cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Future of Design for Development: Three Questions

The seedlings for design aimed at improving human well-being and meeting basic needs (Design for Development, or DfD) trace back at least to the Marshall Plan. According to Fathers (2004), DfD has seen three waves of interest: Reconstruction, from the late 1940s to the early 1960s, following the destruction of World War II; Alternative Actions, from the late 1960s to the early 1970s, which questioned previous approaches to providing aid and offered new ones like Appropriate/Immediate Technology; and Mixed Responses, from the early 1980s to the present, which has seen the broadest level of interest on a large scale. Victor Papanek (1984) and E. F. Schumacher (1973), leading thinkers in DfD with Design for the Real World and Intermediate Technology, respectively, fall squarely into the Alternative Actions wave, joining other movements related to DfD such as Appropriate Technology, Design for the Underserved, and Socially Responsible Design, among others (Rybczynski, 1991; Ho, 2003). In my opinion, the Mixed Responses wave led to a new phase starting in the late 1990s that was deaned by globalization. It is now possible to connect—if not bring together in real-time—users, designers, donors, researchers, students, and other stakeholders who are geographically spread throughout the planet. New aelds, including human-computer interface for design (HCI4D), are emerging or have already become part of the development dialogue. This is an exciting time. Within the last few years, however, DfD activity has rapidly grown in well-intentioned but seemingly haphazard ways. Because of the energy, resources, and commitment of many talented people, there are great possibilities to impact people’s lives—positively and negatively. In this Forum piece, I propose three questions to consider when working on DfD projects: (1) What are the goals of DfD? (2) How can the impacts of DfD be sustained? (3) Is remote design appropriate? The arst and second questions aim to assist in orienting DfD practitioners and thinkers, while the third looks at the growing trend of remote design. Here, I would like to encourage some discussion around each. While my background is in product development, I believe many of history’s lessons learned in this aeld also apply to HCI4D. See if you agree with me.
Primary and secondary spontaneous habitual abortion.

Abstract Habitual abortion is a disturbing obstetric problem with an obscure etiology. Many investigators have employed prophylactic therapy with this and that vitamin, hormone, and method of treatment and have drawn conclusions regarding the etiology from the results of treatment. It has been difficult to comprehend the good results obtained by the empirical use of only one agent or mode of therapy. Perhaps additional measures were employed unwittingly and not appraised statistically. There has been no general agreement as to the definition of habitual abortion and some studies include patients who have had only one or two abortions. Could faulty selection of patients be responsible for the high percentage of successful pregnancies irrespective of the treatment employed? The present study was undertaken in 1940 against this background. It has several objectives: first, to define habitual abortion; second, to determine the incidence; third, to detect as many of the contributing factors, defects, and deficiencies as possible; and, finally, to evaluate the results obtained by correcting these conditions.
AS ARTES PERDIDAS

Esse artigo explora como os trabalhos manuais ou domesticos, em que as pessoas se envolvem com as maos, contribuem para um senso de ritmo no dia-a-dia e traz balanco e alegria na qualidade de vida. Aborda a importância desses tipos de atividades – culinaria, jardinagem, carpintaria- que enquanto sao reconhecidas por filosofos e educadores ao redor do mundo, sao contudo pouco presentes na educacao e representam nenhum estudo fundamentado para os alunos que ensinamos. A educacao Waldorf e citada como um dos exemplos de trabalhos manuais sendo parte integrante de um programa educacional. No artigo, o argumento e feito dizendo que fazendo artes manuais, um foco em ensinar faz conexoes naturais com varios outros topicos pertinentes – tecnologia, sustentabilidade, artes manuais, beleza, conhecimento corporal e espiritualidade, sendo que alguns deles sao abordados na discussao. Palavras-chave: Tecnologia. Sustentabilidade. Artes manuais. Espiritualidade. Educacao
Gender differences in outcomes after surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation.

Abstract Background Gender disparities have been established in patients who have atrial fibrillation (AF), and in their outcomes after medical treatment for AF. This study evaluated differences in outcome by gender in patients who underwent surgical treatment for AF. Methods From April 2004 to December 2012, a total of 936 patients had surgical treatment for AF. Outcomes were analyzed by gender using propensity score–matching methods. Results Of the 936 subjects, 571 (61%) were men; women were older (aged 68.6 ± 11.3 vs 66.9 ± 11.9 years; P = .033), had more heart failure (44% vs 37%; P = .024), more mitral valve surgery (72% vs 50%; P P P P = .029). Women had higher late stroke rate per 10 person-years (0.15 vs 0.07; P = .035), fewer catheter ablations (6.0% vs 9.8%; P = .017), and a trend toward fewer cardioversions for recurrent AF (15.7% vs 19.2%; P = .20). After propensity-score matching, late stroke rates per 10 person-years trended higher in women (0.12 vs 0.04; P = .13). No significant gender differences were found in overall survival (5-year survival: 78.8% in men, and 81.0% in women; P = .40) or freedom from AF without antiarrhythmic drugs at last follow-up (71.8% in men vs 73.6% in women, P = .59). Conclusions Women sought surgery treatment at older ages and with more heart failure. No gender-based differences were found in stroke, overall survival, or procedure success, after propensity-score matching.
The Montreal Convention: Can Passengers Finally Recover for Mental Injuries?

