cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Finite-sample bias in free energy bridge estimators.

In practical free energy estimation, the bias is often neglected once it has been shown to vanish in the large-sample limit. Yet finite-sample bias always exists and ought to be considered in any rigorous study. This work develops a metric for bias in a broad class of free energy “bridge estimators” (e.g., Bennett’s method). The framework complements existing variance estimation methods and provides a means for comparing systematic and statistical errors. Examples show that, contrary to what is often assumed, the bias can be quite substantial when the sample size is modest.In practical free energy estimation, the bias is often neglected once it has been shown to vanish in the large-sample limit. Yet finite-sample bias always exists and ought to be considered in any rigorous study. This work develops a metric for bias in a broad class of free energy “bridge estimators” (e.g., Bennett’s method). The framework complements existing variance estimation methods and provides a means for comparing systematic and statistical errors. Examples show that, contrary to what is often assumed, the bias can be quite substantial when the sample size is modest.
Always Already Geopolitical: Trans Health Care and Global Tactical Technical Communication:

Transgender persons face many barriers preventing them from accessing and receiving health care. Gender-transition care can be difficult because such care is frequently contingent upon geopolitics,...
Playing into Stereotypes: Engaging Millennials and Generation Z in the COVID-19 Pandemic Response.

Abstract The turning point in the United States’ response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic occurred in March, the time of the year where young people are most looking forward to spring break, graduation, and warmer weather. News reports abounded of young people flouting local and state ordinances related to social distancing, and concerns about millennial and Generation Z’s responses to these measures led to stereotyping and finger-pointing that disregarded the breadth of experiences within these generations. We suggest that the unique experiences and skills of millennials and Generation Z will allow them to make important contributions towards navigating the ever-changing post-coronavirus disease world. Engaging all generations in the pandemic response will leverage intergenerational innovation and optimize the response to coronavirus disease 2019 together.
Brown adipose tissue recruitment in a rodent model of severe burns.

Abstract Background Severe burns results in a prolonged hypermetabolic response. Brown adipose tissue (BAT), abundant in uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), plays a key role in non-shivering thermogenesis. We set out to determine if BAT is recruited in response to severe burns. Methods Male balb-c mice underwent scald burns on approximately 20–25% of their total body surface. BAT was harvested from the interscapular fat pad of sham and burned mice at 3 h, 24 h, 4 days, and 10 days after injury. High-resolution respirometry was used to determine mitochondrial respiratory function in BAT. BAT protein concentration, and mitochondrial enzyme activity were also determined. Results Respiration increased in BAT of burned mice, peaking at 24 h after injury (after injury, P 2-fold at 24 h after injury when compared to the 3 h and sham group (P Conclusions We show a time-dependent recruitment of rodent BAT in response to severe burns. Given recent reports that humans, including patients with severe burns, have functional BAT, these data support a role for BAT in the hypermetabolic response to severe burns.
The Impact of Early Recognition and Treatment of Systemic Hypertension on Reducing Blood Pressure: The Hypertension and Vascular Evaluation Program:

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of an outpatient systemic hypertension program and associated factors with attending recommended follow-up visit. All visits were tracked in the program, 2011 to 2018. We examined patient characteristics by follow-up status and changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and the risk of hypertension in follow-up patients using a mixed-effects regression model. Among 310 patients with first visits, 113 patients returned for a follow-up visit. Patients who did not attend a follow-up were older and less likely to have a severe chronic condition or a family history of hypertension than followed-up patients. The risk of hypertension was significantly reduced by the number of follow-up visits (odds ratio = 0.53, 95% confidence interval = 0.31-0.92). Adolescent SBP and body mass index percentiles decreased with more follow-up visits. As the risk of hypertension is significantly reduced with follow-up visits, additional effort should be made to improve the likelihood of follow-up attendance.
Estradiol resolves pneumonia via ERβ in regulatory T cells

Current treatments for pneumonia (PNA) are focused on the pathogens. Mortality from PNA-induced acute lung injury (PNA-ALI) remains high, underscoring the need for additional therapeutic targets. Clinical and experimental evidence exists for potential sex differences in PNA survival, with males having higher mortality. In a model of severe pneumococcal PNA, when compared with male mice, age-matched female mice exhibited enhanced resolution characterized by decreased alveolar and lung inflammation and increased numbers of Tregs. Recognizing the critical role of Tregs in lung injury resolution, we evaluated whether improved outcomes in female mice were due to estradiol (E2) effects on Treg biology. E2 promoted a Treg-suppressive phenotype in vitro and resolution of PNA in vivo. Systemic rescue administration of E2 promoted resolution of PNA in male mice independent of lung bacterial clearance. E2 augmented Treg expression of Foxp3, CD25, and GATA3, an effect that required ERβ, and not ERα, signaling. Importantly, the in vivo therapeutic effects of E2 were lost in Treg-depleted mice (Foxp3DTR mice). Adoptive transfer of ex vivo E2-treated Tregs rescued Streptococcus pneumoniae-induce PNA-ALI, a salutary effect that required Treg ERβ expression. E2/ERβ was required for Tregs to control macrophage proinflammatory responses. Our findings support the therapeutic role for E2 in promoting resolution of lung inflammation after PNA via ERβ Tregs.
Photoelastic determination of stresses in the tube plate of a 70-mw steam generator

