cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conditioned flavor preferences based on hunger level during original flavor exposure

In five experiments, rats’ preference for a flavor was greater if the flavor had previously been consumed under low rather than high deprivation. This preference was conditioned in as few as three flavor-deprivation pairings (Experiment 1), and persisted through 28 test days, half under each deprivation level (Experiment 2). Rats never preferred the flavor associated with high deprivation even when calories were increased by giving 40 ml of 8% sucrose or when caloric density was increased to the equivalent of 20% sucrose. The preference for the low-deprivation flavor was greater when saccharin solutions were used rather than sucrose solutions, but the preference did emerge when sucrose solutions were used as testing proceeded and when a lower concentration of sucrose was used. We suggest that these preferences may be a result of flavor-taste associations rather than associations between flavors and postingestive consequences, and that the taste of the solutions under low deprivation is preferred to the taste under high deprivation.
Pulsed extraction of ionization from helium buffer gas

The migration of intense ionization created in helium buffer gas under the influence of applied electric fields is considered. First the chemical evolution of the ionization created by fast heavy-ion beams is described. Straight forward estimates of the lifetimes for charge exchange indicate a clear suppression of charge exchange during ion migration in low pressure helium. Then self-consistent calculations of the migration of the ions in the electric field of a gas-filled cell at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) using a particle-in-cell computer code are presented. The results of the calculations are compared to measurements of the extracted ion current caused by beam pulses injected into the NSCL gas cell.
Living with Organisms

Last June, two articles about animals ran in The New York Times within a week of each other. On the face of it, this wouldn't seem odd, especially since there are often articles about animals in the "Science Times" section published every Tuesday. But both these articles appeared in arts sections of the paper. One dealt with the many TV shows featuring animals (Rutenberg 2000) and the other with animals in contemporary art (Boxer 2000). Both emphasized that animals have always appeared on TV (Lassie and Mr. Ed come to mind immediately to someone of my vintage), and there have been animals in art ever since there was art, namely the cave paintings of bison, horses and bears. But as the authors of these articles stress, there seems to be something new about the present interest in animals, an urgency and even an obsessiveness. Perhaps the most famous examples of animals in the art of the 1990s are found in the work of the English artist, Damien Hirst, whose creations include a shark in formaldehyde (The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, 1991) and a pig sliced longitudinally so that its internal organs are visible (This Little Piggy Went to Market, This Little Piggy Stayed Home, 1996), to name just two. In a new show, Hirst is exhibiting, among other works, a 20-foot tall anatomical model of the human body (Schjeldahl 2000). But Hirst is hardly alone in using animals in creating art. In a recent exhibit called "Unnatural Science" held at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, Thomas Grunfeld exhibited a piece called Misfit (St. Bernard) in which the head of a sheep is attached to the body of a dog. More benignly, William Wegman has become famous for his photographs of Weimaraners in hundreds of different poses wearing everything from wigs to flippers. These are only a few examples from a much larger body of work. As Sarah Boxer (2000) notes in her review of this art, animals are being used for very different reasons in such art. In some cases, it is to show the close connections between humans and other species. The fact that we respond to a dog in a wig is an indication of this. In others, the cruelty of humans to animals is obviously being highlighted as is the fact that humans see animals merely as objects for human use. There is also the issue that so many of the animals with which humans choose to surround themselves are, thanks to centuries of selective breeding, essentially human constructs, just as works of art are.
Dapsone induced methemoglobinemia in a patient with glioblastoma

Primary brain tumor patients have multiple risk factors for Pneumocystis jiroveci and may require prophylaxis with TMP-SMZ or dapsone. Although dapsone is generally safe and efficacious, we present a case of a patient diagnosed with a brain stem glioblastoma who developed methemoglobinemia and haemolytic anemia after presenting with worsening confusion and cardiopulmonary system dysfunction. This case highlights one of the potentially severe complications associated with dapsone therapy. Although this illustrates an unusual toxicity of dapsone, a high index of suspicion should be given to high-risk patients due to ethnic heritage, anemia, or advanced age. Furthermore, given the toxicities of TMP-SMZ and dapsone, further work is needed to determine the threshold CD4+ count at which empiric prophylaxis should be initiated.
Shi'i Ideology, Iranian Secular Nationalism and the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988)

