cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Analysis of Research Needs in Instructional Development.

The charge then is clear. Instructional developers should begin concerted efforts to answer the questions posed here (and others which have not yet been raised) if the practice of instructional development is to be advanced. We know a great deal about how to facilitate and evaluate learning, but we need to know more about how to initiate, support, and assist with the instructional change process in higher education if our knowledge in the former area is to be fruitfully brought to bear on the task of improving instruction in higher education.
Fully solution-processed organic solar cells on metal foil substrates

We demonstrate fully solution-processed organic photovoltaic cells on metal foil substrates with power conversion efficiencies similar to those obtained in devices on transparent substrates. The cells are based on the regioregular poly- (3-hexylthiophene) and C61 butyric acid methyl ester bulk heterojunction system. The bottom electrode is a silver film whose workfunction is lowered by Cs2CO3 using spin-coating to serve as a cathode. The transparent top anode consists of a conductive polymer in combination with a solution-processed silver nanowire mesh that is laminated onto the devices. Each layer of the device, including the transparent electrode, is fabricated from solution, giving rise to the possibility of completely printed solar cells on low-cost substrates.
Seatbelt use and belief in destiny among Hispanic and non-Hispanic drivers

In order to determine if fatalism is associated with seatbelt use, 312 drivers were recruited from convenience stores located within 12 randomly generated zip-code areas along the Texas-Mexico border. The seatbelt use of drivers was recorded unobtrusively; self-reported seatbelt use and belief in destiny (fatalism) were subsequently obtained by interview. The majority of respondents rejected a fatalistic orientation, although Hispanic drivers were significantly less likely to do so. Fatalism was not associated with observed seatbelt use. Our results suggest that ethnic differences in seatbelt use are not due to ethnic differences in fatalism. These findings have implications for developing health interventions in Hispanic and non-Hispanic communities.
Functional versus physiological puberty: an analysis of sexual bimaturism in the green iguana, Iguana iguana

Abstract Abstract. Physiological puberty, the age at which gametes mature and become functional, does not always coincide with the physical capability of, nor the opportunity for breeding among vertebrates. Morphological, social and physiological components of sexual maturation were investigated in a captive colony of green iguanas, Iguana iguana, a large, long-lived lizard with a protracted juvenile phase. Several traits were sexually dimorphic by 14 months of age. Males 15-17 months old had larger testes, relative to body size, than any other age class. Testes histology and sperm concentration were indistinguishable from those of adults, even though the juveniles were only 40% of adult body size. Additionally, sex steroid levels showed a marked seasonality after 12 months of age. Females did not mature until 1-2 years later, at a substantially larger body size (135-232% of male size). There was no correlation between steroid levels and female body size. During the breeding season, socially subordinate males had smaller testes than dominant males within all size classes. Large males had higher testosterone levels and were more likely to display aggressive behaviour and orange body coloration than small males. Males may mature early because of the advantage of opportunistic mating with older females, or because larger, faster-growing males are likely to outcompete smaller males in a dominance hierarchy that is established early in development and may affect ultimate reproductive success. Female maturation may be delayed due to physical constraints associated with laying relatively large clutches of large eggs.
Secure stealth transmission over an existing public fiber-optical network

We develop a spread-spectrum based approach to secure communications over existing public fiber-optical networks. The secure channel is hidden under the noise floor of the network thus allowing cryptographic and steganographic security capabilities.
Optical second-harmonic and reflectance-anisotropy spectroscopy of clean and hydrogen-terminated vicinal Si(001) surfaces

Spectroscopic second-harmonic generation (SHG) and reflectance-anisotropy spectroscopy are used to probe a single-domain reconstructed stepped Si(001) surface off cut 6° toward [110] before and after dissociative adsorption of H2 at the DB step edges. The reflectance-anisotropy spectrum and the first- and third-order Fourier components of the SHG azimuthal anisotropy exhibit broad step-induced resonant peaks near 3.1 eV that are quenched in approximate proportion to H2 dosage, suggesting that they all share a common origin in the essential electronic resonance of the DB steps. Analysis with a simplified bond-hyperpolarizability model suggests that hydrogen termination redistributes oscillator strength from the chemically active nearly vertical step dangling bond into three underlying bonds, suggesting the latter may be related to the third-order Fourier component of the SHG response.
Increased response of cerebellar cGMP to kainate but not NMDA or quisqualate following barbital withdrawal from dependent rats.

Abstract Female Sprague-Dawley rats were maintained on a diet of powdered food containing barbital for 8 weeks before the drug was abruptly withdrawn. Twenty-four hours later both barbital-dependent and control rats were injected intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) with saline or one of four doses of kainic acid (KA) or in a separate experiment with saline or one of three doses of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) or of quisqualic acid (QA). After 4.5 min, the animals were killed by focused microwave irradiation, and the cerebella were collected. The levels of cyclic guanosine 3′,5′ monophosphate (cGMP) were markedly elevated in the cerebella of barbital-withdrawn rats when compared to controls. When compared to saline treatment, KA, at all dosages, resulted in a significantly greater elevation of cerebellar cGMP in the barbital-withdrawn rats than was induced by drug withdrawal alone. Only the two higher dosages of KA produced a significant elevation of this parameter in the control rats. Unlike KA, neither QA or NMDA produced any greater elevations of cGMP in barbital withdrawn rats than were induced by drug withdrawal alone. These collective results suggest that there is an increase in the response to KA but not QA or NMDA following the withdrawal of barbital from dependent rats.
Treatment of chronic cadmium nephrotoxicity by N-acetyl cysteine.

