cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Undergraduate nursing students' attitudes towards incarcerated persons and their perceptions of clinical experiences

Abstract Background In 2019, an estimated 6.3 million persons were under the supervision of the United States adult correctional systems and one in 40 adult persons were under correctional supervision. At year-end of 2019, nearly seven in ten persons under correctional supervision were supervised in the community. A nurse's attitudes and beliefs about incarcerated persons may influence their behavior. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine nursing student's attitudes towards incarcerated persons and their perceptions of a clinical experience at a correctional facility. Methods Data from 137 nursing students were collected through a cross-sectional, electronic survey. The Attitude Towards Prisoners Scale (Melvin et al., 1985) was used. A post hoc analysis of perceptions of their clinical experience at a correctional facility was explored. Results The mean scores of 93 and 94 (potential range of scores 0 to 144) suggest positive attitudes towards incarcerated persons exist, yet few nursing students report an interest in correctional nursing as a career. Although few (n = 5) students had a correctional nursing clinical experience, most perceived it as an effective clinical learning setting. Conclusion With high rates of incarceration, the researchers recommend that baccalaureate nursing programs include educational teaching strategies that focus on incarceration, incarceration stigma, and explore clinical learning experiences.
Ordered to the Good: Final Causality and Analogical Predication in Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas's treatments of analogical predication of the divine names have generated perennial and polarizing debates. This article expands the framework for analysis by examining the divine names through the lens of final causality and the convertibility of being and good, stressing agathological participation as crucial for understanding the metaphysical foundation for analogical predication of the divine names. This approach specifies how analogical predication of the divine names functions as an intermediary end subordinate to the ultimate end of the beatific vision and how the ultimate end of the beatific vision causes the intermediate end of analogical predication.
Understanding AOP through the Study of Interpreters

I return to the question of what distinguishes AOP languages by considering how the interpreters of AOP languages differ from conventional interpreters. Key elements for static transformation are seen to be redefinition of the set and lookup operators in the interpretation of the language. This analysis also yields a definition of crosscutting in terms of interlacing of interpreter actions.
Videotape Brings Atoms to a Focus

ATOM OPTICSPhysicists have known for decades that atoms can behave like light waves, and that they should be able to guide and focus them like beams of light. But researchers have found creating an atom version of even simple optical elements, such as the humble mirror, to be surprisingly challenging. Now in the 18 January issue of Physical Review Letters , a British team reports using videotape, a cylinder, a lens, and some glue to create the first high-quality curved, focusing atom mirror. Such a mirror is likely to be an important ingredient in the creation of a controllable atom beam that could be used to create integrated circuits and other nanostructures many times smaller than those possible today.
Family-based association study in Tunisian familial psoriasis.

Background The pathogenesis of all forms of psoriasis remains obscure. Segregation analysis and twin studies together with ethnic differences in disease frequency all point to an underlying genetic susceptibility to psoriasis, which is both complex and likely to reflect the action of a number of genes. Materials and methods In the present study, we performed a family-based association study, and a transmission dysequilibrium test using the PLINK program, in a set of seven Tunisian multiplex families using a panel of 96 single-nucleotide polymorphisms localized in several regions across the genome. Ninety-five of them were reported to be associated with psoriasis in different populations. Results Besides the confirmation of association between previous associated regions: 6p, 1p, 2p, 13q, 14q, and 20p, and cutaneous psoriasis, we identified a new association with the rs1249564 in the IL17RD gene. Conclusion Our results support the complex genetic basis of psoriasis.
ASPECTS OF APPRENTICESHIP — 6

GEC's student apprentice selection procedure, which is centred on a group selection technique, has reduced wastage very substantially.
The relationship between the glass transition temperature and the water content of amorphous pharmaceutical solids.

The glass transition temperature of an amorphous pharmaceutical solid is a critical physical property which can dramatically influence its chemical stability, physical stability, and viscoelastic properties. Water frequently acts as a potent plasticizer for such materials, and since many amorphous solids spontaneously absorb water from their surroundings the relationship between the glass transition temperature and the water content of these materials is important. For a wide range of amorphous and partially amorphous pharmaceutical solids, it was found that there is a rapid initial reduction in the glass transition temperature from the dry state as water is absorbed, followed by a gradual leveling off of the response at higher water contents. This plasticization effect could generally be described using a simplified form of the Gordon–Taylor/ Kelley–Bueche relationships derived from polymer free volume theory. Most of the systems considered showed a nearly ideal volume additivity and negligible tendency to interact. This is consistent with the hypothesis that such mixtures behave as concentrated polymer solutions and indicates that water acts as a plasticizer in a way similar to that of other small molecules and not through any specific or stoichiometric interaction process(es).
Occurrence of rare events in ergodic interacting spin systems

Abstract We give asymptotics for the occurrence time of rare events in infinite spin systems whose invariant measure satisfies a Logarithmic Sobolev inequality. We then describe the typical paths close to this occurrence time. Finally, in the case of non-interacting spins, we obtain sharper estimates for the expected value of the occurrence time.
Abstract 3891: CD133 is associated with resistance of melanoma to multikinase inhibition