In the wake of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran and the ensuing Iraqi invasion of the southern province of Khuzestan, one of the most important initiations of Islamic institutions of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was the creation of the Sepâh-e Pâsdârân-e Enqelâb-e Eslâmi (The Islamic Revolutionary Guard) or SPEE (Rafiqdust 1382/2004:173-4). This revolutionary organisation was Khomeini's answer to the regular standing Iranian army, trained and disciplined under the tight control of the deposed monarch Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, to thwart any effort to destroy the much fought for Revolution and a possible coup d'etat (Menashri 1999:218–219; Katzman 1993). The Ayatollah ordered its creation in the first week of his victory in February 1979 (Rafuqdust 1383/2004:174). ‘Whoever is armed,’ stated the call, ‘can join the Sepâh’ (Rafiqdust 1383/2004:184). The call was put out to start recruiting those who had taken up arms against the Pahlavi regime during the Revolution. Basij-e Enqelâb-e Eslami (Islamic Revolution's Mobilisation Force) or Basij was the organisation born out of SPEE, which was filled with devout, motivated, and faithful Shi'i militants (Globalsecurity.org 2004)). By default, the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988) solidified the Islamic Revolution, and Basij, as a key military body of the new regime, played a major role in this process. This study discusses how the Islamic government of Iran successfully promoted long-learned religious traditions, in this case, the Karbala paradigm and the martyrdom of Imam Hussein in 680 AD to rally support and receive unconditional loyalty of the Basiji (a Basij member) during the Iran-Iraq War. It examines the following two points: first, the idea of self-sacrifice as part of a religious belief, powerfully energised by the use of Shi'i ideology and history; second, the discussion of the amalgamation of secular and religious nationalism, which Ernest
Virulence and recovery of Staphylococcus aureus relevant to the food industry using improvements on traditional approaches

Abstract Staphylococcus aureus is found in a wide variety of habitats, including human skin, where many strains are commensals that may be clinically significant or contaminants of food. A number of factors contribute to the virulence of S. aureus , including deoxyribonuclease (DNase), catalase, lipases, and hemolysins. However, the most notable virulence factors are the enterotoxins. Staphylococcal food poisoning results from consumption of one or more preformed enterotoxins resulting in symptoms of intoxication. In clinical and food settings, S. aureus is found within a high density of other microflora, requiring selective bacteriological media for isolation and enumeration. However, due to sublethal stress placed on food contaminants, including S. aureus during processing, direct detection/enumeration using selective media may underestimate the level of contamination. One option for recovering sublethally injured organisms is an approach using selective agar overlays, a method shown to be effective for coliforms and other common pathogens. This inexpensive variation on the common standard plate count means for enumeration of bacteria in food improves detection sensitivity for cells that may be sublethally injured or stressed from food processing treatments. Therefore, implementation of this as a means for more accurately determining the microbiological quality of foods is met with low cost and general acceptance for smaller food processing operations. The application of this technique, however, has not been largely explored for specific Gram-positive pathogens such as S. aureus , but is perhaps warranted owing to the increasing number of characterized enterotoxins from these strains.
Surface redox properties of Rh/AlPO4 and Rh/AlPO4−SiO2 catalysts

Electron donor and acceptor properties of AlPO4 and AlPO4−SiO2 (20∶80 wt. %) supported rhodium catalysts have been studied. It was observed that the effect of metal deposition on both electron acceptor and donor properties depend on the support and precipitation agent. AlPO4 supported rhodium showed better acoeptor than donor properties, while for Rh/AlPO4−SiO2, the acceptor properties were superior. However, the effect of metal on the redox properties is slight.
The Relationship among the Specification Tests of Hausman, Ramsey, and Chow

Abstract This article describes a relationship between the tests for specification error in regression models introduced by Ramsey (1969) and Hausman (1978). It also shows that the Chow (1960) test for structural shift can be viewed as a special case of specification error tests. This article shows the common structure of these tests. The common basis is the comparison of alternative estimators of regression coefficients. Under the null hypothesis, one estimator is efficient and consistent and the other is consistent. The probability limits of the two estimators are different under the alternative hypothesis.
Bringing science to digital forensics with standardized forensic corpora

Progress in computer forensics research has been limited by the lack of a standardized data sets-corpora-that are available for research purposes. We explain why corpora are needed to further forensic research, present a taxonomy for describing corpora, and announce the availability of several forensic data sets.
Using Culture as a Resource in Mathematics: The Case of Four Mexican-American Prospective Teachers in a Bilingual After-School Program.

This paper explores Mexican–American prospective teachers’ use of culture—defined as social practices and shared experiences—as an instructional resource in mathematics. The setting is an after-school mathematics program for the children of Mexican heritage. Qualitative analysis of the prospective teachers’ and children’s interactions reveals that the nature of the mathematical activities affected how culture was used. When working on the “binder activities,” prospective teachers used culture only in non-mathematical contexts. When working on the “recipes project,” however, culture was used as a resource in mathematical contexts. Implications for the mathematics teacher preparation of Latinas/os are discussed.
Jensen integral inequality approach to stability analysis of continuous-time systems with time-varying delay

The problem of stability analysis for continuous-time systems with time-varying delay is studied. By defining novel Lyapunov functionals and using the Jenson integral inequality, new delay-dependent stability conditions are obtained in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Unlike previous methods, the upper bound of the delay derivative is taken into consideration, and this upper bound is allowed to be greater than or equal to 1. It is proved that the newly proposed criteria may introduce less conservatism than some existing ones. Meanwhile, the computational complexity of the presented stability criteria is reduced greatly since fewer decision variables are involved. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Population-Based Assessment of Determining Treatments for Prostate Cancer.

