cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epigramma Erasmi in Institvtiones Astronomicas Ringelbergii

The following short epigram, hitherto unpublished in any collection of Erasmus’ works, appeared first as a preface to the Institutiones A stronomicae of Joachim Ringelbergius of Antwerp, 31 Oct. 1528, and again in a second edition of 1535. Ringelbergius 1) had been educated at Louvain from the age of seventeen and, as he himself recounts, had been in that city eleven years when he decided to travel into Germany and Switzerland, to gain experience („ad quod tam crebro studiosos omnes Cicero hortatur“) and to teach dialectic, rhetoric and mathematics. The. trip, which lasted till the spring of 1529, was evidently a pleasant experience, as may be gathered from his interesting account of his wanderings in the preface to his Chaos (Antwerp, J. Sevaerinus and P. Sylvius, 1529), addressed to Peter Gilles. Most pleasant of all was the memory of the three or four months he spent in Basle, in the autumn of 1528, in close intimacy with Erasmus, whom he praised as the father of letters and the most amiable of companions. The great humanist, for his part, was much pleased with the company of his younger compatriot 2), and as the Institutiones Astronomicae was going to press, he wrote the verses which Ringelbergius included as a preface. Later, the young scholar from Antwerp published several more works on literary and scientific subjects, but his career was cut short by his untimely death about 1531.
An Investigation of How Students Use Information to Answer Energy Questions

This study investigated how students used information provided in given energy questions while answering these questions. Participant students were taking at least one college-level introductory science course and were asked to respond to two-tiered format (multiple-choice question and short written response question) energy questions addressing different scientific situations. Students’ written responses were analyzed using text analysis techniques to extract terms and phrases. The terms and phrases were then subjected to analysis to identify key ideas aligned with students’ choices in the multiple-choice components. The study revealed that students who focused on surface-level features of the given questions failed to answer correctly, while students who used the underlying energy concepts were more likely to answer successfully. The findings from this study can inform teachers and researchers about students’ difficulties in understanding of energy concepts and applying energy concept to a certain situation.
Vocabulary growth through parent-child interaction: a targeted intervention

This quantitative study was based on a parental intervention focused on children’s language development. The Test de Vocabulario de Imagenes Peabody-III was used to assess children’s vocabulary in ...
[Prevalence and the relevant factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus among adults in Guizhou Province in 2010-2012].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence and relevant factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus among urban and rural residents over 18 years old in Guizhou Province in 2010-2012. METHODS A total of 3073 residents over 18 years old were sampled by multi-stage and stratified random cluster sampling in Guizhou Province from"2010-2012 Chinese nutrition and health surveillance", including 1576 people in urban areas and 1497 people in rural areas, 1362 males and 1711 females. The participants were investigated for their basic conditions, lifestyle and behavior, and physical indicators, blood pressure, blood glucose, TC, and TG were also measured, and then the prevalence was calculated. Multivariate analysis was performed using an unconditional logistic regression model. RESULTS Among the 3073 residents aged 18 years and over in Guizhou Province, 151 were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus, with a prevalence of4. 9%, among which 80 were urban residents and 71 were rural residents, with a prevalence of 5. 1% and 4. 7%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between urban and rural areas( χ~2= 0. 183, P = 0. 669). Age was associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and the prevalence increased with age( χ_()~2= 55. 478, P =0. 001). The result of multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that family history, abdominal obesity, hypertension, abnormal TC and abnormal TG all had statistically significant influences on the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus( OR values were2. 377, 1. 721, 1. 666, 1. 619 and 1. 982, respectively, all P <0. 05). CONCLUSION The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in residents aged 18 and over in Guizhou Province was lower than the national average level. The prevention of type 2 diabetes in Guizhou residents should be targeted at middle-aged and elderly people, people with family history, people with abdominal obesity, people with hypertension and dyslipidemia.
Humor Detection in Product Question Answering Systems

Community question-answering (CQA) has been established as a prominent web service enabling users to post questions and get answers from the community. Product Question Answering (PQA) is a special CQA framework where questions are asked (and are answered) in the context of a specific product. Naturally, humorous questions are integral part of such platforms, especially as some products attract humor due to their unreasonable price, their peculiar functionality, or in cases that users emphasize their critical point-of-view through humor. Detecting humorous questions in such systems is important for sellers, to better understand user engagement with their products. It is also important to signal users about flippancy of humorous questions, and that answers for such questions should be taken with a grain of salt. In this study we present a deep-learning framework for detecting humorous questions in PQA systems. Our framework utilizes two properties of the questions - Incongruity and Subjectivity, demonstrating their contribution for humor detection. We evaluate our framework over a real-world dataset, demonstrating an accuracy of 90.8%, up to 18.3% relative improvement over baseline methods. We then demonstrate the existence of product bias in PQA platforms, when some products attract more humorous questions than others. A classifier trained over unbiased data is outperformed by the biased classifier, however, it excels in the task of differentiating between humorous and non-humorous questions that are both related to the same product. To the best of our knowledge this work is the first to detect humor in PQA setting.
Posterior Capsule Rupture during Cataract Surgery in Eyes Receiving Intravitreal anti-VEGF Injections.

