cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sensitivity of titania(B) nanowires to nitroaromatic and nitroamino explosives at room temperature via surface hydroxyl groups

Thin films of TiO2(B) nanowires are known to have sensitive and fast response to vapors of nitro-explosives under ambient conditions. The sensing response is believed to be affected by the humidity of ambient air that changes the density of hydroxyl groups on the TiO2(B) surfaces. To verify this mechanism, the role of surface hydroxyl groups on TiO2(B) nanowires was investigated via various surface modifications. It was found that a higher density of surface hydroxyl groups will constantly enhance the chemiresistive response of TiO2(B) nanowires to the nitro-explosives vapors. These surface hydroxyl groups serve as a pathway for effective charge transfer between the nitro groups on the explosive molecules and the TiO2(B). The evidence of charge transfer complex formation between nitro groups and titanium dioxide is also confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.
Direct microdetermination of sucrose

Abstract A method is described for direct determination of sucrose. It depends on destruction of reducing sugars with hot alkali, followed by determination of the fructose moiety of sucrose, using cold anthrone.
Effects of prescribed fire on a Sierra Nevada (California, USA) stream and its riparian zone

Abstract Concerns about the effects of fire on ecologically sensitive habitats have limited the use of prescribed fire in the management of forest riparian areas. Using a beyond-BACI (Before-After-Control-Impact) experimental design, we examined the effects of a 26-ha prescribed fire that burned upland and riparian areas of a first-order watershed, and compared this to five unburned sites examined from 1 to 7 years pre-fire and 1 year post-fire. We monitored pre- and post-fire riparian vegetation, large woody debris, sediment, water chemistry, periphyton, and benthic macroinvertebrates. The prescribed fire in the riparian zone was patchy in terms of intensity, consumption, and severity; it consumed 79% of the pre-fire fuel in the riparian zone, 34% of the total surface fuel, and 90% of the total ground fuel. The prescribed fire significantly reduced percent cover of surface vegetation and plant taxa richness in comparison to unburned sites but not plant diversity (Simpson's D). Community composition of understory riparian vegetation changed post-fire, most likely as a result of the reduction in taxa richness and cover. Riparian tree mortality (>11.5 cm DBH) was only 4.4% post-fire. Similarly, there was no post-fire change in large woody debris volume and recruitment, or fine sediment in pools (V*). Post-fire, there were increases in some water chemistry parameters (SO4−, total P, Ca2+, and Mg2+) and a decrease in periphyton biomass; however, these changes were short-term, and recovery occurred in ≤1 year. Macroinvertebrate community composition but not density, richness, or diversity was affected 10–19 d post-fire; composition recovered within 1 year. The trends observed in this study examining multiple abiotic and biotic parameters suggest that this prescribed fire either had no or short-lasting (≤1 year) impacts on Dark Canyon Creek and its riparian zone. The limited observed impacts are at least partially a result of the small portion (
Feline hyperthyroidism: potential relationship with iodine supplement requirements of commercial cat foods.

Article rationale Since the late 1970s, there has been a significant increase in the prevalence of feline hyperthyroidism (FH). It is now recognized worldwide as the most common endocrinopathy of older cats, resembling toxic nodular goiter of older humans in iodine-deficient areas. The purpose of this article is to identify the potential for iodine concentrations in the diet to contribute to the etiology of FH. Historical context Iodine concentrations of commercial cat foods vary widely. A review of historical iodine recommendations revealed that the units of iodine supplementation changed in the 1970s. Given this change, foods minimally supplemented since the late 1970s would have been iodine deficient for most cats.Practical relevance Iodine supplementation of commercial cat foods should be evaluated in the light of the iodine recommendations revised in 2006. Foods may remain deficient in iodine if supplemented at the minimum recommended concentration, possibly contributing to the development of FH.
Edward Palmer’s whereabouts known, August–September, 1867