Importance Many men with indolent prostate cancer often opt for radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy treatment for their disease. These men may experience considerable detriments of quality of life owing to sexual, urinary, and/or rectal toxic effects associated with these treatments. Without a better understanding of the mutable agents and predictors of treatment types, diffusion of expectant management among these men will be slow. Objective To determine population-based predictors for treatment and use of watchful waiting or active surveillance for indolent prostate cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants We used Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)–Medicare linked data. A total of 37 621 men in the general community diagnosed as having prostate cancer from 2004 to 2007 were followed until December 31, 2009. Exposures Watchful waiting or active surveillance, radiation therapy, or radical prostatectomy. Main Outcomes and Measures We used mixed-effects logistic regression analysis to determine the factors associated with aggressive treatment and use of watchful waiting or active surveillance for men with prostate cancer. Results The most common treatment type is radiation therapy (57.9% [95% CI, 57.4%-58.4%]), followed by radical prostatectomy (19.1% [95% CI, 18.7%-19.5%]) and watchful waiting or active surveillance (9.6% [95% CI, 9.3%-9.9%]). Moreover, patients and providers significantly integrate age (odds ratio [OR], 0.32 [95% CI, 0.29–0.35]) and comorbidities (OR, 0.62 [95% CI, 0.56–0.68]) when determining radical prostatectomy, while regional variation (OR, 0.57 [95% CI, 0.47–0.68]) and referral patterns (OR, 44.46 [95% CI, 41.04–48.17]) influence the use of radiation therapy. Patient demographics and tumor characteristics significantly account for 40% of patients undergoing prostatectomy, 12% choosing watchful waiting or active surveillance, and only 3% undergoing radiotherapy. Conclusions and Relevance There is increased use of radiotherapy among patients with indolent prostate cancer with limited to no correlation with tumor biology. Active surveillance was underused, and a significant proportion of the variance was unexplained. Further research into qualitatively describing the contributing factors that drive decision-making recommendations for prostate cancer patients is needed.
Some tests of the consumption-based asset pricing model

Abstract This paper tests a simple version of the consumption-based asset pricing model. Simulations show that when consumption is measured with error tests of the model's restrictions on the serial dependence of a vector of asset returns and consumption growth can be biased towards rejection. These simulations also reveal that, whether or not consumption is measured with error, estimates of a representative individual's relative risk aversion, computed under these restrictions, can be biased downwards substantially in finite samples. Tests of the model's restrictions on the marginal means of a cross-section of returns cannot reject it.
ELASTIC STRAIN AND COLORATION PATTERN IN NATURAL QUARTZ CRYSTALS

Very small elastic strains (tilts of the order of 0.25 sec of arc and dilationsΔd/d≃10−6, whered is the spacing of net planes) have been observed in natural quartz crystals. According to their rocking curves which are of almost theoretical width, these crystals were commonly expected to be practically perfect crystals. On double crystal X-ray topographs a pattern was revealed of uniformly strained layers parallel to the rhombohedron faces (10¯11) and with thickness ranging between 20 and 200 microns. This fine structure strain pattern was correlated to the pattern of the optical coloration which could be produced by irradiating the originally transparent crystals with X-rays. A localincrease of coloration matched with a localcontraction of the lattice. Tilts occurred in transition zones between adjacent layers with slightly different lattice spacings. Strain and coloration patterns probably have as a common cause the deposition of layers with different impurity concentrations during the growth process of the crystals. Although no change of the strain as a result of the X irradiation could be detected in the colored layers in particular, experimental evidence has been found for anoverall expansion of the lattice of the order ofΔd/d≃5×10−7 due to X irradiation. This expansion seems to saturate at this low value and is probably caused by electronic processes connected with the coloration. Some aspects concerning the nature of the color centers have been discussed. It seems likely from the results of the strain measurements that both sets of layers, colored and transparent ones, play a combined role in coloration.
Effect of intermetallic compounds on the properties of tantalum

Abstract Whereas pure tantalum has excellent corrosion-resistance and form-ability, its high-temperature properties and thermal stability are marginal for some intended applications. Traditional approaches for improving these properties have been dispersion and solid-solution strengthening. Modifications of properties via an intermetallic precipitation was not considered until recently. Results of an on-going investigation on the processing and evaluation of silicide-strengthened tantalum are presented. Yttrium-silicide-containing tantalum samples were produced via the P/M method. Evaluation consisted in microstructural, mechanical, chemical, and functional tests. Results were compared with those of commercially available tantalum. Intermetallics precipitates were found to be very potent in altering these properties. Although the preliminary results are encouraging, extensive functional testing is required to ensure that there is no unexpected adverse effect.
Cognitive diagnostic like approaches using neural-network analysis of serious educational videogames

