cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Narrative Review of Design-Based Research in Engineering Education: Opportunities and Challenges

Background: Active engagement across a range of methodological frameworks is one hallmark of thriving scholarly disciplines. Design-based research is one newer approach to education research that holds promise for developing effective interventions that are iteratively theorized, designed, and tested within local engineering education contexts. Purpose: To promote engagement with diverse research frameworks, the purpose of this narrative literature review was to identify, describe, and critically examine emerging use of design-based research in engineering education. We addressed research questions focused on characterizing the use of design-based research in engineering education in terms of the a) problems studied, b) interventions designed, c) participant populations and learning contexts, d) research methods employed, e) form(s) of the research findings, and f) limitations of the literature. Furthermore, this work identified current opportunities and challenges of design-based research for the field of engineering education through analysis of review findings in light of the authors’ experiences conducting design-based research in engineering education. Scope/Method: Using established review procedures that included specified database search terms and inclusion criteria, we identified 24 empirical design-based research studies in engineering education. We used qualitative content analysis to code study characteristics including nationality, participant population, research methods, and learning context. We then synthesized and critiqued findings across studies. Conclusions: In synthesizing key aspects of empirical design-based research studies in engineering education, this review provides insights into the ways design-based research is being implemented to advance engineering education imperatives and provides a foundation for expanding and strengthening use of design-based research in future work in engineering education. Opportunities of design-based research for engineering education include developing local improvements to the field’s most persistent and vexing issues (i.e., “wicked” problems) and realizing the full potential of technology for 21st century engineering education. Challenges include developing interdisciplinary teams, the need for expertise across multiple research approaches and methods, funding emergent DBR projects, and disseminating DBR results across the project lifespan.
TribalCrit, Curriculum Mining, and the Teaching of Contemporary Indigenous Issues

Dominant discourses in U.S. History are typically engaged through a settler-colonial framework. Informed by the ubiquity of commercial presentations, cultural tropes, and caricatures—movies, consum...
Delayed QT Prolongation: Derivation of a Novel Risk Factor for Adverse Cardiovascular Events from Acute Drug Overdose

In ED patients with acute drug overdose involving prescription medication and/or substances of abuse, severe QTc prolongation (> 500 ms) is predictive of adverse cardiovascular events (ACVE), defined as myocardial injury, ventricular dysrhythmia, shock, or cardiac arrest. However, it is unclear whether delayed severe QTc prolongation (dsQTp) is a risk factor for ACVE and if specific clinical factors are associated with occurrence of dsQTp. A secondary analysis of a prospective cohort of consecutive adult ED patients with acute drug overdose was performed on patients with initial QTc 45 years and polydrug (≥ 3) overdoses. In this large secondary analysis of ED patients with acute drug overdose, dsQTp was an independent risk factor for in-hospital occurrence of ACVE.
Nerve—Muscle Preparations of Genito-Urinary Muscle (Other Than Vas Deferens)

Nerve—muscle preparations of other smooth muscles in the genito-urinary tract have been studied less extensively than those of the vas deferens. One reason is that, unlike the vas deferens, these other muscles usually show considerable spontaneous, myogenic activity. It is assumed that neural influences modulate rather than initiate this activity so that the effects of nerve stimulation are more subtle and therefore more difficult to analyze than in the vas deferens. Another reason is that the innervation density, determined histochemically and biochemically (Labay et al., 1970; Marshall, 1970), is considerably less in genito-urinary muscles other than the vas deferens. Thus the electrophysiological investigations of neuroeff’ector transmission at the cellular level are often more ambiguous and less predictable in the former muscles. Nevertheless, studies on nerve-muscle preparations from a variety of smooth muscles are of importance not only from a comparative pharmacological viewpoint, but also as a contribution to a better understanding of the role of the nervous system in the control and regulation of smooth muscle in general.
Test case generation for specification-based software testing

This paper describes a framework for the design of a test tool that could generate test cases automatically, based on given functional specifications. The key problems that need to be addressed are how to transform the specifications into a user-friendly, machine-processable form, and how to find a reasonable small set of test data that satisfy the functional requirements. A Test Specification Graph (TSG) and a Test Script Language (TSL) are presented. A tool called CAT has been designed and partially implemented. The tool will compile the input data and convert them to a set of logic expressions. A Boolean reduction algorithm is used to reduce the expressions to a minimal form that corresponds to a set of feasible test data (satisfy all requirements). CAT will take a user-defined test case template and the set of test data generated to produce the executable test cases.
Time-resolved x-ray scattering from excited matter

Summary form only given. I will discuss current and planned experiments in the study of ultrafast material dynamics, where lasers are used to pump, and time-resolved x-ray scattering techniques are used to probe, excited materials. New ultrafast x-ray sources and techniques are being developed, on both small and large laboratory scale, and a number of new facilities will be available for international use,.
Supreme Court Sluggers: Introducing the Scalia, Fortas, and Goldberg/Miller Trading Cards

