cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Cerebellar Cognitive Affective Syndrome in Ataxia-Telangiectasia.

Ataxia-telangiectasia (AT) is an autosomal recessive, multisystem disease causing cerebellar ataxia, mucocutaneous telangiectasias, immunodeficiency, and malignancies. A pilot study reported cognitive and behavioral manifestations characteristic of the cerebellar cognitive affective / Schmahmann syndrome (CCAS). We set out to test and further define these observations because a more comprehensive understanding of the spectrum of impairments in AT is essential for optimal management. Twenty patients (12 males; 9.86 ± 5.5 years, range 4.3 to 23.2) were grouped by age: AT-I (toddlers and preschoolers, n = 7, 4.3–5.9 years), AT-II (school children, n = 7, 5.9–9.8 years), AT-III (adolescents/young adults, n = 6, 12.6–23.2 years). Standard and experimental tests investigated executive, linguistic, visual-spatial, and affective/social-cognitive domains. Results were compared to standard norms and healthy controls. Cognitive changes in AT-I were limited to mild visual-spatial disorganization. Spatial deficits were greater in AT-II, with low average scores on executive function (auditory working memory), expressive language (vocabulary), academic abilities (math, spelling, reading), social cognition (affect recognition from faces), and emotional/psychological processing. Full Scale IQ scores were low average to borderline impaired. AT-III patients had the greatest level of deficits which were evident particularly in spatial skills, executive function (auditory working memory, sequencing, word/color interference, set-shifting, categorization errors, perseveration), academic achievement, social cognition (affect recognition from faces), and behavioral control. Full Scale IQ scores in this group fell in the impaired range, while language was borderline impaired for comprehension, and low average for expression. Cognitive deficits in AT at a young age are mild and limited to visual-spatial functions. More widespread cognitive difficulties emerge with age and disease progression, impacting executive function, spatial skills, affect, and social cognition. Linguistic processing remains mildly affected. Recognition of the CCAS in children with AT may facilitate therapeutic interventions to improve quality of life.
A National Survey on Moral Obligations in Critical Care.

Background Critical care clinicians routinely encounter ethically complex situations. Ethical conflicts sometimes arise from different perspectives regarding goals of care and moral obligations. These conflicts contribute to providers' moral distress and burnout and can erode trust between patients, families, and clinicians. Objectives To explore the most disturbing and most frequent types of ethically complex situations; compare clinicians' perceptions of their own, each other's, and shared moral obligations for providing quality care in these situations; and examine perceptions of communication and teamwork. Methods A national, web-based survey was made available to members of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and the Society for Critical Care Medicine. The survey included rank order, rating, and open-ended questions. Results Nurses and physicians ranked similarly the most frequent and disturbing ethical situations encountered during critical care practice. Nurses and physicians rated similarly physicians' moral obligations, but their ratings of nurses' moral obligations differed, with physicians giving lower ratings. Physicians also were more likely than nurses to report higher levels of trust (90.6% vs 66.8%) and more satisfaction with team communication (81.3% vs 66.9%). Narrative comments revealed embedded, entwined, and sometimes divergent expectations about moral obligations, which interfered with effective teamwork during ethically complex situations. Conclusions Teamwork in critical care would benefit from acknowledgment of and clear communication about role-specific, interdependent, and shared moral obligations. Opportunities for routine, team-based dialogue about ethical aspects of care and moral obligations could reduce role ambiguity and ethical conflicts.
Personalized Pharmacotherapy for Bipolar Disorder: How to Tailor Findings From Randomized Trials to Individual Patient-Level Outcomes.

Bipolar disorder involves diverse features and symptom targets that extend beyond mood alone. RCTs that establish drug efficacy for an overall diagnosis and illness state can help practitioners dev...
The Proper Tax Treatment of the Transfer of a Compensatory Partnership Interest

A partnership interest that is received as payment for past or future services is sometimes referred to as a "compensatory partnership interest." Partnership interests can be divided into two broad categories - profits interests and capital interests. The tax treatment of a compensatory partnership profits interest has been the topic of considerable commentary recently in connection with the receipt of such interests, often referred to as "carried interests," by managers of private equity funds. It is a controversial question as to whether the current tax treatment of those carried interests in private equity funds is bad and should be changed. This Article does not address questions concerning private equity funds. Rather, the focus of this Article is on the more general question of how the receipt of a compensatory partnership interest should be taxed. However, the analysis and conclusions of this Article are relevant to the resolution of the questions concerning the taxation of a manager of a private equity fund. Two of the issues concerning compensatory partnership interests are: (1) whether their value should be included in the recipient's gross income, and (2) how they should be valued for tax purposes. Part III of this Article considers the question of what tax treatment should be applied to the receipt of a compensatory partnership interest. In that connection, the Article describes circumstances in which there is a principled reason not to tax the recipient. Part III also discusses the manner in which a taxable compensatory partnership interest, whether a capital interest or a profits interest, should be valued. Part III discusses the landmark decision of the Second Circuit in McCallister v. Commissioner, and the Third Circuit's recent criticism of that decision in Lattera v. Commissioner. Part IV discusses the question of whether a taxable transfer of a compensatory partnership capital interest causes a constructive sale of part of the partnership's assets. Part V sets forth the Article's conclusions.
Autonomous Control of Pneumatically-Powered Percussive Drilling Through Highly Layered Formations