There has been an increase in student achievement testing focusing on content and not underlying student cognition. This is of concern as student cognition provided for a more generalizable analysis of learning. Through a cognitive diagnostic approach, the authors model the propagation of cognitive attributes related to science learning using Serious Educational Games. One-way to increase the focus on the cognitive aspects of learning that are additional to content learning is through the use cognitive attribute task-based assessments (Cognitive Diagnostics) using an Artificial Neural Network. Results of this study provide a means to examine underlying cognition which, influences successful task completion within science themed SEGs. Results of this study also suggest it is possible to define, measure, and produce a hierarchical model of latent cognitive attributes using a Q-matrix relating virtual SEGs tasks, which are similar to real-life tasks aiding in the modeling of transference. We model the propagation of cognitive attributes used during Educational Games.We examine the underlying attributes thought to influence successful completion.Neural-Network analysis suggests the presence of hierarchical cognitive attributes.Evaluation of the factors found in matrix Q indicates process similar to real-life.
Purification and characterization of porcine heart type 2A protein phosphatases.

Abstract Protein phosphatases 2A1 and 2A2 were isolated from porcine heart tissue extracts by precipitation at pH 5.0 and separated by chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel. Phosphatase 2A1 was then purified to apparent homogeneity by chromatography on phenyl-Sepharose, aminohexyl-Sepharose, Sephacryl S-300, and L-tyrosine-agarose. Phosphatase 2A2 was purified to apparent homogeneity by chromatography on phenyl-Sepharose, DEAE-Sephacel, aminohexyl-Sepharose and L-tyrosine-agarose. Purified phosphatases 2A1 and 2A2 had specific activities of 2200 and 2710 nanomoles of phosphate released from phosphorylase a/mg protein, respectively. The apparent molecular weights of phosphatases 2A1 and 2A2 on gel filtration were 155 and 105 kDa, respectively. Both enzymes contain 70 and 37 kDa subunits and 2A1 also contains a 57 kDa subunit. The 37 kDa catalytic subunit (2AC) was obtained from the purified phosphatases by treatment with room temperature ethanol followed by sucrose density gradient centrifugation or gel filtrati...
Transcranial doppler findings of cerebral vasospasm in preeclampsia

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of preeclampsia and its severity on maternal mean middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity (mean MCA-CBFV) using transcranial doppler sonography (TCD), as well as the effect of magnesium on mean MCA-CBFV in preeclampsia.This study used a prospective, comparative design. TCD was used to examine maternal mean MCA-CBFV in both healthy subjects (controls) and preeclamptic subjects (cases). The two groups were similar in age, gestational age, and parity. Healthy subjects were categorized into three groups: Group I, 6–14 weeks, n = 10; Group 11, 24–40 weeks, n = 27; Group HI, postpartum n = 15, 12–36 h. Serial TCD examinations of the middle cerebral artery were completed in 21 preeclamptic subjects at four different points in time: Time I is an initial measurement before delivery; Time 2 is also before delivery but after magnesium had been administered; Time 3 is postpartum while on magnesium (12–24 h), Time 4 is postpartum off magnesium, (24–48 h).Preecl...
Requirement for math5 in the development of retinal ganglion cells

math5 is a murine orthologue of atonal, a bHLH proneural gene essential for the formation of photoreceptors and chordotonal organs in Drosophila. The expression of math5 coincides with the onset of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) differentiation. Targeted deletion of math5 blocks the initial differentiation of 80% of RGCs and results in an increase in differentiated amacrine cells. Furthermore, the absence of math5 abolishes the retinal expression of brn-3b and the formation of virtually all brn-3b-expressing RGCs. These results imply that math5 is a proneural gene essential for RGC differentiation and that math5 acts upstream to activate brn-3b-dependent differentiation processes in RGCs.
Inhibition of metabolism of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone by dietary benzaldehydes

Abstract As part of a routine screening assay, benzaldehyde was found to inhibit 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) metabolism. Consequently, the effects of benzaldehyde and several structurally related compounds on NNK metabolism were examined in murine hepatic and pulmonary microsomes. All test compounds inhibited formation of the metabolites 4-oxo-4-(3-pyridyl)butyric acid (OPBA), 4-hydroxy-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (HPB), and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) in hepatic microsomes and inhibited formation of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl- N -oxide)-1-butanone (NNK N-oxide), HPB, and NNAL in pulmonary microsomes. m -Anisaldehyde was the most potent inhibitor, and p -hydroxybenzaldehyde and syringaldehyde were less potent than benzaldehyde and vanillin in inhibiting the formation of OPBA and HPB, NNK metabolites that reflect metabolic activation (α-hydroxylation). Vanillin was essentially as potent as benzaldehyde. The mechanism of inhibition exhibited by these compounds appears to be competitive in nature. The ability of these compounds to inhibit NNK activation suggests that these compounds may be effective blocking agents (anti-initiating agents) for NNK lung tumorigenesis.
OPTIMIZATION OF GROUND-PENETRATING RADAR DATA TO PREDICT LAYER THICKNESSES IN FLEXIBLE PAVEMENTS