We are pleased to introduce a few new members of the“Supreme Court Sluggers” trading card lineup. The addition of Justice Antonin Scalia to the team is in keeping with our goal of expeditiously compiling and publishing data for all current members of the Supreme Court. (We have issued cards featuring Chief Justice John G. Roberts and Justice John Paul Stevens, and Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Samuel Alito are in the works.) This season, we have also completed the first two cards of what might be called our “Veterans” series of those who served long ago: Justice Arthur Goldberg, who appears in the company of baseball great Marvin Miller, and Justice Abe Fortas.
Using iPads to teach inquiry science to students with a moderate to severe intellectual disability: A pilot study

Multiple illustrative case studies were used to investigate guided inquiry methods and the benefits of traditional science notebooks versus electronic science notebooks for students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. Results indicated students successfully acquired science content and increased motivation through science inquiry instruction using both methods. However, each student demonstrated higher motivation, engagement, and independence in inquiry investigation with the use of iPad® electronic notebooks. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 50: 887–911, 2013
Surface science studies of model ziegler-natta polymerization catalysts

Thin films of titanium chloride, with and without MgCl 2 have been produced, characterized, and used for in situ propylene polymerization with AlEt 3 . The oxidation states of Ti in the film are mainly 4+, 3+ and 2+, and their distribution varies with deposition method. Temperature programmed desorption (TPD) of mesitylene and tetramethylcyclopentadiene shows that the surface of titanium chloride film without MgCl 2 has more homogeneous adsorption site distribution. Both films produce highly isotactic polypropylene. The polypropylene film grown on the titanium chloride film without MgCl 2 has a rough surface, compared to that with MgCl 2 .
Some Aspects of Equational Categories

The theory of equationally definable classes of algebras, initiated by Birkhoff in the early thirties, is, despite its power, elegance and simplicity, hampered in its usefulness by two defects. The first is its refusal to deal with infinitary operations; the second is the awkwardness inherent in the presentation of an equationally definable class in terms of operations and equations.
L-CYSTINE REQUIREMENT FOR PRODUCTION OF COXSACKIE B3 VIRUS IN CULTURED MONKEY HEART CELLS.

Tyndall, R. L. (The Pennsylvania State University, University Park) and E. H. Ludwig. l-Cystine requirement for production of Coxsackie B3 virus in cultured monkey heart cells. J. Bacteriol. 85:1339–1345. 1963.—The requirement for l-cystine in both the production of Coxsackie B3 virus in cultured monkey heart cells and in prolonging the survival of the cultured monkey heart cells is demonstrated. d-Cystine, dl-homocystine, dl-allo-cystathionine, dl-homocysteine thiolactone, 2-mercaptoethlyamine, allylglycine, 3,3′-dithiopropionic acid, and dl-ethionine could not replace l-cystine in either supporting Coxsackie B3 virus production or prolonging monkey heart cell culture survival time. By their ineffectiveness, these compounds suggest the specificity of the l-cystine requirement. Allylglycine, 3,3′-dithiopropionic acid, and dl-ethionine were likewise incapable of inhibiting the l-cystine effect in supporting both virus production and cell survival. Prolonged starvation of cell cultures prior to virus inoculation failed to reveal any additional marked nutritional requirements, but rather tended to accentuate the l-cystine requirement for virus production. Increased cell starvation did, however, lead to the establishment of a latent Coxsackie B3 virus infection of cultured monkey heart cells, the activation of which is l-cystine–dependent.
Childhood obesity in Brazil: lessons to be learned from the Northern Hemisphere

A obesidade infantil no Brasil aumentou 600% nos ultimos 40 anos e os estudos indicam que mais de 30% das criancas brasileiras estao acima do peso ou obesas. Esta epidemia representa uma ameaca substancial para estas criancas, bem como uma sobrecarga para o sistema de saude publico do pais. Este artigo apresenta reflexoes sobre paralelos entre o Brasil e os EUA em termos de historia, opcoes e respostas a estas ameacas. Abordagens individualistas e coletivistas sao sopesadas sugerindo uma politica de revisao dos ambientes brasileiros obesogenicos como um ponto inicial para salvaguardar o futuro das criancas do pais.
Important Clarifications About Treating Indeterminate Vascular Injuries to the Neck

26. Edwards NM, Fabian TC, Claridge JA, Timmons SD, Fischer PE, CroceMA. Antithrombotic therapy and endovascular stents are effective treatment for blunt carotid injuries: results from longterm followup. J Am Coll Surg. 2007;204(5):1007-1013. 27. Cothren CC, Biffl WL, Moore EE, Kashuk JL, Johnson JL. Treatment for blunt cerebrovascular injuries: equivalence of anticoagulation and antiplatelet agents.Arch Surg. 2009;144(7):685-690.
Growth of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus in L cells. II. Growth in submerged culture.

