cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extraordinary potency of a novel delta opioid receptor agonist is due in part to increased efficacy

A new cyclic opioid peptide of sequence Tyr-D-Pen-Gly-Phe-Cys-Phe (HBP2) was examined in the mouse isolated vas deferens (MVD) bioassay. Studies with receptor-selective opioid antagonists showed the peptide to be highly selective for delta opioid receptors. HBP2 and the standard delta agonist DPDPE were simultaneously compared using the technique of partial irreversible receptor blockade; data were analyzed using the operational model of pharmacologic agonism. HBP2 was approximately 160 times as potent as DPDPE; estimation of the affinity and efficacy of the two peptides revealed that the potency increase was due to a 5.3-fold increase in efficacy, as well as a 37-fold increase affinity. This contrasts with our previous findings with other cyclic enkephalin analogs, in which increased affinity was achieved without a change in apparent efficacy. Analysis of concentration-response curve shape suggested in addition the possibility of heterogeneity in transduction mechanisms for MVD delta receptors.
(2 + ε)-Coloring of planar graphs with large odd-girth

The odd-girth of a graph is the length of a shortest odd circuit. A conjecture by Pavol Hell about circular coloring is solved in this article by showing that there is a function &#119995;(e) for each e : 0 < e < 1 such that, if the odd-girth of a planar graph G is at least &#119995;(e), then G is (2 + e)-colorable. Note that the function &#119995;(e) is independent of the graph G and e ➝ 0 if and only if &#119995;(e) ➝ ∞. A key lemma, called the folding lemma, is proved that provides a reduction method, which maintains the odd-girth of planar graphs. This lemma is expected to have applications in related problems. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Graph Theory 33: 109119, 2000
Disentangling achievement orientation and goal setting: Effects on self-regulatory processes

H. Heckhausen and J. Kuhl's (1985) goal typology provided the conceptual foundation for this research, which examined the independent and integrated effects of achievement orientation and goal-setting approaches on trainees' self-regulatory activity. Using a complex computer-based simulation, the authors examined the effects of 3 training design factors--goal frame, goal content, and goal proximity--cutting across these 2 theoretical domains on the nature, focus, and quality of the self-regulatory activities of 524 trainees. Results revealed that all 3 factors had a significant influence on self-regulation, with goal content exhibiting the greatest influence. In line with expectations, congruent learning frame and content compared with congruent performance frame and content was beneficial for trainees' self-regulatory activity, incongruent combinations of goal frame and content were better than congruent performance frames and content, and effects for the incongruent combinations cutting across the domains were asymmetrical. Theoretical extensions for further disentangling these distinct domains and training design implications are discussed.
Lack-of-fit testing in errors-in-variables regression model with validation data

A score-type test procedure is proposed for checking the adequacy of the errors-in-variables regression model when validation data are available. Under mild conditions, the score-type test statistic is proven to be asymptotically normal. The test procedure is shown to be consistent against general fixed alternatives and it can detect local alternatives which are close to the null model at the parametric rate. Monte-Carlo simulations are conducted to evaluated the finite sample performance of the proposed test.
Three-dimensional analysis and ultrastructural design of mitotic spindles from the cdc20 mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract The three-dimensional organization of mitotic microtubules in a mutant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been studied by computer-assisted serial reconstruction. At the nonpermissive temperature, cdc20 cells arrested with a spindle length of approximately 2.5 microns. These spindles contained a mean of 81 microtubules (range, 56-100) compared with 23 in wild-type spindles of comparable length. This increase in spindle microtubule number resulted in a total polymer length up to four times that of wild-type spindles. The spindle pole bodies in the cdc20 cells were approximately 2.3 times the size of wild-type, thereby accommodating the abnormally large number of spindle microtubules. The cdc20 spindles contained a large number of interpolar microtubules organized in a "core bundle." A neighbor density analysis of this bundle at the spindle midzone showed a preferred spacing of approximately 35 nm center-to-center between microtubules of opposite polarity. Although this is evidence of specific interaction between antiparallel microtubules, mutant spindles were less ordered than the spindle of wild-type cells. The number of noncore microtubules was significantly higher than that reported for wild-type, and these microtubules did not display a characteristic metaphase configuration. cdc20 spindles showed significantly more cross-bridges between spindle microtubules than were seen in the wild type. The cross-bridge density was highest between antiparallel microtubules. These data suggest that spindle microtubules are stabilized in cdc20 cells and that the CDC20 gene product may be involved in cell cycle processes that promote spindle microtubule disassembly.
Parachute Escape from Helicopters

Abstract : Experimental evidence shows that a parachutist experiences no major difficulty in achieving vertical and horizontal separation from an autorotating helicopter. At high rates of descent, there is a 0.5 - 0.75 second delay after exit before expected separation begins.
THE NEW OLD GUARD: BELIEFS AND VALUES OF MEMBERS AND NONMEMBERS OF SOCIETIES FOR CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK

