cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Teachers and Peers on Second Language Acquisition in Bilingual Preschool Programs

The interfactional patterns of eleven Spanish-speaking preschool children enrolled in two different bilingual programs were observed over the course of one year. The programs were characterized by a majority of Spanish-speaking children in the classrooms at one site and of English-speaking children in the classrooms at the second preschool. Consistent with the linguistic composition of the classes, teaching staffs were generally found to use a predominance of Spanish or English respectively in their classrooms. For all classrooms, language choices of individual children were examined. In classrooms where English-speaking children predominated, greater language proficiency was found to be more consistently related to the use of English with peers than with teachers. In classrooms where Spanish-speaking students were prevalent, on the other hand, interactions with the teachers in English were more consistently related to greater English language proficiency. Implications for the teaching of young children in a dual language environment are discussed.
THE BEHAVIORAL THEORY OF TIMING: TRANSITION ANALYSES

Gibbon and Church (1990, 1992) have recently confirmed an important, parameter-free prediction of the behavioral theory of timing (Killeen & Fetterman, 1988): The times of exiting from a bout of activity are positively correlated with the times of entrance to it. The correlations were slightly less than predicted, however, and the correlations between the start of an activity and the time spent engaged in that activity were negative, rather than zero. We adapted their serial model as an augmented (one-parameter) version of the behavioral theory, positing a lag between the receipt of a pulse from the pacemaker and transition into the next class of responses. The augmented version of the behavioral theory further improved the correspondence between the theory and the correlational data reported by Gibbon and Church. It also accounts for previously unpublished data from our laboratory derived from a new timing technique, the "peak choice" procedure. We show that the measured variance of movement times from one key to another closely approximates the estimated variance of transition times recovered from fits of the augmented model to the data. Such correspondence both attests to the correct identification of this source of variance and suggests ways to remove it, both from behavior and from our models of behavior.
Age-Dependent Influence of Hypoxia on Methionine-Enkephalin Concentration within Rabbit Brainstem Nuclei

ABSTRACT. We examined the effect of hypoxia (FIO2 = 0.10) on methionine-enkephalin concentrations in brainstem nuclei involved in the integration of cardiopulmonary control in 3− and 21-day-old rabbits. Rabbit pups were confined in environmental chambers for 6 h and exposed to one of four conditions. Control, 21% O2 for 6 h; intermittent hypoxia, 12 cycles of 20 min 21% O2 followed by 10 min of 10% O2; acute hypoxia, 4 h of 21% O2 followed by 2 h of 10% O2; recovery, 2 h of 10% O2 followed by 4 h of 21% O2. Methionine-enkephalin was measured by radioimmunoassay in the nucleus tractus solitarius, nucleus ambiguus, nucleus parabrachialismedialis, and nucleus reticulogigantocellularis. In 3-day-old rabbits, exposure to 10% O2 did not affect methionine-enkephalin concentrations in any brainstem nuclei studied. In contrast, 21-day-old pups demonstrated a decrease in methionine-enkephalin concentration in three of the four nuclei studied when exposed to intermittent hypoxia, as well as an apparent ability to recover from an acute hypoxic exposure (p < 0.05). These data support an age-, nucleus-, and stimulus-specific effect of hypoxia on methionine-enkephalin concentration within specific brainstem nuclei and suggest a possible mechanism for the newborn's increased cardiopulmonary instability under hypoxia.
Using Rule Induction for Expert System Development: The Case of Asset Writedowns

There was a significant increase in the frequency and magnitude of asset writedowns by US firms during the 1980s. Auditors, financial analysts and regulators have shown considerable interest in evaluating the writedown phenomenon. This paper reports on the use of inductive learning to discover knowledge in financial data structures and describes the development and testing of a prototype expert system, WDXPERT, which evaluates asset writedowns. Real-world data relating to writedown and non-writedown firms are used for rule induction. A set of training examples comprising 42 writedown and 25 non-writedown firms are used to generate the rules using IXL, a machine-learning program. A separate holdout sample containing 43 writedown and 25 non-writedown firms are used to validate the expert system that incorporates these rules. A second validation procedure is performed by comparing the performance of the expert system with a conventional discriminant analysis model and a logit model using the same data sets. The results indicate that the expert system, WDXPERT, is a useful classification tool to group firms into writedown and non-writedown classes.
Sensitive, stimulating caregiving predicts cognitive and behavioral resilience in neurodevelopmentally at-risk infants

Although neurodevelopmental impairment is a risk factor for poor cognitive and behavioral outcomes, associations between early and later functioning are only moderate in magnitude, and it is likely that other factors intervene to modify this trajectory. The current study tested the hypothesis that sensitive, stimulating caregiving would promote positive behavioral and cognitive outcomes among children who were at risk based on the results of a neurodevelopmental screener and a temperament inventory. The sample comprised 1,720 infants and toddlers from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, a longitudinal study of children who were involved with child welfare services. Children were first assessed between 3 and 24 months of age and subsequently 18 months later. Children who experienced improvements in the amount of sensitive, stimulating caregiving they received had positive cognitive and behavioral outcomes 18 months later, despite early levels of neurodevelopmental risk. The association between changes in caregiving quality and changes in children's functioning was stronger for children who were removed from the care of their biological parents before the follow-up assessment than for children who remained in the care of biological parents, suggesting a causal role for caregiving quality on children's outcomes.
Serologic survey of swine workers for exposure to H2N3 swine influenza A.

