cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Verbal feedback enhances motor learning during post-stroke gait retraining.

Background Fast treadmill walking combined with functional electrical stimulation to ankle muscles (FastFES) is a well-studied gait intervention that improves post-stroke walking function. Although individualized verbal feedback is commonly incorporated during clinical gait training, and a variable practice structure is posited to enhance learning, the influence of these two factors on motor learning during locomotor interventions such as FastFES is poorly understood. Objectives To determine if the addition of individualized verbal feedback or variable practice to a FastFES training session enhances motor learning of targeted gait patterns. Methods Nine individuals with post-stroke hemiparesis completed a crossover study comprising exposure to 3 dose-matched types of gait training: (1) FastFES (FF), comprising five 6-minute bouts of training with intermittent FES, (2) FF with addition of individualized verbal instructions and faded feedback delivered by a physical therapist (FF+PT), (3) FF with variable gait speed and FES timing (FF+Var). Gait biomechanics data were collected before (Pre), immediately after (Post), and 24-h following (Retention) each training type. Within-session and retention change scores of 3 targeted gait variables were calculated to assess locomotor learning. Results FF+PT resulted in larger improvements within-session and at retention in trailing limb angle, and a trend for larger improvements in paretic pushoff compared to FF. FF+Var failed to show greater learning of biomechanical variables compared to FF. Conclusions Addition of individualized verbal feedback (FF+PT) to a single session of gait training may enhance within- and across-session learning of targeted gait variables in people post-stroke, and merits more investigation.
Craft Beer Tourism: The Search for Authenticity, Diversity, and Great Beer

While the modern-day craft brewing movement has its genesis in the United States, it is increasingly popular in a growing number of counties throughout the world. A defining characteristic of craft beer consumers is their desire to drink craft beer at the brewery where it was brewed. Consuming beer at the point of production ensures that beer is enjoyed in its freshest possible state. In addition to accessing fresh beer, visiting the taproom of a craft brewery also provides the beer drinkers with access to beers that are only available on-site or, if distributed, within a geographically limited market. This has resulted in the emergence and growth of what is termed beer tourism–craft beer aficionados travelling to a destination with the express purpose of visiting that destination’s local breweries. As beer tourism has grown in popularity, scholars from a number of disciplines have started to investigate it, with a view to gaining a better understanding of its various aspects. As a result, there is now a sizeable literature devoted to the topic. The purpose of this chapter is to review this literature in its entirety, with a view to documenting the current state of knowledge with regard to craft beer tourism.
Explaining Self-Employment Success and Failure: Wal-Mart vs. Starbucks, or Schumpeter vs. Putnam

Objectives: Two powerful socioeconomic innovations are sweeping the nation, led by Wal-Mart, Inc. and Starbucks Corp. These innovations both affect and are driven by profound labor market changes, but exactly how they affect self-employment or entrepreneurship has not been investigated. We examine the independent effects of these phenomena on the returns to self-employment, which is itself an under-researched topic in labor economics. Methods: We apply spatial econometric analysis to data from over 3,000 US counties to analyze how big-boxes and drinking places that facilitate social networking, affect self-employment earnings. Findings: The presence of Wal-Mart stores is associated with higher returns to self-employment, whereas the results for coffee shops and drinking places are mixed. A negative interaction effect on earnings emerges when Wal-Mart stores and drinking places exist in the same county. Conclusions: We confirm both Schumpeter's and Putnam's assertions about the importance of creative destruction and social networking in raising the productivity of entrepreneurs, although the latter effect is not as clear-cut as the former.
Towards smallholder food and water security: Climate variability in the context of multiple livelihood hazards in Nicaragua

Abstract Climate variability and change affect both food and water security, as do other hazards, such as shifting food prices, plant pathogens, and political economic changes. Although household food and water insecurity affect billions, most studies analyze them separately. This article develops a relational approach to explaining household access to food and water in a multi-hazard context. We identify pathways linking hazards to livelihood vulnerability and assess the relative importance of climate-related hazards. Analyzing longitudinal data collected from two surveys of the same 311 smallholder households in northern Nicaragua, conducted in 2014 and again in 2017, we find that peak seasons of food and water stress are asynchronous across the agricultural calendar, resulting in a total of five to six months of food and/or water stress. Across households, we find a significant positive relationship between water and food insecurity, even after adjusting for household fixed effects. Households experienced less food and water insecurity in 2017 than in 2014, due in part to the end of a severe drought in 2016, but remained concerned about damage from a severe coffee leaf rust outbreak and unfavorable agrifood prices that reduce income and threaten food security. Higher incomes and larger farm areas correlated with improved food and water security. We propose a generalizable approach for the joint assessment of household food and water security, which foregrounds the influence of seasonality and climate variability in the context of multiple hazards. This approach and our findings can contribute to developing integrated risk reduction strategies, building resilient livelihoods, and informing policy changes and partnerships with organized smallholders to improve resource access and sovereignty.
Narratives bridge the divide between distant events in episodic memory

