cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role and value of quantitative instruments in gauging student perspectives in a computing curriculum

In this special session, we will discuss the role and value of quantitative instruments in gauging student perspectives in computer science education. After creating the appropriate context, we will discuss the road educators have traveled in creating such instruments as well as review one based on a variation of a survey developed by the University of Maryland Physics Education Research Group. Finally, we will present the importance of gathering this information from the perspective of grant agencies. During our conversation, we will invite our audience members to fill out the survey form for a particular instrument. If we are collectively on the same page, then our responses may be used to establish a baseline to which students progress can be compared.
Removal of sodium dodecyl sulfate from proteins

Effective removal of sodium dodecyl sulfate from proteins in water or sodium phosphate buffer was achieved by column chromatography using the ion-retardation resin AG11A8. An average recovery of 83% protein was obtained, while 0.1 to 1.4 moles of sodium dodecyl sulfate remained on each mole of protein.
Convergent Evidence Scaling for Multiple Assessment Indicators: Conceptual Issues, Applications, and Technical Challenges

The purpose of this article is to present Convergent Evidence Scaling (CES) as an emergent method for combining data from multiple assessment indicators. The CES method combines single-case assessment data by converging data gathered across multiple persons, settings, or measures, thereby providing an overall criterion-referenced outcome on which to base decisions. Examples are described using CES for monitoring treatment integrity and for treatment evaluation to demonstrate the use of the method within consultation problem-solving and response-to-intervention models. The article concludes with a discussion of the strengths and limitations of the CES method.
Behavior of Particulates in Thermal Plasma Flows

Injection of particulate matter into a thermal plasma represents one of the approaches used in thermal plasma processing. The injected particles are usually treated as a dispersed phase, governed by the equation of motion and the rate equations for heat and mass transfer in Lagrangian coordinates. A stochastic approach is introduced to take particle dispersion into account due to turbulent fluctuations by randomly sampling instantaneous flow fields. Three-dimensional effects are also considered which are mainly due to particle injection and the presence of a swirl component. A modified approach for investigating noncontinuum effects on plasma-particle heat transfer is proposed, incorporating both electric and aerodynamic effects on the boundary layer around a particle immersed into a thermal plasma. Comparisons of theoretical predictions based on the present model with available experimental data are, in general, in reasonable agreement.
Interlaboratory Comparison on High-Temperature Superconductor Critical-Current Measurements.

An extensive interlaboratory comparison was conducted on high temperature superconductor (HTS) critical-current measurements. This study was part of an international cooperative effort through the Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS). The study involved six U.S. laboratories that are recognized leaders in the field of HTS. This paper includes the complete results from this comparison of critical-current measurements on Ag-sheathed Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10-x (2223) tapes. The effects of sample characteristics, specimen mounting, measurement technique, and specimen damage were studied. The future development of a standard HTS measurement method is also discussed. Most of the evolution of this emerging technology has occurred in improvement of the performance of the conductors. The successful completion of this interlaboratory comparison is an important milestone in the evolution of HTS technology and marks a level of maturity that the technology has reached.
Let's reduce the cost of lighting

To determine how money can be saved on lighting, two main factors should be considered: the cost of the installation and the cost of its maintenance. The elements comprising these factors are discussed and formulas are given which should assist in the choice.
Pharmacokinetics of cisplatin in patients receiving interleukin-2-containing treatment regimens.

Plasma cisplatin pharmacokinetics were determined in 6 patients enrolled in a phase I trial of combined high-dose cisplatin and Interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy. Cisplatin (100 mg/m2) was given in 3% saline as a 3-h infusion on days 1 and 8 of each 28-day cycle; IL-2(2-4 x 10(6) units/m2) was given as an i.v. bolus on days 15-19 in a dose escalation trial. Peak total and ultrafiltrate plasma platinum concentrations were 1.15 and 0.172 micrograms/ml for cycle 1 and 1.2 and 0.124 micrograms/ml for cycle 3, respectively. The AUCs for total and ultrafiltrate plasma platinum were 7.33 and 0.965 micrograms/ml per hour for cycle 1 and 8.48 and 0.924 micrograms/ml per hour for cycle 3, respectively. Total body clearances for total and ultrafiltrate platinum were 0.051 and 0.525 ml/h for cycle 1 and 0.042 and 0.443 ml/h for cycle 3, respectively. These data demonstrate no significant effects of IL-2 on the plasma pharmacokinetics of cisplatin in the dose schedule given and support the feasibility of this combined modality therapy.
Effects of doxorubicin and its aglycone metabolite on calcium sequestration by rabbit heart, liver, and kidney mitochondria