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Purpose: High-risk melanoma is a lethal cancer with a high recurrence rates and variable disease-free intervals, due to tumorigenic cell populations that are resistant to treatment. Prominin 1 (CD133) is a putative stem cell marker in a number of cancers, based on its expression in cells that possess greater tumorigenicity, motility and colony-forming ability in different types of cancer. Furthermore, Prominin 1 is highly expressed in late-stage metastatic melanoma showing its potential as a marker of a resistant cell population. Trametinib and dabrafenib are targeted kinase inhibitors recently approved by the FDA, and now widely used for treatment of melanoma, while the anthelmintic drug mebendazole, a multikinase inhibitor, also exhibits promising anticancer potential. The purpose of this study was to test the relative resistance of CD133+ and CD133- cells to these three agents, as well as to explore potential mechanisms underlying any differences. Design: Three melanoma cell lines with different kinase mutation profiles were exposed to increasing concentrations of trametinib, dabrafenib, or mebendazole alone, or in combination, either before or after separation into CD133-positive and CD133-negative populations. Cells were then assayed for cell viability and CD133-positivity. Microarray analysis was performed on CD133-positive and CD133-negative cells to explore potential differences in gene expression profiles. Result: In all parental cell lines, the percentages of the CD133-positive cells increased significantly (P 1.5-fold) difference in expression of 265 genes in CD133-positive cells, including putative oncogenes such as POU5F1, NPM1, NES and MYC. Also, 10 of 18 ABC transporter genes were significantly (P<0.05) up-regulated in the CD133-positive population. Conclusion: Both purified and mixed population-derived CD133 positive cells are more resistant to the three kinase inhibitors. Upregulation of ABC transporter genes and/or oncogenes may contribute to the drug resistance of CD133-positive cells. Citation Format: Hengbo Zhou, Maryam Abdussamad, Amani Alomari, Anirudh Gaur, Cynthia S. Rosenthal, John L. Zapas, Dean S. Rosenthal. CD133 is associated with resistance of melanoma to multikinase inhibition. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3891. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3891
An integrated understander

A new type of natural language parser is presented. The idea behind this parser is to map input sentences into the deepest form of the representation of their meaning and inferences, as is appropriate. The parser is not distinct from an entire understanding system. It uses an integrated conception of inferences, scripts, plans, and other knowledge to aid in the parse. Furthermore, it does not attempt to parse everything it sees. Rather, it determines what is most interesting and concentrates on that, ignoring the rest.
Assessing fundamental introductory computing concept knowledge in a language independent manner

Measuring student learning is fundamental to any educational endeavor. A primary goal of many computer science education projects is to determine the extent to which a given instructional intervention has had an impact on student learning. However, the field of computing lacks valid and reliable assessment instruments for pedagogical or research purposes. Without such valid assessments, it is difficult to accurately measure student learning or establish a relationship between the instructional setting and learning outcomes. The goal of assessment research in computer science is to have valid ways of measuring student conceptions of fundamental topics, which will enable both research into how understanding of knowledge in the domain develops as well as enable curricular innovation and reform grounded in this knowledge. My dissertation work focused on three questions regarding assessment of introductory concepts in computer science. How can existing test development methods be applied and adapted to create a valid assessment instrument for CS1 conceptual knowledge? To what extent can pseudo-code be used as the mechanism for achieving programming language independence in an assessment instrument? And to what extent does the language independent instrument provide a valid measure of CS1 conceptual knowledge? I developed the Foundational CS1 (FCS1) Assessment instrument, the first assessment instrument for introductory computer science concepts that is applicable across a variety of current pedagogies and programming languages. I applied methods from educational and psychological test development, adapting them as necessary to fit the disciplinary context. I conducted think aloud interviews and a large scale empirical study to demonstrate that pseudo-code was an appropriate mechanism for achieving programming language independence. Student participants were able to read and reason in the pseudo-code syntax without difficulty and were able to transfer conceptual knowledge from their CS1 programming language to pseudo-code. Finally, I established the validity of the assessment using a multi-faceted argument, combining interview data, statistical analysis of results on the assessment, and exam scores. The contributions of this research are: (1) An example of how to bootstrap the process for developing the first assessment instrument for a disciplinary specific design-based field. (2) Identification that although it may not be possible to correlate scores between computer science exams created with different measurement goals, the validity claims of the individual assessments are not diminished. (3) A demonstration that novice computing students, at an appropriate level of development, can transfer their understanding of fundamental concepts to pseudo-code notation. (4) A valid assessment of introductory computing concepts for procedurally-based introductory computing courses taught in Java, Matlab, or Python at the university level.
The effects of a master's program on teachers' science instruction: Results from classroom observations, teacher reports, and student surveys

