cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elderly support in rural and suburban villages: implications for future support system in China.

Abstract This study compares current elderly support between rural and suburban elderly, drawn from a 1987 and 1989 cluster sample involving 6 Chinese villages purposely selected to reflect geographic variations and different standards of living. The results of the study indicate that social support for the elderly through pension and subsidy is improving, particularly in suburban villages where there is greater level of economic development and there are increasingly more industrial enterprises. The current pension or subsidy status is mainly a function of the presence of well-developed economy (as represented by our proxy variables RURALITY, and PRIORJOB). In terms of family support, our study shows it serves largely as a substitute for social support. Elderly not receiving pension support are more likely to recieve monetary support from their children. The implications of these findings are analyzed in the context of the socioeconomic and demographic transitions in China and alternative solutions to elder support are discussed.
Progesterone action and responses in the αERKO mouse

Ovarian steroids have important inter-related roles in many systems and processes required for mammalian reproduction. The female reproductive tract, ovaries, and mammary glands are all targets for both estrogen and progesterone. In addition, the actions of these hormones are intertwined in that, for example, progesterone attenuates the proliferative effect of estrogen in the uterus, whereas estrogen also induces the progesterone receptor (PR) mRNA and protein, thus enhancing progesterone actions. The generation of mice that lacks the progesterone receptor (PRKO) or the estrogen receptoralpha (alphaERKO) has provided numerous insights into the interacting roles of these hormones. The mammary glands of the PRKO mice develop with full epithelial ducts that lack side branching and lobular alveolar structures, whereas the alphaERKO mice develop only an epithelial rudiment. This indicates that estrogen is important for ductal morphogenesis, whereas progesterone is required for ductal branching and alveolar development. Both the alphaERKO and PRKO mice are also anovulatory, but exhibit different causal pathologies. The alphaERKO ovary seems to possess follicles up to the preantral stage and shows a polycystic phenotype as a result of chronic hyperstimulation by LH. The PRKO follicles seem to develop to an ovulatory stage, but are unable to rupture, indicating a role for progesterone in ovulation. The uteri of these two strains seem to develop normally; however, the function and hormone responses are abnormal in each. Because estrogen is known to induce PRs in the uterus, the progesterone responsiveness of the alphaERKO uterus was characterized. PR mRNA was detected but was not up-regulated by estrogen in the alphaERKO tissue. PRs are present in the alphaERKO tissue at 60% of the level in wild-type tissue and show a similar amount of A and B isoforms when measured by R5020 binding and detected by Western blotting. The PRs were able to mediate induction of two progesterone-responsive uterine genes: calcitonin and amphiregulin. The alphaERKO uterine tissue was also able to undergo a decidual reaction in response to hormonal and intraluminal treatments to mimic implantation; however, unlike normal wild-type uteri, this response was estrogen independent in the alphaERKO uterine tissue.
Particle Swarm Optimization Approach with Parameter-Wise Hill-Climbing Heuristic for Task Allocation of Workflow Applications on the Cloud

Cloud computing provides the computing infrastructure, platform, and software application services that areoffered at low cost from remote data centers accessed overthe internet. This so called "utility computing" is changingthe future of organizations in which their internal servers are discarded in favor of applications accessible in the cloud. One of the challenges workflow applications face is the appropriate allocation of tasks due to the heterogeneous nature of the cloud resources. There are different approaches, which have been proposed in the past to address the NP-complete problem of task allocation. One such approach that successfully addressed the task allocation problem made use of Particle Swarm Optimization(PSO). This paper further improves the performance of PSO by combining PSO with a local search heuristic. In particular, PSO with a parameter-wise hill-climbing heuristic (PSO-HC) for the execution of computationally-intensive as well as I/O-intensive workflows is introduced. Experiments are conducted using Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud as the experimental simulation platform looking at the scalability of CPU-intensive and I/O-intensive workflows in terms of cost and execution time.
An experimental analysis of the role of cytoplasmic fountain streaming in furrow establishment.

During furrow establishment the equatorial cell surface is altered so that it becomes capable of exerting the physical force required for cytokinesis. It has been suggested that the alteration results from deposition of a furrow-organizing substance at the equator by convergence of “fountain streaming” patterns of cytoplasmic flow. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether a fountain streaming pattern is essential for furrow establishment. The shape of sand dollar eggs was altered before the time of furrow establishment in ways that would greatly disrupt fountain streaming. Shapes that should have abolished regions of convergence and shapes that should have created several such regions were created by notching and perforating cells. Furrow establishment took place under circumstances that would be highly unlikely if a fountain streaming pattern of cytoplasmic currents were necessary.
Chronic stress and associated coping strategies among volunteer EMS personnel.

