−cyclohexene rearrangement has been studied computationally with density functional theory and complete active space SCF calculations. The rearrangement proceeds through a diradical that exists on a very flat potential energy surface. Transition structures for conformational processes, only slightly higher in energy than the minimum energy reaction path, account for the stereochemistries of products observed in the thermal rearrangements of vinylcyclobutane derivatives. The connection of this rearrangement to the Diels−Alder reaction of butadiene with ethylene is discussed.
Lincomycin by direct intravitreal injection in the treatment of experimental bacterial endophthalmitis.

Injection of solutions directly into the vitreous can be a safe and easily performed procedure. Our study demonstrated that a 1.5 mg dose of lincomycin into the rabbit vitreous was nontoxic to intraocular structures and produced high and significant concentrations of the drug that persisted for longer than two days. Intravitreal injection of lincomycin was highly efficacious in checking experimentally induced staphylococcal endophthalmitis. The response depended not only upon the amount of drug injected, but also, and much more crucial, upon its administration early in the course of the clinical infection. In endophthalmitis, the rate of progression of the destructive process increases in direct proportion to the delay in delivering antibiotics to the infected area. Our studies suggest that intravitreal injection of an appropriate antibiotic is the most prompt, most definitive therapy available for the preservation of vision.
The Relationship of Error Rate and Comprehension in Second and Third Grade Oral Reading Fluency.

This study explored the relationships of oral reading speed and error rate on comprehension with second and third grade students with identified reading risk. The study included 920 second and 974 third graders. Results found a significant relationship between error rate, oral reading fluency, and reading comprehension performance, and grade-specific guidelines for appropriate error rate levels. Low reading fluency and high error rates predicted the level of passage comprehension performance. For both second and third grade students, fall assessment error rate predicted comprehension performance. The acceptable third grade error rate cut point was 14%. Instructional implication are discussed.
Omega-3 fatty acid regulates inflammatory cytokine/mediator messenger RNA expression in Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced experimental periodontal disease

Introduction Porphyromonas gingivalis is strongly implicated in the etiology of adult periodontitis by inducing inflammatory cytokines, resulting in gingival and periodontal tissue inflammation and alveolar bone resorption. This study tested the hypothesis that supplementing the diet with omega-3 fatty acid (omega-3 FA; i.e. fish oil) would exert anti-inflammatory effects in the gingival tissues of P. gingivalis-infected rats. Methods Rats were fed either fish oil or corn oil diets ad libitum for 22 weeks and infected with P. gingivalis strain 381 or strain A7A1-28. After sacrifice, rat gingival tissues were excised and the RNA was isolated and analyzed for proinflammatory mediators [interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-6], T helper type 1 and type 2 cytokines [interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), IL-4, IL-10), antioxidant enzymes [catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD)], and genes critical for eicosanoid mediator production [cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2), 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO)] by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using rat-specific primers. Results Rats on the omega-3 FA diet exhibited decreased proinflammatory cytokine gene expression (IL-1beta, TNF-alpha) and enhanced IFN-gamma, CAT and SOD messenger RNA expression compared to rats fed a corn oil diet, supporting a diet-induced modulation of host inflammatory reactions. Analyses of alveolar bone resorption in the rats related to gene expression profiles demonstrated significant positive correlations with IL-1beta, IL-6 and COX-2 and negative correlations with CAT and SOD. Conclusion These findings suggest that diets enriched for omega-3 FA modulate the local gingival inflammatory milieu of the host following oral P. gingivalis infection, which impacts on alveolar bone resorption in rats.
Nano-switch for study of gold contact behavior

In this paper we present the fabrication and characterization of a new NEMS DC switch as a vehicle to characterize Au-to-Au contacts at nano-scale. The switch consists of a 1050-nm long, 200-nm wide and 50-nm thick cantilever gold beam. The measured on-state resistance values range from 83 Ω to 640 Ω and the actuation voltages from 4 V to 22 V. All measurements are conducted at a current of 1 µA and the obtained values are in good qualitative agreement with traditional elastic-plastic contact models. The calculated switching time is 55 ns. Characterization of contacts at nano-scale will be critical for the success of NEMS devices used in ultra low-power sensors. To this end, we examine the impact of such a switch as a leakage control mechanism.
HIV-1 Nef interaction influences the ATP-binding site of the Src-family kinase, Hck