Please cite this paper as: Beaudoin et al. (2010) Serologic survey of swine workers for exposure to H2N3 swine influenza A. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses 4(3), 163–170. Background Of the 16 influenza A hemagglutinin (H) subtypes, only H1, H2 and H3 viruses have been shown to cause sustained human infection. Whereas H1 and H3 viruses currently circulate seasonally in humans, H2 viruses have not been identified in humans since 1968. In 2006, an H2N3 influenza virus was isolated from ill swine in the United States. Objective To assess the potential for zoonotic influenza transmission, the current study looked for serologic evidence of H2 influenza infection among workers at two swine facilities, some exposed and some unexposed to H2N3-positive pigs. Methods The sera were assessed for antibodies to swine H2 influenza and currently circulating seasonal human influenza A subtypes H1N1 and H3N2. Workers were interviewed to obtain details such as age, influenza vaccination history, experiences of influenza-like-illness, and use of personal protective equipment and hygiene when working with pigs. Exposure and risk factors for positive antibody titers were compared for exposed and unexposed individuals as well as for H2 antibody-positive and H2 antibody-negative individuals. Results Blood was taken from 27 swine workers, of whom four had positive H2 antibody titers (≥1:40). Three of the positive employees were born before 1968 and one had an unknown birth date. Only one of these workers had been exposed to H2N3-positive pigs, and he was born in 1949. Conclusions These data do not support the hypothesis that swine workers were infected with the emergent swine H2N3 influenza A virus.
Dense linkage disequilibrium mapping in the 15q11-q13 maternal expression domain yields evidence for association in autism.

Dense linkage disequilibrium mapping in the 15q11–q13 maternal expression domain yields evidence for association in autism
Theory of Thermal Transport Coefficients

A simple proof of the usual correlation-function expressions for the thermal transport coefficients in a resistive medium is given. This proof only requires the assumption that the phenomenological equations in the usual form exist. It is a "mechanical" derivation in the same sense that Kubo's derivation of the expression for the electrical conductivity is. That is, a purely Hamiltonian formalism with external fields is used, and one never has to make any statements about the nature or existence of a local equilibrium distribution function, or how fluctuations regress. For completeness the analogous formulas for the viscosity coefficients and the heat conductivity of a simple fluid are given.
Sexual and physical abuse among incarcerated youth: implications for sexual behavior contraceptive use and teenage pregnancy.

Abstract Objective: In the present study, physical and sexual abuse among incarcerated youth were examined with respect to sexual activity, contraceptive use, and pregnancy. Method: The self-report survey data were collected from 62 females and 334 males who were incarcerated in Nevada youth correctional facilities in the summer of 1994. Of the males, 46.8% (n = 156) reported a history of physical abuse and 9.9% (n = 33) reported sexual abuse. A surprisingly high 73% (n = 46) of the females reported a history of physical abuse and 68.3% (n = 43) reported sexual abuse. Results: The analyses indicated that females who reported a history of sexual abuse had an earlier mean age of first intercourse than those who reported no sexual abuse. In addition, male and female respondents with a history of physical and/or sexual abuse reported using no method of contraception as compared to youth with no history of abuse. Conclusions: Implications of these results for detention-based counseling and prevention programming are discussed.
Widening participation in higher education: an examination of the factors influencing institutional policy

This article examines the factors influencing the development of widening participation policy in 16 higher education institutions (HEIs). It utilises documentary research, followed by interviews w...
Quantitative comparison of four brain extraction algorithms.