Objective. This study assessed the chronic (everyday) stress experiences andcoping strategies among volunteer Emergency Medical Services personnel. Methods. An anonymous, self-report survey using standardized measures of burnout (the Maslach Burnout Inventory) andcoping (the Coping Mechanisms Checklist) was completed by a convenience sample of volunteer Emergency Medical Services personnel serving one of six participating ambulance companies in Suffolk County, New York. Results. Survey responders included 139 of 175 volunteers who were recruited to participate (response rate = 79%). Alarming percentages of participants scored high on emotional exhaustion (92%) anddepersonalization (99%); however, 75% also reported high levels of personal accomplishment. The use of several coping strategies were concerning. Significant differences were found in coping strategies used between genders andnumber of years served; women were more likely to talk with significant others (97% vs. 81.7%, chi-square = 6.849, p < 0.0...
Optimal Planning of Distributed Sensor Layouts for Collaborative Surveillance

The use of a spatially distributed set of sensors has become a cost-effective approach to achieve surveillance coverage against moving targets. As more sensors are utilized in a collaborative manner, the optimal placement of sensors becomes critical to achieve the most efficient coverage. In this paper, we develop a numerical optimization approach to place distributed sets of sensors to perform surveillance against moving targets over extended areas. In particular, we develop a genetic algorithm solution to find spatial sensor density functions that maximize effectiveness against moving targets, where the surveillance performance of individual sensors is dependent on their absolute position in the region as well as their relative position to both the expected target(s) and any asset that is being protected. The density function representation of optimal sensor locations is shown to provide a computationally efficient method for determining sensor asset location planning. We illustrate the effective performance of this method on numerical examples based on problems of general area surveillance and risk-based surveillance in protection of an asset.
Limiting Screen Time is Not the Key to Parenting in the Digital Age

Too often, mothers and fathers judge their parenting skills by the limits they place on their children’s screen time, an arbitrary restriction on television, video games, and other digital technologies. However, this approach fails to consider the benefits and objectives of various computer-based activities. Media attention on children’s use of electronic devices causes fear and skepticism, but ultimately the mobile and ubiquitous nature of new media will require parents to incorporate a more open attitude while helping their children understand and make sense of the new digital literacies.
On sets not containing arithmetic progressions of a certain kind

Abstract The density of sets not containing a diagonal, a special type of arithmetic progression, is investigated. A lower bound on this density is established which sharpens a result of Alspach, Brown, and Hell ( J. London Math. Soc. 13 (2) (1976), 226–334.
DiGeorge anomaly: a comparative study of the clinical and immunologic characteristics of patients positive and negative by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Abstract Background: DiGeorge anomaly (DGA) is defined as a field defect characterized by dysmorphic facies, hypoparathyroidism, congenital heart defects, and a deficiency in cell-mediated immunity, usually associated with a microdeletion in chromosome 22q11.2. Data correlating clinical and genetic information, especially in terms of the extent of the immunodeficiency and infectious complications, are scant. Objective: The goal of this study was to define the severity of the immunodeficiency and infectious illnesses in DGA patients with characteristic clinical and genetic findings and compare them with a similar group of patients without a microdeletion in chromosome 22q11.2. Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients referred for evaluation of DGA to our immunology service from 1989 to 1995 was conducted. Clinical and immunologic data were collected from their initial evaluation. Patients meeting at least 3 of 4 of these criteria were considered to meet strict clinical diagnostic criteria for DGA, and the results of analysis for a microdeletion in chromosome 22q11.2 for each patient was noted. Results: Sixteen of the 22 patients meeting strict clinical criteria for DGA were available for analysis for the microdeletion at chromosome 22q.11.2. Of these, 13 (81%) were positive by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH); 9 of 13 (69%) had low CD3 numbers, 6 of 10 assayed (60%) had low thymulin levels; 10 of 13 (77%) had low CD4 numbers, and 10 of 12 (83%) had absent or small thymus glands. B cells were increased in 9 of 13 (69%) patients. Mitogen and antigen responses were normal in 6 of 7 (86%) patients tested. Eight of 13 (62%) had a history of increased frequency of infectious illnesses. All had recurrent respiratory infections, including sinusitis, otitis media, and pneumonia. Three of the 16 patients tested (19%) were FISH negative. Two of 3 (67%) had low CD3 and CD4 numbers. B cells were elevated in all patients. All had recurrent respiratory infections, low thymulin levels, and absent thymus glands. Conclusions: Contrary to traditional descriptions, this group of clinically and genetically defined patients with DGA had a predominantly mild cell-mediated immunodeficiency syndrome usually associated with infections characteristic of humoral immunodeficiencies. The patients who were FISH positive did not differ significantly from those that were FISH negative in terms of clinical and immunologic findings or infectious complications. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2000;105:983-7.)
Serum Immunoglobulins Specific for Intracellular Proteins of Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective: To determine an autologous humoral immune response to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) intracellular proteins in patients with SCC. Design: Intracellular proteins were isolated from 25 different cultured SCC lines. The proteins were used as a source of antigens to measure IgA, IgE, and IgG responses in the serum samples of patients and controls. Antibody response was assessed in both unfractionated and fractionated intracellular proteins. Patients: The serum samples of 65 patients with SCC and of 65 age- and gender-matched controls were tested. Results: Antibodies to SCC intracellular proteins were detected in the serum samples of 40 (62%) of the 65 patients with SCC and in the serum samples of 46 (71%) of 65 controls. Thirty (46%) of the patients with SCC and 40 (62%) of the controls had IgE responses, 18 (28%) of the patients and one (2%) of the controls had IgA responses, and 17 (26%) of the patients and 14 (22%) of the controls had IgG responses. An inverse relation was noted between detectable IgE responses and IgA or IgG responses in the patients and the controls. The analysis of antibody response indicated that 28 molecules were recognized predominantly by the serum samples of patients with SCC, but not by the serum samples of controls. Conclusions: A substantial proportion of patients with SCC and of controls exhibited an autologous humoral immune response to SCC intracellular proteins. The IgE responses to SCC intracellular proteins were inversely related to IgA or to IgG responses. Different antibody iso-types normally cause markedly different immune functions, and may suggest different roles for the existent immune responses to SCC antigens. We identified many tumor-associated antigens that were selectively recognized by the serum samples of patients with SCC. These antigens could be used to define molecular studies of immune surveillance and selection, and may represent appropriate targets for immunotherapy. (Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1995;121:183-191)
The 22Ne(d, n) 23Na reaction

