cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synchronous Videoconferencing: Impact on Achievement of Medical Students

Background: Medical schools are expanding their enrollment, and synchronous lecture broadcast is being used more frequently to deliver instruction across multiple sites. Purpose: To assess whether the videoconferencing lecture-delivery method is associated with differences in medical student performance on national licensing examinations at lecture site-of-origin versus lecture receiving sites. Methods: The academic preparedness of medical students at the time of admission and performance on a national licensing examination were compared for students predominantly receiving live lectures and those receiving synchronous videoconferencing lectures. External metrics were analyzed to establish baseline preparedness (Medical College Admission Test scores) and to determine academic achievement (national licensing examination scores). Results: The authors found no statistically significant differences between site-of-origin and receiving sites in medical student preparedness or academic achievement. Conclusions:...
Embryonic vasculogenesis and hematopoietic specification

Vasculogenesis is the process by which blood vessels are formed de novo. In mammals, vasculogenesis occurs in parallel with hematopoiesis, the formation of blood cells. Thus, it is debated whether vascular endothelial cells and blood cells are derived from a common progenitor. Whether or not this is the case, there certainly is commonality among regulatory factors that control the differentiation and differentiated function of both cell lineages. VEGF is a major regulator of both cell types and plays a critical role, in coordination with other signaling pathways and transcriptional regulators, in controlling the differentiation and behavior of endothelial and blood cells during early embryonic development, as further discussed herein.
A fluorescence detector for high-pressure liquid chromatography

Abstract We describe a fluorescence spectrophotometer adapted with a micor quartz flow cell to record the output of modern liquid chromatographs. The optical system is double beam in that the light source variations are cancelled out by a second photo- multiplier, thus enhancing the sensitivity of the technique. The emission spectra may be scanned by stopping the flow in the chromatographic column and scanning the fluorescence detector. Many specific applications have been studied: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, several vitamins, porphyrins, methyl anthranilate, etc. These are studied in natural samples and it is shown that the specificity of the fluorescence detector frequently obviates the need for sample preparation. The sensitivity available with the fluorescence detector for fluorescing compounds is often much greater than is available with variable-wavelength ultraviolet spectrophotometers. We report picogram-level detectability in real samples for many of the compounds that we have studied.
Geolocation of mines detected via vehicular-mounted forward-looking sensors

This paper is concerned with the problem of target geo- location when using forward-looking vehicular-mounted sensors for landmine detection. Intermediate and downward- looking sensor may also be used, but the geo-location problem is most complex for the forward-looking sensor. A nonlinear states model for the vehicle position and attitude. Knowledge of these sensors specifications along with information as to the location and orientation of the sensor on the vehicle combined with knowledge of the vehicle position and attitude make it possible for one to compte the sensor field-of-view or footprint. Given this, one can then analyze sensor frames and for any detected mines, convert their locations from sensor-frame coordinates to ground coordinates.
Trypanosoma brucei brucei: isolation of the major surface coat glycoprotein by lectin affinity chromatography.

Abstract We have purified soluble glycoproteins associated with Trypanosoma brucei brucei by lentil lectin affinity chromatography. The major surface coat glycoprotein (SCGp) accounts for 87% of the protein in the preparation with approximately 12 other glycoproteins accounting for the rest. This preparation can be further subdivided by DEAE chromatography. The nonabsorbed protein fraction is 95% SCGp and 1 to 2% each of three other glycoproteins. Elution of the DEAE column with a 0.05-0.5 M NaCl gradient yields a broad peak containing the remaining glycoproteins. The purification of the SCGp is 16- and 17.3-fold at each step out of a theoretical 18-fold possible purification. The preparation after lectin chromatography is stable, showing no degradation after standing 72 hr at 4 C. Additional purification procedures are discussed.
Postthoracotomy Pain Management Problems

Pain after thoracotomy is very severe, probably the most severe pain experienced after surgery. Thoracic epidural analgesia has greatly improved the pain experience and its consequences and has been considered the standard for pain management after thoracotomy. This view has been challenged recently by the use of paravertebral nerve blocks. Nevertheless, severe ipsilateral shoulder pain and the prevention of the postthoracotomy pain syndrome remain the most important challenges for management of postthoracotomy pain.
Analyzing the Appropriateness of Internet-Based School News Programs for Social Studies Classrooms: CNN Student News as a Case Study

This article describes a research study on the appropriateness for social studies classrooms of CNN Student News, a free online news program specifically aimed at middle and high school students. The author conducted a content analysis of CNN Student News during October 2012 and evaluated the program's content for substance, bias, and appropriateness for secondary social studies instruction. Although the analysis is specific to CNN Student News, the same approach could be taken with any student-oriented news program available to teachers on the Internet.
Particle concentrations in data centers