Since the 1920’s, recovery for accidents suffered on international flights has been subject to the Warsaw Convention’s limitation of “bodily injury.” To address perceived inequities stemming from this limitation, courts stretched, and the resulting and fragmented judicial precedent threatened the treaty’s goal of international unity. Although Warsaw’s long-awaited replacement, the Montreal Convention, retains the “bodily injury” language, a close study of the treaty’s history and more importantly, the negotiations among the signatories’ delegates suggests that the great majority of nations intended to broaden allowable recovery beyond strict bodily injury and that many had in fact already interpreted the phrase to include mental injury. Further, the policy informing the new treaty substantively changed from protecting the airline industry to protecting the passenger.As a result, courts faced with claims under the Montreal Convention must undertake a materially different analysis from those courts that addressed similar claims under the Warsaw Convention.
Mechanisms of induction of apoptotic DNA fragmentation.

Purpose: Despite its common use as an indicator of apoptosis, little is known about the mechanisms controlling apoptotic DNA fragmentation in irradiated cells. This review discusses the pathways of chromatin fragmentation, and the role of both nucleases and chromatin structure in this process. Definitions: DNA fragmentation linked to apoptosis is a combination of cleavage events excising both large DNA fragments within the range 0.4-1.0 Mbp and 50 kbp followed by random cuts within internucleosomal regions (i.e. DNA laddering) . The first two cleavage steps can be detected in virtually all apoptotic cells, but DNA laddering is not ubiquitously observed. Endonucleases that mediate this cleavage of chromatin may be classified by substrate specificity, mode of DNA cleavage and their cofactor requirements. Conclusions: Three major pathways of DNA fragmentation are proposed and discussed: (1) upregulation of endonucleases, (2) their intranuclear/intracellular redistribution and (3) primary changes of chromatin...
Analysis of the cardiac index-PvO2 relationship during vasodilatation challenge as a prognostic factor in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Background: Mixed venous oxygen pressure (PvO2) is a reflection of the tissue oxygenation state. PvO2 is one of the variables associated to survival in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Objectives: Investigate if the relationship CI – PvO2 during the vasodilatation challenge (VC) is maintained and whether the type of response has any prognostic implication in PAH patients. Methods: We analyzed the hemodynamic and gasometrical variables at baseline and during the response to the acute VC at right heart catheterization of patients with PAH. According to the results, patients were judged to have an appropriate response (AR) (i.e. higher CI=higher PvO2) or not. The midterm survival in both groups was also analyzed. Results: We studied 42 patients with PAH (35±5 years); 75% female. For the drug challenge we used adenosine (n=33) and Iloprost (n=9). Patients with AR (n=31) had a significant correlation CI-PvO2 at baseline and during challenge (r=0.67; and 0.52; respectively, p Conclusions: Some patients with PAH have an abnormal tissue oxygenation, which may be uncovered by the analysis of the CI-PvO2 relationship. This finding may be of prognostic significance.
Ammonium ion and the anaerobic threshold in man.

To determine if ammonium ion plays a role in the lactate and ventilatory thresholds of incremental exercise, we investigated the effects on blood lactate and ventilation of NH1+ – buffering by monosodium glutamate. Six normal volunteers underwent intravenous loading with MSG, 9 g, in a randomized, double-blind, saline placebo controlled crossover study. Four of the six subjects had a > 10 percent fall in peak (NH4+) following MSG (37 ± 2.0 vs 25 ± 4.3 μg/dl, p = 0.003, PLB vs MSG). When MSG blunted the rise in venous (NH4+) during exercise, uncoupling of the LT and VT was observed. Specifically, with suppression of peak exercise (NH4+) by MSG, the LT was delayed (r= −0.84, p = 0.03), the VT was earlier (r = 0.86, p = 0.02), and the V ˙ O 2 difference between the LT and VT widened (r = −0.90, p = 0.02). We conclude that NH4+ plays a role in determining the LT and VT of incremental exercise and that the VT may not be exclusively dependent on blood lactate. (Chest 1991; 99:1197-1202)
Inference and checking of context-sensitive pluggable types

Pluggable types can help find bugs such as null-pointer dereference or unwanted mutation (or they can prove the absence of such bugs). Unfortunately, pluggable types require annotations, which imposes a burden on programmers.We propose a framework for specifying, inferring and checking of context-sensitive pluggable types. Programmers can use the framework to plug existing context-sensitive type systems (e.g., Immutability, Ownership) as well as to build new systems.
Localization of nitric oxide synthase in canine ileocolonic and pyloric sphincters.

