cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using National Ambient Air Quality Standards for fine particulate matter to assess regional wildland fire smoke and air quality management.

Abstract Wildland fire is an important ecological process in the California Sierra Nevada. Personal accounts from pre-20th century describe a much smokier environment than present day. The policy of suppression beginning in the early 20th century and climate change are contributing to increased megafires. We use a single particulate monitoring site at the wildland urban interface to explore impacts from prescribed, managed, and full suppression wildland fires from 2006 to 2015 producing a contextual assessment of smoke impacts over time at the landscape level. Prescribed fire had little effect on local fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air quality with readings typical of similar non-fire times; hourly and daily good to moderate Air Quality Index (AQI) for PM2.5, maximum hourly concentrations 21–103 μg m−3, and mean concentrations between 7.7 and 13.2 μg m−3. Hourly and daily AQI was typically good or moderate during managed fires with 3 h and one day reaching unhealthy while the site remained below National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), with maximum hourly concentrations 27–244 μg m−3, and mean concentrations 6.7–11.7 μg m−3. The large high intensity fire in this area created the highest short term impacts (AQI unhealthy for 4 h and very unhealthy for 1 h), 11 unhealthy for sensitive days, and produced the only annual value (43.9 μg m−3) over the NAAQS 98th percentile for PM2.5 (35 μg m−3). Pinehurst remained below the federal standards for PM2.5 when wildland fire in the local area was managed to 7800 ha (8–22% of the historic burn area). Considering air quality impacts from smoke using the NAAQS at a landscape level over time can give land and air managers a metric for broader evaluation of smoke impacts particularly when assessing ecologically beneficial fire. Allowing managers to control the amount and timing of individual wildland fire emissions can help lessen large smoke impacts to public health from a megafire.
Comparative study of coreless-type PM linear synchronous machines with non-overlapping windings

This paper provides the comparative analysis of coreless-type permanent magnet linear synchronous machines (PMLSM) with non-overlapping windings. The comparative study is carried out on the basis of conductor winding factor. In order to aid the comparison, the new factor called thrust factor is introduced to denote the best S pp family depending on the variation of coil width ratio. From the extensive comparisons, an important result is derived that S pp = 1/4, i.e., multiple 4-pole/3-slot, is the best winding configuration of coreless-type PM machines in the major design domain thanks to the highest values of conductor pitch factor. Three-layer winding configuration, equivalent to traditional full-pitched winding, i.e. S pp = 1, is also incorporated into the analysis and compared to a single-layer winding configuration. Finally, the validity of the proposed analysis is confirmed by finite element analysis (FEA).
CORRELATION BETWEEN A NOVEL LASER TECHNOLOGY AND STANDARD TESTING IN THE EVALUATION OF PERIPHERAL VASCULAR DISEASE

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) has significant morbidity and mortality, in addition to a profound impact on wound healing and tissue viability. Traditional methodologies for the measurement of blood flow have limitations. Despite the common usage of measurements such as ankle brachial index (ABI
Specialization and accuracy of host-searching butterflies in complex and simple environments

When animals search for resources, they often make more accurate decisions when they specialize on a subset of available resources. This strategy might be particularly useful in complex environments where there is an overwhelming amount of information to process. In our population of butterflies, although certain specialized individuals (those that visited a resource that was easy to find) were more accurate than individuals that visited all available resources, other specialized individuals were not associated with accurate decision-making. Furthermore, butterflies searching for resources in complex environments did not adopt a more specialized search strategy than butterflies in simple environments.
Taguchi Techniques for Quality Engineering

(1996). Taguchi Techniques for Quality Engineering. Journal of Quality Technology: Vol. 28, No. 4, pp. 487-489.
Gut vagal sensory signaling regulates hippocampus function through multi-order pathways

The vagus nerve is the primary means of neural communication between the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the brain. Vagally mediated GI signals activate the hippocampus (HPC), a brain region classically linked with memory function. However, the endogenous relevance of GI-derived vagal HPC communication is unknown. Here we utilize a saporin (SAP)-based lesioning procedure to reveal that selective GI vagal sensory/afferent ablation in rats impairs HPC-dependent episodic and spatial memory, effects associated with reduced HPC neurotrophic and neurogenesis markers. To determine the neural pathways connecting the gut to the HPC, we utilize monosynaptic and multisynaptic virus-based tracing methods to identify the medial septum as a relay connecting the medial nucleus tractus solitarius (where GI vagal afferents synapse) to dorsal HPC glutamatergic neurons. We conclude that endogenous GI-derived vagal sensory signaling promotes HPC-dependent memory function via a multi-order brainstem–septal pathway, thereby identifying a previously unknown role for the gut–brain axis in memory control. Feeding-relevant vagal signaling occurs between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain, but it is unclear if this pathway influences cognitive processes. This study shows that endogenous gastrointestinal derived vagal sensory signaling promotes hippocampal-dependent memory function via a multi-order brainstem–septal pathway.
Using Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches to Understand Racial Disparities in Adult Vaccination

