cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medical information system training: An analysis of the reactions of hospital employees

Six months after the implementation of a medical information system (MIS) employees were questioned concerning their evaluation of the training they received. Wide variability is observed in the range of employee responses to questions addressing their: satisfaction with the training experience, desire for any additional training, ease of learning to use the system, and level of felt competence in currently using the system. The results of stepwise regression analyses of the response patterns indicate that personality traits, attitudes toward automation, and work history variables are key factors in explaining why employees have different reactions to training.
ViLLaGEs: Opto-Mechanical Design of an on-sky visible-light MEMS-based AO system

Visible Light Laser Guidestar Experiments (ViLLaGEs) is a new Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) based visible-wavelength adaptive optics (AO) testbed on the Nickel 1-meter telescope at Lick Observatory. Closed loop Natural Guide Star (NGS) experiments were successfully carried out during engineering during the fall of 2007. This is a major evolutionary step, signaling the movement of AO technologies into visible light with a MEMS mirror. With on-sky Strehls in I-band of greater than 20% during second light tests, the science possibilities have become evident. Described here is the advanced engineering used in the design and construction of the ViLLaGEs system, comparing it to the LickAO infrared system, and a discussion of Nickel dome infrastructural improvements necessary for this system. A significant portion of the engineering discussion revolves around the sizable effort that went towards eliminating flexure. Then, we detail upgrades to ViLLaGEs to make it a facility class instrument. These upgrades will focus on Nyquist sampling the diffraction limited point spread function during open loop operations, motorization and automation for technician level alignments, adding dithering capabilities and changes for near infrared science.
The Galileo solar redshift experiment

From the October 1989 launch to the first December 1990 earth gravity assist, we regularly obtained frequency measurements of the spacecraft clock - an ultrastable crystal oscillator (USO) supplied by Frequency Electronics, Inc. The solar gravitational redshift in frequency was readily detectable, and because of the unique variations in heliocentric distance we could separate the general relativistic effects from the USO's intrinsic frequency variations. We have verified the total frequency shift predicted by general relativity to 0.5 percent accuracy, and the solar gravitational redshift to 1 percent accuracy.
Three-dimensional transformation of capsids associated with genome packaging in a bacterial virus

Three-dimensional structures of the empty procapsid and the mature capsid of the Salmonella bacteriophage P22 have been determined to a resolution of 28 A using electron cryomicroscopy and computer image processing. The coat subunits in both the structures are arranged as pentamers and hexamers on a T = 7 icosahedral lattice. The two structures display significant differences in shape, size and intersubunit interactions. The empty procapsid is spherical in contrast to the distinctly larger and polyhedral mature capsid. The empty procapsid structure exhibits holes at all the quasi sixfold positions that are absent in the mature capsid. These holes may be the exit ports for scaffolding subunits. Detailed comparisons of the two structures indicate that extensive structural changes take place during maturation in all seven quasi-equivalent subunits. These changes cause flattening of the icosahedral facets, capsid expansion and closing of the holes. This process results in a stable and impenetrable capsid that protects the bacterial genome.
Propagation of error and bias in half-life estimates based on two measurements

Limited data on toxic compounds in humans often necessitate that biological half-life estimates be based on only two measurements over a time interval, both of which are subject to analytical error. Propagation of error calculations and computer simulations were performed which showed that as the time interval gets shorter and/or the analytical error increases, the variability of the half-life estimate increases. Negative and large positive values create problems in computing the mean half-life and can lead to biases in that estimator. However, when negative values are considered equivalent to large positive half-lives, the median half-life has negligible bias even at large analytical coefficients of variation and measurement intervals much shorter than one half-life.
Characterization of Groups of Hyperaiidrogenic Women with Acanthosis Nigricans, Impaired Glucose Tolerance, and/or Hyperinsulinemia

This study examined the prevalence of both basal and glucose-stimulated hyperinsulinemia and acanthosis nigricans (AN) as well as the relationship between insulin and androgen levels in hyperandrogenic women. Sixty-two women who had an elevation of 1 or more plasma androgen levels were studied. The results in these women, grouped for analysis on the basis of obesity and ovulatory status, were compared to those in 36 control women of similar ages and weights. The anovulatory hyperandrogenic women had the clinical and biochemical features of the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCO). Oral glucose tolerance tests were performed with measurement of glucose, insulin, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and total and non-SHBG-bound sex steroid levels. AN was present in 29% of the hyperandrogenic women, the majority of them obese. Fifty percent of obese PCO women had AN, but they did not otherwise differ from PCO women lacking this dermatological change. Only women with PCO had significant hyperinsulinemia independent of obesity, and obese PCO women with AN had the highest serum insulin levels. Plasma glucose values during the oral glucose tolerance test were significantly increased in obese PCO women independent of the presence of AN, and 20% of these women had frank impairment of glucose tolerance. Ovulatory hyperandrogenic women had normal insulin levels and glucose tolerance. Obese and nonobese women had different relationships between sex steroid and insulin levels; obese women had significant correlations between insulin and non-SHBG testosterone levels (r = 0.30; P less than 0.05), whereas nonobese women had significant correlations between insulin and FSH (r = 0.40; P less than 0.01), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (r = 0.33; P less than 0.05), and SHBG (r = 0.37; P less than 0.05) levels, suggesting that the mechanisms underlying the association between sex steroid and insulin levels are complex. These findings suggest that 1) only women with PCO have hyperinsulinemia independent of obesity; hyperinsulinemia is not a feature of hyperandrogenic states in general; 2) AN is a common finding in obese hyperandrogenic women, particularly those with PCO; 3) only obese PCO women are at risk for impairment of glucose tolerance, independent of the presence of AN, suggesting that the negative impact of PCO and obesity on insulin action is additive; and 4) PCO women with AN can be considered as a subgroup of PCO and do not appear to have a distinct endocrine disorder.
Preferential Dissolution Phenomena of Nuclear Waste Materials

