cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Validation of a performance assessment instrument in problem-based learning tutorials using two cohorts of medical students

Although problem-based learning (PBL) has been widely used in medical schools, few studies have attended to the assessment of PBL processes using validated instruments. This study examined reliability and validity for an instrument assessing PBL performance in four domains: Problem Solving, Use of Information, Group Process, and Professionalism. Two cohorts of medical students (N = 310) participated in the study, with 2 years of PBL evaluation data extracted from archive rated by a total of 158 faculty raters. Analyses based on generalizability theory were conducted for reliability examination. Validity was examined through following the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing to evaluate content validity, response processes, construct validity, predictive validity, and the relationship to the variable of training. For construct validity, correlations of PBL scores with six other outcome measures were examined, including Medical College Admission Test, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1, National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Comprehensive Basic Science Examination, NBME Comprehensive Clinical Science Examination, Clinical Performance Examination, and USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge. Predictive validity was examined by using PBL scores to predict five medical school outcomes. The highest percentage of PBL total score variance was associated with students (60 %), indicating students in the study differed in their PBL performance. The generalizability and dependability coefficients were moderately high (Ep2 = .68, ϕ = .60), showing the instrument is reliable for ranking students and identifying competent PBL performers. The patterns of correlations between PBL domain scores and the outcome measures partially support construct validity. PBL performance ratings as a whole significantly (p < .01) predicted all the major medical school achievements. The second year PBL scores were significantly higher than those of the first year, indicating a training effect. Psychometric findings provided support for reliability and many aspects of validity of PBL performance assessment using the instrument.
Excess oxidative stress in genetically obese rats is independent of elevated inflammatory markers (693.11)

Oxidative stress is elevated in obese humans and rodents and may contribute to obesity-associated conditions. These conditions include elevated blood pressure, lipids, glucose, and insulin resistance, all of which are components of the metabolic syndrome and are present in the spontaneously hypertensive obese (SHROB/Kol) rat model of prediabetes. In the present study, SHROB (N=27) were compared to lean SHR/Kol (N=11) littermates obtained from Charles River Labs (Wilmington,MA). Oxidative stress was measured by assay of peroxides by the ferric orange xylenol method (Sigma, St. Louis, MO) and nitrotyrosine by immunoassay. Plasma and organ lipid peroxides were increased up to 3-fold in SHROB rats relative to lean SHR. Nitrotyrosine immunoreactivity in solublized kidney extracts was increased by genetic obesity (SHROB: 290±52 vs SHR: 4.1±1.3 pmol/g wet weight). Similar results were obtained for liver. The activity in the liver cytosol of the protective enzyme superoxide dismutase was not different (SHROB: 63±...
The relationship between intraoperative teamwork and management skills in patient care

Background Optimal team performance in the operating room (OR) requires a combination of interactions among OR professionals and adherence to clinical guidelines. Theoretically, it is possible that OR teams could communicate very well but fail to follow acceptable standards of patient care and vice versa. OR simulations offer an ideal research environment to study this relationship. The goal of this study was to determine the relationship between ratings of OR teamwork and communication with adherence to patient care guidelines in a simulated scenarios of malignant hyperthermia (MH). Methods An interprofessional research team (2 anesthesiologists, 1 surgeon, an OR nurse, and a social scientist) reviewed videos of 5 intraoperative teams managing a simulated patient who manifested MH while undergoing general anesthesia for an epigastric herniorraphy in a high-fidelity, in situ OR. Participant teams consisted of 2 residents from anesthesiology, 1 from surgery, 1 OR nurse, and 1 certified surgical technician. Teamwork and communication were assessed with 4 published tools: Anesthesiologists’ Non-Technical Skills (ANTS), Scrub Practitioners List of Intra-operative Non-Technical Skills (SPLINTS), Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons (NOTSS), and Objective Teamwork Assessment System (OTAS). We developed an evidence-based MH checklist to assess overall patient care. Results Interrater agreement for teamwork tools was moderate. Average rater agreement was 0.51 For ANTS, 0.67 for SPLINTS, 0.51 for NOTSS, and 0.70 for OTAS. Observer agreement for the MH checklist was high (0.88). Correlations between teamwork and MH checklist were not significant. Teams were different in percent of the MH actions taken (range, 50–91%; P = .006). Conclusion In this pilot study, intraoperative teamwork and communication were not related to overall patient care management. Separating nontechnical and technical skills when teaching OR teamwork is artificial and may even be damaging, because such an approach could produce teams with excellent communication skills as they unsuccessfully manage the patient. OR simulations offer a unique opportunity to research how to best integrate both of these domains to improve patient care.
The Nature of US–China Trade in Advanced Technology Products

This paper studies the nature of US–China trade in advanced technology products (ATP). China's recent surge in ATP exports has promoted active debate about the implications for both China's economic growth and US competitiveness. We evaluate the development of both countries’ ATP trade classification systems. Although the definition of ATP for statistical purposes is largely convergent, China adopts multiple definitions of ATP, some of which are associated with export promotion and foreign direct investment (FDI) policy. We develop a method to compare US and Chinese trade data that combines the strengths of both countries’ trade statistics and accounts for re-exports through Hong Kong. The emergence of China as a major exporter of ATP goods to the US, coinciding approximately with China's WTO accession is strongly associated with processing trade and production fragmentation, foreign-invested enterprises, and the use of economic policy zones, more so than for Chinese exports as a whole. This evidence demonstrates that China's pattern of exports has been strongly influenced by government policies.
HEALTH EFFECTS OF DETERGENTS IN WATER.

