cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Selfies and Filtered Selfies and Effects on First Impressions.

BACKGROUND Selfies and filtered selfies are becoming more prevalent throughout society and in the facial plastic surgery clinic. The term "Snapchat dysmorphia" has been used to describe patients seeking procedures to look like their selfie or filtered selfie. This is particularly frequent in the Millennial population, aged 22 to 37 years. OBJECTIVES The authors sought to determine the effects on first impression from different photograph types: selfies, filtered selfies, a rear-facing smartphone camera, and a digital camera (DC). We hypothesize that the DC photographs will have the highest rated first impressions among evaluators despite the popularity of selfies and filtered selfies. METHODS This study included 240 evaluators and 4 patients each completing the 4 different photograph types. The evaluators completed a survey rating first impression on various measures of success for each photograph type. RESULTS A total of 960 first impressions were recorded for each of the 8 subscales, yielding 7680 individual assessments of first impression. The DC photograph was found to have the highest first impression scores among the 4 photograph types. There was no statistical difference between selfies and filtered selfies. The rear-facing smartphone camera received the lowest first impression scores. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that the standard DC photograph taken during a preoperative consultation has higher first impressions than selfies or filtered selfies. Although "Snapchat dysmorphia" may continue to be a growing trend in the near future, our findings provide important information to discuss with patients in the preoperative visit to set realistic expectations.
Global Average Potassium Isotope Composition of Modern Seawater

The potassium isotope system was proposed as a new tracer in continental weathering and global K cycling. The largest K isotope fractionation observed among major reservoirs is between the ocean an...
Storytelling with Nepantla: A Portrait of One Mexican American Teacher’s Literacy Practices

In this article, the author braids storytelling with oral life history interviews, Chicana Feminisms, and portraiture. The piece centers the portrait of Ms. Sotomayor, a veteran elementary teacher,...
How bugs showed me the way to Agroecology

It was not until I arrived in California as a young Assistant Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, at the end of 1980, that I realized that all my training in agronomy at the Univer...
The Impact of Environmental Factors on the Transmission and Mortality of COVID-19

There have been many research articles published recently that analyze environmental factors on the transmission of COVID-19 ;however, there remains little agr
Effect of land use changes on soil microbial enzymatic activity and soil microbial community composition on Maryland's Eastern Shore

Abstract We compared microbial enzymatic activity and community composition in small, undisturbed, family cemetery soils and surrounding agricultural fields or suburban lawns to determine the effect of land use changes on soil biology. We collected soil from seven sites in Wicomico County, Maryland monthly for one year. Fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis and dehydrogenase activity were significantly greater in the cemetery soils compared to field soils (agricultural and lawn) 63% and 30% of the time, respectively. Much less frequently the field soils had significantly higher microbial activity compared to the cemetery soils (10% of sample pairs for both FDA and dehydrogenase). FDA activity measurements were highest in the spring and lowest in late summer at all seven sites, while no seasonal variation was evident for dehydrogenase activity. Dominant bacterial phyla in the soils were similar between field and cemetery sites with the exception of Gemmatimonadetes having higher relative abundance in fields. Fourteen genera differed in relative abundance between cemeteries and fields, and the relative abundance of these genera correlated with soil pH, organic matter, and phosphorus levels. There was no difference in phylotype richness or diversity between fields and cemetery soils. Based on FDA hydrolysis, microbial activity is greater in cemetery soils, providing evidence to suggest land use changes have altered the biological properties of these soils.
Anisotropic Elastic Materials that Uncouple All Three Displacement Components, and Existence of One-Displacement Green's Function

It was shown in an earlier paper that, under a two-dimensional deformation, there are anisotropic elastic materials for which the antiplane displacement u3 and the inplane displacements u1, u2 are uncoupled but the antiplane stresses σ31, σ32 and the inplane stresses σ11, σ12, σ22 remain coupled. The conditions for this to be possible were derived, but they have a complicated expression. In this paper new and simpler conditions are obtained, and a general anisotropic elastic material that satisfies the conditions is presented. For this material, and for certain monoclinic materials with the symmetry plane at x3 = 0, we show that the unnormalized Stroh eigenvectors ak for k = 1, 2, 3 are all real. The matrix A =[a1, a2, a3] is a unit matrix when the material has a symmetry plane at x2 = 0. Thus any one of the u1, u2, u3 can be the only nonzero displacement, and the solution is a one-displacement field. Application to the Green's function due to a line of concentrated force f and a line dislocation with Burgers vector v in the infinite space, the half-space with a rigid boundary, and the infinite space with an elliptic rigid inclusion shows that one can indeed have a one-displacement field u1, u2 or u3. One can also have a two-displacement field polarized on a plane other than the (x1, x2)-plane. The material that uncouples u1, u2, u3 is not as restrictive as one might have thought. It can be triclinic, monoclinic, orthotropic, tetragonal, transversely isotropic, or cubic. However, it cannot be isotropic.
Effective models for predicting Gaokao scores and selecting universities for college admissions in mainland China