Abstract Previous investigators have shown that following doxorubicin treatment heart mitochondria appear swollen and contain intramitochondrial dense inclusion bodies identified as calcium phosphate. In vitro studies have shown that similar morphological changes occur in mitochondria previously loaded with excess calcium. The present studies were performed to determine the effects of doxorubicin and its aglycone metabolite on 45Ca2+ uptake by mitochondria isolated from the heart, liver, and kidney of the rabbit. Doxorubicin (100 μM) significantly inhibited the initial rate of 45Ca2+ accumulated by mitochondria isolated from the three tissues. In contrast, the aglycone metabolite (100 μM) induced the reverse effect. In preloaded mitochondria the aglycone stimulated the release of calcium while doxorubicin was without effect. Mitochondria from the heart were significantly more sensitive to the effects of these anthracyclines than were mitochondria from the other two tissues. If these in vitro effects also occur in vitro, then the aglycone metabolite would be a more likely candidate in explaining the morphological changes in heart mitochondria previously described.
Elements of style among machine-generated COBOL flowcharts

After a brief review of the use of flowcharts both before and after the completion of a program, this article illustrates and compares the graphic output of four automatic flowcharting packages for COBOL programs. These packages are Autoflow, Dynachart, Quickdraw, and Axiom One. Primary consideration is given to the effectiveness of various notational conventions and schemes for geometric representation. The specimens presented may also suggest preferred practices for adoption in preparing hand-constructed documentation.
Disfluency of nonstuttering children in relation to specific measures of language, reading, and mental maturity

Abstract Speech samples from 92 first-grade children were quantified on the basis of disfluency types and judges' ratings of language level. Intelligence and reading scores were also obtained for each subject. Correlational analysis indicated that the measures of language performance, intelligence, and reading ability used in this study were not highly and significantly associated with frequency of disfluency whether considered by individual type, type combinations, or total disfluency.
Vaccination with Irradiated Listeria Induces Protective T Cell Immunity

We evaluated gamma-irradiated Listeria monocytogenes as a killed bacterial vaccine, testing the hypothesis that irradiation preserves antigenic and adjuvant structures destroyed by traditional heat or chemical inactivation. Irradiated Listeria monocytogenes (LM), unlike heat-killed LM, efficiently activated dendritic cells via Toll-like receptors and induced protective T cell responses in mice. Like live LM, irradiated LM induced Toll-like-receptor-independent T cell priming. Cross-presentation of irradiated listerial antigens to CD8(+) T cells involved TAP- and proteasome-dependent cytosolic antigen processing. These results establish that killed LM can induce protective T cell responses, previously thought to require live infection. gamma-irradiation may be potentially applied to numerous bacterial vaccine candidates, and irradiated bacteria could serve as a vaccine platform for recombinant antigens derived from other pathogens, allergens, or tumors.
Metal-nitroxyl interactions. 23. Dinitroxyl adducts of paramagnetic metal complexes

Abstract The characteristic EPR spectrum of a nitroxyl biradical with intermediate electron-electron exchange, changed to a three-line mononitroxyl EPR spectrum upon coordination of a nitroxyl oxygen to the spin - 1 2 metal complexes Cu(tfac) 2 Cu(hfac) 2 , VO(tfac) 2 , or VO(hfac) 2 . Similar behavior was observed for a nitroxyl biradical with large electron-electron exchange when a nitroxyl oxygen was coordinated to VO(tfac) 2 or VO(hfac) 2 . One electron from the dinitroxyl couples with the metal unpaired electron, yielding a net spin of 1 2 . Thus the dinitroxyl-paramagnetic metal complex becomes a mononitroxyl. Approximate equilibrium constants were obtained for these Lewis acid-Lewis base interactions.
Antigen-specific T cells: analyses of the needles in the haystack.

The mechanisms that ligands use to send signals into cells vary among cell types and cell functions. For example, estrogen receptors (ERs) are critical regulators of the reproductive system, the central nervous system, and bone metabolism. There are two known members of the ER family (Keen and Davidson 2003). The natural ligand for the ER is estradiol, although thousands of different molecules have been screened for altered signals through the ERs. The odorant family of receptors (ORs) also detects a large array of ligands. Thousands of odorous molecules of different sizes and shapes can be discriminated. In contrast to the ER, in humans this task is accomplished by the 350 ORs (there are 906 OR genes, including the pseudogenes and degenerate genes [Glusman et al. 2001]). Rodents express at least 3-fold more ORs than humans, perhaps due to their increased reliance on distinguishing odors (Young and Trask 2002). The ORs are an example in which there is large diversity in ligands and in the cognate receptors.
A phase I trial of hepatic arterial bromodeoxyuridine and conformal radiation therapy for patients with primary hepatobiliary cancers or colorectal liver metastases