Nef is an HIV-1 accessory protein essential for viral replication and AIDS progression. Nef interacts with a multitude of host cell signaling partners, including members of the Src kinase family. Nef preferentially activates Hck, a Src-family kinase (SFK) strongly expressed in macrophages and other HIV target cells, by binding to its regulatory SH3 domain. Recently, we identified a series of kinase inhibitors that preferentially inhibit Hck in the presence of Nef. These compounds also block Nef-dependent HIV replication, validating the Nef-SFK signaling pathway as an antiretroviral drug target. Our findings also suggested that by binding to the Hck SH3 domain, Nef indirectly affects the conformation of the kinase active site to favor inhibitor association. To test this hypothesis, we engineered a "gatekeeper" mutant of Hck with enhanced sensitivity to the pyrazolopyrimidine tyrosine kinase inhibitor, NaPP1. We also modified the RT loop of the Hck SH3 domain to enhance interaction of the kinase with Nef. This modification stabilized Nef:Hck interaction in solution-based kinase assays, as a way to mimic the more stable association that likely occurs at cellular membranes. Introduction of the modified RT loop rendered Hck remarkably more sensitive to activation by Nef, and led to a significant decrease in the Km for ATP as well as enhanced inhibitor potency. These observations suggest that stable interaction with Nef may induce Src-family kinase active site conformations amenable to selective inhibitor targeting.
Transcriptional profiling of the iron starvation response in Bordetella pertussis provides new insights into siderophore utilization and virulence gene expression

Serological studies of patients with pertussis and the identification of antigenic Bordetella pertussis proteins support the hypothesis that B. pertussis perceives an iron starvation cue and expresses multiple iron source utilization systems in its natural human host environment. Furthermore, previous studies using a murine respiratory tract infection model showed that several of these B. pertussis iron systems are required for colonization and persistence and are differentially expressed over the course of infection. The present study examined genome-wide changes in B. pertussis gene transcript abundance in response to iron starvation in vitro. In addition to known iron source utilization genes, we identified a previously uncharacterized iron-repressed cytoplasmic membrane transporter system, fbpABC, that is required for the utilization of multiple structurally distinct siderophores including alcaligin, enterobactin, ferrichrome, and desferrioxamine B. Expression of type III secretion system genes was also found to be upregulated during iron starvation in both B. pertussis strain Tohama I and Bordetella bronchiseptica strain RB50. In a survey of type III secretion system protein production by an assortment of B. pertussis laboratory-adapted and low-passage clinical isolate strains, iron limitation increased the production and secretion of the type III secretion system-specific translocation apparatus tip protein Bsp22 in all Bvg-proficient strains. These results indicate that iron starvation in the infected host is an important environmental cue influencing not only Bordetella iron transport gene expression but also the expression of other important virulence-associated genes.
Heat shock phenocopies E1B-55K late functions and selectively sensitizes refractory tumor cells to ONYX-015 oncolytic viral therapy

ONYX-015 is an E1B-55K-deleted adenovirus that has promising clinical activity as a cancer therapy. However, many tumor cells fail to support ONYX-015 oncolytic replication. E1B-55K functions include p53 degradation, RNA export, and host protein shutoff. Here, we show that resistant tumor cell lines fail to provide the RNA export functions of E1B-55K necessary for ONYX-015 replication; viral 100K mRNA export is necessary for host protein shutoff. However, heat shock rescues late viral RNA export and renders refractory tumor cells permissive to ONYX-015. These data indicate that heat shock and late adenoviral RNAs may converge upon a common mechanism for their export. Moreover, these data suggest that the concomitant induction of a heat shock response could significantly improve ONYX-015 cancer therapy.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Hydrolysis Products of (η2‐tBu2pz)AlH(μ:η1,η1‐tBu2pz)2AlH2 − Structural Characterization of a Complex Containing η1‐, η2‐, and μ:η1,η1‐Pyrazolato Ligands and a Complex Containing a Terminal Hydroxo Ligand

