cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tip of the iceberg?: The emergence of antibiotic-resistant organisms in the IBD population

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients have risk factors for acquisition of antibiotic-resistant organisms such as MRSA. In a recent study, we have shown a rising prevalence of MRSA infection among hospitalized IBD patients. This population is at increased risk of infection and its associated mortality. These findings underscore the need for infection control measures in the hospital setting.
Density-functional-theory calculations for the silicon vacancy

The atomic configurations and formation energies of a silicon vacancy in the $+2$, $+1$, 0, $\ensuremath{-}1$, and $\ensuremath{-}2$ charge states have been computed using density-functional theory with norm-conserving pseudopotentials and a plane wave basis. Calculations were performed in simple cubic supercells using two different forms of exchange and correlation: the local-density approximation (LDA) and the Perdew, Burke, Ernzerhof formulation of the generalized-gradient approximation (GGA). Convergence with respect to Brillouin zone sampling was tested for all charge states, and effects due to electrostatic interactions between the periodically repeated vacancies were removed by extrapolating the formation energies obtained in 215-, 511-, and 999-atom supercells to an infinite sized supercell. In agreement with experimental results, the GGA yielded a configuration with ${C}_{2v}$ symmetry in the $\ensuremath{-}1$ charge state, whereas the LDA yielded ${D}_{3d}$ symmetry. Transition energies between the charge states were also computed. The experimentally observed negative-$U$ behavior of the donor states was reproduced in the GGA results, but not in the LDA results. Both the LDA and GGA predict negative-$U$ behavior for the acceptor states.
Ultra High-Resolution Optical Coherence Tomography for Non-contact Ocular Imaging of Small Animals

An ultra-high resolution spectral domain OCT system was built for non-contact imaging of retina and anterior segment of small animals. Short imaging time and high imaging quality make the system promising for high throughput applications.
Social dominance in wild and domestic Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus)

Abstract Differences in the relative social dominance of wild, hybrid and domestic strains of Norway rats are observed in mixed groups (twelve animals each) housed in a large room for 13 consecutive days. Domestic subjects are dominant to wild rats in both spontaneous and competitive interactions. Hybrids are intermediate. Explanations offered for the superior dominance of the domestic strain included: (a) the lack of social inhibitions displayed by domestic rats as reflected in frequent play-motivated interactions (‘bully effect’), and (b) the larger body size of the domestic subjects. Domestic subjects are most active and interacted most frequently. Dominance behaviour does not influence nest box utilization. Dominance in spontaneous and competitive interactions is not correlated suggesting that in the rat social dominance is not a unidimensional trait.
The spatial symmetry of the third-order susceptibility tensor

We calculated the spatial symmetric form of the third-order susceptibility tensor. The mistakes in Butcher's results were found and corrected.
Criticism and Conversational Texts: Rhetorical Bases of Role, Audience, and Style in the Buber-Rogers Dialogue

This essay describes conversation as an ensemble accomplishment that can be illuminated by critics working with specific texts within a rhetorical framework. We first establish dialogue as the key concept for any criticism of conversation, specifying the rhetorical dimensions of interpersonal dialogue. Second, we show how template thinking is particularly dangerous for conversational critics and suggest a research (anti)method, based on a coauthorship, that provides a thoroughgoing dialogical access to texts. Finally, we exemplify dialogic criticism of a conversational text by analyzing the famous 1957 dialogue of philosopher Martin Buber and psychologist Carl Rogers.
The problem of morphogenesis: unscripted biophysical control systems in plants.

The relative simplicity of plant developmental systems, having evolved within the universal constraints imposed by the plant cell wall, may allow us to outline a consistent developmental narrative that is not currently possible in the animal kingdom. In this article, I discuss three aspects of the development of the mature form in plants, approaching them in terms of the role played by the biophysics and mechanics of the cell wall during growth. First, I discuss axis extension in terms of a loss of stability-based model of cell wall stress relaxation and I introduce the possibility that cell wall stress relaxation can be modeled as a binary switch. Second, I consider meristem shape and surface conformation as a controlling element in the morphogenetic circuitry of plant organogenesis at the apex. Third, I approach the issue of reproductive differentiation and propose that the multicellular sporangium, a universal feature of land plants, acts as a stress–mechanical lens, focusing growth-induced stresses to create a geometrically precise mechanical singularity that can serve as an inducing developmental signal triggering the initiation of reproductive differentiation. Lastly, I offer these three examples of biophysically integrated control processes as entry points into a narrative that provides an independent, nongenetic context for understanding the evolution of the apoplast and the morphogenetic ontogeny of multicellular land plants.
Phosphorus dynamics in two poultry-litter amended soils of Mississippi under three management systems.

