cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparing Two Versions of Professional Development for Teachers Using Formative Assessment in Networked Mathematics Classrooms

AbstractThis study compared two versions of professional development (PD) designed for teachers using formative assessment (FA) in mathematics classrooms that were networked with Texas Instruments Navigator (NAV) technology. Thirty-two middle school mathematics teachers were randomly assigned to one of the two groups: FA-then-NAV group and FA-and-NAV group. The FA-then-NAV group received PD in formative student assessment in the first year and PD in using networked classroom technology for formative assessment in the second year. The FA-and-NAV group received PD in using networked technology to implement formative assessment in two consecutive years. We examined the change of teachers’ self-reported knowledge of formative assessment, self-efficacy in formative assessment, and attitudes toward the use of technology, as well as their evaluations of the two PD versions, by surveying the teachers at pretest, after Year 1 training, after Year 2 training, and after Year 3 (without training). We found significan...
Reduction of Volatile Organic Compound Emission. I. Synthesis and Characterization of Alkoxy-Modified Silsesquioxane

The preparation and characterization of a class of alkoxy-modified silsesquioxane (AMS) compounds containing less than 5 wt % of latent alcohol is described. The AMS derived from octyl triethoxysilane (OTES) behaves as a shielding agent in silica-filled rubbers while significantly reducing the volatile organic compounds that are released during the manufacture of rubber articles. Analysis of AMS by high pressure liquid chromatography and 29Si NMR shows that it has a plethora of structures present that can best be described as a highly condensed opened oligomeric, branched arrangement of silsesquioxanes units. This structure is moisture stable, hydrocarbon soluble, and reactive with silica at compounding temperatures. The AMS has been prepared by acid- or base-catalyzed hydrolysis and condensation in alcohol solution to form a product that often separates from the lower density reaction mixture. The kinetics of the AMS formation was examined and showed two separate rate processes occurring. The co-AMS prepared from OTES and 3-mercaptopropyl trimethoxysilane yielded an effective shielding agent and coupling agent when used in silica-filled vulcanizates. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
Multicolored stain-free histopathology with coherent Raman imaging

Conventional histopathology with hematoxylin & eosin (H&E) has been the gold standard for histopathological diagnosis of a wide range of diseases. However, it is not performed in vivo and requires thin tissue sections obtained after tissue biopsy, which carries risk, particularly in the central nervous system. Here we describe the development of an alternative, multicolored way to visualize tissue in real-time through the use of coherent Raman imaging (CRI), without the use of dyes. CRI relies on intrinsic chemical contrast based on vibrational properties of molecules and intrinsic optical sectioning by nonlinear excitation. We demonstrate that multicolor images originating from CH(2) and CH(3) vibrations of lipids and protein, as well as two-photon absorption of hemoglobin, can be obtained with subcellular resolution from fresh tissue. These stain-free histopathological images show resolutions similar to those obtained by conventional techniques, but do not require tissue fixation, sectioning or staining of the tissue analyzed.
Hemoglobin Comparisons of Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus Rafinesque) X Bluegill (L. macrochirus Rafinesque) Hybrids to the Parental Species

Abstract The comparison of the electrophoretic patterns of hemoglobins of individual parent species (green sunfish and bluegill) and a mixture of parental hemolysates to that of the F1hybrids revealed that the hybrid contained at least one detectable hemoglobin component which differed from those of the parental mixture.
On Cynicism, Evil, and the Discovery of Communication in the 1940s

L'A. porte son attention sur l'analyse de la communication politique pendant les annees 1940 aux Etats-Unis. Il souligne l'importance de la reception de la sociologie weberienne et de la perspective durkheimienne. Il montre que, pendant les annees 1930, les chercheurs ont plus particulierement porte leur attention sur l'analyse des mecanismes de propagande. Il souligne l'influence de l'analyse du mal par Arendt et la perspective d'E. Levinas concernant l'apprehension des differences. Il affirme que c'est la confrontation avec l'horreur nazie qui a stimule l'etude de la communication
Eliciting patient and caregiver perspectives to improve the public reporting of rehabilitation quality measures

