cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Teaching to the Test: The Incorporation of Elements of Bar Exam Preparation in Legal Education

“Teaching to the test.” The phrase has become a largely pejorative label— synonymous with “bad teaching”—in virtually every academic setting. The notion is most often associated with “teaching a scripted, narrowed and dumbed-down curriculum concentrated on memorization of facts and the lower-level thinking skills needed to pass standardized tests.”1 This perception is no less true in the context of the traditional law school education, where the emphasis is on teaching students to “think like a lawyer” by the studying of cases and the vetting of legal principles through the timehonored Socratic dialogue in the classroom. The students’ mastery of the doctrine and legal analysis is then measured by a single cumulative exam at the end of the course. Even though the bar exam is a barrier to entry into the profession (at least to the typical career path in the practice of law), the notion of incorporating bar exam preparation into the core curricula of doctrinal courses like Contracts, or Property, or Civil Procedure is somewhat anathema among law professors.2 Indeed, as one commentator recently noted, “It has always been one of the most insulting epithets that could be leveled against a law school that it is ‘teaching for the bar.’”3
Recursive integral method for transmission eigenvalues

The transmission eigenvalue problem arose in the inverse scattering theory for inhomogeneous media and has important applications in a variety of inverse problems for target identification and nondestructive testing. The problem is numerically challenging because of the nonself-adjointness and complicated spectrum. In this talk, we introduce a novel recursive contour integral method using the spectrum projection. The method can compute both real and complex eigenvalues and does not require any a priori information. Numerical examples show that the method is effective and robust.
Questions about the structure of the botulinum neurotoxin B light chain in complex with a target peptide.

Hanson and Stevens1 recently reported the cocrystal structure of the botulinum neurotoxin B light chain in complex with a 38-residue target peptide of synaptobrevin II. Based on a careful examination of the published data, we have serious concerns about the strength of experimental evidence supporting the presence of the target peptide, and consequently the validity of inferences about substrate binding made in the report.
EAF voltage flicker mitigation by FACTS/ESS

One of the problems caused by an electrical arc furnace (EAF) is voltage fluctuation from the variations of the active and reactive furnace load, which are known as voltage flickers. In this paper, voltage flicker mitigation results by different FACTS and energy storage systems (ESS) were presented. The system X/R ratio looking from the point of common coupling, which has a special impact on the effectiveness of active compensation, was discussed. The study has clarified the misunderstanding of how the system X/R ratio should be calculated. The study showed that FACTS with ESS could play a better role than reactive power alone in mitigating EAF voltage flickers.
Effect of pedal pump and thoracic pump techniques on intracranial pressure in patients with traumatic brain injuries.

CONTEXT: Although osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is used to manage myriad conditions, there has been some hesitation regarding the safety of applying OMT to patients with intracranial injuries or elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety of two OMT techniques--pedal pump and thoracic pump--on ICP and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) in patients with traumatic brain injuries (Glasgow Coma Scale score < or =8). METHODS: We prospectively enrolled consecutive patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for traumatic brain injury. Patients between the ages of 18 and 75 years and with abnormal CT scans were included in the present study. Patients with baseline ICP values of 20 mm Hg or lower were assigned to group 1, and those with ICP levels greater than 20 mm Hg, group 2. Patients underwent continuous ICP and CPP monitoring, with ICP measured using a ventricular catheter and fiber optic device. Values of ICP and CPP were recorded at baseline, during application of the OMT techniques, and 5 minutes after the two OMT techniques were completed. Patients received up to three treatment cycles. Ventricular drains remained open (stopcock open) during OMT, allowing continued cerebral spinal fluid drainage, except for brief periodic closures (stopcock closed) every minute to register accurate ICP values. Statistical analysis was performed using a dependent t test with repeated measures. RESULTS: Twenty-four comatose patients, aged 18 to 69 years, received a total of 50 sessions of pedal pump and thoracic pump techniques. In group 1 patients, a slight decrease in ICP values (mean, -0.586 mm Hg) and an increase in CPP values (mean, 1.1613 mm Hg) was noted post-OMT. Patients in group 2 also had decreased mean ICP values (-1.20 mm Hg) and increased mean CPP values (2.2105 mm Hg). Changes were not statistically significant in either group. CONCLUSION: According to the present limited study, pedal pump and thoracic pump techniques may be used safely in patients with severe brain injuries.
Selective suppressive effects of Trypanosoma cruzi on activated human lymphocytes.