Edward Palmer collected plant specimens during and after his military service in Southern Arizona, 1867. His itinerary over about six weeks between Camp Grant, his last official commission, and Yuma has been poorly known, but is now revealed by a series of specimens found in the course of formerly unrelated, collections-based research. A brief historical and geographical discussion accompanies a list of the specimens collected by Palmer during this time.
Cyclic AMP modulates but does not mediate the inhibition of [3H]norepinephrine release by activation of alpha-2 adrenergic receptors in cultured rat ganglion cells.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine whether a decrease in cyclic AMP accumulation mediates the inhibition of norepinephrine release in response to alpha-2 adrenergic receptor activation in cultured rat superior cervical ganglion cells. Superior cervical ganglia from neonatal rats were dissociated and cultured on collagen-coated plastic strips. Neurotransmitter release was assessed by measuring the fractional overflow of tritium in superfused cells prelabeled with [ 3 H]norepinephrine. Intracellular cyclic AMP accumulation was measured using radioimmunoassay. Electrical field stimulation at 1 Hz, 30 pulses, 1 ms duration at 20 min intervals produced an increase in the fractional overflow of tritium that was composed predominantly of intact [ 3 H]norepinephrine. The alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist UK-14,304 dose-dependently attenuated the increase in fractional tritium overflow elicited by electrical field stimulation. The adenylyl cyclase activator, forskolin, increased cyclic AMP accumulation in superior cervical ganglion cells and UK-14,304 dose-dependently inhibited forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation. UK-14,304 had no effect on basal cyclic AMP accumulation or cyclic AMP accumulation during electrical field stimulation. Forskolin (1–10 μM) or the non-hydrolysable cAMP analog, 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (1–100 μM), slightly increased basal and dose-dependently potentiated the increase in fractional tritium overflow in response to electrical stimulation. Despite enhancement by forskolin and 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate of fractional tritium overflow caused by electrical field stimulation, UK-14304 (1–10 μM) reduced release to a similar degree as that observed in the absence of forskolin or 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate. These data suggest that in cultured rat superior cervical ganglion cells, stimulation of alpha-2 adrenergic receptors decreases cyclic AMP accumulation when adenyl cyclase is activated. A decrease in cyclic AMP does not mediate the inhibition of [ 3 H]norepinephrine release in response to alpha-2 adrenergic receptor activation, although elevations in cyclic AMP can enhance electrically-stimulated release of [ 3 H]norepinephrine.
Rheumatoid arthritis: Erosion defined: back to basics

Current classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis allow its classification on the basis of the presence of erosions, in the absence of other indicators. Nevertheless, definition or quantitation of erosions was lacking. A European task force has now addressed this issue by analysing radiographic erosions in two cohorts of patients with early disease.
Autism: A chiropractic perspective

Summary Chiropractors, as with other primary healthcare clinicians, are often faced with a child whom they suspect may have symptoms of autism, often previously undiagnosed. As such, it is important that there is familiarity with the symptoms, primary of which are difficulties in communicating or relating to other people. Although there is no known cause for autism, various potential aetiologies are under investigation. A number of abnormalities are found in multiple systems and functions in the autistic individual who presents a number of management challenges. Some researchers have discovered a laterality of the atlas in children with autism and there are various suggestions as to why removing upper cervical dysfunction may have a positive effect on the symptoms of autism. This paper offers a systematic review of the condition with emphasis on the elements pertinent to the manual therapist.
Cooling and heating rate limits of a reversed reciprocating ericsson cycle at steady state

The optimal cooling and heating rates for the reversed reciprocating Ericsson cycle with ideal regeneration are determined for heat pump operations. These limiting rates are based on the upper and lower thermal reservoir temperature bounds and are obtained using time and entropy minimization procedures from irreversible thermodynamics. Use is made of time symmetry (a second law constraint) to minimize cycle time. This optimally allocates the thermal capacitances of the cycle and minimizes internal cycle entropy generation. Although primarily a theoretical work, a very practical and extensive parametric study using several environmentally friendly working fluids (neon, nitrogen and helium) is included. This study evaluates the relative contributions of various system parameters to rate-optimized design. The coefficient of performance (COP), and thus the quantity of cooling or heating for a given energy input, is the traditional focus; instead this work aims at the rate of cooling or heating in heat pumps under steady state conditions and using ideal gases as their working substances. The results obtained provide additional criteria for use in the study, design and performance evaluation of employing Ericsson cycles in refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump applications. They give direct insight into what is required in designing a reversed Ericsson heat pump to achieve maximum heating and cooling rates. The choices of working fluids and pressure ratios were found to be very significant design parameters, together with selection of regenerator and source-sink heat transfer parameters. The parameter most influencing both the heating and cooling mode COPs and the heat transfer rates was found to be the heat conductance of the thermal sink.
Surface-confined monomers on electrode surfaces. 6. Adsorption and polymerization of 1,6-diisocyanohexane on Au and Pt

Thin films of 1,6-diisocyanohexane (DICH) can be formed on Au and Pt surfaces by immersion of clean substrates in 0.001−1.0 M solutions of DICH. Infrared transitions for both Au-bound and free isoc...
Controls on fCO2 in the South Pacific

Abstract One aspect of the JGOFS/WOCE programs is the generation of a global CO2 data set which will be significantly better in sampling density and quality than existed before. This data will be extremely valuable to geochemists and modelers interested in the global carbon cycle. Nevertheless, it will still be necessary to interpolate measurements both temporally and spatially to incorporate the results into global circulation models. This paper presents a new method that attempts to quantify the processes known to influence surface ocean CO2 fugacity. The method is tested using data collected along a Pacific WOCE section (P17E) across the Southern Ocean. These calculations offer more insight into the factors controlling fCO2 than published analysis/interpolation schemes in that individual effects are quantified without resorting to empirical relationships. The procedure works extremely well for spatial interpolation along section P17E and sheds insight into physical processes (mixing and air–sea gas exchange) where model results differ from observations. If the method proves to be robust when applied to other areas, it will be a significant step toward interpolation of sparse ocean CO2 measurements in order to calculate either regional or global CO2 fluxes.
Measuring Temporal Complexity in the External Environment Nonlinearity and the Bounds of Rational Action

