cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemically reactive generalized Taylor dispersion phenomena

Generalized Taylor dispersion theory for nonreactive solutes (Brenner 1980a; 1982) undergoing convection and diffusion is extended to include irreversible first-order volumetric and surface chemical reactions possessing position-dependent reactivity coefficients at the microscale. For sufficiently long times the equivalent chemical kinetic description of the rate of solute depletion at the macroscale is shown to manifest itself as a single constant reactivity coefficient K* characterizing an apparent first-order irreversible volumetric reaction. Subtraction of this gross solute depletion rate from the original microscale transport equation permits the resulting Taylor dispersionlike problem to be resolved by a solution scheme closely paralleling that for the comparable nonreactive case. This allows a straightforward determination of the mean global solute velocity vector Ū* and dispersivity dyadic D* appearing in the macroscale convection-diffusion-reaction equation describing the local-space averaged mean transport process. By way of example, these three coefficients are explicitly calculated for reacting and diffusing solute particles sedimenting from a solvent flow occurring between two parallel plates onto the reactive surface of one of these plates.
Nicotine fumigation: a greenhouse application.

(1999). Nicotine Fumigation: A Greenhouse Application. Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene: Vol. 14, No. 6, pp. 349-355.
Are lowland rainforests really evolutionary museums? Phylogeography of the green hylia (Hylia prasina) in the Afrotropics.

A recent trend in the literature highlights the special role that tropical montane regions and habitat transitions peripheral to large blocks of lowland rainforest play in the diversification process. The emerging view is one of lowland rainforests as evolutionary ‘museums’; where biotic diversity is maintained over evolutionary time, and additional diversity is accrued from peripheral areas, but where there has been little recent diversification. This leads to the prediction of genetic diversity without geographic structure in widespread taxa. Here, I assess the notion of the lowland rainforest ‘museum’ with a phylogeographic study of the green hylia (Aves: Sylviidae: Hylia prasina) using 1132 bp of mtDNA sequence data. The distribution of genetic diversity within the mainland subspecies of Hylia reveals five highly divergent haplotype groups distributed in accordance with broad-scale areas of endemism in the Afrotropics. This pattern of genetic diversity within a currently described subspecies refutes the characterization of lowland forests as evolutionary museums. If the pattern of geographic variation in Hylia occurs broadly in widespread rainforest species, conservation policy makers may need to rethink their priorities for conservation in the Afrotropics.
Group speech sound discrimination testing

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to present a controlled method of group testing of speech sound discrimination which would be expedient for the researcher and clinician. Three hundred one first graders between six years, six months and seven years, six months were administered the 50-item Templin Speech Sound Discrimination Test. The test, recorded on a disc, was presented simultaneously to twelve children through headphones. The children recorded their responses on simple answer forms. Results indicated that similar mean scores were obtained in the present study using a group procedure as were obtained in Templin's (1958) study using an individual administration procedure. This study warrants the conclusion that a recorded Templin Speech Sound Discrimination Test administered on a group basis can be effective with the majority of first-grade children.
Teacher beliefs and cultural models: A challenge for science teacher preparation programs

The purpose of this paper is to present an argument for developing science teacher education programs that examine teachers' beliefs about multicultural issues and their impact on science teaching and learning. In the paper, we (a) delineate a rationale for the study of teacher beliefs about issues of culture and its impact on science teaching and learning; (b) assert three major categories of teacher beliefs to examine for designing teacher education programs that aim to meet the challenges of increasingly culturally diverse classrooms; and (c) discuss implications for science teacher education programs and research. Research has shown that knowing teachers' beliefs and designing instruction and experiences to explicitly confront those beliefs facilitate refinement of and/or transformation of beliefs and practices (Bryan & Abell, J Res Sci Teaching, 36, 121–140, 1999; Harrington & Hathaway, J Teacher Education, 46, 275–284, 1995; Hollingsworth, Am Educational Res J, 26(2), 160–189, 1989; Olmedo, J Teaching Teacher Education, 13, 245–258, 1997; Tobin & LaMaster, J Res Sci Teaching, 32, 225–242, 1995). Furthermore, prior to student teaching, preservice teachers need to be at least culturally sensitive teachers (Gillette, In Teacher Thinking in Cultural Contexts, F. A. Rios (Ed.); Albany, NY: State University of New York Press; 1996, pp. 104–128). Science educators need to continue to identify those beliefs and practices that undergird desirable and equitable science instruction. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed86:821–839, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/sce.10043
THE MOLECULAR WEIGHT AND ISOELECTRIC POINT OF THYROGLOBULIN

1. The sedimentation constant of hog thyroglobulin is 19.2ċ10 –13 . That of human thyroglobulin is essentially the same. 2. The specific volume of hog thyroglobulin is 0.72. 3. The isoelectric point of native hog thyroglobulin is at pH 4.58, that of denatured thyroglobulin at pH 5.0. 4. The molecular weight of hog thyroglobulin is, in round numbers, 700,000, as calculated from the sedimentation and diffusion constants, or 650,000, as calculated from the sedimentation equilibrium data. 5. The thyroglobulin molecule deviates markedly from the spherical.
Mentoring juveniles in adult jail: An example of service learning