Preferential dissolution of polyphase nuclear waste materials in short term leach tests can exaggerate radionuclide release rates when extrapolated to the lifetime of the waste form. Possible preferential leach phenomena are associated with the presence of cracks, intergranular phases and readily soluble phases. The rate of dissolution and the microstructural connectivity of the most soluble phase determine the period over which perferential dissolution is observable. The connectivity of phases is amenable to control during processing by altering the starting green density of the precursor powders.
Evaluation of four hematology and a chemistry portable benchtop analyzers using non-human primate blood.

Background Near patient testing (NPT) and point-of-care testing (POCT) using portable benchtop analyzers has become necessary in many areas of the medical community, including biocontainment. Methods We evaluated the Beckman AcT diff, Abaxis Vetscan HMII (two instruments), Abbott Cell-Dyn 1800, and Abaxis Vetscan VS2 for within-run precision and correlation to central laboratory instruments using non-human primates blood. Results Compared with the central laboratory instruments, the Beckman AcT diff correlated on 80%; the HMII instruments on 31% and 44%, the CD1800 on 31%, and the VS2 on 71% of assays. For assays with published manufacturers precision guidelines, the AcT diff met all nine, the HMII instruments met one and six of six, and the CD 1800 met one of six. Conclusions Laboratories using NPT/POCT must test their individual instruments for precision and correlation, identify assays that are reliable, and exclude or develop supplemental procedures for assays that are not.
Characterization of the rabbit sperm membrane autoantigen, RSA, as a lectin-like zona binding protein.

Abstract Adhesion between spermatozoa and the egg's extracellular coat, the zona pellucida, involves the sperm's zona binding proteins (ZBP) and their interaction with the carbohydrate residues of the zona. To investigate this interaction in more detail, a purified nonenzymatic ZBP, the rabbit sperm membrane autoantigen, RSA, was used. RSA-zona binding was demonstrated on nitrocellulose blots and by using the Denny-Jaffe crosslinking reagent which identified an 87,000 molecular weight zona component as the ligand for RSA. The RSA-zona binding was of high affinity with a dissociation constant of 5.6 × 10−13 M. Furthermore, the binding of capacitated spermatozoa to intact zona was inhibited in the presence of RSA. Characterization of the RSA-zona interaction with a variety of simple and complex carbohydrates indicated that the sulfated, complex carbohydrates fucoidin, dextran sulfate, chondroitin sulfate B, and heparin strongly inhibited RSA-zona binding while chondroitin sulfates A and C, cholesterol-3-sulfate, and monosaccarides such as galactose inhibited RSA-zona binding only weakly. It is concluded that RSA functions as a sperm lectin-like molecule to bind the spermatozoon to the zona pellucida.
Mega Cisterna Magna: Diagnosis Using Metrizamide Computed Tomographic Cisternography

The mega cisterna magna is one cause of a midline, extra-axial, posterior fossa cyst. The computed tomographic features and differential diagnosis of midline posterior fossa cystic structures are reviewed, and the clinical features of the mega cisterna magna are discussed. We describe a method of metrizamide cisternography and report a case of mega cisterna magna that was diagnosed by this technique.
Location of Mn2+ in concanavalin A containing only a Mn2+ ion

Abstract The metal-sugar distances in two metallized forms of concanavalin A have been compared by 19 F magnetic resonance techniques. Using relaxation times measured at two different frequencies we have shown that the distance between the Mn 2+ ion and the bound sugar in concanavalin A containing only Mn 2+ is essentially identical to that found in concanavalin A containing both Mn 2+ and Ca 2+ . Our results rule out the possibility that Mn 2+ activates concanavalin A by binding at the Ca 2+ site (S2) and would suggest that Mn 2+ alone can induce an active saccharide binding conformation by binding at the transition metal site (S1).
Extracts from the Bursa of Fabricius—A Lympho-Epithelial Gland of the Chicken—Stimulate the Production of Antibodies in Bursectomized Chickens

