cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bounds of Effective Thermal Conductivity of Short-Fiber Composites

This paper presents bounds of effective thermal conductivities for mul ti-component unidirectional short-fiber composites, based upon an ap proach originally developed by the authors for composite effective elastic moduli. A perturbation expansion of the local temperature gradient is developed by using a Green's function tensor. The effective thermal con ductivity can be expressed in series form and the correlation functions of thermal conductivity have been evaluated up to the third order term. It also has been shown that the series expressions obtained by Kroner, and Zeller and Dederichs are approximations of the present solution. The pre sent solution also coincides with Beran's results for statistically isotropic materials, and provides tighter bounds than those of Hashin and Shtrik man, whose approach is equivalent to considering the correlation function up to the second order.
STEAM-Powered Computing Education: Using E-Textiles to Integrate the Arts and STEM

Incorporating novel, cross-disciplinary technologies such as e-textiles in computing education can broaden participation, particularly by women, and improve learning outcomes.
TGFβ Inducible Early Gene-1 Directly Binds to, and Represses, the OPG Promoter in Osteoblasts

Abstract TGFβ inducible early gene-1 (TIEG) is a member of the Kruppel-like family of transcription factors (KLF10) that plays an important role in TGFβ mediated Smad signaling. In order to better understand the role of TIEG in bone, we generated TIEG knockout (KO) mice. Calvarial osteoblasts (OBs) isolated from these mice exhibit a reduced ability to support osteoclastogenesis in vitro. Gene expression studies revealed decreased receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and increased osteoprotegerin (OPG) expression in TIEG KO OBs, suggesting a potential role for TIEG in regulating the expression of these genes. Since OPG and RANKL are two important regulators of osteoclast (OC) differentiation, we sought to determine if TIEG directly regulates their expression. Luciferase constructs, containing fragments of either the mouse OPG promoter (−1486 to +133 bp) or the RANKL promoter (−2000 to +1 bp) were each cloned into the pGL3 basic reporter vector and transiently transfected into TIEG KO calvarial OBs with and without a TIEG expression vector. No significant changes in the activity of the RANKL promoter were detected in the presence of TIEG. However, OPG promoter activity was inhibited in the presence of TIEG protein suggesting that TIEG directly represses the expression of OPG in OBs. In order to determine the region of this promoter through which TIEG acts, sequential 5′-deletion constructs were generated. Transient transfection of these constructs revealed that the TIEG regulatory element(s) reside within a 200 bp region of the OPG promoter. Transient ChIP analyses, using a TIEG-specific antibody, revealed that TIEG binds to this region of the OPG promoter. Since we have previously shown that TIEG regulates target gene expression through Sp-1 sites, we examined this region of the OPG promoter for potential TIEG binding elements and identified four potential Sp-1 binding sites. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to determine if TIEG utilizes these Sp-1 elements to regulate the activity of the OPG promoter. The data demonstrate that two Sp-1 sites are likely to be involved in TIEG’s repression of the OPG promoter. Taken together, these results confirm that TIEG directly binds to and inhibits OPG promoter activity in OBs, partially explaining the inability of TIEG KO OBs to fully support osteoclast differentiation.
Cross-validation of waist-worn GENEA accelerometer cut-points.

AB Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the classification accuracy of the waist gravity estimator of normal everyday activity (GENEA) cut-points developed by Esliger et al. for predicting intensity categories across a range of lifestyle activities. Methods: Each participant performed one of two routines, consisting of seven lifestyle activities (home/office, ambulatory, and sport). The GENEA was worn on the right waist, and oxygen uptake was continuously measured using the Oxycon mobile. A one-way chi-squared test was used to determine the classification accuracy of the GENEA cut-points. Cross-tabulation tables provided information on under- and overestimations, and sensitivity and specificity analyses of the waist cut-points were also performed. Results: Spearman rank order correlation for the GENEA gravity-subtracted signal vector magnitude and Oxycon mobile MET values was 0.73. For all activities combined, the GENEA accurately predicted intensity classification 55.3% of the time, and it increased to 58.3% when stationary cycling was removed from the analysis. The sensitivity of the cut-points for the four intensity categories ranged from 0.244 to 0.958, and the specificity ranged from 0.576 to 0.943. Conclusion: In this cross-validation study, the proposed GENEA cut-points had a low overall accuracy rate for classifying intensity (55.3%) when engaging in 14 different lifestyle activities
The PDS in the new German party system

The success of the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) cannot be explained solely with a rising tide of GDR nostalgia and/or with the efficiency of PDS members as service providers and advocates at the grass‐roots level. We stress the importance of the PDS as the main political representative of a specific socio‐economic and cultural milie in the former GDR. Furthermore, the article traces the evolution of the PDS from a populist voice of protest of the losers of unification to the beginnings of a new political party. As such it defines its identity more as a radical left‐wing party with strong social libertarian characteristics than a traditional socialist party. The party programme and the electorate of the PDS display remarkable similarities to the fundamentalist wing of the West German Greens in the 1980s, although differences as to the origins of the left‐libertarian ideas remain important. While the PDS seems to have strengthened the significance of the new politics agenda in post‐unification German...
Benign lymphoid hyperplasia of the stomach simulating gastric malignancy.

