cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gender and Developmental Differences in Adolescents' Conceptions of Moral Reasoning.

Eighth graders, 11th graders, and college sophomores wrote open-ended essays that characterized their own approaches to moral reasoning. Their essays were scored for the presence of various themes. Students also responded to three dilemmas from the Defining Issues Test (Rest, 1979). Students then rated their own use of justice and care orientations in moral reasoning, using a previously developed instrument (Ford and Lowery, 1986; Lyons, 1983). Characterizations of moral reasoning became more multifaceted and thorough with grade, and correlated with many traditional measures of moral reasoning. Males and females showed some, but relatively few, differences in characterizing their own moral reasoning, although females tended to respond more thoroughly to the open-ended task. Gender differences, when they occurred, were mostly found on measures that assessed so-called feminine issues or concerns, but not on traditional measures of moral reasoning. Characterizations of moral reasoning clustered into five dimensions, raising questions about the utility of the constructs of justice and care orientations.
A REPLY TO REFORMING WELFARE REFORM

These comments on Mark Mattaini’ s article in this issue are from the perspective of the three-contingency model of performance management.
3 Capturing and Leveraging Essential Organizational Knowledge via Dynamic Roadmaps

In many companies today, technology, capability, and product planning information is maintained in a haphazard collection of overhead slides, spreadsheets, and private databases by a set of disconnected “experts” and updated sporadically (usually just in time for the next review!). This information is often quite sparse and poorly supported by knowledge and supporting data, often being held only in the heads of the “experts.” Therefore, it is often difficult to leverage as external technology and market forces continue to change. In an attempt to improve the technology planning process and to provide the basis from which a company can develop its roadmap planning as a competitive asset, a set of methods, tools, and workshop-based training have been developed. These assist the technology strategists, systems engineers, marketing professionals, and product development managers in creating, leveraging, and maintaining an organization's critical knowledge in a dynamic fashion.
Depletion of Dieldrin from Turkeys

Abstract Two experiments were conducted with large-type, male turkeys to investigate ways in which the elimination of dieldrin in body tissues might be accelerated. In experiment 1, eleven-week old turkeys were given 0.30 p.p.m. dietary dieldrin for 5 days. After treatment, dieldrin concentration in body fat was 1.64 p.p.m. The turkeys were divided into five treatment groups and the rate of decline in tissue dieldrin was determined periodically during a 68-day period. Compared to a normal feeding program, the use of a ration high in fiber (33% ground alfalfa) or a ration high in energy and protein did not accelerate dieldrin depletion from body fat. Decline in tissue dieldrin was not changed by depriving the turkeys of feed for the first five days of the depletion period, followed by a normal feeding schedule. Sodium barbital, an inducer of mammalian hepatic enzymes, administered in the drinking water did not increase elimination of dieldrin from the turkeys. In experiment 2, twelve-week old turkeys were used. The turkeys were fed 0.29 p.p.m. dieldrin for five days, at which time the average dieldrin concentration in the adipose fat was 1.33 p.p.m. The turkeys were divided into two treatment groups. One group was fed a normal ration program for 61 days. The second group was subjected to three successive periods of fasting (7, 7 and 4 days, respectively) interrupted by periods of feeding (7, 12 and 24 days, respectively). Periodic fasting was effective in accelerating the decline in both the concentration of dieldrin in body fat and the total amount of dieldrin in the carcasses of the turkeys.
Wide variation in adoption of screening and infection control interventions for multidrug-resistant organisms: a national study.

Background We performed a survey of National Healthcare Safety Network hospitals in 2008 to describe adoption of screening and infection control policies aimed at multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) in intensive care units (ICUs) and identify predictors of their presence, monitoring, and implementation. Methods Four hundred forty-one infection control directors were surveyed using a modified Dillman technique. To explore differences in screening and infection control policies by setting characteristics, bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were constructed. Results In total, 250 hospitals participated (57% response rate). Study ICUs (n = 413) routinely screened for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (59%); vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (22%); multidrug-resistant, gram-negative rods (12%); and Clostridium difficile (11%). Directors reported ICU policies to screen all admissions for any MDRO (40%), screen periodically (27%), utilize presumptive isolation/contact precautions pending a screen (31%), and cohort colonized patients (42%). Several independent predictors of the presence and implementation of different interventions including mandatory reporting and teaching status were identified. Conclusion This study found wide variation in adoption of MDRO screening and infection control interventions, which may reflect differences in published recommendations or their interpretation. Further research is needed to provide additional insight on effective strategies and how best to promote compliance.
Irrigation Technology Transitions in the Mid-plains States: Implications for Water Conservation/Water Quality Goals and Institutional Changes