To examine the risk of posterior capsule rupture (PCR) during phacoemulsification cataract surgery in patients who received intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injectio...
Non-esterified fatty acids and telomere length in older adults: The Cardiovascular Health Study.

Abstract Background Telomeres shorten as organisms age, placing limits on cell proliferation and serving as a marker of biological aging. Non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) are a key mediator of age-related metabolic abnormalities. We aimed to determine if NEFAs are associated with telomere length in community-living older adults. Material and methods We cross-sectionally studied 1648 participants of the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) who underwent concomitant telomere length measurement from a sample of 4715 participants who underwent measurement of circulating total fasting NEFAs in stored specimens from their 1992-3 clinic visit. We used linear regression and inverse probability weighting to model telomere length as a function of NEFAs with adjustment for age, gender, race, clinic, BMI, marital status, smoking status, alcohol intake, diabetes status, years of education, hypertension status, prevalent cardiovascular disease, C-reactive protein, total adiponectin, albumin, fetuin-A, fasting insulin, eGFR, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and general health status. Results Higher NEFAs were significantly associated with shorter telomere length, after adjusting for age, gender, race, and clinic site (β = −0.034; SE = 0.015; P = 0.02). Estimates remained similar in fully adjusted models where each SD of NEFA increment was associated with 0.042 kilobase (kb) pairs shorter telomere length (standard error = 0.016; P = 0.007); for comparison the coefficient for a single year of age in the same model was −0.017. These results were similar in strata of sex, and waist circumference although they tended to be strongest among participants in the youngest tertile of age (β = -0.079; SE = 0.029; P = 0.01). Conclusions In this population-based cohort of community-living elders, we observed a significant inverse association between NEFAs and telomere length. If confirmed, NEFAs may represent a promising target for interventions to slow biological aging.
Using the nuclear LEAFY gene to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among invasive knotweed (Reynoutria, Polygonaceae) populations

Knotweed species in the genus Reynoutria are native to eastern Asia but have become noxious weeds in Europe and North America. In the United States, invasive populations of Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica Houtt.), giant knotweed [Reynoutria sachalinensis (F. Schmidt) Nakai], and their interspecific hybrid known as Bohemian knotweed (R. × bohemica Chrtek & Chrtkova) continue to expand their ranges. Although these plants are among the most invasive terrestrial species, there are relatively few molecular tools for identifying the parental species, the F1 hybrid, or subsequent hybrids or introgressed individuals. We studied Reynoutria populations in Wisconsin, a state where all three taxa grow, to determine whether molecular data would be useful for distinguishing species and identifying hybrids. We obtained DNA sequence data from the plastid matK gene and the nuclear LEAFY gene and compared these to previously published sequences. Data from the uniparentally inherited matK region included haplotypes attributable to R. japonica and R. sachalinensis. Nuclear data indicated that R. sachalinensis plants are most similar to native plants in Japan, with two Wisconsin accessions exhibiting a monomorphic genotype for the LEAFY gene. Three Wisconsin accessions of R. japonica were each characterized by having three distinct kinds of LEAFY sequence. Most plants in our study were found to possess two or three phylogenetically distinct copies of the LEAFY gene, with the copies being most closely related to R. japonica and R. sachalinensis, respectively, and these were inferred to be interspecific hybrids. Altogether, five kinds of interspecific hybrids were identified, reflecting various combinations of LEAFY sequence types from the parental species. The widespread existence of hybrid plants in Wisconsin, many of which are morphologically identifiable as R. japonica, indicates a cryptic genetic diversity that should be examined more broadly in North America using molecular tools.
Polarized solitons in higher-spin wave dark matter

We first show that the effective non-relativistic theory of gravitationally interacting, massive integer-spin fields (spin-$0$, $1$, and $2$ in particular) is described by a $2s+1$ component Schrodinger-Poisson action, where $s$ is the spin of the field. We then construct $s+1$ distinct, gravitationally supported solitons in this non-relativistic theory from identically polarized plane waves. Such solitons are extremally polarized, with macroscopically large spin, but no orbital angular momentum. These $s+1$ solitons form a basis set, out of which partially polarized solitons can be constructed. All such solitons are ground states, have a spherically symmetric energy density but not field configurations. We discuss how solitons in higher-spin fields can be distinguished from scalar solitons, and potential gravitational and non-gravitational probes of them.
Prenatal Sirolimus Treatment for Rhabdomyomas in Tuberous Sclerosis.