AbstractPurpose: To evaluate patients’ and caregivers’ abilities to comprehend informa-tion on rehabilitation quality measures, and select high-quality rehabilitationfacility.Design: We used exploratory, qualitative study using cognitive interviewing.Setting: Three Outpatient rehabilitation facilities in metropolitan Chicago, Illi-nois, USA.Participants: The study participants included 27 patients or three caregivers,63% female; 36.7% white, 43.3% African American, 10% Asian, 10% missing/other; health literacy: 59% at the 8th grade level or lower; age range: 33–94.Main Outcome Measure(s): Patient and caregiver comprehension of qualitymeasures.Results: Respondents understood some rehabilitation quality terms, but haddifﬁculty with medical terminology; linking quality measures to hospital qual-ity; explaining choice of “better” quality facility; and reading tables. Theresearch team simpliﬁed terminology, deﬁnitions, layout, and design; added anintroduction to provide a framework for understanding quality.Conclusions: Quality measure information can be difﬁcult to understand anduse. When reporting quality measures, use plain language, avoid medical jar-gon, follow logically sequenced content, easy-to-read layout, provide frameworkfor understanding quality, and solicit consumer feedback.Clinical Implications: Not applicable.Improving the quality of healthcare services is a concernof patients, clinicians, administrators, and policymakers.In Crossing the Quality Chasm, the Institute of Medicinemade 10 recommendations for improving the quality ofcare. One of the recommendations addresses the need forgreater transparency: “The health care system should makeinformation available to patients and their families thatallow them to make informed decisions when selecting ahealth plan, hospital, or clinical practice, or choosingamong alternative treatments” (p. 8). Public reporting ofquality information by healthcare organizations hasincreased in the last decade; but, studies have found thatfew individuals seek out and use quality information whenselecting healthcare providers (Hibbard, Greene & Daniel,2010; Institute of Medicine, 2001; Shaller et al., 2003;Sofaer & Firminger, 2005; The Henry J. Kaiser FamilyFoundation, 2008). Research evaluating these qualityreport cards has found them to be difﬁcult to understand
Thomas Schelling's Contributions to Game Theory

Thomas Schelling brings game theory to life, and does so in two senses. First, instead of the abstract and austere beauty of mathematical theorems that we find in most of game theory going back to von Neumann, Morgenstern and Nash, he gives us lively and memorable examples to explain and illustrate his ideas. Schelling’s (1960a, p. 21) pictures of bargaining—“When two dynamite trucks meet on a road wide enough for one, who backs up?”—and of tacit coordination—can two people who are told to meet each other in New York city on a specified day, but are not told the place or time and are unable to contact each other, successfully meet? (1960a, pp. 55–56)—are among the best known. But my personal favorite is Schelling’s (1965, pp. 66–67) example of the strategy of “salami tactics” for defeating threats by incremental escalation:
An implantable MEMS micropump system for drug delivery in small animals

We present the first implantable drug delivery system for controlled timing and location of dosing in small animals. Current implantable drug delivery devices do not provide control over these factors nor are they feasible for implantation in research animals as small as mice. Our system utilizes an integrated electrolysis micropump, is refillable, has an inert drug reservoir for broad drug compatibility, and is capable of adjustment to the delivery regimen while implanted. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used for characterization of electrodes on glass substrate and a flexible Parylene substrate. Benchtop testing of the electrolysis actuator resulted in flow rates from 1 μL/min to 34 μL/min on glass substrate and up to 6.8 μL/min on Parylene substrate. The fully integrated system generated a flow rate of 4.72 ± 0.35 μL/min under applied constant current of 1.0 mA while maintaining a power consumption of only ~3 mW. Finally, we demonstrated in vivo application of the system for anti-cancer drug delivery in mice.
Outreach and performance of microfinance institutions: a panel analysis

Using a panel of 764 microfinance institutions (MFIs) from 87 countries, this study analyses the possible trade-off between outreach and performance and shows that greater depth of outreach has a positive impact on the financial performance of an MFI. The empirical results of this study should dispel the widely held apprehension that the recent emphasis on attainment of financial sustainability by the MFIs could seriously impair their outreach efforts and shows that outreach to the poor can actually bolster financial performance.
Comparison of bone parameters by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and peripheral quantitative computed tomography in hutterite vs. non-hutterite women aged 35–60 years

Abstract A previous report of elevated dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) bone mineral density (BMD) Z scores suggests that Hutterite females might be significantly less likely to develop osteoporosis compared with other U.S. females. In the present study, we sought to determine if high Hutterite DXA BMD Z scores were elevated because of larger bone size. Hutterites reside in isolated, self-sufficient colonies with an emphasis on agricultural production, and girls enter a strenuous task rotation at age 15 years. We obtained cross-sectional bone measurements of the 66% distal tibia using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) to compare bone size and geometry on 97 Hutterite and 30 non-Hutterite women, aged 35–60 years. Total body (TB) and lumbar bone mineral content (BMC), BMD, and bone area measurements by DXA were available on a subset of the study population. We identified no differences between groups in pQCT total bone area, cortical bone area, or cortical bone density. Larger bone area by DXA was apparent in Hutterites compared with non-Hutterites at the TB (least square means: 2038 ± 8 cm 2 vs. 1953 ± 19 cm 2 , p 2 vs. 57 ± 2 cm 2 , p p = 0.08). Hutterites had marginally higher TB BMD Z scores when controlling for weight and age (least square means: 1.3 ± 0.1 vs. 0.8 ± 0.2, p = 0.07). Hutterites had higher lumbar BMC adjusted for lumbar bone area and weight (least square means: 65 ± 1 g vs. 58 ± 2 g, p Z scores (least square means: 1.1 ± 0.1 vs. 0.1 ± 0.4, p = 0.01). Our data indicate that a true advantage in trabecular bone density probably exists among Hutterite women aged 35–60 years. Hutterite women might be protected against age-related fractures because of their larger bone size and higher bone density at normally susceptible trabecular sites.
Increased Thermal‐Pulse Flowmeter Resolution by Adding a Packer and Computer

