cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High School Opportunities for STEM: Comparing Inclusive STEM-Focused and Comprehensive High Schools in Two US Cities.

In response to numerous calls for more rigorous STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education to improve US competitiveness and the job prospects of next-generation workers, especially those from low-income and minority groups, a growing number of schools emphasizing STEM have been established in the US over the past decade. However, existing STEM schools vary substantially in the way they are organized, the students they attract, and the outcomes they advertise, and there have been few empirical studies of their effectiveness. This comparative case study examines the opportunity structures for STEM at eight public high schools, four in Denver, Colorado, and four in Buffalo, New York. All of the schools were “inclusive” (no admission requirements) and served predominantly low-income and majority minority students. All but one school had been designated “low-performing” for failure to meet federal accountability requirements. In each city, two of the study schools had recently been re-organized to be “STEM-focused” in some way, and two were traditional, comprehensive high schools. We found that the STEM-focused schools were launched with much enthusiasm and high expectations. In both cities, STEM-focused schools achieved some modest success initially but were unable to maintain their gains. Overall among the schools in this study, the STEM-focused high schools did little to improve STEM opportunities compared to the comprehensive high schools. We do not mean to suggest that STEM schools are a bad idea, but that claims and expectations for them must be examined in the context of their implementation, and STEM schools for low-income and minority students are unlikely to be successful without more attention to systemic issues in urban education. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 52: 763–789, 2015.
A potential role for phospholipids in the regulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme a reductase in cultured C-6 glial cells effects of N,N-dimethylethanolamine

Abstract The relation of the activity of the microsomal enzyme, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A reductase, to cellular phospholipid composition was studied in C-6 glial cells. Phospholipid composition was perturbed by growth of cells in the naturally occurring amino alcohol, N, N-dimethylethanolamine. After growth of C-6 glia in 5 mM N, N-dimethylethanolamine for 24 h, reductase activity was diminished by 50%. A similar diminution in cholesterol synthesis was observed. This effect was not accompanied by any parallel change in cell growth, DNA synthesis, protein synthesis, fatty acid synthetase activity, or microsomal NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity. The inhibition of reductase activity by N, N-dimethylethanolamine was prevented by the addition of equimolar concentrations of choline to the culture medium and, also, could be reversed completely by removal of N, N-dimethylethanolamine from the culture medium. The effect of N, N-dimethylethanolamine on reductase was associated with the formation of phosphatidyl-N, N-dimethylethanolamine which accumulated primarily at the expense of phosphatidylcholine and, after 24 h, accounted for 27% of total phospholipid phosphorus. The data demonstrate that incorporation of N, N-dimethylethanolamine into the polar head group of cellular phospholipids has a major impact on the regulation of the reductase. These observations may have particular relevance for the mechanisms of regulation of this enzyme, the cellular adaptation to alterations in membrane lipid composition, and the regulation of cholesterol synthesis in the developing nervous system.
Performance Regulation and Industrial Location: A Case Study:

The impact of performance regulations on industrial location in the USA or elsewhere has been little researched. This case study shows conventional assumptions to be questionable on two counts. First, industry appears not to consider local regulations until after selecting a site on more basic economic reasons. It assumes that regulations are not a significant barrier, owing to local eagerness to attract new growth. Second, the letter of the law is not the effect of the law, given the role of politics. In the case study described, opposition led to strict enforcement and the company's withdrawal, but a business backlash restored a more normal degree of governmental accommodation to industrial growth.
Generation of lipid free radicals by adherent leukocytes from transplanted rat liver.

The production of free radicals in blood correlates with primary nonfunction of transplanted livers, but the source of the free radicals is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine if adherent leukocytes in the transplanted liver are responsible for the radicals detected in blood. First, a new method to harvest adherent leukocytes from the liver without enzymatic digestion was developed and characterized by transplanting livers from ethanol-treated rats, which increases primary nonfunction, and from saline-treated controls. Free radicals were then detected in isolated leukocytes using the spin-trapping technique and electron spin resonance (ESR) spin spectroscopy. Livers were perfused with a balanced salt solution (200 ml), followed by a Ca2 + -free solution containing EGTA and heparin (400 ml). Perfusion with Ca2 + -free buffer removed greater than 90 % of all adherent leukocytes from saline-treated livers and nearly 80 % of all leukocytes from fatty livers without removing Kupffer cells. Transplanted fatty livers from rats given ethanol contained significantly more adherent leukocytes (5.0 × 107 cells/liver) than grafts from control donors (3.2 × 107 cells/liver) and almost double the number of adherent neutrophils and monocytes. Moreover, adherent white blood cells from transplanted livers produced the same three free radical species that have been detected previously in blood; however, cells from ethanol-treated livers produced about five times more radical adducts. These data show that adherent white blood cells produce free radicals that are important in the mechanism of primary graft nonfunction.
Oxygen and Nitrogen in Isolated Dwarf Irregular Galaxies