Chronic cadmium (Cd)-induced nephrotoxicity is believed to be irreversible at advanced stages and no treatment is currently available. This study examined the beneficial effect of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) on Cd-induced nephrotoxicity. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were injected s.c. with 5 micromol CdCl2/kg per day, five times/week for up to 26 weeks. Nephrotoxicity was detected after 10 weeks by elevation in urinary lactate dehydrogenase activity and protein. NAC co-administration from week 13 prevented the progression of nephrotoxicity. In these animals, with low-level nephrotoxicity, discontinuation of Cd exposure at the end of week 22 resulted in gradual recovery over the next several weeks, without the need for treatment with NAC. On the other hand, discontinuation of NAC co-treatment at the end of week 22 resulted in quick progression of nephrotoxicity, indicating that NAC protection was short-lived. Resumption of NAC treatment and cessation of Cd exposure after 26 weeks resulted in rapid recovery from advanced nephrotoxicity. It is concluded that protection from Cd-induced nephrotoxicity is possible by continued co-administration of NAC and that recovery from advanced nephrotoxicity can also be achieved with NAC, provided that Cd exposure is stopped.
Ozone-induced accelerated lung clearance of 99mTc-DTPA aerosol in conscious sheep

Abstract This study was initiated to determine the rate and characteristics of 99mTc-DTPA clearance from the lungs of unanesthetized sheep exposed to varying concentrations of O3 for 4 h in a whole-body exposure chamber. Four sheep exposed to 1 ppm O3 had a monoexponential T50 of 274 ± 81 min (SD), not significantly different from sham exposures (316±150); 5 sheep exposed to 2 ppm had a T50 of 234 ± 101 min, not significantly different from sham exposures (263±107 min); 3 sheep exposed to 4 ppm showed a T50 of 66 ± 19 min, markedly different from sham exposures (364 ± 131 min). Five additional unanesthetized sheep exposed to 2 ppm for 4 h via a nasotracheal tube had a T50 of 192 ± 55 min, significantly different from sham exposures (300 ± 96 min). The results show that the effect of oxidant pollutants on the permeability of alveolobronchiolar epithelium may be assessed in conscious sheep.
Linking reasons for parent choice and involvement for minority families in Catholic high schools

Abstract This chapter discusses parents' reasons for school choice and their relationship to three kinds of parent involvement that are thought to influence student learning. It describes selected psycho-social characteristics of 1070 parents and families of minority students in inner-city Catholic high schools. Church participation, ethnicity and choosing a school for discipline reasons are especially influential on parent involvement. Reasons for choosing a school provide insight into the issue of school choice as it is currently being discussed. The chapter concludes with a discussion about the types of families for whom choice might facilitate or inhibit parent involvement.
The influence of puberty and ethnicity on awareness and internalization of the thin ideal.

Objective This study examined the effects of puberty and ethnicity on awareness and internalization of the thin ideal. Method Fourth and fifth-grade girls (N = 67) and their parents (N = 67) completed questionnaires assessing demographic variables, eating pathology, pubertal development, and awareness and internalization of the thin ideal. Results Girls in pre/early puberty did not differ significantly from girls in mid/late puberty on awareness of the thin ideal; however, more developed girls had significantly greater internalization of the thin ideal. Caucasian and non-Caucasian girls also did not differ on awareness of the thin ideal, but non-Caucasian girls reported greater internalization. No significant interactions between race and puberty existed on the dependent variables. Discussion Factors specifically related to puberty seem to be key to girls' development of disordered eating attitudes. The effect of puberty on increased internalization of the thin ideal cannot be explained by increased age or awareness of the thin ideal. © 2003 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 33: 465–467, 2003.
Surface and bulk valence band photoemission of silicon carbide

Abstract Surface and bulk valence band photoemission spectra have been obtained for silicon carbide using Zr M-zeta (151.4eV) and Mg Kα1,2 (1253.6eV) excitation, respectively. The data have been corrected for various broadening effects using a deconvolution procedure. Spectra for single-crystal hexagonal α-SiC and for epitaxial films of cubic β-SiC on Si (1 0 0) are compared with the results of band structure calculations. Differences in the spectra for various surface reconstructions suggest the existence of surface resonances, but no surface states are observed in the bulk optical bandgap.
Statistical Data Analysis in Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy of the Brain in a Low Signal to Noise Ratio Regime

