cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuroendocrine responsivity to clomipramine challenge test in neuroleptic naive psychotic patients before and after treatment with haloperidol.

Abstract The prolactin, cortisol and growth hormone (GH) responses to intravenous administration of 25 mg clomipramine (CMI) were studied in young male psychotic patients who had never received neuroleptics and suffered from schizophrenia (13 patients), delusional disorder (three patients) or schizoaffective disorder (one patient). The test was repeated after 1 month in 16 patients who were hospitalized and treated with haloperidol in doses appropriate for best clinical response (range: 7.5–40 mg daily). Symptomatology was assessed by the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). There was no association of the side effects caused by the administration of CMI (nausea and emesis) to the GH responses. The side effects appeared significantly less in the after treatment trials. Treatment with haloperidol did not influence the response patterns of the three hormones. An indication that high haloperidol doses may inhibit the prolactin response to CMI was obtained when the data were compared between low (7.5–10 mg/day, mean 9.7) and high (15–40 mg/day, mean 22.0) dose subgroups. Significant positive correlations were found between the prolactin and cortisol responses to CMI in the drug-free state, and the scores in the positive symptoms subscale of the BPRS. The degree of improvement did not correlate to any of the hormonal data.
Late Quaternary sequence stratigraphy of Lake Malawi (Nyasa), Africa

High resolution seismic data, multichannel seismic data and sediment cores were used to examine the Songwe Sequence, the uppermost of four depositional sequences identifiable on multichannel seismic data from Lake Malawi (Nyasa). The sequence has a maximum thickness of about 115 m in two areas of the lake, but is typically less than 70 m thick over most of the basin. The sequence is distributed along the entire length of the 560 km long lake, and is concentrated in three main depocentres. 14C age dates from sediment piston cores are extrapolated to provide an age estimate of about 78 000 yr bp for the oldest sediments within the Songwe Sequence. In the North and Central bathymetric basins of the lake, high resolution seismic data indicate a dynamic depositional environment, dominated by turbidity and mass flow deposits. Seismic data from the southern basin show acoustically transparent sediments with relatively low amplitude internal reflections, indicative of pelagic and hemipelagic sedimentation. In many areas the Songwe Sequence is underlain by a pronounced angular unconformity, suggestive of a significant, prolonged, low lake stage prior to deposition of the sequence. Seismic reflectors within the Songwe Sequence can be correlated to younger low lake stages identified from sediment core data. Major late Quaternary low lake level stages in Lake Malawi, interpreted from features identified in the seismic data and sediment core analyses, are tentatively interpreted at 6000 to 10 000 yr bp, 28 000 to >40 000 yr bp, and prior to 78 000 yr bp. Budget calculations indicate mean sediment concentrations from catchment runoff during the period of deposition of the Songwe Sequence to be about 190 mg 1−1, comparable to estimates of modern rainy season discharges from the major river systems. Erosion rates within the drainage basin are estimated to be higher than the African average by a factor of three or more, probably due to the high relief within the Lake Malawi catchment.
Development of a surface plasmon resonance biosensor for the identification of Campylobacter jejuni.

The purpose of this study was to develop a biosensor based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) for the rapid identification of C. jejuni in broiler samples. We examined the specificity and sensitivity of commercial antibodies against C. jejuni with six Campylobacter strains and six non-Campylobacter bacterial strains. Antigen–antibody interactions were studied using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a commercially available SPR biosensor platform (Spreeta™). Campylobacter cells killed with 0.5% formalin had significant lower antibody reactivity when compared to live cells, or cells inactivated with 0.5% thimerosal or heat (70 °C for 3 min) using ELISA. The SPR biosensor showed a good sensitivity with commercial antibodies against C. jejuni at 10 3 CFU/ml and a low cross reactivity with Salmonella serotype typhimurium. The sensitivity of the SPR was similar when testing spiked broiler meat samples. However, research is still needed to reduce the high background observed when sampling meat products. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The Use of Gestalt Approaches for Understanding Adaptive Behaviors in Channels of Distribution

800x600 Several recent studies have focused on the adaptive response of channel members to internal and external environmental changes. This research has sought to explain and predict the manifestation of particular organizational actions in response to environmental demands. The majority of this research has adopted a contingency-based approach. The present paper argues that the use of a Gestalt approach might provide a more thorough understanding of the phenomena being studied. In supporting this thesis, the author will (a) discuss the major weaknesses of the contingency approach, (b) provide evidence supporting the existence and usefulness of Gestalts, and (c) describe the techniques used in identifying channel gestalts. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
Which Instructional Practices Most Help First-Grade Students With and Without Mathematics Difficulties?

