cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How Well Does the Standards Movement Measure Up? An Analysis of Achievement Trends, Academic Course-taking, Student Learning, NCLB, and Changes in School Culture and Graduation Rates

This is the first of two papers examining the standards movement. In it, I review data from NAEP, the SAT, the international assessments, transcript studies, and NCLB assessments, as well as surveys and case studies of changes in curriculum and pedagogy. The picture is a bleak one. Over the past quarter century, achievement has stagnated, dropouts and aliteracy have grown, and large minority achievement gaps have persisted. The quality of student learning remains poor. School changes, stratified by class and race, have constricted instruction and harmed students and teachers. NCLB has made things worse, not better. Even in the two areas where the movement has achieved some success—lower grade math achievement and high school academic enrollments—the gains were largely superficial, other forces such as teaching-to-the-test and social promotion contributed, and serious deficiencies remain. In the second paper, “Why the Standards Movement Failed,” I examine the educational and political reasons for the failure—including its misconstruction of pedagogy and links to the neoliberal reform project—and propose a progressive alternative.
Twitter K-H networks in action

Display Omitted The importance of searching biomedical literature for drug interaction and side-effects is apparent. Current digital libraries (e.g., PubMed) suffer infrequent tagging and metadata annotation updates. Such limitations cause absence of linking literature to new scientific evidence. This demonstrates a great deal of challenges that stand in the way of scientists when searching biomedical repositories. In this paper, we present a network mining approach that provides a bridge for linking and searching drug-related literature. Our contributions here are two fold: (1) an efficient algorithm called HashPairMiner to address the run-time complexity issues demonstrated in its predecessor algorithm: HashnetMiner, and (2) a database of discoveries hosted on the web to facilitate literature search using the results produced by HashPairMiner. Though the K-H network model and the HashPairMiner algorithm are fairly young, their outcome is evidence of the considerable promise they offer to the biomedical science community in general and the drug research community in particular.
Managing social images in naturalistic versus laboratory settings: Implications for understanding and studying self‐presentation

Over the past 50 years, research on self-presentation has revealed a great deal about how people construct social images by managing the impressions that others form of them. However, inspection of the dominant research paradigms reveals that most researchers have not addressed central features of self-presentation as they occur in everyday life. Using a framework that identifies four primary features of everyday self-presentation, we compare and contrast the nature of naturalistic self-presentation in everyday life with the ways in which self-presentation has been conceptualized, operationalized, and studied by researchers. We also discuss the implications of failing to incorporate naturalistic features of self-presentation into research contexts and offer recommendations for ways to enhance and expand research on self-presentation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Utilization Of An Underwater Video System In A Deep Ocean Emplantment

This paper describes the successful utilization, of a closed-circuit underwater video system in a deep ocean engineering project to emplant an underwater acoustic source at a precise location on the ocean floor at a depth of 300 fathoms. The system, consisting of camera, lighting, pan and tilt unit, control unit, power supply, four monitors,. a video film recorder, 5000 ftof cable on a special cable reel, and a slip ring assembly, was used to position the acoustic source safely and properly. in its subsurface location. The video system monitored the descent of the acoustic device con tinuously so that the operation of touchdown and emplacement was under observation at all times. The system provides for periodic observation of the acoustic source and its structuri members at will during its period of intended usage.© (1968) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Comparative study of lithium niobate crystal cuts for use as high-voltage acoustic wave sensors

A comparison study between Y+36° lithium niobate (LiNbO 3 ) and 0° X-cut LiNbO 3 was performed to evaluate the influence of crystal cut on the performance of a piezoelectric high-voltage (HV) sensor. The acoustic wave propagation time was monitored prior to, during, and after applying three different HV source types to the crystal. Direct current (DC), alternating current (AC), and pulsed voltages were used. Data show that the voltage-induced shift in the acoustic wave propagation time scales quadratically for DC and AC voltage for the X-cut crystal. For the Y+36° LiNbO 3 crystal, the acoustic wave arrival time scales linearly with DC voltage and quadratically with AC voltage. When applying 5 µs voltage pulses to the crystal, the voltage-induced shift scales linearly with voltage for both crystal cuts. Data suggest LiNbO 3 has a frequency sensitive response to voltage and the influence from the crystal cut is significant when applying AC and pulsed voltage to the crystal.
THE CARBOHYDRATE CONSTITUENTS OF SCENEDESMUS IN RELATION TO THE ASSIMILATION OF CARBON BY PHOTOREDUCTION.