Abstract Cooling buildings with large airflow rates of outside air when temperatures are favorable is an established energy-saving measure. In data centers, this strategy is not widely used, owing to concerns that it would cause increased indoor levels of particles of outdoor origin, which could damage electronic equipment. However, environmental conditions typical of data centers and the associated potential for equipment failure are not well characterized. This study presents the first published measurements of particle concentrations in operating data centers. Indoor and outdoor particle measurements were taken at eight different sites in northern California for particulate matter 0.3–5.0 μm in diameter. One of the data centers has an energy-efficient design that employs outside air for cooling, while the rest use conventional cooling methods. Ratios of measured particle concentrations in the conventional data centers to the corresponding outside concentrations were significantly lower than those typically found in office or residential buildings. Estimates using a material-balance model match well with empirical results, indicating that the dominant particle sources and losses have been identified. Measurements taken at the more energy-efficient site show nearly an order of magnitude increase in particle concentration when ventilation rates were high. The model indicates that this increase may be even higher when including particles smaller than the monitoring-equipment size limitation. Even with the increases, the measured particle concentrations are still below concentration limits recommended in industry standards.
Thermodynamics, surface properties and microscopic functions of liquid Al–Nb and Nb–Ti alloys

Abstract The energetics of mixing in Al–Nb and Nb–Ti liquid alloys have been analysed through the study of surface properties (surface tension and surface segregation), dynamic properties (chemical diffusion) and microscopic functions (concentration fluctuations in the long-wavelength limit and chemical short-range order parameter) in the frame of statistical mechanical theory in conjunction with quasi-lattice theory (QLT). The phase diagram of the Al–Nb system exhibits three intermetallic compounds in the solid state, while a relatively simple phase diagram of the Nb–Ti system indicates nearly ideal mixing behaviour in the liquid phase and two stable solid phases. Since the structure of a liquid alloy is in some respects similar to that of a crystal, the complex formation phenomenon in Al–Nb melts has been analysed by a quasi-lattice structural model for chemical complexes. The energetics and structural arrangement in Nb–Ti melts have been studied by the quasi-chemical approximation (QCA) for the regular solution model.
Doxorubicin hydrochloride, cyclophosphamide, and 5-fluorouracil combination in advanced prostate and transitional cell carcinoma

The suggested activity of doxorubicin hydrochloride (Adriamycin), cyclophosphamide, and 5-fluorouracil as single agents in the treatment of advanced prostate and/or transitional cell carcinoma led us to examine the response to these drugs used in combination. Combination chemotherapy has the theoretical advantages of additive antitumor effect without additive toxicity to the host. One of 8 patients with Stage D, endocrine unresponsive prostatic adenocarcinoma achieved an objective response. There were five stable and one subjective responses. Only 1 patient showed progression during the initial six-week trial. Two of 3 patients with transitional cell carcinoma had an objective response. This three-drug combination was well tolerated by elderly patients and on the basis of this small series further trials are warranted.
Human umbilical vessels: responses to agents frequently used in obstetric patients.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to study the effects of some drugs frequently used in pregnant women on isolated human umbilical artery and vein segments. STUDY DESIGN: Umbilical artery and vein rings from normal term pregnancies were mounted in Krebs-bicarbonate solution in organ baths for isometric tension recording. Rings were contracted with potassium chloride (60 mmol/L) or U46619 (10 −8 mol/L) and then exposed to cumulative concentrations of nimodipine, nifedipine, nicardipine, phenytoin, magnesium sulfate, and hydralazine. Concentration-response curves were constructed by means of the difference in the percent relaxation between test and control vessels. Data analysis was by repeated measures analysis of variance, Newman-Keuls test, and the unpaired Student t test as appropriate. A value of p RESULTS: All the agents studied were effective umbilical vasodilators, excet for hydralazine, which had minimal effect. The dihydropyridine calcium antagonists were more potent vasodilators than were the other agents studied. Nifedipine was the most potent calcium blocker and was the only dihydropyridine that relaxed the umbilical vein to a greater extent than the umbilical artery. CONCLUSION: The most commonly used drugs in preeclampsia have variable effects on the umbilical vessels.
Explaining change in the natural rate of unemployment: A regional approach