Measurement accuracy was increased by nearly one order of magnitude by outfitting the thermal-pulse flowmeter (TFM) with an inflatable packer. To accurately measure slow water velocities in boreholes greater than 15 cm diameter, it is necessary to divert borehole fluids through the TFM by inflating a packer. During calibration it was noted that the TFM's accuracy decreased as the borehole diameter increased. With Lhe packer inflated the TFM has a useful flow measurement range of 0.08 to 15 L/min (with flow velocities of 0.24 ± 0.012 cm/inin to 45.7 ± 0.61 cm/min, respectively, in 20-cm-diameter pipe), compared to 0.8 to 57 L/min for a packcrless TFM. A computer interlace was added to the TFM to provide a real-time graphical display of the differential voltage output from the TFM, a running mean and standard deviation of the pulse-response time, and a mean flow rate and velocity based on calibration curve fits.
Direct measurement of headgroup hydration of polar lipids in inverted micelles

The maximum hydration level, i.e. maximum number of water molecules bound per lipid molecule, has been measured for some common phospholipids, glycolipids and cholesterol. Maximum hydration level has been measured using a two-phase, hexane/water, partitioning technique using 3H-labelled water. This technique is rapid and provides an easy method for direct measurement of water binding. It is observed from these studies that there are two classes of lipids, one which binds more than 20 water molecules per lipid headgroup and the other which binds less than 20 water molecules. There appears to be a correlation between the number of water molecules a lipid binds to the phase preference of that lipid. The data suggest that the lipids, like phosphatidylcholine, which favours the lamellar phase bind far greater number of water molecules as compared to those, like phosphatidylethanolamine, which favour the hexagonal phase.
Salty water Cerenkov detectors for solar neutrinos.

The addition of certain solutes to a water Cerenkov detector will introduce new charge-current channels for the detection of ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{e}$'s. The experimental conditions necessary to exploit such signals---large volumes and very low backgrounds---should be reached for the first time in SuperKamiokande and the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory. I compare some of the more attractive possibilities ( ${}^{7}\mathrm{Li}$, ${}^{11}\mathrm{B}$, ${}^{35}\mathrm{Cl}$) in terms of counting rate, reliability of the cross section, specificity of signal, and potential for distinguishing competing solutions to the solar neutrino puzzle.
A Personalized Power Scale for the Prediction of Alcoholism

An objective test measure of personalized power was developed to test McClelland's hypothesis. Four existing personality questionnaires that have been considered to be relevant to personalized power were used. These scales were administered to 50 patients in a Veterans Administration alcoholism program and to 50 VA medical outpatients. Items which discriminated the groups at the p ≤. 20 level were included in a new scale, which was then cross-validated on a new group of alcoholics and medical outpatients. The resulting 34-item scale was internally consistent (.83) and correctly classified 76% of the alcoholics and 94% of the medical outpatients. Overall, 86% were correctly classified as compared to an overall correct classification by the Mac-Andrew Scale of 67% on the same population. While the personalized power dimension seemed to add to the scale's predictive ability, the contribution of that dimension appears to be modest at best.
Excitation and charge transfer in proton-lithium collisions at 5-15 keV

Excitation and charge-transfer cross sections for collisions of protons with lithium are calculated by direct solution of the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation on a three-dimensional Cartesian lattice. For 5\char21{}15-keV incident energies the ${1s}^{2}$ core of lithium may be treated effectively using a pseudopotential. For a proton incident on lithium, projections of the time-evolved wave function onto the lattice states of lithium yield excitation cross sections for the $\mathrm{Li}(2s)\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Li}(2p,3l)$ transitions. For lithium incident on a proton, projections of the time-evolved wave function onto the lattice states of hydrogen yield charge-transfer cross sections for the $\mathrm{Li}(2s)\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{H}(2l,3l)$ transitions. The $\mathrm{Li}(2s)\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Li}(2p)$ excitation and $\mathrm{Li}(2s)\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{H}(2s,2p)$ charge-transfer cross sections are found to be in good agreement with the crossed-beams experimental measurements of Aumayr et al. [J. Phys. B 17, 4185 (1984); 17, 4201 (1984); 18, 2493 (1985)].
Treatment of angiographically produced cord seizures by intra-arterial diazepam.