Purpose: We have previously found that conformal radiation therapy (RT) and hepatic arterial fluorodeoxyuridine was associated with durable responses and long-term survival for patients treated for nondiffuse primary hepatobiliary tumors and colorectal liver metastases. Further improvements in hepatic control may result from the addition of selective radiosensitization using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) infused through the hepatic artery (HA) concurrently with RT. This is a Phase I study of escalating doses of HA BrdU combined with our standard hepatic RT. Methods and Materials: Patients with unresectable primary hepatobiliary cancer or colorectal liver metastases were treated with concurrent HA BrdU and conformal RT (1.5 Gy per fraction, twice a day). Three-dimensional treatment planning was used to define both the target and normal liver volumes. The total dose of RT (24, 48, or 66 Gy) was determined by the fractional volume of normal liver excluded from the high dose volume. HA BrdU was escalated in standard Phase I fashion with at least three patients receiving each combination of RT dose and BrdU dose. The starting dose of HA BrdU was 10 mg/kg/day, with two potential escalations to a maximum of 25 mg/kg/day (the maximum tolerable dose of HA BrdU when given alone on this same schedule). Grade ≥3 toxicity was considered dose limiting. Patients receiving 24 Gy had one cycle of HA BrdU, while those receiving either 48 or 66 Gy had two cycles. Patients were followed for toxicity, complications, and response (when evaluable). Results: A total of 41 patients (18 with colorectal liver metastases, 16 with cholangiocarcinoma and 7 with hepatoma) were treated. Five patients were removed from the protocol (three had HA catheter complications, one developed atrial fibrillation, and one was removed due to recurrent Grade 4 toxicity), although all five are included for toxicity purposes. Dose-limiting toxicity was primarily thrombocytopenia and there was no obvious relationship with the RT dose. Only 2 of 17 cycles given at 25 mg/kg/day had Grade <3 toxicity. Complications developed in four patients, including one patient with radiation-induced liver disease. Response rates were not improved compared to our previous experience. Conclusions: The appropriate dose of HA BrdU for Phase II evaluation is 25 mg/kg/day. Neither the hepatic parenchyma nor the gastrointestinal mucosa appeared to be sensitized by this method of BrdU administration. It is anticipated that these, or still newer methods of therapy, can improve treatment results in the near future.
Generalization of the density-matrix method to a nonorthogonal basis.

We present a generalization of the Li, Nunes, and Vanderbilt density-matrix method to the case of a nonorthogonal set of basis functions. A representation of the real-space density matrix is chosen in such a way that only the overlap matrix, and not its inverse, appears in the energy functional. The generalized energy functional is shown to be variational with respect to the elements of the density matrix, which typically remains well localized.
“Electronic information—public or private good?”

Private and public sector participants in the information systems business are struggling to define their appropriate roles. Two qualities of information goods can affect whether or not public goods characteristics dominate; the life span of the information and the analytic content of the material. Moreover, technological change can alter both qualities. Those goods with a short life span and high analytic content are more likely to be allocated efficiently by the private sector. However, the longer the life span of the information and the lower the analytic content, the more likely that public participation is appropriate. The case of AGNET, an on-line information system for farmers, is used to illustrate how technological change can facilitate the transition from public to private sector.
Leukemogenic activity of murine type C viruses after long-term passage in vitro.

Cloned stocks of several murine leukemia viruses (MuLVs) were shown to be leukemogenic for susceptible mice after more than nine years of in vitro passaging in mouse embryo fibroblasts. Tissue culture-grown Rauscher (R-) MuLVs injected into newborn or young adult BALB/c mice induced lymphocytic leukemias in 100% of the animals beginning 80 days post-inoculation. No erythroblastic leukemia was observed even after passaging the tissue-culture-grown R-MuLVs twice through mice, indicating that the component responsible for that disease had been lost or attenuated during growth in fibroblasts. The tissue-culture-grown stock of Moloney (M-) MuLVs likewise induced lymphocytic leukemias in 94% of injected newborn BALB/c mice, and the tissue culture-grown Gross (G-) MuLVs induced lymphocytic leukemias in 42% of injected newborn C3Hf mice. The host range and neutralization characteristics of viruses recovered from animals that became leukemic after injection with the tissue-culture-maintained MuLVs were found to be identical with those of the injected viruses. These data implicate the injected MuLVs in the induction of the leukemias and suggest that the capacity to induce the disease is stably inherited as part of the viral genome even in the absence of expression. Activite Leucemogene Des Virus Murins De Type C Apres Passage A Long Terme in vitro Les auteurs ont montre que des stocks clones de plusieurs virus de la leucemie murine (MuLV) etaient leucemogenes pour les souris sensibles apres plus de neuf ans de passages in vitro dans des fibroblastes d'embryon de souris. Lorsque le MuLV souche Rauscher (R-) maintenu en culture de tissu a ete injecte a des nouveau-nees ou a de jeunes adultes BALB/c, il a induit des leucemies lymphocytaires chez 100% des animaux a partir de 80 jours apres l'inoculation. On n'a pas observe de leucemies erythroblastiques, měme apres deux passages de ce R-MuLV chez les souris, ce qui indique que l'element responsable de cette maladie a ete perdu ou s'est attenue pendant la multiplication dans les fibroblastes. Le stock de MuLV souche Moloney (M-) a egalement induit des leucemies lymphocytaires chez 94% des souris BALB/c nouveau-nees; quant au MuLV souche Gross (G-), il a induit des leucemies de ce type chez 42% des souris C3Hf nouveau-nees. On a constate que les hǒtes et les caracteristiques de la neutralisation des virus provenant des animaux devenus leucemiques apres injection des MuLV maintenus en culture de tissu sont identiques a ceux et a celles des virus injectes. Ces constatations indiquent que les MuLV injectes jouent un rǒle dans l'induction des leucemies et conduisent a penser que leur aptitude a induire cette maladie constitue un heritage stable qui fait partie du genome viral, et qui persiste měme en l'absence d'expression.
Influence of Grain Size and Thermal Maturity on Intergranular Pressure Solution and Quartz Cementation in a Quartz-Rich Sandstone: ABSTRACT