This study examines the impact of a new master's degree program on the instructional practices of K-8 in-service teachers. This 2.5-year master's program was designed to deepen in-service teachers' knowledge in science and mathematics and promote greater use of reform-oriented instruction. Teachers' instructional practices were captured annually through classroom observations, student reports, and teacher self-reports. Based on the results of the first 2 years of program implementation, there was a significantly positive change in the extent to which teachers implemented reform-oriented practices in the classroom. However, these changes were most prominent in the first year of the program. A comparison of different data sources indicated that teachers perceived their progress toward reform-oriented instruction as far more steady than indicated by outside observers or student reports. Implications for current policies, professional development, and further research are discussed. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 51: 219–249, 2014
Consistency and asymptotic normality of least squares estimates used in linear systems identification

Abstract Least squares estimation of the parameters of a single input-single output linear autonomous system is considered where both plant noise and observation noise are present. It is shown that under fairly general conditions the estimates converge almost surely to the true system parameters and that the estimates are asymptotically normal.
Sensation seeking and danger invulnerability: Paths to college student risk-taking.

Abstract This study examines the roles of sensation seeking and invulnerability as predictors of health compromising behaviors in a multiethnic sample of 1690 emerging adult college students (mean age = 19.8, range 18–25 years) from nine US colleges and universities. Participants completed the Arnett Sensation Seeking Inventory and the Adolescent Invulnerability Scale; and reported how often they had participated in a set of health compromising risk behaviors (i.e., substance use, impaired driving, and sexual behaviors) in the 30 days prior to assessment. Sensation seeking and danger invulnerability scores were moderately correlated ( r = .30). Findings from a series of multivariate Poisson regression analyses suggest that when considered simultaneously as predictors, sensation seeking appears to be a general risk factor associated with engagement in a variety of risk behaviors, whereas danger invulnerability is primarily a factor in those risk behaviors that are less common among peers (e.g., hard drug use, casual sex, and driving while intoxicated).
The prostaglandin E2 EP2 receptor accelerates disease progression and inflammation in a model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Objective Inflammation has emerged as an important factor in disease progression in human and transgenic models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Recent studies demonstrate that the prostaglandin E2 EP2 receptor is a major regulator of inflammatory oxidative injury in innate immunity. We tested whether EP2 signaling participated in disease pathogenesis in the G93A superoxide dismutase (SOD) model of familial ALS. Methods We examined the phenotype of G93A SOD mice lacking the EP2 receptor and performed immunocytochemistry, quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, and Western analyses to determine the mechanism of EP2 toxicity in this model. Results EP2 receptor is significantly induced in G93A SOD mice in astrocytes and microglia in parallel with increases in expression of proinflammatory enzymes and lipid peroxidation. In human ALS, EP2 receptor immunoreactivity was upregulated in astrocytes in ventral spinal cord. In aging G93A SOD mice, genetic deletion of the prostaglandin E2EP2 receptor improved motor strength and extended survival. Deletion of the EP2 receptor in G93A SOD mice resulted in significant reductions in levels of proinflammatory effectors, including cyclooxygenase-1, cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and components of the NADPH oxidase complex. In alternate models of inflammation, including the lipopolysaccharide model of innate immunity and the APPSwe-PS1ΔE9 model of amyloidosis, deletion of EP2 also reduced expression of proinflammatory genes. Interpretation These data suggest that prostaglandin E2 signaling via the EP2 receptor functions in the mutant SOD model and more broadly in inflammatory neurodegeneration to regulate expression of a cassette of proinflammatory genes. Inhibition of EP2 signaling may represent a novel strategy to downregulate the inflammatory response in neurodegenerative disease. Ann Neurol 2008;64:304–314
Absolute configuration of insect-produced epilachnene

Samples of (R) and (S)-epilachnene [(5Z)-11-propyl-12-azacyclotetradec-5-en-14-olide] were synthesized from (R) and (S)-norvaline. The diastereomericα-methoxy-α-trifluoromethylphenylacetyl amides of these synthetic samples, prepared using (S) α-methoxy-α-trifluoromethylphenylacetyl chloride, were well resolved by gas chromatography. Analogous derivatization and gas chromatographic analysis of a sample of epilachnene from the pupal secretion of the coccinellid beetle, Epilachna varivestis, established that the natural product is (S)-epilachnene.
Formal analysis of modern security protocols

Analyzing security protocols is notoriously difficult. In this paper, we show how a novel tool for analyzing classical cryptographic protocols can be used to model and analyze complex Internet security protocol families. CPAL-ES allows the representation of the interaction between two sub-protocols. Within a protocol such as Transport Layer Security (TLS) these are selected from a collection of sub-protocols utilized by a principal. Modeling subversion related to sub-protocol interactions is an important part of formally understanding attacks upon protocol suites. The CPAL environment contains sufficient functionality to verify the feasibility of these attacks.We also define and classify the characteristics that add complexity to modern security protocol and some impacts this complexity has on security protocol analysis. Finally, we discuss the modifications that were necessary in our formal method tool to answer this complexity and show how the tool illuminates flaws in the TLS protocol.
Survival in Elderly Patients Supported With Continuous Flow LVAD as Destination Therapy