This paper describes and evaluates a service learning project whereby students mentored juveniles who had been referred to adult court and were awaiting trial in adult jail. The mentoring project had three learning objectives: 1) to provide students with a deeper understanding of the problems and needs of youthful offenders, 2) to help students learn about the jail as an institution, and to assess its impact on the juveniles detained there, and 3) to evaluate the problems and needs of juvenile offenders in light of various punishment alternatives. A questionnaire and student papers were used to evaluate the project. The authors concluded that learning objectives were substantially achieved and that the project helped students formulate a more thoughtful analysis of the juvenile crime problem and corrections.
The expected capacity of concentrators

The expected capacity of a class of sparse concentrators called modular concentrators is determined. In these concentrators, each input is connected to exactly two outputs, each output is connected to exactly three inputs, and the girth (the length of the shortest cycle in the connexion graph) is large. Two definitions of expected capacity are considered. For the first (which is due to Masson and Morris), it is assumed that a batch of customers arrive at a random set of inputs and that a maximum matching of these customers to servers at the outputs is found. The number of unsatisfied requests is negligible if customers arrive at fewer than one-half of the inputs, and it grows quite gracefully even beyond this threshold. The situation in which customers arrive sequentially is considered, and the decision as to how to serve each is made randomly, without knowledge of future arrivals. In this case, the number of unsatisfied requests is larger but still quite modest.
The impact of risk score (CHADS2 versus CHA2DS2-VASc) on long-term outcomes after atrial fibrillation ablation

Background Risk stratification tools are needed to select the right candidates for catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). Both the CHADS 2 and CHA 2 DS 2 -VAS c scores have utility in predicting AF-related outcomes and guiding anticoagulation treatment. Objective We sought to determine whether these risk scores predict long-term outcomes after AF ablation and whether one risk score provides comparatively superior performance. Methods CHADS 2 and CHA 2 DS 2 -VAS c scores were calculated in 2179 patients who underwent a first ablation procedure for AF enrolled in the Intermountain Heart Collaborative Study. CHADS 2 and CHA 2 DS 2 -VAS c scores were categorized as 0–1, 2–4, and ≥5. Patient outcomes were analyzed over 5 years for AF/atrial flutter recurrence and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE: composite of death, stroke, and heart failure hospitalization). Results The mean age was 65.7 ± 10.5 years, and 61.1% were men. Both scores incrementally predicted risk of AF recurrence, stroke, heart failure, and death at 5 years. Increasing CHADS 2 (hazard ratio [HR] 1.19; P 2 DS 2 -VAS c (HR 1.15; P 2 (HR 1.54; P 2 DS 2 -VAS c (HR 1.32; P 2 and CHA 2 DS 2 -VAS c scores were modeled together, only CHA 2 DS 2 -VAS c scores significantly predicted AF recurrence (HR 1.13; P = .001), but both were associated with MACE. Conclusion Both the CHADS 2 and CHA 2 DS 2 -VAS c scores were excellent in stratifying patients for 5-year outcomes after AF ablation. However, the CHA 2 DS 2 -VAS c score was superior to the CHADS 2 score in predicting AF recurrence and AF-related morbidities.
Delayed Absorption of Subretinal Fluid After Scleral Buckling Procedures

Delayed absorption of subretinal fluid beyond six weeks after surgical repair for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment was recognized in 39 of 575 consecutive cases of scleral buckling. The most common preoperative condition was large clumps of cells on the undersurface of the detached retina (subretinal precipitates). Approximately one in four patients in whom precipitates are seen preoperatively will have fluid persisting beyond six weeks from surgical repair to complete absorption. A second relatively common condition associated with delayed fluid absorption that could be recognized before operation was long-standing peripheral (usually inferior) retinal detachment, which typically spared the macula, was associated with demarcation lines, and was caused by round atrophic holes with or without associated lattice degeneration. An analysis of subretinal fluid protein concentrations in 39 cases showed a positive relationship between protein concentration and duration of detachment. Pigment-laden macrophages in the subretinal space, possibly originating from the retinal epithelium, were common.
Fundamental approach for optoelectronic and microfluidic integration for miniaturizing spectroscopic devices

We have described an approach for miniaturizing spectroscopic devices by using the advantages presented by elastomeric based microfluidics and semiconductor detectors/emitters. Elastomers allow for both absorption and fluorescent spectroscopy in the visible range to be conducted on small volumes of solution and allow for easy integration with existing detectors such as CMOS imagers, CCD imagers, and silicon photodiodes. Results of some basic experiments are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the system. In addition, several ideas for emission sources are also discussed with their relevance yet to be determined.
Effect of increased coronary venous pressure on left ventricular function in sheep.

