cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Promotion Incentives and Teacher Effort in China

This paper examines the effort incentives of teachers in rural China. China employs a complex system of annual evaluations and promotions for civil servants in which good evaluations, along with a teacher's years of service and education, make teachers eligible to apply for rank promotions. A model of promotions is developed in which agents are both incentivized, and are sorted into ranks by ability. The model's predictions are then tested using panel data on teachers collected as part of the Gansu Survey of Children and Families (GSCF). We find that teachers respond to promotion incentives as predicted by the model: salary differentials are used to motivate teachers to work harder and teachers do work hard for promotions; teachers that are repeatedly passed over for promotions tend to slack off, as do teachers that have been doing well in the past; increased competition in the form of more teachers increases incentives when the probability of promotion is between 1/3 and 2/3; and effort is low when the probability of promotion is close to zero or one. Disciplines Education Comments Suggested Citation: Karachiwalla, N. (2010). Promotion Incentives and Teacher Effort in China (Doctoral dissertation). University of Oxford. This thesis or dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/gansu_dissertations/6 Application for Transfer to DPhil Status – Naureen Karachiwalla 1 Promotion Incentives and Teacher Effort in China
Prediction of Solid/Free-Surface Juncture Boundary Layer and Wake of a Surface-Piercing Flat Plate at Low Froude Number

Results are reported of a RANS simulation investigation on the prediction of turbulence-driven secondary flows at the free-surface juncture of a surface-piercing flat plate at low Froude numbers. The turbulence model combines a nonlinear eddy viscosity model and a modified version of a free-surface correction formula. The different elements of the model are combined and the model constants calibrated based on the premises that the anisotropy of the normal stresses is mainly responsible for the dynamics of the flow in the juncture region, and an accurate modeling of the normal-stress anisotropy as obtained from the data is a primary requirement for the successful prediction of the overall flow field. The predicted mean velocity, streamwise vorticity, turbulent kinetic energy, and other quantities at the juncture are then compared with data and analyzed with regard to findings of related studies. In agreement with the experimental observations, the simulated flow at large depths was essentially two-dimensional and displayed all the major features of zero pressure gradient boundary layer and wake, including the anisotropy of normal stresses in the near-wall region. In the boundary-layer free-surface juncture region, the major features of interest that were predicted include the generation of secondary flows and the thickening of the boundary layer near the free surface. In the wake free-surface juncture region, even though secondary flows and a thickening of the wake width near the free surface were predicted in accordance with the experimental observations, the overall comparison with the experiment was not as satisfactory as the boundary-layer juncture. This is partly due to the lack of a strong coherent flow structure in the wake juncture and the presence of possible wave effects in the wake in the experiments. An examination of the terms in the Reynolds-averaged streamwise vorticity equation reconfirmed the importance of the anisotropy of the normal Reynolds stresses in the production of streamwise vorticity. The free-surface wave elevations were negligible for the present model problem for the nonzero Froude number studied. Finally, concluding remarks are presented with regards to extensions for practical geometries such as surface ship flows.
The Effect of the Financial Aid Package on the Choice of a Selective College

Abstract This paper examines the effects of financial aid on the decision to attend a selective liberal arts college using data obtained from applicants accepted to Occidental College in 1989. Patterned after a similar empirical investigation by Ehrenberg and Sherman for accepted freshmen at Cornell in 1981, logit probabilities of enrollment equations are estimated based on (1) observable characteristics of the individual students, (2) the net costs of attending Occidental and the various alternative colleges under consideration (including the financial aid packages offered) and (3) other characteristics of these alternative colleges. The results, like Ehrenberg and Sherman's, indicate that relative tuition and scholarships affect the probability of enrollment for financial aid applicants, but that loans and work study assistance have no statistically significant effect. Non-financial aid applicants — a group not investigated by Ehrenberg and Sherman — are much less sensitive to relative cost considerations.
General developmental patterns and individual differences in the acquisition of copula and auxiliary be forms

Children's acquisition of copula and auxiliary be forms was investigated in order to assess the notion that syntactic development proceeds in a specific to general fashion, with initial specific acquisitions gradually evolving into general productive ones. The results support this view of syntactic development, and highlight the need for more careful con sideration of individual differences in syntactic development.
A new method for making interstate comparisons of highway fatality rates.

