cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A fault tolerance analysis of a neocognitron model serving for network hardware implementation

The authors use empirical statistical methods to obtain preliminary knowledge about the fault tolerant capabilities of a small-scale forward connected neocognitron. The research was performed in order to develop an analytical basis for neural network hardware implementation. Several new fault models are assumed: connection weights stuck at zero or random values; and element output values or connection weight values fluctuating within a certain range about the correct values. Based on these fault models, test shells were simulated to study the neocognitron fault tolerant ability during its learning phase and post-learning phase performance. The result of this study shows that the neocognitron will, to a certain extent, tolerate faults in its post-learning performance phase and ignore the faults in its learning phase. Suggestions for hardware design of the neocognitron from a fault tolerant point of view are provided. >
Do HMOs reduce health care costs? A multivariate analysis of two Medicare HMO demonstration projects.

Abstract Charge data from two Medicare HMO demonstration projects were analyzed to determine if prepaid plans achieved cost savings for enrolled beneficiaries. Fallon Community Health Plan of Massachusetts did not reduce total charges significantly for survivors in their first year postenrollment. However, the plan enjoyed reductions in total charges per month after the first year of nearly 38 percent (41 percent for Part A; 31 percent for Part B). Savings for decedents were more modest, reducing total charges per month by around 27 percent (19 percent, Part A; 68 percent, Part B). Greater Marshfield Community Health Plan of Wisconsin was not successful in controlling charges during the demonstration period. Marshfield incurred losses in the first postenrollment year for survivors due to a 38 percent increase in total charges per month (18 percent, Part A; 73 percent, Part B). In the second year postenrollment, the Marshfield plan was able to reduce losses for survivors to roughly 11 percent (-6 percent, Part A; 44 percent, Part B). For decedents, Marshfield experienced an increase in total charges per month of approximately 21 percent relative to fee-for-service comparisons, with Part B charges again much higher than those of the comparison group (47 percent).
The performance and PowerPC Platform specification implementation of the MPC106 chipset

The MPC106 provides a PowerPC Platform specification compliant bridge between the family of PowerPC Microprocessors and the PCI bus. The MPC106's PCI support will allow system designers to rapidly design systems using peripherals already designed for PCI and the other standard interfaces available in the personal computer hardware environment. The MPC106 also integrates secondary cache control and a high-performance memory controller which supports various types of DRAM and ROM. The MPC106 is the second of a family of Motorola products that provide system level support for industry standard interfaces to be used with PowerPC microprocessors. This paper describes the MPC106, its performance, and its implementation of the PowerPC Platform specification. The PowerPC Platform specification is formally known as the Common Hardware Reference Platform or CHRP.
Performance analysis of hybrid estimation algorithms

In this paper, we analyze the performance of estimation algorithms for discrete-time stochastic linear hybrid systems. The problem of being able to estimate both the discrete and continuous states of a hybrid system given only the continuous output sequence is a difficult one, and while algorithms exist for this purpose, little has been proved on the limitations of these algorithms, or even the dependence of their performance on system parameters. We find necessary conditions to guarantee the convergence of these hybrid estimation algorithms. We also derive expressions to determine bounds on the discrete mode detection delay. These conditions also provide a method to predict a priori which transitions in a hybrid system are relatively easy to detect, as a function of the system parameters. Finally, we validate our conditions and predictions using first a simple yet illustrative 1D example, and then a more complex aircraft tracking example.
Progress with BA in engineering (ELITE) at the University of Arizona

Summary form only given as follows. At the University of Arizona, we are offering a new program that allows talented students to combine engineering as well as liberal arts, leading to a Bachelor of Arts in Engineering (ELITE). A student in this program is required to choose a focus area within engineering and a complementary area in any one of the different colleges at Arizona. It is important to recognize that the complementary area must be thematically related to the student's engineering focus. This helps the student integrate multiple disciplines, and come to grips with alternative viewpoints. It is clear that each student follows a customized plan of study that best reflects his/her interests. One of the challenges in implementing the ELITE program is the need for students to form cohorts. In more traditional programs, students follow essentially similar plans of study, taking the same set of core disciplinary courses. In a multi-disciplinary program like ELITE, it is difficult to form such cohorts. However, we do require all students to participate in an innovative seminar series in which various nontraditional applications of engineering are discussed. Some of the seminars that have been offered include "Ancient Engineering", "Engineering in the Entertainment Industry" and "Music and Technology" etc. These seminars not only bring provide the student a broad exposure to the applications of engineering, but also help create a sense of attachment with the program. In our presentation, we cover the design and delivery of some of the seminars that have already been offered as part of the ELITE program.
Evaporation from the ocular surface

Evaporation from the ocular surface is dramatically reduced by the lipid layer which covers it. With this layer intact, evaporation represents a small loss of water for which the lacrimal gland easily compensates. When tear production is compromised evaporation becomes important, especially since evaporation in almost all ocular surface disease states and any surface perturbation, including contact lens wear, increases evaporation significantly. How the barrier function of the lipid layer accomplishes this reduction in evaporation is not understood and is probably quite complex as is the structure of the lipid layer. Improving this barrier function remains an important and elusive goal.
Responses in the First or Second Somatosensory Cortical Area in Cats during Transient Inactivation of the Other Ipsilateral Area with Lidocaine Hydrochloride

