cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bioresorbable optical sensor systems for monitoring of intracranial pressure and temperature

Continuous measurements of pressure and temperature within the intracranial, intraocular, and intravascular spaces provide essential diagnostic information for the treatment of traumatic brain injury, glaucoma, and cardiovascular diseases, respectively. Optical sensors are attractive because of their inherent compatibility with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Existing implantable optical components use permanent, nonresorbable materials that must be surgically extracted after use. Bioresorbable alternatives, introduced here, bypass this requirement, thereby eliminating the costs and risks of surgeries. Here, millimeter-scale bioresorbable Fabry-Perot interferometers and two dimensional photonic crystal structures enable precise, continuous measurements of pressure and temperature. Combined mechanical and optical simulations reveal the fundamental sensing mechanisms. In vitro studies and histopathological evaluations quantify the measurement accuracies, operational lifetimes, and biocompatibility of these systems. In vivo demonstrations establish clinically relevant performance attributes. The materials, device designs, and fabrication approaches outlined here establish broad foundational capabilities for diverse classes of bioresorbable optical sensors.
The impact of unplanned excisions of truncal/extremity soft tissue sarcomas: A multi‐institutional propensity score analysis from the US Sarcoma Collaborative

Objective Our aim was to compare outcomes in patients who underwent unplanned excisions (UE) of soft-tissue sarcomas (STS) against patients with planned excisions (PE). Methods The retrospective 7-institution US Sarcoma Collaborative database was used. Patients with curative-intent resection of truncal/extremity STS between 2000 and 2016 were included. Propensity score weighting analysis (PSWA) was performed. Endpoints were locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and disease-specific survival (DSS). Results One thousand five hundred and ninety-six patients were included. Eighty-two percent (n = 1315) underwent PE and 18% (n = 281) underwent UE. Compared with PE, patients with UE were younger with smaller tumors with similar tumor grade. Unmatched analysis revealed PE was associated with worse DMFS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.95, P = .009) and DSS (HR 1.78, P = .039), but not LRFS compared with UE. On PSWA, UE had earlier LRFS (3-year LRFS: 80.5% vs 89.8%, P = .039), but not DMFS or DSS. By grade, patients with high-grade tumors and UE had worse LRFS (1-year LRFS: 90% vs 94%, P = .015), but similar DMFS and DSS compared with PE. In low-grade patients, UE and PE had similar LRFS, DMFS, or DSS. Conclusions UE of STS is not associated with worse prognosis compared to PE, though UE is associated with earlier locoregional recurrence in patients with high-grade tumors. Multimodality therapy is needed to achieve improved outcomes in these patients.
Sampling Poetry, Pedagogy, and Protest to Build Methodology: Critical Poetic Inquiry as Culturally Relevant Method:

This article argues for a culturally relevant methodology that can aid minoritized and justice-oriented qualitative researchers in amplifying and sustaining the cultural epistemologies and counter-...
DNA Methylation Activates TP73 Expression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Gastrointestinal Cancer

The complexity of TP73 expression and its functionality, as well as the role of TP73 in tumorigenesis, unlike its cousin TP53, which is an established tumor suppressor, have remained elusive to date. In this study, we isolated two stem cell lines (HepCY & HepCO) from normal young and old human liver tissues. We determined TP73 expression in HepCY and HepCO, hepatocellular cancer (HCC) cell lines (HepG2, SNU398, SNU449 and SNU475), gastrointestinal cancer (GI) cell lines (Caco2 and HCT116) and normal skin fibroblasts cell line (HS27). Immunohistochemical analyses of TP73 expression was also performed in non-cancerous and adjacent cancerous liver tissues of HCC patients. The results show that TP73 expression is exclusive to the cancer cell lines and not the adjacent normal liver tissues. Moreover, methylation-specific PCR and bisulfite sequencing studies revealed that TP73 promoter is activated only in cancer cell lines by DNA methylation. Furthermore, ChIP assay results demonstrated that a chromosomal networking protein (CTCF) and tumor protein p53 (TP53) bind to TP73 promoter and regulate TP73 expression. Our observations demonstrate that a positive correlation in tumorigenesis exists between TP73 expression and DNA methylation in promoter regions of TP73. These findings may prove significant for the development of future diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
Synthesis and electronic structure studies of a Cr-imido redox series.