Many studies suggest that information about past experience, or episodic memory, is divided into discrete units called "events." Yet we can often remember experiences that span multiple events. Events that occur in close succession might simply be linked because of their proximity to one another, but we can also build links between events that occur farther apart in time. Intuitively, some kind of organizing principle should enable temporally distant events to become bridged in memory. We tested the hypothesis that episodic memory exhibits a narrative-level organization, enabling temporally distant events to be better remembered if they form a coherent narrative. Furthermore, we tested whether post-encoding memory consolidation is necessary to integrate temporally distant events. In three experiments, participants learned and subsequently recalled events from fictional stories, in which pairs of temporally distant events involving side characters ("sideplots") either formed one coherent narrative or two unrelated narratives. Across participants, we varied whether recall was assessed immediately after learning, or after a delay: 24 hours, 12 hours between morning and evening ("wake"), or 12 hours between evening and morning ("sleep"). Participants recalled more information about coherent than unrelated narrative events, in most delay conditions, including immediate recall and wake conditions, suggesting that post-encoding consolidation was not necessary to integrate temporally distant events into a larger narrative. Furthermore, post hoc modeling across experiments suggested that narrative coherence facilitated recall over and above any effects of sentence-level semantic similarity. This reliable memory benefit for coherent narrative events supports theoretical accounts which propose that narratives provide a high-level architecture for episodic memory.
Lack of Timeliness and Noise as Explanations for the Low Contemporaneous Return-Earnings Association

We assess earnings lack of timeliness and value- irrelevant noise in earnings as explanations for the weak contemporaneous return-earnings association. Earnings lack timeliness because objectivity, verifiability, and conservatism conventions underlie the accounting measurement process. Noise in earnings is uncorrelated with returns in all periods. It likely gets introduced when estimates of future cash flows that differ from the markets estimates are included in earnings determined by accounting rules. Consistent with earnings lacking timeliness, we find current and future return earnings adjusted for expectational errors explain roughly 3-6 times as much of the annual return variation than current earnings alone.
Influence of deer herbivory on regeneration dynamics and gap capture in experimental gaps, 18 years post-harvest

Abstract Declines in species diversity have been linked to shifting disturbance regimes and increases in ungulate herbivory. Successful forest regeneration depends on silvicultural methods that can address stand-specific recruitment limitations. This study revisits a long-term experimental gap study in a hemlock-hardwood forest. Our objective was to determine if the treatment effects of deer exclosures and gap size would alter regeneration trajectories. We examined cohort development using permanent plots and gap-wide surveys of likely gap-capture trees. After 18 years, deer herbivory was a strong filter for tree regeneration and appeared to pose an insurmountable bottleneck to the recruitment of some species. Overall, 90% of unprotected stems >0.5 to ≤2 m showed evidence of being browsed by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimmerman). Our results indicate that browse sensitive species were unable to recruit even in resource-rich gap environments. Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis L.) and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton) were particularly sensitive to herbivory and absent in heights >1 m outside exclosures. However, inside exclosures in larger gaps, yellow birch saplings often co-dominated the tallest cohorts and eastern hemlock was well established at heights >1 m. Sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) was the dominant tree species across all treatments and ironwood (Ostrya virginiana Mill.) was frequently among the tallest trees in gaps outside of deer exclosures. Gap size only impacted unprotected seedlings which suggests regeneration is more sensitive to gap size when deer are present. The installation of relatively small (∼3.5% of total gap area) deer exclosures, at year two post-harvest, provided opportunities for the recruitment of browse-sensitive species. Collectively, our results highlight the pervasive role of ungulates in structuring forest composition.
Strategic and Tactical Planning for Managing National Park Resources

Each National Park Service unit in the United States produces a resource management plan (RMP) every four years or less. These plans constitute a strategic agenda for a park. Later, tactical plans commit budgets and personnel to specific projects over the planning horizon. Yet, neither planning stage incorporates much quantitative and analytical rigor and is devoid of formal decision-making tools. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) offers a structure for multi-objective decision making so that decision makers’ preferences can be formally accounted for. Preferences for each RMP project, resulting from an AHP exercise, can be used as priorities in an overall RMP. We conducted an exercise on the Olympic National Park (NP) in Washington, selecting eight projects as typical of those considered in RMPs. Five members of the park staff used the AHP to prioritise the eight projects with respect to implicit management objectives. By altering management priorities for the park, three different scenarios were generated. All three contained some similarities in rankings for the eight projects, as well as some differences. Mathematical allocations of money and people differed among these scenarios and differed substantially from what the actual 1990 RMP contains.
Release Of Petroleum Hydrocarbons From Bioremediated Soils