The ability to rapidly drill through diverse, layered materials can greatly enhance future mine-rescue operations, energy exploration, and underground operations. Pneumatic-percussive drilling holds great promise in this area due to its ability to penetrate very hard materials and potential for portability. Currently such systems require expert operators who require extensive training. We envision future applications where first responders who lack such training can still respond rapidly and safely perform operations. Automated techniques can reduce the dependence on expert operators while increasing efficiency and safety. However, current progress in this area is restricted by the difficulty controlling such systems and the complexity of modeling percussive rock-bit interactions. In this work we develop and experimentally validate a novel intelligent percussive drilling architecture that is tailored to autonomously operate in diverse, layered materials. Our approach combines low-level feedback control, machine learning-based material classification, and on-line optimization. Our experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach and illustrate the performance benefits over conventional methods.
Prospective randomized clinical trial of primary molar crowns: 36-month results.

PURPOSE To clinically evaluate the clinical success of a primary zirconia molar crown, compared with stainless steel crowns (SSCs). METHODS This randomized, controlled clinical trial was designed as a split-mouth study. 50 subjects ranging in age from 3-7 years were recruited to provide a total of 50 paired teeth requiring primary molar crowns, each participant receiving a SSC and zirconia crown. Restorations were evaluated at 6-, 12-, 24-, and 36-month recall appointments examining the following criteria: gingival health, estimate of the degree crown was high in occlusion, surface roughness, staining on crown surface, wear of opposing arch tooth, color match, anatomic form, marginal integrity, marginal discoloration, proximal contact area, secondary caries at crown margin and parent/guardian satisfaction with crown appearance. RESULTS The 36-month follow up included 23 subjects (46%). 35 crowns (35%) were evaluated; of the 18 zirconia crowns and 17 SSCs, there were no failures at the 36-month evaluation. The only significant differences in the parameters evaluated were parent satisfaction, with the zirconia crown preference (P< 0.05) and gingival health, with the zirconia crowns having healthy adjacent gingiva (P< 0.01). The 36-month results indicated that zirconia primary molar crowns performed similarly to an established SSC for restoration of primary molars. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The findings from this study indicated that at 36 months, NuSmile ZR zirconia crowns clinically performed as well as stainless steel crowns.
Buddhist deities and Mantras in the Hindu Tantras : II The Śrīvidyārnavatantra and the Tantrasāra

Cet article est la deuxieme partie d'une etude sur les divinites bouddhistes et les mantras dans les Tantras hindous. L'A. y aborde les mantras bouddhistes qu'il a identifies dans deux textes : le Srīvidyārnavatantra (SVT), attribue a Vidyāranya Yati, et le Tantrasāra de Agamavāgīsa. Ces deux textes sont des compilations de Tantras plus anciens, dont certains sont perdus. L'A. combine ici l'etude du TS et du SVT, parce que plusieurs textes, cites dans le TS comme dignes de foi sur le culte de divinites bouddhistes et de mantras, sont aussi cites dans le SVT.
Developing the C in Content and Language Integrated Learning: Teacher Preparation That Builds Learners’ Content Knowledge and Academic Language Through Teacher Collaboration and Integrated Pedagogical Training

This chapter centres on the professional preparation of English Language Teaching (ELT) professionals in CLIL settings and specifically addresses the preparation of these professionals to effectively develop the types of academic language that students need for successful outcomes in academic settings in the United States. The chapter focuses on the development of academic English at the Pk-12 in the US and how traditional TESOL/ELT degree programmes approach the professional preparation of educators. The focus is on CLIL settings (North American K-12 context), where the focus is on the teaching of language and content simultaneously in formal academic settings and where teachers primarily see themselves as teaching both language and content.
Low-fidelity method for rapid aerostructural optimisation and design-space exploration of planar wings

During early phases of wing design, analytic and low-fidelity methods are often used to identify promising design concepts. In many cases, solutions obtained using these methods provide intuition about the design space that is not easily obtained using higher-fidelity methods. This is especially true for aerostructural design. However, many analytic and low-fidelity aerostructural solutions are limited in application to wings with specific planforms and weight distributions. Here, a numerical method for minimising induced drag with structural constraints is presented that uses approximations that apply to unswept planar wings with arbitrary planforms and weight distributions. The method is applied to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ikhana airframe to show how it can be used for rapid aerostructural optimisation and design-space exploration. The design space around the optimum solution is visualised, and the sensitivity of the optimum solution to changes in weight distribution, structural properties, wing loading and taper ratio is shown. The optimum lift distribution and wing-structure weight for the Ikhana airframe are shown to be in good agreement with analytic solutions. Whereas most modern high-fidelity solvers obtain solutions in a matter of hours, all of the solutions shown here can be obtained in a matter of seconds.
Latino College Presidents: In Their Own Words (2013) by David J. León and Rubén O. Martinez (Editors) Bingley, U.K.: Emerald Group Publishing Limited