Students in mainland China would need to predict the admission Gaokao score for a major of a university to increase their chances of acceptance to a best-suited major and a university. Early prediction methods are empirical without the backing of in-depth data studies. We fill this void by presenting well-tested mathematical models, based on the ranking of Gaokao scores in a provincial administrative region. In addition, we devise a recommendation model that uses general morphological analysis to help students explore universities and majors that match their abilities and interests, and a baseline recommendation index for scoring each choice. We use the technique for order preference by similarity to find the best university tailored to every applicant. We show that our prediction methods significantly outperform the methods commonly used by teachers and experts and can predict admission scores with an accuracy of up to 94.7%. We then present case studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of our recommendation model.
Assessing the impacts of biochar and fertilizer management strategies on N and P balances in subtropical pastures

Abstract Improper nutrient management strategies often results in soil N and P imbalances, which can lead to unintended environmental consequences. Nutrient budgets can be useful tools to identify nutrient imports and exports and assess the agronomic and environmental performance of different pasture nutrient management options. In this 3-yr study, we used a farm-gate nutrient budgeting approach to determine N and P use efficiency in subtropical perennial pasture systems subjected to different nutrient management strategies. Treatments consisted of repeated application of biosolids and inorganic fertilizer (at an equivalent rate of 160 kg plant available N ha−1 yr−1) either alone or in combination with (20 Mg ha−1 yr−1). Major N and P inputs and outputs were: N and P added via fertilizer and biochar, plant uptake, leaching, and denitrification (N budget only). Nitrogen recovery in forage above-ground biomass accounted for a significant proportion of applied N (~64%) and P (22%). Greater N leaching occurred in inorganic fertilizer (29% of applied N) vs. biosolids treatments (average of 7% of applied N). Negligible P leaching (0.1–0.2% of total P applied) occurred, regardless of the treatment. Biochar did not affect either crop N and P use efficiency or P leaching, but reduced N leaching for treatments receiving inorganic fertilizer. Treatments showed no impact on soil N, but vertical distribution of soil total P changed over 3 yr, suggesting downward movement of P. Despite the high initial soil test P levels, biosolids application at P loads exceeding agronomic recommendations improved agronomic N and P efficiency relative to control treatments with no impact on N or P leaching.
Improved Monte Carlo Estimation of the Fisher Information Matrix with Independent Perturbations

The Fisher information matrix provides a way to measure the amount of information given observed data based on parameters of interest. There are many relative applications in statistical modeling, system identification, and parameter estimation. This article presents an enhanced resampling-based method with independent perturbation to estimate the Fisher information matrix. We show its accuracy via variance reduction that is reduced by a factor of $n$ , where $n$ is the sample size, with a numerical example under the signal-plus-noise setting also illustrating same.
Influence of Future Orientation on Household Leverage in the Netherlands

Debt management is a primary concern for households and financial planners across the globe. Yet, for being of such importance, relatively little is known about the way household leverage is determined. This study adds to the literature by exploring the influence of future orientation on household debt. This study utilizes a sample of households extracted from De Nederlandsche Bank Household Survey and Ordinary Least Squares regression to model the natural logarithm of household debt, controlling for the household financial respondent’s future orientation, household assets, and other factors. Consistent with theoretical predictions, future orientation had a negative influence on household debt, all else equal. Implications for practice and directions for future research are discussed.
When Physicians Marry Physicians: Gender Inequities in Work Hours and Income.

Background: Physicians marry other physicians at a high rate, and theories suggest being married to a physician (MTP) may impact a physician's productivity in different ways. This impact may differ by gender and rurality of work location. This study empirically examines MTP's effects by gender and rurality of physicians' work location. Data and Method: This study uses both the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) 2019 National Sample Survey of Physicians (n = 6,000) and the American Community Survey data 2006-2017 (n = 72,900). We conducted cross-sectional, multivariate analysis with interaction terms between MTP, gender, and rurality, controlling for various work and personal characteristics. Results: A female MTP physician works 2.9 fewer hours (95% confidence interval [CI]: -4.3 to -1.4, p = 0.000) per week than a female non-MTP physician, while a male MTP physician's weekly work hours are not significantly different from a male non-MTP physician's. Compared to non-MTP counterparts, male MTP physicians are more likely to have on-call work, and female MTP physicians are much less likely to have on-call work; male MTP physicians earn $6,635 more (95% CIs: $1,613-$11,657, p = 0.010) per year, while female MTP female physicians earn $5,018 less (95% CIs: -$10,684 to $648, p = 0.083). Furthermore, the MTP-associated gender differential effects are more prominent for physicians in rural areas than in urban areas. Results from both datasets are highly comparable. Conclusions: MTP's effects widen the gender gap in physicians' work hours, on-call probability, and earnings. Understanding and examining the mechanisms for these gender differential effects are essential to promote equity in the physician workforce.
Thermally activated transitions in a bistable three-dimensional optical trap