Simultaneous recordings were obtained from the primary and secondary somatosensory cortical areas (SI and SII) in cats anesthetized with ketamine or pentobarbital. A total of 40 individual neurons were studied (29 in SII and 11 in SI) before, during, and following injections of microliter quantities of lidocaine hydrochloride in the other ipsilateral cortical area. Activity in the cortex injected with the local anesthetic was monitored with single-neuron, multi-neuron, or evoked potential responses to determine the time course of inactivation within 0.5-2 mm of the injection sites. Recording sites in both cortical locations were in the representations of the distal forelimb. Responses were elicited by transcutaneous electrical stimulation across the receptive fields with needle electrodes. Short-latency responses were synchronously activated, and, in those circumstances where single neurons were isolated in both areas, no overall differences in latency were noted. Anesthetization of either cortical area never blocked access of somatosensory information to the intact area, even when the injected cortex was completely silenced in the vicinity of the injection mass. In 15 SII neurons and 7 SI neurons, changes were seen in short-latency evoked responses to stimulation of their receptive fields or in background activity following local anesthesia of the other area through several cycles of injection and recovery. In 7 of these 15 SII cells, changes were noted in the timing and/or firing rates of the short-latency responses; changes were noted in the short-latency responses of 2 of these 7 SI cells while SII was silenced. In 11 SII and 6 SI cells, "background" activity that was recorded during the interstimulus intervals either increased (most cases) or decreased during local anesthesia of the other area. The results are discussed in reference to the hypothesis that primary sensory cortical areas feed information forward to secondary areas, and these feed back modulatory controls to the primary regions.
Case report: fatal pulmonary toxoplasmosis following chemotherapy.

ABSTRACT A 41-year-old woman with acute myelomonocytic leukemia in remission died of a rapidly progressive necrotizing pneumonia while in the recovery phase following consolidation chemotherapy. Autopsy revealed disseminated toxoplasmosis. Although this syndrome has been well described to present as a neurologic complication in certain immunocompromised patients, it is rare in acute leukemia, and nonneurologic presentations are even more unusual. This case emphasizes the need to be suspicious of toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised patients even in the absence of neurologic signs or symptoms.
The advantages of contingent valuation methods for benefit-cost analysis

The preceding is a taxonomic discussion of some reasons why contingent market methods may often be a superior means of generating data with which to value non-market commodities. We have argued that economists have erred in viewing the situations these methods posit as necessarily fictional; that the data generated by the methods may, for non-marketed goods and the activities with which they are associated, accord more closely with the conditions of received economic theory; that the methods can make it easier to remove the difficulties of estimation and interpretation introduced by confounding variables; and that they often permit one to deal more readily with phenomena that have not been in the range of historical experience. Nevertheless, whatever the advantages, a major disadvantage remains. Until detailed analytical knowledge is acquired of the manner in which expectations are formed, there exists no way to refute empirical propositions established from contingent markets. Nevertheless, the previously mentioned South Coast Air Basin experiment, where the bids obtained for clean air conformed fairly closely to the values implied in a residential property value study, suggest that contingent valuations have a basis in the real decision processes of consumers.
On the Nature of Interactions Leading to Radiation-induced Chromosomal Exchange

SummaryWithin the conceptual framework of so-called lesion-interaction models, chromosomal interchanges are believed to result from radiation damage to both chromosomes involved. More recently, models of radiation action have been proposed which suggest such exchanges arise from initial damage to only one chromosome, which then associates with an undamaged chromosome. The specific case of ‘lesion—nonlesion’ chromosomal interaction via telomere-break rejoining was examined through the use of a telomere-specific DNA probe. No evidence was found to support dicentric formation by this mechanism in normal human fibroblasts. To test the more general case (i.e. lesion—nonlesion interaction by some other mechanism) mitotic HeLa cells were fused together to determine whether exchanges would occur between the chromosomes of previously separate genomes, as seen in resulting cell syncytia at the next mitosis. The fusion of irradiated cells (with each other) produced a high frequency of such intergenomic exchanges. Ho...
Factor structure of the Treatment Evaluation Inventory: Implications for measurement of treatment acceptability

The Treatment Evaluation Inventory (TEI), a frequently used measure of treatment acceptability, was used by 164 undergraduates to rate the acceptability of each of the following treatments: differential reinforcement of other behavior, exclusionary time-out, overcorrection, medical restraint, contingent electric shock, and physical restraint. TEI ratings of each treatment type were grouped separately, variance-covariance matrices were formed and compared, and data were subjected to factor analysis. The results indicated that the factor structure of the TEI varied with the treatment it was used to evaluate. Item analysis of the TEI indicated a high degree of internal consistency, although item-total correlations varied between rated treatments. The findings suggest that although the TEI is a reliable instrument, sensitive assessment of the treatment acceptability construct probably requires multidimensional measurement.
Behavioral and neurochemical interactions of dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate in rats