A patient is presented who exhibited many of the features observed in other previously reported patients with benign lymphoid hyperplasia including chronic peptic ulcer symptoms, radiologic demonstration of gastric ulcer with surrounding filling defects, and gastroscopic appearance consistent with gastric malignancy. The histologic findings of a polymorphous cellular infiltrate with mature lymphocytes and follicle formation suggested the diagnosis of benign lymphoid hyperplasia and implies a benign course.
Can attention be allocated to sensory modalities

Three experiments examined the effects of attention allocation to the modalities of vision, audition, and touch. The first two experiments utilized a simultaneous-successive comparison. The simultaneous procedure involved simultaneous monitoring of all three sensory modalities for the presence of a near-threshold stimulus. The successive condition allowed S to give his full attention to each sensory modality in turn. There was no advantage for the successive condition, whether the task consisted of detection of a single stimulus (Experiment I) or detection of the absence of one of many stimuli (Experiment II). Experiment III used a different paradigm to extend these results and bridge the gap between these results, those of Eijkman and Vendrik (1965), and those of Moray (1973a, b). We concluded that selective allocation of attention to sensory modalities does not affect the early stages of perceptual processing.
MATERIAL ASPECTS OF CONCRETE CONSOLIDATED BY VIBRATION

First the properties of fresh concrete that affect directly the efficiency of consolidation are discussed. These are: workability, consistency, and compactability. Then influences of several factors, primarily the amount of water content and the effect of the time elapsed, upon the consistency are analyzed.
Role for MicroRNAs in Regulating Glucocorticoid Response and Resistance in Multiple Myeloma

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely used in the treatment of hematological malignancies such as multiple myeloma. However, the development of resistance to GCs limits their clinical utility. Response to GCs is dependent on an active glucocorticoid receptor, GR-α, expressed at wild-type levels in the GC-sensitive cell line (MM.1S). GC-resistant derivative cell lines MM.1Re and MM.1RL display significant downregulation of GR-α transcripts. In this study, we report that a luciferase reporter containing the 3′-UTR of GR-α is significantly repressed in MM.1R cells when compared to MM.1S cells, suggesting that one or several microRNAs that are upregulated in MM.1R maybe in part responsible for the downregulation of the GR-α transcript. To examine posttranscriptional mechanisms of GR regulation, we examined miRNAs that have complimentary binding sites in the 3′-UTR of GR-α and found miR-130b, miR-181a, and miR-636 to be differentially expressed between GC-sensitive and GC-resistant MM.1 cell lines. Overexpression of miR-130b in MM.1S cells results in decreased expression of endogenous GR protein and decreased activity of the luciferase reporter. In addition, in MM.1S cells, the downstream GC response of glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper induction is decreased by the overexpression of miR-130b, and further miR-130b inhibits GC-induced apoptosis and causes resistance to GCs.
Geltende und geplante Rechtsordnung zur Verhütung von Berufskrankheiten

Es werden die Begriffe der Berufskrankheit (BK) im weiteren und engeren Sinne umschrieben, die fur die Anordnung technischer und medizinischer prophylaktischer Masnahmen zustandigen Organe bezeichnet und die einschlagigen gesetzlichen Bestimmungen dargestellt. Nach Beschreibung der heute bestehenden Einzelverordnungen uber die Verhutung von BK (Silikose, Caissonkrankheiten und Bleivergiftungen) wird auf die Notwendigkeit einer alle BK erfassenden Neuordnung hingewiesen und auf die Uberlegungen, von welchen sich diese zu leiten hat.
TypeN vacuum space-times as special functions in ? 2

The members of one explicit class of functions in ℂ2 are identified with the geodetic shear-free null congruences in Minkowski's space-time. Members of a second explicit class are identified with the type-N vacuum space-times with twist-free rays. These two classes are special subclasses from a larger class of functions associated with the type-N space-times. This larger class is characterized in the following way: Ifϕ andζ are holomorphic variables in ℂ2, thenu (ϕ, ζ, $$\bar \zeta $$ ), a function holomorphic inϕ, belongs to the class provided the function $$\partial _{\zeta } \partial _{\zeta } $$ ∂ ϕ u/∂ ϕ u satisfies the tangential Cauchy-Riemann equation for an antiholomorphic function on the 3-surface whereu (ϕ, ζ, $$\bar \zeta $$ ) has real values.
A Study of the Electromagnetic Coupling Between Handset Mounted Antennas and a Human Operator

In the design of antennas for use with hand-held transceiver devices, the electromagnetic interaction between the antenna and the nearby biological tissue is a key factor which must be considered before a design is finalized. This paper presents an investigation of this antenna-tissue interaction using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) electromagnetic simulation approach. Accurate models of antennas on a handset are coupled with detailed models of the human head and hand to provide input impedance, radiation pattern, gain, and specific absorption rate (SAR) data for different antenna configurations. Antenna structures such as the monopole, side-mounted planar inverted F antenna (PIFA), and back-mounted PIFA are selected as representative examples of external and internal type radiators. Experimental results are provided which support the theoretically obtained conclusions.
Perspective reversal rates and reports of an attribute of apparent depth in a flat stimulus.

