cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of an Assessment of Quantitative Literacy for Miami University

Quantitative Literacy is a competence as important as general literacy; yet, while writing requirements are seemingly ubiquitous across the college curriculum, quantitative literacy requirements are not. The current project provides preliminary evidence of the reliability and validity of a quantitative literacy measure suitable for delivery online. A sample of 188 undergraduate students from Miami University, a midsize university in the midwestern U.S., participated in the current study. Scores on the measure, were inversely related to statistical/mathematical anxiety measures, directly related to subjective assessment of numeracy, and did not differ across gender or year in school. The resulting measure provides a reasonable tool and method of assessing quantitative literacy at a midsize university.
Soybean Seedling Emergence Influenced by Days of Soil Water Stress and Soil Temperature

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] producers often plant into a dry seed bed rather than waiting until soil water conditions are optimum for germination and emergence. In some cases, there is sufficient water for imbibition, but not enough for germination. Producers need to know how long seeds can remain viable under this type of stress. Our objective was to evaluate, under controlled conditions, the influence of soil temperature, soil water content, and duration of stress on soybean emergence and seedling development. Our experiment consisted of a factorial combination of (i) three temperatures regimes (low, 17/8°C day/night; medium, 21/12°C, and high, 25/16°C), (ii) four gravimetric soil water contents (0.07, 0.09, 0.11, and 0.13 kg kg -1 ), and (iii) three stress durations (0, 6, and 12 d). Soil water content influenced seedling development and emergence, and there was a significant temperature x soil water interaction for both traits. Length of stress also influenced seedling development and emergence. In general, emergence was poor after 12 or more days of soil water conditions that allowed seeds to imbibe water, but were too dry to allow the radicle to emerge from the testa. Under these conditions, seedling emergence decreased as soil temperature increased. Producers can use this information regarding the length of stress interval at a given seed stage as indication of when replanting would be necessary.
Behavior of Young's Modulus of Beta-Brass Single Crystals at Low Temperature

Young's modulus for seven single crystals of beta-brass has been measured at liquid oxygen, and dry ice and acetone temperatures. The reciprocals of the moduli in different directions in the crystal lattice were found to vary linearly with temperature down to -183\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C and the anomalous behavior of these quantities, observed at room temperature, persisted.
Empirical design of computer support and staffing in concurrent engineering

Manufacturing environments are characterized by underlying operational approaches and assumptions. One such assumption is that concurrent engineering (CE) is superior to traditional sequential processing. A laboratory experiment was conducted using 180 engineering and building construction students as subjects. The engineering methodology variable was sequential and concurrent engineering. There were large teams, consisting of six students, and small teams, consisting of three students. The computer support variable was using and not using groupware. Each team was given a set of requirements to design a transportation system that moved a payload from one point to another. Each team was asked to (a) develop a design concept, (b) develop a detail design in the form of engineering drawings, (c) manufacture the system based on their design products (e.g., drawings and specifications) using toy plastic LEGOS, and (d) test the system to determine if it met the design requirements. There was no significant difference in performance between concurrent engineering groups and sequential engineering processes. Small groups significantly outperformed large groups in all conditions. Computer support did not significantly improve the performance of large or small groups. Participants in the experiment were equally satisfied with all conditions. An external survey strongly endorsed the superiority of CE as compared to sequential engineering. Results are discussed in terms of why practitioners believe in the effectiveness of CE, yet an empirical test failed to demonstrate better performance. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 16: 177–193, 2006.
The structure of Ar–N2O

The rotational spectra of two isotopes of the weakly bound complex Ar–N2O have been measured by molecular beam electric resonance spectroscopy. The following spectroscopic constants and structural parameters were derived from the observations: In the average semirigid structure, the Ar is 3.460(5) A distant from the center of mass of N2O and 7.4°(2) to either side of a line perpendicular to the N2O axis at the center of mass. Analysis of the moments of inertia of the two isotopic species and the measured dipole moments, with a classical harmonic bender model, indicates that the equilibrium Ar–N–O angle is 87±1.5° and that the sign of the N2O dipole moment is +NNO−.
The local atomic structure of R–Mg–Zn (R=Y, Gd, Dy and Tb)

Abstract The rare earth element in the R–Mg–Zn system provides a unique probe of the atomic structure of a face-centered icosahedral (fci) quasicrystal (qc). Unlike many of the other ternary and higher component qc systems, the compound around R8Mg42Zn50 allows for the substitution of one of its main components (R=Y, Er, Ho, Dy and Tb) without any appreciable change in its qc structure (space group or quasi-unit cell dimension). The large atomic number difference between Y and the heavy rare earth elements affords large differences in the scattering cross-sections for electrons, neutrons and X-rays. Using high quality flux grown single grains with resolution limited diffraction peaks, the local atomic structure was probed with a variety of complimentary techniques. The differences in the pair distribution function (PDF) due to loss of the anti-ferromagnetic ordering of the Tb between 4.2 and 30 K was used to probe the R site. High resolution TEM and single grain XRD have been used to determine the cluster structures. Results of this work suggest that there are local clusters in this fci compound consisting of five concentric polyhedra with 124 atoms: an icosahedron, dodecahedron, icosahedron, bucky-ball and a dodecahedron, similar to previous work. However, the HRTEM results indicate that the local structure consists only of these five shells which may edge share with the next cluster. Based on this atomic arrangement, the PDF results are consistent with R atoms partially occupying the vertices of the outer icosahedron and dodecahedron.
Enhanced Dispersibility and Bioactivity of Curcumin by Encapsulation in Casein Nanocapsules

