cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cross-Cultural Reactions to Using Computers in the Early Childhood Education Classroom

The purpose of this study was to explore teacher and student use of KIDWARE as an integrated element throughout a countywide summer enrichment program. In particular, the intent of this research study was to look specifically at how elementary school English as a Second Language (ESOL) teachers and students used the KIDWARE program. This study was conducted under the assumption that technology has the capacity to allow students to work in authentic environments and create meanings based on their understanding of the teaching and learning task, and that computer software constitutes a human artifact and as such expresses the culture of its creators. This study was designed to engage with such software and to explore how it was used in an early childhood setting for ESOL learners.
Probabilistic nodule filtering in thoracic CT scans

Automated detection of lung nodules in thoracic CT scans is an important clinical challenge. Blood vessels form a major source of false positives in automated nodule detection systems. Hence, the performance of such systems may be improved by enhancing nodules while suppressing blood vessels. Ideally, nodule enhancement filters should enhance nodules while suppressing vessels and lung tissue. A distinction between vessels and nodules is normally obtained through eigenvalue analysis of the Hessian matrix. The Hessian matrix is a second order differential quantity and so is sensitive to noise. Furthermore, by relying on principal curvatures alone, existing filters are incapable of distinguishing between nodules and vessel junctions, and are incapable of handling cases in which nodules touch vessels. In this paper we develop novel nodule enhancement filters that are capable of suppressing junctions and are capable of handling cases in which nodules appear to touch or even overlap with vessels. The proposed filters are based on optimized probabilistic models derived from eigenvalue analysis of the gradient correlation matrix which is a first order differential quantity and so are less sensitive to noise compared with known vessel enhancement filters. The proposed filters are evaluated and compared to known techniques both qualitatively, quantitatively. The evaluation includes both synthetic and actual clinical data.
Tribological Characteristics of α‐Alumina at Elevated Temperatures

The tribological characteristics of a high-purity α-alumina sliding on a similar material under unlubricated conditions are divided into four distinct regimes. At low temperatures, T < 200°C, tribochemical reactions between the alumina surface and water vapor in the environment control the tribological performance. The coefficient of friction in this temperature range is approximately 0.40 and the wear coefficient is less than 10−6, independent of contact load. At intermediate temperatures, 200°C < T < 800°C, the wear behavior depends on the contact load. At low loads, wear occurs by plastic flow and plowing; the coefficient of friction is approximately 0.60 and the wear coefficient is less than 10−6. At loads larger than a threshold value, severe wear occurs by intergranular fracture. The coefficient of friction increases to 0.85 and the wear coefficient increases to a value greater than 10−4. At temperatures above 800°C, formation of a silicon-rich layer on the wear track by diffusion and viscous flow of the grain-boundary phase reduces the coefficient of friction to 0.40, and the wear coefficient is reduced to a value less than 10−6. The results of the wear tests and observations of the fundamental mechanisms controlling the tribological behavior of this material are consolidated in a simple wear transition diagram.
Heterogeneous catalysis with continuous flow microreactors

Packed-bed microreactors are employed under flow conditions for studies of heterogeneous catalysis: oxidation of 4-isopropylbenzaldehyde and hydrogenation of 2-methylfuran. They have been demonstrated to be a valuable platform for rapid screening of catalytic materials, efficient optimization of reaction conditions, inline monitoring of reaction progress, and extraction of kinetic parameters.
Role of the pericardium in the regulation of myocardial blood flow and its distribution in the normal and acutely failing left ventricle of the dog

The effects of the pericardium on the amount and distribution of left ventricular myocardial blood flow were studied. In 10 normal dogs, transfusion of blood from a donor dog resulted in modest increases in coronary flow and ventricular diameter that were greater with an open than a closed pericardium. The ratio of subendocardial to subepicardial flow remained normal with or without the pericardium, at low and high diastolic ventricular pressure, and before and after pharmacological vasodilatation with chromonar. In 18 dogs, cardiac failure was induced by constant infusion of the metabolic inhibitor, phenformin. Modest ventricular dilatation occurred if the pericardium was open. A progressive rise in myocardial blood flow developed in those with the pericardium open (1.06 rising to 3.02 ml·g−1·min−1). A lesser increase (0.62 to 1.75 ml·g−1·min−1) was seen in dogs with the pericardium closed; they selectively increased subendocardial flow, producing an average subendocardial to subepicardial flow ratio of 2.25. Pharmacological vasodilatation then resulted in uniform transmural flow. The pericardium can influence myocardial flow indirectly by influencing myocardial metabolic demand, when the heart is stressed. It may have a beneficial role in preventing the increased oxygen and coronary flow requirements produced by ventricular dilatation.
The neuroprotective effect of a new serotonin receptor agonist, BAY X3702, upon focal ischemic brain damage caused by acute subdural hematoma in the rat.

