cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
When and how should biotic interactions be considered in models of species niches and distributions

Biotic interactions can influence the ranges and abundances of species, but no clear guidelines exist for integrating them into correlative models of niches and distributions. Niche/distributional models characterize environmental/habitat suitability or species presence using predictor variables unaffected by (= unlinked to) the population of the focal species. Such variables (termed ‘scenopoetic’) typically have been considered to include only abiotic factors. In contrast, population–demographic approaches model the abundance of the focal species by including linked predictor variables, which frequently are biotic interactors. Nevertheless, a focal species might hold no, or negligible, population-level effects on its biotic interactors. Hence, contrary to current theory, such interactors would represent unlinked variables valid and potentially very useful for niche/distributional models. Consideration of population-level effects indicates that facilitators and affecting amensals (species that negatively affect another species but are not affected by it) constitute unlinked variables, but commensals and affected amensals do not. For competitors, mutualists, predators/prey, consumers/resources, and parasites/hosts, additional information is necessary. Specifically, available ecological/natural history information for the particular species involved (e.g. regarding specificity) and theory regarding ecological networks can allow identification of interactors that are likely to be unlinked or nearly so. Including an unlinked biotic interactor as a predictor variable in a niche/distributional model should improve predictions when the effects of the biotic interactor vary across the study region, or in another place or time period. Other relevant interactors must be taken into account by post-processing a niche/distributional model, or via population–demographic models that require abundance data over time. This framework should improve current correlative models and highlights areas requiring progress.
The link from physics to consciousness

What can modern science and particularly quantum theory say about consciousness? What is the nature of consciousness? What is the connection between perennial philosophies, such as Zen Buddhism, and modern science, and what do they say about consciousness? How does the individual fit into the large scheme of things?
Where are we with bladder preservation for muscle-invasive bladder cancer in 2017?

Introduction: In 2017, neoadjuvant, cisplatin-based chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy (RC) is considered the gold standard therapy for muscle-invasive bladder based on randomized controlled trials. Across all tumor stages, this approach has been associated with the highest rates of disease-specific survival. However, RC is one of the most challenging procedures performed by urologic surgeons and carries with it significant risks of complications, hospital readmission, and even a small risk of mortality, in addition to lifestyle changes that can have long-term effects on well-being. For these reasons, bladder-sparing approaches are utilized in some highly selected patients. We reviewed the most recent evidence for bladder-sparing modalities for muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer and summarize those findings in this review article. Methods: We performed a PubMed literature review utilizing the key words “bladder preservation,” “trimodal therapy,” “muscle-invasive bladder cancer,” and “partial cystectomy” written in English, dating back to 1990. We excluded case reports. Results: Our search yielded more than 2000 articles which we screened. Some articles were then rejected due to inappropriate topic. In addition, we reviewed the most recent American Urological Association, National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), and European guidelines on muscle-invasive bladder cancer. We identified fifty relevant articles which are summarized in this text. In some rare instances, recommendations are based on expert opinion. Conclusions: Bladder preservation is often considered for quality of life considerations or in the setting of multiple medical comorbidities, and this remains oncologically appropriate even in 2016 in highly selected patients with muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.
A characterization of sampling patterns for low-tucker-rank tensor completion problem

In this paper, we characterize the deterministic conditions on the locations of the sampled entries, which are equivalent (necessary and sufficient) to finite completability of a tensor given some components of its Tucker rank. In order to derive this characterization, we propose an algebraic geometric analysis on the Tucker manifold, which allows us to incorporate multiple rank components in the proposed analysis in contrast with the conventional geometric approaches on the Grassmannian manifold. Then, using the developed tools for this analysis, we also derive a sufficient condition on the sampling pattern that ensures there exists only one completion for the sampled tensor (unique completability).
Front Matter: Volume 1929

This PDF file contains the front matter associated with SPIE Proceedings Volume 1929, including the Title Page, Copyright information, Table of Contents, and Conference Committee listing.
Ceci n’est pas un walrus: lexical processing in vigilance performance

Vigilance, or the ability to sustain attention for extended periods of time, has traditionally been examined using a myriad of symbolic, cognitive, and sensory tasks. However, the current literature indicates a relative lack of empirical investigation on vigilance performance involving lexical processing. To address this gap in the literature, the present study examined the effect of stimulus meaning on vigilance performance (i.e., lure effects). A sample of 126 observers completed a 12-min lexical vigilance task in a research laboratory. Observers were randomly assigned to a standard task (targets and neutral events only) or a lure task (lures, targets, and neutral events presented), wherein lures were stimuli that were categorically similar to target stimuli. A novel analytical approach was utilized to examine the results; the lure groups were divided based on false alarm performance post hoc. Groups were further divided to demonstrate that the presence of lure stimuli significantly affects the decision-making criteria used to assess the performance of lexical vigilance tasks. We also discuss the effect of lure stimuli on measures related to signal detection theory (e.g., sensitivity and response bias).
Development of Arithmetic Operations

