cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Equality of Opportunity and the Schoolhouse Gate

Public schools have generated some of the most far reaching cases to come before the Supreme Court. They have involved nearly every major civil right and liberty found in the Bill of Rights. The cases are often reflections of larger societal ills and anxieties, from segregation and immigration to religion and civil discourse over war. In that respect, they go to the core of the nation’s values. Yet, constitutional law scholars have largely ignored education law as a distinct area of study and importance. Justin Driver’s book cures that shortcoming, offering a three dimensional view of how the Court’s education law jurisprudence as evolved over the past century. The Court, once loath to intervene in school affairs, increasingly recognized that students’ constitutional rights do not end at the schoolhouse gate. But that extension has not without been without limitations, pause or controversy. Driver vividly narrates both the Court’s internal conversations and those occurring in broader society. Most importantly, Driver helps the reader see how the Court’s decisions were not preordained, could have gone a number of different ways, and heavily influenced the history that followed. The Book Review, however, argues that no account of the Court’s education precedent is complete without a detailed examination of how the Court’s decisions have affected equal opportunity. The attempt to ensure equal educational opportunity is ultimately the tie that binds so much of the Court’s precedent. Unfortunately, the Court’s doctrine on this score has not been one of consistent expansion. In fact, too often the Court has limited students’ rights and, thus, the educational opportunities they receive. This failure is clearest in two areas: those cases implicating a constitutional right to education and school desegregation.
3028 – ENHANCING AGED HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL FUNCTION WITH PROSTAGLANDIN E2

Aging of human hematopoiesis is associated with increased frequency and clonality of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), along with functional compromise and myeloid bias, and donor age is a significant variable in survival after HSC transplantation. No clinical methods exist to enhance aged HSC function, and little is known regarding how aging affects molecular responses of HSC to biological stimuli. Exposure of young fish, mouse, nonhuman primate and human HSC to 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2 (dmPGE2) can enhance transplantation, but the effect of dmPGE2 on aged HSC has not yet been tested. Bone marrow cells from young (3 mo) and aged (25 mo) C57BL/6J mice were pulsed ex vivo with dmPGE2 or vehicle prior to competitive transplantation. DmPGE2 enhanced long-term repopulation of aged grafts in primary and secondary transplantation, increasing final chimerism an average of 27%, similar to the average increase of 21% for young grafts (both p
Phylogenetic paleoecology: macroecology within an evolutionary framework

The burgeoning field of phylogenetic paleoecology (Lamsdell et al. 2017) represents a synthesis of the related but differently focused fields of macroecology (Brown 1995) and macroevolution (Stanley 1975). Through a combination of the data and methods of both disciplines, phylogenetic paleoecology leverages phylogenetic theory and quantitative paleoecology to explain the temporal and spatial variation in species diversity, distribution, and disparity. Phylogenetic paleoecology is ideally situated to elucidate many fundamental issues in evolutionary biology, including the generation of new phenotypes and occupation of previously unexploited environments; the nature of relationships among character change, ecology, and evolutionary rates; determinants of the geographic distribution of species and clades; and the underlying phylogenetic signal of ecological selectivity in extinctions and radiations. This is because phylogenetic paleoecology explicitly recognizes and incorporates the quasi-independent nature of evolutionary and ecological data as expressed in the dual biological hierarchies (Eldredge and Salthe 1984; Congreve et al. 2018; Fig. 1), incorporating both as covarying factors rather than focusing on one and treating the other as error within the dataset.
Traffic-Aware Lane Change Advance Warning System for Delay Reduction at Congested Freeway Diverge Areas

AbstractThis paper presents an on-board advance warning system based on a probabilistic prediction model that advises vehicles approaching a freeway diverge area on when to change lanes to reach an...
The prognostic significance of pleomorphism in gastrointestinal stromal tumours.