The distribution of neurons containing NADPH-diaphorase (NADPH-d) activity and nitric oxide synthase-like immunoreactivity (NOS-LI) in the canine pyloric and ileocolonic sphincters was studied. Cells within the myenteric and submucosal ganglia were positive for NADPH-d. These cells generally had the morphology of Dogiel type-I enteric neurons, however, there was some diversity in the morphology of NADPH-d-positive neurons in the myenteric plexus of the pylorus. Intramuscular ganglia were observed in both sphincters, and NADPH-d was found in a sub-population of neurons within these ganglia. Dual staining with an antiserum raised against nitric oxide synthase (NOS) demonstrated that almost all cells with NOS-LI were also NADPH-d positive. Varicose fibers within ganglia and within the circular and longitudinal muscle layers also possed NOS-LI and NADPH-d activity. Dual staining with anti-VIP antibodies showed that some of the NADPH-d-positive cells in the myenteric and submucosal ganglia also contained VIP-LI, but all VIP-LI-positive cells did not express NADPH-d activity. These data are consistent with recent physiological studies suggesting that nitric oxide serves as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the pyloric and ileocolonic sphincters. The data also suggest that VIP is expressed in a sub-population of NADPH-d-positive neurons and may therefore act as a co-transmitter in enteric inhibitory neurotransmission to these specialized muscular regions.
The Androgen-Regulated Epididymal Sperm-Binding Protein, Human β-Defensin 118 (DEFB118) (Formerly ESC42), Is an Antimicrobial β-Defensin

Spermatozoa bind a variety of proteins as they pass through the proximal regions of the epididymis, where they acquire forward motility and fertilizing ability. Recent evidence indicates that certain epididymis-specific secretory proteins that bind sperm have antibacterial activity and may function as part of the innate immune system. We reported earlier that ESC42, now designated human β-defensin 118 (DEFB118), is a sperm-binding protein. In this study, we demonstrate that DEFB118 has potent antibacterial activity that is dose, time, and structure dependent. Incubation of Escherichia coli for 60 min with 10 μg/ml DEFB118 reduced bacterial survival to 20% of the control, and 25 μg/ml reduced survival to 5% of the control. DEFB118 concentrations of 50 and 100 μg/ml further reduced survival to less than 2 and 1%, respectively. A biphasic effect of salt concentration on the antibacterial activity of DEFB118 was observed. Reduction of disulfide bonds and alkylation of cysteines resulted in the complete loss o...
A decade beyond the doctorate: the influence of a US postdoctoral appointment on faculty career, productivity, and salary

The number of postdoctoral researchers has increased dramatically in the past decade. Because of the limited number of academic staff openings and the general levels of salary, the role and value of the postdoctoral appointment are changing. Using a sample of respondents with continuous data in the 1999 through 2008 Survey of Doctoral Recipients, this study examined whether taking a postdoctoral position contributed to one’s faculty career and salary 10 years after doctorate completion. Results show that completing a postdoctoral position positively contributed to working in educational institutions and securing a tenure-track appointment. Taking one, but not two or more, postdoctoral positions increased one’s written scholarly productivity. However, the postdoctoral experience had no statistically significant impact on one’s salary a decade after degree completion. Implications are discussed for institutional and higher education policy.
Coordinating Regime Switches

The canonical model of strategic complementarities between individual actions, which exhibits multiple equilibria under perfect information, is extended with heterogeneous agents and imperfect information. Agents observe their own cost of action and the history of the levels of aggregate activity. The distribution of individual characteristics evolves through a random process, and individuals are rational Bayesians. Under plausible conditions, there is a unique equilibrium with phases of high and low activity and random switches. Applications may be found in macroeconomics and revolutions.
Direct end-to-end repair of flexor pollicis longus tendon lacerations☆

Between 1976 and 1986, 38 consecutive acute isolated flexor pollicis longus lacerations were repaired. This study excluded all replanted or mutilated digits and all lacerations with associated fracture. Average follow-up was 26 months. Tendon rehabilitation was standardized. Range of motion and pinch strength were measured postoperatively. Seventy-four percent (28/38) of the flexor pollicis longus injuries occurred in zone II. Neurovascular injury occurred in 82% of the lacerations, and this correlated with the zone of tendon injury. In 21% of the patients (8/38) both digital nerves and arteries were transected. Postoperative thumb interphalangeal motion averaged 35 degrees and key pinch strength was 81% that of the uninjured thumb. One rupture occurred in a child. Laceration of the flexor pollicis longus is likely to involve damage to neurovascular structures, and repair may be necessary. Direct end-to-end repairs within the pulley system do at least as well as delayed tendon reconstruction and do not require additional procedures.
Economic value of fish, wildlife, and recreation in Michigan's coastal wetlands

On the basis of annual expenditures by recreational participants and standard values of recreation days, as well as estimated sport and commercial harvests, the gross annual return from Michigan's 105,855 acres of coastal wetlands has been estimated. Analysis of fish, wildlife, and recreational values revealed that in 1977 these wetland areas generated an economic value of $489.69 per wetland acre, for a direct annual gross of $51.8 million. Specifically, these average return values per wetland acre/year, in descending order, are sport fishing ($286), nonconsumptive recreation ($138.24), waterfowl hunting ($31.23), trapping of furbearers ($30.44), and commercial fishing ($3.78). These gross annual return values were calculated in an effort to sensitize the general public to the diversity and possible magnitude of selected wetland functions.
Creation and validation of an inmate risk assessment for violent, nonsexual victimization