Highway fatality rates vary significantly among jurisdictions. Before attributing these variations to policy differences, it is important to account for exogenous factors (e.g. weather) that are beyond the control of policy makers. A new method is developed to identify states that are doing better or worse than expected. The method is applied to the 48 contiguous American states using highway fatality data for the years 1975 to 1986. A fixed effects linear model is used to estimate the fatality rate for each state, taking into account exogenous factors. Results indicate that many states have higher or lower fatality rates than is expected based on a ranking of states according to crude fatality rates. Policy implications are discussed.
Optimal tracking control of nonlinear partially-unknown constrained-input systems using integral reinforcement learning

In this paper, a new formulation for the optimal tracking control problem (OTCP) of continuous-time nonlinear systems is presented. This formulation extends the integral reinforcement learning (IRL) technique, a method for solving optimal regulation problems, to learn the solution to the OTCP. Unlike existing solutions to the OTCP, the proposed method does not need to have or to identify knowledge of the system drift dynamics, and it also takes into account the input constraints a priori. An augmented system composed of the error system dynamics and the command generator dynamics is used to introduce a new nonquadratic discounted performance function for the OTCP. This encodes the input constrains into the optimization problem. A tracking Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation associated with this nonquadratic performance function is derived which gives the optimal control solution. An online IRL algorithm is presented to learn the solution to the tracking HJB equation without knowing the system drift dynamics. Convergence to a near-optimal control solution and stability of the whole system are shown under a persistence of excitation condition. Simulation examples are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Structural Interpretation in Composite Systems Using Powder X-ray Diffraction: Applications of Error Propagation to the Pair Distribution Function

To develop a method for drawing statistical inferences from differences between multiple experimental pair distribution function (PDF) transforms of powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) data. The appropriate treatment of initial PXRD error estimates using traditional error propagation algorithms was tested using Monte Carlo simulations on amorphous ketoconazole. An amorphous felodipine:polyvinyl pyrrolidone:vinyl acetate (PVPva) physical mixture was prepared to define an error threshold. Co-solidified products of felodipine:PVPva and terfenadine:PVPva were prepared using a melt-quench method and subsequently analyzed using PXRD and PDF. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used as an additional characterization method. The appropriate manipulation of initial PXRD error estimates through the PDF transform were confirmed using the Monte Carlo simulations for amorphous ketoconazole. The felodipine:PVPva physical mixture PDF analysis determined ±3σ to be an appropriate error threshold. Using the PDF and error propagation principles, the felodipine:PVPva co-solidified product was determined to be completely miscible, and the terfenadine:PVPva co-solidified product, although having appearances of an amorphous molecular solid dispersion by DSC, was determined to be phase-separated. Statistically based inferences were successfully drawn from PDF transforms of PXRD patterns obtained from composite systems. The principles applied herein may be universally adapted to many different systems and provide a fundamentally sound basis for drawing structural conclusions from PDF studies.
Temporal evolution and spatial distribution of the diffusion constant of water in rat brain after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion

The regional distribution and temporal evolution of the diffusion coefficient (Dw) of water in rat brain was measured during and after transient middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion. Male Wistar rats (n = 14) were subjected to 2 h of middle cerebral artery occlusion, induced by intracarotid insertion of a filament. Diffusion (n = 14) and perfusion (n = 7) weighted magnetic resonance imaging were performed before, and at various time points after MCA occlusion, ranging from 30 min up to 7 days. Our data demonstrate that the temporal profiles of Dw differ between the severely and the least damaged regions of tissue. In the core of the lesion, where the tissue evolved to necrosis, Dw declined significantly (P or = 0.71, P 0.01) correlation was detected at an early time points of ischemia or at other time points after withdrawal of the suture.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Combined multichannel intraluminal impedance and pH esophageal testing compared to pH alone for diagnosing both acid and weakly acidic gastroesophageal reflux.

Background & Aims: Twenty-four–hour multichannel intraluminal impedance and pH (MII-pH) esophageal monitoring detects reflux episodes at all pH levels, including acid reflux and weakly acidic reflux (WAR). The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of pH monitoring alone in detecting acid reflux and WAR compared with MII-pH. Methods: For the detection of acid reflux: 60 consecutive MII-pH studies of patients off acid suppression were included. All studies initially were read by exclusively analyzing pH tracing for acid reflux episodes. Subsequently, all studies were blindly read again analyzing MII-pH–detected acid reflux episodes (pH decrease of Results: For the detection of acid reflux the pH alone compared with MII-pH yielded a specificity of 68%, 67%, and 58%, respectively, for either abnormal percentage time of pH less than 4, positive symptom index, or both. The percentage time that the pH was less than 4 was significantly higher using pH alone compared with MII-pH. Eighty-one percent of acid gastroesophageal reflux episodes exclusively detected by pH were associated with MII-detected swallow. For the detection of WAR compared with MII, pH alone had a sensitivity of only 28%. Eighty-three percent of WAR episodes detected by pH were not associated with MII-detected reflux. Conclusions: The use of pH alone for the detection of acid reflux is very sensitive but lacks specificity compared with MII-pH. pH alone may overdiagnose abnormal acid reflux in up to 22% of tested patients. Also, the use of pH for the detection of WAR has poor sensitivity.
Moral Beliefs, Isolation from Peers, and Abstention from Delinquency