We present long-slit optical spectroscopy of 67 H II regions in 21 dwarf irregular galaxies to investigate the enrichment of oxygen, nitrogen, neon, sulfur, and argon in low-mass galaxies. Oxygen abundances are obtained via direct detection of the temperature-sensitive emission lines for 25 H II regions; for the remainder of the sample, oxygen abundances are estimated from strong-line calibrations. The direct abundance determinations are compared to the strong-line abundance calibrations of both McGaugh and Pilyugin. While the McGaugh calibration yields a statistical offset of 0.07 dex, the photoionization model grid traces the appropriate isometallicity contour shape in the R23-O32 diagnostic diagram. In contrast, while the Pilyugin calibration yields a negligible statistical offset, the residuals in this strong-line calibration method are correlated with ionization parameter. Thus, these observations indicate that oxygen abundances will be overestimated by the p-method for H II regions with low-ionization parameters. Global oxygen and nitrogen abundances for this sample of dwarf irregular galaxies are examined in the context of open- and closed-box chemical evolution models. While several galaxies are consistent with closed-box chemical evolution, the majority of this sample has an effective yield ~ of the expected yield for a constant star formation rate and Salpeter IMF, indicating that either outflow of enriched gas or inflow of pristine gas has occurred. The effective yield strongly correlates with MH/LB in the sense that gas-rich galaxies are more likely to be closed systems. However, the effective yield does not appear to correlate with other global parameters such as dynamical mass, absolute magnitude, star formation rate, or surface brightness. In addition, open and closed systems are not identified easily in other global abundance measures; for example, the observed correlation between luminosity and metallicity is consistent with other recent results in the literature. A correlation is found between the observed nitrogen-to-oxygen ratio and the color of the underlying stellar population; redder dwarf irregular galaxies have higher N/O ratios than blue dwarf irregular galaxies. The relative abundance ratios are interpreted in the context of delayed release of nitrogen and varied star formation histories.
The Human Shore: Seacoasts in History. By John R. Gillis. (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2012. Pp. 235. $27.50.)

This study is a history of human use and occupation of seacoasts with special emphasis on Europe and the Northeast United States. Written by an acclaimed historian, this book traces Homo sapiens fr...
Implications of chimaeric non-co-linear transcripts

Deep sequencing of 'transcriptomes'--the collection of all RNA transcripts produced at a given time--from worms to humans reveals that some transcripts are composed of sequence segments that are not co-linear, with pieces of sequence coming from distant regions of DNA, even different chromosomes. Some of these 'chimaeric' transcripts are formed by genetic rearrangements, but others arise during post-transcriptional events. The 'trans-splicing' process in lower eukaryotes is well understood, but events in higher eukaryotes are not. The existence of such chimaeric RNAs has far-reaching implications for the potential information content of genomes and the way it is arranged.
Do alcohol expectancies moderate the relationship between parental alcoholism and adult drinking behaviors

The relations between parental alcoholism, alcohol expectancies, and adult drinking behaviors were examined among 76 offspring of alcoholics and 68 offspring of nonalcoholics. The primary goals of the present study were to examine whether maternal and/or paternal alcoholism are related to adult alcohol expectancies and to explore whether the relationship between parental alcoholism and adult drinking behaviors is moderated by alcohol expectancies. Gender differences also were assessed. Findings indicated that alcohol expectancies were not significantly influenced by parental alcoholism. Significant moderating effects for global-positive expectancies and sexual enhancement expectancies also were not obtained. In contrast, social assertiveness expectancies were found to consistently moderate the relationship between paternal alcoholism and drinking behaviors. These results indicated that offspring of alcoholic fathers with high expectations for increased social assertiveness were most "at risk" for problematic drinking, especially males.
STEROID EXCRETION IN HYPOPHYSECTOMIZED WOMEN, AND THE INITIAL EFFECTS OF CORTICOTROPIN: A STUDY IN URINARY STEROID PATTERNS

ABSTRACT The relative dependence of adrenocortical biosynthetic pathways upon the action of ACTH has been examined by comprehensive analyses of urinary steroids in 4 hypophysectomized women. Urinary steroid patterns during adrenal insufficiency induced by the withdrawal of cortisone therapy were compared with those obtained before hypophysectomy and during the early phases of ACTH stimulation. The comprehensive analytical procedure of Wilson et at. was modified to separate metabolites of cortisol from those of corticostcrone and 11-deoxycortisol. Measurable amounts of steroids were excreted during adrenocortical insufficiency, although in 2 patients subsequent sella reconstruction revealed that 95 to 98 per cent of the pituitary had been removed. Dehydroepiandrosterone and pregnanetriol, present in control urines, were not detectable after hypophysectomy. Paper chromatographic techniques showed the continued excretion of most other known major metabolites. Quantitative assay on column eluates indicated th...
Adolescent Cognitions for Academic Cheating as a Function of Grade Level and Achievement Status