Forty years ago, Herbert Simon reminded public managers of the limits of rationality, or the bounded rationality, of the individual decision maker. New analytical techniques from the sciences of complexity now provide a means to measure the complexity in the environment of public managers using actual organizational data. Time series analysis is used to examine data from the external environment of two urban police divisions. Results of the analysis reveal that the complexities of the environment of public organizations may serve as an inhibition to rational decision making that extends beyond the limits of the individual proposed by Simon.
Emergency procedures important to the training of emergency medicine residents: who performs them in the emergency department?

Objective: To quantify one aspect of emergency medicine (EM) training by determining the proportion of emergency procedures performed by emergency physicians (EPs) in EDs with EM residency programs (EMRPs). Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive survey of all allopathic EMRPs accredited by the EM Residency Review Committee (RRC-EM) as of July 1, 1993. Using a modified visual analog scale, program directors indicated the proportion of ten index procedures performed in the ED by EPs vs all other physicians. Results: All 98 EMRPs meeting entry criteria responded to the survey. The medians for the percentage of times index procedures were performed in the ED by an EP were as follows (parentheses following percentages enclose 95% CIs): endotracheal intubation, 97% (95%, 100%); reduction of anterior shoulder dislocation, 93% (88%, 97%); thoracostomy, 63% (50%, 75%); transvenous pacer insertion, 60% (50%, 75%); cricothyrotomy, 50% (50%, 75%); thoracotomy, 50% (25%, 50%); diagnostic peritoneal lavage, 50% (25%, 50%); fiberoptic laryngoscopy, 22% (6%, 25%); sigmoidoscopy, 0% (0%, 6%); and pelvic sonography, 0% (0%, 0%). Conclusion: EPs in EDs of institutions that have EMRPs perform, on average, 50% of all index procedures (95% CI 47%, 52%). This information may assist EM programs experiencing difficulty in ensuring that their residents receive an equitable share of those procedures that are critical to their training.
Ten-vertex {closo-2,1,10-FeC2B7} clusters with intramolecular imidate linkages: anchors for supramolecular construction

Intramolecular hydroxyl attack upon iron-coordinated nitriles in a {closo-2,1,10-FeC2B7} system forms imidates that allow construction of a tetra-cluster {FeC2B7}–{C2Co2}–{C2Co2}–{FeC2B7} molecule.
Studies on the kinetics and mechanism of reduction of flavodoxin from Peptostreptococcus elsdenii by sodium dithionite

1. 1. The reactions of the oxidised and semiquinone forms of Peptostreptococcus elsdenii flavodoxin with sodium dithionite have been studied by stopped flow spectrophotometry. At low ionic strength where comproportionation of flavodoxin is slow compared with the overall rate of reduction, the reactions with an excess of dithionite follow first-order kinetics. Semiquinone is not detected during the reduction of oxidised flavodoxin, possibly because the semiquinone is reduced very much faster than the oxidised protein. 2. 2. The rates of reduction are proportional to the square root of the dithionite concentration. This observation suggests that the reducing species is not dithionite itself, but a dissociation product. It is proposed that the reducing species is SO2. The results support a mechanism in which the reduction of oxidised flavodoxin occurs by two successive one-electron transfers, and is limited by the rate of reduction to the semiquinone level. 3. 3. The reaction of oxidized flavodoxin and fully reduced flavodoxin to form semiquinone is very sensitive to ionic strength and the salt composition of the medium. Increasing ionic strength causes a marked increase in rate. The rate constant at zero ionic strength, calculated by extrapolation, was 100 M−1·min−1 at 25 °C.
Correlates of Back Problems and Back-Related Disability in the United States

Abstract The purpose of this study is to identify correlates of back problems and back disability in the adult population of the United States. Cross-sectional analyses were performed using data from the 1989 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Weighted polytomous logistic regression modeling was performed to estimate odds ratios adjusted for the effects of covariates. The prevalence of a disabling back condition, vs. no back condition, was relatively higher among subjects aged 25–64 years, male, non-high-school graduates, unemployed, living in the West, with disabling non-back morbidities, and with body mass index and weight above the 50th percentile. Among workers, those in technical, sales, clerical, private household, service, precision production and repair, or transportation occupations were relatively more likely to report disabling back conditions, compared to workers in professional occupations. Among adults with back problems, age greater than 34 years, weight above the 50th percentile, and history of back trauma were associated with chronic back disability. Although the magnitudes of the associations are not large, they may have enormous public health implications because of the high prevalence of back problems and related disability.
A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SURVIVAL AND REPAIR SYNTHESIS‘ OF DNA AFTER ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT EXPOSURE