Criminological research has established that the vast majority of young people engage in some level of delinquency and drug use during the period of adolescence. Thus young people who completely refrain from delinquency and drug use are atypical and, as such, are deserving of scientific scrutiny. Perhaps because they have been impressed by the statistical abnormality of delinquency abstention, some researchers have explained this behavior in terms of the characterological abnormality of abstainers, arguing that abstention may be less the result of positive characteristics (such as strong moral beliefs) than the result of pathological traits that serve to isolate abstainers from their peers. In this study, data from a large survey of adolescents are used to help assess the respective roles of moral beliefs and peer isolation in delinquency abstention. The findings challenge certain previous interpretations of delinquency abstention and shed additional light on the forces that help to sustain adolescent con...
Numerical method for computing nonlinear, time dependent, buoyant circulation of air in rooms

A method is described which solves the dynamic equations for air circulation at Grashof numbers that are in the range of environmental temperatures of rooms. Previous two-dimensional computation techniques were limited to G ≅ 105 but environmental conditions require G ≅ 1012. The higher Grashof numbers become calculable through the design of a mixed system of nonlinear difference equations which has purely leading-phase-error properties. In addition provision is made for nonlinear stability by explicitly programming cross derivative terms in lieu of employing "time splitting." The isotropic behavior achieved through time splitting is retained by the system of difference equations. Details of the required algorithms are included.
SIMPLE CARBON-FIBER-REINFORCED-PLASTIC-CONFINED CONCRETE MODEL FOR MOMENT-CURVATURE ANALYSIS

This paper presents a simple model to calculate concrete properties for reinforced concrete members that are confined by carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) sheets. The model simplifies and incorporates formulas from some of the existing models. Results are examined for typical circular and square columns with a range of cross-section dimensions and axial loads. Results demonstrate that the proposed simple model is quite sufficient in calculating moment-curvature relationships of CFRP-confined members.
Contribution of chaperones to STAT pathway signaling

Aberrant STAT signaling is associated with the development and progression of many cancers and immune related diseases. Recent findings demonstrate that proteostasis modulators under clinical investigation for cancer therapy have a significant impact on STAT signaling, which may be critical for mediating their anti-cancer effects. Chaperones are critical for protein folding, stability and function and, thus, play an essential role in the maintenance of proteostasis. In this review we discuss the role of chaperones in STAT and tyrosine kinase (TK) protein folding, modulation of STAT and TK activity, and degradation of TKs. We highlight the important role of chaperones in STAT signaling, and how this knowledge has provided a framework for the development of new therapeutic avenues of targeting STAT signaling related pathologies.
Highly Effective Water-Soluble Fluorescence Quenchers of Conjugated Polymer Thin Films in Aqueous Environments

Guy D. Joly, Lars Geiger, Steven E. Kooi, andTimothy M. Swager*Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology, 77 Massachusetts AVenue,Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139ReceiVed July 18, 2006ReVised Manuscript ReceiVed August 15, 2006Conjugated polymers have found excellent use as sensorymaterials.
Dispersion of the nonlinear optical susceptibility of n-type germanium

Abstract We observe a strong impurity-induced resonance in the third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility of n-type germanium. Our observations are used to obtain the cross-sections for electronic Raman scattering between the valley-orbit split 1s states of phosphorus and arsenic donors near 10 μm. Good agreement is found between measurements and calculations. The possibility of obtaining tunable impurity Raman laser action in n-type germanium is discussed.
Risks, Writing, Memory, and Intentions: Reflections on the Process of Creating Introductory Texts on Buddhism and Hinduism

This essay is intended to assist other scholars who might be writing or thinking about beginning to write an introductory textbook for use in college-level courses. After recently completing contracts to produce four texts, this essay is an attempt to share my experience with others in order to make potential authors more aware of the publishing process and the kinds of things that one might have to consider or encounter.
To the end! Distribution of attention along a tool in peri- and extrapersonal space

This study investigated the distribution of visual attention along a handheld tool depending on functional tool practice and its position in peripersonal or extrapersonal space. We created a tool with two functional parts placed at the tool’s middle and end. Participants held the tool over a display such that functional parts were aligned with stimuli for a 50/50, go/no-go, target detection task. In Experiment 1, two groups with no prior tool experience performed the task either in peripersonal (near the body; tool held horizontally) or extrapersonal space (beyond arms’ reach; tool held straight). Faster response times (RTs) were found for targets at the tool’s end and for the peripersonal space group. In Experiment 2, participants used the tool’s middle part in a hockey-like game prior to the task to assess functional practice effects. Again, faster RTs were found for targets at the tool’s end and in peripersonal space. However, a tool part × space interaction suggested that mid-tool practice reduced performance differences between tool parts but only in peripersonal space. Experiment 3 confirmed the interaction effect when mid-tool practice was constrained to only extrapersonal space. Results suggest that visual attention is naturally drawn to the tool’s end but that functional tool use can redistribute attention when positioned in peripersonal space. In extrapersonal space, no change was found suggesting that the extension of peripersonal space is not uniform in regards to visual attention and that the visual attention component is perhaps dissociable from the remapping of spatial representation by tools.
Comparison of Ellman's reagent with N-(1-pyrenyl)maleimide for the determination of free sulfhydryl groups in reduced cellobiohydrolase I from Trichoderma reesei