Abstract In a companion paper (Rehm et al., 2004), we introduced Minneapolis Consensus Strip (McStrip), a hybrid algorithm for brain/non-brain segmentation. In this paper, we compare the performance of McStrip and three brain extraction algorithms (BEAs) in widespread use within the neuroimaging community—Statistical Parametric Mapping v.2 (SPM2), Brain Extraction Tool (BET), and Brain Surface Extractor (BSE)—to the “gold standard” of manually stripped T1-weighted MRI brain volumes. Our comparison was based on quantitative boundary and volume metrics, reproducibility across repeat scans of a single subject, and assessments of performance consistency across datasets acquired on different scanners at different institutions. McStrip, a hybrid method incorporating warping to a template, intensity thresholding, and edge detection, consistently outperformed SPM2, BET, and BSE, all of which rely on a single algorithmic strategy.
The respiratory complications of congenital heart disease

Abstract The morbidity of respiratory infections associated with congenital heart disease is presented and reviewed. It is found to be high in any lesion producing perversion of the pulmonary flow, whether as plethora or oligemia. The etiological background is briefly reviewed, and suggestions for prophylaxis and treatment are given.
Somatostatin Inhibits Secretin-Induced Canine Pancreatic Response via a Cholinergic Mechanism

Abstract Background: Somatostatin inhibits pancreatic exocrine secretion in intact animals but not in vitro, suggesting an indirect effect. The present study examined the influence of extrapancreatic nerves and intrapancreatic cholinergic activity on somatostatin-induced inhibition of pancreatic exocrine secretion in conscious dogs. Methods: Seven dogs underwent extrapancreatic denervation and creation of pancreatic fistulae, while a second group of 6 dogs had pancreatic fistulae created without denervation. The pancreatic responses to graded doses of secretin (16–500 ng · kg −1 · h −1 ), both alone and during background infusions of somatostatin-14 (400 and 800 pmol/L · kg −1 · hr −1 ), were determined in all dogs. The secretin dose response was then repeated with a continuous infusion of bethanechol (90 μg · kg −1 · h −1 ) both with and without somatatostatin-14 (800 pmol/L · kg −1 · h −1 ). Results: Secretin-induced bicarbonate and protein outputs were significantly inhibited by Somatostatin-14 in both the innervated and denervated animals. The inhibitory effects of Somatostatin-14 were partially reversed by bethanechol in the innervated animals and completely reversed in the denervated animals. Bethanechol alone potentiated secretin-induced bicarbonate output from both the innervated and denervated pancreas. Conclusions: The data suggest that extrapancreatic nerves do not mediate the inhibitory effects of somatostatin-14. Rather, Somatostatin-14 appears to inhibit secretin-induced pancreatic response by an intrapancreatic cholinergic mechanism.
Analysis of human ferrochelatase iron binding via amide hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry

Abstract Human ferrochelatase (E.C. 4.99.1.1) is a membrane-associated enzyme that catalyzes the last step in the heme biosynthetic pathway, the insertion of ferrous iron into protoporphyrin IX. Crystallographic structures have revealed that protoporphyrin binds in a cleft between two domains; however, the entry pathway and location of the iron binding site(s) is still contested. In an effort to address this issue, the structural elements involved in binding substrate iron were studied by amide hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry. The deuterium incorporation rates into the backbone of apo- and iron-ferrochelatase in the absence of porphyrin substrate were measured. For the first time, it is demonstrated how the binding of ferrous iron specifically modulates ferrochelatase structure in solution. The distinct regions affected by the presence of iron provide insight into the mechanism by which iron is transported to the active site.
Iron isotope fractionation between aqueous ferrous iron and goethite

Abstract The equilibrium Fe isotope fractionation factor between aqueous Fe(II) and goethite has been experimentally measured to be − 1.05 ± 0.08‰ in 56 Fe/ 54 Fe (2 σ ) at 22 °C, using the three-isotope method. Experiments were done using two sizes of goethite (81 × 11 nm and 590 × 42 nm), and the experimental products were subjected to serial extraction using acid partial dissolution techniques to determine if surface Fe(III) atoms have different isotopic properties than the bulk goethite. These experiments indicate that the interaction of Fe(II) aq and goethite is dynamic and results in complete or near-complete Fe isotope exchange over 30 days, involving at least four components: Fe(II) aq , goethite, sorbed Fe(II), and Fe(III) surface . The equilibrium fractionation factor between Fe(II) aq and Fe(II) sorb is the same for both sizes of goethite, at Δ 56 Fe Fe(II)aq–Fe(II)sorb = − 1.24 ± 0.14‰; this fractionation factor is significantly different than the results of previous studies on Fe(II) sorption to goethite. The proportion of the Fe(III) surface component is greatest in the experiments that used the smallest goethite, and the Fe(III) surface –Fe(II) aq fractionation is estimated to be at least + 2.1‰. The high Fe(III) surface –Fe(II) aq fractionation may exert a significant influence on the Fe isotope compositions of aqueous Fe(II) in natural systems that contain nanoparticulate goethite, including those involving bacterial iron reduction. These results demonstrate that the isotopic properties of nano-scale minerals may be distinct from micron-scale or larger minerals, as is the case for other thermodynamic properties of nanoparticles.
An information geometric approach to supervised dimensionality reduction