Treatment of alane-ethyldimethylamine with 3,5-di-tert-butylpyrazole (tBu 2 pzH) in a 2:3 molar ratio afforded [(η 2 -tBu2pz)AlH(μ:η 1 ,η 1 -tBu 2 pz) 2 AlH 2 ] in 57% yield. Hydrolysis of [(η 2 -tBu 2 Pz)AlH(μ:η 1 ,η 1 -tBu 2 pz) 2 AlH 2 ] afforded variable mixtures of Al(tBu 2 Pz) 3 , [(η 2 -tBu 2 pz)AlH(μ:η 1 ,η 1 -tBu 2 pz) 2 Al-H(OH)], and [(η 2 -tBu 2 pz)AlH(μ:η 1 ,η 1 -tBu 2 pz) 2 AlH(η 1 -tBu 2 pz)}. The structures of all new complexes were assigned from spectral and analytical data. In addition, the X-ray crystal structures of [(η 2 -tBu 2 pz)AlH(μ:η 1 ,η 1 -tBu2pz) 2 AlH(OH)] and [(η 2 -tBu 2 pz)AlH(μ:η 1 ,η 1 -tBu 2 pz) 2 AlH(η 1 -tBu 2 pz)] were determined. [(η 2 -tBu 2 pz)AlH(μ:η 1 ,η 1 -tBu 2 pz)2AlH(OH)] crystallizes as a dimeric molecule, and contains two bridging pyrazolato ligands, one η 2 -pyrazolato ligand, as well as terminal hydrido and hydroxo ligands. The hydroxo and η 2 -pyrazolato ligands possess a syn-relationship within the dimer. The hydroxy group proton does not participate in dihydrogen bonding, and instead appears to be intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded to the π-cloud of the η 2 -pyrazolato ligand. The overall structure of [(η 2 -tBu 2 pz)AlH(μ:η 1 ,η 1 -tBu 2 pz) 2 AlH(η 1 -tBu 2 pz)] is very similar to that of [(η 2 -tBu 2 pz)AlH(μ:η 1 ,η 1 -tBu 2 pz) 2 AlH(OH)], except that the η 1 - and η 2 -pyrazolato ligands have an anti-disposition within the dimer. Molecular orbital calculations were carried out on [(η 2 -tBu 2 pz)AlH(μ:η 1 ,η 1 -tBu 2 pz) 2 AlH(OH)] to understand the hydrogen bonding and the η 2 -pyrazolato ligand coordination. The calculations predict that there is a 1.4 kcal/mol energy difference between η 1 - and η 2 -pyrazolato ligand coordination, which implies that the observed η 2 -pyrazolato ligand occurs due to accommodation of the bulky tert-butyl groups. The intramolecular hydrogen bond between the hydroxo ligand proton and the π-cloud of the η 2 -pyrazolato ligand is estimated to have a bond strength of 3.7 kcal/mol.
Inhibition of oral contraceptive effectiveness by concurrent antibiotic administration. A review.

The use of antibiotics in periodontal therapy has received increasing attention in recent years. Although generally safe, certain antibiotics, including tetracycline and ampicillin, have been shown to interact indirectly with oral contraceptives, with a resultant decrease in oral contraceptive efficacy. This paper reviews the nature of antibiotic-oral contraceptive interactions, as well as the precautions that have been suggested for patients taking oral contraceptives for whom certain antibiotics have been prescribed.
Combined effect of complexation and pH on solubilization.

Both pH control and complexation are widely used as solubilization techniques in drug formulation studies. Although these two techniques are often utilized in combination, few theoretical studies have shown why the combined approach would work better than either one alone. This study constructs a background in which both the pH effect and complexation constants are used to explain the synergism between these techniques. The total solubility is determined by the addition of the concentrations of the four components present in the solution: free un-ionized drug [Du], free ionized drug [Di], un-ionized drug complex [DuL], and ionized drug complex [DiL]. A detailed description of [Di] and [DiL] reveals that the complexation constants and the pH at which the drug may ionize are both critical. The weakly basic drug flavopiridol is used as a test compound to examine the validity of the equation. Although the complexation constant for ionized flavopiridol (Ki = 124 M−) is less than one-third of that of the unionized species (Ku = 445 M−), the solubility of the ionized drug complex [DiL] is 6-fold greater than that of the un-ionized drug complex [DuL]. This unexpected result is due to the 25-fold greater solubility of the ionized drug [Di] at pH 4.3 over that of the free un-ionized species [Du] at pH 8.4. The results of this and other complexation studies of several drugs taken from the literature lend the support to the following: If [Di]/[Du] > Ku/Ki, then [DiL] > [DuL].
Newly Codified Glial Neoplasms of the 2007 WHO Classification of Tumours of the Central Nervous System: Angiocentric Glioma, Pilomyxoid Astrocytoma and Pituicytoma

The 4(th) edition of the WHO Classification of Tumours of the Nervous System (WHO 2007) introduces changes that reflect both the recognition of new brain tumour types and a better understanding of neoplastic behavior. Three new tumours, angiocentric glioma (AG), pilomyxoid astrocytoma (PMA), and pituicytoma are added to the section on gliomas. AG is a slowly growing cerebral tumour that typically presents with seizures in children and young adults. It is characterized by monomorphous, bipolar tumour cells with a striking perivascular growth pattern. Although the 'cell of origin' of AG is not clear, ultrastructural evidence points to an ependymal derivation. Typically, AG can be cured by total resection, and is designated WHO grade I. PMA is a solid, circumscribed tumour occurring mainly in the hypothalamic region of young children. It is composed of a monomorphous population of bipolar tumour cells within a rich myxoid background, with a conspicuous anglocentric arrangement. While PMA is considered a more aggressive variant of pilocytic astrocytoma, this relationship awaits further clarification. The PMA has been designated WHO grade II. The pituicytoma, involves the posterior pituitary and/or its stalk and affects adults. It is solid in architecture, composed of spindle cells and presumably derived from pituicytes. Pituicytomas are indolent tumours, and are designated WHO grade I.
DISTRIBUTION OF AMPHIBIANS IN TERRESTRIAL HABITAT SURROUNDING WETLANDS

