cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurement of hydrogenic tunneling rates in a high-intensity laser focus

An accurate measurement of the tunneling ionization rate for the hydrogenic ground state of helium $({\text{He}}^{1+})$ in a circularly polarized, $2\text{\ensuremath{-}}\text{ps}$, high-intensity laser pulse is presented. The ionizing electric fields are determined with an uncertainty of less than $2%$ by measuring the energies of electrons ponderomotively accelerated out of the focus. The inferred ionization rate agrees well with semiclassical and exact solutions of the Schr\"odinger equation.
Electromagnetic Waves of 1.1 cm Wave-Length and the Absorption Spectrum of Ammonia

A spectrometer, with a grating of the echelette type, was used in mapping the absorption spectrum of ammonia gas in the region from 1 to 4 cm wave-length. To accomplish this, it became necessary to produce electromagnetic waves of shorter wave-length than had been produced before by vacuum tubes. Oscillators of the magnetron type were used as the source of the continuous short wave radiation. The center of the absorption band had been predicted to be at 1.5 cm wave-length. The maximum absorption was found to occur at 1.25 cm. This shift is explained by the unsymmetrical nature of the line. The constants in a theoretical formula for the absorption coefficient have been determined. These constants involve an effective collision diameter of the molecule, and lead to the value $\ensuremath{\sigma}=8.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$ cm. The total intensity of the line was found to be 10\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{7}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ ${\mathrm{sec}.}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$.
Antifertility effect of methoxychlor in female rats: dose- and time-dependent blockade of pregnancy.

Abstract Long-term exposure to methoxychlor (MXC), an estrogenic pesticide, produces infertility in rats, and short-term exposure blocks the decidual cell response (DCR). To address the short-term effects of MXC on fertility, the differential effects of MXC dosage and timing of administration (relative to implantation) on several gestational parameters were investigated. When MXC was administered during early pregnancy (Days 1–8), a dose-dependent decline in implantations and uterine weight was seen with no effect on ovarian weight or corpora lutea; MXC reduced serum progesterone at all doses. Preimplantation administration of MXC (Days 1–3 of pregnancy) produced a decline in implantations and uterine weight, while postimplantation dosing (Days 4–8 of pregnancy) increased resporptions to 100%, decreased uterine weight, and reduced serum progesterone without affecting the number of implantations, ovarian weight, or number of corpora lutea. The DCR of pseudopregnancy was inhibited by 500 mg/kg/day MXC when administered either pre- or postimplantation, but 200 mg/kg/day was without effect in either regimen. When hormonally primed, long-term ovariectomized rats were exposed to doses of 500 mg/kg/day, MXC blocked the induced DCR seen in controls. The data show that short-term MXC dosing during early pregnancy produces a dose-related infertility. The blockade of pregnancy by the preimplatation administration of MXC may be mediated by a direct effect on preimplantation uterine development. The fetal resorption seen following postimplantation dosing is considered a manifestation of both reduced serum progesterone and the direct disruption of normal decidual development by MXC.
Influence of the inter-reach-interval on motor learning

Previous studies have demonstrated changes in motor memories with the passage of time on the order of hours. We sought to further this work by determining the influence that time on the order of seconds has on motor learning by changing the duration between successive reaches (inter-reach-interval (IRI)). Human subjects made reaching movements to visual targets while holding onto a robotic manipulandum that presented a viscous curl field. We tested four experimental groups that differed with respect to the IRI (0.5, 5, 10 or 20 s). The 0.5 s IRI group performed significantly worse with respect to a learning index than the other groups over the first set of 192 reaches. Each group demonstrated significant learning during the first set. There was no significant difference with respect to the learning index between the 5, 10 and 20 s IRI groups. During the second and third set of 192 reaches the 0.5 s IRI group's performance became indistinguishable from the other groups indicating that with continued training the initial deficit in performance could be overcome.
Surface acoustic wave (SAW) directed droplet flow in microfluidics for PDMS devices

We direct the motion of droplets in microfluidic channels using a surface acoustic wave device. This method allows individual drops to be directed along separate microchannel paths at high volume flow rates, which is useful for droplet sorting.
Laser-induced fluorescence determination of thallium in sediments

A simple dissolution procedure is decribed for sediments to be analyzed for thallium by Laser-Excited Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry (LEAFS). It simply uses a nitric – hydrofluoric acid mixture at room temperature (a “cold dissolution” procedure as opposed to the hot acid digestion) followed by a dilution with water (as opposed to the tedious steps of separation and preconcentration). Excellent accuracy (91–106% recoveries) and precision (4–10% relative standard deviation) were demonstrated by the use of five sediment reference materials of diverse origins. The detection limit was estimated to be 0.5 ng/g of thallium. Additionally, a hot plate digestion procedure, using an in-house designed semi-enclosed Teflon beaker, was also investigated; its analytical results agreed with certified values and confirmed the adequacy of the cold dissolution technique. The method is being applied to study the sediment – water interactions in lake environments.
The mechanism for enhanced autoadhesion in azoester‐modified polybutadienes