Abstract Absolute differential cross sections are determined for 32 states from the 22 Ne(d, n) 23 Na reaction by the neutron time-of-flight method. A gaseous 22 Ne target was bombarded with 5.5 MeV deuterons and angular distributions taken from 0° to 160°. In addition yield curves were taken at a fixed angle of 10° in 0.5 MeV steps from 2.5 to 5.5 MeV. The analysis of both types of data used computer programs for DWBA and compound-nucleus calculations. With two exceptions and three additions the l p values determined in the present experiment agree with those of a recent (τ, d) experiment on the same target nucleus. The two previous (τ, d) experiments show considerable differences in proton transfer strengths to various states. The present experiment agrees well with the one which showed generally lower strengths for individual states, and hence with an assumption of greater spreading of the single-particle strength. The implications of those results on the Nilsson-model scheme for 23 Na are discussed.
Timber and Town: Post-War Federal Forest Policy, Industrial Organization, and Rural Change in Oregon's Illinois Valley

In the recent political furor over disposition of the remaining old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest, focus has been directed at the ecological shortcomings of the federal sustained yield forest management doctrine. This has occurred in part at the expense of evaluation of these policies based on social criteria. Yet the sustained yield paradigm and the post-war compact between private capital and federal forest agencies were justified in part to foster stable rural timber economies. Nowhere has this compact been more significant than in rural Oregon. And yet nowhere are its failings more apparent. The central argument of this paper is that the failure of federal sustained yield policies to sustain rural communities stems from an implicitly naive model of industrial capitalism. By ignoring the inherently destabilizing character of capitalist industry, by further failing to refine the notion of community stability, and by failing to take genuine steps to defend rural society from the upheavals of industrial change, the United States Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management have allowed community stability to languish in the dogged pursuit of accelerated cutting rates. This paper explores industrial change in Oregon's forest products sector in the post-war era of federal sustained yield management, looking specifically at southwest Oregon's Illinois Valley.
Influence of diniconazole on growth and essential oil content of sage and spearmint

Abstract The effect of the fungicide diniconazole on the growth and volatile terpene content of garden sage and scotch spearmint was tested. The growth of both plant species was stunted, and the degree of stunting was dose dependent. Monoterpene levels on a per leaf basis were increased at all dosages in the case of sage, whereas in scotch spearmint lower dosages increased monoterpene levels, but higher dosages or repeated applications reduced them. Monoterpene composition was also altered by diniconazole treatment of sage. The results suggest that monoterpene biosynthesis was influenced either at the cyclization step of monoterpene formation and/or at a stage prior to the committed cyclization of geranyl pyrophosphate. The cytochrome P450-dependent hydroxylation of cyclic monoterpene olefins was not influenced by diniconazole.
SU-FF-T-240: Evaluation of a New Calibration Method for In-Vivo Diodes with Sliding Window IMRT Delivery

Purpose: To evaluate the response of in-vivo diodes for IMRT delivery under new calibration condition. Materials and Method: In-vivo diodes (QED p-type, 6–12 MV and 15–25 MV, Sun Nuclear Inc) with model 1131 dosimeter were calibrated with actual patient IMRT (sliding window technique) treatment fields (hereafter referred to as IMRT diodes). A 6–12 MV diode was placed on top of a solid water phantom at 100 cm SSD with an ion chamber (Capintec PR-06) at dmax. First a 10×10 static open field was delivered to obtain the ion chamber reference reading. Then an IMRT breast patient's medial field was delivered, and the ion chamber reading was converted to dose based on the reference reading. This dose number was used to calibrate the diode. A 15–25 MV diode was calibrated the same way with an IMRT prostate's PA field delivered. Regular diodes were calibrated to dmax dose under standard conditions (100 cm SSD, 10×10 FS). The response of both regular and IMRT diodes under IMRT delivery were measured with a farmer chamber at dmax used as reference. Results: Diodes calibrated with the new method, i.e. IMRT diodes over-responded by 2.0% for 18 MV photons and 1.0% for 6 MV photons respectively for IMRT delivery when compared with their corresponding regular diodes, indicating IMRT diodes sensitivity increased by about 2.0% for 18 MV photons and about 1.0% for 6 MV photons respectively. Conclusion: A new method to calibrate diode for IMRT delivery was presented. The responses were compared with regular diodes. IMRT diodes over-responded when compared with regular diodes by 2.0% for 18 MV photons and 1.0% for 6 MV photons with IMRT delivery. The evaluation of field size dependence, gap dependence and SSD dependence of the diodes for IMRT delivery have also been submitted to this conference.
Conformational properties of nucleic acids in solution