In this work, a novel encapsulation method was studied by spray-drying a warm aqueous ethanol solution with codissolved sodium caseinate (NaCas) and lipophilic food components, using curcumin as a model compound. The encapsulation caused the loss of crystallinity of curcumin. After hydration of spray-dried powder and centrifugation, 137 μg/mL curcumin was dispersed in the transparent dispersion, which was 4 decades higher than its water solubility. Dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy results showed that curcumin-loaded casein nanoparticles were bigger than those of NaCas processed at encapsulation conditions but were smaller than those of the native NaCas. The increased nanoparticle dimension, together with fluorescence and FTIR spectroscopy results, suggested that curcumin was entrapped in the nanoparticle core through hydrophobic interactions. The curcumin encapsulated in casein nanoparticles had higher biological activity, as assessed by antioxidant and cell proliferation assays, than pristine curcumin, likely due to the improved dispersibility. This simple approach may be applied to encapsulate various lipophilic bioactive compounds.
Inequality relations for scattering cross sections

Abstract Use is made of a lemma by Erdos and Fuchs to derive various mathematical inequalities applicable to scattering and polarization cross sections, and the conditions under which they hold. They are compared to inequalities obtained by simpler methods. One possible application of these relations is to check whether a given set of experimental cross sections obeys these inequalities or not. If it does not, we then know that the corresponding conditions are not fulfilled. The violation of these conditions would provide some information about the interaction.
What People Think About Torture: Torture Is Inherently Bad … Unless It Can Save Someone I Love

Prior research suggests people's abstract views of torture are often negative. We suspected, however, that those views might not fully represent torture perceptions in a scenario where they felt closeness to the potential victims. To test this idea, participants read a scenario about a crisis situation and completed measurements of their support for torture usage in the scenario. Scenarios varied in their degree of personal closeness to the victim. Results from 2 studies suggest that people were considerably more likely to support torture in applied, personally relevant scenarios compared to at-a-distant scenarios involving unknown victims. These studies can inform both our understanding of torture perceptions and the current cultural debate between deontologists and consequentialists about this topic.
Re-emergence of Public Opinion in the Soviet Union: Khrushchev and Responses to the Secret Speech

This contribution examines the way that the surprise of Khrushchev's secret speech forced the Soviet party leadership to acknowledge public opinion. Before 1956, the Soviet state paid lip service to the idea of public opinion, but paid no attention to it. The outpouring of emotion and argument after the twentieth party congress made policy makers take notice. In meetings throughout the country, Soviet citizens asked hard questions and raised criticisms of the regime. By the end of 1956 however, the party authorities reasserted themselves and denied the legitimacy of outside input in public debates. Khrushchev and the others realised that the emerging public opinion was incompatible with their belief in the leading role of the Communist party.
Calculation of the Prompt Neutron Lifetime in the NBSR

The prompt neutron lifetime was calculated for the NBSR, a heavy water-cooled and -moderated research reactor at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The method is based on the fact that the decay of a pulse of fast neutrons is related to the prompt neutron lifetime (and the multiplication constant for the reactor and the delayed neutron fraction). A Monte Carlo simulation of the decay is then used to calculate the prompt neutron lifetime at two points in the fuel cycle. At the start-up of a new cycle, the prompt neutron lifetime was calculated to be 774 6 35 ms, and at the end of a cycle, it was calculated to be 819 6 48 ms.
Life-threatening injuries in older adults

Unintentional injuries are among the leading causes of death and disability in older adults. Although older adults account for approximately 12% of the US population, in 2008, they accounted for 15% of all traffic fatalities, 14% of all vehicle occupant fatalities, and 18% of all pedestrian fatalities. Severely injured older adults have far worse outcomes than younger adults. Despite this difference, many survive with aggressive resuscitation and goal-directed therapy. This article describes the impact of life-threatening injuries in the older adult population, specifically injuries sustained in motor vehicle collisions, and how these injuries relate to anatomic and physiologic changes of aging, the metabolic response to injury, the role of preexisting diseases and medications taken to treat these diseases, and complications. Language: en
EARTH SATELLITE CAMERA SYSTEMS: RESOLUTION ESTIMATES AND MAPPING APPLICATIONS