Os who reported that the 2 equal-sized faces of a Necker cube appeared to be of the same size had significantly lower perspective reversal rates than Os who reported that the “near” face appeared t...
ULTRA‐HIGH TEMPERATURE EFFECT ON B. STEAROTHERMOPHILUS DURING PUFFING OF RICE1

Destruction, damage and activation of thermophilic bacterial spores of Bacillus stearothermophilus at ultra-high heating temperatures (170°C to 210°C) were studied using a rice cake machine as a model system. Activation of spores at ultra-high temperatures was observed after 99.9% of the original spores were killed (P < 0.05). Significant difference (P < 0.01) in spore counts was found when a rich protein medium and a minimal nutritious medium were used simultaneously to recover spores after heating. This indicated that heat damage did occur and that amino acids were required to repair the damage.
"Slow" muon depolarization in a single crystal of gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O).

Polarized muons were stopped in a single crystal of CaS${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ \ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{} 2${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O placed in a magnetic field. Muon precession displayed a beat behavior and a "slow" -\ensuremath{\mu}sec-decrease of the muon spin polarization; these effects were found to be strongly dependent on crystal orientation in the field. Consistent explanation of the results was achieved by assuming that the muon occupied a normal proton site, and by considering the local field effects due to the dipole-dipole interaction of muon-proton pairs.
Tension-Induced Straightening Transition of Self-Assembled Helical Ribbons

Helical ribbons with pitch angles of either $11\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ or $54\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ self-assemble in a wide variety of quaternary surfactant-phospholipid/fatty acid-sterol-water systems. By elastically deforming these helices, we examined their response to uniaxial forces. Under sufficient tension, a low pitch helix reversibly separates into a straight domain with a pitch angle of $90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ and a helical domain with a pitch angle of $16.5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$. Using a newly developed continuum elastic free energy model, we have shown that this phenomenon can be understood as a first order mechanical phase transition.
A genetic switch, based on negative regulation, sharpens stripes in Drosophila embryos

The pair-rule genes hairy, runt, even-skipped, and fushi tarazu express their mRNAs and proteins in striped patterns in the Drosophila embryo at the blastoderm stage. Previous studies have shown that the generation of these patterns depends upon products of the gap genes and upon interactions between the pair-rule genes themselves. Here we show that blocking protein synthesis induces expression of each of the pair-rule mRNAs in virtually all regions of the embryo. Our observations together with genetic studies carried out in other laboratories suggest that negative feedback between the pair-rule genes plays a key role in striped expression of pair-rule genes. We propose that stable proteins, present in all regions of the embryo, first activate transcription of these pair-rule genes constitutively. Then, various combinations of unstable proteins repress their transcription in a patterned fashion; each stripe of accumulated products of a given pair-rule gene marks a region where it was not repressed. We develop this idea in mathematical form and demonstrate that a network of mutual repression by pair-rule genes can make each blastoderm nucleus into a genetic switch with two stable states. If preexisting gap gene patterns provide initial bias to the blastoderm nuclei, then the "bistable switch behavior" of the nuclei can refine an initially weak spatial bias into a final pattern of sharp stripes.
Occupational contribution to the burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objective: As a past recipient of the Jean Spencer Felton Award for Excellence in Scientific Writing from the Western Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association, it is truly an honor to contribute to this festschrift. What stands out in my mind about Dr Felton is that he loved to delve into the history of occupational medicine and tried to apply the lessons of that history to the modern practice of the discipline. He once wrote that “The name Ramazzini marks the beginning of society's concern with the well-being and physical and emotional health of its workers from the shops of the crafts to the offices of the executives.”2 This review of a common disease for which an occupational contribution is too frequently ignored is offered in the spirit of both the father of modern occupational medicine and one of his 20th-century acolytes. Conclusions: The biological plausibility of the capacity of occupational exposures to irritating dusts, gases, and fumes to cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is high. Epidemiological evidence from both worker cohort and community studies supports an increased risk of COPD associated with such exposures. The occupational contribution to the burden of COPD is sufficiently great that preventive interventions are warranted.
Practical predicate dispatch