The enzyme cellobiohydrolase I (CBH I) from Trichoderma reesei was treated with 5 mM dithiothreitol at different pH values in order to reduce some or all of its 12 disulfide bridges. A discrepancy was found in the number of free sulfhydryl (SH) groups generated upon the reduction of CBH I when they were measured using N-(1-pyrenyl)maleimide (PM) or Ellman's reagent, 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid). For example, the number of SH mol generated/mol CBH I at pH 8.5 was determined to be 16 and < 1 when measured using PM or Ellman's reagent, respectively. The low value obtained with Ellman's reagent may be due to the electrostatic repulsion between the carboxylic acid groups in CBH I and those in Ellman's reagent. The fluorimetric assay used for determining SH molecules in reduced CBH I, based on their reaction with PM, is described.
EPR of Mn2+-doped Co0.5Zn0.5SO4.7H2O and Co0.5Zn0.5SiF6.6H2O: Co2+ spin-lattice relaxation time

Abstract X-band EPR measurements on Mn2+ -doped single crystals of Co0.5Zn0.5SO4.7H2O and Co0.5Zn0.5SiF6.6H2O have been performed from room temperature to liquid-nitrogen temperature. The spin-Hamiltonian parameters are estimated using a rigorous least-squares fitting technique, employing numerical diagnalization of the spin-Hamiltonian matrix. The variation of linewidths as a function of temperature has been studied in detail, and the spin-lattice relaxation times of the host Co2+ ions have been estimated from the probe Mn2+ EPR linewidths. The relaxation times, indeed, support the fact that in these hosts the important mechanism for Mn2+ linewidth is the host (Co2+) spin-lattice relaxation. Further, the present EPR data indicate that CoSO4.7H2O crystal is isomorphous to ZnSO4.7H2O.
Syntactic orphans and adoptees: unattached participles. I. Mischievous intruders

Danglers jeopardize meaning. That is a basic English sentence: subject-verb-object. Sentence variety (and therefore literary style) derives from the expansion and modification of that basic sentence pattern. One form of modification is the verbal phrase: participial (Inserted carelessly, danglers jeopardize meaning); gerund (By disrupting grammatical relations, danglers jeopardize meaning); infinitive (To maintain grammatical and semantic integrity, the careful writer avoids unattached verbal elements). Verbals, although formed from verbs, have some characteristics that differ from them. Unlike verbs, they cannot change in person or number and, with few exceptions, cannot form an independent predication or assertion. Because these dependent elements must be related to a substantive word (headword) in the independent clause, they can confound meaning and mar style when they are thoughtlessly inserted in a sentence. Certain grammatical infelicities that pass unnoticed in speech may appear slovenly and objectionable in writing, or may cause the reader to pause or stumble. The contraints in writing are more rigorous than in speech, and properly so, since the listener can ask for any clarification needed, whereas the reader must rely solely on graphic symbols. The immediacy of speech, as well as its nonverbal elements (facial expression, gesture, pitch, tone, volume, juncture), further facilitates comprehension. Moreover, the permanence of published writing deserves durable language and structure that can be understood by future generations.
Retailing's dinosaurs: Department stores and supermarkets

T he two great institutions of American retailing, the department store and the supermarket, are slowly slipping into extinction. The glorious histories of these two venerable institutions--introduced to the American marketplace by Macy's and Wanamaker in the 1860s as traditional department stores and by King Kullen in the 1930s as conventional supermarkets--are highly significant in retailing's development. At typical department stores, American shoppers have been pampered with average to quite good quality merchandise, customer service levels from medium to high, and pricing from moderate to above average on their clothing, home furnishings, and household goods purchases. The supermarkets have offered lowcost, low-margin, high-volume, self-service operations to satisfy the consumer's total requirements for food and household maintenance products. Both of these establishments presented to the American consumer the convenience of one-stop shopping. However, changes in the demographic, economic, physical, technological, political, and cultural environments have rendered these institutions obsolete as the American shopper's life-style has changed. Perhaps the size and distribution complexities required to completely operate these impersonal mammoth department stores and supermarkets have contributed to their impending demise. In recent years, both of these institutions have radically altered their physical formats to accommodate the changing needs and wants of the American consumer in an environment of evolving technologies. The proliferation of store formats has paralleled the advent of increasingly intricate technologies and expertise required to efficiently operate the diverse departments of the department stores and supermarkets. They were added to satisfy the insatiable appetite of a more educated, affluent, and demanding marketplace, The rugged individualists who created and developed the original department stores and supermarkets in the United States have left a heritage to Those who own and manage supermarkets and department stores must change many ways of doing business if they are to keep their institutions alive.
Multilevel Simulations of Health Delivery Systems: A Prospective Tool for Policy, Strategy, Planning, and Management

