cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Erratum to: AAA Research Methodology I: Overcoming Linguistic and Cultural Barriers in Aging Research Among Asians: Presenter Discussion.

Slowing the spread of COVID-19 depends on public adherence to precautionary actions, such as wearing masks The Health Belief Model (Rosenstock, 1974) suggests the likelihood of using precautionary measures depends on perceived susceptibility, the severity of a disease, and whether effective measures can be taken to reduce the perceived threat of a disease This daily diary study focused on identifying predictors of daily precautionary behavior in older persons Between April 1 and June 26, 2020, 261 adults ages 55-79 (M = 64 29, SD = 5 20) completed up to 30 consecutive days of online diaries We examined whether perceived risk, COVID-19 knowledge, fake news beliefs, information seeking, disruption to routine, in-person interactions, and leaving the house predicted the number of daily precautions participants engaged in Multilevel modeling was used to examine within-person fluctuations in precautions as well as change in precautions from one day to the next People who reported higher education, scored higher on the COVID-19 knowledge quiz, had lower fake news beliefs, and perceived a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 endorsed more precautions At the daily level, increases in the number of in-person interactions, leaving home, and disruption to daily routine were each associated with decreases in precautionary behaviors Concurrent day and lagged models showed significant interactions between information seeking and perceived risk, suggesting increases in information seeking are related to increases in precautions for those who consider their risk to be low Findings highlight potentially intervenable factors that influence older adults’ daily decision making related to precautionary actions
Risk factors for COVID-19 and rheumatic disease flare in a US cohort of Latino patients.

OBJECTIVE Latino patients are overrepresented among cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and are at an increased risk of severe disease. Prevalence of COVID-19 in Latinos with rheumatic diseases is poorly reported. This study was undertaken to characterize COVID-19 clinical features and outcomes in Latino patients with rheumatic diseases. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study of Latino patients with rheumatic diseases from an existing observational cohort in the Washington, DC area. Patients seen between April 1, 2020 and October 15, 2020 were analyzed in this study. We reviewed demographic characteristics, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, and use of immunomodulatory therapies. An exploratory classification and regression tree (CART) analysis along with logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for COVID-19 and rheumatic disease flare. RESULTS Of 178 Latino patients with rheumatic diseases, 32 (18%) were identified as having COVID-19, and the incidence rate of infection was found to be 3-fold higher than in the general Latino population. No patients required intensive care unit-level care. A CART analysis and multivariable logistic regression analysis identified a BMI of >30.35 as a risk factor for COVID-19 (odds ratio [OR] 3.37 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.5-7.7]; P = 0.004). COVID-19 positivity was a risk factor for rheumatic disease flare (OR 4.57 [95% CI 1.2-17.4]; P = 0.02). CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that Latino patients with rheumatic diseases have a higher rate of COVID-19 compared with the general Latino population. Obesity is a risk factor for COVID-19, and COVID-19 is a risk factor for rheumatic disease flare. Latino patients with risk factors should be closely followed up, especially post-COVID-19 in anticipation of disease flare.
Cenobamate treatment of focal-onset seizures: Quality of life and outcome during up to eight years of treatment.

Abstract A large proportion of patients with focal-onset epilepsy have frequent seizures despite treatment with newer anti-seizure medications (ASMs). We describe our experience optimizing cenobamate treatment for 49 patients treated at one center for up to eight years. We assessed the influence of treatment response on measurements of quality of life (QOLIE). Forty-nine patients were evaluated from three cenobamate regulatory trials: two open-label extensions of randomized placebo-controlled studies and one open-label safety study at the Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHU). Patients had focal-onset seizures despite treatment with one to three ASMs and were 18 years of age and older. Patients kept seizure diaries for the duration of the study and had tri-monthly evaluations. Seizure responder rates were determined, and patients with long-term seizure freedom (≥six months seizure free) were identified. Cenobamate doses were adjusted within the range of 100–400 mg/day. Johns Hopkins Hospital patients who were continuing treatment when the studies ended (n = 37) were administered the QOLIE-31 survey and a separate survey to assess changes in independence and epilepsy-linked disability at the end of the study at JHU. Thirty-seven of 49 (76%) patients continued treatment for three to eight years (median 5.6 years). In their final three months of treatment, 45% of patients achieved ≥75% seizure reduction, 29% had ≥90% reduction, and 16% were seizure free (responder rates computed with n = 49). Posttraumatic etiologies did not reduce treatment responses. Increased dosage of cenobamate across 150–400 mg/day range was significantly associated with higher responder rates (p
Nafion and Multiwall Carbon Nanotube Modified Ultrananocrystalline Diamond Microelectrodes for Detection of Dopamine and Serotonin

