cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
“Next Person Up”: Understanding Collegiate Student-Athletes’ Socialization Experiences With Teammate Exit:

The present study explored collegiate student-athletes’ socialization experiences following teammate exit. Fourteen student-athletes (six male and eight female) from nonrevenue-generating sports at...
Effect of SWPBIS on Disciplinary Exclusions for Students With and Without Disabilities

School leaders react to inappropriate behaviors by excluding students, despite research suggesting an association with poor student outcomes. Students with disabilities are frequently subjected to ...
It Takes a Village to Secure Cellular Networks

Cellular networks are and will increasingly be one of the most critical infrastructures, and their security is obviously crucial. However, securing cellular networks is a challenging task. These networks consist of multiple layers: physical, radio resource control, nonaccess stratum, and so on. Each layer, in turn, has its own protocols, such as those for attaching/detaching devices to/from the network and paging devices for notifications of incoming calls and SMS. Discusses the challenges and vulnerabilities that exist to secure cellular networks and examines initiatives to overcome these challenges.
A Microfluidic Sensor for Continuous, in Situ Surface Charge Measurement of Single Cells

Cell surface charge has been recognized as an important cellular property. We developed a microfluidic sensor based on resistive pulse sensing to assess surface charge and sizes of single cells suspended in a continuous flow. The device consists of two consecutive resistive pulse sensors (RPSs) with identical dimensions. Opposite electric fields were applied on the two RPSs. A charged cell in the RPSs was accelerated or decelerated by the electric fields and thus exhibited different transit times passing through the two RPSs. The cell surface charge is measured with zeta potential that can be quantified with the transit time difference. The transit time of each cell can be accurately detected with the width of pulses generated by the RPS, while the cell size can be calculated with the pulse magnitude at the same time. This device has the ability to detect surface charges and sizes of individual cells with high tolerance in cell types and testing solutions compared with traditional electrophoretic light scattering methods. Three different types of cells including HeLa cancer cells, human dermal fibroblast cells, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were tested with the sensor. Results showed a significant difference of zeta potentials between HeLa cells and fibroblasts or HUVECs. In addition, when HeLa cells were treated with various concentrations of glutamine, the effects on cancer cell surface charge were detected. Our results demonstrated the great potential of using our sensor for cell type sorting, cancer cell detection, and cell status analysis.
CRT-600.52 Incidence, Outcomes, and Predictors of In-Hospital Acute Coronary Syndrome Following Endovascular Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in the United States

Incidence and outcomes of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) immediately following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remain largely unknown. We queried the National Readmission Database from January 2012 to September 2015 for TAVR admissions with and without ACS, creating a propensity-
Digital Customer Empowerment Tools for Marketers: An Abstract

This work offers a conceptual typology for digital customer empowerment (DCE; informative, productive, and experiential), which results from offering customers digital tools that expand the freedom of and control over the choice and action to shape their consumption experiences.
eStablish And Formalize Expert Criteria for Avoidable Resuscitation Review (SAFECARR) Electronic Delphi: Development of a Consensus Framework for Classifying and Reviewing Cardiac Arrests Within the PICU.

Objectives To develop a consensus framework that can guide the process of classifying and reviewing pediatric in-hospital cardiac arrest in the PICU. Design A three-round electronic Delphi consensus study with an additional in-person session with pediatric resuscitation experts. The modified electronic Delphi consisted of survey questions sent to the expert panel with the goals of (1) achieving consensus on definitions of avoidable, potentially avoidable, and unavoidable PICU in-hospital cardiac arrest and (2) achieving consensus and ranking of a list of factors that contribute to potentially avoidable PICU in-hospital cardiac arrest. Setting Electronic surveys of resuscitation experts including pediatric critical care, cardiac critical care, emergency medicine, and hospital medicine physicians, nurses, advance practice nurses, and resuscitation researchers. Patients Not applicable. Interventions Not applicable. Measurements and main results Over three rounds of an electronic Delphi, 24 resuscitation experts participated. In Round 1, consensus was reached for the definitions of potentially avoidable and unavoidable cardiac arrest. Consensus was not reached for avoidable cardiac arrest. In Round 2, the expert panel agreed with seven factors from the literature and achieved consensus on an additional seven factors. Consensus was achieved on the modified definition of avoidable cardiac arrest. In Round 3, participants were asked to rank the contributing factors in order of their importance. For the in-person session, the consensus definitions and contributing factors from the modified electronic Delphi were presented to a multidisciplinary group of pediatric resuscitation experts and reached consensus for all three definitions. Conclusions A multidisciplinary group of pediatric resuscitation experts generated a consensus-based framework to classify and review pediatric in-hospital cardiac arrest in the PICU. Future work will focus on the application of this framework and further validation of these definitions and contributing factors for in-hospital cardiac arrest both within and outside the PICU.
Ecology and the science of small-scale fisheries: A synthetic review of research effort for the Anthropocene