The addition of IAD pendant groups to PB molecules results in a larger effective chain crosssectional area with consequent decrease in chain entanglements. This causes the rubber to be more complaint at low strains and strain rates. Simultaneously, the IAD structures give rise to polar and H-bond interactions which cause the material to exhibit strong adhesion and to possess high green strength. As a result, the IAD-PB is a relatively rare example of a synthetic polymer with good autoadhesive properties.
Raman and Normal-Mode Studies of the Extended-Helix Conformation in Polypeptide Chains *

The nature of the local main-chain conformation of polypeptides with charged side chains has been the subject of considerable discussion since Tiffany and Krimm first proposed [(1968) Biopolymers6, 1379–1381] that, rather than being random, the chain is locally relatively regular, with conformations similar to that of a left-handed threefold helix. Such structures, referred to as “extended-helix” (EH) conformations, have now been studied in a charged poly(L-glutamic acid) system by a combination of Raman spectroscopy and normal-mode analysis. Calculations were done for EH conformations with 3.0 and 2.4 residues/turn, using force fields refined for α-helix, 31-helix, and β-sheet structures. Together with previous results on the α-helix and β-sheet forms, an interesting new correlation emerged: the frequency of the CαC stretch skeletal mode, usually found in the 900–1000 cm−1 region of the Raman spectrum, is essentially linearly correlated with the value of the ϕ angle. Applying this relationship to the observed frequencies of the α-helix and β-sheet forms of poly(L-glutamic acid), we find that an observed sharp band in the spectrum of crystals of the calcium salt of poly(L-glutamic acid) (which is close to the frequency observed for the charged form in solution) corresponds to an EH conformation very close to that predicted from energy calculations. These studies thus provide very strong support for our proposal that charged polypeptide chains are not random but adopt local conformations of the EH type.
A Hierarchical Approach to Test Vector Generation

Given a combinational network and a specific stuck-at fault to be detected, there are several approaches to generating a test vector. However, most of these approaches fail to exploit the hierarchy inherent in any complex digital design. This paper presents a hierarchical approach to test vector generation. HIPODEM: A test generation system based on this approach is presented. General procedures to perform forward implication and backtracing in a hierarchical framework are discussed in detail. Experimental results obtained from test runs on both flat-level and hierarchical circuits are compared. For the circuits tried, generating tests from a hierarchical description proved to be faster than doing it from a flat level description of the circuit.
The subunit dissociation properties of turtle hemoglobins.

Abstract 1. 1.|The apparent molecular weight of unpolymerized turtle hemoglobins as measured by gel filtration decreases with a decrease in protein concentration. Weights vary from 33 000 to 55 000 within the protein concentration range 0.002–1.2%. 2. 2.|The oxygen affinity of hemoglobin from the turtle, Pseudemys concinna texana , increases slightly when the protein concentration decreases below 0.1% at pH 6.50, but not at pH 8.00. The value of the interaction constant, n , appears to be independent of protein concentration within the range 0.003%–1.0%. 3. 3.|The molecular weight of polymerized hemoglobin appears to depend upon protein concentration only at pH 4.70 where the polymer dissociates upon sufficient dilution. This dissociation probably involves separation of the polypeptide chain subunits of each tetramer but not cleavage of a disulfide linkage. 4. 4.|Polymerization of those turtle hemoglobins capable of aggregation is favored by high pH and conditions promoting methemoglobin formation. At least 80% of the hemoglobin can polymerize to octameric or larger molecules. 5. 5.|Methemoglobin appears to be slightly more dissociated than carboxyhemoglobin under almost all conditions studied.
Conformationally dynamic π-conjugation: probing structure-property relationships of fluorescent tris(N-salicylideneaniline)s.

We recently reported the design and synthesis of a series of conformationally dynamic chromophores that are built on the C3-symmetric tris(N-salicylideneaniline) platform. This system utilizes coop...
Recognizing mental stress in chess players using vital sign data

The identification of psychological stress can provide important feedback in order to perform critical activities. While a certain amount of stress may increase performance, an overly stressful reaction may hinder it. Because subjective bias can make it difficult to accurately recognize psychological stress, it would be advantageous for an external system to perform the task instead. We present a platform for psychological stress detection using physiological sensors during a chess match. The sensors are inside an unobtrusive chest strap that can be worn by the player during a match. By playing games on an Android phone, the system can apply machine learning techniques to the player's vital sign data to give important feedback such as which moves caused the player to become stressed during a match.
The apical triangle: an overlooked aesthetic facial subunit.