Background One proposed explanation for the persistence of racial disparities in adult immunizations is that minority patients receive primary care at practices that differ substantively from practices where white patients receive care. This study used both quantitative and qualitative methods to assess physician and practice factors contributing to disparities in a sample of inner-city, urban, and suburban practices in low to moderate income neighborhoods. Methods Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) and influenza vaccination rates were determined from medical record review in a sample of 2021 elderly (aged > 65 years) patients. Their physicians were surveyed about office systems for adult immunizations and structured observations of practice physical features, and operations were conducted. Case studies of practices with lowest and highest rates and the largest racial disparities are presented. Results Overall, weighted PPV vaccination rate was 60%, but rates differed significantly by race (65.8% for whites vs 36.5% for minorities, P P Conclusions Low rates in 2 minority panels, racial disparity between minorities and whites in mixed panels, and between-panel variation in rates contributed to the overall differences in vaccination rates by race.
Transfection-mediated cell synchronization: acceleration of G1-S phase transition by gamma irradiation.

We have previously provided evidence that the uptake of DNA into cells is cell cycle specific following transfection. We show here that, immediately after transfection, successfully transfected cel...
Characterization of gamma-ray background outside of the High Flux Isotope Reactor

Static gamma-ray measurements collected between September 2017 and March 2018 in the vicinity of the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and the Radiochemical Engineering Development Center (REDC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are presented. Temporal events are identified and tracked, including radioactive material transfers, rain events, and 41Ar emissions. The remaining data is used to determine the average background and its variation. These results will be used to benchmark Monte Carlo transport models of the HFIR/REDC vicinity and provide training data for material transfer tracking algorithms and data fusion algorithms to determine HFIR operational status under the Multi-Informatics for Nuclear Operations Scenarios program.
Deep-learning framework and acoustic reflector for improved limited-view and sparse photoacoustic tomography

Photoacoustic imaging is a hybrid imaging modality that relies upon optical absorption of pulsed light and subsequent thermoelastic generation of ultrasound. The detection of the induced acoustic waves outside the tissue enables image reconstruction. A major challenge encountered in photoacoustic tomography (PAT) lies in the inability to acquire complete projection data from the region of interest due to both the limited view and sparsity of available ultrasonic sensors. The resulting images are characterized by severe artifacts and poor quality. In this work, we examined the utility of incorporating an acoustic reflector to address the limited view problem and to train a convolutional neural network (CNN) to improve PAT image reconstruction from sparsely sampled data. Photoacoustic wave propagation was simulated in MATLAB using the k-Wave toolbox. We compared the performance of a sparse linear transducer array (with and without reflector) to that of a circular transducer array. The structural similarity index (SSI) was used as a metric for evaluating image quality. The combination of a curved reflector and artifact-removal using a CNN improved the quality of PAT images from the linear configuration. The resulting mean SSI value (0.859) was comparable to that achieved using the circular transducer array (0.926).
Impact of climatic and hydrological disturbances on blackwater floodplain forests in Central Amazonia.

Extreme climatic events and anthropic disturbances affect the hydrological regime of Amazonian rivers and connected floodplain forests. This study aims to investigate the impacts of the Balbina hydroelectric power plant on the floodplain forests of the Uatuma River, in the Central Amazon. For this, tree age and diameter increment from the most abundant tree species of three different topographic levels were obtained and analyzed in the affected area downstream of the Balbina dam (Uatuma River) and compared to an undisturbed site (Abacate River, affluent) considering age structure and mean diameter increments between the topographic levels and the two systems. The occurrence of old trees is much lower at the disturbed site compared to the undisturbed system. Especially at the middle topography of the Uatuma site, we observed tree species with high mean diameter increment indicating a strong disturbance. We suggest that the disturbances may be associated with extreme hydro‐climatic events, such as extreme droughts that occurred during the El Nino years 1925/26 and 1982/83 and that these events may increase vulnerability of igapo floodplains to wildfires. Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.
Challenges of Caregivers of Cancer Patients who are on Oral Oncolytic Therapy.

ABSTRACT Objective To describe the major challenges faced by caregivers of patients receiving oral oncolytic therapy (OOT). Data Sources Published literature, national clinical practice guidelines, standards of care. Conclusion Caregivers of patients receiving OOT have unmet needs. Caregivers need standardized OOT education and coping support to improve patient outcomes through enhanced drug safety practices, better management of complex treatment regimens and adherence, patient symptoms, treatment side effects, care decision-making, and financial assistance for costly OOT. Implications for Nursing Practice Nurses are well-positioned to take leadership roles in facilitating optimal utilization of multidisciplinary health care resources necessary to support caregivers and improve outcomes in patients receiving OOT.
Hospitalists staffing levels and hospital performance.