Opinions on educational and practice issues relating to clinical social work were solicited from three groups of professionally active, masters level social workers: (1) members of state societies for clinical social work [N=43]; (2) nonmember clinical social workers [N=38]; and (3) nonmember social workers who were not clinicans [N=20]. Results indicate that members of state societies for clinical social work firmly endorse traditional social work values, but differ systematically in their opinions from masters level clinicians who are not members of state societies for clinical social work, and from nonclinicians with masters degrees. Implications for formal organizations in social work are discussed.
The closed subalgebras of a topological algebra

There are some interesting related problems which we have not solved One is to characterize the family of all closed subalgebras in the case where it is assumed that the algebraic operations are continuous in the topology. If the operations are not determined uniquely by the family of closed subalgebras, is there at least one determination in which they are continuous ? Another problem is to characterize the families of finitely generated closed subalgebras of a topological algebra.
Random-number generators

Abstract A commonly used uniform random-number generator is examined in light of a genetic-simulation problem. Although this generator is often useful, it proves defective in this case. The author suggests that any proposed generator be checked for the properties needed by the simulation problem at hand.
Preparation of Hyperbranched Polyacrylates by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization. 3. Effect of Reaction Conditions on the Self-Condensing Vinyl Polymerization of 2-((2-Bromopropionyl)oxy)ethyl Acrylate

The homopolymerization of 2-((2-bromopropionyl)oxy)ethyl acrylate (BPEA) by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), a “living”/controlled radical polymerization system, has yielded a hyperbranched polymer. Variation of the reaction conditions and especially the concentration of copper(II) in the polymerization system affects not only the rate of polymerization but also the chain architecture. The copper(II) concentration in the polymerization medium is affected by solvent, the ligand used to complex copper, and temperature. The effects of temperature and ligand on the polymerization rate and the resulting chain architecture were studied.
NOTIS: The System and Its Features

NOTIS is an online library management system that integrates the public access catalog, cataloging, acquisitions, serials management, authority control, and circulation. All NOTIS modules access a single bibliographic record through automatically‐generated full‐heading indexes.
Gender Differences in Performance on Variables Related to Achievement in Graduate-Level Educational Statistics

To assess gender differences in performance in three graduate level courses in educational statistics, responses from students to a question concerning gender, mathematics pre- and posttests, cloze pre- and posttests, and final exams in statistics were analyzed. Males performed slightly better on the mathematics pretest. When gender and mathematics and cloze pretests were used in multiple regression analyses to predict final examination performance, gender was not a significant predictor for any course. However, the interaction between gender and cloze pretest performance was significant for the Ph.D. level course on multiple regression. Mathematics pretest performance was the primary predictor for performance in the Master's level statistics course; both cloze test and mathematics test performance influenced scores on posttest measure in the Ph.D. level courses. Apparently the influence of entering mathematics ability, comprehension of statistical terminology, and gender varies by the primary emphasis of...
The lives of corpses: Narratives of the image in American memorial photography

Abstract Our world and history are literally ‘grounded’ on the dead. However, scholarship on the representation and meaning of the corpse is a relatively new, and still marginal, field of study. Have the dead bodies of our fellow human beings disappeared from view or are they too much with us? If we move beyond traditional categories of identity construction focusing solely on living matter, we might find such a phenomenon as the oppression of the corpse and its exclusion as a form of waste. The corpse resists this imposed segregation through a narrative intrinsic to its existence in time, testifying to the overwhelming presence of the shadow, the other side of life. From the vantage point of reason and scientific progress, death can be seen as a form of violence upon both the human body and the community of the living. But this view has not always prevailed. During the nineteenth century, for example, exposure to death was prevalent in daily visual culture. What has changed and how can we follow the evol...
Bisorthoesters as polymer intermediates. I. Synthesis of bisorthoesters

Derivatives of three types of bisorthoesters, hexaalkyl orthoisophthalates, hexaalkyl orthoterephthalates, and hexaethyl orthooxalate, were synthesized. The orthoesters of isophthalic and terephthalic acid were prepared from α, α, α, α′, α′, α′ -hexachloro-m-xylene or hexachloro-p-xylene, respectively. It was found more advantageous to prepare initially the hexamethyl orthoesters by reacting the hexachloro compounds with sodium methoxide in methanol either at the boiling point of methanol or under pressure at temperatures up to 200°C. Transesterification with higher alcohols, for example, ethanol or propanol, with the aid of molecular sieves gave the higher bisorthoesters in high yield and high purity. Attempts to synthesize orthoisophthalates and orthoterephthalates of higher alcohols directly from the hexachloroxylenes and alkoxides of higher alcohols gave only low yields of impure products. The Pinner synthesis of the bisorthoesters from the corresponding dinitriles was also ineffective. The ease of purification of hexa-n-propyl orthoisophthalate and orthoterephthalate makes these orthoesters the favored candidates for use in polymer syntheses. Hexaethyl orthooxalate was prepared in a three-step synthesis from triethyl orthoformate by a convenient, but low yield reaction. All bisorthoesters were purified to give compounds which were monomer grade materials free of normal esters.
Molecular diagnosis in vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome predicts pattern of arterial involvement and outcomes.