The effects of dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate on locomotor activity and brain levels of norepinephrine and dopamine were compared in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Both drugs produced a dose-related increase in locomotor activity during the hour immediately following intraperitoneal administration. However, combined administration of drugs elicited only the effect of dextroamphetamine. Brain levels of norepinephrine and dopamine also increased 1 hr after dextroamphetamine dosing. Methylphenidate did not exhibit these effects and antagonized the neurochemical changes produced by dextroamphetamine. Although both drugs are considered to exert their effects by indirect activation of brain catecholamine systems, differences in their mechanism of action appear to result in a lack of additive or antagonistic effects when dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate are coadministered. These findings may have clinical significance with respect to the use of such agents in minimal brain dysfunction.
Cytoplasmic DNA-binding proteins.

Abstract Cytoplasmic DNA-binding proteins were isolated from Chinese hamster liver, kidney and tissue culture cells by DNA-polyacrylamide chromatography. With homologous Chinese hamster DNA, and with calf thymus DNA, 1.4% of the proteins were bound to the column. With single-stranded DNA and with heterologous Micrococcus lysodeikticus DNA there was only 0.3% binding, suggesting the proteins preferentially bind to double-stranded DNA and show some sequence specificity. By a nitrocellulose filter assay the bound proteins had at least a 4- to 7-fold greater affinity for DNA than bulk cytoplasmic protein. SDS gel electrophoresis showed that specific proteins were being markedly concentrated by the column and it was primarily the high molecular weight proteins of 65 000 D and over which showed sequence specificity. Some proteins appeared in common with different organs, others were unique. These studies thus define a group of high molecular weight, cytoplasmic proteins which bind to native DNA with a degree of sequence specificity. Their possible relationship to gene regulation is discussed.
Adoption of hypofractionated whole-breast irradiation for early-stage breast cancer: a National Cancer Data Base analysis.

Purpose To evaluate the relationship of patient, hospital, and cancer characteristics with the adoption of hypofractionation in a national sample of patients diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. Methods and Materials We performed a retrospective study of breast cancer patients in the National Cancer Data Base from 2004-2011 who were treated with radiation therapy and met eligibility criteria for hypofractionation. We used logistic regression to identify factors associated with receipt of hypofractionation (vs conventional fractionation). Results We identified 13,271 women (11.7%) and 99,996 women (88.3%) with early-stage breast cancer who were treated with hypofractionation and conventional fractionation, respectively. The use of hypofractionation increased significantly, with 5.4% of patients receiving it in 2004 compared with 22.8% in 2011 ( P P P P P P Conclusions The use of hypofractionation is rising and is associated with increased travel distance and treatment at an academic center. Further adoption of hypofractionation may be tempered by both clinical and nonclinical concerns.
Lensless diffractive imaging using tabletop, coherent, high harmonic soft x-ray beams

We present the first experimental demonstration of lensless diffractive imaging using coherent soft x rays generated by a tabletop soft-x-ray source. A 29 nm high harmonic beam illuminates an object, and the subsequent diffraction is collected on an x-ray CCD camera. High dynamic range diffraction patterns are obtained by taking multiple exposures while blocking small-angle diffraction using beam blocks of varying size. These patterns reconstruct to images with 214 nm resolution. This work demonstrates a practical tabletop lensless microscope that promises to find applications in materials science, nanoscience, and biology.
Label-Free Spectroscopic Identification of Fetal Nucleated Red Blood Cells from Maternal Blood

We present a spectroscopic microscopy system for measuring transmission and reflectance from erythrocytes. Spectroscopic markers are used to distinguish between fetal and adult cells for the application of genetic screening from maternal blood.
Membranes, higher Hopf maps, and phase interactions

Abstract By coupling an antisymmetric three-indexed gauge potential to a thick or solitonic membrane appearing in an SO(5) nonlinear σ model, we find that the physics describes the second Hopf map S 7 →S 4 . The resulting phase interaction between membranes provides an integral representation of the topological invariant. Using quarternionic fields, we can write the Hopf term in a local form. Remarkably, the three-indexed abelian gauge potential may be identified with the Chern-Simons form of an SU(2) gauge potential constructed out of the quanternion fields.
Electrochemical coagulation for textile effluent decolorization.