(1964). Health Effects of Detergents in Water. Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal: Vol. 8, No. 4, pp. 584-588.
The failure of prehospital trauma prediction rules to classify trauma patients accurately

Clinical prediction rules are used extensively by most regionalized trauma systems to identify which patients have sustained major injuries. Because of reported high misclassification rates of some of these rules and the known global difficulty of transporting prediction rules, four such rules (the Trauma Score, the CRAMS Scale, the Revised Trauma Score, and the Prehospital Index) and two newly derived rules were statistically analyzed using a cohort of 2,434 injured patients. All rules accurately predicted mortality with a minimum sensitivity and specificity of 85%. However, not one of the rules was able accurately to identify surviving patients who had sustained major injuries. In this instance, no rule was able to achieve a sensitivity of at least 70% while achieving a specificity of 70%. These results suggest that the problem with trauma prediction rules lies in the inherent limitations of the clinical data on which they are based. In view of this, the usefulness of existing prehospital trauma predictive rules must be questioned.
Acetone-butanol-isopropanol production byClostridium beijerinckii (synonym,Clostridium butylicum)

Isopropanol is a product of the organism formerly known as “Clostridium butylicum”, which is now included in the speciesClostridium beijerinckii. We tested 52 strains ofC.beijerinckii for their ability to produce acetone,n-butanol, and isopropanol. The 32 butanol-producing strains may be divided into two groups based on whether isopropanol was produced. Isopropanol-producing cultures accumulated acetone only transiently.
Multi-objective multicast routing optimization in Cognitive Radio Networks

In this paper, we study the multicast routing problem in Cognitive Radio Networks (CRNs). We propose a new network modeling method, where we model CRNs using a Multi-rate Multilayer Hyper-Graph (MMHG). Given a multicast session of the MMHG, our goal is to find the multicast routing trees that minimize the worst case end-to-end delay (delay), maximize the multicast rate (rate) and minimize the number of transmission links (numOfLinks) used in the multicast tree. We apply two metaheuristic algorithms (Multi-Objective Ant Colony System optimization algorithm (MOACS) [1] and A Simulated Annealing-Based Multi-objective Optimization Algorithm (AMOSA) [2]) in solving the problem. We also study the scheduling problem of multicast routing trees obtained using the MMHG model. Our simulation results show that within a few seconds, MOACS can find more than 60% of the approximated Pareto Front (APF) in small CRNs, and AMOSA can find approximately 45%. Moreover, the solutions found by MOACS and AMOSA that are not in the APF are within 10% relative distances to solutions in the APF.
An Educational Program for Farmers on Preventing Lake Contamination from Agricultural Pesticides

ABSTRACT Pesticides continue to be one of the major causes of fishkills in the United States, and can contaminate surface and ground water supplies that provide drinking water for animal and human populations. During the past 10 years a wealth of research data has been amassed on the aquatic transport properties of various pesticides and pesticide classes. However, there has been a serious dearth of practical information for agricultural pesticide applicators to use to avoid surface and groundwater contamination. This paper describes the components of a successful preventive program for pesticide management that integrates production agriculture and water quality concerns. This educational program has been extensively reviewed by county agricultural agents and soil and water conservation field personnel in North Carolina and is now increasingly being distributed nationally.
State-of-the-art graphene transistors on hexagonal boron nitride, high-k, and polymeric films for GHz flexible analog nanoelectronics

We report graphene field-effect transistors on hexagonal boron nitride, high-k, and polymeric films featuring state-of-the-art electrical and mechanical properties on flexible substrates. The record electrical performance includes the highest ON current (∼0.3mA/μm), the first demonstration of current saturation on flexible films and intrinsic gain, and the highest conversion gain flexible graphene frequency doubler. Extrinsic transit frequency of 2.23GHz, and maximum frequency of 1.15GHz are also achieved. In addition, robust electrical response down to 0.7mm mechanical bending radius is realized.
A Cyclopentane Conformational Restraint for a Peptide Nucleic Acid: Design, Asymmetric Synthesis, and Improved Binding Affinity to DNA and RNA