This study explores novel aspects of academic cheating during adolescence. Taking cues from cognitive and attribution theory, four related aspects of the cheating problem were examined with emphasis on various concepts and conditions of cheating. Subjects were 601 students from classrooms in public school grades 7 through 12 and from college undergraduate classes. Subjects anonymously completed a four-part questionnaire. ANOVA was applied to results using grade level, achievement status, and gender as independent variables. Cheating problem seriousness ratings were highest for the high school level. Knowledge of defining attributes of cheating increased significantly by grade, but plagiarism variations were poorly understood Teacher behaviors were identified more strongly as causal factors in cheating by precollege students and high achieving students. Student personality characteristics were identified more as causes by younger students, regardless of achievement level. Cheating prevention strategy effic...
Managing aging workforce: filling the gap between what we know and what is in the system

With the retirement of large groups of senior employees from public sectors in USA, valuable institutional and operational knowledge are also lost when these knowable individuals leave the organization. Although advanced information systems are implemented in public sectors to retain valuable knowledge in the organization, researchers repetitively found that gaps exist between what senior members know and what is available in the system for newcomers to use. How to retain knowledge held by senior employees in the organization becomes a huge challenge faced by public sector management.This study argues that when using mobile information systems to facilitate fieldworkers' task performance, public sectors need to pay close attention to three factors that might influence knowledge retaining and information reuse: Knowledge tacitness, Criteria of information relevance when it is related to specific tasks, and roles played by active employees, based on observations and interviews with employees using mobile information devices here in a public sector in the Northwest of the US. Furthermore, the conflict between lower management's perception on use of mobile devices and local operation priority is cited as one of the leading reasons why many information systems fail to serve as the main information tank for organizational sustainability.
Electron microscopy of side-by-side arrays of myosin and light meromyosin-C.

Abstract Both myosin and light meromyosin-C, a fragment prepared by cyanogen bromide cleavage, yield, under suitable solvent conditions, a variety of aggregates that have the form of side-by-side linear arrays. These resemble the segment structures obtained from myosin rods and light meromyosin derived from tryptic digestion (Cohen, Lowey, Harrison, Kendrick-Jones & Szent-Gyorgyi, 1970) and show that alternating antiparallel lateral packing is a common mode of aggregation among molecules containing the tail region of myosin. The aggregates exhibit a variety of overlap distances in response to changes in conditions and show that several patterns of molecular contacts are nearly equivalent energetically. Light meromyosin prepared by cyanogen bromide cleavage yields three segment phases which, when measured, give a molecular length of about 1025 A. These phases differ in overlap length and striation pattern. One of them is a helically twisted ribbon-like structure, and another may be a bilayer. Myosin yields aligned segments , in which the molecular tails are in exact register only at high concentrations of alkaline-earth metals. These structures give a length of 1654 ± 58 A for the myosin molecule. At lower concentrations of calcium or magnesium ions, myosin forms disordered segments and crossed segments in which overcrowding of the myosin heads is partially relieved by a random stagger in alignment of the tails. This process is facilitated by the ease with which myosin adopts alternative packing arrangements, and it throws some light on the morphogenesis of the thick filament of muscle.
Some OE- and W⁎-rigidity results for actions by wreath product groups

We use deformation-rigidity theory in the von Neumann algebra framework to study probability measure preserving actions by wreath product groups. In particular, we single out large families of wreath product groups satisfying various types of orbit equivalence (OE) rigidity. For instance, we show that whenever H, K, Γ, Λ are icc, property (T) groups such that H≀Γ and K≀Λ admit stably orbit equivalent action σ and ρ such that σ|Γ, ρ|Λ, σ|HΓ, and ρ|KΛ are ergodic, then automatically σΓ is stably orbit equivalent to ρΛ and σ|HΓ is stably orbit equivalent to ρ|KΛ. Rigidity results for von Neumann algebras arising from certain actions of such groups (i.e. W⁎-rigidity results) are also obtained.
Sestamibi/iodine subtraction single photon emission computed tomography in reoperative secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Abstract Background: Sestamibi/iodine subtraction single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) has been used successfully for the preoperative localization of adenomatous and hyperplastic parathyroid tissue in primary hyperparathyroidism, but the clinical usefulness of this technique in secondary hyperparathyroidism remains uncertain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate parathyroid localization that uses sestamibi/iodine subtraction SPECT in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism before reoperative parathyroid surgery. Methods: Fourteen consecutive patients with chronic renal failure and secondary hyperparathyroidism who had previously undergone total parathyroidectomy combined with parathyroid autotransplantation in a sternocleidomastoid muscle were studied. Before reoperation, each patient received 400 μCi of sodium iodide I 123 orally and 20 to 25 mCi of technetium Tc 99m (99mTc)-sestamibi intravenously, followed by sestamibi/iodine subtraction SPECT of the neck and chest. At surgery, the location, weight, and histopathologic results of all identified parathyroid tissue were recorded. Results: At surgery, 1 hyperplastic parathyroid gland was resected from each of 13 patients; including 1 undescended gland, 6 parathyroid autotransplants, and 5 mediastinal glands. The mean weight of the resected parathyroid glands was 1707 mg (range, 85-5300 mg). Sestamibi/iodine subtraction SPECT correctly identified and localized all 13 parathyroid glands (100% sensitivity) and was negative in the 1 patient whose surgery was unsuccessful. Conclusions: The 99mTc-sestamibi/123I subtraction SPECT is able to correctly localize hyperplastic parathyroid tissue in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism who have previously undergone parathyroid surgery and is a clinically useful study before reoperation. (Surgery 2000;128:22-8)
Using Data Analysis Exercises to Teach Research in Sociology of Aging Online: An Examination of Student Satisfaction