Abstract Hardy, Frank M. (U. S. Army Chemical Corps, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland), and Arthur Brown. Growth of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus in L cells. II. Growth in submerged culture. J. Bacteriol. 82:449–457. 1961.—The detailed kinetics of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus multiplication and release and the progressive cell death due to the virus infection were studied in a uniformly susceptible L cell population. The adsorption phase was complete in approximately 15 min with multiplicities of 1, 10, and 100 MICLD50. An eclipse phase showing the disappearance of some of the infectious virus activity lasted between 3 and 4 hr. An exponential increase of cell-associated and free virus then occurred until peak titer was reached (16 to 18 hr). Relatively constant titers of cell-associated or free virus were obtained from the time peak titer was attained until the 52nd hour of incubation. At that time the cell-associated titer declined more rapidly than the free virus titer. These constant titers, however, masked a continued production and release of new infectious virus. By viable and nonviable cell counts, it was determined that cell death occurred relatively late in the phase of constant growth and release.
Precision Machining without Precise Machinery

Summary A new concept of precision engineering — Precision Machining without Precise Machinery is presented. This new concept is based on the use of Forecasting Compensatory Control (FCC) techniques. Five essential aspects of the FCC techniques are discussed and illustrated through two case studies. Some recent development of FCC techniques is also presented. From the past 10 years' results and progresses, this approach has proven to be effective and has great potential with the expected advancement in computer speed, sensor accuracy, and actuator capabilities.
Mortality from polymyositis and dermatomyositis in the united states, 1968–1978

Mortality from polymyositis and dermatomyositis was estimated between 1968 and 1978. Age-specific average annual mortality rates showed unimodal distributions for all sex-race groups. Synergistic interaction was demonstrated between female sex and nonwhite race, greatest mortality being in nonwhite females through age 74. Increases in annual death rates occurred among both white males and white females during the interval. Finally, the increase in mean age at death among all sex groups correlated with improved prognosis as well as decreased mortality among younger persons over time.
Molecular Replacement for Multi-Domain Structures Using Packing Models

Molecular replacement (MR) is frequently used to obtain phase information for a unit cell packed with a macromolecule of unknown structure. The goal of MR searches is to place a homologous/similar molecule in the unit cell so as to maximize the correlation with x-ray diffraction data. MR software packages typically perform rotation and translation searches separately. This works quite well for single-domain proteins. However, for multi-domain structures and complexes, computational requirements can become prohibitive and the desired peaks can become hidden in a noisy landscape. The main contribution of our approach is that computationally expensive MR searches in continuous configuration space are replaced by a search on a relatively small discrete set of candidate packing arrangements of a multi-rigid-body model. These candidate arrangements are generated by collision detections on a coarse grid in the configuration space first. The list of feasible arrangements is short because packing constraints together with unit cell symmetry and geometry impose strong constraints. After computing Patterson correlations of the collision-free arrangements, an even shorter list can be obtained using the 10 candidates with highest correlations. In numerical trials, we found that a candidate from the feasible set is usually similar to the arrangement of the target structure within the unit cell. To further improve the accuracy, a Rapidly-exploring Random Tree (RRT) can be applied in the neighborhood of this packing arrangement. Our approach is demonstrated with multi-domain models in silico for 3D, with ellipsoids representing both the domains of the model and target structures. Configurations are defined by sets of angles between the ellipsoids. Our results show that an approximate configuration can be found with mean absolute error (MAE) less than 5 degrees.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
The Rise and Fall of a Voluntary Public School Integration Transportation Program: A Case Study of Milwaukee’s 220 Program

This study examines the nation’s oldest voluntary public school integration effort, Milwaukee’s Chapter 220 program, and describes its rise and decline. Chapter 220 was designed to integrate Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) and its suburban districts. Employing document analysis using 40 years of primary and secondary documents, including school board minutes and district reports that speak directly to the issue of school integration and the Chapter 220 program, this case study demonstrates how legislative policies that looked race neutral on the surface (Open Enrollment) contributed to the decline of the Chapter 220 Program, which had explicit affirmative action goals. This study fills a crucial void on the demise of school integration programs by focusing on legislative rather than legal decisions contributing to the demise of school integration program and has implications for other voluntary integration programs across America that have not been challenged legally.
The diabatic decoupling approximation

Abstract A new representation having desirable features of both the adiabatic and diabetic representations is defined. The states of a multichannel problem are partitioned. The states within a partition are diabatically coupled by an effective symmetric potential matrix, but are decoupled between partitions in a manner similar to the Born-Oppenheimer approximation. A sample problem involving curve crossing is presented.
Changes in hippocampal volume and shape across time distinguish dementia of the Alzheimer type from healthy aging