Abstract We studied the effect of increased coronary venous pressure (Pcv) on left ventricular (LV) function in nine anesthetized open-chested sheep. Pcv was increased by inflating a balloon in the coronary sinus. LV function was estimated by measuring maximum rate of change in LV pressure (dP/dt max) and LV end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP). Left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery blood flow was measured with an electromagnetic flow probe. A control group (n=6) was studied similarly except that Pcv was not elevated. After completion of the experiment, LV wet/dry weight ratios were measured to estimate LV myocardial water content. The balloon inflation increased Pcv from 8.6±1.1 to 23.8±1.7 mmHg (mean±SEM), which decreased dP/dt max from 1611±236 at baseline to 1041±210 after 120 min of increased Pcv (P
Nuclear energy for the future.

Nuclear energy offers a low-carbon footprint and less dependence on fossil fuel, but several materials challenges must be met to advance nuclear technology.
Improving Media Effects Research through Better Measurement of News Exposure

Survey research is necessary to understand media effects, but seriously impeded by considerable overreporting of news exposure, the extent of which differs across respondents. Consequently, apparent media effects may arise not because of differences in exposure, but because of differences in the accuracy of reporting exposure. Drawing on experiments embedded in two representative surveys, this study examines why many people overstate their exposure to television news. Analysis indicates that overreporting results from unrealistic demands on respondents’ memory, not their motivation to misrepresent or provide superficial answers. Satisficing and social desirability bias do not explain overreporting. Instead, imperfect recall coupled with the use of flawed inference rules causes inflated self-reports. To lower reports of news exposure and improve the validity of conclusions about media effects, researchers should help respondents with the estimation by providing population frequencies and encouraging compar...
Do Redo Heart Transplant Patients Have an Increased Risk of Antibody Development

Purpose: Redo heart transplant (HTx) patients may have higher levels of circulating antibodies due to the fact that they have been exposed to a foreign graft. In addition, these patients may have had additional blood transfusions which may have also contributed towards the development of circulating antibodies. It is not clear whether patients undergoing redo HTx are more sensitized compared to primary HTx recipients. Furthermore, it is not clear as to whether redo HTx patients have a higher tendency to develop more circu- lating antibodies following their second heart transplant surgery. Circulating antibodies have been associated with poor post-transplant outcomes includ- ing survival and the development of cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV). Methods: Between 2006 and 2012, we assessed 26 HTx patients who have undergone redo HTx compared to 347 in the same era who have undergone primary HTx surgery. Post-transplant, the assays for circulating antibodies were obtained for the first year after transplant at timed intervals of 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-transplant. A subgroup of redo HTx with pre-transplant PRA= 0% was also assessed. 3 year survival and freedom from CAV and first year freedom from biopsy-proven antibody and cellular mediated rejections were also assessed. Results: Post-transplant, there was a trend for redo transplant patients versus primary transplant patients to develop circulating antibodies within the first year. However, survival and freedom from CAV at 3 years post-transplant were comparable between the two groups. Freedom from antibody-mediated and cellular rejection was also comparable between the two groups. There was also no difference in outcomes when the subgroup of patients with no pre-transplant circulating antibodies was compared (data not shown). Conclusion: Redo heart transplant patients have a tendency to develop more antibodies post-transplant. A larger number of patients and longer follow-up may reveal less than optimal outcome for these patients.
Plasma lipoprotein changes during abstinence in chronic alcoholics.

Abstract Plasma lipoprotein changes during a 2-week period of abstinence were followed in 6 male, chronic alcoholics without evidence of severe liver disease and with initial HDL cholesterol (HDL-CH) > 60 mg/dl. Fasting blood samples were obtained on days 1, 3, 7 and 14 of the study. Reference data were obtained from healthy non-alcoholic normolipidemic men who had abstained from alcohol for 10 days. At day 1, plasma- and HDL-CH (by the heparin-Mn2+ technique) were 17 and 69% higher, respectively, than those of controls. During abstinence, VLDL-CH increased 52% whereas HDL-CH decreased 30% compared to day 1 values. (IDL + LDL)-CH increased during abstinence to levels 33% higher than that of controls. Plasma, SF > 400, VLDL- and d > 1.006 g/ml-triglycerides (TG) were not significantly different from those of the control group. Only the d > 1.006 g/ml-TG showed a significant effect of abstinence, increasing by 37%. Initial plasma and d > 1.006 g/ml-phospholipid (PL) concentrations were 17 and 31% higher, respectively, than those of controls; and the latter was the only fraction to change significantly with abstinence, decreasing by 13%. Density gradient ultracentrifugation was employed to further resolve the d > 1.006 g/ml fraction into IDL, LDL, HDL and VHDL subfractions. Initial levels of IDL- and LDL-CH and -PL in the alcoholic group did not differ from those of controls. IDL-CH and -PL were invariant during abstinence, whereas LDL-CH and -PL levels increased 38 and 28%, during this period. Apo A-I, CH and PL contained in the ‘lighter’ density HDL region of the gradient (d = 1.063-1.125 g/ml) were 70–108% increased over the corresponding parameters for controls; and with abstinence decreased 30–40% between days 1 and 14. CH and PL in the `heavier' density HDL region (d = 1.125-1.21 g/ml) were 30% increased over those of controls, while apo A-I levels were similar to controls. During abstinence, ‘heavy’ HDL-CH, -PL and -apo A-I decreased 25% compared to day 1 values. Inspection of ‘difference’ density gradient plots indicated that the dominant decrease in HDL occurred in the ‘light’ HDL subspecies in only one-half of the subjects. Other investigators have reported a preferential decrease in ‘light’ HDL subspecies during abstinence in chronic alcoholics, and have related the decrease to decreased TG turnover. We conclude that additional mechanisms related to the synthesis and/or catabolism of HDL may need to be considered in explaining decreases in HDL subspecies in alcoholics during abstinence.
Effect of follicle-stimulating hormone on gonads of immature C57 black mice.

