cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Homestead Exemptions for Seniors and Disabled People on School Districts

Homestead exemptions for senior and disabled homeowners disproportionally erode rural tax bases but may still stimulate local educational spending. This article examines one such exemption in Kentu...
Short-Term Increase in Abundance of Foliage-Gleaning Insectivorous Birds Following Experimental Ice Storms in a Northern Hardwood Forest

Large-scale disturbances such as ice storms may increase in frequency and intensity as climate changes. While disturbances are a natural component of forest ecosystems, climatically driven alteration to historical patterns may impart fundamental change to ecosystem function. At Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, NH, experimental ice storms of varying severity were applied to replicate plots of mature northern hardwoods to quantify their effects on forested ecosystems. We assessed ice storm treatment effects on insectivorous foliage-gleaning birds and their interactions with larval Lepidoptera. These birds are charismatic, of conservation concern, and are a major predator of caterpillars. In turn, lepidopterans are the dominant herbivores in temperate forests and are integral to ecosystem function. We predicted that avian abundance would increase due to additional structural heterogeneity caused by ice treatments, with a concomitant increase in caterpillar predation. Point counts were used to measure insectivorous bird activity in the ice storm experiment plots and additional control plots before and after treatments. We deployed and retrieved plasticine model caterpillars and estimated predation from characteristic marks to these surrogates. Abundance of foliage-gleaning birds was higher in the ice storm plots and birds responded to treatments as a single diffuse disturbance rather than on an individual plot level. All species except one were observed both before and after the ice treatments. Surprisingly, predation on caterpillar models was unaffected by ice storm treatments but rather was a function of caterpillar density. The increase in avian abundance in the ice storm treatment plots corroborates other studies of bird responses to relatively small-scale disturbances in forests and the limited change in species composition was expected given the plot size. We conclude that ice storms may provide beneficial changes for foliage-gleaning birds in the growing season following the disturbance.
Investigating the Impact of Generation Citizen's Action Civics Education Program on Student Academic Engagement.

Student-centered, project-based, guided experiential civics education approaches, like action civics, may have benefits for general academic outcomes. Action civics programs provide applied setting...
Average and longest expected treatment times for ultraviolet light disinfection of rooms.

Background Planning Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) disinfection of operating rooms (ORs) is equivalent to scheduling brief OR cases. The study purpose was evaluation of methods for predicting surgical case duration applied to treatment times for ORs and hospital rooms. Methods Data used were disinfection times with a 3-tower UV-C disinfection system in N=700 rooms each with ≥100 completed treatments. Results The coefficient of variation of mean treatment duration among rooms was 19.6% (99% confidence interval [CI] 18.2%-21.0%); pooled mean 18.3 minutes among the 133,927 treatments. The 50th percentile of coefficients of variation among treatments of the same room was 27.3% (CI 26.3%-28.4%), comparable to variabilities in durations of surgical procedures. The ratios of the 90th percentile to mean differed among rooms. Log-normal distributions had poor fits for 33% of rooms. Combining results, we calculated 90% upper prediction limits for treatment times by room using a distribution-free method (e.g., third longest of preceding 29 durations). This approach was suitable because, once UV-C disinfection started, the median difference between the duration estimated by the system and actual time was 1 second. Conclusions Times for disinfection should be listed as treatment of a specific room (e.g., “UV-C main OR16”), not generically (e.g., “UV-C”). For estimating disinfection time after single surgical cases, use distribution-free upper prediction limits, because of considerable proportional variabilities in duration.
Association of Heart and Lung Radiation Dose With COVID-Related Mortality.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S): Studies have suggested that prior radiation dose to normal lung tissue is associated with poor COVID-19 outcomes. However, radiation dose to the heart may be an equally important consideration, given the impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular/thrombotic complications, and of cardiac dose on overall mortality after breast and lung radiation therapy. We hypothesized that prior heart radiation dose is independently associated with COVID-related mortality (CRM) after adjusting for prior lung radiation dose among COVID-19 positive patients. MATERIALS/METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the plans of the first 203 patients with a history of radiation therapy in our department to have a documented episode of COVID-19 infection resulting in either death or resolution. For non-metastatic patients with complete treatment plan information and a simulation scan including the entirety of the heart and lungs, we calculated mean bilateral lung dose (MLD [Gy]), bilateral lung V5 (LV5 [%]) and V20 (LV20 [%]), mean heart dose (MHD [Gy]), heart V5 (HV5 [%]), and V30 (HV30 [%]). Each dosimetric parameter was dichotomized at the upper tercile. Our primary endpoint was CRM. The relationship between dosimetric parameters and mortality was evaluated by univariable chi-square analysis and multivariable logistic regression with odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Of the 203 patients with documented COVID-19 infection included in our study, 37 experienced CRM (18%). Of the 53 non-metastatic dosimetrically evaluable patients comprising the study cohort, 9 experienced CRM (17%). The most common sites of disease in the study cohort were breast (Nâ¯=â¯34), among whom 3 patients (9%) experienced CRM, and lung/thoracic (Nâ¯=â¯11), among whom 4 (36%) experienced CRM. In the study cohort, median lung doses were MLD 4.7 Gy, LV5 17.9%, and LV20 8.0%; median heart doses were MHD 1.8 Gy, HV5 2.9%, and HV30 0.1%. On univariable analysis, CRM was higher for patients with MLD ≥7.2 Gy vs. < 7.2 Gy (33.3% vs. 8.6%, Pâ¯=â¯0.033), LV5 ≥25.9% vs. < 25.9% (33.3% vs. 8.6%, Pâ¯=â¯0.033), MHD ≥2.9 Gy vs. < 2.9 Gy (41.2% vs. 5.6%, P < 0.005), HV5 ≥9.4% vs. < 9.4% (38.9% vs. 5.7%, Pâ¯=â¯0.007), and HV30 ≥1.9% vs. < 1.9% (41.2% vs. 5.6%, Pâ¯=â¯0.005). Multivariable analysis showed in one model that MHD ≥2.9 Gy vs. < 2.9 Gy was associated with CRM (OR 8.7, CI 1.4-51.9, Pâ¯=â¯0.02) while MLD ≥7.2 Gy vs. < 7.2 Gy was not (OR 2.9, CI 0.5-15.8, Pâ¯=â¯0.22), and in another model that HV5 ≥9.4% vs. < 9.4% was associated with CRM (OR 7.4, CI 1.2-45.0, Pâ¯=â¯0.03) while LV5 ≥25.9% vs. < 25.9% was not (OR 2.2, CI 0.4-13.1, Pâ¯=â¯0.37). CONCLUSION: Prior heart radiation dose appeared to serve as a better predictor of COVID-related mortality than prior lung radiation dose. Future studies of the relationship between radiation therapy and COVID outcomes should include measures of heart exposure, especially given the known cardiovascular sequelae of COVID-19.
Ultra-oleophobic cotton fabric prepared using molecular and nanoparticle vapor deposition methods

