cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Teacher education programmes delivered at a distance: An examination of distance student perceptions

Abstract Recent technological developments have greatly influenced the ways American universities deliver educational course offerings to students at a distance. The perception of pre-service teachers in distance education programmes is germane to the planning and delivery of distance education courses in teacher education departments in the future. The results of this American study revealed a differing perception between male and female students in the area of course structure, student/teacher interaction, overall course satisfaction and peer interaction. As a result of this study, recommendations are provided for teacher preparation programmes to improve distance education course offerings for prospective teachers in the USA and implications for educators involved in teacher preparation internationally.
Introduction of Electronic Communication Technology into Schools

Surveys and site-based interviews and observation were used to examine the introduction of electronic mail (e-mail) into three elementary schools. A contingency model of technology adoption by organizations was used to develop the instruments and interpret the results. Surveys were given to all of the school staff to capture information on key factors such as: expectations fore-mail, influence of peers and administrators, training, technical support, and other logistical factors. On-site observation was used to expand on the findings of the surveys. Strong differences were seen between the schools in their use of the new email system and in their responses to questions pertaining to various contingency factors. In addition, significant correlations were found between the contingency factors and self-reported e-mail usage. The results of this study not only point to the importance of attending to the contingency factors identified in this study, but emphasizing that many other factors play a role in the ad...
Periconceptional vitamin use, dietary folate and occurrent neural tube defected pregnancies in a high risk population

Abstract PURPOSE: This 5 year (1992–1997) population-based case control study was conducted to determine if supplemental or dietary folate taken during the periconceptional period reduces the risk of occurrent neural tube defect (NTD) affected pregnancies in a high risk population. METHODS: Cases were all NTD pregnancies including elective terminations, fetal deaths and live births in South Carolina. Only isolated, occurrent NTD affected pregnancies were included (N = 179). Controls (N = 288) were randomly selected from each hospital in proportion to the hospital's contribution to the total live births in the state for the previous year. All mothers were interviewed in person using a modified Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Birth Defect Risk Factor Surveillance Mother's Questionnaire and the Harvard Food Frequency Questionnaire. RESULTS: Women who used a vitamin with 0.4 mg or more of folate at least 3 times per week during the 3 months before and 3 months after conception had a lower risk of having an NTD affected pregnancy than women who took no folate supplementation at any time during pregnancy [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.42; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.19–0.94]; women who used a vitamin with 0.4 mg or more of folic acid for less than 3 times per week or in partial months during the 6 month periconceptional period also had a slightly lower risk of having an NTD affected pregnancy relative to women who used no folate supplementation at any time during pregnancy [AOR = .72; 95% CI = 0.41–1.30]. The risk of NTD affected pregnancy was also lower for women who daily consumed foods containing higher levels of folate: AORs were 0.36 (95% CI = 0.18–0.73), 0.72 (95% CI = 0.42–1.22), and 0.61 (95% CI 0.36–1.04) from the highest to lowest quartile of dietary folate which were 0.457–3.12 mg, 0.322–0.457 mg, and 0.236–0.322 mg respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A reduction in occurrent NTD risk associated with folate supplementation and dietary intake was observed.
Abstract B107: A pooled analysis of 14 prospective cohort studies on the association between red meat, poultry, fish, and egg intake and risk of prostate cancer

Background: Findings from epidemiological studies that have examined the association between intakes of red meat, poultry, fish and eggs and prostate cancer risk are inconsistent. Methods: We examined the associations of these dietary factors with risk of prostate cancer in an international collaboration of 14 cohort studies. The primary data from each study were analyzed using standardized criteria for the exposure and outcome variables. During the follow-up ranging from up to 10 to 22 years across studies, 51,896 incident prostate cancer cases were identified among 806,969 participants. Of these, 5,061 cases were advanced stage cases (equivalent to T4, N1 or M1 or fatal). The majority of advanced cases (n=3,692) were fatal cases. There were 37,006 low-grade cases (defined as Gleason score =8 or poorly differentiated/ undifferentiated). A Cox proportional hazard model was used to calculate multivariate study-specific relative risks (RR) and then these results were pooled employing a random effects model. Results: Higher unprocessed red meat and processed meat intakes were not associated with a substantially increased risk of prostate cancer regardless of stage or grade, e.g. pooled RR (95% confidence interval (CI)) for advanced cancers when comparing highest versus lowest category was 0.96 (0.77–1.19) for unprocessed red meat and 1.05 (0.91–1.20) for processed meat intake. Poultry and egg intakes were not associated with risk of localized, low-grade or high-grade cancers. However, higher poultry intake was associated with a non-significant 16% decreased risk of advanced cancer when comparing the highest (≥40 g/day, equivalent to ≥1.4 ounces/day) with the lowest intake category ( Conclusion: Our results do not support a substantial association between unprocessed red meat, processed meat or seafood intake and risk of prostate cancer regardless of stage or grade. Higher poultry intake was associated with a modest decreased risk of fatal prostate cancer. The positive association between egg intake and risk of advanced cancers warrants further investigation given the observed differences in associations by geographical region. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):B107.
Association of renal injury with nitric oxide deficiency in aged SHR: prevention by hypertension control with AT1 blockade.