A Parks modified multinomial logit model is used to examine the influence of the agricultural economic environment on irrigation technology transitions in the mid-plains states. Simulation analyses assess expected agricultural water conservation and its implications for water quality/environmental goals and water institutional reform. Under baseline agri-economic assumptions, regional agricultural water use efficiency could improve from 2.3% to 9.8%. Technology-specific elasticities show that crop price effects on irrigation technology transitions are relatively inelastic. Results for the mid-plains states differ from those obtained for the Pacific north-west (an earlier study), implying that differentially endowed resource regions will likely require different resource conservation policy and institutional approaches.
High-wafer yield high-performance vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers

Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) with very low threshold current and voltage of 340 (mu) A and 1.5 V is achieved. The molecular beam epitaxially grown wafers are grown with a highly accurate, low cost and versatile pre-growth calibration technique. One- hundred percent VCSEL wafer yield is obtained. Low threshold current is achieved with a native oxide confined structure with excellent current confinement. Single transverse mode with stable, predetermined polarization direction up to 18 times threshold is also achieved, due to stable index guiding provided by the structure. This is the highest value reported to data for VCSELs. We have established that p-contact annealing in these devices is crucial for low voltage operation, contrary to the general belief. Uniform doping in the mirrors also appears not to be inferior to complicated doping engineering. With these design rules, very low threshold voltage VCSELs are achieved with very simple growth and fabrication steps.
AFF4, a Component of the ELL/P-TEFb Elongation Complex and a Shared Subunit of MLL Chimeras, Can Link Transcription Elongation to Leukemia

Chromosomal translocations involving the MLL gene are associated with infant acute lymphoblastic and mixed lineage leukemia. There are a large number of translocation partners of MLL that share very little sequence or seemingly functional similarities; however, their translocations into MLL result in the pathogenesis of leukemia. To define the molecular reason why these translocations result in the pathogenesis of leukemia, we purified several of the commonly occurring MLL chimeras. We have identified super elongation complex (SEC) associated with all chimeras purified. SEC includes ELL, P-TEFb, AFF4, and several other factors. AFF4 is required for SEC stability and proper transcription by poised RNA polymerase II in metazoans. Knockdown of AFF4 in leukemic cells shows reduction in MLL chimera target gene expression, suggesting that AFF4/SEC could be a key regulator in the pathogenesis of leukemia through many of the MLL partners.
Nanobeam mechanics: Elasticity, strength, and toughness of nanorods and nanotubes

The Young's modulus, strength, and toughness of nanostructures are important to proposed applications ranging from nanocomposites to probe microscopy, yet there is little direct knowledge of these key mechanical properties. Atomic force microscopy was used to determine the mechanical properties of individual, structurally isolated silicon carbide (SiC) nanorods (NRs) and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) that were pinned at one end to molybdenum disulfide surfaces. The bending force was measured versus displacement along the unpinned lengths. The MWNTs were about two times as stiff as the SiC NRs. Continued bending of the SiC NRs ultimately led to fracture, whereas the MWNTs exhibited an interesting elastic buckling process. The strengths of the SiC NRs were substantially greater than those found previously for larger SiC structures, and they approach theoretical values. Because of buckling, the ultimate strengths of the stiffer MWNTs were less than those of the SiC NRs, although the MWNTs represent a uniquely tough, energy-absorbing material.
Selective extraction of cotton fiber cytoplasts to identify cytoskeletal-associated proteins

Abstract Cytoplasts from cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) fiber cells retain microtubule and microfilament cytoskeletons through extraction with non-ionic detergent and ethylene glycol bis-(β-aminoethyl ether) N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid. Tubulin and actin are the most abundant proteins in extracted cytoplasts; however, many other less abundant proteins are also present. To determine if minor proteins were associated with the cytoskeleton, microtubules and microfilaments were selectively removed from extracted cytoplasts by detergent extraction in an alkaline Ca 2+ solution. Under these extraction conditions, microtubules and microfilaments were fragmented and depolymerized unless previously stabilized by taxol and phalloidin. Associated proteins were identified by their loss in conjunction with either microtubules or microfilaments. As judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, one protein, of roughly 115 kDa, appeared to be associated with microfilaments since it was present in Ca 2+ -extracted preparations only when microfilaments were stabilized with phalloidin. The failure of most minor proteins to associate with microtubules and microfilaments suggests that caution must be used when interpreting co-isolation as evidence for an association of low abundance proteins with cytoskeletons.
1976 Installation Problems and Testing of Cable-5 to 35 kV

Wire and cable, the most ubiquitous of all electrical components, are susceptible to failure from many causes unrelated to service life. Installation damage ranks high in the list of failure causes: the interrelationship between the eight major installation methods and the ways in which they are most likely to cause damage are explained. Damage is largely due to oversharp bending, excessive lateral (sidewall) pressure, puncture, and abrasion. This damage may be avoided by readily usable variations in the installation process, which are outlined in the paper. To detect approaching failure of cable insulation due to damage, defects, or simple electrical degradation, testing with high potential dc at logical intervals has been found highly effective. In- service failures are thus substantially avoided. The reasoning behind testing methods, details on testing procedures, evaluation of results, and testing history are explained.
Quantum defect theory for high-partial-wave cold collisions