AIM Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) typically show uniform nuclear morphology, with spindle cell, epithelioid or mixed histology. Risk of progression in GIST is estimated based on anatomical site, tumour size and mitotic index. Pleomorphic GISTs are rare and have not been systematically investigated. We evaluated the prognostic significance of pleomorphism in GIST. METHODS AND RESULTS In total, 108 of 2517 (4.3%) GISTs reviewed between 2000 and 2021 were reported to show pleomorphism. Seventeen cases underwent mutational testing. Pleomorphism was noted prior to therapy in 37 GISTs, affecting 18 males and 19 females, with a mean age of 55.4 years. Most tumours arose in the stomach (n = 15) or small intestine (n = 19), with a mean size of 9.2 cm and a median mitotic rate of seven per 5 mm2 ; the median follow-up was 5.7 years. Immunohistochemistry for KIT was positive in 36 (97.3%) tumours. Mutational testing revealed KIT and PDGFRA mutations in 68.4 and 21.0% of cases, respectively; no SDHX, KIT or PDGFRA alterations were found in two cases (one of which was succinate dehydrogenase-deficient). According to standard risk assessment criteria for progressive disease, 18 tumours were high-risk, five were moderate-risk, four were low-risk, five were very low-risk and one had no risk. Disease progression was exclusive to high-risk tumours (79%; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Pleomorphism is present prior to therapy in approximately 2% of GISTs and is most prevalent in high-risk gastric and small intestinal GISTs. Pleomorphism appears to have no prognostic significance beyond conventional risk stratification.
SU-E-T-46: A Monte Carlo Investigation of Radiation Interactions with Gold Nanoparticles in Water for 6 MV, 85 KeV and 40 KeV Photon Beams

Purpose: To determine the effect of gold-nanoparticles (AuNPs) on energy deposition in water for different irradiation conditions. Methods: TOPAS version B12 Monte Carlo code was used to simulate energy deposition in water from monoenergetic 40 keV and 85 keV photon beams and a 6 MV Varian Clinac photon beam (IAEA phase space file, 10x10 cm2, SSD 100 cm). For the 40 and 85 keV beams, monoenergetic 2x2 mm2 parallel beams were used to irradiate a 30x30x10 µm 3 water mini-phantom located at 1.5 cm depth in a 30x30x50 cm3 water phantom. 5000 AuNPs of 50 nm diameter were randomly distributed inside the mini-phantom. Energy deposition was scored in the mini-phantom with the AuNPs’ material set to gold and then water. For the 6 MV beam, we created another phase space (PHSP) file on the surface of a 2 mm diameter sphere located at 1.5 cm depth in the water phantom. The PHSP file consisted of all particles entering the sphere including backscattered particles. Simulations were then performed using the new PHSP as the source with the mini-phantom centered in a 2 mm diameter water sphere in vacuum. The g4em-livermore reference list was used with “EMRangeMin/EMRangeMax = 100 eV/7 MeV” and “SetProductionCutLowerEdge = 990 eV” to create the new PHSP, and “SetProductionCutLowerEdge = 100 eV” for the mini-phantom simulations. All other parameters were set as defaults (“finalRange = 100 µm”). Results: The addition of AuNPs resulted in an increase in the mini-phantom energy deposition of (7.5 ± 8.7)%, (1.6 ± 8.2)%, and (−0.6 ± 1.1)% for 40 keV, 85 keV and 6 MV beams respectively. Conclusion: Enhanced energy deposition was seen at low photon energies, but decreased with increasing energy. No enhancement was observed for the 6 MV beam. Future work is required to decrease the statistical uncertainties in the simulations. This research is partially supported from institutional funds from the Center for Radiation Oncology Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
A Formula for the Quantiles of Mixtures of Distributions with Disjoint Supports

In this note we derive closed formulas for the quantiles of a class of cumulative distribution functions (CDF) that can be expressed as mixtures. Generally quantiles of mixtures are only computable numerically. In this case, we assume that the support of the component densities are disjoint, which allows explicit computation in terms of the quantiles of the component distributions. Such quantiles may be of interest in risk modeling, e.g., piecing together risk profiles (e.g., power law on the left, Student t on the right) that are different for gains and losses in a risk measure.
Commentary on Multiemployer Bargaining Rules: Searching for the Right Questions