Association of renal injury with nitric oxide deficiency in aged SHR: Prevention by hypertension control with AT 1 blockade. Background Aged spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) develop end-stage renal disease resembling that of uncontrolled essential hypertension in humans. Nitric oxide (NO) and angiotensin II (Ang II) play an important role in the regulation of blood pressure and the growth of vascular smooth muscle and renal mesangial cells. The relationship between renal NO system, Ang II activity and renal injury in aged SHR is not fully understood. Methods The 8-week-old SHR were randomized into losartan-treated (30 mg/kg/day for 55 weeks) and vehicle treated groups. The age-matched Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) served as controls. Renal histology and tissue expressions of endothelial and inducible NO synthases (eNOS and iNOS) and nitrotyrosine were examined at 63-weeks of age. Results Compared to the WKY group, untreated SHR showed severe hypertension, proteinuria, renal insufficiency, a twofold decrease in renal tissue eNOS and iNOS expressions and massive nitrotyrosine accumulation. This was associated with severe glomerulosclerosis, tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis. Losartan therapy normalized blood pressure, prevented proteinuria and renal insufficiency, abrogated the fall in renal eNOS and iNOS protein contents, mitigated renal nitrotyrosine accumulation, and prevented the histological abnormalities found in the untreated SHR. Conclusions Aged SHR exhibit severe renal lesions with acquired NO deficiency that are prevented by hypertension control with AT 1 blockade. These findings point to the possible role of NO deficiency in the pathogenesis of renal lesions in aged SHR.
Experimental Analysis of Propeller Interactions With a Flexible Wing Micro-Air-Vehicle

Abstract : An investigation into the effects of the propeller slipstream on a flexible wing micro-air-vehicle (MAV) was conducted. The Air Force Research Lab, Munitions Directorate designed a man-portable MAV with a 24 in. wingspan and 6 in. root chord to be used for battle damage assessment and reconnaissance. Two wings have been developed for this MAV. One is a rigid carbon-fiber wing and the other consists of flexible parachute material attached to a carbon-fiber skeleton. Experimental methods were implemented to investigate propeller and wing interactions, characterizing torque and thrust requirements on the motor along with aerodynamic forces on the aircraft as the wing was placed in various locations. Initially, the motor and propeller were mounted on an air bearing table and connected to a torque and load cell. A fuselage prototype was developed and built to mount the wing at multiple heights and distances from the propeller while keeping the same angle of attack. The airframe was attached to a six degree-of-freedom balance. A tri-axial hot-wire anemometer was used to capture velocity profiles in the wind tunnel to characterize propeller wake interactions. Momentum theory provided a method to extract drag and thrust from the velocity profiles. Propeller wake results indicate 12-18% of propeller thrust translates into aircraft drag while 25-45% of motor torque is countered by aircraft roll moment. Values depend on wing location. Results indicate that changing wing location is a viable option for improving pitch and yaw stability, without increasing power requirements.
PL05.2 New Technologies in STI Diagnosis and Control: Promising Future

Background Over 350 million (M) prevalent cases of curable STIs are estimated worldwide: 100 M chlamydia (CT), 36M gonorrhoea (NG), 187 M trichomonas, and 36 M cases of syphilis. 34 M HIV infections are estimated worldwide. Human papillomavirus infections (HPV) and herpes viruses (HSV) are highly prevalent, yet are not often diagnosed. Technology has led to sensitive nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs), allowing use of non-invasive specimens, like vaginal swabs and urine. NAATs are widely available, and novel approaches include point-of-care (POC) tests, internet availability, and self-testing. New serological tests have advanced diagnoses of HIV, HPV, and HSV. Yet, challenges to diagnosing STIs continue. Methods To discern where we are heading in the field of HIV/STI diagnostics research, new assays and new approaches to enhance care were reviewed. Results There are commercial NAATs for CT/NG by 4–5 companies. Some are available on expensive robotic platforms, limiting their use in resource-constrained settings. Additionally, a new CT/NG NAAT that can return results in 90 minutes is available. Other rapid NAAT and hybridization POC assays are in the pipeline. There are two NAATs and a POC test for trichomonas. POC syphilis serology tests have proliferated, which is important to syphilis elimination. Several platforms offer NAAT tests for HPV and there is a NAAT for HSV ulcers. Rapid HIV POC and 4 th generation tests have advanced earlier detection of HIV. A home oral-fluid HIV test can be purchased in the US. Patients perform their own HIV tests in Emergency Departments with excellent accuracy. Internet availability of select STI tests for home collection/outreach programmes offer novel approaches to increasing options offered to individuals at risk. Conclusions Learning how to wisely and effectively use these tools can improve the detection of STIs and provide cost-effective ways to increase the number of patients being treated.
Selective Exocytosis and Spatiotemporal Regulation of Protein Recycling at the Plasma Membrane