AbstractRecent prison studies have identified several factors associated with the odds of both committing and being victimized by inmate violence. Toward the end of developing an instrument for assessing an inmate’s risk of violent, nonsexual victimization, we examined predictors of victimization grounded in extant studies of the topic. The sample included 12,024 adult male inmates. Using a 25% random sample of these inmates, a risk assessment instrument was created to predict the likelihood of violent, nonsexual victimization during incarceration (the Inmate Risk Assessment for Violent Nonsexual Victimization [RVNSV]). The RVNSV was validated on the three additional random subsamples of inmates. Bivariate and multivariate analyses confirm the RVNSV as a valid predictor of institutional violent, nonsexual victimization. These findings support the further exploration of prison risk assessment tools that use measures of victimization as dependent variables.
Nonlinear Optical Properties of Water-Soluble Polymeric Dyes with Biological Applications

The nonlinear optical properties of two water-soluble polymeric dyes, poly(R-478) (an anionic anthraquinone dye) and poly(S-119) (an anionic azo dye), are investigated utilizing nanosecond and femtosecond optical techniques such as z-scan, nonlinear transmission, and time-resolved luminescence. Poly(R-478) showed large nonlinear refraction when studied with femtosecond laser pulses at 800 nm, with a value for the intensity-dependent refractive index (nI) of 1.26 × 10-4 cm2/GW. The thin film result at 1064 nm indicated a large nonlinear absorption in both polymeric dyes. The origin of the large fast optical nonlinearities in the polymeric system S-119 was investigated by probing the different functional groups of the polymer. The chromophore group (Sunset Yellow) of the S-119 polymer showed a smaller nonlinear response when compared to the polymer result. Significant differences in the electronic dynamics between the parent poly(S-119) and the chromophore Sunset Yellow were observed by time-resolved lumine...
Relationships between Recapture Rates from Different Gears for Estimating Walleye Abundance in Northern Wisconsin Lakes

Abstract Maximizing sampling efficiency and reducing sampling costs are desirable goals for fisheries management agencies. Expensive and labor-intensive methods (such as mark–recapture) are commonly used to estimate the population abundance of walleye Sander vitreus, but more efficient methods may be available. We compared recapture rates from surveys and harvests to evaluate the efficiency of currently used recapture gears and the potential for using gears that require less effort. To evaluate the usefulness of walleye harvest as mark–recapture samples, we used errors-in-variables models to determine whether recapture rates differed between fyke-netting and spearing, electrofishing and spearing, and electrofishing and angling. We found no significant differences between fyke-netting and adult walleye electrofishing recapture rates or between spearing and adult walleye electrofishing recapture rates. In contrast, we found that recapture rates from angling and electrofishing differed significantly in lakes...
Subglacial drainage, eskers, and deforming beds beneath the Laurentide and Eurasian ice sheets

Glaciological theory predicts that the subglacial drainage network at the base of gently sloping ice sheets resting on deforming sediment should consist of many wide, shallow, probably braided "canals" distributed along the ice-sediment interface, rather than an arborescent network of relatively few large tunnels, as would develop over a rigid substrate. A corollary prediction examined here is that eskers, which form in large subglacial tunnels, should be rare where subglacial bed deformation occurred, but they may be relatively common where the bed was rigid. Bed deformation would be most likely where subglacial till was relatively continuous, fine-grained, and of low permeability—that is, in regions where till is derived primarily from underlying sedimentary bedrock—but unlikely where discontinuous, coarse-grained, high-permeability till was derived from underlying crystalline bedrock. The observed distribution of eskers in areas covered by the Laurentide and Eurasian (British, Scandinavian, and Barents Sea) ice sheets during the last glaciation shows that most eskers occur over crystalline bedrock overlain by discontinuous, high-permeability till, but are rare or absent over sedimentary bedrock overlain by fine-grained, low-permeability till, thus matching reasonably well our prediction. Glaciological theory and geologic evidence indicate that esker systems on a subcontinental scale are time-transgressive. Sedimentological evidence for a "canal" drainage system appears to be present in fine-grained tills where eskers are largely absent.
Distribution and disappearance of exogenous [125I] big renin in the newborn puppy.

Summary: The distribution and metabolism of infused exogenous [125I] inactive plasma big renin, molecular weight 56,000, was studied in five newborn puppies. The animals were sacrificed and the organs removed and studied by chromatography, along with periodic blood samples taken during the 120-min study, for evidence of conversion of high-molecular-weight renin to low-molecular-weight renin. The decay curve suggested an initial rapid distribution (alpha) phase of 10 ± 1.5 min followed by a slower elimination (beta) phase of 40 ± 4.6 min. [125I]-Big renin was taken up by the red blood cell and released slowly. The liver, kidneys, and lungs had the highest % of [125I]-big renin at the termination of the study. There was no chromatographic evidence of a change in molecular weight of the [125I]-big renin. These data show that big renin has a two-compartment disappearance curve and that there is no evidence of conversion of high-molecular-weight renin to low-molecular-weight renin systemically or in the tissues of the newborn canine puppy.
American Military Culture from Colony to Empire

Until World War II, the peacetime Army's primary job was not to be ready to ½ght instantly, but to provide a core of military expertise that would enable a wartime force of citizen-soldiers to be built up after war began. Wars were infrequent. Since the end of the Cold War, the Army has become a force that deploys and ½ghts on a regular basis. The true citizen-soldier-who serves for only a few years and remains, at heart, a civilian-is no longer with us and is not likely to return in the foreseeable future, despite nostalgia for his passing. In the midst of a civilian society that is increasingly paci½stic, easygoing, and well adjusted, the Army (career and non-career soldiers alike) remains flinty, harshly results-orient- ed, and emotionally extreme. The inevitable civil-military gap has become a chasm.
Control of hepatic fructose-metabolizing enzymes: fructokinase, aldolase and triokinase.