Objective The management of arterial pathology in individuals with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) remains a challenge. Here we describe the correlation between COL3A1 gene mutation type and the clinical phenotype in individuals with vEDS. Methods Individuals with confirmed molecular diagnoses of vEDS were enrolled in a multi-institutional natural history study. Data collected included demographics, clinical and family histories, arterial pathology (aneurysm, dissection, and rupture), operative details, and autopsy reports. Individuals were classified into two cohorts by the type of COL3A1 mutations and their effect on the amount of normal collagen produced: those with mutations that lead to minimal (MIN) production (10%-15%) of normal type III collagen and those with haploinsufficiency (HI) mutations that lead to production of 50% of the normal type III collagen. Results A cohort of 68 individuals (72%) from 56 families had arterial pathology (44% male) with 13% HI. The HI group was older at the time of their first vascular event (mean, 42 [range, 26-58] years vs 33 [range, 8-62] years; P = .016) and had a higher incidence of aortic pathology than the MIN group (56% vs 21%; P = .025). Visceral arterial pathology was seen in 43 arteries in 23 individuals in the MIN group vs only one artery in five individuals in the HI group. Emergency surgical procedures were more likely to be undertaken when vEDS diagnosis was not known (81% vs 41%; P = .005), and 81% of these procedures were open surgical repair compared with 19% endovascular repairs ( P = .019). Open and endovascular repairs were equally used in the elective setting. Postoperative complications were highest when the diagnosis of vEDS was not known (62% vs 14%; P P P = .132). Conclusions Arterial pathology in vEDS individuals is related to the underlying COL3A1 mutation type. The arterial pathology in individuals with HI mutations occurs at later ages with a higher incidence of aortic disease compared with other COL3A1 mutation types. Molecular diagnosis is recommended because diagnosis confirmation, appropriate surveillance, and prophylactic interventions in an elective setting improve surgical outcomes.
Heart rate increases linearly in response to acute isovolemic anemia.

BACKGROUND : The cardiovascular response to acute isovolemic anemia in humans is thought to differ from that of other species. Studies of anesthetized humans have found either no change or a decreased heart rate. A previous study showed that in 32 healthy unmedicated humans, heart rate increased during acute isovolemic anemia. The hypothesis that heart rate in humans increases in response to acute isovolemic anemia and that the increase is affected by gender was tested. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS : Acute isovolemic anemia to a Hb concentration of approximately 5 g per dL in 95 unmedicated healthy humans was produced by simultaneous withdrawal of blood and IV replacement with 5-percent HSA and autologous platelet-rich plasma. The relationship between heart rate and Hb concentration was examined using a mixed-effects linear regression model that allowed each person to have a fitted line with its own slope and intercept. Cubic and quadratic terms were added to determine if these improved the goodness of fit. The effect of gender was tested by including it and its interactions with Hb in the mixed model. RESULTS : The relationship between heart rate and Hb concentration was linear (p < 0.001) and consistent among the population studied: heart rate = 116.0-4.0 [Hb] (slope 95% CI: –4.2 to –3.8 beats/min/g Hb). Adding a cubic or quadratic term did not significantly improve the goodness of fit of the mathematical expression to the data, confirming the linear nature of the relationship between heart rate and Hb concentration. For women, the slope of the heart rate response was significantly greater than it was for males (difference ± SE: 0.70 ± 0.23, p < 0.005). CONCLUSION : In 95 unmedicated, healthy humans, heart rate was a linear function of Hb during acute isovolemic anemia. Females had a significantly greater slope of increase in heart rate with decreasing Hb concentration than did males. The relationship is consistent among individuals, is similar to that reported for conscious dogs, and differs from that found previously in anesthetized humans.
Budgets of divergent and rotational kinetic energy during two periods of intense convection

The derivations of the energy budget equations for divergent and rotational components of kinetic energy are provided. The intense convection periods studied are: (1) synoptic scale data of 3 or 6 hour intervals and (2) mesoalphascale data every 3 hours. Composite energies and averaged budgets for the periods are presented; the effects of random data errors on derived energy parameters is investigated. The divergent kinetic energy and rotational kinetic energy budgets are compared; good correlation of the data is observed. The kinetic energies and budget terms increase with convective development; however, the conversion of the divergent and rotational energies are opposite.
Emission spectrographic determination of volatile trace elements in geologic materials by a carrier distillation technique

