cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Does Participation in Citizen Science Improve Scientific Literacy? A Study to Compare Assessment Methods

This study investigated the use of a contextually sensitive instrument to assess the effect of invasive species monitoring training on the scientific literacy of citizen volunteers. The authors measured scientific literacy scores before and after 57 citizens participated in a 2-day event to learn to monitor invasive species with an instrument including 1 general-measures (Science and Engineering Indicator [SEI]) item and 4 newly developed contextual items. Ninety control subjects were also tested with a mailed survey that included the SEI item and the contextual items. Control scores, compared with trainees’ pretest scores with the chi-square (SEI) and independent-samples t-test (contextual), did not differ significantly from the pretest scores of trainees on either the SEI (p = .68) or the contextual (p = .11) items. The authors compared trainees’ pretest scores with their posttest scores using McNemar's chi-square (SEI) and a paired-samples t-test (contextual). Posttest scores on the SEI item were not s...
Reassessing the Effects of Combination Classes.

ABSTRACT This article reviews the research on combination classes–an often debated grouping structure in which students from two or more grades are placed with one teacher for most or all of the school day. Because researchers and disseminators of research have generally overlooked key distinctions between combination classes and their most common counterparts–single‐grade and multiage/nongraded classes–we begin by distinguishing combination classes, formed as a result of imbalanced or inadequate enrollments, from single‐grade classes, formed as a part of traditional schooling, and multiage/nongraded classes, formed as a result of pedagogical or philosophical interests. We show that conclusions about the effects of combination classes are confounded by (a) the merging of combination class studies with those that included several multiage/nongraded components, and (b) the slighting of a unique and important feature of combination classes–the assignment of certain types of students and teachers to these cla...
Evaluation of regional wall motion and quantitative measures of ventricular function during dobutamine stress echocardiography in pediatric cardiac transplantation patients.

Abstract Background: Graft coronary disease is a leading cause of death in patients who have undergone cardiac transplantation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate regional wall motion response and quantitative measures of ventricular function during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) in pediatric transplantation patients. Methods: Eleven patients were evaluated the first year after transplantation (10/11 no rejection). Ten of the 11 were reevaluated 1.2 ± 0.3 years later (9/10 no rejection). Results: Dobutamine stress echocardiography revealed the following: (1) baseline regional wall motion abnormalities in 80% that resolved in all, (2) increased heart rate and blood pressure, (3) no change in left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, (4) decreased end-systolic diameter, (5) decreased wall stress and increased velocity of circumferential fiber shortening, (6) increased VCFcZ score (representing systolic left ventricular function), and (7) a decreased mitral passive-to-active filling ratio. Patients with rejection had abnormal VCFcZ scores at rest. Conclusions: Pediatric transplantation patients without rejection have baseline regional wall motion abnormalities. With DSE, the following are present: (1) resolution of wall motion abnormalities, (2) increased contractility independent of load, and (3) changes in diastolic parameters that reflect increased heart rate. Patients with rejection may have abnormal contractility at rest. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2000;13:932-40.)
Safety and diagnostic yield of noninvasive ventricular stimulation performed via tiered therapy implantable defibrillators

Extensive electrophysiological testing is critical for the effective utilization of sophisticated tachycardia detection and termination algorithms available in tiered therapy ICDs. To evaluate the safety and diagnostic yield of electrophysiological testing via noninvasive ventricular stimulation, we performed 294 electrophysiological studies in 154 patients (age 65 +/- 10; left ventricular ejection fraction 0.36 +/- 0.15) with tiered therapy ICDs. Stimulation was performed under methohexital anesthesia. A total of 918 sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias were induced (3.1 +/- 2.5 per procedure): monomorphic VT, 550; ventricular flutter, 74; and VF, 246. The results of invasive and noninvasive programmed stimulation were compared for 79 patients who had both studies under similar treatment. Overall concordance was 83%, and did not differ significantly between patients who had the noninvasive stimulation via epicardial or endocardial pacing leads. VF could be induced in 206 of 257 studies (82%), and it was less likely to be induced in patients on amiodarone (74% vs 85%; P = 0.02), or beta blockers (55% vs 83%; P = 0.017). No patient presented a serious complication. Minor complications occurred during 39 studies: transient laryngospasm in 1, unintended delivery of an ICD shock to a conscious patient in 4; induction of sustained atrial fibrillation in 8; need for external rescue defibrillation shocks in 13; and delivery of inappropriate shocks for supraventricular rhythms in 14 studies. Noninvasive ventricular stimulation performed under methohexital anesthesia is safe. Its diagnostic yield compares favorably with that of conventional electrophysiological studies. VF can be induced in a majority of patients. There is good correlation between invasive and noninvasive programmed stimulation for induction of VT. Noninvasive ventricular stimulation may emerge as standard procedure for the initial programming and follow-up of ICDs.
Process optimization for ethanol production from photoperiod-sensitive sorghum: Focus on cellulose conversion