Predicate dispatch is an object-oriented (OO) language mechanism for determining the method implementation to be invoked upon a message send. With predicate dispatch, each method implementation includes a predicate guard specifying the conditions under which the method should be invoked, and logical implication of predicates determines the method overriding relation. Predicate dispatch naturally unifies and generalizes several common forms of dynamic dispatch, including traditional OO dispatch, multimethod dispatch, and functional-style pattern matching. Unfortunately, prior languages supporting predicate dispatch have had several deficiencies that limit its utility in practice. We introduce JPred, a backward-compatible extension to Java supporting predicate dispatch. While prior languages with predicate dispatch have been extensions to toy or non-mainstream languages, we show how predicate dispatch can be naturally added to a traditional OO language. While prior languages with predicate dispatch have required the whole program to be available for type-checking and compilation, JPred retains Java's modular typechecking and compilation strategies. While prior languages with predicate dispatch have included special-purpose algorithms for reasoning about predicates, JPred employs general-purpose, off-the-shelf decision procedures. As a result, JPred's type system is more flexible, allowing several useful programming idioms that are spuriously rejected by those other languages. After describing the JPred language and type system, we present a case study illustrating the utility of JPred in a real-world application, including its use in the detection of several errors.
Group Analytic Training for Management Trainers Integrating the Emotional and Cognitive Dimensions of Management Learning

In recent years, a number of management trainers and consultants have been investigating group analysis, suspecting a link between management development and group psychotherapy. Their discoveries about the way people learn and change in groups have not been adequately discussed in management training and development circles, and the possibility of using group analytic techniques in training management trainers and consultants has received scant attention.1 This article sets out the value of group analytic training to management trainers and consultants. It argues that group analysis can help them to understand the psychodynamics of groups and organizations; furthermore, it can help them to understand and work with the emotions of management learning, as well as enhancing their skills in working with groups.
Quantitation of Rates of Transport, Metabolic Fluxes, and Cytoplasmic Levels of Inorganic Carbon in Maize Root Tips during K+ Ion Uptake

Our aim was to determine whether fixation of inorganic carbon (C i ), due to phospho enol pyruvate carboxylase activity, is limited by the availability of C i in the cytoplasm of maize ( Zea mays L.) root tips. Rates of C i uptake and metabolism were measured during K 2 SO 4 treatment, which stimulates dark C i fixation. 13 C i uptake was followed by 13 C-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR); 5 millimolar K 2 SO 4 had no significant effect on 13 C i influx. The contribution of respiratory CO 2 production to cytoplasmic HCO 3 − was measured using in vivo 13 C-NMR and 1 H-NMR of cell extracts; K 2 SO 4 treatment had no effect on respiratory CO 2 production. The concentration of cytoplasmic HCO 3 − was estimated to be approximately 11 millimolar, again with K 2 SO 4 having no significant effect. These experiments allowed us to determine the extent to which extracellularly supplied 14 C i was diluted in the cytoplasm by respiratory CO 2 and thereby measure phospho enol pyruvate (PEP) carboxylase activity in vivo using 14 C i . PEP carboxylase activity in root tips was enhanced approximately 70% over controls within 12 minutes of the addition of 5 millimolar K 2 SO 4 . The activity of carbonic anhydrase, which provides PEP carboxylase with C i , was determined by saturation transfer 13 C-NMR to be more than 200 times that of PEP carboxylase in vivo. The regulation of PEP carboxylase in K 2 SO 4 -treated roots is discussed.
Lattice model of defect-plane wetting.

We present a study of defect-plane wetting using an Ising lattice-gas model with nearest-neighbor interactions and mean-field theory. In addition to solving the mean-field equations for the lattice model, we present an analysis of the model in the continuum limit that is valid at temperatures close to the bulk critical temperature. The continuum limit of the model is equivalent to the Landau theory for wetting of a defect plane studied by Sevrin and Indekeu, except that we include a ``surface field'' that acts only on the layers adjacent to the defect plane and that represents a potential produced by the defect. This field, which is likely to be present in a real system, significantly alters the wetting phenomena relative to the case of no surface field, giving rise to critical wetting transitions and multicritical points. The phase diagrams resemble in some respects those found in analyses of wetting on an inert substrate and also contain new phenomena as a consequence of the possibility of forming wetting phases on both sides of the defect plane.
The quinoxalinediones DNQX, CNQX and two related congeners suppress hair cell-to-auditory nerve transmission

We tested 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX); 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX); 6,7-dichloro-3-hydroxy-2-quinoxalinecarboxylic acid (DHQC); and 3-hydroxy-2-quinoxalinecarboxylic acid (3HQC), new kainate and quisqualate receptor antagonists, upon cochlear potentials in guinea pig. Perilymph spaces of guinea pig cochleae were perfused with artificial perilymph solutions containing up to 1000 microM concentrations of DHQC and 3HQC, and 500 microM concentrations of DNQX and CNQX, at a rate of 2.5 microliters/min for 10 min. Cochlear potentials evoked by 10 kHz tone bursts of varying intensity were recorded from the basal turn scala vestibuli. Cochlear perfusion of the four drugs resulted in a dose-related suppression of the compound action potential of the auditory nerve (CAP; N1-P1), a prolongation of N1 latency at suprathreshold levels, an elevated CAP threshold, and a decreased N1 latency at CAP threshold. None of the drugs had significant effects on cochlear microphonics (CM) or the summating potential (SP). EC50 values (concentrations causing a 50% reduction in CAP amplitude at 68 dB SPL) were 8 microM for DNQX, 30 microM for DHQC, 35 microM for CNQX, and 1 mM for 3HQC. Results support the hypothesis that kainate and quisqualate receptors are involved in neurotransmission between the hair cell and afferent nerve.
Thermoelectric performance of nanostructured p-type Zr0.5Hf0.5Co0.4Rh0.6Sb1−xSnx half-Heusler alloys