A strategy to restrict the highly flexible backbone conformation of a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) by incorporation of a cyclopentane ring is proposed. An asymmetric synthesis of cyclopentane-modifie...
There is a planar graph almost as good as the complete graph

Given a set S of points in the plane, there is a triangulation of S such that a path found within this triangulation has length bounded by a constant times the straight-line distance between the endpoints of the path. Specifically, for any two points a and b of S there is a path along edges of the triangulation with length less than √10 times |ab|, where |ab| is the straight-line Euclidean distance between a and b. Thus, a shortest path in this planar graph is less than about 3 times longer than the corresponding straight-line distance. The triangulation that has this property is the L1 metric Delaunay triangulation for the set 5. This result can be applied to motion planning in the plane. Given a source, a destination, and a set of polygonal obstacles of size n, an O(n) size data structure can be used to find a reasonable approximation to the shortest path between the source and the destination in O(n log n) time.
Neighborhood characteristics and depressive symptoms in an older population

Objectives: We explored relationships between depressive symptoms and neighborhood environment measures including traffic safety, crime, social capital, and density of businesses in community-dwelling older adults from four different regions of the United States.Method: The Healthy Aging Research Network walking study is a cross-sectional study of 884 adults aged 65+, which included a 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale of depressive symptoms, demographics, self-reported neighborhood perceptions, and objective neighborhood data.Results: After adjusting for individual covariates, reports of neighborhood crime, unsafe traffic, and unwillingness of neighbors to help each other were significantly positively associated with depressive symptoms among participants.Conclusion: This research suggests an association between self-reported depressive symptoms and the social and built environment; examining causal association requires additional longitudinal research in diverse populations of old...
Observational learning and the formation of classes of reading skills by individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Abstract We investigated whether individuals with developmental disabilities will demonstrate stimulus classes after observing another individual demonstrate the prerequisite conditional discriminations. In Experiment 1, participants learned conditional discriminations among dictated words, pictures, and printed words. They also observed a model without disabilities demonstrate conditional discriminations among a different set of dictated words, pictures, and printed words. The classes assigned to each participant belonged to a larger superordinate category, as did the classes assigned to each model. The superordinate categories were different for participants and models. All participants subsequently demonstrated full stimulus classes with the stimuli involved in direct training: They named pictures, read printed words, and matched pictures and words to one another. However, based on observing a model, none of the participants demonstrated full stimulus classes. In Experiment 2, participants learned conditional discriminations among the stimuli in three sets, and observed a model’s training with the stimuli in three different sets. The classes assigned to each participant belonged to the same larger superordinate category as did those assigned to their respective model. All participants subsequently demonstrated full stimulus classes with the stimuli involved in direct training. They also demonstrated full classes with at least one of their model’s sets of training stimuli. When full stimulus classes did not occur from observing a model, participants named the model’s pictures, read the model’s printed words, or matched the model’s pictures and words. Stimulus class technology, coupled with the opportunity to observe another individual perform a skill, may be an economical and efficient means of teaching persons with developmental disabilities.
Synthesis and Structure of the Bis(amido)sodate Salt Na[Na{N(SiMe3)2AlMe3}2]: An Na+ Ion Complexed Solely by Na+- - -H3C− Interactions

The synthesis and structural characterization of the sodium amide salt Na[Na{N(SiMe3)2AlMe3}2] are described. The structure is composed of an infinite array of bis(amido)sodate [Na{N(SiMe3)2AlMe3}2...
Consideration of the pH-dependent inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase by methotrexate

Poisson-Boltzmann calculations were used to determine the pKa of protein functional groups in the unliganded dihydrofolate reductase enzyme, and the pKa of protein and ligand groups in methotrexate-enzyme complexes. The results reported here are in conflict with two fundamental tenets of dihydrofolate reductase inhibition by methotrexate: (1) Asp27 is not expected to be protonated near pH 6.5 in the apoenzyme as previously proposed based on fitting of empirical equations to binding data, and (2) the calculated pKa for the pteridine N1 of the inhibitor while bound to the protein is significantly lower than that estimated for this group from interpretation of NMR data (>10). In fact, the electrostatic calculations and complementary quantum chemical calculations indicate that Asp27 is likely protonated when methotrexate is bound, resulting in a neutral dipole-dipole interaction rather than a salt-bridge between the enzyme and the inhibitor. Reasons for this discrepancy with the experimental data are discussed. Furthermore, His45 and Glu17 in the Escherichia coli enzyme are proposed to be in part responsible for the pH dependence of the conformational degeneracy in the inhibitor-enzyme complex.
Physiological and behavioral host‐parasitoid interactions: Future visions