This book review examines Latino College Presidents: In Their Own Words (2013), a recent volume edited by David J. Leon and Ruben O. Martinez and part of the “Diversity in Higher Education” series. The volume features 11 bio-professional essays written by current and/or former college and university Latino/a presidents. This collection of stories is particularly relevant to Latino/a graduate students and junior faculty and staff who are seeking insight into the realities of pursuing executive leadership positions in higher education.
Robust deep brain stimulation functional MRI procedures in rats and mice using an MR-compatible tungsten microwire electrode.

Purpose To develop a series of robust and readily adoptable protocols for the application of deep brain stimulation (DBS)-functional MRI (fMRI) in rodents. Methods DBS-fMRI procedures were conducted in rat and mouse under varying anesthetic conditions (isoflurane in rat and mouse, α-chloralose in rat). A homemade two-channel tungsten microwire electrode was used to minimize magnetic susceptibility artifacts, and was targeted to the ventral posteromedial (VPM) thalamus for DBS-fMRI scanning procedures. Results Compared with a commercially available MR-compatible electrode, the tungsten microwire generated greatly reduced magnetic-susceptibility artifacts. In the rat, VPM-DBS using the microwire electrode resulted in robust positive blood-oxygen-level-dependent signal changes in somatosensory cortex that were relatively independent of anesthetic type. In the mouse, VPM-DBS similarly generated large, positive neurovascular responses in somatosensory cortex that were detected using cerebral blood volume measurements. Conclusion Collectively, this work describes reasonable and easily adoptable procedures for conducting DBS-fMRI studies in rodent models. The protocols developed herein may be extended to study DBS effects under numerous experimental conditions and at varying stimulation targets. Magn Reson Med 73:1246–1251, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Crime and Punishment in Renaissance Florence

This paper centers attention on available records that best reflect the sentiments and behavioral manifestations of those sentiments concerned with the treatment of criminal offenders in Florence, Italy, during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Florence is regarded as the birthplace of the Renaissance spirit, and the history of punishment there in this period has basic relevance to the development of methods dealing with persons who committed crimes. Many of the historical details which this study contains are reasonably well known, others are new or newly uncovered. The sociological implications of these details are less widely recognized. The view that crime and punishment of any period are not divorced from their social and cultural context is commonplace, but there are few empirical studies of this relationship. In general terms, this paper is an empirical examination of the genesis and development of some of the cultural values which underlie the social reaction to crime during the Early Renaissance in Florence.ii
Video Super-Resolution by Adaptive Kernel Regression

A novel approach for super-resolution using kernel regression technique is presented in this paper. The new algorithm uses several low resolution video frames to estimate unknown pixels in a high resolution frame using kernel regression employing adaptive Gaussian kernel. Experiments conducted on several video streams to evaluate the effect of the proposed algorithm showed improved performance when compared with other state of the art techniques. This resolution enhancement technique is simple and easy to implement and it can be used as a software alternative to obtain high quality and high resolution video streams from low resolution versions.
Classroom Experience about Cartooning as Assessment in Pre-service Mathematics Content Course

Elementary Education pre-service teachers are noted for disliking and even fearing mathematics, so a teaching strategy that increases their enjoyment of mathematics learning must be a powerful one, indeed. When the same strategy can also support problem posing and assess mathematical knowledge and reasoning, providing an occasional alternative to testing, it becomes something to share with other teachers. In this article, we share our experiences with having students represent their understanding of mathematical concepts through cartooning in a Mathematics Education course for Early Childhood Education pre-service teachers. We believe these strategies will work with much younger students, and we suggest future avenues for refining the technique. Data for this study include the cartoons students produced and their answers to a survey on the process of using cartoons to represent their mathematical understanding.
Steroid-protein interactions. XXIV. Progesterone-binding affinity of isoelectric variants of human 1 -acid glycoprotein.