Estimating the distribution of amphibians in terrestrial habitats surrounding wetlands is essential for determining how much habitat is required to maintain viable amphibian populations and how much habitat may be allocated to other land use practices. We apply univariate kernel estimation in a new manner to determine the distribution of amphibians during the non-breeding season. We summarized data from 13 radio telemetry studies that reported net maximum distance traveled from the breeding site for each individual (n = 404 individuals), and calculated a univariate kernel density estimate for all data combined. Kernel density estimation provides a function for the probability of an amphibian being present at a given distance from the breeding site and bootstrap methods allow for error estimates of isopleth values. Amphibians generally occurred at a short distance from the wetland (50% isopleth was at 93 m) and declined at greater distances (95% isopleth was at 664 m); however, use of habitat immediately adjacent (e.g., < 30 m) to the breeding site was lower than the peak for all species. The shape of the distribution was consistent for frogs and salamanders; however, the 95% kernel isopleth for the salamander estimate (245 m) was less than half the distance of the frog estimate (703 m), indicating that frogs distributed themselves at much greater distances from the breeding site than salamanders. Kernel estimates for the two western species, Rana luteiventris and Bufo boreas, did not peak near the breeding site as in the other species, suggesting that non-breeding habitat for these species is not located near breeding sites. We were unable to detect a statistical difference between sexes, but females tend to use habitat at greater distances from the wetland than males. Our results revealed that amphibians are not uniformly distributed in terrestrial habitats surrounding wetlands.
Maternal Birth Outcomes: Processes and Challenges in Anambra State, Nigeria

The views of nurse experts and policymakers on maternal birth outcomes in Anambra State, Nigeria, were explored using qualitative content analysis. The findings indicate that although there are different levels of birth attendants in Anambra State, nurses attend to most deliveries; are highly favored; and are the most trusted obstetric providers among skilled personnel. Obstetric complications are extensive, leading to high mortality and morbidity. Poverty, gender inequity, and weak health systems-encompassing insufficiency of trained nursing workforce among other issues-intensify poor maternal birth outcomes.
The relationship between oral contraceptive use and sensitivity to olfactory stimuli

The present study examined differences in olfactory sensitivity between 16 naturally cycling (NC) women and 17 women taking monophasic oral contraceptives (OCs) to six odors: lemon, peppermint, rose, musk, androstenone and androsterone. Thresholds were assessed twice for both groups of women (during the periovulatory and luteal phases of their cycles) via a forced-choice discrimination task. NC women in the periovulatory phase were significantly more sensitive to androstenone, androsterone, and musk than women taking OCs. These findings give support to odor-specific hormonal modulation of olfaction. Further, due to the social and possibly sexual nature of these odors, future work should address whether there is a relationship between decreased sensitivity to these odors and reported behavioral side effects among women taking OCs.
Dietary Protein Source Determines the Degree of Hypertension and Renal Disease in the Dahl Salt-Sensitive Rat

Previous studies demonstrated that a whole-grain diet attenuated sodium-dependent hypertension and renal disease in Dahl salt-sensitive rats from the colony at the Medical College of Wisconsin (Dahl SS/Mcw rats) compared with rats maintained on a purified AIN-76A diet. The present experiments determined which component(s) of the grain diet prevented renal and cardiovascular disease. Male SS/Mcw rats were maintained on isocaloric diets identical to AIN-76A, except the source of protein (wheat gluten for casein), carbohydrate (wheat flour for sucrose), or fat (soybean oil for corn oil) was substituted in separate diets. Rats were maintained on the different diets from weaning and studied after 3 weeks on a high-salt (4.0% NaCl) diet. Substitution of the carbohydrate in the diet did not affect body weight, arterial pressure, or renal disease. Replacement of casein with wheat gluten significantly reduced body weight (258+/-7 versus 353+/-3 grams), mean arterial pressure (133+/-2 versus 153+/-2 mm Hg), and albumin excretion (9+/-1 versus 50+/-7 mg/d) to levels of rats fed the whole-grain diet (n=7 to 16/group). Replacement of the fat in the diet increased arterial pressure without affecting body weight or albumin excretion. The results of the present study indicate that dietary components other than sodium play an important role in the development of hypertension and renal disease in the Dahl SS/Mcw rat.
Occurrence of Gonadoblastoma in Patients With 45,X/46,XY Mosaicism