This article describes the examination, by three-dimensional photoelasticity, of the tube plate of a sodium steam generator. The tube plate is flat on the side of the tube bundle (121 tubes) and spherical (concave) on the other side.
Comparison of Picture- and Video-Presentation Preference Assessments for Social Interactions

Effective training programs for individuals with disabilities often involve the use of positive reinforcement. Social interactions have many benefits over other forms of reinforcement, but more research is needed to determine how to identify social interactions that serve as reinforcers. In the first experiment, we evaluated the use of two procedures to assess preference for social interactions: a video-presentation and a picture-presentation paired-choice preference assessment among five boys diagnosed with a developmental disability. In the second experiment, we conducted concurrent operant reinforcer assessments to validate the results of the preference assessments among three of the five participants in which at least one assessment indicated differentiated preferences. The video-presentation and picture-presentation preference assessments resulted in the identification of the same high-preferred social interactions for two of the three participants, and subsequent reinforcer assessments indicated these social interactions served as reinforcers. The results of the video- and picture-presentation preference assessments differed for the final participant. The results of a concurrent operant reinforcer assessment indicated the social interaction identified as highest preferred in the video-presentation assessment served as a relatively more effective reinforcer. Results of this study indicate that video- and picture-presentation preference assessment results in differentiate responding for some participants, but not others; however, reasons for these results remain unknown. Moreover, a video-presentation preference assessments may be more effective in identifying social reinforcers, but evidence should be considered; preliminary and future research is warranted.
Kaposi sarcoma in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis: a case-based review

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) are systemic necrotizing vasculitides associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Given the immunosuppression used to manage these conditions, it is important for clinicians to recognize complications, especially infectious ones, which may arise during treatment. Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a lymphoangioproliferative neoplasm caused by human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8). Its cutaneous manifestations can mimic vasculitis. We describe a 77-year-old man with microscopic polyangiitis with pulmonary-renal syndrome treated with prednisone and intravenous cyclophosphamide who developed KS (HHV-8 positive) after 2 months of treatment. Cyclophosphamide was discontinued and prednisone gradually lowered with improvement and clinical stabilization of KS lesions. This comprehensive review includes all published cases of KS in patients with AAV, with a goal to summarize potential risk factors including the clinical characteristics of vasculitis, treatment and outcomes of patients with this rare complication of immunosuppressive therapy. We also expanded our literature review to KS in other forms of systemic vasculitis. Our case-based review emphasizes the importance of considering infectious complications of immunosuppressive therapy, especially glucocorticoids, and highlights the rare association of KS in systemic vasculitis.
Temporal Trends, Management and Outcomes of Acute Myocardial Infarction with Concomitant Respiratory Infections

There are limited contemporary data on the management and outcomes of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients with concomitant acute respiratory infections. Hence, using the National Inpatient Sample from 2000-2017, adult AMI admissions with and without concomitant respiratory infections were identified. We evaluated in-hospital mortality, utilization of cardiac procedures, hospital length of stay, hospitalization costs, and discharge disposition. Among 10,880,856 AMI admissions, respiratory infections were identified in 745,536 (6.9%). Temporal trends revealed a relatively stable tr end with a peak during 2008-2009. Admissions with respiratory infections were on average older (74 vs. 67 years), female (45% vs 39%), with greater comorbidity (mean Charlson comorbidity index 5.9 ± 2.2 vs 4.4 ± 2.3), and had higher rates of non-ST-segment-elevation AMI presentation (71.8% vs. 62.2%) (all p < 0.001). Higher rates of cardiac arrest (8.2% vs 4.8%), cardiogenic shock (10.7% vs 4.4%), and acute organ failure (27.8% vs 8.1%) were seen in AMI admissions with respiratory infections. Coronary angiography (41.4% vs 65.6%, p < 0.001) and percutaneous coronary intervention (20.7% vs 43.5%, p < 0.001) were used less commonly in those with respiratory infections. Admissions with respiratory infections had higher in-hospital mortality (14.5% vs 5.5%; propensity matched analysis: 14.6% vs 12.5%; adjusted odds ratio 1.25 [95% confidence interval 1.24-1.26], p < 0.001), longer hospital stay, higher hospitalization costs, and less frequent discharges to home compared to those without respiratory infections. In conclusion, respiratory infections significantly impact AMI admissions with higher rates of complications, mortality and resource utilization.
Randomized Community Trial Comparing Telephone versus Clinic-Based Behavioral Health Counseling for People Living with HIV in a Rural Setting