A patient was referred for surgical reconstruction of a left facial defect after Mohs surgery that resulted in loss of the apical triangle, more than half of the lateral superior ala, and 4 to 5 mm of the medial cheek (Figure 1). After a medial advancement flap to reconstruct the aesthetic subunit of the cheek and a paramedian forehead flap over an auricular cartilage batten graft to re-create the ala, distortion and loss of the apical triangle occurred. The overall result of the reconstruction could be considered reasonably successful, but the patient’s face still did not appear completely symmetrical, particularly when attention was directed to the left apical triangle region. An inferior-medial displacement of the melolabial crease marked the distortion of this subunit (Figure 2). How would you repair this subunit?
UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECT OF CONFOUNDING IN DESIGN OF EXPERIMENTS: A CASE STUDY IN HIGH-SPEED WEAVING

[This abstract is based on the author's abstract.] The application of design of experiment techniques for process optimization is examined. Emphasis is given to confounding effects when partial factorial designs are used. Four factors are examined..
Tacrolimus nephrotoxicity after renal transplantation

This study describes the clinical profile of tacrolimus (Tac) nephrotoxicity after renal transplantation. Tac was given initially as a 0.075 to 0.1 mg/kg/day IV continuous infusion and then orally at 0.15 mg/kg twice daily. Patients were selected based on a rising serum creatinine, normal ultrasound, and absence of rejection on biopsy, leading to a reduction in Tac dosage and fall in creatinine. Twenty-two (17%) cases of nephrotoxicity were identified among 128 kidney transplant biopsies. This compares with a 20.5% incidence reported by the Japanese FK506 study group.1 The onset of nephrotoxicity occurred 1 to 156 weeks postoperatively. The mean baseline creatinine was 2.4 ± 1.9 mg/dL (range 1.0 to 9.9) and rose 40.6% ± 14.2% (range 11 to 66) during episodes of nephrotoxicity. Mean peak plasma (n = 10) and whole blood (n = 12) Tac levels during the toxic episodes were, respectively, 2.7 ± 0.8 ng/mL (range 1.1 to 3.5) and 31.6 ± 10.6 ng/mL (range 14.5 to 50.5). The drug levels were considered to be beyond the therapeutic range in 18 of 22 (82%) patients. The highest Tae level preceeded the rise in creatinine in 20 cases by 1.6 ± 1.8 days. A mean reduction in Tac dosage of 41% ± 21% (range 11 to 89) led to a 86% ± 18% (range 45 to 100) fall in serum creatinine in 1 to 14 days. Serum potassium higher than 5.0 mEq/L was recorded in 9 of 22 (41%) cases. More than three elevations in blood glucose greater than 140 mg/dL were recorded in 4 of 11 (36%) non-diabetic patients. Hand tremors were seen in two (9%) cases and elevated diastolic blood pressure higher than 90 mm Hg in seven (32%) patients.
Effects of buoyancy on the critical heat flux in forced convection

The critical heat flux (CHF) in forced convection over a flat surface at relatively low flow velocities has been found, not unexpectedly, to depend upon the orientation of the buoyancy. The CHF for R-113 was measured at various heating surface orientations for test section Reynolds numbers ranging between 3000 and 6500. In this flow range, the buoyancy force acting on the vapor generally dominates over the flow inertia, yet the inertia would still be substantial were gravity to be reduced. In the experiments of this study, the CHF is determined for heating surface orientations ranging from 0 deg to 360 deg, for flow velocities between 4 cm/s and 35 cm/s, and for subcoolings between 2.8 C and 22.2 C. The results presented here demonstrate the strong influence of buoyancy at low flow velocities, which diminishes as the flow velocity and subcooling are increased. 15 refs.
The problem of convulsive disorders in geriatric psychiatry.

Two hundred fifty institutional epileptics with concomitant psychiatric disorders were studied to correlate the effects of aging on the morbidity and prognosis of the convulsive disorder. Evidence is presented to indicate that the majority of patients with convulsive disorders tend to improve with age. Data are presented to show that in the light of our present knowledge the problem of epilepsy in our geriatric population can be managed adequately and that aged epileptic patients can expect to live normal life spans in spite of their convulsive disorders.
Disinsertion of the Aponeurosis of the Levator Palpebrae Superioris Muscle After Cataract Extraction

Surgical exploration of the upper eyelid was undertaken in two patients who developed blepharoptosis after cataract extraction. Disinsertion of the aponeurosis of the levator palpebrae superioris muscle from its epitarsal attachments was discovered and repaired in each patient to correct the blepharoptosis.
Connectance of dynamical systems with increasing number of degrees of freedom