Abstract This paper uses state unemployment rate data ranging from 1960 to 1996 to explore the regional dimension of changes in the natural rate of unemployment (NRU) that occurred in the U.S. over the last three decades. We find that neither the increase in the natural rate during the 1970s nor the subsequent decline in the natural rate afterward should be viewed as an aggregate phenomenon. Rather, changes in the natural rate were brought about by labor market phenomena confined to particular areas. The latter part of the paper presents estimation results from an econometric model used to identify the economic factors that distinguished states experiencing wide swings in unemployment from states that experienced greater stability in unemployment during the period.
Abstract 5585: Development and validation of the specificity of a novel azulene-based COX2 probe for cancer imaging.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC The overall objectives of this research are to (i) develop azulene-based PET probes and (ii) image COX2 as a potential biomarker of breast cancer. Several lines of research have demonstrated that COX2 is overexpressed in breast cancer and that its presence correlates with poor prognoses. While other studies have reported that COX2 inhibition can be modulated and used beneficially as a chemopreventive strategy in cancer, no viable mechanism for achieving that approach has yet been developed. This shortfall could be circumvented through in vivo imaging of COX2 activity, particularly using sensitive imaging techniques such as PET. Toward that goal, our laboratory focuses on the development of novel 18F-labled COX2 probes. We began the synthesis of the probes by transforming tropolone into a lactone, which was subjected to an [8+2] cycloaddition reaction to yield 2-methylazulene as the core ring of the probe. After exploring numerous synthetic routes, the final target molecule and precursor PET compounds were prepared successfully using convergent synthesis. Conventional 18F labeling methods caused precursor decomposition, which prompted us to hypothesize that the acidic protons of the methylene moiety between the azulene and thiazole rings were readily abstracted by a strong base such as potassium carbonate. Ultimately, this caused the precursors to disintegrate. This observation was supported after successfully using an 18F labeling strategy that employed a much milder phosphate buffer. The 18F-labeled COX2 probe was tested in a breast cancer preclinical mouse model. The data obtained via successive whole-body PET/CT scans indicated probe accumulation and retention in the tumor. Overall, the probe was stable in vivo and no defluorination was observed. A biodistribution study, using the PET probe and Western blot analysis corroborate with the imaging data. Taken together, these data demonstrate the potential for the use of this novel PET probe for imaging COX2 as a biomarker for the early detection and prediction of the progression of colorectal cancer. Currently, several probe optimization processes are presently being carried out in our laboratory, including the toxicity study and in vivo metabolite analysis. Detailed results of the biometric validation of the probe will be reported in a timely manner. In conclusion, this novel COX2 PET probe was shown to be a promising agent for cancer imaging and deserves further investigation. Citation Format: Wellington Pham, Donald D. Nolting, Dileep J.S. Kumar, John J. Mann, Mohammed N. Tantawy, Todd E. Peterson, Larry Marnett, John C. Gore. Development and validation of the specificity of a novel azulene-based COX2 probe for cancer imaging. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5585. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-5585
Feedback and sentence learning

The theoretical functions of external feedback in S-R and close-loop models of verbal learning are presented. Contradictory predictions from the models were tested with a 3 × 3 factorial experiment including three types of feedback and three amounts of rehearsal. Ninety adult Ss were tested individually and were required to learn 39 sentences verbatim. The results were: (a) Feedback facilitated learning when it followed wrong responses. (b) Feedback had no effect on learning following correct responses. (c) Feedback consisting of both the stimulus and the response was superior to no feedback, whereas feedback consisting of only the response did not differ from no feedback.
Radioassays of yttrium-90 used in nuclear medicine

Abstract Yttrium-90 radioassays are required in nuclear medicine at the gigabecquerel activity level (GBq) for measuring injected activity, and at the becquerel level for measuring individual tissue samples in biodistribution studies. A method of standardizing 90 Y for activity using high-efficiency liquid-scintillation counting is described. Solution standards were used to establish the calibration factors for commercial radionuclide calibrators. Detection efficiencies are also presented for liquid-scintillation counting, NaI(Tl) bremsstrahlung counting and Cerenkov counting.
Mechanism of Inhibition of Glycoside Hydrolases Investigated by Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Biofuels are a well-known alternative to the largely used fossil-derived fuels. One of the main challenges for the production of the second-generation biofuels, produced by enzymatic degradation of agricultural waste, is the inhibition of the glycoside hydrolases enzymes by non-suitable substrates or by their own product. Employing molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we investigated how two enzymes of the glycoside hydrolases family are affected by a non-suitable substrate (Man5B) or by their own product (CEL7A). Combined with previous experimental results, our simulations reveal that the reduction of Man5B enzymatic efficiency in the presence of a poor substrate (gluco-oligosaccharides) is associated with a loss of the enzyme's flexibility, the latter being required to bind new substrate, while the presence of a more suitable substrate (manno-oligosaccharides) does not pose this problem (1). MD simulations of the glycoside hydrolase enzyme CEL7A interacting with cellulose substrate of different lengths in position −1 to −7 offers a detailed view of its enzymatic mechanism and also on how the enzyme dynamics is affected by substrate. Employing steered molecular dynamics (SMD) we were able to analyze the difference in free-energy when a substrate is moving through CEL7A's catalytic tunnel under different conditions. All together our results are indicating that the inhibition of the CEL7A by its product is directly related to the cellobiose (enzymatic product) that was just cleaved and does not leave the exit pocket because of the already high concentration of cellobiose in solution.References:1. Bernardi, R.C., I. Cann, and K. Schulten. 2014. Molecular dynamics study of enhanced Man5B enzymatic activity. Biotechnol. Biofuels. 7: 1-8.
Control of aerosol dispersion and removal in a room using synthetic jet actuators

