cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The enhancement of selenite toxicity by methionine in Escherichia coli.

Abstract The toxicity of SeO 3 −− to wild type Escherichia coli is enhanced by the presence of l -methionine in the growth medium. Data are presented which show that the same degree of toxicity is exhibited by the methionine-requiring mutant of E. coli , A.T.C.C. 9663. d -Methionine is shown to be ineffective. Exogenous methionine suppresses the biosynthesis of selenomethionine as well as methionine. The suppression of selenomethionine biosynthesis provides a basis for the enhanced toxicity of SeO 3 −− . It is also possible that the biosynthesis of selenocyst(e) ine may account for part of the enhanced toxicity. Interaction between SeO 3 −− and methionine as a basis for enhanced toxicity is unlikely from the data obtained on the methionine-requiring mutant, A.T.C.C. 9663.
The central noradrenergic system and affective response to MAO inhibitors.

Abstract 1. 1. In humans, norepinephrine (NE) has been postulated to be involved in the regulation of mood and behavior and to be altered in patients with manic-depressive illness. 2. 2. Recent methodological advances have made possible a more direct assessment of central noradrenergic activity by the accurate measurement of the small amounts of NE and of the enzyme responsible for the conversion of dopamine to NE, dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH), found in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). 3. 3. Cerebrospinal fluid samples were obtained from depressed patients both before and after treatment with two monoamine oxidase-inhibiting antidepressant drugs, clorgyline and pargyline. 4. 4. Patients were rated twice daily by nursing staff on a modified 15-point scale for severity of global depression and anxiety. Patients were also rated using the Hamilton depression rating scale. 5. 5. High negative correlations were observed between the drug-related changes in CSF NE and the changes in depression ratings on both the global ratings (r = −.95, p
A geometric constraint, the head-to-tail exclusion rule, may be the basis for the isolated-pentagon rule in fullerenes with more than 60 vertices

Carbon atoms self-assemble into the famous soccer-ball shaped Buckminsterfullerene (C60), the smallest fullerene cage that obeys the isolated-pentagon rule (IPR). Carbon atoms self-assemble into larger (n > 60 vertices) empty cages as well—but only the few that obey the IPR—and at least 1 small fullerene (n ≤ 60) with adjacent pentagons. Clathrin protein also self-assembles into small fullerene cages with adjacent pentagons, but just a few of those. We asked why carbon atoms and clathrin proteins self-assembled into just those IPR and small cage isomers. In answer, we described a geometric constraint—the head-to-tail exclusion rule—that permits self-assembly of just the following fullerene cages: among the 5,769 possible small cages (n ≤ 60 vertices) with adjacent pentagons, only 15; the soccer ball (n = 60); and among the 216,739 large cages with 60 60, the head-to-tail exclusion rule permits only (and all) fullerene cages and nanotubes that obey the IPR. We therefore suggest that self-assembly that obeys the IPR may be explained by the head-to-tail exclusion rule, a geometric constraint.
SPATIAL SPECTRAL ANALYSIS IN HIGH BRIGHTNESS GaInN/GaN LIGHT EMITTING DIODES

We analyze GaInN based light emitting diodes emitting in the range of 400-550nm using a new intensity-quantitative spectroscopic cathodoluminescence mapping method. Spectroscopic information of arbitrary sample locations is generated from sequences of quantitative image scans. From the temperature dependence of the intensity, we derive thermal activation energies of the dominant loss processes. Those compare well with the hole binding energies in the piezoelectric and quantized quantum well structures.
Microfluidic lithography of SAMs on gold to create dynamic surfaces for directed cell migration and contiguous cell cocultures.

A straightforward, flexible, and inexpensive method to create patterned self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold using microfluidics—microfluidic lithography—has been developed. Using a microfluidic cassette, alkanethiols were rapidly patterned on gold surfaces to generate monolayers and mixed monolayers. The patterning methodology is flexible and, by controlling the solvent conditions and thiol concentration, permeation of alkanethiols into the surrounding PDMS microfluidic cassette can be advantageously used to create different patterned feature sizes and to generate well-defined SAM surface gradients with a single microfluidic chip. To demonstrate the utility of microfluidic lithography, multiple cell experiments were conducted. By patterning cell adhesive regions in an inert background, a combination of selective masking of the surface and centrifugation achieved spatial and temporal control of patterned cells, enabling the design of both dynamic surfaces for directed cell migration and contiguous coc...
Laparoscopic-assisted colectomy learning curve

