cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stein and Wise theory of schizophrenia: a possible mechanism for 6-hydroxydopamine formation in vivo.

An already established alternate pathway in the dopamine-β-hydroxylase reaction is suggested as a source of in vivo production of small amounts of 6-hydroxydopamine. This hypothesis is highly consistent with all of the postulates of the Stein and Wise theory of schizophrenia which involves 6-hydroxydopamine damage of norepinephrine nerve terminals in the medial forebrain bundle.
Soil and plant selenium at a reclaimed uranium mine.

Selenium (Se) associated with reclaimed uranium (U) mine lands may result in increased food chain transfer and water contamination. To assess post-reclamation bioavailability of Se at a U mine site in southeastern Wyoming, we studied soil Se distribution, dissolution, speciation, and sorption characteristics and plant Se accumulation. Phosphate-extractable soil Se exceeded the critical limit of 0.5 mg/kg in all the samples, whereas total soil Se ranged from a low (0.6 mg/kg) to an extremely high (26 mg/kg) value. Selenite was the dominant species in phosphate and ammonium bicarbonate-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (AB-DTPA) extracts, whereas selenate was the major Se species in hot water extracts. Extractable soil Se concentrations were in the order of KH 2 PO 4 > AB-DTPA > hot water > saturated paste. The soils were undersaturated with respect to various Se solid phases, albeit with high levels of extractable Se surpassing the critical limit. Calcium and Mg minerals were the potential primary solids controlling Se dissolution, with dissolved organic carbon in the equilibrium solutions resulting in enhanced Se availability. Adsorption was a significant (r 2 = 0.76-0.99 at P < 0.05) mechanism governing Se availability and was best described by the initial mass isotherm model, which predicted a maximum reserve Se pool corresponding to 87% of the phosphate-extractable Se concentrations. Grasses, forbs, and shrubs accumulated 11 to 1800 mg Se/kg dry weight. While elevated levels of bioavailable Se may be potentially toxic, the plants accumulating high Se may be used for phytoremediation, or the palatable forage species may be used as animal feed supplements in Se-deficient areas.
Impact analysis of I-Lam sandwich system for over-height collision protection of highway bridges

Due to increased traffic volumes and incidence of impact damaged to bridge structures, there is a pressing need to develop a collision protection system for highway bridges against over-height truck impact. In this study, a linear elastic model for the impact response of bottom face sheet-rigidly supported sandwich structures including shear-off effect is developed. The solutions for a discrete model and concentrated and distributed loading cases for collision protection I-Lam system are obtained, of which the contact force history and maximum deflection are predicted. Compared to the LS-DYNA finite element analysis (FEA), the relatively simple analytical methods proposed accurately predict the impact response. The discrete model shows a better correlation with FEA predictions, while the model with distributed forces overestimates the deflection of the top face sheet but under-evaluates the peak contact force. The developed models including the shear-off mechanism can be used to approximate the impact response of rigidly supported sandwich structures hit by an over-height truck. The two important impact factors, i.e. the maximal deflection and peak contact force, can be used in primary design and optimization of collision protection sandwich structures.
On the Rights of Undocumented Children

Changes in immigration laws over the last three to four decades have given rise to unprecedented numbers of undocumented children. However, as others have argued, policies regarding the control of undocumented migration have had deleterious effects on undocumented children and their basic access to social rights. Undocumented youth in the United States can legally attend K-12 education, but cannot legally work, vote, receive financial aid, or drive in most states. Their situation calls for a reexamination of immigration laws and a recasting of the frame that has been used to promote their inclusion.
The Ampte charge Composition Explorer and the 4‐7 September 1984 geomagnetic storm

The orbit and payload of the AMPTE (active magnetospheric particle tracer explorer) Charge Composition Explorer (CCE) satellite, which provide an exellent opportunity for observing the geomagnetically trapped particle population in general and the earth's ring current in particular, are described. A global view of the September 4, 1984 geomagnetic storm is presented and the initial findings of the CCE investigators on the earth's ring current are given. It is shown that the CCE ring-current results pertain to an unusual asymmetric ring current and may not be applicable to a more typical ring-current development and decay.
Status Inconsistency and Lower‐Class Leftist Radicalism*

The hypothesis of status inconsistency predicts greater leftism as an interaction effect of discrepant status dimensions. Inconsistent individuals are objectively low in some dimensions and subjectively insecure in those where they hold a high position. Ensuing anxiety and frustration are likely to be translated into political opposition to the status quo. Though theoretically plausible, empirical investigations of the hypothesis report mixed results. Employing data collected among a sample of 382 lower-class Chilean slum dwellers, a new test of the hypothesis is conducted. Dummy-variable regressions are employed to isolate status additive effects on leftism from inconsistency interaction effects. Neither education-occupation nor education-income discrepancies are found to produce significant changes in the dependent variable. Identical results are obtained when age is controlled for. Limitations of these findings and their theoretical implications, as they add to a growing body of research, are discussed.
Synthesis of DNA in phage-infected Bacillus subtilis.