We tested the neuroprotective effect of a novel, high affinity serotonin (5-HT1A) agonist, BAY X3702, in a rat model of acute subdural hematoma (ASDH). Animals were treated with 0.01 mg/kg (n=8), 0.003 mg/kg (n=8) BAY X3702 or vehicle (n=4) 15 min before (i.v.) and after (continuous infusion) injection of 400 μl of autologous blood into the subdural space. The ischemic brain damage at 4 h after ASDH was 59.01±39 and 60.8±49 mm3 for the low- and high-dose BAY X3702 group, respectively, which was significantly smaller compared to the vehicle-treated ASDH group (106.2±33 mm3). The result indicates that this novel, high affinity 5-HT1A agonist, BAY X3702, is neuroprotective in this model.
Learning Outcome Testing Program: Standardized Classroom Testing in West Virginia through Item Banking, Test Generation, and Curricular Management Software

What conditions stimulated the Learning Outcome Testing Program and what approaches were adopted? What issues need to be addressed in the selection of computer software? What steps should be taken to train teachers to develop item banks and use testing software?
Unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) impairs renal antioxidant enzyme (AOE) activation during soduim depletion (SD). ♦ 1666

Chronic UUO leads to progressive renal tubular atrophy and intersitital fibrosis that may be aggravated by production of reactive oxygen species(ROS). Obstructive nephropathy is frequently associated with chronic sodium wasting and consequent SD. Tissue damage by ROS is attenuated by AOE, including catalase (CAT), manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), copper-zinc SOD (CuZnSOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione-S-transferase(GST). To investigate the response of renal AOE to SD and UUO, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were placed on normal sodium (NS)(16.22 mmol/kg/d) or SD(4.75 mmol/kg/d) diets and subjected to UUO or sham operation. Obstructed(UUO), intact opposite (IO), and sham kidneys were harvested after 4 d, the AOE activites measured in homogenates and expressed normalized to protein content. Results (mean± standard deviation, * designates p<0.05 vs NS, # designates p<0.05 vs Sham same Na): Table
Stuttering consistency in varied contexts.

The “consistency effect” has been proffered as evidence that stuttering is basically a response to fear-producing stimuli inherent in certain words. To assess consistency in relatively spontaneous ...
Correlation of adiabatic kinetic data

Abstract A reduced-variable plotting method can be used to analyse conversion-time data for certain exothermic reactions, particularly polymerizations. In order to simplify calculations, the activation energy term is modified slightly. This allows for an analytical solution of the conversion-time function. Essentially, the method involves a log-log plot of (θ x - θ 0.5 ) (θ 0.5 - θ 1−x ) versus (1 − x) x where θ is time and (1 − x ) is the degree of conversion. Thus θ = 0 at x = 1 and θ = infinity at x = 0 except for a zero-order reaction. To illustrate the method, the adiabatic solution polymerization of acrylamide is used. The plotting scheme may be applied to a single run. However, the results are more impressive when runs varying in monomer and redox couple concentrations and initial temperature are combined. Information extracted included the order of dependence of rate of reaction on reactant concentrations. The energy of activation can be estimated. The method is more powerful than using only initial rates because it utilizes more of the experimental data. However, the number of reactions that are amenable to actual analysis is limited mainly by experimental difficulties such as evaporation, precipitation, and back-diffusion of oxygen.
Predictive value of preimplantation genetic diagnosis for aneuploidy screening in repeated IVF-ET cycles among women with recurrent implantation failure

Objective To determine the predictive value of euploid embryos in women with recurrent implantation failure undergoing repeated IVF-ET cycles with PGD (PGD).
Short‐term fish and amphibian embryo‐larval tests for determining the effects of toxicant stress on early life stages and estimating chronic values for single compounds and complex effluents: Complex mixtures

A short-term embryo-larval test is described for use with single compounds or complex effluents. Exposure was initiated soon after fertilization and maintained for 4 d after hatching, which gave an exposure period of 6 to 8 d for a number of fish and amphibian species. Test responses included mortality and teratogenesis. Probit analysis was used to calculate median lethal (LC50) and threshold (LCI) concentrations. Standard statistical tests also were performed to determine no observed effect concentrations. Multiple tests were performed with cadmium as the reference toxicant, using continuous-flow and static-renewal procedures; results substantiated high precision and good repeatability. Cadmium LCI values agreed closely with cadmium chronic values determined in life-cycle studies. The review of published data also supported close correlations between LCIs and chronic values for metals. The procedure also worked satisfactorily for a multiple-species test in which eggs of three species were maintained in mixed populations using the same exposure chambers. The test also was conducted in the laboratory to screen seven major industrial effluents. The test for effluent biomonitoring was further evaluated in two major field studies. As compared with 96-h flow-through acute tests with the fathead minnow, the short-term embryo-larval test was decidedly more sensitive and reliable for characterizing the toxicity of complex effluents.
Distribution Function in Nonequilibrium States of a Superconductor