Activated escape from a metastable state underlies many physical, chemical and biological processes: examples include diffusion in solids, switching in superconducting junctions1,2, chemical reactions3,4 and protein folding5,6. Kramers presented the first quantitative calculation7 of thermally driven transition rates in 1940. Despite widespread acceptance of Kramers’ theory8, there have been few opportunities to test it quantitatively as a comprehensive knowledge of the system dynamics is required. A trapped brownian particle (relevant to our understanding of the kinetics, transport and mechanics of biological matter9,10) represents an ideal test system. Here we report a detailed experimental analysis of the brownian dynamics of a sub-micrometre sized dielectric particle confined in a double-well optical trap. We show how these dynamics can be used to directly measure the full three-dimensional confining potential—a technique that can also be applied to other optically trapped objects11,12. Excellent agreement is obtained between the predictions of Kramers’ theory and the measured transition rates, with no adjustable or free parameters over a substantial range of barrier heights.
Communicating Science through the Performing Arts

The author reviews over a decade of science and the arts programming he and his colleagues have produced and disseminated. The programs have been supported by the National Science Foundation, the American Physical Society, the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and various foundations and corporations. The author gives detailed examples of using science and the arts to reach the public and students with respect to programming related to the play Copenhagen, the opera Doctor Atomic, the Science & the Arts Series, a major international conference on Communicating Science to the Public, and many other outreach efforts.
A hierarchical factor analysis of U.S. housing market dynamics

Summary This paper studies the linkages between housing and consumption in the United States taking into account regional variation. We estimate national and regional housing factors from a comprehensive set of U.S. price and quantity data available at mixed frequencies and over different time spans. Our housing factors pick up the common components in the data and are less affected by the idiosyncratic noise in individual series. This allows us to get more reliable estimates of the consumption effects of housing market shocks. We find that shocks at the national level have large cumulative effects on retail sales in all regions. Though the effects of regional shocks are smaller, they are also significant. We analyse the driving forces of housing market activity by means of factor-augmented vector autoregressions. Our results show that lowering mortgage rates has a larger effect than a similar reduction of the federal funds rate. Moreover, lower consumer confidence and stock prices can slow the recovery in the housing market.
The missing mass in clusters of galaxies and elliptical galaxies

We review the available data for the existence of dark matter in clusters of galaxies and elliptical galaxies. While the amount of dark matter in clusters is not well determined both the x‐ray and optical data show that ≳50% of the total mass must be dark. There is in general fair agreement in the binding mass estimates between the x‐ray and optical techniques but there is not detailed agreement on the form of the potential or the distribution of dark matter. The x‐ray spectral and spatial observations of elliptical galaxies demonstrate that dark matter is also required in these objects and that it must be considerably more extended than the stellar distribution.
Enabling a Plug-and-play integration of smart environments

In this paper, we describe our research activity on the integration of technologies in the environment of aging people who would benefit from using adapted systems and accessible environment to compensate, even partly, problems of daily activities. The paper focuses on the concept of a smart house in the box, which is an idea of creating a smart house that needs a minimum engineering expertise, that does not require a significant system integration phase, and which reduce the cost of deployment. The paper describes our method that enables an easy integration and management of assistive space. It discusses the method of an automatic self-integration of devices in the house, including mechanisms of describing/identifying devices, mechanisms of sensing/detecting device and the mechanisms of installing devices. In this paper we also present the integration of the system in the Gator Tech Smart House (GTSH), which is a real house in a retirement complex, created specially to fit the needs of ageing people.
Import Controls on Foreign Oil: Reply