Abstract Photoperiod-sensitive sorghum, as a competitive biomass for ethanol production, was investigated to develop an integrated process for improving ethanol yield. Response surface methodology was employed to study the relationship between pretreatment variables (including temperature, sulfuric acid concentration, and reaction time) and cellulose recovery, as well as efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis (EEH) in the solid part. Recovery yield decreased and EEH increased as the pretreatment temperature, acidic concentration, and reaction time increased. A model was successfully developed to predict total glucose yield with a maximum value of 82.2%. Conditions of co-fermentation were also optimized, and the optimal ethanol yield was obtained with constant-temperature simultaneous saccharification and fermentation at 38 °C. Acetate buffer at a concentration of 50 mM was found helpful for increasing efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis, as well as ethanol yield. The maximum ethanol yield was 0.21 g ethanol per dry mass at the conditions of 38 °C, 0.05 g yeast/L, and 50 mM acetate buffer. A complete cellulose balance was provided for the whole process.
Extrinsic Innervation of the Cat Prostate Gland: A Combined Tracing and Immunohistochemical Study

ABSTRACTPurpose: The purpose of the present study was to determine the peripheral neural pathways, spinal distribution, sizes, and peptide transmitter content of primary afferent and autonomic efferent neurons that innervate the prostate gland.Methods: Retrograde transport of the fluorescent dye “fast blue” (injected into the prostate gland) was combined with neurotransmitter immunohistochemistry. Lesions of the pelvic and pudendal nerve were used to determine the peripheral neural pathways.Results: The majority of the afferent innervation arose from the sacral dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and was equally comprised of small, substance P- and calcitonin gene-related peptide-immunoreactive (IR) neurons and large, non-IR neurons. The majority (70%) of the afferent axons traversed the pelvic nerve with the remainder traversing the pudendal nerve. Fewer afferent neurons were located in lumbar DRG; nearly all of these were small, peptidergic neurons. Efferent autonomic neurons were located in the inferior mesenter...
‘A highly successful experiment in international partnership?’ The limited resonance of the American Committee for Devastated France

On 20 July 1924, the American Committee for Devastated France (ACDF) formally transferred its property in the Aisne province to French authorities. The three-hour ceremony precipitated French and American commemorations of ACDF activities, and public and private expressions of French gratitude for the humanitarian aid 328 American ACDF volunteers had provided to the Aisne's inhabitants for seven years. Yet the gifts, performances and speeches by local residents and international luminaries failed to catalyse what US Ambassador Myron T. Herrick hoped would become a greater ‘international partnership’ between France and the USA. This paper contends that this failure stemmed not from insignificant acts of remembrance towards the American Committee on the part of the Aisne's beneficiaries and French and American statesmen. Instead, the ephemeral recollection of the ACDF's legacy in both nations derived from the cognitive dissonance between the transnational goodwill the American organization and French citize...
Agrigan: An Introduction to the Geology of an Active Volcano in the Northern Mariana Island Arc

Agrigan is the tallest (965 m a.s.l.) and largest (44 km2) of the volcanoes of the northern Mariana Islands. Its slopes are asymmetric to the east; a small caldera (4 km2) dominates the interior. The volcanic edifice has been disrupted along three sets of faults: 1) exterior slump faults, 2) radial faults, and 3) interior faults related to caldera-collapse. The rocks of the volcano are characterized by porphyritic clinopyroxene-olivine-plagioclase basalts and subordinate andesites. Cumulate xenoliths composed of Fo81, An95 and diopside are common in the basalts.
Understanding and Measuring Health Care Insecurity

Despite efforts to improve access and quality of care under the Affordable Care Act,1,2 significant numbers of Americans will continue to lack health insurance coverage. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that approximately 30 million nonelderly people in the U.S. will lack health insurance coverage in 2016, and the same number will be uninsured in 2022.3,4 There has been a recent slowing of the rate of increase in health care expenditures nationally; however, overall health care costs and insurance premiums continue to increase.5–7 Despite the subsidies available through programs under the Affordable Care Act, health insurance continues to be unaffordable for many.8,9 Much like food insecurity10 and job insecurity,11 health care insecurity can denote uncertainty and anxiety about the ability to access and sustain needed health services. Although theories of access have evolved to acknowledge the importance of factors beyond the affordability and availability of health services (in particular, previous system interaction and health outcomes) and so-called cognitive barriers (or personal beliefs, knowledge, or awareness of disease, prevention, treatment, and health resources)12–14 studies have and seem to remain focused on use and non-use of services (typically due to cost) as indicators of access and unmet health care needs.15–21 Measuring health care insecurity may illuminate a more subtle vulnerability highlighted within the progressing understanding of access that permeates a broad, often transient segment of society. We define health care insecurity as feeling uncertain, anxious, and vulnerable about the ability to obtain or sustain adequate health care services. This concept goes beyond traditional measures of health care access by assessing an individual’s subjective sense of vulnerability, lack of control, and worry about getting the health care they need when they need it. A measure of health care insecurity is necessary to supplement current measures of access and patient experience of health care. Such a measure can focus energy on reducing this under-recognized source of suffering among the underserved, and can serve as an outcome measure for health care improvement efforts. As a source of care that appears to offer benefits in preventive service delivery and decreased emergency room use among uninsured patients,22–25 free clinics are a useful setting in which to define and examine health care insecurity. We undertook this study to develop and evaluate a self-report measure of health care insecurity and assess if beginning care at a free clinic affects uninsured new patients’ health care insecurity.
Water Excretion by Hydra