We report the first measurements of the distribution function $f$ of quasiparticles in a nonequilibrium superconductor. For a wide range of quasiparticle-injection energies, $f(E)\ensuremath{\simeq}{[1+\mathrm{exp}(\frac{(E\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{*})}{k{T}^{*}})]}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, where ${\ensuremath{\mu}}^{*}$ and ${T}^{*}$ depend on the injection energy. Novel results include a negative ${\ensuremath{\mu}}^{*}$, a ${T}^{*}$ greater than the transition temperature, and a totally unanticipated bump in $f$ at an energy of $3\ensuremath{\Delta}$, where $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ is the energy gap. This last result shows that detailed balance is violated in nonequilibrium states.
Linewidth narrowing and Purcell enhancement in photonic crystal cavities on an Er-doped silicon nitride platform

Light emission from Er-doped amorphous silicon nitride coupled to photonic crystal resonators is studied. The results demonstrate Purcell enhanced Er absorption and linewidth narrowing of the cavity resonance with increasing pump power.
Eating pathology before and after bariatric surgery: a prospective study.

Objective The objectives of the study were (1) to determine the prevalence of eating pathology in patients before bariatric surgery and at follow-up; (2) to assess the relationship of presurgical eating pathology to various measures of psychopathology; and (3) to assess the relationship between presurgical eating pathology and outcome. Method One hundred sixteen patients were evaluated prior to surgery and at follow-up an average of 5.5 years after surgery. Results Preoperative binge eating occurred in 52% of patients, 16% met criteria for binge eating disorder, and 10% had the night eating syndrome. All three forms of presurgical eating pathology were statistically associated with cognitive distortions. At follow-up, 33% of patients were vomiting at least weekly. There was no relationship between presurgical eating pathology and weight outcome or presence of vomiting at follow-up. Discussion Although postoperative vomiting usually does not represent purge behavior, it may represent failed attempts to binge. © 1999 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 25: 293–300, 1999.
Implications of a cosmological constant varying as R-2.

We advocate the possibility that the (effective) cosmological constant \ensuremath{\Lambda} varies in time as ${R}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}2}$, R being the scale factor of our expanding Universe. This behavior can be obtained under some simple and general assumptions in conformity with quantum cosmology. After pointing out several advantages worth noticing, we show that such a time-varying \ensuremath{\Lambda} leads to no conflict with existing observations. However, it does change the predictions of the standard cosmology in the matter-dominated epoch and alleviates some problems in reconciling observations with the inflationary scenario. In particular, this ``medium'' time variation of \ensuremath{\Lambda} leads to creation of matter with a rate at present which is comparable to that in the steady-state cosmology.
Hurwitz' theorem implies Rouché's theorem

Abstract It is well known that Hurwitz's theorem is easily proved from Rouche's theorem. We show that conversely, Rouche's theorem is readily proved from Hurwitz' theorem. Since Hurwitz' theorem is easily proved from the formula giving the number of roots of an analytic function, our result thus gives also a simple proof of Rouche's theorem.
EXPERIMENTAL TOXOPLASMOSIS IN PHEASANTS (PHASIANUS COLCHICUS)

Sixteen 6-mo-old battery-reared ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) were inoculated orally with 105 (group A, ME 49 strain, five birds), 104 (group B, ME 49 strain, six birds) and 104 (group C, GT-1 strain, five birds) Toxoplasma gondii oocysts. The pheasants in groups A and B remained clinically normal. One of the pheasants in group C died 19 days after inoculation (DAI); T. gondii was found in histological sections of brain and heart and encephalitis, myocarditis and enteritis were the main lesions. Toxoplasma gondii was isolated by bioassays from pooled tissues of five of six pheasants in group B killed 36 DAI. Toxoplasma gondii was isolated from the brains, hearts and skeletal muscles of each of the four pheasants inoculated with the GT-1 strain (group C), and from the brains of four, hearts of three and skeletal muscles of four of five pheasants inoculated with the ME 49 strain (group A). All pheasants developed high (1: 1,600–1:25,600) antibody titers to T. gondii in the modified agglutinati...
Geometric multiscale reduction for autonomous and controlled nonlinear systems

Most generic approaches to empirical reduction of dynamical systems, controlled or otherwise, are global in nature. Yet interesting systems often exhibit multiscale structure in time or in space, suggesting that localized reduction techniques which take advantage of this multiscale structure might provide better approximations with lower complexity. We introduce a snapshot-based framework for localized analysis and reduction of nonlinear systems, based on a systematic multiscale decomposition of the statespace induced by the geometry of empirical trajectories. A given system is approximated by a piecewise collection of low-dimensional systems at different scales, each of which is suited to and responsible for a particular region of the statespace. Within this framework, we describe localized, multiscale variants of the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) and empirical balanced truncation methods for model order reduction of nonlinear systems. The inherent locality of the treatment further motivates control strategies involving collections of simple, local controllers and raises decentralized control possibilities. We illustrate the localized POD approach in the context of a high-dimensional fluid mechanics problem involving incompressible flow over a bluff body.
Hypertensive encephalopathy in a patient with neonatal thyrotoxicosis.

