cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abatement by acetate of an ethanol withdrawal syndrome

Abstract Acetate, the main end product of ethanol metabolism in the liver and a substrate of the cerebral small-pool Krebs-cycle, was tested for its ability to abate an ethanol withdrawal syndrome. Male Sprague-Dawley derived rats were rendered physically dependent on ethanol by intragastric administration of ethanol at a dosage of 9 to 15 grams per kilogram per day over a 4-day period. Oral administration of acetate was effective in abating the tremulous component of the ethanol withdrawal syndrome.
Role of single-particle spectrum in the ring-diagram approach for nuclear matter.

A previously developed ring-diagram formalism, which substantially improves the predictions for the saturation density of nuclear matter, is employed for different choices for the single-particle (s.p.) spectrum. Three types of s.p. spectra are studied: a gap spectrum, a continuous choice, and a model-space spectrum. It is found that the choice of the s.p. spectrum has some influence on the saturation energy, but little influence on the saturation density. Thus, the main virtue of the ring-diagram approach turns out to be independent of the choice of the s.p. spectrum. We also give a clear demonstration of the strongly density-dependent ring effect and compare our results with those obtained using other many-body methods.
Brief inpatient group programming or therapy? Towards a POP model for the RAPID group: a rejoinder.

(2014). Brief Inpatient Group Programming or Therapy? Towards a POP Model for the RAPID Group: A Rejoinder. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy: Vol. 64, No. 2, pp. 245-250.
3H-1,2-Dithiole-3-thione Targets Nuclear Factor κB to Block Expression of Inducible Nitric-Oxide Synthase, Prevents Hypotension, and Improves Survival in Endotoxemic Rats

Septicemia is a major cause of death associated with noncoronary intensive care. Systemic production of nitric oxide (NO) by inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) is a major cause of hypotension and poor organ perfusion seen in septic shock. Here, we show that pretreatment of F344 rats with the cancer chemoprotective agent 3 H -1,2-dithiole-3-thione (D3T) blocks lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated induction of hepatic iNOS and significantly reduces the associated serum levels of NO metabolites and enzyme markers of toxicity provoked by treatment with LPS. Immunohistochemical analysis shows that this protective effect is largely due to suppression of iNOS expression in hepatocytes. Importantly, pretreatment of animals with D3T blunts LPS-mediated hypotension and dramatically increases their survival. Inasmuch as iNOS expression can be regulated by nuclear factor (NF) κB, mechanistic studies show that D3T blocks NFκB nuclear translocation and DNA binding and that these effects are accompanied by changes in the levels of phospho-inhibitor of NFκB. In conclusion, this study identifies new drug classes and targets that may improve the prevention and treatment of septic shock, as well as chronic diseases associated with the NFκB and iNOS pathways.
Ground moving target detection and tracking based on generalized SAR processing and change detection (Invited Paper)

A unified way of detecting and tracking moving targets with a SAR radar called SAR-MTI is presented. SAR-MTI differs from STAP or DPCA in that it is a generalization of SAR processing and can work with only a single phase center. SAR-MTI requires formation of a series of images assuming different sensor ground speeds, from vs-vtmax to vs+vtmax, where vs is the actual sensor ground speed and vtmax is the maximum target speed of interest. Each image will capture a different set of target velocities, and the complete set of images will focus all target speeds less than a desired maximum speed regardless of direction and target location. Thus the 2-dimensional SAR image is generalized to a 3-dimensional cube or stack of images. All linear moving targets less than the desired speed will be focused somewhere in the cube. The third dimension represents the along track velocity of the mover which is a piece of information not available to standard airborne MTI. A mover will remain focused at the same place within the cube as long as the motion of the mover and the sensor remain linear. Because stationary targets also focus within the detection cube, move-stop-move targets are handled smoothly and without changing waveforms or modes. Another result of this fact is that SAR-MTI has no minimum detectable velocity. SAR-MTI has an inherent ambiguity because the four-dimensions of target parameters (two dimensions in both velocity and position) are mapped into a three-dimensional detection space. This ambiguity is characterized and methods for resolving the ambiguity for geolocation are discussed. The point spread function in the detection cube is also described.
A Secure TCP Connection Migration Protocol to Enable the Survivability of Client-Server Applications Under Malicious Attack

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection migration has been previously proposed to allow for the mobility of servers. In this paper we revisit TCP connection migration for purposes of server survivability against malicious denial-of-service attacks. We present a protocol that allows an on-going TCP connection to be migrated from one server to another. This migration is performed in a secure manner such that the protocol itself cannot be exploited for malicious attacks. Further the migration can be performed even in the case where the original server is compromised. The protocol has been designed so as to allow interoperability with legacy TCP protocols. It is intended to be the transport layer foundations over which survivable applications can be built.
Analysis of wavelength-scaled array architectures via domain decomposition techniques for finite arrays