Neurochemicals play a critical role in the function of the human brain in healthy and diseased states. Here, we have investigated three types of microelectrodes, namely boron-doped ultrananocrystalline diamond (BDUNCD), nafion-modified BDUNCD, and nafion–multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-modified BDUNCD microelectrodes for long-term neurochemical detection. A ~50 nm-thick nafion–200-nm-thick MWCNT-modified BDUNCD microelectrode provided an excellent combination of sensitivity and selectivity for the detection of dopamine (DA; 6.75 μA μM−1 cm−2) and serotonin (5-HT; 4.55 μA μM−1 cm−2) in the presence of excess amounts of ascorbic acid (AA), the most common interferent. Surface stability studies employing droplet-based microfluidics demonstrate rapid response time (<2 s) and low limits of detection (5.4 ± 0.40 nM). Furthermore, we observed distinguishable DA and 5-HT current peaks in a ternary mixture during long-term stability studies (up to 9 h) with nafion–MWCNT-modified BDUNCD microelectrodes. Reduced fouling on the modified BDUNCD microelectrode surface offers significant advantages for their use in long-term neurochemical detection as compared to those of prior-art microelectrodes.
Assessment of Streptococcus mutans biofilms on orthodontic adhesives over 7 days.

Introduction The purpose of this study was to compare the metabolism of Streptococcus mutans biofilms after 1-7 days of growth on different orthodontic adhesives. Methods Specimens of 6 commercial orthodontic adhesives were fabricated in custom-made molds and polymerized using a light-emitting diode light-curing unit. Bioluminescent S mutans (UA159:JM10) biofilms were grown on ultraviolet-sterilized specimens for 1, 3, 5, and 7 days (n = 18 biofilms/d/product) in anaerobic conditions at 37°C. The metabolism of biofilms (relative luminescence unit [RLU]) was measured 0, 2, 4, and 6 minutes after exposure to D-luciferin solution using a microplate reader. A linear mixed-effects model was used to analyze the logarithm of RLU (log RLU). The model included fixed effects of products, days, and minutes. Tukey-Kramer post-hoc tests were then performed on the significant predictors of log RLU (α = 0.05). Results Days (P Conclusions No significant differences in the metabolism of S mutans biofilms were observed among the 6 orthodontic adhesives. Biofilms that were grown for 3 days demonstrated the highest levels of biofilm metabolism as evidenced by higher mean log RLU values relative to 1, 5, and 7-day growth durations.
Echocardiographic Findings in Heart Failure Patients With Methamphetamine Use: A Case-Control Study

Background Methamphetamine use is associated with cardiovascular disease and significant morbidity and mortality. There is only one previous study performed on echocardiographic parameters in patients with methamphetamine cardiomyopathy. Methods We performed a retrospective review of medical records in a county hospital in Southern California with a high population of methamphetamine users. We reviewed medical records and echocardiogram findings in patients seen in our institution from November 2019 to November 2020 who had cardiomyopathy with and without methamphetamine use. We excluded patients who either left the hospital or expired before appropriate assessment. We divided our patient population into a case group (methamphetamine users) and a control group (non-methamphetamine users) to study and compare their echocardiographic parameters. Results Case group included a total of 254 patients and control group included 268 patients. Majority of the patient population were males - 178 (70%) and 180 (67%) in the case and control group respectively. Age was found to be statistically significant with the younger population in the case group (p = 0.0000). Our analysis revealed statistically significant difference in methamphetamine users compared to non-users in regards to left ventricle ejection fraction (33.65% ± 18.02 vs. 41.55% ± 15.61, p=0.0000), left ventricle mass index (122.49 grams/m2 ± 40.66 vs. 108.62 grams/m2 ± 32.82, p=0.0000), left ventricle end diastolic volume index (85.91 mL/m2 ± 37.40 vs. 72.44 mL/m2 ± 25.44; p=0.0000) and marginally significant right ventricle systolic pressure (42.29mmHg ± 17.53 vs. 39.59mmHg ± 15.61; p=0.0540) Conclusion Our results indicated that methamphetamine users had echocardiogram findings with decreased ejection fraction and increased left ventricular mass index, end-diastolic volume index, and right ventricular systolic pressure consistent with worse dilated cardiomyopathy comparison to non-users.
Neglected aspects of exploratory and investigatory behavior

This paper consists of a review of the literature on exploratory and investigatory behavior, with special attention to aspects of behavior that are clearly part of exploration and about which little is known. In accord with previous examinations of exploration, it is argued that exploration serves the function of information gathering. In addition, it is contended that the devlopment of comprehensive models of exploration would serve to benefit greatly both the study of basic processes in cognition and studies of the neurobiology of learning and memory. Most data available as of this writing focus on the spatial character of exploration, but the open-field test most commonly used has serious conceptual and methodological flaws, which are discussed. A larger problem lies in the scarcity of knowledge about other aspects of exploration—that is, investigation of objects. Finally, this paper argues the need for extensive descriptive information about the spontaneous exploratory behavior of rats. Such an account, if available, could be used as benchmark data for establishing the basic behavioral units in spontaneous investigation and for studying the effects of diverse central nervous system interventions on behaviors previously shown to be involved in the acquisition of new information—that is, learning.
A44 If You Build it…do it Safely! Building in Safety While Creating Active Environments