Abstract An experiment arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted on a Lexington soil (fine-silty, mixed, active, thermic, Ultic Hapludalfs) and a Loring soil (fine-silty, mixed, active, thermic, Oxyaquic Fragiudalfs) in Mississippi from September 1997 to September 2000 on 18 runoff plots under natural rainfall condition to study the phosphorus (P) dynamics in poultry litter amended soils under three management systems combining tillage and planting date treatments to identify effective management practices in southern U.S.A. The management systems in the study were: 1) tillage in the fall prior to litter application followed by a delayed planting of fall forages (CT-DP); 2) tillage followed by immediate planting of the fall forage with subsequent litter application (CT-IP); and 3) no-till with planting prior to litter application (NT-IP). The results indicated that there was significant increase in soil P after 3 years of poultry litter application for both Lexington and Loring soils ( P 90%), was accumulated in both soils. In Loring soil, soluble P mass in the runoff was significantly higher from NT-IP than from CT-DP and CT-IP over the entire study period ( P
Viking Bistatic Radar Experiment: Summary of results in near-equatorial regions

Viking bistatic radar have been processed using Hagfors' scattering function to obtain estimates of rms surface roughness from ground tracks primarily in the equatorial region of Mars. Roughness varies from as little as 0.75 deg rms east of Solis and Sinai Plana to at least 8 deg on the western slope of Arsia Mons. Estimated roughness in cratered terrain is generally about 5 deg or less, implying the existence of smoothing processes on scales less than 100 m. There is good agreement between bistatic roughness estimates and earth-based results at ground track intersections near the equator in both cratered terrain and plains. Surface tilt probability density functions derived from these observations are usually more sharply peaked than the Hagfors function for similar values of rms surface roughness. Earlier results using the Gaussian model appear to have overestimated the surface roughness by 30-40 percent.
Water vapor retrieval from OMI visible spectra

Abstract. There are distinct spectral features of water vapor in the wavelength range covered by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) visible channel. Although these features are much weaker than those at longer wavelengths, they can be exploited to retrieve useful information about water vapor. They have an advantage in that their small optical depth leads to fairly simple interpretation as measurements of the total water vapor column density. We have used the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) OMI operational retrieval algorithm to derive the slant column density (SCD) of water vapor using the 430–480 nm spectral region after extensive optimization. We convert from SCD to vertical column density (VCD) using the air mass factor (AMF), which is calculated using look-up tables of scattering weights and assimilated water vapor profiles. Our Level 2 product includes not only water vapor VCD but also the associated scattering weights and AMF. In the tropics, our standard water vapor product has a median SCD of 1.3 × 1023 molecules cm−2 and a median relative uncertainty of about 11%, about a factor of 2 better than that from a similar OMI algorithm that uses a narrower retrieval window. The corresponding median VCD is about 1.2 × 1023 molecules cm−2. We have examined the sensitivities of SCD and AMF to various parameters and compared our results with those from the GlobVapour product, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Aerosol Robotic NETwork (AERONET).
μ-Opioid receptor inhibition of substance P release from primary afferents disappears in neuropathic pain but not inflammatory pain.

Opiate analgesia in the spinal cord is impaired during neuropathic pain. We hypothesized that this is caused by a decrease in μ-opioid receptor inhibition of neurotransmitter release from primary afferents. To investigate this possibility, we measured substance P release in the spinal dorsal horn as neurokinin 1 receptor (NK1R) internalization in rats with chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. Noxious stimulation of the paw with CCI produced inconsistent NK1R internalization, suggesting that transmission of nociceptive signals by the injured nerve was variably impaired after CCI. This idea was supported by the fact that CCI produced only small changes in the ability of exogenous substance P to induce NK1R internalization or in the release of substance P evoked centrally from site of nerve injury. In subsequent experiments, NK1R internalization was induced in spinal cord slices by stimulating the dorsal root ipsilateral to CCI. We observed a complete loss of the inhibition of substance P release by the μ-opioid receptor agonist [D-Ala(2), NMe-Phe(4), Gly-ol(5)]-enkephalin (DAMGO) in CCI rats but not in sham-operated rats. In contrast, DAMGO still inhibited substance P release after inflammation of the hind paw with complete Freund's adjuvant and in naive rats. This loss of inhibition was not due to μ-opioid receptor downregulation in primary afferents, because their colocalization with substance P was unchanged, both in dorsal root ganglion neurons and primary afferent fibers in the dorsal horn. In conclusion, nerve injury eliminates the inhibition of substance P release by μ-opioid receptors, probably by hindering their signaling mechanisms.
Pain management as an antidepressant: long-term resolution of pain-associated depression

Of 100 consecutive patients admitted to a pain management program for patients without malignant disease who had chronic pain, 54 were definitely or probably depressed and 46 were not depressed by Research Diagnostic Criteria. As a result of 98% improvement of depression and low frequency (2%) of new development of depression, 98 of the original 100 patients were not depressed at the time of dismissal. This progress was maintained at long-term follow-up (average, 11.6 months): 89 of 100 patients remained non-depressed.
An O(N log (1/ɛ)) Algorithm for the Two-resource Allocation Problem with a Non-differentiable Convex Objective Function