The acute phase of Chagas' disease is accompanied by immunosuppression. To explore the underlying mechanism(s), we used an in vitro culture system in which the capacities of activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells to express interleukin-2 receptors (IL-2R) and proliferate are markedly inhibited in the presence of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent. The present work was designed to define the earliest time at which T. cruzi-induced suppression is manifested in terms of IL-2R expression on the cell surface and establish whether expression of other lymphocyte activation markers is also suppressed by the parasite. We found that expression of IL-2R by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells cocultured with T. cruzi and stimulated with either phytohemagglutinin or anti-CD3 (a monoclonal antibody specific for an epitope of the T cell receptor complex T3-Ti) was significantly suppressed as early as 12 h after culture initiation. Both the percentage of IL-2R+ cells and the surface density of IL-2R, measured by flow cytometry, were affected. However, expression of EA1, a human lymphocyte activation antigen known to be expressed 4 to 6 h after stimulation, was not altered by T. cruzi whether phytohemagglutinin or anti-CD3 was used. On the other hand, expression of transferrin receptors (TfR), which first occurs between 20 and 24 h after lymphocyte activation, was markedly suppressed by T. cruzi. This effect was denoted by significant reductions in both the percentage of TfR+ cells and the cell surface density of TfR whether phytohemagglutinin or anti-CD3 was used as the mitogen and was observed at all test times, i.e., at 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. Because expression of IL-2R and TfR is required for lymphoproliferation but that of the EA1 lymphocyte activation marker is apparently not, these results are consistent with the possibility that T. cruzi, at a relatively early stage during lymphocyte activation, selectively affects certain key events on which clonal expansion is dependent. Inhibition of IL-2R and TfR expression by the parasite might play a role in causing the suppressive effects associated with acute Chagas' disease.
The DRIADE project: phased application profile development in support of open science

DRIADE (Digital Repository of Information and Data for Evolution) is a project being developed for the acquisition, preservation, sharing and re-use of heterogeneous data in support of published research in the field of evolutionary biology. Metadata is a fundamental part of DRIADE’s information architecture. This paper reports on DRIADE’s overarching goals. We describe our phased approach to developing an application profile, which supports three phases of DRIADE's development. We present a multi-method approach to developing the application profile. Our methods included a requirements assessment, content analysis, and crosswalk analysis. The paper concludes by identifying next steps and discussing the applicability of DRIADE’s work to other initiatives seeking to tightly couple published research and data.
Impact of the American anti-smoking campaign on lung cancer mortality

Customary statistics on smoking practices are limited because they do not correlate well with the frequency of smoking-related diseases. Our study developed outcome measures based on lung cancer mortality and used them to assess the anti-smoking campaign. Changes in mortality from lung cancer were used to assess significant smoking among 5-year birth cohorts of white men born from 1901 to 1942. We used each cohort's lung cancer mortality rate at ages 40-44 to indicate its earlier smoking. A lung cancer mortality ratio was developed to describe each cohort's continued smoking from ages 40-44 to 55-59. These ratios were then compared with the durations of the cohorts' exposure to the anti-smoking campaign that began in 1965. Lung cancer mortality in white men ages 40-44 peaked in 1970 and declined continuously thereafter, indicating that the anti-smoking campaign promptly reduced significant smoking among younger men. However, the lung cancer mortality ratio indicates that only half of smokers in the specified birth cohorts were able to quit by ages 55-59, despite receiving ever more intense anti-smoking messages. The anti-smoking campaign produced moderate benefits among younger white male smokers but fewer benefits among older smokers because of the existence of a large number of inveterate smokers.
Subcortical lesions and retention of a brightness discrimination in the rat: Appetitive vs. aversive motivation

Thirsty rats, previously trained to approach a white card and avoid an adjacent black card to obtain water, sustained discrete bilateral lesions to certain brainstem sites and were subsequently tested for retention. Those lesion placements producing retention deficits on this appetitively motivated visual discrimination problem closely corresponded with those producing retention deficits on aversively motivated visual discrimination problems.
Larval behavior in Lymantria dispar increases risk of fungal infection.

Late-instar larvae of the forest defoliator Lymantria dispar display relatively unusual behavior for Lepidoptera. Late instars move down from the tree canopy and wander and rest in dark locations during daylight hours. When we sampled the area extending from below 3 m and within 200 cm of tree trunks during daylight hours, 71% of L. dispar late instar larvae were found at ground level. Providing dark resting locations on the soil surface where there was no litter resulted in rapid location and colonization of these sites by late instar larvae. L. dispar larvae were always more prevalent in leaf litter 0–50 cm from tree trunks compared with 50–200 cm away. In an area where the fungal insect pathogen Entomophaga maimaiga is established, larvae were caged on tree trunks, in the foliage, or on top of soil during photophase or scotophase to determine in which locations risk of infection was greatest. At both times of day, highest infection levels always occurred on the soil, with least infection among larvae caged in the foliage. Infection levels were greater during photophase than scotophase. When larvae were exposed to soil for shorter periods during daylight hours to mimic wandering, 4.7 and 6.1% became infected after 30- and 60-min exposure intervals, respectively, with increasing infection associated with longer exposure times. The high levels of infection by E. maimaiga that have been documented in L. dispar populations since this pathogen was first found in North America are consistent with the strong litter-dwelling behavior of late-instar L. dispar larvae. Rarity of other lepidopteran larvae at ground level could help to explain the host specificity of this pathogen in the field.
A scanning electron microscopic study of the atrioventricular bundle of the ferret

Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the three-dimensional morphology of atrioventricular (AV) bundle cells in the ferret heart. These cells are organized into fascicles with extensive intercellular contact between cells within a fascicle and less contact between cells of different fascicles. The cell surface shows conspicuous ridges and depressions, as well as smooth regions. The distribution of myofibrils within an AV bundle cell is not uniform. Mitochondria of these cells are oval to round, and randomly distributed throughout the sarcoplasm. Junctions between cells within a fascicle are often complex with processes at the end of one cell interdigitating with those of another. In the proximal AV bundle, located above the anulus fibrosus, a small number of large cells are interspersed among the AV bundle cells.
Preliminary Results of Investigations made to Study the use of Indian Pottery to Determine the Paleointensity of the Geomagnetic Field for United States 600-1400 A. D.

Magnetic measurements have been made on small discs prepared from a series of prehistoric Indian pottery pieces collected from Southwestern United States. The specimens ranged in age from 600 to 1400 A. D. Thermal demagnetization experiments allowed the assessment of the potential use of these materials to estimate the paleointensity of the geomagnetic field. It is concluded that they are satisfactory for the purpose provided suitable methods are used and tests are made to indicate mineralogic changes.
Pulmonary Veno-occlusive Disease: A Case Series and New Observations

Study objectives: The aim of this study was to describeour experience at one institution with pulmonary veno-occlusive disease(PVOD) during the past 10 years, with particular reference to newfindings and long-term outcome. Setting: Tertiarycare, academic medical center. Patients and methods: Eleven patients who were evaluated and treated for PVOD at ourinstitution were retrospectively studied. Included were all availableclinical, radiographic, hemodynamic, and pathologic data. Results: All 11 patients in our series had at least onesymptom or clinical finding that, in conjunction with known pulmonaryhypertension, suggested the diagnosis of PVOD. Digital clubbing, notpreviously reported in PVOD, was found in 5 patients, rales in 6, andincreased interstitial markings on chest radiograph in 10. Half of the10 patients who underwent acute vasodilator testing exhibited adecrease in pulmonary artery pressure of > 20%, although one patientdied shortly after receiving IV calcium-channel blockers. Threepatients have demonstrated sustained clinical improvement with therapy, which includes calcium-channel blockers, epoprostenol, and lungtransplantation in one patient each. However, outcome was generallypoor, with a 72% mortality within 1 year of diagnosis. Conclusion: The diagnosis of PVOD requires a high clinicalsuspicion. However, both physical examination findings and radiographicstudies often provide clues to the diagnosis, which may obviate theneed for lung biopsy in the majority of cases. Although there may bepatients who respond to medical therapy, the use of vasoactivemedications in patients with PVOD should be undertaken with greatcaution. Long-term survival is poor, and lung transplantation remainsthe only proven therapy.
Two-stage frontal lesion influences upon severity of delayed-response deficit

Seven groups of monkeys (total n = 33) underwent one- or two-stage bilateral aspirative removal of frontal cortical areas after acquisition of 5-sec spatial delayed response. Some animals were tested for retention as normals, and all were eventually tested under some postoperative condition. Relative to normal retention, one-stage dorsolateral removals produced severe deficits. Two-stage removals, divided into zones above or below the principal sulcus, generally yielded lesser severity, but this property was also influenced by the order and, to a lesser degree, the extent of these lesions. Some potential bases for the consequences of serial removals were discussed.
Lidocaine 0.5% spinal anaesthesia: a hypobaric solution for short-stay perirectal surgery

The efficacy of subarachnoid injection of 8 ml lidocaine 0.5% was assessed in ten outpatients having perirectal surgery in the jackknife position. This solution is hypobaric, with a baricity 0.9985 ± 0.0003 (mean ± SD). Injections were made with the patient in the surgical position (with the upper torso at a 15° downward inclination). Sensory level was tested by pinprick. Times to two-segment regression, to complete resolution of sensory analgesia, to urination, and to discharge from the recovery room were recorded. All injections produced effective anaesthesia for surgery. Lidocaine 0.5% behaves clinically as a hypobaric solution. Dermatomal levels remained low (T11 to L5) while the patients were in the surgical position (head down), but rose two to six dermatomes if the patient’s head was elevated after surgery. Time to two-segment regression was 97 ± 36 min, time until regression to 5y was 116 ± 22 min, time to complete resolution of sensory blockade was 151 ± 23 min, time to urination was 197 ± 64 min, and time to discharge from the recovery room was 205 ± 45 min. Lidocaine 0.5% provides effective spinal anaesthesia of short duration appropriate for outpatient surgical procedures. Dermatomal sensory spread of anaesthesia, and our measurements of specific gravity, indicate that this solution is hypobaric. It appears that changes in position can alter the spread of analgesia for at least one hour after injection and, thus, we caution against elevating the patient’s head in the immediate postoperative period.
Surface Roughness and Material Removal Rate in Machining Using Microorganisms