A special type of photosynthesis which occurs in some strains of Chlorophyceae adapted by a period of anaerobiosis, was discovered and studied extensively by Gaff ron (2). The overall chemical reaction involved in the process may be written, C02 + 2H ?? H20 + (CH20). This phenomenon has been called "photoreduction" to distinguish it from ordinary photosynthesis. Certain analogies between these processes suggest similarities in their basic mechanisms. Distinguishing characteristics of photoreduction are its occurrence only under conditions of nearly complete anaerobiosis, lack of oxygen production, and absorption of hydrogen concurrently with that of carbon dioxide.
Single prenatal injections of melatonin or the D1-dopamine receptor agonist SKF 38393 to pregnant hamsters sets the offsprings' circadian rhythms to phases 180° apart

Pregnant Syrian hamsters with lesions of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) received single injections of melatonin or the D1-dopamine receptor agonist, SKF 38393 on day 15 of gestation (1 day before birth). Pups were weaned on postnatal day 20 and their freerunning activity rhythms recorded for 3–4 weeks. The pups' phases on the day of weaning were significantly clustered in both of the treatment groups, but the average phases differed by approximately 180°. The results demonstrate that a single prenatal stimulus is sufficient to set the phases of the hamsters' rhythms and that the phase established depends on the stimulus. Both c-fos mRNA and Fos protein were expressed in the fetal SCN after SKF 38393 injection but neither were expressed after melatonin injection. Simulations showed that a single stimulus could produce the observed synchrony from a population of uniformally distributed phases if the phase shifts were three to four times the magnitude of the adult hamster light phase response curve (PRC). A light pulse PRC mimicked the effect of an SKF 38393 injection and a dark-pulse PRC mimicked the effects of a melatonin injection. Together these results suggest that dopamine and melatonin either are, or mimic, maternal entraining signals that represent day and night.
An alternative approach for magneto-optic calculations involving layered media

Abstract A generalized 4 × 4 matrix method for solving for the propagation of electromagnetic plane waves in optically isotropic and anisotropic stratified media has been extended to calculate the relative Kerr or Faraday intensities for most optical arrangements. The utility of this method lies in its versatility. The layered structures may consist of magnetic metals, non-magnetic metals, insulators, or semiconductors. For a given light scattering arrangement, the reflectivity, Kerr rotation, Kerr ellipticity, Faraday rotation, and Faraday ellipticity may be calculated as functions of the incidence angle, laser frequency, overlayer coverage, or underlayer thickness. Experimental intensity measurements can be checked for different configurations of the light-polarizing and beam-modulating optics.
Theology, canonicity, and abbreviated enthymemes: Traditional and critical influences on the British reception of Aristotle's Rhetoric

Abstract This essay argues that the construction of the 18th and 19th century British rhetorical theories and canon was strongly influenced by the debates between Catholic (or Anglo‐Catholic) traditionalists and Protestant critics over religious hermeneutics, by examining three specific cases, the Phalaris controversy, definitions of the enthymeme, and the reception history of the Rhetorica ad Alexandrum. The major figures discussed are Richard Bentley, William Temple, John Gillies, Edward Copleston, Sydney Smith, Richard Whately, James Hessey, and William Hamilton.
The surface compositions of Pluto and Charon

Abstract The surface of Pluto as it is understood on the eve of the encounter of the New Horizons spacecraft (mid-2015) consists of a spatially heterogeneous mix of solid N 2 , CH 4 , CO, C 2 H 6 , and an additional component that imparts color, and may not be an ice. The known molecular ices are detected by near-infrared spectroscopy. The N 2 ice occurs in the hexagonal crystalline β-phase, stable at T > 35.6 K. Spectroscopic evidence for wavelength shifts in the CH 4 bands attests to the complex mixing of CH 4 and N 2 in the solid state, in accordance with the phase diagram for N 2 + CH 4 . Spectra obtained at several aspects of Pluto’s surface as the planet rotates over its 6.4-day period show variability in the distribution of CH 4 and N 2 ices, with stronger CH 4 absorption bands associated with regions of higher albedo, in correlation with the visible rotational light curve. CO and N 2 ice absorptions are also strongly modulated by the rotation period; the bands are strongest on the anti-Charon hemisphere of Pluto. Longer term changes in the strengths of Pluto’s absorption bands occur as the viewing geometry changes on seasonal time-scales, although a complete cycle has not been observed. The non-ice component of Pluto’s surface may be a relatively refractory material produced by the UV and cosmic-ray irradiation of the surface ices and gases in the atmosphere, although UV does not generally penetrate the atmospheric CH 4 to interact with the surface. Laboratory simulations indicate that a rich chemistry ensues by the irradiation of mixtures of the ices known to occur on Pluto, but specific compounds have not yet been identified in spectra of the planet. Charon’s surface is characterized by spectral bands of crystalline H 2 O ice, and a band attributed to one or more hydrates of NH 3 . Amorphous H 2 O ice may also be present; the balance between the amorphization and crystallization processes on Charon remains to be clarified. The albedo of Charon and its generally spatially uniform neutral color indicate that a component, not yet identified, is mixed in some way with the H 2 O and NH 3 · n H 2 O ices. Among the many known small bodies in the transneptunian region, several share characteristics with Pluto and Charon, including the presence of CH 4 , N 2 , C 2 H 6 , H 2 O ices, as well as components that yield a wide variety of surface albedo and color. The New Horizons investigation of the Pluto–Charon system will generate new insight into the physical properties of the broader transneptunian population, and eventually to the corresponding bodies expected in the numerous planetary systems currently being discovered elsewhere in the Galaxy.
Genetic Aspects of Rett Syndrome

To date over 1,000 cases of Rett syndrome have been described in females exclusively. Some of these cases, less than 2 in 100, are familial. The inheritance through maternal lines in the familial cases suggests that Rett syndrome is an X-linked disorder lethal in males. Hypotheses about the genetic mechanisms involved in this syndrome along with suggestions to approach the molecular basis of this disorder are presented. (J Child Neurol 1988;3(Suppl):S76-S78).
Neuromechanical control of locomotion in the rat.