Hydra were cut so that regenerates consisting only of the central gastric region were formed. This region, which has no natural opening to the environment, is capable of osmoregulation and of removing excess fluid from the gut. The fluid is excreted through a break in the body wall created as a result of a strong contraction when the gut is distended with fluid. A normal hydra, therefore, must remove excess fluid by contracting and expelling it through its mouth.
A UNIFIED APPROACH TO DIRECT AND INVERSE BOUNDARY LAYER SOLUTIONS

A unified approach is presented for solving the 2-D incompressible boundary layer equations. Solutions are obtained for direct and inverse options using the same equation formulation by a simple interchange of boundary conditions. A modified form of the mechul function scheme obtains inverse solutions with specification of transformed wall shear, skin friction coefficient or displacement thickness distributions. Direct solutions may be obtained without altering the block tridiagonal structure of the system by simply requiring no corrections on the streamwise pressure gradient parameter. Fourth-order spline discretisation approximates normal derivatives with two- and three-point backward differences approximating streamwise derivatives, yielding a fully implicit solution method. The resulting spline/finite difference equations are solved by Newton-Raphson iteration together with partial pivoting. The results of the study demonstrate the importance of proper linearisation of all equations. The successful use of spline discretisation is also tied to the use of strong two-point boundary conditions at the wall for cases involving reversed flow. Numerical solutions are presented for several non-similar flows and compared with published results.
Annual forest inventories for the north central region of the United States

The primary objective in developing procedures for annual forest inventories for the north central region of the United States is to establish the capability of producing standard forest inventory and analysis estimates on an annual basis. The inventory system developed to accomplish this objective features several primary functions, including (1) an annual sample of measured field plots, (2) satellite-based remote sensing for stratification into land use and land use change classifications, (3) a database of current and past plot and tree infomation, and (4) models for predicting the growth and survival of trees not measured in the current year. The discussion focuses on specific features and options for each function.
Simultaneous pre-normal moveout and post-normal moveout deconvolution

Wave theory justifies both pre‐ and post‐NMO deconvolution, but the filters should be estimated simultaneously, not sequentially. A linearized theory enables simultaneous estimation of the two filters. The theory incorporates spherical divergence independently from statistical weighting. Field data test cases show the expected interaction between NMO and deconvolution. The tests were not able to establish that simultaneous estimation is superior to sequential estimation. The difficulty is ascribed to the inadequacy of NMO as a downward continuation process.
Discretuum versus continuum dark energy

Abstract The dark energy equation of state for theories with either a discretuum or continuum distribution of vacua is investigated. In the discretuum case the equation of state is constant w = p / ρ =−1. The continuum case may be realized by an action with large wave function factor Z for the dark energy modulus and generic potential. This form of the action is quantum mechanically stable and does not lead to measurable long range forces or violations of the equivalence principle. In addition, it has a special property which may be referred to as super-technical naturalness that results in a one-parameter family of predictions for the cosmological evolution of the dark energy equation of state as a function of redshift w = w ( z ). The discretuum and continuum predictions will be tested by future high precision measurements of the expansion history of the universe. Application of large Z -moduli to a predictive theory of Z -inflation is also considered.
Transient behavior of towed cable systems during ship turning maneuvers