Neonatal hyperthyroidism may give rise to serious cardiovascular complications. A girl with severe thyrotoxicosis in whom hypertensive encephalopathy developed is described. Conclusion Neonatal thyrotoxicosis can give rise to hypertension and may lead to hypertensive encephalopathy.
Surface plasmon resonance based wavelength selector: design considerations

A surface plasmon resonance based wavelength selector is described. An attenuated total-reflection device can be configured so that the reflected intensity of light is a maximum when the resonance condition is achieved. When the device is illuminated with polychromatic light at a fixed angle, the wavelength at which resonance is achieved shows a transmission maximum. By using an appropriate electro-optic material in the device, the wavelength of maximum transmission can be varied. Numerical results are presented.
Evaluation of Trends in the use of the Internet by Pharmacy Publications: An Observational Study:

Purpose: An observational study was conducted to identify and evaluate trends in the use of the Internet and social media by pharmacy publications.Methods: The print and online versions of 10 pharmacy publications were compared at 2 different times separated by 3 years for similarities and differences in content and presentation. Characteristics and functions were evaluated for online publications, including subscription requirements for online access, the dates of online archived material, pre- and postpublication features, e-mail notifications, hyperlinks, and the use of social media and other specialty applications.Results: Between 2007 and 2010, online functionality of selected pharmacy publications increased in 52% (12/23) of the features assessed; among these expanded features, the median percent increase was 20%. The 2 most prevalent online features among publications in 2007 and 2010 were article availability in portable document format (pdf) and the ability to submit articles online. The online f...
Trichothiodystrophy with severe cardiac and neurological involvement in two sisters

Trichothiodystrophy or sulphur-deficient brittle hair is a clinical marker for several autosomal recessive neurocutaneous syndromes. The typical hair abnormality is frequently associated with many alterations affecting the skin, nervous system, eyes and bones as well as the immune, gonadal and endocrine systems. We report the first cases of dilated cardiomyopathy in two sisters with trichothiodystrophy, leading to cerebral infarction in the younger one. In addition, both suffer from severe hearing impairment, osteosclerosis, and psychomotor retardation with central hypomyelination. Conclusion: severe cardiac involvement and stroke may be associated features of trichothiodystrophy.
Analysis of the 2770-Å emission system in I2

Abstract A weak emission spectrum of I2 near 2770 A is reanalyzed and found to to minate on the A(1u3Π) state. The assigned bands span v″ levels 5–19 and v′ levels 0–8. The new assignment is corroborated by isotope shifts, band profile simulations, and Franck-Condon calculations. The excited state is an ion-pair state, probably the 1g state which tends toward I − ( 1 S) + I + ( 3 P 1 ) . In combination with other results for the A state, the analysis yields the following spectroscopic constants: T″e = 10 907 cm−1, D ″e = 1640 cm−1, ω″e = 95 cm−1, R″ e = 3.06 A ; T′e = 47 559.1 cm−1, ω′e = 106.60 cm−1, R′ e = 3.53 A .
Determinants of Performance for Mortgage‐Backed Securities Funds

This article examines the performance of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) mutual funds from January 1987 to June 1995. As a group, the MBS mutual funds underperform both the Salomon and Lehman Brothers MBS market benchmarks. The relative underperformance of the MBS mutual funds is due to poor securities selection and timing decisions. Fund expenses also contribute significantly to the underperformance, while fund load, turnover, management fees and other fund characteristics do not materially affect performance. The underperformance is found to be concentrated in several exceptionally bad months during the sample period. Testing indicates that the MBS mutual funds underperform the MBS benchmark during months of rising interest rates, but match the MBS benchmark during months of falling interest rates.
A comprehensive inner-city asthma program reduces hospital and emergency room utilization

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of a comprehensive asthma program on emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admission rates in an inner-city pediatric population. Design A12-month prospective randomized trial. Methods Three hundred asthma patients, ages 2 to 17 years, were recruited and randomized in an inner-city pediatric ED, to obtain asthma care in a specialty clinic or to continue receiving care by other health resources. The specialty clinic provided intensive medical and environmental control, education, close monitoring, and 24-hour availability. For the prospective study, monthly questionnaires were sent to the caregivers of these children to evaluate use of hospital facilities for asthma care. For the retrospective study, use of hospital resources by the study participants was analyzed using a hospital database. Results One hundred twenty-nine patients (60 in the treatment group and 69 in the control group) were included in the final analysis. Asthma severity index was significantly higher for the patients in the treatment versus the control group (35% versus 16.2%, P = .05). Fewer patients in the treatment group visited the ED at least once during the first study year, 32 versus 46, ( P = .11), and they made fewer visits, 73 versus 269. The mean number of ED visits of the patients who used the ED was 0.1 versus 0.326 for the control group ( P = .01). There were also fewer admissions in the treatment group, 22 versus 29 ( P The 53 patients remaining in the treatment group in the second study year made fewer visits to the ED versus the control group ( P P = .007 and P = .04, respectively). Conclusions A comprehensive asthma care program is efficacious in reducing hospital utilization.
Characterization of Receptor Interaction and Transcriptional Repression by the Corepressor SMRT