We used population-based, longitudinal data to investigate the relation between mathematics instructional practices used by 1st grade teachers in the U.S. and the mathematics achievement of their students. Factor analysis identified four types of instructional activities (i.e., teacher-directed, student-centered, manipulatives/calculators, movement/music) and eight types of specific skills taught (e.g., adding two-digit numbers). First-grade students were then classified into five groups on the basis of their fall and/or spring of kindergarten mathematics achievement-three groups with mathematics difficulties (MD) and two without MD. Regression analysis indicated that a higher percentage of MD students in 1st grade classrooms was associated with greater use by teachers of manipulatives/calculators and movement/music to teach mathematics. Yet follow-up analysis for each of the MD and non-MD groups indicated that only teacher-directed instruction was significantly associated with the achievement of students with MD (covariate-adjusted ESs = .05-.07). The largest predicted effect for a specific instructional practice was for routine practice and drill. In contrast, for both groups of non-MD students, teacher-directed and student-centered instruction had approximately equal, statistically significant positive predicted effects (covariate-adjusted ESs = .03-.04). First-grade teachers in the U.S. may need to increase their use of teacher-directed instruction if they are to raise the mathematics achievement of students with MD.
Cross-Modal Priming and Explicit Memory in Patients with Verbal Production Deficits

Implicit memory is often thought to reflect an influence of past experience on perceptual processes, yet priming effects are found when the perceptual format of stimuli changes between study and test episodes. Such cross-modal priming effects have been hypothesized to depend upon stimulus recoding processes whereby a stimulus presented in one modality is converted to other perceptual formats. The present research examined recoding accounts of cross-modal priming by testing patients with verbal production deficits that presumably impair the conversion of visual words into auditory/phonological forms. The patients showed normal priming in a visual stem completion task following visual study (Experiment 1), but showed impairments following auditory study in both implicit (Experiment 2) and explicit (Experiment 3) stem completion. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that verbal production processes contribute to the recoding of visual stimuli and support cross-modal priming. The results also indicate that shared processes contribute to both explicit memory and cross-modal implicit memory.
Control of prostate cell growth: BMP antagonizes androgen mitogenic activity with incorporation of MAPK signals in Smad1

Alterations in the signaling pathways of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and activation of the ERK/MAP kinase (MAPK) pathway by growth factors have been implicated in the development and progression of prostate cancer. Smad1 acts as a substrate for MAPKs and also performs a central role in transmitting signals from BMPs. We found that BMPs/Smad1 signaling inhibits the growth of androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cells. Upon the incorporation of ERK/MAPK signals at its linker region, Smad1 physically interacts with androgen-activated androgen receptor (AR) and suppresses its functions. BMPs induce the function of Smad1 as an AR transcriptional corepressor. We demonstrated in vivo that Smad1 signaling is low in androgen-regulated growth of prostate cancer, is activated after castration, and also is decreased in hormone-independent tumors. The activation status of ERK/MAPK parallels Smad1 in the progression of prostate cancer; thus, our findings indicate a molecular basis for the integration of signals of MAPK and Smad1 in the progression and androgen regulation of prostate cancer.
DYNAMIC EXPONENTS FOR POTTS MODEL CLUSTER ALGORITHMS

Abstract We have studied the Swendsen-Wang and Wolff cluster update algorithms for the Ising model in 2, 3 and 4 dimensions. The data indicate simple relations between the specific heat and the Wolff autocorrelations, and between the magnetization and the Swendsen-Wang autocorrelations. This implies that the dynamic critical exponents are related to the static exponents of the Ising model. We also investigate the possibility of similar relationships for the Q-state Potts model.
Strategic planning in implementation of wireless LANs

The authors address various issues involved in planning for wireless LANs in corporate sectors, educational institutions, and other organizations. Strategic planning and wireless LANs are described. The marketplace is discussed. The strategic planning process and the factors affecting strategic planning are considered. >
Distributed Larch Prover (DLP): An Experiment in Parallelizing a Rewrite-Rule Based Prover

The Distributed Larch Prover, DLP, is a distributed and parallel version of LP, an interactive prover. DLP helps users find proofs by creating and managing many proof attempts that run in parallel. Parallel attempts may work independently on different subgoals of an inference method, and they may compete by using different inference methods to prove the same goal. DLP runs on a network of workstations.
The Adventitia: Essential Regulator of Vascular Wall Structure and Function

The vascular adventitia acts as a biological processing center for the retrieval, integration, storage, and release of key regulators of vessel wall function. It is the most complex compartment of the vessel wall and is composed of a variety of cells, including fibroblasts, immunomodulatory cells (dendritic cells and macrophages), progenitor cells, vasa vasorum endothelial cells and pericytes, and adrenergic nerves. In response to vascular stress or injury, resident adventitial cells are often the first to be activated and reprogrammed to influence the tone and structure of the vessel wall; to initiate and perpetuate chronic vascular inflammation; and to stimulate expansion of the vasa vasorum, which can act as a conduit for continued inflammatory and progenitor cell delivery to the vessel wall. This review presents the current evidence demonstrating that the adventitia acts as a key regulator of vascular wall function and structure from the outside in.
A Role for the Low-Affinity A2B Adenosine Receptor in Regulating Superoxide Generation by Murine Neutrophils