Rates of hippocampal volume loss have been shown to distinguish subjects with dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) from nondemented controls. In this study, we obtained magnetic resonance scans in 18 subjects with very mild DAT (CDR 0.5) and 26 age-matched nondemented controls (CDR 0) 2 years apart. Large-deformation high-dimensional brain mapping was used to quantify and compare changes in hippocampal shape as well as volume in the two groups of subjects. Hippocampal volume loss over time was significantly greater in the CDR 0.5 subjects (left = 8.3%, right = 10.2%) than in the CDR 0 subjects (left = 4.0%, right = 5.5%) (ANOVA, F = 7.81, P = 0.0078). We used singular-value decomposition and logistic regression models to quantify hippocampal shape change across time within individuals, and this shape change in the CDR 0.5 and CDR 0 subjects was found to be significantly different (Wilks's lambda, P = 0.014). Further, at baseline, CDR 0.5 subjects, in comparison to CDR 0 subjects, showed inward deformation over 38% of the hippocampal surface; after 2 years this difference grew to 47%. Also, within the CDR 0 subjects, shape change between baseline and follow-up was largely confined to the head of the hippocampus and subiculum, while in the CDR 0.5 subjects, shape change involved the lateral body of the hippocampus as well as the head region and subiculum. These results suggest that different patterns of hippocampal shape change in time as well as different rates of hippocampal volume loss distinguish very mild DAT from healthy aging.
Polar Magnetic Activity and Spin-down on the Lower Main Sequence

On the Sun, magnetic activity is essentially restricted to latitudes within 45° of the equator. However, active stars, such as RS CVn systems, and T Tauri stars generally show polar activity. I model the evolution of a toroidal magnetic flux tube as it rises from the base of the convection zone in various lower main-sequence stars and show that, on the main sequence, polar activity is more likely for less massive stars. For example, a 1 M☉ star must rotate with ω > 5 ω☉ in order to develop significant polar magnetic flux, while a 0.4 M☉ star will generate predominantly polar flux for ω > 0.5 ω☉. This leads to the expectation that essentially all M stars should display polar, rather than equatorial, magnetic activity. A similar effect is expected for RS CVn and T Tauri systems, and for giant stars. An important consequence of this polar activity is the inhibition of angular momentum loss from these systems. On the lower main sequence, angular momentum is lost via the interaction of the stellar magnetic field with the outflowing stellar wind. However, if regions of strong magnetic field are confined to the poles, stellar spin-down rates can be reduced dramatically, by up to a factor of 3 or more for early M stars. Examination of open clusters should show the presence of rapidly rotating M stars at ages beyond those previously expected.
Enzymatic digestion of synaptic ribbons in amphibian retinal photoreceptors.

Abstract Enzymatic digestion of photoreceptor terminals in the frog retina has been performed on ultrathin sections of both Epon and glycol-methacrylate embedded tissue. The synaptic ribbons are extracted following incubation with pronase, protease, α-chymotrypsin, or pepsin, but are unaffected by treatment with trypsin, DNAse, RNAse, or perchloric acid. Other components of the synaptic apparatus, including the arciform and postsynaptic densities, cleft filaments and synaptic vesicles, appear unaffected by these procedures. It is concluded that the ribbons probably do not contain appreciable amounts of DNA or RNA, and may be composed, at least in part, of a protein or polypeptide which is rich in aromatic amino acids. This observation is correlated with previously described staining characteristics of the ribbons, and two new functions of the ribbons are proposed: structural support for the synaptic ridge specialization and participation in a ‘sliding vesicle’ mechanism for transmitter release.
Acute pericarditis due to pegylated interferon alpha therapy for chronic HCV hepatitis - Case report

Cardio toxicity due to interferon therapy was reported only in small case series or case reports. The most frequent cardiac adverse effects related to interferon are arrhythmias and ischemic manifestations. The cardiomyopathy and pericarditis are rare but can be life threatening. The predisposing factors for interferon cardio toxicity were described only for ischemic manifestations and arrhythmias. The authors report a case of pericarditis due to alpha interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C, in a young woman without previous cardiac pathology. The clinical manifestations started during the 7-th month of interferon treatment. The cessation of interferon was necessary. After interferon discontinuation the patient recovered, with complete resolution of pericarditis. The patient scored 9 points on the Naranjo ADR probability scale, indicating a very probable association between pericarditis and interferon administration. If a patient receiving interferon therapy complains of chest pain of sudden onset, a cardiac ultrasound should be performed in order to rule out pericarditis. We point out the possibility of an infrequent but severe adverse effect of interferon therapy.
The logic of ethnic terrorism

Ethnic terrorism differs considerably from violence carried out for ideological, religious, or financial motives. Ethnic terrorists often seek to influence their own constituencies more than the country as a whole. Ethnic terrorists frequently seek to foster communal identity, in contrast to an identity proposed by the state. Ethnic terrorists often target potential intermediaries, who might otherwise compromise on identity issues. A secondary goal of the attacks is to create a climate of fear among a rival group's population. Ethnic terrorism creates a difficult problem for the state: conventional countermeasures may engender broader support for an insurgency or a separatist movement even when they hamstring or defeat a specific terrorist group. Because state strategies often backfire, an ideal strategy is to compel “in group” policing—encouraging ethnic moderates through carrots as well as sticks to punish radical activity.
Dishevelled-3 C-terminal His single amino acid repeats are obligate for Wnt5a activation of non-canonical signaling