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to establish the number of cases necessary to master laparoscopic removal of the left or right colon. METHODS: Data were obtained by chart review and by individually completed questionnaires. RESULTS: A total of 144 laparoscopic-assisted or intracorporeal right or left hemicolectomies were completed by four surgeons at separate institutions. Questionnaires were completed by each surgeon for each sequential hemicolectomy, and data concerning the type of surgery and total operating time were recorded. Times were plotted to diagram individual learning curves for each surgeon, and data grouping methods were used to determine the curve for each surgeon as well as for the combined data base. Learning was said to have been completed when the surgeon's operative time reached a low point and subsequently did not vary by more than 30 minutes. A total of 78 right colectomies and 66 left colectomies were completed by the group. Respectively, each surgeon appeared to learn the procedure after 16, 21, 11, and 6 cases. When the entire database was analyzed as a whole, it was shown that between 11 and 15 completed colectomies were needed for learning, after which operative times remained relatively stable. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis, using total operative time as an indication of learning, shows that approximately 11 to 15 completed laparoscopic colectomies are needed to comfortably learn this procedure.
Substantive equality : A basic value

Etude de la fonction politique de l'idee morale d'egalite. Rejetant la position de T. M. Scanlon concernant les inegalites, l'A. montre que l'egalite substantielle est un ideal politique indispensable a l'elaboration des autres valeurs sociales telles que la liberte et la legitimite des droits.
Directionally emitting plasmon lasers with multiplexing and electrical modulation

We demonstrated the first directionally emitting deep sub-wavelength plasmon laser. The plasmon laser naturally integrates photonic and electronic functionality allowing both efficient electrical modulation and wavelength multiplexing.
Washington biofuel feedstock crop supply under output price and quantity uncertainty

Abstract Subsidized development of an in-state biofuels industry has received some political support in the state of Washington, USA. Utilizing in-state feedstock supplies could be an efficient way to stimulate biofuel industries and the local economy. In this paper we estimate supply under output price and quantity uncertainty for major biofuel feedstock crops in Washington. Farmers are expected to be risk averse and maximize the utility of profit and uncertainty. We estimate very large Washington price elasticities for corn and sugar beets but a small price elasticity for a third potential feedstock, canola. Even with the large price elasticities for two potential feedstocks, their current and historical production levels in the state are so low that unrealistically large incentives would likely be needed to obtain sufficient feedstock supply for a Washington biofuel industry. Based on our examination of state and regional data, we find low likelihood that a Washington biofuels industry will develop in the near future primarily using within-state biofuel feedstock crops.
An Analysis of Teacher Investment in the Context of a Family-School Intervention for Children with ADHD

Intervention researchers have often failed to assess treatment integrity; when integrity is examined, the focus is typically on whether the steps of intervention have been applied and not on quality of implementation. In the few studies that have investigated intervention quality, the emphasis has been on how intervention is delivered and not how it is received or the degree of participant engagement. This study was designed to examine participant engagement, specifically teacher investment, in the context of family interventions for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that were linked with the school. The interventions included Family-School Success (FSS), a program that engages families and schools in a problem solving partnership, and Coping with ADHD through Relationships and Education (CARE), a program designed to provide education and support to families. Participants included the families and teachers of children in grades 2 through 6; 45 sets of families and teachers participated in FSS and 48 were in CARE. The Teacher Investment Questionnaire (TIQ) was designed to assess teacher engagement in intervention. The TIQ is a rating scale for clinicians to be completed during and after treatment. The findings provided support for the reliability and validity of the TIQ. Level of teacher involvement was demonstrated to decline with advancing grade level for FSS, but not CARE. Parent ratings of the quality of the family-school relationship as well as the level of teacher support for homework, assessed at baseline, were shown to be significantly related to clinician ratings of teacher investment post intervention. The findings highlight the importance of assessing participant engagement in intervention. Strategies to refine the assessment of teacher investment were discussed.
Robust stability under additive perturbations

We consider a MIMO linear time-invariant feedback system1 S(P, C) which is assumed to be u -stable. The plant P is subjected to an additive perturbation \Delta P which is proper but not necessarily stable. We prove that the perturbed system is u -stable if and only if \Delta P[I + Q.\Delta P]^{-1} is u -stable. (Here Q: = C(I + PC)^{-1}.)
Circadian clock function is disrupted by environmental tobacco/cigarette smoke, leading to lung inflammation and injury via a SIRT1-BMAL1 pathway

Patients with obstructive lung diseases display abnormal circadian rhythms in lung function. We determined the mechanism whereby environmental tobacco/cigarette smoke (CS) modulates expression of the core clock gene BMAL1, through Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) deacetylase during lung inflammatory and injurious responses. Adult C57BL6/J and various mice mutant for SIRT1 and BMAL1 were exposed to both chronic (6 mo) and acute (3 and 10 d) CS, and we measured the rhythmic expression of clock genes, circadian rhythms of locomotor activity, lung function, and inflammatory and emphysematous responses in the lungs. CS exposure (100-300 mg/m(3) particulates) altered clock gene expression and reduced locomotor activity by disrupting the central and peripheral clocks and increased lung inflammation, causing emphysema in mice. BMAL1 was acetylated and degraded in the lungs of mice exposed to CS and in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), compared with lungs of the nonsmoking controls, linking it mechanistically to CS-induced reduction of SIRT1. Targeted deletion of Bmal1 in lung epithelium augmented inflammation in response to CS, which was not attenuated by the selective SIRT1 activator SRT1720 (EC50=0.16 μM) in these mice. Thus, the circadian clock, specifically the enhancer BMAL1 in epithelium, plays a pivotal role, mediated by SIRT1-dependent BMAL1, in the regulation of CS-induced lung inflammatory and injurious responses.
Symptomatic gallstones in patients with spinal cord injury.

Patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) have an increased prevalence of cholelithiasis. The goal of this study was to clarify the presentation and management of symptomatic gallstone disease in patients with SCI. We performed a retrospective study of presentation of gallstone complications in patients with SCI who underwent cholecystectomy for complications of gallstone disease. The West Roxbury Veterans Administration Medical Center SCI registry (605 patients) was searched for patients who had undergone cholecystectomy more than 1 year after SCI (35 patients). Gallbladder disease profiles for the 35 patients undergoing cholecystectomy for complications of gallstone disease were prepared, including demographics, clinical presentation, diagnostic studies, operative and pathologic findings, and postoperative complications. All patients were white. Thirty-four were male and the mean age was 50 years (range 35 to 65 years). The majority of patients (66%) complained of right upper quadrant abdominal pain, even those patients with SCI at high (i.e., cervical) levels. Of the 35 patients in our study group, 22 (63%) had biliary colic and chronic cholecystitis, nine (26%) had acute cholecystitis (gangrenous cholecystitis in two), two (6%) had choledocholithiasis symptoms or cholangitis, and two (6%) had gallstone pancreatitis. Major perioperative morbidity occurred in two (6%) of the 35 patients (pulmonary embolus; intraoperative hemorrhage), and there were no deaths. In the great majority of patients with SCI, cholelithiasis presents with chronic pain and not with life-threatening complications. Our findings suggest that presentation is no more acute in patients with SCI than in the general population. Characteristic symptoms and signs are not necessarily obscured by SCI injury, regardless of the level.
TweetSpiration: leveraging social media for design inspiration

We present TweetSpiration, a Web-based application that leverages social media to inspire new search directions on the Web. TweetSpiration can be used at any time, but it is particularly beneficial when designers have difficulty developing new search terms or are looking for new search directions. By visualizing socially derived word associations, designers may develop new search directions based on others comments or thoughts on the search topic. In an initial study, users reported that TweetSpiration helps develop new search directions and provides new perspectives on the design problem.
Origin of the forbidden transitions in diluted magnetic semiconductors

Abstract Mechanisms for the intraionic optical transitions in Mn-based diluted magnetic semiconductors are analyzed on the basis of two possible models. A simple model for these transitions based on a proposal by Lacueva and Overhauser does not seem to be tenable. We conclude that the transition 6S → 4G observed in Cd1−xMnxTe and Zn1−xMnxTe is due to electric-dipole interactions made possible by the lack of inversion symmetry and the presence of the spin-orbit interaction.
Root-Based Compositions of Multivariate Polynomials: Structure, Geometric Interpretations, and Decomposition Results

Abstract The concept of a composed product for univariate polynomials has been explored oextensively by Brawley, Brown, Carlitz, Gao, Mills et al. Starting with these fundamental ideas and using fractional power series representation of bivariate polynomials, the current authors Mills and Neuerburg [Mills, D., Neuerburg, K. M. A bivariate analogue to the composed product of polynomials. Algebra Colloquium (to appear)] generalize the univariate results by defining and investigating a bivariate composed sum, composed multiplication, and composed product (based on function composition) for certain classes of bivariate polynomials. In this, the sequel, we extend the generalizations to certain classes of multivariate polynomials, written as f(x 1,…,x n ), over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero. In particular, we consider a composed sum and composed multiplication defined on the class of quasiordinary polynomials. We then consider what algebraic structure is imposed by these operations. Next,...
Liquid 2-Oxazolidones. I. Dielectric Constants, Viscosities, and Other Physical Properties of Several Liquid 2-Oxazolidones'

Eight derivatives of 2-oxazolidone, , have been synthesized by the Homeyer method and purified by fractional freezing or fractional distillation to obtain low-conducting liquids. Dielectric constants, viscosities, densities, and refractive indices of these 2-oxazolidones have been determined at several temperatures within the range 25 to 75°C. Values for activation energies of viscous flow also have been calculated. The isomeric 3-methyl and 5-methyl derivatives of 2-oxazolidone have high dielectric constants which differ only slightly from that of water. The 3-substituted (or N-substituted) 2-oxazolidones exhibit the most favorable combination of physical properties, stability, and ease of purification and appear to have excellent potential as new nonaqueous solvents.
Tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2 binding to CTLA-4: absence of direct YVKM/YFIP motif recognition.