Resolution functions which permit the comparison of camera systems considered for earth-orbiting satellite missions, indicate that a mapping camera (f = 300 mm) with approximately 20 m ground resolution at a scale of 1 : 750 000 would prove more useful for photogrammetric applications than any of the systems currently planned. In the absence of specific satellite missions for mapping purposes, the value of Skylab-type experiments could be greatly enhanced by the inclusion of a metric camera. ERTS-A with an estimated ground resolution on the order of 180 m was not intended as a cartographic system. In its present mode it does not meet the standards set by scientists for detailed studies of the earth's resources. Resume Les fonctions de resolution qui permettent une comparaison parmi les systemes photographiques proposes pour les satellites artificiels indiquent qu'un appareil (distance focale de 30 cm) ayant une resolution terrestre de 20 m a une echelle 1/750 000 pourrait etre le plus efficace pour la photogrammetrie de tous les systemes envisages jusqu'a present. Faute de satellite construit specifiquement pour la cartographies un vehicule, type Skylab, pourrait etre beaucoup plus utile s'il portait une chambre metrique. Le satellite ERTS-A, muni ď un appareil a resolution terrestre de 180 m environ, n'est pas destinea la cartographies et, comme prevu, il ne s'approche pas du niveau envisage par les scientifiques pour les etudes detaillees des ressources de la terre. Zusammenfassung Auflosungsvermogensfunktionen, die einen Vergleich von Kamerasystemen kunstlicher Erdsatelliten gestatten, ergeben, dass eine Messkammer (f= 300 mm) mit einem Auflosungsvermogen von 20 m aufder Erdoberflache bei einem Bildmassstab von 1 : 750 000 gunstigere photogrammetrische Anwendungsmoglichkeiten liefert als die gegenwartig vorgesehenen. Bei Fehlen spezieller Satelliten-Projekte fur die Kartenherstellung konnte der Wert der Experimente mit dem SK YLAB-Typ betrachtlich durch Hinzunahme einer Messkammer erhoht werden. ERTS-A mit einem geschatzten Objekt-auflosungsvermogen von etwa 180 m wird nicht als kartographisches System angesehen. In der gegenwartigen Ausfuhrung besitzt es nicht die von Wissen-schaftlern fur detaillierte Studien von Ressourcen der Erde festgesetzten Standards.
Utilization of cyanobacteria by Brachionus calyciflorus: Anabaena flos-aquae (NRC-44-1) as a sole or complementary food source

The rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus can utilize the cyanobacterium Anabaena flos-aquae as either a sole or supplementary food source in laboratory culture. Positive population growth rates accompany food densities of 10 or 100 µg dry weight ml-1, but slightly negative rates are found at a lower density (1.0 µg ml-1). These results are consistent for rotifers feeding on two strains of A. flos-aquae, UTEX-1444 and NRC-44-1, with slightly enhanced survivorship and reproduction with the latter food. A 1:1 mixture (by dry weight) of Euglena gracilis and A. flos-aquae (NRC-44-1) produces survivorship comparable to that of control rotifer cohorts fed E. gracilis alone, but elicits significantly greater fecundity and population growth rates than found with the control food suspension at the same biomass density.
The Relation of Exposure to Parental Criminal Activity, Arrest, and Sentencing to Children’s Maladjustment

We examined the psychosocial maladjustment of 32 children with an incarcerated parent from the child’s perspective as well as from the perspective of their caregiver. We focused on the relation between the incarcerated parent’s report of children’s exposure to parental criminal activity, arrest, and sentencing and caregivers’ and children’s self-reports of maladjustment. Results indicate that witnessing these events is associated with more behavior problems according to caregivers’ and children’s self-reports. Moreover, incarcerated parents’ reports of children’s exposure to these events predicted caregivers’ and children’s reports of maladjustment over a 6 month period. Our results also suggest that children with incarcerated mothers, in comparison to children with incarcerated fathers, are exposed to more of these events and may be experiencing greater maladjustment. Implications of these findings are discussed within a proactive context and the use of procedures that take children’s reactions to witnessing parental arrest and sentencing into consideration.
Comparing the differential filling of morphospace and allometric space through time: the morphological and developmental dynamics of Early Jurassic ammonoids

The evolutionary history of shell geometry of Early Jurassic ammonoids during the Pliensbachian–Toarcian second-order mass extinction is explored at both adult and ontogenetic levels. The ontogenetic approach builds on the concept of allometric space to get insights into the developmental aspects of morphological evolution. Investigation of the deployment of taxa in adult morphospace and allometric space allows the appraisal of the temporal evolution of morphological and allometric disparities. Curves of taxonomic diversity, adult morphological disparity, allometric disparity, and average adult size are contrasted. Results show that during the Pliensbachian–Toarcian interval, ammonoids underwent two successive and drastic declines in taxonomic diversity. Patterns of morphospace and allometric space occupancy suggest nonselective extinction at both morphological and developmental levels. Another measure of allometric disparity suggests the occurrence of two heterochronic trends, a peramorphocline followed by a paedomorphocline, during the Toarcian. These trends are concomitant with changes in average adult size that compensate for the heterochronic effects and explain the striking stability of morphological disparity despite changes in diversity. The results also emphasize the existence of two contrasted evolutionary dynamics in Pliensbachian and Toarcian ammonoids. Methodologically, the allometric disparity approach appears to be a fruitful tool to analyze the rather understudied clade-wide ontogenetic aspects of morphological evolution. Combining multiple approaches to describe clade morphological dynamics leads to a better characterization and understanding of the diversity-disparities relationships and a better distinction of the potential processes driving these macroevolutionary patterns.
Corporate (and stakeholder) responsibility in Central and Eastern Europe