Introduction: Published data on mechanical circulatory support for elderly patients in newer, continuous flow devices are sparse and suggest relatively poor survival. As advanced age is a contraindication to heart transplant, outcomes in elderly patients with permanent LVAD therapy are anticipated to be of growing importance. Hypothesis: LVADs can be implanted in carefully selected patients over the age of 65 with acceptable 1-year survival compared to published outcomes. Methods: A single-center retrospective analysis was conducted in 23 patients (65 years or older), who were implanted with either a Heartmate II or Ventrassist LVAD as destination therapy between 8/05 and 8/09. Baseline laboratory and hemodynamic characteristics and follow-up data were obtained. Observed survival was compared to expected survival based on the Lietz scoring risk categories. Results: Of the patients studied, 39% were on vasodilator therapy at the time of implantation, while 48% were on intravenous inotropes within two days prior to implantation. The Lietz risk stratification for this group of patients was: 26% low risk, 57% moderate risk, 13% high risk, and 4% very high risk. Baseline Characteristics Mean 6 SD
A coriolis-like effect of the dynamical boson-fermion interaction in the interacting boson-fermion model

Abstract It is shown that in a particular basis the dynamical interaction of IBFM for a boson core coupled to a single-j particle in the SU(3) limit takes a tridiagonal form, as does the Coriolis interaction. Interference between this Coriolis-like effect in the boson-fermion dynamical interaction and the genuine Coriolis effect results in interesting features of IBFM: For a particular ratio of the interaction strengths, depending only on the angular momentum of the odd particle, the K = j band exactly follows the rotational energy rule, is completely uncoupled from the other bands and has exactly the same moment of inertia as a ground-state band of the core. A possible interpretation of this feature in terms of spectrum-generating supersymmetry is suggested.
Experimental study of the combustion dynamics of jet fuel droplets with additives in the absence of convection

Abstract Combustion of stationary JP8 fuel droplets mixed with additives is examined in a low gravity environment to reduce the influence of convection and promote spherical droplet flames. Both qualitative information on flame structure and sooting tendencies and quantitative information on evaporation rates and flame and soot shell diameters are reported. The additives were hexanol (C6H14O) and a commercial blend of a detergent/dispersant termed “+100” that is widely used as an additive in military transport systems. Experiments for pure nonane (C9H20) and hexanol droplets are also reported for comparison with single component fuels that have boiling points close to JP8. Nonane was also used for calibrating the experimental design. +100 is a commercial additive developed for JP8 to improve its thermal stability in trace quantities but its influence on combustion is essentially unknown. The hexanol concentration in JP8 was fixed to correspond to about 0.078 mass fraction of oxygenate in the JP8+hexanol mixture and the +100 concentration in JP8 was set at the commercial value (256 ppm). The initial droplet diameters for quantitative analyses were kept within a narrow range (0.40 to 0.52 mm) to eliminate consideration of the effect of initial droplet diameter in the interpretation of the results. Experiments were carried out in an oxidizing ambience containing either 79% nitrogen inert or 70% helium inert, the latter to compare results for burning under conditions where soot formation was suppressed. The lower concentration of helium inert was necessitated to allow ignition by the multiple spark arrangement used in the present investigation. Extensive droplet heating was observed for JP8 and JP8+100 in air. JP8+hexanol, along with pure nonane and hexanol, showed no evidence of droplet heating due to the lower thermal diffusion time associated with the higher thermal diffusivity of hexanol and nonane compared to JP8. The burning rate was dependent on time for burning in both air and the 70% He/30% O2 mixture in which soot formation was virtually eliminated. Some evidence for sooting propensities in the approximate order JP8>JP8+100>JP8+hexanol was found by comparing backlighted and flame-illuminated photographs. A scaling relationship is presented that consolidates the droplet, flame, and soot shell diameters into a single curve with a power law relationship of the nondimensional burning time.
Second-order bandpass terahertz filter achieved by multilayer complementary metamaterial structures

We propose a multilayer complementary metamaterial structure fabricated on a crystal quartz substrate measuring between 100 and 700 GHz. The concept of a second-order terahertz bandpass filter is realized by this structure, and it offers a superior quality factor, steepness of skirts, and out-of-band rejection. Physical limitations on the quality factor and insertion loss have also been studied, including the skin depth of the metal and the optical phonon resonance in quartz. Based on these factors, a series of higher frequency filters has been designed, and simulation results are presented.
Magnetic resonance T2* measurements of the normal human lung in vivo with ultra-short echo times.

