cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A new automated method for measuring noble gases and their isotopic ratios in water samples

[1] A method is presented for precisely measuring all five noble gases and their isotopic ratios in water samples using multiple programmed multistage cryogenic traps in conjunction with quadrupole mass spectrometry and magnetic sector mass spectrometry. Multiple automated cryogenic traps, including a twostage cryotrap used for removal of water vapor, an activated charcoal cryotrap used for helium separation, and a stainless steel cryotrap used for neon, argon, krypton, and xenon separation, allow reproducible gas purification and separation. The precision of this method for gas standards is ±0.10% for He, ±0.14% for Ne, ±0.10% for Ar, ±0.14% for Kr, and ±0.17% for Xe. The precision of the isotopic ratios of the noble gases in gas standards are ±1.9% for 20 Ne/ 22 Ne, ±2.0% for 84 Kr/ 86 Kr, ±2.5% for 84 Kr/ 82 Kr, ±0.9% for 132 Xe/ 129 Xe, and ±1.3% for 132 Xe/ 136 Xe. The precision of this method for water samples, determined by measurement of duplicate pairs, is ±1% for He, ±0.9% for Ne, ±0.3% for Ar, ±0.3% for Kr, and ±0.2% for Xe. An attached magnetic sector mass spectrometer measures 3 He/ 4 He with precisions of ±0.1% for air standards and ±0.14% for water samples.
A Free Boundary Problem Arising in Plasma Physics

This article is concerned with free boundary problems for the differential equation 265–1 In particular, it addresses the questions of existence and uniqueness of a finite point P and a solution u satisfying the conditions Among the admissible nonlinearities are functions of the type f(u) = u p -u q for certain combinations (p,q), where 0 ≤ q ≤ p ≤ 1, including the special case, which has been proposed in plasma physics as a simple model for Tokamak equilibria with magnetic islands.
Insights into user behavior in dealing with internet attacks

The Internet is a lucrative medium for criminals targeting Internet users. Most common Internet attacks require some form of user interaction such as clicking on an exploit link. Hence, the problem at hand is not only a technical one, but it also has a strong human aspect. Although the security community has proposed many technical solutions to common attacks, the behavior of users when they face current threats, and the way they evaluate the security implications of their actions remain largely unexplored. In this paper we describe an online experiment platform we built for testing the behavior of users when they are confronted with prevalent, concrete attack scenarios such as reflected cross-site scripting, session fixation, and file sharing scams. We conducted experiments with 164 Internet users with diverse backgrounds. Our findings suggest that many non-technical users can exhibit performance comparable to security experts at averting relatively simple threats that they are frequently exposed to in everyday life. They can do so solely by following their intuition, without actually perceiving the severity of the threat. However, when facing more sophisticated attacks, these non-technical users often rely on misleading cues such as the “size” and “length” of artifacts (e.g., URLs), and hence, fail to protect themselves. We also show that trick banners that are common in file sharing websites and shortened URLs have high success rates of deceiving non-technical users, thus posing a severe security risk.
State Psychiatric Hospital Patients With Past Arrests for Violent Crimes

OBJECTIVE: This study examined associations between four types of major psychopathology--schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar and unipolar affective disorders--and history of violent crime. The effects of demographic variables, substance abuse, psychosis, and paranoia on history of violent crime were also determined. METHODS: Diagnostic assessments using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia and Research Diagnostic Criteria identified 172 state hospital inpatients with the four diagnoses of interest, as well as those with co-existing substance use disorders. Based on arrest records, patients were categorized according to the most violent crime for which they had been arrested. RESULTS: Patients with schizoaffective disorder were significantly more likely than those in the other diagnostic groups to have been arrested for a violent crime. Similar results were found for psychotic patients compared with nonpsychotic patients, patients who had paranoid schizophrenia compared with patients who had schizophrenia without paranoid features, and patients who had co-existing substance abuse compared with those with no history of substance abuse. Patients from racial minority groups and male patients were also more likely than white patients and female patients to have been arrested for a violent crime. CONCLUSIONS: Demographic features, a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, psychosis, paranoid symptoms, and substance abuse may all be associated with violent behavior. Language: en
The Administrative Rational Model and Public Organization Theory

One of the most prestigious scholars in the social sciences over the past half century has been Herbert A. Simon. His administrative rational model of organization is frequently identifed as a gene...
Resistance to a chemosterilant, metepa, in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

THE spectacular eradication of the screw-worm fly Callitroga hominovorax (Coquerel) through the release of male flies sexually sterilized by γ-irradiation has stimulated efforts to combat other insect populations by sexual sterilization1,2. Sterilization by γ-irradiation has the disadvantages that it may reduce sexual aggressiveness of males, that huge numbers of insects must be laboratory reared for release subsequent to sterilization by the stationary source of radiation, and that the behaviour patterns of laboratory adapted strains may have become altered from those of wild populations3.
A Systematic Retrieval Analysis of Secondary Eclipse Spectra. II. A Uniform Analysis of Nine Planets and their C to O Ratios