Abstract The hydroxymethyl-uracil-containing bacteriophage ∅e causes inhibition of host DNA synthesis in Bacillus subtilis 3610. This inhibition is not accompanied by breakdown of the host DNA to acid-soluble form nor by production of double-strand breaks in it. The inhibition of thymidylate synthetase produced by this phage is not responsible for the arrest of host DNA synthesis observed after 6 minutes of infection at 37° since the arrest is still observed in bacterial mutants requiring and actively using exogenous thymine. The role of the phage-induced deoxythymidine triphosphate nucleotidohydrolase (dTTPase) in producing the arrest of host DNA synthesis has been investigated using phage mutants which induce temperature-sensitive dTTPase. Even under conditions in which the dTTPase level is low enough to permit incorporation of some thymine into the DNA of the phage, there is still an inhibition of host-DNA synthesis at the usual time after infection. The results suggest, but do not prove, that the phage may give rise to some additional mechanism, besides the induction of dTTPase, resulting in inhibition of host DNA. It is not yet known whether the phage particles with thymine-containing DNA are normally functional.
Spectrophotometry of Jupiter's 3400–10000 Å spectrum and a bolometric albedo for Jupiter

Abstract Photoelectric measurements of the monochromatic flux from Jupiter in the region from 3400 to 10 000 A are reported. From these measurements and published data for the ultraviolet and infrared outside the region of measurement a bolometric geometrical albedo of 0.28 was obtained. With an adopted bolometric phase integral of 1.6 the bolometric Bond albedo is then found to be 0.45, corresponding to a temperature of equilibrium with absorbed sunlight of 105°K. If the difference between this temperature and the radiometric temperature of 128°K is due to heat from the interior the mantle is probably melted. Rough calculations suggest that even with convective cooling the initial contraction energy could explain the present radiometric temperature. Radioactivity, meteor bombardment, tidal friction, and magnetic field decay do not appear to be feasible alternative energy sources for the radiometric temperature. A simple interpretation of the radiometric temperature is that Jupiter is radiating only absorbed sunlight with a temperature of 145°K and emissivity of 0.27.
OROPHARYNGEAL EXCRETION OF EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS BY PATIENTS TREATED WITH IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE DRUGS

OROPHARYNGEAL EXCRETION OF EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS BY PATIENTS TREATED WITH IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE DRUGS
The effect of dietary caffeine on urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chloride and zinc in healthy males

Abstract Fifteen males drank decaffeinated coffee to which 0, 150 or 300 mg caffeine had been added. Each subject had fasted at least ten hours before drinking each of the three test beverages. Urine samples were collected at one, two and three hours after caffeine consumption. Total urinary three hour excretion of calcium, magnesium, sodium and chloride increased significantly after caffeine intake, while zinc, phosphorus, potassium, creatinine and volume were unchanged. The increased outputs were due to increased urinary mineral concentrations.
The effects of hormone replacement therapy on coronary heart disease

The importance of cardiovascular disease as a cause of morbidity and mortality in women is well appreciated. Cardiovascular disease accounts for approximately 48% of deaths in women in the United States. In particular, coronary heart disease (CHD) accounts for approximately one-half of these deaths. This article describes current evidence that suggests it is premature to recommend hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as a proven prevention strategy for CHD.
Tight contact structures and Anosov flows

Abstract In this review, we demonstrate how classic and contemporary results on the classification of tight contact structures apply to the problem of existence and uniqueness of Anosov flows on three-manifolds. The ingredients we use are the results of Mitsumatsu on Anosov flows, the homotopy invariant of plane fields as described by Gompf and others, and certain recent classification results of Giroux and Honda. A simple example is a novel proof of the nonexistence of Anosov flows on S3 using only contact topology (and in particular without use of Novikov's Theorem on foliations).
Platelet‐Pheresis Description of a New Technic

A new method of closed-system platelet-pheresis is described, utilizing plastic bowls which can be attached directly to standard laboratory centrifuges. The unique features of this system are those of: simplicity, speed, and safety. The assembled bags, centrifuge bowl, and tubulations remain connected to the donor throughout the platelet separation, obviating the possibility of returning reconstituted red cells or plasma to the wrong donor. Data are presented on 24 experiments of up to 4 units of whole blood each. Studies with the platelets isolated in this manner show retention of essentially normal function. Preliminary in-vivo data suggest a similar normalcy and circulatory effectiveness.
Public perceptions of female police officers on patrol