Abstract THE bursa of Fabricius, a lymphoepithelial gland, was found by Glick et al. (1956) to be necessary in the production of antibodies to S. typhimurium. Since this original paper, Chang et al. (1957,1959) have confirmed and extended the role of the bursa in antibody production. In an initial trial, Glick (1958) reported higher antibody titers to sheepred-blood cells in bursectomized birds receiving a crude extract of bursa material than in the bursectomized controls. The object of this paper is to report additional results of injecting bursectomized birds with several fractions of bursa material. MATERIALS AND METHODS The bursa was removed from 12-day-old New Hampshire chicks by making a lateral incision at the base of the tail just above the upper lip of the vent (Riddle and Tange, 1928; Glick, 1955; and Chang et al., 1957). The bursa was then grasped with curved forceps at its most anterior aspect and eased …
The construction of subsurface illumination and amplitude maps via ray tracing

Editor's note: This article was selected as the Best Poster Paper at SEG's 1999 Annual Meeting. Due to its quantitative nature, the 1999 Best Student Poster Paper will not be published in TLE but in a future issue of Gℯℴ𝓅𝒽𝓎𝓈𝒾𝒸𝓈, without undergoing peer-review. The goal of a seismic survey is to illuminate subsurface geologic formations that may hold hydrocarbon accumulations. Conventional seismic survey design relies on the assumption that uniform midpoint coverage will lead to uniform illumination in the subsurface as long as each midpoint is hit by a sufficient range of offsets. In areas of complex velocity structure, severe wavefield distortions lead to irregular subsurface illumination patterns, even if surface midpoint maps show a uniform distribution. A more appropriate approach is to design seismic surveys to ensure illumination of key subsurface horizons. The difference between midpoint coverages and subsurface illumination patterns is particularly large in salt-prone areas (Muerdter et al., 1997). Due to severe wave distortion through complex, high-velocity salt bodies, conventional design methods that result in relatively uniform surface coverage (Figure 1) generate uneven amplitudes and shadow zones on subsalt horizons, an effect that is shown clearly by ray-trace modeling of an entire seismic survey (Figure 2). Figure 1. Total hits in each surface bin resulting from a 3-D seismic survey collected along east-west lines. Distances are in kilofeet. Figure 2. Amplitude of a subsurface …
Severe Saethre-Chotzen syndrome in an infant with a complex chromosome rearrangement

Saethre-Chotzen syndrome (SCS) is an autosomal dominant craniosynostosis syndrome with variable expression. Analysis of chromosome translocations found in patients with SCS played an important role in mapping the SCS gene to 7p21 and the subsequent identification of the TWIST gene. SCS has been associated with point mutations within the TWIST gene as well as deletion of the entire gene. The purpose of this report is to present a patient with severe craniofacial features of SCS who has a complex chromosome anomaly. The patient was a product of a term gestation complicated by fetal ventriculomegaly and oligohydramnios. Physical examination in the neonatal period revealed cranial and facial asymmetry, brachycephaly, low posterior and anterior hairlines, midface hypoplasia, ptosis, broad thumbs and toes, and cryptorchidism. Imaging demonstrated bilateral coronal suture fusion, dilated lateral ventricles, partial agenesis of the corpus callosum, and a large cisterna magna. An echocardiogram revealed a VSD and ASD. At two months of age the infant had a bifrontal craniotomy and bilateral orbito-zygomatico-temporal osteotomies. At three months of age he appears to be developmentally delayed. The infant has a balanced four-way translocation between 1q, 2q, 7p, and 18p and a separate translocation between 7q and 18q. Parental karyotypes are normal. Successive FISH analyses using dual color whole chromosome paints, centromeric alpha satellite probes, and a telomeric probe for 18p confirmed these findings. The breakpoint on the short arm of chromosome 7p is assigned to 7p 15.3 and does not appear to interrupt band 7p21. Sequencing of the TWIST gene and FISH analysis using a probe specific for the TWIST region were normal. Southern blot analysis to assess dosage of the TWIST gene is pending. Mutation analysis of the FGFR genes and comparative genomic hybridisation are planned. It is possible that this infant's phenotype is the result of position effect on the TWIST gene or disruption of other genes associated with craniosynostosis This expanded cytogenetic and molecular armamentarium may allow us to determine the pathogenesis of this infant's condition and may provide further insight into the mechanisms for SCS.
Opportunities to Teach and Learn in High-Needs Schools: Student Teachers’ Experiences in Urban Placements