The present study represents an evaluation of the implementation of the integration of the American Sociological Association's (ASA) Integrating Data Analysis Project into 2 online offerings of an undergraduate sociology of aging course. This program was developed in response to concerns that students did not understand the complex relationships between theory, research, and substantive topics within the discipline. The association's goal was to encourage curricular change in sociology. Then it was to share the experiences in sociology with other social science disciplines that might also benefit from introducing quantitative literacy components into their curricula. Results of the analysis reveal that, contrary to the beliefs of many, the students in these 2 courses found these modules to be beneficial in helping them to better understand the empirical nature of sociology. Many students even expressed an interest in participating in future research projects in sociology and/or other disciplines. We concl...
The influence of neighborhood socioeconomic status and race on survival from ovarian cancer: a population-based analysis of Cook County, Illinois.

Purpose Despite significant improvements in treatment for ovarian cancer, survival is poorer for non-Hispanic black (NHB) women compared to non-Hispanic white (NHW) women. Neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) has been implicated in racial disparities across a variety of health outcomes and may similarly contribute to racial disparities in ovarian cancer survival. The purpose of this analysis is to assess the influence of neighborhood SES on NHB-NHW survival differences after accounting for differences in tumor characteristics and in treatment.
High-power and high-temperature THz quantum-cascade lasers based on lens-coupled metal-metal waveguides

A metal-metal waveguide quantum cascade laser with an abutted silicon hyperhemispherical lens is demonstrated at ∼4.1 THz. The device produced 145 mW of peak pulsed power at 5 K with a wall-plug power efficiency of 0.7%, lasing up to a maximum operating temperature of 160 K. The far-field beam pattern has a full width at half-maximum value of ∼4.8° in the H plane. The same device produced ∼26 mW of peak power using a Winston cone instead of a lens, lasing up to 165 K. The large increase in output power is mainly attributed to an increase in collection efficiency.
Effect of Data Compression on Pattern Matching in Historical Data

It is a common practice in the process industry to compress process data before it is archived. However, compression may alter the original data in a manner that makes extracting useful information from it more difficult. In this paper, popular data compression methods and their effect on pattern matching in historical data are evaluated. Pattern matching is performed using principal-component analysis based similarity factors. Simulation results indicate that wavelet-based compression provides the best compression for pattern matching, while compression using OSI PI software produces the best reconstruction of data.
Effects of insulin on insulin-binding components extracted from rat fat cell membranes

WE have previously shown the presence of two distinct insulin-binding species (designated species I and II) in a Triton X-100 extract of fat cell membranes1. They were separable electrophoretically and displayed different insulin-binding characteristics. Scatchard analysis of the insulin-binding data for species I indicated a complex, non-classical association, illustrated by a curvilinear plot. The characteristics of this curve are quite similar to those of the binding curves obtained with unfractionated detergent extract or with intact plasma membranes1. In contrast to these findings, insulin-binding to species II was characterised by a relatively low affinity and a linear Scatchard plot. Although these findings indicate different insulin-binding and electrophoretic properties for the two species, the possibility remains that they are related structurally. For example, the Kd values for the low-affinity portion of the peak I Scatchard plot and for insulin binding to peak II are similar. Furthermore, following the incubation of isolated peak I with 125I-labelled insulin and subsequent electrophoresis, a small amount of radioactivity migrated in the position of peak II (ref. 1). We report here that interconversion occurs between the two binding species and that the conversion is mediated by insulin.
Detector design for high-resolution MeV photon imaging of cargo containers using spectralinformation

Monte Carlo simulations of a pixelated detector array of inorganic scintillators for high spatial resolution imaging of 1-9 MeV photons are presented. The results suggest that a detector array of 0.5 cm x 0.5 cm x 5 cm pixels of bismuth germanate may provide sufficient efficiency and spatial resolution to permit imaging of an object with uncertainties in dimension of several mm. The cross talk between pixels is found to be in the range of a few percent when pixels are shielded by {approx} 1mm of lead or tungsten. The contrast at the edge of an object is greatly improved by rejection of events depositing less than {approx} 1 MeV. Given the relatively short decay time of BGO, the simulations suggest that such a detector may prove adequate for the purpose of rapid scanning of highly-shielded cargos for possible presence of high atomic number (including clandestine fissionable) materials when used with low current high duty factor x-ray sources.
Double-blind, dose-response, placebo-controlled multicenter study of nisoldipine. A new second-generation calcium channel blocker in angina pectoris.