The formation of adenosine dampens inflammation by inhibiting most cells of the immune system. Among its actions on neutrophils, adenosine suppresses superoxide generation and regulates chemotactic activity. To date, most evidence implicates the Gs protein-coupled A2A adenosine receptor (AR) as the primary AR subtype responsible for mediating the actions of adenosine on neutrophils by stimulating cAMP production. Given that the A2BAR is now known to be expressed in neutrophils and that it is a Gs protein-coupled receptor, we examined in this study whether it signals to suppress neutrophil activities by using 2-[6-amino-3,5-dicyano-4-[4-(cyclopropylmethoxy)phenyl]pyridin-2-ylsulfanyl]acetamide (BAY 60-6583), a new agonist for the human A2BAR that was confirmed in preliminary studies to be a potent and highly selective agonist for the murine A2BAR. We found that treating mouse neutrophils with low concentrations (10−9 and 10−8 M) of BAY 60-6583 inhibited formylated-methionine-leucine-phenylalanine (fMLP)-stimulated superoxide production by either naive neutrophils, tumor necrosis factor-α-primed neutrophils, or neutrophils isolated from mice treated systemically with lipopolysaccharide. This inhibitory action of BAY 60-6583 was confirmed to involve the A2BAR in experiments using neutrophils obtained from A2BAR gene knockout mice. It is noteworthy that BAY 60-6583 increased fMLP-stimulated superoxide production at higher concentrations (>1 μM), which was attributed to an AR-independent effect. In a standard Boyden chamber migration assay, BAY 60-6583 alone did not stimulate neutrophil chemotaxis or influence chemotaxis in response to fMLP. These results indicate that the A2BAR signals to suppress oxidase activity by murine neutrophils, supporting the idea that this low-affinity receptor for adenosine participates along with the A2AAR in regulating the proinflammatory actions of neutrophils.
Nutrients and production of giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, off southern California1

Concentrations of nutrients in the vicinity of the giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) off San Diego, California, varied seasonally. Surface nitrate concentrations were low for most of the year (usually <1 µM), higher during winter. Nitrate concentrations below 4.5-m depth usually exceeded 1 µM and were highest during spring upwelling, lowest during summer. Nutrients in the kelp bed were not depleted by the kelp nor enhanced by sediment regeneration, implying relatively fast exchange between water in the bed and outside waters. Nutrient concentrations varied at different longshore locations. The condition most limiting to M. pyrifera was probably the low concentration of dissolved nutrients, especially nitrogenous substances, near the sea surface. Translocation of nitrogenous compounds by the kelp plant from depths where concentrations are higher could compensate for this limitation. The summer die-off of the surface canopy may be caused by the inability of plants to translocate nutrients due to low availability of nutrients in the deeper water. The maximum change in dissolved oxygen measured was 0.43 mol O2 m−2 between 0900 and 1130 PST; extrapolated to 1 day this yields a production of 1.0 mol O2 m−2 d−1 (9.5 g C m−2 d−1).
Snap-off of gas bubbles in smoothly constricted noncircular capillaries

A corner flow hydrodynamic theory is outlined for the time to snap-off of a gas bubble moving through a smoothly constricted noncircular capillary as a function of the pore geometry and the capillary number, Ca. Above a transition capillary number the time to snap-off is independent of Ca, while below it the time to snap-off is inversely proportional to the capillary number. Thin films of liquid deposited along the capillary walls are shown to play a minor role; they are accordingly neglected in the analysis. The proposed theory is compared to new experimental results for snap-off in two constricted square capillaries (dimensionless constriction radii of 0.3 and 0.5) over a range of capillary numbers (10/sup -5/ to 10/sup -3/), wetting-liquid viscosities (1.0 to 8.5 mPa . s), and surfactant types. Good agreement is found between theory and experiment.
Resistance and Subversion in Everyday Life.

The main thesis of this article is that resistance and subversion are part of everyday life in most cultures, and that they are integral to the process of development. Many of our theories of social and moral development either fail to account for resistance, and treat it largely as anti-social, or view it as unusual activity sometimes undertaken by those who have reached a high level of development. Several examples are presented to illustrate that resistance and subversion are common among people in positions of little power in the social hierarchy--especially on the part of women in patriarchal societies. Moreover, research has demonstrated that social conflict and resistance based on moral aims occur in childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Especially among adults, conflicts occur over inequalities embedded in the structure of social systems that allow greater power and personal entitlements to some groups (e. g. social hierarchies based on gender, socio-economic class, ethnic or racial status). In th...
Polyatomic, anharmonic, vibrational–rotational analysis. Application to accurate ab initio results for formaldehyde