ONE way of investigating a topic is to look at it in the light of insights gained elsewhere. This is what Professor Douglas Leslie recommends in his very interesting article. He takes a number of ideas that have been developed within the law and economics movement and juxtaposes them with the legal rules governing multiemployer bargaining, specifically with rules applying to withdrawal from multiemployer bargaining units. The outcome of the enterprise is the suggestion of a series of questions having to do with various issues, including the competing explanations of the parties' incentives to adopt multiemployer bargaining (such as "cartelization" versus "wage premium" theory versus "relative wage" theory); the possible sources of transactions costs in collective bargaining (such as "batch" theory and "framing device" theory); and the criteria of choice between "precise" and "multifactored" rules. Although conceding that the questions he has raised are "devilishly difficult," Leslie concludes by expressing confidence that these are the "appropriate questions." Although I am in no position to be anything other than agnostic to such an economic analysis, I am inclined to hope that these are not the appropriate questions, or at least not the only questions. Leslie's questions can be answered, if at all, only by extensive study of unions and employers engaged in their customary pursuits. Thus, as they stand, the questions are not very useful to lawyers, governmental agencies, and judges in the ongoing process of fitting doctrine to litigated disputes. Moreover, I do not believe that we have a kennel full of social scientists baying to be set on the trail of these questions. I therefore do not think there is much prospect of usable answers to these questions emerging anytime soon. A second way to proceed with some subject of interest is to begin by making explicit what we think we know and then to ask where our account seems inadequate or in need of support. In this Commentary, I will briefly attempt this type of investigation and suggest an approach to multiemployer bargaining that contrasts with that by Leslie. I do not mean to imply that what I say will be uncontroversial or universally accepted. I believe, however, that it will come within a familiar range of discourse and thus be readily digestible in the continuing professional dialogue on multiemployer
A Panel-Data Sensitivity Analysis of Regional Growth in China

This paper examines the contributions of various factors on China's economic growth. The methodology is discussed in papers by Levine and Renelt (1992) and Sala-i-Martin (1997). We estimate regressions with growth of output and a variety of total 49 factors, gathered from a variety of sources. Using the panel data from 1978 to 1999 and for 30 provinces, autonomous regions and independently administered cities, we find that provinces with more innovation capital and with more bank deposit to GDP ratios tend to experience higher economic growth. We also find that provinces which collect more revenue, but spend less will have lower growth rates. Out of the 49 variables, other factors that negatively correlated to growth rates also include implied population (both numbers and ratio) migrating into a province, SOE industrial output as percentage of total industrial output, SOE staff & workers as percentage of total employment, kilometers of railroad per square kilometers of area, high education teachers as percentage of population, and net export relative to GDP. Primary school students enrolled as percentage of population and telephones per capital are found to be positively correlated to growth.
Halting and equivalence of program schemes in models of arbitrary theories

In this note we consider the following decision problems. Let Σ be a fixed first-order signature. (i) Given a first-order theory or ground theory T over Σ of Turing degree α, a program scheme p over Σ, and input values specified by ground terms t1, ..., tn, does p halt on input t1, ..., tn in all models of T? (ii) Given a first-order theory or ground theory T over Σ of Turing degree α and two program schemes p and q over Σ, are p and q equivalent in all models of T? When T is empty, these two problems are the classical halting and equivalence problems for program schemes, respectively. We show that problem (i) is Σα1 -complete and problem (ii) is Πα2 -complete. Both problems remain hard for their respective complexity classes even if Σ is restricted to contain only a single constant, a single unary function symbol, and a single monadic predicate. It follows from (ii) that there can exist no relatively complete deductive system for scheme equivalence over models of theories of any Turing degree.
Political and economic factors influencing contraceptive uptake

International, national and local level politics influence the uptake of contraception through consensuses, laws, financial and moral support or the creation of an enabling atmosphere. Opposition to contraception generally comes from some churches and groups opposed to particular technologies. Socio-economic factors, particularly education, the health care system and the perceived or actual cost of fertility regulation as compared to benefits expected from children also powerfully influence contraceptive use. For many poor women in developing countries their powerlessness in relation to their male partners is an important obstacle.
A complete solution to the general H ∞ control problem: LMI existence conditions and state space formulas

This paper presents all controllers for the general H∞ control problem (with no assumptions on the plant matrices). Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of an H∞ suboptimal controller of any order are given in terms of three Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs). Furthermore, we provide the set of all H∞ suboptimal controllers explicitly parametrized in the state space using the positive definite solutions to the LMIs. The inequality formulation converts the existence conditions to a convex feasibility problem, and also a free matrix parameter in the controller formula defines a finite dimensional design space, as opposed to the infinite dimensional space associated with the Q-parametrization.
Theorizing the Financial Statecraft of Emerging Powers