Abstract Study Objective To estimate the overall frequency of gonadal tumors in patients with 45,X/46,XY mosaicism who underwent gonadectomy and to determine whether the degree of external masculinization or the location of gonads were associated with the presence of gonadal tumor. Design Retrospective study of patients with karyotype of 45,X/46,XY or variant who received care at the study institution between 1995 and 2012. Setting University of Michigan Health System (Ann Arbor, Michigan), a tertiary care academic center. Participants Sixteen patients with karyotype of 45,X/46,XY who underwent gonadectomy. Interventions None. Main Outcome Measure Presence of pathology-confirmed gonadal tumor. Results In patients who underwent bilateral gonadectomy, gonadoblastomas were detected in 36.4% (4 of 11), and all were identified in patients with normal female external genitalia (4 of 8 [50.0%]). Abdominal gonads were associated with a nonsignificant increase in rate of gonadal tumor compared with inguinal or scrotal gonads. No malignant tumors were identified. Conclusion The overall rate of gonadoblastoma was higher than previously reported. The high rate of gonadoblastoma in patients with female external genitalia and the lack of gonadal function support continuing the standard of care of practice of prophylactic gonadectomy in this patient population.
Leptin Rapidly Lowers Food Intake and Elevates Metabolic Rates in Lean and ob/ob Mice

Leptin, the ob gene product, is released from adipose tissue and likely acts in the central nervous system, particularly within the hypothalamus, to exert many of its effects. Obesity in C57BL/6J ob/ob mice is caused by a mutation in the ob gene resulting in a lack of functional leptin. In this study, we first compared effects of a single intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of 3 pmol (50 ng) or 60 pmol (1 microg) leptin on food intake and oxygen consumption of lean and ob/ob mice deprived of food for 4 h during the 48-h period postinjection. Injection of 3 pmol leptin minimally lowered food intake in these mice without influencing oxygen consumption. Injection of 60 pmol of leptin rapidly lowered food intake within 30 min in both lean and ob/ob mice, with effects persisting for 24 h. Lean and ob/ob mice treated with leptin consumed 40 and 60% less food, respectively, in 24 h than vehicle-treated controls. Injection of leptin (60 pmol ICV) suppressed food intake of adrenalectomized mice as well (by 25 and 40% in lean mice and by 20 and 68% in ob/ob mice at 3 and 24 h, respectively), indicating that glucocorticoids are not essential for leptin to suppress food intake. Leptin increased oxygen consumption in conditions in which diet-induced thermogenesis was low, i.e., in fed ob/ob mice and in food-deprived lean mice, but not in fed adrenalectomized ob/ob mice or in fed lean mice. ICV injection of 60 pmol leptin along with 230 pmol (2 microg) of neuropeptide Y (NPY) attenuated NPY-induced feeding in ob/ob, but not in lean mice, suggesting an enhanced potential for crosstalk between the leptin and NPY signaling systems in ob/ob mice lacking endogenous leptin. Leptin exerts rapid-onset actions within the central nervous system to coordinate control of food intake and metabolic rate.
The Impact of Cognitive Test Anxiety on Text Comprehension and Recall in the Absence of External Evaluative Pressure

SUMMARY Two studies examined the effects of cognitive test anxiety on students’ memory, comprehension, and understanding of expository text passages in situations without externally-imposed evaluative pressure. The results gathered through structural equations modelling demonstrated a significant impact of cognitive test anxiety on performance in conditions with and without external evaluative pressure. The impact of cognitive test anxiety was stronger in those conditions with external evaluative pressure. The results are interpreted to support processing models of test anxiety that propose test anxiety interferes with learning through deficiencies in encoding, organization, and storage in addition to the classic interpretation of retrieval failures. In addition, the data provide support for additive models of test anxiety that address both stable and situational factors in the overall impact of cognitive test anxiety on performance. Copyright # 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Research on the role of test anxiety on performance has repeatedly demonstrated that high levels of cognitive test anxiety promote the probability of notable declines in exam performance. The classic interpretation of this relationship was that irrelevant thinking and heightened worry intrude upon conscious thought during the test session itself, inhibiting performance through a retrieval-blocking process (Morris, Davis, & Hutchings, 1981; Sarason, 1986; Sarason, Pierce, & Sarason, 1996; Zohar, 1998). However, this view of test anxiety has been demonstrated to be overly limited in scope, and contemporary conceptualizations of cognitive test anxiety have focused on processing deficiencies that appear to accompany anxiousness over tests at various phases in the learning-testing cycle (Cassady, in press; Cassady & Johnson, 2002; Covington, 1985; Schwarzer & Jerusalem, 1992). Models of test anxiety that focus on deficits in basic information processing have been supported by data demonstrating that test anxious students have difficulty with cognitive processes beyond the classic view of retrieval failure. That is, students with high levels of test anxiety experience problems with encoding and storage processes as well, commonly leading to inadequate conceptual representations of the content (Benjamin, McKeachie, Lin, & Holinger, 1981; McKeachie, 1984; Mueller, 1980; Naveh-Benjamin, 1991).
Mentoring Preservice Teachers in a Community of Practice Summer Literacy Camp: Master's Students' Challenges, Achievements, and Professional Development.