Detailed cathodoluminescent petrography and scanning electron microscopy reveal that grain size and thermal maturity have significantly influenced intergranular pressure solution and quartz cementation in the quartz-rich Hartshorne Sandstone of the Arkoma basin. Mean grain size of Hartshorne sandstones ranges from very fine to medium-grained. In any stratigraphic section, a negative, linear relationship exists between grain size and volume of silica dissolved via intergranular pressure solution. In contrast, either a positive, linear relationship or no significant relationship End_Page 583------------------------------ exists between grain size and volume of quartz cement. These relationships indicate that silica was selectively dissolved via intergranular pressure solution in finer grained sandstones and that, at least locally, quartz cement was selectively precipitated as overgrowths on detrital grains in coarser grained sandstones. Little primary porosity is preserved in the pressolved, finer grained sandstones, whereas appreciable primary porosity may be retained in coarser grained sandstones that contain more quartz cement. These relationships are also sensitive to thermal maturity, which increases eastward across the basin. This thermal trend is probably related to elevated temperatures associated with intrusions in as much as maximum burial depth of the Hartshorne decreases eastward. As thermal maturity increases, more intergranular pressure solution is evident for a given grain size whereas the volume of quartz cement does not change significantly. Thus, primary porosity tends to be preferentially preserved in areas of lower thermal maturity. In areas of higher thermal maturity, the sandstones have lost more silica via intergranular pressure solution than has been precipitated as quartz cement whereas the opposite is true in areas of lower thermal maturity. End_of_Article - Last_Page 584------------
TU-G-BRCD-01: Will the High Cost of Proton Therapy Facilities Limit the Availability of Proton Therapy Treatment?

The potential dose distribution advantages associated with proton therapy, and particularly with pencil beam scanning (PBS) techniques, have lead to considerable interest in this modality in recent years. However, the large capital expenditure necessary for such a project requires careful financial consideration and business planning. The complexity of the beam delivery systems impacts the capital expenditure and the PBS only systems presently being advocated can reduce these costs. Also several manufacturers are considering “one‐room” facilities as less expensive alternatives to multi‐room facilities. This presentation includes a brief introduction to beam delivery options (passive scattering, uniform and modulated scanning) and some of the new technologies proposed for providing less expensive proton therapy systems. Based on current experience, data on proton therapy center start‐up costs, running costs and the financial challenges associated with making this highly conformal therapy more widely available will be discussed. Issues associated with proton therapy implementation that are key to project success include strong project management, vendor cooperation and collaboration, staff recruitment and training. Time management during facility start up is a major concern, particularly in multi‐room systems, where time must be shared between continuing vendor system validation, verification and acceptance testing, and user commissioning and patient treatments. The challenges associated with facility operation during this period and beyond are discussed, focusing on how standardization of process, downtime and smart scheduling can influence operational efficiency. Learning Objectives: 1. To understand the available choices for proton therapy facilities, the different beam delivery systems and the financial implications associated with these choices. 2. To understand the key elements necessary for successfully implementing a proton therapy program. 3. To understand the challenges associated with on‐going facility management to achieve an efficient fully operational system.
Need for randomized clinical trials on intraoperative parathyroid hormone kinetics: comment on "impact of race on intraoperative parathyroid hormone kinetics".

T he use of intraoperative PTH testing to assure that no abnormally functioning parathyroids remain in the patient after removal of 1 parathyroid adenoma has slipped into widespread clinical use. In my opinion, this is unfortunate since the outcomes of this strategy have not been subjected to randomized clinical trials. Observational studies from the active, experienced, and world-renowned endocrine surgeons at the University of California, San Francisco have demonstrated less than 50% predictive success rate in patients with double parathyroid adenomas, a 13% falsenegative rate with single parathyroid adenomas, a negative influence of hemolysis on the reliability of IOPTH measurement, and now the suggestion that race and BMI may impact PTH kinetics. I worry about the statistical validity of comparing 28 African American patients with 734 white patients, especially when other variables are in play (BMI, vitamin D deficiencies, and 24-hour urinary calcium excretion). Using IOPTH changes for clinical decision making in the operating room requires expense of time, material, and people, both in the operating room and in the laboratory. Reliability of this strategy suggests that all types of patients with all varieties of hyperparathyroidism would have uniform response of PTH kinetics in a predictable fashion. To me, this seems unlikely. Different anesthetics, length of operation, avenues for blood acquisition (peripheral vein, central vein, jugular vein, or peripheral artery), and operative techniques of parathyroid manipulation might all have effects on IOPTH kinetics and values. Because of their expertise and high volume of cases, the surgeons of the University of California, San Francisco and their cadre of trained fellows would be ideally suited to conduct a randomized clinical study in a standardized fashion that could determine the values, reliability, and costs of using IOPTH strategies vs not using them.
Ultrasound detection of abscesses in the temporomandibular joint following surgical reconstruction