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), offering a characterization, explanation, and critique. A recent European Commission conference on “CSR in an Enlarged Europe” suggests European interest in such an understanding, and other developments in the paper suggest a broader interest.Design/methodology/approach – The paper utilizes local observations and analyses of secondary materials available from multinational and local companies in the region. Throughout, it offers examples of and perspectives on corporate and stakeholder responsibility in CEE. The paper suggests that CSR should be understood as corporate responsibility to stakeholders, rather than as corporate philanthropy, public relations, or marketing, and that limitations associated with corporate responsibility in CEE are associated with limitations in stakeholder responsibility. It proposes that in a market in which stakeholders place value on ethical behavior, ...
Innovations in the regulation and operation of taxicabs

This paper reviews a number of recent innovations in the regulation and operation of taxicabs in U. S. cities. The paper discusses the growing involvement of various levels of government in public transportation programs which affect the taxicab industry, and identifies the opportunities and problems created for the industry by this increased government activity. Innovations in the types of public transportation services which can be provided by taxicabs are discussed first, followed by a review of the administrative procedures which can be employed to involve taxicab companies in publicly funded programs. Proposals for changes in the regulations governing taxicab services and prices are discussed next, with particular attention to significant regulatory changes which have been implemented in U.S. cities in recent years. Finally, innovations in the technology of taxicab operations are reviewed, including improvements to vehicles, computerized dispatching techniques, and procedures and equipment for computing fares for taxicab services.
Effects of reperfusion on ischemic right ventricular dysfunction. Disparate mechanisms of benefit related to duration of ischemia.

BACKGROUNDRight ventricular free wall (RVFW) ischemia impairs global RV performance and may result in acute hemodynamic compromise. However, RV function and hemodynamic performance typically improve spontaneously over time. This study was designed to determine whether reperfusion facilitates recovery of function in the ischemic right ventricle.METHODS AND RESULTSClosed chest dogs underwent right coronary balloon occlusion for 1 hour (n = 9), 4 hours (n = 6), or 8 hours (n = 7). In all animals, occlusion depressed RVFW function and global RV performance. After 1 hour of ischemia, reperfusion led to immediate improvement in RVFW function and consequently global RV performance, with complete recovery over 4 weeks and scar in < 1% of total RVFW area. Reperfusion after 4- and 8-hour occlusions resulted in acute improvement in global RV performance but to a lesser extent and by different mechanisms, since RVFW contraction remained severely impaired. This disproportionate recovery of global RV function was attri...
The Magnetic Moment of K 40 and the Hyperfine Structure Anomaly of the Potassium Isotopes

The nuclear magnetic moment and atomic hyperfine splitting of the rare ${\mathrm{K}}^{40}$ isotope have been measured by the atomic beam magnetic resonance technique. Detection of ${\mathrm{K}}^{40}$ atoms, from a source of normal potassium, was achieved by employing a conventional surface ionization detector as the ion source for a mass spectrometer, and by utilizing an electron multiplier to count the ${\mathrm{K}}^{40}$ ions. By measuring the frequencies of appropriate lines in the Zeeman pattern, the nuclear moment was determined to be ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{I}=\ensuremath{-}1.2964\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0004$ nuclear magnetons. The hyperfine splitting in the ground state was redetermined, with higher precision than that of previous measurements, to be $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\nu}=1285.790\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.007$ Mc/sec.The ratio of the nuclear $g$ factors of ${\mathrm{K}}^{39}$ and ${\mathrm{K}}^{40}$ was measured directly by observing, in the same homogeneous magnetic field, $H$, the frequencies of two lines (a doublet) in the Zeeman spectrum of each isotope. The doublet separation of these lines is, in each case, proportional to $2{g}_{I}{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{0}H$, so that the ratio of the doublet splittings yielded directly $|\frac{g({\mathrm{K}}^{40})}{g({\mathrm{K}}^{39})}|=1.24346\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.00024$. From these results and from the previously measured $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\nu}({\mathrm{K}}^{39})$, the hyperfine structure anomaly of these K isotopes is ${\frac{[2I({\mathrm{K}}^{40})+1]g({\mathrm{K}}^{40})\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\nu}({\mathrm{K}}^{39})}{[2I({\mathrm{K}}^{39})+1]g({\mathrm{K}}^{39})\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\nu}({\mathrm{K}}^{40})}}\ensuremath{-}1=(0.466\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.019) \mathrm{percent}.$The theory of the hyperfine structure anomaly, as developed by A. Bohr and V. F. Weisskopf, has been applied to the interpretation of this result. The predictions of a number of specific models, previously suggested to account for the observed nuclear $g$ factors, have been compared with this experiment and with previous results on the anomalies for the Rb and the abundant K isotopes. The "asymmetric core" model of A. Bohr gives the best over-all agreement, mainly on the basis of the ${\mathrm{K}}^{41}$---${\mathrm{K}}^{39}$ anomaly. In general, all models which are, in their essential features, based on the independent-particle model with spin-orbit coupling, give predictions in fair qualitative agreement with the experiments. The contribution of ${\mathrm{K}}^{40}$ to the hfs anomaly seems, however, to be (fortuitously) insensitive to the differences between the models investigated.
Delayed allograft inflammation following alemtuzumab induction for kidney transplantation