Few inquiries have investigated master’s students in education as they mentor preservice teachers. In this embedded case study I explored the professional development of 15 master’s students as they mentored 35 preservice teachers for eight weeks in a summer literacy camp. Data sources were e-mail exchanges, written reports, and transcriptions from focus groups and in-class conversations. I analyzed the data through constant comparison methods and discovered that the mentors were initially frustrated with their mentoring responsibilities and had little empathy for the preservice teachers. By the end of the camp, they recognized the benefits of mentoring and gained confidence as mentors. Learning occurred for both the mentors and the preservice teachers. Implications include the power of social participation in authentic contexts. Key Words: Community of Practice, Embedded Case Study, Master’s Student Mentors, and Summer Literacy Camp
Translating Advances in Cardiogenetics Into Effective Clinical Practice

In this article we describe a qualitative research study in which we explored individuals’ subjective experiences of both genetic testing and cardiogenetic disorders. Using a grounded theory approach, we coded and analyzed interview and focus group transcripts from 50 participants. We found that just under half of the participants who received their diagnosis during the study reported difficulty understanding information about both the purpose of genetic testing and their cardiac disease. A high level of anxiety about genetic testing and cardiac symptoms exacerbated individuals’ cognitive confusion. Participants reported both positive and negative interactions with the medical community, depending on health care professionals’ knowledge of cardiogenetic disorders. Overall, participants expressed a range of attitudes—positive, negative, and ambivalent—toward genetic testing. We conclude with a discussion of the barriers to achieving effective clinical care for genetic conditions and offer suggestions for i...
Limiting Attribute Disclosure in Randomization Based Microdata Release

Privacy preserving microdata publication has received wide attention. In this paper, we investigate the randomization approach and focus on attribute disclosure under linking attacks. We give efficient solutions to determine optimal distortion parameters, such that we can maximize utility preservation while still satisfying privacy requirements. We compare our randomization approach with l-diversity and anatomy in terms of utility preservation (under the same privacy requirements) from three aspects (reconstructed distributions, accuracy of answering queries, and preservation of correlations). Our empirical results show that randomization incurs significantly smaller utility loss.
An autozeroing floating-gate amplifier

We have developed a bandpass floating-gate amplifier that uses tunneling and pFET hot-electron injection to set its dc operating point adaptively. Because the hot-electron injection is an inherent part of the pFET's behavior, we obtain this adaptation with no additional circuitry. Because the gate currents are small, the circuit exhibits a high-pass characteristic with a cutoff frequency less than 1 Hz. The high-frequency cutoff is controlled electronically, as is done in continuous-time filters. We have derived analytical models that completely characterize the amplifier and that are in good agreement with experimental data for a wide range of operating conditions and input waveforms. This autozeroing floating-gate amplifier demonstrates how to use continuous-time floating-gate adaptation in amplifier design.
Motion estimation based on time-sequentially sampled imagery

Determining the parameters of motion within a time-varying scene is an important problem in such fields as computer vision, motion compensated video coding, and tracking. Most motion estimation algorithms operate on image data that has been sampled in both space and time. However, very little work has been done to investigate the impact of the underlying sampling strategy on the motion estimation problem. The authors investigate motion estimation with time-sequentially sampled image data. They consider both centroid-displacement-based and Fourier-based approaches to motion estimation with this type of data. For comparision, they also examine the performance of these estimators with conventional, frame-instantaneously sampled data. The motion estimators are developed and evaluated in the context of the tracking problem. In particular, they present extensive numerical results showing the performance of the motion estimators in a simulated tracking environment within which the assumptions underlying the development of the estimators are violated. These results suggest empirical rules for choosing parameter values for the estimators. >
Energy balance: a crucial issue for exercise and sports medicine

The recently published issue of British Journal of Sports Medicine (http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/49/4.toc) includes articles on several important topics in exercise science and sports medicine. We are grateful to the many leading clinicians and scientists who have made these contributions. This editorial will address another relevant topic that requires focused attention—energy balance. Non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity and type 2 diabetes, are clearly the leading public health problems facing the world in the 21st century.1 The causes of NCDs are predominately unhealthful lifestyles such as physical inactivity, poor diets, smoking, unhealthful sleep habits and not managing stress effectively.1 In recent years, obesity rates have increased in most countries, and this problem receives enormous attention, in both the popular media and scientific press. The fundamental cause of increasing rates of obesity is too many people being in a positive energy balance on too many days; but the problem is very complex.2 From a simple perspective, energy balance is the ratio of energy intake and energy expenditure, and if more calories are consumed than are expended, a person will be in positive energy balance. This excessive energy will be stored in the body, mostly as body fat. Of course maintaining energy balance is a much more complex issue than this simple statement, with numerous environmental, social and physiological factors having a role. Extensive reviews of the energy balance concept have been published in recent years.3 ,4 …
Measurement of Beam Size in Intrabeam Scattering Dominated Beams at Various Energies at CesrTA