Abstract The three most commonly used dyestuffs in textile industry are reactive, acid, and dispersed dyes. One dye from each group, C.I. Reactive Blue-19, C.I. Acid Red-266, and C.I. Disperse Yellow-218 was chosen to study the feasibility of coagulation for color removal. The dyes used in these experiments were chosen to represent the two major structural features: anthraquinone and azo dyes. Reactive Blue is an anthraquinone-based dye, and Acid Red and Disperse Yellow represent azo-based dyes. As there is no standard method to measure the color intensity, a Hach spectrophotometer was used to measure the absorbance before and after the dye solution was treated. Removal efficiencies on these dyes were obtained by measuring absorbance of a sample at 592 nm for Reactive Blue, 498 nm for Acid Red, and 428 nm for Disperse Yellow. Aluminum and ferric coagulants were produced in a parallel-plate electrochemical reactor by anodic dissolution. Removal efficiencies of more than 98%, in terms of absorbance, were observed in laboratory conditions. Removal was found highly dependent upon NaCl concentration, applied voltage, current density, and pH. The NaCl in the solution effectively reduced the power consumption and promoted the coagulant generation by depasivating the Al–water and Fe–water electrochemical systems. The processes were determined to be highly NaCl dependent. A mechanism was proposed for the corresponding liquid phase chemistry.
Catheter-based ultrasound hyperthermia with HDR brachytherapy for treatment of locally advanced cancer of the prostate and cervix

A clinical treatment delivery platform has been developed and is being evaluated in a clinical pilot study for providing 3D controlled hyperthermia with catheter-based ultrasound applicators in conjunction with high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy. Catheter-based ultrasound applicators are capable of 3D spatial control of heating in both angle and length of the devices, with enhanced radial penetration of heating compared to other hyperthermia technologies. Interstitial and endocavity ultrasound devices have been developed specifically for applying hyperthermia within HDR brachytherapy implants during radiation therapy in the treatment of cervix and prostate. A pilot study of the combination of catheter based ultrasound with HDR brachytherapy for locally advanced prostate and cervical cancer has been initiated, and preliminary results of the performance and heating distributions are reported herein. The treatment delivery platform consists of a 32 channel RF amplifier and a 48 channel thermocouple monitoring system. Controlling software can monitor and regulate frequency and power to each transducer section as required during the procedure. Interstitial applicators consist of multiple transducer sections of 2-4 cm length × 180 deg and 3-4 cm × 360 deg. heating patterns to be inserted in specific placed 13g implant catheters. The endocavity device, designed to be inserted within a 6 mm OD plastic tandem catheter within the cervix, consists of 2-3 transducers × dual 180 or 360 deg sectors. 3D temperature based treatment planning and optimization is dovetailed to the HDR optimization based planning to best configure and position the applicators within the catheters, and to determine optimal base power levels to each transducer section. To date we have treated eight cervix implants and six prostate implants. 100 % of treatments achieved a goal of >60 min duration, with therapeutic temperatures achieved in all cases. Thermal dosimetry within the hyperthermia target volume (HTV) and clinical target volume (CTV) are reported. Catheter-based ultrasound hyperthermia with HDR appears feasible with therapeutic temperature coverage of the target volume within the prostate or cervix while sparing surrounding more sensitive regions.
VARIATIONS IN CO2 REQUIREMENTS AMONG BOVINE STRAINS OF BACILLUS ABORTUS

Strains of Bacillus abortus freshly isolated vary in their CO2 requirements. The origin and sources of the strains growing with less dependence on CO2 (or sealing) may be in vaccinal strains or possibly in continued existence in the udder. The importance of these possibilities makes it desirable that all strains isolated should be subjected to some such test as is outlined in these pages.
Nucleation and growth of oxide islands during the initial-stage oxidation of (100)Cu-Pt alloys

The initial-stage oxidation of (100) Cu-Pt alloys has been examined by in situ environmental transmission electron microscopy and ex situ atomic force microscopy (AFM). It is shown that the oxidation proceeds via the nucleation and growth of Cu2O islands that show dependence on the alloy composition and oxidation temperature. The kinetic measurements on the oxide nucleation reveal that both the nucleation density and surface coverage of Cu2O islands can be promoted by alloying more Pt in the Cu-Pt alloys. Increasing the oxidation temperature above 700 °C results in the growth of large Cu2O islands that transits to a dendritic growth morphology. The ex situ AFM studies reveal that the nucleation of oxide islands can occur on surface terraces and the subsequent oxide growth depletes local terrace Cu atoms that results in the formation of surface pits.
Characterization of three-dimensional dynamics of piezo-stack actuators

Abstract This paper presents a methodology for the characterization of dynamic behavior of piezoelectric-stack actuators. Piezo-stack actuators are used in many fields to obtain high-accuracy displacements and vibrations, commonly in multiple dimensions. However, obtaining accurate motions from piezo-stack actuators require thorough characterization of their non-linear dynamic response characteristics in three dimensions. In this work, a laser Doppler vibrometer-based precision characterization system is created to measure the three-dimensional dynamic motions of the piezo-stack actuators within a wide frequency range. A measurement reference frame is obtained by arranging three laser beams in a mutually orthogonal configuration. A set of stepped-sine tests are conducted at different levels of excitation amplitudes by individually exciting each of the stacks (of a multi-stack piezo actuator) and measuring the three-dimensional response in the measurement reference frame. The resulting dynamic response is decomposed into its components that occur at harmonics and non-harmonics of the excitation frequency. A power analysis is then conducted to determine the amount of contribution of each response component (harmonic or non-harmonic) in the overall response. The response behavior is then represented using a new approach constructed by extending the conventional frequency response function (FRF) description to higher-harmonic and non-harmonic components. The application of the approach is demonstrated by testing two three-axis piezo-stack actuators.
Thymocyte resistance to glucocorticoids leads to antigen-specific unresponsiveness due to "holes" in the T cell repertoire.