This article presents a qualitative evaluation of the extent to which the bioavailability (release) of a chemical is related to the biodegradation of hydrocarbons in a field bioremediation unit. The objectives of this research were to (1) quantify the rate of release of petroleum hydrocarbons from two soils that were bioremediated, (2) explore hydrocarbon release as a process affecting bioremediation; and (3) investigate the impact of bioremediation on chemical release in the two soils. An experimental protocol was used to quantify the rate of release of these hydrocarbons from two soils that had been bioremediated in a field-scale prepared bed land treatment unit. One soil showed little change in hydrocarbon concentration during 55 weeks of prepared bed bioremediation. The field study results indicated that, prior to the bioremediation, this soil had reached an environmentally acceptable endpoint. The second soil showed considerable hydrocarbon loss as a result of the bioremediation. The rate of hydrocar...
Coping with very High Latencies in Petaflop Computer Systems

The very long and highly variable latencies in the deep memory hierarchy of a petaflop-scale architecture design, such as the Hybrid Technology Multi-Threaded Architecture (HTMT) [13], present a new challenge to its programming and execution model. A solution to coping with such high and variable latencies is to directly and explicity expose the different memory regions of the machine to the program execution model, allowing better management of communication. In this paper we describe the novel percolation model that lies at the heart of the HTMT program execution model [13]. The Percolation Model combines multithreading with dynamic prefetching of coarse-grain contexts. In the past, prefetching techniques have concentrated on moving blocks of data within the memory hierarchy. Instead of only moving contiguous blocks of data, the thread percolation approach manages contexts that include data, program instructions, and control states.
The impact and implication of BTI/HCI decoupling on ring oscillator

In this study, a novel RO test structure is proposed and demonstrated to decouple the impact of BTI and HCI effect in RO degradation. The frequency dependence of RO degradation is also investigated with wide frequency range (5.5MHz to 700MHz). Detail characterizations of RO degradation revealed that the impact of NBTI on RO degradation is frequency independent. It is found that NBTI lifetime difference is prominent under different stress frequencies on discrete device. However, NBTI induced I D degradation (ΔI D ) between sub-GHz range is not significant to show a notable frequency dependency feature. On the other hand, nHCI induced RO degradation increases monotonically as frequency goes higher. The more HCI degradation is in RO, the more notable frequency dependence of RO. Even though nHCI becomes severe under high bias, NBTI is still the dominant degradation mechanism of RO. Due to the huge recovery of NBTI, the frequency shift of RO is not as severe as we expected. It further implies time exponent failed to reflect the dominant degradation mechanism of RO.
Dimeth­yl(2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine-κ3N,N′,N′′)zinc(II)

The title compound, [Zn(CH3)2(C15H11N3)], was synthesized by the addition of dimethyl­zinc to 2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine and was crystallized by the slow evaporation of THF. The penta­coordinate ZnII atom, lying on a twofold rotation axis, displays a distorted trigonal-bipyramidal geometry, with two terminal N atoms at the axial positions and the central N atom and two methyl C atoms at the equatorial positions.
“Excuse Me, What Did You Just Say?”

The goal of this column series is to explore the neurological processes that occur during learning. Even though our knowledge of “the molecular signals that translate activity into structural and functional changes in connections” (McAllister, 1999) is incomplete, research pushes back the horizons of our understanding daily. We hope that this series will expand your knowledge and, more importantly, raise critical questions in the minds of both you and your students. The best possible long-term outcome would be to excite students to seek careers in neuroscience and to help all of us appreciate the intricacies of the neurobiology of learning. Over the course of the next school year, we will explore learning by moving through layers of neural organization, including While recognizing that the definition of learning itself could be the focus of many discussions, we will use a relatively simple definition: “Learning is the …
Assessing the performance characteristics of signals used by a clinical event monitor to detect adverse drug reactions in the nursing home.

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are a common cause of morbidity and mortality in the nursing home (NH) setting. Traditional non-automated mechanisms for ADR detection are time-consuming, costly, and fail to detect the majority of ADRs. We describe the implementation and pharmacist evaluation of a clinical event monitor using signals previously developed by our research team to detect potential ADRs in the NH. The overall positive predictive value (PPV) for all signals combined was 81% (54/67), with individual signal PPVs ranging from 0-100%. The PPVs were 53% (10/19) for the antidote signals category and 96% (44/46) for the laboratory/medication combination signals category. The majority 75% (12/16) of the preventable ADRs were laboratory/medication combination signals. The results suggest that ADRs can be detected in the NH setting with a high degree of accuracy using a clinical event monitor that employs a set of signals derived by expert consensus.
Direct‐to‐consumer advertising for bleeding disorders: a content analysis and expert evaluation of advertising claims