SMRT (silencing mediator of retinoic acid and thyroid hormone receptor) and N-CoR (nuclear receptor corepressor) are two related transcriptional corepressors that contain separable domains capable of interacting with unliganded nuclear receptors and repressing basal transcription. To decipher the mechanisms of receptor interaction and transcriptional repression by SMRT/N-CoR, we have characterized protein-protein interacting surfaces between SMRT and nuclear receptors and defined transcriptional repression domains of both SMRT and N-CoR. Deletional analysis reveals two individual nuclear receptor domains necessary for stable association with SMRT and a C-terminal helix essential for corepressor dissociation. Coordinately, two SMRT domains are found to interact independently with the receptors. Functional analysis reveals that SMRT contains two distinct repression domains, and the corresponding regions in N-CoR also repress basal transcription. Both repression domains in SMRT and N-CoR interact weakly with mSin3A, which in turn associates with a histone deacetylase HDAC1 in a mammalian two-hybrid assay. Far-Western analysis demonstrates a direct protein-protein interaction between two N-CoR repression domains with mSin3A. Finally we demonstrate that overexpression of full-length SMRT further represses basal transcription from natural promoters. Together, these results support a role of SMRT/N-CoR in corepression through the utilization of multiple mechanisms for receptor interactions and transcriptional repression.
Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and global reperfusion injury: avoidance by making a pump prime reperfusate--a new concept.

Abstract Objective: We sought to determine whether damage after deep hypothermic circulatory arrest can be diminished by changing pump prime components when reinstituting cardiopulmonary bypass. Methods: Fifteen piglets (2-3 months old) were cooled to 19°C by using the alpha-stat pH strategy. Five were cooled and rewarmed without ischemia (control animals), and the other 10 piglets underwent 90 minutes of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. Of these, 5 were rewarmed and reperfused without altering the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit blood prime. In the other 5 animals, the bypass blood prime was modified (leukocyte depleted, hypocalcemic, hypermagnesemic, pH-stat, normoxic, mannitol, and an Na + /H + exchange inhibitor) during circulatory arrest before starting warm reperfusion. Oxidant injury was assessed on the basis of conjugated dienes, vascular changes on the basis of endothelin levels, myocardial function on the basis of cardiac output and dopamine need, lung injury on the basis of pulmonary vascular resistance and oxygenation, and cellular damage on the basis of release of creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase. Neurologic assessment (score 0, normal; score 500, brain death) was done 6 hours after discontinuing cardiopulmonary bypass. Results: Compared with animals undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass without ischemia (control animals), deep hypothermic circulatory arrest without modification of the reperfusate produced an oxidant injury (conjugated dienes increased 0.78 vs 1.71 absorbance (Abs) 240 nmol/L per 0.5 mL, P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P Conclusions: A global reperfusion injury after deep hypothermic circulatory arrest was identified and changed. The injury is mediated by oxygen-derived free radicals, resulting in organ and endothelial dysfunction. Modification of global organ and endothelial damage is achieved by modifying the blood prime in the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit to deliver a controlled global reperfusate when reinstituting bypass. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2003;125:625-32
How Long? A Synthesis of Research on Academic Achievement in a Second Language

To expand the current theoretical base in second language acquisition, this article proposes nine generalizations on optimal age, L1 cognitive development, and L2 academic achievement. These generalizations summarize the author's and others' research on second language acquisition for schooling purposes. In this synthesis, relationships among the following variables are considered: first language acquisition, second language acquisition, student age at the time of exposure to a second language, academic achievement (as measured by standardized tests in all subject areas), membership in a language majority or language minority community, and language(s) of instruction in school. The five new generalizations presented at the end of the article, which are based on research on academic achievement in a second language, merit additional research to validate and refine them.
Post-blastocyst differentiation in vitro.

A technique has been developed for growing mouse embryos in vitro to a stage at which post-blastocyst differentiation, including the beginnings of heart beat, can be observed.
Reinvestigating the early resonantly photopumped x-ray laser schemes.