We introduce a choice of reference wave functions that allows multichannel quantum defect theory (MQDT) to describe ultracold collisions involving high-partial-wave quantum numbers $L$. This requires a careful standardization of the MQDT reference wave functions at long range to ensure their linear independence. To illustrate the simplicity and accuracy of the resulting theory, we perform a comprehensive calculation of $L\ensuremath{\le}2$ Fano-Feshbach resonances in the range $0--1000$ G for the scattering of ${}^{40}\mathrm{K}{+}^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ in their lowest hyperfine states. Moreover, we derive analytic expressions for our universal set of MQDT parameters in the threshold regime.
Natural killer T cells and the regulation of asthma

A crucial role has been suggested for invariant natural killer T cells (iNKT) in regulating the development of asthma, a complex and heterogeneous disease characterized by airway inflammation and airway hyperreactivity (AHR). iNKT cells constitute a unique subset of T cells responding to endogenous and exogenous lipid antigens, rapidly secreting a large amount of cytokines, which amplify both innate and adaptive immunity. Herein, we review recent studies showing a requirement for iNKT cells in various models of asthma in mice and monkeys as well as studies in human patients. Surprisingly, in several different murine models of asthma, distinct subsets of iNKT cells were required, suggesting that iNKT cells serve as a common critical pathogenic element for many different forms of asthma. The importance of iNKT cells in both allergic and non-allergic forms of asthma, which are independent of adaptive immunity and associated with airway neutrophils, may explain situations previously found to be incompatible with the Th2 paradigm of asthma.
Behavioral response of infant rats to maternal odor.

Abstract In studies designed to assess the role of olfaction in infant rat behavior the spontaneous activity of 2–12-day old infant rats was studied in the presence and absence of maternal odor. In the presence of maternal odor ongoing activity was generally inhibited. It is suggested that olfactory imprinting may play a role in species and/or individual recognition, and exerts an important function in the ethology of the species.
Sirtuins, melatonin and circadian rhythms: building a bridge between aging and cancer

Histone deacetylases (HDAC) have been under intense scientific investigation for a number of years. However, only recently the unique class III HDAC, sirtuins, have gained increasing investigational momentum. Originally linked to longevity in yeast, sirtuins and more specifically, SIRT1 have been implicated in numerous biological processes having both protective and/or detrimental effects. SIRT1 appears to play a critical role in the process of carcinogenesis, especially in age-related neoplasms. Similarly, alterations in circadian rhythms as well as production of the pineal hormone melatonin have been linked to aging and cancer risk. Melatonin has been found act as a differentiating agent in some cancer cells and to lower their invasive and metastatic status. In addition, melatonin synthesis and release occurs in a circadian rhythm fashion and it has been linked to the core circadian machinery genes (Clock, Bmal1, Periods, and Cryptochromes). Melatonin has also been associated with chronotherapy, the timely administration of chemotherapy agents to optimize trends in biological cycles. Interestingly, a recent set of studies have linked SIRT1 to the circadian rhythm machinery through direct deacetylation activity as well as through the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) salvage pathway. In this review, we provide evidence for a possible connection between sirtuins, melatonin, and the circadian rhythm circuitry and their implications in aging, chronomodulation, and cancer.
Statistical mechanical origin of the entropy of a rotating, charged black hole.

It is shown that the entropy of a rotating, charged black hole is, in senses made precise in the paper, (i) the logarithm of the number of quantum mechanically distinct ways that the hole could have been made, and (ii) the logarithm of the number of configurations that the hole's "atmosphere," as measured by stationary observers, could assume in the presence of its background noise of acceleration radiation. In addition, a proof is given of the generalized second law of thermodynamics.
Long‐term survival of a patient with multiple myeloma—A cure? A case report

Multiple myeloma is a disease characterized by the proliferation of malignant plasma cells, the over-production of a monoclonal immunoglobulin (paraprotein) and the subsequent depression of the other normal immunoglobulins. Whereas many patients respond to treatment and enter a plateau phase of variable duration, these patients eventually die of their disease. This report describes a patient with Stage III multiple myeloma diagnosed in 1966 and now with documentation of prolonged disease-free survival and perhaps cure, with the patient presently alive and well without evidence of disease.
Examination of nocturnal activity and behaviour in resident white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys nuttalli)