Several compositions of the p-type half-Heusler alloys Zr₀.₅Hf₀.₅Co₀.₄Rh₀.₆Sb1–xSnx (0≤x≤0.4) were synthesized by mechanically alloying high purity elemental powders using hardened steel jars and balls on a high energy shaker mill. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) investigations of several aliquots taken after regularly spaced milling time suggested that single phase products with half-Heusler (HH) structure can be obtained after 10 h. However, XRD and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies of several specimens obtained from compacted polycrystalline powders of Z₀.₅Hf₀.₅Co₀.₄Rh₀.₆Sb1–xSnx alloys using a uniaxial hot press (HP) revealed the presence of CoSb inclusions with various sizes embedded inside the HH matrix. Hall effect, electrical conductivity, and thermopower data collected between 300 K and 775 K on several compositions suggested that electronic transport in the synthesized Zr₀.₅Hf₀.₅Co₀.₄Rh₀.₆Sb1–xSnx/CoSb composites strongly depends on the average size and/or mole fraction of the embedded CoSb inclusions rather than the fraction (x) of Sn substituting for Sb. Among the samples investigated, the nanocomposite with x=0.2, which contains nanometer-scale CoSb inclusions, showed the largest power factor (800 μW/K² m at 775 K) and the lowest lattice thermal conductivity (~2.2 W/m K at 775 K) leading to a six-fold enhancement in the figure of merit when compared to the Zr₀.₅Hf₀.₅Co₀.₄Rh₀.₆Sb₀.₉₉Sn₀.₀₁ bulkmore » matrix. - Graphical abstract: CoSb nanoinclusions embedded into a p-type Zr₀.₅Hf₀.₅Co₀.₄Rh₀.₆Sb1–xSnx half-Heusler matrix simultaneously boost the thermopower and carrier mobility leading to a drastic enhancement of the power factor of the resulting bulk nanostructured materials. Highlights: • The phase composition of half-Heusler (HH) alloy is very sensitive to the synthesis method. • Mechanical alloying (MA) of elements results in bulk HH matrix with CoSb inclusions. • CoSb nanoinclusions simultaneously boost the thermopower and carrier mobility with the HH matrix. • The MA process reduces lattice thermal conductivity due to high density of grain boundaries.« less
Brief paper: Extremum seeking for moderately unstable systems and for autonomous vehicle target tracking without position measurements

We remove the long standing restriction that plant dynamics in extremum seeking control must be stable and provide an extension that allows single integrators, double integrators, and moderately unstable single poles. An application of the result for single and double integrators is in control of autonomous vehicles. Extremum seeking is used for finding a source of a signal (chemical, electromagnetic, etc.) whose strength decays with the distance. This is achieved without the measurement of the position vector and using only the measurement of the scalar signal.
Entitativity of Generations, Age Groups and Cohorts as Perceived by Young Adults

Perceptions of the entitativity of age groups, cohorts, and generations were studied in a sample of young adults. Participants rated one of three age groups (young adults, middle-aged adults, older adults), described either as generations (e.g., Baby Boom generation), by age (e.g., people 50 years old), or as cohorts (e.g., people born between 1945 and 1950). Ratings were made on entitativity and related properties (importance of membership to members, shared experience, common goals, common values, similarity among members). Results show that age groups and generations are meaningful social categories for laypersons, whereas cohorts are not.
SELECTION STRATEGY FOR CIRCULAR-POLARIZATION-SENSITIVE REJECTION CHARACTERISTICS OF ELECTRO-OPTIC AMBICHIRAL REUSCH PILES

The circular-polarization-sensitive rejection characteristics of an ambichiral Reusch pile can be selected in a chosen wavelength regime by properly choosing the thickness of the layers in the pile. With the layers displaying the Pockels effect, the application of a dc electric field affects the circular-polarization-sensitive rejection characteristics. An electrically controllable spectral-hole filter can be devised by inserting a central twist defect in an ambichiral Reusch pile.
Duality of Ellipsoidal Approximations via Semi-Infinite Programming

In this paper, we develop duality of the minimum volume circumscribed ellipsoid and the maximum volume inscribed ellipsoid problems. We present a unified treatment of both problems using convex semi-infinite programming. We establish the known duality relationship between the minimum volume circumscribed ellipsoid problem and the optimal experimental design problem in statistics. The duality results are obtained using convex duality for semi-infinite programming developed in a functional analysis setting.
Cortical Activations during a Computer-Based Fraction Learning Game: Preliminary Results from a Pilot Study.