Purpose To test the efficacy of a theory-based behavioral intervention delivered via telephone versus clinic-based counseling to improve HIV outcomes and reduce alcohol consumption for people at-risk for treatment failure in a rural setting. Methods Patients receiving HIV care (N = 240) were randomized using a computer-generated scheme to one of three conditions: (a) telephone behavioral health counseling, (b) clinic-based behavioral health counseling, or (c) attention control nutrition education. Behavioral counseling was delivered by either a community nurse or a paraprofessional patient navigator, with differences examined. Participants were followed for 12 months to assess medication adherence using unannounced pill counts and alcohol use measured by electronic daily text message assessments, and 18 months for HIV viral load and retention in care extracted from medical records. Findings There was evidence for telephone and office-based counseling demonstrating greater medication adherence than the control condition but only in the short term. Clinic-based behavioral counseling significantly reduced alcohol use to a greater degree than telephone counseling and the control condition. There were no other differences between conditions. There were also no discernable differences between counseling delivered by the community nurse and the patient navigator. Conclusions Telephone and clinic-based counseling demonstrated improved medication adherence in the short term, while clinic-based counseling demonstrated reductions in alcohol use. The modest outcomes suggest that intensive intervention strategies are needed for patients that clinicians identify as at-risk for treatment discontinuation and treatment failure.
Instability of Surface and Internal Waves

Publisher Summary This chapter investigates the instability of surface waves propagating in water of uniform depth, finite or infinite, by a variational method by considering two side-band wave numbers and frequencies in addition to the wave number and frequency of the primary wave train. It discusses that the instability of stationary waves because of a flow over a wavy boundary is treated first and then the theory is applied to progressive waves propagating in water (stratified or not) of constant depth. Whether the waves are stationary or progressive, instability is found whenever Hasselmann's conditions are met. Yet the results presented are outside the pale of Hasselmann's theorem, because a flow over a wavy boundary is considered, whereas Hasselmann treated free waves; or for freely propagating waves, the variation with amplitude of the wave velocity is considered, whereas Hasselmann did not. When the present theory is applied to progressive surface or internal waves, instability is found only if the wave velocity increases with the amplitude of the basic wave train.
Performance characterization of GPS receivers under tree canopies

The availability of low-cost receivers has significantly broadened the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS). The GPS transmits a circularly polarized, L-band signal, which if line-of-sight (LOS) cannot be established is subject to significant polarization distortion and signal degradation. In this work, blockage by trees and their effect on path loss and polarization distortion of the GPS signal is analyzed.
Exploring the stability of IDF term weighting

TF IDF has been widely used as a term weighting schemes in today's information retrieval systems. However, computation time and cost have become major concerns for its application. This study investigated the similarities and differences between IDF distributions based on the global collection and on different samples and tested the stability of the IDF measure across collections. A more efficient algorithm based on random samples generated a good approximation to the IDF computed over the entire collection, but with less computation overhead. This practice may be particularly informative and helpful for analysis on large database or dynamic environment like the Web.
The Defective Armchair: A Reply to Tye

Michael Tye's response to my “Grain” (Block 2012) and “Windows” (Block 2013) raises general metaphilosophical issues about the value of intuitions and judgments about one's perceptions and the relations of those intuitions and judgments to empirical research, as well as specific philosophical issues about the relation between seeing, attention and de re thought. I will argue that Tye's appeal to what is (§. 2) “intuitively obvious, once we reflect upon these cases” (“intuition”) is problematic. I will also argue that first person judgments can be problematic when used on their own as Tye does but can be valuable when integrated with empirical results.
Gradually Convertible Undeniable Signatures

In 1990, Boyar, Chaum, Damgard and Pedersen introduced convertible undeniable signatureswhich limit the self-authenticating property of digital signatures but can be converted by the signer to ordinary signatures. Michels, Petersen and Horster presented, in 1996, an attack on the Elgamal-based seminal scheme of Boyar et al.and proposed a repaired version without formal security analysis. In this paper, we modify their protocol so that it becomes a generic one and it provides an advanced feature which permits the signer to universally convert achronouslyall signatures pertaining to a specific time period. We supply a formal security treatment of the modified scheme: we prove, in the generic group model, that the protocol is existentially unforgeable and anonymous under chosen message attacks, assuming new assumptions (though reasonable) on the underlying hash function.
Magnetic ordering of Au 0.92 Fe 0.08 : A calorimetric investigation