‘Financial statecraft’, or the intentional use of credit, investment and currency levers by the incumbent governments of creditor – and sometimes debtor – states for both international economic and political advantage, has a long history, ranging from money doctors to currency wars. A neorealist, zero-sum framing of international monetary relations is not inevitable, yet casts a persistent shadow especially during periods of prospective interstate power transitions when previously peripheral countries find themselves with unexpected new capabilities. This article seeks to understand and theorise the financial statecraft of emerging economies, moving beyond the traditional understanding that closely identifies the concept with financial sanctions imposed by a strong state on a weaker state. We propose that the aims of financial statecraft may be either ‘defensive' or ‘offensive’. Financial statecraft may be targeted either ‘bilaterally' or ‘systemically’. Finally such statecraft may employ instruments that...
Coulomb deflection in ion-atom collisions

The Coulomb-deflection factor, defined as the ratio of the Coulomb to plane-wave Born cross sections, is derived for slow but classically moving ions, and found to be in agreement with the data for $K$-shell ionization. When the half distance of closest approach in a head-on collision, $d$, is comparable to the important impact parameters ($\ensuremath{\sim}\frac{1}{{q}_{0}}$, where ${q}_{0}$ is the minimum momentum transfer), this factor simplifies to $\mathrm{exp}(\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\pi}d{q}_{0})$ as it has been employed in the inner-shell-ionization theory. When the impact parameters are small on the scale of the projectile de Broglie wavelength, as they are in nuclear phenomena, the Coulomb-deflection factor tends to $\mathrm{exp}(\ensuremath{-}2\ensuremath{\pi}d{q}_{0})$. An extension of our results to screened Coulomb repulsion gives good agreement with the semiclassical calculations and the data for $K$-shell excitation in ${\mathrm{Ne}}^{+}$-Ne collisions.
The gulf crisis and African-American interests under international law

It has now been two years since the end of the United Nations Security Council’s military enforcement action against Iraq, popularly known as “Operation Desert Storm.” The glow of military success suffused the American atmosphere, and its aftermath is clearly shaping international expectations about the United Nations, its legal authority, human rights, and more general issues of power, wealth and loyalties of peoples. Also shaping expectations is the end of the Cold War, which left the United States as the sole “superpower.” How well the international community and the American polity are adjusting to the absence of the Soviet Union as a major state and convenient enemy remains open to question. International law is thus challenged to regulate an international community suddenly transformed in many ways.
Effects of stimulus omission during habituation of the pupillary dilation reflex

The pupillary dilation reflex of the paralyzed cat was studied during habituation to an acoustic stimulus. The effect of a scheduled stimulus omission was assessed by examination of pupillary activity during the omission, in the 4-sec intertrial interval, and on the following trial. It was found that dilation responses during the omission were rare. Effects were seen more often in the intertrial interval or on the following trial (“dishabituation”). Responses to an omitted stimulus were related to the dynamics of background (“tonic”) pupillary size; specifically, they occurred significantly more often for subjects which exhibited an increase in background pupillary diameter following initial stimuli and then a decrease during the later course of habituation.
Effects of three trials on grip and pinch strength measurements

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate possible practice or fatigue effects during grip and pinch strength measurements, using the mean of three trials method. The grip, tip pinch, key pinch, and palmar pinch strength of 49 normal subjects and 49 rehabilitation patients were measured using standard procedures. There was no evidence of a practice or motor learning effect over the three trials. In four out of the 16 measurements, there were statistically significant differences within trials, which indicated some effect of fatigue. However, the differences in means were so small that they are not thought to have clinical significance. The effects of three-trial measurements were not significantly different for the normal and rehabilitation groups.
A fast algorithm for solving Toeplitz penta-diagonal systems

In this paper a fast algorithm for solving a large system with a symmetric Toeplitz penta-diagonal coefficient matrix is presented. This efficient method is based on the idea of a system perturbation followed by corrections and is competitive with standard methods. The error analysis is also given.
Photoionization of the excited 3p state of sodium: Experiment and theory.