Abstract Synthetic jet actuators, a common actuator for flow control applications, were used to control particle dispersion in a closed chamber. The presented results demonstrate the application of this technique for controlling indoor air quality in confined spaces. This technique was demonstrated in a dedicated 0.23 m 3 closed chamber that included a simulated ventilation system. The flow field in the room was determined using particle image velocimetry (PIV). Arrays of synthetic jets located on either side of an aerosol inlet (intake) provided the flow control. The effectiveness of the synthetic jet-based flow control was demonstrated for controlling airflow and aerosol dispersion and removal in the closed chamber. The use of such devices in smart buildings is expected to improve indoor air quality while minimizing the energy burden on heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
Design and fabrication of non-superparamagnetic high moment magnetic nanoparticles for bioapplications

We present a new type of magnetic nanoparticles for bioapplications. Multilayered nanodisks consisting of two magnetic layers separated by a non-magnetic layer with two capping layers were designed and fabricated. Two key magnetic requirements for bioapplications, a high saturation magnetic moment and a near-zero remanence, were achieved through the magnetostatic interlayer coupling between two magnetic layers. Capping layers provide functionalization sites for biomolecule attachment. A pillar-template-based synthesis method was employed for fabrication. Nanodisks with a diameter of 70 nm and a thickness of 60 nm were produced in large quantity. The magnetic characterization shows that each nanodisk possesses a magnetic moment equivalent to 100 10-nm Co nanoparticles and a near-zero remanent moment.
Effects of aging on blood brain barrier and matrix metalloproteases following controlled cortical impact in mice

Abstract Aging alters the ability of the brain to respond to injury. One of the major differences between the adult and aged brain is that comparable injuries lead to greater blood brain barrier disruption in the aged brain. The goals of these studies were to quantify the effects of age on BBB permeability using high field strength MRI T1 mapping and to determine whether activation of matrix metalloproteases, their inhibitors, or expression of blood brain barrier structural proteins, occludin, zonnula occludins-1 (ZO-1) and claudin-5 were altered following injury to the aged C57/BL6 mouse brain. T1 mapping studies revealed greater blood brain barrier permeability in the aged (21–24 months old) brain than in the adult (4–6 months old) following controlled cortical impact. The increased blood brain barrier permeability in the pericontusional region was confirmed with IgG immunohistochemistry. MMP-9 activity was increased following controlled cortical impact in the aged brain, and this was accompanied by increased MMP-9 gene expression. MMP-2 activity was higher in the uninjured aged brain than in the adult brain. Occludin and ZO-1 mRNA levels were unchanged following injury in either age group, but claudin-5 mRNA levels were lower in the aged than the adult brain following injury. These results demonstrate quantitative increases in blood brain barrier permeability in the aged brain following injury that are accompanied by increased MMP-9 activation and decreased blood brain barrier repair responses.
Does son preference pay-off for the ailing and elderly in rural India?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to take a close look at factors that influence the choice and quality of healthcare received by ailing and elderly people in rural north India. The author is primarily interested in seeing what role is played by the presence of sons in the family, particularly co-residence with sons. In the absence of some broad-based social security arrangement in countries like India, older adults traditionally turn to living arrangement where the older adults are supported by their children or extended family. In a patriarchal society as India, such responsibility lies with the sons if one has son/s. Such dependence on sons explains preferential treatment towards younger sons as a justification for the care parents receive from sons in their advanced years. This culture of son preference behavior provides the context for this paper. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical model is based on testing three inter-related research questions. First, the author asks whether having gr...
Effect of Column Flow Rate and Sample Injection Mode on Compound-Independent Calibration Using Gas Chromatography with Atomic Emission Detection

Compound-independent calibration (CIC) is a theoretical concept in which a single compound is used to quantitate other compounds within a sample. Gas chromatography with atomic emission detection (...
A Differential Based Approach for Sense-Through-Foliage Target Detection Using UWB Radar Sensor Networks

In this paper, the foliage penetration measurement data is provided by Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). When radar echoes are in good quality, the detection of target can be achieved by applying our differential based technology on received single UWB radar waveform. We compared our approach in case of no target as well as with target against the scheme in which 2-D image was created via adding voltages with the appropriate time offset. Results show that our approach can work much better. When radar echoes are in poor condition and single radar is unable to carry out the detection, we employ both radar sensor networks (RSN) and RAKE structure to combine the echoes from different radar members and successfully detect the target.
Testing of Fine Asphalt Mixtures to Quantify Effectiveness of Asphalt Binder Replacement Using Recycled Shingles

Recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) can be used effectively in asphalt mixtures to replace part of the virgin asphalt binder or virgin aggregates in the mix. The influence of using RAS was studied on fine asphalt mixtures (FAM) prepared with fine aggregates (FM-20) and RAS percentages mixed with either PG 46-34 or PG 64-22 asphalt binder. The study's main objective was to develop alternative testing protocols to evaluate the influence of recycled materials on asphalt mixture performance. FAM specimens were prepared with two types of binder (PG 64-22 and PG 46-34) and at three levels of RAS (0.0%, 2.5%, and 7.1% RAS from two RAS sources). The testing program for the FAM specimens included complex shear modulus, shear strength, and fatigue (stress and strain control modes) using the Superpave® dynamic shear rheometer with modified testing features. Results from FAM specimens were shown to be consistent and sensitive to varying RAS percentages and sources. The complex modulus also changed significantly when anot...
Computed Tomography in the Management of Chest Infections: Current Status

The application of computed tomography has advanced our ability to diagnose and treat chest infections. Although conventional computed tomography has been shown to be useful in diagnosing pulmonary disease, new technological developments including high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and spiral (continuous imaging) computed tomography have resulted in earlier detection and more precise characterization of parenchymal lung infections and their complications. For the immunocompetent host, computed tomographic findings are helpful in the staging of disease, in differentiating infections from tumors, and in detecting complications. For the immunocompromised host, HRCT is useful in identifying subtle infiltrates earlier than other imaging methods can. Computed tomography is also useful in guiding transthoracic biopsy, aspiration, or drainage of chest infections or abscesses. In addition, computed tomographic findings can provide guidance for surgical biopsy, bronchoscopic biopsy, and bronchoalveolar lavage.
Formation of Tap/NXT1 Heterodimers Activates Tap-Dependent Nuclear mRNA Export by Enhancing Recruitment to Nuclear Pore Complexes

The Tap protein has been shown to activate the nuclear export of mRNA species bearing retroviral constitutive transport elements and is also believed to play an essential role in the sequence nonspecific export of cellular mRNAs. However, it has remained unclear how Tap activity is regulated in vivo. Here, we report that the small NXT1/p15-1 protein functions as a critical cofactor for Tap-mediated mRNA export in both human and invertebrate cells. In the absence of NXT1 binding, the Tap protein is unable to effectively interact with components of the nuclear pore complex and both Tap nucleocytoplasmic shuttling and the nuclear export of mRNA molecules tethered to Tap are therefore severely attenuated. Formation of a Tap/NXT1 heterodimer enhances nucleoporin binding both in vitro and in vivo and induces the formation of a Tap/NXT1/nucleoporin ternary complex that is likely to be a key intermediate in the process of nuclear mRNA export. The critical importance of NXT1 for the nuclear export of poly(A)+ RNA is emphasized by the finding that specific inhibition of the expression of the Drosophila homolog of human NXT1, by using RNA interference, results in the nuclear accumulation of poly(A)+ RNA in cultured insect cells. These data suggest that NXT1 may act as a molecular switch that regulates the ability of Tap to mediate nuclear mRNA export by controlling the interaction of Tap with components of the nuclear pore.
Neurobehavioral alterations in HIV-1 transgenic rats: Evidence for dopaminergic dysfunction

Abstract Clinical studies have provided evidence that the progression of HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) involves alterations in dopamine (DA) systems. Drugs of abuse that act on the brain DA system, such as cocaine (Coc), may exacerbate HIV-1 infection and consequent behavioral and neurological manifestations. In the present study, we used the HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) rat, which constitutively expresses 7 of the 9 HIV-1 genes, to assess potential DA system alterations in three behavioral assays: prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the auditory startle response (ASR), novelty and habituation/retention, and sensitization to Coc across repeated administration. Adult female Sprague–Dawley rats were tested in each experiment. The HIV-1 Tg animals were hyperreactive to auditory startle stimuli and displayed a leftward shift in the temporal window for maximal PPI, suggesting an alteration in sensorimotor gating. All animals displayed an initial robust locomotor response to a novel environment which dissipated with repeated testing; however, the HIV-1 Tg rats, relative to controls, consistently showed a weaker novelty response across monthly-spaced assessments. The HIV-1 Tg animals also showed decreased intrasession habituation of motor activity across 3-day periods that emerged across monthly-spaced locomotor activity sessions; a pattern consistent with impaired long-term episodic memory. Furthermore, the HIV-1 Tg group displayed differential cocaine-induced sensitization, observed both in initiation across the 10-day cocaine treatment, and in expression following a cocaine rechallenge after a 7-day abstinence. Collectively, the present data implicate that the non-infectious HIV-1 Tg rat, which resembles the complete suppression of infection in HIV-1 positive individuals under CART, displays sustained, if not permanent, alterations in the brain DA system.
Psychological defences and menstrual distress