Computer simulations are effective tools for addressing enterprise transformation in terms of alternative organizational policies, operating procedures, and allocations of resources. We present a multilevel approach to computationally model health delivery enterprises. This approach is illustrated by its application to an employer-based prevention and wellness program. The decision of interest in this application concerns the design of prevention and wellness programs that are self-sustaining and provide a positive return on investment for the overall enterprise. The nature of this decision is shown to have enormous implications for how delivery services are organized.
Polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism inferred from fatty acid compositions of the diets and tissues of the gypsy moth lymant ria dispar

Abstract 1. 1. Phospholipid fatty acid compositions of whole animals from all life stages of the gypsy moth Lymantria dispar and the fatty acid compositions of total lipids of their larval culture medium were determined. 2. 2. The major components of the larval diet and the insect tissues were the C16 and C18 saturated and unsaturated fatty acids that are expected in plant and insect lipids. 3. 3. The fatty acid profiles of the insects and of their larval diet were different. 4. 4. There were small differences in fatty acid profiles of phospholipids and triacylglycerols from different life stages of the gypsy moths, and substantial differences between phospholipids and triacylglycerols within life stages. 5. 5. Certain C18 and C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that were not present in the diets were detected in the insect tissue phospholipids. 6. 6. Biosynthesis of certain PUFAs from 18:2n-6 and from 18:3n-3 is inferred from these observations.
Partial purification and amino acid sequence analysis of endometriosis protein-II (ENDO-II) reveals homology with tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1).

De novo synthesized endometriosis protein-II (ENDO-II; M(r) 28,000 to 32,000; pI 7.0 to 9.0) was partially purified from rat endometriotic tissue culture media using affinity chromatography and two-dimensional SDS-PAGE. The protein was electrophoretically transferred to polyvinyl difluoride membranes which were stained with Coomassie blue R-250. The stained protein corresponding to ENDO-II (M(r) 28,000 to 32,000; pI 7.0 to 9.0) was cut from the membranes for amino acid sequencing. Partial amino acid sequence was determined by automated Edman degradation using a gas phase sequencer and phenylthiohydantoin analyzer. Sequence analysis of ENDO-II yielded 25 residues: C S C A P T H P Q T A F C N S D L V I R K F M G. Comparison to sequence databanks demonstrated significant homology with rat (100%) and human (84%) tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1). Western blot analysis using a TIMP-1 antibody confirmed amino acid sequence analysis. In conclusion, ENDO-II shares sequence homology with TIMP-1 and...
The legacy of the ‘care challenge’: re‐envisioning the outcome of the justice‐care debate

The ‘care challenge’ to moral psychology, articulated in the justice‐care debate, has been borne out in a number of ways. Empirically, claims regarding gender difference in use of justice and care reasoning, gender bias claims regarding early forms of Kohlberg's scoring manual and claims regarding the centrality of cultural conceptions of masculinity and femininity to moral psychology have all been established. Conceptually, six hallmarks of the care challenge have now become commonplace assumptions in moral psychology. It is argued that theorists in Character Education, Social‐Emotional Learning and Positive Psychology now generally accept the moral legitimacy of the ethic of care and the scientific legitimacy of the relational psychology underlying it. In retrospect, the ‘care challenge’ had an evolutionary effect on the field, helping theorists and social scientists of all kinds to create more philosophically inclusive and psychologically realistic conceptions of moral engagement in the moment and mora...
Modification of simian virus 40 large tumor antigen by glycosylation

The SV40-encoded transforming protein, large tumor antigen (T-ag), is multifunctional. Chemical modifications of the T-ag polypeptide may be important for its multifunctional capacity. T-ag is additionally modified by glycosylation. T-ag was metabolically labeled in SV40-infected cells with tritiated galactose or glucosamine, but not with mannose or fucose. The identity of glycosylated T-ag was established by immunoprecipitation with a variety of T-ag-specific antisera, including monoclonal antibodies. Incorporation of labeled sugar into T-ag was inhibited in the presence of excess unlabeled sugars, but not in the presence of excess unlabeled amino acids. Labeled monosaccharides could be preferentially removed from T-ag with a mixture of glycosidic enzymes. In addition, galactose was removed from purified T-ag by acid hydrolysis and identified as such by thin-layer chromatography. T-ag oligosaccharides were resistant to treatment with EndoH, and glycosylation was not inhibited by tunicamycin. Together, these data strongly suggest that T-ag is glycosylated. Several characteristics, including lack of mannose labeling, EndoH resistance, and tunicamycin resistance, suggest that T-ag is not an N-linked glycoprotein. Rather, these properties are more consistent with the identification of T-ag as an O-linked glycoprotein.
A branch-and-bound algorithm for the solution of chemical production scheduling MIP models using parallel computing