The association of insect parasitoids with their highly co-evolved host species requires a sophisticated degree of physiological signaling between host and parasitoid. Host suitability reflects a combination of multifactorial traits, encompassing host immunocompetence, endocrine status, nutritional quality, and behavior, among other features. The articles in this special issue address many of these topics, and describe the physiological and behavioral interactions of insect hosts with hymenopteran and dipteran parasitoids as well as symbionts and pathogens. The papers in this issue were originally presented in a symposium entitled “Physiological and behavioral host-parasite interactions” that convened during the 2004 International Congress of Entomology in Brisbane, Australia. All manuscripts have undergone rigorous peer review before acceptance for publication in this special issue.
Increased endoplasmic reticulum content of a mutant of Trichoderma reesei (RUT-C30) in relation to cellulase synthesis

Abstract The structure and content of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) were studied in the shake cultures of two strains of Trichoderma reesei, one wild type (QM6a) and the other a cellulase (EC 3.2.1.4) hyper-producing and catabolite repression resistant mutant (RUT-C30). The results of quantitative electron microscopic and biochemical assays were correlated. At the stage of growth when cellulase secretion was high the ER in RUT-C30 cells was highly developed and more abundant than the ER in QM6a cells. A process regulating ER biogenesis may have been deactivated by mutation in RUT-C30 cells and thus the potential for extracellular enzyme synthesis and secretion has been enhanced .
Nonindependent K+ movement through the pore in IRK1 potassium channels.

We measured unidirectional K+ in- and efflux through an inward rectifier K channel (IRK1) expressed in Xenopus oocytes. The ratio of these unidirectional fluxes differed significantly from expectations based on independent ion movement. In an extracellular solution with a K+ concentration of 25 mM, the data were described by a Ussing flux-ratio exponent, n′, of ∼2.2 and was constant over a voltage range from −50 to −25 mV. This result indicates that the pore of IRK1 channels may be simultaneously occupied by at least three ions. The IRK1 n′ value of 2.2 is significantly smaller than the value of 3.5 obtained for Shaker K channels under identical conditions. To determine if other permeation properties that reflect multi-ion behavior differed between these two channel types, we measured the conductance (at 0 mV) of single IRK1 channels as a function of symmetrical K+ concentration. The conductance could be fit by a saturating hyperbola with a half-saturation K+ activity of 40 mM, substantially less than the reported value of 300 mM for Shaker K channels. We investigated the ability of simple permeation models based on absolute reaction rate theory to simulate IRK1 current–voltage, conductance, and flux-ratio data. Certain classes of four-barrier, three-site permeation models are inconsistent with the data, but models with high lateral barriers and a deep central well were able to account for the flux-ratio and single channel data. We conclude that while the pore in IRK1 and Shaker channels share important similarities, including K+ selectivity and multi-ion occupancy, they differ in other properties, including the sensitivity of pore conductance to K+ concentration, and may differ in the number of K+ ions that can simultaneously occupy the pore: IRK1 channels may contain three ions, but the pore in Shaker channels can accommodate four or more ions.
Alterations in neurotransmitter amino acids in hippocampal kindled seizures

Rats were rapidly kindled with electrical stimuli to the hippocampus, and the concentrations of GABA and related amino acids were measured in several brain regions, both in the baseline kindled state and during active seizures. In the baseline kindled state, a consistent pattern was found throughout the hippocampus where GABA levels were depressed and glutamate and glutamine levels were elevated. During seizures GABA rose slightly while glutamate and glutamine increased to twice control values. These changes were seen to various degrees in other brain areas. Turnover in the GABA-glutamate-glutamine cycle was measured in kindled rats experiencing seizures and compared to control animals. During seizures there was an increased turnover of the excitatory compounds glutamate and aspartate relative to GABA. The data indicate that kindling produces a change of presynaptic GABA metabolism which results in diminished inhibition.
Observation of d-p hybridized aromaticity in lanthanum-doped boron clusters.

The concept of aromaticity has been advanced beyond the framework of organic chemistry, and multiple aromaticity (σ, π, and δ) has been observed to account for the highly symmetric structures or unusual stability of the clusters. In the present study, the electronic structures and chemical bonding of small monolanthanum boride clusters are investigated using photoelectron imaging spectroscopy and first principles electronic structure calculations. Accurate electron affinities of 1.32 ± 0.04 and 1.13 ± 0.06 eV for the neutral LaB2 and LaB3 clusters are obtained by the vibrationally-resolved photoelectron spectra of the LaB2− and LaB3− clusters, respectively. It is shown that LaB2− and LaB3 exhibit enhanced stability in their respective cluster series, as evidenced from the calculated removal energies and HOMO–LUMO gaps. Molecular orbital analysis discloses that these two clusters possess doubly aromatic characters (σ and π), responsible for their enhanced stability. Interestingly, unlike conventional σ-, π-, and δ-aromaticity formed by the delocalization of unhybridized p or d orbitals, the σ and π delocalized molecular orbitals shown here are formed through the effective overlap between the 5d atomic orbital of the La atom and the p orbitals of the remaining boron atoms, representing an intriguing d–p hybridized aromaticity.
Gaseous Elemental Mercury as an Indoor Air Pollutant