Abstract We have proposed that glucocorticoids antagonize TCR-mediated activation and influence which TCR avidities result in positive or negative selection. We now analyze the immune response of mice whose thymocytes express antisense transcripts to the glucocorticoid receptor (TKO mice). TKO mice responded normally to the complex antigen PPD but were proliferative nonresponders to pigeon cytochrome c 81-104 (PCC), having a large decrease in the frequency of PCC-responsive CD4 + T cells. Unlike wild-type T cells, few TKO T cells in PCC-specific cell lines expressed Vα11 + Vβ3 + . Furthermore, for naive CD4 + T cells from unimmunized TKO mice, the frequencies of many of the molecular features common to the CDR3 regions of PCC-responsive Vα11 + Vβ3 + cells were substantially decreased. Thus, thymocyte glucocorticoid hyporesponsiveness resulted in loss of cells capable of responding to PCC, corresponding to an antigen-specific "hole" in the T cell repertoire.
Band-bending model for the ideal Bi/InP(110) interface.

High-resolution synchrotron-radiation photoemission has been used to study the band bending and electronic structure at the Bi/InP interface, which is highly ordered, abrupt, and nonreactive. The measurements, taken at room temperature, show that the band bending is significantly different for the n- and p-type substrates at 1 monolayer (ML) of Bi. The band bending is near-vanishing for the former, which can be attributed to be due to an overlayer nearly free of defects at that coverage, while it remains a large value for the latter. A charge-transfer model is presented, which accounts for the band-bending difference between the n-type and p-type materials. At a high Bi coverage (g7 ML), the Bi/InP interface seems to achieve the Schottky limit.
Nuclear magnetic transitions in Be 9 by inelastic electron scattering at 180

Transitions with magnetic character have been observed in Be9(e, e∼) at 180° with 58 MeV primary electrons. Strong peaks occur at excitation energies of 2.4, 8.0, 9.0, 10.2, 11.8, 14.3, 16.3, 16.9, 18.5 and in the giant resonance region between 20 and 26 MeV. The momentum transfer dependence of the 2.4 MeV excitation was investigated with 42.5, 58 and 68 MeV incident electrons.
Copolymers of poly(n-alkyl acrylates): synthesis, characterization, and monomer reactivity ratios

Abstract Poly(n-alkyl acrylate) copolymer reactivity ratios were determined for n-alkyl acrylate monomers of various side-chain lengths n ranging from 6 to 22. Two sets of copolymers were synthesized to less than
The antigen-antibody reaction. IV. A quantitative theory of antigen-antibody reactions

Abstract A theory is developed which describes the distribution of antigen-antibody complexes resulting from the reactions between bivalent antibody and f -valent antigen. It is assumed, as in Goldberg's theory (1952) , that antigen and antibody are immunochemically homogeneous and that no intra-aggregate reactions occur which yield cyclical complexes. Unlike Goldberg's theory, in which all antigen-antibody bonds are assumed to be equivalent, the present treatment allows independent rate or equilibrium constants for the reactions between each of the f -antigen sites with each of the two antibody sites, i.e. it is developed in terms of 2 f equilibrium constants or 4 f rate constants. In outline, the procedure involves the calculation of the number of antibody molecules and antigen molecules with any particular number of reacted sites, and the determination of the most probable distribution of complexes by means of a mathematical procedure similar to that used by Stockmayer (1943) . As a special case, if the existence of one intrinsic equilibrium constant is assumed, Goldberg's expression for the most probable distribution of complexes is obtained from the expressions derived here. Subject to the stated assumptions, the theory provides a numerical procedure for the computation of equilibrium and rate constants of antigen-antibody reactions, and should be useful for the calculation of the behaviour of model systems.
Estimates of the Minimum Size‐Limit for Maximum Yield and Production of Chain Pickerel, Esox niger LeSueur, in Rhode Island1

Mortality rates for chain pickerel were deduced from weighted geometric means of age frequencies in an unexploited and an exploited population. Fishing mortality was considered to be the difference between the two total mortality rates. Calculated growth in length and weight was determined for a composite sample from 32 ponds. Relative yields were computed for six different size-limits and two rates of fishing. It was found that a minimum size-limit of approximately 12 inches (total length) was best. A ratio of production to relative yield was determined, which indicated that less than 39 per cent of total production was removed as crop. Management suggestions were made on the basis of these data.
Don't Argue, Reflect! Reflections on Introducing Reflective Writing into Political Science Courses