Summary. Objective: In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that all direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) contain both an accurate statement of a medication’s effects (‘truth’) and an even-handed discussion of its benefits and risks/adverse effects (‘fair balance’). DTCA for medications to treat rare diseases such as bleeding disorders is unlikely to be given high priority for FDA review. Methods: We reviewed all DTCA for bleeding disorder products appearing in the patient-directed magazine HemeAware from January 2004 to June 2006. We categorized the information presented in each advertisement as benefit, risk/adverse effect, or neither, and assessed the amount of text and type size devoted to each. We also assessed the readability of each type of text using the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES, where a score of ≥65 is considered of average readability), and assessed the accuracy of the advertising claims utilizing a panel of five bleeding disorder experts. Results: A total of 39 unique advertisements for 12 products were found. On average, approximately twice the amount of text was devoted to benefits as compared with risks/adverse effects, and the latter was more difficult to read [FRES of 32.0 for benefits vs. 20.5 for risks/adverse effects, a difference of 11.5 (95% CI: 4.5–18.5)]. Only about two-thirds of the advertising claims were considered by a majority of the experts to be based on at least low-quality evidence. Conclusion: As measured by our methods, print DTCA for bleeding disorders may not reach the FDA’s standards of truth and fair balance.
Validating Storage System Instrumentation

There is a large body of work-such as system administration and intrusion detection-that relies upon storage system logs and snapshots. These solutions rely on accurate system records, however, little effort has been made to verify the correctness of logging instrumentation and log reliability. We present a solution, called ExDiff, that uses expectation differencing to validate storage system logs. Our solution can identify development errors such as the omission of a logging point and runtime errors such as log crashes. ExDiff uses metadata snapshots and activity logs to predict the expected state of the system and compares that with the system's actual state. Mismatches between the expected and actual metadata states can then be used to highlight gaps in log coverage, as well as aid in identifying specific types of missing entries. We show that ExDiff provides valuable insight to system designers, administrators and researchers by accurately identifying gaps in log coverage, providing clues useful in isolating specific types of missing log entries, and highlighting potential misunderstandings in logged action.
Next-to-minimal two Higgs doublet model

The simplest extension of the two Higgs doublet model is the addition of a real scalar singlet, $S$. The effects of mixing between the singlet and the doublets can be manifested in two ways. It can modify the couplings of the 126 GeV Higgs boson, $h$, and it can lead to direct detection of the heavy Higgs at the LHC. In this paper, we show that in the type-I model, for heavy Higgs masses in the 200--600 GeV range, the latter effect will be detected earlier than the former for most of parameter space. Should no such Higgs be discovered in this mass range, then the upper limit on the mixing will be sufficiently strong such that there will be no significant effects on the couplings of the $h$ for most of parameter space. The reverse is true in the type-II model: the limits from measurements of the couplings of the $h$ will dominate over the limits from nonobservation of the heavy Higgs.
Locality-aware mapping and scheduling for multicores

This paper presents a cache hierarchy-aware code mapping and scheduling strategy for multicore architectures. Our mapping strategy determines a loop iteration-to-core mapping by taking into account application data access patterns and on-chip cache hierarchy. It employs a novel concept called “core vectors” to obtain a mapping matrix which exploits data reuses at different layers of the cache hierarchy based on their reuse distances, with the goal of maximizing data locality at each level, while minimizing data dependences across the cores. Our scheduling strategy on the other hand determines a schedule for the iterations assigned to each core, with the goal of reducing data reuse distances across the cores for dependence-free loop nests. Our experimental evaluation shows that the proposed mapping scheme reduces miss rates at all levels of caches and application execution time significantly, and when supported by scheduling, the reduction in cache miss rates and execution time become much larger.
PO8 Anomalies de la tolérance glucidique pendant la grossesse et trajectoire de croissance de l’enfant de la naissance à 8 ans

Objectif Etudier les associations entre tolerance glucidique pendant la grossesse et trajectoire de croissance de l’enfant jusqu’a 8 ans dans la cohorte americaine Project Viva. Materiels et methodes La tolerance glucidique a ete evaluee a 24–28 SA chez 958 femmes par un test d’O'Sullivan (O'S) suivi, si necessaire, d’une HGPO 100 g. Les femmes ont ete categorisees comme etant : Normoglycemiques (Norm : 83 %) si l’O'S etait normal, « Hyperglycemie Isolee » (HI : 9 %) si l’O'S etait anormal mais l’HGPO 100 g normale ; Intolerance au glucose (ITG : 3 %) si 1 valeur anormale d’HGPO 100 g, ou Diabete Gestationnel (DG : 5 %) si ≥ 2 valeurs anormales. Nous avons utilise les mesures de poids et de taille de l’enfant, obtenues dans les dossiers medicaux et lors d’examens specifiques, pour modeliser les trajectoires de croissance ponderale et staturale et calculer l’IMC de la naissance a 8 ans. Les resultats des analyses multivariees, presentes par sexe, prennent en compte notamment les caracteristiques socio-demographiques, l’IMC des parents, la prise de poids et le tabagisme maternel pendant la grossesse. Resultats Les enfants de meres DG avaient un IMC a la naissance plutot plus eleve que les Norm ( +0,40 [IC95 % : 0,12–0,68]). Par la suite, chez les garcons de DG, cette association etait non significative (a 6 mois : 0,38 [–0,20– 0,96]) pour reapparaitre vers 5 ans (0,74 [0,00– 1,48]). En revanche, si les filles de meres DG n’avaient pas une croissance significativement differente des filles de Norm, les filles d’ITG avaient tendance a avoir une croissance plus lente que les filles de Norm apres la naissance (a 2 ans : – 0,68 [– 1,64– 0,28]) suivie d’un phenomene de rattrapage par rapport aux Norm (a 4 ans : +0,02 [– 1,07–1,12]) ayant pour consequence un IMC significativement superieur des 7 ans [1,72 (0,07–3,37)]. Conclusion Nos resultats suggerent une programmation precoce sexe-specifique des enfants par l’exposition a l’hyperglycemie maternelle avec une disparition transitoire de l’effet en postnatal.
Comparison of Periventricular-Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH) Amongst Inborn and Outborn Low Birth Weight (LBW) Infants Born in the Milwaukee Area 1256