A set of $n$ coupled two-dimensional area-preserving mappings in taken as a model problem for the study of the stochasticity of dynamical systems with $n$ degrees of freedom. The connectance of the system is defined as the percentage of two-dimensional mappings that are directly coupled. This work suggests that large complex dynamical systems may be expected to be stable below some critical level of connectance, but that as the connectance increases above that level they would become unstable.
Labeled rough partitions: a new general purpose representation for multiple-valued functions and relations

Abstract In this paper, we present a new data structure for representing multiple-valued (MV) relations (functions in particular), both completely and incompletely specified, and an associated set of manipulation algorithms. Relations are represented by labeled rough partitions, structure similar to rough partitions introduced in [T. Luba, Decomposition of multiple-valued functions, in: Proceedings of the 25th ISMVL, 1995, pp. 256–261] but extended with labels to store the full information about relations. We present experimental results from comparison of our data structure to binary decision diagrams (BDDs) on binary functions (MCNC benchmarks) showing its superiority in terms of memory requirements in 73% cases. The new representation can be used to a large class of MV, completely and incompletely specified functions and relations, typical for machine learning and complex finite state machine (FSM) controller optimization applications.
Using Fiber Optics to Detect Moisture Intrusion into a Landfill Cap Consisting of a Vegetative Soil Barrier

Abstract The intrusion of moisture into landfills can pose a health hazard because of the possibility that the moisture will carry harmful substances into the groundwater. Early detection of moisture anywhere within these landfills is essential if corrective action is to be taken well before an occurrence of this kind. This paper presents the results of a field-scale simulation test of the use of fiber optics to detect the presence of moisture within landfill covers, using a detection method based on the thermal response of soils as a function of their moisture content. By sending electrical current through an embedded stainless-steel tube, soils of varying moisture content were heated and time-dependent temperature measurements were obtained with a fiber-optic distributed temperature sensor system. The optical fiber itself lay within the tube, but its temperature was a function of how rapidly heat was conducted into the surrounding medium. The results of this experiment, which are in agreement with those...
Controlling electron propagation on a topological insulator surface via proximity interactions

The possibility of electron beam guiding is theoretically explored on the surface of a topological insulator through the proximity interaction with a magnetic material. The electronic band modification induced by the exchange coupling at the interface defines the path of electron propagation in analogy to the optical fiber for photons. Numerical simulations indicate the guiding efficiency is much higher than that in the ``waveguide'' formed by an electrostatic potential barrier such as $p$-$n$ junctions. Furthermore, the results illustrate effective flux control and beam steering that can be realized by altering the magnetization/spin texture of the adjacent magnetic materials. Specifically, the feasibility to switch on and off and make a large-angle turn is demonstrated under realistic conditions. Potential implementation to logic and interconnect applications is also examined in connection with electrically controlled magnetization switching.
Effects of walking on peak expiratory flow rate in four asthmatic children.

Summary.-The effect of walking on peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) of four asthmatic children is reported. Subjects 1 and 2 exercised three days per week and Subjects 3 and 4 exercised two days per week during ths 9-mo. study. Subjects 1 and 3 exercised for 10 wk., did not exercise for 11 wk., and exercised again for 11 wk. Subjects 2 and 4 did not exercise for 10 wk., exercised for 11 wk., and again did not exercise for 11 wk., Subjects 1, 2, and 4 had a higher mean PEFR during exercise than during no exercise, and Subject 3 had a lower mean PEFR during exercise than during no exercise. These results suggest that walking may positively influence PEFR of selected asthmatic children if facton such as environment, allergies, and medication side-effects can be controlled.
An algorithm for exploiting modeling error statistics to enable robust analog optimization

Equation-based optimization using geometric programming (GP) for automated synthesis of analog circuits has recently gained broader adoption. A major outstanding challenge is the inaccuracy resulting from fitting the complex behavior of scaled transistors to posynomial functions. Fitting over a large region can be grossly inaccurate, and in fact, poor posynomial fit can lead to failure to find a true feasible solution. On the other hand, fitting over smaller regions and then selecting the best region, incurs exponential complexity. In this paper, we advance a novel optimization strategy that circumvents these dueling problems in the following manner: by explicitly handling the error of the model in the course of optimization, we find a potentially suboptimal, but feasible solution. This solution subsequently guides a range-refinement process of our transistor models, allowing us to reduce the range of operating conditions and dimensions, and hence obtain far more accurate GP models. The key contribution is in using the available oracle (SPICE simulations) to identify solutions that are feasible with respect to the accurate behavior rather than the fitted model. The key innovation is the explicit link between the fitting error statistics and the rate of the error uncertainty set increase, which we use in a robust optimization formulation to find feasible solutions. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm on a two benchmarks: a two-stage CMOS operational amplifier and a voltage controlled oscillator designed in TSMC 0.18µm CMOS technology. Our algorithm is able to identify superior solution points producing uniformly better power and area values under gain constraint with improvements of up to 50% in power and 10% in area for the amplifier design. We also demonstrate that when utilizing the models with the same level of modeling error, our method yields solutions that meet the constraints while the violations for the standard method were as high as 45% and larger than 15% for several constraints.
Comparison of options for distributed generation in India