Secondary eclipse spectroscopy provides invaluable insights into the temperatures and compositions of exoplanetary atmospheres. We carry out a systematic temperature and abundance retrieval analysis of nine exoplanets (HD 189733b, HD 209458b, HD 149026b, GJ436b, WASP-12b, WASP-19b, WASP-43b, TrES-2b, and TrES-3b) observed in secondary eclipse using a combination of space- and ground-based facilities. Our goal with this analysis is to provide a consistent set of temperatures and compositions from which self-consistent models can be compared and to probe the underlying processes that shape these atmospheres. This paper is the second in a three part series of papers exploring the retrievability of temperatures and abundances from secondary eclipse spectra and the implications of these results for the chemistry of exoplanet atmospheres. In this investigation we present a catalogue of temperatures and abundances for H_2O, CH_4, CO, and CO_2. We find that our temperatures and abundances are generally consistent with those of previous studies, although we do not find any statistically convincing evidence for super-solar C to O ratios (e.g., solar C/O falls in the 1σ confidence intervals in eight of the nine planets in our sample). Furthermore, within our sample we find little evidence for thermal inversions over a wide range of effective temperatures (with the exception of HD 209458b), consistent with previous investigations. The lack of evidence for inversions for most planets in our sample over such a wide range of effective temperatures provides additional support for the hypothesis that TiO is unlikely to be the absorber responsible for the formation of these inversions.
Evidence for a reversible d, π-complexation, β-cupration sequence in the conjugate addition reaction of Gilman reagents with α,β-enones.

Abstract In situ trapping of reaction intermediates combined with stereochemical studies of the reaction of lithium dimethylcuprate with enones provides evidence for a pathway involving d,π-cuprate-enone and copper(III) β-adducts as important intermediates in cuprate-mediated conjugate addition of carbon.
A systematic approach toward error structure identification for impedance spectroscopy

The state-of-the-art is reviewed for the use of measurement models for assessing the stochastic and bias error structure of impedance measurements. The methods are illustrated for published impedance data that contain both capacitive and inductive components. This systematic error analysis demonstrates that, in spite of differences between sequential impedance scans and the appearance of inductive and incomplete capacitive loops, the individual data sets represented a pseudo-stationary system and could be interpreted in terms of a stationary model.
Macrophyte productivity and community development in created freshwater wetlands under experimental hydrological conditions

Abstract Macrophyte biomass production and species richness were monitored from 1988 through 1991 in four freshwater wetlands constructed on the floodpain of the Des Plaines River, Lake County, Illinois, USA. The wetlands were constructed in 1988 and pumping of river water began in 1989 under two differentd hydrologic regimes: two wetlands received high water inflow (equivalent to 40 cm wk −1 of water depth) and two received low flow (11 cm wk −1 ). Biomass production showed no relationship to the hydrologic inflows after two years of experimentation, with both the highest and lowest production occuring in low flow wetlands. Rates of primary production increased between 1990 and 1991 under low flow conditions and decreased under high flow conditions, primarily as a result of the initial composition of the plant community. The change from dry conditions in 1988 to flooded conditions in 1989 altered the species composition in each wetland to include almost 100% wetland-adapted species. Similarity in species composition among the four wetlands diverged from 1988 to 1989 as the plant community adjusted to flooded conditions and then converged in both 1990 and 1991 as the wetlands developed.
Elevation of plasma neurotensin during lipid perfusion of rat small intestine

Perfusion of the small intestine with a lipid solution results in elevated plasma neurotensin-like immunoreactivity in blood collected from the superior mesenteric vein. Perfusion of amino acids, glucose, hyperosmotic saline, acidified saline, bile salt and diluted rat bile had no effect. Neurotensin-like immunoreactivity in portal plasma was significantly higher than that measured concomitantly in peripheral arterial plasma. Neurotensin, as identified by high pressure liquid chromatography, rose from 4 to 9 fm/ml (n = 4) and 9 to 18 fm/ml (n = 9) extracted plasma during lipid stimulation as compared to the saline control. These results demonstrate that intraintestinal lipid is an effective and specific stimulus for the release of neurotensin from the small intestine into the portal circulation. However, until a target organ can be shown to respond to these modest levels of plasma neurotensin, it is unsettled whether the peptide is a hormone or whether its elevation in plasma is due to "overflow" of a paracrine agent.
Control of the Escherichia coli rrnB P1 promoter strength by ppGpp