Abstract Human-driven changes to aquatic environments threaten small-scale fisheries (SSFs). Ensuring a livable future for SSFs in the Anthropocene requires incorporating ecological knowledge of these diverse multi-species systems beyond the long-standing reliance on populations, a management paradigm adopted from industrial fisheries. Assessing the state of ecological knowledge on SSFs is timely as we enter the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science and Sustainable Development and with the upcoming International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture. Synthesizing research effort can help identify existing knowledge gaps and relatively well-researched ‘bright spots’ that can inform strategies to achieve global sustainability commitments. Yet trends in ecological research of SSFs are not well understood compared to better-studied industrial fisheries. To address this void, we conducted a synthetic review of SSF publications in ecology journals (n = 302), synthesizing trends in research subjects and methodologies over time. Wide geographic and habitat disparities in the coverage of publications are identified, with marine fisheries in Latin American receiving the greatest coverage while inland and Asian fisheries are understudied relative to the global distribution of SSFs. Bony fish and invertebrates received substantial coverage compared to endangered cartilaginous fishes. Studies have increasingly focused on human dimensions and ecosystem ecology compared to earlier emphasis on population ecology. Methodologically, studies rarely incorporate experiments despite their efficacy in testing interventions. To achieve a ‘wider view’ of fisheries that is reflective of the needs of SSFs in the Anthropocene, future ecological studies should expand their geographic, taxonomic, and methodological breadth to better assess understudied SSF interactions.
HYPERTHERMIA AND NEUROLEPTIC MALIGNANT SYNDROME

SUMMARY Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is a rare but potentially fatal hypermetabolic reaction associated with neuroleptic drugs. The incidence of NMS is about 0.2%, but this may be diminished by reducing suspected risk factors of dehydration and agitation in patients and by limiting the rate and parenteral administration of neuroleptic drugs. Apart from psychotic patients, those treated with neuroleptics when used as anesthetics, antiemetics, sedatives, and gastrointestinal agents are also at risk. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is diagnosed on the basis of hyperthermia, muscle rigidity, autonomic instability, and mental status changes. Once recognized it is self-limited and may resolve in 7 to 10 days after cessation of neuroleptics. The differential diagnosis of NMS comprises an extensive list of disorders presenting with fever, which is dominated by disorders that present with muscle rigidity, hypermetabolism, and central thermoregulatory failure. In the perioperative setting, NMS must be considered in the differential diagnosis of hyperthermia so that offending drugs may be stopped. NMS can appear indistinguishable from MH during anesthesia; in either case cooling and other supportive measures are essential, as is discontinuation of any potential triggering drugs. Dantrolene may be effective in either case. Unlike MH, however, NMS also may respond to muscle relaxants or centrally active dopamine agonists. After recovery, neuroleptics may be safely reintroduced in the majority of patients who recovered from NMS, although a significant risk of recurrence exists, dependent on time elapsed since recovery and dose or potency of neuroleptics used. Despite equivocal data from experimental in vitro studies, clinical data support the safety of anesthesia in patients recovered from NMS. Conversely, although neuroleptics have been used safely in some MH patients, data from three case reports from studies using the porcine model of MH and from studies of neuroleptic effects on calcium regulation in skeletal muscle suggest the theoretical possibility that patients with MH susceptibility also may be sensitive to certain drugs that ordinarily affect thermoregulation and neuromuscular function at higher levels of the neuraxis. Finally, compelling clinical evidence confirms that NMS results primarily from disruption of dopamine systems in the brain; however, the role of cofactors, such as other neurotransmitters, primarily serotonin, and the effects of neuroleptics on muscle contractility and metabolism remain intriguing and challenging areas of investigation.
Thermodynamics of the $$R_{\mathrm{h}}=ct$$ R h = c t Universe: a simplification of cosmic entropy

In the standard model of cosmology, the Universe began its expansion with an anomalously low entropy, which then grew dramatically to much larger values consistent with the physical conditions at decoupling, roughly 380,000 years after the Big Bang. There does not appear to be a viable explanation for this ‘unnatural’ history, other than via the generalized second law of thermodynamics (GSL), in which the entropy of the bulk, $$S_\mathrm{bulk}$$ , is combined with the entropy of the apparent (or gravitational) horizon, $$S_{\mathrm{h}}$$ . This is not completely satisfactory either, however, since this approach seems to require an inexplicable equilibrium between the bulk and horizon temperatures. In this paper, we explore the thermodynamics of an alternative cosmology known as the $$R_{\mathrm{h}}=ct$$ universe, which has thus far been highly successful in resolving many other problems or inconsistencies in $$\varLambda $$ CDM. We find that $$S_{\mathrm{bulk}}$$ is constant in this model, eliminating the so-called initial entropy problem simply and elegantly. The GSL may still be relevant, however, principally in selecting the arrow of time, given that $$S_{\mathrm{h}}\propto t^2$$ in this model.
Bond Insurance and Public Sector Employment