This article presents findings from a qualitative study of student teachers' opportunities to learn in and for urban, high-needs schools. The analysis builds on Darling-Hammond and Bransford’s knowledge base for teaching framework to examine the role of student teaching in preparing teachers as equity-minded adaptive experts, equipped to work with diverse students in urban, high-needs schools. The study focuses on the experiences and perspectives of six preservice elementary teachers across two specialized urban teacher education programs. Findings demonstrate how placement features—in particular, cooperating teachers’ classroom-based instantiations of the external policy context—enabled and/or constrained opportunities for preservice teacher learning. Implications focus on new directions for research and practice in specialized teacher education. In conclusion, the authors call for closer investigation of what and how preservice teachers learn in and through student teaching.
MR-Guided Focused Ultrasound for the Treatment of Uterine Fibroids

Magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) ablation of uterine fibroids provides a minimally invasive outpatient technique for targeting and treating symptomatic uterine fibroids. Magnetic resonance imaging provides a guidance platform that has high temporal and spatial resolution for guiding, as well as thermal monitoring of the procedure. The high-intensity focused ultrasound provides a mechanism for delivering large amounts of energy directly into the fibroid without causing detrimental effects to the nontarget tissues. Early and intermediate follow-up of patients treated with MRgFUS provided promising results on the efficacy of the technique for providing symptom relief to patients. As more long-term follow-up data are published, the efficacy of this technique can be compared to more invasive surgical and minimally invasive catheter treatments.
Comparisons of Haul Seine and Otter Trawl Catches of Black Crappie and the Evaluation of Haul Seines for Future Research

Abstract We compared the size structure, estimated mean total length (TL) at age, and estimated mortality of black crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus caught by otter trawl and haul seine at two Florida water bodies (Lakes Parker and Griffin) and used the capture data, estimates of gear-induced mortality, and fishing variables (i.e., fishing effort and volume sampled) to evaluate the efficacy of using haul seines in future projects. Haul seines captured a smaller size range of black crappie than did trawls, and black crappie did not appear to be recruited to the haul seines until they attained 209 mm TL. Haul seines tended to capture proportionally more large fish than did trawls, when considering individuals 210 mm or longer. Mean TL-at-age estimates tended to be larger for haul seines due to differences in gear selectivity. At Lake Parker, trawl captures produced a greater annual mortality estimate (A), and the differences between catch curve slopes were significant. At Lake Griffin, however, haul seines pro...
"We Live and Learn": English and Ambivalence in a New Capitalist State.

This article reports on data drawn from a larger critical ethnographic study of English language use and instruction in Slovakia at the moment of capitalist integration. Slovaks who sought to learn English at the turn of the millenium were driven by the brand new anxiety of job insecurity. English lessons at this time sold themselves as the pathway to upward mobility, teaching Slovaks not only phrases of speech, but also the rudiments of capitalism: how to shop, how to drive, and especially, how to learn ever more English to keep your job. Although domestically produced textbooks taught these lessons with subtle notes of ambivalence, those textbooks imported from Anglophone countries modeled an unabashed embrace of capitalism. It was most often ambivalence that was echoed by the Slovaks interviewed for this study, however, who were mindful that their pursuit of English thrust them into a race against peers both at home and abroad. These years reveal this paradox of English in the new capitalist world: off...
Growth of simian adenovirus SA7 during arginine starvation.

The effect of arginine starvation on the growth of simian adenovirus SA7 has been studied. Omission of arginine from the medium inhibited production of infectious virus. Extracts from virus-infected cells maintained in arginine-free medium were tested for immature virus particles. Small amounts of virus activity found in these extracts seemed to be caused by the low levels of normal virus present, rather than by defective forms of virus.
Histological and functional outcomes after traumatic brain injury in mice null for the erythropoietin receptor in the central nervous system

Erythropoietin (EPO) and its receptor (EPOR), essential for erythropoiesis, are expressed in the nervous system. Recombinant human EPO treatment promotes functional outcome after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke, suggesting that the endogenous EPO/EPOR system plays an important role in neuroprotection and neurorestoration. This study was designed to investigate effects of the EPOR on histological and functional outcomes after TBI. Experimental TBI was induced in adult EPOR-null and wild-type mice by controlled cortical impact. Neurological function was assessed using the modified Morris Water Maze and footfault tests. Animals were sacrificed 35 days after injury and brain sections stained for immunohistochemistry. As compared to the wild-type injured mice, EPOR-null mice did not exhibit higher susceptibility to TBI as exemplified by tissue loss in the cortex, cell loss in the dentate gyrus, impaired spatial learning, angiogenesis and cell proliferation. We observed that less cortical neurogenesis occurred and that sensorimotor function (i.e., footfault) was more impaired in the EPOR-null mice after TBI. Co-accumulation of amyloid precursor protein (axonal injury marker) and calcium was observed in the ipsilateral thalamus in both EPOR-null and wild-type mice after TBI with more calcium deposits present in the wild-type mice. This study demonstrates for the first time that EPOR null in the nervous system aggravates sensorimotor deficits, impairs cortical neurogenesis and reduces thalamic calcium precipitation after TBI.
Undescended testicle and a meconium‐filled hemiscrotum: prenatal ultrasound appearance