BACKGROUNDNisoldipine is a potent 1:4 dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonist, and doses of 5 or 10 mg administered either once or twice daily have been claimed to exert antianginal effects. There is, however, little information regarding the dose-response relation and whether the drug exerts any consistent effects throughout the dosing interval. In this placebo-controlled, parallel-design study, the dose-response relation of monotherapy with nisoldipine administered twice daily was studied in patients with stable angina pectoris.METHODS AND RESULTSTwo hundred thirty-one patients received single-blind placebo for 2 weeks; of these, 185 patients who reproducibly stopped treadmill exercise because of angina of moderate severity and had greater than or equal to 1 mm ST segment depression during exercise and experienced an average of three episodes of anginal attacks per week were randomized in a double-blind manner to one of the four treatment groups: placebo (n = 48), nisoldipine 2.5 mg (n = 47), nisoldi...
Biochemical effects due to interaction of lithium ions and disulfiram in rats.

SummaryRats pretreated with disulfiram had a mortality rate of 23% when injected with 5 mEq/kg LiCl for 4 days. Some animals receiving lithium chloride in combination with disulfiram or asym. propylene glycol retained lithium in their serum and tissues at higher levels than those receiving only lithium chloride. Serum lactate was elevated in animals pretreated with disulfiram or receiving asym. propylene glycol and LiCl. No effect was found on brain 5-HT or tryptophan-5-hydroxylase and only slight effects on brain NE.
Immersive structural biology: a new approach to hybrid modeling of macromolecular assemblies

Advanced biophysical imaging techniques, such as cryo-electron microscopy or tomography, enable 3D volumetric reconstructions of large macromolecular complexes in a near-native environment. However, pure volumetric data is insufficient for a detailed understanding of the underlying protein–protein interactions. This obstacle can be overcome by assembling an atomic model of the whole protein complex from known atomic structures, which are available from either X-ray crystallography or homology modeling. Due to many factors such as noise, conformational variability, experimental artifacts, and inexact model structures, existing automatic docking procedures are known to report false positives for a significant number of cases. The present paper focuses on a new technique to combine an offline exhaustive search algorithm with interactive visualization, collision detection, and haptic rendering. The resulting software system is highly immersive and allows the user to efficiently solve even difficult multi-resolution docking problems. Stereoscopic viewing, combined with head tracking and force feedback, generates an ideal virtual environment for true interaction with and solution of hybrid biomolecular modeling problems.
Innovations in communication: Origin of Biochemical & biophysical research communications

This feature series will present short articles on the development of new journals and forms of communication in Biology.
Development of a Probabilistic Pipe Rupture Assessment Code

Appendix A, General Design Criteria (GDC) 4, of 10 CFR Part 50 states, in part, that the dynamic effects associated with postulated reactor coolant system pipe ruptures may be excluded from the design basis when analyses reviewed and approved by NRC demonstrate that the probability of fluid system piping rupture is extremely low under conditions consistent with the design basis. Licensees have typically demonstrated compliance with this probabilistic criterion through deterministic analyses that do not accurately simulate typical piping degradation. Given recent advances in probabilistic methodologies, the NRC staff and industry believe that performing a probabilistic analysis of primary system piping that fully addresses and quantifies uncertainties and directly demonstrates compliance with GDC 4 is more appropriate. NRC and industry expect that a robust probabilistic software tool, developed cooperatively, will facilitate meeting this goal; will improve licensing, regulatory decision making, and design; and will be mutually beneficial. Based on the terminology of GDC 4, this project is titled Extremely Low Probability of Rupture (xLPR). Development of the xLPR methodology and the corresponding software tool will involve many challenging technical decisions, modeling judgments, and sensitivity analyses. The purpose of the xLPR project is to develop a probabilistic assessment tool that can be used to demonstrate direct compliance with the requirements of 10 CFR 50 Appendix A GDC 4. The xLPR software tool will model active degradation mechanisms, such as primary water stress corrosion cracking, and the associated mitigation activities. The tool will be comprehensive with respect to known challenges, vetted with respect to scientific adequacy of models and inputs, flexible enough to permit analysis of a variety of in-service situations, and adaptable to accommodate evolving and improving knowledge. Successful execution of the xLPR project will involve a complex and diverse array of technical specialties and will require a well-organized and structured team of experts. This paper summarizes the objectives, organizational structure, and program plan of the collaborative NRC / Industry xLPR Project to develop a robust, flexible, probabilistic piping rupture assessment code. While the listed authors are individually responsible within their respective organizations for this project, the project organization includes a management team representing the xLPR Project task group structure. Individual members of this team will be listed in the paper along with their individual roles and contributions within the project. Companion papers from three of the four technical Task Groups of the xLPR Program (Computational, Modeling, and Inputs) provide substantial additional information detailing the technical approach and direction of this project.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Parametric Study of Pool Boiling on Horizontal Highly Conductive Microporous Coated Surfaces