Abstract Trace levels of chalcophile elements that form volatile sulfide minerals are determined in stream sediments and in the nonmagnetic fraction of a heavy-mineral concentrate of stream sediments by a carrier distillation emission spectrographic method. Photographically recorded spectra of samples are visually compared with those of synthetic standards for the two sample types. Rock and soil samples may also be analyzed by comparison with the stream-sediment standards. A gallium oxide spectrochemical carrier/buffer enhances the early emission of the volatile elements. Detection limits in parts per million attained are: Sb 5, As 20, Bi 0.1, Cd 1, Cu 1, Pb 2, Ag 0.1, Zn 2, and Sn 0.1. A comparison with other methods of analysis, total-burn emission and atomic absorption spectroscopy, shows good correlation for standard reference for materials and samples from a variety of geologic terranes.
Charles Wagley's legacy of Interdisciplinary Graduate Research and Training Programs at the University of Florida

When Charles Wagley moved from Columbia University to the University of Florida (UF) in 1972, he established the Tropical South America Program. In this program he began an enduring legacy at UF of interdisciplinarity, collaborative research and training focused on the problems and solutions of tropical development, and support for students as future leaders. Reaching out to agricultural researchers and other social science disciplines, Wagley later co-founded and directed the Amazon Research and Training Program (ARTP), and remained active even after his retirement in 1983. The ARTP built on Wagley's strategy of supporting student research and building collaboration with partners in Latin America, and innovated in bringing in visiting professors from different disciplines, developing new interdisciplinary courses, and networking among Amazonian scholars in different countries. Wagley's most lasting contribution is the Tropical Conservation and Development (TCD) program, which grew out of the ARTP to become an internationally-recognized interdisciplinary graduate program focused on the intersection between biodiversity conservation and the well-being of people in the tropical world. Drawing on participation from over 100 faculty affiliates in 27 academic units at UF, since 1980 the ARTP and TCD programs have trained over 400 graduate students from two dozen countries.
Diabetic heart and kidney exhibit increased resistance to lipid peroxidation

Abstract Alloxan-diabetic rats and age-matched controls were killed after 6 weeks of diabetes; heart and kidneys were removed and assayed for thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), lipid hydroperoxides, lipid phosphorus, total fatty acid composition and glutathione. Tissue homogenates from a second group of diabetic and control rats were incubated in oxygen-saturated buffer with and without the free radical generating system Fe2+/ascorbate (0.1/1.0 mM) and were assayed for lipid peroxidation. Diabetic hearts contained markedly lower levels of TBARS and lipid hydroperoxides (40% and 18%, respectively) than control hearts, whereas differences in TBARS were less pronounced in kidneys (9%). Incubation of homogenates of both organs in the presence or absence of Fe2+/ascorbate for up to 2 h yielded significantly lower levels of TBARS and lipid hydroperoxides with diabetic tissue. Diabetic hearts and kidneys contained higher levels of glutathione (28% and 13% over controls) and both diabetic tissues showed much higher linoleate/arachidonate ratios than did the controls (9.86 vs. 2.56 for heart, 2.01 vs. 0.86 for kidney). We conclude that diabetic tissues develop enhanced defense systems against oxidative stress and we assume that the lower levels of arachidonate contribute to their resistance to lipid peroxidation as well.
Fault Tolerant Source Routing for Network-on-chip

This paper presents a new routing protocol of network-on-chip(Noc) called "Source Routing for Noc" (SRN) for fault tolerant communication of Systems-on-chip(Soc). The proposed SRN algorithm is composed of two mechanisms of route discovery and route maintenance to allow nodes to discover and maintain source routes to arbitrary destinations in Noc, and all aspects of the protocol operate entirely on-demand allowing the routing packet overhead to scale automatically based on its need. The SNR algorithm in this paper demonstrates up to 50 % more fault tolerance comparing with the conventional algorithms. This new method can be easily adapted and implemented with lower cost due to less hardware overhead in SoC that integrate a large number of communicating IP cores.
A double-wing multilevel modular capacitor-clamped dc-dc converter with reduced capacitor voltage stress

This paper presents a double-wing multilevel modular capacitor-clamped (DW-MMCCC) dc-dc converter. Compared to the traditional single-wing (SW) MMCCC with the same voltage conversion ratio, the capacitor voltage stress of DW-MMCCC is reduced by half. And the switch and capacitor current stress, the switch voltage stress of the SW-MMCCC and the DW-MMCCC are the same. When the conversion ratio is equal to N, the total device and capacitor number of the even conversion ratio DW-MMCCC is 3N-2 and N, which is the same with the corresponding SW-MMCCC. The total device and capacitor number of odd conversion ratio DW-MMCCC is 3N-1 and N+1 respectively. By using the distributed stray inductance existing in the circuit, zero current switching (ZCS) can be achieved for all the switches of DW-MMCCC. And by using multi-phase DW-MMCCC, the input current ripple and input capacitor size can be reduced significantly. Compared with the traditional multilevel dc-dc converter, the power density of DW-MMCCC could be increased by about ten times. A 100 W three-phase 3X-ZCS-DW-MMCCC prototype has been built and tested. The simulation and experimental results are provided to verify the validity of the proposed converter.
Radiofrequency pulse design using nonlinear gradient magnetic fields.