This paper considers a job consisting of N totally ordered tasks. There is a budget for each of the two non-substitutable resources needed for the tasks. The processing time of each task is inversely proportional to the amount of resource allocated. We determine how to distribute the resources to the tasks so that the completion time of the job is minimized. A search procedure is presented that solves the problem with a worst case performance O(N log (1/ɛ)), where ɛ is a given accuracy.
An introduction to an alternative four-dimensional formalism of the special theory of relativity

A formulation of the four-dimensional vector laws of physics which emphasizes the transformation of position and time using the four-vectors (R′, 0) and (0,ct′) is presented. One goal of the formalism is to incorporate the Lorentz co-ordinate transformation of measured position and time intervals. Another goal is to generate vector laws of physics in both three- and four-dimensional formats. A definition of the electrostatic field is introduced which can be inserted into a four-vector allowing Gauss’ law to be interpreted as both covariant and numerically invariant. Consistent with the definition of the electrostatic field are revised definitions of force, magnetic field, charge density and current. The alternative formulation of standard theory suggests that the concept of geometric invariance was neglected in deriving the three-dimensional vector laws of physics. The Minkowski formulation and the alternative formulation together illustrate two basic ways of transforming length and time intervals in the special theory of relativity.
The Sciences of the Artificial

Continuing his exploration of the organization of complexity and the science of design, this new edition of Herbert Simon's classic work on artificial intelligence adds a chapter that sorts out the current themes and tools -- chaos, adaptive systems, genetic algorithms -- for analyzing complexity and complex systems. There are updates throughout the book as well. These take into account important advances in cognitive psychology and the science of design while confirming and extending the book's basic thesis: that a physical symbol system has the necessary and sufficient means for intelligent action. The chapter "Economic Reality" has also been revised to reflect a change in emphasis in Simon's thinking about the respective roles of organizations and markets in economic systems.
Values and their Effect on Pro-Environmental Behavior:

Environmental protection may be described as a social dilemma. That is, collectively, we are better off If the environment Is protected, but rational self-interest often dictates environmental expl...
An Electromagnetic System for Studying the Responses of Aquatic Organisms to Weak Electric and Magnetic Fields

Recent evidence suggests use of electric and magnetic cues as orientational aids to long-distance migration by fishes. A simple laboratory apparatus is described which accurately reproduces the electromagnetic fields an aquatic organism might naturally experience.
Cutoffs, norms, and patterns of comorbid difficulties in children with developmental disabilities on the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits (BISCUIT-Part 2)

Behavioral symptoms of comorbid psychopathology of 651 children 17-37 months of age who were at risk for developmental disabilities were studied using the BISCUIT-Part 2. In Study 1, norms and cutoff scores were established for this new scale on this sample. In Study 2, frequency of response on the 52 items measured was reported. Problems in eating and sleep were the most common with just over 15% of the sample experiencing these difficulties of either a moderate or severe nature. For severe problems, the most commonly reported difficulties were inattention/impulsivity, and tantrums/conduct behavior problems. Implications of this scale and these data for early identification of behavior disorders in atypically developing children are discussed.
A site-specific endonuclease from Caulobacter crescentus CB-13: restriction endonuclease CcrI

Abstract A site-specific restriction endonuclease ( Ccr I) has been identified from Caulobacter crescentus CB-13. This enzyme has been purified to homogeneity and the cleavage patterns with various DNAs and sequence data show that Ccr I recognizes the same sequence as the Xho I restriction endonuclease (5′-C ↓ -T-C-G-A-G-3′). Ccr has an absolute requirement for magnesium ions with an optimum concentration of 4 mM. The enzyme is optimally active at pH 8.0 and is stable up to 70°C. Ccr I has a molecular weight of 65300 and exists as a monomer in its native state. Most of the physical characteristics observed for Ccr I were similar to those observed for Xho I. Kinetic studies on Ccr I and Xho I suggest that the enzymes interact with λ DNA in the same manner; however, with ∅X-174 R.F. DNA, Ccr I has a greater affinity for the supercoiled molecule than Xho I.
Planning for mainstreamed special education students : perceptions of general classroom teachers

Abstract The purpose of this survey was to examine general education teachers' perceptions and feelings about planning for mainstreamed students as well as their planning practices. The investigation was guided by a model that included three types of planning (preplanning, interactive planning, and postplanning) and three factors that influence planning (teacher, environment, and student). A second purpose was to examine how teachers' responses pertaining to planning for mainstreamed students differed across grade groupings (e.g., elementary, grades 1 to 5; middle school, grades 6 to 8; and high school, grades 9 to 12). Subjects included 775 elementary, middle, and high school teachers representing 39 schools in a metropolitan school district in the Southeast. The findings from this study suggest that teachers are willing to have mainstreamed students in their classrooms as long as the students do not exhibit emotional or behavioral problems. They are willing to make adaptations while the student is takin...
Variations in Voice Pertaining to Dissatisfaction/Satisfaction with Subordinates