We report a case of a meconium-filled hemiscrotum detected by prenatal ultrasound and misdiagnosed as in-utero testicular torsion. Over the 2 months that the mass was followed, the ultrasound characteristics and size changed significantly. Imaging immediately after birth and early surgical treatment resulted in a favorable outcome.
Delayed recognition of iliac artery injury during laparoscopic surgery

Vascular injury is one of the major complications of laparoscopic surgery. Prompt diagnosis is crucial for proper management of this potentially life-threatening complication. Two cases of iliac artery puncture occurred during operative laparoscopy. The injuries were not diagnosed immediately, probably due to the initial accumulation of blood in the retroperitoneum. Significant damage to large blood vessels may not be readily apparent during laparoscopic surgery.
Spine influences on PAR interception, stem temperature, and nocturnal acid accumulation by cacti

Abstract. The influence of spines on nocturnal acid accumulation was examined for two Crassulacean acid metabolism plants, the barrel cactus Ferocactus acanthodes (Lemaire) Britton & Rose var. lecontei (Engelm.) Lindsay and the cylindropuntia Opuntia bigelovii Engelm. var. bigelovii. The ambient photo-synthetically active radiation (PAR) required for 90% saturation of nocturnal acid accumulation by O. bigelovii was 23 mol m−2 d−1 for stems that were 32% shaded by spines and 16 mol m−2 d−1 when the spines were removed. For F. acanthodes, 90% saturation occurred for an ambient PAR of 45 mol m−2 d−1 where the stem was 78% shaded by spines and 21 mol m−2 d−1 when the spines were removed. For comparison, the ambient PAR averaged 21 mol m−2 d−1 at various times of the year and stem positions for O. bigelovii fully exposed to solar irradiation. Although spines can reflect some PAR toward the stem surface, their presence decreases the PAR incident on the stem surface, thereby decreasing the nocturnal acid accumulation. For O. bigelovii, periodically removing the spines led to a 60% greater increase in stem volume over 21/2 years. The effect of variation in spine-shading on stem surface temperature was determined for F. acanthodes using computer simulations and an energy budget model. A substantial reduction in daytime stem temperatures and a smaller increase in night-time temperatures as the spine-shading increased had very little influence on nocturnal acid accumulation for both winter and summer days. Thus, the main effect of spines on the metabolism of cacti is apparently to reduce the PAR incident on the stem surface and thereby to reduce productivity.
Transgenic virus resistance in cultivated squash affects pollinator behaviour

Summary 1. Two ecological risks associated with the use of transgenic crops are transgene movement into wild populations and effects on non-target organisms, such as pollinators. Despite the importance of pollinators, and their contribution to the global food supply, little is known about how they are affected by transgenic crops. Pollinator preferences affect plant mating patterns; thus understanding the effects of transgenic crops on pollinators will aid in understanding transgene movement. 2. Honey bee and squash bee visit number and duration were recorded on conventional and transgenic virus-resistant squash Cucurbita pepo planted in a randomized block design. Floral characters were measured to explain differences in pollinator behaviour. The effect of Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus infection on pollinator behaviour was also examined. 3. Honey bees visited female conventional flowers more than female transgenic flowers. Conventional flowers were generally larger with more nectar than transgenic flowers, although floral traits did not account for differences in pollinator visitation. 4. Squash bees visited male transgenic flowers more than male conventional flowers; squash bees also spent more time in female transgenic flowers than in female conventional flowers. Transgenic flowers were significantly larger with greater amounts of sweeter nectar and they were present in greater number. Floral traits accounted for some of the variation in pollinator visitation. 5. Squash bee visit number and duration did not differ between virus-infected and healthy plants, but this may be because pollinator behaviour was observed early in the virus infection. 6. Synthesis and applications. Pollinator behaviour controls patterns of plant mating thus non-target effects of transgenic resistance, such as those observed here, may influence transgene movement into wild populations. These results suggest that transgenic crops should not be planted within the native range of wild relatives because pleiotropic effects may affect crop-wild hybridization and transgene introgression into wild populations.
Robust geolocation estimation using adaptive RANSAC algorithm

This paper deals with location estimation in the presence of unreliable measurements (outliers) in large scale geolocation systems. In order to find a way of identifying these outliers, we propose an adaptive RANSAC (Random Sample Consensus) algorithm that maintains a consensus set which iteratively includes inliers and rejects outliers. Numerical experiments are performed to apply the proposed algorithm to linearized TDOA (time difference of arrival) and AOA (angle of arrival) geolocation systems to quantify the location performance versus the least-squares estimate.
Comment on: "Predatory trading, stigma, and the Fed's term auction facility" by Jennifer La'o