Purpose: An iterative k-space trajectory and radiofrequency (RF) pulse design method is proposed for excitation using nonlinear gradient magnetic fields. Theory and Methods: The spatial encoding functions (SEFs) generated by nonlinear gradient fields are linearly dependent in Cartesian coordinates. Left uncorrected, this may lead to flip angle variations in excitation profiles. In the proposed method, SEFs (k-space samples) are selected using a matching pursuit algorithm, and the RF pulse is designed using a conjugate gradient algorithm. Three variants of the proposed approach are given: the full algorithm, a computationally cheaper version, and a third version for designing spoke-based trajectories. The method is demonstrated for various target excitation profiles using simulations and phantom experiments. Results: The method is compared with other iterative (matching pursuit and conjugate gradient) and noniterative(coordinate-transformation and Jacobian-based) pulse design methods as well as uniform density spiral and EPI trajectories. The results show that the proposed method can increase excitation fidelity. Conclusion: An iterative method for designing k-space trajectories and RF pulses using nonlinear gradient fields is proposed. The method can either be used for selecting the SEFs individually to guide trajectory design, or can be adapted to design and optimize specific trajectories of interest.
Using the FAR Guide to Teach Simulations: An Example with Natural Selection

Engaging students in a predator–prey simulation to teach natural selection is a common activity in secondary biology classrooms. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how the authors have changed their approach to teaching this activity from a laboratory investigation to a class-constructed simulation. Specifically, the authors drew upon a research-based teaching tool (FAR guide) to help students understand how the simulation is analogous to what happens in nature. Teaching the activity in this way can help students connect the parts of the simulation to four basic components of natural selection.
Comparison of the In Vitro Activity of the Glycylcycline Tigecycline (Formerly GAR-936) with Those of Tetracycline, Minocycline, and Doxycycline against Isolates of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria

We compared the in vitro activity of the glycylcycline tigecycline (formerly GAR-936) with those of tetracycline, doxycycline, and minocycline by broth microdilution against 76 isolates belonging to seven species of rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) and 45 isolates belonging to five species of slowly growing nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). By using a resistance breakpoint of >4 μg/ml for tigecycline and >8 μg/ml for tetracycline, all RGM were highly susceptible to tigecycline, with inhibition of 50% of isolates at ≤0.12 μg/ml and inhibition of 90% of isolates at 0.25 μg/ml for Mycobacterium abscessus and inhibition of both 50 and 90% of isolates at ≤0.12 μg/ml for M. chelonae and the M. fortuitum group. The MICs of tigecycline were the same for tetracycline-resistant and -susceptible strains, and RGM isolates were 4- to 11-fold more susceptible to tigecycline than to the tetracyclines. In contrast, no slowly growing NTM were susceptible to tigecycline, and isolates of M. marinum and M. kansasii were less susceptible to this agent than to minocycline. This new antimicrobial offers exciting therapeutic potential for the RGM, especially for isolates of the M. chelonae-M. abscessus group, against which the activities of the currently available drugs are limited.
Identification of a putative surfactant convertase in rat lung as a secreted serine carboxylesterase

In the alveolar lumen, pulmonary surfactant converts from the contents of secreted lamellar bodies to tubular myelin to apoprotein-depleted vesicles during respiration. Using an in vitro system, researchers have reported that the conversion of tubular myelin to vesicles is blocked by inhibitors of serine hydrolase activity and have tentatively ascribed "convertase" activity to a diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP)-binding protein in mouse bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). We purified and sequenced the homologous enzyme from rat BAL fluid. Amino acid sequence from the amino terminus and an internal cyanogen bromide peptide of the purified rat DFP-binding protein perfectly match the sequence of the carboxylesterase ES-2. Although ES-2 was initially cloned from liver, we found a 1.8-kilobase mRNA for ES-2 in decreasing relative abundance in rat liver, kidney, and lung but not in heart or spleen. Although further studies are required to establish the identity between "convertase" and ES-2 or a homologous member of the carboxylesterase family, our results raise the possibility that a protein with esterase/lipase activity plays a role in extracellular surfactant metabolism.
Micro/nanoscale technologies for the development of hormone-expressing islet-like cell clusters