Abstract Preparation of ultra-oleophobic cotton fabrics using nanoparticle vapor deposition (NVD) techniques is discussed in this paper. An atomic layer of (Tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2,-Tetrahydrooctyl)trichlorosilane (FOTS) was deposited to render the fabric surfaces oleophobic while preserving the original fabric properties such as strength, comfort, and natural feel. Surfaces were roughened by trimethylaluminium (TMA) nanoparticles, which imparted unique oleophobicity to the fabrics with contact angles as high as ~ 170° and very low hysteresis (nearly zero). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and universal attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared (UATR–FTIR) were used to investigate the development of the oleophobic coating over the fabric surface. Dynamics of the surface were also studied, and desired results, such as very low force to initiate the droplet movement, low work of adhesion, and low surface free energy, were reported.
A selective refinement approach for computing the distance functions of curves

We present an adaptive signed distance transform algorithm for curves in the plane. A hierarchy of bounding boxes is required for the input curves. We demonstrate the algorithm on the isocontours of a turbulence simulation. The algorithm provides guaranteed error bounds with a selective refinement approach. The domain over which the signed distance function is desired is adaptively triangulated and piecewise discontinuous linear approximations are constructed within each triangle. The resulting transform performs work only were requested and does not rely on a preset sampling rate or other constraints.
Fetal Membranes and Umbilical Cord

Chorion: The multifunctional roles of the chorion to the implantation process and to the formation and function of the placenta have been discussed previously.
Establishing sensitivity requirements for environmental analyses from project data quality objectives.

This article proposes a simple strategy for establishing sensitivity requirements (quantitation limits) for environmental chemical analyses when the primary data quality objective is to determine if a contaminant of concern is greater or less than an action level (e.g., an environmental "cleanup goal," regulatory limit, or risk-based decision limit). The approach assumes that the contaminant concentrations are normally distributed with constant variance (i.e., the variance is not significantly dependent upon concentration near the action level). When the total or "field" portion of the measurement uncertainty can be estimated, the relative uncertainty at the laboratory's quantitation limit can be used to determine requirements for analytical sensitivity. If only the laboratory component of the total uncertainty is known, the approach can be used to identify analytical methods or laboratories that will not satisfy objectives for sensitivity (e.g., when selecting methodology during project planning).
Organometallic compounds : V. Kinetics of phenyl-tin cleavage by a chelating agent

Abstract The kinetics of tin-phenyl cleavage of diphenyltin dichloride by 8-quinolinol (HOx) in dimethyl sulfoxide have been determined at 178–192. The rate of formation of the product, Cl 2 Sn(Ox) 2 , is given by the expression, rate  k obs [(C 6 H 5 ) 2 SnCl 2 ], where k obs  k 1 ÷ k 2 [ HOx ] 2 . The two-term expression reflects a dissociative mechanism and a mechanism which involves formation and decomposition of C 6 H 5 SnCl 2 . 2HOx. A mass-law retardation effect is demonstrated by the addition of chloride ion, though the addition of bromide ion causes no alteration in the rate. It appears that the second mechanism consists of a nucleophilic attack by 8-quinolinol followed by activation of electrophilic proton and incipient phenyl carbanion through coordination.
Security interdependencies for networked control systems with identical agents