Abstract Background In tuberous sclerosis, most cardiac rhabdomyomas regress spontaneously. In some cases, the tumors can cause life-threatening hemodynamic compromise requiring subsequent surgical resection. The mechanistic target of rapamycin inhibitors everolimus and sirolimus have shown to be effective treatments for multiple conditions. There are four reports of off-label treatment with transplacental sirolimus for fetal rhabdomyomas due to tuberous sclerosis complex. The optimal dosing regimen is unknown. Methods We reviewed the medical records of all patients treated prenatally with sirolimus for rhabdomyomas. All fetuses had a clinical and molecular diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis complex (2012 Consensus Diagnostic Criteria, including a positive genetic test). Clinical history, mechanistic target of rapamycin inhibitor dosing and levels, outcome, and adverse events were reviewed after initiation of sirolimus treatment. Results Three fetuses were treated with maternal sirolimus. Dosing regimens and subsequent trough levels differed from 1 mg/day to 6 mg/day and Conclusions Maternal sirolimus appears to be a safe treatment option in prenatally detected rhabdomyomas with possible need for intervention. Follow-up visits with fetal ultrasound, echocardiography, and laboratory work should be performed weekly during the treatment period. The optimal dosing and trough level timepoints remain unclear. Based on our results, we recommend a sirolimus starting dose of at least 2 mg/m2/day, preferably 3-3.5 mg/m2/day to achieve a target trough level of 10-12 ng/mL.
Vibrational femtosecond/picosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering with enhanced temperature sensitivity for flame thermometry from 300 to 2400 K

Hybrid femtosecond/picosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (fs/ps CARS) of N2 has recently been demonstrated for gas-phase thermometry in reacting flows, enabling frequency-domain detection at high repetition rates with excellent chemical specificity and independence from the effects of collisions and nonresonant background. In this work, we overcome the limited sensitivity of vibrational fs/ps CARS thermometry of N2 below 1200 K by spectrally resolving J-dependent rovibrational coherence revivals that occur 32 ps after initial excitation. The N2 rovibrational coherence is excited using broadband, 100-fs pump and Stokes pulses and probed as a function of time using a narrowband, 5.8-ps probe pulse (bandwidth of 2.5 cm−1). The rovibrational features exhibit sufficient temperature sensitivity below 1200 K for accurate thermometry using a simple, time-dependent phenomenological model. Specifically, three distinct spectral features at a single probe delay of 32.5 ps are analyzed, corresponding to rovibrational revivals with mean rotational quantum numbers of = 3.5, 14, and 28. Good agreement is found between simulated and measured fs/ps CARS spectra in an adiabatic flat-flame burner from 298 to 2400 K. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Institutions and the path to the modern economy

It is widely believed that current disparities in economic, political, and social outcomes reflect distinct institutions. Institutions are invoked to explain why some countries are rich and others poor, some democratic and others dictatorial. But arguments of this sort gloss over the question of what institutions are, how they come about, and why they persist. They also fail to explain why institutions are influenced by the past, why it is that they can sometimes change, why they differ so much from society to society, and why it is hard to study them empirically and devise a policy aimed at altering them. This 2006 book seeks to overcome these problems, which have exercised economists, sociologists, political scientists, and a host of other researchers who use the social sciences to study history, law, and business administration. It presents a multi-disciplinary perspective to study endogenous institutions and their dynamics.
A Serious Man

Texas Woman's University, Denton, TexasOnline publication date: 20 November 2010To cite this Article Green, Mary S. and Reed, Margaret M.(2010) 'A Serious Man', Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, 22:4, 332 — 337To link to this Article: DOI: 10.1080/08952833.2010.526076URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08952833.2010.526076
Predictors of agitation and assault in inpatient psychiatry services

A detailed evaluation of correlates of inpatient dangerous behavior in a schizophrenic population is presented. Potential correlates included: neuroleptic serum levels, admission schizophrenic symptoms on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), act leading to admission, military experience, and childhood discipline. The following reports a summary of finding of the study that was carried out over a five-year period.
Plane Waves in a Multispeed Discrete-Velocity Gas

A kinetic flux-splitting procedure used in conjunction with local thermodynamic equilibrium in a finite volume allows us to investigate numerically discrete-velocity gas flows. The procedure, outlined for a general discrete-velocity gas, is used to simulate flows of the nine-velocity gas, a simple two dimensional multiple-speed discrete-velocity gas, wherein a multiplicity of speeds ensures nontrivial thermodynamics. After verifying the linear wave limit and the non-linear steepening of wavefronts, the stability and propagation of planar discontinuities in that model gas is studied. The supersonic-subsonic requirement for the stable propagation of a discontinuity, being kinematic in nature is the same in the model gas, as e.g., in a perfect gas. However, the finiteness of the velocity space in the model gas does not allow a translation of the above kinematic condition to the thermodynamic requirement of increasing entropy across a compressive shock: a case of an entropy decreasing compressive shock in the model gas is presented. Finally, the interaction of various types of waves--shock waves, rarefactions and contact surfaces--in the model gas are shown in a simulation of the shock tube problem.
Polypeptide requirements for assembly of functional Sindbis virus replication complexes: a model for the temporal regulation of minus- and plus-strand RNA synthesis