Background In a recent clinical trial in kidney transplant recipients, induction with alemtuzumab and rabbit-antithymocyte globulin (r-ATG) was equally effective in preventing rejection during the first post-transplant year; however, this study did not include protocol biopsies. Methods The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of alemtuzumab induction on rejection and subclinical inflammation during the first post-transplant year compared with a historic control group receiving induction with r-ATG. All patients received tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). Results There were 361 in the alemtuzumab group and 478 in the r-ATG groups. Rejection (excluding Banff borderline), during the first year, occurred in 14% of the alemtuzumab group and 9% of the r-ATG group (p = 0.03). Estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (chronic kidney disease (CKD)-EPI formula) at one yr and graft survival at three yr were similar. On the protocol biopsies, interstitial inflammation (Banff i scores) and tubulitis (Banff t scores) were more likely in the r-ATG group at one month, but at four and 12 months, both inflammation and tubulitis were more likely in the alemtuzumab group. Conclusions We conclude that alemtuzumab induction is associated with delayed inflammation at four and 12 months, but this inflammation did not appear to negatively impact the GFR or graft survival.
A new deep-water species of Lysiosquilla (crustacea, stomatopoda) from the Gulf of Mexico

(1960). A new deep-water species of Lysiosquilla (crustacea, stomatopoda) from the Gulf of Mexico. Annals and Magazine of Natural History: Vol. 3, No. 35, pp. 693-697.
Dosing of steroids in small children with nephrotic syndrome

Sir, We read with great interest the letter sent to your journal by Hirano and Fujinaga [1] in which they describe a retrospective review of children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (NS) weighing 30 kg or less at their institution. Based on their results, they concluded that the onset time for relapses after initial therapy was significantly shorter for children in the body weight (BW)-based dosing group than those in the body surface area (BSA)-based group. They also found that the proportion of steroid-dependent NS was significantly higher among children in the BW-based dosing group than among those in the BSA-based group. As acknowledged by these authors, their study findings are limited by the retrospective nature of the study design as well as the small number of patients in each group. The findings of Hirano et al., similar to those which we previously published in Pediatric Nephrology [2], indicate that BW-based dosing andBSA-dosing of steroids are not equivalent when treating patients with idiopathic NS weighing <30 kg. Our study showed that BW-dosing of steroids resulted in an underdosing effect that correlated with an increased likelihood of a frequently relapsing course, but it was also limited by its retrospective nature and the small number of patients. It should be noted that the observation of the effect of the initial dose of steroids on the subsequent outcome of patients with NS is not new. Multiple studies [3] have demonstrated that a longer treatment course and higher cumulative steroid dose at the outset of disease treatment can reduce the risk of frequent relapses, the need for repeated corticosteroid courses, and the need for additional cytotoxic medications. However, these studies had different methods for prescribing steroids. These latest observations by Hirano and Fujinaga [1] further support the need to better understand the effect of different dosing regimens on the initial and subsequent outcome of nephrotic syndrome—questions which will be better answered by larger, randomized prospective trials.
Alarm call responsivity of mallard ducklings: III. Acoustic features affecting behavioral inhibition.

Mallard ducklings (Anas platyrhynchos) inhibit their vocal and locomotor behavior upon hearing the maternal alarm call of their species. This study assesses the effects of varying acoustic features of alarm calls on the ducklings' freezing response (i.e., vocal and locomotor inhibition). Domestic mallard (Peking) ducklings were tested individually to alarm calls that varied either in note duration, frequency modulation, dominant frequency, repetition rate, or repetition rate in combination with these other features. The present study demonstrates that ducklings show a high degree of behavioral specificity to repetition rate (i.e., number of notes per second), relative to other acoustic features. This study also revealed that ducklings also exhibit some degree of behavioral specificity to note duration. Dominant frequency and frequency modulation play only a minor role in affecting behavioral inhibition. The behavioral specificity of mallard ducklings to slow repetition rates (that are typical of maternal alarm calls) provides a basis for the importance of their slow-rate perinatal vocalizations in the development of alarm call responsivity.
Three kinds of goodness: Clustering courses as a model for contemporary higher education