Abstract Background Efforts to promote environments that facilitate opportunities for active living and travel should consider the fact that injury is one of the leading causes of death globally, with transportation-related injuries a common cause. Drawing on the latest academic research and best practices in the field of injury prevention, this project aimed to provide those working to promote active lifestyles with evidenced-based recommendations on how to build in safety while designing active environments. Methods In 2010, twelve New York City (NYC) government agencies collaborated to create the Active Design Guidelines (ADG), which provided evidence-based and best practice urban and building design strategies for creating environments that promote daily physical activity. We developed a supplement to the ADG, Promoting Safety, which provides information that links safe design and active design strategies. A systematic review of the existing literature was conducted to identify injury prevention strategies applicable to the ADG objectives. Injury prevention strategies were rated as strong, emerging, or best practice, according to the strength of the supporting research evidence. We identified 18 urban design strategies and 9 building design strategies that promote safety and physical activity. Evidence was strong or emerging for 14/18 urban design strategies and 7/9 building design strategies. The product that resulted included a summary of the strategy, evidence, rating, visuals, and a matrix to illustrate how active design objectives relate to safety promoting strategies. The product was designed for widespread dissemination, and was peer-reviewed by injury prevention professionals, design and transportation experts, and key stakeholders. Results Several key findings emerged from the evidence reviewed: 1) active design strategies are often wholly compatible with well-accepted injury prevention principles; 2) the safety of multiple active design strategies can often be enhanced simultaneously by a single injury prevention strategy; and 3) for several of the active design objectives reviewed, there is not yet evidence on the ways in which injury outcomes are involved, and further research is needed. Conclusions By partnering with architects, planners and other transportation professionals, injury prevention and public health professionals can contribute to ensuring that new and renovated spaces maximize both active living and safety. This project is significant for the field because it highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaborations to foster the creation of safe environments. It also emphasizes the critical role that injury prevention professionals have in ensuring safety is incorporated when interventions to promote active transport are being developed in the future.
The Duty Paradox: Getting it Right After aDecade of Litigation Involving the Risk ofStudent Suicide

I. The Legal Landscape After a Decade of Cases Involving Suicide and Disability Discrimination Claims 34 A. Many Students with Significant Mental Health Issues, but Few Lawsuits Arising from Student Suicides 34 B. Jain v. Iowa 37 C. Schieszler v. Ferrum College and Shin v. MIT 40 D. The Reaction and Counter-Reaction to Schieszler and Shin ... 45 E. The Post-Shin Cases 48
Retention behavior of β-cyclodextrin complexes of anthracene and pyrene using reversed-phase liquid chromatography: The effects of tert.-butanol and cyclopentanol

Abstract The effects of tert.-butanol and cyclopentanol on the formation of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)-anthracene and β-CD-pyrene complexes have been studied using reversed-phase liquid chromatography. The retention times of anthracene and pyrene were monitored when eluted in a C18 column with mobile phase mixtures consisting of methanol, water, β-CD, and a small amount of tert.-butanol or cyclopentanol. Plots of capacity factor of anthracene versus concentration of β-CD in the mobile phase in methanol-water mixtures and in mixtures containing 1% (v/v) cyclopentanol or tert.-butanol as secondary modifiers showed very similar trends. This suggests that anthracene forms weak complexes with β-CD, and that the presence of these secondary mobile phase modifiers have little effect on the β-CD-anthracene inclusion reaction. In contrast, pyrene showed no discernable change in retention time with increases in β-CD concentration. However, in the presence of 1% (v/v) tert.-butanol or cyclopentanol, capacity factor of pyrene decreased drastically, more in 1% (v/v) cyclopentanol than in 1% (v/v) tert.-butanol. Formation of a ternary β-CD-pyrene-alcohol complex has been proposed to explain the effects.
Hydrophobicity as the signal for selective degradation of hydroxyl radical-modified hemoglobin by the multicatalytic proteinase complex, proteasome.

Red blood cells (RBC) and many other cell types exhibit increased rates of proteolysis during exposure to oxygen radicals and other activated oxygen species (oxidative stress). One of the major RBC proteins modified and proteolytically degraded during oxidative stress is hemoglobin (Hb). We now show that Hb undergoes a partial unfolding (or denaturation) during exposure to hydroxyl radicals (.OH), with an increase in hydrophobicity (hydrophobic interaction chromatography). At low .OH/Hb molar ratios, oxidatively modified Hb exhibits increased proteolytic susceptibility during incubation with RBC lysates, cell-free extracts, Fraction II, a 40-80% (NH4)2SO4 fraction, and purified proteasome (the 670-kDa RBC multicatalytic proteinase complex that we have previously called macroxyproteinase. At higher .OH/Hb molar ratios covalent cross-linking between Hb tetramers, and decreased proteolytic susceptibility are observed. The selective degradation of .OH-modified Hb is an ATP- and ubiquitin-independent process (in fact ATP is slightly inhibitory), and antibody precipitation studies, as well as inhibitor studies, indicate that proteasome is responsible for at least 60-70% of the activity in RBC. We propose that the mechanism of oxidation-induced proteolysis involves exposure of hydrophobic amino acid R groups during the partial Hb unfolding (or partial denaturation) that occurs at relatively low .OH/Hb molar ratios. Peptide bonds flanked by hydrophobic residues are preferred substrates for the proteasome complex, which degrades .OH-modified Hb in a processive process involving apparent serine-protease, sulfhydryl-protease, and metallo-peptidase activities. Highly denatured and covalently cross-linked Hb molecules, produced at high .OH/Hb molar ratios, are poorly degraded in RBC lysates and at all stages of proteasome purification. These cross-linked Hb tetramers have molecular sizes of 120-180 kDa and are presumably too large to fit in the proteasome active site(s). Recognition of exposed hydrophobic amino acid R groups provides a simple, energy-independent, and universal explanation for the proteasome-dependent proteolysis that accompanies oxidative stress.
Variation in Microbial Activity in Histosols and Its Relationship to Soil Moisture