— The influence of amino acid prestarvation on both the resistance to u.v. and the postirradiation repair synthesis of E. coli 15 T- 555-7 thy meth arg trp and E. coli B/r (HCR+) was followed. Prestarvation increased the number of survivors about 30–100 fold in both strains at doses 600-1200ergs/mm2. In contrast to survival no increase in repair synthesis was observed. Thus, the increase in survival has to be brought about by a mechanism which seems to be independent of additional repair synthesis.
Establishment of Reference Intervals for Thyroid- Stimulating Hormone and Free Thyroxine in Amniotic Fluid Using the Bayer ADVIA Centaur

Thyroid hormone concentrations in amniotic fluid (AF) can aid in the diagnosis of fetal hypothyroidism. However, the availability of reference intervals for thyroid hormones in AF using current methods is
The Sierra Crest Magmatic Event: Rapid Formation of Juvenile Crust during the Late Cretaceous in California

The Late Cretaceous was a period of extremely voluminous magmatism and rapid crustal growth in the western United States. From approximately 98 to 86 Ma, greater than 4000 km2 of exposed granodioritic to granitic crust, including the largest composite intrusive suites in the Sierra Nevada batholith, were emplaced in eastern California. Plutons intruded during this period include the highest peaks in the Sierra; we informally refer to this as the Sierra Crest magmatic event. Field, petrologic, geochemical, and geochronologic data indicate that, although they comprise an insignificant volume of exposed rocks (less than 100 km2), mafic magmas were intruded contemporaneously with each episode of intermediate and high-silica magmatism in the event. This observation attests to the fundamental importance of high-alumina basaltic magmas during crustal-growth episodes in continental arcs. Geochemical data for suites of coeval plutonic rocks of the Sierra Crest magmatic event, ranging in composition from basalt to ...
Our Large Change: The Denominations of the Currency

Revived interest in small denominations, 257. — The greenback period, 258. — Regulation of denominations in greenback laws, 259. — In the national banking law, 260. — Silver dollars and silver certificates under the Bland-Allison act, 262. — The Silver Purchase act of 1890, 263. — Table, 264. — Treasury notes of 1890, 266. — Developments after repeal of Silver Purchase act, 268. — Gold standard law of 1900, 269. — Developments after 1900, 271. —Act of March 4, 1907, 272. — Discretion granted to national banks, 1917, 276.
Reply to Coyne: Genomic analyses are unthwarted

In his comment on our PNAS article (1), Dr. Coyne suggests that statistical analysis is untenable when predictor variables are correlated and that it is important to control for potential confounding (2). These issues were each effectively addressed by the standard linear statistical models we used to quantify associations between leukocyte gene expression and well-being while controlling for potential confounders (exactly the approach recommended in Coyne’s reference 3). In particular, the following issues are addressed: [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. E-mail: coles{at}ucla.edu or blf{at}unc.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Effects of planktivorous fish mass mortality on the plankton community of Lake Mendota, Wisconsin: implications for biomanipulation

Massive mortality of planktivorous fish had a dramatic impact on plankton community dynamics of Lake Mendota, Wisconsin, USA. After fish mortality, the larger Daphnia pulicaria replaced the smaller Daphnia galeata mendotae, resulting in greater grazing pressure on phytoplankton. This was accompanied by a much longer spring clear-water period and lower summer phytoplankton biomass compared to years before the fish mortality. Analysis of historical data (from the mid-1970’s) showed that previous fluctuations in planktivorous abundance had similar effects on Daphnia abundance and species composition, and on spring phytoplankton biomass. However, the mid-1970’s fish fluctuations had no detectable effect on summer phytoplankton. Concentrations of phosphorus were much higher in the 1970’s (spring P 80–135 μg 1−1 ’) than in the 1980’s (spring P 19–36 μg 1−1) and it is possible that high P concentrations may reduce trophic cascade effects on summer phytoplankton communities. This suggests that the success of biomanipulation programs may be dependent on lake nutrient status.
Coral recruitment in Moorea, French Polynesia:the importance of patch type and temporal variation