The concentration of membrane proteins on the cell surface and time they spend in the plasma membrane is defined by dynamic equilibrium between exocytotic delivery and endocytic recycling processes. However, the mechanisms by which cell is able to differentially regulate recycling kinetics of its plasma membrane components is not well understood.In the current study we present new insights how selective exocytosis and spatial redistribution of proteins in the plasma membrane may regulate their recycling kinetics independent of amount of protein in the plasma membrane. We applied fluorescence photo-activation localization microscopy (FPALM) together with multi-color total-internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to track individual proteins and detect their quantum delivery and internalization via exo- and endocytosis. We showed that upon fusion of exocytic vesicle membrane cargo can be either released into the plasma membrane or retained at the site of fusion. We further provide evidence that protein-specific retention serves as a fusion-associated mechanism for formation of dynamic clusters of proteins in the plasma membrane. These clusters of proteins were found to mediate a dynamic exchange of monomers (protein molecules) with the rest of the plasma membrane and also showed transient association with clathrin. Clathrin assembly at the sites of clusters led to formation of endocytic vesicles that mediated quantum internalization of the clustered protein.Taken together, these data provide novel mechanism by which spatiotemporal retention and release of membrane proteins during selective exocytosis regulates protein-specific recycling at the plasma membrane. Different models of protein-specific retention/release will be compared and discussed.
Titanium doping reduces superoxide dismutase activity, but not oxidase activity, of catalytic CeO2 nanoparticles

In this paper we report the enzymatic properties of Ti-doped CeO2 nanoparticles. The superoxide dismutase activity of Ti-doped nanoparticles is reduced in comparison to undoped nanoceria. In contrast, the oxidase activity of these nanoparticles was unchanged. The change in enzymatic activity was accompanied by a dramatic change in shape to a spherical nanostructure. In addition to reporting a new type of enzymatically-active nanoparticle, Ti-doped cerium oxide nanoparticles are well suited for biological applications.
The cloze procedure: an assessment of the understandability of data processing texts

Abstract Readers often find data processing written materials difficult to understand. Poor writing style can adversely accept reader performance with and acceptance of textual materials. A number of methods have been used to measure or predict readability; the cloze procedure is a psycholinguistic technique which measures the extent to which a particular audience understands specific textual material. An exploratory cloze investigation of introductory COBOL textbooks and the ANSI COBOL Standard indicated that they all have readability problems for a significant number of students; cloze results also correlated with comprehension tests and readability formula estimates.
Epistemology, the History of Epistemology, Historical Epistemology

A brief discussion of the ways in which awareness of and sensitivity to the history of philosophy can contribute to epistemology even if epistemology is understood as a distinctively philosophical and not primarily historical enterprise.
Diffusion of Tobacco Control in North America

Tobacco control has grown enormously across advanced industrial countries over the past two decades. This article assesses the process of the diffusion, by networks, of innovations in tobacco control both within Canada, sometimes considered a world leader in tobacco control, and across the border with the United States. Advocacy groups, both governmental and nongovernmental, have had a role in spreading ideas about tobacco control from one jurisdiction to another, on both the federal and state/provincial level. In contrast to the usual North American pattern of public policy leadership by the United States, followed by Canada, in tobacco control the identity of the leader and follower varies, as does the level at which leadership is exercised.
Response of Regional Rail Park-and-Ride Users to Parking Price Changes: Systemwide Results and a Detailed Study of Two Stations

Traveler response to the introduction of parking user fees at heavily patronized park-and-ride facilities within the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) District of California is investigated. After an analysis of systemwide impacts, detailed research at two stations was performed with mail-back surveys, license plate surveys, and focus groups. The primary finding is that introduction of daily parking fees did not cause significant changes in access mode choice, facility location, or line-haul mode of park-and-ride users. New, higher-fee, daily reserved spaces were popular substitutes for monthly reserved spaces. The increased availability of parking spaces shifted arrival times later in the morning at the two stations. Even with user fees, for most trips to regional central business districts the overall cost of using a park-and-ride facility and BART still remained well below the cost of the trip made by automobile only. Overall BART ridership and ridership at those stations where new fees were introduced, remained unchanged.
Altered Expression of Cytokine Signaling Pathway Genes in Peripheral Blood Cells of Alcohol Dependent Subjects: Preliminary Findings