. Physiological factors which may regulate the catalytic activity of three key enzymes of hepatic fructose metabolism, fructokinase, aldolase and triokinase, are reviewed. Possible relationships between these potential control mechanisms and hepatic fructose metabolism per se are discussed at three distinct levels: 1) characterization in vitro of purified enzyme preparations; 2) variation of enzyme activity in vivo under various dietary and hormonal conditions; and 3) variation of enzyme activity in vivo following development of liver tumors of different growth rate and degree of cellular differentiation.
Aminoglycoside-Ca++ interactions in skeletal muscle preparations.

Abstract Neomycin and streptomycin are equally potent in inhibiting rates of Ca uptake by skeletal muscle fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum (FSR) and also by heavy FSR isolated between 2000–8000 × G, and affect both membrane preparations to the same extent. In media containing initial free Ca concentrations of 10−7 and 10−6M (pCa 7, 6) the inhibition by neomycin of FSR Ca uptake rate is dependent upon the pCa and appears to be competitive, the antibiotic concentrations producing half-maximal effects on Ca uptake being 0.075mM at pCa and 0.53mM at pCa 6. Both MgATPase and CaATPase of FSR are inhibited by neomycin but Ca efflux from FSR partially loaded with Ca oxalate is increased by the antibiotic. Neomycin is 3.2 times as potent as streptomycin in producing 50% neuromuscular blockade in rat phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparations. The ED50 for blockade by neomycin is 0.23mM in medium containing 1.3mM total Ca, but 0.99mM neomycin is required when the medium total Ca is raised to 2.6mM, although the dose-response curves are parallel. Minimal penetration of neomycin into the muscle cell and undetectable effect on the sarcoplasmic reticulum in situ is indicated by the small decrease in contractility and unchanged relaxation time after exposure to 4.88mM antibiotic, i.e. 20 times the ED50 for neuromuscular blockade.
Inundation and salinity impacts to above- and belowground productivity in Spartina patens and Spartina alterniflora in the Mississippi River Deltaic Plain: implications for using river diversions as restoration tools

Inundation and salinity directly affect plant productivity and processes that regulate vertical accretion in coastal wetlands, and are expected to increase as sea level continues to rise. In the Mississippi River deltaic plain, river diversions, which are being implemented as ecosystem restoration tools, can also strongly increase inundation in coastal wetlands. We used an in situ mesocosm approach to examine how varying salinity (two levels) and inundation rates (six levels) influenced end-of-season above- and belowground biomass of Spartina patens and Spartina alterniflora during the growing season (March–October) in 2011. Above- and belowground biomass was highest in both species at higher elevations when inundation was minimal, and decreased exponentially with decreased elevation and increased flood duration. This negative biomass response to flooding was more pronounced in S. patens than in S. alterniflora, and S. patens also showed stronger biomass reductions at higher salinities. This salinity effect was absent for belowground biomass in S. alterniflora. These findings suggest that even subtle increases in sea level may lead to substantial reductions in productivity and organic accretion, and also illustrate the importance of considering the inundation tolerance of co-dominant species in receiving areas when utilizing river diversions for delta restoration.
Antidromic and orthodromic activation of epileptic neurons in neocortex of awake monkey

Abstract One hundred forty normal and epileptic precentral neurons recorded from two awake monkeys with chronic experimental (alumina gel) epileptic foci were orthodromically and antidromically activated by thalamic and pyramidal tract stimulation. The response of normal neurons to single stimuli from either site was a single action potential, whereas epileptic neurons responded with a burst. Epileptic neurons firing in long-first-interval bursts responded antidromically to pyramidal tract stimulation with a long-first-interval burst, and orthodromically to thalamic stimulation with a burst whose timing coincided with the afterburst of the long-first-interval burst. Repetitive thalamic stimulation at critical frequencies of 4–5 Hz were particularly effective in evoking synchronized burst activity.
The Effect of Accommodative Demand, Motion Parallax and Age on Virtual Object Localizations

Observers adjusted the position of a physical pointer to localize a computer-generated, space-stabilized, virtual object presented monocularly in a see-through, head-mounted display. Each observer rocked side to side to produce motion parallax to determine the depicted distance of the object. The depicted distance (75 and 113 cm) of the virtual object was specified by motion parallax and accommodative demand. Six younger (18-20 years) and six older (40-70 years) observers participated in the study. Both motion parallax and accommodative demand were independent, significant factors driving the localization of virtual objects. Motion parallax was markedly more influential than accommodative demand. Object localization was not affected significantly by the observers' ages, possibly due to the small change in accommodative demand and the relative strength of motion parallax.
Preferential In Vivo Incorporation of [3H]Arachidonic Acid from Blood into Rat Brain Synaptosomal Fractions Before and After Cholinergic Stimulation