Although H and He-like resonantly photopumped laser schemes were among the earliest methods proposed for producing x-ray lasers, demonstrating these schemes in the laboratory has proved to be elusive. Nevertheless the resonantly photopumped schemes remain interesting both because of their potential to improve the efficiency of lasers that otherwise operate through other process such as recombination and because of their potential for yielding entirely new and relatively efficient lasers. We present an expanded list of candidate lasers that operate by utilizing Ly-α or He-α radiation from a pump ion to photopump an electron from the ground state of a H or He-like lasant ion to the n = 3 or 4 state, with subsequent lasing between the n = 4 → n = 3 or n = 3 → n = 2 states of the H or He-like ion. The example of the potassium-pumped chlorine scheme, which exhibits both 4 → 3 and 3 → 2 laser lines, has been modeled extensively, and the results of the calculation are presented.
Effects of some steroids on aqueous humor dynamics

We have performed tonographic and histological studies in rabbits, using several locally applied steroid preparations, with a view to analyzing the progression of an ocular hypertensive state. Two of the preparations tested (6α-methylprednisolone 21-acetate and dexamethasone 21-phosphate) induced a dual intraocular pressure response. The third preparation, aldosterone, induced a sustained hypotension. When dexamethasone 21-phosphate was applied topically, a quick drop in pressure, accompanied by an increase in outflow, was observed. This was followed by a small, but significant, rise in intraocular pressure after 2 weeks. Aldosterone was applied subconjunctivally and topically to separate groups of rabbits daily for 14 days. Sustained decreases in intraocular pressure occurred. The administration of 6α-methylprednisolone 21-acetate twice weekly for 2 weeks caused a prolonged hypotensive effect. Single doses of the same drug produced a lowering of the intraocular pressure 3 hr after administration, reaching a maximum effect in 2–4 days. This drop in intraocular pressure was accompanied by a large increase in facility of outflow. Almost identical ocular responses, with no signs of toxicity, were evoked with lower doses of 6α-methylprednisolone 21-acetate. Again, the initial hypotensive response was followed by a hypertensive phase. The response to this steroid was the same on eight occasions in five separate groups of animals. It occurred in old, middle-aged and young animals, it was not invoked by the vehicle or by any premedication used, and it was not produced by changes in ocular rigidity. Tonography suggested that the drop in intraocular pressure was caused by some structural change in the filtration angle. Attempts were made to evaluate these structural changes on the basis of histological findings.
A coupled spectrophotometric assay for trehalose 6-phosphate synthetase from Dictyostelium discoideum

A continuous coupled spectrophotometric assay for trehalose-6-phosphate synthetase has been developed which allows a rapid and reliable measurement of enzymatic activity. This assay may also be modified to a two-part discontinuous procedure. The close correspondence between results obtained with these two assays and those from a radiometric procedure demonstrates that both coupled spectrophotometric assays are valid indices of synthetase activity.
Bioseparation using affinity techniques.

Abstract Bioseparation of proteins from dilute solutions using different novel affinity procedures is reviewed. Emphasis is also placed on the quality of the product separated. Whenever possible, physical insights into the separation procedure are provided, besides indicating suitable directions where appropriate further reseaech may be carried out. The procedures analyzed are different affinity chromatographic techniques, affinity separation using liquid perfluorocarbon support, water soluble nonionic surfactants for affinity bioseparations, affinity cross-flow filtration, bioaffinity separation using reversed micelles, affinity precipitation and dual-functional affinity protein purification.
Application of surface pressure measurements of O2-band differential absorption radar system in three-dimensional data assimilation on hurricane: Part II — A quasi-observational study

Abstract This is the second part on assessing the impacts of assimilating various distributions of sea-level pressure (SLP) on hurricane simulations, using the Weather and Research Forecast (WRF) three dimensional variational data assimilation system (3DVAR). One key purpose of this series of study is to explore the potential of using remotely sensed sea surface barometric data from O2-band differential absorption radar system currently under development for server weather including hurricane forecasts. In this part II we further validate the conclusions of observational system simulation experiments (OSSEs) in the part I using observed SLP for three hurricanes that passed over the Florida peninsula. Three SLP patterns are tested again, including all available data near the Florida peninsula, and a band of observations either through the center or tangent to the hurricane position. Before the assimilation, a vortex SLP reconstruction technique is employed for the use of observed SLP as discussed in the part I. In agreement with the results from OSSEs, the performance of assimilating SLP is enhanced for the two hurricanes with stronger initial minimum SLP, leading to a significant improvement in the track and position relative to the control where no data are assimilated. On the other hand, however, the improvement in the hurricane intensity is generally limited to the first 24–48 h of integration, while a high resolution nested domain simulation, along with assimilation of SLP in the coarse domain, shows more profound improvement in the intensity. A diagnostic analysis of the potential vorticity suggests that the improved track forecasts are attributed to the combined effects of adjusting the steering wind fields in a consistent manner with having a deeper vortex, and the associated changes in the convective activity.
Penning gas mixtures for improving the energy resolution of proportional counters