Background Preclinical and clinical studies have implicated changes in cytokine and innate immune gene-expression in both the development of and end-organ damage resulting from alcohol dependence. However, these changes have not been systematically assessed on the basis of alcohol consumption in human subjects. Methods Illumina Sentrix Beadchip (Human-6v2) microarrays were used to measure levels of gene-expression in peripheral blood in 3 groups of subjects: those with alcohol dependence (AD, n = 12), heavy drinkers (HD; defined as regular alcohol use over the past year of at least 8 standard drinks/wk for women and at least 15 standard drinks/wk for men, n = 13), and moderate drinkers (MD; defined as up to 7 standard drinks/wk for women and 14 standard drinks/wk for men, n = 17). Results Four hundred and thirty-six genes were differentially expressed among the 3 groups of subjects (false discovery rate corrected p-value < 0.05). Two hundred and ninety-one genes differed between AD and MD subjects, 240 differed between AD and HD subjects, but only 6 differed between HD and MD subjects. Pathway analysis using DAVID and GeneGO Metacore® software showed that the most affected pathways were those related to T-cell receptor and Janus kinase-Signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-Stat) signaling. Conclusions These results suggest the transition from heavy alcohol use to dependence is accompanied by changes in the expression of genes involved in regulation of the innate immune response. Such changes may underlie some of the previously described changes in immune function associated with chronic alcohol abuse. Early detection of these changes may allow individuals at high risk for dependence to be identified.
Photoconductivity and Luminescence Efficiency of Rare Earth Activated Insulating Materials

In this article, we discuss the nature of the high lying states in rare earth activated systems and their effect on the luminescence efficiency of these systems. We show that by comparing the optical spectra of these materials with complementary measurements such as photoconductivity (PC), the absolute energy level structure of the ions with respect ot the intrinsic bands of the host can be determined. We propose new measurements which will provide insight on the manner in which energy delocalizes in activated solids.
The role of familiarity in episodic memory and metamemory for music.

Participants heard music snippets of varying melodic and instrumental familiarity paired with animalname titles. They then recalled the target when given either the melody or the title as a cue, or they gave feeling-of-knowing (FOK) ratings. In general, recall for titles was better than it was for melodies, and recall was enhanced with increasing melodic familiarity of both the cues and the targets. Accuracy of FOK ratings, but not magnitude, also increased with increasing familiarity. Although similar ratings were given after melody and title cues, accuracy was better with title cues. Finally, knowledge of the real titles of the familiar music enhanced recall but had, by and large, no effect on the FOK ratings. Researchers have explored the role of familiarity on memory performance using a variety of different types of materials such as words (e.g., Hall, 1954), nonsense syllables (e.g., Simon & Feigenbaum, 1964), text (e.g., Mills & Nicolas-Fanourakis, 1966), faces (e.g., Klatzky & Forrest, 1984), and objects (e.g., Beiderman, 1987). For instance, using musical materials, Bartlett, Halpern, and Dowling (1995) showed that episodic memory for traditional tunes was better than that for novel tunes. In general, it has been widely accepted that the more familiar the materials, the better they are recalled, a finding that is also echoed in the literature on expertise in which experts remember materials from their domain of expertise better than nonexperts (e.g., Chase & Simon, 1973; Peynirciog ˘lu & Mungan, 1993). The role of familiarity in the domain of metamemory is less well known. To be sure, many studies have shown that when recall fails in response to cues, ratings of feeling of knowing (FOK) are nevertheless influenced considerably by the familiarity of those cues or by the familiarity of the general topic in question, although the predictive accuracy of these ratings often remains unrelated to familiarity with the cue or the topic (e.g., Reder, 1987). Fewer studies have dealt directly with the effect of familiarity of the to-be-recalled items themselves. Schwartz and Metcalfe (1992) found that FOK ratings were not influenced when they manipulated the familiarity of the to-be-recalled words by priming those targets or making them more salient. In a similar vein, Metcalfe, Schwartz, and Joaquim (1993) varied the familiarity of both the cue words and the target words in an episodic paired-associate task by using repetition and found that whereas the familiarity of the
Wide-band tracheids in genera of Portulacaceae: novel, non-xylary tracheids possibly evolved as an adaptation to water stress

Wide-band tracheids (WBTs) are novel tracheids with wide, lignified secondary walls that intrude deeply into the cell lumen when viewed in transverse sections. These tracheids are found in a few genera in related families in the order Caryophyllales: Aizoaceae, Cactaceae, and Portulacaceae. WBTs in these three families vary in (1) systematic occurrence (found in more highly derived genera in each family), (2) location in plant organs, and (3) structure and dimensions. In addition, an analysis was conducted of WBT cell walls to test the hypothesis that WBTs evolved as an adaptation to water stress (i.e., the wide secondary walls should prevent collapse of the primary wall during water stress). The cell wall data show that primary cell walls in WBTs cannot inwardly collapse to occlusion, thus providing support for the water stress hypothesis of WBT evolution. With consideration of their systematic occurrence, the molecular phylogenetic data, and data here showing support for a water stress adaptive origin, it is logical to assume that WBTs evolved in genera that were adapting to environments undergoing a rapid trend toward aridification.
Fabrication and Characterization of Template-Stripped Plasmonic Substrates for High-Resolution Chemical Imaging

Template-stripped plasmonic nanoholes are used as high-resolution chemical imaging substrates via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Chemical patterns created with microcontact printing show these surfaces to provide large and uniform enhancements suitable for imaging.
Organelle, bead, and microtubule translocations promoted by soluble factors from the squid giant axon.