CTLA-4 is well documented in its negative regulation of T-cell proliferation. However, little is known regarding the signaling mechanisms induced by CTLA-4. CTLA-4 associates with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, the phosphatase SHP-2 and the clathrin adaptor complexes AP-1 and AP-2. SHP-2 SH2 domain binding to CTLA-4 is unusual given the absence of a I/VxYxxI/V/L motif. Here, we demonstrate that the phosphorylation of CTLA-4 tyrosines (YVKM and YFIP) fails to allow for single or tandem SHP-2 SH2 domain binding. This was observed using wild-type and inactive SHP-2 as well as a construct with the isolated two SH2 domains. The phosphorylated YVKM and YFIP motifs therefore do not appear to represent novel binding motifs for SHP-2 SH2 domains. At the same time, we could confirm that SHP-2 can associate with CTLA-4 in murine T-cells indicating that the interaction between the phosphatase and CTLA-4 is an indirect event, possibly mediated by PI 3-kinase/SHP-2 binding.
Epigenetic mechanisms in oral carcinogenesis

Dysregulation of gene expression is a frequent occurrence in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, accumulating evidence suggests that in contrast to genetics, epigenetic modifications consisting of aberrant DNA methylation, histone modifications and altered expression of miRNAs induce OSCC tumorigenesis and perhaps play a more central role in the evolution and progression of this disease. The unifying theme among these three epigenetic mechanisms remains the same, which is aberrant regulation of gene expression. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review of the impact of epigenetics on oral tumorigenesis with a systematic report on aberrant DNA methylation, histone modifications and miRNA regulation in the pathogenesis of OSCC. We provide insights into recent studies on the prospect of biomarkers for early detection and indication of disease recurrence, and novel treatment modalities.
Case Closed: Holocaust Survivors in Postwar America – By Beth B. Cohen

In this well‐documented study, drawing on archival materials, case files, and oral testimonies, the author probes the difficult transition that survivors, arriving as refugees under displaced perso...
Management of dyslipidemia in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Cardiovascular disease is a major complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and this is partly due to associated abnormalities of plasma lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. Although glycemic control improves plasma lipoprotein abnormalities and may have an independent benefit on cardiovascular risk reduction, the magnitude of this benefit is less than cholesterol lowering therapy. Current treatment guidelines for the management of dyslipidemia in people with type 2 diabetes are based on the results of cardiovascular outcome clinical trials. Primary emphasis of treatment should be on lowering LDL-C to 200 mg/dl, then a secondary goal is to lower non-HDL-C < 130 mg/dl (< 100 mg/dl if cardiovascular disease is present) is recommended. Low HDL-C levels are common in type 2 diabetes but are not currently recommended as a target for treatment because of the lack of definitive cardiovascular outcome studies supporting this goal, and because of the difficulty in raising HDL-C. The additional benefit of combination therapy with fibrates, ezetimibe or niacin added to a statin on cardiovascular risk is uncertain pending the results of on-going cardiovascular outcome studies.
Evaluation of COAMPS Forecasts of Coastal Stratus Using Satellite Microphysical Retrievals and Aircraft Measurements

Abstract A field project was carried out offshore of central Oregon during August 1999 to evaluate mesoscale model simulations of coastal stratiform cloud layers. Procedures for mapping cloud physical parameters such as cloud optical depth, droplet effective radius, and liquid water path retrieved from Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Imager multichannel data were developed and implemented. Aircraft measurements by the University of Wyoming provided in situ verification for the satellite retrieval parameters and for the forecast model simulations of the U.S. Navy's nonhydrostatic mesoscale prediction system, the Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS). Case studies show that the satellite retrieval methods are valid within the range of uncertainty associated with aircraft measurements of the microphysical parameters and demonstrate how the gridded cloud parameters retrieved from satellite data can be utilized for mesoscale model verification. Satellite-derived...
Angular distributions in the photoelectron spectroscopy of furan, thiophene, and pyrrole

Abstract The photoelectron angular distributions of furan, thiophene, and pyrrole are reported. The trends in the value of the asymmetry parameter β and in the shapes and positions of bands in the spectra are used to assign the peaks that correspond to ionization from the π orbitals in these molecules.
Strategies for treatment-resistant depression.