Abstract The dynamic behavior of a towed cable system that results from the tow ship changing course from a straight-tow trajectory to one involving steady circular turning at a constant radius is examined. For large-radius ship turns, the vehicle trajectory and vehicle depth assumed, monotonically and exponentially, the large-radius steady-state turning solution of Chapman [Chapman, D.A., 1984. The towed cable behavior during ship turning manoeuvers. Ocean Engineering 11, 327–361]. For small-radius ship turns, the vehicle trajectory initially followed a corkscrew pattern with the vehicle depth oscillating about and eventually decaying to the steady-state turning solution of Chapman (1984). The change between monotonic and oscillatory behavior in the time history of the vehicle depth was well defined and offered an alternate measure to Chapman's (1984) critical radius for the transition point between large-radius and small-radius behavior. For steady circular turning in the presence of current, there was no longer a steady-state turning solution. Instead, the vehicle depth oscillated with amplitude that was a function of the ship-turning radius and the ship speed. The dynamics of a single 360° turn and a 180° U-turn are discussed in terms of the transients of the steady turning maneuver. For a single 360° large-radius ship turn, the behavior was marked by the vehicle dropping to the steady-state turning depth predicted by Chapman (1984) and then rising back to the initial, straight-tow equilibrium depth once the turn was completed. For small ship-turning radius, the vehicle dropped to a depth corresponding to the first trough of the oscillatory time series of the steady turning maneuver before returning to the straight-tow equilibrium depth once the turn was completed. For some ship-turning radii, this resulted in a maximum vehicle depth that was greater than the steady-state turning depth. For a 180° turn and ship-turning radius less than the length of the tow cable, the vehicle never reached the steady-state turning depth.
The Riemann walk: A method for simulating complex actions☆

Abstract A new method to simulate systems with complex actions is discussed. It is based on the stochastic evaluation of a certain density of states which explicitly depends on the “imaginary energy” but also has an implicit dependence on the parameters of the real part of the action. Since expectation values are obtained by approximating an integral by a Riemann sum, the method can be considered to be a hybrid between Monte Carlo and Riemann integration. Indeed, for the simple case of a complex coupling the method reduces to what is known as “stratified sampling”. In this letter the method is applied to the SU(3) spin model at finite chemical potential.
Sex allocation in Carex (Cyperaceae): effects of light, water, and nutrients

Sedges of the genus Carex L. are mostly wind-pollinated, self-compatible, monoecious herbs in which female flowers are receptive before pollen is released (protogyny). One hypothesis was examined f...
Blocks and the nonorientable genus of graphs

Examples are given to show that the nonorientable genus of a graph is not additive over its blocks. A nonorientable analog for the Battle, Harary, Kodama, and Youngs Theorem is proved; this completely determines the nonorientable genus of a graph in terms of its blocks. It is also shown that one of the above counterexamples has the minimum possible order.
Chronic cough: Stepwise application in primary care practice of the ACCP guidelines for diagnosis and management of cough.

Purpose: To illustrate decision points encountered when using evidence-based guidelines for diagnosis and management of chronic cough by means of a composite case study based on primary care practice. Data source: The American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management of Cough, and review of the scientific literature on cough and related topics. Conclusions: The ACCP guidelines offer a systematic approach that uses trials of empirical therapies to diagnose and resolve the very common, often perplexing complaint of chronic cough. The major diagnoses reached are upper airway cough syndrome, cough-variant asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and nonasthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis. Implications for practice: Cough is the most common reason that patients seek an office visit. Many coughs resolve spontaneously, but coughs that persist significantly impair the quality of life. Use of the ACCP guidelines allows a stepwise empirical approach to the problem of unexplained chronic cough. This approach greatly increases the percentage of chronic coughs that are accurately diagnosed and effectively treated, and avoids unnecessary diagnostic testing.
Development of haloperidol-induced dopamine release in the rat striatum using intracerebral dialysis.

: Haloperidol-induced dopamine (DA) release and metabolism were studied in the rat striatum at 10–11, 21–22, and 35–36 days of age using intracerebral dialysis and HPLC with electrochemical detection. There was an age-related increase in basal DA release and extracellular levels of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA), with the greatest increases occurring between 10–11 and 21–22 days of age. Haloperidol (0.1 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly increased DA release at each age compared to control. Also, haloperidol produced a significantly greater increase in DA release at 10–11 days than at 21–22 or 35–36 days of age when expressed as percentage of predrug release. Haloperidol increased DA release over 60 min to 235%, 138%, and 158% above baseline at 10–11, 21–22, and 35–36 days of age, respectively, after which time the levels remained relatively constant. Haloperidol significantly increased extracellular DOPAC and HVA levels at each age compared to controls, but there were no significant differences in DOPAC or HVA levels between ages in response to haloperidol. The results indicate that, at 10 days of age, DA release in the striatum is physiologically functional and that the regulatory feedback control of DA release and metabolism in the striatum develops prior to 10 days of age.
Wind tunnel simulation of the surface layer flow for the prediction of wind loads on low-rise structures

Abstract The flow in the atmospheric surface layer over non-uniform terrain is analyzed with emphasis on those properties which are essential for the prediction of wind loads from wind tunnel simulation experiments. Near the surface, horizontal turbulence components are not in equilibrium with either the velocity profile or with the local terrain. Use of the “local” roughness length as a representative scaling length for wind tunnel model studies (Jensen's law) may simulate the velocity profile but is inadequate for simulation of the turbulence intensities of the horizontal velocity components. The discrepancies between profile and turbulence become larger as the regional terrain increases in complexity.
Palliative Care in Advanced Cancer Patients: How and When?