This paper studies the security choices of identical plant- controller systems, when their security is interdependent due the exposure to network induced risks. Each plant ismodeled by a discrete-time stochastic linear system, which is sensed and controlled over a communication network. We model security decisions of the individual systems (also called players) as a game. We consider a two-stage game, in which first, the players choose whether to invest in security or ¬ and thereafter, choose control inputs to minimize the average operational costs. We fully characterize equilibria of the game, which give us the individually optimal security choices. We also find the socially optimal choices. The presence of security interdependence creates a negative externality, and results in a gap between the individual and the socially optimal security choices for a wide range of security costs. Due to the negative externality, the individual players tend to under invest in security.
Sizing Defects Using Annular Array Techniques with an Automatic Ultrasonic Data Acquisition System

Present state of the art sizing measurements of defects by ultrasonic techniques has been inadequate, especially in support of a quantitative fracture mechanical analysis of the strength of a material. Present capabilities of defect sizing in some cases do not allow an accept/reject decision to be made. Currently, ultrasonic imaging systems including phased array, synthetic aperture, and wavefront reconstruction systems are being developed to quantitatively measure defect sizes. Also, in the medical field phased array systems have been developed for imaging purposes. Ibis work describes an annular phased array system which is being developed for general NDE applications on metal and ceramic materials. The main usefulness of phased array techniques is the ability of electronically changing the focus of the acoustic beam radiating from a phased array transducer or reflecting from a defect in a solid material.
Phosphate Binding to Alkaline Phosphatase METAL ION DEPENDENCE

Abstract The metal ion dependence of 32P binding to Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase has been studied by means of equilibrium dialysis. Whereas the apoenzyme does not bind phosphate (no sites with K l 5 x 10-5 m), the addition of 2 Zn(II) cations per molecule induces the tight binding of 1 phosphate dianion (K = 6 x 10-7 m). The magnitude of this binding constant is affected by ionic strength, pH, and protein concentration. Of the first transition and IIB metal ions, Mn(II), Co(II), Zn(II), and Cd(II) all induce the tight binding of one phosphate per dimer, but only Zn(II) and Co(II) induce enzymatic activity. Cu(II) is less effective, while Ni(II) and Hg(II) are ineffective in inducing phosphate binding. The formation of the phosphoryl enzyme, as measured by treatment of the 32P-protein mixture with perchloric acid, is also metal ion-dependent. The Zn(II) enzyme forms the phosphoryl enzyme only at low pH, a maximum of 0.6 mole per mole of dimer being observed at pH 5. The apoenzyme forms no phosphoryl enzyme at any pH. In marked contrast, Cd(II) induces the formation of significant equilibrium concentrations of phosphoryl enzyme in the alkaline pH range, reaching a maximum stoichiometry of 1 mole per mole of dimer at pH 6.5. Isolation of a phosphorylated peptide from the Cd(II) enzyme shows that the same seryl residue is phosphorylated in the Cd(II) protein as in the native Zn(II) enzyme. Mn(II) and Co(II) also induce the formation of significant amounts of phosphoryl enzyme in the alkaline pH region. Phosphorylation of the Cd(II) enzyme is relatively slow, k = ∼3 x 10-3 sec-1, but once formed the Cd(II) phosphoryl enzyme does not break down as shown by its failure to catalyze the exchange of 18O from H218O into inorganic phosphate. The data suggest that the metal ion plays an important role in formation and breakdown of the phosphoryl enzyme as well as in the binding of phosphate.
Differential Activation of MAP Kinase Signaling Pathways and Nuclear Factor-κB in Bronchoalveolar Cells of Smokers and Nonsmokers

Prolonged exposure of alveolar macrophages (AM) to components of tobacco smoke, including nicotine and aromatic hydrocarbons, may lead to alterations in activation of cellular signaling pathways. In this study, we compared the spontaneous and LPS-stimulated activation of MAP kinases and NF-κB in bronchoalveolar cells (BAC) from smokers and nonsmokers. BAC, which were predominantly comprised of AM, were obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage of healthy volunteering adult smokers and nonsmokers. Nuclear and cytoplasmic extracts were prepared from cell lysates. Activation of NF-κB was assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Degradation of the inhibitor of NF-κB (IκB) and total MAP kinases were assessed by Western blot analysis. Activation of MAP kinases, ERK, SAPK/JNK, and p38 were assessed by immunoprecipitation of cell lysates and kinase assays. LPS induced the activation of NF-κB in a dose-dependent manner, but BAC from smokers were approximately 10 times more sensitive, and showed faster kinetics of activation of NF-κB than BAC from nonsmokers. All three classes of MAP kinase—ERK, SAPK, and p38—were simultaneously activated by LPS in BAC from smokers and nonsmokers. However, the individual MAP kinases exhibited differential kinetics of activation. Activation of p38 was more rapid in BAC from smokers, whereas the activation of ERK and SAPK was similar in both groups. The differences in activation of NF-κB and MAP kinases in BAC from smokers and nonsmokers may relate to the differences in their microenvironment in situ as affected by chronic exposure to cigarette smoke. These differences may contribute to the increased susceptibility of smokers to infections, including infection with HIV-1, and lung disease.
Surfactant-enhanced free radical polymerization of styrene in emulsion gels