We know that the principle of ordering, that is, giving a quantity a certain structure, making it possible to perceive a certain quantity by sight, remains a basic principle of the psychology of operations with great numbers. It is much easier for us to perceive the absence of a soldier from a company than the absence of a person in an unregimented crowd. If we hear a song or poetry and if one beat or one syllable is out of place, then, although we may not know the beat or these syllables, we feel the slip directly upon hearing it. The child proceeds in the same way. He takes an unordered pile of objects, places them in rows like a company of soldiers and sees at once that one is missing. Children understand the significance of ordering. This is expressed in the following example. Children who are accustomed to using cubes for building things begin very early to check the results of dividing the cubes or blocks according to what they are building, for example, a model of a tractor. All the children build it the same way and each sees whether he has enough blocks for a tractor. The children check the results of the division simply according to the tractors.
Performance Assessment: Something Old, Something New

Education, industry, and the military rely on relevant and effective performance assessment to make key decisions. Qualification, promotion, advancement, hiring, firing, and training decisions are just some of the functions that rely on good performance assessment. This chapter explores issues, tools, and techniques for ensuring that performance assessment meets the goals of decision makers. Important considerations include the following: the task environment in which assessment takes place, the validity of the measures selected, the diversity and scope of the measures, and often the local political environment in which assessments are made. Unfortunately, primarily in education, assessment policy is a matter of intense political debate, and the debate is sustained by misinformation. For example, traditional paper and pencil assessment techniques have come under fire from those who do not feel they have the relevance they once did. Simulation-based training technologies in industry and the military have put more emphasis on performance assessment systems that show real-world work relevance. The chapter examines these topics.
“Expensive” people: Consumer citizenship and the limits of choice in neoliberal publics:

In a context of neoliberalism, decisions made for a “public” good are often articulated as what makes the most financial sense, and citizenship is exercised as a matter of consumer choice. Neoliber...
Metabolic Acidosis and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in CKD.

Chronic metabolic acidosis is believed to contribute to several important sequelae of CKD, and the evidence base to guide its treatment has been steadily growing. Several clinical trials, all relatively small, have shown preservation of kidney function and lean body mass with alkali therapy. In
Explaining improvements and continuing challenges in water access in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

The equitable and universal provision of safe and affordable water is one of the Sustainable Development Goals, but progress has been slow, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper presents a c...
Semper Virgo? A Biblical Review of a Debated Dogma:

The traditional and still widespread dogma that Mary remained a virgin both before and after Jesus’s birth is today widely believed explicitly to contradict the New Testament, which appears to spea...
Students Using Technology in the Classroom

I focus on the use of technology in developing Web sites for communicating with group members, preparing class assignments, and presenting group-constructed Web sites in the classroom. Students use technology to learn biochemistry, construct their group Web sites, write electronic portfolios of their learning, and give in-class presentations for three of their group’s Web sites. Data include their Web sites, electronic portfolios, and responses to the qualitative questions in the LEQ and CLS, and student interviews. Again I employ social constructivism, cultural historical activity theory, and the theory of structure | agency to analyze both the coherences and contradictions in the students’ learning of biochemistry while using technology.
Unpacking productive coaching interactions: identifying coaching approaches that support instructional uptake

This multiple-case study utilised inductive and deductive analyses of interactions of five coach-teacher dyads at two university-based literacy clinics to investigate procedural knowledge – what co...
Growth of GaAs on single-crystal layered-2D Bi2Se3

Abstract This work demonstrates the successful growth of cubic GaAs (111) on single-crystal 2D layered Bi2Se3 (0001) substrates achieved using a cubic ZnSe buffer layer. This growth sequence was chosen based upon observed reactions between Bi2Se3 (0001) substrates and both Ga and Zn. For the conditions used in our MOCVD reactor, triethylgallium (TEGa) interacts strongly with Bi2Se3 to form Ga2Se3, which can disrupt the nucleation and growth of GaAs. Therefore, a buffer layer is needed which prevents Ga–Bi2Se3 interactions while simultaneously providing a suitable growth surface for GaAs. ZnSe was chosen because it is lattice-matched to GaAs, and can be created by annealing the Bi2Se3 under a diethylzinc (DEZn) flux. A sample utilizing this growth sequence has been grown, characterized and exfoliated as a possible pathway toward reducing the substrate cost for III-V devices such as solar cells.
Opposite responses of normal hepatocytes and hepatocellular carcinoma cells to substrate viscoelasticity.