Awake adult male rats were infused intravenously with [ 3 H]arachidonic acid for 5 min, with or without prior administration of an M1 cholinergic agonist, arecoline (15 mg/kg i.p.). Methylatropine was also administered (4 mg/kg s.c.) to control and arecoline-treated animals. At 15 min postinfusion, the animals were killed, brains were removed and frozen, and subcellular fractions were obtained from homogenates of whole brain. Total radioactivity and radioactivity in various lipid classes were determined for each fraction following normalization for exposure by use of a unidirectional incorporation coefficient, k * brain . In control animals, incorporation was greatest in synaptosomal and microsomal fractions, accounting for 50 and 30% of total label incorporated into membrane lipids, respectively. Arecoline increased incorporation in these two fractions by up to 400% but did not increase incorporation into the myelin, mitochondrial, or cytosolic fractions. Of the incorporated radioactivity, 50-80% was in phospholipid in microsomal and synaptosomal fractions, indicating that phospholipid is the major lipid affected by cholinergic stimulation. These results demonstrate that plasma [ 3 H]arachidonic acid is preferentially incorporated into phospholipids of synaptosomal and microsomal fractions of rat brain. Cholinergic stimulation increases incorporation into these fractions, likely by activation of phospholipase A 2 and/or C in association with acyltransferase activity. Thus, intravenously infused radiolabeled arachidonic acid can be used to examine synapse-mediated changes in brain phospholipid metabolism in vivo.
The role of polycomb group protein Bmi-1 and Notch4 in breast cancer stem cell inhibition by benzyl isothiocyanate

We showed previously that garden cress constituent benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) inhibits self-renewal of breast cancer stem cells (bCSC) in vitro and in vivo. The present study offers novel insights into the mechanism by which BITC inhibits bCSC. Flow cytometry and mammosphere assay were performed to quantify bCSC fraction. Protein expression was determined by western blotting. Apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry using Annexin V-propidium iodide method. Cell migration was determined by Boyden chamber assay. BITC treatment resulted in a marked decrease in protein level of polycomb group protein B-lymphoma Moloney murine leukemia virus insertion region-1 (Bmi-1) in cultured human breast cancer cells (MCF-7, SUM159, MDA-MB-231, and MDA-MB-361) and MDA-MB-231 xenografts in vivo. Overexpression (MCF-7) or knockdown (SUM159, and MDA-MB-231) of Bmi-1 protein had no meaningful impact on the BITC’s ability to inhibit cell viability and cell migration and/or induce apoptosis. On the other hand, inhibition of bCSC markers (aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 activity and mammosphere frequency) resulting from BITC exposure was significantly altered by Bmi-1 overexpression and knockdown. BITC was previously shown to cause activation of Notch1, Notch2, and Notch4 in association with induction of γ-secretase complex component Nicastrin, which are also implicated in maintenance of cancer stemness. BITC-mediated inhibition of bCSC was augmented by knockdown of Notch4 and Nicastrin, but not by RNA interference of Notch1 or Notch2. The present study highlights important roles for Bmi-1 and Notch4 in BITC-mediated suppression of bCSC.
Extracurricular activities, positive youth development, and the role of meaningfulness of engagement

Previous research has shown that participation in extracurricular activities in high school can promote desirable outcomes, such as educational attainment and reduced problem behaviors, but little attention has been paid to relations with psychological indicators of positive youth development (PYD). Moreover, the potential importance of the degree to which young people find such engagement personally meaningful toward these relations has been overlooked. This study investigated longitudinal relations among extracurricular participation and multiple indicators of positive development in adolescence, and explored whether personal meaningfulness of these domains moderated these relations. Results showed that positive development was positively associated with participation in student leadership and volunteering, and negatively associated with participation in the creative arts. Additionally, many of the relations among extracurricular participation and positive development were moderated by activity meaningf...
Kinematics Simulation Analysis of Turn-Milling Center Based on Virtual Prototype

In order to analyze the motion characteristics of turn-milling center, it’s prototype is modeled and spiral motion is simulated and analyzed to get curves of displacement and velocity in forward kinematics and inverse kinematics. The rationality and applicability of mechanism design is verificated to provide the basis of fast optimized design of turn-milling center. So the method can forecast and improve before physical prototype manufacturing to ensure design feasibility and save development time.
Electron microscope observations of phase separation near spinodal boundary in a sodium borosilicate glass

Abstract Time evolution of volume fraction of the minor phase is studied in an alumina-doped sodium borosilicate glass inside the immiscible region. It is shown that such a study permits a distinction between the two mechanisms of phase separation; namely spinodal decomposition and nucleation and growth. For spinodal decomposition, the volume fraction decreases initially, whereas for nucleation and growth, it increases with heat-treatment time.
Epitaxial relationship of MBE grown barium hexaferrite (0 0 0 1 ) films on sapphire (0 0 0 1 )