Abstract Exploiting multiple cores in a computer or grid of computers can reduce the time required to solve a mixed-integer programming (MIP) model. Here, we develop a parallel branch-and-bound algorithm for a chemical production scheduling problem using a discrete-time model. The algorithm consists of initialization, submission, branching, collection, bounding, and pruning steps. We branch by adding a constraint to bound the total number of times each task runs. Each subproblem is solved as an MIP on a single core of a computer, so that many sub problems can be solved simultaneously. Also, we propose an algorithm, executed at each node of our branch-and-bound tree, to improve the bounds on the number of times a task is run based on the current objective value. We present computational results for several instances to show the parallel algorithm with the proposed branching strategy can solve more challenging problems than simply using the default parallel option.
Mitochondrial myopathy associated with a novel mutation in mtDNA

A 6-year-old boy had progressive muscle weakness since age 4 and emotional problems diagnosed as Asperger syndrome. His mother and two older siblings are in good health and there is no family history of neuromuscular disorders. Muscle biopsy showed ragged-red and cytochrome coxidase (COX)-negative fibers. Respiratory chain activities were reduced for all enzymes containing mtDNA-encoded subunits, especially COX. Sequence analysis of the 22 tRNA genes revealed a novel G10406A base substitution, which was heteroplasmic in multiple tissues of the patient by RFLP analysis (muscle, 96%; urinary sediment, 94%; cheek mucosa, 36%; blood, 29%). The mutation was not detected in any accessible tissues from his mother or siblings. It appears that this mutation arose de novo in the proband, probably early in embryogenesis.
Control of potato wart disease through the application of chemical soil treatments: a historical review of early studies (1909‐1928)

Chemical control of potato wart disease was investigated during the spread of the disease in the first three decades of this century. The principal areas of investigation were the UK and the USA. In UK, protection was attempted but was largely unsuccessful. In USA, the strategy was that of eradication and succeeded through the massive use of toxic chemicals. Protection appeared to fail because of insufficient knowledge of the biology of the causal agent and the inability to target chemicals successfully. In all, over 600 treatments were found in the literature, and included more than 110 inorganic, organic and proprietary compounds. On the basis of this review, a proposal is made to use biological means for control.
THE ADULT PERSONALITY OF CHILDHOOD INCEST VICTIMS

This is a further report on a group of 30 incest survivors we wrote about in 1994. Here, we report on measures of personality derived from the Apperceptive Personality Test, which contains many variables similar to those on the one we reported in 1994. On both measures, incest survivors can be characterized as having more negative perceptions and self-descriptions than the comparison group.
Reinfection of potato seed stocks with potato virus S and potato virus X in Wisconsin.

Reinfection of potato seed stocks with the potato viruses S (PVS) and X (PVX) varied with cultivar, virus, and grower. Rapid recontamination was observed for the cultivars Norgold Russet and Ontario with PVS and for the cultivars LaChipper, Norchip, and Norgold Russet with PVX. Recontamination was low for the cultivars LaChipper and Monona with PVS and for the cultivars Kennebec, Monona, Norland, and Superior with PVX. Survey results suggest that PVS and/or PVX can be eliminated from cultivars which appear to possess field resistance to infection, but that further evaluation of cultivars which are very susceptible to reinfection will be necessary.
Interaction of specific antibody precursor cells in vitro with a bacterial somatic antigen.

Es gelingt durch niedertourige Differentialzentrifugierung normaler Milzzellen der Maus, in vitro mitE.-coli-Suspensionen inkubiert, den Grobteil der Vorlaufer Antikorper bildender Zellen abzutrennen, welche zusammen mitE. coli spezifische Agglutinine bilden konnten. Dies war durch Erfassung bakterieller «Kolonieverklumpung» in Empfanger-Mausen zu bestimmen.
SU-E-T-51: Patient Collision Detection in Proton Therapy during Treatment Planning Phase