10 mg of Diazepam administered into the lumbar artery supplying the artery of Adamkiewicz abolished cord seizures produced by accidental flooding of the cord with a high concentration of contrast material. Selective intra-arterial Diazepam is a safe and effective method of controlling cord seizures.
The DSM-5 and the mental health clinician as consultant

Like a bible, the DSM-5 is a collection of different texts, more like a library than a single book, organized around a similar theme. In DSM-5, the categories have been reorganized and the diagnostic criteria revisited. The authors integrated diagnoses usually made in childhood or adolescence alongside similar diagnoses usually made in adulthood. Reactive Attachment Disorder is in now the same diagnostic category as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Both within and across diagnostic groups, the DSM-5 is organized on a developmental model. Within the Anxiety Disorders chapter, they discuss Separation Anxiety Disorder and Selective Mutism before Generalized Anxiety Disorder. The authors organized diagnostic categories to reflect either similar symptoms, as in the Sexual Dysfunctions, or related underlying pathology, as in the Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders.
Soft Computing Applications in Infrastructure Management

Infrastructure management decisions, such as condition assessment, performance prediction, needs analysis, prioritization, and optimization are often based on data that is uncertain, ambiguous, and incomplete and incorporate engineering judgment and expert opinion. Soft computing techniques are particularly appropriate to support these types of decisions because these techniques are very efficient at handling imprecise, uncertain, ambiguous, incomplete, and subjective data. This paper presents a review of the application of soft computing techniques in infrastructure management. The three most used soft computing constituents, artificial neural networks, fuzzy systems, and genetic algorithms, are reviewed, and the most promising techniques for the different infrastructure management functions are identified. Based on the applications reviewed, it can be concluded that soft computing techniques provide appealing alternatives for supporting many infrastructure management functions. Although the soft computing constituents have several advantages when used individually, the development of practical and efficient intelligent tools is expected to require a synergistic integration of complementary techniques into hybrid models.
Spectroscopic properties of SbH

Abstract Relativistic configuration interaction calculations which include spin-orbit interaction are carried out for nine low-lying ω-ω states and four λ - s states. Spectroscopic properties of six bound ω-ω states are reported. These calculations not only enable assignment of the experimentally observed X 1 , X 2 , A 1 , A 2 , and B states but also predict the properties of other electronic states (0 + (II), 0 + (IV), 2, 2(II), 1(II), 0 − ) which are yet to be observed. The dissociation energy of SbH is predicted to be 2.7 ± 0.2 eV.
Exponential growth of large self-reproducing machine systems

We address quantitatively the major issues involved in the design of self-reproducing machine systems that are capable of both rapid growth to a very large scale and the accomplishment of correspondingly large tasks. A minimal system that satisfies the growth requirement would consist of a large solar cell array and a colony of diverse and specialized machines. With solar energy, raw dirt, and air as its input, the collective purpose of the colony is to expand the solar cell array and build more machines largely without the aid of man. Once the desired size is attained, the entire production capacity of the system may be diverted to useful applications such as large scale energy collection, control of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and fresh water production. We consider the issues of resource availability, the suitability of current automation technology, and the required investment in land area. In the discussion of resources, we propose a high-temperature, metallurgical process for separating useful elements from raw dirt without the use of rare elements. Automation technology is judged by a formal productivity requirement in the production chain of each machine type, which must be satisfied to achieve a given overall growth rate. We estimate the time scale for exponential growth to be on the order of months, so that such a system could reach continental size in less than a decade. An area of 10^6 km^2 is enough to provide the key elements of a sustainable world economy. At ten percent efficiency, a solar cell array of this size can collect energy at three times the rate of today's global energy consumption.
Proton transitions in hydrogen bonds of DNA: A first-order perturbation model

Experimental evidence which supports Lowdin's formulation of the microscopic proton-electron code model of genetic information is reviewed. The data are consistent with interstrand transfer of hydrogen bonded protons at G-C base pairs giving rise to mutations in DNA which replicates infrequently. A first-order perturbation model in terms of Fermi's golden rule is presented as a qualitative description of interstrand proton transitions within hydrogen bonds of DNA. The particular reaction considered is given by O…H-NO-H…N. Cross derivative terms in the kinetic energy operator are neglected, and a piecewise-constant rectangularly shaped potential energy surface is employed for the hydrogen bonding system. The full potential is separated such that the components responsible for the reaction are uniquely defined and then “sandwiched” between initial and final states to yield an expression for the proton transition rate. Analysis of this expression provides a “physical picture” of the way energy transfer can occur between different vibrational modes of the hydrogen bond. Increases in the reactivity of newly opened reactive channels and vibrational enhancement effects are discussed in terms of the model with experimental implications given.
Influence of specimen gage length and loading method on the axial compressive strength of a unidirectional composite material

Various compression test methods for composite materials have been developed during the past few years incorporating specimens of different gage lengths and modes of load introduction. Most of these test methods are not recognized as standards at the present time. Thus the question arises as to whether these various test methods produce similar results.
The effect of pregnancy on the elastic membranes of mesometrial arteries in the guinea pig.