The effect of metal identity, d-electron count, and coordination geometry on the electronic structure of a metal–ligand multiple bond (MLMB) is an area of active exploration. Although high oxidation state Cr imidos have been extensively studied, very few reports on low-valent Cr imidos or the interconversion of redox isomers exist. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of a family of dipyrrinato Cr imido complexes in oxidation states ranging from CrIII to CrV, showcasing the influence of the weak-field dipyrromethene scaffold on the electronic structure and coordination geometries of these Cr imides.
Study of intermetallics for corrosion and creep resistant microstructure in Mg-RE and Mg-Al-RE alloys through a data-centric high-throughput DFT framework

Abstract The design of corrosion-resistant alloys requires a thorough understanding of the chemistry, microstructure, and its evolution in atmospheric conditions. While the alloy processing conditions and chemistry determine the microstructure according to the phase diagram, the microstructure determines the behavior when exposed to corrosive environments. An automated data-centric high-throughput framework using density functional theory (DFT) based first-principles approach was developed to rank intermetallic chemistry and texture for their vulnerability in corrosive environments. As a test case, a user-interactive database for Mg-X-Y composition was created and made publicly available. The high-throughput framework was subsequently used to screen Mg-RE and Mg-Al-RE (RE = La, Ce, Nd) alloy precipitates from the database for corrosion resistance. The surface energies for different symmetrically distinct crystallographic orientations and work functions for the stable phases were calculated using an automated and intelligent workflow without requiring manual intervention. The predictions were compared against previous experimental and theoretical results, calculated properties and corrosion rates. The data was analyzed to provide guidance and insights on microstructure design with a focus on corrosion and creep resistant alloys. While the heat of formation seems to be a reliable material descriptor for the thermal stability of the phases for better creep resistance, the minimum surface energy is a reliable descriptor for the most stable crystallographic surfaces critical for corrosion resistance. These correlations established using a consistent first-principles based theory, which are computationally inexpensive, can simplify the exploration of possible elemental makeup and microstructural design and guide the design of corrosion and creep resistant alloys.
Wind-Powered Sugar Mills as Constructions of Control in Colonial Montserrat

Caribbean plantation landscapes were designed to mediate interactions between planters and enslaved laborers. In this paper, wind-powered sugar mills on the island of Montserrat are singled out as being prominent components of the plantation environment that were not only economically productive, but also served as markers of planter power and control. The mills’ distinctive shape and height render them instantly identifiable, and their integral role in the sugar production process makes them signifiers of that industry. Here, viewshed analysis is employed to demonstrate the visual ubiquity of Montserrat’s sugar mills before emancipation, emphasizing the affective power of these edifices even beyond the borders of the individual plantations they served.
159 Adoptively transferred CD8+ T cells that target neoantigen persist and regress melanomas to a greater extent than those that target self/tumor-antigen

Background In patients treated with immunotherapy, mechanisms underlying why some respond to or fail treatment are not fully understood. Higher tumor mutational burden is often correlated with better responses, because the immune system reacts more strongly against mutated antigens (versus self antigens) due to a higher affinity interaction with the T cell receptor. In adoptive T cell transfer therapy (ACT), engraftment and persistence of the T cells are critical to prolonged antitumor responses. It remains unclear whether the affinity of the interaction between tumor antigen and TCR alone impacts the engraftment and persistence of tumor-specific T cells post ACT. Methods To simulate this clinical scenario in mice, we used two different melanoma models: 1) B16F10 expressing a low affinity peptide (mgp100 = i.e. tumor/self-antigen), or 2) B16F10 expressing a higher affinity peptide (hgp100), which represents a neoantigen-expressing tumor.1 Pmel-1 CD8+ T cells expressing a TCR that recognizes gp100 were adoptively transferred into mice bearing B16F10 melanoma. Results We posited that the function and persistence of adoptively transferred pmel-1 T cells would be increased in mice with neoantigen- compared to self- antigen expressing tumors. Indeed, we found that pmel-1 were less exhausted as well as engrafted and persisted far better in mice bearing tumors expressing neoantigens. Moreover, these large subcutaneous hot tumors shrank post ACT treatment and the animals survived long-term. Beneficial outcome was correlated with the appearance of vitiligo. Importantly, these cured mice were protected when rechallenged with a secondary tumor even after an intravenous rechallenge, implicating this ACT treatment mediates durable memory responses. Conclusions Herein, we underscore how tumor antigen affinity can drastically change T cell fate. Future work will concentrate in exploring in depth the correlation of less differentiated cytotoxic T cells treating neo/self-antigen expressing melanomas mimicking a clinical setting. Reference Hanada K, Yu Z, Chappell GR, Park AS, Restifo NP. An effective mouse model for adoptive cancer immunotherapy targeting neoantigens. JCI Insight 2019;4(10).
Opinion: We need to improve the welfare of life science trainees.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to sweep across the globe, the media and the general public are turning to biomedical scientists in hopes of quick remedies. And while terms such as “contact tracing,” “convalescent plasma,” and “PCR testing” become part of our daily vocabulary, a new spotlight has been shone on the importance of academic scientists in the fight for human healthcare and well-being. Yet, for years, few have acknowledged the lack of appreciation experienced by science’s primary workforce: graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Many scientist trainees in academia strive in vain for a sustainable career path. Their plight is well known, and yet trainees still struggle with poor living and working conditions. It's a plight made worse by the pandemic and recently implemented immigration restrictions. Image credit: Dave Cutler (artist). Indeed, to anticipate and prevent the next pandemic, biomedical science must provide its labor force with the backing and respect it deserves. More vigorous aid of academic science would infuse trainees with much needed assistance that could lead to novel ideas and solutions for the fight against human diseases, including COVID-19. In light of this devastating health crisis as well as some very unfavorable recent changes in immigration policies, we must address the persistent challenges across academia and envision a future in which institutions and governments fully recognize the value of a life science trainee. In 2009, I moved to the United States as a young and perhaps naive Italian undergraduate student looking for an excellent education and a better future. When I enrolled in a Ph.D. program in biomedical sciences, little did I know just how undervalued a graduate student would be—and how much self-sacrifice would be required. On realizing that most of the fellows in training shared my same tormented condition, reality soon crushed my dreams. I … [↵][1]Email: daniele.simoneschi{at}nyulangone.org. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Vaccine Efficacy at a Point in Time