Abstract Human plasma α1-acid glycoprotein (orosomucoid) was separated by isoelectric focusing into five variant fractions which had the isoelectric points (pI): 3.0, 3.2, 3.4, 3.5, and 3.6. The pI 3.5 and 3.6 species were not obtained in sufficient quantity for characterization. The variants of pI 3.0, 3.2, and 3.4 together constituted about 90% of the α1-acid glycoprotein obtained from pooled serum. Each of these three variants was found as the predominant species in sera of single donors. The physicochemical analyses of the three principal variants showed no significant differences in the s0.5%20,w values (2.93 S), the absorptivities, A1 cm1% at 278 nm (9.3), and the total content of hexose (14%), hexosamine (13%), or total sugar (40 to 41%). However, the sialic acid content decreased from 12.5 ± 0.5% in the most acidic to 11.3 ± 0.5% in the least acidic variant. On the basis of the amino acid analyses, the pI 3.4 species contains less glutamic acid than the other variants. Material focusing at pH 2.0 was found to be an artifact formed during electrofocusing. Equilibrium dialysis at 4° showed that each of the variants studied had one principal binding site for progesterone and that the binding affinities of the species pI 3.0 (k = 10.4 x 105 m-1) and pI 3.2 (k = 9.2 x 105 m-1) were indistinguishable from that established for the pure glycoprotein isolated from a serum pool. However, the pI 3.4 variant bound progesterone with a significantly lower affinity (k = 6.7 x 105 m-1). The dissimilarities in binding affinity were confirmed independently by ultraviolet difference spectrophotometry.
Impedance characterization of dielectric horn antennas using FDTD

In this paper, we perform a detailed study of the input impedance of dielectric horn antennas with a two conical plate transmission line as a launcher, using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. Dielectric antennas are well known for having properties such as increased directivity, reduced sidelobe level, and wide bandwidth. These properties are particularly attractive for ground penetrating radar (GPR) applications.
LEP Physics and the Early Universe

I review the implications of the Z decay measurements at LEP (and SLC) for the early universe: (a) The Z width measurements, when combined with non-accelerator data rule out GeV range Dirac neutrinos, Majorana neutrinos, and sneutrinos as WIMP dark matter, rule out most explicit “cosmions”, and strongly constrain neutralinos. When combined with data from other experiments, this implies that any WIMP is likely to be heavier than 10-20 GeV, and could easily be in the O(100 GeV-1 TeV) region; (b) The limit on Nv, when combined with big-bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) estimates, is consistent with both baryonic and non-baryonic dark matter and allows one to probe the consistency of BBN itself; (c) direct searches for WIMPs will probably require new detectors, sensitive to spin dependent interactions on possibly heavy targets, with event rates which could be 3-4 orders of magnitude smaller than those expected at present detectors; (d) limits on the Higgs and the top quark also have an impact on possible new processes in the early universe.
A Consensus Forecast for Tropical Cyclone Gale Wind Radii

AbstractThe National Hurricane Center (NHC) has been forecasting gale force wind radii for many years, and more recently (starting in 2004) began routine postanalysis or “best tracking” of the maximum radial extent of gale [34 knots (kt; 1 kt = 0.514 m s−1)] force winds in compass quadrants surrounding the tropical cyclone (wind radii). At approximately the same time, a statistical wind radii forecast, based solely on climatology and persistence, was implemented so that wind radii forecasts could be evaluated for skill. If the best-track gale radii are used as ground truth (even accounting for random errors in the analyses), the skill of the NHC forecasts appears to be improving at 2- and 3-day lead times, suggesting that the guidance has also improved. In this paper several NWP models are evaluated for their skill, an equally weighted average or “consensus” of the model forecasts is constructed, and finally the consensus skill is evaluated. The results are similar to what is found with tropical cyclone t...
Identification of teratogenic polymethoxy-1-alkenes from Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii, and taxonomically diverse freshwater cyanobacteria and green algae

Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii is among the most commonly recognized toxigenic cyanobacteria associated with harmful algal blooms (HAB) in freshwater systems, and specifically associated with multiple water-soluble toxins. Lipophilic metabolites from C. raciborskii, however, were previously shown to exert teratogenicity (i.e. inhibition of vertebrate development) in the zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo model, specifically suggesting the presence of additional bioactive compounds unrelated to the currently known toxins. In the present study, a series of known teratogenic polymethoxy-1-alkenes (PMA) were identified, purified and chemically characterized from an otherwise well-characterized strain of toxigenic C. raciborskii. Although PMA have been previously identified in other cyanobacteria, this is the first time they have been identified from this recognized HAB species. Following their identification from C. raciborskii, the taxonomic distribution of the PMA was additionally investigated by chemical screening of a freshwater algal (i.e. cyanobacteria, green algal) culture collection. Screening suggests that these compounds are distributed among phylogenetically diverse taxa. Furthermore, parallel screening of the algal culture collection, using the zebrafish embryo model of teratogenicity, the presence of PMA was found to closely correlate with developmental toxicity of these diverse algal isolates. Taken together, the data suggest PMA contribute to the toxicity of C. raciborskii, as well as apparently several other taxonomically disparate cyanobacterial and green algal genera, and may, accordingly, contribute to the toxicity of diverse freshwater HAB.
Is the Oregon rationing plan fair