SummaryThe responsiveness of mice to injections of a highly purified FSH preparation has been investigated. At a total dose level of 12.5 mg no microscopic changes in the testes of male mice were observed, although some weight increment was evident. In female mice the uterus showed greater sensitivity to hormone injections than did the ovaries.
Teaching Research Design and Practice One Bite at a Time in the MT/CLS Curriculum

The curriculum for clinical laboratory sciences (CLS) majors is tightly packed with basic and applied science, math, education, and management courses. In the past few years, clinical laboratory science program directors have been charged with adding a component on research to comply with the new #9B8 of the standards that programs must meet to pass accreditation by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (now CLSI). The standard reads: “the CLS/MT will possess knowledge, skills and relevant experiences in research design/practice sufficient to evaluate published studies as an informed consumer.” 1 Graduate and professional schools spend years teaching their students how to evaluate research. How can CLS students pick it up as an add-on? This is akin to the riddle: “how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” In the first bite, establish what you want the student be able to do with the new skills: the expected student learning outcomes (SLOs). For the second bite, design a series of research experiences that can be integrated into the established curriculum. In the third bite, measure student success at meeting the SLOs from both the instructor’s and student’s perspectives. For the fourth bite, assess the success of the project in its entirety and make plans to improve the process. These steps should sound familiar. They are plan, implement, assess, and improve. In a clinical laboratory, the implementation of a plan like this happens over a long period of time. In the CLS curriculum, it should also happen over time. What follows is a case study on how NAACLS standard #9B8 Research Design has been integrated into the clinical laboratory science curriculum at the University of West Florida in an active learning model embedded in core CLS courses, with an increasing level of student engagement and responsibility. The comprehensive plan also satisfies a component of the quality enhancement plan (QEP) of the university itself, which calls for a written plan for improvement in student skills of content, communication, project management, and critical thinking.
The case for Java as a first language

Java could well be the answer to the problem of choosing an appropriate language for the first programming course. This paper looks at the pros and cons of teaching Java, concluding that Java appears to have outstanding prospects for computer science education in general and the first programming course in particular. In particular, the paper argues that the properties that make Java a suitable Internet language also make it excellent for classroom use.
Counterknowledge, racial paranoia, and the cultic milieu: Decoding hip hop conspiracy theory

Abstract This article contributes to existing research on knowledge production and popular racial discourse. Specifically, it explores the production and circulation of conspiracy theories and other stigmatized knowledge in popular culture. The article investigates how hip hop culture uses conspiratorial ideas to challenge racial inequality. The analysis draws on rap lyrics, news articles, and Internet websites to understand better the role of this prominent sub-theme within the contexts of entertainment and calculated identity politics. Hip hop culture is theorized as “counterknowledge,” an alternative knowledge system intended to challenge mainstream knowledge producers such as news media and academia. Building on John Jackson's notion of “racial paranoia,” I show how hip hop's alarmist and conspiratorial claims are meant to explain continued race-class disadvantage in an era of supposed color-blindness. This article traces the discourses that shape and influence hip hop including popular culture, prison culture, Black Muslim (“Five Percenter”) religion, and black books subculture. It reveals how hip hop resembles the “cultic milieu,” a space where disparate countercultural ideas propagate and create unlikely political alliances. Overall, the article seeks to demonstrate that conspiratorial thinking serves multiple purposes, including addressing legitimate but complex political grievances in contemporary society.
Modulation of oxidative stability of haemoglobin inside liposome-encapsulated haemoglobin

The major hurdle in the formulation of liposome-encapsulated haemoglobin (LEH) is the oxidation of haemoglobin (Hb) into methaemoglobin during storage and after administration. In order to reduce this oxidative degradation, we tested various reducing conditions in the presence of catalase. We found that at 37°C more than 50% of Hb oxidized to methaemoglobin within 24 h, whereas in presence of catalase, the oxidation was significantly reduced. The effect of catalase was further enhanced by a reduction mixture containing β-NAD, d-glucose, adenine, inosine, MgCl2, KCl, KH2PO4 and Na2HPO4; only 14% methaemoglobin was generated in the presence of catalase and reduction mixture. Contrary to the expectation, glutathione, deferoxamine and homocysteine enhanced Hb oxidation. The presence of CRM inside liposomes (250 nm) significantly decreased Hb oxidation. The results suggest that catalase and a well-defined mixture of co-factors may help control Hb oxidation for improvement in the functional life of LEH.
Performance Budgeting in the American States: What's Law Got to Do with It?