Advances in educational neuroscience have made it possible for researchers to conduct studies that observe concurrent behavioral (i.e., task performance) and neural (i.e., brain activation) responses to naturalistic educational activities. Such studies are important because they help educators, clinicians, and researchers to better understand the etiology of both typical and atypical math processing. Because of its ease of use and robust tolerance of movement, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) provides a brain-imaging platform that is optimally suited for such studies. To that end, the focus of the current research is to use fNIRS to help better understand the neural signatures associated with real-world math learning activities. For example, the computer game “Refraction” was designed as a fun and engaging method to improve fraction knowledge in children. Data collected in previous studies have identified significant correlations between Refraction play and improvements in fraction knowledge. Here we provide the results of a pilot study that describes participants’ cortical activations in response to Refraction play. As hypothesized, Refraction play resulted in increases in parietal cortical activations at levels above those measured during spatial-specific activities. Moreover, our results were similar to another fNIRS study by Dresler et al. (J Neural Transm 116(12): 1689–1700, 2009), where children read Arabic numeral addition equations compared to written equations. Our results provide a valuable proof-of-concept for the use of Refraction within a large-scale fNIRS-based longitudinal study of fraction learning.
Ranking efficient units in DEA

Super-efficiency data envelopment analysis (DEA) model can be used in ranking the performance of efficient decision making units (DMUs). Because of the infeasibility problem associated with the super-efficiency DEA model, ranking has been restricted to the model where constant returns to scale and proportional changes in all inputs or all outputs are assumed. In fact, when super-efficiency is used as an efficiency stability measure, infeasibility means the highest super-efficiency. However, if super-efficiency is interpreted as input saving or output surplus achieved by a specific efficient DMU, infeasibility does not necessarily mean the highest super-efficiency. In order to obtain a complete ranking of efficient DMUs when the two assumptions are relaxed, a modified super-efficiency DEA model is proposed to overcome the infeasibility problem and to correctly capture the super-efficiency represented by the input saving or the output surplus. The current paper suggests using both input- and output-oriented super-efficiency models to characterize the super-efficiency when infeasibility occurs. As a result, we can rank the efficient DMUs if infeasibility occurs. The approach is applied to 20 largest Japanese companies and 15 US cities, respectively.
DNA topoisomerases and their poisoning by anticancer and antibacterial drugs.

DNA topoisomerases are the targets of important anticancer and antibacterial drugs. Camptothecins and novel noncamptothecins in clinical development (indenoisoquinolines and ARC-111) target eukaryotic type IB topoisomerases (Top1), whereas human type IIA topoisomerases (Top2α and Top2β) are the targets of the widely used anticancer agents etoposide, anthracyclines (doxorubicin, daunorubicin), and mitoxantrone. Bacterial type II topoisomerases (gyrase and Topo IV) are the targets of quinolones and aminocoumarin antibiotics. This review focuses on the molecular and biochemical characteristics of topoisomerases and their inhibitors. We also discuss the common mechanism of action of topoisomerase poisons by interfacial inhibition and trapping of topoisomerase cleavage complexes.
Dynamic single cell culture array

It is important to quantify the distribution of behavior amongst a population of individual cells to reach a more complete quantitative understanding of cellular processes. Improved high-throughput analysis of single cell behavior requires uniform conditions for individual cells with controllable cell–cell interactions, including diffusible and contact elements. Uniform cell arrays for static culture of adherent cells have previously been constructed using protein micropatterning techniques but lack the ability to control diffusible secretions. Here we present a microfluidic-based dynamic single cell culture array that allows both arrayed culture of individual adherent cells and dynamic control of fluid perfusion with uniform environments for individual cells. In our device no surface modification is required and cell loading is done in less than 30 seconds. The device consists of arrays of physical U-shaped hydrodynamic trapping structures with geometries that are biased to trap only single cells. HeLa cells were shown to adhere at a similar rate in the trapping array as on a control glass substrate. Additionally, rates of cell death and division were comparable to the control experiment. Approximately 100 individual isolated cells were observed growing and adhering in a field of view spanning ∼1 mm2 with greater than 85% of cells maintained within the primary trapping site after 24 hours. Also, greater than 90% of cells were adherent and only 5% had undergone apoptosis after 24 hours of perfusion culture within the trapping array. We anticipate uses in single cell analysis of drug toxicity with physiologically relevant perfused dosages as well as investigation of cell signaling pathways and systems biology.
Amyloid precursor protein and membrane phospholipids in primary cortical neurons increase with development, or after exposure to nerve growth factor or Aβ1–40

Abstract We examined the relationships between membrane phospholipid levels, the secretion and expression of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), and the responses of both to nerve growth factor (NGF), Aβ 1–40 or Aβ 40–1 in developing cortical neurons cultured from rat embryos. Neuronal membrane phospholipid levels per cell, and phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylethanolamine increased individually between the first and seventh days of culturing. The amounts of APP holoprotein and APP mRNAs in the cells, as well as the amounts of soluble APP (APPs) secreted by them, also increased during neuronal development in vitro. The increases in APPs exceeded the increases in APP which, in turn, exceed those in phospholipid levels. The levels of APP holoprotein, but not of phospholipids, increased when neurons were grown in a choline-free medium, suggesting that increases in APP are not sufficient to stimulate changes in membrane phospholipids. Treatment of neuron cultures for four days with NGF or Aβ 1–40 , but not with Aβ 40–1 , dose-dependently increased membrane phospholipids, tau and GAP-43, as well as APP holoprotein and secreted APPs. These results indicate that agents, like NGF or Aβ 1–40 , which enhance membrane phospholipid levels may promote neurite formation, APP expression and APPs secretion in primary neuronal cultures.
Two distinct high immune response phenotypes are both controlled byH-2 genes mapping inK orI-A