Objective (or study question) To examine the association between hospitalists staffing levels and contract type with CMS Total Performance Score (TPS). Data sources/study setting Total performance scores were obtained from CMS, hospital-level data from the 2015 American Hospital Association Annual Survey Database, and unemployment rates from the Area Resource Health File. Study design We used cluster analysis to classify hospitals based on the distribution of various hospitalist contracts, and we used regression analysis to examine the association between TPS and hospitalist staffing levels and contract distributions. Hospital-level predictors included hospitalists staffing levels, RN staffing levels, and Magnet status. Market-level variables were unemployment rates and competition. Principal findings Higher staffing levels of employed hospitalists or hospitalists with a group contract are associated with higher TPS (with coefficient estimates of 0.85 and 0.83, respectively, and the same standard error of 0.22). Higher staffing levels of hospitalists under individual contract are negatively associated with TPS (with coefficient estimate of -0.43 and standard error of 0.21). Based on the regression analysis using hospital clusters as independent variables, hospitals with individual contracts or without hospitalists providing care had significantly worse TPS compared to hospitals that predominantly employ hospitalists (with coefficient estimate of -1.80 and standard error of 0.61). Magnet status, RN staffing levels, and small and medium size were positively associated with TPS. Medicare share of inpatient days, teaching status, AMCs, and for-profit and public nonfederal ownership were negatively associated with TPS. Conclusions Adequate hospitalist staffing level is important for hospitals to achieve better performance. Hospitals need to consider the mix of arrangements or contracts that they have with hospitalists.
Endless mode: Exploring the procedural rhetoric of a Black Lives Matter-themed newsgame:

A week after the back-to-back police shootings of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling in early July 2016, a game developer, who goes by the screen name Yvvy, sat in front of her console mulling ove...
Chronic stress in adolescence differentially affects cocaine vulnerability in adulthood in a selectively bred rat model of individual differences: role of accumbal dopamine signaling

Stress during adolescence has profound effects on the onset and severity of substance use later in life. However, not everyone with adverse experiences during this period will go on to develop a su...
A Status Review on Cu2ZnSn(S, Se)4-Based Thin-Film Solar Cells

Photovoltaics has become a significant branch of next-generation sustainable energy production. Kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S, Se)4 (copper-zinc-tin-(sulfur, selenium) or CZTS(Se)) is considered one of the most promising, earth-abundant, and nontoxic candidates for solar energy generation over the last decade. However, shallow phase stability of the quaternary phase and the presence of various secondary phases and defects are the main hindrances in achieving the target device performance. This paper summarizes various approaches to synthesize the CZTS absorber layer and the CdS - type material layer. Besides, different CZTS solar cell device structures, as well as a comprehensive review of secondary phases and defects, have been illustrated and discussed. At last, this review is intended to highlight the current challenges and prospects of CZTS solar cells.
Load Profile Prediction Using Customer Characteristics

Microgrids are gaining large interest as a viable grid extension alternative for electrification in rural Africa. Load profiles are central to the design of microgrids. Estimating accurate load profiles is therefore crucial to ensuring microgrids deliver reliable power at low cost. Using actual load data from 1,978 microgrid customers in Tanzania, we deployed k-means clustering on normalized load profiles to identify several typical load patterns with which we classified customers. We then developed a random forest classification model to predict load profile types for customers based on pre-electrification survey data on demographics and energy use behavior. Using the results of this model, we identified characteristics of new microgrid customers that are correlated with specific load profile characteristics. This information can aid microgrid developers in estimating load patterns during the system design phase and identify customers that are likely to have desirable load profiles.
Public Opinion on Support for Arming Teachers with Guns in the United States

Proposals to arm teachers with guns have emerged in reaction to high-profile school shootings in the United States. Though controversial, these proposals have gained the support of various policyma...
About time: Syntactically-guided reasoning with analog and digital clocks

Around the globe, young students are expected to learn about time, yet how is it that they themselves make sense of this topic? From a sociocultural perspective, sense-making about time emerges in ...
STACKELBERG GAME, VERTICAL RELATIONS AND R&D INVESTMENTS: ARE THERE FIRST-MOVER ADVANTAGES?

This paper studies a Stackelberg game among the downstream firms in a vertical industry where one-way R&D spillovers occur, from the leader to the follower. When the upstream market is perfectly co...
Winch and Durkheim: The Difficulty of Social Reality

On a superficial level, the works of Emile Durkheim and Peter Winch appear to have little in common. Although both aim to clarify the nature of the social and provide a methodological foundation for social inquiry, Durkheim is often portrayed to be a grand theory builder introducing a new metaphysics of the social while Winch is mostly portrayed as an anti-metaphysical quietist defending an ordinary language approach to social inquiry.
Metabolic Fate of Dietary Glucosinolates and Their Metabolites: A Role for the Microbiome.