Principles which govern the conformational properties of nucleic acid structures in aqueous solution are derived from extensive nuclear magnetic resonance studies of nucleic acid components. These principles are then utilized to project the solution conformation of tRNA.
Toxicity evaluation of Bayluscide and malathion to three developmental stages of freshwater snails.

Laboratory studies were conducted to assess the conditions under which the use of malathion in ricelands of Cameroon may impact the transmission of schistosomiasis.Helisoma trivolvis andBiomphalaria havanensis were selected as test organisms due to the lack of intermediate snail hosts in the U.S. Using Bayluscide® as a reference molluscicidal compound, malathion was tested against snail eggs, juveniles, and adults. Snail eggs were more susceptible to Bayluscide® and malathion than juvenile snails which in turn were more susceptible than adult snails. A Bayluscide® concentration of 0.200 mg/L caused 100% mortality to adults of both snail species after 24 h exposure. This relatively high toxicity of Bayluscide® to freshwater snails is one of the reasons why it has been recommended by the World Health Organization as the molluscicide of choice for control of schistosome-bearing snails. The concentrations of malathion resulting in 100% kill of adult snails after 24 h exposure were 1,200 mg/L forH. trivolvis and 500 mg/L forB. havanensis. After 48 h exposure, these concentrations were reduced to 500 mg/L and 300 mg/L, respectively. Therefore it is expected that the use of malathion for insect control in ricelands of Cameroon may affect the survival of freshwater snails including the intermediate hosts of bilharziasis.
A monte carlo investigation of a statistic for a bivariate missing data problem

Testing the equal means hypothesis of a bivariate normal distribution with homoscedastic varlates when the data are incomplete is considered. If the correlational parameter, ρ, is known, the well-known theory of the general linear model is easily employed to construct the likelihood ratio test for the two sided alternative. A statistic, T, for the case of ρ unknown is proposed by direct analogy to the likelihood ratio statistic when ρ is known. The null and nonnull distribution of T is investigated by Monte Carlo techniques. It is concluded that T may be compared to the conventional t distribution for testing the null hypothesis and that this procedure results in a substantial increase in power-efficiency over the procedure based on the paired t test which ignores the incomplete data. A Monte Carlo comparison to two statistics proposed by Lin and Stivers (1974) suggests that the test based on T is more conservative than either of their statistics.
Process optimization via simulated annealing: Application to network design

Simulated annealing is a multivariable optimization technique based on the Monte Carlo method used in statistical mechanical studies of condensed systems and follows by drawing an analogy between energy minimization in physical systems and costs minimization in design applications. In this paper, simulated annealing is introduced and reviewed. The utility of the method for optimization of chemical processes is illustrated by applying it to the design of pressure relief header networks and heat exchanger networks.
Micro-lensing model for QSO 2237+0305.

We have calculated micro-lensing effects for the four images of QSO 2237+0305 using the macro-lensing model developed by Schneider et al.(1988; STGHSL), with proper surface density and shear for every image. Our computations were done with a new code that makes use of the hierarchical tree method. The high efficiency of this approach allowed us to include a very large number of lensing stars with different masses. Our results show that the observed changes in luminosity of the four images of QS02237+0305 may be interpreted as micro-lens induced.
Losses of mercury from chlorine plants: A review of a pollution problem

The problem of mercury losses from chlorine plants is reviewed. The mercury material balance is difficult to establish because mercury escapes from the process by a number of routes. Some of the reasons for the mercury emissions are explored, and some problems involved in the measurement of mercury in various effluents are discussed. A number of mercury containment processes for specific streams have already been proposed, but the need for an integrated mercury recycle policy still exists.
The changing evaluation of knowledge: A study of introductory sociology textbook reviews, 1895–1979

This study involves an analysis of 276 reviews of introductory Sociology texts published in the American Journal of Sociology, American Sociological Review, and Contemporary Sociology between 1895 and 1979. Criteria used both to praise and critique these works were studied by decade of journal publication. It was found that evaluative criteria proceeded from an emphasis on theoretical classification and pedagogical utility through the importance of clarity, explanation, and objectivity to the contemporary concern with well‐organized, formatted, and stimulating texts. The limitations of this largely formal, pedagogical evaluation of “Introductory Sociology” are discussed in conclusion.
Testing of Intra-Myocardial Cell Therapy in a Large Animal Model of Myocardial Infarction

with a history of CHF who present with ACS. This has been associated with an increase in the use of evidence based therapies in this high risk population. doi:10.1016/j.hlc.2009.05.430
The crystal structure of the N-terminal region of the alpha subunit of translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2alpha) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae provides a view of the loop containing serine 51, the target of the eIF2alpha-specific kinases.