Observations of nocturnal activity in resident species held in captivity are often attributed to migratory restlessness (MR). Previous publications investigating migratory white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii) provided a distinct set of traits characteristic of MR, which we used to test the expression of activity and behaviour in the resident subspecies (Z. l. nuttalli). Under a winter photocycle, the 24-h activity profile of Z. l. nuttalli closely resembled that of migrant relatives. Following photostimulation, most birds expressed some activity during the dark phase; however, the diel pattern differed greatly from that of migrants. Unlike Z. l. gambelii, peak activity levels during the light phase remained greater than those expressed during the dark phase. Furthermore, birds did not express a quiescent phase prior to the initiation of the dark phase, nor did photostimulation result in increases in body mass or fat deposits. However, two birds did exhibit migration-specific behaviours (beak-up and beak-up flight) coupled with intense dark phase locomotor activity, which is consistent with MR expression. The suite of contrasts between conspecifics however, may suggest a different context of nocturnal behaviour, perhaps representing an underlying ancestral migratory phenotype that may now be associated with territorial or reproductive activities.
The Power Law of Motor Control: Some Diverse Applications

The generality of the recently proposed power law of motor control is further demonstrated in this paper by using it in two widely different areas of human motor activity. First, it is used to provide simple mathematical models of motion time for four different predetermined motion-time systems (PMTS): MTM-1, MTM-2, Work-Factor and BMT. Second, it is used for human locomotion by modelling the relationships between time, speed and distance for various athletic events based on world-record data. Some implications of the results are mentioned. In all cases, the power law is found to provide excellent fits to the empirical data. Language: en
Regression models of decision rules in unstable environments

Abstract Bowman and others have shown that a decision-maker's performance in a stable environment can be improved by using a regression model to make decisions. However, when the environment changes, a regression model based on past behavior may no longer be appropriate for future decisions. Whether or not regression models are appropriate for unstable environments is examined in this article. The research used an aggregate production and work-force scheduling problem. After 12 periods the cost function was changed; the subjects rapidly adapted to this change. Even during the adaption, the regression rules performed better than the subject's actual decisions. Thus, this study supports the use of regression models in unstable environments.
Comparison of the EndoVac System to Needle Irrigation of Root Canals

Past studies have shown that current irrigation methods are effective at cleaning root canals coronally but less effective apically. To be effective, endodontic irrigants should ideally be delivered near working length. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of the EndoVac irrigation system and needle irrigation to debride root canals at 1 and 3 mm from working length. One tooth of each matched pair was instrumented and irrigated by using the EndoVac, which uses negative pressure to deliver irrigating solutions to working length. The other tooth of the matched pair was instrumented and irrigated with a 30-gauge ProRinse irrigating needle. All teeth were irrigated with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) for a predetermined amount of time, and total volume of irrigant used was recorded. After instrumentation and irrigation, the teeth were fixed, decalcified, and sectioned at 1 mm and 3 mm from working length. Serial sections were made and digitally photographed. The amount of remaining debris was determined as a percentage of the area of the canal lumen. Remaining debris and total irrigant were analyzed by using the Wilcoxon signed rank test at the 5% confidence level. At the 1-mm level, significantly less debris was found in the EndoVac group (p=0.0347). At the 3-mm level, there was no significant difference between groups. Significantly more irrigant was delivered with the EndoVac (p<0001). This study showed significantly better debridement at 1 mm from working length by using the EndoVac compared with needle irrigation.
Complexes of Human Papillomavirus Type 16 E6 Proteins Form Pseudo-Death-Inducing Signaling Complex Structures during Tumor Necrosis Factor-Mediated Apoptosis

High-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) such as HPV type 16 (HPV16) and HPV18 are causative agents of most human cervical carcinomas. E6, one of the oncogenes encoded by HPV16, possesses a number of biological and transforming functions. We have previously shown that the binding of E6 to host apoptotic proteins such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) R1, the adaptor protein FADD, and procaspase 8 results in a significant modification of the normal flow of apoptotic events. For example, E6 can bind to and accelerate the degradation of FADD. In addition, full-length E6 binds to the TNF R1 death domain and can also bind to and accelerate the degradation of procaspase 8. In contrast, the binding of small splice isoforms known as E6* results in the stabilization of procaspase 8. In this report, we propose a model for the ability of HPV16 E6 to both sensitize and protect cells from TNF as well as to protect cells from Fas. We demonstrate that both the level of E6 expression and the ratio between full-length E6 and E6* are important factors in the modification of the host extrinsic apoptotic pathways and show that at high levels of E6 expression, the further sensitization of U2OS, NOK, and Ca Ski cells to TNF-mediated apoptosis is most likely due to the formation of a pseudo-death-inducing signaling complex structure that includes complexes of E6 proteins.
I-FGM as a Real Time Information Retrieval Tool for E-Governance