Mercury is not commonly considered a household air pollutant; however, a number of potential sources of the metal exist in residential settings. Eleven of 12 indoor sites sampled in this study showed levels of airborne mercury that were significantly elevated over outdoor concentrations (range 6.5-523 ng m(-3)). In addition, this and other published research suggest that up to 10% of households may have levels of airborne mercury above the U.S. EPA reference concentration (300 ng m(-3)) due to historic accidents with mercury containing devices. Exposure to mercury via indoor air is seen as second only to fish consumption as a source of mercury in the general population. Large seasonal changes in indoor mercury levels were identified in this study suggesting that short-term monitoring of mercury-contaminated sites is not sufficient to adequately assess the potential health risks and effectiveness of remediation strategies.
A boundary-dispatch Monte Carlo (Exodus) method for analysis of conductive heat transfer problems

A boundary-dispatch Monte Carlo (Exodus) method, in which the particles are dispatched from the boundaries of a conductive medium or source of heat, is developed. A fixed number of particles are dispatched from a boundary node to the nearest internal node. These particles make random walks within the medium similar to that of the conventional Monte Carlo method. Once a particle visits an internal node, a number equal to the temperature of the boundary node from which particles are dispatched is added to a counter. Performing this procedure for all boundary nodes, the temperature of a node can be determined by dividing the flag, or the counter, of this node by the total number of particle visits to this node. Two versions of the boundary-dispatch method (BDM) are presented, multispecies and bispecies BDM. The results of bispecies BDM based on the Exodus dispatching method compare well with the Gauss-Seidel method in both accuracy and computational time. Its computational time is much less than the shrinkin...
Molybdenum-95 NMR studies of (aryldiazenido)- and (organohydrazido)molybdates. Crystal and molecular structure of [n-Bu4N]3[Mo6O18(NNC6F5)]

The /sup 95/Mo NMR spectroscopy of a select series of (aryldiazenido)- and (organohydrazido)molybdates of known structure has been studied. The chemical shifts, line widths, and in select cases T/sub 1/ values and the effects of temperature variation are reported. For the most part, with notable exceptions, the expected number of molybdenum signals are observed in the /sup 95/Mo NMR spectra although temperature variation may be required to reveal the signals. There is a lack of simple correlation between component structural units in a given compound and some consistent chemical shift value that could be ascribed to that unit. In particular the spectrum for (Mo/sub 6/O/sub 18/(NNAr))/sup 3 -/ differs markedly from that of (Mo/sub 6/O/sub 19/)/sup 2 -/, although the compounds are the closest structural analogues. Accordingly, the details of the structure, electronic spectrum, and electrochemistry of (Mo/sub 6/O/sub 18/(NNAr))/sup 3 -/ are presented. Although the geometry of (Mo/sub 6/O/sub 18/(NNAr))/sup 3 -/ is grossly related to that of (Mo/sub 6/O/sub 19/)/sup 2 -/ by substitution of a diazenido unit for an oxo group, the detailed investigations establish significant differences in the electronic spectra, redox electrochemistry, and structural parameters. Crystal data for (n-Bu/sub 4/N)/sup 3/(Mo/sub 6/O/sub 18/(NNC/sub 6/F/sub 5/)): orthorhombicmore » space group Pmcn; a = 17.345 (5), b = 17.645 (3), c = 24.434 (7) /angstrom/; V = 7478.1 (12) /angstrom//sup 3/; Z = 4; structure solutions and refinement based on 3534 reflections (F/sub o/ />=/ 3sigma(F/sub o/)) converged at R = 0.059. 34 references, 11 figures, 8 tables.« less
Nanowire-based surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for chemical warfare simulants

Hand-held instruments capable of spectroscopic identification of chemical warfare agents (CWA) would find extensive use in the field. Because CWA can be toxic at very low concentrations compared to typical background levels of commonly-used compounds (flame retardants, pesticides) that are chemically similar, spectroscopic measurements have the potential to reduce false alarms by distinguishing between dangerous and benign compounds. Unfortunately, most true spectroscopic instruments (infrared spectrometers, mass spectrometers, and gas chromatograph-mass spectrometers) are bench-top instruments. Surface-acoustic wave (SAW) sensors are commercially available in hand-held form, but rely on a handful of functionalized surfaces to achieve specificity. Here, we consider the potential for a hand-held device based on surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) using templated nanowires as enhancing substrates. We examine the magnitude of enhancement generated by the nanowires and the specificity achieved in measurements of a range of CWA simulants. We predict the ultimate sensitivity of a device based on a nanowire-based SERS core to be 1-2 orders of magnitude greater than a comparable SAW system, with a detection limit of approximately 0.01 mg m-3.
Antioxidant enzyme response to exercise in equine erythrocytes