This article explores how financing frictions that originated from the demise of municipal bond insurers affected public sector employment outcomes during the 2008-9 financial crisis. I construct a new data set that combines local governments' characteristics, reliance on bond insurance, bond issuance, and employment. Leading up to the crisis, bond insurance was a major source of cheap funding for local governments, especially for those that were small and opaque. Furthermore, insurance relationships were sticky, implying high switching costs. During the 2008-9 financial crisis, issuers that had prior relationships with less healthy insurers issued less debt and experienced lower employment growth. Consistent with financing frictions arising from asymmetric information, smaller and more opaque governments were most affected. Between 2007Q2 and 2009Q2, this friction caused 4% lower full-time employment growth and 15% lower part-time employment growth at affected local governments.
A multicenter analysis of treatment and outcomes in neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine cervix (NCUC).

e17518Background: Morbidity and mortality for patients with cervical cancer has improved significantly over the past few decades with modern multimodal therapy. However, neuroendocrine carcinoma of...
A new method for detecting micro-fragments of biodegradable mulch films containing poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) in soil.

Biodegradable mulch (BDM) is a potentially sustainable alternative to polyethylene plastic mulch film for intensive crop production. Certified BDMs must demonstrate >90% biodegradation in compost and agricultural soil, but the environmental fate of BDM micro-fragments is usually not measured. While using fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis to study changes in soil microbial communities under different BDMs and management conditions, two peaks were detected by gas chromatography that were derived from a BDM containing poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT). The largest peak was identified as 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid, dimethyl ester, or dimethyl terephthalate (DMT). The smaller peak was hexanedioic acid dimethyl ester, or dimethyl adipate (DMA). From this observation we hypothesized that the FAME method could be used to detect and quantify micro-fragments ( 0.99). Based on our findings, the FAME method could be redeployed to study the environmental fate and possible accumulation of BDM micro-fragments in soil over time. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Event-based state estimation for stochastic hybrid systems

This study presents a state estimation algorithm for the stochastic hybrid system with event-based sampling. In event-based sampling, sensors transmit their measurements to an estimator only when predefined events happen, to reduce the communication cost. On the basis of the event-based sampling, the hybrid state estimation problem is formulated as to compute the probability density of the hybrid state with the sequence of noisy measurements generated at certain events. This hybrid state estimation problem is challenging since it requires computation of the exponentially increasing number of probabilities of the discrete state histories and evaluation of the multivariate integration. The proposed event-based hybrid state estimation algorithm utilises the interacting multiple model approach and pseudo measurement generation method to overcome these difficulties. The algorithm is then demonstrated with an illustrative aircraft tracking example.
Preliminary Material: Extension Theorems, Martingales, and Compactness

As mentioned in the Introduction, the point of view that we take will involve us in a detailed study of measures on function spaces. There are a few basic tools which are necessary for the construction of such measures. The purpose of this chapter is to develop these tools. In the process, we will introduce some notions (e.g., conditioning and martingales) which will play an important role in what follows. Section 1.1 contains the basic theorem of Prohorov and Varadarajan characterizing weakly compact families of measures on a Polish space. Using their results, we prove the existence of conditional probability distributions. The final topics in Section 1.1 are the extension theorems of Tulcea and Kolmogorov. Section 1.2 introduces the notions of progressively measurable functions and martingales. In connection with martingales we prove Doob’s inequality, his stopping time theorem and a useful integration by parts formula. Finally we prove a result connecting martingale theory and conditioning.
Critical fields and flux pinning in single crystal Ba1t̄xKxBiO3

We report DC magnetization measurements of high quality single crystals of superconducting Ba_(0.63)K_(0.37)BiO_3 with T_c = 29 K, yielding values for the upper and lower critical fields, the low field critical current, the magnetization relaxation rate, and the activation energy for flux motion. We contrast the magnetization relaxation results for isotropic Ba_(0.63)K_(0.37)BiO_3 with those obtained on highly anisotropic oxygen deficient single crystals of YBa_2Cu_3O_(7-δ) with δ = 0.58 and a comparable T_c= 35 K.
Experimental reconstruction of time-bin-entangled qutrit states using polarization projective measurements

We generate and reconstruct two-photon, 100-ps-separated time-bin-entangled qutrit states. By pairwise mapping time bins onto orthogonal polarizations, we perform a tomography and demonstrate high fidelity to maximally entangled qutrit states.
Finite time blow-up for a dyadic model of the Euler equations

We introduce a dyadic model for the Euler equations and the Navier-Stokes equations with hyper-dissipation in three dimensions. For the dyadic Euler equations we prove finite time blow-up. In the context of the dyadic Navier-Stokes equations with hyper-dissipation we prove finite time blow-up in the case when the dissipation degree is sufficiently small.
Reproductive failure and the major histocompatibility complex