The objective of this study was to measure T2∗ values of the normal human lung in vivo during breathhold using a rapid gradient-echo sequence with ultra-short echo times (TE). A sagittal slice of the right lung was imaged in six volunteers with various TE ranging from 0.5 ms to 5 ms using a clinical 1.5 Tesla MR scanner. T2∗ values were calculated in a region of interest in the dependent and non-dependent lung. In the dependent lung, T2∗ values of 1.1 ms ± 0.15 ms were measured, and in the non-dependent lung, 0.86 ms ± 0.11 (p < 0.01). T2∗ measurements of the normal human lung during breathhold are feasible with a clinical MR unit. The short T2∗ values require the use of very short TE times (<2.5 ms) in gradient-echo sequences to obtain adequate signal intensity from lung tissue.
Location of cholic acid sequestered by core-shell nanoparticles using REDOR NMR

Solid-state 13C{19F} rotational-echo double-resonance (REDOR) NMR was used to locate [24-13C]cholic acid that had been absorbed by nanoparticles with a core−shell morphology. The nanoparticles were composed of poly(4-fluorostyrene)-block-poly(acrylic acid) copolymers in which 15% of the poly(acrylic acid) shell functionality had been cross-linked with 2,2‘-(ethylenedioxy)bis(ethylamine). The REDOR data were consistent with no cholic acid in the core, approximately 28% located at or near the core−shell interface, and the remaining 72% of the cholic acid farther than 25 A from the interface.
The Effect of Interactions Between Water and Polishing Pads on Chemical Mechanical Polishing Removal Rates

The elastic properties of polishing pads critically affect polishing results during chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of integrated circuit substrates. The ability of water to plasticize polishing pads and the resulting effects on pad performance were investigated. Water is hypothesized to penetrate the surface of the polishing pads, disrupting hydrogen bonds between adjacent polymer molecules within the pads and altering the pad elastic modulus. Infrared spectra obtained using an attenuated total reflection technique were used to confirm the effect of water on the polishing pad structure. Contact with deionized water reduced the pad elastic modulus due to the formation of a hypothesized soft layer on the pad surface. Removal of the soft layer from the pad, as occurs during conditioning, increased observed CMP removal rates. Experiments on a commercial dual-axis polisher using a noncommercial process showed decreased oxide removal rates as the duration of the pad exposure to water increased. A pad asperity-wafer contact model was developed. This model indicates that if the surface of the pad asperities is softened by the penetration of water compared to the bulk pad, then the asperities will deform to a greater degree under the applied load than in the absence of the softening. As a result, the effective pad-wafer contact area for a given applied load will increase and the average pad-wafer separation will decrease, causing the applied load to be carried by a larger number of asperity-wafer contacts and reducing the local load on the wafer surface. The reduced local loads will contribute to reduced polishing rates, consistent with experimental observation. The maximum depth of penetration of water into the pad surface was estimated to be ∼20 μm.
Birdsong learning and intersensory processing

Two experiments were performed in which subjects learned to attach names to birdsongs. In the first experiment, subjects who were instructed to generate their own visual codes were much superior to those not given any instructions except those of learning the birdsongs. In the second experiment, both those given a model code for half of the birdsongs and those who made their own visual codes were superior to controls without visual codes. The experiments show the way in which learning in the auditory modality can benefit from visual symbols, and it has implications for the study of “higher order invariances” or relations between the modalities of vision and audition.
Solvent-Enhanced Magnetic Ordering Temperature for Mixed-Valent Chromium Hexacyanovanadate(II), CrII0.5CrIII[VII(CN)6]·zMeCN, Magnetic Materials

The reaction of VIII(THF)3Cl3 with NEt4CN in acetonitrile (MeCN) forms (NEt4)3[VIII(CN)6]·4MeCN (1), which after characterization was used as a molecular building block toward the synthesis of Prussian blue structured magnets. The reaction of 1 with [CrII(NCMe)4](BF4)2 forms CrII0.5CrIII[VII(CN)6]·zMeCN via internal electron transfer, whose structure and magnetic properties are dependent on the degree of solvation, z. When solvated, CrII0.5CrIII[VII(CN)6]·1.2MeCN (2) is a mixture of crystalline and amorphous fractions that yield a material with two magnetic phases: bulk ferrimagnetic phase/crystalline [faced-centered-cubic lattice with a = 10.55(2) A] and cluster-glass phase/amorphous. The bulk ferrimagnetic phase exhibits a critical temperature, Tc, of 110 K, while the amorphous cluster-glass phase exhibits a freezing temperature, Tf, of ∼25 K. Amorphous CrII0.5CrIII[VII(CN)6]·0.1MeCN (3) was determined to be the pure cluster-glass phase. This is an overall enhancement of 85 K (350%) in the magnetic ord...
Foveal and extrafoveal influences on the topography of the visually evoked, early negative potential in man.

Abstract Variations in topographic characteristics of the early negative potential of the human, flash-evoked cerebral response were related to (1) a graduated series of stimulus sizes subtending visual angles from 1° to 32°, and (2) a graduated series of central opacities subtending visual angles from 1° to 16° placed within a 32° stimulus. The longitudinal field pattern of the early negative potential was shown to be a function of the spatial characteristics of the visual stimulus. Foveal stimulation produced a local, early negative potential in the occipital region, generally associated with surface-positive activity anteriorly, whereas peripheral stimulation gave a widespread early negative potential, relatively less prominent in the occipital region than in preoccipital areas. Intermediate field-gradient configurations resulted from various combinations of foveal, parafoveal and peripheral stimulation. The effect of addition of extrafoveal to foveal stimulation upon the magnitude of the occipital early negative potential proved to be subject-dependent.
Raman and IR spectroscopy of chemically processed single-walled carbon nanotubes.