Insulin-expressing islet-like cell clusters derived from precursor cells have significant potential in the treatment of type-I diabetes. Given that cluster size and uniformity are known to influence islet cell behavior, the ability to effectively control these parameters could find applications in the development of anti-diabetic therapies. In this work, we combined micro and nanofabrication techniques to build a biodegradable platform capable of supporting the formation of islet-like structures from pancreatic precursors. Soft lithography and electrospinning were used to create arrays of microwells (150-500 μm diameter) structurally interfaced with a porous sheet of micro/nanoscale polyblend fibers (~0.5-10 μm in cross-sectional size), upon which human pancreatic ductal epithelial cells anchored and assembled into insulin-expressing 3D clusters. The microwells effectively regulated the spatial distribution of the cells on the platform, as well as cluster size, shape and homogeneity. Average cluster cross-sectional area (~14000-17500 μm(2)) varied in proportion to the microwell dimensions, and mean circularity values remained above 0.7 for all microwell sizes. In comparison, clustering on control surfaces (fibers without microwells or tissue culture plastic) resulted in irregularly shaped/sized cell aggregates. Immunoreactivity for insulin, C-peptide and glucagon was detected on both the platform and control surfaces; however, intracellular levels of C-peptide/cell were ~60 % higher on the platform.
Internal friction in quenched gold

Abstract The low frequency internal friction and elastic modulus of quenched gold wire are measured in the temperature range − 140 to 25°C. Potentiometric measurements are made to measure the concentration of quenched-in defects and the amount of deformation done in the quenching process. An internal friction peak is found at − 110°C when hard drawn gold is quenched from 700°C. An internal friction peak is found at − 45°C when hard drawn gold is quenched from 700°C or when well annealed gold is slightly deformed during the quenching process during a high temperature quench. Deformation after the quench is found to reduce the size of this peak. A third peak is seen in the temperature range − 35 to − 15°C. This peak is produced after quenches from above 800°C with very little deformation either during or after the quench. The magnitude and position of this peak are evidently structure sensitive. The peaks found in quenched gold are compared with those found in heavily deformed gold, and models are proposed which relate the peaks to the interactions between dislocations and point defects.
Temperature-insensitive phase matching for second-harmonic generation in deuterated l-arginine phosphate

We present measurements of the thermal behavior of the second-harmonic generation (SHG) phase-matching loci of deuterated l-arginine phosphate (dLAP) at a fundamental wavelength of 1.064 μm. These results clearly indicate the existence of temperature-insensitive phase-matching directions that possess large nonlinear couplings. To the best of our knowledge, this property of temperature-insensitive SHG phase-matching directions is uniqe to dLAP. Such behavior can greatly decrease thermal contributions to phase mismatch in high-average-power harmonic conversion.
Exploiting multicycle false paths in the performance optimization of sequential logic circuits

This paper addresses the performance optimization problem for sequential logic circuits. It is shown how the notion of false paths, traditionally defined for combinational logic circuits, can be extended to the sequential context by considering the operation of the circuit over multiple clock-cycles. These multicycle false paths can be removed from the circuit using techniques similar to those proposed for combinational logic circuits. This observation offers new techniques to improve the performance of sequential logic circuits. An implementation of an algorithm that uses these ideas shows significant performance improvement on some typical benchmark circuits at a modest area overhead. >
The ICT Educator’s Fallacy

This paper develops the notion of “the ICT educator’s fallacy” to point to the mistaken assumption that devices introduced into the classroom will have the precise effects on educational experience expected by designers and curriculum developers. This notion allows for an expansion and refinement of the insights into the imperatives of twenty-first century education set out by Soren Riis.
Towards a framework for handling musical expression

It is hard to imbue computer music with expressive gestures. We are proposing a framework specifically to support that need. This framework is based on three components: a content representation called Nuance, a framework for rendering expressive elements called LeNNY, and various user interfaces for specifying and manipulating expressive gestures.
Factors related to coercive sexual behavior in a nonclinical sample of males

The sexual coercion literature has suggested numerous factors related to aggressive sexual behavior. The present investigation explores a number of these factors in a community sample. Data collected from 189 volunteers from the community included measures of sexual arousal, social perception, personality variables, attitudes toward women, and self-reported likelihood to rape. Multiple-regression analyses were used to determine the relative association of these factors to coercive sexual behavior. The present findings suggested that social perception, Extraversion and Neuroticism from the Eysenck Personality Inventory, sexual arousal, and self-reported likelihood to rape all contributed to the multiple regression. Rape Myth Acceptance, although not contributing significantly to the multiple regression, did show a significant zero-order correlation with coercive sexual behavior. Additional analyses were performed in an attempt to replicate an earlier predictive study by Malamuth and Check (1983) that found self-reported sexual arousal to be predicted by a combination of self-reported likelihood to rape, Psychoticism and Neuroticism from the Eysenck Personality Inventory, power motivation, and sexual experience. In the present study, both self-reported sexual arousal and penile tumescence measures were significantly related to attitudinal measures, social perception measures, and self-reported likelihood to rape. Limitations of the present study and suggestions for future research are discussed. Language: en
An Epilogue: Issues and Implications for Incorporating Multicultural Issues in the International School Psychology Association's Professional Preparation Guidelines

Guidelines for the preparation of school psychologists approved by the International School Psychology Association (ISPA) membership in 1996 (Cunningham & Oakland, 1998) have not been revised in 18 years and deserve review. A special issue of the International Journal of School & Educational Psychology, volume 2, initiated an examination of this review by providing additional information on seven school psychology preparation programs to complement other sources on this topic (e.g., Jimerson, Oakland, & Farrell, 2007). An ultimate goal of this effort was to encourage the initiation of a review process by ISPA leadership that examines training guidelines and possibly program accreditation standards (www.ispa.org) that address multicultural, cross-cultural, multinational, and/or international issues. A review of the ISPA's approved definition of school psychology (Oakland & Cunningham, 1997) also may be warranted. The purpose of this article is to identify five issues that need to be considered, along with ...
Antimetabolites of mevalonic acid utilization in Lactobacillus acidophilus 4963.