To better understand the mechanisms that govern the behavior of pool boiling on horizontal highly conductive microporous coated surfaces, a series of experimental investigations were designed to systematically examine the effects of the geometric dimensions (i.e., coating thickness, volumetric porosity, and pore size, as well as the surface conditions of the porous coatings) on the pool-boiling performance and characteristics. The study was conducted using saturated distilled water at atmospheric pressure (101 kPa) and porous surfaces fabricated from sintered isotropic copper wire screens. For nucleate boiling on the microporous coated surfaces, two vapor ventilation modes were observed to exist: (i) upward and (ii) mainly from sideways leakage to the unsealed sides and partially from the center of porous surfaces. The ratio of the heater size to the coating thickness, the friction factor of the two-phase flow to single-phase flow inside the porous coatings, as well as the input heat flux all govern the vapor ventilation mode that occurs. In this investigation, the ratio of heater size to coating thickness varies from 3.5 to 38 in order to identify the effect of heater size on the boiling characteristics. The experimental results indicate that the boiling performance and characteristics are also strongly dependent on the volumetric porosity and mesh size, as well as the surface conditions when the heater size is given. Descriptions and discussion of the typical boiling characteristics; the progressive boiling process, from pool nucleate boiling to film boiling; and the boiling performance curves on conductive microporous coated surfaces are all systematically presented.
Multi-center study: The biochemical efficacy, safety and tolerability of a new α1-proteinase inhibitor, Zemaira

Augmentation therapy with a plasma derived alpha l-Proteinase Inhibitor (alpha1 -PI) has been demonstrated to be effective in restoring serum Alpha1 -antitrypsin (AAT)* levels in individuals with AAT Deficiency (note: alpha1 PI and AAT are synonymous). The objective of this study was to demonstrate that the steady-state trough serum alphal-PI levels, achieved by a new plasma derived alpha,-PI (Zemaira, study drug, ZLB Behring LLC, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, USA), were bioequivalent to those achieved by the currently available alpha-PI therapy, Prolastin (control drug, Bayer Corporation, Berkeley, California, USA), and maintained weekly trough serum antigenic alpha1-PI levels above the protective threshold of 11 microM. This multi-center, controlled study randomized a total of 44 subjects to receive either study or control drug for a 10-week double-blind phase. The control group was then crossed over to receive the study drug for the remainder of the study (14 weeks). The difference in mean trough serum antigenic alpha1-PI level between the treatment groups was 1.45 microM (90% CI-2.77, -0.13), signifying bioequivalence. The mean trough serum antigenic alpha1-PI level in the study drug group was greater than the therapeutic threshold of 11 microM, achieving a level of 17.7 microM during the steady-state period. Treatment-related adverse events (AEs) were seen in 7% and 21% of study and control drug treated subjects, respectively. No documented viral transmission occurred. These results demonstrate that the new plasma derived alpha1-PI (Zemaira) is bioequivalent to the currently available product Prolastin, is well tolerated, and safe with respect to the risk of viral transmission.
Feedback Inhibition of Glycerol Kinase, a Catabolic Enzyme in Escherichia coli

Fructose-1 ,6-diphosphate is a feedback inhibitor of the catabolic enzyme, glycerol kinase, in Escherichia coli. A mutant was isolated which produced a desensitized enzyme. Glucose was no longer as effective in preventing the utilization of exogenous glycerol by cells which synthesized constitutively such an altered enzyme, even though the usual degree of catabolite repression still operated.
A staggered-grid finite-difference scheme optimized in the time-space domain for modeling scalar-wave propagation in geophysical problems