Microbial biomass, dehydrogenase activity, carbon metabolism, and aerobic bacterial populations were examined in cropped and fallow Pahokee muck (a lithic medisaprist) of the Florida Everglades. Dehydrogenase activity was two- to sevenfold greater in soil cropped to St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt) Kuntz) compared with uncropped soil, whereas biomass ranged from equivalence in the two soils to a threefold stimulation in the cropped soil. Biomass in soil cropped to sugarcane (Saccharum spp. L) approximated that from the grass field, whereas dehydrogenase activities of the cane soil were nearly equivalent to those of the fallow soil. Microbial biomass, dehydrogenase activity, aerobic bacterial populations, and salicylate oxidation rates all correlated with soil moisture levels. These data indicate that within the moisture ranges detected in the surface soils, increased moisture stimulated microbial activity, whereas within the soil profile where moisture ranges reached saturation, increased moisture inhibited aerobic activities and stimulated anaerobic processes.
Segmenting dynamic textures with ising descriptors, ARX models and level sets

We present a new algorithm for segmenting a scene consisting of multiple moving dynamic textures. We model the spatial statistics of a dynamic texture with a set of second order Ising descriptors whose temporal evolution of is governed by an Auto Regressive eXogenous (ARX) model. Given this model, we cast the dynamic texture segmentation problem in a variational framework in which we minimize the spatial-temporal variance of the stochastic part of the model. This energy functional is shown to depend explicitly on both the appearance and dynamics of the scene. Our framework naturally handles intensity and texture based image segmentation as well as dynamics based video segmentation as particular cases. Several experiments show the applicability of our method to segmenting scenes using only dynamics, only appearance, and both dynamics and appearance.
Toward a Free Information Movement

The past decade witnessed the emergence of numerous Internet-based social justice groups, some of which have readily apparent social roles and follow traditional organizational paths, while others occupy more ambiguous spaces, and blur any clearly demarcated lines of classification. Groups such as Anonymous and WikiLeaks present researchers with difficulty in strict categorization and as such are often labeled in ways that obscure their classification and understanding. Situating these two groups within network society and social movement literatures, this study offers a sociological explanation for the rise of these groups and attempts to knit their disparately understood practices of “hacktivism” and “journalism” together in a coherent framework. Frame analysis is employed to examine how each group attends to core framing tasks, finding that both groups do so in substantially similar ways, employing complementary frames concerning the asymmetrical distribution of information. Moreover, their embeddedness in digital information networks, and their particular opposition to information asymmetry, acts as a unifying thread that enables these apparently disparate actors to be studied within a single analytical framework as part of an emerging digital, peer-produced movement concerned with the asymmetrical distribution of information.
An Eye for the Abstract

A simple 2D phase diagram of temperature and pressure can be visualized quite well on a piece of paper. But a student9s understanding can quickly become muddled in 3D or 4D diagrams. Educational software developed by K. R. Jolls and his colleagues solved this problem by allowing the coexistence of sophisticated imaging and manipulation of multidimensional phase relationships.
Vestibular influences on alpha motoneurons in the cervical and thoracic cord.

Publisher Summary Deiters' nucleus and the medial vestibular nucleus influence cervical and thoracic motoneurons by means of the lateral and medial vestibulospinal tracts. The former consists of excitatory, the latter, at least in part, of inhibitory fibers. The two tracts act as labyrinthine relays to the cells innervating the neck and back muscles, but the activity of the cells of origin is also modulated by other inputs. Excitatory and inhibitory connections between the lateral and medial vestibulospinal tracts (VST and MVST) fibers on the one hand, and neck motoneurons on the other, are monosynaptic, permitting direct and precise vestibular control of the neck musculature. By means of pathways, at least disynaptic, excitatory VST fibers originating in Deiters' nucleus facilitate and inhibit extensor and flexor forelimb motoneurons respectively. In its actions on these neurons, the VST does not act primarily as a labyrinthine relay. No MVST action has been observed in forelimb neurons. This pattern of connections here resembles that observed in hindlimb motoneurons, with the exception that the VST makes some monosynaptic connections with the latter.
Progress in the Management of Melanoma in 2013

The treatment of melanoma in 2013 has evolved significantly over the past 2 years, according to presentations at the recent NCCN 18th Annual Conference. Ipilimumab and vemurafenib have prolonged the survival of patients with advanced disease, and the research pipeline continues to evaluate a number of new agents highlighting a tremendous optimism to further improve outcomes. These new treatment options were incorporated into the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology in 2012. A recent presentation of these guidelines highlighted changes in both the initial management of very thin melanomas and the ongoing importance of targeted agents and immunotherapy in more advanced disease. This presentation included refining the indication for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), which, according to the updated guidelines, is not recommended for very thin lesions (≤ 0.75 mm). Dr. Daniel G. Coit discussed the rationale for this change during the presentation, and Dr. Anthony J. Olszanski reviewed the evidence for new classes of agents that impact survival.
Sparse line deletion constructions for symmetric 4-configurations