Cancer patients develop severe physical and psychological symptoms as a result of their disease and treatment. Their families commonly suffer great emotional distress as a result of caregiving. Early palliative care access can improve symptom control and quality of life and reduce the cost of care. Preliminary results show that early palliative care access can also extend survival. Unfortunately, only a minority of cancer centers in the U.S. have the two most important resources for palliative care delivery: outpatient palliative care centers and inpatient palliative care units. In this article, we use a case presentation to discuss the impact of early palliative care access in light of the currently available evidence, and we recommend ways to improve early access to palliative care through education and research.
Photoluminescent and redox active periodic mesoporous organosilicas based on 2,7-diazapyrene

A novel redox-active, luminescent periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) based on 2,7-bis(3-trimethoxysilylpropyl)diazapyrinium diiodide (BDAP) was prepared. A 2,7-diazapyrene grafted mesoporous material (DAP-DAM-1) was also synthesized. BDAP loadings as high as 2.3% were achieved in well ordered BDAP-PMO materials. The photoluminescence properties of BDAP-PMO and DAP-DAM-1, along with a PMO based on 4,4′-bis(triethoxysilyl)-1,1′-biphenyl (BTEBp-PMO) were determined. The photoluminescence of BDAP-PMO, DAP-DAM-1, and BTEBp-PMO was quenched by nitrated explosive taggants including o-nitrotoluene, nitrobenzene, 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane (DMNB), and nitromethane, suggesting the potential use of these PMOs as optical sensors for explosives. In the case of BDAP-PMO and DAP-DAM-1, exposure to nitrobenzene results in 81% quenching of fluorescence.
Parental Stress and Maladjustment in Children with Short Stature

This study examined the psychometric properties of a measure of chronic disease-related parental stress, the Pediatric Inventory for Parents (PIP), in a sample of 22 children with short stature. Additionally, we investigated relations among disease-related parental stress, parental state anxiety, and children's behavioral and psychological maladjustment. Results demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and convergent validity for the PIP. Significant and positive relations of medium to large effect sizes between parenting stress and internalizing and externalizing maladjustment were found. Recommendations for use of the PIP in clinical settings and future research directions are discussed.
Phase I/II trial of pre-operative radiation therapy and coloanal anastomosis in distal invasive resectable rectal cancer.

Abstract A total of 22 patients with the diagnosis of invasive, resectable, primary adenocarcinoma of the rectum limited to the pelvis were enrolled on a Phase I/II trial of pre-operative radiation therapy + low anterior resection/coloanal anastomosis. By pre-operative assessment, all patients had invasive tumors involving the distal half of the rectum and required an abdominoperineal resection. The median tumor size was 4 cm (1.5–6 cm) and the median distance from the anal verge was 4 cm (3–7 cm). The whole pelvis received 4680 cGy followed by a 360 cGy boost to the primary tumor bed. The median follow-up was 29 months (10–60 months). Of the 21 patients who underwent resection, 10% had a complete pathologic response and 90% were able to successfully undergo a low anterior resection/coloanal anastomosis. The incidence of local failure as a component of failure was crude: 23% and 4-year actuarial: 32%. The 4-year actuarial survival was 61%. No patients experienced Grade 3 or 4 toxicity while receiving radiation therapy, and 6% developed a partial disruption of the anastomosis. Of the patients who underwent a low anterior resection/coloanal anastomosis, 89% had a good or excellent functional result. This technique may be an alternative to an abdominoperineal resection in selected patients. Further follow-up is needed in order to determine if this approach ultimately has similar local control and survival rates as an abdominoperineal resection.
Multivariable Adaptive Piecewise Linear Control Design for NASA Generic Transport Model

Nonlinear plants with their operating range coveringmultiple trimpoints aremodeled as piecewise linear systems, and variations in operating points are modeled as switches between constituent linearized system dynamics. The adaptive state feedback for the state tracking control problem for such systems is studied, for which piecewise linear referencemodel systems are used to generate desired state trajectories. Adaptive control schemes are developed, and it is proved that asymptotic tracking performance can be achieved if the reference input is sufficiently rich and the switches are sufficiently slow. Stability and tracking performance of the proposed adaptive control schemes are analyzed and evaluated on the high-fidelity Simulink model of the Generic Transport Model developed at NASA Langley.
The Emergence of Multiple Equilibria in Electromechanical Systems

The dynamic characteristics of brushless dc machines are considered. It is demonstrated that due to the inherent nonlinear dynamics of these systems, multiple steady-state solutions can exist. The presence of multiple equilibrium solutions is in turn used to provide an explanation for the loss of stability associated with a locally stable operating state. Numerical simulations are used to help verify the presence of multiple equilibria and their effect on the stability of the systems under investigation. Finally, an example is presented which demonstrates that the presence of multiple equilibria can lead to chaotic behavior in bldcm systems with variable reluctance
Stability of 41 metal - boron systems at 0 GPa and 30 GPa from first principles