The association between HLA sharing and recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) was tested in 123 couples and the association between HLA sharing, and the outcome of treatment for unexplained infertility by in vitro fertilization (IVF) was tested in 76 couples, by using a new shared-allele test in order to identify more precisely the region of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) influencing these reproductive defects. The shared-allele test circumvents the problem of rare alleles at HLA loci and at the same time provides a substantial gain in power over the simple chi 2 test. Two statistical methods, a corrected homogeneity test and a bootstrap approach, were developed to compare the allele frequencies at each of the HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-DR, and HLA-DQ loci; they were not statistically different among the three patient groups and the control group. There was a significant excess of HLA-DR sharing in couples with RSA and a significant excess of HLA-DQ sharing in couples with unexplained infertility who failed treatment by IVF. These findings indicate that genes located in different parts of the class II region of the MHC affect different aspects of reproduction and strongly suggest that the sharing of HLA antigens per se is not the mechanism involved in the reproductive defects. The segment of the MHC that has genes affecting reproduction also has genes associated with different autoimmune diseases, and this juxtaposition may explain the association between reproductive defects and autoimmune diseases.
Interactions between Adrenocortical Steroid Hormones, Electrolytes, and the Catecholamines

Adrenocortical steroid hormones, electrolytes, and catecholamines have all been implicated as being associated with alterations in mood and behavior, particularly mania and depression, and each of these areas has been the focus of a great deal of investigative effort (Bunney and Davis 1965; Schildkraut 1965; Schildkraut and Kety 1967; Fawcett and Bunney 1967; Maas, Fawcett, and Dekirmenjian 1968; Williams, Katz, and Shield 1969; Coppen 1967; Gibbons 1963). In general, however, each group of investigators have pursued their “own thing,” and there have been only a limited number of attempts at establishing interrelationships (Baer et al. 1969). This paper will review some of the evidence in the biological literature that suggests processes by which the steroid hormones, electrolytes, and catecholamines are interrelated. There seems to be ample evidence that adrenocortical steroid hormones have an important role in the regulation of the disposition of the catecholamines, and that Na+ and K+ concentrations as well as cation transport are intimately associated with transport and biosynthesis of the catecholamines. It is suggested that the steroid hormones via their action on electrolytes and/or Mg2+-Na+-K+ adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) regulate transport and perhaps synthesis of the catecholamines. Whatever the ultimate fate of this proposal, it is hoped that it will have the heuristic value of stimulating substantive thought about interrelationships of steroid hormones, electrolytes, and catecholamines in the affective disorders.
The Impact of Early Head Start on School Readiness: New Looks

This special issue includes new analyses of data from the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation (EHSRE) study. The goal of the issue is to further delineate how aspects of programs as well as family and contextual factors are implicated in the impact of Early Head Start on school readiness and parenting. The 4 sets of authors address the complex interplay of program, child, and family factors in quite divergent ways, with results offering new vantage points on how best to ensure that low-income children enter school ready to learn and on a trajectory of lifelong adaptive functioning.
Unified snr analysis of medical imaging systems

The ideal observer signal to noise ratio (SNR) has been derived from statistical decision theory for all of the major medical imaging modalities. This SNR provides an absolute scale for image system performance assessment and leads to instrumentation design goals and constraints for imaging system optimisation since no observer can surpass the performance of the ideal observer. The dependence of detectable detail size on exposure or imaging time follows immediately from the analysis. A framework emerges from comparing data acquisition techniques, e.g. reconstruction from projections versus Fourier methods in NMR imaging, and time of flight positron emission tomography (TOFPET) versus conventional PET. The approach of studying the ideal observer is motivated by measurements on human observers which show that they can come close to the performance of the ideal observer, except when the image noise has negative correlations-as in images reconstructed from projections-where they suffer a small but significant penalty.
Some Aspects of Prejudice as Affected by Religion and Education

(1951). Some Aspects of Prejudice as Affected by Religion and Education. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 69-76.
Mechanisms of cell synchronization in epileptiform activity

Abstract Researchers have long considered the potential roles of electronic synapses and ephaptic interactions in the central nervous system (CNS). They are obvious candidates for producing the synchronization of neuronal populations which characterizes epileptiform discharge. Are these primary mechanisms or do they simply modulate other, more powerful, forces? Can chemical synaptic connectivity alone account for spontaneous, rhythmic, synchronized discharge? Current research into basic mechanisms underlying epileptogenesis provides some interesting observations relevant to these questions.
Conjugate addition reactions of α,β- unsaturated esters with higher order cuprates R2 Cu(CN)Li2

Abstract Higher order, mixed cuprates R2Cu(CN)Li2 react rapidly and in high yields with β-substituted enoates. α,β-Disubstituted systems afford moderate yields of product in certain cases whereas β,β-disubstituted unsaturated esters lead to 1,2-followed by 1,4-addition.
Gender differences in the impact of banking services: evidence from Mexico

This paper examines the effects of providing financial services to low-income individuals on entrepreneurial activity, employment, and the income levels of men and women. We exploit cross-time and cross-municipality variation in the opening of Banco Azteca in Mexico to measure these effects with a difference-in-difference strategy. This bank opened over 800 branches simultaneously in 2002, focusing on low-income clients. Our results show that this led to an increase in the number of informal business owners among men and to an increase in wage-earning opportunities for women. Average income levels also increased, with this increase being twofold higher for women than for men.
Sodium hypochlorite and formalin as antiviral agents against nuclear-polyhedrosis virus in larvae of the cabbage looper.