Purpose: Collision detection of the patient with the proton gantry during treatment planning phase can reduce re‐planning effort and patient setup time. The collision detection in proton therapy should account for specific proton gantry design, treatment beam configuration, and patient geometry. Methods: The coordinates of the surface contour of the gantry head were captured from the proton CAD design and reconstructed relative to the isocenter. This reconstruction accounts for patient specific gantry rotation, snout position, collimator rotation and compensator dimensions based on patient's treatment plan. The patient's body contour and couch, captured from the CT structure DICOM file and CAD design, were also reconstructed relative to the isocenter while considering the couch angle from the treatment plan. The ray‐casting algorithm was applied to monitor collisions by determining if any of the patient and couch body points falls into the polygon formed by the proton gantry spatial contour. Results: A software program was developed for patient/couch‐gantry collision detection in proton therapy. We have successfully predicted collisions in real and artificially constructed treatment plan cases. The collision detection program is being clinically validated as an accurate and quick method to predict patient‐gantry collision in proton therapy. Conclusions: An accurate and quick patient‐specific collision detection program for proton therapy can be implemented and applied in treatment planning phase using proton CAD design and patient CTimages.
The role of the family in the assessment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Abstract The family plays an essential and primary role in the assessment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. This article seeks to provide the clinician with an understanding of the families of children with ADHD and how the functioning of the family might impact the outcome of assessment. It does so by discussing the role of the family in the assessment process within the context of current standards of practice, examining the characteristics and functioning of families of children with ADHD, and reviewing the issues in the use of parents and children as informants in the assessment of ADHD. With the latter, the factors which influence parent report, the reliability of parents and children as informants, and the correspondence of parents, children, and other informants are discussed.
Absorption of carbohydrates from the intestine of the rat

Abstract Intestinal absorption of sixteen carbohydrates was studied using cannulated intestinal segments of rats. The carbohydrates studied included all of the d -aldo-hexoses and d -aldopentoses as well as l -xylose, l -arabinose, d -glucosamine and N- acetyl - d - glucosamine . Of these, only d -glucose, d -galactose, and d -allose were rapidly absorbed.
Entrepreneurship, taxation and capital investment

Augmenting a standard Bewley model with an entrepreneurial sector and occupational heterogeneity allows us to study important channels through which fiscal policies affect aggregate variables, factor prices, wealth distribution and welfare. To disentangle the forces involved, we consider flexible forms of taxation that distinguish between sources of income. Our quantitative analysis shows that reducing the tax burden on capital formation stimulates investment, but the effects vary depending on whether we target entrepreneurial capital or non-entrepreneurial capital. A low tax on capital income from savings increases the aggregate capital stock and production, but it also raises the opportunity cost of business investment. General equilibrium effects further discourage entrepreneurial investment due to a higher wage cost and a compensating tax increase on other sources of income. The reform is most effective when we reduce the tax on business income. A flat business tax of 10% will raise entrepreneurial investment by 20% in the long run. Workers also benefit as the wage increases by 5%. However, the adjustment costs associated with the transition make political support for such reforms difficult.
A single amino acid substitution responsible for altered flagellar morphology.

Abstract Mutants of Bacillus subtilis 168 lacking the long-period helix in their flagella have been isolated. Purified flagella from these cells have been studied by physical, immunological and chemical techniques. Straight flagella mutants are non-motile, yet their locomotor organelles appear to have the same fine structure and adsorption characteristics for phage PBS 1 as the wild type. Immunologically the two structures appear to be identical. A single peptide difference has been found in fingerprints of tryptic digests of flagellins from the mutants. The amino acid substitution responsible for this change was the exchange of alanine for valine in the altered dipeptide.
Regulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation in cultured rat striatal neurons

Recent studies demonstrate that activation of Ca2+-permeable N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors upregulates phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in heterologous cells and neurons. In cultured rat striatal neurons, the present work systematically evaluated the role of a number of protein kinases in forming a signaling cascade transducing NMDA receptor signals to MAPKs. It was found that a brief NMDA application consistently induced rapid and transient phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), a best characterized subclass of MAPKs. This ERK1/2 phosphorylation was resistant to the inhibition of protein kinase C, p38 MAPK, cyclin-dependent kinase 5, receptor tyrosine kinase (epidermal growth factor receptors), or non-receptor tyrosine kinases (including Src) by their selective inhibitors. However, the increase in ERK1/2 phosphorylation was partially blocked by a protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor. The inhibitors for Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) completely blocked the NMDA-stimulated ERK1/2 phosphorylation. In an attempt to characterize the sequential role of CaMK and PI3-kinase, we found that NMDA increased PI3-kinase phosphorylation on Tyr508, which kinetically corresponded to the ERK1/2 phosphorylation and was blocked by the CaMK inhibitor. These results indicate that the protein kinases are differentially involved in linking NMDA receptors to ERK1/2 in striatal neurons.
Five-year follow-up after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric and partial ileal bypass for treatment of morbid obesity and uncontrolled hyperlipidemia.