Due to the curse of dimensionality, high-dimensional data is often pre-processed with some form of dimensionality reduction for the classification task. Many common methods of supervised dimensionality reduction have focused on separating and collapsing the data near the class centroids. These methods often make assumptions on the distributions of the data classes - namely Gaussianity - which can lead to ad-hoc and sub-optimal implementation. In this paper we present a method of supervised dimensionality reduction which takes an information-geometric approach by maximizing the between class information distances. This is shown to have direct relation to the Chernoff and Bhattacharya performance bounds for classification error. We illustrate our methods on real data and compare to several existing methods.
Pathological changes associated with white striping in broiler breast muscles

Abstract White striping is a condition in broiler chickens characterized grossly by the occurrence of white striations, seen parallel to the direction of muscle fibers, on broiler breast fillets and thighs. Based on visual evaluation of the intensity of white striping, breast fillets can be categorized into normal (NORM), moderate (MOD), and severe (SEV) categories. This study was undertaken to evaluate the details of changes in histology as well as proximate composition occurring in the fillets with respect to the 3 degrees of white striping. In experiment 1, representative breast fillets for each degree of white striping (n = 20) were collected from 45-d-old broilers, approximately 2 h postmortem. From each fillet, 2 skeletal muscle samples were obtained and fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin. To identify and differentiate the histological changes, slides were prepared and stained using hematoxylin and eosin, Masson's Trichrome, and Oil Red O stains. In experiment 2, samples with 3 degrees of white striping were collected from 57-d-old birds for conducting proximate analysis. Major histopathological changes observed in the MOD and SEV samples consisted of loss of cross striations, variability in fiber size, floccular/vacuolar degeneration and lysis of fibers, mild mineralization, occasional regeneration (nuclear rowing and multinucleated cells), mononuclear cell infiltration, lipidosis, and interstitial inflammation and fibrosis. Microscopic lesions were visually scored for degeneration and necrosis, fibrosis, and lipidosis. The scale used to score the samples ranged from 0 (normal) to 3 (severe). There was an increase (P
PUBLIC GOODS AND THE STABILITY OF FEDERALISM

SUMMARY Some federal structures are and have been stable for relatively long periods; others, though apparently stable, are chronically subject to important strains, while others still are either unstable or have ceased to exist as federal entities. In the paper, I develop a limited model of federalism, built on the number and properties of public goods, which appears to account for some of the observable stability features of federal structure. Essentially, the model assumes that when individuals in one jurisdiction do not only passively receive spillovers from other jurisdictions, but react and adjust to them, possibilities of conflict exist which can only be resolved by the creation of the appropriate machinery. It is shown how a change in the number of public goods can affect the outcome.
Advanced Traffic Management System Data

After considering the 10 different ITS component systems it is clear that each system cannot be deployed to stand alone in the overall transportation system. Building a complete ITS system requires collaboration in time, funding, and institutional arrangements. ITS components that are integrated can result in synergistic effects when considered as an entire system. It is shown that in some cases it is possible to build upon national level statistics describing ITS benefits by using data collected from the systems themselves. Thus far, the quantification of ITS benefits has not been statistically sophisticated. Often, benefits are expressed as being “certain,” when this is far from the truth. For example, the measurement of any reduction in mean travel time as a result of an ITS deployment involves bias; thus any benefit should be expressed along with its associated variance. In addition, there is no guarantee that travel time reduction due to the installation of ramp metering in one city will result in similar benefits in another city—particularly if the nature of system integration and institutional cooperation is widely different. It is hoped that further efforts to integrate transportation planning with evaluation tools such as IDAS and microsimulation will incorporate the necessary empirical results from a wide variety of studies. In this way, better databases can be developed, and heightened accountability will be more pervasive in the evaluation of ITS improvements.
Water Consumption due to Electricity Generation Versus Manufacturing Processes in an Automotive Life-Cycle

In this paper, we investigate and compare the amounts and impacts of water consumption due to manufacturing processes versus the water consumption due to the electricity used in those manufacturing processes. As is shown using automotive manufacturing as a case study, the “indirect” water consumption in manufacturing due to electricity generation is significant. Reduction of electricity consumption, in particular from thermo-electric power plants, can lead to substantial water consumption reductions, and thus win-win situations. We also show the amounts of variability that occur dependent on how water consumption of hydro-electric power generation is calculated. In terms of an automotive life-cycle, the amount of water consumed in the production of gasoline dominates the life-cycle, but is itself subject to significant variations dependent on the source of the petroleum used.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
DHR3 Is Required for the Prepupal–Pupal Transition and Differentiation of Adult Structures during Drosophila Metamorphosis