Fusions of the rrnB P1 and P2 promoters, and of the tandem P1-P2 combination, to a wild-type lacZ gene were constructed on plasmids and recombined into the mal region of the bacterial chromosome, close to the normal location and in the normal orientation of rrnB. The upstream activator region (Fis-binding sites) was always present with the P1 promoter, and all constructs contained the box A antitermination site of rRNA genes. Using these constructs, β-galactosidase specific activities were measured in Escherichia coli strains carrying either both ppGpp synthetases, PSI and PSII (relA+ spoT+), or only PSII (ΔrelA spoT+), or neither (ΔrelA ΔspoT), using different media supporting growth rates between 0.6 and 2.8 doublings/h at 37 °C. The β-galactosidase activities were used to estimate the relative strength of the rrnB P1 promoter in comparison to the isolated rrnB P2 promoter. Promoter strength (transcripts initiated per min per promoter per free RNA polymerase concentration) was distinguished from promoter activity (transcripts initiated per min per promoter). In ppGpp-synthesizing (wild-type) bacteria, the relative strength of the rrnB P1 promoter increased nearly 10-fold with increasing growth rate from 0.17 to 1.5, but in the ppGpp-less double mutants it decreased by 20% from 1.7 to 1.5. Thus, at low or zero levels of ppGpp, the P1 promoter was 1.5–1.7 times stronger than the isolated P2 promoter. These results indicate that the normal growth rate control of the rrnB P1 promoter strength requires ppGpp, and that the strength is reduced at basal levels of ppGpp found during exponential growth. No additional ppGpp-independent control of the rrnB P1 promoter strength was evident. From the β-galactosidase data and previously determined values of rRNA gene activities, the activities of the isolated rrnB P1 and P2 promoters, and of the P2 promoter in the tandem combination, were estimated. With increasing growth rate, the activity of the isolated P2 promoter increased 6-fold from 6 to 33 initiations/min, while the activity of the isolated P1 promoter increased 24-fold from 2 to 54 initiations/min. The increasing activity of the isolated P2 promoter is assumed to reflect the increasing RNA polymerase concentration at constant promoter strength, whereas the steeper increase in P1 promoter activity reflects increases in both polymerase concentration and promoter strength. When in tandem with P1, the P2 promoter activity is inferred to decrease as the P1 promoter activity increases.
LIFE SATISFACTION AMONG INSTITUTIONALIZED AND NON-INSTITUTIONALIZED OLDER ADULTS

This study explored the relationship between life satisfaction, several measures of health, several measures of activity level, and a measure of future orientation. Subjects were 30 institutionaliz...
TRANSFUSION PATTERN OF VERY LOW BIRTH WEIGHT INFANTS (<1250 GRAMS): BEFORE TRANSFUSION GUIDELINES. 1127

Preterm infants are given multiple transfusions during their stay in the NICU, either for the replacement of phlebotomy loss in the first few weeks of life or later for symptomatic anemia of prematurity. Surfactant therapy, limitation of blood loss and conservative transfusion practices have helped to decrease the amount of transfusions, but still around 50 percent of preterm infants with birth weight less than 1500 grams, need multiple transfusions. A historical cohort study was designed to determine the transfusion pattern of preterm infants with birthweight <1250 grams and gestational age <32 weeks, before the implementation of transfusion guidelines (Jul-Dec“94). Blood transfusions were given empirically at the discretion of the attending neonatologist during this period. Of the 56 infants who met the entry criteria, 12 infants were excluded because of perinatal deaths, 5 because of delayed transfer from the referring hospitals. The final cohort consisted of 39 infants. During the study period, the 39 infants received a total of 411 transfusions, with an average of 10.5 transfusions per infant prior to discharge. One-third of the mean volume of blood (52 of 156 ml) was given within the first two weeks of life. The amount transfused in the first two weeks approximated the phlebotomy loss of infants sustained prior to day 14. When the infants were categorized by birth weight, transfusion volume was observed to be two-fold greater in the <1000 gram infants.Table
Localization of calcitonin receptor‐like receptor and receptor activity modifying protein 1 in enteric neurons, dorsal root ganglia, and the spinal cord of the rat

Calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CLR) and receptor activity modifying protein 1 (RAMP1) comprise a receptor for calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) and intermedin. Although CGRP is widely expressed in the nervous system, less is known about the localization of CLR and RAMP1. To localize these proteins, we raised antibodies to CLR and RAMP1. Antibodies specifically interacted with CLR and RAMP1 in HEK cells coexpressing rat CLR and RAMP1, determined by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. Fluorescent CGRP specifically bound to the surface of these cells and CGRP, CLR, and RAMP1 internalized into the same endosomes. CLR was prominently localized in nerve fibers of the myenteric and submucosal plexuses, muscularis externa and lamina propria of the gastrointestinal tract, and in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord of rats. CLR was detected at low levels in the soma of enteric, dorsal root ganglia (DRG), and spinal neurons. RAMP1 was also localized to enteric and DRG neurons and the dorsal horn. CLR and RAMP1 were detected in perivascular nerves and arterial smooth muscle. Nerve fibers containing CGRP and intermedin were closely associated with CLR fibers in the gastrointestinal tract and dorsal horn, and CGRP and CLR colocalized in DRG neurons. Thus, CLR and RAMP1 may mediate the effects of CGRP and intermedin in the nervous system. However, mRNA encoding RAMP2 and RAMP3 was also detected in the gastrointestinal tract, DRG, and dorsal horn, suggesting that CLR may associate with other RAMPs in these tissues to form a receptor for additional peptides such as adrenomedullin.
North American audiences for news of emerging technologies: Canadian and US responses to bio‐ and nanotechnologies