Rodent models are being extensively used to investigate the effects of traumatic injury and develop and assess the mechanisms of repair and regeneration. We present quantitative assessment of two-dimensional (2D) kinematics of overground walking and for the first time three-dimensional (3D) joint angle kinematics of all four limbs during treadmill walking in intact adult female Long-Evans rats. Gait cycle with subphases and intralimb and interlimb cyclograms are presented. Phase relationships between joint angles on a cycle-by-cycle basis and interlimb footfalls are assessed using a simple technique. Electromyogram (EMG) data from major flexor and extensor muscles for each of the hindlimb joints and elbow extensor muscles of the forelimbs synchronized to the 3D kinematics are also obtained. Overground walking kinematics, provides information on base of support, stride length, and hindfoot rotation. Treadmill walking kinematics indicate primarily monophasic angle trajectories for the hip and shoulder joint...
Research Abstracts and Bibliographies

(1956). Research Abstracts and Bibliographies. The Journal of Educational Research: Vol. 50, No. 4, pp. 317-318.
Persistent centrilobular necroses in hepatic allografts

A biopsy study of 60 allografts from 53 patients after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) revealed prominent centrilobular necrosis (CN) in 18% of the grafts that were suitable for analysis. The lesions often had a "punched-out" appearance, sometimes with unusual features such as giant cell formation. Persistent CN developed 4 weeks to 6 months after OLT, and persisted in two cases for 2 years and longer. In some instances, CN disappeared or healed by scarring. We found no association between CN and rejection arteritis or arteriopathy. Ductopenic (chronic) rejection subsequently occurred in six of eight livers with CN. Overall, patients with persistent CN had a worse prognosis than control patients. A comparison of cases with matched controls failed to reveal significant differences with respect to perioperative factors such as ischemia time, immunologic test results such as lymphocyte crossmatches, drug administration--in particular, of azathioprine, frequency of cellular (acute) rejection or infection episodes, or frequency of complications affecting major hepatic vessels or bile ducts. Morphologic evidence suggests that in some instances, rejection-induced endotheliitis/phlebitis of hepatic vein branches may lead to sinusoidal outflow blockage, sinusoidal dilatation, and dropout of hepatic cell plates. Although potentially reversible conditions such as ischemia or adverse drug reactions are among the possible causes of CN, severe rejection leading to ductopenia appears to be the most important underlying condition. Thus, presence of CN in repeated biopsy specimens from allografts should be considered a warning sign of irreversible rejection.
EFFECT OF DEGREE OF FUEL VAPORIZATION UPON EMISSIONS FOR A PREMIXED PREVAPORIZED COMBUSTION SYSTEM

An experimental and analytical study of the combustion of partially vaporized fuel-air mixtures was performed to assess the impact of the degree of fuel vaporization upon emissions for a premixing-prevaporizing flametube combustor. Data collected in this study showed near linear increases in nitric oxide emissions with decreasing vaporization at equivalence ratios of 0.6. For equivalence ratios of 0.72, the degree of vaporization had very little impact on nitric oxide emissions. A simple mechanism which accounts for the combustion of liquid droplets in partially vaporized mixtures was found to agree with the measured results with fair accuracy with respect to both trends and magnitudes.
High pressure studies of invar-related systems☆

Abstract Mossbauer studies at high pressure have been performed on the magnetic transitions in the following Invar-related systems: antiferromagnetic γ-Fe precipitates in Cu, type 310 stainless steel, and ferromagnetic Metglas 2826A. Using the Mossbauer thermal scan technique the magnetic transition temperatures in each case are observed to decrease with pressure at an approximate rate of - 0.5 K/kbar.
The Evolution of Truly Social Cognition: The Core Configurations Model

This article introduces a vocabulary suitable for evolutionary analyses in the human cognitive, social, and behavioral sciences. The vocabulary carves a middle way between advocates and critics of evolutionary perspectives by substituting the concept of repeated assembly for nature-nurture dualism. A model of core configurations-based on human morphology and ecology in human evolutionary history-is presented, and I argue that these configurations of face-to-face groups are the selective context for uniquely human mental systems. Hence, human cognition is "truly social,"" specialized for group living. The relevance of the core configuration model is illustrated with respect to two areas of interest to social psychologists: the self and social identity, and distributed cognition and shared reality. A final section illustrates the integrative power of the core configuration model with a brief comparison of the social and cognitive tasks faced by scientists and foragers.
Civic Nationalism and Ethnocultural Justice in Turkey