Abstract Epitaxial thin films of (0 0 0 1)-oriented M-type barium hexaferrite, BaFe 12 O 19 (or BaM), have been grown on sapphire (0 0 0 1) substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. In situ monitoring of the evolution of the reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns showed that the growth of BaFe 12 O 19 films began with an unintentional Fe 2 O 3 (0 0 0 1) layer with an in-plane lattice parameter of 5.135 A. Fortuitously, this unintentional Fe 2 O 3 layer with a thickness of about 13 nm acts as an important “bridge” layer for the subsequent BaFe 12 O 19 growth, and assists in accommodating the large lattice mismatch between BaFe 12 O 19 and sapphire. Comparison of the RHEED patterns of the unintentional Fe 2 O 3 layers and their corresponding intensity profiles to those of the BaFe 12 O 19 films indicated rotation of the BaFe 12 O 19 lattice by 30° with respect to Fe 2 O 3 . The epitaxial relationships for BaFe 12 O 19 growth are BaFe 12 O 19 [1 1 0 0]//Fe 2 O 3 [1 1 2 0]//sapphire [1 1 2 0] and BaFe 12 O 19 [1 1 2 0]//Fe 2 O 3 [1 1 0 0]//sapphire [1 1 0 0]. The lattice mismatch between the 30°-rotated BaFe 12 O 19 films and the Fe 2 O 3 bridge layers is less than 1%. The in-plane lattice parameter of BaFe 12 O 19 determined from RHEED patterns is about 5.88 A at the growth temperature of 750 °C.
Advances in genetic prenatal diagnosis and screening

Purpose of reviewPrenatal diagnostic and screening tests are routinely offered to all women in pregnancy. Advances in technology have led to an expansion in available testing. As technology improves, women are facing increasingly complex decisions regarding the quantity and quality of information th
Lack of efficacy of estradiol for depression in postmenopausal women: a randomized, controlled trial.

Abstract Background Estrogen has been considered as a potential antidepressant in postmenopausal women. Our goal was to study whether estrogen therapy is effective in treating depressive disorders in older postmenopausal women and to determine whether progestins are associated with a deterioration of mood. Methods After 2 weeks of single-blind placebo treatment in 87 patients, 57 were randomly assigned to receive 8 weeks of treatment with estradiol (.1 mg/day; n = 31) or placebo ( n = 26). All patients were then treated with medroxyprogesterone 10 mg/day for 2 weeks combined with the study patch. Depressive symptoms were rated with the 21-item Hamilton Depression and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scales. Results A clinically significant antidepressant effect of estradiol was excluded after 8 weeks of estradiol treatment. The estradiol group and placebo group improved in depressive symptoms at a similar rate based on the Hamilton Depression Scale (40% decreases in depression for estradiol vs. 44% for placebo). No significant increase in depressive symptoms was demonstrated with the use of progestins; however, positive affect decreased slightly with the use of combined estradiol-medroxyprogesterone compared with medroxyprogesterone alone (5.8%, p = .027). Conclusions Estradiol cannot be considered as an effective treatment in postmenopausal women with mild to moderate depression.
Progesterone-induced maturational events in oocytes of Xenopus laevis. II. Change in intracellular calcium and magnesium distribution at germinal vesicle breakdown.

By adding or subtracting calcium and magnesium from the incubation medium, it was found that Xenopus laevis oocyte cytoplasm showed changes in the stratifiability of yolk and fat in a centrifugal field. The higher the intracellular levels of these ions, the firmer the cytoplasm. This finding was confirmed by direct injections of ions into the cells. When oocytes were stimulated by progesterone there was a slow softening of the cytoplasm after two hours. At breakdown of the germinal vesicle a sharp increase in the softening was observed. The softened state was maintained for one and a half hours after activation of the cells by pricking. These changes occurred even when the stimulated oocytes were maintained in oil where no ionic exchange with the medium could occur. An interpretation of these results was presented with the suggestion that germinal vesicle breakdown induces a change in the cytoplasmic distribution of cations, including a chelation or compartmentalization of intracellular calcium and magnesium.
Activation of the AMP-activated Protein Kinase – p38 MAP Kinase Pathway Mediates Apoptosis induced by Conjugated Linoleic Acid in p53-Mutant Mouse Mammary Tumor Cells

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) inhibits tumorigenesis and tumor growth in most model systems, an effect mediated in part by its pro-apoptotic activity. We previously showed that trans-10,cis-12 CLA induced apoptosis of p53-mutant TM4t mouse mammary tumor cells through both mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways. In the current study, we investigated the role of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a key player in fatty acid metabolism, in CLA-induced apoptosis in TM4t cells. We found that t10,c12-CLA increased phosphorylation of AMPK, and that CLA-induced apoptosis was enhanced by the AMPK agonist 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR) and inhibited by the AMPK inhibitor compound C. The increased AMPK activity was not due to nutrient/energy depletion since ATP levels did not change in CLA-treated cells, and knockdown of the upstream kinase LKB1 did not affect its activity. Furthermore, our data do not demonstrate a role for the AMPK-modulated mTOR pathway in CLA-induced apoptosis. Although CLA decreased mTOR levels, activity was only modestly decreased. Moreover, rapamycin, which completely blocked the activity of mTORC1 and mTORC2, did not induce apoptosis, and attenuated rather than enhanced CLA-induced apoptosis. Instead, the data suggest that CLA-induced apoptosis is mediated by the AMPK-p38 MAPK-Bim pathway: CLA-induced phosphorylation of AMPK and p38 MAPK, and increased expression of Bim, occurred with a similar time course as apoptosis; phosphorylation of p38 MAPK was blocked by compound C; the increased Bim expression was blocked by p38 MAPK siRNA; CLA-induced apoptosis was attenuated by the p38 inhibitor SB-203580 and by siRNAs directed against p38 MAPK or Bim.
A Backlogging Model and a Multi-Echelon Model of a Dynamic Economic Lot Size Production System---A Network Approach