The Federal Reserve and other financial regulators often express concern about stigma associated with extending credit to distressed financial institutions (see, for example, Armantier et al., 2011). This concern seems perhaps odd as “stigma” maps more or less to information, and it is not clear why the Federal Reserve should withhold from the market legitimate information about the condition of certain institutions. Market participants should be able to use such stigma to refine their beliefs about which financial institutions are solvent and which are not. This paper provides a rationale for the Fed to view stigma as a problem and then presents a justification for the Term Auction Facility (TAF) program based on this concern. Briefly, the stigma associated with seeking liquidity in this model is bad because a strategic investor may learn about the liquidity position of a distressed institution and may attack that institution. The resulting liquidation is inefficient. The motivation for the model comes from Brunnermeier and Pedersen (2005), in which irrational traders sell, instead of buy, when a predator's action pushes prices below fundamentals. Predatory trading is not actually modeled in the paper, but it motivates the claim that a strategic actor can attack a solvent
Cooperative transport in ants: a review of proximate mechanisms

The behavioral mechanisms that lead to cooperation in social insects are often unknown or poorly understood. Cooperative transport, or the movement of an object by two or more individuals, is a particularly impressive example of collaboration among workers. Many ant species perform this behavior, but there is extreme interspecific variation in efficiency. Why are some ant species so efficient at cooperative transport, while others are so inefficient? Surprisingly, the scientific community has little proximate understanding of the adaptations that make certain species excel at this behavior. This work provides a review of the behavioral rules that separate the efficient cooperative transporters from the inefficient. We present two measures of efficiency of cooperative transport as well as a flowchart of the cooperative transport process. By identifying the steps and flow of information, the flowchart enables careful modeling of cooperative transport from a mechanistic perspective. Previous studies of each of the four phases of cooperative transport are discussed, including decision, recruitment, organization, and transport. We also present hypotheses regarding behavioral mechanisms that may modulate efficiency.
On the uniformity of software evolution patterns

Preparations for Y2K reminded the software engineering community of the extent to which long-lived software systems are embedded in our daily environments. As systems are maintained and enhanced throughout their lifecycles they appear to follow generalized behaviors described by the laws of software evolution. Within this context, however, there is some question of how and why systems may evolve differently. The objective of this work is to answer the question: do systems follow a set of identifiable evolutionary patterns? In this paper we use software volatility to describe the lifecycle evolution of a portfolio of 23 software systems. We show by example that a vector of software volatility levels can represent lifecycle behavior of a software system. We further demonstrate that the portfolio ' s 23 software volatility vectors can be grouped into four distinguishable patterns. Thus, we show by example that there are different patterns of system lifecycle behavior, i.e. software evolution.
The role of nickel in Si(001) roughening

Abstract The role of Ni impurities on the structure of the Si(001)-(2 × 1) surface has been investigated by statistically comparin STM patterns with Auger spectra. Characteristic reconstructed local structures (“split off dimers” and “vacancy channels”) are observed for different surface concentrations of Ni as measured by Auger electron spectroscopy, and it is shown that the STM image provides a high sensitivity to Ni. For high levels of Ni contamination, long range roughening of the Si(001) surface is observed resulting in more than 50 A corrugation and loss of atomic structure as detected by the STM. Crystal support cleaning procedures and crystal annealing procedures have been devised permitting Si(001) crystals to be repeatedly heated over long time periods without undergoing surface contamination or macroscopic roughening.
The crystal structure of TMNIN: a one-dimensional S=1 Heisenberg antiferromagnet

Abstract We have determined the crystal structure of tetramethylammonium nickelnitrite, (CH3)4N[Ni(NO2)3], commonly known as TMNIN, a one-dimensional S=1 Heisenberg antiferromagnet which is thought to possess a Haldane gap. The crystal structure determination revealed the unexpected finding that alternate Ni2+ ions along a chain are chemically distinct, with one Ni-site octahedrally coordinated with six nitrite nitrogens while the adjacent Ni-site is octahedrally coordinated with six nitrite oxygens. This crystal structure, and its influences on the low temperature properties of the material, are discussed.
Understanding the relation between network quality of service and the usability of distributed multimedia documents

Network quality of service, as manifest in the delays users experience, effects both user perceptions and performance. Unfortunately, existing research on the usability of network-based documents and applications does not always adequately address the issue of network delays. In this article, we assert that researchers must document, and should consider manipulating, the delays users experience during studies exploring the usability of network-based computing systems. This article provides an overview of the factors that contribute to the delays users experience and the issues involved in modeling these delays. It also provides advice on how delays should be documented and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the various techniques available for integrating delays into usability studies and controlled experiments. The existing literature reports numerous inconsistent results, which may be due to different experimental designs, participants, tasks, independent variables, and dependent variables. Therefore, this article concludes by outlining the experimental design considerations that must be considered as the relation between network quality of service and the usability of network-based computing systems is investigated. The result is a framework that will guide future research and allow more effective comparisons of the results of that research.
New unsteady boundary layers over a long thin cylinder