The alpha subunit of translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2alpha) is the target of specific kinases that can phosphorylate a conserved serine residue as part of a mechanism for regulating protein expression at the translational level in eukaryotes. The structure of the 20 kDa N-terminal region of eIF2alpha from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was determined by X-ray crystallography at 2.5A resolution. In most respects, the structure is similar to that of the recently solved human eIF2alpha; the rather elongated protein contains a five-stranded antiparallel beta-barrel in its N-terminal region, followed by an almost entirely helical domain. The S.cerevisiae eIF2alpha lacks a disulfide bridge that is present in the homologous protein in humans and some of the other higher eukaryotes. Interestingly, a conserved loop consisting of residues 51-65 and containing serine 51, the putative phosphorylation site, is visible in the electron density maps of the S.cerevisiae eIF2alpha; most of this functionally important loop was not observed in the crystal structure of the human protein. This loop is relatively exposed to solvent, and contains two short 3(10) helices in addition to some extended structure. Serine 51 is located at the C-terminal end of one of the 3(10) helices and near several conserved positively charged residues. The side-chain of serine 51 is sufficiently exposed so that its phosphorylation would not necessitate a substantial change in the protein structure. The structures and relative positions of residues that have been implicated in kinase binding and in the interaction with guanine nucleotide exchange factor (eIF2B) are described.
Surgeon communication behaviors that lead patients to not recommend the surgeon to family members or friends: Analysis and impact

Background This study analyzes specific elements of physician communication that lead patients to not recommend surgeons to family members or friends (FMoFs). Methods Patients completed questionnaires after surgery clinic encounters. Questionnaires addressed whether surgeons used optimal communication behaviors and whether patients would recommend the surgeon. Results A total of 1,514 questionnaires were completed for 39 surgeons. Patients reported the following communication lapses: failure to ask whether the patient had questions (6.9% of occasions), failure to sit down (6.5%), use of words patients could not understand (5%), failure to educate patients about their condition (4.3%), failure to introduce themselves (4%), lack of interest in patients as persons (2.4%), and inadequacies in answering questions (2%). Surgeons omitted at least one of these optimal behaviors in 16.3% of encounters. Surgeons were not recommended in 1.7% of encounters. Twelve surgeons (31%) were not recommended on at least 1 occasion. Behaviors omitted most commonly in encounters where patients wouldn’t recommend surgeons included failure to show interest in the patient (52%), explain their medical condition (52%), invite questions (40%), and answer questions (36%). Conclusions Extrapolating these results to 1,618 patient visits/surgeon/year, results in the following number of patients annually who do not recommend their surgeons: 15 for failure to adequately explain their medical condition, 15 for failure to show interest in them, 11 for failure to ask if the patient had questions, and 10 for failure to answer questions. Considering the ripple effect due to the number of a patient’s FMoFs, surgeons should be aware of the significant impact of even occasional lapses in optimal communication behaviors.
The Effect of Unsteady Compression and Expansion Waves on a Compressible Boundary Layer

This abstract summarizes the results of an investigation into the effects of finite amplitude acoustic disturbances or weak compression and expansion waves on compressible boundary layers. Specifically, the goal is to provide a theoretical model which predicts the increased heat transfer and skin friction associated with unsteady pressure disturbances. These pressure disturbances, which are produced by combustion instabilities, are present in most combustors. The magnitude of the fluctuating component relative to the stagnation pressure varies from the low acoustic range (0.05 %) to the weak shock range (5 %). The frequencies range from a few hundred Hz. for the longitudinal mode to a few thousand Hz. for the transverse mode. A simple but accurate theoretical model which predicts the enhanced heat transfer and skin friction for a wide range of frequencies and magnitudes is presented. The formulation yielded an unexpected result in that an approximate analytical solution is possible for the laminar flow case.Copyright © 1988 by ASME
New coupling limit for odd nuclei and truncated analog of Stephens basis

Abstract In the SU(3) limit of PTQM for particular intermediate particle-vibration coupling strengths Γ = ± Γ SUSY there arise two complementary coupling limits, denoted as SUSY and coherent-SUSY schemes. The coherent-SUSY pattern is a truncated analog of the Stephens rotation-aligned model and the question of the analog of SUSY-scheme in the rotational model seems still open.
Nitrogen Rate Influence on Pearl Millet Yield, Nitrogen Uptake, and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Nebraska