Wavelength-scaled array architectures use scaled elements to achieve ultra-wideband array performance with significantly fewer overall radiators than traditional ultra-wideband arrays consisting of a single element type. Given a requirement for an 8:1 bandwidth array of a given aperture size, an array of equivalent aperture and bandwidth is created from scaled elements of three sizes. The proposed wavelength-scaled equivalent architecture has 16% of the original element count with a comparable reduction in electronics required to feed the array, leading to significant cost savings. Because of the complex electromagnetic environment of the wavelength-scaled architecture, infinite array design tools cannot be used — rigorous analysis methods using Domain Decomposition techniques for finite arrays are necessary to design and validate performance.
Experiments with the use of popular press in the computer science curriculum

With the objective of encouraging and supporting more critical thinking about broad issues of computer science throughout the curriculum, we propose the widespread use of popular press (non-academic) books as supplemental texts for a variety of courses. Our hypothesis is that such books, which address topics including the history, current issues, and future implications of computing technology, as well as ethical issues, technical details and even fictional treatments, can greatly contribute to a student's education in a variety of courses.
Interpolation of track data with radial basis methods

Abstract The multiquadric and thin plate spline radial basis methods, together with the triangle-based minimum norm network algorithm and the modified quadratic Shepards' method, are applied to various sets of data that are sampled densely along tracks in the plane. The effectiveness of these methods on track data has been questioned in the past. We observe that both radial basis methods and the minimum norm network method performed well on smoothly varying track data sets, while the multiquadric method with a small value for the parameter R 2 was the only method that was effective on rapidly varying track data.
Integrating international responses to complex emergencies, unconventional war, and terrorism.

The world is experiencing unprecedented violence and threats of violence, taking the form of complex internal nation-state conflicts, unconventional or guerilla warfare against established governments, and stateless threats of terrorism by potential biologic, chemical, and nuclear weapons. What happens locally has immediate ramifications internationally. Real and potential health consequences of these events have evoked global concerns and realization that capacities and capabilities to respond to such events require unparalleled integration, coordination, and cooperation of the international community. However, politics and the institutions singular governments form are inherently limited in their objectives and capability to effectively respond. Public health, broadly defined, must be recognized as a security and strategic requirement, one that serves to build a foundation for an international integrated response capacity.
How symmetric is international trade

This paper analyzes empirically the degree to which international trade among pairs of nations is symmetric, both in terms of levels and in terms of changes. The effect of differences between corresponding marginal totals (total imports and total exports) is also analyzed.
The Teaching of Music Diction in Departments of Foreign Languages.

the way back to the Middle Ages it behooves us to pay more attention to the more modern literature of our century and to include highly motivating stories such as adventure, science fiction, etc., by all types of authors. We can conclude that the readers surveyed have and are serving a purpose, a different one depending on the teachers' goals and the students' needs and interests, but, as teaching tools, they are, except for a few, unsystematically structured for teaching reading, unsuitable for the levels intended, beyond the grasp of students, and too remote time-wise to generate interest.
Redesigning a Telehealth Diabetes Management Program for a Digital Divide Seniors Population

Recent advances in health information technologies promise to significantly improve the quality of care and quality of life for individuals who are chronically ill. However, significant challenges exist in targeting Digital Divide populations who are likely to be older, less educated, and novice computer users. This article presents a framework for understanding and reducing barriers for older adults to effectively use health information systems designed for disease management. The research is illustrated in the context of the IDEATel project, a large-scale telemedicine diabetes management and education program. The framework has three interdependent foci: hardware and software systems, tasks supported by the system, and user profiles. These foci are addressed in the context of usability and training studies. The studies document the challenges faced in facilitating patients’ access to Web resources supporting disease management. The article discusses system design changes that are intended to increase pa...
SQUID-NMR study of methyl quantum tunneling in a series of carboxylic acids

Abstract Quantum tunneling frequencies of methyl groups at low temperature can be measured directly by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) using our dc-SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device) spectrometer. From NMR spectra recorded in magnetic fields below 20 mT, tunneling frequencies between 140 and 250 kHz were measured for a homologous series of carboxylic acids at 4.2 K. For solids with equivalent crystals structures, we observe an exponential correlation between the tunneling frequency and the enthalpy of fusion; from this correlation we obtain information about the contribution of intermolecular interactions to the energy barrier for methyl rotation.
Bracketing and convergence in thermal systems simulation

Abstract This paper addresses computational problems encountered in the simulation of thermal systems, particularly in the bracketing and convergence procedures required to find a value x such that f(x) = x. This is the basic numerical problem in steady-state system simulations or in finding the instantaneous operating condition during transient simulation. Some procedures are described, and approaches to reduce computational time are detailed. These techniques are especially suited to mathematical functions that are single valued, continuous, and confined to the first quadrant (x,f(x) > 0). These are representative features, either inherent or by imposition, of the functions describing thermal systems processes or thermodynamic properties. A procedure for bracketing or finding a convergent interval is proposed and tested on representative example analytical functions. Bracketing of a solution with such a procedure is shown to require up to two iterations in most cases. Several established convergence methods along with a newly modified method and an innovative method are discussed and compared. The importance of working within the bracketed interval is emphasized.
Automatic vehicle monitoring: A life saver