In an attempt to further understand the magnetic ordering found in lower concentration of $\mathrm{Au}\mathrm{Fe}$ alloys, the specific heat of a single crystal of ${\mathrm{Au}}_{0.92}$${\mathrm{Fe}}_{0.08}$ was measured in the temperature range 3-50 K. A prior susceptibility measurement on the same sample showed a sharp cusplike peak at 29 K. However, there is no indication of a cooperative-type peak in the specific heat and the magnetic entropy shows only 22% of the iron ions are being ordered between 29 and 0 K. These results appear to be in disagreement with the mictomagnetic description of the susceptibility and with the existence of cooperative order as originally suggested by the susceptibility result.
Randall Woods, LBJ: Architect of American Ambition

It is fitting that this book about Lyndon Baines Johnson be as expansive, sprawling, and multifaceted as its subject. Happily, though, it is also less tragic and rather more deft. This fortieth ann...
Lack of association between oral contraceptive use and Crohn's disease: a community-based matched case-control study

Previous epidemiologic studies have suggested a weak association between oral contraceptive use and Crohn's disease, specifically Crohn's colitis. To measure a possible etiologic association, 51 women with Crohn's disease who were 18-50 yr old were studied and compared with peer-nominated age- and sex-matched controls. There were no differences between cases and controls with respect to race, religion, marital status, and number of pregnancies. There was no association between oral contraceptive use and Crohn's disease incidence [current use: odds ratio (OR) 0.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.34-1.59; former use: OR 1.80, CI 0.61-5.29; current or former use: OR 1.00, CI 0.46-2.16]. Stratifying by disease location also failed to identify an association. Cigarette smoking was significantly associated with Crohn's disease incidence. Controlling for possible confounding effects of cigarette smoking did not alter the lack of association between oral contraceptive use and Crohn's disease. Similarly, testing for interaction failed to demonstrate any effect modification. Analyzing for duration of current oral contraceptive use or time interval since last use failed to demonstrate a "dose-response" effect. The study was of sufficient size to detect statistical significance for oral contraceptive use for odds ratios of greater than or equal to 2.76. From this community-based matched case-control study, there was no association between oral contraceptive use and Crohn's disease, and women need not be advised to discontinue oral contraceptive use when a diagnosis of Crohn's disease is made.
LIBI: A framework for bootstrapping extreme scale software systems

As the sizes of high-end computing systems continue to grow to massive scales, efficient bootstrapping for distributed software infrastructures is becoming a greater challenge. Distributed software infrastructure bootstrapping is the procedure of instantiating all processes of the distributed system on the appropriate hardware nodes and disseminating to these processes the information that they need to complete the infrastructure's start-up phase. In this paper, we describe the lightweight infrastructure-bootstrapping infrastructure (LIBI), both a bootstrapping API specification and a reference implementation. We describe a classification system for process launching mechanism and then present a performance evaluation of different process launching schemes based on our LIBI prototype.
Stress-optic coefficient of GeAsSe chalcogenide glasses

Abstract Stress-induced optical retardation at λ = 1.8 μm in GeAsSe chalcogenide glass disks subjected to a diametral compressive load was measured using a modified IR-polarizing microscope. The computed stress-optic coefficient, B, varied from −29.6 to +5.4 TPa−1 over the glass-forming region. Although the magnitude of B appeared to decrease with increasing Ge content, there appeared to be little direct correlation between B and the average coordination number, 〈(ifr)〉.
Near-wall formaldehyde planar laser-induced fluorescence measurements during HCCI combustion

Abstract The role of thermal boundary layers on homogeneous charge compression ignited engine combustion was directly evaluated by measuring the spatial profile of the formaldehyde concentration near the combustion chamber wall. Formaldehyde forms naturally as an intermediate species of the combustion process. A through-the-wall imaging scheme, in which the laser propagated at an angle through a window and the fluorescence signal was collected through the same window, was employed to avoid the effect of optical vignetting. Intensity profiles acquired in the wall-normal direction from the mean image show that during the first stage of combustion (cool flame) there is a substantial region of lower intensity, and presumably lower formaldehyde concentration, near the wall. This region extends more than 5 mm. After the completion of the first stage of combustion, the formaldehyde is found adjacent to the wall within the measurement limits of the system. During the second stage of combustion, the intensity near the wall and the intensity gradient in the normal direction remain constant, but the intensity is found to decrease preferentially away from the wall at a distance comparable to that observed in the first-stage combustion. Both of these findings are consistent with a thermally affected region near the wall that delays combustion. Individual cycle images, however, show that the true spatial gradients in the flow field are much steeper than in the mean data, and that regions of high temperature fluid can be found in close proximity to the wall. No appreciable thickening of the thermally affected region was seen at low equivalence ratios where there was incomplete combustion.
Effects of feeding-inhibitory quinones on the nervous system of Periplaneta.