Abstract Pearl millet is a potential dryland crop for Nebraska. Experiments were conducted in eastern Nebraska in 2000, 2001, and 2002, and in western Nebraska in 2000 and 2001. The objectives were to determine optimum nitrogen (N) rate, N uptake, and N use efficiency (NUE) for pearl millet. The hybrids “68×086R” and “293A×086R” and N rates of 0, 45, 90, and 135 kg N ha−1 were used. Hybrids had similar yield, N uptake and NUE responses. In western Nebraska in 2000, pearl millet yield response to N rate was linear, but the yield increase was only 354 kg ha−1 to application of 135 kg N ha−1. In eastern Nebraska, pearl millet response to N rate was quadratic with maximum grain yields of 4040 in 2001 and 4890 kg ha−1 in 2002 attained with 90 kg N ha−1. The optimum N rate for pearl millet was 90 kg N ha−1 for eastern Nebraska. For western Nebraska, drought may often limit pearl millet's response to N fertilizer.
Mathematics Anxiety and Preservice Elementary Teachers' Confidence to Teach Mathematics and Science

Sixty-five preservice elementary teachers' math anxiety levels and confidence levels to teach elementary mathematics and science were measured. The confidence scores of subjects in different math anxiety groups were compared and the relationships between their math anxiety levels and confidence levels to teach mathematics and science were investigated. The results suggest that low math anxious preservice teachers are more confident to teach elementary mathematics and science than are their peers having higher levels of math anxiety. Negative correlations were found between preservice teachers' math anxiety and their confidence scores to teach elementary mathematics (r = −.638) and between preservice teachers' math anxiety and their confidence scores to teach elementary science (r = -.417). Also, personal math and science teaching self-efficacy scores of participants were found to be correlated at .01 level (r =.549).
A NOTE ON THE CORRELATION RELATIONSHIP AMONG SINGAPORE, HONG KONG AND THE US CAPITAL MARKETS SINCE THE HONG KONG HANDOVER: IMPLICATION FOR INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

In this note, I document the change in correlation between Hong Kong, Singapore and the US financial market indexes using Geweke Measures after the handover of Hong Kong to China. The results show that these relationships have changed significantly. While the feedback relationship between Hong Kong, Singapore and the US markets increase after the handover of Hong Kong, the increases in feedback relationship between Singapore and the US markets is relatively higher compared to the change between Hong Kong and the US markets.
Chemical and biological flocculation of purple sulphur bacteria in anaerobic lagoon effluent

Abstract The dense concentrations of purple sulphur bacteria commonly found in anaerobic lagoons treating sulphide-bearing wastewaters are beneficial in terms of sulphide oxidation and BOD removal, but constitute a significant source of suspended solids which prevents direct discharge of lagoon effluent to receiving waters and interferes with further treatment of lagoon effluent by photosynthetic oxygenation. In this study, chemical and biological flocculation techniques were tested as means for removing Thiopedia rosea , a typical species of purple sulphur bacteria, from anaerobic lagoon effluent. Using aluminium sulphate as a flocculant, significant T. rosea removal and water quality renovation were obtained in a total treatment time of 5 h with an optimum chemical dosage of 1·2 g alum/g TSS. Without addition of chemical flocculant, biological flocculation of T. rosea occurred, reaching a maximum extent in 12 d. The quality of alum flocculated lagoon effluent is sufficient to permit its direct discharge to receiving waters in many cases. However, a substantial quantity of chemically contaminated sludge is produced. Bioflocculated effluent was of lesser quality, but would still represent a significant improvement over untreated lagoon effluent as a substrate for algal production. In addition, the sludge produced from bioflocculation is not chemically contaminated, making its utilization for feed or fertilizer more practicable.
Layer-by-layer nanoparticle coatings on lignocellulose wood microfibers

Abstract The layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly technique was applied to deposit organized multilayers of TiO2 or SiO2 nanoparticles of 30–80 nm diameter, and 50-nm diameter halloysite clay nanotubes on softwood fibers. Fluorescent and scanning electron microscopy images showed complete nanoparticle coating on these fibers. The thickness of the two-layer coating was estimated as 46, 58, and 115 nm for TiO2, SiO2, and halloysite tubules, respectively, which corresponds to ca. 1 wt% nanoparticle loading of the fibers. The brightness test of paper handsheets prepared from nanocoated fibers showed that TiO2 nanoparticle coating gave handsheet reflectance of 84% at 450 nm, which is 4% higher than the brightness of the control sample from virgin fibers. The paper handsheets prepared with nanoparticle-coated fibers had 30–50% higher porosity with tensile strength index retained close to the control sample.
A systematic approach to investigate the impact of nonclinical blood processing deviations on large-molecule drug bioanalysis

During nonclinical regulated toxicology studies, blood processing protocol deviations may negatively impact sample integrity and bioanalytical results. Standard practices for resolution of blood processing issues are not well established across the industry. In this article, using an illustrative example, we present a systematic approach to investigate and assess the impact of nonclinical blood processing protocol deviations that involve: assessment of the potential impact of deviations on toxicokinetic evaluation, performance of additional blood processing stability tests to ensure study sample integrity and establishment of study sample results reporting procedures to meet both scientific and regulatory quality requirements. This thorough and systematic approach can serve as a model for other analogous situations.
Food-Chains and the Food Cycle in Hawaiian Fish Ponds.–Part II. Biotic Interaction