Abstract Clinical depression is a common disorder with serious implications that is often misdiagnosed or underestimated More than 50% of suicides are associated with a major depressive disorder, and depression can adversely impact a variety of other medical conditions. Although ≥70% of depressions can respond to appropriate medication, few patients actually receive adequate medical therapy. This article reviews the definition of adequate therapy for depression, discusses common comorbid conditions, and examines the issue of true treatment resistance. Practical strategies for treatment-resistant depression, including switching classes of antidepressant drugs, combination therapy, augmentation strategies, and somatic therapies, are incorporated into a treatment algorithm.
The Economics of Tax Law

This working paper is a forthcoming chapter in the Oxford Handbook of Law and Economics, edited by Francesco Parisi. It provides a brief overview of economic issues in tax law, including distribution and efficiency in general, the role of administrative and political economy concerns in an income tax, the choice between income and consumption taxation, the significance of entity-level taxation of corporations, and the issues raised by base-broadening tax reform.
Realistic propagation simulation of urban mesh networks

Simulation plays an important role in the verification of mobile wireless networking protocols. Recently, several cities have either begun deploying or are completing plans to deploy large-scale urban mesh networks (LUMNets). On the other hand, the networking research community has little expertise in simulating such networks. While the protocols are simulated reasonably realistically, the propagation of wireless transmissions and the mobility of nodes are not. Today, simulations typically model propagation with either the free-space model or a ''two-ray'' model that includes a ground reflection. Such models are only valid in open space where there are no hills and no buildings. Since wireless signals at the frequencies used for mobile wireless networking are partly reflected off of buildings and partly is transmitted into the building, the presence of buildings greatly influences propagation. Consequently, the open-space propagation models are inaccurate in outdoor urban areas. Indoors, the open-space models are not even applicable. This paper presents guidelines for simulating propagation in such urban settings. Extensive background discussion on propagation is also included. The techniques for propagation are validated against propagation measurements. The techniques discussed are implemented in a suite of tools that are compatible with protocol simulators and are freely available for use.
Do emergency medical system response times matter for health outcomes

The introduction of technology aimed at reducing the response times of emergency medical services has been one of the principal innovations in crisis care over the last several decades. These substantial investments have typically been justified by an assumed link between shorter response times and improved health outcomes. However, current medical research does not generally show a relationship between response time and mortality. In this study, we explain the discrepancy between conventional wisdom and mortality; existing medical research fails to account for the endogeneity of incident severity and response times. Analyzing detailed call-level information from the state of Utah's Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, we measure the impact of response time on mortality and hospital utilization using the distance of the incident from the nearest EMS agency headquarters as an instrument for response time. We find that response times significantly affect mortality and the likelihood of being admitted to the hospital, but not procedures or utilization within the hospital.
Lack of association between polymorphisms in the prostaglandin F2α receptor and solute carrier organic anion transporter family 2A1 genes and intraocular pressure response to prostaglandin analogs

Purpose: To evaluate the association between variants in the prostaglandin Fα receptor (PTGFR) and solute carrier organic anion transporter family 2A1 (SLCO2A1) genes and intraocular pressure (IOP) response to prostaglandin analogs.Methods: The medical records of subjects with previously diagnosed open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension were searched for intraocular pressure measurements before and after prescriptions of prostaglandin analogs. Stored DNA samples were genotyped for the following SNPs: rs3753380 (promoter region) and rs3766355 (intronic region) of the prostaglandin F2α receptor gene, and rs34550074 (Ala396Thr) of SLCO2A1. The mean change in IOP by genotype was measured.Results: Prostaglandin analogs were prescribed to 267 subjects; 242 (204 right eyes, 205 left eyes) met the inclusion/exclusion criteria for the current study. There was no significant association between genotype and IOP response to prostaglandin analogs (p = 0.48, p = 0.54, p = 0.90).Conclusion: In summary, we found no i...
Mechanics of bending, torsion, and variable precurvature in multi-tube active cannulas

Active cannulas are a relatively new continuum robot subclass characterized by their use of preshaped tubes that transmit bending moments as they slide within one another and are axially rotated. Previous (experimentally vetted) mechanics-based models of active cannula shape assume piecewise constant precurvature of component tubes, and neglect torsion in curved sections of the device. Recently a general, coordinate-free, energy-based framework for active cannula shape has been formulated that relaxes these requirements and includes all prior models as special cases. However, only the 2-tube, constant-precurvature case has thus far been explored in detail using the framework. In this paper we consider the general case of an arbitrary number of component tubes and precurvatures that vary with arc length, deriving a set of differential equations that capture both bending and torsional effects continuously along the active cannula backbone.We then show how to solve these differential equations numerically to describe active cannula shape.
Development and implementation of optimized energy-delay sub-network routing protocol for wireless sensor networks

The development and implementation of the optimized energy-delay sub-network routing (OEDSR) protocol for wireless sensor networks (WSN) is presented. This on-demand routing protocol minimizes a novel link cost factor which is defined using available energy, end-to-end (E2E) delay and distance from a node to the base station (BS), along with clustering, to effectively route information to the BS. Initially, the nodes are either in idle or sleep mode, but once an event is detected, the nodes near the event become active and start forming sub-networks. Formation of the inactive network into a sub-network saves energy because only a portion of the network is active in response to an event. Subsequently, the sub-networks organize themselves into clusters and elect cluster heads (CHs). The data from the CHs are sent to the BS via relay nodes (RNs) that are located outside the sub-networks in a multi-hop manner. This routing protocol improves the lifetime of the network and the scalability. This routing protocol is implemented over the medium access control (MAC) layer using UMR nodes. Experimental results illustrate that the protocol performs satisfactorily as expected.
Imaginal Behavioral Analysis: a Multisensory Imagery Scale for Evaluating a Specific Teacher Competency