Comparison of Periventricular-Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH) Amongst Inborn and Outborn Low Birth Weight (LBW) Infants Born in the Milwaukee Area 1256
Modern Textile Technology II. Merging Molecules

This is the second article in a series by Dr. Schwarz. The first article appeared in TEXTILE RESEARCH, Dec. 1942. Other articles will discuss in detail some of the general aspects raised in the fir...
Analysis of forces in rectangular-pole geometries using numerical integration techniques

The force and stiffness characteristics for rectangular-pole geometries are derived as a function of the parameters gap width, pole width and pole displacement. The Schwarz-Christoffel transformation technique is employed, with the simpler cases giving directly integrable solutions, or solutions in terms of elliptic integrals. For the most general case, numerical integration is used to determine the transformation and the force characteristics. The analysis shows that the restoring force and initial stiffness for the finite-width geometry are bounded by those for the infinite-width and line-potential geometries, and that the unbalance force and stiffness vary linearly with pole-width.
The relationship between ethnoracial group and functional level in older persons

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine: (1) the differences between blacks, Latinos, and whites in relation to functional level, (2) whether these differences could be entirely explained by differences in socioeconomic status (SES) for both blacks and Latinos, and (3) which SES indicators might account for differences in function. Data from the 1570 respondents in the Growing Older in New York City Study, a representative sample of black, Latino, and non‐Latino white persons, age 65 years and over, were used. Latinos were significantly more functionally impaired than the other two ethnoracial groups, but this was accounted for by income, education, and the residential environment. Blacks were the least functionally impaired when income, education and the residential environment were controlled. Possible explanations for these results and implications for service delivery are discussed.
Cosmic evolution of the biogenic elements and compounds

This paper traces the evolution of the biogenic elements H, C, N, O, P and S from their creation by cosmic nucleosynthesis to their inclusion in living systems on the surface of the Earth. Evidence for the presence of significant prebiotic molecules in interstellar clouds and in primitive meteorites is reviewed. The possible relevance of this discovery to the origin of life on Earth is assessed in the light of evidence suggesting that such molecules could not easily be synthesized in a primitive CO2-dominated terrestrial atmosphere.
Luminance of injection‐molded V‐groove light guide plates

Injection-molded V-groove light-guide plates (LGPs) were made of two optical grade polycarbonates of different viscosities at various molding conditions. Their luminance as a function of viewing angle was measured. The depth of melt filling of the grooves in LGPs was measured at different locations selected based on the melt front propagation during the cavity filling. The depth of melt filling of grooves was mostly completed during the cavity-filling stage. It was only slightly affected by the packing pressure and packing time and strongly affected by other molding conditions and layout of the V-grooves. Luminance of LGPs showed a strong correlation with the depth of melt filling of the V-grooves. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers
Communication in Assessing Student Learning A Critique of Assessment Tasks Used in Middle School Science

Heather had a concerned look on her face after her science test was returned. She could not understand why question twelve was wrong. The question showed a drawing of a fishing weight hanging from a rubber band. Heather had to select which force applied to the event in the drawing from the provided list. She explained that gravity acted on the fishing weight, and the weight pulled the rubber band down, so she selected "pull" from the list of answers. Gravity was also listed as a possible answer. Her answer was marked wrong. Her teacher explained why her answer was incorrect: "I told [the students] that pulling was to be used as a response when someone or something was actually pulling something else. For gravity and magnetism, they are pulls, but the word is not appropriate." Clearly, Heather and her teacher had a communication problem. Heather had an accurate conception of the forces involved with the question, but the question was marked incorrect.
The BABAR Level 1 Drift-Chamber Trigger Upgrade with 3D Tracking

At BABAR, the Level 1 Drift Chamber trigger is being upgraded to reduce increasing background rates while the PEP-II luminosity keeps improving. This upgrade uses the drift time information and stereo wires in the drift chamber to perform a 3D track reconstruction that effectively rejects background events spread out along the beam line.
RNA interference by mixtures of siRNAs prepared using custom oligonucleotide arrays.

RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which doublestrand RNA (dsRNA) directs the specific degradation of a corresponding target mRNA. The mediators of this process are small dsRNAs, of � 21 bp in length, called small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). siRNAs, which can be prepared in vitro in a number of ways and then transfected into cells, can direct the degradation of corresponding mRNAs inside these cells. Hence, siRNAs represent a powerful tool for studying gene functions, as well as having the potential of being highly specific pharmaceutical agents. Some limitations in using this technology exist because the preparation of siRNA in vitro and screening for siRNAs efficient in RNAi can be expensive and timeconsuming processes. Here, we demonstrate that custom oligonucleotide arrays can be efficiently used for the preparation of defined mixtures of siRNAs for the silencing of exogenous and endogenous genes. The method is fast, inexpensive, does not require siRNA optimization and has a number of advantages over methods utilizing enzymatic preparation of siRNAs by digestion of longer dsRNAs, as well as methods based on chemical synthesis of individual siRNAs or their DNA templates.
The Identification of Drugs of Abuse in Urine Using Reverse Phase High Pressure Liquid Chromatography

Abstract A rapid, isocratic HPLC procedure for the identification of drugs of abuse in urine is described. The procedure utilizes a reverse phase μC18 column, a methanol/water mobile phase, buffered to pH 7.5, and a UV detector operating at 254 nm. Using indole as an external standard, 13 common drugs of abuse can be differentiated in less than 15 minutes. Nine different drugs of abuse were identified in actual drug screen urine samples, confirming TLC results. Reproducibility and quantitative capabilities of this method were also demonstrated. Due to apparent interferences from drug metabolites this method must at present be used in conjunction with another established method such as TLC or GC for positive drug identification.
Comparison Of Several Large Photocathode Electronic Streak Tubes

There has been increased interest in streak images with large numbers of resolvable spatial points with good dynamic range. Tests have been performed on tubes from six different manufacturers in four countries (France, UK, USA and Japan). These include measurement of dynamic resolution, dynamic range, photocathode uniformity and absolute photocathode quantum efficiency. In general these tests were performed with sweep ranges from 10 to 100 ns in the visible portion of the spectrum. Results of these measurements comparing the different tubes will be presented. While dynamic range measurements were made by observing spot broadening as photocathode illumination was varied, the dynamic resolution was made at high light levels (a few times below saturation) only -- due to sensitivity limitations with our vidicon readout system. It should be noted that this tube characterization is an ongoing effort. The manufacturers are continually improving their products and our understanding of how to best characterize and compare them also undergoes a continual evolution.
Comparative frequency of peptic ulcers after deprivation of bile and pancreatic juice.

Berg and Jobling1 reported the occurrence of peptic ulcers in dogs following the deprivation of bile. These findings were corroborated by Kim and Ivy2 and Bollman and Mann.3 The incidence of ulcers was approximately 60%.During the past few years, in connection with other investigations, we have examined a number of animals deprived of their pancreatic secretions by means of fistulas, ligation of the pancreatic ducts, and pancreatectomy, and have been impressed by the infrequent occurrence of peptic ulcers in these animals compared to dogs in which bile was excluded. On the other hand, Elman and Hartmann4 found ulcers in the duodenum in all of the animals of a series of 6 dogs with pancreatic fistulas existing from 13 days to 18 days. They described the lesions as ulcers, although microscopic examination revealed only defects in the continuity of the mucosa, not involving the deeper muscular layers of the intestine. These investigators attributed the lesions to the loss of the neutralizing effect of pancre...
Operational radiation protection in high-energy physics accelerators: implementation of ALARA in design and operation of accelerators.

It used to happen often, to us accelerator radiation protection staff, to be asked by a new radiation worker: ?How much dose am I still allowed?? And we smiled looking at the shocked reaction to our answer: ?You are not allowed any dose?. Nowadays, also thanks to improved training programs, this kind of question has become less frequent, but it is still not always easy to convince workers that staying below the exposure limits is not sufficient. After all, radiation is still the only harmful agent for which this is true: for all other risks in everyday life, from road speed limits to concentration of hazardous chemicals in air and water, compliance to regulations is ensured by keeping below a certain value. It appears that a tendency is starting to develop to extend the radiation approach to other pollutants (1), but it will take some time before the new attitude makes it way into national legislations.
Strategies for Transformingthe Possible Negative Effectsof Group Diversity

While there are many benefits of group diversity, research has indicated that negative effects are also present. Drawing from the social psychology literature, the purpose of this paper is to outline strategies aimed at transforming the negative effects of group diversity: mutual intergroup differentiation, decategorization, and recategorization. Examples for implementing each strategy are provided. An integrated model encompassing all three perspectives is also presented. Finally, conceptual considerations and directions for future research are offered.
Networks as sponges: International collaboration for developing nanomedicine in China