SummaryFarnesinic acid, α-p-biphenylyl butyric acid, β-hydroxy-β-methyl glutaric acid, α-phenyl butyric acid and dimethyl acrylic acid were found to be antimetabolites of mevalonic acid in this order of decreasing activity for the growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus 4963. Implications of these findings are discussed.
A study on the on-line system identification and PID tuning of a buck converter

In this paper we study the on-line system identification process and the proportional-integral-derivative (PID) tuning of a buck converter. The system identification process was performed using a recursive least squares algorithm. The estimation error and parameter error were generated to demonstrate that the system was converging to its true parameters. The estimation error shows an absolute value of approximately 1 × 10−5 in less that 10ms. All the parameters were effectively converging in less that 100µs. Once the system was properly identified, an offline PID controller was designed to further implement it on the adaptive loop. Three different techniques were used to satisfy the requirements of the buck converter: phase and gain margin, pole-zero cancellation and frequency loop shaping. Phase and gain margin still prevails as the easiest method to design controllers. Pole-zero cancellation is based on pole-placement and is fairly easy to implement in order to obtain the gains of a PID controller. However, although these controllers can be easily designed, they do not provide the best response compared to the Frequency Loop Shaping (FLS) technique in terms of frequency and time responses.
PRODUCER ATTITUDES TOWARD AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY: A FIVE STATE STUDY

Agricultural producers from Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin were surveyed on their views toward agricultural biotechnology and their farming practices. The most divergent attitudes were North Dakota and South Dakota. Respondents from these two states differed on their attitudes toward crop preference, the regulation of genetically modified (GM) crops through moratoria, and their views toward GM crops and other genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as a positive scientific advancement.
Lexis-Grammar Interface in Chinese English: A Corpus Study of the Prototypical Ditransitive Verb GIVE

This chapter investigates the lexis-grammar interface of Chinese English from a corpus linguistics perspective. Utilizing large-scale corpus data collected from an online discussion forum, we have focused on the prototypical ditransitive verb GIVE and examined its verb-complementation patterns, direct object slots collocates, the relationship between complementation patterns and collocates, and the relationship between collocates and verb tense. Using WordSmith Tools (Scott 2004, WordSmith tools (Version 4.0) [Computer software]. Oxford University Press, Oxford), we have randomly sampled and analyzed 500 uses of GIVE in the dataset. The results suggest that there exist certain associations between specific lexical items and grammatical constructions in Chinese English, an Expanding-Circle variety of English. The relationship between lexis and grammar, or lexicogrammar, as illustrated in the case study of GIVE, can be taken as a concrete instantiation of structural nativization in local varieties of English.
Impact Biomechanics of the Foot

This chapter deals with the biomechanics of impact injuries of the foot. In current vehicles, foot injuries are usually the result of footwell intrusion caused by an offset frontal impact. The force applied to the plantar (bottom) surface of the foot can result in injury to both the midfoot and the hindfoot. In the early days of aviation, the brake pedal in open cockpit single seaters was a round bar and there are anecdotal records of pilots breaking their feet (midfoot) while doing a crash landing. In the nineteenth century, French surgeon, Jacques Lisfranc de St. Martin (1790–1847) treated injuries to the midfoot of Napoleon’s cavalrymen when their foot got caught in the stirrups after they fell from their horse. This serious foot injury is now named after Lisfranc.
Challenges in reliably driving GaN devices

GaN's properties of low Coss, Crss, and lack of reverse recovery make it a more efficient power switch versus silicon. These characteristics enable higher-frequency hard-switched topologies such as totem-pole bridgeless power factor converter (PFC) that cannot be realized by silicon MOSFETs and insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) due to their high switching losses. To take advantages of these properties, GaN must be switched quickly and reliably. This paper examines requirements for the driver, package, and the GaN HEMT to enable efficient and reliable switching.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: Implications for Credit Unions