A review of organizational literature pertaining to performance appraisal, voice, and superior-subordinate communications provides little understanding of the variations of voice superiors may asso...
Climate change and frog calls: long-term correlations along a tropical altitudinal gradient

Temperature affects nearly all biological processes, including acoustic signal production and reception. Here, we report on advertisement calls of the Puerto Rican coqui frog (Eleutherodactylus coqui) that were recorded along an altitudinal gradient and compared these with similar recordings along the same altitudinal gradient obtained 23 years earlier. We found that over this period, at any given elevation, calls exhibited both significant increases in pitch and shortening of their duration. All of the observed differences are consistent with a shift to higher elevations for the population, a well-known strategy for adapting to a rise in ambient temperature. Using independent temperature data over the same time period, we confirm a significant increase in temperature, the magnitude of which closely predicts the observed changes in the frogs’ calls. Physiological responses to long-term temperature rises include reduction in individual body size and concomitantly, population biomass. These can have potentially dire consequences, as coqui frogs form an integral component of the food web in the Puerto Rican rainforest.
Determination of midband gain of Sallen-key filters

This article discusses the definition and evaluation of midband gain for active filters with positive feedback and two widely separated poles. It is shown that two different definitions yield two different frequency responses. These responses differ by a factor of 0.04 db. The results of analytical expressions are checked with simulation. Agreement is excellent.
Correction: The Theory and Practice of Genetically Engineered Crops and Agricultural Sustainability Sustainability 2011, 3, 847-874

Replace the second sentence in the Introduction on p. 848: “Some scholars even argue that GE crops should become an option within organic agricultural systems [3].” With: “Some scholars even argue that both organic and GE crops can make important contributions to a sustainable agriculture system [3].”
An Improved Hypercube Bound for Multisearching and its Applications

We give a result that implies an improvement by a factor of log log n in the hypercube bounds for the geometric problems of batched planar point location, trapezoidal decomposition, and polygon triangulation. The improvements are achieved through a better solution to the multisearch problem on a hypercube, a parallel search problem where the elements in the data structure S to be searched are totally ordered, but where it is not possible to compare in constant time any two given queries q and q′. Whereas the previous best solution to this problem took O(log n(log log n)3) time on an n-processor hypercube, the solution given here takes O(log n(log log n)2) time on an n-processor hypercube. The hypercube model for which we claim our bounds is the standard one, SIMD, with O(1) memory registers per processor, and with one-port communication. Each register can store O(log n) bits, so that a processor knows its ID.
Rapid synthesis of the X-linked mental retardation protein OPHN1 mediates mGluR-dependent LTD through interaction with the endocytic machinery.

Activation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors leads to long-term depression (mGluR-LTD). Alterations in this form of plasticity have been linked to drug addiction and cognitive disorders. A key characteristic of mGluR-LTD is its dependence on rapid protein synthesis; however, the identities of the proteins mediating LTD remain elusive. Here, we identify the X-linked mental retardation protein OPHN1 as a molecule essential for mGluR-LTD in the hippocampus. mGluR-LTD induction elicits rapid dendritic OPHN1 synthesis, which is dependent on mGluR1 activation and independent of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). This response is essential for mGluR-LTD, as acute blockade of OPHN1 synthesis impedes LTD. mGluR-induced OPHN1 mediates LTD and associated persistent decreases in surface AMPARs via interactions with endophilin A2/3. Importantly, this role of OPHN1 is separable from its effects on basal synaptic strength, which require OPHN1's Rho-GAP activity and interaction with Homer1b/c. Thus, our data establish a role for rapid OPHN1 synthesis in mGluR-LTD. VIDEO ABSTRACT:
Nonlinear Structure of the Diffusing Gas-Metal Interface in a Thermonuclear Plasma

This Letter describes the theoretical structure of the plasma diffusion layer that develops from an initially sharp gas-metal interface. The layer dynamics under isothermal and isobaric conditions is considered so that only mass diffusion (mixing) processes can occur. The layer develops a distinctive structure with asymmetric and highly nonlinear features. On the gas side of the layer the diffusion coefficient goes nearly to zero, causing a sharp ``front,'' or well defined boundary between mix layer and clean gas with similarities to the Marshak thermal waves. Similarity solutions for the nonlinear profiles are found and verified with full ion kinetic code simulations. A criterion for plasma diffusion to significantly affect burn is given.
Simulating the effects of harvest and biofuel production on the forest system carbon balance of the Midwest, USA