ABSTRACT Recent critics of higher education have attacked professional education, contending that it is to blame for the erosion of liberal learning in our colleges and universities. Calling for a return to the ‘great books˚s approach, they encourage a schism within an already fragmented system of higher learning. This article offers a cluster course model of education which is designed to integrate rather than separate the various academic disciplines while preserving what is unique to each. Seven rules of clustering are explained with examples from a successful experiment over the past five years at Babson College in Massachusetts, USA. Although the cluster model can be applied to any set of diverse academic subjects, it is especially valuable in blending liberal education and professional education to attain what Plato in The Republic presents as the most valuable kind of goodness.
Coronary collateral reserve during exercise induced ischemia in swine

We determined coronary collateral vasodilator reserve during exercise-induced ischemia in 17 mini-swine. We induced coronary collateral development in the left circumflex bed by placing an ameroid occluder on that artery. Four weeks later we studied the animals at rest and during exercise (EX) eliciting heart rates (HR) of 240 and 265 beats/min. We measured myocardial blood flow with microspheres and myocardial function by wall thickness sonomicrometry gauges. At matched exercise HRs we treated the animals with nifedipine (10 micrograms/kg IV) (EXN 10), nifedipine (100 micrograms/kg IV), (EXN 100), and adenosine infusion (1.2 mg/min/kg) EXAD. EXN 10 did not significantly alter hemodynamics compared to EX but EXN 100 and EXAD both decreased blood pressure significantly (p less than 0.05). Ischemic endocardial/nonischemic endocardial flow ratios and collateral resistance served as indices of vasodilator reserve. In the ischemic zone exercise reduced vasodilator reserve to 24 +/- 3% in the endocardium and 64 +/- 7% in the epicardium. Neither EXN 10 nor EXAD improved exercise-induced ischemia measured either as flow or function. However EXN 100 improved function during exercise-induced ischemia without improving coronary collateral flow. We conclude there is no additional coronary flow reserve during exercise-induced ischemia in the collateral dependent bed of the pig a few days after occlusion that can be recruited. Large doses of nifedipine improve function by direct action on the myocardium or by reducing afterload. The lack of development and deep myocardial distribution of the coronary collateral vessels in the pig may be an important factor of why these nifedipine responses differ from those reported in species which have primarily large epicardial coronary collaterals.
Calcium modulates the mechanical properties of anionic phospholipid membranes.

Using micropipette aspiration and fluorescence techniques, we have studied the material properties of charged lipid vesicles in calcium solutions. Vesicles were composed of phosphatidylglycerol (PG)/phosphatidylcholine (PC) or phosphatidic acid (PA)/PC mixtures. For the case of PG/PC membranes, we measure no effect of anionic lipid fraction on elasticity but a monotonic decrease up to 20% for tension required to induce membrane failure. Both of these observations are rationalized by a model we have developed to describe membrane electrostatic interactions in a two-component salt solution and the resulting changes in membrane properties. Critical tensions measured for PA/PC membranes, on the other hand, did not depend on anionic lipid fraction and were uniformly ∼35% lower than PG/PC vesicles. This is likely due to a lateral phase separation in the membrane. By combining mechanical properties with fluorescence observations we propose that the PA-rich phase separates into small unconnected domains.
Compactly Supported Orthogonal Symmetric Scaling Functions

Abstract Daubechies (1988, Comm. Pure Appl. Math.41, 909–996) showed that, except for the Haar function, there exist no compactly supported orthogonal symmetric scaling functions for the dilation q = 2. Nevertheless, such scaling functions do exist for dilations q>2 (as evidenced by Chui and Lian's construction (1995, Appl. Comput. Harmon. Anal.2, 68–84) for q = 3); these functions are the main object of this paper. We construct new symmetric scaling functions and introduce the “Batman” family of continuous symmetric scaling functions with very small supports. We establish the exact smoothness of the “Batman” scaling functions using the joint spectral radius technique.
Three-dimensional particle-resolved models of Li-ion batteries to assist the evaluation of empirical parameters in one-dimensional models

Abstract Li-ion batteries are frequently modeled using variants of the one-dimensional approach that was initially developed by Newman and colleagues (e.g., [2] ). Necessarily such an approach is based upon assumptions about the electrode microstructure, and quantitative predictions depend upon empirical parameters such as effective conductivities and diffusion coefficients. The present paper develops a three-dimensional model that can resolve electrode structure at the submicron scale. Although the three-dimensional model is capable of representing arbitrary electrode microstructure, the present paper considers regular arrays of spherical particles. The model is applied to evaluate approximations in one-dimensional models and to assist in establishing empirical relationships that can be used in reduced-dimension models. General relationships for effective particle radius in one-dimensional models are derived from the three-dimensional simulations. The results also provide a basis for estimating the empirical Bruggeman exponents that affect Li-ion transport within electrolyte solutions.
The effects of heavy gamma irradiation upon pituitary glands transplanted into hypophysectomized tadpoles of Bufo boreas