New approaches are needed to think about audiences, subcultures, and publics in the context of increasing attention to the pluralistic nature of modern societies. Subgroup differences influencing reactions to technological change abound but may not correspond neatly to national boundaries. Often attributed to the influence of media messages, these differences are more clearly associated with message interpretation than with uniform media effects. In other words, reactions are better understood as a function of what audiences bring to the interpretation of news and information than as a function of exposure to message content itself. As an example, this article considers persistent differences between the US and Canada in opinions about technology that can be traced through comparative survey data collected by the Canadian government in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Previous research by the author has suggested, based on the data from the 2004 survey, that these differences can be accounted for by differential dist...
Stress intensity factor for an elliptical crack under arbitrary normal loading

Abstract Harmonic stress function and the stress intensity factor for an elliptical crack embedded in an elastic solid and subjected to an arbitrary internal pressure are derived in this paper. The internal pressure is assumed to be expressible in terms of a polynomial of x and y as σ zz = − p ( x , y ) where p ( x , y ) = A 00 + A 10 x + A 01 y + A 20 x 2 + A 11 xy + A 30 y 2 + A 30 x 3 + A 21 x 2 y + A 12 xy 2 + A 03 y 3 . The stress intensity factor for the elliptical crack subjected to this polynomial loading reduces to the solutions given by Green and Sneddon when all coefficients A ij except A 00 are zero and by Kassir and Sih when all coefficients except A 10 are zero. The solution is then used to determine the transient stress intensity factor of an elliptical crack embedded in a thick plate, one side of which is subjected to a sudden temperature change. Other possible applications of this solution, such as an elliptical crack in a large beam in pure bending, are also discussed in this paper.
Weapon Focus and Gender Differences in Eyewitness Accuracy: Arousal Versus Salience

Competing theories of arousal versus salience and object enhancement vs. reduced perceptual processing as explanations for the weapon focus effect in eyewitness identification were examined. Male and female students (N= 200) viewed a videotape of a male or female intruder rudely barging into a classroom while carrying a book, a gun, or an unusual object and demanding to know the whereabouts of another student. Feature accuracy recall of both the intruder and the object were assessed on a postexperimental questionnaire. Results supported the salience and reduced-perceptual-processing hypotheses, suggesting that weapon focus may be a special instance of a more general salient object effect. An own-gender bias in eyewitness identification was replicated when no weapon or unusual objects distracted eyewitnesses, but was reversed when a weapon or an unusual object was present.
Continuous versus intermittent heparin infusion of umbilical artyery catheters in the newborn infant

Infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit between November 1983 and September 1984 who had umbilical artery catheters placed were eligible for the study, which was approved by the Human Experimentation Committee of Children's Hospital of San Francisco. Written consent was obtained from parents. A 3.5 or 5 Fr Argyle polyvinyl, radiopaque catheter was placed in the umbilical artery to the level of L-3 or L-4. Placement was confirmed by radiography. Infants were stratified into three weight groups (~ 1800 gm), and infants within each group were randomly assigned to receive heparin either continuously or intermittently. A separate pad of paper was used for each weight group, and the assignments on each page were determined prospectively by table of random numbers. For infants in the continuous heparin group, sodium heparin (1 U/ml) was added to the infusate, but nonheparinized 0.9% saline solution was used to flush the catheter after blood sampiing. For infants in the intermittent heparin group, heparin was not added to the catheter infusate, but sodium heparin (1 U/ml) was added to the saline flush solution. The rate of infusion varied according to the infant's clinical
Permselective membrane separators for organic electrolyte batteries

The electrical resistances, transference numbers and Li+↔Cu++ and Br−↔ClO 4 − interdiffusion rates through a variety of cation-exchange and neutral membranes were measured in propylene carbonate (PC) solutions at 25°C. Of the 19 commercial and specially prepared membranes which were studied, the only membranes with electrical resistances in 0.50m LiClO4/PC low enough to be of further interest as separators for organic electrolyte batteries were the AMF C-322, Amicon UM-05, Ionac MC-3470 and Corning No. 7930 porous glass (0.25 mm thick). The resistances of these membranes were 117, 2.3×102, 3.4×102 and 75.0 Ω, cm2, respectively. In order to benefit from the reduced resistance of thin membranes without sacrificing mechanical strength, laminated phenolsulfonic acid-formaldehyde (PF) membranes consisting of a thin layer of cation exchange resin on an inert porous support were prepared. Interdiffusion measurements showed that the laminated PF membranes are a more effective diffusion barrier towards anions in PC solutions than a commercial ultrafiltration membrane, the Amicon UM-05. The anion inter-diffusion fluxes for Br− between 0.10m LiBr/PC and 0.10m LiClO4/PC through the PF and UM-05 membranes were 6.17×10−11 and 1.5×10−10 mole s−1 cm2, respectively.
Reaction mechanisms and shell structure effects in 54Fe+6Li and 58Ni+d reactions at medium energies