Mesometrial arteries were obtained at various stages from adult virgin and primiparous guinea pigs beginning at pregnancy and ending at 40 days post-partum. The tissues were processed routinely and then stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and various elastic tissue stains. Picro-indigo-carmine and Van Gieson were used as counterstains. It was found that during the early stages of pregnancy the subendothelial cells of mesometrial arteries began to proliferate and the internal elastic membrane showed signs of fragmentation. By term the subendothelial cells formed a several layer thick cushion and the elastic fibers were virtually absent. About 22 days post-partum the subendothelial cells had disappeared and a new internal elastic membrane had formed. These changes are found mainly in the placental mesometrial arteries and to a lesser degree in the peripheral ones. Guinea pigs with unilateral pregnancies exhibited the above changes only on the side of the pregnant horn. It is suggested that the above changes are due to pregnancy and that local hormones elaborated by the placenta may be largely responsible for the alterations in the mesometrial arteries during pregnancy.
Long-term anticoagulation therapy in prevention of stroke

Long-term anticoagulation continues to be used and investigated as a means to prevent new or recurrent stroke. The best-established indications for long-term anticoagulation are cardiac abnormalities capable of producing intracardiac thrombi that may embolize into the brain or systemic circulation. The firmest cardiac indications are mechanical prosthetic heart valves, mitral stenosis with atrial fibrillation, and atrial fibrillation with additional features placing them at increased risk for stroke. These and other “major” cardiac potential sources of emboli should be considered as anticoagulation candidates unless the estimated risk of bleeding is prohibitive. A number of noncardiac potential causes of stroke are generally managed with long-term anticoagulation. These include arterial dissections, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, and congenital and acquired coagulopathies. Recent randomized studies do not support the use of long-term anticoagulation for the prevention of recurrent stroke in patients with noncardioembolic stroke that is not due to the previously outlined disorders. Whether long-term anticoagulation is beneficial in the specific population of patients with major documented intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis is currently under investigation.
Protecting the terminus: t-loops and telomere end-binding proteins

Telomeric DNA is composed of a region of duplex telomeric tract followed by a single-strand overhang on the 3′ G-rich strand. The DNA is packaged by proteins that associate directly with the single- and double-strand regions of the telomeric tract and by their associated proteins. This review discusses the evidence that G-strand overhangs are present on both ends of eukaryotic chromosomes and the steps needed to generate these overhangs. The overhangs are protected by specialized G-overhang-binding protein and/or invasion by the overhang of the duplex region of the telomeric tract to form a structure called a ‘t-loop’. The G-overhang-binding proteins identified from different species are described, and their properties compared. The data supporting the existence of t-loops at native telomeres is discussed, and the conditions required to promote their in vitro formation are presented.
Influence of preweaning handling methods on post-weaning learning ability and manageability of foals

Twenty-three foals were used to determine if different amounts of handling between birth and weaning affected their later learning ability and manageability. Foals were assigned to one of three treatments: non-handled (NH) foals were not handled except for necessary maintenance procedures: intermediately handled (IH) foals were handled daily in two 10-min sessions for 7 days after birth and then not handled except for necessary maintenance procedures; extensively handled (EH) foals were handled daily for 7 days as were IH foals and then handled for 10 min once weekly until weaning. Foals were weaned at 120 ± 10 days of age. On Days 1, 3, and 15 after weaning, foals were subjected to a one-trial learning test. The learning test consisted of placing the foal in a familiar pen with an apparatus of 1.5 m × 0.6 m containing 40 compartments of 15 cm × 15 cm. Number of visits to the apparatus and compartment visited were recorded for 5 min. A small amount of concentrate feed then was placed in a target compartment, and visits were recorded for an additional 5 min. On Day 16 after weaning, foals were subjected to a manageability test in which flight distance from an unfamiliar handler and reaction to a novel stimulus were recorded. Split-plot analysis of variance revealed no treatment differences in performance on the learning test (P > 0.05). Foal performance on the test was improved on Day 15 compared with Day 1 or Day 3 (P 0.05) on foal performance during the manageability test. Results indicate that this preweaning handling regimen has no effect on foal learning ability or manageability as measured by these procedures.
Species richness and trophic diversity increase decomposition in a co-evolved food web.