The cellular microenvironment plays a critical role in cell differentiation, proliferation, migration, and homeostasis. Recent studies have shown the importance of substrate viscosity in determining cellular function. Here, we study the mechanoresponse of normal hepatocytes and hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HCC) to elastic and viscoelastic substrates using the Huh7 cell line derived from a human liver tumor and primary human hepatocytes (PHH). Unlike PHH and fibroblasts, which respond to viscoelastic substrates by reducing spreading area and actin bundle assembly compared to purely elastic substrates of the same stiffness, Huh7 cells spread faster on viscoelastic substrates than on purely elastic substrates. The steady state spreading areas of Huh7 cells are larger on viscoelastic substrates, whereas the opposite effect occurs with PHH cells. The viscoelasticity of the microenvironment also promotes motility and multiple long protrusions in Huh7 cells. Pharmacologic disruption of the actin assembly makes cells unable to spread on either elastic or viscoelastic substrates. In contrast, upon vimentin perturbation, cells still spread to a limited degree on elastic substrates but are unable to spread on viscoelastic substrates. The time evolution of cell traction force shows that the peak occurs at an earlier time point on viscoelastic substrates compared to elastic substrates. However, the total force generation at steady state is the same on both substrates after 4 hours. Our data suggest that stress relaxation time scales of the viscoelastic substrate regulate cell dynamics and traction force generation, indicating different binding–unbinding rates of the proteins that form cell attachment sites in HCC cells and normal hepatocytes. These results suggest that liver cancer cells may have different characteristic lifetimes of binding to the substrate in comparision to normal cells, which might cause differences in cell spreading and motility within the diseased tissue.
Bringing immersive science to undergraduate laboratory courses using CRISPR gene knockouts in frogs and butterflies

The use of CRISPR/Cas9 for gene editing offers new opportunities for biology students to perform genuine research exploring the gene-to-phenotype relationship. It is important to introduce the next generation of scientists, health practitioners and other members of society to the technical and ethical aspects of gene editing. Here, we share our experience leading hands-on undergraduate laboratory classes, where students formulate hypotheses regarding the roles of candidate genes involved in development, perform loss-of-function experiments using programmable nucleases and analyze the phenotypic effects of mosaic mutant animals. This is enabled by the use of the amphibian Xenopus laevis and the butterfly Vanessa cardui, two organisms that reliably yield hundreds of large and freshly fertilized eggs in a scalable manner. Frogs and butterflies also present opportunities to teach key biological concepts about gene regulation and development. To complement these practical aspects, we describe learning activities aimed at equipping students with a broad understanding of genome editing techniques, their application in fundamental and translational research, and the bioethical challenges they raise. Overall, our work supports the introduction of CRISPR technology into undergraduate classrooms and, when coupled with classroom undergraduate research experiences, enables hypothesis-driven research by undergraduates.
Apathy is Associated with Critical Psychological Determinants of Medication Adherence in HIV Disease

Apathy is common in HIV, separable from depression, and has been associated with non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). We examined the associations between apathy and critical psychological determinants of ART adherence, as per the information-motivation-behavioral model, in 85 persons living with HIV. Apathy was measured using a composite of the apathy subscale of the Frontal Systems Behavioral Scale and the vigor-activation scale of the Profile of Mood States. Independent of major depressive disorder, apathy was related at small-to-medium effect sizes with motivation to adhere and self-efficacy for health-related decision-making and medication management, but not with HIV knowledge or medication management skills. These findings suggest that apathy plays a unique role in several critical health adherence determinants and support the importance of assessment and management of apathy to maximize health outcomes among individuals with HIV disease.
A Guided Inquiry Approach for Detecting and Developing Problem-solving Strategies for Novice Programming Students

The introductory programming course often has a very high DFW rate at above 40%. In many cases, students fail the course multiple times before advancing to the next programming class or deciding to quit the program altogether. We also face the problem of very low enrollment of female students in the course. We observe that the most difficult aspect of programming is not the syntax or semantics of a programming language, but problem solving. Various teaching approaches have had some success, however, a number of students are still struggling. We plan to address this difficulty by an approach called Iterative Problem-Solving Strategy Detection and Development (IPSSDD). It involves students directly in every aspect of problem solving, including detecting, developing, refining, and applying problem solving strategies. We started with three topics: basics, if statements, and loops. Looping is where many of our students struggle and start to fail. Data show that the sections that implemented the new strategy have statistically significant higher performance than the other sections on problem-solving using loops, which is especially true for female students. Students in those sections also reported higher motivation and confidence.
Review of Political Science Pedagogy: A Critical, Radical, and Utopian Perspective

In the world of global pandemic, instructors are doing a lot of thinking and talking about our pedagogy. William W. Sokoloff’s book challenges us to think and talk about why we became teachers in t...
Maternal provisioning gives young-of-the-year Hammerheads a head start in early life