Abstract Excitation functions and average recoil ranges for products formed in deuteron induced reactions on 58 Ni and in 6 Li ion induced reactions on 54 Fe have been measured. The incident energies considered ranged from 4 to 40 MeV for the deuterons and from 15 to 60 MeV for the 6 Li ions. The recoil range values indicate the predominance of equilibrium compound nucleus processes at energies up to several MeV beyond the peaks in the excitation functions. At still higher energies a statistical model analysis of the data indicates the increasing importance of pre-equilibrium particle emission. In the analysis, the consideration of shell effects according to Rosenzweig's model leads to greatly improved estimates of the experimental isobaric yield ratios. Evidence for direct reaction processes leading to the formation of 57 Ni and 56 Ni in the deuteron induced reactions and to 55 Co in the lithium ion induced reactions has also been observed. The validity of the independence hypothesis is verified for excitation energies at which the recoil ranges indicate the predominance of equilibrium statistical processes in both reaction systems.
Interspecific and intraspecific responses to synthesized pygmy marmoset vocalizations

Abstract Four different types of trill vocalizations used by pygmy marmosets are acoustically similar to one another and occur in different contexts. Synthetic replicas of these vocalizations and variants along each of the acoustic continua separating them have been produced and played to both pygmy marmosets and humans. The marmosets responded to a broad range of variations as equivalent to natural vocalizations, but responded quite differently to variants of some calls used in different contexts. This was analogous to the ‘categorical perception’ that humans show with speech sounds. Humans made finer discriminations among all of the synthesized marmoset sounds and showed no perceptual boundaries between them. Thus humans differ from marmosets in their perceptual responses to these sounds. The tolerance of broad variations in vocalizations coupled with sharp boundaries between functionally different sounds is a mechanism that could ensure an accurate reception of a signal by a recipient despite variations due to specific individuals or environmental noise.
A typology of middle managers in modern Russia: An intracultural puzzle

Abstract We argue that the rapid economic changes following the collapse of the Soviet Union have led to the emergence of distinct categories of middle managers in modern Russia. We use age, education and work experience to explain how four categories of Russian middle managers evolved. We also use Hofstede's (1980) cultural dimensions to describe the differences in cultural values across our four category typology, and offer a series of testable hypotheses that reflect these differences. We conclude with practical implications for multi-national corporations by addressing how differences among these Russian middle-manager groups call for variations in HRM practices.
Curricula of associate degree mental health/human-services training programs

Over 100 community college programs engaged in training people for mental health/human-services employment were studied in order to describe the curriculum most generally offered and variations most frequently found.
The prevalence of hyperlipidemia in a natural community.

Abstract A population sample, consisting of 142 men and 148 women aged 40–69, resident in Chittenden County, Vermont were screened for blood lipid abnormalities. Type II hyperlipoproteinemia was present in 3.5 per cent of the men and 6 per cent of the women; type IV in 21 per cent of the men and 10 per cent of the women. The sensitivity, specificity, performance and absolute diagnostic reliability of lipoprotein electrophoretic data were only fair for accepted abnormal lipid levels. Statistically significant correlations were present between fasting triglyceride, insulin and subscapular skinfold measurements. If hypertriglyceridemia is associated with coronary heart disease, then on the basis of such a high prevalence rate, it would appear inappropriate without further study to recommend nationwide dietary modifications that aim primarily at hypercholesterolemia.
Influence of the R(61,2)- and S(61,2)-α-(N6-Adenyl)styrene Oxide Adducts on the A·C Mismatched Base Pair in an Oligodeoxynucleotide Containing the Human N-ras Codon 61†

Conformational studies of R- and S-α-(N6-adenyl)styrene oxide adducts mismatched with deoxycytosine at position X6 in d(CGGACXAGAAG)·d(CTTCTCGTCCG), incorporating codons 60, 61 (underlined), and 62 of the human N-ras protooncogene, are described. These were the R- and S(61,2)C adducts. The S(61,2)C adduct afforded a stable solution structure, while the R(61,2)C adduct resulted in a disordered structure. Distance restraints for the S(61,2)C adduct were calculated from NOE data using relaxation matrix analysis. These were incorporated as effective potentials into the total energy equation. The structures were refined using restrained molecular dynamics calculations which incorporated a simulated annealing protocol. The accuracy of the emergent structures was evaluated by complete relaxation matrix methods. The structures refined to an average rms difference of 1.07 A, determined by pairwise analysis. The experimentally determined structure was compared to NOE intensity data using complete relaxation matrix ...
IN VITRO ORGANIZATION OF DISSOCIATED RAT CARDIAC CELLS INTO BEATING THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURES

When isolated beating ventricular heart cells from newborn rats were grown in tissue culture on untreated polystyrene surfaces, they showed a striking tendency to grow focally in three dimensions from the single layer cell sheets which were formed early in growth. During this process, they frequently formed miniature spherical heart-like masses, which continued to beat and grow in size. These often were somewhat lobulated in appearance, and grew up to 2 mm in diameter. Histological sections of such structures sometimes revealed evidence of appreciable orientation of the cells to each other, in fiber-like units. Electron microscope sections of such mini-hearts showed structures resembling intercalated discs between myocardial cells. The precise factors which induced the cardiac cells to apparently organize into these heart-like structures are not presently known.
Production efficiency in elementary education: The case of Maine public schools

Abstract The research reported here examines the efficiency of Maine elementary schools in the maximization of student achievement, given certain student and community characteristics. Results of a simple educational production function analysis focusing on the relationship between school expenditures and student performance is reported. A method of estimating production efficiency is then employed. Using parametric methods, a normative reference set defining production efficiency is constructed. Individual schools are then compared to this efficient reference set and a measure of efficiency is computed. In general, production inefficiencies are identified in the Maine data. Attempts to identify patterns in the measures of efficiency across three policy related variables (school size, administrative organization and administrative expenditures), however, failed to yield any additiona insights.
Amniotic fluid distribution in predicting perinatal outcome in patients with ruptured membranes.

Objective: To determine if amniotic fluid distribution predicts perinatal outcome in women with spontaneously ruptured membranes. Methods: Patients presenting for labor and delivery with spontaneously ruptured membranes had amniotic fluid indices determined upon admission. Those with greater than 50% of their amniotic fluid in the upper quadrants were placed in the upper-greater group and those with greater than 50% in the lower quadrants were placed in the lower-greater group. The groups were compared with respect to meconium staining, 1- or 5-minute Apgar scores below 7, persistent variable or late decelerations, umbilical arterial or venous pH below 7.20, cesarean for non-reassuring fetal heart rate monitoring, and neonatal intensive care unit admissions. Results: One hundred women were studied, 60 in the upper-greater group and 40 in the lower-greater group. Significant differences between upper-greater and lower-greater distributions were noted in meconium staining (28.3% compared with 0%, P Conclusion: Amniotic fluid distribution predicts perinatal outcome in patients with ruptured membranes. This test’s high negative predictive value indicates its potential as a valuable screening tool. These results may provide additional guidance in defining the intrapartum management of patients presenting with ruptured membranes.
Safety in Numbers: Shifting From Egosystem to Ecosystem

In her article on the stereotype inoculation model, Nilanjana Dasgupta (this issue) makes a powerful case that numbers shape the psychology of women and minorities in fields related to science, tec...
A Review of Instrumentation Used to Generate Microwave-Induced Plasmas:

The development and the design of instrumentation used to generate a microwave-induced plasma (MIP) is reviewed. Microwave power generators, coupling devices, discharge tubes, and their influence on the spectrochemical utility of the MIP are described. A complete analysis of the widely used TM010 cavity is also presented.
Ethics and Technical Assessment after a Disaster: An Ongoing Case Study

The format of this paper will include first a section on professional rules of conduct. This will be followed by a discussion of bias and how certain aspects of both human behavior and the engineering enterprise impact decision making. The next section will focus on an ethics case study. Specifically, the case study involves technical assessment of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, the interactions of the assessment teams, and the local New Orleans grassroots organization Levees.org. Finally there will be discussion of the findings and recommendations of the American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE's) Task Force on Engineering Review.
Effect of tumor promoter 12- O -tetradecanoyl-phorbol 13-acetate on induction of sister-chromatid exchanges in Chinese hamster V79 cells treated with mutagens

Abstract The effect of a tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) alone and in combination with mitomycin C (MMC) or cyclophosphamide (CPP) on the induction of sister-chromatid exchanges (SCE) in Chinese hamster V79 cells was investigated. TPA alone at various doses and durations caused no increase of SCE frequency. MMC either at the dose of 0.03 or 0.003 μg/ml alone or in combination with TPA (2 μg/ml) all caused a significant increase of SCE frequencies. There was no difference in SCE frequencies between the cultures treated with MMC alone at 0.03 μg/ml and those treated with MMC plus TPA. However, cultures treated with MMC at 0.003 μg/ml plus TPA had significantly and consistently higher SCE frequencies than those treated with MMC alone at all durations. Treatment of CPP at 1 μg/ml activated by S9 mix caused significant increase of SCE frequencies. Surprisingly, the cultures treated with CPP, S9 mix plus TPA (2 μg/ml) caused a drastic reduction of SCE frequencies as compared to those treated with CPP and S9 mix only at all durations. These results indicate that TPA alone had no effect on SCE in V79 cells. TPA enhanced the SCE induction in V79 cells treated with MMC at a low dose, i.e. 0.003 μg/ml, but it inhibited SCE induction in cultures treated with the indirect mutagen CPP. Thus, TPA has no direct effect on genetic materials but it may indirectly alter the effects of a mutagen.
ON THE GROUPED LSE UNDER AN ERRORS-IN-VARIABLES MODEL