Bei elektrophysiologischer und biochemischer Funktionsprufung des Bauchmarkes vonPeriplaneta americana wird gezeigt, dass die frasshemmenden Chinone Juglon und 1,4-Naphthochinon sowie N-Aethylmaleimid sowohl die endogene Nervenaktivitat wie auch ATPase hemmen, wahrend Menadion nur auf die Nerven wirkte. 2-OH-1,4-Naphthochinon undp-Chloromercuribenzoat hemmten nur die ATPase und Iodacetamide hatte keinerlei Effekt.
An appraisal of the validity of the factor loadings employed in the construction of the primary social attitude scales

In this article the authors examine the effect of including alternate test forms in a factor matrix upon the validity of the resultant factor loadings, finding that in this particular instance the effect is negligible. Comparisons of the factor loadings derived from matrices in which only one of the alternate test forms is included with those in which both forms are included reveal practically no difference in the magnitude of either the original or rotated factor loadings, or in that of the computed communalities.
The Effects of Specific Practice Strategy Use on University String Players' Performance.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of specific practice strategy use on university string players’ performance. Participants (N = 40) volunteered for the study and were string players enrolled in orchestra at a major research university. Within a pretest–posttest designed study, participants were assigned to one of four treatment groups using stratified randomization: free practice, playing slowly then gradually speeding up, repeating small sections, and playing the excerpt multiple times. In a recorded session, participants were given 1 min to review the study music and then were asked to sight-read the excerpt. Participants then practiced using their assigned strategy for 10 min, rested for 1 min, and performed the excerpt again. The researcher discovered that each practice strategy significantly improved university string players’ performance. No differences were found among practice strategies with regard to pitch, rhythm, expression, or overall scores. Results of an additional ana...
Electronic structure of spin-chain compounds: common features

The incommensurate composite systems M14Cu24O41 (M = Ca, Sr, La) are based on two fundamental structural units: CuO2 chains and Cu2O3 ladders. We present electronic structure calculations within density functional theory in order to address the interrelations between chains and ladders. The calculations account for the details of the crystal structure by means of a unit cell comprising 10 chain and 7 ladder units. It turns out that chains and ladders can be treated independently, which allows us to introduce a model system based on a reduced unit cell. For the CuO2 chains, we find two characteristic bands at the Fermi energy. Tight binding fits yield nearest and next-nearest neighbour interactions of the same order of magnitude.
Societal Manipulation in a Multiethnic Polity

s Series, Glasgow, 1970, quarterly) provides good, brief resumes of many books and articles from the U.S.S.R. The unequaled translation service of the Current Digest of the Soviet Press (Columbus, Ohio, I949, weekly), with its outstanding indexes, tells the specialist where to turn in the daily and periodical press. For the scholar with interests cutting across conventional boundaries (I believe this applies especially to political scientists engaged in the kind of comparative study described below) these guides, while useful, are unlikely to point the way to the small but significant number of book-length studies in Russian which are most apt to engage his concentrated and prolonged attention-as contrasted to works, long and short, which merely provide a bit of factual documentation. Unfortunately, the leading English-language professional journals in political science and international affairs have not done much to remedy this neglect. In contrast, for example, to the American Historical Review, which provides reasonably comprehensive reviews of the major Soviet historiography, commentary on Russian-language materials in the political science journals has been haphazard at best. 2Paul R. Brass, Language, Religion, and Politics in North India (London: Cambridge University Press 1974). This content downloaded from 207.46.13.124 on Sun, 11 Sep 2016 04:54:08 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
Membrane current responses of NG108‐15 mouse neuroblastoma x rat glioma hybrid cells to bradykinin.

1. Membrane current responses to focal application of bradykinin (BK) were recorded in voltage-clamped NG108-15 neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cells. 2. BK produced sequential outward and inward currents at clamp potentials between -60 and -30 mV, designated IBK(out) and IBK(in), respectively. 3. The outward current IBK(out) was accompanied by an increased membrane conductance. Ramp current-voltage (I-V) curves yielded a reversal potential (VBK) of -80 +/- 5.6 mV (mean +/- S.D., n = 9) in 5.4 mM [K+]o. VBK showed a positive shift on raising [K+]o, compatible with a primary increase in K+ conductance. Subtracted I-V curves indicated that the underlying conductance was not strongly voltage dependent between -120 and -40 mV. 4. IBK(out) was inhibited by d-tubocurarine (dTC, 0.1-0.5 mM) but was insensitive to tetraethylammonium (TEA) below 5 mM. 5. The inward current IBK(in) was accompanied by a fall in membrane conductance. This was associated with the inhibition of a time- and voltage-dependent K+ current, IM. In consequence, IBK(in) was strongly voltage dependent and dissipated, usually without reversal, on hyperpolarizing the cell beyond -70 mV in 5.4 mM [K+]o. Reversal to an outward current negative to -40 mV could be obtained on raising [K+]o to 54 mM. 5. Both IBK(in) and IBK(out) persisted when ICa was blocked with Co2+ or Cd2+. IBK(out) slowly diminished in Ca2+-free, Mg2+-substituted solution. 6. The Ca2+ spike current ICa and the Ca2+-activated K+ current IAHP were inhibited during IBK(out) or after Ca2+ injections. BK did not affect the voltage-activated K+ current IK(V) recorded in Co2+ solution. 7. It is concluded that the dual response to BK results from opposing effects on two different species of K+ current. IBK(out) results from activation of a Ca2+-dependent, voltage-insensitive K+ conductance, probably mediated by a transient rise in intracellular Ca2+. It is suggested that the Ca2+ is released from an intracellular store. IBK(in) results primarily from inhibition of the Ca2+-independent, voltage-gated K+ current, IM. This effect is not replicated by a rise of intracellular Ca2+ and must therefore be generated by another mechanism.
Bargaining strategy and union-management relationships