There is renewed interest in distributed generation (DG). This paper reviews the different technological options available for DG, their current status and evaluates them based on the cost of generation and future potential in India. The non-renewable options considered are internal combustion engines fuelled by diesel, natural gas and microturbines and fuel cells fired by natural gas. The renewable technologies considered are wind, solar photovoltaic, biomass gasification and bagasse cogeneration. The cost of generation is dependent on the load factor and the discount rate. Gas engines and Bagasse based cogeneration are found to be the most cost effective DG options while wind and biomass gasifier fired engines are viable under certain conditions. PEM Fuel cells and micro turbines based on natural gas need a few demonstrations projects and cost reductions before becoming viable. A strategy involving pilot projects, tracking of costs and dissemination of information is likely to result in DG meeting 10% of India's power needs by 2012.
Cholecystocolic fistula with colonic obstruction: Report of a case

A case of cholecystocolonic fistula and sigmoidal obstruction is presented. Initial surgical management was accomplished by colotomy with lithotomy, cholecystectomy, and concomitant exteriorization of the fistula site in the colon as a diverting colostomy. The authors recommend routine use of exteriorization of a fistula site as a diverting colostomy with cholecystectomy or cholecystostomy for initial treatment for this unusual manifestation of biliary disease.
Observations of faint Haro galaxies

Spectroscopic and photometric data for 23 faint-compact UV-excess galaxy candidates, found by Haro's three-color technique (1956), are presented. Eighteen were found to be emission-line galaxies (magnitudes between 14.4 and 17.9) with redshifts in the range of 1670 to 39,450 km/s; the remaining five appear to be stars. The apparent compactness of the galaxy images is a result of the finite resolution of the Survey plates. Faint Haro galaxies are not distinguishable from the original Haro galaxies in surface brightness or in their range of color and absolute magnitude. The Haro galaxies correspond to roughly two-thirds of Huchra's non-Seyfert Markarian galaxies (1977 a) which have the most negative (U-B) index; the new Haro galaxies have the same V magnitude growth with aperture, the same (B-V) aperture relation, and the same mean surface brightness as the Markarian galaxies.
Self-Sensing Structures for Control of Micro and Nano-cantilevers

A sensing approach, based on resonance frequency shifts of an oscillating micro- or nano- cantilever, can potentially provide ultimate sensitivity for detection of a single molecule. However, implementation of this sensing technology on a micro-scale has intrinsic limitations: The quality, Q, of an oscillating microcantilever vibrating in air is approximately in the 30-100 range and this value dramatically drops in a liquid environment. Feedback control of the oscillations can improve the quality of the system but multiple challenges are encountered with the sensing and actuation. Traditional data acquisition approaches, which include optical, piezoresistance, piezoelectric and capacitance methods, have very limited application in signal transduction from micro- or nano- cantilever beams. In addition, electrostatic and thermal actuations are not appropriate for liquid environments. A novel approach, utilizing the self-sensing and self-actuation response of electroactive materials is proposed for control of cantilever beam vibration. As far as sensing is concerned, we exploit the fact that any dielectric material exhibits dielectrostriction effect; this is defined as variation of dielectric properties of the material with deformation. Similarly, on the actuation side electrostriction response can also be used. In this work, control challenges and approaches for such nonlinear systems with self-sensing and self-actuation capabilities will be discussed.
THE DURATION OF ACHLORHYDRIA ATTENDING FREEZING OF THE ISOLATED CANINE GASTRIC POUCH.

Summary o 1. Forty-two dogs underwent gastric pouch freezing, and gastric tissue temperature studies were done concomitantly in 27 dogs. In most cases, uniform temperature depression was observed using thermocouples at different locations on the balloon surface and within the same submucosal tissue plane of the pouch. The average balloon surface temperature was 3.4° colder than the mean submucosal temperature. 2. The uniformity of temperatures is due in part to a high heat transfer coefficient or efficiency of the small round balloon used. The efficiency of the larger stomach-shaped balloon used in freezing the intact canine stomach is lower. 3. In Group H B a tissue temperature of −2° to 4° C. maintained for 40 minutes produced an average achlorhydric period of 16.2 weeks (3 of 8 dogs are still achlorhydric at 16, 28 and 30 weeks). Doubling the duration of freezing from 20 to 40 minutes at these temperatures exerted a 2000 per cent increase in duration of the achlorhydria. These freezing conditions appear to be a safe limit for the intact stomach. Methods to improve the efficiency of freezing of the intact stomach are being studied.
Impact of institution of a stroke program upon referral bias at a rural academic medical center.