Abstract The food and feeding habits of the influent and subinfluent species (11 fish, 4 shrimps, and 4 crabs) in Hawaiian fish ponds were analyzed to ascertain the biotic interaction. The dominant species were treated in a similar way and reported upon earlier. The ponds are virtually autarchic, and the available food supply is almost totally dependent upon the physical features of the biotope. Microbenthos and detritus were found to support most of the herbivorous species while larger benthos, emergent halophytes, and plankton play minor roles. The animal assemblage within the ponds includes not only herbivores and omnivores but is replete with carnivores, several of which are voracious and reach a large size. Interspecific competition for food and existence is severe. Both mullet and milkfish subsist on microbenthos. Competing also for this source of food are prodigious numbers of poecilids (Mollienesia latipinna and Gambusia affinis) and shrimps which, in turn, form the strongest links in the food cha...
Regulation of B-cell activation by CD45: a question of mechanism

Recent studies have demonstrated that the protein tyrosine phosphatase CD45 plays an integral role in regulation of B-cell function. Most notably, expression of this phosphatase is required for activation of B lymphocytes and entry into the cell cycle. Here, Louis Justement and colleagues review current information concerning the function of CD45 in the B cell. The discussion focuses on two questions that are of central importance: what are the physiological substrates for CD45 and how does reversible tyrosine phosphorylation affect their function?
Culture-independent characterization of the microbiota of the ant lion Myrmeleon mobilis (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae).

Ant lions are insect larvae that feed on the liquefied internal components of insect prey. Prey capture is assisted by the injection of toxins that are reportedly derived from both the insect and bacterial symbionts. These larvae display interesting gut physiology where the midgut is not connected to the hindgut, preventing elimination of solid waste until adulthood. The presence of a discontinuous gut and the potential involvement of bacteria in prey paralyzation suggest an interesting microbial role in ant lion biology; however, the ant lion microbiota has not been described in detail. We therefore performed culture-independent 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of the bacteria associated with tissues of an ant lion, Myrmeleon mobilis. All 222 sequences were identified as Proteobacteria and could be subdivided into two main groups, the α-Proteobacteria with similarity to Wolbachia spp. (75 clones) and the γ-Proteobacteria with similarity to the family Enterobacteriaceae (144 clones). The Enterobacteriaceae-like 16S rRNA gene sequences were most commonly isolated from gut tissue, and Wolbachia-like sequences were predominant in the head and body tissue. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analyses supported the localization of enterics to gut tissue and Wolbachia to nongut tissue. The diversity of sequences isolated from freshly caught, laboratory-fed, and laboratory-starved ant lions were qualitatively similar, although the libraries from each treatment were significantly different (P = 0.05). These results represent the first culture-independent analysis of the microbiota associated with a discontinuous insect gut and suggest that the ant lion microbial community is relatively simple, which may be a reflection of the diet and gut physiology of these insects.
Genetic Effects of Povidone‐Iodine

Povidone-iodine is capable of specifically altering the DNA of living cells. This alteration may result in the induction of mutations of the base-substitution type. Because of the known relationship between mutagenic potential and the ability to induce cancer in animals, the present findings raise serious questions concerning the safety of this topical disinfectant.
An efficient method for computing microstructural evolution of elastically homogeneous media

Abstract A boundary integral method is introduced to study the dynamics of the morphological evolution of a three-dimensional, coherent precipitate in an infinite, elastic matrix. The precipitate evolves diffusionally in which the precipitate–matrix interface satisfies a generalized Gibbs–Thomson boundary condition, accounting for surface energy, elastic and interface kinetic energy. Elastically homogeneous systems, where the precipitate and matrix phases are taken to have the same elastic stiffness tensor of general anisotropy, are considered. A computationally efficient approach, which only involves surface integration, is developed to determine the elastic strain energy due to a misfit strain between the phases. The convergence rate of the numerical method is obtained, and the method is applied to simulate the evolution of a single precipitate in a cubic system. Results show that the number and the stability of equilibrium shapes of the precipitate change as the ratio between the elastic and surface energies is larger than a critical value. For ratios below the critical value, there is unique stable equilibrium shape of cubic symmetry; for a range of values beyond the critical value, at least two kinds of equilibrium shapes exist: one retains cubic symmetry and is metastable, and the other is tetragonal symmetric and more stable.
Confocal Ellipsoidal Reflector System for a Mechanically Scanned Active Terahertz Imager

We present the design of a reflector system that can rapidly scan and refocus a terahertz beam for high-resolution standoff imaging applications. The proposed optical system utilizes a confocal Gregorian geometry with a small mechanical rotating mirror and an axial displacement of the feed. For operation at submillimeter wavelengths and standoff ranges of many meters, the imaging targets are electrically very close to the antenna aperture. Therefore the main reflector surface must be an ellipse, instead of a parabola, in order to achieve the best imaging performance. Here we demonstrate how a simple design equivalence can be used to generalize the design of a Gregorian reflector system based on a paraboloidal main reflector to one with an ellipsoidal main reflector. The system parameters are determined by minimizing the optical path length error, and the results are validated with numerical simulations from the commercial antenna software package GRASP. The system is able to scan the beam over 0.5 m in cross-range at a 25 m standoff range with less than 1% increase of the half-power beam-width.
Quantitative analysis of factors influencing neuronal necrosis induced by MK-801 in the rat posterior cingulate/retrosplenial cortex