Ground-penetrating radar has been used successfully to predict layer thicknesses in flexible pavements. Currently, a time-domain method is used to measure the two-way travel time between reflections from which the layer thickness is predicted. In this method, the dielectric constants are assumed to be real and are calculated from simplified equations. This paper presents a new method to measure layer thicknesses in flexible pavements. The method is based on predicting the reflected frequency spectrum through a multiple reflection model. The dielectric constants of the materials are assumed to be constant over the entire frequency range of the radar system, although dielectric and conduction losses are considered in the model. An optimization procedure is used by first calculating the reflected frequency spectrum using several values for the thicknesses and the complex dielectric constants, then choosing the solution with the minimum root-mean-square error between the predicted and measured frequency spectrums. The method was used in three pavement sections with known layer thicknesses. A percentage error of less than 3.6% was found between the measured and predicted values.
Image encryption using the image steganography concept and PLIP model

This paper introduces a new method of applying the image steganography concept for image encryption. Using the PLIP (Parameterized Logarithmic Image Processing) addition [1] to embed the scrambled original image into a selected cover image, the new algorithm generates an encrypted image. Computer simulation and security analysis are given to show that the algorithm has a very large key space and can withstand several common attacks.
Prehistoric migration in the Caribbean: past perspectives, new models and the ideal free distribution of West Indian colonization

AbstractHistorically, archaeologists have pursued two basic approaches to prehistoric Caribbean colonization: those relying on historical narratives and those informed by theoretical modelling. With few exceptions, the latter have not been widely employed. Here, we introduce a behavioural ecology model used in Pacific archaeology, the ideal free distribution (IFD), to understand Caribbean migration and island settlement as a form of adaptive behaviour. We assess the sequences of Ceramic Age (post-2500 bp) colonization and overall prehistoric island colonization for fit against the predictions of the IFD using terrestrial net primary production and island area as measures of habitat suitability. We conclude that certain aspects of Caribbean colonization – the initial settlement of larger, high-quality-habitat islands and temporal pauses between migration pulses – are consistent with the IFD. Model inconsistencies observed for Ceramic Age colonization, however, are best explained in terms of the limitations...
Design, implementation and evaluation of a virtual storage system

Large organizations always have a strong demand for storage from data-intensive applications and instruments. In this paper, we present the design, implementation, and evaluation of a new virtual storage system, [email protected], which can aggregate a large number of distributed machines within an organization to provide storage services with quality of service guarantees. Because storage virtualization is the prominent goal, [email protected] provides clients with the abstraction of a hard drive by utilizing the Internet SCSI protocol. As such, data access to new storage services is transparent so that clients do not need to modify any existing applications nor change their current practices. [email protected] replicates data and employs version-based journaling for high availability. It utilizes a market-based model for resource management and a feedback controller for automated performance control. We have developed a prototype of [email protected] that implements the core components. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
‘Terra deserta’: Population, politics, and the [de]colonization of Dacia

Abstract This article explores the demographic history of Dacia/Romania during and after Roman colonization as a study in the effects of colonialism and de‐colonization in the core area vs. the periphery, the identification of local vs. transitory populations, the development of cultural identity, and the more ominous issue of political manipulation of archaeological data. Archaeological surveying and excavations in Romania and peripheral regions, as well as a re‐evaluation of ancient literary evidence, suggest a more complex settlement history, rather than a 700‐year ‘terra deserta’. The post‐Roman era has demonstrated an abundant archaeological record of burial and settlement, along with a continuation in distribution of Roman objects throughout former core and peripheral areas. A more thorough analysis of Roman colonization and de‐colonization, together with the role of the Roman military, coinage, and commerce, are recommended as avenues towards resolution of the population continuity issue for Dacia.
Desire to Die in Terminally Ill People:A Framework for Assessment and Intervention

"Desire-to-die" statements made by people with terminal illness may be expressions of depression, suicidal intent, or coping. Careful evaluation can help the social worker understand the meaning of a particular patient's statement. The framework presented in this article suggests that all patients expressing a wish for death be assessed for both depression and suicide risk. This assessment can identify those patients who are depressed or suicidal, as well as those using these statements as a way of coping or as an indication of a rational choice for suicide. Differentiating among patients' meanings in this way leads to appropriate interventions.
Waveguide CARS spectra of 4,4'-dibromobiphenyl dispersed in a polymethylmethacrylate optical waveguide

Abstract With the use of a waveguide geometry, CARS spectroscopy is found to be an extremely sensitive technique to detect a very low concentration of molecules dispersed in a matrix. Using a planar optical waveguide geometry, the CARS spectra of 4,4'-dibromobiphenyl dispersed in a ≈3 μm thick polymethylmethacrylate polymer film cast on a quartz substrate has been recorded using picosecond optical pulses. Different vibrational bands have been recorded using the TE 0 waveguide mode for both the pump and the probe pulses.
Ogbu’s theory of academic disengagement: its evolution and its critics