Abstract A multitude of observed boron-based materials have outstanding superconducting, mechanical, and refractory properties. Yet, the structure, the composition, and the very existence of some reported metal boride (M–B) compounds have been a subject of extensive debate. This density functional theory work seeks to set a baseline for current understanding of known metal boride phases as well as to identify new synthesizable candidates. We have generated a database of over 12,000 binary M–B entries for pressures of 0 and 30 GPa producing the largest scan of compositions and systems in this materials׳ class. The 175 selected crystal structures include both observed prototypes and the new ones found with our evolutionary ground state search. The metals considered are Al, Ag, Au, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Hf, Hg, Ir, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, Os, Pd, Pt, Rb, Re, Rh, Ru, Sc, Sr, Ta, Tc, Ti, V, W, Y, Zn, and Zr. Based on the formation energy calculated at zero pressure and temperature 4 new M–B phases or structures have been predicted, while a number of previously reported compounds have been shown to be unstable. At 30 GPa, changes in the convex hulls are expected to occur in 18 out of 41 M–B systems, which is used to indicate regions of the periodic table (for metal borides) that require further investigation from the community. Analysis of the collected information has revealed a nearly linear relationship between the magnetic moment per atom and the metal content for all the Fe–B, Co–B, and Ni–B structures within 0.15 eV/atom of the stability tie line. Both GGA-PBE and LDA-PW functionals were used to provide an understanding of the systematic error introduced by the choice of the exchange-correlation functional.
The molecular and catalytic properties of galactosyltransferase from fetal calf serum

Abstract A soluble galactosyltransferase (UDP-galactose: N -acetylglucosamine galactosyl-transferase) was purified to apparent homogeneity from fetal calf serum with an overall increase in specific activity of 19,600-fold. The enzyme exhibited the following properties: specific activity, 8.5 units/mg of protein; acceptor specificity, N -acetylglucosamine/ ovalbumin = 3.3; diffusion coefficient, 5.56; sedimentation coefficient, 3.2; and molecular weight, 47,800. Comparison of the structural and catalytic properties of the fetal calf serum enzyme with purified galactosyltransferase from bovine milk indicated that the enzymes from the two bovine sources are very similar and possibly identical.
Effects of 17α‐ethinylestradiol and bisphenol a on vertebral development in the fathead minnow (Pimephales Promelas)

Growth, reproductive ability, and metabolic functions may be impaired by disruption of early endocrine patterning. Natural and synthetic estrogens detected in surface waters have been linked to reproductive endocrine signaling disruption in several species. The present study characterizes the nonreproductive morphological endpoint of vertebral anomalies in fish exposed to environmental estrogens. Estrogen is a proliferation-inducing compound in osteoblasts, regulating cartilage and bone deposition during development in vertebrates. The hypothesis for the present work is that xenobiotics with estrogenic activity adversely impact vertebral bone formation. Fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were exposed to 0.1 to 100 microg/L 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) and 0.1 to 1,000 microg/L bisphenol A (BPA) from egg stage (24 h postfertilization) to 25 to 26 d posthatch. Fish were measured for length and analyzed microscopically to determine degree of skeletal development (developmental score) and the occurrence of spinal abnormalities, including vertebral compression, bone fusion, and spinal curvatures. Fish length and developmental score were inversely related to vertebral malformations in exposed fish. Skeletal developmental was affected significantly in EE2-exposed fish: Vertebral malformations were observed in up to 62% of fish in a nonmonotonic dose-response. However, BPA did not significantly impair skeletal development or induce vertebral malformations. The bioassay results suggest vertebral bone development is a potential endpoint of endocrine disruption from potent estrogenic compounds in surface waters.
Treating depression in pregnancy : Practical suggestions

Failure to treat depression during pregnancy can lead to problems for the mother and the baby. However, given the lack of convincing evidence of the safety of antidepressant drugs to the fetus during pregnancy and lactation, any antidepressive treatment plan must be embarked on with caution. The authors offer practical guidelines for managing depression during pregnancy and lactation.
Integrity of a cellulose granular pesticide carrier in house sparrow gizzards