A computer program SURVIB is described for calculating vibrational anharmonicity constants for polyatomic molecules. The program requires as input a grid of calculated energies in the vicinity of a stationary point. This grid is fit, in a least squares sense, to a polynomial function of the internal coordinates. This analytic representation of the energy surface is employed in a normal mode analysis, and the energy is reexpanded as a polynominal function of the normal mode coordinates (expressed as vectors in the mass-weighted atomic Cartesian coordinate space). The resulting coefficients are used in a second-order perturbation theory analysis to obtain the vibrational anharmonicity constants. Also reported is an application of this program to formaldehyde employing ab initio, RHF, MP2, MP3, and RHF-CI calculations. The spectroscopic constants obtained for H2CO are in good agreement with experimentally derived values recently reported by Reisner.
Diagnostic Exercise: Severe Bilaterally Symmetrical Alopecia in a Horse

A 9-year-old Tennessee Walking Horse gelding was presented for diagnosis of the cause of extensive alopecia. Complete hair loss was noted over the head, neck, shoulder, thigh, and proximal limbs, but the trunk, distal limbs, pelvic area, mane, and tail were unaffected. The alopecic areas were visually noninflammatory with no exudate or crust except on the shoulder and along the back, where multifocal patchy areas of alopecia with scales and crust were evident. The horse was slightly pruritic. Microscopically, the hair bulbs, inner and outer root sheaths of inferior segments, and perifollicular regions were infiltrated by small to moderate numbers of small lymphocytes. Similar inflammation was occasionally evident in isthmus follicular walls as well as some apocrine glands. No sebaceous glands were affected. Immunohistochemistry confirmed that the small lymphocytes were CD3(+) T lymphocytes. The epidermis from the skin with scale and crusts along the horse's back exhibited mild to moderate hyperplasia, mild lymphocytic exocytosis, mild eosinophilic dermatitis, and diffuse parakeratosis with numerous budding yeasts, consistent with Malassezia spp. The final disease diagnosis was made as alopecia areata with Malassezia dermatitis. Alopecia areata could be a contributing underlying factor for Malassezia dermatitis.
Experiences in building a multi-university testbed for research in multimedia communications

The next generation Internet needs to support multimedia services such as voice/video over IP (VoIP) and IP-based television (IPTV) and media distribution. The goal of the project is to develop a testbed for understanding and analysis of vulnerabilities of IP-based multimedia networks. This is a collaborative project between University of North Texas, Columbia University, Purdue University, and University of California at Davis. This project was awarded in 2006 and in one year, we have developed a multi-university testbed with variety of PBX solutions including Asterisk, a multitude of voice and video IP phones, and multiple universities were connected through a secure VPN and Internet!. As with any endeavor, experiences and we have many unique issues, which sometimes cause setbacks. We have dealt with issues concerning interoperability between phones and servers, network address translation (NAT) connectivity issues, and many other collaboration issues concerning people and technology. An interworking of students from multiple universities, faculty, system administrators and support personnel has brought the testbed resources together for a working environment. In this paper we described our progress and experiences in more detail and how to fulfill our mission statement while supporting the various collaborative efforts involved with this project. In addition, we described the current research activities based on the testbed. Finally we described the next steps in the testbed development.
Electrokinetics in Nanochannels: Part I. Electric double layer overlap and channel-to-well equilibrium

Abstract In this paper a new model is described for calculating the electric potential field in a long, thin nanochannel with overlapped electric double layers. Electrolyte concentration in the nanochannel is predicted self-consistently via equilibrium between ionic solution in the wells and within the nanochannel. Differently than published models that require detailed iterative numerical solutions of coupled differential equations, the framework presented here is self-consistent and predictions are obtained solving a simple one-dimensional integral. The derivation clearly shows that the electric potential field depends on three new parameters: the ratio of ion density in the channel to ion density in the wells; the ratio of free-charge density to bulk ion density within the channel; and a modified Debye–Huckel thickness, which is the relevant scale for shielding of surface net charge. For completeness, three wall–surface boundary conditions are analyzed: specified zeta-potential; specified surface net charge density; and charge regulation. Predictions of experimentally observable quantities based on the model proposed here, such as depth-averaged electroosmotic flow and net ionic current, are significantly different than results from previous overlapped electric double layer models. In this first paper of a series of two, predictions are presented where channel depth is varied at constant well concentration. Results show that under conditions of electric double layer overlap, electroosmosis contributes only a small fraction of the net ionic current, and that most of the measurable current is due to ionic conduction in conditions of increased counterion density in the nanochannel. In the second of this two-paper series, predictions are presented where well-concentration is varied and the channel depth is held constant, and the model described here is employed to study the dependence of ion mobility on ionic strength, and compare predictions to measurements of ionic current as a function of channel depth and ion density.
Loss process analysis of the knockout switch using stochastic activity networks