A 4-configuration is a collection of points and lines in the Euclidean plane such that each point lies on four lines and each line passes through four points. In this paper we introduce a new family of these objects. Our construction generalizes a 2010 result of Berman and Grunbaum in which suitable 4-configurations from the well-understood celestial family are altered to yield new configurations with reduced geometric symmetry groups. The construction introduced in 2010 removes every other line of a symmetry class from the celestial configuration; here we we give conditions under which every p -th line can be removed, for p ∈ {2, 3, 4, ⋯} . The geometric symmetry groups of the new configurations we obtain are of correspondingly smaller index as subgroups of the symmetry group of the underlying celestial configuration. These sparse constructions can also be repeated and combined to yield a rich variety of previously unknown 4-configurations. In particular, we can begin with a configuration with very high geometric symmetry—the dihedral symmetry of an m -gon for m quite large—and produce a configuration whose only geometric symmetry is 180 ∘ rotation.
Influence of Adult Age on the Skeletal Response to Phosphate and Estrogen in Rats

Sixteen-month-old ("aged") female rats were less susceptible than 6-month-old ("mature") females to parathyroid hormone (PTH)-mediated bone resorption induced by excess dietary phosphate. Ovariectomy enhanced 45Ca loss from the bones of mature rats but not of aged rats. In mature ovariectomized (OX) females, estradiol initially suppressed phosphate-induced bone resorption but its effectiveness decreased with continued administration. Diethylstilbestrol (DES) administered continuously or on a 3-weeks-on, 1-week-off schedule in the diet suppressed the increase in 45Ca loss in OX mature females fed a high (1.2%) P diet. In contrast, DES had no consistent effect on 45Ca loss by the aged animals. Urinary cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) was increased to a similar extent in both groups by feeding excess phosphate, indicating that the reduced effect of phosphate on 45Ca loss in the aged females was due to decreased bone response to PTH. Ovariectomies produced an increase in cAMP excretion which was suppressed by DES administration. DES also suppressed the increase in urinary cAMP induced by dietary phosphate, signifying that the decrease in bone resorption produced by estrogen is associated with an inhibition either of PTH synthesis or function.
Fast parameter optimization using Kriging metamodeling [antenna EM modeling/simulation]

In this paper, we propose a hybrid optimizer, which combines the Kriging macro-modeling and the divided rectangles method (DIRECT) to perform global optimization. The latter yields a deterministic answer with fast convergence rate and possesses local as well as global optimization properties. Two examples are presented, where DIRECT optimizer is combined with Kriging metamodeling. The first example involves optimization of the shape of a slot array Frequency Selective Surface (FSS). In the second example, the electromagnetic coupling between the harness and the FM antenna on a Deville model automobile is minimized. Both examples demonstrate the exceptional rate of convergence and the flexibility of the proposed optimizer.
Expanding in a Different Direction: Reclaiming the Twofold Nature of the Moral Object

This paper argues that the impasse in Catholic moral theology around the role of the object in determining the moral species of the act was rooted in shared misunderstandings of Thomas Aquinas's analysis of human action. The paper describes Thomas's account of moral action centering upon his claim in ST I-II.18.6 that the object is twofold. This distinction was often missed on both sides of the proportionalist debates. The paper argues that understanding the moral object as twofold upholds the essential elements of both sides of the proportionalist debates, holding them in their rightful balance. Moreover such an understanding offers an essential framework for Catholic theologians attending to the essential connection between acts and agents in accounts of morality.
Some 14 MeV neutron sputtering characteristics of a polycrystalline Nb sample

Abstract A sample of cold-rolled, polycrystallinc niobium was exposed to a fluence of 1.5 X 10 14 MeV neutrons/cm. Material sputtered from this sample was collected on a single crystal silicon disk placed in close juxtaposition to the Nb target. The collector was examined by three techniques, IMMA, SEM and Rutherford back-scatter of He ions. The sputtered material was found to be in two forms. The entire collector was covered with a background of “atomically” sputtered material. Superimposed on this were a number of irregular areas of high Nb concentration, patches or clusters of sputtered Nb atoms. When the total sputter yield is calculated from both of these forms a value of the order of 2–5 × 10 −5 is obtained.
Electric-Field-Gradient Calculations in the Aluminum Silicates ( Al 2 Si O 5 )