Women in policing have been the subject of considerable study for the past 20 years. While women perform as well as men in various patrol assignments and situations, they still face a significant amount of disapproval from the male police personnel population. Citizens, however, have shown a greater acceptance of women in this male-dominated occupation and a greater confidence in women’s abilities to effectively perform difficult patrol tasks. The purpose of the present research is to determine the perceptions that residents of two Kentucky counties have of female patrol officers and if those perceptions affirm previous findings. The socioeconomic foundations for those residents’ perceptions are also examined. The research instrument consisted of 17 closed-ended and matrix questions. Two hundred responses were obtained. The results of this study will indicate the public’s growing acceptance of women in this non-traditional gender role, which is a requisite development for the overall objective of attaining equality and equity for women in police work. Recommendations are presented for the purposes of explaining the inevitable changes in the gender makeup and purposes of police work and the need for police personnel and the public to accept those changes.
Pump-during-probe fluorometry of phytoplankton: group-specific photosynthetic characteristics from individual cell analysis

Saturating-flash fluorescence techniques are used to monitor the state of the photosynthetic apparatus in phytoplankton under natural conditions. At present these are bulk water measurements, which produce estimates of average properties of all the fluorescent particles present in a sample. Here we describe an improved approach for single-cell measurements of phytoplankton. We have combined individual- cell 'pump-during-probe' measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence induction on the time scale of 30 to 100 microseconds with flow cytometric characterization of each cell, to obtain population-specific photosynthetic characteristics. The results provide information about the potential quantum yield of photochemistry, the fraction of functional reaction centers, and the functional absorption cross section for photosystem 2.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Ovarian serous carcinoma presenting with mediastinal lymphadenopathy 20 months before the intraabdominal mass: role of immunohistochemistry.

Abstract Introduction. Metastatic involvement of the mediastinal lymph nodes is an extremely uncommon finding in epithelial ovarian cancers. Case report. A 63-year-old woman was admitted to hospital for dyspnoea due to an anterior mediastinal mass. The surgical biopsy showed a 6-cm metastatic lymph node with a papillary pattern, scattered psammomas and immunoreactivity for WT1, Cytokeratin 7, EMA and negative for E-cadherin, GCFDP-15, Thyroglobulin, Cytokeratin 20, Cytokeratin 5/6, CEA, Vimentin, Calretinin, TTF1. After 20 months a follow-up CT identified an ovarian mass with the same histological pattern and immunoreactivity of the mediastinal nodule. Results. Immunohistochemistry, especially WT1, is useful in assessing the ovarian origin of an unusual metastasis particularly if it is the first presentation of the disease.
On the properties of the sum of durations of perceived conflicts in air traffic control

Abstract A perceived conflict is a configuration of two airplanes en route which is regarded by the ground controller as a potential conflict. The frequency of perceived conflicts per shift is a customary and widespread measure of the work load induced upon the air traffic controller and was thus extensively studied. The inherent assumption behind this approach is that perceived conflicts are sufficiently homogeneous to the extent that their frequency is an adequate representative of their cumulative effect. There are, though, observations to the contrary. Friedman [3] has suggested the duration of a perceived conflict, if only monitored by the ground controller, as a gauge for its intensity. A substitute measure of the work load induced upon the controller, under the more elaborate supposition that perceived conflicts are heterogeneous events, is the sum of their durations per shift. Within the framework of a model that assumes two crossing air routes with identical altitude, the present paper derives the expectation and variance of the sum of durations of perceived conflicts per shift and compares them to the corresponding moments of the frequency of perceived conflicts as obtained by Schmidt [6].
Time-varying, slow-phase component interaction in congenital nystagmus☆

Abstract We investigated the nystagmus of a 12-year-old boy with suspected X-linked congenital nystagmus (CN) and exophoria to determine the underlying mechanisms and component signals in the ‘dual-velocity’ and other slow phases of his Asymmetric (a)Periodic Alternating Nystagmus (APAN). Fast Fourier transforms (FFT) were performed on the waveforms and residual data after subtracting a sawtooth waveform whose amplitude and frequency matched those of the jerk nystagmus. The FFT analyses identified two frequency components (jerk––4 Hz and pendular––4 and 8 Hz, variable) that varied differently in intensity and frequency/phase over the time-course of the APAN. We synthesized each of the patient’s slow phases using summation of sawtooth and sinusoidal waveforms. The resulting waveforms included jerk (with different slow-phase appearances), dual jerk, and pendular. We demonstrated that the pendular nystagmus seen during the neutral phase of APAN and the appearance of either decelerating (mimicking latent nystagmus), dual-velocity, or dual-jerk slow phases can be explained and produced by the summation of linear and pendular components of variable amplitudes and frequencies/phases. Thus, one mechanism may be responsible for all the variation seen in this patient’s slow phases, rather than the less parsimonious hypothesis of a switched-tonic-imbalance mechanism that we had originally suggested to simulate the dual-velocity waveform.
Bad popcorn in big buckets: portion size can influence intake as much as taste.