For species that do not provide parental care after birth, excess maternal provisioning during development, beyond what is required for embryogenesis, provides offspring with resources to increase their chances of survival. Maternally derived resources are expected to be important for buffering offspring against limited food resources at birth or time needed to learn how to properly feed. Young-of-the-year (YOY) cryptic Scalloped Hammerheads (Sphyrna lewini) and Carolina Hammerheads (Sphyrna gilberti) were sampled from nurseries along the US Atlantic Coast and compared for a number of biological condition metrics across three developmental stages. Large declines in liver lipid content and hepatosomatic indices were found in neonatal sharks, using umbilical scar healing as a proxy for time since birth. Feeding commenced quickly as 96% of sharks had prey remnants in their stomachs. The combination of rapid exhaustion of maternally provided resources and high occurrence of stomachs with prey contents indicate that nursery quality, with respect to prey availability, may be important for YOY hammerhead survivorship. While externally the two species are morphologically similar, longer length-at-birth in S. lewini and higher hepatic condition in neonatal S. gilberti suggest that aspects of reproductive biology, including physiology, may differ between species. While more information is needed to distinguish life history differences between these two species, data collected from YOY may serve as a useful proxy to inform management when adult samples of cryptic species are difficult to collect.
Juvenile Dermatomyositis: A Classic Presentation in a 3-year-old African American Male

Introduction: Juvenile dermatomyositis is a rare disease with an incidence of 3.2 out of 1 million children in the United States per year. Females are two times more likely to be affected, and white children are predominantly affected when studying populations in North America. Though the average age of presentation is 7, 25% of children are under the age of 4 when symptoms first manifest, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a high clinical suspicion when patients first present with classic symptoms. Case Description: A 3-year-old African American male with a …
Targeting Predictors Via Partial Distance Correlation With Applications to Financial Forecasting

High-dimensional time series datasets are becoming increasingly common in various fields of economics and finance. Given the ubiquity of time series data, it is crucial to develop efficient variabl...
Robust uncertainty representation in human-AI collaboration

Uncertainty represents the quantification of the spread of the distribution of possible ground truths that can be inferred from observed evidence. As such, uncertainty is one of the major factors in determining confidence when making decisions (i.e., uncertainty and confidence are in an inverse relationship). Bayesian statistics and subjective logic provide tools for Artificial Intelligence (AI) to derive uncertainty quantification. These processes require base rates, which are large-population determinations of probabilities that are not contextualized for the specific situation. The AI computes probabilities based upon the specific situation and context in light of historical (or training) data. As more evidence/training data is available for the context, the base rate gets washed out in the probability calculation. For most Army applications, an AI does not act or decide on its own with the rare exception of complete automaticity, but rather in collaboration with at least one human user. In this paper, we propose that the ways AI represents uncertainty ought to be optimally aligned with human preferences to provide best possible human-AI collaborative performance. Exploring this topic requires human-subjects experimentation to test how well users understand different representations of uncertainty that include base-rate information, which quantifies belief in predictions. Variations of these experiments could include different types of training to interpret uncertainty representations.
Coupled modes of projected regional change in the Bering Sea from a dynamically downscaling model under CMIP6 forcing

Abstract Three different global earth system models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) were used to explore anticipated changes in the Bering Sea under high (SSP126) and low (SSP585) carbon mitigation scenarios (i.e. low and high emission scenarios), via dynamical downscaling. A multivariate pattern analysis, based on Empirical Orthogonal Functions applied to monthly time series, reveals strong coupling of changes across several biophysical variables and the global forcing itself, on both yearly and multidecadal time scales. Rising air and ocean temperatures from the global models are strongly coupled with rising regional temperatures and reduced ice cover/thickness, as well as strong changes to the phenology of the plankton food chain, including reduced biomass of large zooplankton in the fall. This method ultimately provides a compact way to estimate the changes to many regional attributes under a variety of global change scenarios. Application of this method to a broad ensemble of the CMIP6 global model air temperatures suggests that compared to present conditions, the Bering Sea shelf bottom temperatures in July will warm by an average of ∼4 degrees C by the end of the 21st century under SSP585, as compared with ∼1 degrees C under SSP126, with greatest warming focused on the outer northern shelf.
Phosphotransferase activities of kidney glucose 6-phosphatase.