The probability of surviving a heart attack decreases rapidly with delay in receiving basic life support measures. Research indicates that there is a 50% chance of recovery if basic life support measures are instituted within four minutes from the onset of an attack. The survival rate drops below 10% when the response time is greater than six minutes. A two-minute difference in response time is life or death for over one-third of all heart attack victims. Among the factors contributing to the delay in responding to any emergency, whether it is a heart attack, burglary in progress, severe auto accident, or a bus driver in trouble, is determining the exact location of the incident and dispatching the closest available assistance. In a rural or urban area, automatic vehicle location and monitoring techniques can reduce this delay. Automatic Vehicle Monitoring (AVM) systems provide information and control capabilities for fleets of vehicles by determining the position and status of selected vehicles in the fleet. Also included in AVM, for discussion in this paper, are self-contained vehicle positioning systems which might be used to locate the site of a safety-related incident in rural areas. AVM has many safety applications in emergency medical services, law enforcement, mass transit, and environmental protection programs. This paper will discuss the subsystems that are inherent in AVM systems; various techniques and characteristics of some existing AVM systems; and some examples of the many contributions to safety that can be accomplished through AVM.
Regulation of N-Methyl-d-aspartate receptor-mediated calcium transport and norepinephrine release in rat hippocampus synaptosomes by polyamines

The role of polyamines (PA) synthesis in NMDA receptor-mediated 45Ca2+ fluxes and norepinephrine release was studied in rat hippocampal synaptosomes. NMDA (50 microM) caused a sharp (> 2-fold) transient increase in PA synthesis regulating enzyme, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity with concomitant elevation in PA levels in the order putrescine > spermidine > spermine. ODC inhibitor, alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), and NMDA antagonist, 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (D-AP5), both blocked increases in ODC activity and PA levels. Activation of NMDA receptors induced a sharp (3 to 4-fold) and quick (15 seconds) increase in 45Ca2+ uptake by synaptosomes within 15 seconds of exposure at 37 degrees C. The efflux of 45Ca2+ and 3H-norepinephrine (NE) release at 22 degrees C from pre-loaded synaptosomes was also significantly (2 to 4-fold) enhanced by NMDA within 15 seconds. These NMDA receptor-mediated effects on calcium fluxes and NE release were blocked by NMDA receptor-antagonists (DAP-5 and MK-801) and PA synthesis inhibitor, DFMO and the DFMO inhibition nullified by exogenous putrescine. These observations establish that ODC/PA cascade play an important role in transduction of excitatory amino acid mediated signals at NMDA receptors.
PKCδ and mTOR interact to regulate stress and IGF-I induced IRS-1 Ser312 phosphorylation in breast cancer cells

IRS-1 (Insulin Receptor Substrate-1) is an adaptor protein important for insulin and IGF-I receptor (Insulin-like Growth Factor-IR) transduction to downstream targets. One mechanism recently identified to downregulate IGF-I or insulin receptor signaling in diabetic models is IRS-1 Ser312 phosphorylation. To date, the importance of this residue in cancer is unknown. This paper identifies mechanisms leading to Ser312 regulation in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Whereas IGF-I phosphorylation of IRS312 is PI (phosphatidylinositol) 3-kinase dependent, anisomycin stress treatment requires JNK activation to induce phosphorylation of IRS312. We show that both IGF-I and anisomycin stress treatment converge downstream onto mTOR (Mammalian Target of Rapamycin) and PKCδ (Protein Kinase C-delta) to induce IRS-1 Ser312 phosphorylation. mTOR associates with IRS-1 and is primarily required for Ser312 phosphorylation in response to stress or IGF-I treatment. PKCδ binds to mTOR and its activity is also important for stress or IGF-I mediated Ser312 phosphorylation. Thus, mTOR and PKCδ convey diverse signals to regulate IRS-1 function.
Human DNA polymerase β initiates DNA synthesis during long‐patch repair of reduced AP sites in DNA

Simple base damages are repaired through a short‐patch base excision pathway where a single damaged nucleotide is removed and replaced. DNA polymerase β (Pol β) is responsible for the repair synthesis in this pathway and also removes a 5′‐sugar phosphate residue by catalyzing a β‐elimination reaction. How ever, some DNA lesions that render deoxyribose resistant to β‐elimination are removed through a long‐patch repair pathway that involves strand displacement synthesis and removal of the generated flap by specific endonuclease. Three human DNA polymerases (Pol β, Pol δ and Pol ϵ) have been proposed to play a role in this pathway, however the identity of the polymerase involved and the polymerase selection mechanism are not clear. In repair reactions catalyzed by cell extracts we have used a substrate containing a reduced apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) site resistant to β‐elimination and inhibitors that selectively affect different DNA polymerases. Using this approach we find that in human cell extracts Pol β is the major DNA polymerase incorporating the first nucleotide during repair of reduced AP sites, thus initiating long‐patch base excision repair synthesis.
TPN-L-gulonate dehydrogenase