Are civic states culturally neutral? The Turkish model of civic nationalism is often praised as a success, albeit an authoritarian one, in creating a unitary national culture. In fact, Turkey's national identity has come at a steep cultural cost. Civic institutions have homogenized and folklorized minority cultures. Ethnoreligious conceptions of Turkish identity have underpinned immigration and naturalization, internal movement and resettlement, education, language, and cultural policies. Turkish nationalism has weighed heaviest on Kurds, Islamists, religious minorities, and the left. A state-run "Turkish Reformation" of Islam failed in the 1930s; more recent attempts to nationalize Islam have turned the state into a mouthpiece for mainstream Sunni doctrine. The Turkish case suggests that in states with deep societal divisions, the dream of civic nationalism may be a coerced one.
Genetics and Syndromes Associated with Vascular Malformations

Historically, vascular malformations were not thought to be the result of genetic abnormalities because most of those presenting clinically are sporadic. However, research in this field has expanded over the last decade, leading to the identification of genetic defects responsible for several inherited forms of vascular malformations and associated syndromes, which has shed light on the pathogenesis of sporadic lesions. This advancement in the field has not only enhanced diagnostic capabilities but also improved our understanding of the potential role of complex genetic mechanisms in vascular malformation development. This article focuses on genetic contributions of vascular malformations in the context of syndromes and the tests that are available.
The Biosynthesis of UDP-Galacturonic Acid in Plants. Functional Cloning and Characterization of Arabidopsis UDP-d-Glucuronic Acid 4-Epimerase

UDP-GlcA 4-epimerase (UGlcAE) catalyzes the epimerization of UDP-α-d-glucuronic acid (UDP-GlcA) to UDP-α-d-galacturonic acid (UDP-GalA). UDP-GalA is a precursor for the synthesis of numerous cell-surface polysaccharides in bacteria and plants. Using a biochemical screen, a gene encoding AtUGlcAE1 in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) was identified and the recombinant enzyme biochemically characterized. The gene belongs to a small gene family composed of six isoforms. All members of the UGlcAE gene family encode a putative type-II membrane protein and have two domains: a variable N-terminal region approximately 120 amino acids long composed of a predicted cytosolic, transmembrane, and stem domain, followed by a large conserved C-terminal catalytic region approximately 300 amino acids long composed of a highly conserved catalytic domain found in a large protein family of epimerase/dehydratases. The recombinant epimerase has a predicted molecular mass of approximately 43 kD, although size-exclusion chromatography suggests that it may exist as a dimer (approximately 88 kD). AtUGlcAE1 forms UDP-GalA with an equilibrium constant value of approximately 1.9 and has an apparent Km value of 720 μm for UDP-GlcA. The enzyme has maximum activity at pH 7.5 and is active between 20°C and 55°C. Arabidopsis AtUGlcAE1 is not inhibited by UDP-Glc, UDP-Gal, or UMP. However, the enzyme is inhibited by UDP-Xyl and UDP-Ara, suggesting that these nucleotide sugars have a role in regulating the synthesis of pectin. The cloning of the AtUGlcAE1 gene will increase our ability to investigate the molecular factors that regulate pectin biosynthesis in plants. The availability of a functional recombinant UDP-GlcA 4-epimerase will be of considerable value for the facile generation of UDP-d-GalA in the amounts required for detailed studies of pectin biosynthesis.
Chaotic appearance of the AE index

Results are reported from a stochastic analysis of a 5-day time series of the geomagnetic AE index during an active period. The original data, the power spectrum, and the autocorrelation function are shown, and the steps in the analysis are described in detail. It is found that the autocorrelation time scale is about 50 min, giving a correlation dimension (for the construction of a time series of m-dimensional vectors) of 2.4. This result is consistent with either colored-noise or deterministic-chaos magnetosphere models, indicating the need for further investigation.
The role of imagination in semantic desensitization

Thirty phobic subjects matched on the basis of their subjective fear of spiders and behavioral avoidance were randomly assigned to one of the following treatments: Group I received semantic desensitization by a semantic visualization method in which subjects were asked to imagine positive evaluative responses to the word “spider”; Group II received semantic desensitization by verbal emission whereby subjects verbalized aloud the same positive evaluative responses to the world “spider”; Group III, the control group, received a pseudosensitization on a buffer task. The semantically desensitized subjects showed a significant reduction in the negative value of the word “spider”; significant decrement in their subjective fears of spiders, and a significant behavioral approach toward a huntsman spider. Verbal emission and semantic visualization procedures unequivocally produced positive results in the modification of phobic behavior. The implications of semantic desensitization methods for the practice of behavior therapy were discussed.
Attitudes toward male oral contraceptives: implications for models of the relationship between beliefs and attitudes.