Abstract Objective It is often believed that people overeat the foods they like. We investigated whether environmental cues such as packaging and container size are so powerful that they can increase our intake of foods that are less palatable. Design, Setting, and Participants In a 2 × 2 between-subjects design, 158 moviegoers in Philadelphia (57.6% male; 28.7 years) were randomly given a medium (120 g) or a large (240 g) container of free popcorn that was either fresh or stale (14 days old). Following the movie, consumption measures were taken, along with measures of perceived taste. Outcome Measures and Results Moviegoers who were given fresh popcorn ate 45.3% more popcorn when it was given to them in large containers. This container-size influence is so powerful that even when the popcorn was disliked, people still ate 33.6% more popcorn when eating from a large container than from a medium-size container. Conclusions and Implications Even when foods are not palatable, large packages and containers can lead to overeating. The silver lining of these findings may be that portion size can also be used to increase the consumption of less preferred healthful foods, such as raw vegetables.
Minimum Service Time for UAV Cooperative Control Subject to Communication Constraints

The allocation of multiple Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) under communication constraints for a minimum service time is the main focus of this paper. Previous work on task allocation of multiple UAVs has shown that obtaining the optimal policy for relevant problems can be computationally overwhelming as the number of states and controls become very large. Allowing communication only within a limited area adds an operationally realistic and complicated constraint to the problem. It is shown that generating the optimal solution for even a simplified version of the problem becomes computationally overpowering quickly. A solution based on heuristics for target clustering and assignment of vehicles to targets is shown here and is based on study of the optimal policy. A limited look-ahead method is then used to approximate the dynamic programming solution for one vehicle with a particular target assignment. It is shown that good results can be obtained much faster. In addition to this, it is feasible to obtain solutions with much higher complexity (i.e. more targets and vehicles).
Probing surface lattice dynamics with hyperthermal ion scattering

In recent experiments, we have succeeded in measuring thermal momentum fluctuations of surface atoms using hyperthermal (E<500 eV) energy ions. These fluctuations lead to a broadening of the energy loss peaks observed in ion surface scattering experiments. Specifically, we have measured the temperature-dependent energy broadening (ΔE)2 of the quasisingle scattering peak for Na+ ions scattering from a Cu(001) surface, and found it to agree with a parameter-free theoretical prediction to within 10%. We point out that at lower temperatures than those of the present experiment, and with no detailed knowledge of the ion surface potential, this peak should yield quantitative information about the surface lattice dynamics.
Grid adaption for problems in fluid dynamics

Analyse et application d'une technique de grille adaptative aux problemes fortement non lineaires en mecanique des fluides et transfert de chaleur. Resolution de problemes d'ecoulement externe avec decollement, de propagation de flamme et d'interaction choc-couche limite
Phenotypic Plasticity and Repeatability in the Mating Signals of Enchenopa Treehoppers, with Implications for Reduced Gene Flow among Host‐Shifted Populations

Mate signaling systems, because of their role in assortative mating, have often been implicated in the origins of evolutionary independence between lineages. We investigated three sources of phenotypic plasticity in mating signals with potential relevance to assortative mating in a species in the Enchenopa binotata complex of treehoppers. This group has been a model for speciation in sympatry through shifts to novel host plants. Host shifts result in partial reproductive isolation in Enchenopa binotata because of their effects on life history timing, but interbreeding is still possible if there is dispersal and some overlap of mating periods. Courtship in these plant-feeding insects is mediated by plant-borne vibrational signals. We asked whether variation in male mate signaling behavior is influenced by plant substrate, age, or size, each of which may play a role in interactions among host-shifted populations. Males produced fewer, shorter signals when on non-hosts than when on hosts. However, there were no effects of age or size on signal variation. Significant repeatability of some signal features (carrier frequency and the number of signals produced in a signaling bout) is consistent with the presence of genetic variation and thus the potential to respond to selection. Our results suggest that plasticity in mate signaling systems, and in particular in male mate searching behavior on hosts and non-hosts, may have the potential to reduce interbreeding between populations that use different species of host plant.
Visualization of α-helical features in a density map constructed using 9 molecular images of the 1.8 MDa icosahedral core of pyruvate dehydrogenase

Strategies to achieve the highest resolutions in structures of protein complexes determined by cryo-electron microscopy generally involve averaging information from large numbers of individual molecular images. However, significant limitations are posed by heterogeneity in image quality and in protein conformation that are inherent to large data sets of images. Here, we demonstrate that the combination of iterative refinement and stringent molecular sorting is an effective method to obtain substantial improvements in map quality of the 1.8 MDa icosahedral catalytic core of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex from Bacillus stearothermophilus. From a starting set of 42 945 images of the core complex, we show that using only the best 139 particles in the data set produces a map that is superior to those constructed with greater numbers of images, and that the location of many of the α-helices in the structure can be unambiguously visualized in a map constructed from as few as 9 particles.
Reaching extended length scales and time scales in atomistic simulations via spatially parallel temperature-accelerated dynamics