Coral recruitment to artifi ial substrata (ceramic tiles) was measured in shallow back-reef (1–2 m depth) and deeper fore-reef (8–10 m depth) habitats on the island of Moorea, French Polynesia. Recruitment to three patch types within each of those habitats was measured at 4 month intervals for 3 years. Recruitment rates did not differ between fore-reef and back-reef habitats nor between sites within a habitat when data for the 3 years of the study were combined. There was a strong effect of patch type within the back-reef habitat on patterns of coral recruitment. In the shallow back-reef habitat, recruitment was 2–6 times higher to tiles inside territories of the damselfish, Stegastes nigricans (Lacepede), than to tiles in patches characterized by heavy grazing (crustosealgal dominated) or high cover of fleshy algae (especially Turbinaria ornata (Turner) J. Agardh). This pattern was not seen on the fore-reef where other species of damselfish were present. Temporal patterns of coral recruitment in Moorea were characterized by large inter-annual variability, as well as seasonal variability. Mean recruitment rates ranged between < 1 and 16 recruits/tile (tile surface area was 486 cm2) over the course of the study. A total of 2801 recruits were found on 939 tiles in 3 years. Highest recruitment rates occurred in the December to April period, which corresponds to the period of warmest water temperatures. Recruits in the family Pocilloporidae were found year-round, with a seasonal peak in the December to April period, and accounted for 63% of total recruitment over 3 years. Recruitment of acroporids followed the same pattern, but contributed only 5% to total recruitment. Poritids were also found year-round, but in highest relative proportion in the August–December period; recruitment of poritids accounted for 26% of the total over 3 years. Recruitment was highest in the first year of the study, with a large increase in recruitment immediately preceding a major coral bleaching event.
Adenovirus Infections in Pediatric Small Bowel Transplant Recipients

Background Adenovirus is commonly isolated from pediatric small bowel transplant recipients, but its clinical consequences remain poorly understood. Methods The medical records of pediatric small bowel transplant recipients transplanted between January 2003 and December 2007 were reviewed. Thymoglobulin and basiliximab induction and tacrolimus-based immunosuppression were the standard of care. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine risk factors for infection, descriptive analysis to determine adenovirus incidence, and Kaplan-Meier curve analysis to determine the timing of events after transplantation. Results Ninety-eight patients were included; 38 were positive for adenovirus (incidence 23.5%), 23 for viral shedding, 23 for infections. Nine infections developed in the first month after transplantation and 8 during the following 5 months. The small bowel was involved in 19 cases. Younger age at transplantation was a risk factor for adenovirus infection (odds ratio=0.81, 95% confidence interval, 0.663-0.994, P=0.04). Treatment of rejection did not increase the risk of adenovirus infection. Cytomegalovirus D+/R- sero-status was a protective factor (odds ratio=0.26, 95% confidence interval, 0.06-1.089, P=0.04). Conclusions Adenovirus infections affected 24% of recipients and developed mostly during the first 6 months after transplantation. Small bowel is the most frequently involved site. Younger age at transplantation is a risk factor for adenovirus infection; whereas cytomegalovirus D+/R- sero-status seems to be protective.
Activation of NF-κB by Bradykinin through a Gαq- and Gβγ-dependent Pathway That Involves Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase and Akt

Recent work has suggested a role for the serine/threonine kinase Akt and IκB kinases (IKKs) in nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation. In this study, the involvement of these components in NF-κB activation through a G protein-coupled pathway was examined using transfected HeLa cells that express the B2-type bradykinin (BK) receptor. The function of IKK2, and to a lesser extent, IKK1, was suggested by BK-induced activation of their kinase activities and by the ability of their dominant negative mutants to inhibit BK-induced NF-κB activation. BK-induced NF-κB activation and IKK2 activity were markedly inhibited by RGS3T, a regulator of G protein signaling that inhibits Gαq, and by two Gβγ scavengers. Co-expression of Gαq potentiated BK-induced NF-κB activation, whereas co-expression of either an activated Gαq(Q209L) or Gβ1γ2 induced IKK2 activity and NF-κB activation without BK stimulation. BK-induced NF-κB activation was partially blocked by LY294002 and by a dominant negative mutant of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), suggesting that PI3K is a downstream effector of Gαq and Gβ1γ2 for NF-κB activation. Furthermore, BK could activate the PI3K downstream kinase Akt, whereas a catalytically inactive mutant of Akt inhibited BK-induced NF-κB activation. Taken together, these findings suggest that BK utilizes a signaling pathway that involves Gαq, Gβ1γ2, PI3K, Akt, and IKK for NF-κB activation.
Recognition of Explosive Precursors Using Nanowire Sensor Array and Decision Tree Learning

This paper aims to recognize explosive precursors using a nanowire sensor array and decision tree learning algorithm. The nanowire sensor array consisting of tin oxide sensors with four different additives, platinum (Pt), copper (Cu), indium (In), and nickel (Ni) was designed, fabricated and tested using the vapors from four explosive precursors, acetone, nitrobenzene, nitrotoluene, and octane, at eight different concentration levels. A novel pattern recognition technique based on decision tree learning was applied to classify the explosive precursors and estimate their concentration. Classification and regression tree (CART) algorithm was used for classification. The CART was also utilized for the purpose of structure identification in Sugeno fuzzy inference system for estimating the concentration of the precursors. Two CARTs were trained and their testing results were investigated. The decision tree based classifier and concentration estimator showed good recognition rates with an accuracy of 93.75% by CART and an average percent error rate of less than 4%, respectively.
Teachers' Perceptions of Strategy Based Reading Instruction for Reading Comprehension.