Measurements of the cross section for photoionization of the excited $3p$ state of sodium have been made over a significant energy range. Calculations at the central-field and Hartree-Fock levels have also been carried out. Agreement between theory and experiment is excellent.
Radiation dose calculations in endometrial cancer treated with Heyman capsules or tandem.

Abstract The radiation dose calculated when endometrial cancer patients are treated with Heyman capsules is uncertain owing to shielding and irregular placement of sources. When we compared the doses calculated in six patients treated with capsules and tandem, we found in the isthmus that the tandem gave a more uniform and higher dose than the capsules for 5500 mg-hr. In the body, the capsules give an overall nonuniform and higher dose than the tandem for 5500 mg-hr. We advise tandem treatment alone for a small uterine cavity. For a large cavity, we recommend tandem treatment combined with capsules, which provides the advantage of uniform dose in body and isthmus with increased dose from the capsules in the body.
The molecular structure of poly(biphenyl dianhydride-p-phenylenediamine) polyimide thin films by infrared spectroscopy : Thickness dependence of structure in the nano- to micrometer range

The molecular structure of poly[biphenyl dianhydride-p-phenylenediamine] (BPDA–PDA) polyimide in ultrathin (3–300 nm) films on silicon has been characterized by polarized infrared spectroscopy in conjunction with ellipsometry and X-ray reflectivity measurements. In spite of the high degree of crystalline packing of the polymer chains, the results show that an unexpected and significant content of imide rings exhibit local structural perturbations, including out-of-plane twisting. Further, the fraction of perturbed rings increases with increasing film thickness while, in contrast, the high degree of in-plane uniaxial film symmetry and planar stacking of the chains remain constant with thickness. These results reveal a new structural aspect of localized ring disorder that arises within the otherwise well-ordered, chain-stacked structure of BPDA–PDA polyimide films. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 1247–1260, 1998
Sulfur Bridging Interactions of Cis-Planar NiII−S2N2 Coordination Units with Nickel(II), Copper(I,II), Zinc(II), and Mercury(II): A Library of Bridging Modes, Including NiII(μ2-SR)2MI,II Rhombs

Sulfur bridging interactions between three cis-planar NiII-S2N2 complexes and NiII, CuI,II, ZnII, and HgII reactants were investigated by synthesis and X-ray crystal structures of some 24 complexes. This work was stimulated by recent crystallographic structures of the A-cluster of carbon monoxide dehydrogenase/acetylcoenzyme A synthase. This bridged biological assembly has the minimal formulation [Fe4S4]−(μ2-SCys)−[M((μ2-SCys)2Gly)Ni] with M = NiII, CuI, and ZnII at sites distal and proximal, respectively, to the iron−sulfur cluster. Bridges supported by representations of the distal nickel site were sought by reactions of the complexes [NiII(LH-S2N2)]2- and [NiII(LR-S2N2)], with 5−5−5 chelate ring patterns. Reaction products implicate the bridges Ni−(μ2-S)1,2−M in a variety of molecular structures, some with previously unknown connectivities of bridge atoms. The most frequently encountered bridge units are the nonplanar rhombs Ni(μ2-S)2M involving both sulfur atoms of a given complex. Those with M = NiII...
A study of possible addition species formed between bis(2-dimethylaminopyridine N-oxide) Cu(II) ion and heterocyclic amines

Abstract To 5 × 10 −3 M nitromethane and acetonitrile solutions of bis(dimethylaminopyridine N-oxide) Cu(II) perchlorate, Cu(DM) 2 (ClO 4 ) 2 , have been added stoichiometric amounts of heterocyclic bases. The bases added include pyridine; 2-, 3- and 4-picoline; and 3,5-, 2,4- and 2,6-lutidine. Changes in the visible spectra as well as the ESR spectra of the frozen solution have been recorded. The results indicate the substitution for the N-oxide ligand rather than axial addition occurs with most of the bases. The one exception, 2,6-lutidine, appears to form a species having spectral characteristics of an addition compound.
Paget's disease in an adolescent arising in a supernumerary nipple