Pulses of the steroid hormone ecdysone activate genetic regulatory hierarchies that coordinate the developmental changes associated with Drosophila metamorphosis. A high-titer ecdysone pulse at the end of larval development triggers puparium formation and induces expression of the DHR3 orphan nuclear receptor. Here we use both a heat-inducible DHR3 rescue construct and clonal analysis to define DHR3 functions during metamorphosis. Clonal analysis reveals requirements for DHR3 in the development of adult bristles, wings, and cuticle, and no apparent function in eye or leg development. DHR3 mutants rescued to the third larval instar also reveal essential functions during the onset of metamorphosis, leading to lethality during prepupal and early pupal stages. The phenotypes associated with these lethal phases are consistent with the effects of DHR3 mutations on ecdysone-regulated gene expression. Although DHR3 has been shown to be sufficient for early gene repression at puparium formation, it is not necessary for this response, indicating that other negative regulators may contribute to this pathway. In contrast, DHR3 is required for maximal expression of the midprepupal regulatory genes, EcR, E74B, and βFTZ-1. Reductions in EcR and βFTZ-F1 expression, in turn, lead to submaximal early gene induction in response to the prepupal ecdysone pulse and corresponding defects in adult head eversion and salivary gland cell death. These studies demonstrate that DHR3 is an essential regulator of the βFTZ-F1 midprepupal competence factor, providing a functional link between the late larval and prepupal responses to ecdysone. Induction of DHR3 in early prepupae ensures that responses to the prepupal ecdysone pulse will be distinct from responses to the late larval pulse and thus that the animal progresses in an appropriate manner through the early stages of metamorphosis.
Political science theories of crime and delinquency

This literature review provides a brief overview of four theories of crime and delinquency and highlights the connection between each theory and political science. The theories reviewed include deterrence theory, conflict theory, labeling theory, and radical theory. Although rooted in sociology, these theories are considered in this review because they met the following criteria: (1) The theory was considered significant by scholars in several disciplines, including political science, (2) the assumptions in the theory included analysis of political and/or governmental institutions, and (3) some of the major tenets of the theory focused on political and governmental processes.
Transmit Selection Diversity for Unitary Precoded Multiuser Spatial Multiplexing Systems With Linear Receivers

Multiuser spatial multiplexing is a downlink transmission technique that uses linear transmit precoding to multiplex multiple users and precancel interuser interference. In such a system, the spatial degrees of freedom are used for interference mitigation and generally come at the expense of diversity gain. This paper proposes two precoding methods that use extra transmit antennas, beyond the minimum required, to provide additional degrees of diversity. The approach taken is to solve for a unitary transmit precoder, under a zero interuser interference constraint, that minimizes an upper bound on the symbol error rate (SER) for each user. Solutions where all transmit antennas are employed, as well as subsets of antennas (to reduce analog components), are described. Numerical results confirm a dramatic improvement in terms of SER and mutual information over single-user multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) methods and static allocation methods. For example, the proposed techniques achieve a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) improvement of 6-10 dB at an uncoded SER of 10-3, with only one extra transmit antenna
Wideband wafer-scale interconnections in a wafer scale hybrid package for a 1000 MIPS highly pipelined GaAs/AlGaAs HBT RISC

A wideband thin-film wafer scale hybrid package (WSHP) or multi-chip module (MCM) will be used to interconnect the chips of a high-performance RISC (reduced instruction set computer) architecture developed at Rensselaer. This architecture is being implemented using GaAs/AlGaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) and triple-level differential current-mode logic. Because of high power consumption yield limitations of the HBT technology, the processor is partitioned into multiple chips. These chips must be connected using lines capable of handling the fast rise-time signals. Also, the MCM must contain integrated bypass capacitors and termination resistors. >
From Socialism to “Sentiment”: Toward a Political Economy of Communities, Counterpublics, and Their Media Through Jewish Working Class History

Although counterpublics have been well theorized by N. Fraser (1992) and M. Warner (2002), little research has been carried out along the lines of J. Habermas's (1962/1989/1991) original study, examining their “structural transformation.” Working class history might be used as a method to understand the interaction between the state-corporate nexus and counterpublics. Through an overview of Jewish working-class history in the United States, I demonstrate that counterpublics and their media are shaped in relation to the state and commercial interests, and community activity. I argue that attention to the role of community, as conceived by J. Dewey (1927/1954), might help us move (counter)public sphere theory away from a Eurocentric and toward a humanocentric (S. Gunaratne, 2005, 2006) framework.
Vector median filters

Abstract Median filters (MF) are used both to filter ‘salt and pepper’ noise from signals and images and in other signal processing applications. In this paper, an extension of the MF, the vector median filter (VMF), is introduced. As opposed to the MF, the VMF outputs for each window location a number of data elements. By adjusting the VMF parameters, the MF is obtained as a VMF special case. Just like the MF, the VMF filters impulses while simultaneously preserving step changes in a signal. The VMF's principal advantage is that it reduces the total stored data signal computation time while it produces visual outputs comparable to that of an MF. Deterministic and statistical properties of the VMF are examined. Computer-generated experimental results are also presented.
Forage Intake Responses to Winter Cold Exposure of Free-ranging Beef Cows