Certain factors affect individuals valuation of the acceptability of male contraceptive pills. This paper attempts to address this issue in part using an approach which essentially involves orthogonal manipulation of 4 factors (effectiveness health risks cost convenience) in a 3 X 2 X 2 X 2 factorial design to determine their relative importance in influencing attitudes toward and intentions to use the male pill. The study design also permitted a test of 2 assumptions that of additivity of beliefs and absence of context effects. Hypothetical medical reports describing a male oral contraceptive were presented to 480 male and female teenage undergraduates of Purdue University; all 480 completed questionnaire booklets regarding the reports. 2 major questions concerned the acceptability of the male pills and whether or not the subjects thought they would use the method if it were marketed (for females this was rephrased in terms of their approval of the method for use by their spouses/boyfriends). Each cell of the design was assigned 10 subjects (48 cells = 480 subjects). The findings suggest that both health risks and effectiveness have a major effect on perceived acceptability of the male pill and that cost and convenience play a less important role. A surprising finding was that health risks took a strong precedence (roughly 20% of the explained variance) over method effectiveness (roughly 10% of the explained variance). Thus the sampled teenagers were more concerned with the health rather than the effectiveness aspect of the method; this was indirectly supported by the fact that over 57% of the sample have engaged in sexual intercourse without contraceptive protection. This finding implies that promoters of male pills should focus on the importance of health information with respect to the potential users of the method. Although cost and convenience also affect the decision to use male pills their impact is mediated by the health risks and effectiveness of the method. Further research should be done on potential individual difference variables so as to identify groups who will be most receptive to the male pill. The assumptions tested were consistent with the findings. The factorial design method may be valuable in determining the importance of including or excluding certain factors when designing or marketing an innovation.
A model-based approach to estimate the aids-free time distribution in homosexual men using longitudinal data

A model-based approach is developed to estimate the distribution of time from seroconversion to diagnosis with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) as a function of selected time-dependent covariates. The approach is applied to longitudinal data collected over 4 years of follow-up from 450 men seropositive for the human immunodeficiency virus (90 AIDS cases) and 62 serocon-verters (nine AIDS cases) participating in the Chicago part of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study. Because of the periodic nature of monitoring, the seroconversion time is interval-censored for sero-converters and left-censored for seroprevalent cohort members; the end-point is right-censored for 413 individuals. Since serological monitoring is not continuous but only at regularly scheduled visit times, a model for the discrete hazard rate (DHR) is proposed that is a generalized linear model that relates the DHR to the covariate history through the complementary log-log link. Classification trees are used for preliminary screening o...
Comparative distribution, sourcing, and chemical behavior of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in an estuary environment.

Abstract PCDD/F and PCB field data (1041 samples) in five media (dissolved, suspended sediment, bed sediment, catfish, and blue crab) were studied to explore dual contaminant patterns in the Houston Ship Channel, Texas, USA. PCDD/Fs showed greater concentration than PCBs in suspended sediments while PCBs were higher in apparent dissolved (truly dissolved + DOC-associated), fish, and crab. PCDD/Fs at nearly all locations contributed more strongly to dioxin-like toxicity. The fraction of PCB TEQ was, however, enriched in biotic over abiotic media due in large part to the presence of PCB 126, which was mostly undetected in water and sediment and yet exhibited a BAF three times greater than 2,3,7,8-TCDD. Dissolved-suspended sediment and suspended-bed sediment relationships showed that (1) observed apparent dissolved concentration differences (as fraction of total water were mean 10% PCDD/Fs and 63% PCBs) can reasonably be explained by a four-phase partition model (truly dissolved, DOC-associated, suspended OC, and suspended BC) for PCBs but not for PCDD/Fs and (2) the contaminants behaved similarly in bed to suspended sediment concentration ratios ( C bed / C susp ) upstream of a major confluence but not downstream. PCA-cluster analysis pointed to the possibility that suspended sediment PCB contamination originates from resuspended bed sediment while PCDD/Fs in suspended sediment originates more probably from other sediment sources such as upstream wash load or air deposition. Finally, examinations of a congener marker ratio (PCB 209/206) seemed to indicate that a source of pure PCB 209 may exist in bed sediment near Patrick Bayou though the source was not completely localized.
Synthesis of potent bicyclic bisarylimidazole c-Jun N-terminal kinase inhibitors by catalytic C-H bond activation.