Abstract Vaccine trials are generally designed to assess efficacy on clinical disease. The vaccine effect on infection, while important both as a proxy for transmission and to describe a vaccine’s total effects, requires frequent longitudinal sampling to capture all infections. Such sampling may not always be feasible. A logistically easy approach is to collect a sample to test for infection at a regularly scheduled visit. Such point or cross-sectional sampling does not permit estimation of classic vaccine effiacy on infection, as long duration infections are sampled with higher probability. Building on work by Rinta-Kokko and others (2009) we evaluate proxies of the vaccine effect on transmission at a point in time; the vaccine efficacy on prevalent infection and on prevalent viral load, VEPI and VEPV L, respectively. Longer infections with higher viral loads should have more transmission potential and prevalent vaccine efficacy naturally captures this aspect. We apply a proportional hazards model for infection risk and show how these metrics can be estimated using longitudinal or cross-sectional sampling. We also introduce regression models for designs with multiple cross-sectional sampling. The methods are evaluated by simulation and a phase III vaccine trial with PCR cross-sectional sampling for subclinical infection is analyzed.
Spotlight on Fukushima: The Aftermath: Interview with Norman J. Kleiman, PhD at Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University

Norman J. Kleiman, Ph.D. is a faculty member at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, Director of Columbia University’s Eye Radiation and Environmental Research Laboratory, and the U.S. Director of the Ukranian American Chernobyl Ocular Study (UACOS). Dr. Kleiman’s research uses the human eye as a model system to study the effect of ionizing radiation and environmental exposures on human health. Following the March 2011 earthquake in Japan, Dr. Kleiman has been frequently asked to discuss the consequences of the radiation leak from the Fukushima nuclear plant and has been featured in various publications and media outlets including Science, PBS, and MSNBC. In past interviews, Dr. Kleiman has offered some stirring and thought-provoking insight on the health consequences of radiation exposure at Fukushima, and he has interestingly warned against overstressing the risks posed by the radiation leak. In mid-April 2011, Columbia University student Kevin Xu of The Journal of Global Health caught up with Dr. Kleiman at his office during a brief break in his busy schedule. In the edited transcript below, Dr. Kleiman shares his perspectives on the public health consequences of the spread of radiation in Japan.
A Transdisciplinary Approach for Studying Uranium Mobility, Exposure, and Human Health Impacts on Tribal Lands in the Southwest United States

The geology of the Western United States (US) is rich in mineral resources that support a diversity of ecosystems and habitats capable of sustaining significant numbers of land-based human populations. The colocation of abundant mineral resources and human populations, however, can result in significant exposures to toxic metals if natural processes or human activities mobilize these metals in the environment. In 2017, the University of New Mexico Metal Exposure and Toxicity Assessment on Tribal Lands in the Southwest (METALS) Superfund Research and Training Center brought together a diverse group of researchers to merge their historical research interests in a team science approach to address environmental and biomedical challenges associated with abandoned mine wastes on tribal lands. The goals of this SRP Center are to understand how site-specific characteristics influence the mobility of metals in the environment and resulting community-level exposures to metal mixtures and to investigate the biological mechanisms that underlie mine-waste metal toxicity, working from population through molecular mechanistic levels, and manipulating doses and mixtures in controlled animal studies. Collectively, this interdisciplinary approach aims to deepen our understanding of how toxicity develops in order to inform interventions that can help to modify those toxic responses. In this chapter, we discuss the transdisciplinary approach upon which the University of New Mexico METALS SRP is built and highlight ongoing environmental and biological research projects that deepen our knowledge of metals exposures and impacts on indigenous communities. The METALS team builds upon knowledge developed from ongoing work across three generations of impacted community members and works closely with indigenous partners to improve our understanding of current and historical resource use and exposure. Through these partnerships, the METALS team has identified key factors affecting environmental mobility of complex metal mixtures found at abandoned uranium mines and continues working to assess the resulting toxicity that can differ based on the combinations of metals in the mixtures.
Classical Modular Symbols, Modular Forms, L-functions

We introduce the classical modular symbols, which are modular symbols with coefficients polynomials of bounded degree. We explain their close connection with modular forms, and with their L-functions.
The Olympic Commercializer