Abstract The presence of a surfactant (such as hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTAB) enhanced the rate of polymerization of styrene in emulsion gels with and without silica. The emulsion gels consisted of styrene, azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN), surfactant, water, and, in some cases, fumed silica. Polymerization of the emulsions was carried out at room temperature in one or several days depending on the composition of the emulsion. The conversion of monomer to polymer could exceed 90% in a couple of days. In contrast, very little polymerization occurred in the absence of surfactant. A simple model, incorporating a surfactant–initiator complex and standard free radical polymerization, successfully fits the experimental kinetics data. This analysis suggests that the initiator is complexed with approximately three surfactant molecules.
Tumor size, depth of invasion, and histologic grade as prognostic factors of lymph node involvement in endometrial cancer: A SEER analysis☆

Abstract Objectives The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the risk of nodal metastasis in patients with endometrial cancer, using the Mayo criteria, in a population-based analysis. Materials and methods Data from the SEER registry was reviewed for endometrial cancer cases diagnosed between 1988 and 2010. Patients were considered at low-risk for nodal metastasis if their tumors were histologic grade 1 or 2, myometrial invasion was less than 50%, and tumor size equal to or less than 2cm. Patients not meeting these criteria were considered at high-risk for nodal involvement. Results The final study group consisted of 19,329 women with surgically staged endometrial cancer. Of these, 1035 (5.3%) had lymph node involvement. Based on Mayo criteria, 4095 (21.1%) patients were found to be at low-risk and 15,234 (78.9%) at high-risk for nodal metastasis. Low-risk features were associated with a 1.4% risk for lymph node metastasis, compared to 6.4% in patients with high-risk features (p Conclusions In a population-based analysis, women with low-risk endometrial cancer, as defined by the Mayo criteria, have a low rate of lymph node metastasis.
The ultraviolet extinction from interstellar graphitic onions

Carbon particles in interstellar dust cause absorption of starlight at certain wavelengths. Kroto and McKay1 have suggested that such particles have the form of quasi-icosahedral spiral shells, with the hexagonal graphitic planes perpendicular to the radius, like the layers of an onion. Using the discrete dipole approximation (DDA)2 I have calculated the ultraviolet extinction curves of small spherical particles with the tensor dielectric constant of graphite but with the c-axis always running parallel to the radius vector. The feature at a wavelength of 2,200 A is doubled in width and moved to a wavelength about 80 A shorter in comparison to the parameters derived from the usual Mie theory approximation for a mixture of particles with scalar dielectric constants. For larger particles, the peak shifts to longer wavelengths, but for a radius of ∼300 A which puts the peak at 2,200 A (the same position as the mean interstellar absorption peak3), the width of absorption by quasi-icosahedral particles is too large to fit the data.
Treating PTSD in suicidal and self-injuring women with borderline personality disorder: Development and preliminary evaluation of a Dialectical Behavior Therapy Prolonged Exposure Protocol

This study focused on the development and pilot testing of a protocol based on Prolonged Exposure (PE) that can be added to Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to treat PTSD in suicidal and self-injuring individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Women with BPD, PTSD, and recent and/or imminent serious intentional self-injury (n = 13) received one year of DBT with the DBT PE Protocol, plus three months of follow-up assessment. The treatment was associated with significant reductions in PTSD, with the majority of patients no longer meeting criteria for PTSD at post-treatment (71.4% of DBT PE Protocol completers, 60.0% of the intent-to-treat sample). A minority of patients (27.3%) engaged in intentional self-injury during the study. Improvements were also found for suicidal ideation, dissociation, trauma-related guilt cognitions, shame, anxiety, depression, and social adjustment. There was no evidence that the DBT PE Protocol led to exacerbations of intentional self-injury urges or behaviors, PTSD, treatment dropout, or crisis service use. Overall, the results indicate that this integrated BPD and PTSD treatment is feasible to implement within one year of treatment, highly acceptable to patients and therapists, safe to administer, and shows promise as an effective intervention for PTSD in this complex and high-risk patient population.
Ruthenium catalyzed decarbonylative arylation at sp3 carbon centers in pyrrolidine and piperidine heterocycles

This paper describes the development of a new catalytic transformation, the ruthenium-catalyzed decarbonylative arylation of cyclic 2-amino esters, which replaces the ester group with an aryl ring at the sp3 carbon center. For example, proline ester amidine 1 is converted to 2-arylpyrrolidine 3 in the presence of arylboronic acids or esters as arene donors and Ru3(CO)12 as the catalyst. This process provides a rapid access to a variety of 2-arylpyrrolidines and piperidines from commercially available proline, hydroxyproline, and pipecolinate esters. The examination of the substrate scope also showed that many arene boronic acids and boronate esters serve as coupling partners. The high chemoselectivity of this process was demonstrated and ascribed to the significant rate difference between the decarbonylative arylation and the C−H arylation. The decarbonylative arylation complements the C−H arylation, since the latter process lacks control over the extent of functionalization, affording a mixture of mono- ...
A common precursor to neurotensin and LANT6 and its differential processing in chicken tissues