In this article, I discuss an alternative way of conceptualizing and structuring essay assignments in political science courses. Generally, political science teachers have tried to encourage critical thinking about political issues by assigning essays that ask for argumentative writing. An argumentative essay format asks students to present several positions or concepts covered in a course, analyze them, and argue for their own position on the issues at hand. A better format, I suggest, is to ask students to engage in reflective writing. Reflective writing has four basic stages. First, students are asked to explain course materials. Next, they are challenged to reflect explicitly on how this material calls into question their preconceptions about the topic. Third, they analyze the conflicts, confusions, or questions that arise from engaging their preconceptions. And finally, they formulate plans to use the knowledge gained by the reflective process. In short, reflective writing invites students to search for the truth rather than develop rhetorical skills. My case for reflective writing is made here in the form of a reflective essay, so readers can take from this essay both a demonstration of the reflective process as well as an explanation. Thus, I will explore my pedagogical preconceptions and experiences with student writing, explain my initial understanding of reflective writing and my first attempt at using reflective writing in an introduction to American government course, and, finally, refine my pedagogy by analyzing the success of the assignment in light of a deeper reading of John Dewey and other theorists of reflective reasoning.
Sex-Specific HDL Cholesterol Changes With Weight Loss and Their Association With Anthropometric Variables: The LIFE Study

Decrease in the level of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) has been observed in women who start dieting, but not in men. Patterns of HDLC change during intentional weight loss through 30-months of follow-up, and their association with changes in anthropometric measurements were examined in obese women (N=112) and men (N=100). Missing HDLC values at 6-, 12-, 18-, and 30-month follow-up (N=16, 34, 55, and 50, respectively) due to drop-out were imputed by multiple imputation. Mean ages and body mass indices (BMIs) of subjects at baseline were 47.2 years and 34.8 kg/m2 for women, and 50.4 years and 35.0 kg/m2 for men. On average, participants lost weight steadily for 12 months, followed by slow regain. During the first six months, HDLC decreased significantly in women (−4.1 mg/dl, P=0.0007), but not in men. Significant HDLC increases were observed in both men and women from 6- to 12-month follow-up. HDLC changes in women were positively associated with changes in hip circumference from baseline to 12-month independent of changes in triglycerides, glucose and insulin. Rapid decrease of predominantly subcutaneous fat in the femoral and gluteal area might be associated with HDLC decrease in women during initial weight loss.
Hall current effect on tearing mode instability

From a linear 2-D eigenmode analysis, it is found that the Hall current effect on collisional tearing mode instability becomes important for the thin magnetic reversal layer whose width is comparable to the ion inertia length; Hall currents produce a three-dimensional field structure and increase the reconnection (growth) rate. Since the magnetaic reversal layer widths both in the magnetopause and in the magnetotail are reported to become as thin as the ion inertial length (several hundred km) when the reconnection process is supposed to occur, the Hall current effect may explain the appearance of the dawn-dusk component of the magnetic field in the magnetotail reconnection region.
Well posedness for a higher order modified Camassa–Holm equation

Abstract We show that the Cauchy problem for a higher order modification of the Camassa–Holm equation is locally well posed for initial data in the Sobolev space H s ( R ) for s > s ′ , where 1 / 4 ⩽ s ′ 1 / 2 and the value of s ′ depends on the order of equation. Employing harmonic analysis methods we derive the corresponding bilinear estimate and then use a contraction mapping argument to prove existence and uniqueness of solutions.
Cloning and sequencing of cDNAs for rabbit preproacrosin and a novel preproacrosin-related cDNA

Abstract A 1414 bp cDNA for rabbit preproacrosin (RPA) and a related short preproacrosin (shRPA) cDNA of 951 bp were cloned and sequenced. RPA's 431 amino acid open reading frame encodes a 46 422 kDa protein. shRPA is identical to RPA except that it lacks an internal stretch of 468 bp, such that the encoded protein has a deduced molecular mass of 29 965 kDa. Antiserum against a synthetic peptide representing the light chain of rabbit proacrosin was used on Western blots of rabbit testis and sperm. Under reducing conditions, it revealed two major groups of bands at 50–57 and 29–32 kDa. Several lines of evidence suggest that shRPA is a splice variant of proacrosin and that it encodes a 30–33 kDa protein similar to sperminogen (Siegel, M. et al. (1987) Biol. Reprod. 36, 1063–1068), but apparently lacking proteinase activity.
IL-21 and IL-6 Are Critical for Different Aspects of B Cell Immunity and Redundantly Induce Optimal Follicular Helper CD4 T Cell (Tfh) Differentiation