Forests of the Midwestern United States are an important source of fiber for the wood and paper products industries. Scientists, land managers, and policy makers are interested in using woody biomass and/or harvest residue for biofuel feedstocks. However, the effects of increased biomass removal for biofuel production on forest production and forest system carbon balance remain uncertain. We modeled the carbon (C) cycle of the forest system by dividing it into two distinct components: (1) biological (net ecosystem production, net primary production, autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration, vegetation, and soil C content) and (2) industrial (harvest operations and transportation, production, use, and disposal of major wood products including biofuel and associated C emissions). We modeled available woody biomass feedstock and whole-system carbon balance of 220 000 km2 of temperate forests in the Upper Midwest, USA by coupling an ecosystem process model to a collection of greenhouse gas life-cycle inventory models and simulating seven forest harvest scenarios in the biological ecosystem and three biofuel production scenarios in the industrial system for 50 years. The forest system was a carbon sink (118 g C m−2 yr−1) under current management practices and forest product production rates. However, the system became a C source when harvest area was doubled and biofuel production replaced traditional forest products. Total carbon stores in the vegetation and soil increased by 5–10% under low-intensity management scenarios and current management, but decreased up to 3% under high-intensity harvest regimes. Increasing harvest residue removal during harvest had more modest effects on forest system C balance and total biomass removal than increasing the rate of clear-cut harvests or area harvested. Net forest system C balance was significantly, and negatively correlated (R2 = 0.67) with biomass harvested, illustrating the trade-offs between increased C uptake by forests and utilization of woody biomass for biofuel feedstock.
A behavioral principle for traffic networks with dynamic assignment

This paper presents a model of a transportation network in which travelers behave according to the travel budget theory of Yacov Zahavi. It differs from an earlier detailed network formulation in that the variation of travel behavior during the course of a day is represented explicitly.
Guided scheduling schemes for image understanding tasks for shared and distributed memory multiprocessors

This paper presents guided scheduling schemes for image understanding tasks on distributed and shared memory multiprocessors. The techniques are specifically suitable for medium to coarse-grain parallelism for a wide range of image understanding tasks and are largely architecture independent. The principle behind the schemes is to measure the load distribution for a task early when its input data is produced and to use this measure to schedule tasks onto parallel processors. The authors present the performance of these schemes on a distributed as well as a shared memory machine for a motion estimation system involving zero-crossing, stereo match and time match. The results show that the performance gains over simple scheduling are manifold and the overhead is minimal. >
The Morphology of Supragranular Pyramidal Neurons in the Human Insular Cortex: A Quantitative Golgi Study

Although the primate insular cortex has been studied extensively, a comprehensive investigation of its neuronal morphology has yet to be completed. To that end, neurons from 20 human subjects (10 males and 10 females; N 5 600) were selected from the secondary gyrus brevis, precentral gyrus, and postcentral gyrus of the left insula. The secondary gyrus brevis was generally more complex in terms of dendritic/spine extent than either the precentral or postcentral insular gyri, which is consistent with the posterioranterior gradient of dendritic complexity observed in other cortical regions. The male insula had longer, spinier dendrites than the female insula, potentially reflecting sex differences in interoception. In comparing the current insular data with regional dendritic data quantified from other Brodmann’s areas (BAs), insular total dendritic length (TDL) was less than the TDL of high integration cortices (BA6b, 10, 11, 39), but greater than the TDL of low integration cortices (BA3-1-2, 4, 22, 44). Insular dendritic spine number was significantly greater than both low and high integration regions. Overall, the insula had spinier, but shorter neurons than did high integration cortices, and thus may represent a specialized type of heteromodal cortex, one that integrates crude multisensory information crucial to interoceptive processes.
Single-mask SOI fabrication process for linear and angular piezoresistive accelerometers with on-chip reference resistors

Piezoresistive accelerometers usually require separate photomasks for the fabrication of the proof mass, suspension, lightly doped piezoresistors, and highly doped conductors. This paper introduces a fabrication process that defines all components simultaneously using a single mask. By dry-etching SOI wafers that have a specific resistivity, piezoresistors can be defined and isolated from each other without the pn-junction normally required in piezoresistive sensors. The conductors are designed to be much wider than the piezoresistors and a free-standing proof mass is obtained by selectively removing the buried silicon oxide layer. Furthermore, reference resistors that provide the second half of a Wheatstone bridge are included on the silicon chip, eliminating the need for external resistors. Both single-axis and angular accelerometers have been fabricated and linear output characteristics are demonstrated when the single-axis devices are subjected to acceleration
Multi-species interactions in competitive hierarchies: New methods and empirical test