Summary The response of erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes to a single bout of treadmill exercise was investigated in the Quarter Horse with or without dietary supplementation of Vitamin E (Vit E). Ten mares aged 5–11 yrs were randomly assigned to two dietary treatment groups. One group was fed a diet supplemented with 300 mg Vit E/kg as d, 1-tocopherol acetate, and the other group received a control diet. Treadmill conditioning consisted of an interval walk-trot regimen 5 days/wk for 7 weeks. At the end of the conditioning period the horses were subjected to a 12 min treadmill exercise test at 4.5 m/sec, 11% grade, while carrying 17 kg additional weight. Blood was collected from the jugular vein at rest, 2 min post-exercise and 30 min post-exercise. Plasma and erythrocytes were separated by centrifugation at 750 × g. Erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (Cat) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were not significantly altered by an acute exercise bout or during recovery. Vit E supplementation did not affect the antioxidant enzyme response to exercise except during recovery Vit E supplemented horses had higher GPX activity as compared to those receiving control diet. Plasma lactate and glucose levels were both significantly elevated by exercise bout and remained to be higher than resting levels during recovery. Blood hemoglobin concentration showed no alteration by either acute exercise bout or Vit E supplementation. These data indicate that dietary supplementation of Vit E did not alter the antioxidant status in equine erythrocytes. An exercise bout which increased blood lactate levels by 18-fold did not elicit a significant response of antioxidant enzymes. It is concluded that equine erythrocytes possess sifficient antioxidant capacity to cope with oxidative stress induced by exercise of this type.
The Evolving Role of Gemcitabine and Pemetrexed (Alimta ® ) in the Management of Patients with Malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma is a refractory malignancy. Treatment for unresectable disease may provide a palliative benefit, but survival duration is impacted only minimally, if at all. Several newer agents, including difluorodeoxycytidine (gemcitabine) and pemetrexed disodium (LY231514, Alimta®) appear to have activity against this neoplasm. Phase II data for combination regimens of gemcitabine and a platinum in mesothelioma patients have been encouraging. However, no phase III data are available to place these phase II results in true perspective. In phase I studies of a cisplatin/pemetrexed combination, objective responses occurred in several mesothelioma patients. This led to a phase II trial of pemetrexed alone in untreated mesothelioma patients and a randomized phase III trial of cisplatin alone versus pemetrexed/cisplatin. Phase II activity (15% partial response) was seen with single-agent pemetrexed. The phase III trial accrued over 450 patients. Primary analysis of the phase III data set has been completed and the results will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Meeting in May 2002.
Recognizing Patterns in Trace Elements

There is a growing awareness in the scientific community that as methods of analysis become more efficient, a massive data explosion is ensuing. Reducing data to meaningful trends has become a major aspect of research because of the bulk of information involved and because scientific interest is focusing on more and more subtle phenomena. One aid to data reduction and trend detection is pattern recognition, which is a collection of computer-based data manipulation techniques that have proved useful in a number of problems. This paper is intended as an illustrative introduction to these techniques, with the aim of giving the reader an intuitive feel for the process of a real application of the methods. A problem in archaeology, solved by neutron activation analysis, is discussed.
Predictors of Species Richness in Northwest Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhills

Soil characteristics, disturbance histories, and species richness among distinct groups of plants and animals may be useful predictors of important conservation areas when data are limited. We used multivariate analysis of covariance to test the hypothesis that the species richness of plants, arthropods, herpetofauna, and breeding birds are correlated and increase with soil fertility (silt and clay content in sandy soils), soil variability, and hardwood midstory reduction in subxeric, nutrient-poor longleaf pine sandhills at Eglin Air Force Base in northwest Florida. During 1994-1995 and 1998-1999, we sampled 30 81-ha plots with varying fire-exclusion histories and at two spatial scales of resolution (10 × 40 m and 81 ha). The relationship between the number of plant species and percent silt and clay and its coefficient of variation was significant and positive at the plot level (81 ha) but not at the subplot level (10 × 40 m). Herpetofaunal species richness was the only faunal variable that increased with silt and clay content, but the coefficient of variation did not. Multivariate effects of hardwood reduction were significant in 1998-1999 but not in 1994-1995, which suggests that the reintroduction of fire increased species richness across taxa. Univariate effects of hardwood reduction were marginally significant for plant species richness at the subplot level and not significant for herpetofaunal species richness at either scale. Plant and arthropod species richness were not correlated. Herpetofaunal species richness was not correlated with that of other taxa (plant and animal). The species richness of plants and arthropods were each significantly positively correlated with the richness of breeding bird species at the subplot level during 1994-1995, whereas only arthropod species richness was positively correlated with bird species richness at the plot level in either year. Our results suggest that the restoration of fire regime may be the most effective tool with which to increase diversity in pyrogenic areas considered for conservation protection.
Barber, Joseph (Ed.) (1996). Hypnosis and Suggestion in the Treatment of Pain: A Clinical Guide. New York: W.W. Norton, xxii + 413 Pages, $45 (Cloth)