Abstract A TPN-specific dehydrogenase which reversibly oxidizes L -gulonate to D -glucuronate has been purified 33-fold from pig kidney. The purified enzyme is free of aldonalactonase and DPN- L -gulonate dehydrogenase. Although L -galactonate is also a substrate for this enzyme, the name TPN- L -gulonate dehydrogenase is suggested for this enzyme. The purified enzyme does not act on the γ -lactones of the substrates. Uridine diphospho- D -glucuronate is n is not reduced by the enzyme. The role of the dehydrogenase in the conversion of D -glucuronate to L -ascorbate and L -xylulose as well as the metabolic source of free D -glucuronate for ascorbic acid biosynthesis are discussed.
Effects of lesions of the medial forebrain on alternation behavior of rhesus monkeys.

Abstract In two experiments involving the delayed alternation task, monkeys with lesions of the hippocampal formation and monkeys with lesions of cingulate cortex were compared with controls. Either of these lesions caused impairment in original postoperative learning of delayed alternation; the hippocampal formation resections also produced a deficit in the retention of preoperatively acquired delayed alternation. The findings support the suggestion that these medial forebrain areas are related to cerebral systems which include the anterior frontal cortex, and that these areas are necessary to more than “emotional” behavior.
Effect of red blood cell shape on oxygen transport in capillaries

A mathematical model of oxygen (O2) transport within a capillary utilizes axisymmetric red blood cell (RBC) shapes that were predicted theoretically by Zarda et al. in 1977. Chemical kinetics and both free and facilitated diffusion of O2 are accounted for in this time-dependent model. The finite-element method is used to solve the governing partial differential equations. It is found that the shape of RBCs, characterized by the shape parameter theta adapted from Zarda et al., affects such important O2 transport characteristics as capillary wall O2 flux and hemoglobin (Hb) saturation. At an RBC residence time (time for an RBC to travel from the capillary inlet to a given point) of 0.22 s, a change in the shape parameter theta from 0 (undeformed cell) to 26 (parachute-shaped cell) decreases the spatially averaged O2 flux by 26%. The dependence of O2 flux on RBC shape diminishes as the RBC residence time increases. The difference in Hb saturation at the RBC residence time of 0.22 s can be as large as 10% for different values of theta. The mass transfer Nusselt number, which is inversely proportional to transport resistance, decreases with increases in theta. The fractional transport resistance in the plasma region accounts for approximately 65-80% of the total intracapillary resistance. Calculations show that local chemical equilibrium in the O2-Hb chemical reaction is attained everywhere except within a thin boundary layer adjacent to the erythrocyte membrane, where significant deviation from chemical equilibrium occurs.
Optical micro-angiography reveals depth-resolved muscular microcirculation

Impaired muscular microcirculation in lower extremities is common in many peripheral vascular diseases (PVD), especially the peripheral arterial disease (PAD). There is a need for an imaging method that can be used to noninvasively visualize depth-resolved microcirculation within muscle tissues. Optical microangiography (OMAG) is a recently developed label-free imaging method capable of producing 3D images of dynamic blood perfusion within micro-circulatory tissue beds at an imaging depth up to ~2 mm, with an imaging sensitivity to the blood flow at ~160 μm/s. In this paper, we demonstrate the utility of OMAG in imaging the detailed blood flow distributions, at microcirculatory level resolution, within skeletal muscles in mice. By use of the mouse model of hind-limb ischemia, we show OMAG can assess the perfusion changes caused by ligation. These findings indicate that OMAG is a promising technique to effectively study skeletal muscle-related vascular disease and their pharmacologic therapies.
Pre-test Data and Lessons Learned from a Group Research Project Examining Changes in Physical Activity Behavior Following Construction of a Rails-to-Trails Facility

Built environments in rural settings may provide greater challenges than those in urban settings due to physical characteristics inherent to low-density population areas. Multiuse recreational trails, such as those that repurpose abandoned railroad lines, may provide a physical activity resource that is well suited to rural areas. However, the direct impact of trail availability on physical activity behavior is not generally known because it is unclear whether activity reported in most trail research represents increases in physical activity or displacement of activity in individuals who previously exercised in other locations. This research, initiated by a group of students in a graduate seminar, represents to our knowledge, the first instance in which PA was assessed prior to the availability of an entirely new rails-to-trails facility. The research was implemented using a nonequivalent dependent variable design to counter the lack of a control group; the nonequivalent dependent variable chosen was weekly servings of fruit and vegetables. Participants responding to intercept interviews classified days of activity during the prior week as mild, moderate or vigorous. Baseline results for 244 participants suggested generally low levels of activity prior to trail availability; number of reported days of activity decreased with described intensity. We also discuss several issues encountered in planning and implementing this group project including those related to data collection, variable levels of commitment among student members, and inconsistent project management, and offer potential solutions to these concerns.
Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteremia in Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis

Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia occurred 96 times in 58 of 671 patients on chronic hemodialysis during a nine-year period. Seventy-one instances of bacteremia originated in the vascular access site and resulted in the loss of the access device in 45 episodes. The overall mortality was 8%, and the incidence of infective endocarditis was 4%. Death occurred more often when bacteremia arose from an identifiable site other than the vascular access device (P㰠.02). Patients who developed one or more metastatic foci of infection had a higher incidence of primary treatment failure (P 㰠01) and a higher mortality (P 㰠) than did those with no metastatic infection. Although meaningful comparisons of differing antibiotic regimens could not be made, patients receiving antibiotic therapy for 28 days or longer relapsed less frequently (P 㰠.05) These data suggest that chronic hemodialysis patients with S aureus bacteremia have a relatively low mortality and a low risk of infective endocarditis. Antibiotic treatment, however, should be given for at least 28 days in order to minimize the risk of relapse.
Custom Hardware to Eliminate Bottlenecks in QKD Throughput Performance

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) high-speed quantum key distribution (QKD) system was designed to include custom hardware to support the generation and management of gigabit data streams. As our photonics improved our software sifting algorithm couldn't keep up with the amount of data generated. To eliminate this problem we implemented the sifting algorithm into our programmable chip (FPGA) hardware, gaining a factor of 50x improvement in the sifting capacity rate. As we increased the distance and speed of our QKD systems, we discovered a number of other performance bottlenecks in our custom hardware. We discuss those bottlenecks along with a new custom hardware design that will alleviate them, resulting in an order of magnitude increase in capacity of secret key generation rate.
A thoroughly modern gage

Abstract We describe a 50-year-old male patient (MGS) with a right frontal ventromedial lesion who showed preserved general cognitive, abstract thinking and problem-solving abilities, in contrast to gross impairment in his social competence, social decision making and social conduct. MGS also demonstrated diminished sensitivity to socially relevant stimuli and situational nuances, impairment in sexual behavior, lost sense of responsibility, and disinhibition. We interpret his neurobehavioral profile, identical to the one of the famous 19th century patient Phineas Gage, in the light of the hypothesis that emotion and social conduct regulation depend on the ventromedial frontal cortex.
Effects of trial time and inter-trial interval on naming by aphasic subjects

Abstract Six aphasic subjects participated in picture naming or word reading tasks under four treatments. In Experiment I, there were four conditions in which stimuli to be named were presented for 3, 5, 10, or 30 sec, and in a fifth condition, the subject determined the rate at which stimuli were presented. Results indicated a gradual improvement in correct naming as the interval during which the stimulus was presented grew longer. The subject-paced condition resulted in the highest rate of correct responses per unit of time. In Experiment II, stimuli were presented for 3 sec, but 0, 3, 5, or 10 sec intervals were placed between trials. Results indicated little difference in correct responding at 0, 3, 5, 10 sec, but a significant increment in correct responding at 30 sec inter-trial interval. Experiments III and IV suggested that short trial times generate stress which interferes with performance in longer trial times. Experiment I and II also suggested that simple naming practice does not improve naming performance of aphasic subjects.
Transplantation of the mammalian pineal gland : studies of survival, revascularization, reinnervation, and recovery of function

The survival, revascularization, reinnervation, and recovery of function of transplanted rat pineal glands were studied following grafting into four different locations in pinealectomized rats. Pineal grafts were well vascularized by fenestrated capillaries. Pinealocytes in the grafts maintained high-metabolic activity. More nerve fibers and terminals were observed in the grafts within the anterior chamber of the eye than in the third cerebral ventricle and the pineal region (in situ transplantation). No fibers or terminals were found in grafts placed beneath the renal capsule. Nighttime serum melatonin levels increased significantly in pinealectomized rats with transplants into either the third cerebral ventricle or the anterior eye chamber. This increase might reflect graft reinnervation. Yet day-night differences in serum melatonin were observed only in host rats receiving transplants in the anterior eye chamber. In conclusion, pinealocytes survived transplantation into different locations and exhibited ultrastructural features indicative of active secretory processes; however, day-night differences in serum melatonin are only restored following transplants into the anterior eye chamber. Reinnervation of the grafts by the host superior cervical ganglion is necessary for this restoration.
Hypermnesia: The role of multiple retrieval cues

We demonstrate that encoding multiple cues enhances hypermnesia. College students were presented with 36 (Experiment 1) or 60 (Experiments 2 and 3) sets of words and were asked to encode the sets under single- or multiple-cue conditions. In the single-cue conditions, each set consisted of a cue and a target. In the multiple-cue conditions, each set consisted of three cues and a target. Following the presentation of the word sets, the participants received either three cued recall tests (Experiments 1 and 2) or three free recall tests (Experiment 3). With this manipulation, we observed greater hypermnesia in the multiple-cue conditions than in the single-cue conditions. Furthermore, the greater hypermnesic recall resulted from increased reminiscence rather than reduced intertest forgetting. The present findings support the hypothesis that the availability of multiple retrieval cues plays an important role in hypermnesia.
Rational approximation in an educational mathematics laboratory

Abstract This paper discusses rational approximations for functions, and shows how this is a generalization of the polynomial approximation. Two techniques are presented, Pade approximation and an interpolation method. The techniques are instructive for students in an undergraduate computing laboratory environment and can be incorporated in either a calculus or numerical methods course.
The use of state-dependent modulation of spinal reflexes as a tool to investigate the organization of spinal interneurons.