The use of bacteria as a tool for machining, also known as biomachining, is a novel material removal process. This study characterizes the surface changes and relates the material removal rate to quantified bacterial concentrations resulting from machining of pure polycrystalline Cu using the bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Cu blocks, polished to four levels of surface roughness, were utilized to examine the surface effects of bacterial machining. The mass change in Cu foil was measured to find the material removal rate. The most probable number method, a statistical enumeration technique, was applied to estimate bacterial concentrations. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs demonstrate that bacterial machining is anisotropic, and roughness measurements of the polycrystalline Cu samples showed a deterioration of Ra values of 1.5– 2.5 m. Finally, suggestions for future work are presented that could potentially ameliorate current process problems. DOI: 10.1115/1.2401629
Variability in results from negative binomial models for lyme disease measured at different spatial scales.

Abstract Lyme disease has been the subject of many studies due to increasing incidence rates year after year and the severe complications that can arise in later stages of the disease. Negative binomial models have been used to model Lyme disease in the past with some success. However, there has been little focus on the reliability and consistency of these models when they are used to study Lyme disease at multiple spatial scales. This study seeks to explore how sensitive/consistent negative binomial models are when they are used to study Lyme disease at different spatial scales (at the regional and sub-regional levels). The study area includes the thirteen states in the Northeastern United States with the highest Lyme disease incidence during the 2002–2006 period. Lyme disease incidence at county level for the period of 2002–2006 was linked with several previously identified key landscape and climatic variables in a negative binomial regression model for the Northeastern region and two smaller sub-regions (the New England sub-region and the Mid-Atlantic sub-region). This study found that negative binomial models, indeed, were sensitive/inconsistent when used at different spatial scales. We discuss various plausible explanations for such behavior of negative binomial models. Further investigation of the inconsistency and sensitivity of negative binomial models when used at different spatial scales is important for not only future Lyme disease studies and Lyme disease risk assessment/management but any study that requires use of this model type in a spatial context.
445 LOW SERUM 3,3′,5′ TRIIODOTHYRONINE (REVERSE T 3 ) CONCENTRATION IN BURNED CHILDREN AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO NUTRITIONAL STATE

445 LOW SERUM 3,3′,5′ TRIIODOTHYRONINE (REVERSE T 3 ) CONCENTRATION IN BURNED CHILDREN AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO NUTRITIONAL STATE
Computer Simulation Of A Large Adaptive Optical System

This paper describes a method for evaluating the optical performance of optical systems consisting of large, flexible, actively controlled mirrors in the presence of thermal and dynamic disturbances. The computer simulation described here is divided into four major blocks: optics, thermal, structures, and dynamics. The control aspects are included in the various models used in each block. The output of the simulation is a dynamic point-spread function from which real-time or average quantities such as the line-of-sight error, Strehl ratio, and power in a certain area are calculated. As an example, a two-mirror system that expands a high-power collimated beam and focuses it on a distant plane is considered. The effects of heating of the mirrors are simulated and results on the point-spread function and associated quantities are presented.© (1979) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Reimmunization after blood or marrow stem cell transplantation

Protective immunity to diseases preventable by routine vaccination is lost over time following allogeneic and autologous blood and marrow transplantation. Adoptive transfer of immunity from donors to recipients after allogeneic transplantation is not sufficient to prevent this decline. Systematic reimmunization is necessary at appropriate time intervals following transplantation to re-establish immunity. Response to vaccination depends upon the type of transplant, the source of cells, the immune status of the patient, and the vaccine being used. While inactivated or subunit vaccines are safe in all transplant recipients, live vaccines are generally contraindicated. Reimmunization practices vary widely amongst transplant centers. This comprehensive review summarizes published data on post-transplant vaccination, and based upon these, suggests guidelines which may be used as a framework for development of reimmunization protocols.
Evaluation of Load Rating and System Reliability of Movable Bridge

Structural health monitoring (SHM) techniques can provide effective complementary means for the current bridge management system by reducing the uncertainty and by seamlessly integrating with state-of-the-art data management and Internet-based communication systems through information technology. However, SHM applications and studies do not fully exploit either statistical analysis of the collected data or structural reliability on the basis of sensor information. These additions can greatly enhance SHM to allow for more accurate and efficient data analysis, to predict future conditions, and to minimize life-cycle cost. An analytical simulation was set up with a field-validated finite element model (FEM) of an existing movable bridge to demonstrate how component and system reliability analysis can be performed. The validation of the FEM was performed with the use of the monitoring data from the bridge balance tests as well as a load test with a specialized truck. The validated model was then analyzed to e...
Quality implications of machine assignment decisions in a flexible manufacturing system

Abstract A mathematical programming approach is presented to relate the impact of operational attributes on part quality in an FMS. A heuristic procedure is presented as a method to find a good feasible solution for this class of nonlinear integer programming problem.
Effect of 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2 on the surface hydrophobicity of aspirin-treated canine gastric mucosa.