(1999). Barber, Joseph (Ed.) (1996). Hypnosis and Suggestion in the Treatment of Pain: A Clinical Guide. New York: W.W. Norton, xxii + 413 Pages, $45 (Cloth) American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis: Vol. 41, No. 3, pp. 277-279.
A modular architecture for wireless sensor network nodes

The system level hardware architecture of individual nodes in a wireless distributed sensor network has not received adequate attention. A large portion of the development work in wireless sensor networks has been devoted to the networking layer or the network communications, but considering the tight integration required between the hardware and software on each node can result in major benefits in power, performance, and usability as well. A novel hardware architecture based on the concept of task specific modular computing provides both the high flexibility and power efficiency required for effective distributed sensing solutions. A comparative power analysis with a traditional, centralized architecture gives a justifying motivation for pursuing the modular architecture. Finally, three decentralized module self-control mechanisms developed to minimize total system power will be presented and explained in detail.
Genetically determined phenotype covariation networks control bone strength

To identify genes affecting bone strength, we studied how genetic variants regulate components of a phenotypic covariation network that was previously shown to accurately characterize the compensatory trait interactions involved in functional adaptation during growth. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) regulating femoral robustness, morphologic compensation, and mineralization (tissue quality) were mapped at three ages during growth using AXB/BXA Recombinant Inbred (RI) mouse strains and adult B6-iA Chromosome Substitution Strains (CSS). QTLs for robustness were identified on chromosomes 8, 12, 18, and 19 and confirmed at all three ages, indicating that genetic variants established robustness postnatally without further modification. A QTL for morphologic compensation, which was measured as the relationship between cortical area and body weight, was identified on chromosome 8. This QTL limited the amount of bone formed during growth and thus acted as a setpoint for diaphyseal bone mass. Additional QTLs were identified from the CSS analysis. QTLs for robustness and morphologic compensation regulated bone structure independently (ie, in a nonpleiotropic manner), indicating that each trait may be targeted separately to individualize treatments aiming to improve strength. Multiple regression analyses showed that variation in morphologic compensation and tissue quality, not bone size, determined femoral strength relative to body weight. Thus an individual inheriting slender bones will not necessarily inherit weak bones unless the individual also inherits a gene that impairs compensation. This systems genetic analysis showed that genetically determined phenotype covariation networks control bone strength, suggesting that incorporating functional adaptation into genetic analyses will advance our understanding of the genetic basis of bone strength. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
A Lesson Plan Approach for Dealing with School Discipline.

(1982). A Lesson Plan Approach for Dealing with School Discipline. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 55, No. 8, pp. 345-348.
The Invisibility of Evil: Moral Progress and the ‘Animal Holocaust’

Abstract This paper explores the concept of an ‘animal holocaust’ by way of J.M. Coetzee's The Lives of Animals, and asks whether the Nazi treatment of the Jews can be legitimately compared to modern factory farming. While certain parallels make the comparison appealing, it is argued, only the holocaust can be described as ‘evil.’ The phenomena share another feature, however, namely, the capacity of perpetrators to render victims ‘invisible.’ This leaves the moral dimension of the comparison in tact since it shows defenders and critics of an ‘animal holocaust’ to be talking about different things: the comparison is offensive for many because it levels degrees of moral value attributed to human and animal life, respectively, while for others it articulates the challenge of bringing non-human sentient beings into the same moral universe as their human counterparts. The paper concludes by asking whether such moral progress can ever render the death of human beings and animals similar in kind.
Temporal distribution of myocardial infarction pain.

Abstract The possible association between certain times of the day and the onset of the pain of myocardial infarction has not previously been examined. Of 74 patients with documented myocardial infarction, 34 experienced the onset of typical chest pain between 8 am and 10 am or between the same hours in the evening. These time intervals coincide with the extremes in secretion of ACTH and cortisol, which prompts the authors to postulate an association of the onset of pain with Variations in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity.
Effects of tropic hormones on ultrastructure and synthesis of androgens in adrenals of male pseudohermaphrodite rats.