Abstract Previous research tended to emphasize the benefits of international collaboration. This emphasis has led to a common belief that international collaboration will necessarily enhance productivity in science, innovativeness, and even societal impact. Yet, benefits and costs are relative. Economic actors and scientists do not perceive benefits in the same way in all contexts, and there are situational barriers to overcome for materializing the benefits of collaboration. This study examines the case of Chinese science actors who develop medical applications with nanotechnology, and highlights the “barriers to networks” when scientists attempt to collaborate overseas for an emerging technology. I present my findings with the metaphors of “pipes”, “prisms”, and “sponges”, and propose a framework for evaluating the utility of international collaborative networks.
The prenatal development of the mouse eye

The development of the eye has been studied in mouse embryos from the ninth day through the nineteenth day of gestation. The tissue was fixed in aldehydes, post-osmicated and embedded in Epon. The entire eye was sectioned and studied under the light microscope. The development of the eye in the prenatal period is described as having seven stages. In the first stage, the close contact of the optic vesicle with the surface ectoderm is observed. The retinal disc and lens placode begins to form. The second stage shows the invagination of the optic vesicle and the contraction of the margin of the lens pit. In the third stage, the optic cup differentiates into an outer pigment epithelium and an inner retinal layer. The cells of the posterior lens wall start to elongate. During the fourth stage, the cavity of the lens vesicle is completely obliterated by primary lens fibers and the inner neuroblastic layer of the retina is formed with nerve fibers being traced from its cells to the optic stalk. The fifth stage is dominated by the appearance of lids, cornea and optic nerve, the formation of the anterior chamber and the consolidation of the intraocular portion of the embryonic vascular system. In the sixth stage, the eyelids fuse and the anterior margin of the optic cup begins to grow actively. In the last prenatal stage, the third neuron layer of the retina begins to differentiate. The iris and the folds of the ciliary body can be detected.
AC Voltages on Water Bowls: Effects on Lactating Holsteins

Water intake, milk yield, feed consumption, and milk composition of lactating cows were monitored before, during, and after 21-d exposures to voltage. Fifteen first parity and 15 multiparous cows were divided equally among five treatments (0, .5, 1, 2, and 4 V) in which voltages were applied continuously between water bowls and metal floor mats. Initial application of voltage caused delays in drinking, which increased with voltage. Two animals receiving 4 V did not drink for 36 h, at which time their voltages were disconnected. All other animals drank within 36 h and showed no significant long-term difference in the monitored parameters. Drinking behavior in the presence of voltage was investigated further by exposing 44 first parity and 40 multiparous cows to voltage (3, 4, 5, or 6 V) for 2 d. Four first parity cows receiving 5 or 6 V did not drink for 36 h while all other animals did. Delays in resumption of drinking increased with voltage. In total, all 42 animals exposed to 3 V or less adapted within 36 h, as did 60 of the 66 Holsteins (91%) exposed to 4 to 6 V. Adaptation may have been enhanced by the continuous presence of the voltages.
Perivascular Release of Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Limits Neointima Formation in the Balloon-injured Artery by Redirecting Smooth Muscle Cell Migration

PURPOSE Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a potent chemoattractant to vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). The authors hypothesize that perivascular release of IGF-1 in vivo can direct migration of SMCs away from the lumen and reduce neointima formation in a rabbit model of arterial balloon injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS Balloon angioplasty of the common femoral arteries was performed in adult male New Zealand White rabbits ( n = 8 per treatment group) and controlled release microspheres delivering either IGF-1 or blank control treatment were implanted perivascularly at the angioplasty site prior to surgical closure. At 7 days, five arteries per group were harvested and cross-sections were subjected to anti-PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) immunostaining to determine the number and distribution of proliferating SMCs. At 28 days, the remaining three arteries per group were harvested and sections were evaluated for intima-to-media (I/M) ratios by means of VVG-Masson staining. One-way analysis of variance with Fisher protected least significant difference post hoc testing was used to determine statistical significance at P RESULTS At 7 days, PCNA(+) medial SMCs assumed a significantly more peripheral (ie, further from lumen) distribution in the vessel wall with use of perivascular IGF-1 than with use of blank treatment ( P P CONCLUSIONS Perivascular release of IGF-1 can directionally guide SMC migration away from the lumen and reduce neointima in the balloon-injured artery. This novel strategy might have implications in the development of antirestenosis therapies.
Searching for farmland preservation markets: Evidence from the Southeastern U.S.