The work of John Ogbu on ‘minority education’ has spawned a number of interesting and useful debates in the USA. Having been both an early admirer and critic of Ogbu’s work, I reviewed his work in an earlier Anthropology and Education Quarterly article. Before discussing his new Shaker Heights study, I recapitulate the main points of the 1991 article, then offer some reasons why Ogbu is often misread as a deficit theorist. Finally, the paper closes with an assessment of how Ogbu’s theory and ethnographic practice has evolved in his recent Shaker Heights study.
Feynman diagram approach to acousto-optic scattering in the near-Bragg region

Plane-wave multiple-scattering theory is used to analyze scattering in the near-Bragg region with Feynman diagram techniques. Approximate amplitudes of scattered orders are obtained as power series in 1/Q, where Q is the Klein–Cook Bragg parameter. Results are compared with the Klein–Cook computer solution.
Factor VIII Is Synthesized in Human Endothelial Cells, Packaged in Weibel-Palade Bodies and Secreted Bound to ULVWF Strings

The cellular synthesis site and ensuing storage location for human factor VIII (FVIII), the coagulation protein deficient in hemophilia A, has been elusive. FVIII stability and half-life is dependent on non-covalent complex formation with von Willebrand factor (VWF) to avoid proteolysis and clearance. VWF is synthesized in megakaryocytes and endothelial cells, and is stored and secreted from platelet alpha granules and Weibel-Palade bodies of endothelial cells. In this paper we provide direct evidence for FVIII synthesis in 2 types of primary human endothelial cells: glomerular microvascular endothelial cells (GMVECs) and umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Gene expression quantified by real time PCR revealed that levels of F8 and VWF are similar in GMVECs and HUVECs. Previous clinical studies have shown that stimulation of vasopressin V2 receptors causes parallel secretion of both proteins. In this study, we found that both endothelial cell types express AVPR2 (vasopressin V2 receptor gene) and that AVPR2 mRNA levels are 5-fold higher in GMVECs than HUVECs. FVIII and VWF proteins were detected by fluorescent microscopy in Weibel-Palade bodies within GMVECs and HUVECs using antibodies proven to be target specific. Visual presence of FVIII and VWF in Weibel-Palade bodies was confirmed by correlation measurements. The high extent of correlation was compared with negative correlation values obtained from FVIII detection with cytoplasmic proteins, β-actin and Factor H. FVIII activity was positive in GMVEC and HUVEC cell lysates. Stimulated GMVECs and HUVECs were found to secrete cell-anchored ultra-large VWF strings covered with bound FVIII.
Motion segmentation with accurate boundaries - a tensor voting approach

Producing an accurate motion flow field is very difficult at motion boundaries. We present a noniterative approach for segmentation from image motion, based on two voting processes, in different dimensional spaces. By expressing the motion layers as surfaces in a 4D (four-dimensional) space, a voting process is first used to enforce the smoothness of motion and determine an estimation of pixel velocities, motion regions and boundaries. The boundary estimation is then combined with intensity information from the original images in order to locally define a boundary tensor field. The correct boundary is inferred by a 2D (two-dimensional) voting process within this field that enforces the smoothness of boundaries. Finally, correct velocities are computed for the pixels near boundaries, as they are reassigned to different regions. We demonstrate our contribution by analyzing several image sequences, containing multiple types of motion.
Logic aids for interviewing experts

: The excessive time devoted to the development, testing and maintenance of expert systems (ESs) needs to be reduced radically. What is needed is general-purpose software that can interlace the extracting, structuring, testing, and encoding of knowledge gained from debriefing the expert in any field. LAPS (Logic Aids for Problem Solving) is just such a program and has been successfully used to produce an ES in the domain of submarine diving officers. This automatically-encoded ES was produced by each expert entering his responses to the LAPS series of strategic-induction, AI-jargon-free queries. Currently, the LAPS prototype has four core sessions or functions: (1) the initial or sample-solution session; (2) the dechunking or hidden-knowledge session; (3) the alternatives or completeness-testing session; and (4) the automatic rule-production session. After any session the interviewee can use the fourth function of LAPS to produce frame-laden rules (in M.I, for now; later, in CLIPS). These rules can of course be used to carry out consultation sessions, though fewer of these are needed. LAPS has itself been translated from M.I to C to provide a very fast program on an almost universally available platform — the microcomputer. In accord with the overall technical approach to this project, other successful offline rigorous interviewing functions are being added to LAPS. Other code additions pertain to (a) graphical and other user-friendly reasoning-aid enhancements; (b) a series of simpler follow-up queries; and (c) the fleshing out of many stubs, or functions having intermediate results but as yet no processing.
Multi-dimensional uniformity of portable pseudo-random number generators

Multipliers used with portable multiplicative pseudorandom number generators for 16-b computers are considered. Certain multipliers that are able to produce uniform random variables with good one-dimensional statistical properties have already been found. The tests implemented were the chi-square goodness-of-fit test and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and modified Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests. These tests have been adapted for the multidimensional case in order for statistical tests to be performed on two- and three-dimensional uniform random vectors generated by these same multipliers. These tests show statistical independence between samples, as well as uniformity. >
Dihydropyridine inhibition of single calcium channels and contraction in rabbit mesenteric artery depends on voltage