This review examines the proposition that state-dependent modulation of transmission through spinal reflex pathways can be used as an investigative tool to reveal details about the organization of spinal interneurons into functional circuits. The first set of examples includes the use of spinal and supraspinal lesions, as well as the administration of the drug l-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA), to produce different, relatively stable ”states” of the central nervous system (CNS), revealing previously unsuspected spinal pathways activated by the flexor reflex afferents (FRA). The second set of examples deals with the use of fictive locomotion and scratching to investigate the organization of oligosynaptic excitatory and inhibitory reflex pathways from cutaneous and muscle afferents. As in the first set of examples, several hitherto unknown reflex pathways have been found only during the flexion or extension phases of rhythmic locomotion, which are regarded as different CNS states. Differences in the patterns of control can be used to infer the existence of distinct sets of reflex pathway interneurons that have remarkably precise input/output relations.
Guided delivery of adeno-associated viral vectors into the primate brain

In this review, we discuss recent developments in the delivery of adeno-associated virus-based vectors (AAV), particularly with respect to the role of axonal transport in vector distribution in the brain. The use of MRI-guidance and new stereotactic aiming devices have now established a strong foundation for neurological gene therapy to become an accepted procedure in interventional neurology.
The absolute abundance of the chromium isotopes in chromite

Abstract Isotopic assays have been made on the chromium in eighteen chromite samples from countries responsible for 81 per cent of the chromite production between 1900 and 1950. The use of mixtures of separated isotopes to determine the accuracy indicates that the measurements are absolute. On the basis of these assays, the natural abundances of the chromium isotopes in atoms per cent are: Cr50 = 4·352 ± 0·024, Cr52 = 83·764 ± 0·036, Cr53 = 9·509 ± 0·027, Cr54 = 2·375 ± 0·018. where the limits cited represent 3β. No variation in the isotopic composition of the chromium in any of the chromites examined was found within the stated limits. The chemical atomic weight, computed on the basis of these abundance values and the latest accepted values for the masses of the involved isotopes, is 51·9985 ± 0·0013.
Hibernoma: report of two cases.

Hibernomas are rare tumors of fat which are most often benign. Arteriographic findings may be misleading with respect to the diagnosis of malignancy preoperatively. These uncommon tumors may be confused prior to surgery with lipomas, soft tissue sarcomas, and hemangiomas.
MORPHOLOGICAL, ANATOMICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL EFFECTS OF PROPACHLOR ON SEEDLING GROWTH*

Summary. The root and shoot growth of oat (Avena saliva L.) and squash (Cucurbita maxima Duchesne) was reduced in proportion to propachlor concentration. Corn (Zea mays L.) root growth was inhibited only by concentrations of 16 ppm and higher. Cell division in onion (Allium cepa L.) root tips was reduced by propachlor and totally inhibited by 16 ppm. Auxin-induced cell elongation of oat coleoptiles was inhibited in proportion to propachlor concentration. Propachlor treatment prevented the normal senescence of squash cotyledons by inhibiting the autolysis of proteinaceous and lipid reserves. Effets morphologiques, anatomiques et biochimiques du propachlore sur la croissance des plantules Riisumi. Resume. La croissance des racines et des tiges de l'avoine (Avena saliva L.) et de la courge (Cucurbita maxima Duchesne) a ete reduite en fonction de la concentration du propachlore. La croissance des racines de mais (Zea mays L.) a ete inhibee seulement par des concentrations Agates ou superieures a 16 ppm. La division des cellules des extremitees des racines de l'oignon (Allium cepa L.) a ete reduite par le propachlore et totalementinhibes par 16 ppm. L'elongation induite par l'auxine des cellules des coleoptiles d'avoine a ete inhibee en fonction de la concentration du propachlore. Le traitement au propachlore a empeche la senescence normale des cotyledons de la courge par inhibition de l'autolyse des reserves proteiques et lipidiques. Morphologische, anatomische und biochemische Wirkungen von Propachlor auf das Keimlingswachstum Zusammenfassung. Die Starke der Hemmung des Wurzei- und Sprosswachstums bei Hafer (Avena sativa L.) und Squash (Cucurbita maxima Duchesne) entsprach der Propachlorkonzentration. Das Wurzelwachstum von Mais (Zea mays L.) wurde nur durch Konzentrationen von 16 ppm oder hoher gehemmt. Die Zellteilung in Wurzelspitzen der Zwiebel (Allium cepa L.) wurde durch Propachlor vermindert und bei 16 ppm vollstandig gehemmt. Die Hemmung der auxininduzierten Zellstreckung bei Haferkoleoptilen entsprach der Propachlorkonzentration. Die Behandlung mit Propachlor verhinderte die normale Alterung von Squashkotyledonen, indem sie die Autolyse von Protein- und Lipidreservcn hemmte.
Species differences in stomatal control of water loss at the canopy scale in a mature bottomland deciduous forest