In this paper, a new family of unsteady boundary layers over a long cylinder was investigated. This new class of unsteady boundary layers involves the flows over a long thin cylinder, whose leading end is either accretion or ablation at a certain rate. Using dimensionless variables, the governing partial differential equations are transformed into an ordinary differential equation, which was solved with a shooting method numerically. Under special cases, the solution can be solved explicitly. Solution domain was estimated and calculated numerically. It is found that a unique solution exists for accretion, while two solutions can exist for ablation. For other ablation parameters, there are no solutions. This new type of unsteady boundary layers over a cylinder enriches the literature on flow passing a cylinder and can provide benchmark problems for validating numerical code of computational fluid dynamics.
Theoretical and experimental study of second harmonic generation from the surface of the topological insulator Bi 2 Se 3

We develop a theoretical model that describes the second harmonic generation of light from the surface of the topological insulator Bi_2Se_3 and experimentally demonstrate that the technique is sensitive to the surface electrons. By performing a crystal symmetry analysis of Bi_2Se_3 (111) we determine the nonlinear electric susceptibility tensor elements that give rise to second harmonic generation. Using these results, we present a phenomenological model that shows that the relative magnitudes of these tensor elements can be determined by measuring the polarization and intensity of the radiated second harmonic light as a function of the in-plane crystal orientation and incident laser polarization. We describe optical techniques capable of isolating second harmonic light and, using these techniques, we measure the first-order linear optical and second-order nonlinear optical responses as a function of crystal orientation and laser polarization on bulk single crystals of Bi_2Se_3 (111). The experimental results are consistent with our theoretical description. By comparing the data to our theoretical model we determine that a portion of the measured second harmonic light originates from the accumulation region of Bi_2Se_3 (111), which we confirm by performing surface doping-dependent studies. Our results show that second harmonic generation is a promising tool for spectroscopic studies of topological surfaces and buried interfaces.
Girls Rock! The Movie

Dir. Arne Johnson and Shane King, 2009 Prod. Arne Johnson Girls Rock! The Movie is an insightful documentary that offers a vivid window into the complicated lives of adolescent girls as they embark...
Bodies and things in the forest of symbols

Taking Manuel Vasquez's book as its point of departure, this essay explores what a truly materialist history of materiality for the study of religion might look like, in contradistinction to idealist histories of materiality. It then mounts a defense of Clifford Geertz as a pioneering scholar of material and embodied religion, against the positions taken by Vasquez and, earlier, by Talal Asad, applying a critique that has by now become overly entrenched and unquestionable.
The effect of content customization on learnability and perceived workload

One of the key e-commerce challenges is to maintain an increasing amount of information up-to-date. This is a challenging task because frequently there is a substantial amount of data being created under tight deadlines. It is important that data management tools used for these tasks are efficient and easy to use. The present study describes the effect of UI content customization on learnability and perceived workload. Participants were asked to create 20 different products using four different web prototypes that varied in content density and customization capability. Mean time on task over 20 trials was fit using a power function and perceived workload was collected using NASA Task Load Index. The results obtained indicate that content customization allows users to reach peak performance faster and reduce task learning. Also, content customization reduces perceived mental demand and frustration as content density increases. Finally, participants performed faster and with higher satisfaction under the customization conditions.
Stigmatization of Sex Offenders

The present study examines how sex offenders perceive and respond to their social status. Using data from in-depth interviews with a sample of 24 incarcerated sex offenders approaching their release dates, analysis highlights offenders' recognition of and responses to social stigmatization. Findings highlight how interactions with members of the prison community and messages received from broader society communicate stigmatization and how recognition of stigmatization produces internalized consequences of shame, hopelessness/depression, and fear and externalized consequences of perceiving their labeled status as unfair and resenting those who apply stigmas. Discussion highlights both the experience of stigmatization and public safety implications.
Effects of incremental depth and tool rotation on failure modes and microstructural properties in Single Point Incremental Forming of polymers

Abstract Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) is a sheet forming process characterized by advantages that include low-cost and part-shape-independent tooling, higher formability and greater process flexibility as compared to conventional sheet forming. While recent work has demonstrated the possibility of SPIF of polymers the effects of incremental depth and tool rotation speed, key process parameters in SPIF, have rarely been examined. This work experimentally examines how incremental depth and tool rotation speed affect the failure mode during forming, forming forces as well as the void structure and crystallinity of the formed material in polymer SPIF. The dependence of both tearing and wrinkling on the incremental depth and tool rotation speed is uncovered. It is shown that contrary to SPIF of metals, greater incremental depths result in increased formability in polymer SPIF, but this advantage is limited by the occurrence of sheet wrinkling at excessively high incremental depths. Further, the occurrence of sheet wrinkling depends not just on the incremental depth but also on the part shape being formed. Microstructural examination of the formed material shows that greater incremental depth results in greater void densities and that the material formed with SPIF has greater crystallinity than the unformed material. Additionally, it is shown that higher tool rotation speed can cause earlier onset of wrinkling. The implications of these observations on SPIF of polymers are discussed.
Physico-chemical properties of low density lipoproteins in normolipidemic Asian Indian men.