This study evaluated the integrity of a cellulose-complex granular pesticide carrier in gizzards of house sparrows (Passer domesticus). Within 1 h after dosing, nearly all cellulose-complex granules had disappeared from the birds' gizzards. Cellulose granules remained intact for 14 d, however, in a hydrochloric acid solution without the mechanical grinding of the gizzard.
A phase I/II trial of twice daily irradiation and concurrent chemotherapy for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Purpose: This study was designed to test the toxicity and efficacy of a regimen of twice daily irradiation and concurrent multiagent chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Methods and Materials: This was a prospective Phase I/II trial. Patients received 125 cGy b.i.d. to 7000 cGy with a 6 hr interfraction interval. Chemotherapy was given during weeks 1 and 6 of irradiation and consisted of a 5 day infusion of 5-fluorouracil at 600 mg/M2/day and 5 daily injections of cisplatin at 12 mg/M2/day. Two additional cycles of chemotherapy were given after the completion of radiotherapy. Results: Forty-six patients were evaluable: 28 had technically unresectable disease and 18 had resectable tumors. All had Stage III or IV disease: 84% had T3 or T4 primaries while 53% had ≥ N2 neck disease. The primary acute toxicity, confluent mucositis, was seen in 74% of patients. Late side effects occurred in four patients. Median follow-up is 36 months (range 25–44 months). Kaplan-Meier estimates of 2-year disease-free survival and overall survival are 65% and 73%, respectively, while 2-year local regional control and distant disease-free survival are 72% and 88%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that resectability and receiving > 2 cycles of chemotherapy significantly influenced local regional control while age < 60 significantly influenced disease-free survival. Conclusion: This form of treatment can be delivered safely. The encouraging results have led to the initiation of a Phase III trial comparing this regimen with b.i.d. radiation alone.
The Trade-Off Between Supervision Cost and Performance Based Pay: Does Gender Matter?

The study adds to the literature by providing new empirical evidence consistent with efficiency wage theory,and by providing estimates of the average cost of supervising a worker by industry. This research uses the 1996 wave of the NLSY and incorporates estimates of supervision cost computed from industry classifications. We further detect presence of no gender differences neither in risk-averseness nor in productivity gains associated with cost of supervision and performance-based pay. While the findings imply that employers should consider the incentive effects of supervision and performance based pay when constructing pay schemes, there is no need for employers to devote resources to constructing gender-specific payment mechanisms. Our evidence suggests that profit-maximizing firms should treat males and females equally and develop gender-neutral pay schemes.
Closed-Form Metamaterial Blueprints for Electromagnetic Masking of Arbitrarily Shaped Convex PEC Objects

In this letter, we derive closed-form expressions of constitutive tensors (blueprints) for masking of arbitrarily shaped convex PEC objects. The derivation is based on the metric invariance of Maxwell equations, as recently explored for derivation of metamaterial blueprints for electromagnetic cloaking. The present masking layer can be seen as a partial cloaking layer, whose effectiveness depends on the geometry of the masked object
Performance of a sampling grid scintillator

Abstract The design of a coincident sampling grid scintillator (SGS) is described, with applications to particle identification in intense secondary beams. Timing resolution of 1 ns is able to distinguish pions from electrons, and pulse heights are able to resolve pions from muons at low momentum. Pulse height resolution is also used to distinguish π + from protons at high momentum, and this is used to understand the LAMPF P 3 channel particle separation.
Numerical Simulation of Dual-Jet System in Cross Flow

Numerical simulations have been carried out for a dual-jet exhaust system issuing perpendicularly into a cross flow. The jets are of equal diameter, and the distance between the jets is four times the jet diameter, with effective velocity ratio of 5 for each jet. Visual evidence of the complex flow field developed is presented. The presence of a jet inside the region of influence of another jet is seen to produce coherent flow structures different from the structures seen in the single jet in cross flow configuration. It is observed that neither the jet center planes nor the plane mid-way between the jets act as symmetry planes. Hence, modeling multiple jets with the jet centre plane as a symmetry boundary may not be consistent with the physics involved. Results show that the dual-jet system does not penetrate into the cross flow as much as a single jet does. This behavior will significantly affect performance of multiple jet systems used for improved mixing.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Functional interactions between inferotemporal and prefrontal cortex in a cognitive task

Abstract Monkeys were trained to perform a visual short-term memory task (delayed matching to sample). In some of the animals, cooling probes were implanted over dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, covering sulcus principalis and adjacent areas; microelectrode pedestals were implanted over inferotemporal cortex. Other animals were fitted with converse implants: cooling probes over a portion of the inferotemporal cortical convexity and microelectrode pedestals over prefrontal cortex. In the awake and behaving monkeys, bilateral cooling of either the prefrontal or the inferotemporal region (to 20 °C) induced, in the other region, reversible changes of spontaneous and task-related cell discharge. In the two cortices remote cooling induced augmentations and diminutions of cell reaction to the color samples which the animal had to retain for correct performance of the task. The same was true for cell discharge during the delay, the retention period which followed each sample. However, a net effect of remote cooling was, in both cortices, a diminution of color-dependent differences in the reactions and delay-discharge of some cells. Concomitantly, errors of task-performance increased. Cells that as a result of remote cortical cooling showed changes of reaction to the color samples were found more commonly in supragranular than infragranular layers. The results are interpreted as evidence of mutual influences between inferotemporal and prefrontal areas probably mediated by corticocortical connections. The single-cell data, together with the behavioral data, suggest that those influences are functionally important for visual discrimination and short-term memory.
Krein conditions for coherent configurations