Abstract For modeling scalar-wave propagation in geophysical problems using finite-difference schemes, optimizing the coefficients of the finite-difference operators can reduce numerical dispersion. Most optimized finite-difference schemes for modeling seismic-wave propagation suppress only spatial but not temporal dispersion errors. We develop a novel optimized finite-difference scheme for numerical scalar-wave modeling to control dispersion errors not only in space but also in time. Our optimized scheme is based on a new stencil that contains a few more grid points than the standard stencil. We design an objective function for minimizing relative errors of phase velocities of waves propagating in all directions within a given range of wavenumbers. Dispersion analysis and numerical examples demonstrate that our optimized finite-difference scheme is computationally up to 2.5 times faster than the optimized schemes using the standard stencil to achieve the similar modeling accuracy for a given 2D or 3D problem. Compared with the high-order finite-difference scheme using the same new stencil, our optimized scheme reduces 50 percent of the computational cost to achieve the similar modeling accuracy. This new optimized finite-difference scheme is particularly useful for large-scale 3D scalar-wave modeling and inversion.
Optimal assignment of broadcasting frequencies

Abstract As a result of major developments in communication technology, the electromagnetic spectrum is now a ‘significant’ but ‘scarce’ resource. The broadcasting frequencies/channels/ bands must be assigned to applicants in an optimal manner so that larger numbers of applicants can be accommodated. This problem is constructed as a 0–1 programming problem. Numerical examples are also presented.
On the Mach reflection of a solitary wave: revisited

Reflection of an obliquely incident solitary wave at a vertical wall is studied experimentally in the laboratory wave tank. Precision measurements of water-surface variations are achieved with the aid of laser-induced fluorescent (LIF) technique and detailed features of the Mach reflection are captured. During the development stage of the reflection process, the stem wave is not in the form of a Korteweg- de Vries (KdV) soliton but a forced wave, trailing by a continuously broadening depression. Evolution of stem-wave amplification is in good agreement with the Kadomtsev―Petviashvili (KP) theory. The asymptotic characteristics and behaviours are also in agreement with the theory of Miles (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 79, 1977b, p. 171) except those in the neighbourhood of the transition between the Mach reflection and the regular reflection. The predicted maximum fourfold amplification of the stem wave is not realized in the laboratory environment. On the other hand, the laboratory observations are in excellent agreement with the previous numerical results of the higher-order model of Tanaka (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 248, 1993, p. 637). The present laboratory study is the first to sensibly analyse validation of the theory; note that substantial discrepancies exist from previous (both numerical and laboratory) experimental studies. Agreement between experiments and theory can be partially attributed to the large-distance measurements that the precision laboratory apparatus is capable of. More important, to compare the laboratory results with theory, the corrected interaction parameter is derived from proper interpretation of the theory in consideration of the finite incident wave angle. Our laboratory data indicate that the maximum stem wave can reach higher than the maximum solitary wave height. The wave breaking near the wall results in the substantial increase in wave height and slope away from the wall.
A procedural note on the measurement of broad dispositions

This article deals with the selection of items in a self-report test that measures a broad trait. There is an inherent conflict between selecting items that maximize internal consistency and ones that contribute to breadth. Alternative procedures, including criterion keying, combining homogeneous subscales, and construction of scales with divergent items with modest relations to the whole scale scores, were discussed. Although not included among recommended procedures by modern test theory, the latter approach has much to recommend it under appropriate circumstances. The discussion of psychometric principles was generalized to the person-situation debate.
Plastic landmine detection using time-frequency analysis for forward-looking ground-penetrating radar

We use the time-frequency analysis techniques for buried plastic landmine detection with a forward-looking Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) system. Several time-frequency distributions are considered to characterize and interpret the scattering phenomena of both targets and clutter. An ambiguity function based detector is also proposed, which employs principal component analysis for data dimensionality reduction and linear discriminant analysis for feature selection. Experimental results based on the SRI (Stanford Research Institute) experimentally measured forward-looking GPR data are presented, showing a significant detection performance improvement over the conventional detector.
Nonlinear motion of rotating glass fibers

Here we report on the motion of microscopic, optically trapped glass rods suspended in water and experiencing a light torque. The motion consists of two distinct regimes: a linear regime where the rod angle increases linearly with time and a nonlinear regime where the rod angle changes nonlinearly, experiencing accelerations and rapid reversals. These regimes depend on whether the rotation frequency of the linearly polarized driving light is above or below a critical frequency, Ω c . We will present experimental data that spans both regimes. We will also provide a theoretical model that agrees with the observed motion. We are working on extending this effort on the optical trapping and rotation of rods to smaller scales, where the diameter is 100 nm or less. This scaling down will allow us to study the nonlinear motion near a surface. Such studies can help us to understand surface effects that are important in micro- and nanofluidics. Toward this end, we report results on our attempts to trap silver nanorods of diameter close to 100 nm suspended in acetone.
Spontaneous AKR lymphoma with T and B-cell characteristics.