Kidney glucose 6-phosphatase has been shown to catalyze inorganic pyrophosphatase and inorganic pyrophosphate-, cytidine diphosphate-, cytidine triphosphate-, and mannose 6-phosphate-glucose phosphotransferase reactions. The catalytic properties of phosphohydrolase and phosphotransferase activities of the kidney enzyme were found to be very similar to those of corresponding hepatic activities (11, 15). Formation and hydrolysis of glucose 6-phosphate by phosphotransferase and phosphohydrolase activities, respectively, of this enzyme are postulated to play a role in the transport of glucose across the kidney tubular cell of the diabetic animal.
Terascale I/O solutions

PSC has architected and delivered the TCS-1 machine, a Terascale Computing System for use in unclassified research. PSC has enhanced the effective usability and utilization of this resource by providing custom I/O solutions in four key areas: high-performance communication, high-performance file migration, checkpoint/recovery and an updated hierarchical storage management system. These I/O solutions have a synergistic effect that is leveraged in their design, implementation and integration. Each successive enhancement builds on its predecessors, thereby exacting the highest performance (e.g. multi GB/sec file transfers) from the available hardware. This paper presents a technical overview of these solutions from design to integration to application.
The Problem of Debt‐for‐Nature Swaps from a Human Rights Perspective

At first blush, debt-for-nature swaps seem to provide win-win solutions to the looming problems of environmental degradation and extreme poverty. So, one might naturally assume that they are morally permissible, if not obligatory. This article will argue, however, that debt-for-nature swaps are sometimes morally questionable, if not morally impermissible. It suggests that some criticisms of traditional (economic) conditions placed on loans to poor countries also apply to the (environmental) conditionality implicit in such swaps. The article's main theoretical contribution is to suggest a general argumentative strategy for posing a challenge to the moral acceptability of many seemingly innocuous, or even apparently good, policies in the real world. Its discussion of how we should respond to seemingly tragic dilemmas (e.g. between protecting nature and respecting human rights) may also be of general interest.
Adaptation and Natural Selection revisited.

In Adaptation and Natural Selection , George C. Williams linked the distinction between group and individual adaptation with the distinction between group and individual selection. Williams’ Principle, as we will call it, says that adaptation at a level requires selection at that level. This is a necessary but not a sufficient condition; for example, group adaptation requires group selection, but the fact that group selection influences a trait’s evolution does not suffice for the resulting trait frequency to be a group adaptation. What more is required? In this paper, we describe an answer to this question that has been developed in multilevel selection theory. We also discuss an alternative framework for defining units of adaptation that violates Williams’ Principle.
Splines in Nonparametric Regression

This article is interested in splines as tools for visualizing and analyzing noisy observational data, and so restricts itself to smoothing splines and regression splines. The article first describes the univariate polynomial smoothing spline, which may be thought of as the forerunner of spline functions used in data analysis. It then describes cross-validation and generalized cross-validation (GCV) for choosing the smoothing parameter. After briefly describing regression splines, this entry then describes a number of generalizations of the univariate smoothing spline to various domains, which are obtained via the solution of a variational problem. These include the thin plate spline, the histospline, splines on the sphere, vector splines on the sphere, hybrid splines, partial splines, and smoothing spline analysis of variance (ANOVA) models on complex domains. Computational issues are also discussed. The last two sections focus on the topics of variable selection and model selection in nonparametric regression. Various penalized regression with penalty for function shrinkage and selection are described. Publicly available software is mentioned along the way. Keywords: smoothing; generalized cross-validation; shrinkage; variable selection; model selection
Transformational Effects of Service-Learning in a University Developed Community-Based Agency

The purpose of this article is first, to provide a model for the development, and implementation of a university developed, community-based agency that incorporates service-learning projects infused throughout the social work curriculum. The inspiration for the community-based agency was grounded in Mezirow’s (1978) theory of transformational learning and designed to provide social services to underserved populations and a training ground for future social workers. Second, we examine the transformational effects of students engaged in a competency-based, service-learning course at the agency, Methods of Social Work Practice. Using Clark’s (1991) adaptation of Mezirow’s theory of transformation, results indicate students experienced three dimensions (psychological, convictional, and behavioral) of transformational learning while engaged in the course and provide evidence that service-learning is directly related to the developmental process of social work students.
Sex- and age-related elevation of cochlear nerve envelope response (CNER) and auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds in C57BL/6 mice

The C57BL/6 mouse has long been considered, in scores of published studies, as a model of early adult-onset, progressive sensorineural hearing loss (presbycusis). The auditory brainstem response (ABR) has most often been used in these studies as a measure of functional loss. Whereas the ABR measures the response to a rapid acoustic onset, the cochlear nerve envelope response (CNER) measures the ability of cochlear nerve axons to respond to the low frequency modulations of the entire acoustic waveform, acoustic changes that are utilized in vocalizations and music. The present study compared the ability of these two measures to assess presbycusis in male and female C57BL/6 mice, at ages ranging from 50 to 400 days. Thresholds to the CNER were almost invariably more sensitive than the ABR, in response to stimulus frequencies ranging from 8 to 56 kHz. By 100 days of age, mice showed elevation of thresholds in response to high frequency stimuli, and this loss was greater in females than in males. These trends persisted for both measures over the next 300 days, involving successively lower frequencies.
Studies of the solvent extraction of indium oxinate