Question: Are competitive hierarchies, which are typically based on the results of pair-wise competition experiments, sensitive to the level of species interaction in the underlying competition experiments? Location: Controlled greenhouse study using vegetation typical of old-fields in East Tennessee, USA. Methods: We extend traditional competitive effect/response methods to incorporate data from competition experiments featuring any level of species interaction (i.e., 2, 3,…, n species interacting simultaneously) and develop an ordinal technique that makes hierarchies more robust to variation in the numerical values of relative yield. We apply these methodological techniques to empirical data from a greenhouse experiment wherein four old-field plant species were grown in pair-wise and tri-wise combination. We also demonstrate how resampling can be used to determine the variability of data and its consequences for development of competitive hierarchies. Results: Different hierarchies were produced when we used different evaluation methods, different levels of species interaction, and different levels of replication. More acute resampling distributions and wider ranges of target/neighbor scores revealed that higher levels of species interaction lead to more distinct hierarchies. Conclusions: Hierarchies developed from interactions among subsets of species may inadequately characterize relationships among the full community because of indirect or higher-order interactions within multi-species assemblages. Different evaluation methods can yield different hierarchies, and resampling is an effective tool to determine the sensitivity of resultant hierarchies to the level of replication. In sum, our new methodology can be used to control uncertainty in poorly-replicated experiments.
Effect Sizes in Gifted Education Research

Recent calls for reporting and interpreting effect sizes have been numerous, with the 5th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2001) calling for the inclusion of effect sizes to interpret quantitative findings. Many top journals have required that effect sizes accompany claims of statistical significance. However, too often reports of data analyses in gifted education rely on statistical significance without reporting effect size indices to help interpret quantitative findings. Without a supporting effect size index, erroneous interpretation of results can occur. This Methodological Brief addresses this concern and provides examples and guidance concerning using effect sizes in gifted education quantitative research.
Radiation Dose Index of Renal Colic Protocol CT Studies in the United States: A Report from the American College of Radiology National Radiology Data Registry

Our results suggest that reduced-dose techniques for renal colic protocol CT are being used infrequently, and dose indexes could likely be lowered substantially, particularly at institutions with very high mean dose indexes.
TRANSPOSITION OF THE ARSENATE RESISTANCE LOCUS OF BACILLUS SUBTILIS STRAINS 23 AND 168

Wild-type Bacillus subtilis strains 23 and 168 are resistant to high concentrations of sodium arsenate. The genetic configurations of the arsenate resistance loci of these two related strains of B. subtilis have been characterized. The transformable 168 strain has a single resistance locus which maps between phe and aroD in the terminal third of the genome. In contrast, strain 23 is shown to have its single arsenate resistance locus between purB and thr in the first third of the bacterial chromosome. Moreover, in strain 23 the chromosomal segment equivalent to the phe-linked asa region of 168 strains is missing. DNA isolated from 23 strains is able to transform 168 arsenate-sensitive strains to resistance and the heterologous 23 DNA is found to preferentially establish a new purB linked asa locus in such transformed cells. Thus, the majority of phenotypically arsenate-resistant cells recovered after exposure of competent 168 sensitive mutants to 23 DNA are "heterozygous" and still retain their phe-linked mutated asa locus. The tolerance of several of these heterologously transformed hybrid strains to arsenate suggests that the 168 and 23 asa gene products are similar, and a transposition model for the evolution of arsenate resistance in B. subtilis is proposed.
Agents of Biological and Chemical Terrorism

Children have myriad unique needs compared to adults during all types of disasters. Many of these unique needs emanate from the fundamental differences between adults and children in terms of anatomy and physiology. In the event of a biological or chemical terrorism event, the difficulties which arise from these differences are complicated by a lack of weight-based medication dosing guidelines, a lack of appropriate sized supplies, and a lack of evidence-based practices in children. The risk of biological, chemical, or radiological weapon use has increased as terrorists become more familiar with these agents and their potential for harm. Biological agents are invisible to the eye, odorless, potentially lethal in particulate form; natural organisms are readily available, and can be disguised as natural disasters to spread fear and disease. Chemical agents rapidly attack the body’s critical physiological centers, disabling or killing victims. Potential biochemical agents of terrorism include; Bacillus anthracis (anthrax), Yersinia pestis (plague), tularemia, small pox, botulinum toxin, nerve agents and cyanide. Healthcare providers need to be familiar with clinical presentation and life-saving treatment modalities, as well as the precautions necessary to prevent contamination and transmission to healthcare workers and to proactively plan for the needs of children during a disaster.
Impact of Sunflower Moth (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Larval Infestations on Yield of Cultivated Sunflowers

Second- and third-instar Homoeosoma electellum (Hulst) were collected and caged on newly blossomed sunflowers during 1981 and 1982 to determine the impact of larval feeding on yield. Yield was inversely related to the number of larvae initially placed on the plant. Yield loss per larva per plant averaged 0.55% (SE = 0.16) in 1981 and 0.47% (SE = 0.17) in 1982. The percentage of larvae that were recovered as adult moths averaged 20% (SE = 4) in 1981 and 39% (SE = 3) in 1982. The diameter of the mature sunflower head and the number of larvae infesting the plant were inversely related in 1981 but not in 1982. The relevance of these data to the current economic injury threshold for sunflower sin South Dakota is discussed.
Book Review, Judging in a Therapeutic Key: Therapeutic Jurisprudence and the Courts (Bruce J. Winick & David B. Wexler, Eds.)