Ecological communities show great variation in species richness, composition and food web structure across similar and diverse ecosystems. Knowledge of how this biodiversity relates to ecosystem functioning is important for understanding the maintenance of diversity and the potential effects of species losses and gains on ecosystems. While research often focuses on how variation in species richness influences ecosystem processes, assessing species richness in a food web context can provide further insight into the relationship between diversity and ecosystem functioning and elucidate potential mechanisms underpinning this relationship. Here, we assessed how species richness and trophic diversity affect decomposition rates in a complete aquatic food web: the five trophic level web that occurs within water-filled leaves of the northern pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea. We identified a trophic cascade in which top-predators — larvae of the pitcher-plant mosquito — indirectly increased bacterial decomposition by preying on bactivorous protozoa. Our data also revealed a facultative relationship in which larvae of the pitcher-plant midge increased bacterial decomposition by shredding detritus. These important interactions occur only in food webs with high trophic diversity, which in turn only occur in food webs with high species richness. We show that species richness and trophic diversity underlie strong linkages between food web structure and dynamics that influence ecosystem functioning. The importance of trophic diversity and species interactions in determining how biodiversity relates to ecosystem functioning suggests that simply focusing on species richness does not give a complete picture as to how ecosystems may change with the loss or gain of species.
Increasing Experiential Learning in Freshman Engineering Through a Microfabrication Project

A hands-on microfabrication project was developed and piloted for Louisiana Tech’s integrated freshman engineering curriculum. The project involves the design and fabrication of a simple nickel resistance temperature detector (RTD). The project is part of a series of hands-on projects being developed for the freshman engineering curriculum as part of a “Living with the Lab” concept that utilizes the BASIC Stamp Board-of-Education (BoE-bot) kit (a microcontroller-based robotics kit) to increase experiential learning. The project was piloted in two sections of a freshman engineering course taken by all engineering majors at Louisiana Tech. The temperature sensor was used by the students as part of a control systems project to monitor and control the temperature and salinity of a water tank. The project included the direct application of fundamental engineering topics as well as applied technical skills that are part of the freshman curriculum. It also provided an opportunity to introduce the students to some common microfabrication techniques. The RTDs were fabricated using optical lithography and etching of a nickel coated Kapton© film. Students designed the geometry of the RTD based upon the resistivity of nickel. They created masks patterns using a commercial CAD package. They participated in a lab demonstration of the processing steps in performing photolithography to create the RTD pattern on the nickel coated Kapton© film. They then used their BoE-bot microcontrollers to measure the resistance of their RTD sensors and to calibrate the sensors. The project is being refined to be implemented this next academic year for the entire freshman engineering student body.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Forward planar projection through layered media

A planar forward projection algorithm is combined with ray theory to describe longitudinal propagation through an arbitrary number of randomly oriented isotropic layers. This method first measures the space-time pressure field in a plane, then uses wavevector frequency-domain methods to project the field through layered media and to an arbitrary new plane, not necessarily parallel to the initial plane. The approach is valid for longitudinal propagation through liquid layers and in solids, such as soft tissues, that can be approximated as viscous liquids. The algorithm is verified by propagating the field from a 0.5 MHz planar transducer through a combination of rubber, plastic, and water layers. Hydrophone measurements indicate correlation between measured and simulated fields for angles below the longitudinal critical angles of the layered materials.
The Arabidopsis stearoyl-acyl carrier protein-desaturase family and the contribution of leaf isoforms to oleic acid synthesis.

In plants, changes in the levels of oleic acid (18:1), a major monounsaturated fatty acid (FA), results in the alteration of salicylic acid (SA)- and jasmonic acid (JA)-mediated defense responses. This is evident in the Arabidopsisssi2/fab2 mutant, which encodes a defective stearoyl-acyl carrier protein-desaturase (S-ACP-DES) and consequently accumulates high levels of stearic acid (18:0) and low levels of 18:1. In addition to SSI2, the Arabidopsis genome encodes six S-ACP-DES-like enzymes, the native expression levels of which are unable to compensate for a loss-of-function mutation in ssi2. The presence of low levels of 18:1 in the fab2 null mutant indicates that one or more S-ACP-DES isozymes contribute to the 18:1 pool. Biochemical assays show that in addition to SSI2, four other isozymes are capable of desaturating 18:0-ACP but with greatly reduced specific activities, which likely explains the inability of these SSI2 isozymes to substitute for a defective ssi2. Lines containing T-DNA insertions in S-ACP-DES1 and S-ACP-DES4 show that they are altered in their lipid profile but contain normal 18:1 levels. However, overexpression of the S-ACP-DES1 isoform in ssi2 plants results in restoration of 18:1 levels and thereby rescues all ssi2-associated phenotypes. Thus, high expression of a low specific activity S-ACP-DES is required to compensate for a mutation in ssi2. Transcript level of S-ACP-DES isoforms is reduced in high 18:1-containing plants. Enzyme activities of the desaturase isoforms in a 5-fold excess of 18:1-ACP show product inhibition of up to 73%. Together these data indicate that 18:1 levels are regulated at both transcriptional and post-translational levels.
Bayesian Networks-Based Interval Training Guidance System for Cancer Rehabilitation