Proteolytic processing of the Sindbis virus non-structural polyproteins (P123 and P1234) and synthesis of minus- and plus-strand RNAs are highly regulated during virus infection. Although their precise roles have not been defined, these polyproteins, processing intermediates or mature cleavage products (nsP1-4) are believed to be essential components of viral replication and transcription complexes. In this study, we have shown that nsP4 can function as the polymerase for both minus- and plus-strand RNA synthesis. Mutations inactivating the nsP2 proteinase, resulting in uncleaved P123, led to enhanced accumulation of minus-strand RNAs and reduced accumulation of genomic and subgenomic plus-strand RNAs. In contrast, no RNA synthesis was observed with a mutation which increased the efficiency of P123 processing. Inclusion of this mutation in a P123 polyprotein with cleavage sites 1/2 and 2/3 blocked allowed synthesis of both minus- and plus-strand RNAs. We conclude that nsP4 and uncleaved P123 normally function as the minus-strand replication complex, and propose that processing of P123 switches the template preference of the complex to minus-strands, resulting in efficient synthesis of plus-strand genomic and subgenomic RNAs and shut-off of minus-strand RNA synthesis.
Legendrian mirrors and Legendrian isotopy

We resolve a question of Fuchs and Tabachnikov by showing that there is a Legendrian knot in standard contact three-space with zero Maslov number which is not Legendrian isotopic to its mirror. The proof uses the differential graded algebras of Chekanov.
Noninvasive measurement of carboxyhemoglobin levels for adjustment of diffusion capacity measured during pulmonary function testing.

BACKGROUND: The diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO) is commonly measured during pulmonary function testing (PFT). Although adjustment of the measured DLCO for an elevated baseline carboxyhemoglobin level is recommended, carboxyhemoglobin is not routinely measured, which may reduce the accuracy of DLCO measurements. We sought to assess the utility of routine carboxyhemoglobin measurement and subsequent DLCO correction in patients referred for PFT. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 100 consecutive PFT results, including DLCO assessment. We used a pulse CO-oximeter (recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration) to noninvasively measure baseline carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO). We used simple descriptive statistics to compare the SpCO values. In subjects with elevated SpCO (> 2%) we adjusted the percent-of-predicted DLCO. Interpretation of DLCO was categorized according to the American Thoracic Society classification scheme for respiratory impairment. RESULTS: The self-reported smokers had higher average SpCO than did self-reported nonsmokers (1.6% vs 3.5%, p CONCLUSIONS: The noninvasive measurement of carboxyhemoglobin is easy to perform during PFT. When precise measurement of DLCO is important, noninvasive measurement of carboxyhemoglobin may be of value. If routine SpCO measurement is considered, the highest yield is among current smokers.
Metajournalistic Discourse and the Meanings of Journalism: Definitional Control, Boundary Work, and Legitimation

Situating journalism as a cultural practice charged with delivering valid accounts of the world necessitates a theory of metajournalistic discourse to explain how meanings around journalism develop. Through metajournalistic discourse, various actors inside and outside of journalism compete to construct, reiterate, and even challenge the boundaries of acceptable journalistic practices and the limits of what can or cannot be done. Based on the premises that journalism is variable, reliant on context, and produced through social relationships, this article develops a theory of metajournalistic discourse that connects three components-actors, sites/audiences, and topics-to processes of definition making, boundary work, and legitimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Methionine Transport in Escherichia coli: Physiological and Genetic Evidence for Two Uptake Systems

At least two transport systems serve for the entry of l-methionine into Escherichia coli. One of these systems has a high affinity for methionine (KT of about 10−7 M) and is inhibited by methionyl peptides. The other system has a lower affinity (KT of 40 μM). Mutants defective in metD lack the high-affinity system and are unable to utilize d-methionine or N-acetylmethionine as methionine sources. A mutant was isolated which not only lacks the high-affinity system, but which also exhibits decreased activity of the low-affinity system. The transport parameters of the activity remaining in this strain were measured. The energy source for transport appears to be the same as that in the parental strain. The loss of the transport activities was not accompanied by major changes in the methionine pool size or in the rate of methionine excretion or synthesis. The analysis of revertants and transduction crosses supports the conclusion that the strain described is a double mutant in both metD (which codes for the high-affinity system) and metP (the low-affinity system). The metD locus was found to lie between tonA (38% co-transduction) and proA (9% co-transduction).
Testing equality of scale parameters against restricted alternatives for m≥3 gamma distributions with unknown common shape parameter

Shiue and Bain (1983) proposed an approximate F-test for the equality of the scale parameters of two gamma distributions with equal but unknown shape parameters. In this article, we propose a simple procedure to test equality of scale parameters of m≥3 gamma distributions against nonincreasing order. The test is based on Fisher's method of combining p-values. The actual size of the resulting test is investigated through Monte Carlo studies. Also asymptotic results are derived for the nominal test size. These can be used to obtain a test which achieves the desired size. The case of more general partial orders is discussed.
The effects of varenicline on attention and inhibitory control among treatment-seeking smokers.