1. The effects of membrane potential and the dihydropyridine calcium channel inhibitor, nisoldipine, on single calcium channels in the presence of Bay K 8644 and contraction in the presence and absence of Bay K 8644 were examined in the rabbit mesenteric artery. 2. Membrane depolarization decreased the peak average single calcium channel current that could be elicited by a test pulse to 0 mV. The steady-state inactivation relationship could be described by the Boltzmann equation, [1 + exp[Vm-V0.5)/k)]-1, with a steepness factor, k, of 7.1 mV. Nisoldipine shifted the steady-state inactivation curve to more negative potentials by increasing the fraction of test pulses without openings. 3. The degree of nisoldipine inhibition of average single calcium channel currents increased with membrane depolarization. Depolarization of the holding potential from -100 to -55 mV decreased the concentration of nisoldipine needed for 50% inhibition (Kapp) from 12.1 to 1.9 nM in the presence of 1 microM-Bay K 8644. 4. Membrane depolarization by external potassium (K+) of the intact artery in the presence of nisoldipine decreased contractions evoked by depolarizing test pulses. The relationship between membrane potential and contraction could be empirically described by the Boltzmann equation, with a steepness factor, k, of 7.1 mV. Increasing the nisoldipine concentration from 0.25 to 2.0 nM shifted the mid-point of this relationship from -20.5 to -33.0 mV, without affecting the steepness factor. 5. Nisoldipine inhibition of contraction increased with membrane depolarization. Membrane depolarization from -68.6 to -30.0 mV decreased the Kapp of nisoldipine for contractions from 3.02 to 0.69 nM. Bay K 8644 (1 microM) elevated Kapp about 9.3-fold at 5 mM-K+. In the presence of Bay K 8644, membrane depolarization from -68.6 to -30.0 mV reduced Kapp from 28.4 to 4.0 nM. 6. In the presence of nisoldipine, the effect of membrane depolarization on the time course of development of inhibition was examined. In 3 nM-nisoldipine, after membrane depolarization with 20 mM-K+, the time course of development of inhibition of force could be described by a single exponential with a time constant of 16.5 min. Membrane depolarization to a more positive potential accelerated the development of inhibition. 7. The results were interpreted by a model in which nisoldipine binds with higher affinity to the inactivated state than to the resting state of calcium channels in the mesenteric artery. The approach presented here can be used to estimate the properties of steady-state calcium channel inactivation and dihydropyridine interactions in smooth muscle cells in the intact artery under physiological conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
End-to-End Data-Flow Parallelism for Throughput Optimization in High-Speed Networks

The increase in the data produced by large-scale scientific applications necessitates innovative solutions for efficient transfer of data. Although the current optical networking technology reached theoretical speeds of 100 Gbps, applications still suffer from inefficient transport protocols and bottlenecks on the end-systems (e.g. disk, CPU, NIC). High-performance systems provide us with parallel disks, processors and network interfaces. However the lack of orchestration of these end-system resources with the available network capacity results in underutilization of the network bandwidth. In this study, a model and two algorithms that use `end-to-end data-flow parallelism' to optimize the use of network and end-system resources are proposed. This is achieved by using multiple parallel streams over the network; and multiple parallel disks and CPUs at the end systems. Our model predicts the optimal number of streams and disk/CPU stripes that maximizes the data transfer speed for any setting. Our algorithms use GridFTP parallel samplings and calculate the optimal level of parallelism based on our prediction model. The experiments conducted by using actual GridFTP transfers show that the predictions performed by our model and algorithms provide close-to-optimal performances with negligible overhead and use minimal number of resources. The end-to-end data transfer throughput is improved dramatically in existence of end-system bottlenecks compared to the non-optimized transfers.
Regionalization of post-cardiac arrest care: implementation of a cardiac resuscitation center.

Background Guidelines recommend standardized treatment of post–cardiac arrest patients to improve outcomes. However, the infrastructure, resources, and personnel required to meet the complex needs of cardiac arrest victims remain a barrier to care. Given that regionalization of time-dependent high-acuity illness is an emerging paradigm, the aim of the present study was to develop and implement a regionalized approach to post–cardiac arrest care. Methods We performed a prospective observational study on all patients treated in a regionalized clinical pathway from November 2007 through June 2011. All patients were enrolled after admission to an urban academic medical center. Clinical data including arrest and treatment variables, complications, and outcome were collected on consecutive patients with the use of a preformatted standard data collection tool using Utstein criteria. Results A total of 220 patients were enrolled; 127 (58%) patients were local direct admissions from our community, and 93 (42%) were transferred from 1 of 24 outlying referral hospitals. One hundred six (48%, 95% CI 38%-53%) patients survived to hospital discharge. The primary outcome of hospital survival with good neurologic function was observed in 94 (43%, 95% CI 32%-48%). There was no difference in survival with good neurologic outcome among local and referred patients. Overall 1-year survival was 44% (95% CI 38%-51%). Among patients discharged from the hospital with good neurologic function, 93% (95% CI 85%-97%) remained alive at 1 year. Conclusion Development of a regionalized approach to post–cardiac arrest care using previously established referral relationships is feasible, and implementation of such an approach was clinically effective in our region.
Nonclassical Jacobi Polynomials and Sobolev Orthogonality