Winter foraging behaviors of pregnant crossbred beef cows grazing Montana native rangeland were examined over a continuous 46-day period in January and February. The objective was to examine daily estimates of two principle grazing behaviors, forage intake and time spent grazing, in response to fluctuations in acclimated thermal environments. Sixteen 5-year-old cows (525–575 kg) were fitted with vibracorders to monitor daily grazing time (DGT). Fecal organic matter output was estimated using total fecal collections and a Cr2O3 dilution technique. In vitro organic matter disappearance (IVOMD) was determined from extrusa obtained from four rumen-fistulated cows. Mean daily forage intake expressed as a percentage of body weight day (% BW per day) increased (P 0.05) to deviations from acclimated temperatures calculated for the previous 4–20 days. Dietary extrusa IVOMD averaged 34.5% and remained consistent (P>0.05) during the winter grazing period. Daily grazing time decreased (P<0.05) with ambient or wind-chill temperature deviations from acclimated thermal regimes of the past 1–3 days, and the magnitude of response was also small (<0.01 h per day per °C deviation). The slight responses of these two principal foraging behaviors indicated thermal fluctuations (8 to –16°C) within a familiar winter environment were minimally stressful with no resulting adverse effects upon the animal.
Off-diagonal disorder model for exciton polaritons in layered media. Disorder-induced origin of radiative widths

Abstract Excitons in an infinite layered dipolar medium, such as a layered crystal or a multiple-quantum-well stack, with perfect periodicity exhibit a vanishing radiative width due to the requirement of energy-momentum conservation. Using a polariton model with off-diagonal disorder and a configuration-averaging technique, we show how deviations from the ideal case, specifically in the form of weak departures from perfect periodicity, and the resulting breaking of full translational invariance, give rise to a nonvanishing radiative width.
In the Way of Development: Indigenous Peoples, Life Projects, and Globalization

In the Way of Development: Indigenous Peoples, Life Projects, and Globalization. Mario Blaser, Harvey A. Feit, and Glenn McRae, eds. New York: Zed Books, 2004. 362 pp.
Automated logic synthesis of random pattern testable circuits

Previous approaches to designing random pattern testable circuits use post-synthesis test point insertion to eliminate random pattern resistant (r.p.r.) faults. The approach taken in this paper is to consider random pattern testability during logic synthesis. An automated logic synthesis procedure is presented which takes as an input a two-level representation of a circuit and a constraint on the minimum fault detection probability (threshold below which faults are considered r.p.r.) and generates a multilevel implementation that satisfies the constraint while minimizing the literal count. The procedure identifies r.p.r. faults and attempts to "eliminate" them through algebraic factoring. If that is not possible, then test points are inserted during the synthesis process in a way that minimizes the number of test points that are required. Results are shown for benchmark circuits which indicate that the proposed procedure can generally reduce the random pattern test length by at least an order of magnitude with only a small area overhead.
EFFECTS OF TEACHER-DIRECTED VERSUS STUDENT-DIRECTED INSTRUCTION ON SELF-MANAGEMENT OF YOUNG CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

In this study, students worked independently by setting goals, selecting assignments, and recording and evaluating their results after receiving one of two different types of self-management training. During teacher-directed training, the teacher set goals, assigned work, and recorded and evaluated results for students. During student-directed training, students performed those tasks themselves. The results indicated that students engaged in the self-management behaviors more frequently during independent work following student-directed instruction than following teacher-directed instruction.
Computational Design, Freeform Fabrication and Testing of Nylon-6 Tissue Engineering Scaffolds

Advanced and novel fabrication methods are needed to build complex three-dimensional scaffolds that incorporate multiple functionally graded biomaterials with a porous internal architecture that will enable the simultaneous growth of multiple tissues, tissue interfaces and blood vessels. The aim of this research is to develop, demonstrate and characterize techniques for fabricating such scaffolds by combining solid freeform fabrication and computational design methods. When fully developed, such techniques are expected to enable the fabrication of tissue engineering scaffolds endowed with functionally graded material composition and porosity exhibiting sharp or smooth gradients. As a first step towards realizing this goal, scaffolds with periodic cellular and biomimetic architectures were designed and fabricated using selective laser sintering in Nylon-6, a biocompatible polymer. Results of bio-compatibility and in vivo implantation studies conducted on these scaffolds are reported.
Spinal Cord Injury Following Abdominal Aortic Surgery: A Case Report:

The incidence of spinal cord injury following abdominal aortic surgery is 0.25%.8 Szilagyi's world literature search yielded 36 case reports, and he added 8 case reports to that number. In Szilagy's series, all of the postoperative cases of spinal cord injury were observed after abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery. The incidence in cases of ruptured aneurysms was ten times greater (5 of 247 or 2%) than that noted in cases of unruptured aneurysms (3 of 1,477 or 0.2%) . No spinal cord injury occurred in the patients operated on for aorto-iliac occlusive disease, and the rarity of occurrence of this complication in aorto-iliac occlusive disease is reflected in the number of cases reported in the literature. 2,3,5,6,9The lower extremity neurologic deficit may occur with or without bowel and bladder paralysis, and may be temporary or permanent. The object of this paper is to present a case report of spinal cord injury following surgery for aorto-iliac occlusive disease, and a discussion of the pathophysiology of...
Effect of biopsy on the prognosis of melanoma.