Abstract An investigation of the extraction of radio-labelled 2.10 -5 M indium from various aqueous solutions into a number of organic solvents containing oxine has been carried out. The effects of pH value, oxine concentration, masking agents, different organic phases, and temperature have been studied. Extraction constants and pH values of 50% extraction have been measured and compared with theoretically-calculatud values.
A Theoretical Study of SRPK Interaction with the Flexible Domains of Hepatitis B Capsids

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) controls genome encapsidation and reverse transcription from a single-stranded RNA to a double-stranded DNA through the flexible C-terminal domain (CTD) of the capsid proteins. Although the microscopic structure of the nucleocapsid plays a critical role in the life cycle of HBV, the location of CTD residues at different stages of viral replication remains poorly understood. In this work, we report the radial distributions of individual amino-acid residues of the CTD tails for both empty and RNA-containing HBV capsids by using a coarse-grained model for the key biological components and the classical density functional theory. The density functional theory calculations reveal substantial exposure of the CTD residues outside the capsid, in particular when it is devoid of any nucleic materials. The outermost layer of the capsid surface mainly consists of residues from (170)Ser-(175)Arg of the CTD tails, i.e., the serine-arginine protein kinase binding motif. The theoretical description corroborates recent in vitro studies that show a transient CTD distribution captured by serine-arginine protein kinase binding. We have also investigated the nucleocapsid structural changes due to phosphorylation of serine residues and shown a correlation between the CTD location and the internal distribution of RNA segments.
Enhancing electrical engineering computer laboratory quality through support evaluation

The realization of enhanced quality in electrical engineering education requires the integrated efforts of every aspect of administration, instruction, and support. Traditional evaluation activities have focused on curriculum design and instructional feedback. The role of the systematic evaluation of support services is examined. The findings of a support-specific evaluation are discussed. >
Cassini Titan Radar Mapper

The Cassini Titan Radar Mapper is a multimode radar instrument designed to probe the optically inaccessible surface of Titan, Saturn's largest moon. The instrument is to be included in the payload of the Cassini Saturn Mission, scheduled for launch in 1995. The individual modes of Cassini Radar Mapper will allow topographic mapping and surface imaging at few hundred meters resolution. The requirements that lay behind the design are briefly discussed, and the configuration and capability of the instrument are described. The present limited knowledge of Titan's surface and the measurement requirements imposed on the radar instrument are addressed. Also discussed are the Cassini mission and the projected orbits, which imposed another set of design constraints that led to the multitude of modes and to an unconventional antenna configuration. The antenna configuration and the different radar modes are described. >
Transient electroluminescence from polymer light emitting diodes

Abstract The transient electroluminescence from polymer light emitting diodes is reported. When the devices are mounted on a microstrip transmission line, the temporal response is limited by the electrode geometry, with rise and fall times below 50 ns. With low duty-cycle pulses (0.5%) the electroluminescence intensity remains proportional to the current at values up to 10 A/cm 2 , two orders of magnitude greater than possible under direct current operation. Since the spectral blue-shift observed at high current levels (with power dissipation above 1 W/cm 2 ) indicates significant sample heating, still higher levels should be possible with proper thermal management.
411 INCREASED RISK OF PULMONARY EMBOLUS IN CHILDREN RECEIVING CENTRAL HYPERALIMENTATION

Pulmonary embolus (PE) is rarely observed in children but the incidence is increased in patients with a indwelling artificial prosthesis. The purpose of this study was to document the incidence of PE in newborns and children receiving central hyperalimentation (CHA) during a two year period. CHA was given to 131 patients employing a non-heparinized centrally-placed catheter. Five had clinical, radiologic or pathologic evidence of PE (incidence = 3.8%) and all had indwelling polyethylene catheters. Their ages ranged from 4 months to 19 years; three had cancer, one had regional enteritis and the other had total colonic agangliolosis. All developed sudden onset of tachycardia and 3 had respiratory distress. Ventilation perfusion studies in 3 were consistent with PE. Two expired with massive PE evident at autopsy. This study demonstrates the increased risk of PE in children receiving CHA and emphasizes the need for sensitive monitoring of changes in pulmonary function suggestive of this complication.
Technical Communique: Zeros of sampled data systems represented by FIR models

In this note, we investigate zero locations of FIR linear systems that are finite length approximations of sampled continuous-time systems. For linear systems with rational transfer functions, it is shown that with a relative degree higher than two and a short sampling interval, the resultant FIR sampled data system is always a nonminimum phase.
A genetic linkage map for the zebrafish