In this paper, we consider the second-order Jacobi differential expression $$\ell_{\alpha,\beta}[y](x)=\dfrac{-1}{(1-x)^{a}(1+x)^{-1}}\left( (1-x\right) ^{\alpha+1}y^{\prime}(x))^{\prime} \quad(x\in(-1,1));$$ here, the Jacobi parameters are α > −1 and β = −1. This is a nonclassical setting since the classical setting for this expression is generally considered when α, β > −1. In the classical setting, it is well-known that the Jacobi polynomials \({\{P_{n}^{(\alpha,\beta)}\}_{n=0}^{\infty}}\) are (orthogonal) eigenfunctions of a self-adjoint operator Tα, β, generated by the Jacobi differential expression, in the Hilbert space L2((−1,1);(1−x)α(1 + x)β). When α > −1 and β = −1, the Jacobi polynomial of degree 0 does not belong to the Hilbert space L2((−1,1);(1 − x)α(1 + x)−1). However, in this paper, we show that the full sequence of Jacobi polynomials \({\{P_{n} ^{(\alpha,-1)}\}_{n=0}^{\infty}}\) forms a complete orthogonal set in a Hilbert–Sobolev space Wα, generated by the inner product $$\phi\left( f,g\right) :=f(-1)\overline{g}(-1)+\int\limits_{-1}^{1}f^{\prime }(t)\overline{g}^{\prime}(t)(1-t)^{\alpha+1}dt.$$ We also construct a self-adjoint operator Tα, generated by lα,−1[·] in Wα, that has the Jacobi polynomials \({\{P_{n}^{(\alpha,-1)}\}_{n=0}^{\infty}}\) as eigenfunctions.
Reducing clinical errors in cancer education: interpreter training.

Over 22 million US residents are limited English proficient. Hospitals often call upon untrained persons to interpret. There is a dearth of information on errors in medical interpreting and their impact upon cancer education. We conducted an experimental study of standardized medical interpreting training on interpreting errors in the cancer encounter, by comparing trained and untrained interpreters, using identical content. Nine interpreted cancer encounters with identical scripts were recorded and transcribed. Using an “Error Analysis Tool,” a bilingual linguist and two bilingual medical providers scored the transcripts for interpreting errors made, including their potential clinical severity. Trained interpreters were 70% less likely to have clinical errors than untrained ones. The likelihood of medical error increased with the length of the concept and decreased with the precision of vocabulary. It is important to train medical interpreters and to ensure their availability in cancer education encounters to minimize the risk for errors.
On the Ability of Taphrina deformans to Produce Indoleacetic Acid from Tryptophan by Way of Tryptamine

The metabolism of tryptophan by Taphrina deformans has been studied to confirm the reported ability of this organism to produce tryptamine. Such amine production was not observed, despite use of amine oxidase inhibitors at levels which should have resulted in the accumulation of tryptamine in the medium. It has been shown that the metabolites of tryptophan include indolepyruvic acid, indolelactic acid, tryptophol, and indoleacetic acid, and that the original report of tryptamine production must be reevaluated in light of the extraction procedures employed.
African Americans and Homeschooling: Motivations, Opportunities, and Challenges by Ama Mazama and Garvey Musumunu

Of the 50 million school-aged children in the United States, an estimated 2 million children are homeschooled (not far behind the 2.3 million students in charter schools). For many Americans, the r...
Learning to Read Empirical Articles in General Psychology

Many students, particularly underprepared students, struggle to identify the essential information in empirical articles. We describe a set of assignments for instructing general psychology student...
Syk Is Recruited to Stress Granules and Promotes Their Clearance through Autophagy

Syk is a cytoplasmic kinase that serves multiple functions within the immune system to couple receptors for antigens and antigen-antibody complexes to adaptive and innate immune responses. Recent studies have identified additional roles for the kinase in cancer cells, where its expression can either promote or suppress tumor cell growth, depending on the context. Proteomic analyses of Syk-binding proteins identified several interacting partners also found to be recruited to stress granules. We show here that the treatment of cells with inducers of stress granule formation leads to the recruitment of Syk to these protein-RNA complexes. This recruitment requires the phosphorylation of Syk on tyrosine and results in the phosphorylation of proteins at or near the stress granule. Grb7 is identified as a Syk-binding protein involved in the recruitment of Syk to the stress granule. This recruitment promotes the formation of autophagosomes and the clearance of stress granules from the cell once the stress is relieved, enhancing the ability of cells to survive the stress stimulus.