The Wnt non-canonical pathway (Wnt5a > Frizzled-2 > cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase/Ca2+-mobilization pathway regulates the activation of NF-AT) is mediated by three mammalian Dishevelleds (Dvl1, Dvl2, and Dvl3) and the role of the C-terminal region unique to Dvl3 was interrogated. Dvl1, Dvl2, and Dvl3 are expressed at varying levels in mouse totipotent F9 embryonal teratocarcinoma cells. The expression of each endogenous Dvl isoform, as defined by knock-down with siRNA, was obligate for Wnt5a to activate NF-AT-sensitive transcription. Elements upstream of effectors, e.g., cGMP phosphodiesterase and Ca2+-mobilization, were blocked by knock-down of any one of the Dvls; thus, with respect to Wnt5a activation of NF-AT Dvls are not redundant. Among the three Dvl isoforms, the C-terminal sequence of Dvl3 is the most divergent. Deletion of region of Dvl3 abolishes Wnt5a-stimulated signaling. Alanine (Ala)-substitution of histidine (His) single amino acid repeats at 637,638 and/or 647,648 in Dvl3, like C-terminal deletion, abolishes Wnt 5a signal propagation. Phenylalanine (Phe)-substitution of the same His-repeats in Dvl3 mimics Wnt5a stimulated NF-AT-sensitive transcription. The C-terminal third of Dvl3 and His single amino acid repeats 637,638 and 647,648 (which are unique to and conserved in Dvl3) are essential for Wnt5a activation of the non-canonical pathway, but not the Wnt3a activation of the canonical pathway.
Pattern generation in birdsong

The temporal pattern of birdsong derives largely from the timing of activity in the bird's respiratory muscles. Birds can simultaneously produce two different temporal patterns from the left and right halves of their vocal organ. Recent studies using lesions, neurophysiological recordings, and electrical perturbation of neural signaling in song nuclei are beginning to elucidate the central mechanisms of song pattern generation.
Loves Me, Loves Me Not: The Ethics of Unrequited Love – Laura A. Smit

Book reviewed: Loves Me, Loves Me Not: The Ethics of Unrequited Love, Laura A. Smit, BakerAcademic 2005 (0-8010-2997-X), 265 pp., pb $18.99
Preparation and characterization of magnesia-coated silica particles by surface-induced precipitation method using magnesia alcoholate precursor

Abstract Monodispersed magnesia-coated silica particles were prepared by surface-induced precipitation method using two different magnesia precursors (magnesium alcoholate and magnesium hydroxide) and then calcined at 700 °C. The influence of the alkoxy group on the thermal decomposition behavior and morphological properties of magnesia coated on the surface of silica particles was investigated. The results showed that the degree of the crystallinity of magnesia coating from the alcoholate was significantly higher than that of the hydroxide. Furthermore, the magnesia-coated silica particles obtained from alcoholate exhibited spherical shape without the formation of hard aggregate in spite of heat treatment in comparison to that obtained from hydroxide. XPS investigation also confirmed that the magnesia coating layer and core silica particle were connected through the Mg–O–Si chemical bonding at the interface.
Limited proteolysis of bovine muscle and heart lactate dehydrogenase is inhibited by phospholipid liposome interaction

Limited proteolysis of phospholipid complexes of heart and muscle bovine lactate dehydrogenase by trypsin and chymotrypsin has been studied under nondenaturing condition at pH 7.5. Chymotrypsin cleaves the polypeptide chain of heart and muscle lactate dehydrogenase into two principal fragments and LDH subunits were protected by lipids towards the proteinase attack. Enzymatic activity of heart and muscle lactate dehydrogenase was abolished by limited proteolytic cleavage. In complexes, both isoenzymes were protected against proteinases attack by lipids.
Time-dependent close-coupling theory for e+H elastic and inelastic scattering

The time-dependent close-coupling theory is extended to allow the calculation of e-H elastic and inelastic scattering processes. We first calculate {sup 1,3}S elastic scattering cross sections for H(1s) in time-dependent Hartree-Fock theory and find good agreement with time-independent distorted-wave theory. We then calculate elastic scattering cross sections for H(1s) using time-dependent close-coupling theory and find good agreement with R-matrix scattering theory. Finally, we apply the time-dependent close-coupling method to calculate elastic and inelastic cross sections for H(2s) and H(2p). Correlation effects are found to be important in all elastic and inelastic processes involving the n=2 excited states of hydrogen. In particular, the ionization cross sections are used to calculate ionization rate coefficients for comparison with rate coefficients currently used in collisional-radiative models.
EXPERIMENTAL AND COMPUTATIONAL STUDIES OF THE FORMATION MECHANISM OF PROTONATED INTERSTELLAR DIAZINES

Studies of interstellar chemistry have grown in number and complexity by both observations and laboratory measurements, and nitrogen-containing aromatics have been implicated as important interstellar molecules. In this paper, the gas-phase collision induced dissociation (CID) processes of protonated pyridazine (1,2-diazine), pyrimidine (1,3-diazine), and pyrazine (1,4-diazine) cations (C4H5N2 +) are investigated in detail both experimentally and theoretically. The major neutral loss for all three CID processes is HCN, leading to the formation of C3H4N+ isomers; our density functional theory (DFT) calculations support and elucidate our experimental results. The formation of C3H4N+ isomers from the reaction of abundant interstellar acrylonitrile (CH2CHCN) and H+is also studied employing DFT calculations. Our results lead to a novel mechanism for interstellar protonated diazine formation from the consecutive reactions of CH2CHCN+ H+ + HCN. Moreover, our results motivate the continuing search for interstellar C3H4N+ isomers as well as polycyclic aromatic N-containing hydrocarbons (PANHs).
Feature encoding and pattern classifications with sequentially presented Markov stimuli