The point-multipole model is used to calculate the electric-field-gradient tensors at the eight nonequivalent aluminum sites of the three ${\mathrm{Al}}_{2}$Si${\mathrm{O}}_{5}$ polymorphs, kyanite (four sites), andalusite (two sites), and sillimanite (two sites). The contribution from induced dipole and quadrupole moments of the oxygen ions is included. The oxygen-ion polarizabilities and the ${\mathrm{Al}}^{3+}$ Sternheimer factor are considered as variable parameters to fit NMR measurements of the 34 independent field-gradient components. The best fit (average disagreement 21%) is obtained with ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{D}=0.5$ ${\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{3}$, ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{Q}=0.1$ ${\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{5}$, and ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{\ensuremath{\infty}}=\ensuremath{-}4.9$. The disagreement is roughly the same at all eight sites. With the theoretical ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{\ensuremath{\infty}}=\ensuremath{-}2.4$, and ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{D}=1.1$ ${\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{3}$, ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{Q}=0.1$ ${\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{5}$, the disagreement is 21% at the six octahedral sites but 82% at the five-coordinated site in andalusite, and 103% at the tetrahedral site in sillimanite. The oxygen-dipole contribution is very large; the quadrupole contribution is generally small but not negligible. Two recent refinements of the kyanite structure enable errors due to inaccuracy in the crystal structure parameters to be estimated. The thermal vibrations of the ions determined by x rays are calculated, and their contribution to the field gradients found to be quite small.
Occupant movement and the thermal modelling of buildings

Abstract Conventional computer models of the thermal transfer processes and energy consumption of buildings treat occupants as little more than fixed metabolic heat generators impassively experiencing the prevailing indoor environment. However, occupants do move around inside spaces and may experience several thermal environments within the same space. The computer model FENESTRA has been developed to include mobile occupants: their thermal comfort and the consequences for energy consumption. The model predicts that a mobile occupant can experience improved thermal comfort compared to an occupant fixed at the centre of the same space. Implications for both the size of cooling plant and thermostat settings for cooling are discussed. Finally, FENESTRA modelling provides testable hypotheses regarding occupant movement within spaces. If such tests were to be performed they could be used to validate and improve the FENESTRA model itself.
Blocking analysis of dynamic routing, wavelength assignment, and spectrum allocation in flexible grid WDM networks

Recently, exible grid transport has gained a lot of attentions due to its higher spectral and energy efficiencies in handling dynamic diverse granularity traffic. In this paper, we introduce exible grid transport architecture and address the dynamic routing, wavelength assignment, and spectrum allocation problem. We develop a novel homogeneous irreducible Markovian model to estimate the blocking of point-to-point connections and an analytical model using the reduced load approximation technique to estimate the blocking of multi-hop connections. The numerical results show that the proposed models provide reasonable estimation of blocking for connections with lower state-space complexity and quicker convergence time.
Adrenal venous sampling for catecholamines: a normal value study.

Context: Pheochromocytomas are rare, but potentially fatal, neoplasms. The diagnosis and localization of pheochromocytoma can be challenging, and recently there has been some debate regarding the role for adrenal venous sampling (AVS). The utility of AVS in this setting is hampered by a lack of normative value data for adrenal vein catecholamine concentrations and the reliability of lateralization ratios. We sought to address these concerns by analyzing AVS catecholamine concentrations from patients who did not have pheochromocytoma. Design/Setting: Eighteen patients underwent successful AVS for evaluation of cortisol-producing adrenal masses. All had normal 24-h urinary excretion of fractionated catecholamines and metanephrines. Results: There was a wide range of catecholamine concentrations in both the right (epinephrine 389–118326 pg/ml; norepinephrine 156–11193 pg/ml) and left (epinephrine 113–9327 pg/ml; norepinephrine 229–2216 pg/ml) adrenal veins. The right adrenal vein-to-left adrenal vein epineph...
Heritability estimates and behaviour observations: extra-pair matings in indigo buntings

Abstract About 2% of 156 behaviourally complete copulations observed in indigo buntings, Passerina cyanea, were extra-pair matings between a female and a male other than her mate. Morphometric similarities between parents and offspring indicated a significant heritability of body size (wing length, h2± se =0·44±0·13 for offspring and mid-parent values). Females were more similar to their offspring than were their mates. The incidence of effective extra-pair matings was estimated from the difference of offspring-father and offspring-mother regressions. The morphometric data suggest a much higher incidence of extra-pair fertilizations (40%, with wide error bounds) than did the field observations: males are not always closely related to the offspring produced on their territory. Full siblings were significantly more similar than half-siblings when the half-siblings shared a father, and not when the half-siblings shared a mother. Maternal half-siblings were more similar than paternal half-siblings, and siblings from the same nest were more similar than siblings from different nests, though not significantly so. Differences in season of birth, natal microhabitat (nest plant) and natal brood size did not affect the adult size of the buntings; no environmental traits were discovered that might explain the results as a non-genetic maternal effect. The approximately tenfold difference in the incidence of observed extra-pair copulations and of extra-pair fertilizations estimated by quantitative genetic methods is similar to the difference reported in other observational and protein electrophoretic studies in the same population.
Highly Stable Semiconducting Polymers Based on Thiazolothiazole

New thiazolothiazole-thiophene copolymers show high mobilities of ∼0.1 cm2/(V s) despite the fact that the polymer chains are disordered. The polymers demonstrated excellent stability, as they maintained the initial OFET performance after 50 days in ambient air (30−50% humidity).
Tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) by oxidant stress in cerebellar granule neurons: modulation by N-methyl-D-aspartate through calcineurin activity.