Recent reports from CesrTA have shown measurement and calculation of beam size versus current in CesrTA beams at 2.1 GeV. Here, the effect of changing the energy of Intra- beam Scattering-dominated beams is reported. IBS growth rates have roughly a γ −3 dependence. Measurements at 1.8, 2.1, 2.3, and 2.5 GeV are shown and compared with predictions from IBS theory. x, y , then the total emittance of the bunch can increase. The horizontal dispersion of CesrTA is rather large, with a rms value of 1 m and peaks at about 3 m. The rms Hx is 0.11 m and peaks at about 0.37 m. IBS has been measured to blow up the horizontal emittance to 3 times the single- particle emittance. In such beams, IBS, rather than photon emission, is the dominant source of horizontal emittance. Typical applications of IBS theory give a time rate of change in the beam emittances. In electron storage rings this growth rate competes with radiation damping resulting in new, usually larger, emittances. These larger emittances de- pend on the beam energy, single-bunch current, and machine optics. IBS is relevant in new low emittance colliders and storage rings, some now being commissioned and others in early stages of design (1). Collider luminosity and light source brilliance both depend on beam size. At the few GeV ener- gies targeted by these machines, IBS can dominate the beam size.
Enabling Instrumental Interaction Through Electronics Making: Effects on Children's Storytelling

The electronics Making phenomenon, spearheaded by the introduction of open source microprocessors and 3D printers, has been quickly infiltrating into children’s domains, but how Making interacts with storytelling has not been addressed. This paper achieves the following: it proposes the argument of instrumental interaction for Making-based storytelling, it details a custom Maker kit that integrates Making with storytelling, and it presents a study that investigates the effects of electronics Making-based storytelling on the semantics of children’s puppet stories. Analysis results showed that the LED instrumental interaction contributes significantly to the children’s story meanings.
Thermal Conductivity of Wurtzite Zinc-Oxide from First-Principles Lattice Dynamics--a Comparative Study with Gallium Nitride

Wurtzite Zinc-Oxide (w-ZnO) is a wide bandgap semiconductor that holds promise in power electronics applications, where heat dissipation is of critical importance. However, large discrepancies exist in the literature on the thermal conductivity of w-ZnO. In this paper, we determine the thermal conductivity of w-ZnO using first-principles lattice dynamics and compare it to that of wurtzite Gallium-Nitride (w-GaN)--another important wide bandgap semiconductor with the same crystal structure and similar atomic masses as w-ZnO. However, the thermal conductivity values show large differences (400 W/mK of w-GaN vs. 50 W/mK of w-ZnO at room temperature). It is found that the much lower thermal conductivity of ZnO originates from the smaller phonon group velocities, larger three-phonon scattering phase space and larger anharmonicity. Compared to w-GaN, w-ZnO has a smaller frequency gap in phonon dispersion, which is responsible for the stronger anharmonic phonon scattering, and the weaker interatomic bonds in w-ZnO leads to smaller phonon group velocities. The thermal conductivity of w-ZnO also shows strong size effect with nano-sized grains or structures. The results from this work help identify the cause of large discrepancies in w-ZnO thermal conductivity and will provide in-depth understanding of phonon dynamics for the design of w-ZnO-based electronics.
Memorandum on California State Proposition 1A

This is a memorandum evaluating California State Proposition 1A, written in March 2009. Proposition 1A contained temporary tax hike extenders, measures to strengthen California's rainy day fund, and other budget reform measures. Proposition 1A was defeated in the May 2009 special election, and its defeat has colored California's subsequent budget politics.
Postharvest correlation between swordfish (Xiphius gladius) size and mercury concentration in edible tissues.

Total mercury was measured via thermal decomposition amalgamation atomic absorption spectroscopy in the muscle tissue of 82 swordfish originating in the Pacific Ocean and was found to range from 228 to 2,090 ppb. The relationships between total mercury concentration and the size of the fish (i.e., length and weight) were analyzed. It was found that dressed weight (DW) was a better predictor of mercury concentration than cleithrum-to-caudal keel length in a single variable model, and DW was the only significant predictor of mercury concentration in a multivariable model. Based on these relationships, swordfish with a DW greater than 96.4 kg (213 lb; 95% confidence interval, 88 to 107 kg [195 to 235 lb]) will exceed 1,000 ppb of mercury—the action level in the United States, Canada, and Europe—and should not be sold in commercial markets. Additionally, a logistic regression model was created to illustrate the probability of a swordfish at any DW being unsafe to consume (i.e., containing more than 1,000 ppb ...
Calcium Oxalate in the Oothecae of Cockroaches