We present some shortcomings of the standard t-test when it is applied to multiple comparisons. We propose an algorithm (Dubey/Armitage-Parmar) that represents a better compromise between statistical errors of type I and type II.
Imaging of human tooth enamel using ultrasound

This paper reports the results of a complete circumferential scan of a human tooth and its underlying dentino-enamel junction using ultrasound at frequencies in the 10-MHz range. The imagery shows clearly a two-dimensional contour of the dentino-enamel junction with a depth and lateral resolution of approximately 100 /spl mu/m and 750 /spl mu/m, respectively. The resulting sonograph is compared with an optical micrograph of the same tooth to verify the accuracy of the ultrasonic technique. The results are a significant step toward the biolocation of submillimeter size features within the tooth volume.
On the nature of the paramagnetic defects in hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride

Abstract ESR measurements in nitrogen-rich hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiN x :H with x > 1.3) as a function of temperature and microwave power reveal a second paramagnetic center in addition to the well-known, three-fold-coordinated silicon “dangling bond” (K center). This second center is a neutral, two-fold-coordinated nitrogen bonded to two silicon atoms (N 2 0 center). This discovery suggests that the dominant defects in a-SiN 1.6 :H are compensated K 3 + and N 2 − electron and hole traps, respectively.
RESILIENCE IN UNDERGRADUATE SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS: SOCIAL SUPPORT AND ADJUSTMENT TO ACADEMIC STRESS

The purpose of this exploratory study was to analyze the relationship between academic stress and resilience in American, undergraduate social work students (N = 145), and to identify whether social support functioned as a protective factor amid this relationship. Testing social support within models of mediation and moderation served this purpose. Surveys were submitted to three social work programs and solicited empirical data on academic stress; social support and two subsystems, family and friend support; and perceived resilience. The sample reported moderate levels of academic stress, social support, and resilience. Academic stress significantly (p < 0.05), negatively influenced social support and resilience. Social support systems exerted significant, positive influence with each other and with resilience. No social supports mediated the negative stress effect on resilience. Friend support moderated the academic stress–resilience relationship. Implications for social work educators and field agency ...
Sufficient Conditions for Aggregation of Linear Programming Models

Three sets of sufficient conditions for exact aggregation of linear programming models are discussed. They provide a relaxation of the proportionality and dimensionality conditions among elements of the micro problems required by R. H. Day's specification. For correct aggregation it is not necessary to classify firms according to "homogeneity" criteria.
Hering-Breuer reflex and sleep state in the preterm infant.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of sleep state on the Hering-Breuer inflation reflex in the preterm infant. Seventeen nonintubated, premature infants, ranging in birth weight from 980–2,440 g with postconceptual ages of 30–36 weeks, were studied. In each infant, pulmonary function testing, including the Hering-Breuer inflation reflex, was obtained using the SensorMedics 2600 during active and quiet sleep states in supine position. The strength of the Hering-Breuer inflation reflex was quantified by the measurement of the percent prolongation of expiration after an occluded breath. Sleep states were categorized by the criteria of Prechtl. There was a significant difference in Hering-Breuer activity in active (REM) vs. quiet (non-REM) sleep, with a consistently stronger reflex in the active sleep state. The mean percent prolongation of expiration was 419% in active sleep vs. 87% in quiet sleep. Analysis of the data, using a paired t-test, revealed a mean difference of 331 ± 185% between active and quiet sleep (P = 0.000). In conclusion, significant differences in the strength of the Hering-Breuer inflation reflex occur in relation to sleep state, and may explain the variability of the reflex described in previous studies. Measurement of the Hering-Breuer inflation reflex may be affected by pulmonary stretch receptors as well as chest wall afferents in the preterm infant. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2004; 37:61–64. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
HLH beta core fragment immunoreactivity in the urine of ovulating women: a sensitive and specific immunometric assay for its detection.

Recently, we isolated an hLH beta core fragment (hLHβcf) from human pituitaries. This molecule is homologous to the hCG beta core fragment (hCGβcf), which may be a marker of normal pregnancy, Down syndrome, and certain cancers. We now report antibodies to the hLHβcf, four of which have been applied in sensitive immunoradiometric assays for urinary measurements. One of the antibodies recognizes an epitope on the hLHβcf, which is not present on the hCGβcf, hLH, or hLHβ. This specific hLHβcf antibody acts cooperatively with other newly-developed antibodies reported here to produce an assay with a sensitivity of 1 fmol/ml of hLHβcf. The specificity of these new IRMA systems will make it possible to measure the hLHβcf in urine in the presence of hLH, hLH beta, or the hCGβcf. Although the hLHβcf used to develop specific antibodies was purified from pituitaries, the assays developed recognize this metabolite in urine. Measurements of heterodimeric hLH as compared to hLHβcf in the urine of cycling women indicated that the concentration of hLHβcf rose as high as 6–7 times the concentration of hLH starting a day after the midcycle surge. The new measuring systems allow the precise quantitation of this hLH metabolite in urine.
Silicon nitride optomechanical crystals