: Context: Referral bias reflecting the preferential hospital transfer of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has been demonstrated as the major contributing factor for an observed high nonrisk-adjusted in-hospital crude acute stroke mortality rate at a rural academic medical center. Purpose: This study was done to assess the impact of a clinical acute stroke program upon referral bias in August 2000. Methods: A chart review of acute stroke (DRG 14) discharges during 2001 from a rural academic medical center was compared with the same data from 1999. Results: The odds ratio of ICH in hospital-transfer patients compared with nonhospital-transfer patients decreased from 11.7 in 1999 to 3.2 in 2001 (P<.035). Conclusions: This study demonstrated the rapid magnitude and significance that clinical programs can have upon referral bias. Changes in referral bias may be more rapid at rural academic medical centers because of the relative lack of health care delivery competition.
A Comparison of Self-Adapted and Computerized Adaptive Tests

According to item response theory (IRT), examinee ability estimation is independent of the particular set of test items administered from a calibrated pool. Although the most popular application of this feature of IRT is computerized adaptive (CA) testing, a recently proposed alternative is self-adapted (SA) testing, in which examinees choose the difficulty level of each of their test items. This study compared examinee performance under SA and CA tests, finding that examinees taking the SA test (a) obtained significantly higher ability scores and (b) reported significantly lower posttest state anxiety. The results of this study suggest that SA testing is a desirable format for computer-based testing.
Hot flushes, coronary heart disease, and hormone therapy in postmenopausal women.

Objective The aim of this study was to examine interactions between hot flushes, estrogen plus progestogen therapy (EPT), and coronary heart disease (CHD) events in postmenopausal women with CHD. Methods We analyzed data from the Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 0.625 mg conjugated equine estrogens plus 2.5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate in 2,763 postmenopausal women with CHD. Hot flushes were assessed at baseline using self-administered questionnaires; women reporting bothersome hot flushes "some" to "all" of the time were considered to have clinically significant flushing. Cox regression models were used to examine the effect of EPT on risk of CHD events among women with and without significant flushing at baseline. Results The mean age of participants was 66.7 +/- 6.8 years, and 89% (n = 2,448) were white. Sixteen percent (n = 434) of participants reported clinically significant hot flushes at baseline. Among women with baseline flushing, EPT increased risk of CHD events nine-fold in the first year compared with placebo (hazard ratio = 9.01; 95% CI, 1.15-70.35); among women without baseline flushing, treatment did not significantly affect CHD event risk in the first year (hazard ratio = 1.32; 95% CI, 0.86-2.03; P = 0.07 for interaction of hot flushes with treatment). The trend toward differential effects of EPT on risk for CHD among women with and without baseline flushing did not persist after the first year of treatment. Conclusions Among older postmenopausal women with CHD, EPT may increase risk of CHD events substantially in the first year of treatment among women with clinically significant hot flushes but not among those without hot flushes.
Effects of a Self-Instructional Procedure on Handwriting:

A card showing seven self-instructional questions designed to prompt students to think about important aspects of handwriting was provided to two learning disabled elementary school boys according to a multiple baseline design. Assessments of the boys' handwriting performance, including letter formation, letter proximity to the line, letter height, and word spacing were made daily in their resource room. The assessment data showed that (a) the boys' handwriting improved markedly when the card was introduced, (b) the improvements persisted over time while the card was still available to them, and (c) the effects were maintained even after the card was no longer available. Data from the regular classroom for one of the boys showed that his handwriting also improved in that setting.
Functionalized fiber optic devices for surface enhanced Raman scattering detection and optical trapping

This work demonstrates two fiber optic devices: one device detects in situ surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) from remote analytes, and the other is designed to perform three-dimensional trapping of small particles.
What is beyond the laptop initiative? Perhaps: Tablet PCs and DyKnow Vision software

For over ten years Rose-Hulman has required all incoming students to purchase an institute-selected laptop computer and an associated suite of software. Students use their laptops in classrooms on a daily basis. More recently, we have begun to ask: What is beyond the laptop initiative? One possible answer is a combination of pen-based Tablet PCs and interaction-enhancing software like DyKnow Vision. This paper reports: our innovative use of DyKnow Vision software and Tablet PCs (hereafter, DyKnow/Tablets") to promote active learning in the classroom; similarities/differences in our approach across 7 courses covering engineering, humanities and science and involving more than 20% of Rose-Hulman's students; and studies that assess how DyKnow/Tablets affect student learning. Thus, the paper presents an innovative direction that engineering education may take as well as an assessment of some aspects of that direction.
Chemoresistance in Prostate Cancer Cells Is Regulated by miRNAs and Hedgehog Pathway