IR and Raman spectroscopy has been used to study the evolution of the vibrational spectrum of bundled single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) during the purification process needed to remove metal catalyst and amorphous carbon present in arc-derived SWNT soot. We have carried out a systematic study to define the different outcomes stemming from the purification protocol (e.g., DO, DO/HCl, DO/HNO3, H2O2, H2O2/HCl), where dry oxidation (DO) or refluxing in H2O2 was used in a first purification step to remove amorphous carbon. The second step involves acid reflux (HCl or HNO3) to remove the residual growth catalyst (Ni−Y). During strong chemical processing, it appears possible to create additional defects where carbon atoms are eliminated, the ring structure is now open, localized CC bonds are created, and O-containing groups can be added to this defect to stabilize the structure. Evolution of SWNT skeletal disorder obtained via chemical processing was studied by Raman scattering. Higher intensity ratios of R...
Polyhydramnios and elevated intrauterine pressure during amnioinfusion

Amnioinfusion has been demonstrated to be useful in relieving and preventing repetitive variable decelerations. There have been no reported complications. This case illustrates the potential for iatrogenic polyhydramnios and elevated intrauterine pressure during amnioinfusion.
Nutrient flux, uptake, and transformation in a spring-fed stream in the Missouri Ozarks, USA

We examined nutrient flux, uptake, and transformation along a spring-fed stream in the Ozark region of Missouri, USA, over the year 2006. Water in Mill Creek originates from several springs, with a single spring contributing over 90% of the stream discharge during much of the year of study. Soluble reactive phosphate concentrations were usually low (<10 μg L−1) along Mill Creek, but peaked during high discharge. Concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) were relatively high in the spring water, mainly as nitrate, but usually declined across a small pond and the 10-km length of Mill Creek. During low flows in summer and early autumn, the stream removed over 300 μg L−1 of DIN over its 10-km length, or about 80% of the initial amount. DIN retention along the stream, as a percentage of the DIN upstream, was related mainly to discharge, with higher flows having much higher DIN concentrations. The net uptake rate of DIN uptake was 0.91 μg m−2 s−1 in the stream during summer baseflow. The uptake rate declined downstream for different reaches and was closely related to DIN concentration. In experimental channels, uptake by epilithic algae was one significant sink for nitrate-N in Mill Creek. In 2006, inorganic nutrient export during a single day after a spring storm was similar to export during 40–100 days of low flow conditions in summer and early autumn. Our results suggest that significant nutrient retention can occur during baseflow periods via biological uptake, whereas substantial export occurs during high flow conditions.
Deploying Virtual Clusters through P2P-based Content Distribution

Existing virtual clusters and computer clouds usually depend on small groups of (or even single) data repositories for their virtual machine and software deployments. This paper proposes a Peer-to-Peer (P2P)-based approach for publishing, querying, and deploying both virtual machine (VM) images and application-specific packages, dubbed the P2P Virtual Cluster Deployment System (PVC-DS). The approach is built upon typical Distributed Hash Table (DHT) infrastructures, using a modified content distribution system to allow for extensible VM definitions and range query capabilities. Evaluation results demonstrate its significant reduction in VM operating-system image and application-specific package download times at the expense of negligible traffic overhead.
Alternating current in the United States Navy

ELECTRICITY was first applied on a vessel in the United States Navy in 1883 when the cruiser Trenton was equipped with an Edison shunt-wound 13.2-kw 110-volt d-c generator for lighting purposes. From this very modest initial installation the use of electricity has increased to the point where a modern battleship has as much as 10,000 kw of generating capacity for auxiliary operation and lighting, and the largest aircraft carriers have generating plants of 160,000 kva for propulsion.
EFFECT OF SOIL LOADING ON DERMAL ABSORPTION EFFICIENCY FROM CONTAMINATED SOILS