We present silicon nitride optomechanical crystals where few GHz frequency phonons and 980 nm wavelength photons coherently interact. Fabrication improvements, cryogenic testing, and optimized geometries for multimode applications like quantum frequency conversion will be discussed.
Collisional decoherence in the presence of ultrafast optical pulses

An expression for the van der Waals interaction between an active atom and a perturber atom is derived using an irreducible tensor representation. This interaction leads to magnetic state decoherence in an ensemble of active atoms. The magnetic state decoherence can be suppressed by the application of ultrafast optical pulses. It is shown that the depolarization cross section can be suppressed by as much as 40% with only four optical pulses during a single collision and that, for a large number of pulses, the cross section is proportional to ${n}_{0}^{\ensuremath{-}2/11}$ where ${n}_{0}$ is the number of pulses at the Weisskopf radius. This paper generalizes our previous results in which the collisional interaction was modeled as a square pulse.
Effect of wine phenolics on cytokine-induced C-reactive protein expression.

Summary. Background: Elevation of C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in blood was recognized as one of the cardiac disease risk factors. Consumption of wine is shown to reduce the risk from heart disease and improve longevity. Objectives: In the present study, we evaluated the effect of various wine polyphenolic compounds and several active synthetic derivatives of resveratrol on the inflammatory cytokines (IL-1s + IL-6)-induced CRP expression in Hep3B cells. Results: Among the wine phenolics tested, quercetin and resveratrol, in a dose-dependent manner, suppressed cytokine-induced CRP expression. Two of the synthetic derivatives of resveratrol, R3 and 7b, elicited a fiftyfold higher suppressive effect compared with resveratrol. The inhibitory effects of resveratrol and its derivatives on CRP expression were at the level of mRNA production. Investigation of signaling pathways showed that the cytokines induced the phosphorylation of p38 and p44/42 MAP kinases. Inhibitors of p38 and p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation inhibited CRP expression, implicating the involvement of both pathways in cytokine-induced CRP expression. These data revealed a previously unrecognized role of the p44/42 MAPK signaling pathway in CRP expression. Wine polyphenolics or the synthetic compounds of resveratrol did not affect cytokine-activated phosphorylation of these MAPKs. Conclusions: Wine phenolics inhibit CRP expression; however, to do so, they do not utilize the MAPK pathways.
Experimental Study on Short-Circuit Withstand Capability of 110kV Power Transformer

Short-circuit withstand capability test of transformers is mechanical strength withstand test under strong current imposed on power transformers, which is a kind of assessment method of comprehensive technical capabilities and technological level of transformer manufacturing. This paper analyzes the theory basis of short-circuit withstand capability test and calculates the imposed short-circuit current value and provides experimental scheme which is verified by the testing. All is to verify the ability to withstand a short circuit of 110kV power transformer.
A dynamic recurrent neural-network-based adaptive observer for a class of nonlinear systems

Abstract An adaptive observer for a class of single-input single-output (SISO) nonlinear systems is proposed using a generalized dynamic recurrent neural network (DRNN). The neural-network (NN) weights are tuned on-line, with no off-line learning required. No exact knowledge of non-linearities in the observed system is required. Furthermore, no linearity with respect to unknown system parameters is assumed. The DRNN observer does not assume that nonlinearities in the system are restricted to the system output only. The overall adaptive observer scheme is shown to be uniformly ultimately bounded. Simulation results have verified the performance of the DRNN observer.
Inhibited Lipolysis by Hypoxia: Its Potential Role in Neonatal Thermogenesis

Because of impaired thermogenesis, cold stress is poorly tolerated by hypoxic neonates. Since free fatty acids (FFA) are a major fule for heat production, deficient FFA mobilization could contribute to reduced heat production at low oxygen tensions. In order to determine the effect of hypoxia upon cold-stimulated lipolysis and its potential role in thermogenesis, plasma glycerol and FFA levels, and deep rectal temperature were studied in cooled puppies made hypoxic. Upon lowering ambient temperature from 30 to 20°C, levels of plasma glycerol and FFA increased in 12 puppies ventilated with air (PaO2 < 75 mm Hg). In contrast to persisting high plasma glycerol and FFA levels with continued cooling in the control group, plasma glycerol fell from 172 ± 8% to 85 ± 10% and FFA from 206=25% to 105±13% mean control values (mean ± S.E.) in six animals made hypoxic (PaO2 25–35 mm Hg) for 45 min. Comparison of core temperatures during cooling revealed that the rate of temperature fall was accelerated by hypoxia, and that the mean peak fall was significantly greater in hypoxic than in control animals (p < 0.005). These observations indicate that lipolysis stimulated by cold stress is inhibited by hypoxia, which results in the reduction of FFA as a fuel source. This loss of FFA as a fuel may explain the handicap to thermogenesis observed in the hypoxic neonate.
Guanidinium chloride induction of partial unfolding in amide proton exchange in RNase A