Homeland securiEy and disaster reliefore some oflhe crilical Uri'US o/t.:-gol'ernance Ihat have to deal with vast amounts ofdynamic heterogeneous Jala. Providing rapid reul-lime search capobilitiesjor such (Ippli­ calions is a challenge. Intelligent Foraging, Galhering, and .\latching (I-FGM) is an estublishedji"Wllell'ork developed to assistllsers 10 find infornwlion qllickl)' and eJfective(v by incremelJ/all)' collecting. lil'Ocessing and malching information nllggels This jraTilell'Ork has been sllccessfitlly IIsed to develop a distribll/ed, unstructured lexl retrieval application. In this papeJ: we apply the I-FGA1 framework 10 image collections by using a concept-based image retrieval method H"e {lpproaclz fhis by incrementally processing images. ex­ tracting low-leveljeatures and mapp;ng them 10 higher level concepts. Our empiricol evaluation sholl's that 0111' approach performs competitively compared 10 some existing approaches in terms ofretrieving relevant images while offering Ihe speed advalJ/oges o/distrlbliled and incremental piVcess and unifiedjramclI'ork between lexl and images
Poisson Regression for Clustered Data

regression with fixed cluster-specific intercepts (FI), (3) a generalized estimating equations (GEE) approach with an equi-correlation matrix, (4) an exact generalized estimating equations (EGEE) approach with an exact covariance matrix, and (5) maximum likelihood (ML). Special attention is given to the simplest case of the Poisson regression with a cluster-specific intercept random when the asymptotic covariance matrix is obtained in closed form. We prove that methods 1-5, except GEE, produce the same estimates of slope coefficients for balanced data (an equal number of observations in each cluster and the same vectors of covariates). All five methods lead to consistent estimates of slopes but have different efficiency for unbalanced data design. It is shown that the FI approach can be derived as a limiting case of maximum likelihood when the cluster variance increases to infinity. Exact asymptotic covariance matrices are derived for each method. In terms of asymptotic efficiency, the methods split into two groups: OP & GEE and EGEE & FI & ML. Thus, contrary to the existing practice, there is no advantage in using GEE because it is substantially outperformed by EGEE and FI. In particular, EGEE does not require integration and is easy to compute with the asymptotic variances of the slope estimates close to those of the ML.
Modeling angular effect in AVHRR brightness temperatures over black surface

Brightness temperatures t/sub i/(m) in AVHRR channels i=3 (3.7 /spl mu/m), 4 (10.8 /spl mu/m), and 5 (12 /spl mu/m) were calculated for a variety of viewing directions 1/spl les/m/spl les/3 (m=sec/spl theta/; /spl theta/ is the satellite zenith angle), and a set of surface-atmosphere conditions (-2/spl les/t/sub s//spl les/35/spl deg/C, 0.2/spl les/W/spl les/5.4 g/spl middot/cm/sup -2/; t/sub s/ and W are the surface temperature and the integral-water vapor amount). Assumption of a black surface is used to analyze the atmospheric effect and provide a background for further incorporation of the surface reflectance. t/sub i/(m) are approximated with the polinomial t/sub i/(m)=a/sub 0//sup i/+a/sub 1//sup i//spl middot/m+...+a/sub j//sup i//spl middot/m/sup j/ (j=1, 2, and 3, for linear, quadratic, and qubic fits, respectively). The information content of the fit parameters is analyzed.
Cells Capable of Bone Production Engraft from Whole Bone Marrow Transplants in Nonablated Mice

Allogeneic and autologous marrow transplants are routinely used to correct a wide variety of diseases. In addition, autologous marrow transplants potentially provide opportune means of delivering genes in transfected, engrafting stem cells. However, relatively little is known about the mechanisms of engraftment in transplant recipients, especially in the nonablated setting and with regard to cells not of hemopoietic origin. In particular, this includes stromal cells and progenitors of the osteoblastic lineage. We have demonstrated for the first time that a whole bone marrow transplant contains cells that engraft and become competent osteoblasts capable of producing bone matrix. This was done at the individual cell level in situ, with significant numbers of donor cells being detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization in whole femoral sections. Engrafted cells were functionally active as osteoblasts producing bone before being encapsulated within the bone lacunae and terminally differentiating into osteocytes. Transplanted cells were also detected as flattened bone lining cells on the periosteal bone surface.
Estimating Occupancy in Large Landscapes: Evaluation of Amphibian Monitoring in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Monitoring of natural resources is crucial to ecosys- tem conservation, and yet it can pose many challenges. Annual surveys for amphibian breeding occupancy were conducted in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks over a 4-year period (2006-2009) at two scales: catchments (portions of watersheds) and individual wetland sites. Catchments were selected in a stratified random sample with habitat quality and ease of access serving as strata. All known wetland sites with suitable habitat were surveyed within selected catchments. Changes in breeding occurrence of tiger salamanders, boreal chorus frogs, and Columbia-spotted frogs were assessed using multi-season occupancy estimation. Numerous a priori models were considered within an information theoretic framework including those with catchment and site-level covariates. Hab- itat quality was the most important predictor of occupancy. Boreal chorus frogs demonstrated the greatest increase in breeding occupancy at the catchment level. Larger changes for all 3 species were detected at the finer site-level scale. Connectivity of sites explained occupancy rates more than other covariates, and may improve understanding of the dy- namic processes occurring among wetlands within this ecosys- tem. Our results suggest monitoring occupancy at two spatial scales within large study areas is feasible and informative.
Computing Consistency Between Microarray Data and Known Gene Regulation Relationships