By a union-management relationship I mean the set of understandings and attitudes that have developed in joint dealings. Attitudes include such things as trust, suspicion, hostility, respect, determination to get even. Understandings include the beliefs each side has about the purposes, character, and methods of the other, and also beliefs about the proper procedures, standards, and objectives of joint dealings. Some understandings are shared and some are not. However, if no understandings are shared, not even on proper procedures, one can hardly say that a relationship exists. When misunderstandings are extreme, attempts at communication and negotiation must miscarry, and even open hostilities can hardly lead to a clear result if their meaning is interpreted differently by the two sides. Thus Dubin (2, pp. 209-10) argues that the successful settlement of strikes is made possible by the fact that both union and management share certain beliefs about them. Without these shared beliefs, strikes would be vague, meaningless, aimless affairs.
A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR LEARNING TO TEACH SECONDARY MATHEMATICS: A SITUATIVE PERSPECTIVE

This paper offers for discussion and critique a conceptual framework that applies a situative perspective on learning to the study of learning to teach mathematics. From this perspective, such learning occurs in many different situations - mathematics and teacher preparation courses, pre-service field experiences, and schools of employment. By participating over time in these varied contexts, mathematics teachers refine their concep- tions about their craft - the big ideas of mathematics, mathematics-specific pedagogy, and sense of self as a mathematics teacher. This framework guides a research project that traces the learning trajectories of teachers from two reform-based teacher preparation programs into their early teaching careers. We provide two examples from this research to illustrate how this framework has helped us understand the process of learning to teach.
Characteristics of Teachers Who Talk the DAP Talk and Walk the DAP Walk

Abstract Studies consistently find a discrepancy between teachers' self-reported beliefs about developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) and their actual, observable classroom practices. Teachers attribute the discrepancy to a variety of environmental/work-related stresses or institutional barriers. Some early childhood professionals, however, are either unaffected by, or able to cope with, these same obstacles and live out DAP beliefs in practice. What are the characteristics of teachers who both state a belief in DAP and engage in DAP practices in their early childhood classrooms? Although there were differences between preschool and primary teachers in this sample of 20 early childhood educators of children ages birth through 8, DAP beliefs overall were strongly correlated with practices at the p <.001 level (r = .79). Also, high personal teaching efficacy and internal locus of control were significantly related to high DAP beliefs and predictive of DAP practices. In addition, teachers who either had...
The Quiet Americans?: CIA, NSA, and Counterinsurgency

The contribution of the U.S. intelligence community (IC) to counterinsurgency operations past and present has gone largely underappreciated, in part because of the pervasive secrecy surrounding most of the IC's activities. A review of two recently declassified histories of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and National Security Agency (NSA) involvement in Vietnam in the 1960s provides insight into the historical contributions of these agencies to counterinsurgency efforts. This analysis provides a context for understanding available evidence relating to the two agencies' contributions to current counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The review concludes with intelligence policy recommendations.
Manganese accumulation along Utah roadways: a possible indication of motor vehicle exhaust pollution

Abstract An organic manganese compound is currently added to gasoline to replace tetraethyl lead as an antiknock fuel additive in the USA and Canada. Combustion exhaust gases contain manganese oxides. Manganese oxides are known to cause various deleterious health effects in experimental animals and humans. A field survey of roadside soil and plants in central Utah revealed that soil manganese concentrations in high traffic areas were up to 100-fold higher than historic lead levels. Soil manganese concentrations were highly correlated with distance from the roadway. Lead concentrations seem to have changed little from values reported twenty years ago but may have moved deeper into the soil profile. In addition, roadside aquatic plants were higher in leaf tissue manganese than herbs or grasses. Plant tissue manganese content was better correlated with plant type, traffic volume and microhabitat than with distance from the roadway. Submerged and emergent aquatic plants were sensitive bioindicators of manganese contamination. Roadside snow melt and water samples were low in manganese and lead content. We conclude that roadside soil and plants were apparently contaminated by manganese oxides from Mn-containing motor vehicle exhaust. Manganese concentrations in soil and in some plant species along impacted roadsides often exceeded levels known to cause toxicity.
Engineers and Government-Business Cooperation: Highway Standards and the Bureau of Public Roads, 1900–1940