Two dynamic economic lot size production systems are analyzed in this paper, the first being a single product model with backlogging and the second a multi-echelon model. In each model the objective is to find a production schedule that minimizes the total production and inventory costs. A key conceptual difficulty is that the mathematically perplexing problem of minimizing a concave function is being considered. It is shown that both models are naturally represented via single source networks. The network formulations reveal the underlying structure of the models, and facilitate development of efficient dynamic programming algorithms for calculating the optimal production schedules.
High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of midazolam in rat brain

A high-performance liquid chromatography method for the determination of midazolam in rat brain is described. Midazolam and the internal standard halazepam were extracted with toluene and analyzed isocratically on a reversed-phase column with a mobile phase consisting of methanol, acetonitrile and potassium phosphate buffer. Detection was monitored by ultraviolet absorption at 240 nm. The standard curves were linear over the range of 25-350 ng midazolam per 50 mg brain tissue. The day-to-day coefficient of variation ranged from 1.7 to 6.9%. The limit of quantification was 80 ng/g brain tissue. The method is rapid, simple and reproducible for brain analysis.
A Bloom's Online Assessment Test (BOAT) to assess student learning outcome in a distance engineering education course

As the distance learning environment has evolved into a more convenient and simple to use teaching platform in recent days, but student assessment instrument of most institutions do not follow any concrete model or protocol, when delivering a distance course. Educational institutions worldwide are recognizing that teaching core courses in the curriculum alone is not sufficient to equip students for the knowledge economy. To be prepared for the demands of the knowledge economy, students “need to know” on how to use their knowledge and skills - by thinking critically, applying knowledge to new situations, analyzing information, comprehending new ideas, communicating, collaborating, solving problems, and making decisions. The paper proposes an assessment test called Bloom's Online Assessment Test (BOAT) for a distance education course on the basis of Cognitive learning based on Blooms Taxonomy. By using Bloom's Online Assessment Test (BOAT) proposed in the paper, educators can assess students on multiple learning outcomes that are aligned to different objectives of their course as they seemed fit. Within each level of the taxonomy, there are various tasks that move students through the thought process. The author strongly believe that BOAT test will serve as a guide and good assessment instrument for current and future instructors when developing an Online course, although it will also fit to any regular face-face classroom teaching environment with some modifications. A case study of a distance education course Circuit Analysis is presented at the end of the paper to better understand the Blooms Online Assessment Test (BOAT) assessment procedure.
Measures of Positional Error for a Rigid Body

Properties of Euclidean error measures for rigid body position are investigated. For two positions represented by 4 X 4 matrices A 1 and A 2 , it is shown that matrices [A 2 -A 1 ] and [(A 1 ) -1 A 2 ] lead directly to desirable measures of rotational and translational errors, while the matrix [A 2 (A 1 ) -1 ], although physically very meaningful, does not do so. With a proper choice of the origin of the body system, it is shown that the simple difference matrix [A 2 - A 1 ] leads to positional error measures which are meaningful both analytically and physically, and can be computed efficiently.
Erigeron Hessii SP. Nov. and Erigeron kuschei eastwood (Compositae), Two closely related narrow endemics from the Southwestern United States

A new species ofErigeron,E. hessii, from the Mogollon Mountains in southwestern New Mexico, is described and and illustrated. The low, caespitose habit is particularly characteristic of these plants. They have a highly branched caudex system with fibrous roots and no strong central root or rhizomatous axis, monocephalous and unbranched stems, subclasping lower cauline leaves and small, sessile upper ones, purplish, punctateglandular and sparsely hirsute phyllaries, 44–75 white rays, and an essentially simple pappus. The closest relative ofE. hessii is probablyE. kuschei Eastwood, a narrow endemic from the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona. An illustration and detailed descriptions ofE. kuschei are also provided.
Muscle development in Caenorhabditis elegans: Mutants exhibiting retarded sarcomere construction

Abstract We have studied the structural changes within the body-wall muscle cells of Caenorhabditis elegans during postmitotic development. In wild-type, the number of sarcomeres progressively increases, and each sarcomere appears to grow in length and depth continuously during this period. In mature wild-type cells, the anterior-most body-wall muscle cells have 6–7 sarcomeres; the rest have 9–10 sarcomeres per cell. Twelve mutants in the unc -52 II gene exhibit markedly retarded sarcomere construction and progressive paralysis. Several unc -52 mutants, such as the severely paralyzed SU200, produce only 2–3 sarcomeres per body-wall muscle cell, while the other midly paralyzed unc -52 mutants, such as SU250, build 3–4 sarcomeres per muscle cell. Other structures such as the pharynx and even the noncontractile organelles of the body-wall muscle cells do not appear to be structurally or functionally altered. The unc -52 body-wall sarcomeres become moderately disorganized as they are outstripped by cell growth; sufficient order is preserved, however, so that the majority of thick and thin filaments still interdigitate. The myosin heavy chains of SU200 body-wall muscle fail to accumulate normally, while the pharyngeal myosin heavy chains do not appear to be specifically affected. This biochemical result correlates well with the specificity of morphological changes in the mutant. A model is discussed in which the biochemical and morphological deficits are explained by a simple regulatory mechanism.