“Therapeutic jurisprudence” (TJ) represents a shift in perspective on the role of law and courts in our society. This book is a collection of thought-provoking essays that illustrates this shift, often through the various authors' descriptions of the roles of judges and litigants in our legal system. These authors -- many of whom are judges -- do not promote the traditional view of the judge as just a neutral arbiter of cases who is uninvolved in the conflict before her, or as only an adjudicator of historical facts who chooses between two conflicting positions to determine a winner and a loser, or as simply the final decision-maker who renders judgment in one case and moves on to the next case without looking back. Instead, they depict the judge as a “coach,” a “member of the treatment team,” a “case manager” or a “risk manager,” and a “leading actor in the therapeutic drama” of the courtroom. Judges are described as “listeners, translators, educators, and if possible, facilitators,” and above all, as versatile “problem-solvers” who craft solutions to the underlying social and behavioral problems that gave rise to the cases before her.Are judges being encouraged to stray too far from their traditional roles in the recently emerging problem-solving courts? Some may think so. An alternative view is that this new book and the movement it promotes challenge judges to act like decent human beings who genuinely care about the citizens who appear before them, about their victims, about their families, and about their communities. Judges wield enormous power -- both overtly and in subtle psychological ways -- and TJ encourages them to use the power and prestige of their office responsibly and in the best interests of the parties as well as the public. The authors assembled in this worthy volume believe strongly in the law's potential to serve as a “healing agent” and seek to cast judges and lawyers in the roles of peacemakers and creative problem-solvers. Their vision deserves our serious consideration.
An Impolite View of the Graduate Record Examination: Some Practical Reasons Why Most Studies Find this Test Has Low Predictive Validity

Most research has shown that the graduate record examination does not forecast academic achievement very well. Past explanations for this outcome have identified methodological and procedural shortcomings associated with the test's administration. For example, while some studies have shown a low correlation between GRE scores and graduate grade point average, this research is faulted because admission committee screening standards have already eliminated many low GRE students from consideration. The present project propounds several, more practical reasons for the GRE's predictive shortcomings. In particular the paper argues that the test's low predictive validity derives mostly from its (the GRE's) inability to capture the true nature of graduate study.
Daunting Fiscal and Political Challenges for U.S. International Tax Reform

This article reviews fiscal and political challenges to agreement on U.S. tax reform. Due to current U.S. budget deficits, fiscal structure and political gridlock, the challenges to finding common ground on a broad tax reform or a separate international tax reform are daunting.
The Feeding and Mating of Leplogaster annulatus (Diptera: Asilidae)

Leptogaster annulatus are predatory insects. They feed on Diptera, Homoptera, Hymenoptera, Araneae, Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, Corrodentia, Coleoptera, Neuroptera, Orthoptera, and Thysanoptera. Mosquitoes compose from 0.7% to 13% of the prey, depending on whether or not the area in which they live is sprayed with insecticides. Unlike six other Leptogaster studied, L. annulatus mate at night; they behave as if they are courting at dusk, ordinarily couple just before dawn.
MFA Writers’ Relationships With Writing

Through a qualitative research design, I explored how eight talented masters in fine arts (MFA) writers related to their craft. The phenomenon “relationship with writing” includes writers’ goals, values, identity, and emotions as these relate to writing. I found that that these MFA writers experience compatibilities and conflicts between themselves and the demands of the domain. Overall, students’ relationships with writing can be described as open, impractical, and social.
Mapping Nanoscale Variations in Photochemical Damage of Polymer/Fullerene Solar Cells with Dissipation Imaging

We use frequency-modulated electrostatic force microscopy to track changes in cantilever quality factor (Q) as a function of photochemical damage in a model organic photovoltaic system poly[[4,8-bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-2,6-diyl][3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b]thiophenediyl]] (PTB7) and 3′H-cyclopropa[8,25][5,6]fullerene-C71-D5h(6)-3′-butanoic acid, 3′-phenyl-, methyl ester (PC71BM). We correlate local Q factor imaging with macroscopic device performance and show that, for this system, changes in cantilever Q correlate well with changes in external quantum efficiency and can thus be used to monitor local photochemical damage over the entire functional lifetime of a PTB7:PC71BM solar cell. We explore how Q imaging is affected by the choice of cantilever resonance frequency. Finally, we use Q imaging to elucidate the differences in the evolution of nanoscale structure in the photochemical damage occurring in PTB7:PC71BM solar cells processed with and without the ...
Epidemiologic analysis of 1276 cases bitten by animals in Lianshui county in 2010