Abstract Experiments were conducted to determine the effectiveness of sodium hypochlorite and formaldehyde in preventing infections of nuclear-polyhedrosis virus in larvae of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni. Sodium hypochlorite was effective as an egg surface sterilant; formalin was effective as an egg wash and as a prophylactic when low concentrations were incorporated into the semiartificial rearing medium. The biological effects on the host insect were also investigated. In bioassays, the biological activity of suspensions of polyhedral inclusion bodies was reduced when formaldehyde was used in the medium; both ld 50 and lt 50 values were increased by the presence of formalin (formaldehyde solution).
Generalized myoclonic seizures triggered by partial seizures

We recorded clinical and EEG evidence of partial seizures triggering generalized myoclonic seizures in a 12-year-old boy with tuberous sclerosis. The patient never had myoclonic seizures independent of ongoing partial seizures. The International Classification of Epileptic Seizures implies that the electrophysiologic mechanisms for partial seizures are different from those for primary generalized seizures. However, the findings in our patient support growing evidence that some primary generalized seizures may have previously unrecognized focal origins.
Surgical Management of an Aneurysm of the Left Main Coronary Artery

A 28-year-old woman underwent cardiac catheterization three months after sustaining an acute anterolateral myocardial infarct. An aneurysm of the left main coronary artery was found at angiography and also was visualized by two-dimensional echocardiography. The patient had no evidence of atherosclerotic vascular disease. At operation, vein grafts were placed to bypass the aneurysm and the orifice of the left coronary artery was oversewn to exclude the aneurysm from the coronary circulation.
Impact of gender in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

In this article, we review the impact of gender on the pathophysiology, management and outcomes after acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We searched the English-language literature indexed in MEDLINE, Scopus and EBSCOhost Research databases from 1988 through January 2009 using the indexing terms ‘gender’, ‘short- and long-term outcomes’ and ‘acute coronary syndrome’ and ‘myocardial infarction’. Data comparing gender differences in outcomes after ACS showed that females have a higher mortality rate than males. Observational studies showed that guideline-recommended management strategies are used significantly less frequently in females than males. The undertreatment and worse outcome of female patients with ACS are probably multifactorial and have been reported in different ethnicities and cultures. However, there are conflicting data regarding to the impact of gender on early versus long-term outcomes, the benefit of early intervention in low- and high-risk females and the influence of unmeasured selection bi...
Intraoperative drug-eluting stent thrombosis in a patient undergoing robotic prostatectomy

Insertion of drug-eluting stents is one of the strategies for treating patients with coronary artery disease. These patients can be a perioperative challenge in management as they need to be maintained on antiplatelet therapy to prevent stent thrombosis, which puts them at an increased risk for surgical bleeding. Recently revised guidelines on elective surgery following insertion of a drug-eluting stent recommend dual antiplatelet therapy for a period of twelve months. The management of a patient who presented for surgery more than two years after the insertion of a drug-eluting stent, and who developed in-stent thrombosis intraoperatively, is presented.
Seizure prediction using adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system

In this study, we present a neuro-fuzzy approach of seizure prediction from invasive Electroencephalogram (EEG) by applying adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). Three nonlinear seizure predictive features were extracted from a patient's data obtained from the European Epilepsy Database, one of the most comprehensive EEG database for epilepsy research. A total of 36 hours of recordings including 7 seizures was used for analysis. The nonlinear features used in this study were similarity index, phase synchronization, and nonlinear interdependence. We designed an ANFIS classifier constructed based on these features as input. Fuzzy if-then rules were generated by the ANFIS classifier using the complex relationship of feature space provided during training. The membership function optimization was conducted based on a hybrid learning algorithm. The proposed method achieved highest sensitivity of 80% with false prediction rate as low as 0.46 per hour.
Using Learning Contracts to Foster Professional Initiative and Lifelong Learning

ISSUE: This article suggests using the instructional method of contract learning in interior design programs to prepare students for their role as professional designers. GOAL: The goal of contract learning is to develop students into self–directed learners. The most significant benefits of using this method are flexibility of teaching and learning styles. APPLICATION: Reorganizing the role of faculty members from teachers to resource persons enables them to encourage students to work with the newest technology and specific design problems without having to be experts on every detail. It also offers ways to encourage independence on the part of the students, thus enabling faculty to work with students who have special needs, interests, or different skill levels. DESCRIPTION: Critical elements of an effective learning contract include deciding what to learn, how to learn it, how long it will take, and how it will be evaluated. The primary difference between this learning method and traditional methods is that the student, rather than the teacher, makes these decisions. CONCLUSION: Using learning contracts involves a change from traditional teacher–centered instruction to student-centered instruction, focusing on the individual needs of the student. The most important result is that the use of contracts prepares students for lifelong learning, which is necessary for professional designers throughout their careers.
An investigation into density-wave propagation within high-temperature superconducting plasmas for use in creating traveling-wave devices