This study examines the content of performance budgeting legislation and its relationship to the quality of implemented performance budgeting systems. Recent research indicates that states with well functioning performance budgeting systems are more likely to have enacted pertinent laws than states with weak or no performance budgeting system. We find that performance budgeting legislation containing detailed instructions on the development, reporting, and use of performance data contributes to stronger use of performance budgeting systems in state governments.
Obesity and Sex Steroids during Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist Treatment for Prostate Cancer

Purpose: To evaluate effects of obesity on sex steroid levels during treatment with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist in men with prostate cancer. Experimental Design: Forty-nine hormone-naive men with recurrent or locally advanced prostate cancer were included in the analyses. All subjects were treated with leuprolide 3-month depot for 48 weeks. Serum levels of estradiol, sex hormone–binding globulin, total testosterone, and free testosterone were assessed at baseline, 24 weeks, and 48 weeks. Subjects were categorized by body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat. Results: Pretreatment serum sex hormone–binding globulin and total testosterone levels were significantly lower in overweight and obese men than in men with normal BMI. In the overall study population, mean serum testosterone concentrations decreased from 372 ± 18 ng/dL at baseline to 13 ± 1 ng/dL at week 48 ( P P Conclusions: Despite lower pretreatment serum testosterone levels, obese men have higher total and free testosterone levels during leuprolide treatment than men with normal BMI. These differences may contribute to the association between obesity and increased prostate cancer mortality.
Cellular interactions with biodegradable polyurethanes formulated from L-tyrosine

L-Tyrosine polyurethanes (LTUs) have been synthesized by structural modification of the poly (amino acid) backbone to circumvent the problems associated with the processing of poly (amino acids) arising from their high crystallinity, insolubility in common organic solvents, and high glass-transition and melting temperatures. Additionally, problems such as unpredictable swelling characteristics, change in conformation, and uncontrolled enzymatic degradation have severely restricted the use of poly (amino acids). In contrast, LTUs are designed to retain their superior physico-chemical properties, while incorporating biodegradability through enzymatic, hydrolytic, and oxidative pathways. The aim of this study is to evaluate initially the biocompatibility of LTUs and their degradation products. Studies involving primary dermal human fibroblasts cultured in contact with LTU films or degradation products suggest a lack of toxicity (cell viabilities >93% with p < 0.05 compared to the control for all studies). The diversity of LTU polymer chemistry and the ability of LTUs to phase separate seem to present a heterogeneous surface with variable wettability. This phenomenon influences the adhesion and proliferation of human fibroblasts on polymeric surfaces, wherein fibroblast adhesion on polycaprolactone diol (PCL) based LTUs is characterized by higher cell counts (81,250 ± 18,390 for PCL-C-DTH (desaminotyrosine-tyrosyl hexyl, DTH), 58,360 ± 7370 for PCL-L-DTH, 38,480 ± 12,680 for PEG-C-DTH (polyethylene glycol, PEG), and 46,430 ± 16,000 for PEG-L-DTH at 120 h with p < 0.001 for comparison between PCL-C-DTH and all other LTUs), more rapid cellular proliferation (doubling time of 37-49 h for PCL-based LTUs compared to 68-90 h for PEG-based LTUs), and a uniform cell distribution compared to PEG-based LTUs. However, immunofluorescence assay for F-actin suggests that the cells are well attached. Thus, the lack of cytotoxicity and the ability to control cellular adhesion through polymer chemistry make LTUs attractive candidates for tissue-engineering applications that require elastomeric, biodegradable, and biocompatible polymers.
The covariance structure analysis of ipsative data

Data are called ipsative if they are subject to a constant-sum constraint for each observation. Usually, ipsative data are the consequence of transformation of their corresponding preipsative data....
Mechanical design for assembly of a 4-DOF robotic arm utilizing a top-down concept

This paper proposes an effective top-down design approach for the mechanical design for assembly of a four degree-of-freedom revolute jointed robotic arm. The design process begins by specifying top-level design criteria and passing down these criteria from the top level of the manipulator's structure to all of the subsequent components. With this proposed approach, the sequential design intents are captured, organized and implemented based on the entire system's objectives, as opposed to the conventional design process which aims at individual components' optimization. By considering the mechanical arm's performance objectives, the design starts with modeling the integration of all the individual links constituting the manipulator. During the design process, modifications are made based on the integrated information of kinematics, dynamics, and structural analyses of the desired robot configurations as a whole. An optimum assembly design is then achieved with workable subdesigns of the manipulator components. As a result, the proposed approach for manipulator design yields substantially less number of iterations, automatic propagation of design changes, and great saving of design efforts. Thus, it is suitable and can be used as a guideline for design automation purposes of complex systems such as robotic arms.
Factors affecting songbird nest survival in riparian forests in a midwestern agricultural landscape