We present a method for performing parallel temperature-accelerated dynamics (TAD) simulations over extended length scales. In our method, a two-dimensional spatial decomposition is used along with the recently proposed semirigorous synchronous sublattice algorithm of Shim and Amar [Phys. Rev. B 71, 125432 (2005)]. The scaling behavior of the simulation time as a function of system size is studied and compared with serial TAD in simulations of the early stages of $\mathrm{Cu}∕\mathrm{Cu}(100)$ growth as well as for a simple case of surface relaxation. In contrast to the corresponding serial TAD simulations, for which the simulation time ${t}_{ser}$ increases as a power of the system size $N$ $({t}_{ser}\ensuremath{\sim}{N}^{x})$ with an exponent $x$ that can be as large as three, in our parallel simulations the simulation time increases only logarithmically with system size. As a result, even for relatively small system sizes our parallel TAD simulations are significantly faster than the corresponding serial TAD simulations. The significantly improved scaling behavior of our parallel TAD simulations over the corresponding serial simulations indicates that our parallel TAD method may be useful in performing simulations over significantly larger length scales than serial TAD, while preserving all the atomistic details provided by the TAD method.
Granular computing as a basis for a computational theory of perceptions

Summary form only given. The point of departure in the computational theory of perceptions is the assumption that perceptions are described as propositions in a natural language. Furthermore, computing and reasoning with perceptions is reduced to computing and reasoning with words. In the computational theory of perceptions, representation of meaning is a preliminary to reasoning with perceptions-a process which starts with a collection of perceptions which constitute the initial data set (IDS) and terminates in a proposition or a collection of propositions which play the role of an answer to a query, that is, the terminal data set (TDS). Canonical forms of propositions in IDS constitute the initial constraint set (ICS). The key part of the reasoning process is goal-directed propagation of generalized constraints from ICS to a terminal constraint set (TCS) which plays the role of the canonical form of TDS. The rules governing generalized constraint propagation in the computational theory of perceptions coincide with the roles of inference in fuzzy logic.
An exploration of the perceived effects of a support group for individuals with rheumatoid arthritis.

Purpose To explore the effects of attendance at a peer support group on the quality of life of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Data sources There were 23 participants recruited for the study. A series of six monthly support groups lasting approximately 60 min, with the researcher as a participant observer, were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Following the sixth support group session, the researcher interviewed participants who had attended a minimum of four sessions. The evaluation interviews were also audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Content analysis of the support group transcripts and the evaluation interview transcripts was performed to identify themes related to the quality of life of the participants with respect to their diagnosis of RA. Conclusion Analysis of the support group and evaluation interview transcripts indicated an improvement in the quality of life of the participants through improved social support and empowerment of the participants with increased knowledge and self-efficacy.
The Influence of the U.S. News and World Report Collegiate Rankings on the Matriculation Decision of High-Ability Students: 1995-2003

The annual U.S. News and World Report Guide to America's Best Colleges is a much anticipated magazine among both high-ability prospective students and college and university administrators. In this paper we use a decade of Colgate University Admitted Student Questionnaire surveys to estimate the influence of changes in a school's USNWR rank on the probability of matriculation of high-ability students. We find that the school choice of students is more responsive to changes in rank the higher (better) a school is ranked. This result generally holds for aided and full pay students; however, the exception is that changes in rank among the top 5 schools do not influence the school choice of full-pay applicants. Women are slightly less sensitive to the rankings than men, and in the aided sample minorities are also slightly less responsive to rank changes. In terms of financial factors, those in the lowest half of the family income distribution are found to be the most sensitive to net cost. Finally, merit aid does not appear to influence full-pay students in their decision and we don't find evidence that the rankings themselves have become more or less important in school choice over the past decade. Our results suggest that it is rational for college administrators (especially those at the highest ranked institutions) to pay attention to their USNWR rank because it is an important influence in yielding accepted students.
Enhanced gene expression in the forebrain of hatchling and juvenile male zebra finches

The molecular mechanisms regulating sexual differentiation of the brain are largely unknown, although progress is being made, particularly in some mammalian systems. To uncover more of the key factors, a screen was conducted for genes involved in sexually dimorphic development of the neural song system in zebra finches. cDNA microarrays were initially used to compare gene expression in the telencephalons of hatchling and juvenile males and females. Then, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to confirm sex differences, and the brain regions expressing the cDNAs of interest were localized using in situ hybridization. Several genes, including those likely to encode two ribosomal proteins (RPL17 and RPL37), SCAMP1, ZNF216, and a COBW-domain containing protein, showed enhanced expression in the telencephalon of males compared to females. In several cases, expression in the song control nuclei specifically was detected only in males. Interestingly, the sequences of some of these cDNAs shared substantial homology with regions of the chicken Z chromosome (male birds are ZZ, females ZW). Thus, we have identified genes likely to be involved in masculinization of the structure and/or function of the song circuit, some of which could be initial triggers for the sexual differentiation process.
Stability of passively mode-locked fiber lasers with fast saturable absorption.