Up until 1984, the Olympics were noted for splendid athletic accomplishments, coupled with financial disaster. The 1976 Games in Montreal, for example, posted a monumental $1 billion deficit.
The Highest Good, The Social Character of Reason, and the Anthropological Enterprise of Kant’s “Critique”: A Response to the Symposium on The Ethical Commonwealth in History

In response to the five essays commenting on The Ethical Commonwealth in History, I provide an exploration of three themes—the character of the highest good, the possibility of attainment of the highest good, and the agency for its attainment—as a basis for dealing with the concerns these essays raise about my interpretation of Kant’s critical project. On my interpretation, Kant’s project of “critique” is primarily an anthropological one, with its central focus on the moral vocation to which finite reason calls humanity as a species: To bring about a world of enduring peace as an essential element in the enactment of the highest good. These concerns bear upon: (1) my characterization of the social and religious dimensions both of the highest good and of the finite human reason for which it serves as the final end; (2) the historical dimensions that I claim for the community (“the ethical commonwealth”) that is the locus for the attainment of the highest good; and (3) the roles for human and for divine agency in such attainment.
Rehabilitation and Functional Evaluation of the Stroke Survivor in New Jersey

The care of stroke survivors presents significant challenges both in the state of New Jersey and in the United States. Over 500 000 new cases of stroke yearly join the nearly three million stroke survivors in the United States. Stroke rehabilitation must address the medical, functional, vocational, avocational, and psychological issues of the stroke survivor using an interdisciplinary team of skilled professionals. This chapter describes admission criteria for inpatient stroke rehabilitation and guidelines for the assessment and treatment of the stroke survivor in various areas such as mobility and locomotion, activities of daily living (ADLs), community management, speech-language and cognitive disorders, and common medical complications. A model for functional evaluation used in the stroke rehabilitation program is described. Finally, functional data from 1900 stroke survivors admitted to the stroke rehabilitation program between January 1, 1992, and June 30, 1994, are described. While onset-to-admission intervals and legnth of stay have declined over the period, the functional status of the stroke survivors at discharge has remained constant. The efficiency of functional gains attained during the rehabilitation stay, as well as the efficiency of cost relative to these functional gains increased during the study period. The trends illustrated by these data reflect a movement by third-party payers to cap patient care costs by imposing shorter rehabilitation stays and shifting care to less intensive settings such as subacute units, nursing home facilities, and home care. However, rehabilitation professionals still must address the continuing need to maximize function and the safety of stroke survivors while meeting the demands of the government and insurance industry.
Education in VLSIC design at the University of Toledo

The authors describe seven courses offered at the University of Toledo. These courses are the framework about which the program in VLSI circuit design is built. Five other courses are named as being in direct support. The authors describe the rationale underlying the choices and detail some tools and resources. They include a brief description of how MOSIS is incorporated into regularly scheduled coursework. A short summary of ongoing research follows. Finally, the authors note student reaction, mention some difficulties, and comment on future plans and hopes. >
Intersecciones: cuerpos y sexualidades en la encrucijada

Intersecciones: cuerpos y sexualidades en la encrucijada es sin duda una obra seminal que abre el camino para otras muchas nuevas investigaciones y trabajos teoricos. Es pionera en la aplicacion en el ambito espanol del concepto de interseccionalidad, tras el desarrollo previo de este tipo de estudios fundamentalmente en entornos anglosajones. El afan de aportar un nueva mirada sobre las situaciones de opresion que constituyen nuestro dia a dia como sujetos sociales es una constante en los trabajos aglutinados en este libro. A su vez, los diferentes enfoques tematicos escogidos por los autores aparecen articulados de una forma muy acertada a traves de un marco teorico bien fundamentado y contextualizado.
Infectious etiologies of altered consciousness.

Publisher Summary The disorder of consciousness may be due to bacterial meningoencephalitis, viral encephalitis, tick-borne bacterial diseases, fungal meningitis or abscess, tuberculous meningitis, a brain abscess, or an epidural abscess. The disorder of consciousness may also be due to sepsis and an infectious encephalopathy, or the disorder of consciousness can follow an infection and be due to a parainfectious encephalomyelitis. In every patient with altered consciousness there is always the concern that the disorder is due to infection. There is an urgency in diagnosing a central nervous system (CNS) infectious disease, as it is potentially treatable and the longer it goes untreated the greater the risk of neurological morbidity and mortality. The chapter summarizes the recommended serological tests and the recommended CSF diagnostic studies to determine an infectious etiology for the patient's altered consciousness. The chapter gives an account for the infectious diseases that cause disorder of consciousness such as bacterial meningoencephalitis, viral encephalitis, tick-borne bacterial infections, fungal meningitis, tuberculous meningitis, intracranial mass lesion, and postinfectious encephalomyelitis. In the patient with altered consciousness with evidence of an inflammatory, demyelinating CNS disease, high-dose intravenous corticosteroid therapy should be given with a course of acyclovir for VZV infection as this may present as a demyelinating disorder. If the patient fails to improve on high-dose intravenous corticosteroid therapy, a course of plasma exchange is recommended.
Polyacrylonitrile hemofiltration for the adsorption myoglobin in tardy revascularization syndrome: in vitro assessment.