Abstract We investigated factors affecting nest success of songbirds in riparian forest and buffers in northeastern Missouri. We used an information-theoretic approach to determine support for hypotheses concerning effects of nest-site, habitat-patch, edge, and temporal factors on nest success of songbirds in three narrow (55–95 m) and three wide (400–530 m) riparian forests with adjacent grassland-shrub buffer strips and in three narrow and three wide riparian forests without adjacent grassland-shrub buffer strips. We predicted that temporal effects would have the most support and that habitat-patch and edge effects would have little support, because nest predation would be great across all sites in the highly fragmented, predominantly agricultural landscape. Interval nest success was 0.404, 0.227, 0.070, and 0.186, respectively, for Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea), and forest interior species pooled (Acadian Flycatcher [...
Training in medical information science: a critical perspective.

Statement of the problemIn spite of the widespread advances in the use of information science in biomedical research and clinical medicine, few physicians have any substantial knowledge of the field, and virtually no medical institutions have accepted the responsibility for teaching the fundamentals of medical informatics to undergraduate medical students. Consequently, many of the benefits of an intelligent use of information technology are lost to society, the costs of medical care are higher than necessary, and the intellectual stewardship of medical schools in both health care delivery and in biologically-oriented research is impaired.
Fluid‐particle drag in inertial polydisperse gas–solid suspensions

In this article, we extend the low Reynolds number fluid-particle drag relation proposed by Yin and Sundaresan for polydisperse systems to include the effect of moderate fluid inertia. The proposed model captures the fluid-particle drag results obtained from lattice-Boltzmann simulations of bidisperse and ternary suspensions at particle mixture Reynolds numbers ranging from 0 � Remix � 40, over a particle volume fraction range of 0.2 � f � 0.4, volume fraction ratios of 1 � fi/fj � 3, and particle diameter ratios of 1 � di/dj � 2.5. V C 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 56: 1995–2004, 2010
Apps for Assessment: A Starting Point

Many mobile applications, also known as apps, are excellent instruments for gathering qualitative and quantitative data. This article is a starting point for those interested in gathering assessment data using mobile tools and provides assessment app type overviews and examples. With relatively little effort, libraries can take advantage of mobile apps and gather compelling assessment data more easily than ever before.
Clinical Practice Guidelines as Instruments for Sound Health Care Priority Setting

This editorial discusses the potential role that physician-authored clinical practice guidelines could play in health care priority setting decisions in the United States. We briefly review the challenges associated with increasingly obligate health care priority setting in the United States and discuss accountability for these decisions. We then propose a potential role for clinical practice guidelines in addressing these challenges, while considering the ethical foundations of such a proposal.
Understanding the real-world performance of carrier sense

Carrier sense is a fundamental part of most wireless networking stacks in wireless local area- and sensor networks. As increasing numbers of users and more demanding applications push wireless networks to their capacity limits, the efficacy of the carrier sense mechanism becomes a key factor in determining wireless network capacity.We describe how carrier sense works, point out its limitations, and advocate an experimental approach to studying carrier sense. We describe our current testbed setup, and then present preliminary experimental results from both a 60-node sensor network deployment and a small-scale 802.11 deployment. Our preliminary results evaluate how well carrier sense works and expose its limitations.
First-principles transversal DNA conductance deconstructed

First-principles calculation of the transverse conductance across DNA fragments placed between gold nanoelectrodes reveals that such conductance describes electron tunneling that depends critically on geometrical rather than electronic-structure properties. By factoring the first-principles result into two simple and approximately independent tunneling factors, we show that the conductances of the A, C, G, and T fragments differ only because of their sizes: the larger is the DNA base, the smaller its distance to the electrode, and the larger its conductance. Because the geometrical factors are difficult to control in an experiment, the direct-current measurements across DNA with gold contact electrodes may not be a convenient approach to DNA sequencing.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae CARDS toxin exacerbates ovalbumin-induced asthma-like inflammation in BALB/c mice

Mycoplasma pneumoniae causes a range of airway and extrapulmonary pathologies in humans. Clinically, M. pneumoniae is associated with acute exacerbations of human asthma and a worsening of experimentally induced asthma in mice. Recently, we demonstrated that Community Acquired Respiratory Distress Syndrome (CARDS) toxin, an ADP-ribosylating and vacuolating toxin synthesized by M. pneumoniae, is sufficient to induce an asthma-like disease in BALB/cJ mice. To test the potential of CARDS toxin to exacerbate preexisting asthma, we examined inflammatory responses to recombinant CARDS toxin in an ovalbumin (OVA) murine model of asthma. Differences in pulmonary inflammatory responses between treatment groups were analyzed by histology, cell differentials and changes in cytokine and chemokine concentrations. Additionally, assessments of airway hyperreactivity were evaluated through direct pulmonary function measurements. Analysis of histology revealed exaggerated cellular inflammation with a strong eosinophilic component in the CARDS toxin-treated group. Heightened T-helper type-2 inflammatory responses were evidenced by increased expression of IL-4, IL-13, CCL17 and CCL22 corresponding with increased airway hyperreactivity in the CARDS toxin-treated mice. These data demonstrate that CARDS toxin can be a causal factor in the worsening of experimental allergic asthma, highlighting the potential importance of CARDS toxin in the etiology and exacerbation of human asthma.
Anti-dementia drugs: What difference do they make?