Abstract In the error-in-variables regression model, some or all of the covariates are observed with error. Standard approaches to this problem include maximum likelihood estimation, which requires some of the parameters to be known or be estimated from a separate experiment, moment estimation, which requires at least as many instrumental variables as there are variables observed with error, and the method of grouping initiated by Wald. The present method is kin to the grouping approach but here we allow the number of groups and the number of observations per group to tend to infinity. Without errors in variables the resulting estimator is asymptotically equivalent to the ordinary least-squares estimator. The present method is also related to the instrumental variables approach in the sense that information from an instrumental variable can be used in forming the groups; however, the present method is more generally applicable. When one of the covariates in the regression model is observed without error, the grouping can be done according to the values of this covariate and thus it requires no extraneous information
Implementing second-best environmental policy under adverse selection

Abstract A key obstacle to practical application of mechanism design theory to regulation is the difficulty of obtaining consistent beliefs regarding information that theoretical models assume to be commonly held. This article presents a solution to this problem by developing an easily implemented empirical methodology with which the government can use available data to develop beliefs regarding the technology and distribution of types in a regulated sector characterized by hidden information. Results are used to calibrate a second-best land conservation mechanism and evaluate its cost relative to simpler alternatives.
The Peril of the Pearl: In Its Strength Lay Its Vulnerability.

In a previous issue1 Dr. Eric Warm from the University of Cincinnati described the use of one-page fact sheets to raise awareness of endof-life (EOL) care issues and provide timely information about clinical questions. Today, there are more than 40 “Fast Facts” available online through the End-of-Life Physician Education Resource Center at www.eperc.mcw.edu (click on “Educational Materials”). Building on the success of this “just in time” instructional strategy for EOL content, the End-of-Life Physician Education Resource Center (EPERC) has launched a series of one-page fact sheets focused on education. “Edu-mentals” are designed to provide quick, focused information on the breadth of education from needs assessment and objectives to evaluation. As you read Simpson and Biernat’s description of this newly launched faculty development initiative, recall the “peril of the pearl”:  Short-term, the success of education can be improved by following some basic principles.  Long-term, the success of education in complex situations like EOL, can only be assured if it is designed systematically. When education goes awry, the instructor must know what was intended before she can analyze the effects of variability introduced by the learners, the setting, the teacher(s), the patient’s/family’s complexity and the instructional objectives for the session.
A state of mind like water: Ecosophy T and the Buddhist traditions

Arne Naess has come under many influences, most notably Gandhi and Spinoza. The Buddhist influence on his work, though less pervasive, provides the most direct account of key deep ecological concepts such as Self‐realization and intrinsic value. I read Ecosophy T as a rigorously phenomenological branch of Deep Ecology. like early Buddhism, Naess responds to the human suffering that causes environmental destruction by challenging us to return to the reality of lived experience. This Buddhist reading clarifies, but it also complicates. It reaffirms Naess's essential vision, but it challenges him at two points: first, to affirm that Self‐realization is a process of co‐realization with all beings, not just with sentient beings. Second, while this reading accepts that humans do not create the value of nature, it questions whether its value is best expressed in terms of the ‘intrinsic value’ of radical environmental ethicists.
2-Bromo-1-hydroxyquinolizinium Bromide Substituted Anilinium Salts: A New Class of Anti-inflammatory Agents

A series of 2-bromo-1-hydroxyquinolizinium bromide substituted anilinium salts have been prepared by reaction of 1-acetoxy-2-bromoquinolizinium bromide with an appropriately substituted aniline. The resulting anilinium derivatives exhibited a moderate to high degree of anti-inflammatory activity in the carrageenin-induced rat paw edema assay. The most active anilinium salt of the series was evaluated for antiarthritic activity in the adjuvant induced arthritis rat model.
Kartogenin induces cartilage-like tissue formation in tendon–bone junction