Microarray experiments produce expression patterns for thousands of genes at once. On the other hand, biomedical literature contains large amounts of gene regulation relationship information accumulated over the years. One obvious requirement is an automated way of comparing microarray data with the collection of known gene regulation relationships. Such an automated comparison is imperative because it can help biologists rapidly understand the context of a given microarray experiment. In addition, the consistency measure can be used to either validate or refute the hypothesis being tested using the microarray experiment. In this paper we present a systematic way of examining the consistency between a given set of microarray data and known gene regulation relationships. We first introduce a simple gene regulation network model with two separate algorithms designed to isolate a maximally consistent network. Subsequently, we extend the model to take into account multiple regulating factors for a single gene while highlighting both consistencies and inconsistencies. We illustrate the effectiveness of our approach with two practical examples, one that picks the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) pathway as highly consistent from multiple pathways of Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG), and another that isolates key regulatory relationships involving nfkb1 and others known for macrophage's counter response to inflammation.
Wisdom in Action: The Creative Life of Annemarie Roeper.

Annemarie Roeper is a luminary in the field of gifted education. Her many contributions provide a window into the depth and breadth of her curious and creative nature. Along with her husband George, she envisioned and developed a child-centered and holistic approach to education which resulted in The Roeper School, a legendary school for gifted children. The parent letters they would send home eventually led to a premier research journal, The Roeper Review. Annemarie Roeper’s life journey was represented by her publications, which included a myriad of articles as well as several books. She was a founding member of the global awareness committees for the National Association for Gifted Children and the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children. The legacy she leaves is her life story and the manner by which she transformed the challenges in her life and created opportunities for growth—she modeled wisdom in action.
A Marine Stem-Tetrapod from the Devonian of Western North America

The origin of terrestrial vertebrates represents one of the major evolutionary and ecological transformations in the history of life, and the established timing and environment of this transition has recently come under scrutiny. The discovery and description of a well-preserved fossil sarcopterygian (fleshy-limbed vertebrate) from the Middle Devonian of Nevada helps to refine and question aspects of the temporal and anatomical framework that underpins the tetrapod condition. This new taxon, Tinirau clackae, demonstrates that substantial parallelism pervaded the early history of stem-tetrapods, raises additional questions about when digited sarcopterygians first evolved, and further documents that incipient stages of the terrestrial appendicular condition began when sarcopterygians still retained their median fins and occupied aquatic habitats.
Using passively shunted electromechanical transducers to control the boundary impedance of dynamic test fixtures

One of the most basic problems with testing components in the vibration laboratory involves the discrepancy in boundary conditions between the laboratory and field environments. Boundary impedances that a component experiences when mounted in the field are usually quite different from those of traditional vibration test fixtures. These discrepancies can have dramatic effects on component response and therefore, the outcome of the vibration test. Simulation of field boundary conditions can be difficult because of the stochastic and time varying nature of some boundary impedances. A test fixture whose impedance can be continuously varied would be valuable in both qualification and modal-type testing. Similarly, a device that could mimic component impedance for purposes of test machine calibration would be of significant value. This paper develops the concepts necessary to implement variable impedance devices using electrically shunted piezoelectric and magnetostrictive transducers. Linear transducer models are developed and validated through experimentation. Practical considerations such as nonlinear transducer behavior are discussed.
Polynomial approximation and vector quantization: a region-based integration

The paper presents an adaptive scheme for image-data compression. It is a region-based approach that suitably integrates two different approaches to image coding, vector quantization (VQ) and polynomial approximation (PA). The scheme is adaptive from the point of view of the human observer: the perceptually most significant areas are those near edges or details. In smoothed areas, PA can be used with notable results, but there VQ must be employed to ensure high fidelity. The two techniques exhibit a complementarity in both advantages and drawbacks. PA is not efficient in compressing high-frequency areas, but yields the best results when applied to highly correlated data. VQ is unable to reach high-compression ratios because of its low adaptability, but is quite suitable for compressing uncorrelated data. The means to achieve the integration of the two techniques is a control image containing information about edge and texture locations. In the paper, edge encoding and restoration are also addressed, which are closely related to the proposed hybrid scheme; block prediction is also utilized to further reduce the residual redundancy between VQ blocks. The exploitation of the best features of both approaches results in high compression factors, and in perceivable good quality. In particular, bit rates range from 0.15 to 0.07 bpp. Main applications of this compression scheme are in the areas of very-low bit rate image transmission and image archiving. >
Internal force-based impedance control of dual-arm manipulation of flexible objects