Two studies considered the possible role of psychological defences and defensive awareness in the distress reported by women during the menstrual (flow) period and during the week before menstruation. Unconscious rationalization was associated with the least distress at both times among college women. The same defensive pattern also was found to be related to less menstrual and premenstrual distress among women reporting the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. None of the other three defences studied (projection, repression, and denial) was associated with menstrual or premenstrual distress. The adaptive role of rationalization was explained in terms of coping by confrontation rather than evasion when the sources of stress tend to be inevitable.
Religious Faith and Prometheus

Recent philosophy of religion, particularly neo-Wittgensteinian philosophy of religion, has reminded philosophers that there is more to religion than belief and, indeed, that there is more to religious belief than mere belief. D. Z. Phillips is among those who have made a contribution here. He has emphasized how religious belief is very different from the kind of belief that amounts to holding a hypothesis, even a God-hypothesis. However, perhaps because of his non-cognitivist tendencies, Phillips, unlike Kierkegaard to whom he often appeals, has failed to bring into relief another quintessential fact about belief in God, namely that it is for the believer an entered relationship with God. We do well to appreciate that belief in God is not identical with making a truth claim. But if the essential core of religious belief is construed as an attitudinal or affective response, as non-cognitivists tend to construe it, an important conceptual dimension of religious faith will all but be overlooked, as, paradoxically it seems it has been by the philosophical approach that strives to describe the religious ‘form of life’ in its own terms. In what follows I shall endeavour to bring into relief what I take to be an essential dimension of religious belief, one which presupposes that religious belief is an entered relationship for the believer. This I shall do by pursuing a contrast which, I think, at once clarifies and makes undeniable religious belief's essential nature as a relationship to God.
Bayesian inversion for finite fault earthquake source models I—theory and algorithm

The estimation of finite fault earthquake source models is an inherently underdetermined problem: there is no unique solution to the inverse problem of determining the rupture history at depth as a function of time and space when our data are limited to observations at the Earth’s surface. Bayesian methods allow us to determine the set of all plausible source model parameters that are consistent with the observations, our a priori assumptions about the physics of the earthquake source and wave propagation, and models for the observation errors and the errors due to the limitations in our forward model. Because our inversion approach does not require inverting any matrices other than covariance matrices, we can restrict our ensemble of solutions to only those models that are physically defensible while avoiding the need to restrict our class of models based on considerations of numerical invertibility. We only use prior information that is consistent with the physics of the problem rather than some artefice (such as smoothing) needed to produce a unique optimal model estimate. Bayesian inference can also be used to estimate model-dependent and internally consistent effective errors due to shortcomings in the forward model or data interpretation, such as poor Green’s functions or extraneous signals recorded by our instruments. Until recently, Bayesian techniques have been of limited utility for earthquake source inversions because they are computationally intractable for problems with as many free parameters as typically used in kinematic finite fault models. Our algorithm, called cascading adaptive transitional metropolis in parallel (CATMIP), allows sampling of high-dimensional problems in a parallel computing framework. CATMIP combines the Metropolis algorithm with elements of simulated annealing and genetic algorithms to dynamically optimize the algorithm’s efficiency as it runs. The algorithm is a generic Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampler; it works independently of the model design, a priori constraints and data under consideration, and so can be used for a wide variety of scientific problems. We compare CATMIP’s efficiency relative to several existing sampling algorithms and then present synthetic performance tests of finite fault earthquake rupture models computed using CATMIP.
Access, Self-Image, and Empowerment: Computer Training for Women Entrepreneurs in Costa Rica

This article highlights a case study of a non-governmental organization in Costa Rica that initiated a pilot program in 2002 to expand information and communication tech nology to 100 women nationwide through a free computer class. This program was de veloped in order to increase women's access to and control over technology. It is important to analyze the success of this and other programs from the perspective of the participants and to understand how such programs change behaviors in the public and private sphere, on the micro and macro levels. The article specifically assesses how and in what ways this program altered job experiences for the women participants, modified their role within the family, reformulated the individual's perspective of self, and empowered the students. The data was collected over several months offieldwork and includes over 20 in-depth, semi-structured interviews and two focus groups with 33 respondents. Quali tative methods are used to analyze the individual experiences of the...
The Factor Structure of Schizotypal Symptoms in a Clinical Population