Tendon–bone junctions (TBJs) are frequently injured, especially in athletic settings. Healing of TBJ injuries is slow and is often repaired with scar tissue formation that compromises normal function. This study explored the feasibility of using kartogenin (KGN), a biocompound, to enhance the healing of injured TBJs. We first determined the effects of KGN on the proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation of rabbit bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) and patellar tendon stem/progenitor cells (PTSCs) in vitro. KGN enhanced cell proliferation in both cell types in a concentration-dependent manner and induced chondrogenic differentiation of stem cells, as demonstrated by high expression levels of chondrogenic markers aggrecan, collagen II and Sox-9. Besides, KGN induced the formation of cartilage-like tissues in cell cultures, as observed through the staining of abundant proteoglycans, collagen II and osteocalcin. When injected into intact rat patellar tendons in vivo, KGN induced cartilage-like tissue formation in the injected area. Similarly, when KGN was injected into experimentally injured rat Achilles TBJs, wound healing in the TBJs was enhanced, as evidenced by the formation of extensive cartilage-like tissues. These results suggest that KGN may be used as an effective cell-free clinical therapy to enhance the healing of injured TBJs.
Modifying Signal Timing During Inclement Weather

Most individuals living in cold climates realize that on snowy days their commute will take longer. Although traffic volumes are often lower, the combination of reduced speeds and capacity causes severe congestion, particularly on signalized urban networks. Signal coordination that reduces traffic congestion in typical clear conditions results in an uncoordinated and suboptimal timing plan. Traffic parameters for developing signal timings during inclement weather conditions are examined. With the completion of the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) advanced transportation management system, there is an opportunity to change signal timing plans by communicating with each controller from the Transportation Operations Center. This operation makes feasible a library of special signal timing plans, with one allocated for inclement weather. Traffic flow data were collected over a range of seven inclement weather severity conditions at two intersections for the 1999-2000 winter season. The data indicate th...
An aroA Mutant of Edwardsiella ictaluri Is Safe and Efficacious as a Live, Attenuated Vaccine

Abstract The aroA gene of Edwardsiella ictaluri was cloned and sequenced, and the sequence data were used to construct a deletion–insertion mutation in the aroA gene. The mutated gene was transferred into a virulent, wild-type E. ictaluri strain by conjugation and allelic exchange. Putative aroA mutants were confirmed phenotypically by demonstrating a need for supplementation with aromatic metabolites to support growth in minimal media. The genetic construction was evaluated by using the polymerase chain reaction to amplify appropriate regions of the aroA deletion–insertion, and DNA sequencing of the amplified products confirmed the predicted construction. A selected mutant, LSU-E1, was passed 30 times in nonselective media with no reversion to the wild-type following screening of 1.6 × 1011 colony-forming units. The mutant was demonstrated via injection to be attenuated more than 5 logs10 compared with the wild-type E. ictaluri strain, and it was avirulent by immersion and oral routes. Tissue persistence...
Principles of axiotherapy.

Axiotherapy is not another psychotherapeutic school to be piled atop the growing pyramid. In and of itself, it is not a full-blown psychotherapeutic approach with built-in techniques. Nor can it be dismissed as simply an adjunct to counseling and psychotherapy, for there are instances in which it can stand on its own. It is also true that some therapists engage in axiotherapy without being aware of it. Simply put, axiotherapy is an interpersonal encounter that gives special attention to clarifying the specific values at stake in any troublesome situation, asks how these values are functioning or dysfunctioning in relation to the long-range fulfillment of the self, and how they might be open for review and behavioral change.1 In the axiotherapeutic project, there are at least three principles that help to make the approach a bona fide modality. My purpose in this paper is to note and comment on these three principles and to describe a case illustrating them.
An exploratory drilling exhaustion sequence plot program

Abstract The exhaustion sequence plot program computes the conditional area of influence for wells in a specified rectangular region with respect to a fixed-size deposit. The deposit is represented by an ellipse whose size is chosen by the user. The area of influence may be displayed on computer printer plots consisting of a maximum of 10,000 grid points. At each point, a symbol is presented that indicates the probability of that point being exhausted by nearby wells with respect to a fixed-size ellipse. This output gives a pictorial view of the manner in which oil fields are exhausted. In addition, the exhaustion data may be used to estimate the number of deposits remaining in a basin.
Vertical Farming: Social Work and Sustainable Urban Agriculture in an Age of Global Food Crises

Abstract Environmental concerns, including issues of ecological justice, attention to sustainability, and focus on issues of food security have gathered increased momentum in social work. This article will trace the background of sustainable urban agriculture as a partial solution to the issue of global food insecurity and its impact on marginalised urban populations. It will review the development of a sustainable agricultural initiative called vertical farming and suggest that it holds promise for communities struggling with chronic food security problems. It will outline some tentative steps social work may consider in order to become more fully involved in support of vertical farming initiatives.
Tandem enyne metathesis-metallotropic [1,3]-shift for a concise total syntheses of (+)-asperpentyn, (-)-harveynone, and (-)-tricholomenyn A.

A tandem reaction sequence involving relay metathesis-induced enyne RCM and metallotropic [1,3]-shift is an effective tool to construct cyclic alkenes with embedded 1,5-dien-3-yne moieties from acyclic precursors containing a 1,3-diyne. Total syntheses of (+)-asperpentyn, (−)-harveynone, and (−)-tricholomenyn A have been accomplished by implementing this metathesis-based tandem reaction sequence as the key step.