Ultrastructural and biochemical study of the adrenals in the pseudohermaphrodite (tfm) rat reveals hypertrophic adrenocortical cells. The cytoplasm of the cells in the zonae fasciculata and reticularis contains an exceptionally well developed smooth endoplasmic reticulum closely applied to mitochondria and lipid droplets. Mitochondria are more numerous than in normals and have especially abundant tubular cristae. More lipid droplets (appearing as empty vacuoles) are surrounded by pleomorphic mitochondria. The incubation study indicates that the capacity of rat adrenal cortex of producing androgens is greater in tfm than in normal animals. Hypophysectomy and castration result in a significant decrease in androgen biosynthesis by tfm rat adrenals and cause a reduced concentration of plasma testosterone. Administration of tropic hormones to hypophysectomizedcastrated rats appears to stimulate their adrenal androgenesis. It is suggested that in tfm rats the higher than normal luteinizing hormone (LH) together with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulates the hypertrophy of cellular organelles in the adrenal cortex and causes an accompanying increase in androgenic steroids which may be responsible, at least in part, for the increased level of plasma androgens.
Study of the isotropic-nematic-solid transitions in a liquid crystal by carbon-13—proton double resonance

Carbon-13 NMR spectra have been obtained for $p$-methoxy benzylidene ${p}^{\ensuremath{'}}\ensuremath{-}n$-butylaniline (MBBA) in the isotropic, nematic, and solid phases. Sharp, resolved spectra were obtained in the nematic phase with high-power proton-spin decoupling. The isotropic-nematic transition is accompanied by a discontinuous change in $^{13}\mathrm{C}$ absorption frequencies due to the molecular ordering and anisotropic chemical shielding. It is concluded that the benzene rings reorient rapidly about the para axes. Employing average values from studies of $^{13}\mathrm{C}$ chemical shielding tensors in model aromatic solids, absolute values of the order parameter $S$ are estimated and normalized values are compared with previous results. The nematic-solid transition is accompanied by sudden and severe line broadening due to anisotropic chemical shielding.
Fine scale habitat use by age-1 stocked muskellunge and wild northern pike in an upper St. Lawrence River bay

Abstract Radio telemetry of stocked muskellunge ( n = 6) and wild northern pike ( n = 6) was used to track late summer and fall movements from a common release point in a known shared nursery bay to test the hypothesis that age-1 northern pike and stocked muskellunge segregate and have different habitat affinities. Water depth, temperature, substrate and aquatic vegetation variables were estimated for each muskellunge ( n = 103) and northern pike ( n = 131) position and nested ANOVA comparisons by species indicated differences in habitat use. Muskellunge exhibited a greater displacement from the release point and used habitat in shallower water depths (mean = 0.85 m, SE = 0.10) than northern pike (mean = 1.45 m, SE = 0.08). Both principal components analysis (PCA) and principal components ordination (PCO) were used to interpret underlying gradients relative to fish positions in two-dimensional space. Our analysis indicated that a separation of age-1 northern pike and muskellunge occurred 7 d post-release. This first principal component explained 48% of the variation in habitat use. Northern pike locations were associated with deeper habitats that generally had softer silt substrates and dense submersed vegetation. Muskellunge locations post-acclimation showed greater association with shallower habitats containing firmer sandy and clay substrates and emergent vegetation. The observed differences in habitat use suggest that fine-scale ecological separation occurred between these stocked muskellunge and wild northern pike, but small sample sizes and potential for individual variation limit extension of these conclusions. Further research is needed to determine if these patterns exist between larger samples of fishes over a greater range of habitats.
Evaluating Whether a Binary Decision Rule Operates Better Than Chance

We provide an approach to testing whether the accuracy of a binary diagnostic test, which we define as the sum of sensitivity and specificity, is significantly better than chance. We derive an exact confidence interval of size at least 1 - α for the observed accuracy of the test. In addition, we develop tests to compare the accuracy of two such tests applied to the same subjects. These results offer a method for assessing the accuracy of a test at a single test criterion, in contrast to the standard approach of evaluating the total receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve for a test.
The role of solvent in some oxygen‐transfer reactions of peroxy compounds

Solvent–solute interactions in the peroxyacid oxidations are believed to be specific rather than electrostatic in nature. The kinetic solvent effects reported for the oxidations of organic sulfides, olefins, acetylenes, nitrosobenzenes, thioketones, and aryl sulfines reveal that in each case the rates are fast in nonbasic solvents (e.g., benzene, nitrobenzene, and halogenated hydrocarbons) relative to those in basic solvents such as DMF, dioxane, and alcohols. The rates in CF3CH2OH and aqueous or partially aqueous media are again higher than those in the basic solvents. This remakably similar pattern of sensitivity of rates to changes in the solvent nature appears to be characteristic of these oxidations as demonstrated by the existence of linear free-energy relationship. The behavior is best understood in terms of cyclic transition states for these oxidations in which charge separation is avoided by intra- or intermolecular hydrogen bonding depending on the nature of the solvent. Solvent effects on sulfoxide oxidation and on oxidations by hydrogen peroxide and t-butylhydroperoxide are also briefly discussed.
Native American Literature and Its Place in the Inter-American Project

Issues of Native American literature and culture are placed in a comparative and inter-American perspective, where texts from Canada, the United States, Spanish America, and Brazil are discussed and contrasted. Native American texts are analyzed in the context of inter-American literary study, which is defined as an interdisciplinary approach to the literatures of North, Central, and South America. The argument is made that Native American literature represents the cultural and historical foundation of the entire inter-American project.