This paper presents a simple and computationally efficient scheme for handling a flexible object by two coordinated manipulators. The simulation results for a dual three joints robotic arm system manipulating an object with a single degree of flexible freedom illustrate the ability of the proposed scheme to deform the object to reach a desired shape, and transport the deformed object along a given trajectory. The simulation results also show that it is possible to perform an assembly task, in which the control of contact forces between the object and the fixture is essential to guarantee the success of the assembly.
Heterogeneity of human red cell autoantibodies assessed by isoelectric focusing

Human red cell (RBC) autoantibodies may be the products of a single lymphocyte clone or of a restricted number of clones. For insight into the clonal distribution of human RBC autoantibodies, serum fractions from 28 individuals with various forms of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AHA) and two nonanemic individuals with positive direct antiglobulin tests were separated by isoelectric focusing (IEF), and RBC binding in each fraction was quantitated with a solid-phase radioimmunoassay. IEF fractions of serum from normal volunteers and patients with nonimmune hemolytic anemia served as controls. These studies indicate that RBC antibodies are found in a restricted number of IEF fractions in sera from some patients with immune hemolytic anemia. IEF fractions containing RBC-binding activity vary among patients with idiopathic AHA, and distinct patterns of binding activity are found in serum from some patients with AHA associated with alphamethyldopa and procainamide or with B-cell immunoproliferative diseases. These findings suggest that the mechanism leading to autoantibody production may differ among patients with the various forms of immune hemolytic anemia.
Commercial Spanish: Instructional Techniques.

Commercial courses, among the most challenging and fastest-growing phenomena in language curriculum, have evolved from the realization of American business that to gain foreign markets one must be knowledgeable of foreign languages and foreign cultures. This article describes several successful activities implemented in a six-credit undergraduate commercial Spanish course at Marywood College. Supplementary materials were developed to provide linkage between practical exercises and simulations in order to improve acquisition of commercial terminology and practices. Examples from a carpeta, a file of original student correspondence, are included and the establishment of a faculty-monitored translation clinic is addressed.
Modeling response signal and response time data

The diffusion model (Ratcliff, 1978) and the leaky competing accumulator model (LCA, Usher & McClelland, 2001) were tested against two-choice data collected from the same subjects with the standard response time procedure and the response signal procedure. In the response signal procedure, a stimulus is presented and then, at one of a number of experimenter-determined times, a signal to respond is presented. The models were fit to the data from the two procedures simultaneously under the assumption that responses in the response signal procedure were based on a mixture of decision processes that had already terminated at response boundaries before the signal and decision processes that had not yet terminated. In the latter case, decisions were based on partial information in one variant of each model or on guessing in a second variant. Both variants of the diffusion model fit the data well and both fit better than either variant of the LCA model, although the differences in numerical goodness-of-fit measures were not large enough to allow decisive selection between the models.
Revisiting the Common Myths about Homeschooling

(2006). Revisiting the Common Myths about Homeschooling. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 79, No. 3, pp. 125-129.
Protection against Adverse Biological Effects Induced by Space Radiation by the Bowman-Birk Inhibitor and Antioxidants

This study was undertaken to evaluate the protective effects of the soybean-derived Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI), BBI concentrate (BBIC) and/or antioxidants against the adverse biological effects induced by space radiation in cultured human epithelial cells. The effects of BBI, BBIC and a combination of ascorbic acid, co-enzyme Q10, L-selenomethionine (SeM) and vitamin E succinate on proton and HZE-particle [high-energy (high E) nuclei of heavier (high atomic number, Z) elements] radiation-induced cytotoxicity in MCF10 human breast epithelial cells and a phenotypic change associated with transformation in HTori-3 human thyroid epithelial cells were assessed with a clonogenic survival assay and a soft agar colony formation assay. The results demonstrate that BBIC and antioxidants are effective in protecting against space radiation-induced cytotoxicity in MCF10 cells and BBI, BBIC and antioxidants are effective in protecting against a space radiation-induced phenotypic change associated with transformation of HTori-3 cells.
The System of the Powers of the Mind

In the Introduction to the Critique of Judgment, Kant calls for a system of the mind. In this Chapter, I lay out the foundations for determining the role of taste in that system. Kant’s own remarks lead us to believe that taste has a central role to play in the system of the mind: The critique of taste “fills a gap in the system of our cognitive powers, and hence opens up a striking and—I think—most promising prospect [for] a complete system of all the mental powers.”1 But it is difficult to determine what that role is and how taste can play it. We saw in Chapter II that there are difficulties in determining how aesthetic judgments make use of the principle of purposiveness. Kant’s remarks in the Introductions concerning the gap that taste might fill are brief and elliptical, and while he promises more details in the text, he never explicitly tells us when he is providing those details. Before we can answer the question about taste, we need to see what Kant hopes to achieve with a system of the mind, and what he has achieved prior to the third Critique.
Closing the loop on product-based services with condition monitoring