The proposed use of asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) in B-ISDN necessitates fast packet switches (FPS) capable of providing adequate quality of service (QoS). The knockout switch is an FPS with low delay and cell loss at the switch level. However, the performance perceived by a specific input is not simple to determine, since the often computed cell loss probability (CLP) is a time averaged value obtained with respect to the switch. An analysis of the distribution of consecutive cell losses seen at a tagged port would be more useful. In this paper, we examine this distribution under a wide range of traffic burstiness for the knockout switch using Markov processes generated automatically from a stochastic activity network (SAN) representation. The results provide useful information on the performance at a specific input, as well as illustrate the usefulness of SANs in modeling and analyzing telecommunication switch designs.
Network biology methods integrating biological data for translational science

The explosion of biomedical data, both on the genomic and proteomic side as well as clinical data, will require complex integration and analysis to provide new molecular variables to better understand the molecular basis of phenotype. Currently, much data exist in silos and is not analyzed in frameworks where all data are brought to bear in the development of biomarkers and novel functional targets. This is beginning to change. Network biology approaches, which emphasize the interactions between genes, proteins and metabolites provide a framework for data integration such that genome, proteome, metabolome and other -omics data can be jointly analyzed to understand and predict disease phenotypes. In this review, recent advances in network biology approaches and results are identified. A common theme is the potential for network analysis to provide multiplexed and functionally connected biomarkers for analyzing the molecular basis of disease, thus changing our approaches to analyzing and modeling genome- and proteome-wide data.
Retinoschisin is a peripheral membrane protein with affinity for anionic phospholipids and affected by divalent cations.

PURPOSE: Retinoschisin (RS) is a retina-specific, secreted protein implicated in X-linked juvenile retinoschisis and essential for the structural and functional integrity of the retina. This biochemical characterization and ultrastructural localization of RS in intact murine retina was performed to further understanding of the molecular basis of its function. METHODS: Subcellular fractions and fractions enriched in photoreceptor inner and outer segments were prepared from mouse retina by differential or density gradient ultracentrifugation. Immunoblot analysis was used to assess the expression of RS in various subcellular compartments and its fractionation into soluble phase on treatment of retinal cell membranes with several solubilizing reagents. RS-lipid interactions were evaluated by a protein-lipid overlay assay that used wild-type and mutant forms of RS discoidin domain glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion proteins. The subcellular localization of RS in mouse retina was visualized by pre-embedding immunogold electron microscopy. Ultrastructure was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: RS was intimately associated with cell membranes of the retina. It was found to cluster on the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane of the photoreceptor inner segments, which synthesize and secrete it. It was released from the membrane at high pH, which is characteristic of a peripheral membrane protein. It was extracted from the membrane by the nonionic detergent NP-40, together with glycerophospholipids. Protein-lipid overlay assays indicated a preferential interaction between RS and anioic phospholipids. Extraction of RS from the membrane was inhibited by divalent cations. Photoreceptor inner segment morphology was markedly affected in RS(-)(/y) mice, which failed to express RS protein. CONCLUSIONS: RS in intact retina is a peripheral membrane protein. Although distributed over the two membrane faces, RS is associated primarily with the outer leaflet of the inner segment plasma membrane through anionic phospholipids and divalent cations. RS's localization in photoreceptors and its biochemical properties suggest a functional role locally, at the site of secretion and membrane adhesion, in maintaining the photoreceptor inner segment stability and architecture.
Development of Levofloxacin Inhalation Solution to Treat Pseudomonas Aeruginosa in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis

Inhaled therapies allow for the targeted delivery of antimicrobials directly into the lungs and have been widely used in the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) acute pulmonary exacerbations. Nebulized levofloxacin solution (MP-376) is a novel therapy that is currently being evaluated in phase I, II, and III clinical trials among patients with stable CF and recent isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from sputum. Phase I studies have investigated the single and multiple-dose pharmacokinetics of MP-376 and shown that it is rapidly absorbed from the lungs and results in low systemic concentrations. A subsequent phase IB study found that MP-376 pharmacokinetics were comparable among adults and children 6-16 years of age. Further phase II studies reported that sputum P. aeruginosa density decreased in a dose-dependent manner among patients who were randomized to MP-376 when compared with patients who received placebo. Improvements in pulmonary function and a decrease in the need for other antipseudomonal antibiotics were also reported for patients who received inhaled levofloxacin. The most common adverse event was dysgeusia (abnormal taste sensation), which was reported by nearly half of the participants who received MP-376. No serious drug-related adverse events were reported. These findings are encouraging; however, data from the two ongoing phase III trials are needed to determine whether MP-376 demonstrates substantial evidence of safety and efficacy as a chronic CF maintenance therapy and therefore may be useful in routine clinical practice.
Phases of the PdH system and statistical mechanics of the Takagi model