Murine responses to immunization with 2, 4, 6-trinitrophenyl (TNP) conjugated to autogenous mouse serum albumin (MSA) in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) are controlled by a gene(s) in theK orI-A region of theH-2 complex. High immune responses of bothH-2d andH-2b mice have been mapped to this region of the major histocompatibility complex. No modifying effects were observed from genes to the right ofI-A in either responder haplotype. High responsiveness controlled byKb orI-Ab is inherited with complete or partial recessivity, depending on the route of immunization and the sex of the responder. However, high responsiveness controlled byKd orI-Ad is inherited dominantly. This unusual pattern of inheritance of immune responsiveness to TNP-MSA is consistent with the genetic mapping toK orI-A. TNP-MSA-specific T-cell reactivity following immunization with TNP-MSA in vivo was examined utilizing a T-cell-dependent proliferation assay in vitro with cells obtained from high or low responder mice. Genetic mapping and mode of inheritance in this assay for antigen-specific T-cell reactivity corresponded with results obtained from a plaque-forming cell (PFC) assay measuring antibody production by B cells. Both the proliferative and PFC responses are probably under the sameIr gene control. Both gene dosage effects and Ir-gene-product interaction could influence the generation of specific immune responsiveness in F1 hybrids between high and low responders to TNP-MSA.
Growth & geotropic curvature of Avena coleoptiles in presence of n-1-naphthylphthalamic acid.

The fact that geotropic curvature is mediated by unequal rates of elongation on opposite sides of the bending structure has led to the general implication that depression of these growth rates should cause a corresponding inhibition of geotropic curvature. Recently published results have revealed that this expected relationship was not always observed when plants were treated with compounds such as 2,3,6trichlorobenzoic acid and n-1-naphthylphthalamic acid (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12). Selective inhibition of geotropic curvature bv n-1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NP) has been reported for a number of plants, including seedlings of corn, crucifer, cucumber, pea, lentil, sunflower, and tomato (3, 4, 5, 8). Since the data of Tsou Ching, Hamilton, and Bandurski (8) did not reveal a differential effect of NP on growth and geotropic curvature of intact Avena coleoptiles, the present study was undertaken to explore, in additional detail, the effects of NP on elongation and negative geotropism of isolated apical segments of Avena coleoptiles.
Further evidence for phosphatidic acid as the sodium carrier.

WE have presented evidence1,2 before that phosphatidic acid acts as the Na+ carrier in the membrane of the avian salt gland. The proposed scheme for Na+ transport involves a cycle in which disodium phosphatidate is formed at the inner surface of the membrane from diglyceride, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and 2 Na+, and is hydrolysed to diglyceride, orthophosphate and 2 Na+ near the outer surface of the membrane. One of the more important questions which we would like to test in relation to this scheme is whether the rate of renewal of phosphate in phosphatidic acid is compatible with the expected rate of Na+ transfer across the membrane.
Triangulation and shape-complexity

This paper describes a new method for triangulating a simple n-sided polygon. The algorithm runs in time O(n log s), with s _< n. The quantity s measures the sinuosity of the polygon, that is, the number of times the boundary alternates between complete spirals of opposite orientation. The value of s is in practice a very small constant, even for extremely winding polygons. Our algorithm is the first method whose performance is linear in the number of vertices, up to within a factor that depends only on the shape-complexity of the polygon. Informally, this notion of shape-complexity measures how entangled a polygon is, and is thus highly independent of the number of vertices. A practical advantage of the algorithm is that it does not require sorting or the use of any balanced tree structure. Aside from the notion of sinuosity, we are also able to characterize a large class of polygons for which the algorithm can be proven to run in O(n log log n) time. The algorithm has been implemented, tested, and empirical evidence has confirmed its theoretical claim to efficiency.
Depressive symptoms and smoking cessation among inner-city African Americans using the nicotine patch.