This paper theoretically investigates a novel application of high-temperature superconductors where the superconductor serves as the active component in a microwave or millimeter traveling-wave amplifier. A guided electromagnetic wave interacts with a dc superconducting electron current to set up charge-density gradients within the superconducting electron "plasma." The electromagnetic wave gradually extracts energy from the superconducting electrons by traveling in phase synchronism with these charge gradients. The interaction mechanism is similar to that of a conventional traveling-wave tube amplifier or oscillator. We have modeled the wave behavior of superconducting electrons using the London equations and a two-fluid approach. Our model includes dissipation within the superconductor, and it shows that traveling-wave devices may be possible using high-quality thin-film superconductors in which dissipation is kept low.
Criterion-based rehabilitation program after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Abstract Traditional rehabilitation protocols consist of a progression of exercises and functional activities based on timeframes that serve as strict guidelines for physical therapists and athletic trainers. Patients who have undergone reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament are guided through the process via written schedule which often overlooks their ability to master basic functional activities, such as walking. Basic science and joint kinematics certainly cannot be ignored when designing a rehabilitation program. Understanding tissue healing and the effects of exercise of soft-tissue integrity can enable the physical therapist or athletic trainer to safely and efficiently restore function to each patient. A rehabilitation program guided by criteria achievement based on patient presentation, and with respect to the healing soft-tissue structures, may be a more effective and successful means of returning an athlete or worker to their desired activity.
Age-differences in choline acetyltransferase activities and muscarinic receptor binding in brain regions of c57bl/6j mice.

Muscarinic receptor binding and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT, EC.2.3.1.6.) activity were assayed in four brain regions of C57BL/6J mice of four ages (4, 12, 18, and 24 months). In the cerebellum, there were no age differences in either of the cholinergic markers. However, significant age differences were noted in the Vmax for ChAT and in the Bmax for [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate ([3H]QNB) in the cortex, striatum and hippocampus. Increases were noted in Vmax of the synthetic enzyme in all three regions and for Bmax in the hippocampus. Bmax for [3H]QNB decreased in the cortex and striatum. The high- and lower-affinity muscarinic binding constants, the percentage of muscarinic binding to high affinity sites determined by carbamylcholine displacement of [3H]QNB, as well as the affinities of ChAT for acetyl coenzyme A and choline chloride showed no age differences in any brain region.
Role of mitogen-activated protein kinases in the response of tumor cells to chemotherapy

Antitumor agents, despite having diverse primary mechanisms of action, mediate their effects by inducing apoptosis in tumor cells. Cellular commitment to apoptosis, or the ability to evade apoptosis in response to damage, involves the integration of a complex network of survival and death pathways. Among the best-characterized pathways regulating cell survival and cell death are those mediated by the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family. Not surprisingly, MAPK signaling pathways have been implicated in the response of tumor cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. Indeed, literature in this area has grown enormously in recent years, and the present review attempts to provide an overview and perspective of these advances. While the activities of the major MAPK subgroups are subject to modulation upon exposure of different types of cancer cell lines to diverse classes of antitumor agents, the response tend to be context-dependent, and can differ depending on the system and conditions. Despite these complexities, some important trends have surfaced, and molecular connections between MAPK signaling pathways and the apoptotic regulatory machinery are beginning to emerge. With increased evidence supporting a role for MAPK signaling in antitumor drug action, MAPK modulators may have potential as chemotherapeutic drugs themselves or as chemosensitizing agents. The ability of MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitors to block survival signaling in specific contexts and promote drug cytotoxicity represents an example, and recent knowledge of the pro-apoptotic functions of JNK and p38 suggests possible new approaches to targeted therapy. However, it will be important first to extrapolate the knowledge gained from these laboratory findings, and begin to address the role of MAPKs in the clinical response to chemotherapeutic drugs.
Virtue Ethics, Positive Psychology, and a New Model of Science and Engineering Ethics Education

This essay develops a new conceptual framework of science and engineering ethics education based on virtue ethics and positive psychology. Virtue ethicists and positive psychologists have argued that current rule-based moral philosophy, psychology, and education cannot effectively promote students’ moral motivation for actual moral behavior and may even lead to negative outcomes, such as moral schizophrenia. They have suggested that their own theoretical framework of virtue ethics and positive psychology can contribute to the effective promotion of motivation for self-improvement by connecting the notion of morality and eudaimonic happiness. Thus this essay attempts to apply virtue ethics and positive psychology to science and engineering ethics education and to develop a new conceptual framework for more effective education. In addition to the conceptual-level work, this essay suggests two possible educational methods: moral modeling and involvement in actual moral activity in science and engineering ethics classes, based on the conceptual framework.
Influence of l-cystinyl side-chain configurations on the melting of crosslinked α-tropomyosin dimers