The number of cancer patients who live more than 5 years after surgery exceeds 53.9% over the period of 1974 and 1990; Treatments for cancer patients are important during the recovery period, as physical pain and cancer fatigue affect cancer patients’ psychological and social functions. Researchers have shown that interval training improves the physical performance in terms of fatigue level, cardiovascular build-up, and hemoglobin concentration, the feelings of control, independence, self-esteem, and social relationship during cancer rehabilitation and chemotherapy periods. The lack of proper individual motivation levels and the difficulty in following given interval training protocols results in patients stopping interval training sessions before reaching proper exhaustion levels.
Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Teaching Objectives for the New Millennium

The  eld of cardiac electrophysiology has grown and changed dramatically since the last guideline on fellowship training objectives was published in 1988. Not only has the ability to diagnose arrhythmic diseases improved, but also the knowledge of genetic contributions and mechanisms of these disorders has expanded. Moreover, the treatment of these arrhythmias, including ablation and implantable cardioverter de brillators (ICDs), has forever altered patient management. The purpose of this updated fellowship teaching objective is to outline the basic science, clinical components, and procedural aspects of electrophysiology and to provide relevant references that can be used as an educational guide. This work represents a compilation by experts in the  eld of electrophysiology but is not intended to give guidelines regarding fellowship requirements outlined in American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and ACGME documents. This article is organized according to the following sections: (1) historical aspects of electrophysiology; (2) disease mechanisms, including basic electrophysiology and the genetic basis of arrhythmias; (3) diagnosis of arrhythmias, including surface ECG, invasive electrophysiologic evaluation, and laboratory safety; (4) treatment of arrhythmias, including basic pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, ablation of supraventricular tachycardia, atrial  brillation and  utter, ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT), pacemakers, and ICDs; and (5) syncope and sudden cardiac death.
Multisensory decisions provide support for probabilistic number representations

A large body of evidence suggests that an approximate number sense allows humans to estimate numerosity in sensory scenes. This ability is widely observed in humans, including those without formal mathematical training. Despite this, many outstanding questions remain about the nature of the numerosity representation in the brain. Specifically, it is not known whether approximate numbers are represented as scalar estimates of numerosity or, alternatively, as probability distributions over numerosity. In the present study, we used a multisensory decision task to distinguish these possibilities. We trained human subjects to decide whether a test stimulus had a larger or smaller numerosity compared with a fixed reference. Depending on the trial, the numerosity was presented as either a sequence of visual flashes or a sequence of auditory tones, or both. To test for a probabilistic representation, we varied the reliability of the stimulus by adding noise to the visual stimuli. In accordance with a probabilistic representation, we observed a significant improvement in multisensory compared with unisensory trials. Furthermore, a trial-by-trial analysis revealed that although individual subjects showed strategic differences in how they leveraged auditory and visual information, all subjects exploited the reliability of unisensory cues. An alternative, nonprobabilistic model, in which subjects combined cues without regard for reliability, was not able to account for these trial-by-trial choices. These findings provide evidence that the brain relies on a probabilistic representation for numerosity decisions.
What can recent replication failures tell us about the theoretical commitments of psychology

I suggest that the recent, highly visible, and often heated debate over failures to replicate results in the social sciences reveals more than the need for greater attention to the pragmatics and v...
Health Care Reform: Third Gear's All Right

izens, New Jersey passed a program for individuals that had guaranteed issue (all who applied must be accepted after a brief waiting period) and pure community rating (all enrollees regardless of health and age were charged the same premium). The plan did not mandate individual coverage, hence the interest among students of PPACA. And nearly every bad thing that could happen did happen. After an initially impressive enrollment, the number of members fell from 186,000 in 1995 to 85,000 in 2001. In the same interval, premiums grew by 350%, and the age of the insured population increased (to an average age of 48.4 years from 40.7 years). Why the instability? The adverse selection death spiral: Because of uniform pricing between the healthy young and unhealthy old, the former paid more than their true costs and rapidly left for cheaper plans that used risk selection and medical underwriting to control expenditures. Similar consequences were seen in other states—New York, Kentucky, and Vermont—that used similar health insurance strategies as New Jersey. Although the individual mandate deservedly received the lion’s share of public attention, another element of the Supreme Court decision may have major ripple effects. That other major ruling relates to Medicaid: whether PPACA is coercive in the choices presented to states and, more important, whether the federal government can exclude uncooperative states in total from the program (Uncle Sam cannot). The current Medicaid system calls for a federal match for statesupplied funds using a formula that hinges on per capita income. The
The MAPK/ERK-Signaling Pathway Regulates the Expression and Distribution of Tight Junction Proteins in the Mouse Proximal Epididymis