THE OREGON Basic Health Services Act mandates universal access to basic care, but includes rationing services to those individuals who are Medicaid recipients. If no new resources are added, the plan may make current Medicaid recipients worse off, but still reduce inequality between the poor and the rest of society. If resources are expanded and benefits given appropriate rankings, no one may be worse off; though inequality will be reduced, alternative reforms might reduce it even further. Whether the outcome seems fair then depends on how much priority to the well-being of the poor we believe justice requires; it also depends on political judgments about the feasibility of alternative strategies for achieving more egalitarian reforms. Oregon makes rationing public and explicit, as justice requires, but it is not clear how community values influence the ranking of services; ultimately, the rationing process is fair only if we may rely on the
Measuring implementation outcome: beyond success and failure

Abstract This paper proposes a framework for measuring the impact of a computer-based application in an organization. Recognizing the complexity of the implementation process, the framework is multi-dimensional: it seeks to measure the outcome of an implementation effort on both the people and tasks affected as separate from user's definition of “success”. The framework can be used to support either the quantitative or case study methodologies used in implementation research. Finally, the authors describe a field test of the framework to demonstrate its usefulness in an organizational setting.
Small Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Particles Contain Glycoproteins Recognized by Rheumatic Disease-Associated Autoantibodies:

Proteins from U1 and U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) particles, which are common targets of autoantibodies found in some rheumatic diseases, were analysed for the presence of glycans. A glycan detection assay revealed that the U1-specific proteins 68K and A and the U2-specific protein B" are glycosylated. However, none of the Sm proteins, which are common to all the major snRNP particles, showed a detectable level of glycosylation. With the use of specific lectins, an analysis of the particular carbohydrate(s) attached to the U1 snRNP 68K protein demonstrated the presence of at least one N-linked oligosaccharide chain. Lectin detection of galactose, glucose, mannose and N-acetylglucosamine on 68K was confirmed by chemical analysis of the carbohydrates. The glycopeptide nature of these antigens may be important for understanding the role of autoantigens in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorder.
Production of Energy-dependent Time Delays in Impulsive Solar Flare Hard X-Ray Emission by Short-Duration Spectral Index Variations

Cross-correlation techniques have been used recently to study the relative timing of solar flare hard X-ray emission at different energies. These studies find that for the majority of the impulsive flares observed with BATSE there is a systematic time delay of a few tens of milliseconds between low (≈ 50 keV) and higher energy emission (≈ 100 keV). These time delays have been interpreted as energy-dependent time-of-flight differences for electron propagation from the corona, where they are accelerated, to the chromosphere, where the bulk of the hard X-rays are emitted. We show in this paper that cross-correlation methods fail if the spectral index of the flare is not constant. BATSE channel ratios typically display variations of factors of 2 to 5 over time intervals as short as a few seconds. Using simulated and observed data, we demonstrate that cross-correlating energy channels with identical timing characteristics, but with variations in the amplitudes of one or a small number of relatively strong emission spikes, produces asymmetric time delays of either sign. The reported time delays are therefore largely due to spectral index variations and are not signatures of time-of-flight effects.
Prothrombin in the newborn infant

Summary The effect in hypoprothrombinemic newborn infants of intravenous administration of a large dosage of 2-methyl-1, 4-naphthoquinone in soluble form was studied. Of fifty-four normal newborn infants, ten who exhibited the various degrees of prothrombin deficiency, from moderate to severe, were chosen as subjects. Two milligrams of 2-methyl-1, 4-naphthoquinone in soluble form were administered intravenously to each of these ten infants. Prothrombin determinations, using Quick's method, were performed after one-half, one, one and one-half, two, and three hours. An additional determination was done after twenty-four hours or at a varying interval there-after. Within one and one-half hours all ten infants showed a definite prothrombin elevation. However, in the individual cases, variations, in the rapidity of response occurred. Three infants responded within one-half hour, four more within one-hour, and the remaining three within one and one-half hours. Within twenty-four hours the prothrombin concentration was within the normal range of 70 per cent to 100 per cent and was maintained thereafter for the several days studied. There appeared to be no relationship between the rapidity of the initial prothrombin response and the degree of severity of hypoprothrombinemia. Three hours after therapy the prothrombin concentration of those infants with an original moderate hypoprothrombinemia was at a higher level than in those who originally had a severe hypoprothrombinemia. A dosage of 2 mg. of 2-methyl-1, 4-naphthoquinone in soluble form administered intravenously produces a prothrombin response in hypoprothrombinemic infants no more rapidly than a dosage of 1 mg. The intravenous administration of from 1 to 2 mg. of 2-methyl-1, 4-naphthoquinone in soluble form produces a prothrombin elevation within one and one-half hours in hypoprothrombinemic newborn infants. It would follow, therefore, that the intravenous route of naphthoquinone administration is the preferable procedure in the treatment of hemorrhagic disease of the newborn. Preparations for transfusion should be made at the same time so that blood may be given without delay if the necessity should arise.
Personality in 100,000 Words: A large-scale analysis of personality and word use among bloggers

Previous studies have found systematic associations between personality and individual differences in word use. Such studies have typically focused on broad associations between major personality domains and aggregate word categories, potentially masking more specific associations. Here I report the results of a large-scale analysis of personality and word use in a large sample of blogs (N=694). The size of the dataset enabled pervasive correlations with personality to be identified for a broad range of lexical variables, including both aggregate word categories and individual English words. The results replicated category-level findings from previous offline studies, identified numerous novel associations at both a categorical and single-word level, and underscored the value of complementary approaches to the study of personality and word use.
Building Student Trust in Online Learning Environments.