The study developed and used a self-report graphic Multisensory Imagery Scale (MIS) to analyze imaginal behavior and to test the hypothesis that multisensory imagery is a specific teacher competency associated with effective pedagogy, particularly in special education. The MIS was field-tested, abbreviated, performed on teacher-trainees, examined for test-retest reliability, and compared to performance criteria. Twenty image-evoking phrases of the MIS, cumulatively self-scored for the six sensory areas, yielded consistent imagery responses in agreement with ratings of lesson plans and teaching. The data defended the hypotheses, indicated the scale's limited usefulness as a criterion for evaluating groups of interns and training programs, and implied support for competency-based teacher education if properly validated.
Systems of differential equations which are competitive or cooperative: III. Competing species

For pt.II, see J. Math. Anal., vol.16, p.423 (1985). Persistent trajectories of the n-dimensional system xi=xiNi(x1, . . ., xn), xi>or=0, are studied under the assumptions that the system is competitive and dissipative with irreducible community matrices ( delta Ni/ delta xj). The main result is that there is a canonically defined countable (generically finite) family of disjoint invariant open (n-1) cells which attract all non-convergent persistent trajectories. These cells are Lipschitz submanifolds and are transverse to positive rays. In dimension 3 this implies that an omega limit set of a persistent orbit is either an equilibrium, a cycle bounding an invariant disc, or a one-dimensional continuum having a non-trivial first Cech cohomology group and containing an equilibrium. Thus the existence of a persistent trajectory in the three-dimensional case implies the existence of a positive equilibrium. In any dimension it is shown that if the community matrices are strictly negative then there is a closed invariant (n-1) cell which attracts every persistent trajectory. This shows that a seemingly special construction by Smale (1976) of certain competitive systems is in fact close to the general case.
Circumstances of patient falls and injuries in 9 hospitals in a midwestern healthcare system.

Objective. Preventing hospital falls and injuries requires knowledge of fall and injury circumstances. Our objectives were to determine whether reported fall circumstances differ among hospitals and to identify predictors of fall‐related injury. Design. Retrospective cohort study. Adverse event data on falls were compared according to hospital characteristics. Logistic regression was used to determine adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for risk factors for fall‐related injury. Setting. Nine hospitals in a Midwestern healthcare system. Patients. Inpatients who fell during 2001‐2003. Results. The 9 hospitals reported 8,974 falls that occurred in patient care areas, involving 7,082 patients; 7,082 falls were included in our analysis. Assisted falls (which accounted for 13.3% of falls in the academic hospital and 9.8% of falls in the nonacademic hospitals; \documentclass{aastex} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{bm} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \u...
Compressed detection for ultra-wideband impulse radio

The emerging theory of compressed sensing (CS) not only enables the reconstruction of sparse signals from a small set of random measurements [1, 2], but also provides an universal signal detection approach at sub-Nyquist sampling rates [3, 4]. Compressed signal detection is particularly suitable for impulse ultra-wideband (I-UWB) communications where Nyquist sampling of the signal is a formidable challenge [5]. In this paper, we propose a generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) detector for I-UWB receivers based on compressive measurements. Pilot symbol assisted modulation is proposed where received signals are randomly projected and subsequently correlated for data demodulation. The proposed receiver is simple to implement, which has the advantage that neither wideband delay lines nor ultra-fast analog to digital converters (ADC) are required. Given a channel realization, the exact bit error probability (BEP) of the proposed receiver is derived. Approximate BEP is also derived under the Gaussian assumption. Simulation results show that the proposed receiver with moderate compressive measurements has comparable performance to traditional analog autocorrelation (AcR) receivers [6,7].
Modelling size, load and velocity effect on friction at micro/nanoscale

A model for size-, load-, and velocity-dependence of friction at micro/nanoscale is proposed. The friction force is equal to the real area of contact, depending upon the normal load, apparent size of contact (due to the surface self-affinity), and the sliding velocity (state-and-rate friction law), multiplied by the interfacial shear strength, depending upon the average size of individual asperity contacts a, while a, in turn, depends on the real area of contact (due to surface topography). The model accounts for effects of size, load and sliding velocity on friction and considers them in combination.
The effects of regeneration by fragmentation upon clonal diversity in the tropical forest shrub Poikilacanthus macranthus: random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) results