The major objective of this experiment was to develop and evaluate a methodology designed to permit more direct assessment of the detailed processes involved in prototype abstraction. Thirty Ss participated in a task having the following characteristics: (1) classifications of Markov-generated stimuli sampled from two different populations, (2) controlled scanning of pattern features, (3) a measure of the degree to which pattern features were correctly identified, and (4) intermittent reproduction of pattern features abstracted from collections of mixed instances. Results showed that a significant number of the Ss learned to classify the stimuli into categories corresponding to generation rules and, at least partially, abstracted the population prototypes from these variable instances. The feature identification data suggested that the Ss who were unsuccessful in classifying the stimuli into the rule-defined categories used an inappropriate strategy for sampling pattern information upon which to base their classifications.
Sparse minimum-variance open-loop reconstructors for extreme adaptive optics: order N multigrid versus preordered Cholesky factorization

A scalable sparse minimum-variance open-loop wavefront reconstructor for extreme adaptive optics (ExAO) systems is presented. The reconstructor is based on Ellerbroek's sparse approximation of the wavefront inverse covariance matrix. The baseline of the numerical approach is an iterative conjugate gradient (CG) algorithm reconstructing a spatially sampled wavefront at N grid points on a computational domain of size equal to the telescope primary mirror diameter D , using a multigrid (MG) accelarator to efficiently speed up convergence and enhance its robustness. The combined MGCG scheme is order N , and requires only 2 conjugate gradient iterations to converge to the asymptotic average Strehl ratio (SR) and root mean squared (RMS) reconstruction error. Average SR and RMS reconstruction error comparison with figures obtained from a previously proposed MGCG FFT-based minimum-variance reconstructor incorporating the exact wavefront inverse covariance matrix on a computational domain of size equal to 2 D , indicates relative deviations below 1-2% at realistic measurement noise levels below π/2 rad RMS phase difference. A cost comparison between the sparse MGCG algorithm and a symmetric approximate minimum degree (SYMAMD) preordered Cholesky factorization, indicates that this last method is competitive for real-time ExAO wavefront reconstruction for systems with up to N ≈ 10 4 since the update rate of the Cholesky factor is typically several orders of magnitude lower than the temporal sampling rate.
Super-resolved spatial light interference microscopy

We report a scheme to achieve resolution beyond the diffraction limit in spatial light interference microscopy (SLIM). By adding a grating to the optical path, the structured illumination technique can be used to improve the resolution by a factor of 2. We show that a direct application of the structured illumination technique, however, has proved to be unsuccessful. Through two crucial modifications, namely, one to the pupil plane of the objective and the other to the demodulation procedure, faithful phase information of the object is recovered and the resolution is improved by a factor of 2.
Lower extremity amputations in diabetic Mexican American elders incidence, prevalence and correlates

This study was designed to determine the incidence and prevalence of amputations in diabetic Mexican American elders and to identify correlates of lower extremity amputations. Data for this study came from baseline and two follow-up interviews of the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly (EPESE) conducted in five southwestern states (Texas, California, New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona) in 1993-1994. Of the 3050 subjects aged 65 and older, 690 reported diabetes, and from these, 60 (8%) reported having at least one lower extremity amputation. Losing a leg was the most common type of amputation (53%). Twelve percent of respondents reported a new amputation and 40% of amputees reported a second amputation during follow-up. Mortality among amputees was 46% during a 5-year follow-up. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that being male and having eye problems, hip fracture and diabetes for 10 or more years were significantly associated with lower extremity amputations at baseline, whereas obesity, stroke and 10 or more years with diabetes were significantly associated with new amputations at 5-year follow-up. Gender and disease history were associated with lower extremity amputations at baseline and follow-up. These variables may be useful in developing patient education and intervention programs.
Kinetics of In-situ formation of AlN in Al alloy melts by bubbling ammonia gas

In-situ processing of AlN-Al alloy composites by the gas bubbling method was investigated using ammonia as the gaseous precursor in the temperature range of 1373 to 1523 K. The products were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis. It was found that in-situ formation of AlN reinforcing particles was feasible by bubbling ammonia through aluminum and aluminum alloy melts. The AlN particles formed in situ were small in size and enriched in the top part of the product formed in the crucible. In comparison with the purified nitrogen bubbling gas, using ammonia as the nitrogen precursor enhanced the formation of AlN. Hydrogen gas generated from the dissociation of ammonia is an effective oxygen getter in the system, which can offset the deleterious effect of oxygen impurities and enhance the formation of AlN. The rate of formation of AlN was controlled by the diffusion of nitrogen atoms in the liquid boundary layer. A kinetic model was developed to describe the rate of formation of AlN, which was in excellent agreement with the experimental results. The influence of various processing variables on the rate of formation of AlN were also investigated. The rate of formation of AlN changed little with the content of silicon in the matrix melt, increased slightly with increase in temperature and decrease in nozzle size, and increased significantly with the increasing gas flow rate.
Effect of halogenated pyrimidine 5'-mononucleotides on dTMP-permeable yeast strains and the isolation and characterization of resistant mutants.