Abstract Brodowsky suggested that the PdH system resembles liquid helium mixtures at low temperatures. For example, the liquid mixtures exhibit an incomplete phase separation below 1 K, which may be regarded as analogous to cluster formation in the PdH system. The Takagi model is known to describe the liquid helium mixtures very well. We reformulate this model to study cluster formation in PdH. Our analysis of the cluster model shows a second-order phase transition with mean-field-like critical properties if the interaction between clusters is long range. Within the mean field approximation the relaxation function and the diffusion constant are obtained. We propose a physical explanation for the observed reversed isotope dependence in diffusion.
Identifying the Causes of Mayoral Control in Urban Public School Systems

Absent from the literature on mayoral control of urban public schools are quantitative studies that create a coherent theory of why mayoral control occurs. This article attempts to fill this gap by analyzing 47 urban school districts from 1991 to 2002, using a Cox Proportional Hazards model to assess the effects of political, economic, and district demographic variables on the risk of adopting mayoral control. The author finds that districts in states with Republican legislatures and large impoverished populations are most likely to adopt mayoral control. Lastly, over time, large union membership actually increases the likelihood of adoption, contrary to the conventional wisdom that teachers’ unions obstruct education reform.
Effect of augmenting cholinergic function on gait and balance.

Impaired mobility and falls are clinically important complications of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and a major detractor from quality of life for which there are limited therapies. Pathological, neuroimaging and clinical evidence suggest that degeneration of cholinergic systems may contribute to impairments of balance and gait in PD. The proposed trial will examine the effects of augmentation of the cholinergic system on balance and gait. The study is a single-site, proof of concept, randomized, double-blind, cross-over trial in patients with PD. Each treatment period will be 6 weeks with a 6-week washout between treatments for a total of 18 weeks for each subject. Donepezil in 2.5 mg capsules or identical appearing placebo capsules will be increased from two per day (5 mg) to four capsules (10 mg) after 3 weeks, if tolerated. Subjects will have idiopathic Parkinson’s disease, Hoehn and Yahr stages 2 to 4. We anticipate recruiting up to 100 subjects for screening to have 54 enrolled and 44 subjects complete both phases of treatment. Dropouts will be replaced. As this is a crossover trial, all subjects will be exposed to both donepezil and to placebo. The primary outcome measures will be the root mean square of the mediolateral sway when standing and the variability of the stride duration when walking for two minutes. Secondary outcomes will be the computerized Attention Network Test to examine three domains of attention and the Short-latency Afferent Inhibition (SAI), a physiological marker obtained with transcranial magnetic stimulation as a putative marker of cholinergic activity. The results of this study will be the most direct test of the hypothesized role of cholinergic neurotransmission in gait and balance. The study is exploratory because we do not know whether donepezil will affect gait, balance or attention, nor which measures of gait, balance or attention will be sensitive to drug manipulation. We hypothesize that change in cholinergic activity, as measured with SAI, will predict the relative effectiveness of donepezil on gait and balance. Our immediate goal is to determine the potential utility of cholinergic manipulation as a strategy for preventing or treating balance and gait dysfunction in PD. The findings of this trial are intended to lead to more sharply focused questions about the role of cholinergic neurotransmission in balance and gait and eventually to Phase II B trials to determine clinical utility of cholinergic manipulation to prevent falls and improve mobility. This trial is registered at clinical trials.gov ( NCT02206620 ).
How Come? Every Kid's Science Questions Explained

How Come? Every Kid’s Science Questions Explained . By Kathy Wollard. 2014. Workman. (ISBN 978-0-7611-7978-8). 406 pp. Paperback. $16.95 Did you ever wonder how birds sleep? Or why we have eyebrows? Or why, when someone in the room yawns, pretty soon everyone is yawning? This new book by Kathy Wollard is aimed at the inquisitive late elementary and middle school population of kids. It’s a great book to both incite curiosity and answer those reoccurring science questions. What is the back story on this creatively titled book? The questions in the book were asked by real kids in Newsday’s “How Come?” column. In 1993, the first How Come? book was published; …
RECENT ADVANCES IN NONLINEAR SPECTROSCOPY FOR SURFACE STUDIES

Three-wave mixing, primarily in the form of second-harmonic generation (SHG), has been demonstrated to be a sensitive and versatile probe of the properties of surfaces and interfaces of centrosymmetric media.1 The power of the second- order nonlinear optical effects derives from the fact that the process is (dipole) forbidden within the bulk of centrosymmetric media, but not in the asymmetric surface or interfacial region. Thus, one has a purely optical technique, with its concomitant advantages of high spectral and temporal resolution and wide range of applicability, that displays a degree of surface sensitivity characteristic of electron spectroscopy. In this paper, we describe some recent advances in and new applications of this nonlinear spectroscopic method.
Ruthenium-Catalyzed C-H Bond Activation Approach to Azolyl Aminals and Hemiaminal Ethers, Mechanistic Evaluations, and Isomer Interconversion.