The Authors examine the behavior of P.A.N. membranes hemoperfusion combined with district hemodialysis in the prevention of tardy revascularization syndrome. Their experience "in vitro" seems to confirm the use of P.A.N. membrane is advisable whenever an increase of the myoglobin concentration occurs and they also envisage the use of the P.A.N. membrane in the prevention of T.R.S.
Clinical and economic impact of incidental thyroid lesions found with CT and MR.

PURPOSE To estimate the prevalence and the clinical and economic consequences of management strategies for thyroid lesions detected incidentally on cross-sectional imaging of the head and neck. METHODS Two hundred consecutive CT scans and 200 consecutive MR images of the neck performed over a 1-year period in patients being examined for other purposes were reviewed retrospectively to determine the prevalence of unexpected thyroid lesions. After excluding patients with prior thyroidectomies, known thyroid disease, and inadequate examinations, 231 imaging studies were analyzed. RESULTS Incidental thyroid lesions were originally reported in 14 (6%) of the 231 patients, but an additional 22 (9.5%) were found on retrospective review for a total of nearly 16% (36 of 231). Six of the 36 patients received further workup, consisting of nuclear medicine scintigraphy (n = 3), sonography (n = 3), thyroid function tests (n = 5), fine-needle aspiration (n = 4), and thyroid lobectomy (n = 1). Final diagnoses, obtained in four of the six patients, included three multinodular goiters and one follicular adenoma. Two patients, one with nondiagnostic findings at fine-needle aspiration and a second with normal thyroid function test results, are being followed up. The mean cost of the workup and treatment per examined patient was $1158. CONCLUSION Incidental thyroid lesions are frequently present and often overlooked on cross-sectional images of the neck in patients being examined for other reasons. The cost of pursuing a workup of these lesions and their high prevalence in the population raise questions regarding appropriate management strategies.
Alternating phase shift mask technology for 65nm logic applications

Alternating Phase Shift Mask (APSM) Technology has been developed and successfully implemented for the poly gate of 65nm node Logic application at Intel. This paper discusses the optimization of the mask design rules and fabrication process in order to enable high volume manufacturability. Intel's APSM technology is based on a dual sided trenched architecture. To meet the stringent OPC requirements associated with patterning of narrow gates required for the 65nm node, Chrome width between the Zero and Pi aperture need to be minimized. Additionally, APSM lithography has an inherently low MEEF that furthermore, drives a narrower Chrome line as compared to the Binary approach. The double sided trenched structure with narrow Chrome lines are mechanically vulnerable and prone to damage when exposed to conventional mask processing steps. Therefore, new processing approaches were developed to minimize the damage to the patterned mask features. For example, cleaning processes were optimized to minimize Chrome & quartz damage while retaining the cleaning effectiveness. In addition, mask design rules were developed which ensured manufacturability. The narrow Chrome regions between the zero and Pi apertures severely restrict the tolerance for the placement of the second level resists edges with respect to the first level. UV Laser Writer based resist patterning capability, capable of providing the required Overlay tolerance, was developed, An AIMS based methodology was used to optimize the undercut and minimize the aerial image CD difference between the Zero and Pi apertures.
Point defects and cation tracer diffusion in (CrxFe1 − x)3 − δO4 spinels

Abstract The deviation from stoichiometry, δ, in (CrxFe1−x)3−δO4 was measured by thermogravimetry at 1200 °C as a function of oxygen activity, aO2, and cationic composition, x. Moreover, cation tracer diffusion coefficients, D Me ∗ , for Me = Co, Cr, Fe and Mn, were experimentally determined using radioactive isotopes, Co-60, Cr-51, Fe-59 and Mn-54. δ versus log aO2 plots for different x displayed S-shaped curves. The experimental data suggested that cation vacancies and cation interstitials were the majority defects at high and low oxygen activities, respectively. V-shaped curves were observed in D Me ∗ versus log aO2 plots. The observed oxygen activity dependence indicated that the diffusion of Co, Cr, Fe and Mn in (CrxFe1− x)3−δO4 at high oxygen activities is governed by cation vacancies and at low oxygen activities by cation interstitials. Mean cation mobilities were derived by combining non-stoichiometry and cation diffusion information.
Na+ ‐ and K+‐dependent adenosine triphosphatase changes in multiple sclerosis plaques

Na+- and K+-dependent adenosine triphosphatase [(Na+ + K+)-ATPase] was studied in microdissected samples from sections of histologically active and inactive plaques of multiple sclerosis. In active plaques the enzyme was found to be markedly reduced in activity, whereas in old, chronic plaques ATPase activities were higher than those of unaffected white matter. White matter from control patients and normal-appearing white matter from MS patients did not differ with regard to ATPase activities. The results suggest that reversible changes in the sodium pump mechanism may be involved in the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis.
New-Teacher Induction 2.0