Abstract Farmland preservation is a topic of much discussion in many areas of the United States, but of little action. Only 1.6 million acres of U.S. farmland are permanently protected nationwide, a number not too different from some estimates of annual losses of farmland to development. While a number of studies have estimated the non-market benefits of preserved farmland (cf. Wichelns, D., Kline, J.D., 1993. The impact of parcel characteristics on the cost of development rights. Agricultural and Resource Economics Review 22 (October) 150–158), this study is the first to focus on the potential for a market for farmland preservation. Using primary data collected from farmers and citizens specifically to address this issue, we estimate the supply of and demand for farmland for preservation. Separate models are estimated for both privately and publicly run preservation programs. Demand is estimated under private-voluntary, public-voluntary, and public-mandatory scenarios. The results show that both public and private programs can be successful. The market capable of preserving the most acres is a tax-funded, state-run program which could permanently preserve over 200,000 acres in 5 years.
Twelve-month, 12 km resolution North American WRF-Chem v3.4 air quality simulation: Performance evaluation

Abstract. We present results from and evaluate the performance of a 12-month, 12 km horizontal resolution year 2005 air pollution simulation for the contiguous United States using the WRF-Chem (Weather Research and Forecasting with Chemistry) meteorology and chemical transport model (CTM). We employ the 2005 US National Emissions Inventory, the Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Mechanism (RACM), and the Modal Aerosol Dynamics Model for Europe (MADE) with a volatility basis set (VBS) secondary aerosol module. Overall, model performance is comparable to contemporary modeling efforts used for regulatory and health-effects analysis, with an annual average daytime ozone (O3) mean fractional bias (MFB) of 12% and an annual average fine particulate matter (PM2.5) MFB of −1%. WRF-Chem, as configured here, tends to overpredict total PM2.5 at some high concentration locations and generally overpredicts average 24 h O3 concentrations. Performance is better at predicting daytime-average and daily peak O3 concentrations, which are more relevant for regulatory and health effects analyses relative to annual average values. Predictive performance for PM2.5 subspecies is mixed: the model overpredicts particulate sulfate (MFB = 36%), underpredicts particulate nitrate (MFB = −110%) and organic carbon (MFB = −29%), and relatively accurately predicts particulate ammonium (MFB = 3%) and elemental carbon (MFB = 3%), so that the accuracy in total PM2.5 predictions is to some extent a function of offsetting over- and underpredictions of PM2.5 subspecies. Model predictive performance for PM2.5 and its subspecies is in general worse in winter and in the western US than in other seasons and regions, suggesting spatial and temporal opportunities for future WRF-Chem model development and evaluation.
Bay of Bengal: coupling of pre-monsoon tropical cyclones with the monsoon onset in Myanmar

The pre-monsoon tropical cyclone (TC) activity and the monsoon evolution in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) are both influenced by the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO), but the two do not always occur in unison. This study examines the conditions that allow the MJO to modulate the monsoon onset in Myanmar and TC activity concurrently. Using the APHRODITE gridded precipitation and the ERA-Interim reanalysis datasets, composite evolutions of monsoon rainfall and TC genesis are constructed for the period of 1979–2010. It is found that the MJO exhibits a strong interannual variability in terms of phase and intensity, which in some years modulate the conditions for BoB TCs to shortly precede or form concurrently with the monsoon onset in Myanmar. Such a modulation is absent in years of weaker MJO events. Further understanding of the interannual variability of MJO activity could facilitate the prediction of the monsoon onset and TC formation in the BoB.
Rapid fluorescent "staining" of nondenatured protein bands in agar and polyacrylamide gels.

Evidence is presented to show that fluorescence of nondenatured proteins may be induced in agar and polyacrylamide gels with the magnesium salt of 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid (ANS) by “salting-out” with (NH4)2SO4 solutions. The practical aspects of this finding are emphasized in relation to the excellent resolving powers of preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.
Blunt-nosed missile shapes of minimum ballistic factor

The class of slender, axisymmetric missiles of given length, base radius, and specific weight is considered under the assumptions that the pressure distribution is modified Newtonian and the surface-averaged skin-friction coefficient is constant. The problem of minimizing the ballistic factor is formulated and solved via the calculus of variations for the case where the nose radius of the missile has a specified value, not necessarily zero.
Synthesis and characterization of inorganic silicon oxycarbide glass thin films by reactive rf-magnetron sputtering

Silicon oxycarbide glasses have been of interest because of the potential range of properties they might exhibit through a change in carbon-to-oxygen ratio. They are metastable materials and, as such, their structures and properties are very dependent upon the synthesis method. Silicon oxycarbide bonding has been seen in materials made by melting, oxidation, polycarbosilane or sol/gel pyrolysis, and chemical vapor deposition. In this work, the radio-frequency reactive sputtering of silicon carbide targets was explored for synthesis of amorphous silicon oxycarbide thin films. SiO(2−2x)Cx films, with a continuous range of compositions where 0⩽x⩽1, were deposited by controlling the amount of oxygen present in the plasma with a SiC target. This resulted in a density range from 1.9to2.8g∕cm3 and a range of refractive indexes from 1.35 to 2.85. Analysis of the film compositions, structures, and properties were performed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, p...