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a treatable disorder. Two classes of anti-dementia agents have emerged in the recent past: anti-oxidants and cholinesterase inhibitors. A recent study showed that the anti-oxidants alpha tocopherol (vitamin E) and selegiline slowed the progress of AD. Patients treated with either agent alone or with both agents in combination progressed to end-point more slowly than patients on placebo. Patients on placebo reached one of the end-points - death, nursing home placement, progression to severe AD, or significant loss of activities of daily living - in approximately 400 days, whereas patients on active agent required approximately 600 days to reach the same end-points. Both these agents have anti-oxidant properties; selegiline is a monoamine oxidase-B inhibitor that reduces free radical generation and alpha tocopherol has free radical capture capabilities. These agents are applied to patients in mild or moderate phases of AD, where slowing the progression of the illness and maintenance of patients at higher levels of function are the principal goals. Slowing the progression of the disease in more advanced phases of the illness may be less desirable.
Acute aortic syndrome: a case presentation and review of the literature

Aortic disease can present as an acute chest pain syndrome. Although aortic dissection is the most common etiology, other processes such as intramural hematoma (IMH) and penetrating atherosclerotic ulcers are being increasingly recognized. They can all be accurately identified by computed tomography (CT) imaging or transesophageal echocardiography. The overlap between these processes regarding definition and mechanism is controversial. Treatment for all three conditions has thus far been dictated by location, wherein ascending or arch involvement (Stanford type A) necessitates surgery and descending disease (type B) is treated medically. Small studies suggest that subgroups of type A IMH may be treated medically with good outcomes.
Expression of insecticide resistance in immature life stages of Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae).

The aim of the current study was to investigate the susceptibility to the insecticide deltamethrin and the expression of resistance to this insecticide in developing eggs and neonate nymphs of Triatoma infestans from two areas of Argentina (Campo Largo) and Bolivia (Entre Rios), where resistance to this pyrethroid is suspected. Both nymphal populations showed resistance to deltamethrin, with lower resistance ratio for Entre Rios (173×) than Campo Largo (1108×). Efficacy of deltamethrin on 4-, 7-, and 12-d-old eggs for both field populations were significantly lower than efficacy on eggs of the susceptible strain. This is the first documented evidence of the expression of pyrethroid resistance during the embryonic development of Chagas Disease vectors.
A rodent model of the human psychomotor vigilance test: Performance comparisons.

Abstract Background The human Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) is commonly utilized as an objective risk assessment tool to quantify fatigue and sustained attention in laboratory, clinical, and operational settings. New method Recent studies have employed a rodent version of the PVT (rPVT) to measure various aspects of attention (lapses in attention, reaction times) under varying experimental conditions. Results Data are presented here to evaluate the short- and long-term utility of the rPVT adapted for laboratory rats designed to track the same types of performance variables as the human PVT—i.e., motor speed, inhibitory control (“impulsivity”), and attention/inattention. Results indicate that the rPVT is readily learned by rats and requires less than two weeks of training to acquire the basic procedure. Additional data are also presented on the effects of radiation exposure on these performance measures that indicate the utility of the procedure for assessing changes in neurobehavioral function in rodents across their lifespans. Comparison with existing method(s) Once stable performances are obtained, rats evidence a high degree of similarity to human performance measures, and include similarities in terms of lapses and reaction times, in addition to percent correct and premature responding. Similar to humans, rats display both a vigilance decrement across time on task and a response-stimulus interval effect. Conclusions The rPVT is a useful tool in the investigation of the effects of a wide range of variables on vigilance performance that compares favorably to the human PVT and for developing potential prophylactics, countermeasures, and treatments for neurobehavioral dysfunctions.
Consequences of strain variability and calcification in Emiliania huxleyi on microzooplankton grazing

Microzooplankton are the main consumers of marine phytoplankton. Intrinsic traits of phytoplankton can reduce grazing mortality, directly influencing phytoplankton population dynamics, food web ecology and biogeochemical cycling. We examined the impact of calcification in mediating the functional grazing response of three heterotrophic dinoflagellates, on the coccolithophore, Emiliania huxleyi. A variety of parameters, including predator grazing and growth rates, were examined over a 24–48 h period, at one to five prey concentrations for five isolates of E. huxleyi that fell along a gradient of calcification states. Significant differences in ingestion and clearance rate were strain-specific, and no apparent trends were observed in relation to calcification. However, predators had, on average, a 60% slower growth rate on calcified strains relative to naked strains; furthermore, gross growth efficiency was reduced when ingesting calcified strains. A growth rate model demonstrated a positive feedback from grazing interactions whereby decreased predator growth rate on calcified strains resulted in the accumulation of E. huxleyi. This study highlights the complexity involved in understanding the role of prey phenotype on grazing rates, and emphasizes the importance in considering morphological traits when deciphering predator–prey interactions in the plankton.
Contact resistance to SrRuO3 and La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 epitaxial films