Amide (NH) proton exchange rates were measured in 0.0 to 0.7 M guanidinium chloride (GdmCl) for 23 slowly exchanging peptide NH protons of ribonuclease A (RNase A) at pH* 5.5 (uncorrected pH measured in D2O), 34 degrees C. The purpose was to find out whether GdmCl induces exchange through binding to exchange intermediates that are partly or wholly unfolded. It was predicted that, when the logarithm of the exchange rate is plotted as a function of the molarity of GdmCl, the slope should be a measure of the amount of buried surface area exposed to GdmCl in the exchange intermediate. The results indicate that these concentrations of GdmCl do induce exchange by means of a partial unfolding mechanism for all 23 protons; this implies that exchange reactions can be used to study the unfolding and stability of local regions. Of the 23 protons, nine also show a second mechanism of exchange at lower concentrations of GdmCl, a mechanism that is nearly independent of GdmCl concentration and is termed "limited structural fluctuation."
Mindfully Experimenting with IT: Cases on Corporate Social Media Introduction

In many companies the process of new Information Technology (IT) identification and assessment lacks the rigor associated with experimentation. The realities of maintaining daily operations and the expense and expertise involved distract firms from conducting experiments. The authors explore cases of how companies introduce a new IT for the business use of digital social media. Because social media technologies are new, interest in its use is broad and diffused leading organizations to be unsure about how best to implement social media, prompting organizations to follow a mindful process of experimenting with these technologies. The cases illustrate that the extent of mindfulness influences how new technology implementations are introduced, supporting wider boundaries in assessments, richer interpretations of the IT's usefulness, multi-level foci concerning benefits and costs, persistence to continue exploration, and a greater use of fact-based decision-making. The authors observe that following a mindful introduction process reaps some of the benefits of experimentation, such as greater stakeholder satisfaction and organization-wide learning and understanding of the technology's potential.
Cognitive effort avoidance and detection in people with schizophrenia

Many people with schizophrenia exhibit avolition, a difficulty initiating and maintaining goal-directed behavior, considered to be a key negative symptom of the disorder. Recent evidence indicates that patients with higher levels of negative symptoms differ from healthy controls in showing an exaggerated cost of the physical effort needed to obtain a potential reward. We examined whether patients show an exaggerated avoidance of cognitive effort, using the demand selection task developed by Kool, McGuire, Rosen, and Botvinick (Journal of Experimental Psychology. General, 139, 665–682, 2010). A total of 83 people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 71 healthy volunteers participated in three experiments where instructions varied. In the standard task (Experiment 1), neither controls nor patients showed expected cognitive demand avoidance. With enhanced instructions (Experiment 2), controls demonstrated greater demand avoidance than patients. In Experiment 3, patients showed nonsignificant reductions in demand avoidance, relative to controls. In a control experiment, patients showed significantly reduced ability to detect the effort demands associated with different response alternatives. In both groups, the ability to detect effort demands was associated with increased effort avoidance. In both groups, increased cognitive effort avoidance was associated with higher IQ and general neuropsychological ability. No significant correlations between demand avoidance and negative symptom severity were observed. Thus, it appears that individual differences in general intellectual ability and effort detection are related to cognitive effort avoidance and likely account for the subtle reduction in effort avoidance observed in schizophrenia.
Bottom-up photonic crystal cavities formed by patterned III-V nanopillars.

We report on the formation and optical properties of bottom-up photonic crystal (PC) cavities formed by III–V nanopillars (NPs) via catalyst-free selective-area metal–organic chemical vapor deposition on masked GaAs substrates. This method of NP synthesis allows for precise lithographic control of NP position and diameter enabling simultaneous formation of both the photonic band gap (PBG) region and active gain region. The PBG and cavity resonance are determined by independently tuning the NP radius r, pitch a, and height h in the respective masked areas. Near-infrared emission at 970 nm is achieved from axial GaAs/InGaAs heterostructures with in situ passivation by laterally grown InGaP shells. To achieve out-of-plane optical confinement, the PC cavities are embedded in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and removed from the growth substrate. Spatially and spectrally resolved 77 K photoluminescence demonstrates a strong influence of the PBG resonance on device emission. Resonant peaks are observed in the emissi...
Overabundance: An Issue for Conservation Biologists?

Several recent essays have discussed the inexorable invasion of exotic organisms and urged conservation biologists to take the lead in eradicating exotics where they endanger native biota (Coblentz 1990; Soule 1990; Temple 1990; Westman 1990). Little attention has been given, however, to the closely related problem of controlling locally overabundant or expanding native species that negatively affect other native species. During the past century, the populations of many native species that are generalists or opportunists have increased, and their distributions have expanded. North American examples include beaver (Castor canadensis), Canada Geese (Branta canadensis), cattail (Typha spp.), Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis), common sunflower (Helianthus annuus), cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus spp.), BrownHeaded Cowbird (Molothrus ater), coyote (Canis latrans), gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), gulls (Larus spp.), muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), opossum (Didelphus virginiana), pocket gopher (Thomomys spp.), prickly pear (Opuntia spp.), raccoon (Procyon lotor), Common Raven (Corvus corax), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), Red-Winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus vir-
The existence of arbitrarily many distinct periodic orbits in a two degree of freedom Hamiltonian system