Rationale Varenicline represents a new class of smoking cessation aids that has different mechanisms of action that are unique from bupropion or nicotine replacement therapies. An improved understanding of these mechanisms may lead to greater treatment success in quitting smoking.
An event generator for e+e− annihilation, vp, v̄p, μp, and soft pp scattering

Abstract We describe an event generator to simulate small- p t events in ultrarelativistic proton-proton collisions. We assume two independent processes: formation of color strings consisting of partons from projectile and target, and eventually fragmentation of strings into observable hadrons. We make use of the quark counting rules to determine elementary fragmentation vertices. The fragmentation procedure with the same parameters is also used to simulate e + e − , vp, and vp, and μp collisions. We compare mean multiplicities and longitudinal momentum distributions of produced particles for these different types of collisions at CM energies up to 30 GeV for leptonic collisions and up to 540 GeV for pp collisions.
Design and experimental verification of a high efficiency small wind energy portable turbine (SWEPT)

Abstract Large Scale Wind Turbines (LSWTs) have been extensively examined for decades but only few studies have been conducted on the small scale wind turbines (SSWTs) especially for low wind speed applications. This study provides the theoretical and experimental results on a 40 cm diameter small wind energy portable turbine (SWEPT) with rated wind speed of 4.0 m/s. The wind tunnel experiments revealed that SWEPT has rated power output of 1 W and is capable of producing power output up to 2.2 W at wind speed of 5.5 m/s. In comparison to the published literature, SWEPT is one of the most efficient wind turbines at the small scale (rotor diameter
The interaction of clomiphene, estradiol, and progesterone in the control of rat uterine glycogen metabolism

The interaction of clomiphene citrate (CL) estradiol-17 (E2) and progesterone (P) in the control of rat uterine glycogen metabolism was studied by histochemical and biochemical techniques. Bilaterally ovariectomized rats were given CL (.25 mg/kg) E2 dipropionate (1.0 mcg/rat) or P (5.0 mg/rat) alone or in combination with 1 or more. Rats were treated for 3 days. Uterine horns were examined and analyzed for glycogen levels. E2 and CL alone increased uterine glycogen concentration and total glycogen while P was ineffective. P however significantly suppressed E2- and CL-induced glycogen increases (p < .05). P partially suppressed E2 induced myometrial response and completely suppressed CL epithelial response. Results indicate an important interaction between P and CL in the control of uterine morphology and biochemistry. It is recommended that histochemical and biochemical analysis of CL-induced uterine glycolysis be considered in any study.
Inspiration in the harness of daily labor. Darwin, botany, and the triumph of evolution, 1859-1868.

ABSTRACT Charles Darwin hoped that a large body of working naturalists would embrace evolution after the Origin of Species appeared in late 1859. He was disappointed. His evolutionary ideas at first made painfully little progress in the scientific community. But by 1863 the tide had turned dramatically, and within five years evolution became scientific orthodoxy in Britain. The Origin's reception followed this peculiar trajectory because Darwin had not initially tied its theory to productive original scientific investigation, which left him vulnerable to charges of reckless speculation. The debate changed with his successful application of evolution to original problems, most notably orchid fertilization, the subject of a well‐received book in 1862. Most of Darwin's colleagues found the argument of the Origin convincing when they realized that it functioned productively in the day‐to‐day work of science—and not before. The conceptual force of the Origin, however outwardly persuasive, acquired full scienti...
The impact of experiential avoidance on the reduction of depression in treatment for borderline personality disorder

Background Reducing symptoms of depression is an important target in the treatment of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Although current treatments for BPD are effective in reducing depression, the average post-treatment level of depression remains high.
Tardigrades of Alaska: distribution patterns, diversity and species richness

During the summer of 2010, a biotic survey of tardigrades was conducted along a latitudinal transect in central Alaska from the Kenai Peninsula, via Fairbanks and the Arctic Circle to the coastal plain. Work was centred at the Toolik and Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Research Network sites and supplemented by opportunistic collections from the Kenai Peninsula and Anchorage areas. The 235 samples collected at 20 sites over 10 degrees of latitude yielded 1463 tardigrades representing two classes, three orders, 10 families, 23 genera and 73 species from 142 positive samples. A total of 50 species are new to Alaska, increasing the state’s known species richness to 84. Several environmental metrics, such as pH, substrate, elevation, location and habitat were measured, recorded and analysed along the latitudinal gradient. Contrary to expectations, pH did not appear to be a predictor of tardigrade abundance or distribution. Density and species richness were relatively consistent across sites. However, the assemblages were highly variable within and between sites at only 14-20% similarity. We detected no correlation between species diversity and latitudinal or environmental gradients, though this may be affected by a high (59.9%) occurrence of single-species samples (containing individuals of only one species). Estimates of species richness were calculated for Alaska (118) and the Arctic (172). Our efforts increased the number of known species in Alaska to 84, and those results led us to question the validity of the estimate numbers. Keywords: Tardigrade; Alaska; distribution; latitudinal gradient; pH; species richness (Published: 22 May 2013) Citation: Polar Research 2013, 32 , 18793, http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/polar.v32i0.18793
Relationship of thyroid status to growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in plasma and IGF-I mRNA in liver and skeletal muscle of cattle