The pituitary gland retains its ability to secrete thyrotrophic hormone and intermedin up to 108 days after very heavy irradiation. In these experiments hypophysectomy had been performed as usual on tadpoles at the tail bud stage and the pituitary glands of irradiated recently metamorphosed toads were transplanted into them after they had reached a trunk length of 6 to 6 mm. The activity of the transplant was largely conditioned by the anount of trauma that occurred in the operation. In more favorable cases the pars anterior produced thyrotrophic hormone sufficient to induce the thyroid gland of the hosts to secrete enough hormone to cause well advanced development toward metamorphosis by the end of 42 days. Tadpoles killed at 106 days show still further average development. The thyrotrophic function of the pars anterior was maintained after an irradiation of 27,000 r but it is probable that a still heavier irradiation would not have completely destroyed its capacity to secrete during this period of time. Color change induced by the secretory activity of the pars intermedia is very pronounced at 45 minutes after transplantation and continues through the 106 days of the experiment. These color effects are fully maintained in spite ofmore » an irradiation of 27,000 r only slight diminution resulting from a dosage of 40,000 r. (auth)« less
Pyroelectric properties of polydomain epitaxial Pb ( Zr 1 − x , Ti x ) O 3 thin films

The pyroelectric properties of polydomain epitaxial Pb(Zr${}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$,Ti${}_{x}$)O${}_{3}$ thin films are investigated using a Ginzburg--Landau--Devonshire thermodynamic model. We explore the three major contributions to pyroelectric response in thin films, including intrinsic effects and previously neglected contributions such as extrinsic and secondary effects, to provide a complete picture of pyroelectric property development. The pyroelectric coefficient for epitaxial thin films is calculated as a function of strain, temperature, and composition for 0.5 \ensuremath{\leqslant} $x$ \ensuremath{\leqslant} 1.0. We find that structural transitions driven by epitaxial strain can greatly enhance the pyroelectric coefficient and that extrinsic contributions due to temperature-driven domain wall motion can significantly alter the intrinsic pyroelectric properties. Furthermore, we show that the pyroelectric coefficient at room temperature is maximized at the multicritical point between various polydomain phases and is also consistently high along the boundary between the c/a/c/a and ${a}_{1}$/${a}_{2}$/${a}_{1}$/${a}_{2}$ polydomain phases. Additionally, we have investigated the impact of epitaxial strain on pyroelectric response in polydomain states and found that the extrinsic contribution from domain walls to the pyroelectric coefficient varies depending on the sign of the strain. Finally, we examine the addition of secondary contributions to pyroelectricity that arise from thermal expansion in materials and provide insight into the effect of this contribution on the overall magnitude of response.
Argatroban tPA stroke study: study design and results in the first treated cohort.

Background The benefit of intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) in acute stroke is linked to clot lysis and artery recanalization. Argatroban is a direct thrombin inhibitor that safely augments the benefit of rtPA in animal stroke models. There are no human data on this combination. Design We report the first phase of the Argatroban tPA Stroke Study, an ongoing prospective, open-label, dose-escalation, safety and activity study of argatroban and rtPA in patients with ischemic stroke. The primary outcome was incidence of intracerebral hemorrhage; secondary outcome, complete recanalization at 2 hours. After standard-dose intravenous rtPA administration, a 100-μg/kg bolus of argatroban followed by infusion of 1 μg/kg per minute for 48 hours was adjusted to a target partial thromboplastin time of 1.75 times that of the control group. Results Fifteen patients (including 10 men) were enrolled, with a mean ± SD age of 61 ± 13 years. All patients had middle cerebral artery occlusions. Baseline median National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score was 14 (range, 4-25). The mean ± SD time from symptom onset to argatroban bolus administration was 172 ± 53 minutes. Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage occurred in 2 patients, including 1 with parenchymal hemorrhage type 2. Asymptomatic bleeding occurred in 1 patient and there was 1 death. Recanalization was complete in 6 patients and partial in another 4, and reocclusion occurred in 3 within 2 hours of rtPA bolus administration. Conclusion The safety of low-dose argatroban combined with intravenous rtPA may be within acceptable limits, and its efficacy for producing fast and complete recanalization is promising, but a larger cohort of patients is required to confirm these preliminary observations. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT00268762
Interactions Mediated by the N-Terminus of Fibrinogen's Bβ Chain†

Specific molecular interactions mediated by the N-terminus of fibrinogen's Bβ chain were revealed using laser tweezers-based force spectroscopy. We examined interactions between fibrinogen fragments representing the center of the molecule, NDSK, desA-NDSK, and desAB-NDSK, and two recombinant fibrinogens, γD364H and γD364A, which have nonfunctional γ-chain polymerization sites to prevent the dominant knob−hole binding. Interactions between desA-NDSK, where the N-terminus of the Bβ chain is present, and the fibrinogen variants showed a complex spectrum of rupture forces which disappeared with desAB-NDSK, lacking both FpA and FpB. The interactions between desA-NDSK and γD364H or γD364A were inhibited by addition of soluble FpB, but not FpA or the polymerization inhibitor peptides GPRP and GHRP. When γD364H fibrinogen was replaced with its X-fragment lacking αC- domains or with fragment D, the strongest component of the rupture force spectrum disappeared, suggesting interactions between the uncleaved FpB and ...
Not another ID model