Abstract A reconstituted system for examining directed organelle movements along purified microtubules has been developed. Axoplasm from the squid giant axon was separated into soluble supernatant and organelle-enriched fractions. Movement of axoplasmic organelles along MAP-free microtubules occurred consistently only after addition of axoplasmic supernatant and ATP. The velocity of such organelle movement (1.6μ/sec) was the same as in dissociated axoplasm. The axoplasmic supernatant also supported movement of microtubules along a glass surface and movement of carboxylated latex beads along microtubules at 0.5 μ/sec. The direction of microtubule movement on glass was opposite to that of organelle and bead movement on microtubules. The factors supporting movements of microtubules, beads, and organelles were sensitive to heat, trypsin, AMP-PNP and 100 μM vanadate. All of these movements may be driven by a single, soluble ATPase that binds reversibly to organelles, beads, or glass and generates a translocating force on a microtubule.
The Gestalt principle of similarity benefits visual working memory

Visual working memory (VWM) is essential for many cognitive processes, yet it is notably limited in capacity. Visual perception processing is facilitated by Gestalt principles of grouping, such as connectedness, similarity, and proximity. This introduces the question, do these perceptual benefits extend to VWM? If so, can this be an approach to enhance VWM function by optimizing the processing of information? Previous findings have demonstrated that several Gestalt principles (connectedness, common region, and spatial proximity) do facilitate VWM performance in change detection tasks (Jiang, Olson, & Chun, 2000; Woodman, Vecera, & Luck, 2003; Xu, 2002, 2006; Xu & Chun, 2007). However, one prevalent Gestalt principle, similarity, has not been examined with regard to facilitating VWM. Here, we investigated whether grouping by similarity benefits VWM. Experiment 1 established the basic finding that VWM performance could benefit from grouping. Experiment 2 replicated and extended this finding by showing that similarity was only effective when the similar stimuli were proximal. In short, the VWM performance benefit derived from similarity was constrained by spatial proximity, such that similar items need to be near each other. Thus, the Gestalt principle of similarity benefits visual perception, but it can provide benefits to VWM as well.
Über fluorhaltige Komplexe. XV. Die Umsetzung von Te(OH)6 mit Alkalifluoriden und die Entwässerung der erhaltenen Produkte

Durch Umsetzung von Te(OH)6 mit KF-, NaF- und [NH4]F-Losungen werden die Substanzen Te(OH)6 · 2 KF, Te(OH)6 · NaF und Te(OH)6 · 1,5 [NH4]F gewonnen. Besonders die Untersuchung der Kaliumverbindung last auf Te–F-Beziehungen, verbunden mit einer Erhohung der Koordinationszahl des Tellurs, schliesen. Bei der thermischen Behandlung entstehen die rontgenamorphen polymeren Verbindungen mit den Grenzzusammensetzungen K2TeO3F2, NaTeO3F, [NH4]TeO3F. Aus der Tl-Verbindung Tl[TeO(OH)3F2] · H F wird durch Tempern bei 100°C ein polymeres Produkt der angenaherten Zusammensetzung TlTeO2(OH)F2 erhalten. By interaction of Te(OH)6, with KF, NaF, and NH4F solutions the substances Te(OH)6 · 2 KF, Te(OH)6 · NaF, and Te(OH)6 · 1.5 NH6F have been obtained, for which TeF bonding accompanied by an increase in the coordination number of Te is concluded. Their thermal desompositions yield X-ray amorphous, polymeric compounds of the limiting compositions K2TeO3F2, NaTeO3F, and NH4TeO3F. Thermal treatment at 100°C of the compound Tl[TeO(OH)3F2] gives a polymeric product of ∼[TlTeO2(OH)F2] composition.
Analysis of truss beams using a high order Timoshenko beam finite element

Abstract A high order Timoshenko beam finite element is derived and shown to be very efficient in solving dynamic problems of beam-like truss structures in which the extensional, flexural and shear deformations are coupled. Equivalent continuum beam properties are determined from the geometric characteristics of a typical cell of the original structure. The developed model is used to study free and forced vibration of arbitrary truss structures. Forces in the individual members are predicted by using the beam model, and the results are compared with those of the full scale finite element applied to the original structure.
Extensions of the Marcus equation for the prediction of approximate transition state geometries in hydrogen transfer and methyl transfer reactions

The objective of this work is to propose a way to calculate approximate transition state geometries that can then be used as initial guesses in ab initio calculations.
The Use of Robotics to Promote Computing to Pre-College Students with Visual Impairments

This article describes an outreach program to broaden participation in computing to include more students with visual impairments. The precollege workshops target students in grades 7--12 and engage students with robotics programming. The use of robotics at the precollege level has become popular in part due to the availability of Lego Mindstorm NXT kits. The robotics programming tools and materials used in the workshops are designed with an accessibility focus for participants with different degrees of vision. Through the use of available assistive technology and open source software, robotics is accessible to the visually impaired. The quantitative and qualitative results from three robotics workshops conducted during the past three years will be discussed, including some initial long-term results. Strategies, based on our experiences, will also be shared to promote accessible outreach. While many of the participants are in middle and early high school, findings indicate that participant interest in computing is high regardless of whether their schools offer computer science courses or not. Increased interest and confidence with robotics persists throughout follow-up activities.
The Federal Trade Commission's Report on the Marketing of Violent Entertainment to Youths: Developing Policy-Tuned Research:

Abstract On June 1, 1999, President Clinton requested that the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice conduct a study of the marketing of violent entertainment products to youths. The focus of the study was the link between industry marketing practices, especially advertising, and industry self-regulation, as reflected in the industries’ rating and parental advisory systems. The study focused on two key questions: (1) Do the motion picture, music recording, and electronic game industries promote products with parental warnings or age restrictions in venues where children make up a substantial percentage of the audience? and (2) Are these advertisements intended to attract children and teenagers? The author discusses the Federal Trade Commission report and considers the study findings in conjunction with related literature to highlight specific areas for further research in marketing and public policy.
AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO POLICY TRANSER AND DIFFUSION

This article reviews the existing literature on policy transfer and diffusion and offers a more integrated theory for examining the spreading of policy. Typical studies have treated each as separate, yet they are similar in many respects. For example, both involve many of the same agents and processes involved in the spreading of policy. This article integrates the two literatures by developing a theoretical continuum upon which varying degrees of policy diffusion occur.
The Relationship Between Attitudes Toward Women and Attitudes Toward Blacks in Management Positions

The exclusivity of the white male managerial stereotype was investigated. Findings for a sample of American white male and female managers indicate that those individuals who believe women should not be managers also feel that blacks do not belong, although the basis for these attitudes differ. Such managers do not question women's ability to manage, but fear that their biological characteristics would interfere with their performance. They also believe that blacks are less qualified to manage because of their inferiority to whites and their inability to handle pressure. Methods for changing these managers' perceptions, which serve to perpetuate such myths, are explored. Resume Le present article approfondit l'exclusivite du stereotype du gestionnaire homme et blanc. D'apres les resultats d'une etude menee aux Etats-Unis sur des cadres hommes et femmes de race blanche, les personnes qui pensent que les femmes ne devraient pas etre cadres sont du meme avis pour les noirs. Mais pas pour les memes raisons! Ces cadres ne remettent pas en question l'aptitude des femmes a diriger mais craignent que leurs caracteristiques biologiques n'entravent leur rendement. Ils pensent egalement que les noirs sont moins qualifies pour gerer, en raison de leur inferiorite par rapport aux blancs et de leur inaptitude a surmonter la pression. L'article explore les moyens de changer cette perception des cadres, qui ne fait que perpetuer de tels mythes.
Electron-Transfer-Induced Molecular Reorientations: The Benzoquinone/Hydroquinone Reaction at Pd(111)-(□3×□3)R30°-I Studied by EC-STM

Abstract The benzoquinone/hydroquinone (Q/H 2 Q) redox reaction has been studied by electrochemical-scanning tunneling microscopy (EC-STM) at a Pd(111)-(□3×□3)R30°-I electrode surface in a solution that contained 10 −4 M H 2 Q in 0.05 M H 2 SO 4 ; iodine-pretreatment of the Pd(111) surface was to prevent chemisorption of organic-derived species. The molecule-resolved EC-STM images indicated that: (i) at a potential where only H 2 Q is present in solution, a self-assembled (□21×□21)R10.9°-η 6 -H 2 Q monolayer is produced in which the H 2 Q molecules are oriented parallel to the surface; (ii) at a potential where partial oxidation (to Q) occurs, a self-assembled (□21×□21)R10.9°-η 6 -QH adlayer is generated, where QH represents quinhydrone, an equimolar mixture of Q and H 2 Q; in this structure, the Q and H 2 Q molecules are oriented vertically, face-to-face, and arranged alternately along a given row, reminiscent of the crystal structure of quinhydrone. The partial oxidation-induced molecular reorientation, which is reversible, most likely arises from favorable Q-H 2 Q face-to-face interactions; that is, complete oxidation would yield only flat-oriented Q species. Unfortunately, at potentials where only Q would be present in solution, I-catalyzed corrosion of the Pd starts to occur, which leads to noise-laden EC-STM images.
Density of Thrombus on Admission CT Predicts Revascularization Efficacy in Large Vessel Occlusion Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose—Can lysability of large vessel thrombi in acute ischemic stroke be predicted by measuring clot density on admission nonenhanced CT (NECT), postcontrast enhanced CT, or CT angiogram (CTA)? Methods—We retrospectively studied 90 patients with acute large vessel ischemic strokes treated with intravenous (IV) tPA, intra-arterial (IA) tPA, and/or mechanical thrombectomy devices. Clot density [in Hounsfield unit (HU)] was measured on NECT, postcontrast enhanced CT, and CTA. Recanalization was assessed by the Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction grading system (TICI) on digital subtraction angiography. Results—Thrombus density on preintervention NECT correlated with postintervention TICI grade regardless of pharmacological (IV tPA r=0.69, IA tPA r=0.72, P<0.0001) or mechanical treatment (r=0.73, P<0.0001). Patients with TICI≥2 demonstrated higher HU on NECT (mean corrected HU IV tPA=1.58, IA tPA=1.66, mechanical treatment=1.7) compared with patients with TICI<2 (IV tPA=1.39, IA tPA=1.4, mech...
Comparison of intermeshing rotor and traditional rotors of internal mixers in dispersing silica and other fillers