As online learning continues to gain widespread attention and thrive as a legitimate alternative to classroom instruction, educational institutions and online instructors face the challenge of building and sustaining student trust in online learning environments. The present study represents an attempt to address the challenge by identifying the social and technical factors that can likely induce or influence students’ perception about the trustworthiness of an online course and integrating the factors into a socio-technical framework that can be empirically validated. The methodology used and the data obtained from a university-wide survey conducted in an American university are reported in this article. Feedback from students with disabilities was further investigated, and the result has important implications for our understanding of disabled students’ acceptance for online learning.
A large strain plasticity model for implicit finite element analyses

The theoretical basis and numerical implementation of a plasticity model suitable for finite strains and rotations are described. The constitutive equations governing J2 flow theory are formulated using strains-stresses and their rates defined on the unrotated frame of reference. Unlike models based on the classical Jaumann (or corotational) stress rate, the present model predicts physically acceptable responses for homogeneous deformations of exceedingly large magnitude. The associated numerical algorithms accommodate the large strain increments that arise in finite-element formulations employing an implicit solution of the global equilibrium equations. The resulting computational framework divorces the finite rotation effects on strain-stress rates from integration of the rates to update the material response over a load (time) step. Consequently, all of the numerical refinements developed previously for small-strain plasticity (radial return with subincrementation, plane stress modifications, kinematic hardening, consistent tangent operators) are utilized without modification. Details of the numerical algorithms are provided including the necessary transformation matrices and additional techniques required for finite deformations in plane stress. Several numerical examples are presented to illustrate the realistic responses predicted by the model and the robustness of the numerical procedures.
Secondary Structure of Organophosphorus Hydrolase in Solution and in Langmuir−Blodgett Film Studied by Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy

The secondary structure of organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH) has been studied with circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy in the far-UV region. The effect of pH on the secondary structure of OPH solution was examined over the pH range from 3.56 to 9.60. As shown on the CD spectra, the secondary structure of OPH is well defined when the pH value is near the isoelectric point (7.6); however, it is destroyed when the pH values are increased or decreased further. This is explained by the loss of helical structure. The pH effect on CD spectra contributes to clarify the optimum pH needed to obtain a stable OPH Langmuir film at the air−water interface and its correlation to the secondary structure of the enzyme. Comparative study of the thermal treatment on the secondary structure of OPH in solution, Langmuir−Blodgett film, and dry film shows that the molecular arrangement plays a dominant role in the thermal stability of OPH. With use of the CDPro software package a quantitative estimation of the secondary structu...
UNMODELING MINORITIES: THE SIKH TEMPLE MASSACRE AND THE QUESTION OF SECURITY

Long subjected to racial profiling as potential terrorists, Sikhs have now become targets of a physical assault that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation has labeled ‘domestic terrorism’. On 5 Au...
The posterolateral plica: a cause of refractory lateral elbow pain

Lateral epicondylitis is one of the most common upper extremity pain syndromes. We report the results of patients in whom conservative treatment was unsuccessful and who were finally treated arthroscopically for symptomatic plicae. Ten patients (mean age, 40 years [range, 18-60 years]) who were misdiagnosed as having lateral epicondylitis were included in this study. Examination revealed the site of maximal tenderness to be posterior to the lateral epicondyle and centered at the posterior radiocapitellar joint. Preoperatively, all patients received conservative treatment (physical therapy or corticosteroid injections [or both]). The mean follow-up was 25 months (range, 6-68 months). The mean score on the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire was 9 (range, 0-37). Preoperatively, 7 patients had full elbow range of motion; however, in 3 patients, there was a loss of extension at the elbow ranging from 7° to 20° preoperatively. The range of elbow motion was full in all patients postoperatively. No patient demonstrated posterolateral pain after the operation. Synovial plicae of the elbow may be the cause of lateral elbow pain in patients with vague clinical symptoms. Arthroscopic management may provide a successful treatment option for such patients.
Finite Element Modeling of Superplastic Forming in the Presence of Back Pressure