The canine gastric mucosa has a uniquely hydrophobic or nonwettable surface that is rapidly disrupted by damaging agents such as aspirin. In this study we investigated the effects of acidified aspirin on the wettability of the luminal surface of gastric mucosae mounted in Ussing chambers in the presence of varying concentrations of 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E 2 . It was determined that surface hydrophobicity of the stomach, as measured by contact angle measurements, could be reduced by 50% with an aspirin concentration of 5 mM in the mucosal bath and that this change could be completely and significantly reversed by the addition of 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E 2 (1 µg/ml) to the nutrient compartment. 16,16-Dimethyl prostaglandin E 2 at this dose was less effective in restoring the surface hydrophobicity in response to a higher concentration of aspirin (20 mM) that abolished the nonwettable property of the tissue. The reduced surface hydrophobicity in the presence of 5 mM aspirin could be increased in a dose response relationship to the nutrient 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E 2 concentration, with an effect being seen at doses as low as 1 ng/ml. These results support the concept that prostaglandins may protect the stomach by the maintenance of a nonwettable hydrophobic lining between damaging agents in the lumen and the gastric epithelium.
Nonlinear output tracking via dynamic sliding manifolds

Abstract Nonlinear output tracking problems in multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) systems with unmatched nonlinearities and disturbances are addressed by sliding mode control methods. The nonlinear transformation of the coordinates of the nonlinear system was developed to change the system to a form convenient for the sliding mode synthesis. The sliding manifold as a dynamic operator, representable as a matrix transfer function acting on some states of the original system and on the output tracking error, was designed in order to provide the system's desired linear performance. A system with such a sliding mode controller obtained the combined features of the system with the conventional compensator (accommodation to unmatched disturbances) and the conventional sliding mode controller (insensitivity to matched disturbances).
A NOTE ON GUTTMAN'S LOWER BOUND FOR THE NUMBER OF COMMON FACTORS1

Guttman's classic lower bound for the number of common factors is extended to the completely general case where communalities may lie in the closed interval from zero to one.
Variable-bandwidth frequency-modulation chirp pulse compression using a longitudinal acoustic-wave convolver at 1.3 GHz

A symmetric V-shaped frequency-modulation chirp is used to demonstrate pulse compression of variable-bandwidth signals centred at 1.3 GHz. The compression device is based upon the nonlinearity in a lithium-niobate longitudinal-wave acoustic delay line. Uniformity of the interaction region is achieved so that the convolution is not spatially weighted.
Prostate stem cells and benign prostatic hyperplasia

The Walsh study documents that: (1) androgen deprivation disrupts the reciprocal interaction between the prostate S and E thereby decreasing the weight of both compartments and (2) once BPH develops, androgen deprivation does not decrease the number of stem cell units in either the S or E compartments since subsequent androgen restoration fully restores the enlarged gland. The Coffey study documents that acute androgen deprivation sensitizes S–E interactions to radiation induced disruptions so that following radiation, androgen restoration does not induce full gland regrowth. Therefore, effective therapy for symptomatic BPH should be achievable by acute treatment with reversible androgen deprivation for a limited period followed by a single dose of conformal external beam radiation before allowing the man to recovery his normal serum testosterone.
Structure and Dynamics of the HIV-1 Vpu Transmembrane Domain Revealed by Solid-State NMR with Magic-Angle Spinning†

We report solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements on the peptide Vpu(1−40), comprising residues 1−40 of the 81-residue type 1 integral membrane protein Vpu encoded by the HIV-1 genome. On the basis of a combination of 13C and 15N NMR chemical shifts under magic-angle spinning (MAS), effects of local mobility on NMR signal intensities, site-specific MAS NMR line widths, and NMR-detected hydrogen−deuterium exchange, we develop a model for the structure and dynamics of the Vpu(1−40) monomer in phospholipid bilayer membranes. Our data are largely consistent with earlier structural studies of Vpu peptides by Opella and co-workers, in which solution NMR and solid-state NMR without MAS were used, but our data provide new information about local variations in the degree of mobility and structural order. In addition, our data indicate that the transmembrane α-helix of Vpu(1−40) extends beyond the hydrophobic core of the bilayer. We find no evidence for heterogeneity in the conformation and interm...
Non-dairy probiotic beverages: the next step into human health.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit to the host. The two main genera of microorganisms indicated as sources of probiotic bacteria are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Historically used to produce fermented dairy products, certain strains of both genera are increasingly utilised to formulate other functional foods. As the consumers’ understanding of the role of probiotics in health grows, so does the popularity of food containing them. The result of this phenomenon is an increase in the number of probiotic foods available for public consumption, including a rapidly-emerging variety of probiotic-containing non-dairy beverages, which provide a convenient way to improve and maintain health. However, the composition of non-dairy probiotic beverages can pose specific challenges to the survival of the health conferring microorganisms. To overcome these challenges, strain selection and protection techniques play an integral part in formulating ...
Metastable Defect Formation by Hydrogen Relocation and Rebonding