Abstract The experimental melting profile reported by Holtzer, M.E., Holtzer, A. and Skolnick J. (Macromolecules 16 (1983) 173–180) for the rabbit α-tropomyosin dimer crosslinked at cysteine residue 190 has been analyzed using matrix methods. The configuration partition function employed includes a term arising from interactions at the crosslink site. This term, denoted by ω, is found to be smaller than 1, implying that events at the crosslink site resist helix formation by dimer. A theoretical analysis of the conformational restrictions imposed on the crosslink provides a satisfactory estimate of ω at high temperatures. Agreement deteriorates at lower temperatures, perhaps as a consequence of difficulty in establishing a reliable value for ω from analysis of the low-temperature circular dichroism data.
The Diagnosis of Synoptic-Scale Vertical Motion in an Operational Environment

Abstract The physical reason for quasi-geostrophic vertical motion is reviewed. Various techniques for estimating synoptic-scale vertical motion are examined, and their utility (or lack thereof) is illustrated by a case study. The Q-vector approach appears to provide the best means of calculating vertical motions numerically. The vertical motion can be estimated by eye with reasonable accuracy by examining the advection of vorticity by the thermal wind or by examining the relative wind and the isobar field on an isentropic chart. The traditional form of the omega equation is not well suited for practical calculation.
INFLUENCE OF SURGICAL PROCEDURES ON DEVELOPMENT OF SPONTANEOUS LUNG METASTASES.

Summary Two tumor-host systems were used to determine the effect of different surgical procedures on development of spontaneous lung metastases. An average of 24.36 surface metastases was found in C 57 BL/6JN mice bearing Sarcoma T-241 and having a celiotomy, as compared with 14.02 lesions in nonoperated animals. Partial hepatectomy in this system was associated with development of 28.68 metastases per mouse. Cloudman S-91 Melanoma carried in CDBA/2F 1 mice did not show an increase in metastatic foci following celiotomy, although an average of 10.39 lung tumors was found in the partial hepatectomy group, compared with 4.20 metastases in control animals. An extraperitoneal procedure, namely, amputation of a normal leg, did not significantly alter the number of metastatic foci in either experimental system. Operative stress and hepatic factors are discussed as they relate to the study of metastasis.
Bystander effect in tumor cells produced by Iodine-125 labeled human lymphocytes

AbstractPurpose: To investigate the ability of human lymphocytes labeled with DNA-incorporated 125I to exert an inhibitory (antiproliferative) bystander effect on co-cultured human colon adenocarcinoma LS174T cells in vitro.Materials and methods: Human peripheral blood lymphocytes were stimulated to synthesize DNA in the presence of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and labeled with 5-[125I]iodo-2′-deoxyuridine. Human colon adenocarcinoma LS174T cells were co-cultured with the 125I-labeled lymphocytes in various ratios for 5 days and the proliferation of the LS174T cells was assessed. Further, the supernatant media from these co-cultures were: (i) Transferred to LS174T cells and their proliferation measured after 5 days, (ii) used to assess the clonogenic survival of LS174T cells, and (iii) screened for factors that suppress growth.Results: A significant reduction in the proliferation of LS174T cells was observed when co-cultured either with 125I-labeled lymphocytes (56 ± 3.5%) or the supernatant media (52.5 ± 1.3...
Estimating the agricultural demand for electricity in the presence of measurement error in the data

Abstract This paper begins by discussing some of the problems frequently encountered in obtaining demand elasticity estimates. To these problems is added that associated with inaccuracy in the measurement of the dependent variable and one or more of the independent variables that impact upon the quantity demanded. Two diagnostics — the regression coefficient bounds and the bias correction factor — are introduced to assess the effect that such a measurement error has on the estimated coefficients of demand relationships. Use of these diagnostics aids in assessing the integrity of the estimates obtained. In considering the demand for electricity for irrigation and the demand for electricity for other (non-irrigation) uses by farmers in the USA, both the quantity demanded and the unit price data available for demand model estimation purposes contain measurement errors. The regression coefficient bounds diagnostic is used to indicate a range over which the true price responsiveness of farmers to changes in energy prices lies. The results suggest that each 1% increase (decrease) in the price of energy will result in between a 0·51 and 0·35% decrease (increase) in the quantity of electricity demanded for irrigation and between a 0·43 and 0·17% decrease (increase) in the quantity of electricity demanded for other uses. The bias correction factor is computed to evaluate the magnitude of the under-estimation of the responsiveness of the quantity of electricity demanded for irrigation and electricity for other uses to a change in the number of acres irrigated and the number of acres planted. For electricity for irrigation, the under-estimation was 14·1% while, for electricity for other uses, it was 13·9%.
Neuropsychological, Personality, and Familial Characteristics of Physically Abused Delinquents