There is some support for the hypothesis that the factor structure of schizophrenia symptoms is similar to the factor structure of schizotypal symptoms in nonschizophrenia populations. However, no studies to date have examined schizotypal symptoms in patients with personality disorders. In this study, confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test the relative fit of several models of the factorial structure of schizotypal symptoms in patients diagnosed with personality disorders. The EQS: Structural Equations Program was used to analyze DSM-III symptoms of schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) based on structured clinical interviews with 213 patients meeting a diagnosis for at least one personality disorder. A subgroup of the total sample was also evaluated for DSM-III-R criteria (« = 143) to test competing models of the DSM-III-R symptoms of SPD. A three-factor model consisting of a cognitive-perceptual, interpersonal, and paranoid factor yielded the best fit to the data relative to the other models tested. These results suggest that the three-factor model of schizophrenia symptoms may not entirely correspond to the factors underlying milder schizotypal symptoms expressed in a clinical population. It is suggested that future research focus on both the similarities and the differences between SPD and schizophrenia.
Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation on the Threshold of a Solution From Paradoxes to Unifying Concepts

“ More than once in history the discovery of paradox has been the occasion for major reconstruction at the foundations of thought .” — W.V. Quine, The Ways One thing is certain: Ischemic mitral regurgitation (MR) conveys adverse prognosis, doubling mortality after myocardial infarction (MI), in chronic heart failure, and after surgical or catheter revascularization.1–9 It is common and increases mortality even when mild,3–5 with a graded relationship between severity and reduced survival (Figure 1A).5 Figure 1. A, Decreased survival after MI with increasing MR. Effective regurgitant orifice (ERO) area of 20 mm2 demarcates mild from moderate. Reprinted with permission from Grigioni et al.5 Copyright 2001, American Heart Association, Inc. B, Decreased survival after cardiogenic shock with increasing MR for comparable LV ejection fraction (LVEF). Reprinted with permission from Picard et al.8 Copyright 2003, American Heart Association, Inc. In many other respects, however, ischemic MR has been a study in controversy and paradox. Its diagnosis is notoriously elusive, both by auscultation and intraoperatively. It may paradoxically decrease as driving pressure increases. Still commonly referred to as “papillary muscle dysfunction,” it cannot generally be produced by direct papillary muscle damage and may actually decrease with papillary muscle ischemia. Although leaflet motion is typically restricted, it may also be excessive, or both. Treatment benefit is hotly debated and will be difficult to resolve so long as existing therapies are incompletely effective in permanently abolishing MR. New therapeutic opportunities are perplexing in their diversity. By exploring such areas of confusion, we aim to clarify fundamental principles and achieve more effective solutions. Ischemic MR is convenient shorthand for MR caused by changes in ventricular structure and function related ultimately to ischemia; it is predominantly postinfarction MR. Active ischemia can contribute, for example, creating intermittent “flash” pulmonary edema, …
Surgical Management of Urolithiasis in Spinal Cord Injury Patients

Urolithiasis is a common condition in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Surgical management of stones in this population is more challenging and associated with lower clearance rates than the general population. The rate of complications – specifically infectious complications – is also high due to the chronic bacterial colonization. Shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) has a low clearance rate of 44–73 %. Percutaneous nephrolithotripsy is indicated for larger nephrolithiasis, but multiple procedures may be required to clear the stones. Ureteroscopy has been associated with low success rates because of difficulty in obtaining ureteral access. Historically, bladder stones were managed with open surgery or SWL. Recently, good results have been reported with the combination of endoscopic and laparoscopic techniques. Surgical management of urolithiasis in patients with SCI should be performed in high-volume centers in light of the technical challenges and higher rate of perioperative complications.
Fixed three-dimensional holographic images.

Three-dimensional holograms were recorded in a cerium-doped, strontium barium niobate (SBN:75) photorefractive crystal. These holograms are shown to not degrade after more than one week of continuous readout and to reconstruct reproductions of the original object with an observable field of view of approximately 35°.
Updates to Simulation of a Single-Element Lean-Direct Injection Combustor Using a Polyhedral Mesh Derived from Hanging-Node Elements

This paper summarizes the procedures of inserting a thin-layer mesh to existing inviscid polyhedral mesh either with or without hanging-node elements as well as presents sample results from its applications to the numerical solution of a single-element LDI combustor using a releasable edition of the National Combustion Code (NCC).
An analysis of two models of switching kinetics in thin-films

Abstract This paper examines two models proposed by Ishibashi and Fatuzzo in an attempt to relate the switching kinetics they predict. It was found that there does not exist a simple relation between the three adjustible parameters found in each model.
Comparison of the Effectiveness of Exposure to Low-LET Helium Particles (4He) and Gamma Rays (137Cs) on the Disruption of Cognitive Performance