In order to evaluate factors controlling transpiration of six common eastern deciduous species in North America, a model describing responses of canopy stomatal conductance (GS) to net radiation (RN), vapor pressure deficit (D) and relative extractable soil water (REW) was parameterized from sap flux data. Sap flux was measured in 24 mature trees consisting of the species Carya tomentosa, Quercus alba, Q. rubra, Fraxinus americana, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Liquidambar styraciflua in a bottomland oakhickory forest in the Duke Forest, NC. Species differences in model coefficients were found during the 1997 growing season. All species showed a reduction in GS with increasing D. RN influenced GS in the overstory shade intolerant L. styraciflua to a larger extent than the other species measured. In addition, despite a severe drought during the study period, only L. tulipifera showed a decline in GS with decreasing REW. The primary effect of the drought for the other species appeared to be early autumn leaf senescence and abscission. As a result, despite the drought in this bottomland forest accustomed to ample water supply, maximum daily transpiration (1.6 mm) and growing season transpiration (264 mm) were similar to a nearby upland forest measured during a year of above average precipitation. These results may aid in assessing differences in water use and the ability of bottomland deciduous species to tolerate alterations in the frequency or amount of precipitation. Results also suggest little variation in water use among forests of similar composition and structure growing in different positions in the landscape and subjected to large interannual variation in water supply. � 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The language growth of spanish-speaking English language learners.

Although the research literature regarding language growth trajectories is burgeoning, the shape and direction of English Language Learners' (ELLs) language growth trajectories are largely not known. This study used growth curve modeling to determine the shape of ELLs' language growth trajectories across 12,248 oral narrative language samples (6,516 Spanish; 5,732 English) produced by 1,723 ELLs during the first 3 years of formal schooling (M age at first observation = 5 years 7 months). Results indicated distinct trajectories of language growth over time for each language differentially impacted by summer vacation and gender, significant intra- and interindividual differences in initial status and growth rates across both languages, and language-specific relations between language growth and initial status. Implications of ELLs' language growth are discussed.
Role-Play Training at a “Violent Disneyland”: The FBI Academy's Performance Paradigms

In the final phase of FBI training, new agents are put through "real life" simulations. It's like acting in a movie—inflected with the FBI's racist, sexist, and homophobic proclivities.
Traditional Equating Methodology

This instructional module is intended to promote a conceptual understanding of test form equating using traditional methods. The purpose of equating and the context in which equating occurs are described. The process of equating is distinguished from the related process of scaling to achieve comparability. Three equating designs are considered, and three equating methods—man, linear, and equipercentile—are described and illustrated. Special attention is given to equating with nonequivalent groups, and to sources of equating error.
Tragic Mountains: The Hmong, the Americans, and the Secret Wars for Laos, 1942-1992

The staunchest of allies, the Hmong were America's foot soldiers in the brutal secret Lao theater of the Vietnam War, risking all to defend their homelands and to rescue downed American air crews. Abandoned by the United States when it withdrew in 1975, the Hmong have been subjected to a campaign of genocide by communist Laos and Vietnam, including the use of chemical-biological toxin warfare. Thousands of Hmong, now scattered in refugee camps, are being forcibly repatriated to Laos - where they face retribution and terror. From their ancient homelands in China, with a fiercely independent culture dating back to 2000 B.C., the Hmong migrated southward out of China into the mountains of Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. More than 120,000 Hmong now live in the United States, from California to Minnesota to Pennsylvania. But thousands more lead desperate lives in refugee camps in Southeast Asia - knowing that repatriation could mean death. Tragic Mountains tells the story of the Hmong struggle for freedom and survival in Laos from 1942 to the present. During those years, most Hmong sided with the French against the Japanese and Ho Chi Minh's Viet Minh and then with the Americans against the North Vietnamese. These allegiances have led the current Lao government to declare the Hmong as enemies, vowing to "wipe them out." This is a story of courage, tenacity, brutality, secrecy, incredible heroism by Hmong and Americans alike, international cynicism, betrayal, genocide, resilience, and (still) hope. Jane Hamilton-Merritt has written it to open the world's eyes to the proud history and current tragedy of the Hmong - with the desire that this book "might yet change the destiny of those repatriated."
Palestinian Children: Dying to Live

So the subjects of two recent films, Staying Alive by Ghada Terawi and News Time by Azza El-Hassan, speak to the contradictions in which Palestinian boys in the occupied territories find themselves. These documentaries capture the harsh realities of Palestinian children's lives during the intifada. The boys joke and play but are confronted everywhere with death: the deaths of their friends and classmates, the memorials to death all around them, and their own possible deaths. The films also convey the ambivalent values attached to individual life and collective death.
A Statistical Approach for Establishing Tumor Incidence Delisting Criteria in Areas of Concern: A Case Study