The position of Ryan Amacher, Robert Tollison, and Thomas Willett (ATW) can be summarized as follows: Assuming that the domestic industry behaves like a profitmaximizing monopoly , if the quota on imported crude oil is replaced by a tariff that is by assumption set so as to achieve the same domestic price of crude oil, the market power of the dominant domestic firnms is "severelv constrained." In response I would contend that 1) their assumption about the level of the tariff differs from what I had assumed; 2) their conclusion about the nmarket power of the dominant firmiis is subject to question; and 3) their assumption about the behavior of the domestic industry is difficult to reconcile with the available data. The basic issue that I attempted to analyze in the original paper was whether the price of refined oil would be affected, if the quota is replaced by a tariff set so as to permit the samne percentage of crude oil imports. ATW, in attempting to rebut my analysis, start by assuming that the tariff will be chosen to lead to the same price for domestic crude as a quota system. Had thev instead worked with myoriginal assumption, their notion of treating the domestic industry as a monopoly would have led to a more direct comparison with my own conclusion. Still in the monopoly model it is not obvious that prorationing will be discontinued. For under the assumption that the tariff will be chosen so as to lead to the same percentage of imports as the quota, the tariff will be raised to ratify any output restriction desired bv the domestic industry.1 In the light of ATW's assumption that crude oil prices will be the same under either system, their conclusion that under a tariff the market power of the dominant domestic firms is severely constrained is questionable. It is of course true that under the ATW assumption the tariff has the advantage that the real economic cost to this country of acquiring the oil is reduced,2 with the savings going to domestic producers as producers' surplus, but one would not normally characterize that result as a dinminution of market
Atmospheric pressure plasma jet technology applied to chem/bio decontamination

Summary form only given. The possibility of an attack using chemical or biological warfare (CBW) agents in either a domestic terrorism or military situation has become all too real in recent history. This has been made evident by the 1995 sarin nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway and the threat of chem/bio warfare in the Persian Gulf and Korea. The U.S. has stepped up efforts in defence against these horrific agents, particularly in the areas of detection and decontamination. Atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) technology may provide a much needed method of CBW decontamination which, unlike traditional decon methods, is dry and nondestructive to sensitive equipment and materials. The APPJ discharge uses a high-flow feedgas consisting primarily of an inert carrier gas, such as He, and a small amount of a reactive additive, such as O/sub 2/, which flows between capacitively-coupled electrodes powered at 13.56 MHz. A nonthermal plasma formed between the electrodes generates highly reactive metastable and atomic species of oxygen through energetic electron impact. These reactive species are then directed onto a contaminated surface. The reactive effluent of the APPJ has been shown to effectively neutralize VX nerve agent as well as simulants for anthrax and mustard blister agent. Research efforts are now being directed towards reducing He consumption and increasing the allowable stand-off distance.
Limiting Amino Acids in Practical Diets for California Yellowtail, Seriola lalandi

Three trials were run to identify the limiting dietary amino acids in practical, soy-based formulations for California yellowtail juveniles. In the first trial, four diets were formulated with 20% fish meal and 43% soy protein concentrate. The basal diet was supplemented with methionine, lysine, and taurine (MLT), and each supplement was then individually deleted in three additional diets (LT, MT, and ML). A significant decrease in growth was only seen in fish fed the ML diet. The second and third trials were designed to test graded levels of dietary taurine and methionine, respectively. Dietary taurine ranged from 0.32 to 1.5%, and methionine levels ranged from 0.95 to 1.19% of the diet with constant levels of cysteine (0.73%). While weight gains were considered adequate to detect a dietary amino acid deficiency, there was no significant effect of graded levels of either taurine or methionine on final weights, growth rates, survival, or feed efficiency. In conclusion, the practical diets tested required taurine supplementations, but did not require lysine or methionine supplementation. While these data are insufficient to determine the taurine or methionine requirement of California yellowtail, it provides minimum levels likely to meet these requirements. Additional research is necessary to determine taurine and methionine requirements precisely in this species.
Parametric finite element analysis of solder joint reliability of flip chip on board

Numerous studies have indicated that by encapsulating the solder joint with underfill material, the reliability of flip chip on board (FCOB) assemblies can be effectively enhanced. Typical manufacturing processes for FCOB assembly with underfill, however, involve long throughput time and additional equipment sets which are undesirable for high volume manufacturing environments. Hence, design/process simplifications, if not total elimination of underfill from conventional FCOB assemblies, that can directly result in productivity gain should be considered. A comprehensive parametric finite element analysis has been conducted to assess the feasibility of FCOB structures with partial underfill (i.e. only the peripheral joints are encapsulated with underfill material). The effects of some critical design parameters such as die size, joint height, joint diameter, joint pitch, printed circuit board (PCB) thickness and material properties of underfill on the solder joint reliability of FCOB structures were investigated in this study. Two-dimensional nonlinear plane strain finite element models of FCOB packages are employed. Moire and IR Fizeau interferometry techniques are used to measure the thermal deformation of the FCOB for model validation. Elasto-plastic deformation behaviours of solder were simulated under thermal cyclic loading from -55/spl deg/C to 125/spl deg/C. Maximum effective elastic and plastic strains of the solder joint were calculated and used as the indicator for determination of the solder joint reliability.
Dynamic penetration of an insoluble monolayer by a soluble surfactant : Theory and experiment