An experimental study of mixing silica, carbon black, and talc into elastomers in an internal mixer with intermeshing and traditional separated/tangential double-flighted rotors is described. The dispersion in the compound was characterized by measuring the agglomerate size of filler at various mixing times by a scanning electron microscope and image analysis. The distributive mixing was investigated by measuring the incorporation time by a flow visualization technique. The viscosities of compounds were measured in a pressurized rotational viscometer. The intermeshing rotors were found to provide more effective dispersive mixing and their compounds possessed lower viscosities. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 1551–1554, 2000
The role of nonlinear Landau damping and the bounced motion of protons in the formation of dissipative structures in the solar wind plasma

Abstract. The present work examines the effects arising from the nonlinear Landau damping and the bounced motion of protons (trapped in the mirror geometry of the geomagnetic field) in the formation of nonlinear Alfvenic structures. These structures are observed at distances 1-5AU in the solar wind plasma (with s ~ 1). The dynamics of formation of these structures can be understood using kinetic nonlinear Schrodinger (KNLS) model. The structures emerge due to balance of nonlinear steepening (of large amplitude Alfven waves) by the linear Landau damping of ion-acoustic modes in a finite s solar wind plasma. The ion-acoustic mode is driven nonlinearly by the large amplitude Alfven waves. At the large amplitudes of Alfven wave, the effects due to nonlinear Landau damping become important. These nonlinear effects are incorporated into the KNLS model by modifying the heat flux dissipation coefficient parallel to the ambient magnetic field. The effects arising from the bounced motion (of mirroring protons) are studied using a one-dimensional Vlasov equation. The bounced motion of the protons can lead to growth of the ion-acoustic mode, propagating in the mirror geometry of the geomagnetic field. The significance of these studies in the formation of dissipative quasistationary structures observed in solar wind plasma is discussed.
Evaluation of gantry control strategies for x-ray steppers

Results of an experimental study on the performance of a high speed, precision gantry system for application to X-ray stepper systems are presented. In particular a cross coupled control system design was compared to a master-master controller design on a gantry test bed powered by two linear motors. Tests were performed for the case where only inertial loads were present, as well as for the case where static loads were added to simulate gravity loading. The experiments demonstrated that high speed positioning to an accuracy of +/- 3 micron or less could be obtained with both the cross- coupled and the master-master control strategies. Finally, it was observed that the changes in the dynamics of the closed loop gantry system appear to take place during continuous operation, leading to significant variations in the closed loop performance. It was concluded that robust controller design methods or adaptive control methods would be necessary to meet all performance goals for gantry based X-ray steppers.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An investigation of high-vacuum freeze drying as a means of drug preservation. I.

Analogous samples of belladonna leaves were oven dried and lyophilized. Various analytical determinations were made in an effort to determine what differences there are in the two samples as a result of the drying process. A lyophilizing apparatus on a laboratory scale has been developed and is shown in the photograph and in the diagram which has been drawn to scale for the convenience of those who would like to reproduce this for their own use.
Degeneracies in supersymmetric gluodynamics and its orientifold daughters at large N

I use the Nicolai map and ensuing (super)locality of appropriate correlation functions to prove the existence of an infinite number of degeneracies in the mass spectra and decay coupling constants in supersymmetric gluodynamics and its daughter orientifold theory at large $N$.
Reliability Simulation for Solar Electric Propulsion Missions

The good agreement between the predicted time to ignition and the measured time to bridgewire burnout seems to indicate that this model has some merit in spite of the many simplifying assumptions that were incorporated into the model. One of the significant aspects of this model is the interfacial boundary condition that stipulates a thermal contact conductance between the bridgewire and the pyrotechnic. This boundary condition greatly affects the temperature distribution and the heat transfer within the bridgewirepyrotechnic system. Figure 2 shows the predicted temperature distribution within the system at 0.4 ms time intervals for the 3.5 amp firing at room temperature. A number of important points about the bridgewire-pyrotechnic system can be demonstrated with this figure. First, it can be seen that a sizable temperature difference can occur between the bridgewire and the pyrotechnic even when a very large thermal contact conductance is used. This results primarily because of the large heat flux out of the bridgewire. Second, there is very little temperature difference between the center of the bridgewire and the outside surface of the bridgewire. Finally, the heat does not diffuse past 100 /mi (0.004 in.) within the pyrotechnic during the first 1.6 ms.
Constructing narratives using fast feedback

Museums and cultural institutions have expended considerable effort for over decades to link their exhibits to the life experiences of their visitors. With the temporal and spatial constraints of a user's visit to a museum exhibition, it has been difficult to collect as much information as the museum would like to obtain from visitors. This paper argues that the quality and quantity of that collective information correlates to the means the museum adopts to gather information from its users. We hypothesize that providing a convenient way for users to share information and to use short messages from fast feedback mechanisms will increase the chances of getting users to contribute their own narratives. The paper explores a solution for achieving the goal of gathering users' personal narratives and experiences by collecting their short messages from diverse social media including Twitter and Facebook through mobile devices.
Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers May Reduce Breast Cancer Recurrence.