It is established that some superplastic materials undergo significant cavitation during deformation. Cavitation not only limits the superplastic ductility of the material, but also reduces the service properties and the fatigue performance of the formed parts. Experimental results have shown that an effective method to eliminate cavitation is the application of hydrostatic pressure during deformation. In this work, finite element simulations are carried out to study the effects of hydrostatic pressure on damage evolution during SPF. The analysis is conducted for the superplastic copper based alloy Coronze-638 at 550 °C. The results clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the superimposition of hydrostatic pressure in reducing the amount of cavities generated during SPF and improving the integrity of the formed part.
Evolutionary Perspectives on the Nature of Sibling Conflict: the Impact of Sex, Relatedness, and Co-residence

Our siblings can be our closest allies and yet are often our first rivals. What factors influence the nature of these relationships, and are there certain aspects that make our siblings more likely to be a source of conflict rather than solidarity? From an adaptationist perspective, sibling conflict should vary in frequency and intensity as a function of degree of relatedness. For example, conflict should be most frequent and intense between non-biological and step-siblings while conflict between full biological siblings should be least frequent and intense with half-sibling conflict being of an intermediate degree. This study examines levels of sibling conflict as a function of sex of participant, sex of sibling, degree of relatedness, and length of co-residence as well as self-reported sources of conflict. Results indicate that genetic relatedness does influence the frequency and intensity of conflict, though the most intense conflict was between non-biological siblings and the least was between half-siblings.
A new component from Eupatorium cannabinum

A new compound of formula C 28 H 48 O with mp 179-180°C (aqueous ethanol) that was called eucanbin was isolated pure by column chromatography of the ethanol extract of the aerial part of Eupatorium cannabinum L. The structure 24α-methylcholest-20(21)-en-3β-ol was assigned based on chemical and spectral data.
Paxillin's LD4 motif interacts with bcl-2.

bcl-2 is the founding member of a family of proteins which influences cell survival in response to a variety of stimuli including those from growth factor receptors and integrins. However, how these activities are coordinated through bcl-2 requires further investigation. bcl-2 interacts with paxillin, potentially linking cell survival and cell adhesive pathways. Paxillin is an adapter protein implicated in growth factor and integrin-mediated signal transduction pathways. Previous work in this laboratory demonstrated that loss of bcl-2 affects cell adhesion and migration characteristics of renal epithelial cells, perhaps through disruption of its interaction with paxillin. Here studies were performed to determine the bcl-2 binding motif in paxillin. The amino-terminal portion of paxillin, specifically its LD4 motif, was found to associate with bcl-2. However, the amino-terminal portion of paxillin with the LD4 domain deleted did not associate with bcl-2. The corresponding LD motif in other paxillin family members, Hic-5 and leupaxin, did not associate with bcl-2. Mutations in paxillin's LD4 motif made to mimic Hic-5 and leupaxin LD4-like motifs (E268 R or S272 H) abolished its association with bcl-2. Incubation of embryonic kidneys with paxillin's LD4 motif disrupted ureteric bud branching and morphogenesis, while incubation with the comparable Hic-5 LD motif did not significantly affect morphogenesis. These data suggest that paxillin's association with bcl-2 plays a unique role during kidney development that other paxillin family members may not be able to fulfill. J. Cell. Physiol. 214: 655–661, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Synthesis and Characterization of DNA-Modified Silicon (111) Surfaces

Hydrogen-terminated Si(111) surfaces are modified by attachment of oligodeoxynucleotides and characterized with respect to DNA surface density, chemical stability, and DNA hybridization binding specificity. Surface functionalization employs the reaction of ω-unsaturated alkyl esters with the Si(111) surface using UV irradiation. Cleavage of the ester using potassium tert-butoxide yields a carboxyl-modified surface, which serves as a substrate for the attachment of DNA by means of an electrostatically adsorbed layer of polylysine and attachment of thiol-modified DNA using a heterobifunctional cross-linker. The resultant DNA-modified surfaces are shown to exhibit excellent specificity and chemical stability under the conditions of DNA hybridization. This work provides an avenue for the development of devices in which the exquisite binding specificity of biomolecular recognition is directly coupled to semiconductor devices.
THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF PROSTHETICS IN HERNIA SURGERY

Since the time of Bassini, surgeons have looked for techniques and applicable prostheses to improve the results of hernia surgery. This article records the historical parade of biomaterials used in this endeavor from the earliest use of sliver wire coils to the current popular prostheses in use today, each prosthesis is reviewed with respect to its introduction, popularization, clinical use, and ultimate failure. Current prosthetic biomaterials are compared in detail. The quest for the ideal material to reinforce or bridge abdominal wall defects is discussed.
A rapid highly sensitive technique for the determination of ammonia in seawater