Molecular dynamics with the tight-binding approach are utilized to examine the fundamental process of dangling bond creation via the rebonding of H from Si-H bonds to weak Si-Si bonds. The defect formation energy is found to strongly correlate with the bond-length of the weak Si-Si bond, indicating that the distribution of weak Si-Si bonds controls the total defect density. Rate equations for thermally generated and light-induced defects are developed and utilized to calculate the equilibrium and saturated defect density. The results agree well with experimental data.
Coupling asymmetric flow-field flow fractionation and fluorescence parallel factor analysis reveals stratification of dissolved organic matter in a drinking water reservoir

Abstract Using asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) and fluorescence parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC), we showed physicochemical properties of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in the Beaver Lake Reservoir (Lowell, AR) were stratified by depth. Sampling was performed at a drinking water intake structure from May to July 2010 at three depths (3-, 10-, and 18-m) below the water surface. AF4-fractograms showed that the CDOM had diffusion coefficient peak maximums between 3.5 and 2.8 × 10−6 cm2 s−1, which corresponded to a molecular weight range of 680–1950 Da and a size of 1.6–2.5 nm. Fluorescence excitation–emission matrices of whole water samples and AF4-generated fractions were decomposed with a PARAFAC model into five principal components. For the whole water samples, the average total maximum fluorescence was highest for the 10-m depth samples and lowest (about 40% less) for 18-m depth samples. While humic-like fluorophores comprised the majority of the total fluorescence at each depth, a protein-like fluorophore was in the least abundance at the 10-m depth, indicating stratification of both total fluorescence and the type of fluorophores. The results present a powerful approach to investigate CDOM properties and can be extended to investigate CDOM reactivity, with particular applications in areas such as disinfection byproduct formation and control and evaluating changes in drinking water source quality driven by climate change.
Real-Time Three-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiography of the Left Atrial Appendage: Initial Experience in the Clinical Setting

Background The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and accuracy of a new real-time 3-dimensional (RT3D) matrix-array transesophageal echocardiographic probe for the determination of left atrial appendage (LAA) geometry. Methods Sixty-six consecutive patients (mean age, 53 ± 17 years) referred for 2-dimensional (2D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) underwent additional RT3D TEE. The feasibility of RT3D TEE for LAA geometry was studied in the first 37 patients, and 2D and RT3D transesophageal echocardiographic quantification of the LAA were compared in the subsequent 29 patients. The LAA orifice diameter and depth were measured using biplane 2D TEE, and LAA orifice area was calculated as an ellipse. LAA orifice area and depth were measured in 3D and correlated to 2D measurement and were also correlated to 64-slice cardiac computed tomography (CT) in 8 patients. Results All 66 patients underwent RT3D matrix-array TEE without complication. In the feasibility study, the LAA was well visualized in 95%. In the quantitation study, 2D TEE underestimated LAA orifice area compared with 3D imaging (3.1 ± 1.3 vs 4.2 ± 2.2 cm 2 ; r = 0.55). LAA depth by 2D and 3D imaging were well correlated (3.7 ± 0.7 vs 3.4 ± 0.7 cm; r = 0.77). LAA orifice area on CT was well correlated with area on 3D TEE ( r = 0.98) but not with area 2D TEE ( r = 0.13). Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated that 2D TEE systematically underestimated LAA orifice area compared with 3D TEE (mean bias, −1.0 cm 2 , with wide limits of agreement [−4.6 to 2.6 cm 2] . In the 8 patients who underwent both 3D TEE and CT, the mean bias was 0.15 cm 2 , with narrow limits of agreement (−0.50 to 0.20 cm 2 ). Conclusions RT3D TEE for the visualization and quantitative analysis of LAA orifice area is feasible and correlates well with 64-slice cardiac CT.
A Macro-Economic Model for Agricultural Sector Analysis

Agricultural sector analyses for purposes of agricultural policy evaluation and planning in developing countries are generally conducted in a partial equilibrium framework without regard to agricultural‐nonagricultural interactions. A relatively simple simulation model built on an input‐output framework is developed which, in combination with an agricultural sector analysis, enables interactions in the product markets and labor market to be considered. The model is illustrated through linkage with an agricultural simulation model to evaluate alternative agricultural policies in Nigeria. The model also has potential for use with other formal and informal sector analysis techniques.
Keys to Effective Diseipline Making Rules Simple, Clear, Visible