Robust evidence shows that phytochemicals from cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, are associated with numerous health benefits. The anti-cancer properties of these foods are attributed to bioactive isothiocyanates (ITCs) and indoles, phytochemicals generated from biological precursor compounds called glucosinolates. ITCs, and particularly sulforaphane (SFN), are of intense interest as they block the initiation, and suppress the progression of cancer, through genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. The efficacy of these compounds is well demonstrated in cell culture and animal models, however, high levels of inter-individual variation in absorption and excretion of ITCs is a significant barrier to the use of dietary glucosinolates to prevent and treat disease. The source of inter-individual ITC variation has yet to be fully elucidated and the gut microbiome may play a key role. This review highlights evidence that the gut microbiome influences the metabolic fate and activity of ITCs. Human feeding trials have shown inter-individual variations in gut microbiome composition coincides with variations in ITC absorption and excretion, and some bacteria produce ITCs from glucosinolates. Additionally, consumption of cruciferous vegetables can alter the composition of the gut microbiome and shift the physiochemical environment of the gut lumen, influencing the production of phytochemicals. Microbiome and diet induced changes to ITC metabolism may lead to the decrease of cancer fighting phytochemicals such as SFN and increase the production of biologically inert ones like SFN-nitrile. We conclude by offering perspective on the use of novel ‘omics’ technologies to elucidate the interplay of the gut microbiome and ITC formation.
Geschichte der Proteintherapie

Die bemerkenswerte Tatsache, das einige Individuen fur Krankheiten wider­standsfahig sind und andere nicht, das von zwei anscheinend gleich starken Individuen das eine stirbt, wahrend das andere sich von der gleichen Infektion erholt, hat stets Biologen und Arzte beschaftigt.
Explorations in the Nonviolent Personality

People have a variety of reasons for not aggressing. Some people oppose aggression because it invites retaliation, punishment and social disapproval, whereas others do so on moral, ethical, and ideological grounds. A close scrutiny of the behavior patterns of the followers of Gandhi in India, Abraham Muste in the United States and members of pacifist groups shows that their opposition to violence varies both in quality and quantity.
TWO GLUTAMYL-TRNA REDUCTASE ACTIVITIES IN ESCHERICHIA COLI

delta-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is the first committed precursor for tetrapyrrole biosynthesis. ALA formation in Escherichia coli occurs in a tRNA-dependent three-step conversion from glutamate. Glu-tRNA reductase is the key enzyme in this pathway. E. coli K12 contains two Glu-tRNA reductase activities which differ in their molecular weights. Here we describe the purification of one of these enzymes. Four different chromatographic separations yielded a nearly homogeneous protein. Its apparent molecular mass under denaturing (sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) and nondenaturing conditions (rate zonal sedimentation and gel filtration) is 85,000 +/- 5,000 Da. This indicates a monomeric structure for the active enzyme. Gel filtration and glycerol gradient centrifugation indicate that the other activity has a molecular mass of 45,000 +/- 5,000 Da. In the presence of NADPH both enzyme activities converted E. coli Glu-tRNA(2Glu) to glutamate 1-semialdehyde. Addition of GTP or hemin did not affect the reductase activity. Both enzymes display sequence-specific recognition of tRNA; E. coli Glu-tRNA(2Glu) is a good substrate while the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Bacillus subtilis, and Synechocystis Glu-tRNA(Glu) species are poorly recognized.
Inner and Mutual Compatibility of Basic Operations on Module Specifications

The category Mod of module specifications and module morphisms is introduced and used to show the inner compatibilities of union, composition and actualization of module specifications. Using algebraic techniques, we can provide a simple proof of the compatibility of actualization and union (i.e. that the union of actualized modules is an appropriate actualization of a union of the modules) and establish the compatibility of composition with parameterized actualization (i.e., that an actualization of the composite M1·M2 can be obtained as a composition of the actualized modules M1 and M2).
Kinetics of Calcium Transport in the Hamster Duodenum and Ileum

Dietary calcium is absorbed chiefly from the small intestine, and characteristics of the transport process differ depending on site. Because transport behavior is crucial to calcium homeostasis, we characterized kinetics of duodenal and ileal calcium transport in vivo in the hamster. We measured net calcium transport with 40 Ca and flux into the animal (influx) with 45 Ca over the concentration range of 025 mM. Nonmediated transport was twice as great in duodenum as in ileum. Mediated transport showed Michaelis-Menten kinetics. K t for mediated transport (4.3 mM) was the same in duodenum and ileum, whereas V max (δmol/h per g) was twice as great in ileum (290) as in duodenum (137). Thus, K t defines similar carrier function at both sites, but V max suggests calcium transport capacity is doubled in ileum. The lower nonmediated transport in ileum limits secretion and the higher V max absorbs calcium at a greater rate, permitting the ileum to move luminal calcium against a concentration gradient more effectively than the duodenum. Thus, ileal calcium transport, by its site and functional characteristics, makes a crucial contribution to calcium homeostasis in the hamster.
Non-Linear Problems in Transport Theory