The purpose of this investigation is to report the technique and assess the utility of ultrasound diagnosis of abscess in the postoperative temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Fourteen patients had 18 ultrasound examinations of the postoperative temporomandibular joint (TMJ) to detect a possible abscess. Ultrasound examinations were performed with either a 5-MHz linear array and/or a 7.5-MHz sector probe following placement of implants (16) and autogenous costochondral grafts (2). The TMJ was scanned in both coronal and axial planes. In 14 examinations, an abscess was not detected; there were no false-negatives. Soft-tissue edema was found in 1 of these 14 examinations; at surgery, there was no abscess. Four examinations were positive for an abscess; 3 of these were confirmed at surgery. One examination was false-positive. We conclude that ultrasonography can detect an abscess in the symptomatic postoperative TMJ. A negative examination is reliable.
WE‐C‐342‐03: Photon Counting X‐Ray Detectors and DR and CT Imaging Methods

Two major x‐ray‐based techniques used for medical imaging are digital radiography (DR) and computed tomography(CT). Most of their detectors integrate the intensity of x‐ray flux and output gray scale images or projections. Detectors with indirect detection type heavily weigh x‐ray photons with higher energy as they generate more lights. This results in suboptimal contrast of images because the contrast of different tissues reduces in general as the energy of photons increases. In the past few years, there have been strong reviving research interests in an old concept—the use of the photon energy—to improve the quality and accuracy of diagnosis. Recently, novel photon counting x‐ray detectors (PCXDs) with energy discrimination capabilities have been developed for x‐ray DR and CTimaging. These PCXDs counts the number of x‐ray photons within multiple energy windows. This allows us to improve the quality of the current gray scale images and the accuracy of the material decomposition. We will discuss the state‐of‐the‐art detector technologies and imaging methods unique to these PCXDs.
Sensitization to cocaine's motor activating properties produced by electrical kindling of the medial prefrontal cortex but not of the hippocampus

Abstract A substantial body of evidence has accumulated that implicates NMDA systems in the neural changes that are associated with the development of both electrical kindling of limbic sites and sensitization to the behavioral effects of repeated stimulant exposure. This study sought to establish whether electrical kindling of the brain was a sufficient condition for inducing sensitization to cocaine's motor activating effects and, if so, whether the cross sensitization was a result of kindling of a specific locus. Rats received daily electrical stimulation of either the medial prefrontal cortex or the hippocampus. Other rats received the electrode implants and were handled daily but received no electrical stimulation. Stage 5 seizures developed in response to the stimulation in 32–35 days. Once this criterion of kindling was established and following a 14 day waiting period the effectiveness of cocaine (0.0, 5.0 or 10.0 mg/kg) in elevating horizontal motor activity was determined. For all 3 groups (sham controls, prefrontal cortical and hippocampal stimulated rats) cocaine produced a dose-dependent increase in horizontal activity. The slam controls and hippocampal rats did not differ in the magnitude of the cocaine-produced effect. However, rats that had received stimulation of the prefrontal cortex showed heightened levels of cocaine-induced activity that were particularly apparent in response to 10.0 mg/kg cocaine. These data suggest that kindling of the prefrontal cortex had sensitized rats to the behavioral effects of cocaine. Since the NMDA system has been implicated in both electrical kindling and sensitization produced by repeated stimulant exposures it is possible that the development of behavioral sensitization is a result of increased sensitivity of specific glutamatergic inputs that arise from a prefrontal cortical substrate and project to cocaine-sensitive sites.
Copy number variants in pharmacogenetic genes

Variation in drug efficacy and toxicity remains an important clinical concern. Presently, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) only explain a portion of this problem, even in situations where the pharmacological trait is clearly heritable. The Human CNV Project identified copy number variations (CNVs) across approximately 12% of the human genome, and these CNVs were considered causes of diseases. Although the contribution of CNVs to the pathogenesis of many common diseases is questionable, CNVs play a clear role in drug-related genes by altering drug metabolizing and drug response. In this review, we provide a comprehensive evaluation of the clinical relevance of CNVs to drug efficacy, toxicity, and disease prevalence in world populations, and discuss the implication of using CNVs as a diagnostic tool in clinical intervention.
Network dynamics of encoding and retrieval of behavioural spike sequences during theta and ripples in a CA1 model of the hippocampus