Surfactants or surface active proteins adsorbing onto aqueous−gas interfaces can require many minutes to hours to attain equilibrium, depending upon the size, bulk concentration, and chemical structure of the adsorbing species. In contrast, soluble surface active molecules adsorbing into an insoluble monolayer equilibrate on a time scale that is more rapid. Here, the time dependent behavior of the adsorption of a soluble surface active molecule into an insoluble monolayer is addressed using a diffusion-controlled adsorption model with a Langmuir or Frumkin adsorption isotherm. In the Langmuir framework, the presence of an insoluble monolayer occupying the fraction x1 of the interface reduces the amount of soluble surfactant adsorbed at equilibrium by the factor (1 − x1). Because less surfactant must be delivered to the interface, the equilibration time scale for the adsorption process is reduced by the factor (1 − x1)2 as compared to adsorption onto a clean interface. In a Frumkin framework, the role of c...
Electron microscopic and microradiographic investigation of a morphologic basis for mineralization pattern in rat incisor enamel.

Although it has been established that human enamel mineralization follows the incremental pattern of matrix secretion, microradiographic studies of rodent enamel still support a non-incremental pattern of mineralization. This study examines the mineralization sequence using microradiography, as well as measurement of crystal size and distribution on electron micrographs of the various regions of rat incisor enamel. The microradiographic density pattern was found to correlate with the major regions of structural variation within the enamel. Measurement of crystals revealed a rather uniform positive gradation in their size from the surface to the dentino-enamel junction, i.e., crystal size was found to be directly related to crystal age. Crystal distribution analysis demonstrated that an inner region of enamel contains a much larger volume of crystal-free space than other areas. This is the same region which has been described as being out of step with an incremental pattern of mineralization, in that it is less dense than enamel either superficial or deep to it. It is concluded that mineral accretion follows the same incremental pattern in the rat incisor as in humans and that the misleading microradiographic image merely reflects a non-homogeneous distribution of crystals.
The effects of place meanings and social capital on desired forest management outcomes: A stated preference experiment

Abstract Planners and managers responsible for public-trust resources are often faced with making difficult value-laden decisions requiring trade offs between alternative, and often competing, outcomes. To make more informed decisions within volatile socio-political climates, resource managers and planners need an understanding of the benefits local community members would like the resource to produce, and an understanding of the social and psychological factors that influence those preferences. In this research, we focused on two increasingly important factors – social capital and place-based social–psychological attachments – that influence public preferences for management outcomes. We conducted a stated preference field experiment on residents living in three forest related communities within Southern Appalachia in the Southeastern United States. The experiment elucidated responses to hypothetical management plans designed to produce distinctly different outcomes. The results reveal ecologically focused management plans were the most preferred, much more so than plans designed to produce aesthetic, recreational, or economic outcomes. The data also reveal both individuals’ stocks of social capital as well as their place-based social–psychological attachments influence evaluation of competing management outcomes. Our methodological approach and empirical findings advance both the analytical approaches used to study multiple use public resources and existing knowledge regarding how social and psychological factors influence individuals’ decision-making processes.
Incorporating principles and practical wisdom in research ethics education: a preliminary study.

Purpose Researchers are faced with daily ethical decisions that are subtle and nuanced. However, research ethics training has primarily focused on formal guidelines, general ethical principles, and historically noteworthy cases of research abuse, which may not prepare researchers to respond to everyday dilemmas in research. This study characterized researchers' responses to ethical dilemmas with the goal of aligning research ethics education programs with the demands of practice. Method As a preliminary study, the authors conducted 23 semistructured interviews with senior researchers and research administrators engaged in research with human subjects at the University of Washington and affiliated institutions in 2004. Transcripts were reviewed for research conflicts and strategies used to resolve conflicts identified by participants. Results Participants referenced two distinct methods of reasoning when faced with conflicts: formal guidelines and practical wisdom. Formal guidelines include established goals, boundaries, and absolutes. Practical wisdom, an Aristotelian concept involving intuitions developed through experience, facilitates responses to everyday dilemmas and new situations. Developing practical wisdom requires researchers to calibrate their own intuitions about right and wrong. Three practices were reported to contribute to this development: self-reflection, sincere skepticism, and open dialogue with colleagues. Conclusions These reflections from the senior researchers suggest a need to expand the scope of ethics education programs to include a focus on the development of researchers' pragmatic decision making in addition to the formal rules that govern research. Further research should explore effective educational and institutional strategies that can foster researchers' development in ethical decision making and conduct.
The laterodorsal tegmentum contributes to behavioral sensitization to amphetamine.