The efficient preparation of the privileged bicyclic bis-arylimidazole kinase inhibitor scaffold was accomplished using rhodium-catalyzed C-H activation and intramolecular alkylation. The key C-H activation/alkylation step represents one of the first evaluations of acyclic stereocontrol in catalyzed C-H activation/olefin alkylation processes. Several inhibitors of JNK3 were prepared using this sequence, with the most potent inhibitor having an IC50 value of 1.6 nM.
Science teachers and scientific argumentation: Trends in views and practice

Current research indicates that student engagement in scientific argumentation can foster a better understanding of the concepts and the processes of science. Yet opportunities for students to participate in authentic argumentation inside the science classroom are rare. There also is little known about science teachers' understandings of argumentation, their ability to participate in this complex practice, or their views about using argumentation as part of the teaching and learning of science. In this study, the researchers used a cognitive appraisal interview to examine how 30 secondary science teachers evaluate alternative explanations, generate an argument to support a specific explanation, and investigate their views about engaging students in argumentation. The analysis of the teachers' comments and actions during the interview indicates that these teachers relied primarily on their prior content knowledge to evaluate the validity of an explanation rather than using available data. Although some of the teachers included data and reasoning in their arguments, most of the teachers crafted an argument that simply expanded on a chosen explanation but provided no real support for it. The teachers also mentioned multiple barriers to the integration of argumentation into the teaching and learning of science, primarily related to their perceptions of students' ability levels, even though all of these teachers viewed argumentation as a way to help students understand science. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 49: 1122–1148, 2012
Vibrational predissociation spectroscopy of the H2-tagged mono- and dicarboxylate anions of dodecanedioic acid

Abstract Vibrational predissociation spectroscopy of the HOOC(CH 2 ) 10 COO − and − OOC(CH 2 ) 10 COO − anions is carried out by predissociation of weakly bound H 2 molecules. The HOOC(CH 2 ) 10 COO − (H 2 ) 2 and − OOC(CH 2 ) 10 COO − (H 2 ) 10 cluster ions are formed by H 2 attachment to the electrospray-generated bare ions in an ion trap cooled to below 20 K using a closed cycle helium cryostat. The photofragmentation behavior indicates that the H 2 binding energy is about 600 cm −1 , which is similar in strength to that found in Ar-tagged ions. The spectra indicate that the monoanion adopts a cyclic structure through the formation of an asymmetrical, internal anionic H-bond.
Intraoperative identification and display of eloquent cortical regions

During a typical image-guided neurosurgery procedure, the surgeon used anatomical information from tomographic image sets to help guide the surgery. These images provide high- level details of the patient's anatomy. The images do not, however, provide the surgeon with information regarding brain function. The identification of cortical function in addition to the display of tomographic images during surgery would allow the surgeon to visualize critical areas of the anatomy. This would be beneficial during surgical planning and procedures by identifying eloquent cortical regions (such as speech, sensory, and motor areas) that should be avoided. We have designed and implemented a system for recording and displaying cortical brain function during image-guided surgery. Brain function is determined using an optically tracked cortical stimulator. The image-space location of each stimulation event is recorded, and the user has the ability to label this location according to function type. Functional data can be displayed on both tomographic and rendered images. Tracking accuracy of the cortical stimulator has been determined by comparing its position to that of a tracked surgical probe with known localizing accuracy.
The use of lead-lined cones to improve the beam characteristics of a 50-kVp contact therapy x-ray beam

Measurements were made to calibrate a Philips RT‐50 contact therapy unit using an EG&G extrapolation chamber. The measured half‐value layer of 0.27 mm in aluminum agrees closely with published data. Exposure rates in air for 4‐cm source‐to‐surface distance (SSD) cones fall off faster than can be explained by the inverse square law alone. Lining the cone with lead results in exposure rates that follow the inverse square law at all distances from the cone end. Depth dose measurements made for 2‐ and 4‐cm SSD cones produced the anomalous result of greater depth dose for the shorter SSD. This is due to a low‐energy component arising from the end of the 4‐cm SSD cone, producing an artificially high surface dose. Lining the cone with lead reduces the component and significantly increases the depth dose. The low‐energy component is believed to be 6–8 keV characteristic x rays that arise from the stainless‐steel cone. Lining the cone with lead either absorbs these x rays or prevents their production.
Toward establishment of temperature thresholds for immunological impact of heat exposure in humans

There is interest in understanding the health impact of thermal effects as a result of exposure of humans to radiofrequency/microwave (RF/MW) fields. Immune cells and responses are affected by modest changes in temperature and it is important to quantify these effects and establish safety thresholds similar to what has been done with other tissue targets. Since previous summaries of thresholds for thermal damage to normal tissues have not focused much attention to cells of the immune system, this summary highlights recent studies which demonstrate positive and some negative effects of temperature shifts on human immune cells. We emphasise literature reporting adverse immunological endpoints (such as cell damage, death and altered function) and provide the temperature at which these effects were noted. Whereas there have been many in vitro studies of adverse temperature effects on immune cells, there has been limited validation of these temperature effects in vivo. However, data from heat stress/stroke pat...
Substituted oligoanilines: synthesis and characterization