AbstractThe purpose of this program evaluation study was to design, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of incorporating an online learning community as part of a comprehensive new-teacher induction program. The researcher, who serves as the middle school principal and new induction coordinator for the school district, used a mixed-method approach to collect and analyze the results of the study. First, the researcher created an online learning community model based on the results of a comprehensive review of literature and a previous year’s pilot study. Next, the researcher implemented an online learning community in the form of a wiki. The study evaluated the implementation of the model through the perspectives of all the participants: new teachers and contributors (veteran teachers, principals, central office administrators, and professors from schools of education). The data (pre- and postsurveys, questionnaires, and focus-group sessions) revealed positive results for the new-induction online lea...
Automatic semantic classification of verbs from their syntactic contexts: an implemented classifier for stativity

This paper discusses an implemented program that automatically classifies verbs into those that describe only states of the world, such as to know, and those that describe events, such as to look. It works by exploiting the constraint between the syntactic environments in which a verb can occur and its meaning. The only input is on-line text. This demonstrates an important new technique for the automatic generation of lexical databases.
Exploring organizational expansion modes and their associated communication system requirements: consolidation and complementation

The expectation of firms following aggressive growth strategies is that firms expanding geographically will acquire extensive economic advantages unavailable to more conservative competitors. Growth-minded firms also believe that by integrating info-communication technology (ICT) within their regional infrastructures, distribution channels, and marketing approaches, they can achieve lower costs or enhanced differentiation within a broad scope of operations. Empirical evidence shows that many organizational expansions have been implemented utilizing two major expansion modes, consolidation and complementation. This research examines the modal properties of these approaches in terms of their configurational characteristics, economic rationales and managerial requirements. Viewed from a top-down perspective the modal properties further suggest the organization's management support system requirements. This study also identifies and explores the corresponding communication system requirements, especially for key dispersion-related communication configurations and systems. The desired practical effect of this research would be an increased awareness of and an incentive for commercial and industrial enterprises to include communication system requirements in their adopted expansion mode deliberations.
Mutagenic and carcinogenic potency of extracts of diesel and related environmental emissions: Summary and discussion of the results

Abstract The proposed conversion from gasoline powered automobiles to diesel powered vehicels has prompted the Environmental Protection Agency to evaluate the potential health effects associated with exposure to diesel emissions. At present, there is no direct epidemiological link between this exposure and human health. Therefore, a research program was constructed to compare the health effects associated with diesel emissions with those from other emission sources for which epidemiological information was available. The emission sources chosen were cigarette smoke, roofing tar, and coke oven. An additional comparative emission source which was a gasoline catalyst engine. Respirable particles from a variety of combustion sources have the potential of being carcinogenic and mutagenic. The objective of these studies was to determine the relative biological activity of the organic material adsorbed on these particles in both in vitro mutagenesis and in vitro and in vivo bioassays. The organic extracts from the following series of emission sources were quantitatively bioassayed in a matrix of tests for their carcinogenic and mutagenic activity: (1) a light-duty Oldsmobile diesel 350 engine; (2) a heavy-duty Caterpillar diesel engine; (3) a light-duty Nissan engine; (4) a Volkswagen Rabbit diesel engine; (5) cigarette smoke; (6) roofing tar; (7) coke oven; and (8) a gasoline catalyst Mustang. The test matrix consisted of the following bioassay: reverse mutation in Salmonella typhimurium ; mitotic recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae ; DNA damage in Syrian hamster embryo cells (SHE); sister chromatid exchange in CHO cells; gene mutation in L5178Y mouse lymphoma cells, Balb/c 3T3 mouse embryo fibroblasts and CHO cells; viral enhancement of SHE cells; oncogenic transformation in Balb/c 3T3 cells; and skin tumor initiation in SENCAR and C57 black mice. The results of this test matrix are discussed.
Perioperative Considerations: Planning, Intraoperative and Postoperative Management

Throughout the last decade, the use of endoscopic skull base surgery has increased, aggregating the efforts of otolaryngologists-head and neck surgeons, and neurosurgeons. Using the natural sinonasal corridor to reach virtually the entire ventral skull base, this aspect of skull base surgery has grown exponentially, adding anatomy-based modular techniques that enable the safe removal of complex neoplasms, even in the presence of intradural progression or vascular encasement. Nonetheless, the safe employment of this technique requires fastidious planning, meticulous intraoperative management and thorough postoperative care to yield optimal results and prevent complications. Patients are preoperatively submitted to a clinical evaluation and a series of complementary imaging studies in order to warrant proper selection of the technique. During surgery, appropriate training and adequate resources, coupled with skilled anesthesiology support, allow the surgical team to safely perform the transnasal approach, dissection and resection of the tumor and reconstruction of the resultant defect. The postoperative period is equally important and aims not only to facilitate a speedy recovery, but also to prevent potential complications. This study describes those measures in the planning and perioperative management of skull base lesions through endonasal surgery, as used by our group.
Pumped on steroids