To facilitate molecular genetic analysis of vertebrate development, haploid genetics was used to construct a recombination map for the zebrafish Danio (Brachydanio) rerio. The map consists of 401 random amplified polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs) and 13 simple sequence repeats spaced at an average interval of 5.8 centimorgans. Strategies that exploit the advantages of haploid genetics and RAPD markers were developed that quickly mapped lethal and visible mutations and that placed cloned genes on the map. This map is useful for the position-based cloning of mutant genes, the characterization of chromosome rearrangements, and the investigation of evolution in vertebrate genomes.
Rural and urban nonphysician providers in Georgia

Nonphysician providers make valuable contributions to health care in rural areas. This study examines provider and practice characteristics, location preference, and reasons for location preference among Georgia nurse practitioners (NPs), certified nurse midwives, and physician assistants (PAs) (N = 1,079). Data collected through a statewide survey revealed that providers were concentrated in urban areas. Rural providers tended to be older, less educated, possess fewer specialty credentials, and were employed longer than urban providers. NPs were significantly more likely to prefer smaller communities, and PAs were significantly more likely to prefer larger communities. Providers who preferred smaller communities were likely to practice in rural and urban areas, but providers who preferred larger communities were substantially more likely to practice in urban areas. Providers who preferred smaller communities were significantly more likely to mention the importance of community dynamics, while providers who preferred larger communities were significantly more likely to mention professional context.
Stimulus-induced release of substances from olfactory bulb using the push-pull cannula.

SEVERAL methods have been used to study neurohumoral release within the mammalian brain. These include the use of collecting cups affixed to the cortical surface1–5, ventricular cannulae for the perfusion of cerebrospinal fluid pathways6–8 and the push–pull cannula9. With the last device, perfusion fluid is passed through the inner tube of a concentric dual-barrelled cannula and is recovered by siphoning through the outer barrel. Because it makes possible perfusion of small regions of cerebral tissue, even in the depths of brain, the push–pull cannula has been widely used to investigate the spontaneous and stimulus-induced release of acetylcholine2,10–17.
Fluidization characteristics of gas fluidized beds at elevated temperatures

Abstract The hydrodynamic behavior of a gas-fluidized bed has been investigated at ambient and elevated temperatures. Beds of two mean sizes of sands, 641 and 1312 μm, at temperatures of 298 K and also in the range 913–1173 K have been examined over a wide range of air velocities up to 4 m/s. The bed-pressure drop and its fluctuation over a time period of 18 s were measured as a function of air velocity and bed temperature. Variable temperatures were obtained by burning either coal or propane-air mixtures of different compositions. These data were analyzed to obtain values for the minimum fluidization velocity as a function of temperature, bed voidage as a function of bed height, bed temperature and air velocity, and the time-averaged amplitudes of the fluctuations in the pressure drop, bubble or void-renewal frequency and solids concentration as functions of bed temperature and air velocity. It is shown that the hydrodynamic behavior is in accordance with the powder-classification scheme of Saxena and Ganzha. Furthermore, this work has highlight ed the importance of particle size and bed temperature in the operation of fluidized-bed reactors in general and coal combustors in particular. This work has also pointed to the need for further investigations that will improve our understanding of such two-phase reactors.
Vaginal Erosion After Pubovaginal Sling Procedures Using Dermal Allografts

Case 1. A 64-year-old woman was referred with complaints of bloody vaginal discharge, pelvic pain and vaginal prolapse 10 weeks after a pubovaginal sling procedure and cystocele repair using a Repliform (Boston Scientific, Natick, Massachusetts) dermal allograft and abdominally placed bone anchors. Medical history included hysterectomy and 2 cystocele repairs. Physical examination revealed suprapubic tenderness, granulation tissue on the anterior vaginal wall and prolapse of the vaginal apex to the hymen. Cystoscopy, pelvic x-ray and bone scan were normal. Vaginal estrogen treatment did not resolve the symptoms. The patient underwent transvaginal exploration, partial graft excision, and cystocele and enterocele repair. Pathological examination of the excised graft material revealed benign granulation tissue. At 6 months of followup the patient was asymptomatic and continent without recurrent vaginal erosion or prolapse. Case 2. A 39-year-old woman presented with irritative bladder symptoms, vaginal discharge and suprapubic pain 20 weeks after a pubovaginal sling procedure and cystocele repair using a Repliform dermal allograft and abdominally placed bone anchors. Medical history was otherwise unremarkable. Physical examination revealed suprapubic tenderness, granulation tissue on the anterior vaginal wall and a fixed proximal urethra high in the retropubic space (fig. 1). Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging and bone scan showed no evidence of osteitis pubis or osteomyelitis. Cystourethroscopy was normal. Elevated detrusor pressure during voiding on urodynamic tests suggested urethral obstruction. The patient underwent transvaginal exploration, complete graft excision and urethrolysis (fig. 2). The bone anchors were not removed. Pathological evaluation of the graft material revealed fibrovascular tissue with increased fibrosis. At 8 months of followup the patient had no recurrent vaginal erosion. Irritative bladder symptoms resolved and she reported mild stress urinary incontinence.
Evaluation of localized compaction and doming to reduce anion leaching losses using lysimeters