This material was presented in a series of four lectures to the NATO Advanced Study Institute on “Applications of Group Theory to Non-Linear Problems” held in Istanbul, Turkey, August 8–11, 1972. In conformity with the spirit of a summer school, very little of the material is new. Only the discussion in Lecture 2, of the “generalized spectrum” has not already been published elsewhere.
Differences in Mathematics Performance between Students with Learning Disabilities and Students with Mild Retardation

Many educators use the term “mildly disabled” to refer to both students with learning disabilities and those with mild mental retardation, who are frequently placed together in classrooms and provided with similar curricula. This study examined the performance of a large sample of students in both groups, age 8–14 years, in four mathematics domains: Basic Concepts, Listening Vocabulary, Problem Solving, and Fractions. Results indicated that the students with learning disabilities scored higher and had greater growth rates than did age-equivalent students with mild mental retardation. Implications for curriculum and instruction include discussions of choice of topic and timing, sequence, and intensity of instruction, particularly regarding the 1989 recommendations of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Uniform approximation by indestructible Blaschke products

Abstract We address the question: Are the inner functions in the uniform closure in H ∞ of the indestructible Blaschke products? We show, in particular, that every inner function with countable spectrum is in the closure of the indestructible Blaschke products, that every Blaschke product is a product of two indestructible Blaschke products and we study approximation in modulus.
Wind Driven Flow in the Mixed Layer Observed by Drifting Buoys during Autumn–Winter in the Midlatitude North Pacific

Abstract Wind-driven flow in the upper 90 meters during autumn–winter in the midlatitude North Pacific is investigated using satellite-traced drifting buoys (i.e., drifters) deployed nearly simultaneously but drogued at different depths. The difference in the relationship between drifter velocity and wind stress as a function of drogue depth is observed to change when its drogue entered the deepening mixed layer. This change is characterized by a sudden increase in the amplitude of the near-inertial motions observed by the drifters and by the onset of a persistent net displacement whose downwind component is approximately 3 times as large as its crosswind component. Attempts to model this downwind flow as a windage result in a large unexplained residual downwind velocity component. On the other hand, 80–90% of the observed crosswind displacement is explained by an Ekman slab model (i.e., with flow uniform over the mixed layer). This large residual downwind velocity component combined with the Ekman driven...
NMR structure of the N-terminal domain of the replication initiator protein DnaA

DnaA is an essential component in the initiation of bacterial chromosomal replication. DnaA binds to a series of 9 base pair repeats leading to oligomerization, recruitment of the DnaBC helicase, and the assembly of the replication fork machinery. The structure of the N-terminal domain (residues 1-100) of DnaA from Mycoplasma genitalium was determined by NMR spectroscopy. The backbone r.m.s.d. for the first 86 residues was 0.6 +/- 0.2 Angstrom based on 742 NOE, 50 hydrogen bond, 46 backbone angle, and 88 residual dipolar coupling restraints. Ultracentrifugation studies revealed that the domain is monomeric in solution. Features on the protein surface include a hydrophobic cleft flanked by several negative residues on one side, and positive residues on the other. A negatively charged ridge is present on the opposite face of the protein. These surfaces may be important sites of interaction with other proteins involved in the replication process. Together, the structure and NMR assignments should facilitate the design of new experiments to probe the protein-protein interactions essential for the initiation of DNA replication.
Correlative biochemical and ultrastructural studies on the mechanism of freezing damage to ram semen

Abstract Ram semen, diluted in egg yolk-citrate, and enclosed between pieces of aluminum foil was frozen by immersion in alcohol bath. A freezing rate of 1 °C/min from 5 to –10 °C, 2 °C/min from −10 to −18 °C, 4 °C/min from −18 to −35 °C and 5 °C/min from −35 to −70 °C, was employed. This treatment was chosen because of the recovery of a relatively high percentage of frozen-thawed sperm in an earlier investigation. The ice was removed by freeze-substitution and the specimen infiltrated with Epon for electron microscopy. The acrosome appeared empty in frozen-thawed spermatozoa. The nucleus showed no evidence of intracellular freezing. The mid-piece region of approximately 50% spermatozoa contained ice cavities. These cavities distorted the inner fibers and the cristae in the mitochondria. These ultrastructural alterations may be the visible manifestations of alterations such as the leakage of certain isozymes of acid phosphatase. These changes appear to affect the fecundity of spermatozoa.
Adsorption of Water Vapor on E‐Glass