Industrial standardization, when noted at all by historians, has usually been associated with the rise of large corporations in the late nineteenth century. In this article, however, Professor Seely contends that, in the highway industry, the introduction of uniform standards and specifications in the early twentieth century was spearheaded by federal engineers in the Bureau of Public Roads—the government's highway agency—through a variety of indirect and cooperative arrangements with state governments, trade associations, and professional organizations. Government leadership in the standardization of highway engineering practices and materials requirements, Seely concludes, suggests the significant role engineers played in the drive for uniformity. Linking nineteenth-century business-sponsored standardization efforts with the government-sponsored efforts of the twentieth century, engineers brought, despite a shift in institutional base, a singleness of purpose to the movement as a whole.
Rate and duration memory of naturalistic sounds

Research has shown that the tempi of familiar songs are remarkably well-remembered with a high degree of accuracy. The goal of the present research was to determine whether this ability generalizes to various types of ecological sounds and, if so, how rate information is encoded into the cognitive system. Across three experiments, participants were familiarized with a set of sounds and later asked to remember the rate of each. Experiment 1 revealed that the inherent rate of sounds is incidentally learned such that subsequent recognition is comparable across both prospective and retrospective paradigms. Experiment 2 confirmed these findings through an adjustment task and further demonstrated that memory for event rate remains highly accurate regardless if attending is initially directed toward a sound's rate and/or pitch qualities. Lastly, Experiment 3 assessed the ability to recognize event rate vs. duration when the two dimensions systematically co-vary with one another and revealed that rate variations influence duration recognition but not vice versa. These overall findings are discussed relative to a framework that emphasizes the role of event structure in time judgment behavior.
Comparing Self-Compassion, Mindfulness, and Psychological Inflexibility as Predictors of Psychological Health

Self-compassion, mindfulness, and psychological inflexibility, constructs associated with mindfulness-based interventions, have demonstrated associations with multiple aspects of psychological health. However, a very limited body of research has analyzed the relative predictive strength among mindfulness-related constructs. Regression analyses were performed to determine the common and unique variance in psychological health predicted by these constructs and to compare their relative predictive strength in a nonclinical sample of 147 undergraduate students at a Mid-Atlantic university. Consistent with previous research, self-compassion demonstrated a stronger ability than single-factor mindfulness to predict variance in psychological health. However, results were mixed when a multifaceted measure of mindfulness was considered. Self-compassion predicted greater variance than multifaceted mindfulness when prediction was based on one total score, but not when individual subscales were analyzed. Psychological inflexibility predicted greater variance than did self-compassion for negative indicators of psychological health. Results suggest that self-compassion and psychological inflexibility may demonstrate greater associations with psychological health than single scores of mindfulness and that important predictive power is lost, particularly from the nonreactivity facet, when multifaceted mindfulness is consolidated into a single score.
The Experience of Litigation after TBI. I: Barriers to Recovery

Prior studies have frequently noted elevated symptom endorsement among traumatic brain injury (TBI) litigants compared to nonlitigants with TBI, with little examination of potential litigation-related stressors. This qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with eight current and nine past litigants was designed to improve our understanding of factors associated with the distress experienced by TBI litigants. Part one of this two-part publication (part two is a separate paper in review) focuses on the litigation experience in the domains of emotional, cognitive, physical, and psychosocial functioning and coping strategies. Themes of experiencing stagnation, feeling confused, and being misunderstood emerged among current litigants, and themes of being able to move forward and feeling increased distress were extracted from reports by past litigants. These qualitative accounts may help medical and legal professionals to understand how litigation-related factors may interfere with TBI recovery and recognize barriers to recovery.
The Electroretinogram After Peripheral Retinal Ablation in Diabetic Retinopathy

Summary The electroretinograms (ERGs) from 14 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy were recorded before and after peripheral retinal ablation by photocoagulation. It was expected that the ERG would be reduced in amplitude in proportion to the area of retina destroyed by the treatment. The ablation treatment, carried out in a standard manner in each patient, resulted in a decrease of ERG amplitude that varied from 10 to 95% among the patients, and caused an increase in ERG latency and implicit time in several patients. This suggests a wide variability in the area of retina affected by the treatment, and the possibility of an effect of the procedure on adjacent untreated retina in some diabetic patients.
Logic-based switching control of a nonholonomic system with parametric modeling uncertainty

This paper is concerned with control of nonholonomic systems in the presence of parametric modeling uncertainty. The specific problem considered is that of parking a wheeled mobile robot of unicycle type with unknown parameters, whose kinematics can be described by Brockett's nonholonomic integrator after an appropriate state and control coordinate transformation. We employ the techniques of supervisory control to design a hybrid feedback control law that solves this problem.
Prostaglandin production by cultured cynomolgus monkey trabecular meshwork cells