The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement specifies “fish tumors or other deformities” as one of the 14 beneficial use impairments that can be used to declare a geographic area within the Great Lakes an Area of Concern (AOC). The International Joint Commission has suggested that the fish tumor impairment can be delisted when fish tumor incidence in the AOC does not exceed rates at unimpacted control sites. This paper presents a statistical technique utilizing Bayesian hierarchical logistic models to estimate tumor incidence on brown bullheads (Ameiurus nebulosus) in an AOC and in candidate least impacted control sites (LICS). Liver and skin tumor incidence are estimated using age, length, weight, and gender as possible covariates using a hierarchical framework to account for a sampling design in which sites are sampled over multiple years and/or at multiple sublocations within the site. By utilizing a Bayesian approach, estimates of uncertainty for tumor incidence in sites with no observed tumors can be obtained. The posterior distributions of tumor incidence can then be used to identify LICS for the watershed and subsequently compare the tumor incidence in the AOC to the LICS using a Bayesian form of the two one-side tests for equivalence procedure. Presque Isle Bay (Erie, PA) in the Lake Erie watershed is used as a case study to demonstrate the technique.
High-speed, electronic arbitrary waveform generation using time-domain processing of ultrashort optical pulses

Ultra wideband (UWB) microwave signals are receiving much attention for their potential use in both radar systems and high-speed data links. The currently available arbitrary waveform generation (AWG) devices operates up to only a few gigahertz. The desire to create UWB signals with carrier frequencies in the 10s of GHz and fractional bandwidths approaching 100% suggests investigating microwave-photonic approaches. In this paper, the authors demonstrate a method for electrical AWG with independent envelope and carrier control though the manipulation of wide bandwidth optical pulses in a time-domain processor.
Biology of the estrogen receptor, GPR30, in triple negative breast cancer

Abstract Background Triple-negative (TN) breast cancer lacks a known signaling pathway amenable to targeted therapy. The authors hypothesized that the G protein–coupled receptor GPR30 may be present in TN breast cancer and serve a role for tumor growth. Methods A retrospective pathology study and chart review were conducted. All patients aged ≤49 years from 2000 to 2008 were included (n = 24). Concurrent patients aged ≥50 years were randomly selected. Paraffin sections were stained for GPR30 and reviewed by a pathologist blinded to estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status. Disease-free survival was analyzed versus age and receptor status. Means were compared using 2-sample t tests and proportions using chi-square analysis. Results Twenty-seven patients tested GPR30 positive and 21 GPR30 negative. Seventeen of 18 TN cancers tested positive for GPR30 ( P Conclusions GPR30 is prevalent in TN breast cancer and associated with young age and possibly recurrence.
Resolving controls on epeiric sedimentation using trend surface analysis

An understanding of patterns of regional sedimentation is crucial to identifying trends of perspective petroleum reservoirs. The Upper Pennsylvanian, Missourian Kansas City Group consists of repetitions of widespread carbonate rock and shale. Each of four cyclothems chosen for subsurface study of western Kansas contains transgressive and regressive lithofacies with evidence of extensive subaerial exposure across the entire paleoshelf. Distribution of carbonate facies on the 350+ km-wide shelf was affected strongly by slight changes in structural configuration of the shelf and variations in sea level. Polynomial trend surface models prepared from selected wireline log information for four successive cyclothems assist in resolving regional and local patterns of sedimentation and help to access the effect of subtle structural deformation on sedimentation. Isopachs of marine portions of four cyclothems were fit by fourth-order trend surfaces, optimizing fit by comparing goodness-of-fit and minimizing skewness of residuals using the smallest order surface. Several cyclothems showed simple patterns of regional, basinward thickening with local, strike-elongated anomalies where goodness-of-fit was maximized with increasing order. One cyclothem did not converge to a good fit at small orders nor did distribution of residuals indicate convergence toward zero. Both anomalies reflected a more complex surface. Rather than thickening regionally, the pattern created by this anomalous cyclothem was more irregular. Mapped patterns resemble those of the present-day structural configuration of these horizons suggesting a general persistence in similar epeirogenic deformation.
Influence of perceived neighborhood safety on proactive and reactive aggression

The current study examined associations between perceived neighborhood safety and proactive and reactive subtypes of aggression while also considering peer delinquency and poor parental monitoring in a community recruited sample of 89 children (56% male) ranging from 9 to 12 years of age (M=10.44, SD=1.14). In addition, neighborhood safety was examined as a moderator of the associations between peer delinquency and poor parental monitoring and proactive and reactive aggression. Findings suggested that while peer delinquency was positively associated with both proactive and reactive aggression, perceived neighborhood safety was only associated with proactive aggression. Moreover, neighborhood safety moderated the association between peer delinquency and proactive aggression, such that the association between peer delinquency and proactive aggression was stronger in neighborhoods perceived as less safe when compared neighborhoods perceived as more safe. Implications for findings are discussed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.