The stability of passively mode-locked fiber lasers with fast saturable absorption is examined by a direct numerical approach. The laser operation is described by use of a standard model, closely related to the Ginzburg–Landau equation, which is valid when the change of the laser pulse during one round trip through the laser is small. This equation is then linearized around an equilibrium solution, and the eigenmodes and eigenvalues of the linearized equation are determined numerically. This approach retains the advantage of previous analytical research of permitting one to explore a wide range of parameter space while also permitting one to avoid approximations in the stability calculation. The stability of a figure-eight loop laser with the amplifier in the external loop is then studied by use of this approach.
Trend of Environmental Education in Canadian Pre-Service Teacher Education Programs from 1979 to 1996

Despite being recognized as a major priority for research and action in many major international conferences, environmental education (EE) research in pre-service programs has been given little attention in Canada. The only systematic national evaluation of EE at the teacher preparation level in Canada was conducted by John Towler (1980-81), nearly 20 years ago. A national survey using a modified version of Towler’s questionnaire was distributed to all pre-service teacher training institutions across the Canadian provinces to determine the current status of EE which pre-service teachers receive in their preparation programs. The survey findings revealed that, for nearly two decades, the number of Canadian teacher preparation institutions offering EE courses to pre-service teachers has remained generally low and the level of priority granted nominal.
Operational Risk: Modeling Analytics, by Harry H. Panjer

Operational Risk: Modeling Analytics, by Harry H. Panjer, 2006, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pp. xv + 431. Over the last decade, adopting a broad perspective with respect to risk has become (appropriately, I believe) virtually de rigueur in the risk management world. More often than not, this holistic process is referred to as "enterprise risk management" (ERM); however, whether or not under the ERM moniker, an integrated approach to the identification, quantification, and management of risks has established a foothold in many financial services (and other) firms. ERM recognizes that there are several different categories of risk, with different characteristics and interrelationships, and that each risk category has its own indigenous subtleties that demand somewhat different analytical skills. Early in the creation and development of a typical ERM program, a risk categorization scheme is promulgated - and it is rare to find two risk classification schemes that are identical. This is not just because of differing terminology; rather, the inherent nature of any given risk may have aspects of two or more different "types" of risk and thus can be classified under multiple possible headings. As an example, one could consider almost any type of risk - hazard, strategic, financial, etc. - as also having a reputational risk component, as any problem or loss experienced by an organization could potentially damage the credibility or reputation of the organization. Regardless of the specific categorization of risks (typically, three to five major categories are identified), "operational risk," by that or another name, is always a component of the risk profile of an organization. (Other common risk categories among financial firms are "credit risk" - which typically represents the largest proportion of total risk for a bank - and "market risk.") The proportion of risks that are "operational" in nature varies by firm and industry, and what kinds of specific risks are categorized as "operational" can be either relatively narrow or rather comprehensive. But operational risks always have the potential for significance, and they demand competent analysis. Operational Risk: Modeling Analytics is a text that can provide that analytical foundation. As the very first sentence of the preface indicates, This book is designed for the risk analyst who wishes to better understand the mathematical models and methods used in the management of operational risk in the banking and insurance sectors. There is certainly much more to "operational risk" and its management than is covered by this book. But, as mentioned at the end of the book's first chapter, this book focuses on quantitative tools: ... we do not attempt to discuss building an operational risk management program for an organization . . . our scope is relatively narrow. The book certainly has an excellent pedigree. …
Neuronal nitric oxide synthase mutant mice show smaller infarcts and attenuated apparent diffusion coefficient changes in the peri‐infarct zone during focal cerebral ischemia

Diffusion-weighted MRI at 2 T was used to monitor and assess tissue damage after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in wild-type (WT) and mice deficient in nitric oxide synthase gene expression (nNOS-). The ischemic lesion was evaluated 3 h after occlusion and subdivided into the lesion core and peri-infarct zone based on the magnitude of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) change. Infarct volume, measured by using histochemical staining 24 h after MCA occlusion, correlated best with MRI infarct volume as assessed by an ADC threshold of 25% decrease from baseline at 3 h. For ADC thresholds of greater than 25% decrease, lesion size was not significantly different in nNOS- and WT mice. However, brain tissue showing ADC decreases of 10-25% was significantly smaller in the ipsilateral hemisphere of mutants (27 +/- 2% and 21 +/- 2% in WT and nNOS-, respectively; P < 0.05). These findings occurred independently of infarct volume and are consistent with a smaller peri-infarct zone in nNOS- mice. We postulate that the smaller peri-infarct zone is a reflection of less severe metabolic disturbance after ischemia in nNOS- mice, possibly related to diminished production of nitric oxide (NO) or a related product. We conclude that magnetic resonance techniques previously used to assess ischemic damage in larger animals can be extended to the mouse, raising the possibility that the molecular mechanisms leading to ischemic damage can be examined by using genetically engineered mice.
Parental substance use impairment, parenting and substance use disorder risk