This study examined the relationship between depressive symptoms and smoking cessation among a sample of inner-city African American smokers using the nicotine patch. Analyses were conducted on data from a previous randomized trial that tested the effects of culturally sensitive vs. standard self-help quitting materials. The study sample consisted of 498 African American smokers (mean age = 42.95, SD = 10.40; 60% female) recruited from a large hospital. Participants in both groups received 8 weeks of nicotine replacement therapy. Level of smoking, quit status, and depressive symptoms (Medical Outcomes Survey Short Depression Screen) were assessed at baseline, week 4 (mid-treatment), and 6-month follow-up. Analyses that controlled for randomization group generally did not support the hypothesis that baseline levels of depressive symptoms predict smoking at Week 4 or Month 6. Cross-sectional analyses at each time point indicated that depressive symptoms were positively associated with smoking level (both: beta = 0.24, p < .05). Changes (increases) in depressive symptoms from baseline to week 4 predicted higher smoking levels at follow-up (beta = 0.19, p < .05). Although the results indicated a significant association between depressive symptoms and level of smoking, they generally did not support the notion that depressive symptoms are associated with failure to quit.
Corner detection by a cost minimization approach

Abstract Corner detection, which is a valuable tool in biological and machine vision systems, is cast as a problem of cost optimization. The cost function is suitably devised to capture different desirable characteristics of corners such as edginess, curvature and region dissimilarity. The geometrical structure of the corner as well as the gray level variation of the image are accounted for in cost factors to evaluate the quality of corner configurations. The cost function is minimized using a simulated annealing algorithm. This approach also provides corner orientations and angles in addition to corner locations. The efficacy of the approach is demonstrated by experimental results.
Neuropsychopharmacological mechanisms of stimulant drug action in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a review and integration

Abstract The psychostimulants, d -amphetamine ( d -AMP) and methylphenidate (MPH), are widely used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in both children and adults. The purpose of this paper is to integrate results of basic and clinical research with stimulants in order to enhance understanding of the neuropharmacological mechanisms of therapeutic action of these drugs. Neurochemical, neurophysiological and neuroimaging studies in animals reveal that the facilitative effects of stimulants on locomotor activity, reinforcement processes, and rate-dependency are mediated by dopaminergic effects at the nucleus accumbens, whereas effects on delayed responding and working memory are mediated by noradrenergic afferents from the locus coeruleus (LC) to prefrontal cortex (PFC). Enhancing effects of the stimulants on attention and stimulus control of behavior are mediated by both dopaminergic and noradrenergic systems. In humans, stimulants appear to exert rate-dependent effects on activity levels, and primarily enhance the motor output, rather than stimulus evaluation stages of information-processing. Similarity of response of individuals with and without ADHD suggests that the stimulants do not target a specific neurobiological deficit in ADHD, but rather exert compensatory effects. Integration of evidence from pre-clinical and clinical research suggests that these effects may involve stimulation of pre-synaptic inhibitory autoreceptors, resulting in reduced activity in dopaminergic and noradrenergic pathways. The implications of these and other hypotheses for further pre-clinical and clinical research are discussed.
Complementary/Alternative Therapies: So Many Choices☆

Abstract Several forms of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can be used to promote healthy aging. The choice to use them often is a matter of personal preference and/or availability. Most CAM therapies have little or no side effects under certain conditions. However, patients should be strongly encouraged to let their health care providers know which CAM and conventional therapies they are using. This notification will inhibit any potential untoward reaction from mixing different therapies. If health care providers are caring for patients who are using CAM, they must be knowledgeable of the risks and benefits of these therapies. This article provides some of this information. (Geriatr Nurs 1999;20:125-33)
Violence in Social Life

▪ Abstract Two features have marked the sociological analysis of violence: (a) disparate clusters of research on various forms of violence that have been the object of urgent social concern, and relatedly, (b) an overwhelming focus on forms of violence that are socially deviant and motivated by willful malice. The resulting literature is balkanized and disjointed, and yet narrowly focused. The systematic understanding of violence as a broad genus of social behavior has suffered accordingly. I examine the issues that have clouded the analysis of violence: the importance of physical injuries vs. psychological, social, and material injuries; the weight placed on physical vs. verbal and written actions; the role of force vs. victim complicity in the infliction of injuries; and the emphasis on interpersonal vs. corporate agents and victims. That discussion highlights the widely varying forms of violence in social life, including many instances that are neither driven by malicious intent nor socially repudiated...
Orienting behavior and discriminative proficiency of monkeys

Seventeen test-sophisticated rhesus monkeys were trained to discriminate between pairs of visual metric patterns in an automated apparatus (Wisconsin Automated Test Apparatus, WATA) and the Wisconsin General Test Apparatus (WGTA). Regardless of the previous test experience of the animals (WATA or WGTA) their performance in the WATA was consistently superior to that obtained in the WGTA. This finding was interpretated to be the result of design features in the WATA that tended to insure appropriate orienting behavior on each trial.
How we created a peer-designed specialty-specific selective for medical student career exploration

Background: In recent years, medical students have recognized and advocated for opportunities to explore various specialties earlier in their medical education. A brief literature review, however, reveals little consensus on the best approach to introduce students to different fields during their preclinical years.Aim: We present one of the first reports of a student-led effort to design and implement a preclinical specialty-specific elective.Methods: At Mayo Medical School, for two consecutive years the student president of the Pediatric Interest Group has created a peer-designed weeklong group elective (“selective”) experience consisting of workshops, faculty and resident panel discussions, and clinical shadowing experiences based on a student needs assessment.Results: Each year, more than 25% of the first- and second-year medical student body participated. The majority of students who completed the selective agreed that this experience heightened their interests and expanded their knowledge about pedia...