Abstract Melnikov's method is used to prove the existence of arbitrarily many elliptic and hyperbolic periodic orbits in the neighborhood of an elliptic orbit of a two degree of freedom Hamiltonian system which is ‘almost integrable’. The existence of such orbits precludes the existence of analytic second integrals of a certain type. The methods used permit a detailed analysis of the way in which resonant tori break up between the KAM irrational tori which are preserved for weak coupling of two independent nonlinear oscillators.
Mesoporous aerogel titanium oxide–silicon oxide combinations as adsorbents for an azo-dye

Abstract This work investigates various high surface area metal oxide aerogels for the adsorption of a model pollutant, disperse red 19 (DR-19), under no irradiation and visible light irradiation. High surface area aerogels (200–490 m 2 /g) adsorb a significantly higher percentage of the model pollutant than the commercially available TiO 2 (51 m 2 /g). Titanium dioxide–silicon dioxide high surface area aerogels combined with manganese or cobalt ions are shown to be more effective at sorption of the azo-dye than an undoped titanium oxide–silicon oxide aerogel, despite the higher surface area of the latter. Surface coverages, in molecules DR-19/nm 2 , are 0.18, 0.29, and 0.37 for a 10 mg loading of TiO 2 –SiO 2 , TiO 2 –SiO 2 –Mn, and TiO 2 –SiO 2 –Co aerogels, respectively, under no irradiation. These numbers are shown to increase with decreased sorbent loading, decrease with increased sorbent loading, and remain unchanged with the same loading under visible light irradiation. These results suggest the adsorption of pollutants on titanium oxide–silicon oxides is dependent on both surface area and transition metal dopants. The presence of the manganese or cobalt ions enhances adsorption.
Coincidence summing in gamma-ray spectroscopy

Abstract A new technique has been developed to calculate coincidence-summing corrections in γ-ray spectroscopy. In this technique the general coincidence-summing equations were derived in matrix notation, which allowed extracting either the first-order correction (combinations of only two coincident γ-rays) or a full correction (all possible combinations of emitted γ-rays). Subsequently, it is shown how the technique can be applied to the determination of the source disintegration rate, γ-ray emission rates or peak efficiencies in the presence of coincidence summing. In particular, the technique has been applied to the determination of peak efficiencies of a germanium detector. The peak efficiencies were iterated self-consistently using the coincidence-summing equations. The above calculation showed that, in general, the full correction is necessary for complicated decay schemes. In addition, a method has been developed to determine the peak-to-total ratio for a germanium detector in the presence of an interfering γ-ray.
Early functional neural networks in the developing retina.

IN the adult mammalian retina, the principal direction of information flow is along a vertical pathway from photoreceptors to retinal interneurons to ganglion cells, the output neurons of the retina. We report here, however, that initially in development, at a time when the photoreceptors are not yet even present, there are already functionally defined networks within the retina. These networks are spontaneously active rather than visually driven, and they involve horizontal rather than vertical pathways. By means of optical recording using the calcium-sensitive dye Fura-2, we have found that sets of retinal ganglion cells and amacrine cells, a type of retinal interneuron, undergo synchronized oscillations in intracellular calcium concentration. These oscillations are highly correlated among subgroups of neighbouring cells, and spread in a wave-like fashion tangentially across the retina. Thus, in development of retinal circuitry, the initial patterning of neuronal function occurs in the horizontal domain before the adult pattern of vertical information transfer emerges.
Parallelization and optimization of genetic analyses in isolation by distance web service.

Background The Isolation by Distance Web Service (IBDWS) is a user-friendly web interface for analyzing patterns of isolation by distance in population genetic data. IBDWS enables researchers to perform a variety of statistical tests such as Mantel tests and reduced major axis regression (RMA), and returns vector based graphs. The more than 60 citations since 2005 confirm the popularity and utility of this website. Despite its usefulness, the data sets with over 65 populations can take hours or days to complete due to the computational intensity of the statistical tests. This is especially troublesome for web-based software analysis, since users tend to expect real-time results on the order of seconds, or at most, minutes. Moreover, as genetic data continue to increase and diversify, so does the demand for more processing power. In order to increase the speed and efficiency of IBDWS, we first determined which aspects of the code were most time consuming and whether they might be amenable to improvements by parallelization or algorithmic optimization.
What Are the Rates and Causes of Hospital Readmission After Total Knee Arthroplasty

Background Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and related interventions such as revision TKA and the treatment of infected TKAs are commonly performed procedures. Hospital readmission rates are used to measure hospital performance, but risk factors (both medical and surgical) for readmission after TKA, revision TKA, and treatment for the infected TKA have not been well characterized.
GSK3β in Ethanol Neurotoxicity