A single dose of the non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 (dizocilpine maleate) induces neuronal necrosis in the posterior cingulate/retrosplenial (PC/RS) cortex of adult rats. The present studies further characterized this effect and evaluated several variables that affect its expression. Male and female rats of two strains (Sprague-Dawley and Fischer 344) and two ages (70 and 127 days) were given a single subcutaneous injection of vehicle (water) or MK-801 (0.5, 1.0 or 5.0 mg/kg). A simple behavioral response (recumbency) and number of necrotic neurons in the PC/RS cortex were evaluated. MK-801 induced dose-dependent recumbency which was more severe and of longer duration in females of either strain or age. In addition, female rats (regardless of strain, dose, or age) consistently had significantly more necrotic PC/RS neurons than male rats. In a second study, a high dose of MK-801 was given intraperitoneally (10 mg/kg) to male and female Sprague-Dawley rats (90-120 days of age). Necrotic neuron counts were determined at 5 separate rostrocaudal levels of the PC/RS cortex. At levels where neuronal necrosis occurred, the magnitude of the effect was significantly greater in females than males and the number of necrotic neurons increased along a rostral to caudal gradient. Our findings indicate that (1) MK-801 dose dependently induces recumbency and necrosis of PC/RS cortical neurons in both Sprague-Dawley and Fischer 344 rats, (2) female rats of either strain are more sensitive than their male counterparts, and (3) the extent of necrosis of PC/RS cortical neurons increases along a rostral to caudal gradient.
Pensée 2: The “African” in Africana/Black/African and African American Studies

In Pensee 1, “Africa on My Mind,” Mervat Hatem questions the perceived wisdom of creating the African Studies Association (focused on sub-Saharan Africa) and the Middle East Studies Association a decade later, which “institutionalized the political bifurcation of the African continent into two academic fields.” The cleaving of Africa into separate and distinct parts—a North Africa/Middle East and a sub-Saharan Africa—rendered a great disservice to all Africans: it has fractured dialogue, research, and policy while preventing students and scholars of Africa from articulating a coherent understanding of the continent.
Russian Law:The End of the Soviet System and the Role of Law

Preliminary Observations. Part I: The Soviet System. Part II: The Legal System. The Constitutional Order: from the U.S.S.R. to the Commonwealth of Independent States. The Economic System: from Plan to Market. The Social System. Part III: Legislation. Bibliographical Note. Index.
Bending characteristics of polymethylmethacrylate columns, connecting bars of carbon fiber, titanium, and stainless steel used in external skeletal fixation and an acrylic interface.

Objective: To (1) mechanically evaluate polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) columns of various sizes and compare them to connecting bar materials (carbon fiber composite, titanium, stainless steel) and (2) compare the properties of an intact PMMA column to those of an acrylic interface. Study Design: Experimental mechanical study. Sample Population: Experiment 1: 6 groups of 6 specimens each; experiment 2: 2 groups of 12 specimens each. Methods: All specimens were tested in 3-point bending. Stiffness, yield strength, and ultimate strength values were calculated for each specimen. Results: PMMA 1 columns (23.25 mm) compared favorably to titanium or stainless-steel bars. PMMA 3 columns (30.15 mm) and carbon fiber bars had similar yield strength but PMMA 3 columns were less stiff than carbon fiber bars. PMMA 3 columns had lower bending modulus and a higher variability in their mechanical properties than PMMA 1 or PMMA 2 (25.64 mm) columns. Acrylic interface specimens were less strong but as stiff as intact specimens. Conclusion: An acrylic interface was easily created and had acceptable biomechanical characteristics. Clinical Relevance: PMMA 2 and PMMA 3 columns are not recommended for clinical use at this time. Further tests are needed to analyze an acrylic patch in a more clinically relevant loading model.
Model-driven specification of component-based distributed real-time and embedded systems for verification of systemic QoS properties

The adage "the whole is not equal to the sum of its parts" is very appropriate in the context of verifying a range of systemic properties, such as deadlocks, correctness, and conformance to quality of service (QoS) requirements, for component-based distributed real-time and embedded (DRE) systems. For example, end-to-end worst case response time (WCRT) in component-based DRE systems is not as simple as accumulating WCRT for each individual component in the system because of inherent complexities introduced by the large solution space of possible deployment and configurations. This paper describes a novel process and tool-based artifacts that simplify the formal specification of component-based DRE systems for verification of systemic QoS properties. Our approach is based on the mathematical formalism of Timed Input/Output Automata and uses generative programming techniques for automating the verification of systemic QoS properties for component-based DRE systems.