Insulin receptor-substrate-1 (IRS-1) is a docking protein for several tyrosine kinase receptors. Upon tyrosine phosphorylation, IRS-1 binds to signaling molecules that express Src homology 2 (SH-2) binding domains, including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase), phosphotyrosine phosphatase SHP-2 (Syp), Nck, Crk and Grb-2. Hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) induces tyrosine phosphorylation of key signaling mediators presumably by inhibition of tyrosine phosphatases. In many cell types, the activation of extracellular signal-related kinases (e.g. MAPK) and other protein kinases by H(2)O(2) leads to transcriptional activation. In the current study, we examined the effect of H(2)O(2) on IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation in primary cultured rat cerebellar granule neurons. H(2)O(2) stimulated the rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 and p42/p44 MAP kinase, and induced its association with PI 3-kinase. H(2)O(2)-induced IRS-1 phosphorylation was rapidly reversible (5 min) whereas MAPK phosphorylation persisted for up to 1 h. NMDA reversed H(2)O(2)-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 and its association with PI 3-kinase. The dephosphorylation of IRS-1 by NMDA was calcium-dependent and was inhibited by the calcineurin inhibitor cyclosporine. Calmodulin-dependent tyrosine phosphatase activity of calcineurin was observed in vitro using both immunoprecipitated and recombinant tyrosine-phosphorylated IRS-1 as substrates. These data highlight the role of multiple phosphatases in the regulation of IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation and identify a novel functional property of calcineurin.
Design of HD2: a 15 tesla Nb/sub 3/Sn dipole with a 35 mm bore

The Nb/sub 3/Sn dipole HD1, recently fabricated and tested at LBNL, pushes the limits of accelerator magnet technology into the 16 T field range, and opens the way to a new generation of HEP colliders. HD1 is based on a flat racetrack coil configuration and has a 10 mm bore. These features are consistent with the HD1 goals: exploring the Nb/sub 3/Sn conductor performance limits at the maximum fields and under high stress. However, in order to further develop the block-coil geometry for future high-field accelerators, the bore size has to be increased to 30-50 mm. With respect to HD1, the main RD (b) design of the bore, to support the coil against the pre-load force; (c) correction of the geometric field errors. HD2 represents a first step in addressing these issues, with a central dipole field above 15 T, a 35 mm bore, and nominal field harmonics within a fraction of one unit. This paper describes the HD2 magnet design concept and its main features, as well as further steps required to develop a cost-effective block-coil design for future high-field, accelerator-quality dipoles.
Living donor nephrectomy : a 20-year experience

Objectives. To review the selection criteria and perioperative morbidity in patients undergoing living-related donor nephrectomy. Methods. Retrospective chart review. Results. Six hundred eighty-one patients underwent living donor nephrectomy during a 20-year period without any mortality. The postoperative morbidity included pneumothorax requiring a chest tube in 7%, urinary tract infection in 5%, wound infection in 4%, and need for blood replacement in 0.3% of patients. Two patients had clinically apparent pulmonary emboli. Conclusions. Living donor nephrectomy remains a valuable source of kidneys for transplantation but is not without risk. By using care in donor selection and surgical management, operative complications can be kept low.
Acoustic evidence for the vertical partitioning of biomass in the epipelagic zone of the Gulf of Alaska

Abstract Quantitative acoustic information obtained on five cruises in the oceanic Gulf of Alaska demonstrates the presence of two distinct sound-scattering layers (200 kHz). One layer is almost always associated with the base of the surface mixed zone except during the winter-spring transition, while the other migrates into the upper epipelagic zone at night and returns to depth each day. Estimates of acoustically determined biomass (ADB) indicate that more than 95% of the standing stock of organisms detected in the upper 155 m occurs in these layers. Within-layer ADB ranges from 1 to 6 g m −3 with season in the Alaska Gyre. These layers were not observed in the water column over the continental shelf.
Learning outcomes for the twenty-first century: Cultivating student success for college and the knowledge economy

This chapter provides an overview of the League for Innovation in the Community College's project on learning outcomes. The 21st Century Learning Outcomes Project was a three-year project involving sixteen diverse community colleges that supported the development of practices for assessing and using student learning outcomes to improve student success.
The effect of transient dopamine antagonism on thyrotropin-releasing hormone-induced prolactin release in female rats during the estrous cycle.

Prolactin (PRL) release induced by TRH was examined on each day of the estrous cycle in female rats in which pituitary dopamine (DA) receptors were blocked pharmacologically. The objective was to determine if an interaction exists between hypothalamic inhibitory and releasing hormones with regard to prolactin (PRL) secretion. Domperidone (0.01 mg/rat i.v.) followed 5 minutes later by the administration of the DA agonist 2-Br-alpha-ergocryptine maleate (CB-154, 0.5 mg/rat i.v.) were used to produce a transient (less than 1 hr) dopamine blockade. One hour later, thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH, 1.0 microgram/rat i.v.) was given to stimulate PRL release. On the morning of proestrus, TRH released a significantly greater quantity of PRL into the plasma after DA antagonism compared to control animals which did not receive the dopamine antagonist. Dopamine antagonism also enhanced the effectiveness of TRH on the mornings of estrus and metestrus. The response on estrus was significantly greater than the response on proestrus. However by the morning of diestrus, TRH-"releasable" PRL was greatly diminished. Our results suggest that DA antagonism is able to shift differing quantities of PRL into a TRH "releasable" pool on several days of the estrous cycle and that the control of this mechanism is acute.
Comparison of statistical and theoretical habitat models for conservation planning: The benefit of ensemble prediction