Abstract Substituted trimeric oligoanilines were synthesized by palladium-catalyzed aromatic amination, followed by hydrogenolysis or transamination and thermolysis. The effects of substituent groups on the electronic and electrochemical properties were characterized by cyclic voltammetry and UV–vis spectroscopy. Electron-donating groups decreased the oxidation potential and had little effect on the UV–vis absorption, while electron-withdrawing groups increased the oxidation potential and the UV–vis absorption wavelengths. Electrical conductivities were in the range from 10 −5 to 10 −3 S/cm when the oligoanilines were doped with iodine.
A robust meta-classification strategy for cancer detection from MS data

We propose a novel method for phenotype identification involving a stringent noise analysis and filtering procedure followed by combining the results of several machine learning tools to produce a robust predictor. We illustrate our method on SELDI-TOF MS prostate cancer data (http://home.ccr.cancer.gov/ncifdaproteomics/ppatterns.asp). Our method identified 11 proteomic biomarkers and gave significantly improved predictions over previous analyses with these data. We were able to distinguish cancer from non-cancer cases with a sensitivity of 90.31% and a specificity of 98.81%. The proposed method can be generalized to multi-phenotype prediction and other types of data (e.g., microarray data).
Influence of dietary methionine on rat growth and thyroid activity.

Une diete contenant 2.8% de methionine a reduit la croissance et l'activite thyroidienne du rat. La restriction de nourriture appliquee a des rats normaux a donne des resultats comparable. L'augmentation de la cystine dans cette diete pour obtenir le meme taux de soufre n'a pas altere la croissance ou l'activite thyroidienne comparee a celle des rats normaux. En conclusion, la reduction de l'activite thyroidienne des rats recevant un exces de methionine est due a une insuffisance de nutrition.
Targeting Pedagogies for Appropriate Learners: Downloading Learning Objectives Increases Exam Scores for Men

Few studies have analyzed the relationship between exam performance and learning objectives use in medical education. We hypothesized that students who viewed learning objectives would benefit in exam performance. Our curriculum is based on students’ learning content through individually viewed podcasts followed by in-class activities allowing deliberate practice and applications. We utilized the tracking feature in Blackboard to identify which second-year medical students (MD2) downloaded topic-specific learning objectives prior to a learning objective-based block exam testing higher-order subject knowledge. We compared end-of-block exam scores and comprehensive basic science self-assessment (CBSSA) scores of students who downloaded learning objectives (downloaders) with those who did not (non-downloaders). Learning objective downloaders had higher mean block exam scores (79.7 % ± 1.09 SEM; n = 39) than non-downloaders (71.0 % ± 1.77 SEM; n = 24; p = 0.0001), but men had a greater benefit than women (mean difference for men 10.1 % (p = .0004) versus 7.0 % for women (p = .03)), even though they had similar downloading rates (men = 55 % and women = 70 %; p = 0.30). Students were encouraged to use learning objectives in a subsequent block and most did, with downloading rate increasing significantly from 39/64 (60.9 %) to 54/64 (84.4 %; p = 0.005). However, only men benefitted from this new use of learning objectives (mean 12.9 versus 4.7; p = 0.0044). CBSSA test analysis also showed that men who were downloaders had 30 % higher scores than those who were not (p = 0.02), but women showed no significant difference (p = 0.54). Downloading learning objectives increases academic performance on both course and standardized exams but predominantly benefits men.
Characterization of the explosive triacetone triperoxide and detection by ion mobility spectrometry

Abstract The improvised explosive triacetone triperoxide (TATP) was synthesized and characterized by 1 H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), 13 C-NMR, Raman and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. Triacetone triperoxide was subsequently analyzed by ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) in positive ion mode, and detected as a cluster of three peaks with a drift time of the most intense peak at 13.06 ms. Triacetone triperoxide was then analyzed after dissolution in toluene, where a dramatic increase in peak intensity was observed, at a flight time of 12.56 ms ( K 0 =2.71 cm 2 V −1 s −1 ). Triacetone triperoxide was subsequently analyzed by coupling the ion mobility spectrometer to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, where a single peak at m / z of 223 atomic mass units identified the species present in the ion mobility spectra as being triacetone triperoxide.
Calculations of the ascent of a saturated buoyant parcel with mixing

Numerical computations are made to show how the vertical velocity, temperature, humidity-mixing ratio and liquid-water content of a cloudy parcel will vary with height and time as it ascends from the condensation level, rises through, and mixes with, the surrounding environment whose temperature and humidity distributions are specified. The rate at which the parcel is diluted by mixing is formulated in two different ways which lead to essentially the same conclusions. This treatment does not attempt a detailed description of the mixing processes but arrives at rather critical values for a single parameter used to represent the rate of mixing. If this is sufficiently large to prevent the vertical motion undergoing large oscillations (such as are experienced by a closed parcel), the first-formed cloud is small - usually only a few hundred metres deep over land and perhaps less than 100 m deep over the oceans. This implies that large clouds must evolve by successive thermals rising through air which has been warmed and moistened by their predecessors. Computations are made to demonstrate this stage-by-stage growth. The formation and growth of the first visible cloud appears to depend rather critically upon the excess temperature and velocity with which the thermal reaches the condensation level. These conclusions, and also the computed vertical profiles of temperature, updraught speed and liquid-water in these small clouds, appear to be consistent with observations.
Living Coupling Reaction in Living Cationic Polymerization. 1. Coupling Reaction of Living Polyisobutylene