The thermodynamics of a water-vapor-E-glass system were studied by adsorption-isotherm analysis. The seven isotherms completed were Brunauer type IV with permanent hysteresis. The first adsorbed water layer could not be removed by pumping, indicating permanent hydrolysis. Application of heat removed the remaining water to close the hysteresis loop. Calculation of isosteric heat of adsorption indicates that the adsorbed state is between the solid and the liquid states, equivalent to the loss of one vibrational and one translational degree of freedom. A new plot of energy vs thickness is proposed which describes the adsorption independent of surface area, as contrasted to the usual energy-vs-volume plot which was found to depend on surface area. A modified Clausius-Clapeyron equation is proposed for computing the isosteric heat of adsorption.
Transplantation for adult ALL–typing and timing

Comment on Hunault et al, page [3028][1] Adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) can enjoy improved survival with sibling marrow transplantation as shown in this issue of Blood. Given the heterogeneous nature of this disease, and advancements in transplantation and nontransplantation
Closely Observed Pendulums: reflections on teacher professionalism

Abstract The authors – one a specialist in mathematics teaching, the other in curriculum – offer reflections on school reform, teacher education and student engagement after observing a mathematics lesson given by a middle-school teacher who has recently completed an in-service master's degree course and is currently a candidate for a national teaching award in the USA. They argue that teacher professionalism directed towards understanding and commitment cannot be based on predetermined outcomes, nor on a separation between the elements of curriculum, instruction and assessment in pursuit of ‘best practice’. Continual reflection upon experience through in-service professional studies, linking theory with the art of the practical in a contextualised systems-based approach, is the vital element in school improvement.
On infanticide, the peculiar institution, and public memory. [Review of: Weisenburger, S. Modern medea: a family story of slavery and child-murder from the Old South. New York: Hill and Wang, 1998].

On January 26, 1856, a bleak, bitterly cold day, as federal marshals closed in on a Cincinnati cabin near the banks of a frozen Ohio River, the escaped slave mother Margaret Garner killed her two-year-old daughter Mary with a single knife cut to her throat, then slashed her four and six-year-old sons until they scrambled under a bed to safety. Seizing a shovel, she delivered a blow to the face of her infant daughter before being restrained by marshals who had crashed through the cabin door. Margaret Garner's shocking actions, whether the result of a frenzy of despair or a calculated response to an intolerable institution, provided the inspiration for Beloved, Toni Morrison's haunting fictional treatment of the nation's painfully real legacy of slavery. Steven Weisenburger, a professor of English, seeks to present to the reading public the actual figure upon whom Morrison's protagonist was based. His exhaustively researched study accomplishes this task and illustrates how the scholar's narrative and analysis complements the perceptive imagination of the novelist to provide a more nuanced portrayal of a troubled and troubling past. Weisenburger seeks to accomplish three basic purposes, the first of which is to recreate the life of Margaret Garner and to examine the motives which prompted her to attempt to kill each of her four children. Like that of most slaves, Margaret's life is difficult to document, and Weisenburger relies on available documents and reasonable conjecture to create his protagonist, at times relying too heavily on conjecture to determine the motives for any number of Margaret's actions. She was born a slave at Maplewood, the plantation of John Pollard Gaines, located just south of the northern Kentucky town of Covington. When Gaines left Kentucky in 1849 as the newly appointed governor of the Oregon Territory, he sold Maplewood and its slaves to his brother Archibald at approximately the same time the pregnant sixteen-year-old Margaret wed Robert Garner, a slave on James Marshall's
Multiple trajectories of physical aggression among adolescent boys and girls

Latent growth mixture modeling was used to identify discrete patterns of physical aggression from Grades 7 to 11 among a sample of 1,877 youth. Four trajectory classes adequately explained the development of physical aggression in both boys and girls: Low/No Aggression; Persistent High Aggression; Desisting Aggression, characterized by decreasing risk throughout adolescence; and Adolescent Aggression, characterized by low early risk that increases until Grade 9, levels out, and then declines in late adolescence. Girls were less likely than boys were to be in any trajectory besides the Low/No Aggression trajectory. Parental supervision, deviant peer association, academic orientation, impulsivity, and emotional distress at Grade 7 were all strongly associated with trajectory class membership. These associations did not differ by gender. These findings strongly suggest that the processes involved in the development of physical aggression in adolescence operate similarly in boys and girls. Aggr. Behav. 34:61–75, 2008. ©2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Generic oscillations for delay differential equations

In this article we study oscillation and nonoscillation of the solutions of linear delay differential equations. We define generic oscillation and generic nonoscillation as a topological assessment of the extent of oscillatory or nonoscillatory solutions of a delay differential equation. We provide sufficient conditions for both phenomena based on the roots of the characteristic equation and concrete conditions for some special cases.
mTor plays an important role in odontoblast differentiation.