Using data from a nationally representative sample, this study investigated substance use disorder (SUD) among respondents with ages 15-54 years as a function of their parents' substance-related impairment and parents' treatment history. In addition, associations among maternal and paternal substance-related impairment, specific parenting behaviors, and risk for SUD in the proband were examined. As expected, parental substance-related impairment was associated with SUD. Paternal treatment history was associated with a decreased risk for SUD in the proband but did not appear to be associated with positive parenting practices. Results of post hoc analyses suggested that parenting behaviors might operate differently to influence SUD risk in children where parents are affected by substance use problems compared with nonaffected families. Future research is warranted to better understand the complex relationships among parental substance use, treatment, parenting behaviors, and SUD risk in offspring. Opportunities might exist within treatment settings to improve parenting skills.
Urogenital Alterations in Aged Male Caveolin-1 Knockout Mice

ABSTRACTPurpose: Caveolae are flask-shaped invaginations of the plasma membrane formed by the oligomerization of caveolins. Because only smooth muscle contains all caveolin (Cav) family members (Cav-1, 2 and 3), we examined the contribution of each caveolin to urogenital smooth muscle structure/function.Materials and Methods: WT, Cav-1, 2, 3 and -1/3 knockout (KO) mouse bladders were characterized by Western blot, co-immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence microscopy, electron microscopy, histochemistry and pharmacological techniques. Cystometric analysis was performed in conscious, freely moving mice. Other urogenital organs were investigated by histological analysis.Results: The loss of bladder Cav-1 results in a marked decrease in Cav-2 but not Cav-3 expression. Ablation of Cav-3 fails to alter Cav-1 or Cav-2 expression. Deletion of Cav-1 results in the almost complete loss of caveolae, while Cav-2 KO and Cav-3 KO mouse smooth muscle showed a normal number of caveolae. The loss of Cav-1 generated caveo...
Advanced isoconversional method

A nonlinear algorithm has been suggested to increase the accuracy of evaluating the activation energy by the integral isoconversional method. A minor modification of the algorithm has made it possible to adapt the isoconversional method for an arbitrary variation of the temperature. This advanced isoconversional method allows for trustworthy estimates of the activation energy when the thermal effect of a reaction makes the temperature of a sample deviate from a prescribed heating program.
Combined computational design of a zinc‐binding site and a protein–protein interaction: One open zinc coordination site was not a robust hotspot for de novo ubiquitin binding

We computationally designed a de novo protein-protein interaction between wild-type ubiquitin and a redesigned scaffold. Our strategy was to incorporate zinc at the designed interface to promote affinity and orientation specificity. A large set of monomeric scaffold surfaces were computationally engineered with three-residue zinc coordination sites, and the ubiquitin residue H68 was docked to the open coordination site to complete a tetrahedral zinc site. This single coordination bond was intended as a hotspot and polar interaction for ubiquitin binding, and surrounding residues on the scaffold were optimized primarily as hydrophobic residues using a rotamer-based sequence design protocol in Rosetta. From thousands of independent design simulations, four sequences were selected for experimental characterization. The best performing design, called Spelter, binds tightly to zinc (Kd < 10 nM) and binds ubiquitin with a Kd of 20 µM in the presence of zinc and 68 µM in the absence of zinc. Mutagenesis studies and nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shift perturbation experiments indicate that Spelter interacts with H68 and the target surface on ubiquitin; however, H68 does not form a hotspot as intended. Instead, mutation of H68 to alanine results in tighter binding. Although a 3/1 zinc coordination arrangement at an interface cannot be ruled out as a means to improve affinity, our study led us to conclude that 2/2 coordination arrangements or multiple-zinc designs are more likely to promote high-affinity protein interactions.
Frequency dependence of hysteresis curves in 'non-conducting' magnetic materials

The problem of modeling the frequency dependence of hysteresis in magnetic materials is approached in a new way. The DC magnetization curve, or hysteresis loop, is assumed to be the equilibrium position for the bulk magnetization. All microscopic processes which occur under the action of a time-varying field can be averaged to give a time dependent displacement from the equilibrium, Delta M. The case where eddy current effects do not play a significant role is examined. It is shown that Delta M obeys a damped simple harmonic motion equation. This means that the time dependence of the displacement magnetization Delta M is the Laplace transform of the field waveform. This enables the time dependence of the magnetization to be modeled, once the DC hysteresis curve is known, with only two additional materials parameters: relaxation time and natural frequency. >
Initial Prostate Specific Antigen 1.5 ng/ml or Greater in Men 50 Years Old or Younger Predicts Higher Prostate Cancer Risk