Effective discipline programs are built around a philosophy that is communicated to students, parents, and the community by a few clear, con cise rules, says this writer.
Subsidized Housing, Public Housing, and Adolescent Violence and Substance Use:

This study examines the separate relationships of public housing residence and subsidized housing residence to adolescent health risk behavior. Data include 2,530 adolescents aged 14 to 19 who were...
Magnetic resonance imaging: Its application to male infertility

The introduction of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to clinical medicine has, within the past two years, added a new dimension to urologic diagnosis. MRI’s unique tissue contrast provides anatomic detail exceeding that of any other imaging technique. In addition, MRI provides information regarding the chemical environment and blood flow and promises to evaluate indirectly the functional status of a variety of organs. The pelvis is particularly well evaluated by MRI.1,2 Its inherent tissue contrast, provided by abundant fat surrounding genitourinary and gastrointestinal organs, and its relative immobility during the respiratory cycle assure excellent image quality. In contrast to computed tomography (CT), MRI is not compromised by artifacts from overlying bone or surgical clips. In contrast to ultrasound, MRI is not dependent on the patient’s body build or the expertise of the operator. In MRI, no ionizing radiation is used, and no iodinated contrast agents are necessary. In our initial experience with MRI in the reproductive tract of infertile men, we have demonstrated a number of abnormalities of the seminal vesicle caused by neoplasia, infection, hemorrhage, and congenital anomalies.
Fabrication and Characterization of a Carbon Nanofiber Reinforced Liquid Crystalline Polymer

Our group at the Naval Research Laboratory is studying hierarchical arrangements of materials at multiple length scales and how such arrangements can be used to yield novel properties. We are investigating nanocomposites comprising a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) matrix reinforced with carbon nanofibers for potential structure + conduction multifunctional applications. The LCP matrix is known for its inherent hierarchical microstructure, and its fracture surface is typically characterized by fibrils ranging in size from nanometer to micrometer. The carbon nanofibers being compounded with the LCP matrix are vapor-grown carbon nanofibers (VGCF) and pre-processing techniques are being developed to eventually replace VGCF with single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT). Composites with VGCF content of 0, 1, 2, 5 and 10 wt.% were extruded using a twin-screw extruder to yield monofilaments in the range of 0.5 to 2 mm in diameter. The mechanical properties of extruded filaments were determined via quasi-static tensile tests and fracture surfaces examined under a scanning electron microscope. Porosity and hierarchical fibrillar structures were commonly observed in the fracture surfaces of tensile tested LCP and LCP-VGCF filaments. The LCP-VGCF filaments showed a maximum increase in strength and modulus of 20% and 35%, respectively, at 1-2 wt.% VGCF content. The dependence of mechanical properties on VGCF content was attributed to the interplay between the extrusion process parameters, VGCF dispersion and molecular alignment of LCP. In another set of experiments, LCP was thermo-mechanically pre-processed using a laboratory scale double-roll mixer and extruded using a Maxwell mixing extruder to yield monofilaments in the range of 0.2 to 0.7 mm. At 0.2 mm diameter, filaments of un-pre-processed and pre-processed neat LCP showed almost identical mechanical properties. At 0.7 mm diameter, however, pre-processed LCP filaments showed 10% and 30% degradation in strength and modulus, respectively, relative to un-pre-processed LCP. The lowered mechanical properties of pre-processed LCP were attributed to its chemical degradation during thermo-mechanical processing. Over the diameter range from 0.2 to 2 mm and irrespective of prior processing or extrusion method, the modulus and strength of neat LCP filaments increased with decreasing diameter. The strength and modulus dependence on filament diameter could be explained by the "skin-core" effect typically seen in liquid crystalline polymers. Future work will involve optimizing processing parameters for simultaneous enhancements in mechanical properties and electrical/thermal conductivity in LCP-VGCF/LCP-SWNT filaments.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Amalgamation of partitions from multiple segmentation bases: A comparison of non-model-based and model-based methods

Abstract The segmentation of customers on multiple bases is a pervasive problem in marketing research. For example, segmentation service providers partition customers using a variety of demographic and psychographic characteristics, as well as an array of consumption attributes such as brand loyalty, switching behavior, and product/service satisfaction. Unfortunately, the partitions obtained from multiple bases are often not in good agreement with one another, making effective segmentation a difficult managerial task. Therefore, the construction of segments using multiple independent bases often results in a need to establish a partition that represents an amalgamation or consensus of the individual partitions. In this paper, we compare three methods for finding a consensus partition. The first two methods are deterministic, do not use a statistical model in the development of the consensus partition, and are representative of methods used in commercial settings, whereas the third method is based on finite mixture modeling. In a large-scale simulation experiment the finite mixture model yielded better average recovery of holdout (validation) partitions than its non-model-based competitors. This result calls for important changes in the current practice of segmentation service providers that group customers for a variety of managerial goals related to the design and marketing of products and services.
Evidence that L-deprenyl treatment for one week does not inhibit MAO A or the dopamine transporter in the human brain.