THE existence of surface immunoglobulin on thymus-derived cells (T cells) has been difficult to demonstrate and is still controversial1–6. Therefore the presence of easily detectable surface immunoglobulin (sIg) is considered to be a reliable marker for lymphoid cells of bone marrow origin (B cells)7. To our knowledge no cell line has been reported to bear both easily detectable sIg (that is, by immunofluorescent staining) and T-cell markers, although two murine T-cell lines have been reported to bear small amounts of sIg detectable only by extremely sensitive methods (2,8). We now report the existence of a murine lymphoma line with both T and B-cell characteristics by the criteria of easily detectable sIg, presence of Thy1.1 (θ AKR) antigen9, and mitogen responsiveness.
The Lure of Disgust: Musil and Kolnai

What makes disgust so alluring? Why does it elicit fascination in spite of its long-standing outcast status in the aesthetic sphere? Both Aurel Kolnai (1900–1973) and Robert Musil (1880–1942) explore the ambivalence of disgust and its strong connection to sexuality and mortality. As a visceral defense reaction against a disturbing or threatening proximity, disgust implies at once the collapse of distance and the desire to reinstate boundaries. Its elicitors are often associated with decay, amorphousness, coalescence, and self-dissolution. Kolnai's phenomenological study and Musil's observations on disgust mirror contemporary anxieties about male identity, female sexuality, and sociocultural changes in the wake of the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the First World War. Unlike Kolnai, however, Musil questions the epistemic and ethical value of this emotion. His aim is to counter the immediacy of disgust with reflexive and aesthetic distance on behalf of what he coins the “necessary civility of ...
Neonatal-6-hydroxydopamine treatment: Model of susceptibility for self-mutilation in the lesch-nyhan syndrome

Neonatal-6-OHDA treated rats given L-DOPA after a decarboxylase inhibitor showed a high incidence of self-mutilation behavior (SMB) and self-biting. These behaviors were not observed in adult-6-OHDA-treated rats or in controls. Since inhibition of dopamine-β-hydroxylase did not prevent or inhibit the SMB exhibited in neonatal-6-OHDA-treated rats after L-DOPA, norepinephrine is not likely to be contributing to this response. The age dependent effects observed are consistent with the hypothesis that neonatal reduction of dopamine-containing fibers is responsible for the SMB susceptibility observed in Lesch-Nyhan disease, making the neonatal-6-OHDA-treated rat a model of this neurological syndrome.
Copper(I)-catalyzed intramolecular photocycloadditions of dicyclopentadiene derivatives linked by removable tethers

Abstract Cu(I)-catalyzed intramolecular [2+2] photocycloadditions of two dicyclopentadiene derivatives linked by an alkyl chain have been studied. These reactions are regio- and stereoselective and proceed considerably faster than the corresponding intermolecular reactions.
Effect of electron-electron interactions on the conductivity of clean graphene.

Minimal conductivity of a single undoped graphene layer is known to be of the order of the conductance quantum, independent of the electron velocity. We show that this universality does not survive electron-electron interaction, which results in nontrivial frequency dependence. We begin with analyzing the perturbation theory in the interaction parameter $g$ for the electron self-energy and observe the failure of the random-phase approximation. The optical conductivity is then derived from the quantum kinetic equation, and the exact result is obtained in the limit when $g\ensuremath{\ll}1\ensuremath{\ll}g|\mathrm{ln}﻿\ensuremath{\omega}|$.
Tensile strength of precalcified turkey tendon.

Abstract The decrease in tensile strength of precalcified turkey tendon during the age period 9–12 weeks appears to be due to tendon growth. In the process, tendon cross-sectional area increases, but the percent hydroxyproline decreases and the load sustaining ability of the tendon remains essentially constant. These data indicate that the increase in cross-sectional area of the tendons may be due to preferential incorporation of other materials in the tendon, e.g., ground substance or cellular elements, rather than an increase in size and number of axially oriented stress bearing collagen fibers.
An Analysis of Teachers' and Paraeducators' Roles and Responsibilities with Implications for Professional Development.

There is a lack of documented evidence related to the relationships existing between paraeducators and teachers working in early childhood classrooms. Based on a 2-year project with three phases of data collection, the authors explore the duties of paraeducators and their working relationships with the teachers with whom they team. Based on findings from the data collected, the authors make specific recommendations for targeted professional development that is designed to improve collaboration and skill sets for paraprofessionals within early childhood learning environments. The position taken is one that supports collaborative teamwork designed to maximize the learning of young children.
Acute Myocardial Infarction and Acute Coronary Syndrome: Then and Now (1950–2005)

Advances in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have been remarkable since the mid-20th century. Even the clinical terminology used to describe some of the various components of ACS have undergone change, while the latter term itself represents a fairly recent addition to the medical lexicon. Although there have been dramatic changes in the diagnostic and therapeutic interventions used and impressive declines in morbidity and mortality, the differential diagnosis and complications of AMI and ACS remain as challenging now as they were a half century ago. This article presents in detail the medical understanding of AMI in the mid-20th century and how physicians of that era managed it and its complications, and contrasts this with current evidence-based knowledge and interventions.