Selection of a modeling approach is an important step in the conservation planning process, but little guidance is available. We compared two statistical and three theoretical habitat modeling approaches representing those currently being used for avian conservation planning at landscape and regional scales: hierarchical spatial count (HSC), classification and regression tree (CRT), habitat suitability index (HSI), forest structure database (FS), and habitat association database (HA). We focused our comparison on models for five priority forest-breeding species in the Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region: Acadian Flycatcher, Cerulean Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Red-headed Woodpecker, and Worm-eating Warbler. Lacking complete knowledge on the distribution and abundance of each species with which we could illuminate differences between approaches and provide strong grounds for recommending one approach over another, we used two approaches to compare models: rank correlations among model outputs and comparison of spatial correspondence. In general, rank correlations were significantly positive among models for each species, indicating general agreement among the models. Worm-eating Warblers had the highest pairwise correlations, all of which were significant (P < 0.05). Red-headed Woodpeckers had the lowest agreement among models, suggesting greater uncertainty in the relative conservation value of areas within the region. We assessed model uncertainty by mapping the spatial congruence in priorities (i.e., top ranks) resulting from each model for each species and calculating the coefficient of variation across model ranks for each location. This allowed identification of areas more likely to be good targets of conservation effort for a species, those areas that were least likely, and those in between where uncertainty is higher and thus conservation action incorporates more risk. Based on our results, models developed independently for the same purpose (conservation planning for a particular species in a particular geography) yield different answers and thus different conservation strategies. We assert that using only one habitat model (even if validated) as the foundation of a conservation plan is risky. Using multiple models (i.e., ensemble prediction) can reduce uncertainty and increase efficacy of conservation action when models corroborate one another and increase understanding of the system when they do not.
Interrelationships among attitudes toward academic subjects

Individual differences in attitudes toward five major academic interests (mathematics, science, reading, writing, and oral communication) were interrelated. Multiple measures for each academic subject were collected. Analyses suggested strong convergent validity within subject area. A smallest space analysis and factor analysis of the correlation matrix for these measures demonstrated a relative independence among the specific attitudes. A second-order factor analysis suggested two underlying factors: one included the oral communication, writing, and reading attitudes constructs; the other was composed of the science and math attitudes constructs. In addition, significant sex differences were found for math and science attitudes, with females reporting less positive attitudes toward these subjects than males.
New silyl-nickel complexes prepared by η6-arene substitution in (η6-toluene)bis(trihalosilyl)nickel. Preparation of L3Ni(SiX3)2 and L2Ni(SiX3)2 (X = Cl, F; L = phosphine, phosphites, and pyridines. X-Ray structure of cis-(collidine)2Ni(SiCl3)2

Abstract Facile displacement of the arene ligand in (η 6 -toluene)Ni(SiX 3 ) 2 (X = F, Cl) has produced L 2 Ni(SiX 3 ) 2 and L 3 Ni(SiX 3 ) 2 complexes, where L = trimethylphosphine, triethylphosphine, trimethylphosphite, triethylphosphite, trifluorophosphine, pyridine, lutidine, or collidine. Steric factors appear to determine whether disubstituted (square planar) or trisubstituted (trigonal bipyramidal) systems are formed. In the case of the methyl-pyridine analogs the cis - and trans -L 2 Ni(SiCl 3 ) 2 complexes can be differentiated by their NMR. These investigations have led to a wide range of new Ni-Si complexes, some of their chemical properties have been investigated, and an improved synthesis of (η 6 -toluene)Ni(SiF 3 ) 2 is reported. An X-ray structure determination of Ni(SiCl 3 ) 2 ((CH 3 ) 3 C 5 H 2 N) 2 reveals that a distorted square planar geometry exists in the solid state with equivalent ligands in a cis -configuration. The complex crystallizes in space group P 2 1 / c with lattice constants of a 8.964(5), b 15.0591(9), c 18.273(1) A, and β 86.689(2)°. The steric bulk of the collidine ligand is accommodated by a ∼28° rotation of the NiN 2 plane relative to the NiSi 2 plane which is closer to square planar (0°) than tetrahedral (90°). An analysis of bond parameters indicates that some π-backbonding to the SiCl 3 groups exists which helps to stabilize the complex.
The Solubility of Octacalcium Phosphate at 37°C in the System Ca(OH)2-H 3PO4-KNO3-H2O

The solubility product of octacalcium phosphate [Ca4H(PO4)3 · 2.5H 2O] has been determined in the system Ca(OH)2-H3PO 4KNO3-H2O at 37°C in experiments involving a range of hydrodynamics, ionic strength, and equilibration time. A value of pK so= 49.3 ± 0.2 was obtained for three different solid preparations by considering activity coefficients and ion-pair corrections.