Abstract In this study, we investigated whether treatment with L-deprenyl, a selective monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) inhibitor, also inhibits MAO A or the dopamine transporter in the human brain. Six normal volunteers (age 46 ±6 yrs) had two PET sessions, one at baseline and one following L-deprenyl (10 mg/day) for 1 week. Each session included one scan with [ 11 C]clorgyline (to assess MAO A) and one scan 2 hours later with [ 11 C]cocaine (to assess dopamine transporter availability). A 3-compartment model was used to compare the plasma-to-brain transfer constant, K 1 (a function of blood flow) and λ k 3 (a kinetic term proportional to brain MAO A) before and after treatment. Dopamine transporter availability was measured as the ratio of distribution volumes of the striatum to cerebellum (DVR) which is equal to Bmax/K D +1. L-Deprenyl treatment for 1 week did not affect either brain MAO A activity or dopamine transporter availability. There was a non-significant trend for an increase in K 1 after L-deprenyl. These results confirm that L-deprenyl after one week of treatment at doses typically used clinically is selective for MAO B and that it does not produce a measurable affect on the dopamine transporter, suggesting that MAO A inhibition and dopamine transporter blockade do not contribute to its pharmacological effects.
Solid-state reaction and structure in compositionally modulated zirconium-nickel and titanium-nickel films

Structure and solid-state formation of amorphous alloys have been studied in sputter-deposited zirconium-nickel and titanium-nickel multilayered samples. The as-deposited samples in both systems had an amorphous structure at very small composition-modulation wavelengths (l5 atomic planes of each constituent per layer), and a textured polycrystalline structure at a composition modulation wavelength of 200 atomic planes of each constituent per layer. Intermediate composition-modulation wavelength samples showed differences between the two systems with titanium-nickel samples showing structural coherence in the growth direction. Anneals produced amorphous phase growth in zirconium-nickel multilayered samples for all composition-modulation wavelengths. Amorphous phase growth was also observed in the titanium-nickel sample with a composition-modulation wavelength of 200 atomic planes per layer. The intermediate composition-modulation wavelength titanium-nickel samples which showed structural coherence did not react to form an amorphous phase. This attributed to the lack of an incoherent or disordered interfacial layer to act as a nucleus for amorphous phase growth. The kinetics of the amorphous phase growth process extracted by monitoring resistivity during the anneals revealed that growth followed a square-root-of-time law indicative of diffusion-limited layer growth process. Arrhenius plots of the reaction rate gave activation energies between 1.3 and 1.7 eV. A simple predictive scheme based on the thermodynamic driving force and relative atomic volumes is proposed for indicating whether a solid-state reaction will produce an amorphous phase.
Content creation and dissemination by-and-for users in rural areas

83% of the world population does not have access to Internet. Therefore there is a need for a simple and affordable interaction technology that can enable easy content creation and dissemination for this population. In this paper, we present the design, development and usage pattern of a VoiKiosk system that provides a voice-based kiosk solution for people in rural areas. This system is accessible by phone and thus meets the affordability and low literacy requirements. We present usability results gathered from usage by more than 900 villagers during four month of the on-field deployment of the system. The on-field experiments suggest the importance of locally created content in their own language for this population. The system provides interesting insights about the manner in which this community can create and manage information. Based on the use of the system in the four months, the VoiKiosk also suggests a mechanism to enable social networking for the rural population.
Clinical trials in systemic lupus erythematosus: a status report on ongoing trials

To describe the characteristics of trials in systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) listed in ClinicalTrials.gov such as study design, funding sources and aspects of the disease and drugs under investigation. We conducted a survey of ongoing clinical trials that were registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov website. We used the advanced search option and applied the following inclusion criteria, “SLE,” “open studies,” “interventional,” and “adults 18 years or older.” Of 97 eligible studies, 34.0 % were phase 3 or 4, 49.5 % were phase 1, 2 or 2/3 and in 16.5 %, we could not determine the study phase. Most trials were randomized (69.0 %) and 48.4 % were double blinded; 34 % of the trials were placebo controlled, 19.6 % had an active agent comparator and 46.4 % had no comparator. Universities and pharmaceutical industries were the primary sponsors for 45.3 and 39.1 % of the trials, respectively, and government agencies for 10.3 %. Multi-center trials based in the USA (US) accounted for 40.2 % of the trials, 46.4 % were outside of the US and 13.4 % were in the US as well as other countries. The most frequently used endpoint was drug efficacy (30.9 %) followed by disease severity indices (25.7 %), drug safety (14.4 %), remission rates and times to remission (7.2 %), and inflammatory markers and antibody titers (7.2 %). The majority of ongoing clinical trials in SLE are university or industry-funded, randomized phase 1, 2, or 2/3 trials, focused on drug efficacy. Federal funding for trials in SLE within and outside the US remains low.