Many prostate cancers relapse due to the generation of chemoresistance rendering first-line treatment drugs like paclitaxel (PTX) ineffective. The present study aims to determine the role of miRNAs and Hedgehog (Hh) pathway in chemoresistant prostate cancer and to evaluate the combination therapy using Hh inhibitor cyclopamine (CYA). Studies were conducted on PTX resistant DU145-TXR and PC3-TXR cell lines and clinical prostate tissues. Drug sensitivity and apoptosis assays showed significantly improved cytotoxicity with combination of PTX and CYA. To distinguish the presence of cancer stem cell like side populations (SP), Hoechst 33342 flow cytometry method was used. PTX resistant DU145 and PC3 cells, as well as human prostate cancer tissue possess a distinct SP fraction. Nearly 75% of the SP cells are in the G0/G1 phase compared to 62% for non-SP cells and have higher expression of stem cell markers as well. SP cell fraction was increased following PTX monotherapy and treatment with CYA or CYA plus PTX effectively reduced their numbers suggesting the effectiveness of combination therapy. SP fraction cells were allowed to differentiate and reanalyzed by Hoechst staining and gene expression analysis. Post differentiation, SP cells constitute 15.8% of total viable cells which decreases to 0.6% on treatment with CYA. The expression levels of P-gp efflux protein were also significantly decreased on treatment with PTX and CYA combination. MicroRNA profiling of DU145-TXR and PC3-TXR cells and prostate cancer tissue from the patients showed decreased expression of tumor suppressor miRNAs such as miR34a and miR200c. Treatment with PTX and CYA combination restored the expression of miR200c and 34a, confirming their role in modulating chemoresistance. We have shown that supplementing mitotic stabilizer drugs such as PTX with Hh-inhibitor CYA can reverse PTX chemoresistance and eliminate SP fraction in androgen independent, metastatic prostate cancer cell lines.
Obesity-Related Behaviors among Poor Adolescents and Young Adults: Is Social Position Associated with Risk Behaviors?

This cross-sectional study examines multiple dimensions of social position in relation to obesity-related behaviors in an adolescent and young adult population. In addition to using conventional measures of social position, including parental education and household expenditures, we explore the usefulness of three youth-specific measures of social position—community and society subjective social status and school dropout status. Data is taken from a 2004 house-to-house survey of urban households within the bottom 20th percentile of income distribution within seven states in Mexico. A total of 5,321 Mexican adolescents, aged 12-22 years, provided information on obesity-related behaviors (e.g. diet, physical activity, sedentary behavior) and indicators of subjective and objective social position. A parent in each household provided information on socioeconomic status of the parent and household. Ordinal logistic regressions are used to estimate the associations of parental, household and adolescent indicators of social position and obesity-related risk behaviors. Those adolescents with the highest odds of adopting obesity risk behaviors were the ones who perceived themselves as lower in social status in reference to their peer community and those who had dropped out of school. We found no significant associations between parental education or household expenditures and obesity-related risk behaviors. Immediate social factors in adolescents' lives may have a strong influence on their health-related behaviors. This study provides evidence for the usefulness of two particular measures, both of which are youth-specific. Adolescents and young adults who have dropped out of school and those with lower perceived relative social position within their community are more likely to be at-risk for obesity-related behaviors than those with higher relative social position. We conclude that youth-specific measures may be important in identifying the most at-risk among relatively homogeneous populations of youth.
Performance Optimization of Switched Systems: A Model Matching Approach

In this paper we consider a prototypical model matching problem where the various mappings involved are systems that switch arbitrarily among n stable linear time-invariant (LTI) systems. The interest is placed on optimizing the worst-case performance of this model matching system over all possible switchings with either l infin-induced norm or H 2 norm as the performance criterion. This optimization is performed over all Youla-Kucera parameters that switch causally in time among n stable LTI systems. For the particular setup at hand, it is shown that the optimal Youla-Kucera parameter need not depend on the switching trajectory in the cases of partially matched switching and unmatched switching, and that it can be obtained as an LTI solution to an associated standard l 1 or H 2 optimization. In the case of matched switching, two convergent sequences to the optimal solution from above and below are formulated in terms of linear programs and quadratic programs respectively for the l infin-induced and H 2 norm optimizations. An approximate solution with any given precision is possible by finite truncation. Applications of these results to sensitivity minimization, linear switched parameter systems, and cooperative control are provided.
Management of River and Reservoir Sedimentation in Pakistan

ABSTRACT Water is the mainstay of Pakistan's economy for irngation, electricity generation and industrial production. The precious Mangle and Tarbele reservoirs are being silted up at the rate of 42 000 and 109 000 acre feet annually, due to faulty practices in the catchment areas. This is costing 2.3 billion rupees annually. The scientific management of these areas can reduce the siltation rate by 30 percent. The Forest Department, the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and the Soil Conservation Organisation are working in isolation to carry out proper land-use management activities in the field, while research is being done by Pakistan Forest Institute and Pakistan Agricultural Research Council. The non-existence of a central coordinating organisation, lack of trained personnel and research and monitoring facilities, non-involvement of the people and faulty implementation are major management problems. The monitoring of the effect of different activities on the sedimentation is being done onl...
A Neuroscientific Renaissance of Humanistic Psychology