An experimental investigation of the Penning effect in both argon and xenon has been carried out with a variety of quench gases of different ionization potentials. Acetylene with argon and trimethylamine with xenon show the strongest true Penning effect, returning very high gas gains for a given voltage and improved energy resolution over more conventional mixtures. Data for these mixtures, as well as others exhibiting weaker metastable effects, nonmetastable Penning effects, and charge transfer through photoionization, are presented. >
Comparison of journal title coverage between CINAHL and Scopus

This study compares the journal source coverage of CINAHL, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Scopus to determine whether Scopus alone provides a thorough search of the nursing and allied health literature. Scopus is a relative newcomer to the world of online indexes covering the medical and scientific literature. Its total coverage of more than 23,700 sources is multidisciplinary and includes non-journal types—such as conference papers, book series, and trade publications—that are not covered by MEDLINE/PubMed or CINAHL. However, according to the publisher, Scopus indexes all of the MEDLINE and EMBASE/Excerpta Medica journals and therefore can be a useful alternative to searching those databases independently. The question then arises: how complete is its coverage of nursing and allied health literature? If it also indexes a large percentage of that literature, Scopus could be a viable integrated search engine for all medical, nursing, and allied health searching needs. This information could help health sciences libraries make wise acquisition decisions. A number of articles have analyzed the coverage of journals in Scopus with specific emphasis on its citation tracking ability, compared to Web of Science [1–3]. The study by de Moya-Anagon et al. [4] provided a comprehensive analysis of Scopus compared to the Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory list of available journals in all fields and calculated a percentage of Scopus's coverage by subject category. Gavel and Iselid's study [5] not only looked at the citation database Web of Science, but also studied the coverage overlap of various science, technology, and medicine (STM) databases. However, Gavel and Iselid did not include CINAHL among the comparison databases, and Ulrich's does not have separate subject categories for nursing or many of the allied health subjects such as occupational or physical therapy. No studies have focused specifically on the coverage of nursing and allied health literature in Scopus. Therefore, this brief analysis attempts to fill that gap and provide some data to determine whether Scopus could be an alternative to CINAHL.
Overview: Diagnosis of ischemic heart disease by noninvasive techniques

Noninvasive tests have greatly improved in their ability to diagnose coronary artery disease. In addition, new testing modalities have been added to the authors armamentarium. However, no test is clearly superior to all others in every clinical circumstance. Moreover, none have been shown to provide sensitivities and specificities consistently above 90%. Therefore, their use for diagnostic purposes in populations with a lower prevalence of disease is only of moderate value. Conversely, for the assessment of the functional significance of coronary artery disease or prognosis in patients with ischemic heart disease, the addition of noninvasive imaging modalities to exercise testing is of high value.
Experimental Study of the Effect of the Quantum Well Structures on the Thermoelectric Figure of Merit in Si/Si 1- x Ge x System

In bulk form, Si1-xGe x is a promising thermoelectric material for high temperature applications. In this paper, we report results from an experimental study as well as theoretical modeling of the quantum confinement effect on the enhancement of the thermoelectric figure of merit. Si/Si1-xGe x , multiple quantum well structures are fabricated using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on SOI (Silicon-on-Insulator) substrates in order to eliminate substrate effects, especially on the Seebeck coefficient. A method to eliminate the influence of the buffer layer on the thermoelectric characterization is presented. An enhancement of the thermoelectric figure of merit within the quantum well over the bulk value is observed.
Analytical equations for predicting injection locking in LC and ring oscillators

In this paper, we present a analytical method for predicting injection locking in the LC and ring oscillators. Our method is very convenient for analyzing the injection locking phenomenon in oscillators, since it doesn't require the Q factor, as the Adler equation (Adler, 1946) does. We show that our analytical solution is equivalent with Adler's equation for LC oscillators. Moreover, our method can predict injection locking in ring oscillators, where Adler's equation fails since the operating mechanism is different. We demonstrate the proposed techniques on LC and ring oscillator circuits, comparing results from our analytical equations against full SPICE-level circuit simulations. Numerical experiments show our methods are able to predict injection locking in oscillators with great accuracy.
Theoretical development and numerical verification of a geometrically non‐linear, 3‐D based finite element for composite materials

A geometrically non-linear thin shell element made from classical laminated materials is developed from three dimensional continuum concepts that admits arbitrarily large displacements and rotations. The development shows how explicit integration through the thickness of the element can be accomplished without sacrificing significant accuracy of the element. Computations obtained via the present formulation are compared with four test problems for which numerical data are available. All computations were carried out using the Crisfield–Riks arc length continuation algorithm with a full Newton–Raphson iterative scheme. Excellent agreement is observed for each test problem.
Addressing the Learning Disability Needs of Limited-English Proficient Students: Beyond Language and Race Issues