Purpose: Studies show that initial prostate specific antigen higher than the median in young men predicts a subsequent higher risk of prostate cancer. To our knowledge this relationship has not been studied in patients stratified by race.Materials and Methods: A cohort of 3,530 black and 6,118 white men 50 years or younger with prostate specific antigen 4 ng/ml or less at the first prostate specific antigen screening was retrieved from the prostate center database at our institution. Patients were divided into groups based on initial prostate specific antigen 0.1 to 0.6, 0.7 to 1.4, 1.5 to 2.4 and 2.5 to 4.0 ng/ml. Univariate and age adjusted multivariate logistic regression was done to estimate the cancer RR in these prostate specific antigen groups. We calculated the prostate cancer rate at subsequent followups.Results: Median prostate specific antigen in black and white men was 0.7 ng/ml at age 50 years or less. The prostate cancer rate was not significantly different in the groups with prostate specif...
Developing and Testing Integrated Multicompartment Models to Describe a Single-Input Multiple-Output Study Using the SAAM II Software System

As measurement devices become more sophisticated, it is possible to design more complex input-output studies, i.e., studies where data are obtained from several sites in the system under study. To interpret the resulting data requires models which can integrate known information about the system under study while simultaneously describing the data. In this chapter, we will illustrate how to develop and test a model structure for a single-input multiple-output study using the SAAM II software system. This system has been designed to make the use of sound modeling principles easy.
From Needs to Services: Delivering Personalized Water Assurance Services in Urban Africa

With rapid urbanization, a changing climate and increasingly strained centralized water systems, individuals and businesses across urban sub-Saharan Africa face unreliable water supplies, escalating water costs and health risks (e.g., from poor sanitation facilities or slow adoption of new practices). These deficiencies and risks are unevenly distributed over space and time. In some cases, low-income households may spend up to 20 percent of monthly income on water while others in the same geography may never see water prices that exceed one percent of household income. Several web/mobile applications have been launched in an attempt to address these deficiencies and risks. However, these applications are generally designed in a top-down manner and consequently fail to deliver personalized services. Furthermore, in many developing countries, these applications follow the develop-and-deploy paradigm. This implies that the end-user’s needs and goals are often neglected prior to the actual development of the system. This paper presents part of our ongoing work to model, analyze and develop personalized water services using goal-oriented requirements engineering techniques. We focus on conceptual modeling in order to identify the requirements needed to design a system for personalized water assurance services. Our modeling and analysis follows a bottom-up approach that starts from interactive engagement with the water ecosystem to the use of goal-oriented approaches for the analysis and design of requirements for personalization.
Idiopathic Atrial Fibrillation: Which Electrophysiological Substrate?

Both triggers and an atrial electrophysiologic substrate contribute to the development of AF episodes. In the absence of structural heart disease, AF itself promotes a substrate due to electrical remodeling by shortening of refractoriness. However, before this remodeling susceptibility to AF is due to an initiating substrate. This substrate facilitates reentrant mechanisms and appeared to be due to enhanced spatial dispersion of refractoriness. The initiating substrate is associated with a minor form of Cx40 polymorphism in selected patients. Further studies are needed to confirm this relationship in other patient categories and to assess causation.
Determination of Diffusion Coefficients for Thermal Neutrons in D2O at 20, 100, 165, and 220°C

Diffusion coefficients for thermal neutrons in D2O were determined at temperatures of 20, 100, 165, and 200°C by measuring the change in neutron relaxation length at each temperature with the addit...
Choice of Acute Care Facility by Patients: Implications for Managing Urgent Care Centers

Many patients have a choice of a provider for acute care, typically choosing between an Urgent Care facility (UC) or an Emergency Department of a hospital (ED). This choice is made by a patient who is generally not herself a trained medical professional. She is strategic but imperfectly informed in that she weighs all the costs and benefits of this choice, including quality of care, waiting time, co-payments and fees, but can only imperfectly assess the appropriateness of a facility for the perceived needed care. The manager of the UC sets the fee for service in competition with an ED to influence the choice by patients, and takes into account the factors that affect the patient. We show that a separating equilibrium, in which all patients self-triaged as non-critical choose to go to the UC first, dominates pooling equilibria for moderate error rates in self-triage. We analyze the separating equilibrium further and show that the co-pay for an UC decreases, the facility is smaller, and makes less profit as the error rates increase. The effect of error rates on social welfare depends on the error type: The social welfare decreases as the error rate of critical patients classified as non-critical increases; the social welfare is convex in the error rate of non-critical patients classified as critical. Social welfare can increase with this error rate when the error is small because of load balancing between the ED and the UC, but after a threshold the social welfare decreases with error rate.