A reliable and sensitive technique for the rapid determination of ammonia in seawater is described. The procedure is based on the conversion of NH 4 + in seawater to NH3 and the subsequent diffusion of NH3 across a hydrophobic membrane using flow-injection analysis. Sixty determinations can be made per hour on a flowing stream of seawater or discrete samples. The lower limit of detection is 0.05 μM. Results of two applications that demonstrate the potential of this technique are presented, a laboratory excretion experiment employing the crabPachygrapsus crassipes, and small-scale vertical mapping of ammonia in the ocean.
Composition Dependent Ionic Conductivity in ß''-Alumina

Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out in an attempt to reproduce and explain the differing composition dependencies of the ionic conductivities of Na(I)-Ba(II)- and Na(I)-Sr(II)- s' '-alumina. Impedance spectroscopy measurements of Na 1.67 -2 x Ba x Mg 0.67 Al 10.33 O 17 , where x = 0.0 - 0.835, showed a distinct minimum in the conductivity when x = 0.67, or 80% exchange of Ba(II) for Na(I). Evidence for mobile cation ordering at that composition was seen in the simulation results and the general change in conductivity with Ba(II) content was reproduced rather well. The results of a similar experimental study of Na(I)-Sr(II)-s' '-alumina did not show a minimum in the conductivity, but our simulations incorrectly predicted the Sr(II) system to behave in the same fashion as the Ba(II) system. Possible reasons for this discrepancy are suggested, including problems with transferring potentials between oxides and the influence of absorbed water on the experimental results.
The instantaneous center of rotation of the third lumbar intervertebral joint

Abstract It has been suggested that disc degeneration is partly due to torsional strains and that under such loading, the axial rotation of the disc is close to its geometric centre. To investigate this, it was decided to determine the instantaneous center of rotation of the L 3 - L 4 disc. Torque was applied to the body of the L 3 - L 4 disc and multiple photographs taken of the prepositioned pointers. It was found that the instantaneous center of rotation of the L 3 - L 4 disc was anterior to the facet joints and in the region of the posterior part of the nucleus; further, the center of rotation tended to move towards the side to which rotation was forced. It was concluded that movement of the center of rotation was due to free play in the joint and that the position of the center of rotation was such as to ensure a safe level of stress to all components of the joint.
Acute and Chronic Effects of 3,4-Dimethoxyphenylacetamide on Plasma Glucose and Cholesterol in Rats

One hour after a single intraperitoneal dose of 50–200 mg./kg. of 3,4-dimethoxyphenylacetamide to satiated and 24-hr, fasted rats, plasma glucose was markedly increased but plasma cholesterol was reliably decreased only by the highest dose in one of two studies with satiated animals. At 24 hr. after the 10th daily oral drug administration, plasma cholesterol of rats was unaffected by 3,4-dimethoxyphenylacetamide (100 mg./kg.) but markedly decreased by a standard hypocholesterolemic agent (20,25-diazacholesterol). An acute, toxic effect of 3,4-dimethoxyphenylacetamide was indicated by a marked decrease in spontaneous motor activity and in body weight gain. Contrary to a previous suggestion, 3,4-dimelhoxyphenylacetamide does not appear to be a promising hypocholesterolemic agent; observations of acute hyperglycemia are at least partly attributable to the stressful effects of the toxic doses given.
Transmissible encephalopathies: speculations and realities.

Virtually all transmissible encephalopathies (TSEs), such as scrapie, CJD, and BSE, are caused by a type of infectious particle that remains enigmatic. The language of prion theory supersedes the reality of what is, and what is not known. This review questions the predictive value, consistency and accuracy of this now dominant assumption. Many people believe the normal cellular prion protein (PrP) self-converts into an infectious amyloid protein or prion. Although the amyloidogenic capacity of proteins is well established, the concept of an infectious protein without nucleic acid was "revolutionary." Diverse experiments have repeatedly shown, however, that this protein alone, in any form, is incapable of reproducing transmissible infection. In contrast, the infectious agent copurifies with many other molecules, including nucleic acids, while it separates from the majority of PrP. The infectious particle has a homogeneous viral size of ~25 nm, and infectivity is markedly reduced by conditions that disrupt ...
Successful treatment of pulmonary zygomycosis in two transplant recipients with liposomal amphotericin B and partial surgical resection followed by posaconazole

Summary Pulmonary zygomycosis is a relatively uncommon complication of solid organ or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation and has a high associated mortality. Optimal therapy consists of complete resection of infected tissue and treatment with amphotericin B (AmB). We describe two patients, one of whom underwent orthotopic heart transplantation and the other who received a peripheral blood stem cell transplant, who were diagnosed with invasive pulmonary zygomycosis. Both patients were treated with a liposomal preparation of AmB and early partial resection of the infected structures followed by prolonged posaconazole maintenance therapy. Despite incomplete resection, this treatment regimen resulted in a favourable outcome in both patients, including survival of more than 17 months in one patient at last follow up. For patients in whom complete resection of pulmonary zygomycosis is not possible, subtotal resection and treatment with liposomal AmB followed by therapy with posaconazole may be an effective treatment option.