Spatial memory in the hippocampus is encoded and retrieved by the firing frequency and spike timing of pyramidal cells and inhibitory interneurons during network oscillations. Theta oscillations (4-10 Hz) are observed in rats during exploration and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, whereas sharp wave-associated ripples (100-200 Hz) are observed during slow-wave sleep (SWS) and consummatory behaviours. Hippocampal theta rhythm has been suggested to contribute to memory formation by separating encoding and retrieval into functional sub-cycles [1]. On the other hand, ripple activity has been demonstrated to structure temporally compressed forward and reverse replay of waking neuronal activity [2-4]. Recent experimental studies have shown that different CA1 excitatory and inhibitory neurons fire at different phases of the theta and ripple rhythms [5-7]. Similarly, medial septal GABAergic neurons differentially phase their activities with respect to theta and ripple [8,9]. We investigate, via computer simulations, the biophysical mechanisms by which storage and recall of behavioural spike sequences are achieved by the CA1 microcircuitry. A model of the CA1 microcircuit [10-12] is extended that uses biophysical representations of the major cell types, including pyramidal (P) cells and five types of inhibitory interneurons: basket (B) cells, axo-axonic (AA) cells, bistratified (BS) cells, IVY cells and oriens lacunosum-moleculare (OLM) cells. Inputs to the network come from the entorhinal cortex (EC), the CA3 Schaffer collaterals and medial septum. Our model addresses two important issues: (1) How are encoding and replay (forward and reverse) of behavioural place sequences controlled in the CA1 microcircuit during theta and ripples? (2) What roles do the various types of inhibitory interneurons play in these encoding and retrieval processes?
Stereotactic imaging quality assurance using an anthropomorphic phantom.

Objective: A custom-designed anthropomorphic head phantom, containing computed tomography (CT)and magnetic resonance (MR) viewable targets, was used in the assessment of stereotactic localization accuracyMaterials and Methods: The Brown-Roberts-Wells (BRW) or Leksell stereotactic ring was rigidly fixed to the phantom. CT and MR images were then obtained according to radiosurgery protocols with the corresponding localizer frame attached. Plastic spheres and rods appeared at various locations within the phantom, when filled with aqueous solution, and their images served as targets to compute stereotactic target coordinates using software compatible with each frame. Coordinates derived using CT and MR were compared with mechanical measurements obtained using the BRW or Leksell stereotactic arc systemsResults: For the BRW stereotactic system, the average vector distance to agreement of image-derived coordinates with the mechanical measurements was 1.41 ± 0.90 mm (CT) and 1.37 ± 0.38 mm (MR). Similar results w...
Alterations in c-abl gene methylation in cells transformed by phagocyte-generated oxidants

DNA from 10T1/2 cells transformed by activated neutrophils was analyzed for restriction length polymorphisms (RFLPs) in cellular homologues of retroviral oncogenes, and consistent RFLPs were found in MspI sites of the c-abl gene of all PMN-transformed cell lines. MspI digests probed with c-myc, v-Ki-ras, v-Ha-ras or v-mos showed no RFLPs, and none were observed in EcoRI, PstI, HindIII, BamHI, SmaI, Sau3a, MboI, HhaI, or TaqI digests probed with v-abl. Analysis of HpaII digests supports the conclusion that c-abl RFLPs result from differential methylation of the CCGG HpaII/MspI recognition sequence. MspI RFLPs in the c-abl gene may provide markers for oxidant-related genetic injury.
A two-step initiation hypothesis of pitting corrosion in passive metals

Abstract The pit initiation mechanism for a passive metal is considered on the assumption that pits nucleate through two-step processes. First, local fluctuation of the ionic concentration and of the electric field occur in the solution, so halide ions accumulate at anodic sites on the passive film. This starts a secondary process, where hemispherical nuclei are formed and grow into the film, which breaks down the film and initiates pits. The scope for these processes is discussed separately by the stability criteria based on the dynamic and the irreversible thermodynamic stability theories. The model is further tested for the occurrence of “noise phenomenon” in relation to the “birth and death” stochastic approach.
Semen output of rabbits ejaculated after varying sexual preparation.

SummaryThree intensities of sexual preparation were compared with none using 9 rabbits which each furnished 2 ejaculations every second day for 38 days. The average sperm content of first ejaculations after one false mount (102.9 × 106) was 178% greater than that following no sexual preparation (37.0 × 106) and 3 false mounts resulted in an additional 40% increment in sperm output over one false mount. Sexual preparation also increased average sperm content of second ejaculations, although the increments were not as large as those obtained in first ejaculations. Analyses of seminal volume and total fructose content revealed that sexual preparation stimuli also affected accessory glands, but the magnitude of effect was proportionately smaller than the magnitude of the effect on epididymides. Sexual preparation also reduced the relative magnitude of the within-buck variance of total sperm output.
Supercritical behavior of an ordered trajectory