A critical event in the development of behavioral sensitization is a transient increase in excitatory drive to dopamine neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA). This is likely to be due, in part, to the ability of drugs of abuse to produce long-term potentiation, expressed as increased AMPA receptor transmission, at excitatory synapses onto VTA dopamine neurons. We investigated the role of the laterodorsal tegmentum (LDT) in behavioral sensitization because LDT neurons provide an important source of excitatory drive to VTA dopamine neurons, through mixed glutamate and cholinergic inputs. To test the role of the LDT in amphetamine sensitization, ibotenic acid or sham lesions of the LDT were performed 1 week before the first of 6 daily amphetamine injections. When challenged with amphetamine 13 days after the last injection, sham rats expressed sensitization of stereotypy and post-stereotypy locomotor hyperactivity, whereas the latter was attenuated by ibotenic acid lesions of the LDT. To determine whether plasticity occurs in the LDT during amphetamine sensitization, we used a previously developed microdialysis assay in which increased ability of AMPA to activate a pathway serves as a marker for long-term potentiation. Two days after discontinuing repeated saline or amphetamine injections, the responsiveness of LDT-VTA neurons to AMPA was determined by microinjecting AMPA (0.4nmol) into the LDT and measuring glutamate efflux in the ipsilateral VTA. Glutamate efflux was transiently increased in both groups but a delayed group difference was apparent with relatively higher glutamate efflux in amphetamine rats 30−60 min after AMPA injection. In parallel experiments, dopamine efflux in the NAc following intra-LDT AMPA declined in saline rats but remained relatively stable in amphetamine rats. Both results suggest relatively greater excitability of the LDT-VTA-NAc pathway after repeated amphetamine treatment. Our results provide the first evidence that neuronal plasticity in the LDT contributes to behavioral sensitization.
Distinctive tooth-extraction socket healing: bisphosphonate versus parathyroid hormone therapy.

Background: Patients with osteoporosis who receive tooth extractions are typically on either oral bisphosphonate or parathyroid hormone (PTH) therapy. Currently, the consequence of these therapies on hard- and soft-tissue healing in the oral cavity is not clearly defined. The aim of this study is to determine the differences in the therapeutic effect on tooth-extraction wound healing between bisphosphonate and PTH therapies.Methods: Maxillary second molars were extracted in Sprague Dawley rats (n = 30), and either bisphosphonate (zoledronate [Zol]), PTH, or saline (vehicle control [VC]) was administered for 10 days (n = 10 per group). Hard-tissue healing was evaluated by microcomputed tomography and histomorphometric analyses. Collagen, blood vessels, inflammatory cell infiltration, and cathepsin K expression were assessed in soft tissue using immunohistochemistry, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and immunoblotting.Results: Both therapies significantly increased bone fill and suppressed vertical b...
Parameter analysis and refinement toolkit system and its application in MM3 parameterization for phosphine and its derivatives

The multiparameter multistep relaxation (MPMSR) method, a routine within a new suite of parameterization programs entitled parameter analysis and refinement toolkit system (PARTS), was developed to assist in the development of molecular mechanics (MM3 and MM2) force field parameters and represents an ongoing effort in our laboratories to generate more accurate force fields in shorter times. In contrast to other computerized parameterization approaches, this method simulates intuition guided trial-and-error and has been used successfully within our laboratories to develop MM2 and MM3 force fields. The primary aim of this approach is to minimize human inspection time and effort, with simultaneous improvement in the efficiency and accuracy of the parameterization process. In an effort to validate the generality of the MPMSR method, a well parameterized data set of phosphine derivatives was reexamined. With the identical set of training molecules used in the original MM3 phosphine parameterization and with minimal human intervention, MPMSR shortened the process from several months to approximately five days. Although the previous phosphine force field is well parameterized, the newly generated MPMSR set of parameters has achieved an overall better fit to the experimentally observed data and ab initio calculations. © 1996 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Convergence analysis for a class of nonlinear consensus algorithms

In this paper, sufficient conditions for the convergence of a class of continuous-time nonlinear consensus algorithms for single integrator agents are proposed. More precisely, in the consensus algorithms studied here, the control input of each agent is assumed to be a state-dependent combination of the relative positions of its neighbors in the information flow graph. It is shown that under some mild assumptions, the contraction of the convex hull of the agents can be guaranteed. A set-valued Lasalle-like approach is then employed to derive the convergence from the contracting property. The proposed convergence criteria are verified for two different consensus algorithms via simulations.
The Purdue Rare Isotope Measurement Laboratory

Abstract Purdue University has brought into operation a new NSF/NASA facility dedicated to accelerator mass spectrometry. Based on a 7.5 MV FN tandem, 10Be, 26Al, and 36Cl are being measured at a rate of 1500 samples per year. Research involves primarily 1) earth science studies using cosmogenic radionuclides produced in the atmosphere and measured in rain, groundwater, and soils, 2) Quaternary geomorphology and climatology studies using in-situ produced radionuclides, 3) planetary science studies using a wide variety of meteorites and radionuclides, and 4) biomedical tracer studies using 26Al.
Copolymers of N,N-Dimethylacrylamide and 2-(N-ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamido)ethyl Acrylate in Aqueous Media and in Bulk. Synthesis and Properties