Abstract Introduction Signaling pathways responsible for dentin regeneration in a dental pulp are not fully understood. In this study, we determined the effects of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTor) on the differentiation and mineralization of dental pulp stem cells. We hypothesized that the two known mTor complexes Torc1 and Torc 2 play pivotal roles in the differentiation of odontoblasts and that they modulate deposition of a mineralized extracellular matrix. Therefore, we investigated the effects of Torc1 and Torc 2 signaling on the differentiation and mineralization of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED). Methods We used Western blot analysis to examine the expression of markers of dental differentiation in SHED (+/−) inhibition of either Torc1 or Torc 2 complex proteins raptor or rictor, respectively. In addition, the deposition of a mineralized matrix was determined under these conditions via alkaline phosphatase and alizarin red staining. Results Results show that the inhibition of Torc 1, via reduced expression of either raptor or mTor, severely restricts the synthesis of dentin sialoprotein and inhibits deposition of a mineralized matrix. Inhibition of Torc 2, via reduction of rictor, has the opposite effect, enhancing mineralization. This latter effect disappears when both rictor and mTor are inhibited, showing that the Torc 2 effect is Torc 1 dependent. Conclusions These results strongly suggest an important role for mTor in dental pulp stem cell differentiation and provide evidence that the mechanisms involved in protein synthesis could prove an interesting target for dental pulp tissue engineering.
DNA-mediated gene transfer: applications to mosquitoes

Transfection of cultured cells provides a framework for testing conceptual approaches to genetic manipulation of vector insects.
Agreeing attitudinal statements as positive reinforcers in instrumental conditioning

The effects of partial reinforcement (PR) in both acquisition and extinction were investigated. Using attitudes as reinforcers in an instrumental conditioning situation, the PR group proved to be more,, resistant to extinction than a continuously reinforced (CRF) group. More importantly, the PR group showed faster asymptotic acquisition speeds than did the CRF group, indicating that the present situation is an analog to reward conditioning. Thus, similar attitudes may be seen as positive, not negative, reinforcers.
Language and task switching in the bilingual brain: Bilinguals are staying, not switching, experts

Abstract Bilinguals' ability to control which language they speak and to switch between languages may rely on neurocognitive mechanisms shared with non-linguistic task switching. However, recent studies also reveal some limitations on the extent control mechanisms are shared across domains, introducing the possibility that some control mechanisms are unique to language. We investigated this hypothesis by directly comparing the neural correlates of task switching and language switching. Nineteen Spanish–English bilingual university students underwent a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study employing a hybrid (event-related and blocked) design involving both color-shape switching and language switching paradigms. We compared the two switching tasks using within-subject voxel-wise t -tests for each of three trial types (single trials in single blocks, and stay and switch trials in mixed blocks). Comparing trial types to baseline in each task revealed widespread activation for single, stay, and switch trials in both color-shape and language switching. Direct comparisons of each task for each trial type revealed few differences between tasks on single and switch trials, but large task differences during stay trials, with more widespread activation for the non-linguistic than for the language task. Our results confirm previous suggestions of shared mechanisms of switching across domains, but also reveal bilinguals have greater efficiency for sustaining the inhibition of the non-target language than the non-target task when two responses are available. This efficiency of language control might arise from bilinguals' need to control interference from the non-target language specifically when not switching languages, when speaking in single- or mixed-language contexts.
RBench: Application-Specific RDF Benchmarking

As more RDF data management systems and RDF data querying techniques emerge, RDF benchmarks providing a controllable and comparable testing environment for applications are needed. To address the needs of diverse applications, we propose an application-specific framework, called RBench, to generate RDF benchmarks. RBench takes an RDF dataset from any application as a template, and generates a set of synthetic datasets with similar characteristics including graph structure and literal labels, for the required "size scaling factor" and the "degree scaling factor". RBench analyzes several features from the given RDF dataset, and uses them to reconstruct the new benchmark graph. A flexible query load generation process is then proposed according to the design of RBench. Efficiency and usability of RBench are demonstrated via experimental results.
Peak globalization: climate change, oil depletion and global trade.