Objective:To investigate the status of the hydrophobia vaccine inoculation and rural residents bitten by animals in Lianshui.Methods:The epidemiologic data of outpatients bitten by animals and inoculated with hydrophobia vaccine in the outpatient department of Lianshui county CDC in 2010 were analyzed.Results:1276 cases were bitten by animals in 2010,the peak of wound was from July to August.The cases bitten by animals were mainly young children,accounting for 27.9%.The ratio of men to women was 1.35 to 1.Most of them were farmers,accounting for 27.98%.The main animal bitten people was dog,accounting for 78.45%.The main woundsite of body was leg,accounting for 39.50%,followed by hand(35.97%).Cases inoculated with hydrophobia vaccine within 24 h accounted for 95.61%.Conclusion:Many peasants in Lianshui county were bitten by animals.The inoculation rate of hydrophobia vaccine for the residents bitten by animal was high.
Giant Multilocular Prostatic Cystadenoma: A Rare Clinical Entity and Review of the Literature

AbstractGiant multilocular prostatic cystadenoma is a pathologically benign entity. To our knowledge only 3 cases have been reported in the literature, of which 2 were treated by means of pelvic exenteration. These lesions can occur in men of various ages, arise from the prostate and grow to massive proportions. Histologically the tumor is comprised of benign cysts lined with cuboidal and columnar epithelium. The lesions do not invade contiguous structures but they can be adherent to viscera in their proximity. Giant multilocular prostatic cystadenoma as demonstrated by our case is a benign entity that can be definitively treated by carefully planned complete surgical excision.
Model-based estimates of effective sample size in stock assessment models using the Dirichlet-multinomial distribution

Abstract Theoretical considerations and applied examples suggest that stock assessments are highly sensitive to the weighting of different data sources whenever data sources conflict regarding parameter estimates. Previous iterative reweighting approaches to weighting compositional data are generally ad hoc, do not propagate uncertainty about data-weighting when calculating uncertainty intervals, and often are not re-adjusted when conducting sensitivity or retrospective analyses. We therefore incorporate the Dirichlet-multinomial distribution into Stock Synthesis, and propose it as a model-based method for estimating effective sample size. This distribution incorporates one additional parameter per fleet (with the option of mirroring its value among fleets), and we show that this parameter governs the ratio of nominal (“input”) and effective (“output”) sample size. We demonstrate this approach using data for Pacific hake, where the Dirichlet-multinomial distribution and an iterative reweighting approach previously developed by McAllister and Ianelli (1997) give similar results. We also use simulation testing to explore the estimation properties of this new estimator, and show that it provides approximately unbiased estimates of variance inflation when compositional samples capture clusters of individuals with similar ages/lengths. We conclude by recommending further research to develop computationally efficient estimators of effective sample size that are based on alternative, a priori consideration of sampling theory and population biology.
Climate Modeling in the Calculus and Differential Equations Classroom.

Students in college-level mathematics classes can build the differential equations of an energy balance model of the Earth's climate themselves, from a basic understanding of the background science...
Common Radiotherapy Techniques for Spinal Tumors

Radiation therapy is an important modality in the management of both primary and metastatic tumors involving the spine and spinal cord. The mesenchymal elements of the spinal column and its contents may give rise to a wide variety of primary tumors. Yet, primary neoplastic lesions of the spine are rare, accounting for roughly 5 to 10% of all skeletal tumors. Metastatic lesions of the spine are far more common (1). True spinal cord neoplasms are relatively rare and typically intradural in location. Radiation therapy has evolved over the past decades to better meet these needs. Better pretreatment imaging studies, megavoltage linear accelerators, and computer-based three-dimentional (3D) treatment planning are all improving radiation dose distributions, thus, decreasing the likelihood of severe acute or late toxicity.
Hearing the echoes

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, does it make a sound? If an implied author transmits echoes of Scripture for the benefit of an implied audience, do those echoes ever reach the ears of real audiences? If so, how do those real audiences respond? Do they disregard the noise? Do they stop up their ears? Do they listen attentively? So far, our discussion of the Fourth Gospel's allusions to marriage texts has ignored real authors and audiences. It has stayed within parameters established by the Gospel itself. Text-related criteria such as availability, correspondence, rhetorical emphasis, recurrence, and thematic coherence have been used to show how the Gospel's implied author alludes to Jer. 33:10–11, Gen. 29:1–20, Song 1:12, and Song 3:1–4. The implied author's overriding concern with Jesus' messianic identity suggests that he and his audience attribute messianic significance to these passages. The fact that they can be interpreted as messianic prophecies in light of Ps. 45 lends strong support to this notion. There is also some indication that, for the implied author and audience, the Samaritan woman and Mary Magdalene – and perhaps the anonymous bride of John 3:29 – exemplify believers in some way. The Gospel text yields enough evidence to identify the allusions, to interpret them, and to explain their presence. Nevertheless, one wonders how they might have been produced and perceived by real people. Might the person or persons who composed the Fourth Gospel have intended these allusions?