The field of instructional technology is full of pragmatic instructional design models but short on descriptive models. The conceptual model we have presented classifies what we study or hear about in instructional design and technology courses into eight categories. This model does connects different content together, and also goes the next step in exploring how a practitioner’s lens affects his or her design. Any conceptual model constructed should be able to incorporate all the current knowledge as well as accommodate any developments that may occur in the future. To date, through discussion and comparison to other models, we have determined that our model is comprehensive. We recognize that very few descriptive models exist, and welcome the opportunity to discuss it and further develop it with practitioners and experts in the field. Give us your feedback and suggestions by sending an e-mail message to one of the authors (Stephanie Roberts,sroberts@hyperformer.com, Cynthia Conn,connister@aol.com, or Linda Lohr,linda.lohr@unco.edu).
Self-esteem in parents of children abducted by the other parent

Abstract This article presents findings from a study of 371 parents who experienced child-loss due to abduction by the other parent, a growing phenomenon recently estimated to occur 350,000 times a year. The analysis reported here examined the influence on parental self-esteem of selected parental characteristics and variables associated with the circumstances surrounding abduction. Recovery of the abducted child was found to be an important contributing factor to the self-esteem of parents who had experienced abduction, and the implications of that finding are discussed.
Methodological convergence as an issue within environmental cognition research

Abstract Two perspectives in the analysis of pointing and mapping tasks as the measure of representations of the large-scale environment are examined. These two perspectives are: (1) an individual difference approach; and (2) a cognitive representational approach. Convergence between methods assessing the same geographical/spatial knowledge is necessary as evidence for the existence of unified cognitive-spatial representations of the environment. Three sets of analyses interrelate performance on pointing and mapping tasks. In the first analysis, a confirmatory factor analytic model is applied to short tests of pointing and mapping accuracy to determine whether one or two factors are needed to account for covariation between the tests. In the second analysis, covariation among errors in pointing and mapping of specific locations is partitioned into general and specific method factors using the Schmid-Leiman procedure. In the third analysis, pointing errors for identical locations within the mapping and pointing tasks are directly compared on the basis of directional errors. The three analyses indicate that: (1) tests of pointing and mapping measure highly related abilities; (2) the targets used in pointing and mapping tasks are of differential importance in identifying general and specific method factors; and (3) there is little or no direct correspondence between directional errors made in pointing tasks and those occurring in mapping tasks for the same locations. When results of the three analyses are examined in relationship to criteria for convergence of pointing and mapping tasks, little evidence is found to suggest that directional errors in these tasks arise from a unified mental representation of the geographical environment. However, substantial predictable individual differences are apparent for both tasks.
Protein N-terminal analysis using fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry

Fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry was employed to identify and quantitate dansyl amino acids obtained in the N-terminal analysis of proteins. FAB mass spectra of dansyl amino acids are characterized by intense quasimolecular ions formed by cationization of the molecular species and fragment ions produced by cleavage of the bonds on either side of the sulfanyl group. Investigation of the dansyl amino acid responses using dansyl aminobutyric acid as an internal standard showed that dansyl amino acids can be determined quantitatively at a level of 0.1 nmol. N-terminal residue analysis was performed on a number of proteins to substantiate the technique including bovine serum albumin, pepsinogen, trypsinogen, bromelain, ribonuclease A, and bacteriophage P-22 tail protein.
Pretraining and learning: Are “adaptable” monkeys “bright”?

Two groups of rhesus (Macaca mulatta),two groups of cynomolgus (M. fascicularis),and one group of stumptailed monkeys (M. arctoides)were adapted to testing in the Wisconsin General Test Apparatus using a standardized procedure that produced an objective measure of the speed of adaptation (pretraining). Four of the groups were then given standard object-discrimination learning-set training. The fifth group, one of the groups of rhesus monkeys, was given delayed response training before the learning-set training and delayed matching-to-sample learning-set training after. Only performance on the delayed response task was correlated with speed of pretraining. The results suggest that differences in pretraining performance reflect primarily emotional and/or temperamental differences, whereas differences in learning-set performance reflect primarily differences in cognitive functioning.
Automated versus self-monitoring of 'up-time' in chronic low-back pain patients: a comparative study.

Abstract The study compared up-time data gathered with automated and self-monitoring measurement systems. Six chronic low-back pain inpatients, 6 psychiatric inpatients and 6 hospital staff members were used as subjects. Concurrent recordings of up-time were taken over 4 consecutive days with the two measurement systems. Results showed that: (a) subjects across all 3 groups reported significantly less absolute up-time values from self-monitoring than automated monitoring, (b) nonpatient staff subjects exhibited greater absolute up-time levels from both measurement methods than those reported by low-back pain or psychiatric inpatients, (c) low-back pain subjects showed a greater discrepancy between absolute up-time measures from the two measurement systems than differences found for psychiatric or staff subjects, and (d) automated and self-monitoring up-time values were positively correlated within each group of subjects. It was concluded that automated and self-monitoring up-time data were not directly comparable. Expanded development and usage of automated measurement systems was recommended.