A provider of product-based services must maintain its products continuously in working order while they are dispersed among client firms. Because it retains ownership and control over the products, it can reuse and remanufacture them extensively. These practices motivate the use of condition monitoring to increase visibility of the productpsilas condition and environment while in use. Under the proportional hazards model of product life, we formulate a model to assess the value of condition monitoring for reducing the replacement and remanufacturing costs associated with maintaining a fleet of products along with a stock of ready replacements. We analyze this model using a variant of an optimal replacement policy developed previously for monitoring at discrete intervals. Numerical results obtained by varying the length of the monitoring interval demonstrate the cost savings obtained by frequently monitoring the condition as compared to a replacement policy based only on age.
Modeling Radio Transmission Loss in Curved, Branched and Rough-Walled Tunnels With the ADI-PE Method

We discuss the use of the parabolic equation (PE) along with the alternate direction implicit (ADI) method in predicting the loss for three specialized tunnel cases: curved tunnels, branched tunnels, and rough-walled tunnels. This paper builds on previous work which discusses the use of the ADI-PE in modeling transmission loss in smooth, straight tunnels. For each specialized tunnel case, the ADI-PE formulation is presented along with necessary boundary conditions and tunnel geometry limitations. To complete the study, examples are presented where the ADI-PE numerical results for the curved and rough-walled tunnel are compared to known analytical models and experimental data, and the branched tunnel data is compared to the numerical solutions produced by HFSS.
[Impact of copper in the reduction of hospital-acquired infections, mortality and antimicrobial costs in the Adult Intensive Care Unit].

Resumen Introduccion : Las infecciones nosocomiales incremen-tan la mortalidad y costos en las instituciones de salud. El revestimiento con cobre, de superficies de alto contacto en la unidad clinica en torno a los pacientes, reduce la colo-nizacion bacteriana de las mismas. Objetivo : Determinar el impacto del revestimiento de las superficies con cobre en la disminucion de las infecciones intrahospitalarias, la mortalidad asociada a las infecciones intrahospitalarias y los costos en antimicrobianos en pacientes hospitali-zados en UCI adultos en el Hospital Carlos Van Buren. Pacientes y Metodos : Estudio prospectivo, comparativo, mayo de 2011-mayo de 2012. Asignacion aleatoria de pacientes adultos ingresados en UCI, que permanecieran al menos por 24 h en dicha unidad, a unidades de aisla-miento recubiertas (n: 7) o no recubiertas con cobre (n: 7). Resultados: Ingresaron al estudio 440 pacientes, 217 pacientes (49,3%) en el grupo sin cobre y 223 en el grupo con cobre (50,7%). No se encontraron diferencias en la frecuencia de infecciones intrahospitalarias en ambos grupos. Tampoco se encontraron diferencias significativas en las tasas de neumonia asociada a ventilacion mecanica (p = 0,9), infeccion urinaria asociada a cateter urinario (p = 0,9) y bacteremias asociada a cateter venoso central (p = 0,3). Tampoco se encontraron diferencias en la sobrevida libre de infeccion (p = 0,9). Se encontro un gasto menor de antimicrobianos en pacientes atendidos en unidades revestidas con cobre. Durante el periodo del estudio no se completo el tamano de muestra y las diferencias no significativas podrian deberse a este hecho.
Equilibrium Pricing of Interference in Cognitive Radio Networks

Dynamically allocating the available spectrum in the cognitive radio networks (CRN) where licensed users allow unlicensed users to make use of part of their allocated spectrum is a complex task. It requires, among others, that the interference generated by the CRN is well controlled. In this paper we address this problem for a particular type of interference constraints, in which the aggregated powers of the interference generated by the unlicensed network are required not to exceed certain thresholds. Traditional distributed “water filling” based spectrum allocation schemes are not well equipped to enforce such interference constraints. A natural extension to these algorithms involves penalizing each unlicensed user with a set of time-varying prices based upon its contribution to the total interference. In this context, the network is in equilibrium if: i) all interference constraints are satisfied; and ii) no unlicensed user has an incentive to alter its own transmission power levels. In this paper, we propose a distributed algorithm to compute such equilibrium in two distinctive network configurations: 1) the unlicensed users are mobile devices that communicate with a common access point; 2) the unlicensed users are transceiver pairs. We show that our algorithm converges to a set of equilibria in the first scenario without restriction on the channel gains, and it converges to an equilibrium point in the second scenario under a relatively mild condition related to the channel gains.