Abstract Antisera towards neurotensin (NT) and the structurally related peptide, LANT6, were used to characterize immunoreactive peptides and proteins in extracts of chicken tissues. A 17 kDa protein was identified by Western blotting as a potential precursor to NT and LANT6. However, the posttranslational processing of this common precursor appeared to be tissue specific, giving rise to disproportionate amounts of NT and LANT6, along with varying expression of a large molecular LANT6 ( M r , 15 kDa). The intestinal cells containing immunoreactive NT, LANT6, and large molecular LANT6 behaved similarly during fractionation by size and density. These activities also banded together in particles resembling vesicles during centrifugation of isotonic homogenates of tissue. These results suggest that chicken NT and LANT6 are biosynthesized as parts of the same precursor, the processing of which can give rise to a variety of products stored within secretory vesicles.
Effects of growth hormone on the metabolism of lipids and water and their potential in causing adverse events during growth hormone treatment.

GH effects certain changes in the metabolism of lipids and body water in humans. The effects of GH, such as high blood pressure, an increase in cholesterol and triglycerides, and lipoatrophy, among others, must, however, be seen in the context of the diverse disorders being treated. The risks faced in acromegaly, for instance, are not necessarily shared by Turner’s syndrome patients treated with GH. The various metabolic effects of GH could thus be said to lead to adverse events in certain risk groups, which makes the monitoring of relevant parameters essential during treatment with GH.
Class Start Times, Sleep, and Academic Performance in College: A Path Analysis

Path analysis was used to examine the relationship between class start times, sleep, circadian preference, and academic performance in college-aged adults. Consistent with observations in middle and high school students, college students with later class start times slept longer, experienced less daytime sleepiness, and were less likely to miss class. Chronotype was an important moderator of sleep schedules and daytime functioning; those with morning preference went to bed and woke up earlier and functioned better throughout the day. The benefits of taking later classes did not extend to academic performance, however; grades were somewhat lower in students with predominantly late class schedules. Furthermore, students taking later classes were at greater risk for increased alcohol consumption, and among all the factors affecting academic performance, alcohol misuse exerted the strongest effect. Thus, these results indicate that later class start times in college, while allowing for more sleep, also increase the likelihood of alcohol misuse, ultimately impeding academic success.
Reply to Spanhove & Lehouck “Don't Miss the Invasions! A Note on Forest Health Monitoring in the Taita Hills, Kenya”

Spanhove and Lehouck raise several excellent points in their critique of “Forest Health Monitoring in the Ngangao Forest, Taita Hills, Kenya: A Five Year Assessment of Change” (JEANH 97(1): 3-17). Their central argument, that Rogers et al. neglected monitoring of invasive alien species in their assessment of ‘forest health’, cannot be disputed. Though we briefly address the influence of endemic trees (specifically pioneer species), and contrast those influences between Chawia (a highly disturbed forest) and Ngangao (a moderately disturbed forest), we do not extend our assessment to other invasive exotic vegetation. Thus, our study constitutes an assessment of change in the condition of the Ngangao Forest (primarily trees) and misses other elements of the ecosystem, such as the invasive species component correctly pointed out by Spanhove & Lehouck. In addition to alien species, there are enumerable components critical to ecosystem ‘health’ not examined here (e.g. forest soils and erosion, nutrient cycling, epiphytes, bioindicators of air quality, understorey vegetation, invertibrates, wildlife, etc.).
Dynamic multi-robot team reconfiguration using weighted voting games

We consider the problem of dynamic reconfiguration of robot teams when they encounter obstacles while navigating in formation, in an initially unknown environment. We have used a framework from coalition game theory called weighted voting games to analyse this problem and proposed two heuristics that can appropriately partition a robot team into sub-teams. We have experimentally verified our technique on teams of e-puck robots of different sizes and with different obstacle geometries, both on the Webots simulator and on physical robots. We have also shown that our technique performs faster and generates considerably fewer partitions than an existing robot coalition formation algorithm.
The effects of elevated circulating prolactin in rats with hereditary hypothalamic diabetes insipidus (Brattleboro strain).