Poikilacanthus macranthus (Acanthaceae), like many shrubs in the neotropical cloud forest of Monteverde, Costa Rica, is capable of regeneration through stem and twig fragments. Our field sampling indicated that reproduction in P. macranthus is primarily through fragmentation in the Monteverde region. Random amplified polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs) were employed to examine clonal diversity in four populations of P. macranthus, and two primers yielded 11 variable markers that were used to identify genets. Sixty-eight multilocus genotypes were identified out of 277 plants sampled. Clonal diversity values were higher than the average for clonal plant species, as the number of genets per ramet was 0.25, while the mean D value was 0.87 and the mean E value was 0.84.
β-catenin functions mainly as an adhesion molecule in patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck

Background: β-catenin, depending on subcellular localization, plays a dual role in carcinogenesis: as a signaling factor (in the nucleus) and as an adhesion molecule (in cell membrane). In this study, we sought to determine the role of β-catenin in head and neck carcinogenesis. Methods: First, we studied the incidence of mutations of β-catenin in a cohort of 60 head and neck squamous cell cancers (HNSCC). We subsequently evaluated the protein expression levels of β-catenin in a cohort of oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer tissue microarray using a novel in situ method of quantitative protein analysis and correlated those with cyclin D1 levels and clinical and pathologic data. Results: The mean follow-up time for survivors was 45 months and for all patients was 35 months. We found no mutations in the cohort of 60 HNSCC. β-catenin displayed primarily membranous expression pattern. Patients with high tumor-node-metastasis stage were more likely to have high expression of β-catenin ( P = 0.040). Patients with low β-catenin expression had a local recurrence rate of 79% compared with 29% for patients with high β-catenin tumors ( P = 0.0021). Univariate Cox regression revealed a hazard ratio for low β-catenin tumors of 3.6 ( P = 0.004). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with low β-catenin expressing tumors trended toward worse 5-year disease-free survival ( P = 0.06). In multivariate analysis, only β-catenin expression status was an independent prognostic factor ( P = 0.044) for local recurrence. Tumors with high β-catenin had low cyclin D1 and vice versa ( P = 0.007). Conclusions: The absence of activating β-catenin mutations combined with the inverse correlation between β-catenin levels with cyclin D1 levels and outcome suggest that β-catenin mainly functions as an adhesion and not signaling molecule in HNSCC.
Hemodynamic Improvement of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension After Bariatric Surgery: Potential Role for Metabolic Regulation

Insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and adipokine dysregulation are now implicated in hypertensive pulmonary vascular disease (1–3). Even in nonobese humans with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH), the prevalence of insulin resistance is nearly 50% (1,2), suggesting a link between glucose dysregulation and IPAH. Additionally, IPAH develops spontaneously in animal models of obesity and adipokine alterations (4). The underlying mechanisms by which metabolic mediators exacerbate or cause pulmonary vascular disease are unknown. We tested the hypothesis that improvements in metabolic hormones are associated with amelioration of pulmonary hemodynamics in a 48-year-old morbidly obese female IPAH patient who underwent bariatric surgery. Despite no change in IPAH therapy, she had dramatic hemodynamic improvement coupled with reduced insulin resistance, plasma lipids, and cholesterol levels. The IPAH patient was New York Heart Association functional class III and desired bariatric surgery. After counseling about elevated …
Teaching the Basic Relationships between Sentences.

Research and classroom experience (Bormuth et al., 1970; Nichols, 1980) support the idea that middle and secondary students often have difficulty understanding relationships within and between sentences. Knowledge gleaned from discourse analysis concepts can assist teachers in providing useful instructional strategies to help students comprehend progressively larger units of meaning. We want to encourage teachers to try some of the instructional strategies we have provided and also to experiment with additional ideas drawn from the information presented here. We hope other teachers will further explore this potentially rich area of comprehension instruction.
Recycling Older Blood by Integration into the Inventory of a Single Large Hospital Blood Bank: A Computer Simulation Application

Recycling units of older blood from hospital blood banks with high outdate rates to other hospital blood banks with a high level of transfusion activity and a low outdate rate to increase the probability of utilization of the blood prior to outdating is an accepted method of inventory control. The purpose of this study was to determine with the use of a computer simulation the effects of integrating a variable number of units of ten-day-old blood into the inventory of a single large hospital blood bank. The analysis involved separate consideration of the recycling of 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, 300, and 360 units of ten-day-old blood with one, three, and five deliveries per week into the modeled blood bank inventory. With one delivery per week and a 30 per cent outdate rate for blood ten days old or older at the hospital or hospitals from which the blood is recycled, the net saving achieved per week by recycling these variable quantities is 5, 4, 13, 17, 7, 0, –17, and –50 units; for a 50 per cent outdate rate, the net saving achieved is 11, 16, 31, 41, 43, 48, 43, and 22 units. Possible net saving of blood based on three and five deliveries per week and other outdate rates is also given. The frequency of blood delivery has no significant effect on the net saving of blood in the blood recycling plans evaluated. The implementation of an automatic blood recycling program, a practical and effective method for reducing blood outdating in a multi-hospital regional blood system, is discussed in detail.
Great Lakes tributary phosphorus bioavailability