Hydrophobically modified (HM) associating water-soluble poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA) polymers were prepared by free-radical copolymerizations of DMA and 2-(N-ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamido)ethyl acrylate (FOSA). The polymerizations were carried out in deionized water in the presence of ammonium persulfate at 50 °C or in bulk in the presence of AIBN at 65 °C. The copolymerization kinetics monitored simultaneously by 19F and 1H NMR spectroscopy indicates that DMA and FOSA is incorporated at the same relative rates throughout the polymerization. The viscosities of the polymer solutions were measured on a Brookfield viscometer and an Ubbelohde capillary viscometer. A large viscosity enhancement was observed in comparison with PDMA homopolymer solutions. The effects of polymer concentration, shear rate, surfactants, salts, and temperatures on the reduced and Brookfield viscosities were investigated. Interestingly, the aqueous solution of the copolymer prepared in bulk exhibits both hydrophobic interact...
A Longitudinal Cohort Study of Student Motivational Factors Related to Academic Success and Retention Using the College Student Inventory

Ten years of College Student Inventory (CSI) data from one Midwestern public land-grant university were used to study the role of motivational factors in predicting academic success and college student retention. Academic success was defined as cumulative grade point average (GPA), cumulative course load capacity (i.e., the number of credits earned divided by number of classes for which a grade was given), cumulative ratio of credits earned to credits taken, and retention to subsequent fall semesters through eight semesters of study. An aggregation of 256 stepwise linear regression results showed Predicted Academic Difficulty and Dropout Proneness were predictive of cumulative GPA across all cohort groups and through the eighth semester of study. Three of the four CSI compound scales (not Receptivity to Institutional Help) were found to be predictive of ratio of credits earned to credits attempted through the fourth semester and retention through a maximum of eight semesters. In addition to drawing light ...
On-line determination of bromide ion in spent brine

Abstract A fiber-optic sensor system is described for the on-line determination of bromide in spent brine. In this method, the bromide is selectively oxidized to bromine in a flow reactor containing a packed bed of chloramine-T; the optical absorption of the resulting bromine is then used for quantification. The technique exhibits a dynamic range from 20 to 5000 mg 1−1 bromide, provides continuous readout, is not affected by the presence of high concentrations of chloride and has a response time of about 2 min.
The onset of cellular convection in a fluid layer with time-dependent density gradients

Onset times for convection induced by buoyancy forces have been measured. Results on three aqueous systems are summarized in terms of a critical value for a time-dependent Rayleigh number. Because of the presence of minute traces of unavoidable surface-active contaminants, a ‘free’ water surface behaved as if it were inflexible and laterally rigid so far as determining first convective motion was concerned. The form of the onset motion was observed with schlieren photography for both top and side view. The pattern at onset was frequently in the form of plunging rings. Surface effects were demonstrated with an organic liquid layer in which onset times were measured for convection driven by surface tension gradients as well as by buoyancy forces. The data are compared with some recent predictions of linear stability analyses.
The INK4 family of cell cycle inhibitors in cancer.