Steroid receptors play critical roles in myeloid development, functioning as transcriptional activators of the genes that guide the myeloid cell from progenitor to a mature granulocyte or monocyte. The 2 most important steroid receptors in myeloid development are the retinoic acid receptor and the
The Variable Spectrum of Echocardiographic Manifestations of the Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome

The variety of echographic features associated with the mitral valve prolapse syndrome (MVPS) is not yet completely understood. Therefore, ultrasound recordings were obtained in 33 patients in whom mitral prolapse had been documented by biplane left ventricular cineangiography. Echographic abnormailities of the mitral leaflets during systole were recorded in 26/27 MVPS patients and 6/6 with ruptured chordae tendineae. In MVPS, the midsystolic mitral buckling, emphasized in early echocardiographic studies, was observed in only 12 patients. In our study, the most common aberrancy was abnormal pansystolic mitral motion in 14 patients, which in 12 was similar to the pansystolic bowing observed in all six patients with torn chordae. An additional echographic abnormality in MVPS was localized mitral collapse throughout systole in 10/14 patients with pansystolic prolapse; this finding was the most striking defect noted in five, in two of whom it was the only disturbance. Phonocardiography in MVPS showed typical midsystolic click and/or late systolic murmur in only 15/26 patients of whom ten had midsystolic mitral buckling. A variety of systolic clicks and/or murmurs occurred in the 14 patients with generalized bowing and/or localized collapse throughout systole on echocardiography. Thus, the mitral echographic spectrum of MVPS is comprised of three different abnormal patterns of systolic prolapse: buckling in midsystole, pansystolic bowing, and pansystolic collapse. These echocardiographic disorders commonly occur in the absence of classical auscultatory findings in MVPS and the most frequent abnormality on ultrasound is pansystolic bowing of both mitral leaflets.
Upper limits on terahertz difference frequency generation power in quantum well heterostructures

There is currently considerable interest in terahertz (THz) difference frequency generation (DFG) utilizing near-resonant intersubband nonlinearity in quantum cascade lasers and other quantum well heterostructures. Such devices were shown to operate at room temperature, but their power demonstrated so far has been rather low. In all previous works the intracavity configuration was studied, in which the nonlinear mixing region was placed inside a pump laser cavity. Here we obtain the upper limits on the THz DFG power that can be achieved in intersubband quantum well systems under external optical pumping. We consider strong optical fields and include all resonant absorption or pump depletion, and nonlinear saturation effects by self-consistently solving three coupled wave equations, the Poisson equation, and density matrix equations. Although we use a GaInAs/AlInAs double quantum well heterostructure as an example, our analysis is applicable to any material system possessing resonant second-order optical nonlinearity. The maximal THz DFG power is reached for intermediate pump intensities of the order of the saturation intensity. Further increase of the pump intensity results in the decrease of the maximum THz DFG power. We analyze the dependence of THz power on the length and doping of the nonlinear mixing region, and present the design of the optimal structures.
Linear regression with special coefficient features attained via parameterization in exponential, logistic, and multinomial-logit forms

Multiple linear regression with special properties of its coefficients parameterized by exponent, logit, and multinomial functions is considered. To obtain always positive coefficients the exponential parameterization is applied. To get coefficients in an assigned range, the logistic parameterization is used. Such coefficients permit us to evaluate the impact of individual predictors in the model. The coefficients obtained by the multinomial-logit parameterization equal the shares of the predictors, which is useful for interpretation of their influence. The considered regression models are constructed by nonlinear optimization techniques, have stable solutions and good quality of fit, have simple structure of the linear aggregates, demonstrate high predictive ability, and suggest a convenient way to identify the main predictors.
Lumbar spinal moments in chronic back pain patients during supported lifting: a dynamic analysis.

Abstract Objectives: The main objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that peak L4/L5 moments (torque) placed on the lumbar spine by chronic back pain subjects are reduced using pain-reducing postural adaptations. A secondary objective was to determine the relation between lumbar moments while lifting and self-reported ratings of lower back pain. Study Design: Cohort using seven men with a history of chronic lower back pain. An inverse dynamic model was used to calculate L4/L5 forces and moments while performing five trials each of two lifting styles. Subjective ratings of lumbar back pain were taken before and after the lifts. Results: Significant ( p p Conclusions: Peak L4/L5 net reaction moments were less (spine extensor loading) for a lifting posture that produced lower levels of self-reported lower back pain. The dynamic model proved reliable and useful for future study of the pathomechanics of lower back pain.
Uptake and release of [14C]GABA from rabbit retina synaptosomes