Fertilizer N that leaches from the root zone is not available for uptake by plants and can be transported to surface waters by subsurface drains, where it is considered a contaminant. Localized soil compaction and doming (LCD) to divert precipitation or irrigation water around the zone of fertilizer injection may be one way to reduce nitrate (NO 3 ) leaching from agricultural fields. This study was designed to determine whether anion tracer transport through soil profiles to subsurface drains could be delayed by modified application methods, specifically (i) injection using a conventional knife shank; (ii) broadcast application; and (iii) injection and covering using an LCD injector. Three fluorobenzoate tracers, which move similarly to NO 3 through soil, were applied to eight lysimeters at 63 kg ha -1 using the three application treatments. Each treatment contained an individual tracer. Two rainfall intensity treatments were imposed, four lysimeters per rainfall intensity treatment. All lysimeters received 50 mm of simulated rain 3 d after chemical application. A storm of this magnitude occurs once in 5 yr in Iowa. There were no differences in cumulative tracer leaching between the different rainfall intensity treatments. At the end of 6 mo, 5% of the tracer applied by a conventional knife shank leached to the subsurface drains, 4% applied as broadcast leached, and 1% applied by the LCD leached. At 18 mo, corresponding values were 25, 17, and 13%. These results suggested that soil modification in the fertilizer injection zone was a simple and effective way to reduce anion leaching.
Group-contribution estimation of critical temperature with only chemical structure

A group-contribution method was developed to predict critical temperature of organic compounds by using only the chemical-structure information. The values of 40 parameters were derived based on the Kurata-Isida equation for critical temperature. With the proposed method, critical temperatures have been calculated for 532 organic compounds and the average absolute error is 12.5 K with a standard deviation of 16.3 K. The overall average absolute percent error is 2.4%. The comparison with the method of Fedors and the method of Joback are also presented.
Superconducting transition temperatures of semiconducting SrTiO sub 3.

The superconducting transition temperature ${T}_{c}$ of SrTi${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ has been measured for specimens having electron carrier concentrations ${n}_{c}$ from 6.9\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{18}$ to 5.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{20}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$. The curve exhibits a maximum in ${T}_{c}$ for ${n}_{c}$ near 9\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{19}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$. The transition temperature has also been calculated using one adjustable parameter $\ensuremath{\xi}$, the intervalley deformation potential, in addition to the known normal-state properties of SrTi${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$. A good fit to the experimental curve is obtained.
Correlation of total body potassium with body-water.

THE total potassium content of the human body1 is of considerable interest from the point of view of physiology and in connexion with the clinical study of certain muscular disorders. Recently it has acquired additional interest because the radioactivity of naturally occurring potassium-40 in the body constitutes the principal ‘background’ in some 4π-counters used for the measurement of the gamma contamination of human subjects2–5. While it has been known for some time that the total potassium varies considerably around a value of 150 gm. in the average adult male1,6 and while it has been suspected that fat/muscle ratio is the principal determining factor, the correlation has not been clearly demonstrated.
Ambidexterity in Agile Distributed Development: An Empirical Investigation

Distributed software development has become a common reality with the advent of off-shore development and the need to be close to markets. Also, the dynamic nature of the environment in which businesses operate suggests the use of agile development methods. Whereas distributed software development requires the use of formal processes advocated by plan-driven approaches, rapidly changing environments are appropriate candidates for the use of agile development methods. This tension in agile distributed development poses conflicting demands between alignment and adaptability in the software development process. We conducted a multisite case study of three projects that use agile distributed development to examine how these organizations developed contextual ambidexterity---the ability to pursue conflicting demands simultaneously. Our findings, presented as a conceptual framework, indicate that conflicting demands between alignment and adaptability posed by agile distributed development can be addressed by a set of balanced practices that shape performance management and social context---two important antecedents of contextual ambidexterity.
Global $$W^{2,p}$$ estimates for solutions to the linearized Monge–Ampère equations

In this paper, we establish global $$W^{2,p}$$ estimates for solutions to the linearized Monge–Ampere equations under natural assumptions on the domain, Monge–Ampere measures and boundary data. Our estimates are affine invariant analogues of the global $$W^{2,p}$$ estimates of Winter for fully nonlinear, uniformly elliptic equations, and also linearized counterparts of Savin’s global $$W^{2,p}$$ estimates for the Monge–Ampere equations.