C(sp3)–N bond-forming reactions between benzotriazole and 5,6-dimethylbenzotriazole with N-methylpyrrolidinone, tetrahydrofuran, tetrahydropyran, diethyl ether, 1,4-dioxane, and isochroman have been conducted using RuCl3·3H2O/t-BuOOH in 1,2-dichloroethane. In all cases, N1 and N2 alkylation products were obtained, and these are readily separated by chromatography. One of these products, 1-(isochroman-1-yl)-5,6-dimethyl-1H-benzotriazole, was examined by X-ray crystallography. It is the first such compound to be analyzed by this method, and notably, the benzotriazolyl moiety is quasi-axially disposed, consistent with the anomeric effect. This has plausible consequences, not observed previously. In contrast to other hemiaminal ether-forming reactions, which proceed via radicals, this Ru-catalyzed process is not suppressed in the presence of a radical inhibitor. Therefore, an oxoruthenium-species-mediated rapid formation of an oxocarbenium intermediate is believed to occur. In the radical-trapping experiment,...
Sex as a Biological Variable: Now What?!

The 2001 Institute of Medicine landmark study “Exploring the Biological Contributions of Sex” concluded that sex “should be considered when designing and analyzing the results of studies in all areas and at all levels of biomedical and health-related research,” from “womb to tomb” ([15][
Financing the African Colonial State: The Revenue Imperative and Forced Labor

Although recent studies on African colonial tax systems have deepened our understanding of early fiscal capacity building efforts in the region, they have largely ignored the contributions from a widely used but invisible source of state revenue: that of labor contributions. Exploiting data on corvee systems in French Africa, this is the first article to make these in-kind taxes “visible” by estimating a lower bound of how much they augmented governments' revenue base. Revealing that labor taxes constituted in most places the largest component of early colonial budgets, I argue that studies on historical taxation need to make a greater effort to integrate this significant source of government revenue into their analysis.
The N-butylcarbamate derivative of galantamine acts as an allosteric potentiating ligand on alpha7 nicotinic receptors in hippocampal neurons: clinical implications for treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive impairments that become severe enough to interfere with the daily activities of patients and eventually lead to death (Chung and Cummings, 2000). Arecent study reports that approx 24 million people suffer from dementia worldwide. If the mortality rate does not change and no curative or preventive treatment is developed, this number is expected to double every 20 yr worldwide (Ferri et al., 2005). Although the causes of AD remain obscure, it has been reported that incremental loss of cholinergic neurons and of nicotinic receptor (nAChR) function/expression in specific brain regions correlates well with the severity of the symptoms at early stages of the disease (Hellstrom-Lindahl et al., 1999; Nordberg, 2001; Perry et al., 2001; Wevers et al., 1999). In patients with more advanced stages of AD, such a correlation between the magnitude of nAChR loss and of cognitive decline does not appear to exist (Sabbagh et al., 2001). The nicotinic cholinergic system plays a central role in modulating different forms of associative learning known to be impaired in AD patients, including the eyeblink classical conditioning (Woodruff-Pak, 2001), and in maintaining neuronal viability. Neuroprotection and cognitive improvement result from increasing the activity of different nAChR subtypes, including those bearing the alpha7 subunit (Carlson et al., 1998; Hejmadi et al., 2003; Kihara et al., 1997; Levin et al., 2006). Thus, increasing nAChR activity in the brain was proposed as a mechanism to slow down the progression of the disease (Maelicke and Albuquerque, 1996).
FRACTURE TOUGHNESS MEASUREMENT OF ROCK WITH FRACTAL CRACKS USING HYDRAULIC FRACTURING

The fractal methods are used to describe the tortuous shape of rock fracture cracks,and the theoretical models for fracture toughness of rock with fractal cracks are built.Based on these and different assumptions,the rock fracture toughness has been determined with rock fracture toughness testing system,which is self-developed and has the internal pressure.The results show that the fracture toughness of rock with fractal cracks is greater than that obtained by linear model,which also confirms that the theoretical values are often lower than the actual pressures of hydraulic fracturing operations at present.It is further proved that the calculation results with this model are closer to the actual ones.
Influence factor analysis on not having HIV test among men who have sex with men

Objective To investigate the factors that not having HIV test among men who have sex with men(MSM),and to provide basis for further intervention.Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted with the snowball sampling approach in the community of MSM of Nanjing.Socio-demographic,behavioral and other characteristics were included in the questionnaire so as to identify correlates of those not having an HIV test.Results Of the total 766 MSM who had taken part in this survey,76% of MSM in Nanjing have not had an HIV test in the past 12 months.The prevalence of HIV infection and syphilis were 3.92% and 10.97%,respectively.Multivariate analyses showed those ages older than 20,those having received examine or treatment of STD in recent year and those having got prevention messages on AIDS,were statistical significant associated with having not had an HIV test in the past year.Conclusion In order to further improve HIV testing rate among MSM in Nanjing,a set of testing and counseling for MSM,follow-up services and management model is urgently needed.
Skin testing in genitourinary carcinoma: 2-year followup.