The effect of soil loading on the dermal uptake of soil-borne contaminants was examined using an in vitro evaporation/penetration apparatus and abdominal skin from human cadavers. Dermal uptake of two 14C-labeled pesticides, lindane and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), was assessed at nominal soil loadings of 1, 5, and 10 mg/cm2. Sub-150-microns fractions of two soils with differing organic carbon contents were employed. Mean 24-h dermal absorption values ranged from 0.45 to 2.35% for lindane and from 0.18 to 1.64% for 2,4-D, depending upon soil load and type. Mean mass fluxes ranged from 8.8 to 32 pg/cm2/h for lindane and from 1.9 to 6.4 pg/cm2/h for 2,4-D. Results were aggregated as ratios of flux or percent absorption at 1 and 10 mg/cm2 to corresponding values obtained at 5 mg/cm2. Fluxes at 5 and 10 mg/cm2 did not differ significantly, but flux at 1 mg/cm2 was about one-half the value observed at the higher loadings. The most plausible explanation for this decrease in mass flux is incomplete (submonolayer) coverage of the skin. Evidence in the form of electron micrographs is presented in support of this conclusion. Relative percent absorption increased significantly with decreases in soil load from 10 to 5 and from 5 to 1 mg/cm2. This effect was inversely proportional to loading reduction in the former case, but was less than proportional due to the impact of contact area reduction (and, in the case of lindane, volatilization losses) in the latter. Percent dermal absorption data obtained in the laboratory require adjustment for differences in loading and coverage before application to assessment of exposure to contaminants in soils. Description of dermal absorption from soil in a manner comparable to that used to describe absorption from a liquid or vapor (i.e., using a driving force and a mass transfer coefficient) would reduce confusion on this point and is recommended.
Crystal growth kinetics in BaOAl2O32SiO2 and SrOAl2O32SiO2 glasses

Crystallization kinetics of BaOAl2O32Si02 (BAS) and SrOAl2O32SiO2 (SAS) glasses in bulk and powderforms have been studied by non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The crystal growth activation energies were evaluated to be 473 and 451 kJ mol−1 for bulk samples and 560 and 534 kJ mol−1 for powder specimens in BAS and SAS glasses, respectively. Development of crystalline phases on thermal treatments of glasses at various temperatures has been followed by powder X-ray diffraction. Powder samples crystallized at lower temperatures than the bulk and the crystallization temperature was lower for SAS glass than BAS. Crystallization in both glasses appeared to be surface nucleated. The high temperature phase hexacelsian, MAl2Si2O8 (M = Ba or Sr), crystallized first by nucleating preferentially on the glass surface. Also, monoclinic celsian does not nucleate directly in the glass, but is formed at higher temperatures from the transformation of the metastable hexagonal phase. In SAS the transformation to monoclinic celsian occurred rapidly after 1 h at 1100 °C. In contrast, in BAS this transformation is sluggish and difficult and did not go to completion even after 10 h heat treatment at 1400 °C. The crystal growth morphologies in the glasses have been observed by optical microscopy. Some of the physical properties of the two glasses are also reported.
Abrahamic religious and Roman legal roots of environmental protection: utility of ancient doctrines in modern society

Many members of modern American society, including some outspoken members of the national leadership, subscribe to the idea that natural resource conservation and environmental protection are recent developments. Even if they have a firm grasp of modern history, they may look to the 1920s and 1930s as the genesis point for natural resource conservation as a concern of the law. Environmental protection is looked at as having arisen out of the social foment of the late 1960s–early 1970s. Although there is some truth in these interpretations, it would be wrong to discount much more ancient antecedent authorities in law and social norms for these societal choices. These interpretations overlook the importance of two key millennia–old legal and religious authorities that underlie modern legal, political, and religious thinking about the environment: res communes (the concept in Roman Law which leads directly to the modern Anglo–American concept of the Public Trust Doctrine), and the concept of the Sabbatical and Jubilee Years found in the Pentateuch (first section of the Jewish and Hebrew Scriptures). This chapter will reexamine each of these concepts in light of modern criticism regarding natural resource protection and property rights. The chapter will explore the concepts of res communes and Sabbatical/Jubilee Years; their similarities and differences; their influence on modern legal, religious, and societal practice; and how each of these concepts can be used to help provide further support for proper stewardship of the natural environment. Special consideration will be paid to the similar concepts of natural resource stewardship and intergenerational equity that arose from the very different societal roots: the Roman Law found in the Institutes of Justinian and the foundational Abrahamic writings underlying the beliefs of three major world religions.
Isolation of a gastric phosphoprotein which stimulates acid secretion.

Abstract Stimulation of gastric acid secretion is mediated by cAMP which regulates the proton pump through an A-kinase-dependent phosphoprotein. The purpose of this study was to isolate a stimulation-dependent gastric phosphoprotein capable of stimulating acid secretion. Gastric glands were prepared from rabbit gastric mucosa and acid secretion was stimulated with cAMP. A detergent extract of these stimulated gastric membranes was fractionated by gel chromatography and assayed for functional activity by measurement of [ 14 C]-aminopyrine accumulation in permeabilized resting gastric glands or measurement of H + -K + -ATPase activity in inhibited gastric microsomes. We hereby report isolation of a membrane-bound, A-kinase-dependent phosphoprotein which enhances aminopyrine accumulation in digitonin-permeabilized gastric glands (32%) and stimulates H + -K + -ATPase activity in gastric microsomes to a level 55% of the maximal stimulation observed in the presence of valinomycin. Incubation of this phosphoprotein with [ 32 P]ATP and the catalytic subunit of A-kinase resulted in [ 32 P] incorporation into a protein which coincided with a single protein band on SDS-PAGE (17,500 Da).
Survey of decentralized estimation and control mathods

The purpose of this paper is to present certain key references that survey developments and trends in the area of decentralized estimation and control methods.
Semi-leptonic weak and electromagnetic interactions in nuclei with application to 16O☆

Abstract Electron scattering is shown to provide a basis for analyzing semi-leptonic weak interactions in nuclei essentially independent of detailed models of nuclear wave functions. Application is made to 16 O. One result is the identification of a second-class-current detector.
Stable heterogeneity of mitochondrial DNA in grande and petite strains of S. cerevisiae.