•Plot of sample P richness vs. Bioavailable particulate P (PP). •Slope suggests from that PP is 35% bioavailable • This is not always the case two point were not included in the regression Bioavailable P Contributions •Results of all assays are presented in the table. •If the fraction of bioavailable P (fbio) is known then the contributions of each P form can change dramatically. •Contributions of each constituent based on TP and bioavailable P are presented in the figure. •Soluble Reactive Phosphorus is completely available causing it be a large part of the bioavailable P. Source: Minnesota Public Radio Source: Michigan Environmental Education Curriculum
The Role of Oxygen in Spinel Interphase Formation During Ni/A1 2 O 3 Diffusion Bonding

Controlled oxygen diffusion bonding experiments have shown that the formation of nickel aluminate spinel by solid state reaction between metallic Ni and α-A1 2 O 3 requires a certain oxygen activity, which is less than that of the Ni-NiO equilibrium. Under high vacuum bonding conditions the source of the oxygen required for spinel interphase formation was found to be oxygen initially dissolved in solution in the Ni. Equilibrium thermodynamic calculations confirmed the threshold oxygen activity dependence of spinel formation at the Ni/A1 2 O 3 interface, indicating ∼200 at. ppm oxygen is required in Ni before spinel can form at typical bonding temperatures. The predicted spinel layer thickness based on the calculated reaction equilibrium agrees extremely well with the measured thickness, further supporting the analysis.
On Conversation Policies and the Need for Exceptions

The author describes a system for defining conversation policies that allows conversants to exchange explicit representations of how they use messages to get things done. This system allows conversation policies to be defined for one or more conversation partners. It does not require that every partner be aware of the other’s conversation policies; however, it does provide more capabilities if partners have this information. It also does not require that conversing agents have the same capabilities. Most importantly, its use of modular conversation policies, acceptance of deviations from them, and its method of dynamically combining the policies encourages constructing policies that are relatively simple to interpret and manage.
A Smartphone-based System for Automated Congestion Prediction

Accurate collection of traffic data is essential, tactically for efficient highway operations and strategically for capacity planning purposes. Currently, this traffic data is collected by physical sensors, which suffers from many limitations. These sensors gather limited measurements of vehicle speeds and times from their fixed locations and cannot systematically acquire mobility dynamics of individual vehicles and the interactions among them. Also, because deploying and maintaining physical sensors is expensive and time consuming, typically they are installed to measure traffic only on the busier road segments within a transportation network. To overcome these issues, this paper reports on a general-purpose, location-aware, smartphone-based traffic monitoring system as a simple and an inexpensive alternative to collect dynamic vehicle data extensively through a transportation network. A privacy-preserving smartphone application was developed, deployed, and tested on the network surrounding the University of Connecticut (UConn) in Storrs. It securely transmits individual trip data over the Internet to the servers hosted at UConn. Preliminary experimentation suggests that crowdsourcing the collection of traffic data with smartphones can be cost effective and can lead to richer data sets spanning the entire web of roadways.
Influence of Turbocharger Imbalance on Subsynchronous Vibration Amplitude

The elimination of sub-synchronous vibration is a major task of rotating machinery engineers. The industry has used applied imbalance to improve stability of vertical pumps which would otherwise be totally unstable. The current interest is for the application of a small imbalance to determine the influence on the level of instability frequency components for a small high speed turbocharger rotor. The initial experimental results for the application of a known imbalance on the compressor end of a high speed turbocharger, indicates a reduced level for the lower instability mode.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Fabrication of spiropyran-containing thin film sensors used for the simultaneous identification of multiple metal ions

In this article, a methacrylate-based spiropyran-containing copolymer was used as a colorimetric sensor to identify multiple metal ions simultaneously. Through UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, the relative binding affinity of merocyanine to each metal ion was investigated by displacement studies of a bound metal ion with a second metal ion of a higher binding affinity. We also show that because each metal ion gives rise to a distinct spectral response, partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) can be used to analyze the UV-vis absorbance spectra to identify the two metal ions that are present in solution at varying concentrations simply by dipping a coated polymer substrate into solution after irradiation. Partial least-squares regression analysis (PLS) was used to determine the metal ions in solution for several binary mixtures quantitatively. We also demonstrate that the quantitative determination depends on the relative binding preference of merocyanine to each metal ion.
Single component and selective competitive protein adsorption in a patchy polymer brush: opposition between steric repulsions and electrostatic attractions.

This work explores the use of “patchy” polymer brushes to control protein adsorption rates on engineered surfaces and to bind targeted species from protein mixtures with high selectivity but withou...