Background Morbid obesity is associated with significant co-morbid illnesses and mortality. Hyperlipidemia is strongly associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) is a proven and effective procedure for the treatment of morbid obesity and its related co-morbid illnesses. In a randomized prospective clinical trial, partial ileal bypass showed sustained control of hyperlipidemia and reduced comorbidities. Given risks of surgery, pharmacologic agents are the current primary therapy for hyperlipidemia. However, a morbidly obese patient with medically refractory hyperlipidemia may benefit from a combined laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and partial ileal bypass. We are describing the first case of a totally laparoscopic approach. Methods A 56-year-old female patient with morbid obesity (BMI 45.2 kg/m 2 ) and medically refractive hyperlipidemia underwent a combined LRYGB and partial ileal bypass in 2002. She was continuously followed for 5 years for weight profile, hyperlipidemia, post-operative complications, and morbidity. Results Five-year follow-up of the patient showed sustained excess body weight loss. Her lipid profile has approached normal ranges with less medication. She experienced no comorbidities related to surgery or hyperlipidemia. Conclusions Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and partial ileal bypass may be the best option for the patient who has morbid obesity and medically refractory hyperlipidemia and should be considered for select patients.
Interactional Ethnography: An Approach to Studying the Social Construction of Literate Practices

What counts as literacy in any group is visible in the actions members take, what they are oriented towards, for what they hold each other accountable, what they accept or reject as preferred responses of others, and how they engage with, interpret and construct text. This article examines the processes through which a set of literate practices were constructed and reconstructed by the teacher and students across five classes for a Year 11 student in a vocationally oriented school in Australia. The comparative analysis of the five classrooms examined what counted as literacy in the Mathematics, Industry Studies Metal, Hospitality and Food Technology and General English. Through analysis of what counted as text, as literate practices, and as participation in each class, we illustrate our research approach, Interactional Ethnography, and provide a theoretical discussion of the relationships between theory and method.
The MUC1 and Galectin-3 Oncoproteins Function in a MicroRNA-Dependent Regulatory Loop

The MUC1 heterodimeric transmembrane glycoprotein is aberrantly overexpressed by diverse human carcinomas. Galectin-3 is a β-galactoside binding protein that has also been associated with the development of human cancers. The present results demonstrate that MUC1 induces galectin-3 expression by a posttranscriptional mechanism. We show that the MUC1 C-terminal subunit is glycosylated on Asn-36 and that this modification is necessary for upregulation of galectin-3. N-glycosylated MUC1-C increases galectin-3 mRNA levels by suppressing expression of the microRNA miR-322 and thereby stabilizing galectin-3 transcripts. The results show that, in turn, galectin-3 binds to MUC1-C at the glycosylated Asn-36 site. The significance of the MUC1-C-galectin-3 interaction is supported by the demonstration that galectin-3 forms a bridge between MUC1 and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and that galectin-3 is essential for EGF-mediated interactions between MUC1 and EGFR. These findings indicate that MUC1 and galectin-3 function as part of a miR-322-dependent regulatory loop.
Where Optics and Fluidics Meet

Optic and fluidic devices have traditionally met in the field of spectroscopy. Both have been radically miniaturized within the past two decades. Here we show some microfabricated lasers and microfluidics with applications in medical analysis.
Capacitively coupled converter (C/sup 3/) for high power DC-DC conversion

The capacitive coupled converter for high-power voltage source DC-DC applications is described. Its steady-state and dynamic behavior are analyzed theoretically and by computer simulation. Factors affecting its operation and control are discussed and some design rules are presented. A proof-of-principle model of the capacitive coupled converter was constructed, and its waveforms were recorded. >
Changes in the blood supply of the gastrointestinal tract in rats with age

Regional blood flow of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and cardiac output have been determined in male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing from 30–726 g. The cardiac output (ml/min per kg) was highest in rats weighing 80–100 g. In heavier rats the cardiac output decreased proportionally with the body weight. The gradient of blood flow to the different parts of the GI tract develops step by step. In the weaning period the blood flow (ml/min per g tissue) through the stomach was less than that through the distal parts of the GI tract. However, the blood flow through the small intestine, cecum and large intestine was uniform at this age. In rats weighing 80–100 g the blood flow through both the cecum and large intestine was less than that through the small intestine. The gradient in blood flow through the various segments of small intestine developed last.
Current orthopaedic treatment of ballistic injuries

The purpose of this review is to examine current orthopaedic treatment of gunshot wounds. Surgeons are increasingly confronted by gunshot wounds that occur in both military and civilian settings. Much of the published work has been from military settings. In the United States, low-energy gunshot wounds are very common, and their incidence is increasing elsewhere in the world. Current treatment and its rationale is reviewed and a systematic approach to the assessment and treatment of these injuries is offered, taking into account the entirety of the injury, rather than simply the velocity of the missile.