Abstract Several instances of mitochondrial DNA heterogeneity in grande and petite strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were examined. We have detected heterogeneity in the mtDNA from some of the progeny strains of a cross between two grande strains (D273-10B, MH41-7B) which differ in genome size and restriction cleavage pattern of their mtDNA. The progeny strains transmit restriction fragments characteristic of both parental strains from homologous regions of the mitochondrial genome, and this sequence heterogeneity is not eliminated by additional subcloning. Sequence diversity is more common in the mtDNA of petite than of grande strains of yeast. We have examined subclones of one petite strain to identify the origin of this variability. Many of the submolar restriction fragments persist in independent subclones of this petite after 15 and 30 cell divisions; some submolar fragments disappear, and some new fragments appear. We conclude that the observed sequence heterogeneity is due to molecular heterogeneity, i.e., to differences in the multiple copies of the petite mitochondrial genome, as well as to clonal heterogeneity. It is likely that tandem repeats on the same mtDNA molecule also differ, i.e., that there is intramolecular heterogeneity, and that this accounts for the stability of the heterogeneity. Continuing deletion is probably responsible for the appearance of “new” fragments in petite subclones.
RNA SYNTHESIS AND RIBOSOME PRODUCTION IN PUROMYCIN-TREATED CELLS.

Abstract 1. 1. Puromycin is an effective inhibitor of protein synthesis in Escherichia coli 15T when treatment takes place in a medium lacking magnesium. Although incorporation of labelled amino acid is prevented in this system, incorporation of nucleic acid precursors continues. RNA, from cells treated with puromycin, labelled with [8-14C]adenine and separated on a sucrose density gradient exhibits the same sedimentation profile as the RNA from normal cells. The RNA accumulated during treatment with puromycin is stable after removal of the inhibitor, provided glucose is added to the medium in which the bacteria are resuspended. The ribosomal RNA, furthermore, can be incorporated into ribosomal particles during recovery from puromycin treatment. 2. 2. During this recovery phase there appears to be a preferential synthesis of ribosomal protein. Thus, the simultaneous sysnthesis of ribosomal RNA and ribosomal protein is not a necessary requirement for the formation of ribosome particles. 3. 3. In resting cell cultures (absence of glucose) nucleic acid formation, as measured by [8-14C]adenine incorporation is increased by the addition of puromycin to the incubation medium.
The Divergence of Chimpanzee Species and Subspecies as Revealed in Multipopulation Isolation-with-Migration Analyses

The divergence of bonobos and three subspecies of the common chimpanzee was examined under a multipopulation isolation-with-migration (IM) model with data from 73 loci drawn from the literature. A benefit of having a full multipopulation model, relative to conducting multiple pairwise analyses between sampled populations, is that a full model can reveal historical gene flow involving ancestral populations. An example of this was found in which gene flow is indicated between the western common chimpanzee subspecies and the ancestor of the central and the eastern common chimpanzee subspecies. The results of a full analysis on all four populations are strongly consistent with analyses on pairs of populations and generally similar to results from previous studies. The basal split between bonobos and common chimpanzees was estimated at 0.93 Ma (0.68–1.54 Ma, 95% highest posterior density interval), with the split among the ancestor of three common chimpanzee populations at 0.46 Ma (0.35–0.65), and the most recent split between central and eastern common chimpanzee populations at 0.093 Ma (0.041–0.157). Population size estimates mostly fell in the range from 5,000 to 10,000 individuals. The exceptions are the size of the ancestor of the common chimpanzee and the bonobo, at 17,000 (8,000–28,000) individuals, and the central common chimpanzee and its immediate ancestor with the eastern common chimpanzee, which have effective size estimates at 27,000 (16,000–44,000) and 32,000 (19,000–54,000) individuals, respectively.
Interrelationships among Prereading and Oral Language Skills in Kindergartners from Two Social Classes.

Abstract Thirty-three kindergartners from two social classes were tested on an array of prereading and oral language skills. Prereading test results were clustered into composite scores reflecting skill interpreting environmental print, understanding how print functions, producing and decoding print, isolating phonemes, and comprehending stories. Several decontextualized language skills were assessed with a picture description task and a word definition task. Prereading skills were found to be highly intercorrelated and to relate to the ability to provide decontextualized definitions for words. Oral language measures of decontextualized skill correlated within task, but not across tasks. Social class differences were found for the prereading measures and for those oral language measures that correlated with the prereading measures. Social class differences were not found on measures of ability to provide communicatively adequate definitions or for receptive vocabulary.