The living coupling reaction of living polyisobutylene (PIB), prepared by the 2,4,4-trimethyl-2-chloropentane/TiCl4/hexane:methyl chloride (60:40, v:v)/−80 °C system, has been studied using 1,3-bis(1-phenylethenyl)benzene (MDDPE), 2,2-bis[4-(1-phenylethenyl)phenyl]propane (BDPEP), and 2,2-bis[4-(1-tolylethenyl)phenyl]propane (BDTEP) as coupling agents. The reaction of living PIB with MDDPE yielded the monoadduct, possibly due to delocalization of positive charge over the meta-substituted benzene ring upon monoaddition and thereby decreased reactivity of the second double bond. Using BDPEP and BDTEP which have two diphenylethylene (DPE) moieties separated by an electron-donating spacer group, rapid and quantitative coupling was achieved independently of the chain length of the original PIB. The coupled product exhibited doubled molecular weight and narrowed molecular weight distribution. Direct evidence of the quantitative coupling reaction was also obtained by comparison of the 1H NMR spectra of the sampl...
Interclinic differences in stuttering-event counts

Abstract Substantial interjudge differences in stuttering-event counts have been repeatedly demonstrated in previous research. Kully and Boberg (1988) suggested the possibility of interclinic differences as well, but their study was not designed to distinguish interclinic differences from interjudge differences. The present study demonstrates both interclinic and interjudge disagreements in relatively experienced judges' identifications of stuttering events.
Synthesis and Characterization of Stereoregular Ethylene-Vinyl Alcohol Copolymers Made by Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization

The syntheses of regioregular as well as stereoregular ethylene-vinyl alcohol (EVOH) copolymers by ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) with ruthenium catalysts are reported. Symmetric cyclooctenediol monomers were protected as acetates, carbonates, or acetonides to temporarily increase ring strain as well as impart solubility to the monomer. Polymer molecular weights could be easily controlled by either varying the monomer-to-catalyst ratio or by the addition of a chain transfer agent. Hydrogenation and subsequent deprotection of the ROMP polymers afforded the EVOH materials in high yields, and the structures were confirmed by ^1H NMR and ^(13)C NMR spectroscopies. Thermal properties of the corresponding EVOH copolymers are reported and suggest that differences in diol stereochemistry significantly affect the polymer morphology.
Development of the aging cell surface: A freeze-fracture analysis of gap junctions between human embryo fibroblasts aging in culture. A brief note

Gap junctions have been identified between cells in late passage cultures of human embryo fibroblasts using techniques of freeze-fracture and electron microscopy. The junctions are sparsely distributed, which may suggest a decrease in electrotonic and metabolic coupling with increased age in culture.
Ultrasonic absorption in molecular crystals

In this paper we present our expression for the transition rate for a molecule in an organic crystal to absorb three phonons of lattice energy into the lowest-frequency molecular-vibrational mode (0 \ensuremath{\rightarrow} 1 transition). Our model is a three-dimensional simple cubic lattice with nearest-neighbor central and noncentral forces between molecules situated at the lattice sites. After making some approximations, we compare our expression with the transition rate determined from ultrasonic experiments on benzene, $p\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{dichlorobenzene}$, carbon tetrachloride, and cyclohexane, and discuss the results. We also point out the improvement our expression offers over the transition rate derived by Liebermann and used by other investigators. Several directions for future research are suggested in the paper.
Paraoxonase 1 and oxidative stress in paediatric non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Background & Aims Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in children is a significant public health concern. Oxidative stress is an important component in the pathophysiology of NASH. Several enzymatic antioxidant mechanisms protect the liver from oxidative injury. Examination of the expression of these enzymes in NASH livers may provide insight on the roles for these antioxidant mechanisms in the pathophysiology of NASH. Methods The mRNA expression of catalase, glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1), glutathione reductase (GSR), paraoxonase 1 (PON1) and other reactive oxygen species-related genes was evaluated by microarray and quantitative real-time PCR analyses. The PON1 protein levels were evaluated in liver and serum by Western blot analyses. Serum enzymatic activities of GPX, GSR and PON1 (paraoxonase and arylesterase activities) were examined. Results NASH livers exhibited elevated mRNA expression of catalase and PON1, but not GPX1 or GSR. No difference in serum GPX or GSR activity was detected between NASH patients and controls. Elevated expression of PON1 mRNA and protein was detected in NASH livers, but serum PON1 protein and activities were not elevated. Conclusions Elevated expression of catalase and PON1 suggests protective roles for these antioxidants in NASH livers. Given the importance of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of NASH, future studies focusing on these enzymes could identify important targets for therapeutic or preventive interventions for NASH patients.