Calcium oxalate crystals were observed in the oothecae of 18 species of oviparous cockroaches, whereas no crystals were found in the oothecae of one oviparous species or in 8 species which carry their egg cases internally. According to X-ray diagrams calcium oxalate dihydrate is present in all genera with the exception of Ectobius in which the monohydratc occurs. Calcium oxalate constituted as much as 15 percent of the dry weight of the ootheca in Periplaneta americana and about 0.3 percent in Blattella germanica . Transplanation experiments indicated that the production of calcium oxalate is a specialized function of the cells of the left colleterial glands.
The Optimization for Coordinated Control System of 300 MW CFB Boiler Unit

Based on the analysis of control characteristics of 300 MW CFB boiler unit,the small CFB boiler unit and the normal coal powder boiler unit,the coordinated control strategy of given 300 MW CFB boiler unit is optimized and improved,and the effective auto control project is designed.The control effect is good after the unit is operated.When AGC is switched,the main parameters are controlled within requirement.The results can be used as reference for the optimization design of the coordinated control system of the large CFB boiler unit.
Suicide Rates in Aboriginal Communities in Labrador, Canada

Objectives. To compare suicide rates in Aboriginal communities in Labrador, including Innu, Inuit, and Southern Inuit, with the general population of Newfoundland, Canada.Methods. In partnership with Aboriginal governments, we conducted a population-based study to understand patterns of suicide mortality in Labrador. We analyzed suicide mortality data from 1993 to 2009 from the Vital Statistics Death Database. We combined this with community-based methods, including consultations with Elders, youths, mental health and community workers, primary care clinicians, and government decision-makers.Results. The suicide rate was higher in Labrador than in Newfoundland. This trend persisted across all age groups; however, the disparity was greatest among those aged 10 to 19 years. Males accounted for the majority of deaths, although suicide rates were elevated among females in the Inuit communities. When comparing Aboriginal subregions, the Innu and Inuit communities had the highest age-standardized mortality rate...
Designing multi-layer graphene-based assemblies for enhanced toughness in nacre-inspired nanocomposites

Polymers reinforced with multi-layer graphene (MLG) phases are promising candidates for new materials with high modulus, strength and toughness. Drawing inspiration from nacre's layered “brick and mortar” structure, here we propose molecular scale design strategies to improve the mechanical performance of MLG–polymer layer-by-layer nanocomposites. We present a coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CG-MD) study of interfacial failure mechanisms of MLG domains embedded in a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix through pull-out simulations. Our simulations reveal two distinct deformation and failure mechanisms that greatly influence the toughness and energy dissipation of the system: pull-out failure, which occurs along the MLG–PMMA interface, and yielding failure, which occurs within the graphitic phase through the sliding of staggered graphene sheets. For any length of the graphitic assembly, the energy dissipated per layer from MLG yielding is greater than that of MLG pull-out. Theoretical continuum analysis further reveals that there exists a critical number of layers of graphene, beyond which the failure mode changes from yielding to pull-out. Our modeling framework provides effective strategies to design graphene–polymer layered nanocomposites with optimal toughness, and advance the mechanical performance of nanomaterials.
[Resection of the valvula bauhini and its effect on the metabolism. An experimental study in animals (author's transl)].

In einer tierexperimentellen Studie an 20 Bastardhunden wurde der Einflus der Valvula Bauhini auf die gezielt induzierte Malabsorption durch Resektion von 100 cm Ileum untersucht. Die Darmkontinuitat wurde in der einen Gruppe durch Ileoileostomie und in einer zweiten Gruppe durch Ileocolostomie wiederhergestellt. Die Resorptionsuntersuchungen werden mit einem gesunden Vergleichskollektiv verglichen. Bei Ileoileostomie nehmen die Versuchstiere kein Gewicht ab, Serum-Cholesterin und Eiweiswerte bleiben im Normbereich. Auch die oralen Belastungstests mit Triolein-Jod-131 und Cyanocobolamin zeigen identische Werte mit der Kontrollgruppe. Nach Ileocolostomie sind alle diese Parameter erniedrigt, z. T. im pathologischen Bereich. Bei allen resezierenden Verfahren im Bereich des unteren Ileums und des Colons sollte daher - soweit moglich - die Valvula Bauhini erhalten werden.
Dynamic Directed Influence Networks: A Study of Campaigns on Twitter

Studying the flow of influence in social media can allow insight into the nature of the agents involved and the corresponding actions that they take. In this paper, we study the influence of content among social media users with a concept called directed information (DI). Originally found in information theory, DI measures the amount of causal influence that an agent’s actions have on others. By estimating these quantities, influence networks are built that show the leaders and followers of a social circle. In order to demonstrate this technique, we extract tweets from the US presidential candidates and build an influence network. The time-varying influence is extracted using an extension of DI called adaptive directed influence (ADI), which is able to identify changes in influence over different timescales. Using the example of presidential candidates, we are able to show the power of building an influence network using DI and ADI and we compare and contrast with other relevant metrics.