Abstract Steers were made hyperthyroid or hypothyroid to study the effects of physiological alterations in thyroid hormone status on plasma growth hormone (GH) profiles, plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentrations, and relative abundance of IGF-I mRNA in skeletal muscle and liver. Eighteen yearling crossbred steers (360 to 420 kg) were randomly allotted to hyperthyroid (subcutaneous injection 0.6 μg/kg BW L-thyroxine for 10 d), hypothyroid (oral thiouracil; 0.25% diet plus 12.5 g capsule/d for 17 d), or control (subcutaneous injection 0.9% NaCl) treatment groups. Blood samples were taken for measurement of GH, IGF-I, thyroxine (T 4 ) and triiodothyronine (T 3 ) by RIA. Samples of liver and skeletal muscle were taken by biopsy for measurement of IGF-I mRNA by solution hybridization. Steers receiving thiouracil had 57 and 53% (P 4 and T 3 , respectively, than control steers (84.1 and 1.7 ng/ml). The hyperthyroid steers had 228 and 65% greater (P 4 and T 3 than control steers. Neither increased nor decreased thyroid status had any significant effects on plasma GH profiles, liver IGF-I mRNA, or plasma concentration of IGF-I. There was no effect of thyroid hormone alteration on skeletal muscle IGF-I mRNA concentrations. The results of this study suggest that short-term changes in thyroid status of cattle had no major impact on the GH-IGF-I axis or skeletal muscle IGF-I mRNA.
THE STUDY OF ITALIAN IN THE UNITED STATES

IN THE Nuova Antologia for April 16, 1921, Professor Angelo Lipari of the University of Wisconsin discusses the position of Italian in the schools and colleges of the United States and also offers certain suggestions for stimulating the interest for Italian among our students. I am glad to take the opportunity which this article offers in order to join the author in urging that more attention be given in our institutions of learning to a language and literature so rich and beautiful as the Italian.
Surface characterization study of AgF and AgF2 powders using XPS and ISS

Abstract XPS and ISS data have been collected from pressed AgF and AgF2 powder samples obtained from AESAR. The samples were sputter-cleaned in vacuum for 10 min with 1 keV He+ to reduce the amounts of surface contaminants present. Negative shifts in XPS BEs and increased peak widths are observed with increasing silver oxidation state for the Ag 3d peaks according to the XPS data. This negative BE shift with increasing oxidation state is opposite to that expected based on simple charge-transfer arguments. Significant negative KE shifts between the Auger features are obtained from Ag metal, AgF, and AgF2 similar to those observed for Ag metal, Ag2O and AgO. The XPS F 1s and F 2s peaks indicate the presence of multiple chemical states of fluorine including fluoro-hydrocarbon and/or-alcohol-like species in addition to fluorides. As prepared AgF and AgF2 samples were found to have F Ag ratios of 0.60 and 1.75, respectively. Since the stoichiometries of AgF and AgF2 predict F Ag ratios of 1.00 and 2.00, respectively, the excess Ag is present in chemical forms other than the silver-halide. Both samples contain mixed chemical states of Ag0, Ag+ and Ag2+. The primary contaminants consist of O and C. Multiple chemical states of O are present on the outermost and near-surface regions of the as-prepared samples including atomically adsorbed oxygen, carbonates, absorbed water, hydroxyl groups and various oxygen-containing carbon compounds. The XPS C 1s peak shapes are quite complex with features due to the presence of several different carbon species including carbide, hydrocarbons, alcohols, carbonate, CHF and CFO(OH)-like species.
Who enrolls in electrical engineering? A quantitative analysis of U.S.A. student trajectories

Electrical Engineering (EE) is one of the largest engineering disciplines. Analysis of the student population specifically within EE provides insights into a large segment of the undergraduate engineering population. Using a dataset from universities in the United States of America that includes over 70,000 students who majored in engineering, this work considers the subset of that population matriculating in EE. The rates of EE matriculation and six-year graduation vary by race and gender. The relevant findings are that males out number females at all levels of undergraduate EE. EE is the most popular choice for Asian and Black males at matriculation and the second choice (after ME) for Hispanic and White males. EE is much more popular for Asian and Black females than Hispanic and White females at matriculation and graduation. In fact, more Black females graduate in EE than in any other engineering discipline. The six-year graduation rate of EE matriculants is higher than that of students of other engineering disciplines. These findings suggest the importance disaggregating by engineering subdiscipline and examining how such information is useful in improving recruitment and retention overall.
Bekesy Audiometry and Temporal Summation

The Bekesy Audiometer in its pulsed mode of operation customarily presents tones at a repetition rate of 2.5/sec with a duration of about 200 msec and a rise-fall time of 25 msec. The protocol deve...
RESEARCH NOTE PROPERTIES OF RESTRUCTURED-PRECOOKED BEEF ROASTS