Abstract A coherent configuration can be thought of as a set of association schemes linked by additional relations. We develop a generalization of the Krein conditions which applies to coherent configurations and which takes into account the additional information contained in the relations between the schemes. We then apply it to quasisymmetric designs and strongly regular designs to obtain inequalities on the parameters. We also give examples to show that these conditions are stronger than the usual Krein conditions on the association schemes contained in the configuration.
Impact of Controlling the Site Distribution of Al Atoms on Catalytic Properties in Ferrierite-Type Zeolites†

Zeolites with the ferrierite (FER) topology are synthesized using a combination of tetramethylammonium (TMA) cations with differently sized cyclic amines (pyrrolidine (Pyr), hexamethyleneimine (HMI), and 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DAB)). Using these organic structure-directing agents (SDAs), low Si/Al ratios and concentrated synthesis mixtures favor the crystallization of FER materials. Increasing the size of the cyclic amine or decreasing the aluminum content leads to the crystallization of other phases or the creation of excessive amounts of connectivity defects. TMA cations play a decisive role in the synthesis of the FER materials, and their presence allows the use of HMI to synthesize FER. Proton MAS NMR is used to quantify the accessibility of pyridine to acid sites in these FER samples, where it is found that the FER + HMI + TMA sample contains only 27% acid sites in the 8-MR channels, whereas FER + Pyr and FER + Pyr + TMA contain 89% and 84%, respectively. The constraint index (CI) test and t...
Generation of amorphous-silicon structures with use of molecular-dynamics simulations.

Amorphous-silicon states have been generated in a computationally efficient manner by quenching liquid silicon configurations using a molecular-dynamics simulation. Classical two- and three-body interatomic Si potentials have been used. We present results for the radial distribution functions, bond-angle distributions, vibrational densities of states, and neutron scattering functions for the theoretically generated a-Si states. The molecular-dynamics simulations generate threefold- and fivefold-coordinated defects in the a-Si structures.
Relation of Ventilation in an Electric Brooder to Health and Growth of Chicks

Abstract WHEN poultrymen first used electric brooders the belief existed that electricity was an expensive source of heat energy and it was necessary to restrict ventilation to reduce the electricity consumption. Reducing ventilation while the chicks were in the brooder, however, resulted in building up the humidity of the air with the water vapor exhaled by the chicks and the moisture from the excreta. As a result the moisture content of the air soon reached the dew point and water was precipitated on the chicks as well as on the floor and other cooler parts of the brooder near the floor. The chicks were then said to sweat. “Sweating,” proving injurious, poultrymen and manufacturers have in many instances gone to the other extreme in their efforts to prevent it. They have resorted to curtainless brooders providing excessive ventilation and without any means of ventilation control, in order to keep the interior . . .
Stress, coping, and health outcomes among African-Americans: a review of the John Henryism hypothesis

The John Henryism (JH) hypothesis argues that prolonged high-effort coping with chronic psychosocial stressors may be associated with elevated risk for negative health outcomes among those without sufficient socioeconomic resources. Early JH studies found a significant association between high JH, low socioeconomic status, and hypertension among African-Americans. More recently, these findings have been extended to a wide array of health status outcomes, including cardiovascular reactivity, neurohormonal secretion, and negative health behaviors. The present review provides a comprehensive overview of JHs conceptual bases and empirical support. Limitations of the construct are discussed and recommendations are made to guide future theoretical and research efforts in the area.
Junction formation and interface effects in CZTSe solar cells

The space charge distribution across the CZTSe/CdS heterojunction plays an important role in defining the recombination properties of Kesterite solar cells. We have conducted a study designed to manipulate the shape of the space charge region and trigger changes in the magnitude of interface recombination present in our devices. In doing so, we have observed the creation and removal of a secondary barrier in the conduction band of coevaporated CZTSe cells, and found that completed devices do not exhibit the changes in device properties that would be expected for devices dominated by interface recombination.
Thermal Microwave Emission from Vegetated Fields: A Comparison between Theory And Experiment

The radiometric measurements over bare field and fields covered with grass, soybean, corn, and alfalfa were made with 1.4-and 5-GHz microwave radiometers during August-October 1978. The measured results are compared with radiative transfer theory treating the vegetated fields as a two-layer random medium. It is found that the presence of a vegetation cover generally gives a higher brightness temperature TB than that expected from a bare soil. The amount of this TB excess increases with increase in the vegetation biomass and in the frequency of the observed radiation. The results of radiative transfer calculations, which include a parameter characterizing ground surface roughness, generally match well with the experimental data.