Juvenile delinquents who were physically abused as children are more likely than nonabused delinquents to commit violent offenses, have alcoholic and criminal parents, and be sexually abused. Physically abused delinquents are also cognitively impaired relative to nonabused delinquents, but do not differ on measures of psychopathology. The manifest cognitive deficits were most noteworthy on tasks involving language capacities, leading the authors to hypothesize that an impairment in self-regulation, due to poor internal language mediation, may be associated with a violent pattern of delinquency.
Mechanistic toxicology of triethyl citrate in mouse fibroblast cells by liquid scintillation techniques

Mouse fibroblast cells, strain L-929, in static tube culture were exposed to 6, 9, and 12 mmole doses of triethyl citrate (TEC) for periods up to 78 hr. At 1.5, 48, and 78 hr. after TEC exposure, the cells were pulsed with 14C-labeled purine and pyrimidine metabolic precursors in an attempt to differentiate the site of purinepyrimidine metabolism interference. U.V. spectrophotometric analyses were run concurrently with liquid scintillation analyses. The mechanism of inhibition appeared to be initial mitochondrial involvement, with secondary DNA repression.
X-ray absorption microscopy of bacterial surface protein layers: X-ray damage.

Abstract The electronic structure of individual sheets of the bacterial surface protein layer (S layer) of Bacillus sphaericus NCTC 9602 was studied using a photoemission electron microscope (PEEM) operating in near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy mode. The laterally resolved measurements performed at the C 1s, N 1s, and O 1s thresholds on fresh samples revealed characteristic differences compared to the laterally integrated data, where substrate contributions were taken along with the protein signals. During the PEEM experiments an irradiation-induced increase of the C-C bond density at the cost of the densities of the C-O and C-N bonds related to a rearrangement of the contributing atoms of the S layer deposited onto a Si substrate was observed. The critical irradiation doses for the C-O and C-N bond breaking and formation of the new C-C bonds were derived.
Transcriptomics of the Bed Bug (Cimex lectularius)

Background Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are blood-feeding insects poised to become one of the major pests in households throughout the United States. Resistance of C. lectularius to insecticides/pesticides is one factor thought to be involved in its sudden resurgence. Despite its high-impact status, scant knowledge exists at the genomic level for C. lectularius. Hence, we subjected the C. lectularius transcriptome to 454 pyrosequencing in order to identify potential genes involved in pesticide resistance.
Hidden sides of the credit economy: Emotions, outsourcing, and Indian call centers:

Engaging in credit is not necessarily a rational activity for consumers. Firms utilize sociological resources and techniques to convince them to sign on to credit accounts, maintain their purchasin...
Subcooled superfluid helium cryostat for a hybrid magnet system

Abstract A 250 dm 3 subcooled cryostat system for superfluid helium was designed and built for a hybrid magnet. The cryostat, which houses a 430 mm bore, 12 T NbTi superconducting magnet, has a refrigeration capacity of ≈20 W at 1.8 K.
Prophylactic surgery prevents endometrial and ovarian cancer in Lynch syndrome.

Women who carry a germline mismatch-repair mutation causal to Lynch syndrome have increased risks of developing endometrial carcinoma and ovarian cancer, as well as colorectal carcinoma. This Viewpoint outlines the rationale for the use of lifesaving prophylactic gynecologic surgery in these women following childbearing, with testing and surveillance unless and until such surgery is performed.
Synthesis of archaeal glycolipid adjuvants-what is the optimum number of sugars?

Abstract As part of a programme to optimize the use of archaeal-lipid liposomes (archaeosomes) as vaccine adjuvants, we present the synthesis and immunological testing of an oligomeric series of mannose glycolipids (Man p 1–5 ). To generate the parent archaeol alcohol precursor, the polar lipids extracted from the archaeon Halobacterium salinarum were hydrolyzed to remove polar head groups, and the archaeol so generated partitioned into diethyl ether. This alcohol was then iteratively glycosylated with the donor 2- O -acetyl-3,4,6-tri- O -benzyl-α/β- d -mannopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate to yield α-Man p -(1→2) oligomers. A starch-derived trimer was also synthesized as a control. To promote hydration and form stable archaeosomes, an archaeal anionic lipid archaetidylglycerol (AG) was included in a 4:1 molar ratio. Archaeosomes prepared from Man p 1–2 –AG were recovered at only 34–37%, whereas Man p 3−4 –AG recoveries were 72–77%. Lipid recovery following hydration of Man p 5 –AG archaeosomes declined to 34%, indicating an optimum of 3–4 Man p units for bilayer formation. The CD8 + T cell response in mice immunized with Man p 3–5 archaeosomes containing ovalbumin was highest for Man p 4 and declined for Man p 3 and Man p 5 , revealing an optimum length of four unbranched units. The starch-derived trimer was more active than the Man p oligomers, suggesting the involvement of either a general binding lectin on antigen-presenting cells with highest affinity for triglucose or multiple lectin receptors.