Advances in cognitive neuroscience are creating a significant theoretical rapprochement between neuroscience and humanistic psychology. Since the decade of the brain, there has been a steady increase in neuroscientific research on characteristically humanistic topics such as selfhood, choice, and collaborative meaning making. Moreover, the fundamental postulates of humanistic psychology are playing a central role in a host of contemporary viewpoints within neuroscience. As a result, neuroscience is paving the way for a renewed appreciation of humanistic psychology. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the contemporary currents of neuroscientific thought that are most notably supportive of humanistic psychology’s general understanding of human existence. The theoretical rapprochement between neuroscience and humanistic psychology suggests that humanistic psychology may benefit from enhancing its developmental and multicultural aspects. Humanistic psychology stands to further benefit fro...
Toward the clarification of classroom contexts: Pragmatic aspects of effective instruction

Recent research and theory devoted to developing the socio-historical context of educational innovation may be enhanced and invigorated by considering some overlooked theoretical precursors in the educational and child development literature. These sources converge on the centrality of communication in clarifying recent advances in both experimental and school-based research and development. Focusing on student sensitive communication, a basic developmental process called intellectualization is proposed to establish that there are social agent-intellectual system relations to be investigated just as with the social agent-personality relations intrinsic in the ubiquitous socialization process. Relevant background literature is identified, and exemplary recent research is noted.
An Investigation of Linking Methods Under the Graded Response Model

Linking tests from different calibrations under item response theory requires calculation of the slope and intercept of the appropriate linear transformation. Results from five linking methods under the graded response model were investigated using simulated datasets: the characteristic curve method, the minimum x2 method, and three mean and a methods. Examples are presented for horizontal (matched 0) and vertical (unmatched 0) linking situations. Fifty replications of the data were generated for each combination of two underlying ability distributions, two sample sizes, and four lengths of common-item links. Item parameter estimates were placed onto the underlying metric using each of the linking methods. The results indicate that differences in the linking coefficients were small. Root mean square differences and mean Euclidean distances from underlying parameters were very small under most conditions. The results are consistent with previous research on dichotomous models. The five linking methods yiel...
Finance and Industrialization in Italy, 1894-1914

My thesis is a study of finance and industrialization in Italy between 1894 and 1914. Alexander Gerschenkron has argued that the years between 1896 and 1908 in Italy were the years of her “big spurt,” basing his analysis largely on an index of industrial production which he prepared for the period 1881-1913. In many cases the value of output was estimated by the value of inputs; in these instances, value added by industry was understated. In a number of instances the data problems were such that the estimates were very crude approximations of actual production. Nevertheless, when these indexes are combined with other available data on Italian industrial development, the years 1894-1914 stand out as the period during which the nation created her industrial base; only the expansion of the post-World War II years exceeded the growth rates achieved during this period.
Addressing Educational Accountability and Political Legitimacy with Citizen Responsibility

In this essay, Sarah Stitzlein addresses a key current crisis in public education: accountability. Rather than centrally being about poor performance of teachers or inefficiency of schools, as we most often hear in media outlets and in education reform speeches, Stitzlein argues the crisis is at heart one about citizen responsibility and political legitimacy. She claims that the recent accountability movement has shifted the onus of curing society's problems almost exclusively onto schools, but contends that these burdens should not just be unidirectional. There is, Stitzlein maintains, a corresponding obligation on the part of citizens to public schools. This includes all citizens, not just those closely tied to schools through their children or employment. Moreover, this obligation entails a robust commitment that extends beyond merely supporting public schools through taxes, voting for levies, and choosing to send one's children to them. The responsibility of citizens includes upholding a commitment to schools as a central institution of democracy — something that sustains democracy but also, in its best forms, is democracy in action.
Amplitude-phase decorrelation: a method for reducing intensity noise in semiconductor lasers

It has been shown that the method of amplitude-phase decorrelation can reduce the fundamental intensity noise floor of semiconductor laser light over a wide bandwidth by the ratio 1/(1+ alpha /sup 2/), where alpha is the linewidth enhancement factor. The method uses a dispersive element to convert phase noise into intensity noise. This technique was recently demonstrated by reducing intensity noise from a DFB (distributed feedback) laser as much as 7 dB below its intrinsic level. In the present work, the authors extend these results by characterizing the frequency dependence of the noise reduction. Optimum reduction is achieved in the flat region of the spectrum and diminishes at higher frequencies approaching the relaxation resonance. The correlation properties of the fluctuations are also investigated. >