The initial segment (IS) in rodents is functionally and structurally distinct from other epididymal segments and plays an important role in sperm maturation. The MAPK/ERK1/2 pathway is maintained active in the IS by testicular luminal factors and plays crucial roles in the maintenance and differentiation of the IS epithelium. Tight junctions (TJs) are constituents of the blood-epididymis barrier, which mediates the paracellular transport of ions, solutes, and water and controls epithelial cell differentiation, thereby contributing to the establishment of a unique luminal environment. We examine here the role of the MAPK/ERK1/2 pathway in the regulation of TJ proteins in the IS. Inhibition of mitogen activated protein kinase kinase (MAPKK or MEK1/2) with PD325901, followed by reduction of ERK1/2 phosphorylation (pERK), decreased zonula occludens (ZO)-2 expression and increased ZO-3 expression in TJs but had no effect on ZO-1 expression. In control mice, in addition to being located in TJs, claudin (Cldn)-1, Cldn-3, and Cldn-4 were detected in the basolateral membrane of epithelial cells, with enriched expression of Cldn-1 and Cldn-4 in basal cells. PD325901 reduced the expression of Cldn-1 and Cldn-4 at all locations without affecting Cldn-3. Occludin was undetectable in the IS of control mice, but PD325901 triggered its expression in TJs. No effect was observed for any of the proteins examined in the other epididymal regions. Our results indicate the participation of the MAPK/ERK1/2 pathway in the regulation of cell-cell events that control the formation and maintenance of the blood-epididymis barrier.
American Institute for Manufacturing Integrated Photonics (AIM Photonics)

The National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) is a network of research institutes in the United States that focus on developing and commercializing manufacturing technologies through public-private partnerships between U.S. industry, universities, and federal government agencies. The newest Institute was announced July 27, 2015: The American Institute for Manufacturing Integrated Photonics (AIM Photonics). This Institute is focused on developing an end-to-end photonic integrated circuit (PIC) ecosystem in the U.S., including domestic foundry access, integrated design tools, automated packaging, assembly and test, and workforce development. The Institute will develop and demonstrate innovative manufacturing technologies for: • Ultra-high-speed transmission and switching of signals for the Internet and telecommunications • Microwave photonic PICs • Multi-sensor applications including chem-bio sensors, urban navigation, and other topics
The Nuclear Performance of Fusion Reactor Blankets

The neutronic behavior of fusion reactor blankets is discussed, and transport-theory calculations are presented for two blanket designs. The areas investigated are (1) tritium breeding, (2) nuclear...
The fibrinolytic enzyme system in cervical mucus.

A clinical study was undertaken to assess the fibrinolytic enzyme system in cervical mucus in relation to the different stages of the menstrual cycle. Samples of cervical mucus from 8 women in the reproductive stage were taken on different days of the cycle and tested for components of the fibrinolytic system. The testing procedure is explained and the results graphed. Activator was found to disappear from the mucus for 2 days pre- and post-ovulation. Heating and freezing the mucus did not destroy the fibrinolytic activity. Testing was conducted for the presence of such other agents as proactivator plasmin and plasminogen in the mucus.
Public Libraries and Access to Knowledge (A2K): A History of Open Access (OA) and the Internet in India in the 19th and 20th Century

This paper examines the role that public libraries in India have played in the expansion of access to knowledge. Beginning with an account of the development of the library movement in India over the past two centuries, the paper discusses new initiatives including Digital Libraries and electronic repositories of theses and dissterations (ETDs) are being experimented with in order to increase the range of materials available to the public. The paper also looks at the impact of changing readership patterns and the availability of cheap printed materials, including pirated materials and the impact the latter have on Access to Knowledge.
Membrane estrogen receptor-enriched GH(3)/B6 cells have an enhanced non-genomic response to estrogen.

We immunoselected GH3/B6 cells for a membrane estrogen receptor (mER) using antibodies generated against the rat intracellular ER (iER). Immunocytochemistry with anti-ER antibodies revealed bright fluorescence distributed in patches over the surface of mER-enriched cells, while cells immuno-depleted for mER showed only low-level membrane immunofluorescence. Quantitation via digital image analysis confirmed that immunoenriched populations show increases in both stained cell numbers and intensity of staining. Short-term culturing with serum reversibly decreased the intensity of immunostaining in mER-enriched cells to immuno-depleted cell levels. The mER-enriched populations initially contained ∼85% immunopositive cells in defined medium, but when cultured continuously with serum gradually decline to ∼22% immunopositive cells by 10 weeks. Cells enriched for mER showed a significant increase in rapid (after 2 or 5 min) prolactin release when treated with 17β-estradiol, while mER-depleted cells lacked this response. Immunoprecipitabie membrane proteins isolated from mER-enriched cells were 60,000, 74,000 and ∼ 200,000 MW, compared to an iER size of 67,000. Therefore, the presence and level of an mER that is antigenically related to iER is correlated with the ability of GH3/B6 cells to mediate a rapid action of estrogen.