Administration of ovine or rat PRL to animals, including man, has resulted in decreased urine volume and increased urine osmolality. Contamination of PRL preparations with vasopressin is the most likely explanation for the apparent antidiuretic effect. In this study, diabetes insipidus rats lacking vasopressin (homozygous Brattleboro rats) had extra anterior pituitary glands implanted under the kidney capsule, resulting in hyperprolactinemia. The urine of such rats was not more concentrated than that of unoperated littermates or sham-operated littermates with diabetes insipidus. In fact, hyperprolactinemic male rats produced even less concentrated urine than control rats. Furthermore, the hyperprolactinemic rats responded to exogenous vasopressin in a manner similar to normoprolactinemic rats. These studies provide strong evidence against an antidiuretic action of PRL in mammals.
India, China, The United States, Tibet, and The Origins of the 1962 War

The CIA's Secret War in Tibet. By Kenneth Conboy and James Morrison. Lawrence: University of Kansas Press, 2002. 320 pages. Cloth, $34.95. Cold War in the High Himalayas, The USA, China and South A...
Stock market prediction by using artificial neural network

A neural networks based model have been used in predicting of the stock market. One of the methods, as an intelligent data mining, is artificial neural network (ANN). In this paper represents how to predict a NASDAQ's stock value using ANNs with a given input parameters of share market. We used real exchange rate value of NASDAQ Stock Market index. This paper makes use generalized feed forward networks. The network was trained using input data of stock market price in between 2012 and 2013. It shows a good performance for NASDAQ stock market prediction.
The scattering of ultrasonic third sound from substrate surface defects

The interaction of third sound with isolated surface defects is examined. Phase-inverted reflections are observed to occur at surface defects even when the wavelength of the third sound is much greater than the dimensions of the defect. The origin of the scattering mechanism is believed to be due to the change in the helium film thickness in the vicinity of the topological variations introduced by the presence of the surface defects. Data are obtained for ultrasonic frequencies in the 20–200 kHz range.
KnowPain-50: A Tool for Assessing Physician Pain Management Education

Background. Despite a need for better physician pain management education, there are no widely accepted assessment or outcome measures to support this work. Objective. Create a self-assessment tool to measure physician educational needs and the effectiveness of chronic pain educational programs. Design. We used expert consensus to draft a 142-item survey that covered essential areas of chronic pain management. We tested the survey in 106 physicians, including 22 pain management experts and used predefined psychometric criteria to eliminate 70 items. We then eliminated 22 remaining items that did not correlate with the management of a standardized chronic pain patient by 27 academic physicians. We evaluated internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha. Results. The final 50-item survey assessed physician knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs in: 1) initial pain assessment; 2) defining goals and expectations; 3) development of a treatment plan; 4) implementation of a treatment plan; 5) reassessment and management of longitudinal care; and 6) management of environmental issues. The survey demonstrated good internal consistency in all physician populations studied (α = 0.77−0.85). Average scores in 84 “pilot” physician users of a CME Website (135.8–138.5) were significantly lower ( P < 0.01) than scores in 27 academic physicians (150.0), or 22 pain experts (177.5). Conclusions. This survey, the KnowPain-50, has good psychometric properties, correlates with clinical behaviors, and appears to distinguish between physicians with different levels of pain management expertise. It may be a useful measure of the effectiveness of physician pain management education programs.
A finite element weighted residual solution to one-dimensional field problems

The one-dimensional diffusion-convection equation is formulated with the finite element representation employing the Galerkin approach. A linear shape function and two-dimensional triangular and rectangular elements in space and time were used in solving the problem. The results are compared with finite difference solutions as well as the exact solution. As another example, the convective term is set equal to zero and these techniques are applied to the resulting heat equation and similar comparisons are made.
Compact flexible manufacturing systems

Abstract This paper discusses the need to investigate the complex problem domain of flexible manufacturing systems (FMS), and develops potential rule structures for this manufacturing environment. Specifically, a simulation analysis that focuses on the operating characteristics of machine centers using automatic pallet loading queues is performed and results are presented. These types of FMS claim benefits from the ability to ‘stack’ work ahead for unattended processing. This research examines a number of loading or scheduling rules designed to extract benefits from and attenuate the impact of such a system. Results demonstrate the inherent conflict of effectiveness, efficiency, and high utilization performance criteria. The paper discusses rule structures which should aid in characterizing the shop conditions under which such automated queuing systems are desirable.
Variability of visual evoked potentials in human infants and adults