The behavior of a particle undergoing a discrete, stepped motion around a circle is investigated for the case in which the average number of steps per revolution is the golden mean. The new features of this study are that the map in question is not invertible and that consequently the orbit is bunched into intervals within the circle. Because of this bunching, one can calculate the motion in some detail.
Economic Globalization, Class Struggle, and the Mexican State:

The contemporary Mexican system is a degraded and decaying hegemonic regime headed by the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (Institutional Revolutionary party-PRI). Its control over Mexico for 72 years has eroded as it confronts a growing class struggle for real democracy characterized by rejection of the PRI at the ballot box, massive street demonstrations for social justice, militancy on the part of new labor organizations independent of the PRI, and armed struggle in Chiapas and Guerrero. Neoliberal policies and economic globalization have increased corruption, exploitation, and economic misery. These conditions have given rise to social movements and to political parties organized under competing banners of democracy that are attempting to engrave their axioms on a social order that has removed whatever cushion that may once have existed for its poor as they fall from the misery to absolute disaster. No longer able to provide patronage to maintain discipline among local PRI bosses, the PRI's hegemony is marked by an increasing feudalization within it and a growing class struggle from without. To maintain this hegemony, it employs military force in Chiapas and Guerrero and alternates in power selectively in a few states, mostly by co-opting the conservative Partido Acci6n Nacional (National Action party-PAN). The growing struggle of social classes for real democracy in Mexico is once again Mexico's central political drama and Mexico's hope. Mexico's crisis is closely associated with the transition it has undergone since the 1980s to a more market-oriented form of state capitalism. The Mexican state substituted for a poorly developed capitalist class, providing capital investment and protecting national industry through high tariffs and through import substitution. It organized and coordinated the most important social and economic sectors through a populist, nationalist, corporatist party structure that maintained a revolutionary facade while allowing foreign capital and its allies to control Mexico through its "popular" sector. Leftist movements that opposed misery and repression were destroyed to maintain an autocratic form of state capitalism based on wage exploitation and social
Can IDDQ test replace conventional stuck-fault test?

Defect analysis of CMOS circuits is performed to show the test effectiveness of IDDQ testing. Results show that the test patterns generated by the stuck-fault model can detect nearly 100% of stuck-at faults and a very high percentage of delay faults and stuck-open faults. The IDDQ testing technique can detect gate oxide shorts, bridging faults, and some delay faults. However, IDDQ tests do not guarantee the improvement of stuck-at fault test coverage and they cannot detect the majority of delay defects and open defects. >
Controlled Macrophage Adhesion on Micropatterned Hydrogel Surfaces

We studied the protein adsorption and subsequent macrophage adhesion on poly(ethylene glycol) [PEG] hydrogels crosslinked using a focused electron beam. Thin-film gels were patterned on silicon substrates and could be formed with swell ratios (hydrated height/ dry height) anywhere between fifteen and unity. We have shown that laminin does not adsorb onto highly swelling gels but that it does adsorb on heavily-crosslinked low-swelling gels. As part of ongoing research on patterning surfaces to control neurite growth in the context of the inflammatory environment of a spinal cord injury, we are interested in how these gel surfaces interact with macrophages. We show that the high-swelling PEG gels resist macrophage adhesion, but the macrophages adhere to low-swelling gels pre-exposed to laminin. By spatially patterning combinations of low and high swelling gels, we show that macrophage adhesion can be confined to specific locations on a surface.
Study of Multichannel Parallel Anti-Symmetric Waveguide Bragg Gratings for Telecom Applications

We theoretically demonstrate the viability of parallel anti-symmetric waveguide Bragg gratings within a two-mode waveguide. These gratings produce reflections with mode conversions. This is the functional equivalent of superimposed Bragg gratings in silica-on-silicon without requiring multilevel etches. Also, due to their weaker coupling constant, these gratings allow for devices with narrow spectral full-width at half-maximum that can process multiple wavelength channels for applications such as optical add-drop multiplexers and optical encoders in optical communication systems
The personal values of school leaders in Pakistan: A contextual model of regulation and influence

This paper illuminates the sources of personal values and their influence on the leadership practices of two school head teachers in the particular context of Pakistan. A comparative case study method has been followed within the qualitative research paradigm where semistructured interviews, observations, and document analyses were used as the main data collection tools. This study finds that the types of personal values and the motivational bases for the acquisition of such values are very much contextually-centered. The data for both principals, despite the exceedingly different characteristics of their childhood communities, reveals that the inherent religious and communal values of their divergent communities remain a strong motivational base for each head teacher. Their leadership practices are considerably influenced by their personal values in terms of cultivating a school culture, establishing structures, and fostering relationships with the external community. Based on the study’s findings, a contextualized model has been proposed.
Power quality: a utility and industry perspective