Strategy based reading instruction helps teachers differentiate the teaching of reading. It also supports many types of readers by explicitly teaching and modeling reading comprehension strategies. The purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness of strategy based reading instruction for improving student reading comprehension. Additionally, it examines teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of this approach. The review of the literature supports the idea that strategy based reading instruction is an effective way to improve reading comprehension. Teachers in kindergarten through eighth grade were surveyed on their perceptions of strategy based reading instruction's effectiveness for improving reading comprehension. Results indicated that the teachers enjoy using this method and that it is an effective way to improve reading comprehension.
Micromanipulation using a friction force field

Most common requirements for micromanipulation are high precision, parallel manipulation, cost, etc. In this paper, we examine a manipulation method that may be useful for these requirements. The presented method uses an actively generated friction force field as a driving force of manipulation, and the method can have several actuation modes depending on the sliding condition of the friction force field. Planar dynamics regarding the proposed method were analyzed, and the design of the force field was investigated.
Analytic Normal Form for CR Singular Surfaces in C3

A real analytic surface inside complex 3-space with an isolated, non-degenerate complex tangent is shown to be holomorphically equivalent to a fixed real algebraic variety. The analyticity of the normalizing transformation is proved using a rapid convergence argument. Real surfaces in higher dimensions are also shown to have an algebraic normal form.
In Situ Strengthening of the Aluminum-based Gadolinium Alloy Composite for Tribological Applications

In the present research, a new composite material was developed for increased strength and tribological performance. The gadolinium silicon-germanium compound, GSG, was synthesized into an aluminum substrate to form a composite (GSG-Al). Experimental investigation indicated that the phase transformation of the GSG at its Curie temperature induced significant changes in crystal structures resulting in a giant strain effect. Such an effect increased the wear resistance at a temperature range from −25 °C to 150 °C. The built-in and “self-strengthening” property of such a material is highly desirable for tribological applications. In this manuscript, details of material synthesis, characterization, mechanical, and tribological behavior will be discussed.
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Practice: Results of a 5-Year Longitudinal Study

The role of acute care nurse practitioners (ACNPs) has developed in capacity. More than 3500 advanced practice nurses have been certified as ACNPs, and the number of practice settings where these professionals work is continually expanding. Beginning in 1996, a series of surveys were conducted of nurse practitioners seeking national certification as ACNPs. What started as an attempt to gather information on the role of ACNPs evolved into a national 5-year longitudinal survey of ACNP practice. The cumulative results of the project are reported, and how the role of the ACNP was established in advanced practice nursing is discussed.
An environment for managing evolving product line architectures

The use of product lines is recognized as beneficial in promoting and structuring both component and architecture reuse throughout an organization. While the business practices of using product lines are well-understood and representations for specifying and capturing the underlying architecture of a product line are coming of age, support environments for managing the evolution of product line architecture are still lacking. In this paper, we present Menage, an environment specifically designed to alleviate this problem. Key features of Menage are its support for: (1) specifying variation points in product line architecture as optional and/or variant elements; (2) tracking the evolution of product line architecture and its constituent elements through explicit versioning techniques; and (3) selecting one or more product architectures out of overall product line architecture by applying user-specified criteria. In this paper, we introduce the approach underlying Menage, discuss its detailed functionality, and demonstrate its use with product line architecture for entertainment systems.
Multi-level parallel computing of reverse time migration for seismic imaging on blue Gene/Q

Blue Gene/Q (BG/Q) is an early representative of increasing scale and thread count that will characterize future HPC systems: large counts of nodes, cores, and threads; and a rich programming environment with many degrees of freedom in parallel computing optimization. So it is both a challenge and an opportunity to it to accelerate the seismic imaging applications to the unprecedented levels that will significantly advance the technologies for the oil and gas industry. In this work we aim to address two important questions: how HPC systems with high levels of scale and thread count will perform in real applications; and how systems with many degrees of freedom in parallel programming can be calibrated to achieve optimal performance. Based on BG/Q's architecture features and RTM workload characteristics, we developed massive domain partition, MPI , and SIMD Our detailed deep analyses in various aspects of optimization also provide valuable experience and insights into how can be utilized to facilitate the advance of seismic imaging technologies. Our BG/Q RTM solution achieved a 14.93x speedup over the BG/P implementation. Our multi-level parallelism strategies for Reverse Time Migration (RTM) seismic imaging computing on BG/Q provides an example of how HPC systems like BG/Q can accelerate applications to a new level.
Predictors of Responsiveness to Early Literacy Intervention: A 10-Year Update.