Abstract Monkey trabecular meshwork (MTM) cells synthesize a variety of prostaglandins, including large amounts of prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) and smaller amounts of 6-keto-PGF 1α and PGF 2α . The predominance of PGE 2 production by the MTM cells is similar to that observed in human trabecular meshwork cells. In contrast, the relative amounts of 6-keto-PGF 1α and PGF 2α were reversed compared with the human cells. The MTM cells produced increased amounts of PGE 2 in response to treatment with bradykinin, platelet activating factor, and A-23187. Dexamethasone caused a dose-dependent inhibition of PGE 2 production with 50% inhibition by 10 −8 M, although this response was variable.
A fast congestion estimator for routing with bounded detours

Congestion estimation is an important issue for the success of the VLSI layout. Fast congestion estimation provides an efficient means to adjust the placement and routability. A probabilistic model of interconnections enables designers to quickly predict routing congestion. We propose a powerful and fast estimation approach which allows wires to have bounded-, length detours to bypass congestions. Our method is more realistic and precise than the previous work. It is much faster than a global router for estimation purpose. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the method on routing benchmarks.
Work, Ritual Structures, and the Legitimation of Alternative Communities

The symbolic interpretation of work as a part of the legitimating process found in alternative communities is explored. This is done through a critique of Kanter's (1972) structural functional approach and the development of a dialectical perspective within which legitimacy is treated as a product of the efforts of community members to ritualistically reconcile contradictions between their public claims about themselves and the practical problems found in daily life. Central to this process is the rise of ritual structures through which seemingly mundane features of everyday life are given symbolic meaning. The implications of this perspective for analyzing time conventions and legitimation crises are also discussed.
Street youth in Los Angeles. Profile of a group at high risk for human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Objective: To characterize an urban street youth population, their self-reported rates of drug use, and their involvement in behaviors that put them at risk for infection with the human immunodeficiency virus. Design: A brief structured interview was administered to 409 youths who had been living on the streets for 2 or more consecutive months, or who were fully integrated into the "street economy." Setting: Thirty percent of the sample were recruited from community-based service sites and 70% were recruited from street locations and at natural hangouts. Participants: Youths were aged 12 to 23 years; 74% were male, 48% were ethnic minorities, 72% were homeless, 14% were gang affiliated, 20% were involved in drug dealing, 43% were engaged in survival sex (ie, the exchange of a sexual favor for money, food, a place to stay, clothes, and/or drugs), and 40% were homosexual or bisexual. Results: Seventy percent of the youths were sexually active, with an average of 11.7 sexual partners (past 30 days). Youths with multiple sexual partners were more likely to have had a previous sexually transmitted disease ( P P P Conclusions: High-risk sexual and drug use behaviors were prevalent and interrelated in this urban street youth sample. This suggests the need for new and innovative educational promotions and prevention interventions targeted to this population. (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1995;149:513-519)
Effect of permixon on human prostate cell growth: lack of apoptotic action.

BACKGROUND Permixon, a phytotherapeutic agent derived from the saw palmetto or Serenoarepens plant, is a lipid/sterol extract that is believed to interfere with 5α-reductase activity, thus inhibiting prostate growth. In this study, we investigated the magnitude and specificity of the effect of Permixon on cell proliferation and apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells. METHODS The effect of Permixon was examined in androgen-independent PC-3 prostate cancer cells, androgen-sensitive LNCaP prostate cancer cells, and MCF-7 breast cancer cells in vitro. Cell growth, apoptosis induction, and cell proliferation was studied after exposure to Permixon at two concentrations (10 and 100 μg/ml). Cell proliferation and cell cycle progression were determined after 24 hr on the basis of 3[H]-thymidine incorporation assay and flowcytometric analysis, respectively. Apoptosis induction was evaluated in treated and untreated cultures using the Hoescht staining and caspase-3 activation. RESULTS Exposure of prostate and breast cancer cells to a high dose of Permixon (100 μg/ml) resulted in a significant decrease in the rate of cell growth; an effect that was not time-dependent and was not associated with cell cycle arrest. Permixon treatment (at either high or low dose) had no effect on apoptosis induction in prostate cancer cell lines (P > 0.6). Furthermore, in vitro Permixon was a weak inhibitor of 5α-reductase activity type 2 in prostatic homogenates. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate the ability of Permixon to affect prostate cancer cell growth without inducing apoptosis or cell cycle arrest. This effect was not prostate-specific and was only manifested at high concentrations of Permixon. Furthermore our findings indicate that Permixon is weak inhibitor of 5α-reductase compared to finasteride. This study challenges previous evidence on the anti-growth effect of Permixon in the prostate and its ability to inhibit 5α-reductase activity, while questioning apoptosis as a mechanism of action of this phytotherapeutic against prostate growth, a concept that may have therapeutic significance. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.