Cytokines are important modulators of lymphocytes, and both interleukin-21 (IL-21) and IL-6 have proposed roles in T follicular helper (Tfh) differentiation, and directly act on B cells. Here we investigated the absence of IL-6 alone, IL-21 alone, or the combined lack of IL-6 and IL-21 on Tfh differentiation and the development of B cell immunity in vivo. C57BL/6 or IL-21−/− mice were treated with a neutralizing monoclonal antibody against IL-6 throughout the course of an acute viral infection (lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, LCMV). The combined absence of IL-6 and IL-21 resulted in reduced Tfh differentiation and reduced Bcl6 protein expression. In addition, we observed that these cytokines had a large impact on antigen-specific B cell responses. IL-6 and IL-21 collaborate in the acute T-dependent antiviral antibody response (90% loss of circulating antiviral IgG in the absence of both cytokines). In contrast, we observed reduced germinal center formation only in the absence of IL-21. Absence of IL-6 had no impact on germinal centers, and combined absence of both IL-21 and IL-6 revealed no synergistic effect on germinal center B cell development. Studying CD4 T cells in vitro, we found that high IL-21 production was not associated with high Bcl6 or CXCR5 expression. TCR stimulation of purified naive CD4 T cells in the presence of IL-6 also did not result in Tfh differentiation, as determined by Bcl6 or CXCR5 protein expression. Cumulatively, our data indicates that optimal Tfh formation requires IL-21 and IL-6, and that cytokines alone are insufficient to drive Tfh differentiation.
Asymmetry in age suppresses reproduction in female woodland voles, Microtus pinetorum

The partitioning of reproduction in animal societies is a topic of interest to those studying animal behaviour. Under some conditions, two or more females may breed, but lack of reproduction by the younger females occurs frequently. Lack of reproduction by young females may be due to kin asymmetry, dominance asymmetry, or incest avoidance. We conducted breeding experiments to distinguish among these three hypotheses. We show that female reproduction within woodland vole family groups becomes skewed as the asymmetry in age, which is correlated with dominance, between females increases. When daughters were housed with their mothers and a potential mate and the age difference between females was large, we found a high level of skew as compared to females housed with same-age sisters and a potential mate or females housed only with a potential mate. We argue that dominance asymmetry is the best explanation for reproductive skew seen in female woodland voles that have access to unfamiliar, unrelated mates based on reproductive and previous behavioural observations.
Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndromes: what the cardiologist should know.

Over the past decade, the reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndromes (RCVS) have emerged as a group of conditions with easily recognizable clinical-angiographic features and a usually benign prognosis. The RCVS affect young individuals, mostly women, and the majority present with recurrent, severe, ‘thunderclap’ headaches. Vascular imaging studies show dynamic and reversible narrowing and dilatation of multiple intracerebral arteries. Brain imaging usually shows no parenchymal lesions, however, approximately one-third of patients develop ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes or reversible brain edema. The etiopathogenesis of this syndrome remains unclear. It has been associated with diverse conditions such as pregnancy, vasoconstrictive drug use, and neurovascular procedures. Recent studies characterizing RCVS have made it relatively easy to exclude mimics such as aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and primary angiitis of the central nervous system. There is no proven treatment, although calcium channel blockers may help to reduce the intensity of headaches. Empiric glucocorticoid treatment should be avoided. Since most patients do well with simple observation alone, invasive strategies such as pharmacologically-induced hypertension, balloon angioplasty, and direct intra-arterial vasodilator infusion should be reserved for patients showing clear clinical progression.
Postzygotic reproductive isolation: Epigenetics for an epiphenomenon?

Keywords: Epigenetic inheritance; speciation; postzygotic reproductive isolation; hybrid sterility; Drosophila
The Vanishing Mother: Reply to Commentaries

In this response to discussions by Aron and Boyarin I draw attention to the instability of the figure of the mother within Freud's presentation of his life, as well as within psychoanalysis. I link this instability to the figure of a “spectral” mother and perhaps subversive aspects of femininity. Whereas Aron links castration anxiety with prevailing anti-Semitic ideas, I look to the Jewish ritual of the Brit Milah and the laws of Niddah, which further reveal attempts to control and contain femininity. Boyarin raises a concern between historicizing and psychoanalyzing Freud that I consider a misreading. I believe my hybrid method of moving between historical, cultural, religious, and psychoanalytic planes, as lived by Freud within his family, is not so different from Boyarin's own approach.
The Song-Ming Connection in the Ming Study of Ancient Inscriptions

AbstractThis paper examines several Ming studies of ancient inscriptions by antiquarians such as Du Mu, Wen Zhengming, Zhao Han, Zhao Jun, and Yu Yizheng, with the attempt to re-evaluate the development of the so-called jinshi xue (Chinese antiquarianism specifically involving ritual bronzes and stone stelae) during this period. Ming jinshi study was traditionally considered to be in decline in the overall development of Chinese antiquarianism, due to the lack of innovative studies comparable to those made in the Song period. From the conceptual and materialistic perspectives, and in the context of how the Song legacy was perceived in the Ming period, this paper analyzes examples of the Ming jinshi writings, including prefaces, research entries, and colophons. The analyses demonstrate a strong interest among Ming antiquarians to forge an ideological continuity between the Song and Ming jinshi study; they also point to a set of connoisseurial practices in the functionality of rubbings, a major type of rese...
Human nature and psychotherapy