Abstract Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were recorded in 6 normal 12–13-week-old infants and 4 young adults during wakefulness and sleep in 2 recording sessions approximately one week apart. VEP configuration as well as latency and amplitude of response components were examined with attention to relationships with the wakefulness-sleep cycle and intra- and intersession consistency. Results were compared with previously published data from newborns. The following conclusions have been reached: 1. 1. In newborns VEP configuration tends to be unreliable during wakefulness and active sleep between days. It tends to be reliable during quiet sleep between days in some subjects, but quite unreliable in others. 2. 2. In 3-month-old infants VEP configuration tends to be unreliable during wakefulness and drowsiness (stages W and 1) between days, but to be more reliable during slow wave sleep (SWS; stages 2–4) between days. 3. 3. In adults VEPs tend to be reliable during both wakefulness and sleep, but especially during SWS. 4. 4. Overall, VEPs are more reliable within sessions than between days, are more reliable for adults than for infants, and are slightly more reliable for 3-month-old infants than for newborns. 5. 5. Regardless of stage of the wakefulness—sleep cycle VEPs are a great deal more homogeneous across the occipital area of the head (leads O1, OZ, O2) in adults than in infants or newborns, while the latter 2 groups are not different from one another. 6. 6. In all groups (newborns, 3-month-old infants, and adults) the latency of the early components of the VEP (P0–P2) are relatively stable and are invariant with respect to the wakefulness-sleep cycle. However, components P0, N0 and P1 are often not seen. 7. 7. In newborns and 3-month-old infants the latencies of the later components of the VEP (N2, P3, N3) are variable but unrelated to the wakefulness-sleep cycle. In adults the latencies of the later components are variable and are related to the wakefulness-sleep cycle: (1) During stage W a sequence of rhythmic sinusoidal waves (“sensory after-discharge”) tends to follow the P3 component; (2) components N2 and P3 increase in latency during slow wave sleep; (3) component N3 appears during slow wave sleep, seeming to develop as a consolidation of the first waves of the sensory after-discharge. 8. 8. In newborns and 3-month-old infants the P2 components is the most often identifiable and the most stable, and is the best “marker” component. In adults P3 is the best “marker” component. 9. 9. The VEP of the 3-month-old infant has not matured as much over that of the newborn as was expected on the basis of changes in P2 latency and collateral electrophysiological findings.
Predictive value of immunohistochemistry in pre-malignant lesions of the gastrointestinal tract

Immunohistochemistry can be an important adjunct to histopathology for the diagnosis of pre-malignant lesions of the gastrointestinal tract and in patient risk stratification. The purpose of this review is to provide information and guidance on the usefulness of immunohistochemical markers that facilitate the diagnosis of dysplasia and help to predict risk for the development of carcinoma in pre-malignant lesions of the gastrointestinal tract. Particular emphasis is given to the role of immunohistochemistry in the assessment of epithelial dysplasia in the setting of Barrett's esophagus and inflammatory bowel disease; supplementary immunohistochemistry for subtyping adenomas of the stomach and ampulla and serrated polyps of the colon and rectum; and ancillary markers of squamous neoplasia of the anal canal.
Molecular dynamics simulations of the charge-induced unfolding and refolding of unsolvated cytochrome c

The charge-induced unfolding and refolding of unsolvated cytochrome c have been studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Simulations were performed for protonated charge states between +3 and +19. The charge-induced unfolding of cytochrome c in the gas phase has previously been examined by ion mobility measurements. The main features of the experimental results are reproduced by the MD simulations reported here. The simulations provide insight into how the energy landscape changes with charge, and into the nature of the unfolded conformations of the higher charge states. Experiments have shown that unsolvated cytochrome c refolds when the charge is reduced. MD simulations of this refolding process were also performed. When the charge is reduced, the protein ions collapse, but they became trapped in random loop conformations with little secondary structure.
Informing choice or teaching submission to medical authority: a case study of adolescent transitioning for sickle cell patients

Objectives. To understand how some of the top pediatric sickle cell centers are transitioning their adolescent patients from pediatric care given the diminished availability and quality of services in adult care. Design. The ethnographic research for this project was carried out over more than seven years. Patients, medical professionals, and disease advocates were interviewed and observed in clinics, homes, offices, at national meetings, and at sickle cell-related events. This paper focuses narrowly on adolescent transitioning programs that are designed to educate teenage patients about sickle cell disease (SCD) and treatments; how to communicate with medical professionals; and when it is appropriate to use healthcare services. This paper uses the experiences of a social worker in a pediatric hospital clinic as a lens for understanding the role patient education can play in improved outcomes. Results.Adolescent sickle cell patients are already skeptical about medical care. In transitioning meetings, legi...
Cellular expression of Smarca4 (Brg1)-regulated genes in zebrafish retinas.

In a recent genomic study, Leung et al. used a factorial microarray analysis to identify Smarca4 (Brg1)-regulated genes in micro-dissected zebrafish retinas. Two hundred and fifty nine genes were grouped in three-way ANOVA models which carried the most specific retinal change. To validate the microarray results and to elucidate cellular expression patterns of the significant genes for further characterization, 32 known genes were randomly selected from this group. In situ hybridization of these genes was performed on the same types of samples (wild-type (WT) and smarca4 a50/a50 (yng) mutant) at the same stages (36 and 52 hours post-fertilization (hpf)) as in the microarray study. Thirty out of 32 riboprobes showed a positive in situ staining signal. Twenty seven out of these 30 genes were originally further classified as Smarca4-regulated retinal genes, while the remaining three as retinal-specific expression independent of Smarca4 regulation. It was found that 90.32% of the significant microarray comparisons that were used to identify Smarca4-regulated retinal genes had a corresponding qualitative expression change in the in situ hybridization comparisons. This is highly concordant with the theoretical true discovery rate of 95%. Hierarchical clustering was used to investigate the similarity of the cellular expression patterns of 25 out of the 27 Smarca4-regulated retinal genes that had a sufficiently high expression signal for an unambiguous identification of retinal expression domains. Three broad groups of expression pattern were identified; including 1) photoreceptor layer/outer nuclear layer specific expression at 52 hpf, 2) ganglion cell layer (GCL) and/or inner nuclear layer (INL) specific expression at both 36 & 52 hpf, and 3) GCL and/or INL specific expression at 52 hpf only. Some of these genes have recently been demonstrated to play key roles in retinal cell-type specification, differentiation and lamination. For the remaining three retinal-specific genes that are independent of Smarca4 regulation, they all had a subtle expression difference between WT and smarca4 a50/a50 retinas as detected by in situ hybridization. This subtle expression difference was also detected by the original microarray analysis. However, the difference was lower than the fold change cut-off used in that study and hence these genes were not inferred as Smarca4-regulated retinal genes. This study has successfully investigated the expression pattern of 32 genes identified from the original factorial microarray analysis. The results have demonstrated that the true discovery rate for identifying Smarca4-regulated retinal genes is 90.3%. Hence, the significant genes from the microarray study are good candidates for cell-type specific markers and will aid further investigation of retinal differentiation.
Taurine tissue concentrations and salinity effect on taurine in the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de man)