Students with exceptional learning needs should not be denied access to special education programs because of their language or race. However, such factors should not be ignored either. This paper examines the issue of disproportionate representation of limited-English proficient Hispanic students in classes for the learning disabled. On-site reviews of school districts suggest inadequate assessment, evaluation, placement, and re-evaluation of limited-English proficient Hispanic students. Sixteen policy considerations are provided in an effort to help school districts to ensure that limited-English proficient learning disabled students receive equal access to appropriate learning opportunities.
Anaerobic microbial degradation of acridine and the application of remote fiber spectroscopy to monitor the transformation process

Anaerobic microbial transformation of a polynuclear nitrogen heterocycle, acridine, was studied in laboratory microcosms with three different inocula: a stabilized, mixed culture growing on ferulic acid that was originally enriched from anaerobic sewage sludge, and sulfate-reducing and methanogenic aquifer materials from two sites at a groundwater aquifer contaminated by landfill leachate. Acridine degradation was investigated under methanogenic, denitrifying and sulfate-reducing conditions at concentrations of 1 to 6 μg/ml. Substrate degradation was followed using two standard analytical techniques (HPLC and GC-MS) and a new, in situ remote fiber spectroscopic (RFS) technique. This RFS was used successfully to follow changes in concentration of acridine with time, which indicates the technique has a significant potential for monitoring the degradation process in environmental media. Acridine was degraded extensively in one to three weeks under each of the conditions studied. A range of heterocyclic, homocyclic aromatic and aliphatic intermediates was identified by GC-MS analyses. On the basis of these compounds, a tentative route of anaerobic acridine transformation is proposed that begins with oxidation and proceeds through the common degradative route for oxidized aromatic compounds.
On reconfiguring cache for computing

The number of transistors on chip has dramatically increased within the last decade. A considerable portion of a chip is dedicated to a cache memory in a modern microprocessor chip. However, some applications may not need all the caches for storage. In addition, some applications have embedded computations with a regular structure. The behavior of the applications is static, which implies that a specialized function unit could be beneficial for the application. This presents an opportunity to explore the use of a part of a cache for performing these regular computations. In this paper, we show one such design to convert a cache into a function unit to improve the performance of an application. A reconfigurable cache takes less area than the area of a cache and a function unit together and imposes no time overhead. In order to convert a cache memory to a function unit, we mapped multi-bit output look-up tables (LUTs) into the cache structure. Therefore, the cache can perform computations When it is reconfigured as a function unit.
Underestimation of primary productivity on continental shelves: evidence from maximum size of extant surfclam (Spisula solidissima) populations

Atlantic surfclams (Spisula solidissima), among the largest extant non-symbiotic clam species in the world, live in dense aggregations along the Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) continental shelf. The food resources that support these populations are poorly understood. An individual-based model that simulates the growth of post-settlement surfclams was used to investigate the quantity of food needed to maintain existing surfclam populations along the MAB continental shelf. Food inputs to the model were based on measured near-bottom water-column chlorophyll concentrations. Simulations showed that these water-column food sources supported only 65% of the observed body mass of a standard large surfclam (160-mm shell length). Additional simulations using benthic food sources to supplement water-column food sources by 20% generated surfclams that grew to observed size and biomass and exhibited spawn timing consistent with the known surfclam spawning season. The simulation results suggest that measured water-column chlorophyll concentrations may underestimate the food available to the continental shelf benthos. Large continental shelf bivalves are an essential resource for fisheries and higher trophic level consumers. Understanding available and utilized food resources is important for predicting long-term impacts of climate change on benthic secondary production and fishery yield on the continental shelf.
Measures of vitamin K antagonist control reported in atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism studies: a systematic review

Objective To aid trialists, systematic reviewers and others, we evaluated the degree of standardisation of control measure reporting that has occurred in atrial fibrillation (AF) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) studies since 2000; and attempted to determine whether the prior recommendation of reporting ≥2 measures per study has been employed. Design Systematic review. Search strategy We searched bibliographic databases (2000 to June 2013) to identify AF and VTE studies evaluating dose-adjusted vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) and reporting ≥1 control measure. The types of measures reported, proportion of studies reporting ≥2 measures and mean (±SD) number of measures per study were determined for all studies and compared between subgroups. Data extraction Through the use of a standardised data extraction tool, we independently extracted all data, with disagreements resolved by a separate investigator. Results 148 studies were included, 57% of which reported ≥2 control measures (mean/study=2.13±1.36). The proportion of time spent in the target international normalised ratio range (TTR) was most commonly reported (79%), and was frequently accompanied by time above/below range (52%). AF studies more frequently reported ≥2 control measures compared with VTE studies (63% vs 37%; p=0.004), and reported a greater number of measures per study (mean=2.36 vs 1.53; p Conclusions While TTR was often utilised, studies reported ≥2 measures of VKA control only about half of the time and lacked consistency in the types of measures reported. A trend towards studies reporting greater numbers of VKA control measures over time was observed over our review time horizon, particularly, with AF and observational studies.