The widespread use of electronics in everything from equipment in the home to the control of huge and costly industrial processes has raised the awareness of power quality, issues and concerns over the last few years. The definition of power quality or more specifically, a power quality disturbance, is generally accepted as any change in the power (voltage, current, or frequency) that interferes with normal operation of electrical equipment. It is the susceptibility of the end-use equipment that defines the necessary level of power quality. The intent of this paper is to present information on power quality issues as they affect end-use equipment. The goal of industrial customers is, of course, to stay competitive in the production of their particular product or service. One effective way of accomplishing this is to reduce downtime and thus production loss by limiting the effects of power disturbances. The goal of electric utilities is to maintain a healthy and effective relationship with customers while also promoting the use of electrical energy. It is essential that industrial customers and the utility work together to provide solutions to power quality problems. This paper defines power disturbances in industry accepted terms, examine the sources and effects of these disturbances (for both the utility and the industry), and explore economical solutions based on the compatibility of the equipment and the electrical environment.
Are Hispana IDUs Tecatas?: reconsidering gender and culture in Hispana injection drug use.

The roles of gender and culture remain elusive in the discussion of minority male vs. female Injecting Drug User (IDU) populations. A case in point is that of Hispano and Hispana IDUs. The commonly used street term for the Hispano (male) IDU, Tecato, is feminized through the use of the corresponding female noun Tecata. To do so however, minimizes the intricacies of gender and culture in the male vs. female roles of Hispano and Hispana IDUs (e.g., daughter/son, mother/father, partner, citizen). Hispano IDUs are also impacted by gender and culture in that Hispanos who embrace the Tecato way of life, must sacrifice and inure the consequences in how their male roles are minimized (e.g., the absent male figure in community, home, and family life). This article explores, through the analysis of qualitative interview data, the demands of gender and culture as they play themselves out in the lives of Hispana IDUs. Findings from this study suggest there are important gender and culture differences between Hispano and Hispana IDUs. Implications of this study include the need to reexamine the roles of gender and culture as they cause added pressure to Hispana IDUs (i.e., in demands to fulfill gender and culture stereotyped roles while also pursuing an IDU career).
NBD-labeled phosphatidylcholine enters the yeast vacuole via the pre-vacuolar compartment

At low temperature, the short-chain fluorescent-labeled phospholipids, 1-myristoyl-2-[6-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl) aminocaproyl]-phosphatidylcholine (M-C6-NBD-PC) and its phosphatidylethanolamine analog, M-C6-NBD-PE, are internalized by flip across the plasma membrane of S. cerevisiae and show similar enrichment in intracellular membranes including the mitochondria and nuclear envelope/ER. At higher temperatures (24-37 degrees C), or if low temperature internalization is followed by warming, M-C6-NBD-PC, but not M-C6-NBD-PE, is trafficked to the lumen of the vacuole. Sorting of M-C6-NBD-PC to the vacuole is blocked by energy-depletion and by null mutations in the VPS4 and VPS28 genes required for vesicular traffic from the pre-vacuolar compartment (PVC) to the vacuole. This sorting is not blocked by a temperature-sensitive mutation in SEC12, which inhibits ER to Golgi transport, a null mutation in VPS8, which inhibits Golgi to PVC transport, or temperature-sensitive and null mutations in END4, which inhibit endocytosis from the plasma membrane. Monomethylation or dimethylation of the primary amine head-group of M-C6-NBD-PE is sufficient for sorting to the yeast vacuole in both wild-type yeast and in strains defective in the phosphatidylethanolamine methylation pathway. These data indicate that methylation of M-C6-NBD-PE produces the crucial structural component required to sort these phospholipid analogues to the vacuole via the PVC.
Anticoagulation in intermittent hemodialysis: pathways, protocols, and pitfalls.

Several methods to prevent extracorporeal circuit clotting during hemodialysis have been used in human medicine. Unfractionated (UF) heparin remains the mainstay of anticoagulant therapy in both human and veterinary intermittent hemodialysis. Different UF heparin regimes may be used depending on the bleeding risk of the patient. In patients with active bleeding or with a recent history of surgery or hemorrhagic episodes, hemodialysis may be performed without any anticoagulation or with regional anticoagulation.
Navigating the lonely sea: peer mentoring and collaboration among aspiring women scholars

A group of pre‐tenured female faculty members is shown to advance from professionally isolated individuals to a collaborative group of writers through the peer mentoring process. The autoethnographically based approach to the analysis of self‐narratives exploring this transformation revealed experiential, emotional and developmental commonalities that guided the women's navigation of the tenure track at a large public research university via understanding of self, others and the environment. In contrast, the women's prior experiences with the traditional dyadic approach to mentoring resulted in feelings of isolation, professional self‐doubt and questioning of purpose. The researchers suggest that peer mentoring among female faculty in a higher education context offers an effective mentoring approach toward supporting women in forging scholarly identity.
Comparison of fillers in two polymers

Polyethylene (LDPE) and ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) were filled with calcined clay of two particle ranges and in a silane treated and untreated condition. The electrical properties were studied using thermally stimulated current measurements. Silane treatment was found to affect the results for EPR more than for LDPE. For both polymers, the stimulated current is larger for samples with larger clay particles. >