Contact resistance to the metallic oxide electrodes, SrRuO3 (SRO) and La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO), is an important parameter that affects the ferroelectric tunnel junction (FTJ) device performance. We have systematically studied the contact resistance between metallic oxide electrodes (SRO, LSMO) and contact metal overlayers (Ti, Pt) after exposure to various processing environments. Specific contact resistivity (ρc) for Ti and Pt contact metals and the sheet resistance (Rsh) of the metallic oxides are measured after exposure to different reactive ion plasma process steps. Sheet resistance degradation was observed for both SRO and LSMO films after exposure to plasma treatment. Severe contact resistance degradation was observed for Ti contacts as compared to Pt after reactive ion etching on LSMO films. The effect of oxygen (O2) plasma on LSMO was observed to be most severe with non-ohmic behavior with Ti contacts, which can affect the functionality of FTJ devices. Finally, the thermal stability of contacts was investigated, Pt contacts to SRO show low resistance ohmic behavior even after annealing at 900 °C, making it a suitable contact for FTJ devices.
Talking to the Dead: Religion, Music, and Lived Memory among Gullah/Geechee Women, by LeRhonda S. Manigault-Bryant, Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2014, xix + 278 pp. ISBN 978-082-235663-9, US$89.95 (cloth); ISBN 978-082-235674-5, US$24.95 (paperback)

Through her treatment of Gullah/Geechee culture along the South Carolina coast from Beaufort to Moncks Corner, LeRhonda S. Manigault-Bryant, Assistant Professor of Africana Studies at Williams Coll...
Narcissism, intrinsic and extrinsic romantic ideals, and relationship satisfaction

Narcissists are attracted to highly positive, rather than communal, romantic partners, but the literature has not examined how obtaining these desired traits affects relationship satisfaction. A total of 206 participants completed a survey assessing narcissism and ideal partner standards. A subset of 143 romantically involved participants completed assessments of their current partners and relationships. Narcissism was positively associated with extrinsic (attractive and successful) ideal standards and was negatively associated with intrinsic standards (warmth and intimacy) when controlling for extrinsic ideals. Relationships meeting extrinsic ideals were more satisfying for narcissists, but not non-narcissists. Relationships meeting intrinsic ideals were more satisfying for all participants, especially those low in narcissism. The effect for extrinsic traits was driven by Entitlement/Exploitativeness and Grandiose Exhibitionism, and the effect for intrinsic traits was driven by Entitlement/Exploitativeness.
ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC CHANGES OF RIGHT VENTRICULAR STRAIN DO NOT PREDICT HEMODYNAMIC OR CLINICAL IMPROVEMENT IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING PULMONARY THROMBOENDARTERECTOMY (PTE)

Electrocardiographic (ECG) changes track hemodynamic and clinical improvement in pulmonary hypertension. We evaluated those changes predictive of favorable outcomes in a cohort of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension patients undergoing pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE) at our center
Asthma management in New York City schools: A classroom teacher perspective

AbstractObjective: Classroom teachers play an important role in facilitating asthma management in school but little is known about their perspectives around asthma management. We examined the perspectives of classroom teachers around barriers to school asthma management. Methods: We conducted key informant interviews with 21 inner-city classroom teachers from 3rd to 5th grades in 10 Bronx, New York elementary schools. Sampling continued until thematic saturation was reached. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and independently coded for common themes. We used thematic and content review to analyze interview data. Results: Seven themes representing teachers’ perspectives on in-school asthma management emerged: (1) the problematic process of identifying students with asthma; (2) poor familiarity with the city health department's asthma initiative and poor general knowledge of school policies on asthma management; (3) lack of competency in managing an acute asthma attack in the classroom and poor recogni...
Summer Weights of Raccoons in Northern Minnesota

During the summers of 1948 through 1955, weight data on live-trapped raccoons ( Procyon lotor hirtus Nelson and Goldman) were obtained at three localities in northern Minnesota. Whitney and Underwood (the eaccoon, 1952, pp. 1–177) state “The largest coons are still said to come from the north-central states, but as yet we have no authentic weights” (p. 15). All data presented are live-weights obtained at first capture of the individual. Much of the information was obtained during the period 1950 through 1955 at the Lake Itasca Forestry and Biological Station in Clearwater County. Grants for field studies from the Graduate School of the University of Minnesota made this work possible. Other data are from the Mud Lake National Waterfowl Refuge in …
Evidence of G.O.D.'s Miracle: Unearthing a RAG Transposon.

Diversity of antibodies and T cell receptors is generated by gene rearrangement dependent on RAG1 and RAG2, enzymes predicted to have been derived from a transposable element (TE) that invaded an immunoglobulin superfamily gene early in the evolution of jawed vertebrates. Now, Huang et al. report the discovery of ProtoRAG in the lower chordate Amphioxus, the long-anticipated TE related to the RAG transposon.