Unlike wild-type Saccharomyces cerevisiae, yeast cells carrying the tup7 mutation are able to take up exogenously-supplied dTMP. The tup7 mutant was also found to be dramatically sensitive to growth inhibition by FdUMP and BrdUMP. The exclusive mode of action of FdUMP in such strains was shown to be inhibition of thymidylate synthetase. Spontaneously-arising derivatives resistant to FdUMP and BrdUMP were isolated from the tup7 strain. Genetically, these mutations were recessive and defined three complementation groups (fdr1, fdr2, and bdr2), unlinked to the tup7 locus and to each other. No resistance mutations were obtained which mapped at the structural gene for thymidylate synthetase. Biochemical analysis of cells carrying these mutations showed that in the case of fdr2 and bdr2, in addition to an inability to transport dTMP, acid and alkaline phosphatase levels were affected, indicating that phosphatase expression and 5′-mononucleotide permeability are coordinately controlled. In contrast, the fdr1 mutation and a previously identified suppressor of dTMP-permeability, sot1, affected only 5′-mononucleotide uptake and may define components of the permease responsible for dTMP entry.
An efficient and derivative-free algorithm for finding the minimum of a 1-D user-defined function

Abstract An efficient algorithm was developed for finding the minimum or maximum of a one-dimensional (1-D) user-defined function. The algorithm combined the quadratic interpolation, the Golden search, and an additional side search into a unified optimal search. Five 1-D, four 2-D, and two 4-D functions were used to test the proposed search method and compare it with the Golden search and the Brent 1-D algorithm, for various initial points or intervals. The test results showed that the proposed search method was significantly faster than Brent's search and the Golden search. The proposed search method did not experience any possible pre-termination problems either due to machine precision limit or a possible failure of interpolation. Brent's search method, however, was found to yield a wrong solution (pre-termination) for one of the test functions.
Public opinion and regulatory behavior

This paper measures the responsiveness of a public agency to changes in public opinion. In particular, it shows that the number of compulsory directives issued by the Federal Aviation Administration to the airline industry (a) rises following an increase in public concern over aviation safety, as measured by the amount of newspaper coverage accorded the issue; (b) falls following a presumed increase in industry opposition to such directives, as measured by the number of aircraft accidents that occurred in previous periods; (c) does not increase following an increase in the number of safety defects discovered, as measured by the number of accidents and flights occurring in earlier periods.
Adaptive decorrelating detectors for CDMA systems

Multi-user detection allows for the efficient use of bandwidth in Code-Division Multiple-Access (CDMA) channels through mitigation of near-far effects and multiple-access noise limitations. Due to its inherent noise and multipath immunity, CDMA multi-access is being considered as a platform for personal communication systems (PCS). As CDMA based digital communication networks proliferate, the need to determine the presence of a new user and integrate knowledge of this new user into the detection scheme becomes more important. The decorrelating detector is a linear multi-user detector that is asymptotically optimal in terms of near far resistance; however, in the presence of a new unknown user, performance of the decorrelator is severely degraded. Adaptive decorrelators are constructed which adaptively augment an existing conventional decorrelator to demodulate a new active user in addition to existing users. Several likelihood ratio based schemes are employed. Both synchronous and asynchronous communication are investigated.
Simulated digestion of dried leaves of Artemisia annua consumed as a treatment (pACT) for malaria

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Artemisinin (AN) is produced by Artemisia annua , a medicinal herb long used as a tea infusion in traditional Chinese medicine to treat fever; it is also the key ingredient in current artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) effective in treating malaria. Recently we showed that dried leaves from the whole plant Artemisia annua that produces artemisinin and contains artemisinin-synergistic flavonoids seem to be more effective and less costly than ACT oral malaria therapy; however little is known about how digestion affects release of artemisinin and flavonoids from dried leaves. Material and methods In the current study we used a simulated digestion system to determine how artemisinin and flavonoids are released prior to absorption into the bloodstream. Various delivery methods and staple foods were combined with dried leaves for digestion in order to investigate their impact on the bioavailability of artemisinin and flavonoids. Digestate was recovered at the end of the oral, gastric, and intestinal stages, separated into solid and liquid fractions, and extracted for measurement of artemisinin and total flavonoids. Results Compared to unencapsulated digested dried leaves, addition of sucrose, various cooking oils, and rice did not reduce the amount of artemisinin released in the intestinal liquid fraction, but the amount of released flavonoids nearly doubled. When dried leaves were encapsulated into either hydroxymethylcellulose or gelatin capsules, there was >50% decrease in released artemisinin but no change in released flavonoids. In the presence of millet or corn meal, the amount of released artemisinin declined, but there was no change in released flavonoids. Use of a mutant Artemisia annua lacking artemisinin showed that the plant matrix is critical in determining how artemisinin is affected during the digestion process. Conclusions This study provides evidence showing how both artemisinin and flavonoids are affected by digestion and dietary components for an orally consumed plant delivered therapeutic and that artemisinin delivered via dried leaves would likely be more bioavailable if provided as a tablet instead of a capsule.
Failure of acromioclavicular reconstruction using Gore-Tex graft due to aseptic foreign-body reaction and clavicle osteolysis: a case report.