Abstract The global trade in goods depends upon reliable, inexpensive transportation of freight along complex and long-distance supply chains. Global warming and peak oil undermine globalization by their effects on both transportation costs and the reliable movement of freight. Countering the current geographic pattern of comparative advantage with higher transportation costs, climate change and peak oil will thus result in peak globalization, after which the volume of exports will decline as measured by ton-miles of freight. Policies designed to mitigate climate change and peak oil are very unlikely to change this result due to their late implementation, contradictory effects and insufficient magnitude. The implication is that supply chains will become shorter for most products and that production of goods will be located closer to where they are consumed.
Channel-coupling theory of molecular structure. Finite-element method solution for H + 2

The problems encountered in the channel-coupling array (CCA) calculations of the preceding paper, viz., the failure to achieve convergence and the persistence of unphysical potential-energy curves, are resolved herein with the use of the ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{+}$ ion as a test case. Convergence is obtained by the use of local interpolates and the finite-element method in place of the globally defined, LCAO-type (linear combination of atomic orbitals) functions previously used. Physically correct, ungerade potential-energy curves result from calculations in which the ungerade CCA channel component wave functions are each required to vanish on the midplane normal to the symmetry axis, just like the solution to the Schr\"odinger equation. A proof of the foregoing property plus detailed discussions of the finite-element method and its CCA and Schr\"odinger-equation solutions, of spurious solutions, of convergence, and of implications of the calculations are presented.
Design of two-input one-output compensators to achieve asymptotic tracking

A procedure for designing two-input one-output compensators to achieve asymptotic tracking of a class of reference signals is presented. It is shown that if no mode of the reference signal is a transmission zero of the plant, the design is always possible. The design consists of two steps: stabilization and tracking.
Role of the vascular endothelium and plaque in acute ischemic stroke

The underlying cause of stroke lies in the damage to the arterial endothelial cell layer. The most profound damage is due to atherosclerosis, which can either occlude an artery or produce a thromboembolism. Diabetes and inflammation contribute to atherosclerosis and the associated endothelial damage by initiating and promoting the deposition of modified lipids in the subendothelium and by inhibiting endothelial nitric oxide (NO) production. At the same time, both production of endothelin-1 and generation of reactive oxygen species increase. In addition, leukocytes adhere to the endothelium and levels of C-reactive protein increase. The stroke that ensues upon cerebral artery occlusion or plaque rupture continues and exacerbates endothelial damage. Statins have been shown to be helpful in preventing stroke and diminishing its consequences. An international clinical trial to determine if an NO donor is effective (Efficacy of Nitric Oxide in Stroke study) is currently under way. Other interventions such as antioxidants, ρ kinase inhibition, and endothelial progenitor cells offer promising avenues of research and perhaps therapeutic avenues for treatment of stroke. This article discusses the role of the vascular endothelium in ischemic stroke and those interventions that may provide plausible avenues for future therapy.
B-scan ultrasonography for the detection of macular thickening

Abstract Purpose To report the sensitivity and specificity of B-scan ultrasonography to detect macular thickening. Design Observational case series. Methods Seventy-seven eyes of 40 consecutive patients (age range, 7–80 years) in a retinal specialty practice were examined. A single masked ultrasound operator performed B-scan ultrasonography on all eyes and graded macular thickening. The final assessment of macular thickening was based on biomicroscopy findings combined with fluorescein angiography (FA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). The presence or absence of macular thickening as determined by B-scan ultrasonography was compared with the final clinical assessment, FA findings, and OCT measurements. Results B-scan ultrasonography detected macular thickening with a high degree of sensitivity (91%) and specificity (96%). There was a high degree of agreement between findings on ultrasonography and FA (kappa = 0.80). Ultrasonographic diagnosis correlated with OCT measurements for both central macular thickness ( r = .65, P r = .56, P Conclusions Ultrasonographic detection of macular thickening correlates with findings on slit-lamp biomicroscopy, FA, and OCT. B-scan ultrasonography is a potentially useful technique for assessing macular thickness when biomicroscopy is impossible or when patients cannot tolerate FA or OCT.
Comparison of atomistic simulations and statistical theories for variable degree of long-range order in semiconductor alloys

A direct atomistic quantum-mechanical theory is used for a comprehensive investigation on the applicability of a statistical theory based on cluster expansion to the electronic band structure of a semiconductor alloy with variable degree of long-range order. This study reveals that the applicability of the statistical theory depends on the modulation of the relevant wave function within the alloyed sublattice. This finding can be generalized beyond the prototype system\char22{}CuPt-ordered ${\text{Ga}}_{x}{\text{In}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}\text{P}$\char22{}to other alloys or other forms of long-range order and thus establishes a framework for understanding the effect of ordering in semiconductor alloys and the limitation of the cluster expansion approach for treating the electronic structure of alloys.
Impact of a revised standard for best practices for academic, governmental and industrial ground station scheduling and communications design

As launches and satellites lower in overall cost, the variety and purpose of the data collected continues to evolve. This evolution requires a revised set of standards for best practices with regard to academic, governmental and industrial communication and scheduling design. With deliberate consideration into communication and scheduling design, throughput of data passed via the ever more crowded and noisy limited-bandwidth channels can be improved. This study outlines how implementing a revised standard with regard to ground station scheduling and communication impact the expectation for throughput from the satellite itself.