Ruthless surgery in black cutaneous lesions leads to increased morbidity and mutilation. Only 2 percent of such black tumors are melanomatous. Clinical diagnosis is difficult and often erroneous. Investigations by others indicate that partial removal of nevi does not result in malignant transformation. Longevity in patients with true melanoma is not decreased by incomplete biopsy procedures followed by definitive, hopefully curative surgery even 1 week later. Seemingly, the prognosis is improved by prophylactic lymph node dissection, but since the herein reported study was conducted on localized melanomas only, it is possible that the apparent improved outlook resulted from the elimination of patients with microscopic metastases from this series. Therefore, the ideal amount of tissue to be removed in attacking an undiagnosed black neoplasm is the amount necessary to establish a histopathologic diagnosis.
Alternatives for calculating transmission reliability margin (TRM) in available transfer capability (ATC)

There is very little theory developed for the calculation of the transmission reliability margin (TRM) in the available transfer capability (ATC) computation of electric power systems. The paper proposes and evaluates several different approaches to the calculation of TRM. The TRM is supposed to account for uncertainty in the operating conditions used in computing total transfer capability (TTC). This uncertainty may be in model parameters (line impedances), load forecast error (P and Q), or other "base case" data.
Clinical Perspectives on New Antimicrobials: Focus on Fluoroquinolones

Respiratory tract infections are the most common infectious presentation in the community and hospital settings and are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recently, newer fluoroquinolones have been recommended for the treatment of these infections. Among them, moxifloxacin shows improved activity against gram-positive pathogens, has maintained potency against gram-negative organisms, and shows activity against atypical pathogens and anaerobes. Moxifloxacin also has excellent in vitro activity against strains resistant to penicillin, erythromycin, and other fluoroquinolones, such as levofloxacin. Moxifloxacin has demonstrated clinical efficacy rates of 90%-95% in clinical trials in community-acquired pneumonia, acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, and acute sinusitis. In these trials, moxifloxacin demonstrated no serious or unexpected adverse effects. Development of resistance appears to be slower for moxifloxacin than for several other fluoroquinolones, making moxifloxacin a good treatment choice. The pharmacodynamics of moxifloxacin support once-daily oral therapy of short duration, providing convenience, compliance, and safety advantages.
Estimation of activation sequence from time course of equivalent current density in pathological hearts — A simulation study

The equivalent current density (ECD) model has been previously used in the cardiac electrical imaging technique for non-invasively reconstructing the global activation sequence (AS) in the normal heart. However, its performance in estimating AS in the heart with structural defects remains uncertain. This study aims to evaluate its feasibility in two common cardiac structure diseases-ischemia and infarction, by performing forward simulation using a cellular automaton heart model. The AS was derived from ECD and quantitatively compared to the true AS simulated with the heart model by calculating correlation coefficient (CC) and relative error (RE). In ischemia condition, the ECD model returns a CC (0.97) and RE (0.13), comparable with those of normal heart. In infarction condition, it is also able to identify area of infarction and reconstruct global AS at the excitable myocardium with CC of 0.97 and RE of 0.12. The present pilot simulation results suggest the feasibility of applying ECD model in the pathological heart, which would help the investigation of pathology mechanism and clinical management of cardiac diseases.
How long is the memory of tropical ocean dynamics

Combining classic equatorial wave dynamics and midlatitude wave dynamics, a unified view is proposed to account for the memory of tropical ocean dynamics in terms of oceanic basin modes. It is shown that the dynamic memory of the ocean is bounded by the cross-basin time of planetary waves along the poleward basin boundary. For realistic ocean basins, this memory originates from the mid- and high-latitude processes and is usually at interdecadal timescales.
Liver transplantation in the United States from 1987-1998: updated results from the Pitt-UNOS Liver Transplant Registry.