The present study investigated whether a predisposition to high frequency of small, dense low density lipoproteins (LDL) could be an additional coronary risk factor in migrant Asian Indians. Ninety-three normolipidemic (fasting plasma cholesterol levels or = 255 A for LDL pattern A and < 255 A for LDL pattern B). Compared to the Caucasians, the Asian Indians had larger LDL size (mean +/- SD; 260.1 +/- 12.8 A vs 267.7 +/- 11.4 A, respectively; p = 0.0002), an increased frequency of LDL pattern A (59% vs 85%, respectively) and a lower frequency of LDL pattern B (41% vs 15%, respectively) (p = 0.0005). The difference in LDL size in the two study groups persisted after adjusting for the various confounding variables, such as age, plasma triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and dietary habits. We conclude that compared to Caucasians, Asian Indian men have larger LDL particles and a lower prevalence of LDL phenotype B in the presence of normolipidemia. Therefore, we exclude a genetic predisposition to atherogenic LDL phenotype as a factor contributing to the high incidence of coronary heart disease in migrant Asian Indians.
Florida public hurricane loss model: Research in multi-disciplinary system integration assisting government policy making

Abstract Homeowner insurance rate making is an important public policy issue in the State of Florida. The State of Florida has over 2 trillion dollars of residential properties exposed to hurricane risk. The State has declared that it shall adopt public policy to encourage the use of sophisticated actuarial methods to assure that consumers are charged lawful insurance rates ( Section 627.0628(1)(a) ). To that effect, the State's insurance regulatory agency, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR), sponsored the development of a Florida Public Hurricane Loss Model (FPHLM) to assess the risk and project insured residential losses. The FPHLM is an open and public model that has been developed primarily by university experts without influence from either the insurance industry or the state regulators. It is open to public scrutiny and provides an understandable baseline to check the assumptions as well as the outputs of the proprietary models. The FPHLM thus makes the rate evaluation process more objective and less political. It enables the state to justify rejecting or accepting rate increases based on an independent and transparent model, rather than a process that can be influenced politically. As a multi-disciplinary large scale research project with an iterative and incremental development cycle, the FPHLM system development and integration faced numerous challenges varying from technical factors to project management aspects. This paper will discuss the research experiences accumulated during the development of the FPHLM and the impact it has had on the homeowner insurance rate filing process in the State of Florida.
Enantiomerically Pure Tetrahydropyrimidinones in Asymmetric Synthesis: Preparation of a Protected α-Methylasparagine Derivative and Corresponding Dipeptides

Methyl ester 5a, available in enantiomerically pure form from the amino acid asparagine via a one-pot cyclization/protection sequence, followed by esterification, can be effectively deprotonated with LDA/DMPU/LiCl. Treatment with MeI affords the corresponding alkylated adduct in enantiomerically pure form, from which α-methylaspartic acid is obtained. Variation of the amine protection group allows for the isolation of a protected carboxylic acid/free amine derivative of α-methylasparagine. The utility of H-MeAsn-OMe is demonstrated in the formation of dipeptides.
Cdk2 dethroned as master of S phase entry

The prevailing view of cdk2 as a critical regulator of cell cycle progression and optimal therapeutic target in cancer cells is now challenged by the observation that tumor cells deficient in cdk2 protein and kinase activity are not impaired in proliferation.
Pastoral counseling and the combat veteran

Our present generation, like no other in modern history, has known a world of "wall-to-wall" military combat. Its fathers in Europe, the South Pacific, and Korea, and its sons in Vietnam have had the firsthand experience of witnessing the application of the technological arts to the destruction of the enemy. Thousands have returned from this experience attempting to resume their civilian lives. Pastoral counselors in churches, universities, and health service centers to which these veterans turn are being forced to deal with patterns of behavior that are new and often threatening.1 '2
A state variable approach to transient creep deformation in stress reduction experiments

Abstract Stress reduction experiments have been widely used to explore the internal state of a creeping material. Although there has been some criticism of the use of this method to measure internal stress directly, data from stress reduction experiments can be used to generate parameters for state variable models that are verified by other means. In this paper the predictions of a state variable approach to stress reduction experiments are explored in detail and compared with previously published data. The state variable model is shown to give a consistent description of the processes involved during the transient deformation, and the predictions and the model parameters are found to compare well with the data obtained by other means.
The effect of estradiol-17 beta and vegetable oil on the hydroxylation of protocollagen.

SummaryEstradiol-17β dissolved in sesame oil increased the activity of proline hydroxylase as measured by the release of tritium from protocollagen containing triti-ated proline. Sesame seed oil alone was responsible for the major part of this effect. The increases produced by the addition of estradiol to sesame seed oil were marginally significant. Studies with constituents of sesame seed oil showed that unsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic, palmitoleic, and linoleic acids, were active. Myristic acid was inactive.