Summary This essay has three aims. The first is to describe the crucial differences between the science of things and of men: in each, description, prescription, control (of events), and prediction play different roles. The second is to sketch a portrait of Moral Man. Every kind of psychotherapy presupposes a certain concept of “human nature.” For Moral Man, choice-making is the principal problem. What he needs, by way of psychotherapeutic help, is game analysis, not game prescription. The third is to relate the concept of Moral Man to the theory and practice of autonomous psychotherapy. An outgrowth of psychoanalysis, autonomous psychotherapy seeks to increase the patient's choices in the conduct of his life. In conclusion, some observations were offered on the inverse relation between a person's power to control his fellow man and his ability to understand him.
Group 2 Element Chemistry and its Role in OMVPE of Electronic Ceramics

Coordination compounds of alkaline-earth metals with simple monodentate ligands were mentioned in the literature as early as 1820, when Faraday reported ‘metal-ammonias’.[1] The number of heavy alkaline earth element coordination compounds remained limited for many years, however, as it was thought to be unlikely for the large earth alkaline cations to form such complexes. In 1967 Pedersen discovered that cyclic oligoethers (crown ethers) can serve as suitable ligands for divalent alkaline earth cations.[2] His findings were extended a few years later by Lehn who found that macrobicyclic multidentate ligands (cryptands) are efficient ligands for alkaline earth cations.[3] In each of these examples, the primary mode of metal-ligand interaction is electrostatic in origin. These examples demonstrate the lack of well-defined covalent bonding for Ca, Sr and Ba compounds. In the 25 years which have passed since Pedersen’s seminal discovery, a large number of coordination compounds containing alkaline earth metals have been synthesized. In recent years, the emphasis has shifted towards the preparation of group 2 element-containing compounds which potentially can be used as precursors in the preparation of metal oxides by chemical vapor deposition [4-8]. In light of the general agreement that no “perfect” barium source presently exists for OMVPE purposes, this article will focus on general themes in group 2 element chemistry and, where relevant, correlate those themes within an integrated approach to design of new compounds of greater potential utilization for the preparation of electronic materials in thin film form.
Computational study of stereoelectronic effects in fluorinated alkylamines

A systematic evaluation of the stereoelectronic effects in a series of fluorinated amine compounds has been carried out. A variety of computational methods have been employed, including molecular mechanics, semi-empirical, density functional and ab initio methods. An analysis of the natural bond orbital populations has been carried out and the effect of solvent was considered via the polarized continuum model (PCM). The results indicate a preference for conformations that result in an anti-periplanar arrangement between the nitrogen lone pair and the C-X bond (X=F or CF 3 ). There are variations in geometry and natural bond orbital population, with conformation that are consistent with a stereoelectronic effect whereby electron density from the nitrogen lone pair is delocalized into the C-X σ* orbital. Similar results are obtained for trifluoromethyl methylamines, although the magnitude of the stereoelectronic effect is attenuated resulting in greater expected conformational diversity for these compounds. The PCM results suggest that these preferences should persist in solution. Comparison among the computational methods used reveals that there is good agreement among the ab initio and density functional methods (at the HF/6-31 + G(d), MP2/6-31+G(d), MP2/6-311 +G(2d,p) and B3LYP/6-31 +G(d) levels) and these methods agree well with the available experimental data for ethylmethylamine. Published in 2005 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterizing carbon in a northern forest by using SIR-C/X-SAR imagery.

Abstract A significant large-scale question in ecology and earth systems science pertains to the amount of carbon (C) stored in terrestrial vegetation. In this paper, a synthetic aperture radar (SAR)–based methodology is developed and evaluated for quantification of several key vegetative C components—both natural and human induced—of the northern forest. Specifically, the methodology provides estimates of C stored in living forest vegetation, above-ground C gain from annual growth (aboveground net primary productivity, or ANPP), and C removal due to managed forest disturbance in the form of clear-cutting. The inputs are shuttle imaging radar (SIR)-C/X-SAR- derived terrain classifications, SIR-C/X-SAR-derived biomass estimation, and allometric relations and equations developed for the northern hardwood and conifer forest in general and from local test stand data. Results are mapped quantitatively in the image domain for above-ground C storage, below-ground C storage, above- to below-ground ratios, total C in living woody vegetation, and forest absolute and relative ANPP rates. Numeric estimates also are extracted from each of these in tabular form; for example, results show that the forested parts of the sampled area contain 2.73×10 9 kg of aboveground C and 4.86×10 8 kg of below-ground C in 51,448 ha. When combined with a SAR-derived classification, similar quantifications can be extracted for each of the several forest communities present in the region. Estimates of forest ANPP show that it ranges from 0.5 kg/m 2 /yr of biomass to 2.7 kg/m 2 /yr in the test site, with an average of 1.09 kg/m 2 /yr. Estimation of C removal due to clear-cutting is done by using multidate classifications of SAR imagery and a procedure including image differencing and decision rules. Clear-cuts that were made between SIR-C/X-SAR Shuttle Radar Laboratory (SRL)-1 (April) and SRL-2 (October) are identified by differencing the classified imagery. When combined with the SAR-derived biomass image, results show that an estimated 300 ha of forest with 6.02×10 6 kg of C were removed in this 6-month period.