i f e urgical treatment for acromioclavicular (AC) joint sepration can involve reduction of the joint and stabilizaion of the clavicle to the coracoid by use of screws,36,50 utures,3,10 or synthetic materials such as polyester (Daron, DuPont, Wilmington, DE),12,15,20 carbon fiber,39 nd polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex; W. L. Gore Asociates, Flagstaff, AZ).56 The use of a Gore-Tex graft for oracoclavicular (CC) stabilization was first described y Morrison and Lemos41 in 1995 and has the proposed dvantage of increased fixation strength. Although nuerous reports have shown poor long-term results for ore-Tex grafts used for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) econstruction, there have been no reports of failure of ore-Tex grafts used for CC stabilization. We describe case of a 50-year-old man who underwent AC joint eduction and stabilization with a Gore-Tex graft, which as complicated by an aseptic foreign-body reaction nd distal clavicle osteolysis, resulting in failure.
Recombinant Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor 121 Infusion Lowers Blood Pressure and Improves Renal Function in Rats With PlacentalIschemia-Induced Hypertension

Antagonism of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling by soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 occurs during preeclampsia and is proposed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. We reported recently that hypertension associated with chronic reductions in uteroplacental perfusion pressure (RUPP) is associated with increased soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 and decreased free VEGF. Whether restoration of circulating VEGF can restore renal function and chronically decrease arterial pressure associated with placental ischemia remains unknown. We hypothesized that chronic infusion of VEGF(121) would attenuate hypertension, increase glomerular filtration rate, and reverse the endothelial dysfunction associated with chronic RUPP. VEGF(121) (at either 90 or 180 microg/kg per day) was administered for 5 days via osmotic minipump placed IP. Mean arterial pressure, renal function, and tissues were obtained on day 19 of pregnancy from RUPP+VEGF, RUPP, and normal pregnant dams. Mean arterial pressure was increased in the RUPP (131+/-3 mm Hg) compared with the normal pregnant (102+/-1 mm Hg) rats, and infusion of VEGF(121) resolved the hypertension (105+/-5 mm Hg). Glomerular filtration rate was decreased in the RUPP dams (1.5+/-0.3 mL/min) and restored to normal pregnant levels (3.1+/-0.5 mL/min) by VEGF(121) treatment (3.1+/-0.4 mL/min). Effective renal plasma flow, decreased by RUPP, was also increased by VEGF(121) infusion. Relaxation to acetylcholine was enhanced by the VEGF treatment (P<0.05). These data demonstrate that chronic infusion of VEGF(121) during late gestation restores glomerular filtration rate and endothelial function and reduces high blood pressure associated with placental ischemia. The present results suggest that VEGF(121) may be a candidate molecule for management of preeclampsia and its related complications.
Information Technology Plans

Ensemble de recommandations pour rediger un plan consacre aux technologies de l'information dans les bibliotheques d'enseignement superieur. Sont abordes les questions de structure et des sections a integrer au plan, et de sa redaction
Three Generations Of Image Understanding Architecture: Studies In Automatic Target Recognition System Design

The increasingly broad scope of intended image understanding (IU) applications is driving IU architectures toward general purpose designs. This is reflected in growth of first generation domain-and-function specific processors to new multi-function/multi-scenario designs. These advances have been enabled by novel algorithm developments, expansion to multi-sensor capability, advances in VLSI/VHSIC circuit technologies, and development of supporting software design methodology. Our paper presents a perspective on on-going and anticipated developments in military image understanding system architectures. We briefly discuss the types of missions and applications motivating system developments. We overview resulting system requirements and classes of supporting algorithms. We discuss resulting processor requirements and show by case study how we are addressing them in our past and present IU system designs. The trend we establish . is development from early applications-specific hardwired processors to future generation modular, reconfigurable, high-level programmable VLSI system architectures.
The Religious Mind and the Evolution of Religion

This article summarizes the literature on the religious mind and connects it to archeological and anthropological data on the evolution of religion. These connections suggest a three stage model in the evolution of religion: One, the earliest form of religion (pre-Upper Paleolithic [UP]) would have been restricted to ecstatic rituals used to facilitate social bonding; two, the transition to UP religion was marked by the emergence of shamanistic healing rituals; and, three, the cave art, elaborate burials, and other artifacts associated with the UP represent the first evidence of ancestor worship and the emergence of theological narratives of the supernatural. The emergence of UP religion was associated with the move from egalitarian to transegalitarian hunter-gatherers.