Abstract 1. 1. Taurine concentrations were determined in various organs dissected from juvenile Macrobrachium rosenbergii . 2. 2. Heart and nervous tissue had the highest taurine concentrations; this suggests that taurine may function in cardiac and neural processes in the prawn. 3. 3. Relative free amino acid concentrations were determined to investigate changes in concentration following acclimation to various salinities. 4. 4. No significant change in taurine concentration in the prawns was demonstrated at any salinity tested. However, the concentration of alanine increased significantly between 15–20%. The elevated alanine concentration suggests it may function in osmoregulation.
A thiophosphate analog of dimyristoylphosphatidyl-inositol-4-phosphate is a substrate for mammalian phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase c

1,2-Dimyristoyloxypropane-3-thiophosphate(rac-1-myo-inositol-4-phosphate), a thiophosphate analog of dimyristoyl phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate was synthesized as a substrate for mammalian phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C. Its activity with Δ(1–132)-PI-PLC-δ1 (a deletion mutant with the N-terminal pleckstrin homology domain removed) was studied in sonicated dispersions, with and without added Triton X-100. It had an initial activity of about 30 μmol min−1 mg−1, which rapidly decreased due to substrate depletion in the vesicle or micelle. The slower rate of hydrolysis appeared limited by enzyme hopping or exchange of substrate between vesicles or micelles, which was more rapid in the presence of detergent.
Agency in a Geometry Review Lesson: A Linguistic View on Teacher and Student Division of Labor.

Abstract Research has shown that expert mathematics teachers are more effective than novices eliciting and incorporating students’ ideas during review lessons. In this paper, we inquire into students’ agency in a review. We ask: (1) What is the division of labor between the teacher and the students? (2) What linguistic resources does an expert teacher use to manage students’ contributions? We examined classroom videos of an experienced geometry teacher who conducted reviews in four lessons. We applied Systemic Functional Linguistics to identify the resources from the system of Negotiation used. We found that the teacher had more agency than the students. However, in one lesson, the teacher's performance of Negotiation moves enabled the students to have some agency in the selection of components of the review tasks. Overall, students’ performance of dynamic moves enabled them to address their difficulties and the teacher's performance of move complexes made explicit the operations to be remembered. We suggest ways for teachers to enable students to have agency during reviews.
ASSESSING FIT OF MODELS WITH DISCRETE PROFICIENCY VARIABLES IN EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT

Model checking is a crucial part of any statistical analysis. As educators tie models for testing to cognitive theory of the domains, there is a natural tendency to represent participant proficiencies with latent variables representing the presence or absence of the knowledge, skills, and proficiencies to be tested (Mislevy, Almond, Yan, & Steinberg, 2001). Model checking for these models is not straightforward, mainly because traditional χ2-type tests do not apply except for assessments with a small number of items. Williamson, Mislevy, and Almond (2000) note a lack of published diagnostic tools for these models. This paper suggests a number of graphics and statistics for diagnosing problems with models with discrete proficiency variables. A small diagnostic assessment first analyzed by Tatsuoka (1990) serves as a test bed for these tools. This work is a continuation of the recent work by Yan, Mislevy, and Almond (2003) on this data set. Two diagnostic tools that prove useful are Bayesian residual plots and an analog of the item characteristic curve (ICC) plots. A χ2-type statistic based on the latter plot shows some promise, but more work is required to establish the null distribution of the statistic. On the basis of the identified problems with the model used by Mislevy (1995), the suggested diagnostics are helpful to hypothesize an improved model that seems to fit better.
Alternative medicine: herbal preparations

Abstract An extraordinary escalation has occurred in the number of individuals who use herbal preparations or essential oils, either alone or in combination with other alternative medicine practices, over the last decade in the United States. Currently, there is no regulation of the safety or efficacy of these products, but the National Institutes of Health is supporting research in this area. This report reviews 20 popular herbs and essential oils, with emphasis on their potential toxicity and interactions.