The purpose of this review was to update previous reviews on factors related to students’ responsiveness to early literacy intervention. The 14 studies in this synthesis used experimental designs, provided small-group or one-on-one reading interventions, and analyzed factors related to responsiveness to those interventions. Participants were students who required intervention supports, with the majority identified as at-risk learners. Factors identified as consistently predictive included word identification, alphabetic principle, fluency, and phonemic awareness. Intellectual functioning and memory were inconsistently predictive. Factors identified as generally not predictive included vocabulary, language, and demographics. Findings of this review may provide guidance to researchers in identifying students who require more intensive intervention supports.
Darwin's greatest discovery: Design without designer

Darwin's greatest contribution to science is that he completed the Copernican Revolution by drawing out for biology the notion of nature as a system of matter in motion governed by natural laws. With Darwin's discovery of natural selection, the origin and adaptations of organisms were brought into the realm of science. The adaptive features of organisms could now be explained, like the phenomena of the inanimate world, as the result of natural processes, without recourse to an Intelligent Designer. The Copernican and the Darwinian Revolutions may be seen as the two stages of the one Scientific Revolution. They jointly ushered in the beginning of science in the modern sense of the word: explanation through natural laws. Darwin's theory of natural selection accounts for the "design" of organisms, and for their wondrous diversity, as the result of natural processes, the gradual accumulation of spontaneously arisen variations (mutations) sorted out by natural selection. Which characteristics will be selected depends on which variations happen to be present at a given time in a given place. This in turn depends on the random process of mutation as well as on the previous history of the organisms. Mutation and selection have jointly driven the marvelous process that, starting from microscopic organisms, has yielded orchids, birds, and humans. The theory of evolution conveys chance and necessity, randomness and determinism, jointly enmeshed in the stuff of life. This was Darwin's fundamental discovery, that there is a process that is creative, although not conscious.
Traveling wave bio-agent concentrator

This paper describes a hybrid bio-agent concentrator device based on the combined performance of a modified field flow fractionation system for particulate deposition and a traveling wave transport mechanism to deliver and concentrate particulates into a sample well. The device has been successfully tested on B. thurengiensis and polystyrene beads in the threat range of 1-10 /spl mu/m. This MEMS device may increase the concentration of post-ultrafiltration retentates or post-aerosol collected hydrosols by another 100X. As a front-end to detection, it will enhance the effective sensitivity of the detector. The device may also have bio medical implications in bio separation and cell enrichment.
Multi-stakeholder regulation: privatizing or socializing global labor standards?

Summary This paper evaluates leading non-governmental labor regulation initiatives in the United States and Europe. It comparatively assesses the codes of conduct and monitoring systems within these initiatives, discusses their different models of regulation, and proposes criteria for evaluating their effectiveness. It identifies critical factors which appear to support more effective non-governmental regulation, such as substantive participation of local stakeholders; public transparency of methods and findings; and mechanisms that bring market pressures to bear on multi-national corporations, and simultaneously support processes of multi-stakeholder problem solving within factories and global supply chains.
Relevance Of Prerequisites To Business Statistics: Some Preliminary Hypotheses And Tests

Statistics is an essential part of an undergraduate business degree program. Undergraduate institutions commonly require prerequisite courses to ensure that students are prepared to learn the material in the core courses. Presumably, successful completion of prerequisite courses should increase students’ confidence and performance in the core courses. Students often express fear and anxiety over quantitative and mathematics courses, and frequently object to the math prerequisite for the business statistics course, complaining that it only results in prolonging their degree program. The objective of this paper is to examine empirically whether the math prerequisites for the business statistics course help the learning experience. This study suggests that these prerequisites do help students at a four-year state institution with an open enrollment policy. Grades are used as the measure of performance for both the prerequisite and the core statistics courses. The findings confirm that prerequisites should be kept in place for the business statistics course.
Knowledge, Intellectual Capital, and Protection: A Literature Review

This literature review will examine the connection between knowledge management and KM systems with organizational intellectual capital and property. Organizations are collecting, storing, and manipulating knowledge to accomplish their assigned tasks on a daily basis. Organizations can also examine this knowledge as being intellectual capital. This paper reviews the concepts of knowledge serving as intellectual capital, security and approaches toward estimating the value of the capital, and provides a perspective of the current literature. Through the analysis, common themes were identified across three categories including Cultural, Enterprise, and Information Infrastructure which contribute to the understanding of how knowledge management systems impact organizational structures. Further studies are needed to provide guidance on identifying which knowledge can be established as intellectual capital and how to estimate value of such knowledge.
The Use of Total Quality Management Principles in Placing and Monitoring Clinical Trials

The use of total quality management (TQM) techniques has become widespread in many areas of industry and service. These techniques should be used in clinical trials also. This paper addresses the use of these methods in placing and monitoring clinical trials. Viewing the investigator as a vendor or supplier (of data) who should share the sponsor's interests is recommended. This view leads to changes in the way investigators are chosen, trained, retrained, and treated by the sponsor. It is believed that the changes will have mutual advantages—the investigator will have a more stable, secure, and long-term relationship and the sponsor will enjoy lower internal and external costs, and more timely and accurate data.
Seeking the Institutional Balance of Power: Avoiding the Power of a Balanced View