There have been epidemiologic and biochemical findings alluding to the role of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors(ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers(ARBs) in reducing the risk of developing cancer. To date, there exists no study that reported any relationship between their use and the risk of cancer recurrence. Thus, we investigated the associations between the use of ACEI/ARB and the risk of tumor recurrence among breast cancer patients without any evidence of disease.We reviewed the medical records of female patients diagnosed with stage II/III breast cancer in Albert Einstein Medical Center between 1999 and 2005 and later reached no evident disease (NED) stage after curative therapy. Follow up period was from 1999 to 2008 with mean and maximum being 4.4 years and 9.8 years, respectively. ACEI/ARB user was defined as patients taking the medication in NED stage for at least 6 months. Multivariate analyses were performed using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard model.Of 707 cancer patients and of 335 cancer patients with hypertension, 164, representing 23.3% of total and 49.0% of those with hypertension were prescribed ACEI/ARB. ACEI/ARB use was associated with older age (P Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 3121.
Scalable discovery of best clusters on large graphs

The identification of clusters, well-connected components in a graph, is useful in many applications from biological function prediction to social community detection. However, finding these clusters can be difficult as graph sizes increase. Most current graph clustering algorithms scale poorly in terms of time or memory. An important insight is that many clustering applications need only the subset of best clusters, and not all clusters in the entire graph. In this paper we propose a new technique, Top Graph Clusters (TopGC), which probabilistically searches large, edge weighted, directed graphs for their best clusters in linear time. The algorithm is inherently parallelizable, and is able to find variable size, overlapping clusters. To increase scalability, a parameter is introduced that controls memory use. When compared with three other state-of-the art clustering techniques, TopGC achieves running time speedups of up to 70% on large scale real world datasets. In addition, the clusters returned by TopGC are consistently found to be better both in calculated score and when compared on real world benchmarks.
Sleep fragmentation in the arthritic rat

We examined the diurnal sleep-wake patterns in the adjuvant arthritic rat. In contrast to control rats, arthritic rats lacked a normal diurnal variation in sleep and wakefulness. Thus, arthritic rats exhibited no differences in the mean number or duration of bouts of sleep and episodes of wakefulness between light and dark hours. Arthritic rats also had a marked increase in the fragmentation of their sleep manifested by an increased number of sleep bouts and episodes of wakefulness and a decrease in the duration of episodes of deep sleep recorded both during the time of maximal sleep (08.00-11.00 h) and of maximal wakefulness (20.00-23.00 h). The possibility that the experience of chronic pain causes these marked changes in sleep patterns in the arthritic rat is discussed.
Cytotoxicity of paraquat in microglial cells: involvement of PKCδ- and ERK1/2-dependent NADPH oxidase

Excess production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is an important mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of a number of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s disease (PD) which is characterized by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Exposure to paraquat, an herbicide with structure similar to the dopaminergic neurotoxin, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), has been shown to produce PD-like symptoms. Despite previous focus on the dopaminergic neurons and signaling pathways involved in their cell death, recent studies have implicated microglial cells as a major producer of ROS for damaging neighboring neurons. In this study, we examined the source of ROS and the underlying signaling pathway for paraquat-induced cytotoxicity to BV-2 microglial cells. Paraquat-induced ROS production (including superoxide anions) in BV-2 cells was accompanied by translocation of the p67phox cytosolic subunit of NADPH oxidase to the membrane. Paraquat-induced ROS production was inhibited by NADPH oxidase inhibitors, apocynin and diphenylene iodonium (DPI), but not the xanthine/xanthine oxidase inhibitor, allopurinol. Apocynin and DPI also rescued cells from paraquat-induced toxicity. The inhibitors for protein kinase C delta (PKCδ) or extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) could partially attenuate paraquat-induced ROS production and cell death. Rottlerin, a selective PKCδ inhibitor, also inhibited paraquat-induced translocation of p67phox. Taken together, this study demonstrates the involvement of ROS from NADPH oxidase in mediating paraquat cytotoxicity in BV-2 microglial cells and this process is mediated through PKCδ- and ERK-dependent pathways.
Signs of alkali metal splittings and the structures of ion pairs of radical ions

Abstract The signs and magnitudes of the alkali metal splittings in ion pairs of radical ions were determined for alkali metal anthracenides, napthalenides and 2,2′-dipyridyl by NMR. The predominant mechanisms for producing spin densities at metal ions ar discussed in view of the determined signs. The effects of structures of ion pairs and aggregates on the signs of the alkali metal splittings are discussed.