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is a significant public health problem and may result in a wide range of adverse outcomes for the child. The developing central nervous system (CNS) is particularly susceptible to ethanol toxicity. Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) have a variety of cognitive, behavioral, and neurological impairments. FASD currently represents the leading cause of mental retardation in North America ahead of Down syndrome and cerebral palsy. Ethanol exposure during development causes multiple abnormalities in the brain such as permanent loss of neurons, ectopic neurons, and alterations in synaptogenesis and myelinogenesis. These alcohol-induced structural alterations in the developing brain underlie many of the behavioral deficits observed in FASD. The cellular and molecular mechanisms of ethanol neurotoxicity, however, remain unclear. Ethanol elicits cellular stresses, including oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), a multifunctional serine/threonine kinase, responds to various cellular stresses. GSK3β is particularly abundant in the developing CNS, and regulates diverse developmental events in the immature brain, such as neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation, migration, and survival. Available evidence indicates that the activity of GSK3β in the CNS is affected by ethanol. GSK3β inhibition provides protection against ethanol neurotoxicity, whereas high GSK3β activity/expression sensitizes neuronal cells to ethanol-induced damages. It appears that GSK3β is a converging signaling point that mediates some of ethanol’s neurotoxic effects.
Becoming Teen Fathers: Stories of Teen Pregnancy, Responsibility, and Masculinity

Drawing on in-depth interviews, I analyze how teen fathers talk about the responsibility for having a baby at a young age. In addition to negotiating the stigma often associated with teen pregnancy, teen fathers also confront stereotypes that label them as selfish and uncaring. In telling their stories of “what happened,” they utilize three gendered discourses to deny responsibility for the pregnancy: the feminization of birth control, a discourse of uncontrollable male sexual desire, and love. Their narratives also reveal the ways in which gendered norms can solve some problems while creating others. Aligning themselves with certain notions of masculinity can serve as a resource for denying responsibility for the pregnancy while also signifying their manhood, but these same discourses are also constraining in that they reinforce stereotypes of teen fathers as selfish, even predatory. While these approaches may allow teen fathers to claim masculine identities, they also stigmatize them as the wrong kind o...
The Emerging Puppetry Renaissance

around the world. In recent years, international festivals in Prague, Ontario, Melbourne, Oulu, Istanbul, and Jakarta, among others, have emerged, more than filling the void left by the Henson International Festival of Puppet Theatre, a biennial review that was active from 1992 to 2000. Puppetry courses both practical and theoretical are increasingly offered at major universities both in the United States-most notably at the University of Connecticut-and as far abroad as Indonesia and Vietnam.
Human RNA Polymerase II Elongation in Slow Motion: Role of the TFIIF RAP74 α1 Helix in Nucleoside Triphosphate-Driven Translocation

The role of the RAP74 alpha1 helix of transcription factor IIF (TFIIF) in stimulating elongation by human RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) was examined using millisecond-phase transient-state kinetics. RAP74 deletion mutants RAP74(1-227), which includes an intact alpha1 helix, and RAP74(1-158), in which the alpha1 helix is deleted, were compared. Analysis of TFIIF RAP74-RAP30 complexes carrying the RAP74(1-158) deletion reveals the role of the alpha1 helix because this mutant has indistinguishable activity compared to TFIIF 74(W164A), which carries a critical point mutation in alpha1. We report adequate two-bond kinetic simulations for the reaction in the presence of TFIIF 74(1-227) + TFIIS and TFIIF 74(1-158) + TFIIS. TFIIF 74(1-158) is defective because it fails to promote forward translocation. Deletion of the RAP74 alpha1 helix results in increased occupancy of the backtracking, cleavage, and restart pathways at a stall position, indicating reverse translocation of the elongation complex. During elongation, TFIIF 74(1-158) fails to support detectable nucleoside triphosphate (NTP)-driven translocation from a stall position and is notably defective in supporting bond completion (NTP-driven translocation coupled to pyrophosphate release) during the processive transition between bonds.
Bell's palsy: Results of surgery; salivation test versus nerve excitability test as a basis of treatment†‡

One hundred fifty-seven consecutive patients with Bell's palsy were evaluated between 1966 and 1971. In order to obtain a more homogenous group, the subjects were carefully screened by eliminating those with recurrent palsy, those not tested for both nerve excitability and salivary flow, those not followed until there was 100 percent return of function or for a period of 180 days, and those who were first evaluated beyond 10 days following onset of palsy. Applying these criteria, 76 patients were eliminated leaving 81 patients with Bell's palsy who were studied to evaluate the usefulness of the salivation and nerve excitability tests for selecting patients for surgery. Fifty-four received no treatment while 22 were operated upon and five were treated with steroids. The study considered the prognostic application of salivary flow and nerve excitability testing. Patients with salivary flow rates of over 40 percent had a 92 percent chance of complete recovery, while those patients with salivary flow rates of less than 40 percent had a 70 percent chance of incomplete recovery. The nerve excitability test was slightly more accurate in that patients who maintained a normal response to electrical stimulation had a complete recovery rate of 92 percent while those with a decreased response had an incomplete recovery rate of 91 percent. There were six untreated patients with decreased response to nerve excitability, and all had incomplete return of facial function. Surgery based upon a decreased response to nerve excitability in 15 patients did not alter the natural history, since all 15 had incomplete return. There were five untreated patients with a salivary flow of 25 percent or less, and four had incomplete recovery. Surgery based upon a salivary flow of 25 percent or less with a normal response to nerve excitability changed the predicted outcome for complete recovery in seven patients from 20 percent to 70 percent. Five of the seven had complete recovery. Based on this study, it is doubtful that the nerve excitability test is useful as an indicator for surgery, while the salivary flow test seems to have great promise.
Prediction of forming limit diagrams for AL6111-T4 under non-proportional loading