In this article we distinguish the views of insiders and outsiders and develop propositions suggesting how interactions between them may evolve. Two case studies illustrate how these ideas may manifest themselves in practice. By focusing on gaining control of the balance of institutional power instead of exploring alternative perspectives on controversial issues, we continue to create gaps between what insiders do and what outsiders actually want. Resolution of controversial issues requires that insiders and outsiders reorient themselves away from a self-centered, competitive approach in favor of a more cooperative approach in which the shared objective is an understanding of the issues and better solutions for all concerned.
An integrated approach to robust avionics systems design

Avionics equipment, particularly for military systems, must operate in harsh environments and satisfy strict reliability, test, and maintenance requirements. The design of avionics systems must therefore take these factors into account as well as meet the basic functional operational requirements. The methodology for ensuring that avionics equipment will operate reliably under all conceivable field conditions is known as robust design. To aid in meeting the various design objectives, extensive support tools have evolved in the commercial and military sectors. Examples of commonly used tools that are surveyed are: six sigma tools, DOE (Design of Experiments), sensitivity analysis, tolerance analysis, QFD (Quality Function Deployment), simulations, and checklists. It is shown that robust design factors need to be addressed as a whole rather than being considered separately. This paper advocates an integrated approach to robust avionics equipment design. In this approach, robust design is treated as a systems problem requiring a multi-objective design optimization.
EET homologs potently dilate coronary microvessels and activate BKCa channels

Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) are released from endothelial cells and potently dilate small arteries by hyperpolarizing vascular myocytes. In the present study, we investigated the structural sp...
Ensuring Nurses' Safety in Violent Workplaces:

Occupational and environmental health nurses can play a critical role in encouraging nurses to report workplace violence. By empowering nurses to be assertive, they may stop violent behavior.
Effect of Engine Operating Conditions on Particle-Phase Organic Compounds in Engine Exhaust of a Heavy-Duty Direct-Injection (D.I.) Diesel Engine

Significant amounts of particle-phase organic compounds are present in the exhaust of diesel vehicles. It is believed that some of these compounds have a greater impact on human health and the environment than other compounds. Therefore, it is of significant importance to speciate particle-phase organic compounds of diesel particulate matter (PM) to clarify the effects of PM on human health and the environment, and to understand the mechanisms of organic compounds formation in PM. A dilution source sampling system was incorporated into the exhaust measurement system of a single-cylinder heavy-duty direct-injection (D.I.) diesel engine. This system was designed specifically to collect fine organic aerosols from diesel exhaust. The detailed system is described in Kweon et al. [27]. Samples were collected on a series of quartz fiber filters and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) techniques to quantify particle-phase organic compounds for various engine-operating conditions. The Cummins N14-series single-cylinder research engine was run under the California Air Resources Board (CARB) 8-mode test cycle. Thirty nine particle-phase organic compounds were quantified with high resolution particularly for light and medium load conditions. At the high load conditions, most of the particle-phase organic compounds were below detection limit of the GC/MS. Results show that detailed organic chemical composition of PM is significantly affected by the change in the engine load and speed. Most of the organic compounds were observed at idling, light, and medium load conditions. The n-alkanes and PAHs comprised between 68 and 83% of the total identified particle-phase organic compounds with the n-alkanes between 39 and 44% and the PAHs between 28.5 and 39.3% for the conditions except the mode 2, in which the concentrations of the particle-phase organic compounds were above detection limits. The hydrocarbon distribution shows that the fractions of carbon numbers in PM varied significantly, particularly those with carbon numbers below 20 and between 25 and 30. Carbon numbers between 25 and 30 comprised a significant portion in the hydrocarbon distributions at light load and idling conditions. However, the fraction of the carbon number of less than 20 increased tremendously at higher loads. Carbon numbers of larger than 30 remained without significant change.
Self-perceived and Acoustic Voice Characteristics of Russian-English Bilinguals

Summary Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the vocal characteristics of bilingual individuals speaking in their native language as compared with the English language. Methods The participants consisted of 30 vocally healthy adults, 14 adult male and 16 adult female bilingual subjects, with ages ranging from 23 to 70 years old. The procedures included a demographic questionnaire, a self-perceptual questionnaire, and descriptions of two video clips. The self-assessment included 21 questions that investigated how participants perceived their communication characteristics in each language. For the description of the videos, participants randomly watched two video clips with no audio support. One of the videos was described in English and the other in their native language. Voice samples were recorded to allow for acoustic analysis of selected vocal parameters: pitch, intensity, intonation, and rate of speech. Results The results indicate that overall, there is no difference in how the individuals perceive their communication characteristics in both languages (all P values > 0.05). The only significant difference was found in speech rate and sentence duration. Individuals had faster speech rate and longer sentences when speaking in English than in Russian. The correlation analysis showed that the younger the participants were when they immigrated to the USA, the more interjections they reported having in their native language. Conclusions This study showed that language is a contributing factor to varying speech characteristics of Russian-English bilingual individuals. These findings have important implications for clinicians to be aware of cultural-linguistic influence in vocal and speech features.