Since the discovery of p16 (Serrano et al., 1993) and p21 (El-Deiry et al., 1993; Harper et al., 1993; Xiong et al., 1993), the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CKIs) have been intensively investigated. CKIs include two distinct families, the INK4 (INhibitors of CDK4) family, whose four members (p16, p15, p18, p19) exclusively bind to and inhibit the D-type cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK4 and CDK6), and the CIP/KIP family, whose three members (p21, p27, p57) are able to inhibit the activity of all CDKs (Sherr and Roberts, 1995). The roles of these cell cycle inhibitors are being elucidated through studies of mouse knock-out models, gene expression in cell lines, and genetic screens of human tumors. Enforced expression of any of the CKIs results in growth arrest in the G1 phase and prevents entry into the DNA synthetic (S) phase (Sherr and Roberts, 1995). Growth arrest is accomplished by inhibiting retinoblastoma protein (pRB) phosphorylation (Ewen, 1994), and thus the release of the E2F transcription factors, which are required for the transcriptional activation of genes necessary for DNA synthesis (Dyson, 1998; Nevins, 1998). These similar biological and biochemical properties suggested that CKIs might act as tumor suppressors and that deletion, mutation, or transcriptional repression of the CKI genes would lead to uncontrolled cell growth and cancer. Screens of human tumors for genetic alterations (including mutations, deletions, rearrangements, or promoter hypermethylation and silencing), and the creation and analyses of knock-out mice, clearly implicate the INK4a/ARF locus, as an important target in cancer. In contrast, the other INK4 or CIP/ KIP loci do not appear to be involved in the etiology of cancer (Hirama and Koeer, 1995; Hall and Peters, 1996; Drexler, 1998). Several excellent reviews on CKIs (Harper and Elledge, 1996; Nakayama and Nakayama, 1998) and the roles of p16 (Ruas and Peters, 1998) and the INK4a/ARF locus in cancer have been recently published (Sherr, 1998; Sharpless and DePinho, 1999). Therefore, here, I will review only the most recent data (from our institution and from others), on the alterations of the INK4 genes in human tumors, and the functional signi®cance of targeted deletions of INK4 genes in the mouse, alone or in combination with the deletions of other CKIs. The INK4 family: chromosomal location and structure
Public health addresses racial and ethnic disparities in coronary heart disease in women: perspectives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death and an important contributor to long-term disability in women in the United States. Coronary heart disease (CHD), the principal form of heart disease in the United States, is also the single largest killer in American women. Although the dramatic declines noted in the last five decades, constitute one of the greatest public health achievements of the twentieth century, marked racial and ethnic disparities have persisted in the magnitude of the rate of decline itself as well as in the prevalence of CHD risk factors, access to care, and quality of the care received. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that the disparities in CHD mortalities have not narrowed. In this issue of Women’s Health Issues, Johnson and Fulp have provided an overview of these disparities and recommendations for needed interventions. In this accompanying commentary, we describe the public health response to these disparities and discuss specific activities and initiatives in research, policy, and practice at the CDC designed to help eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in CHD.
A Contemporary Appraisal of the Heart Failure Epidemic in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 2000 to 2010

Importance Heart failure (HF) is commonly referred to as an epidemic, posing major clinical and public health challenges. Yet, contemporary data on its magnitude and implications are scarce. Objective To evaluate recent trends in HF incidence and outcomes overall and by preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) or reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Design, Setting, and Participants Incidence rates of HF in Olmsted County, Minnesota (population, approximately 144 248), between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2010, were assessed. Main Outcomes and Measures Patients identified with incident HF (n = 2762) (mean age, 76.4 years; 43.1% male) were followed up for all-cause and cause-specific hospitalizations (through December 2012) and death (through March 2014). Results The age– and sex–adjusted incidence of HF declined substantially from 315.8 per100 000 in 2000 to 219.3 per 100 000 in 2010 (annual percentage change, −4.6), equating to a rate reduction of 37.5% (95% CI, −29.6% to −44.4%) over the last decade. The incidence declined for both HF types but was greater (interactionP = .08) for HFrEF (−45.1%; 95% CI, −33.0% to −55.0%) than for HFpEF (−27.9%; 95% CI, −12.9% to −40.3%). Mortality was high (24.4% for age 60 years and 54.4% for age 80 years at 5 years of follow-up), frequently ascribed to noncardiovascular causes (54.3%), and did not decline over time. The risk of cardiovascular death was lower for HFpEF than for HFrEF (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.67-0.93), whereas the risk of noncardiovascular death was similar (1.07; 95% CI, 0.89-1.29). Hospitalizations were common (mean, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.25-1.44 per person-year), particularly among men, and did not differ between HFpEF and HFrEF. Most hospitalizations (63.0%) were due to noncardiovascular causes. Hospitalization rates for cardiovascular causes did not change over time, whereas those for noncardiovascular causes increased. Conclusions and Relevance Over the last decade, the incidence of HF declined substantially, particularly for HFrEF, contrasting with no apparent change in mortality. Noncardiovascular conditions have an increasing role in hospitalizations and remain the most frequent cause of death. These results underscore the need to augment disease-centric management approaches with holistic strategies to reduce the population burden of HF.
Development of dynamic test system for digital relay protection based on IEC61850 standards

In recent years, electronic mutual-inductor and IEC61850 serial standards are adopted in digital substation. Once electronic mutual-inductor has been used, the input signals of relay protection and other secondary devices are not the traditional analog quantities any more. The simulation system cannot offer such interface up to now, so the secondary devices which are based on electronic mutual-inductor in digital substation cannot be tested and researched in this way. A kind of testing system aiming to real-time digital relay protection is introduced in this paper. By adding secondary interface to the primary simulation system, such as ADPSS (invented by China Electric Power Research Institute), a closed-loop testing system which is based on IEC61850 standards is established. The testing results verify that the system has great significance on improving the application of digital substation, and it has great use value.
Endoscopic polypectomy in the duodenum. Its complication by pancreatitis.

Nine of 12 duodenal polypoid lesions were removed endoscopically. These included epithelial and Brunner's gland adenomas, villous adenomas, and a carcinoid tumor. Two patients whose postbulbar adenomas were removed by snare and electrocoagulation developed acute, transient pancreatitis.