AbstractCompound 2,4 dinitrofluorobenzene was used to sensitize 115 patients with genitourinary cancer to test their ability to be immunized with a newly encountered antigen. In general, patients in whom a cutaneous hypersensitivity response did not develop were more likely to have advanced stage tumors than patients whose immunocompetence was intact. A 2 to 3-year followup showed that patients with impaired cell-mediated immunity were more likely to undergo disease advancement than patients of similar stage whose immunity was normal. Unfortunately, these results cannot be extrapolated for application to a given patient.
Empathy and Moral Deliberation

One of the most important features of empathy is that it brings information to our attention and is one of the few ways that we have to connect with others’ emotions and points of view. This enables empathy to have the epistemic functions of information-gathering and understanding others, outlined in Chapter 3. But what can empathy contribute to moral thought and deliberation? Perspective-taking empathy in particular impacts our beliefs about others, our judgments about them, and our motivation to perform certain actions, and so it seems central to moral deliberation. But in order for empathy to contribute to moral deliberation and provide adequate moral guidance, the tendency to empathize with those who are most similar to ourselves, or empathic bias, must somehow be surmounted. This can happen when empathy is used in tandem with moral principles, and informed by moral concerns, so that empathy can motivate the achievement of a variety of ethical ends.
Online learning for characterizing unknown environments in ground robotic vehicle models

In pursuit of increasing the operational tempo of a ground robotics platform in unknown domains, we consider the problem of predicting the distribution of structural state-estimation error due to poorly-modeled platform dynamics as well as environmental effects. Such predictions are a critical component of any modern control approach that utilizes uncertainty information to provide robustness in control design. We use an online learning algorithm based on matrix factorization techniques to fit a statistical model of error that provides enough expressive power to enable prediction directly from motion control signals and low-level visual features. Moreover, we empirically demonstrate that this technique compares favorably to predictors that do not incorporate this information.
Sensitivity analysis in thermoelastic problems using the complex finite element method

ABSTRACTThis article presents the complex finite element method (ZFEM) for the sensitivity analysis of thermoelastic systems. ZFEM, based on the complex Taylor series approach, performs finite element procedures using complex variables such that the response variables (temperature, stress) and their sensitivities with respect to an input parameter of interest (shape, mechanical and thermal properties, loading) are obtained simultaneously. ZFEM offers significant advantages over alternative sensitivity analyses that require direct derivations of the sensitivity formulae, multiple runs, and/or remeshing. To verify the numerical implementation, a hollow cylinder with convective boundary conditions on the inside and outside surface was considered. First-order derivatives of the stress fields were compared with exact solutions to demonstrate the accuracy of ZFEM sensitivities. The results indicate that the ZFEM-based derivatives are of high accuracy, thereby showing its applicability in the design and analysis...
Making sense and facing tensions: an investigation of core practice complexities

AbstractRecently, scholars have called for a practice-based framework for teacher education and some have argued more narrowly for a framework built around ‘core practices of teaching.’ These efforts, in part, are intended to make teacher education practice public and available for collective improvement. The purpose of this paper is to highlight challenges and possibilities that arose during a core practice-oriented course redesign. Despite attention to the literature, the teacher educators faced dozens of inherent tensions and contextual challenges that distinguish their understanding of core practices from other teacher educators operating with common principles. Based on lessons learned, the author argues for greater attention to the details of core practice redesigns, rationales explaining redesign decisions, and empirical investigation of teacher candidate outcomes of such redesigned courses and programs.
Postural Preference and Musculoskeletal Complaints in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Purpose Oral and maxillofacial surgeons traditionally have musculoskeletal pain. The aim of this study was to determine the postural preferences of oral and maxillofacial surgeons and their effect on musculoskeletal pain. Materials and Methods The authors designed and implemented a cross-sectional study. The association of demographic characteristics with postural preferences and use of loupes was explored. Then, the relation of demographic characteristics, postural preferences, and use of loupes to painful musculoskeletal complaints was analyzed. Contingency analysis was used to compare participants' responses and multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify relevant predictor variables. Results The sample was composed of 153 oral and maxillofacial surgeons, of which 32% indicated that they had ever had pain attributable to their practice that lasted longer than 2 weeks. Practitioners reported neck and back pain as being most common. Eighty-four percent of practitioners stood for extractions and placement of implants. Those who stood did so for visibility. Practitioners who sat indicated they did so for orthopedic reasons (P < .001). Thirty-one percent of practitioners indicated loupes use. Those who used loupes were more likely to report pain (P = .022). Conclusion Most respondents stood and did not use loupes. Those who did use loupes were more likely to report pain. Those who stood did so for visibility; those who sat did so for orthopedic reasons. Almost one third of respondents reported pain lasting at least 2 weeks during practice.