CENTERS Between 1988-1997, the total number of liver transplantations performed in the US more than doubled from 1,713-4,158, and the number of centers performing liver transplantations increased from 59-107. In recent years, the yearly net gain in the number of operating centers has slowed, and the differences in LT volume across centers has remained stable. OUTCOMES During the first year following transplantation, patient survival was approximately the same for adults and children, while retransplantation-free survival was poorest among children. Thereafter, survival declined more rapidly among adults than among children. SURVIVAL AMONG PEDIATRIC RECIPIENTS The estimated cumulative probability of a pediatric recipient surviving for 10 years following transplantation was .80, and surviving for 10 years without retransplantation was .59. In general, few deaths or retransplantations were observed more than 4 years after the initial transplantation. Factors independently associated with patient and retransplantation-free survival among children were year of transplantation, recipient age, being on life support while awaiting transplantation, primary liver disease, serum creatinine, total bilirubin, donor age, donor race, and warm ischemic time. Recipient race, a multi-organ transplant procedure, and serum albumin level were significantly associated with patient survival only. The use of a reduced-size or split liver for transplantation in children was independently associated with retransplantation-free survival, but not with patient survival. SURVIVAL AMONG ADULT RECIPIENTS The estimated cumulative probability of an adult recipient surviving for 10 years following transplantation was .61, and surviving for 10 years without retransplantation was .46 with the median retransplantation-free survival time estimated at 9.2 years. Factors independently associated with patient and retransplantation-free survival among adults were year of transplantation, recipient age, recipient race, recipient location awaiting transplantation, primary liver disease, serum creatinine and albumin levels, hepatitis B surface antigen status, donor age, donor anti-CMV status, warm ischemic time, sex match, pretransplant ventilator or inotrope use, and recipient anti-HCV status. Pre-transplant bilirubin level, a multi-organ transplant procedure, and the finding of an incidental tumor were significantly associated with patient survival; and donor race, ABO match, and uncontrolled variceal bleeding were associated with retransplantation-free survival.
Growth Data Analysis in FTT Treatment and Research

Assessment of growth status in the FTT child is central to both diagnosis and treatment of this complex syndrome. In clinical practice and in research, growth data analysis are used to assess the impact of organic and nonorganic risk factors and to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment. In the FTT child, growthis the indicator of overall progress. The short and long term effectiveness of medical, nutritional, behavioral, and mental health interventions is measured by the physical growth outcome. Likewise, nutritional rehabilitation contributes to positive psychosocial outcomes, such as improved developmental quotients and enhanced mother-child interactions.
Preliminary Evaluation of Functional Swallow After Total Laryngectomy Using High-Resolution Manometry.

Introduction:Understanding of swallowing pressures after total laryngectomy (TL) and what constitutes a “functional” swallow are limited. Mobile structures are altered or removed after TL, with con...
Changes in occupation after coronary arteriography.

This study, involving 266 white males evaluates the effect of angiographically determined mild coronary artery impairment upon occupational status. Questionnaires filled out at the time of coronary arteriography and about 13 months later showed that in the interim 65% of the patients stayed in the same occupational status, 31% changed occupational status, and 4% retired. In both younger (less than or equal to 55 years) and older men (greater than 55 years) the proportion of retirees increased after angiography. Of those who remained employed, 19% changed to jobs with higher physical demands while 11% took jobs with lower physical demands. The decision to change the job did not seem to be affected by age or the presence of angina pectoris. Comparison of this patient population with U.S. national average has shown that the presence or awareness of coronary artery disease is associated with measured increase in occupational mobility, regardless of the severity of the disease. Our findings suggest that changes in occupational status after determination of mild coronary artery disease are motivated by psychological rather than physiological factors.
Molecular Locations of Gates in Potassium Channels

Understanding how ion channels open and close their pores is crucial for understanding their physiological roles. We used intracellular quaternary ammonium blockers to locate the voltage and calcium-dependent gates in MthK potassium channels from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum with electrophysiology, stopped-flow spectrofluorometry, and X-ray crystallography. Blockers bind in an aqueous cavity between two putative gates, an intracellular gate and the selectivity filter. Thus, these blockers directly probe gate location: an intracellular gate will prevent binding when closed, whereas a selectivity filter gate will always allow binding.A kinetic single-channel analysis of tetrabutylammonium block of MthK channels combined with X-ray crystallographic analysis of the pore with tetrabutylantimony unequivocally determined that the voltage-dependent gate, like the C-type inactivation gate in eukaryotic channels, is located at the selectivity filter. State-dependent binding kinetics suggests that MthK gating with voltage also leads to conformational changes within the cavity and intracellular pore entrance.For locating the calcium gate, we employed a Tl+ flux assay using a stopped-flow spectrofluorometer. MthK channel activity was estimated from the rate of a MthK-containing liposome-trapped fluorophore quenching due to Tl+ influx through the channels. The high-affinity blocker tetrapentylammonium, applied prior to channel activation using a sequential mixing protocol, was able to fully block closed channels, indicating that the blocker can reach its binding site in closed channels. Given that the blocker binding site is in the cytoplasmic access below the selectivity filter, these results suggest that there is also a calcium-dependent gate at the selectivity filter in MthK.