In this paper, an anisotropic damage model for predicting FLDs is extended to predict the sheet metal formability under non-proportional loading involving changing directions of principal strain plane and damage plane. The material chosen for the prediction of FLDs is AL6111-T4 aluminum alloy. A satisfactory agreement between the model predictions and test results has been achieved.
Tensile strength of clots of recalcified plasma and fibrinogen-thrombin-calcium systems

Abstract Experiments were performed on plasma clots to determine their tensile strength. Fibrinogen, thrombin and Ca ++ concentration and the pH of the system determined the tensile strength. Tensile strength could be increased markedly when concentrations and pH were optimal. The clots formed were soluble in bile and non-adherent to Tygon tubing. These were used successfully in patients for the extraction of calculi from the biliary tree.
Precipitate strengthening mechanisms in magnesium zinc alloy single crystals

The mechanical behaviour of Mg-5.1 wt % Zn alloy single crystals was studied in the 4.2 to 300° K temperature range. Quenched crystals have activation energies and volumes best associated with the cutting of small clusters of Zn atoms by dislocations. Fully hardened crystals contain fine β 1′ and occasionalβ 2′ precipitates with an averageβ 1′ interparticle spacing of 330 to 660 A. Strengthening in these crystals is mainly ascribed to the cutting of β 1′ particles by dislocations. In the overaged condition β 1′, β 2′ and equilibrium β particles are present and lead to a considerable temperature-dependence unusual for an overaged condition. Analysis of this temperature-dependence suggests that below 77° K the relatively easy cutting of β 1′ particles by dislocations takes place in addition to the cutting of β 2′ and β particles. Above 77° K the difficult cutting of β 2′ and β particles alone controls the deformation, β 1′ being more easily cut with the aid of thermal fluctuations.
Analyzing Spatio-Temporal Patterns and Their Evolution via Sequence Alignment

Temporal patterns indicate consistency and change, providing insight into social processes and phenomena. This article contributes to understanding patterns in social science by confirming the existence of known patterns under new conditions and quantifying the amount of observed deviation. We introduce a technique for matching a pattern in real-world events using an extension to the sequence alignment algorithm developed in biology. We demonstrate our algorithm and its utility for social science applications using event data collected from RSS news feeds. By comparing patterns derived from events in Yemen during the Arab Spring of 2011–2012 to events in Yemen's history and to other countries during the same time period, this algorithm contributes to time geographic concepts and comparative political research.
Characterization of small area laser beam annealing

The structure of small area (∼10 micron diameter) spots produced by Q-switched pulsed laser irradiation of n-type silicon covered by a thin film of sputtered aluminum have been studied. Spatially resolved SIMS analysis has been combined with SEM observations to characterize the resulting microstructure. Careful analysis of the SIMS results indicate the spots display subsurface alloying and deep (∼1 μm) aluminum penetration.
The H5N1 Manuscript Redaction Controversy

Scientists are an argumentative bunch, and science is no stranger to controversy. Since the beginning of the scientific revolution, science has witnessed and engaged in great controversies, including heliocentrism, the theory of evolution, the N-ray affair, and most recently the debate over climate warming. Prior controversies were settled with additional scientific study, which provided convincing data for one faction or the other. Today scientists are engaged in a new type of controversy involving the benefits, debits, appropriateness, and wisdom of redacting experimental data from scientific manuscripts on the grounds that the information could be used for nefarious purposes. This controversy was triggered when a government advisory committee known as the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) examined two manuscripts describing genetic changes that enabled bird flu virus (H5N1) to become transmissible in mammals. The NSABB then advised the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that …
Low‐Frequency Grain‐Boundary Relaxation in Alumina

The internal friction spectrum of polycrystalline, sintered alumina was determined at 15 to 25 cps and 25° to 1550°C. Two relaxation mechanisms appeared to be operative. A high-temperature relaxation interpreted as stemming from diffusion-controlled grain-boundary motion was dominant above 1150°C. Assuming a mean diffusion path of 10−4 cm gave a diffusivity of D = 5.2 × 10−2 exp (−52,000/RT) which was independent of impurity content. A lower-temperature relaxation was observed in specimens of higher impurity content at 900° C. This relaxation reached a maximum but did not behave as a Debye-type relaxation. Single-crystal alumina exhibited neither of these relaxations.