A partial separation of two synaptosomal fractions from retina was achieved using modifications of conventional homogenization and centrifugation techniques. Very low speed centrifugation of retinal homogenates produced a particulate fraction (P1) containing many large synaptosomes which were similar in appearance to photoreceptor cell terminals. Higher speed centrifugation of the resulting supernatant produced a second particulate fraction (P2) containing smaller, i.e. conventional-sized, synaptosomes, morphologically similar to synaptic terminals of horizontal and amacrine cells. The P2 fraction was comparable in appearance to synaptosomal fractions isolated from brain. This represents a partial separation of two morphologically distinct synaptosomal populations, i.e. receptor cell synaptosomes (large synaptosomes) and synaptosomes from the other cell types (conventional-sized synaptosomes). [14C]GABA was bound and released from subcellular fractions from retina under conditions (i.e. Ca++-dependent, K+ stimulation) which support its role as a neurotransmitter in retina. On the other hand, [3H]leucine, which is very likely a non-transmitter compound, was bound by retinal fractions, but was not released to the appropriate stimulation. [14C]GABA binding and release sites were more prevelant in P2 fractions. This fraction contains the greatest concentration of smaller (conventional) synaptosomes which are presumably formed from amacrine, horizontal and perhaps bipolar cells. [14C]GABA is bound by P1 fractions containing photoreceptor synaptosomes; however, the K+ stimulated release of [14C]GABA appeared to be insensitive to external Ca++. Since stimulated release of neurotransmitters at synaptic endings in vivo has been shown to be Ca++-dependent, the significance of this release is unclear. It may represent K+ stimulated efflux of [14C]GABA from subcellular fragments other than synaptosomes, e.g., glial fragments. Alternatively, since the release of [14C]GABA is inhibited by Mn++ (also a characteristic of in vivo transmitter release), it could represent release from nerve endings which does not require extracellular Ca++ stores, i.e. it could be supported by intracellular stores of Ca++ which may be present in large photoreceptor terminals.
GeV gamma-ray astronomy in the era of GLAST

The Gamma Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) is a high energy (20 MeV to 300 GeV) gamma-ray astronomy mission scheduled for launch in 2005. The underlying theme of the GLAST mission is to explore sites of particle acceleration in the universe. GLAST will build on discoveries made by EGRET/CGRO, examining blazars, gamma-ray bursts, supernova remnants, pulsars, dark matter and solar flares. In addition, GLAST observations may begin to uncover the mystery of the ~ 170 unidentified high-energy gamma-ray. The sensitivity will be < 6 x 10-9s-1 for a one year survey at high galactic latitude, a factor of ∼ 15 better than EGRET.
QoS Support in Multi-Link and Multi-Rate Systems

In a military communications environment, multiple communication links could exist between senders and receivers. This feature enhances communication connection reliability and throughput. Since each link may not use the same type of device or transmission method and links' characteristics may not be the same, sometimes, the link availability and link data rate could fluctuate significantly, which causes an unstable communication connection. Fundamental challenges of taking advantage of multi-link connections are how to dynamically and seam-lessly maintain and control desired levels of Quality of Service (QoS) while using different links and how to satisfy the diversity of applications and their QoS requirements with appropriate delivery methods. In this paper, we propose a Dynamic DiffServ-based Adaptive Queue management scheme (DDAQ) that includes a QoS and link status aware data dispatch mechanism to fully utilize the multilink capacity and to realize better QoS support.
Young children's emerging ability to make false statements

This study examined the origins of children’s ability to make consciously false statements, a necessary component of lying. Children 2 to 5 years of age were rewarded for claiming that they saw a picture of a bird when viewing pictures of fish. They were asked outcome questions (“Do you win/lose?”), recognition questions (“Do you have a bird/fish?”), and recall questions (“What do you have?”), which were hypothesized to vary in difficulty depending on the need for consciousness of falsity (less for outcome questions) and self-generation of an appropriate response (more for recall questions). The youngest children (2 1 U2 to 3 1 U2 years old) were above chance on outcome questions, but it was not until age 3 1 U2 that children performed above chance on recognition questions or were capable of maintaining false claims across question types. Findings have implications for understanding the emergence of deception in young children.
Bystander emotional distress: should third parties recover regardless of the negligent tort?

Imagine parents who have just been told their child, due to a medical error during a routine appendectomy, has a punctured lung requiring a highly risky surgical procedure. The parents consent to t...
Picosecond Dynamical Temporal Evolution Of Molecular Ir Absorption Spectra

The variation of the collisionless absorption spectral shapes for vibrationally excited SF 6 and C 2 F 5 C1 as a function of the picosecond probe pulse duration was determined using a two-IR frequency pump-probe scheme. The experiments revealed a spectral narrowing with decreasing pulse duration, similar to a recent observation in C 3 F 7 I with a single laser pulse. The observed experimental results are shown to be consistent with a dynamic multi-tier classification of energy levels in the QC of polyatomic molecules. Specifically, the time constants for such a coupling are evaluated to be >20 ps for all the molecules studied.