This research brief provides an overview of the role of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the housing finance market and provides a framework in which reform options for the two companies can be evaluated. These options include a return to the pre-crisis status quo; a move to redirect Fannie and Freddie income to affordable housing goals; nationalization; and privatization. The research brief evaluates a number of concrete reform proposals through the lens of these four options, including those of Credit Suisse, the Mortgage Bankers Association, the Housing Policy Council of the Financial Services Roundtable, the Center for American Progress and e21.The research brief also highlights the impact that reform proposals would have on credit unions and other small financial institutions. The brief ultimately concludes that Fannie and Freddie should be privatized, and the benefits that the two companies produce in the residential mortgage market should be maintained through alternative means, including financial regulation, consumer protection legislation and increased subsidies for affordable housing.
Success Factors for Building and Managing High Performance Global Virtual Teams

With the phenomenon of globalization, the global virtual team (GVT) is widely recognized as an innovative functioning atmosphere that relies mostly on information communication technologies (ICTs). A global virtual team is specified as a different entity whose members come from different global work locations, may not have a mutual background, is organizationally scattered, collaborate using asynchronous and synchronous ICTs, and frequently built on an impromptu basis. Hence, boundaries such as geographical space, time, and organizations are no longer conceived as major impediments for small teams to function together. Yet, numerous GVT work challenges remain as these teams involve in globally distributed collaborative efforts. Numerous of the complexities emerge from workplaces factors (e.g., cultural, functional, and organizational differences), team technologies usage, management approaches, leadership dilemmas, and technological impediments. The purpose of this paper is to present and synthesize the success factors generally accepted as critical in building and managing high performance GVTs. These success factors consisted of GVT (e.g., structure, member’ competencies, commitment and trust, communications, goals, and collaboration), leading GVTs (e.g., leadership competencies, skills, and styles and so on), management (e.g., project, risk, team, knowledge and skills, and information managements), workplace factors (e.g., cultural, functional and organizational differences), technologies (e.g., development tools, and information communication technologies), and standards of excellence and external support. Organizational managers and practitioners from various industries who are building or managing GVTs could be of benefits with the researcher’s study outcomes by implementing or developing strategies or processes that could improve GVT performance for long term sustainable development. High performances GVT outcomes include improve team overall performance, time to the market, project success rate, and a better safer and healthier organizations or society.
Examining the Nexus between Prescription Opioid and Heroin Abuse

ABSTRACTOpioid use has long been a problem in the United States and heroin has shown to be particularly dangerous. Whereas the profile of heroin users changed throughout the 1900s, prior to the 199...
Flash memories in high radiation environments: LDPC decoder study

Flash memory devices are increasingly being used in deep-space missions as on-board data storage in spacecraft. The harsh environment these missions take place in involves high levels of radiation which can cause decoding circuitry failures for the device error-correction module. For this reason, the decoder must be robust to radiation-induced errors. Previous works have studied hardware failure problem by modeling the circuitry noise as independent and constant in each component of the decoder. We propose a multi-state radiation channel which is designed to account for the dependence and duration of radiation-induced errors on different components. This model also subsumes some previously studied cases and allows for a more refined analysis. We introduce a corresponding LDPC combined Gallager B/E decoder and perform a density evolution analysis to characterize the idealized decoder performance. We optimize the decoder voting threshold parameter and apply our findings to a finite length case.
Abnormal panretinal response pattern to carbogen inhalation in experimental retinopathy of prematurity.

PURPOSE. Present technologies are not able to determine which retinas are at risk for the development of neovascularization in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). In this study. the authors evaluated whether a novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method could be used to identify differences between control retinas and those that will develop neovascularization in the newborn rat model of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). METHODS. MRI and a 2-minute carbogen (95% O 2 /5% CO 2 ) inhalation challenge (see ref. 11) were used to measure noninvasively the change in the posterior vitreous oxygen tension in specific locations across the full extent of the retina in day-12 rats raised in either room air (control, n = 7) or variable oxygen conditions (experimental ROP, = 7). The experimental ROP animals were examined 2 days before the onset of neovascularization. RESULTS. In the ROP group, the response to carbogen was lower (P < 0.05) at every distance from the optic nerve than in the control group. Within the ROP group, the vascular midperipheral retinal reaction to carbogen, 1 to 2 mm from the optic nerve, was as low as that from the avascular periphery. 2 to 3 mm from the optic nerve. Although the vascular central retinal response to carbogen. 0 to 1 mm from the optic nerve, was greater than either the vascular midperipheral retina or the avascular periphery in the R()P group, theoretically this difference could be caused by oxygen diffusing from the hyaloidal circulation. CONCLUSIONS. Carbogen-challenge MRI seems to be a useful tool for assessing the risk of retinal neovascularization in the newborn rat ROP model. This MRI method has potential clinical applicability, for example, because effective laser therapy with retinal sparing may be possible if focal photocoagulation, guided by an MRI map, is performed.
Activation of the apoptotic pathway during prolonged prometaphase blocks daughter cell proliferation.

When untransformed cells spend >1.5 h in prometaphase, all daughters arrest in G1 despite normal mother cell division. Loss of anti-apoptotic MCL-1 activity and oxidative stress act in concert duri...