In this study, the effects of radiation exposure on cognitive performance were evaluated. Rats were exposed to either helium (4He) particles (1,000 MeV/n; 0.1–10 cGy; head only) or cesium 137Cs gamma rays (50–400 cGy; whole body), after which their cognitive performance was evaluated. The results indicated that exposure to doses of 4He particles as low as 0.1 cGy disrupted performance in a variety of cognitive tasks, including plus-maze performance (baseline anxiety), novel location recognition (spatial performance) and operant responding on an ascending fixed-ratio reinforcement schedule (motivation and responsiveness to changes in environmental contingencies) but not on novel object recognition performance (learning and memory). In contrast, after exposure to 137Cs gamma rays only plus-maze performance was affected. There were no significant effects on any other task. Because exposure to both types of radiation produce oxidative stress, these results indicate that radiation-produced oxidative stress may...
Numerical Simulation of Particle Motion in Viscoelastic Fluids

A numerical method for computing motions of large numbers of particles (particle mover) in flows of solid-liquid (viscoelastic) mixtures was developed. In the method the fully coupled motions of liquid and solid are solved using a finite element technique, and solid particles move under the action of the hydrodynamic forces and moments exerted by the suspending fluid. The developed package is able to simulate the motion of particles in several popular models of non-Newtonian viscoelastic fluids.
A Two-step Approach to Sentence Compression of Spoken Utterances

This paper presents a two-step approach to compress spontaneous spoken utterances. In the first step, we use a sequence labeling method to determine if a word in the utterance can be removed, and generate n-best compressed sentences. In the second step, we use a discriminative training approach to capture sentence level global information from the candidates and rerank them. For evaluation, we compare our system output with multiple human references. Our results show that the new features we introduced in the first compression step improve performance upon the previous work on the same data set, and reranking is able to yield additional gain, especially when training is performed to take into account multiple references.
Advanced Preconditioning Strategies for Chemically Reacting Flows

A new preconditioning method is proposed for numerical modeling of reacting o ws using dual-time stepping. The proposed method provides a preconditioner based on the local measure of time-scale of the reactive species. Within the dual-time stepping formulation, the proposed reactive preconditioner seems to optimally predict the evolution of a sti reactive system. Results obtained from a constant volume methane-air combustion using a sti, 12 step 16 species chemical mechanism indicate excellent agreement with the DVODE solver. Moreover, current formulation seems to be approximately 50% faster than the widely used DVODE solver. Numerical modeling of reacting o ws involves the simulation of the Navier-Stokes (N-S) equations. The NS equations are non-linear partial dieren tial equations that couple processes with widely varying time-scales, such as the uid-dynamic and chemical kinetic time-scales. The uid-dynamic time scales are associated with the the convective velocity, acoustic speed and diusion rates, while the chemical kinetic time-scales are characterized by the rates of the various elemental reactions. Hence, the range of the time scales associated with each of the above processes may easily vary by a decade depending on the o w. This disparity among the characteristic time scales gives rise to the classical problem of \stiness" in numerical simulation of the reactive o ws. Accurate and ecien t numerical simulation of sti systems still remain a challenge for many engineering problems. In the case of non-reacting o w-elds, the stiness arises either at low Mach numbers (Ma), due to the disparity between convective/acoustic time scales, or at low Reynolds numbers (Re), due to the disparity between convective/diusiv e time scales. Numerical computations of these sti non-linear problems would require the use of explicit or implicit methods. While explict methods are relatively easier to implement, they frequently require extremely small time-steps to maintain stability and temporal accuracy, especially in the presence of strong non-linearities like shocks and ames. On the other hand implicit schemes allow larger time-steps while still maintainig sucien t stability and temporal accuracy. Hence, implicit formulations are favored over explicit schemes in problems involving strong non-linearities. Implicit methods typically require iterative procedures. The most commonly used iterative procedure is the Newton method. Newton methods are obtained from a multivariate Taylor expansion of the function, F(u), about the initial iterate/solution. In general, we seek solutions for a nonlinear equation of the form, F (u) = 0. Expanding about the initial iterate, u k and neglecting higher order terms yield: F (u k+1 ) = F (u k ) + F 0 (u k )(u k+1 u k ) = 0
Development and Survival of Immature Citrus Blackfly (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) on Twenty-three Plant Species

We determined survival and degree-days required for development of immature citrus blackfly, Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby, on 23 plant species. Only 7 plant species were theoretically capable of long-term support of a population of the insect, but only 5 Citrus spp., Clausena lansium (Laur.) Skeels (Wampi), Ardisia solanacea Roxb. (Ardesia), Dispyros dygyna Jacq. (black sapote) and Eugenia uniflora L. (Surinam-cherry) did so in screenroom tests. The number of degree-days required for development did not vary significantly among the plant species tested and there was no significant correlation between this and percent survival. Four plant species — Citrus spp., Mangifera indica L. (Mango), Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (Brazilian-pepper) and Surinam-cherry — constituted 97% of all host plants surveyed in Broward County, Florida. Population numbers of the citrus blackfly are influenced mostly by Citrus spp., while non-citrus hosts are important as refuges and in aiding dispersal.