Three types of restructured roasts were made from beef rounds, with or without antioxidants: (1) roasts made with top and bottom round pieces weighing 0.343-0.680 kg; (2) roasts made with top and bottom round pieces weighing 0.113-0.343 kg; and (3) roasts made with knuckles and gracilis muscles of rounds that were ground through a 3-hole kidney-shaped plate. All roasts were precooked, stored at -17°C for 10-14 days, and then reheated. Total weight loss (precooking loss + reheating loss), proximate composition and thiobarbituric acid values for lipid oxidation were not different (P>0.05) among the three types of roasts. Juiciness and overall palatability scores were higher (P<0.05) for roasts made with ground knuckles and gracilis muscles of the round than for the other two types of roasts. Within each roast type, use of antioxidants did not affect (P<0.05) any of the properties determined.
Plasma confinement by a picket-fence

Abstract A current produced line cusp field is shown to confine both plasma and primary ionizing electrons.
Militarized, 0.120-in. tall, connectorized optoelectronic devices for avionic applications

Ultra low profile (ULP) fiber optic transmitters and receivers have been developed which meet the 0.120 inch height requirement of military avionic applications. Field usable fiber optic connectors have been developed which provide highly efficient fiber coupling from -55 to +125 C. These devices are fabricated using soldering and laser welding techniques to produce packages which contain no organic materials. Both 1300 and 850 nm devices have been built which operate at 1.3 gigabits per second.
One-Thirteenth of a Data Point Does Not a Generalization Make: A Response to Dulić

While Dulic’s article is a helpful assessment of the sources Rummel used, it fails as a test of his general democide estimation methods or as an evaluation of his democide estimate for Tito’s Yugoslavia. Aside from mistakenly generalizing from one regime to Rummel’s results for 218, Dulic ignores 39 years of Rummel’s estimates for 1949–87 to concentrate on his own estimation of what Rummel’s estimate would be for 1944–48 (12.8% of the period Rummel covered). Dulic loads his estimate with war killed and the greater democide of other factions for 1941–45, miscompares the total to the 1948 census, and thereby wrongly concludes that Rummel’s estimate for the full 1944–87 period is too high. But Dulic provides no comparative estimate of his own for the full period to show this.
A cloning vector for creation of Escherichia coli lacZ translational fusions and generation of linear template for chromosomal integration.

Abstract A novel cloning vector to aid in the construction of single copy β-galactosidase reporter systems for gene expression studies in lactose metabolizing Escherichia coli strains, including STEC, is described. The plasmid allows construction of translational fusions of cloned gene promoters to a short segment of E. coli lacZ . A selectable spectinomycin resistance marker flanked by a short lacI segment is positioned 5′ to the cloning site. PCR amplification using opposing primers complementary to the upstream lacI fragment and the downstream lacZ fragment generates a linear template suitable for integration using pRedET recombination. Integration of linear template derived from the recombinant plasmid into host strains replaces the entire native lacZ promoter and fuses the promoter of interest in-frame with the lacZ gene, thus simultaneously producing a single-copy, chromosomal reporter system and eliminating background lacZ expression. Studies comparing ahpC expression from a chromosomal fusion in the lac open with that on a plasmid in E. coli strain EDL933 are shown.
Relational Aggression in School Settings: Definition, Development, Strategies, and Implications

Relational aggression (RA) is a nonphysical form of aggression whereby the perpetrator's goal is to inflict or threaten damage to relationships, including harm to the target child's social standing or reputation. This form of aggression may result in long-term psychological harm to victims. This article defines RA, summarizes its development, and highlights some recent prevention and intervention strategies to address RA in early childhood and elementary school settings. Studies span across urban, suburban, and rural schools, along with various ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups. Although most interventions are universal in scope, designed to prevent the onset of RA, some target specific groups at risk of developing RA, such as girls. Of the 13 programs reviewed, 12 are classroom-based prevention programs, with the length of implementation ranging from six weeks to three years. Several longitudinal studies are presented (covering at least two academic years). RESULTS indicate that although most interventions decrease relationally aggressive behaviors and increase prosocial behaviors, effect sizes of interventions vary. Whole-school antibullying programs do not appear to be effective. Suggestions for incorporating new interventions are given, along with implications for school social work practice, education policy, and intervention research. Language: en
Citizens’ knowledge and perceptions of legislatures in Canada, Britain and the United States

This study has two major parts. The first uses survey data to reveal what citizens in Britain, Canada and the United States know about their national legislatures and what factors ‐ including cogni...
Use of an experimental smallholding in extension education: The case of Makerere University

Abstract Universities in sub-Saharan Africa offering training in agricultural research and extension have had the problems of (a) orientating students' ideas towards smallholder farming conditions, and (b) making their research findings relevant to smallholder situations. Experimental smallholdings were among some of the innovations introduced in the 1960s to meet these needs. A review is made here of the Makerere experience with this type of innovation. Factors which seemed to have rendered the innovation ineffective and suggestions for improvement are highlighted in this paper.
Integration as a factor in psycholinguistic performance.

From fish to man, the nervous system has progressed toward improved interaction among formerly independent sensory modalities (2, 4 ) . Kephart ( 3 ) indicated that perceptual and motor functions in children may develop somewhat independently of one another. Thus, it might be hypothesized that the COordination or integration of two or more basic psycholinguistic functions (e.g., visual perception and manual movement) is a factor affecting performance. As a partial test of this hypothesis, 164 children between the ages of 5 and 15 yr. were required to deal with a set of 24 geometric forms ( 1 ) in three ways: ( a ) to copy the forms with a pencil (Visual-motor Integration), ( b ) to match one of four similar forms with each stimulus form (Visual Perception), and (c ) to trace the stimuli with a pencil (Motor Proficiency). The mean number of correct responses, as determined by the VMI scoring manual, was 16.8 for Visual-motor Integration, 18.7 for Visual Perception, and 21.3 for Motor Proficiency. Analysis of variance and Newman-Keuls tests of these data ( 5 ) indicated that each of the means was different from each of the other means beyond the .O1 level of statistical significance. Visual-motor Integration correlated (Pearson r ) .72 with Visual Perception and .76 with Motor Proficency. Visual Perception and Motor Proficiency correlated .60. It appears therefore that the rank order of performance on each task for most of these individuals was about the same; if a child was relatively proficient on one task, he also tended to perform well on the others. However, the relative difficulty of these three tasks was significantly different. The rank order of the means clearly indicates that Visual-motor Integration was a more difficult task than either of the component tasks, a finding that supports the notion that integration of psycholinguistic functions is a factor of importance in psycholinguistic behavior.
Endogenous Acetylcholine and Nicotine Activation Enhances GABAergic and Glycinergic Inputs to Cardiac Vagal Neurons

The heart slows during expiration and heart rate increases during inspiration. This cardiorespiratory interaction is thought to occur by increased inhibitory synaptic events to cardiac vagal neuron...
Modeling an aggressive energy-efficiency scenario in long-range load forecasting for electric power transmission planning

Abstract Improving the representation of end-use energy efficiency, and of the effects of policies and programs to promote it, is an emergent priority for electricity load forecasting models and methods. This paper describes a “hybrid” load forecasting approach combining econometric and technological elements that is designed to meet this need, in a novel application to long-run electric power transmission planning in the western United States. A twenty-year load forecast incorporating significant increases in energy-efficiency programs and policies across multiple locations was developed in order to assess the potential of efficiency to reduce load growth and requirements for expanded transmission capacity. Load forecasting and transmission planning background is summarized, the theoretical and empirical aspects of the hybrid methodology described, and the assumptions, structure, data development, and results of the aggressive efficiency scenario are presented. The analysis shows that substantial electricity savings are possible in this scenario in most residential and commercial end-uses, and in the industrial sector, with magnitudes depending upon the specific end-use as well as upon the geographic location of the utility or other entity providing the electricity.
The relationship between placental cadmium, zinc, and copper.

A number of interactions between the essential metals zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu), and the toxic metal cadmium (Cd), have been described in animal, but not in human tissues. The purpose of this study was to determine whether Cd levels are directly related to Zn or Cu levels in the human placenta at term, and whether this relationship is affected by parity or smoking. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to determine Cd, Zn and Cu in perfused placental cotyledons from 292 low-risk parturients. Plasma thiocyanate levels were used to determine smoking status. Linear regression and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to examine relationships between the elements and the effects of parity and smoking status. Results show significant correlations between placental Cd and both Zn (r-0.41; p < 0.01) and Cu (r-0.35; p < 0.01), but only in multiparous patients. These relationships were not altered by smoking. These results suggest that Cd-Zn and Cd-Cu interactions occur in the placenta at “nor...
Electrochemically mediated polymerization of 2-pentadecylaniline confined to a planar liquid-liquid interface

Abstract : Spreading, isotherms, and polymerization of 2-pentadecylaniline at a planar aqueous electrolyte-organic interface were examined by monitoring the interfacial pressure employing the Wilhelmy-plate method. These results indicate the presence of monomer confined to the interface. Application of a voltage across the interface using stainless steel electrodes results in polymerization to form an electroactive polymer. The interfacial polymerization appears to be affected by metal ions formed by oxidation of the anode that have diffused into the aqueous electrolyte. This phenomenon is dependent on the nature of the electrode material as successful polymerization was not observed with other electrode materials. The polymer formed was soluble in polar organic liquids, was green in its reduced state, and blue in its oxidized state when oxidized and reduced chemically or electrochemically as a thin film. Cyclic voltammetry of the polymer indicates one reversible redox process suggesting that there are only two different oxidation states available, i.e., the equivalent to leucoemeraldine cannot be formed with poly(2-pentadecylaniline) in a thin film. However, the fully reduced yellow leucoemeraldine can be formed in chloroform solution by hydrazine reduction.