Paget's disease of the breast generally affects middle-aged and older females. In the majority of cases, it is considered to be the result of epidermal spread from a contiguous mammary duct carcinoma. We report the first case in an adolescent female with an accessory nipple. The histomorphology and immunophenotypic findings support the hypothesis of in situ transformation and suggest a histologic spectrum exists in terms of cytologic atypia.
Planned experiment to measure the superfluid density of confined4He near Tλ

An experiment using Helmholtz resonator techniques is proposed to measure the effects of confinement on the superfluid density in4He near the lambda point. Recent experimental and technological innovations afford the opportunity of dramatically improving previous measurements. We will exploit recent high resolution thermometry techniques which provide a resolution of the lambda point to within 10−9 K. In addition, the development of glass channel arrays with less than a one percent deviation throughout the entire array and high packing densities will provide a containment sample that is much improved over previous work. Finally, we will employ a high resolution pressure sensor with a SQUID readout to detect the small signal associated with a close approach to the transition.
Transitions in Dual Care for Veterans: Non-Federal Physician Perspectives

Many veterans receive care from both the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the non-VHA health system, or dual care. Non-federal physicians practicing in Nebraska were surveyed to examine their perspectives on the organization and delivery of dual care provided to veterans. A paper-based survey was mailed to all 1,287 non-federal primary care physicians (PCPs) and a purposive sample of 765 specialist physicians practising in Nebraska. Rural physicians are more likely to incorporate care coordination practices in their clinical practice, compared to urban physicians. More rural physicians report difficulties in patient transfers, and referrals to the VHA, in prescribing for veteran patients, and in contacting a VHA provider in an emergent situation regarding their veteran patient. More PCPs also report difficulties in referrals to the VHA. However, more rural and primary care physicians follow up with their veteran patients post referral to the VHA. There was agreement among the physicians that the current dual care system needed improvements to provide timely, efficient, coordinated and high quality care to veterans. The specific areas identified for improvement were coordination of care, information sharing, medication management, streamlining of patient transfers, reimbursement for care provided outside the VA, and better delineation and clarity of the boundaries of each system and roles and responsibilities of VA and non-VA providers in the care of veterans.
Immune mechanisms in Marek's disease.

Resistance to progressive tumor development in MD is either naturally inherited or can be induced by vaccination with apathogenic or attenuated MDV or with HVT. Studies on the effects of immunosuppression on resistance have shown that natural and vaccine induced resistance may be mediated through immune responses. Cell-mediated immune responses rather than humoral responses appear to be of principal importance. The antigen(s) against which protective cell-mediated immunity is elicited are not yet clearly delineated. Both virus-related and tumor antigens may be involved. Progress in the understanding of cell-mediated immunity in MD has been slow because of lack of reproducible in vitro tests to measure this response in infected chickens. The development of lymphoblastoid cell lines from MD lymphomas, however, has enabled the development of an in vitro cytotoxicity test. In this test, which utilizes MSB-1 cells as the target cells, a specific cell-mediated immune response, presumably against the tumor antigen, MATSA, was detected in chickens infected with MDV. Further studies using similar in vitro tests will facilitate a better understanding of the role cell-mediated immune responses might play in development of MD.
Plasmodium gallinaceum: Drug-induced ultrastructural changes in oocysts☆

Abstract Administration of pyrimethamine and 2-hydroxy, 3 (cyclohexyloctyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone (49808) leads to arrest of Plasmodium gallinaceum oocyst development. Comparison of the relationship of mean oocyst diameter to time in treated and untreated groups indicates that both agents arrest development at about 54 hr after the infective blood meal. Although pyrimethamine does not produce a consistent ultrastructural change, agent 49808 leads to swelling and a decrease in matrix density of mitochondria. Oocysts exhibiting a drug effect have fewer nuclei in random cross sections compared to untreated oocysts of the same age. The net effect of both agents upon oocyst development is the same although the postulated mechanisms of action are different.
Design, conduct, and analyses of Breast International Group (BIG) 1-98: A randomized, double-blind, phase-III study comparing letrozole and tamoxifen as adjuvant endocrine therapy for postmenopausal women with receptor-positive, early breast cancer

Background Aromatase inhibitors provide superior disease control when compared with tamoxifen as adjuvant therapy for postmenopausal women with endocrine-responsive early breast cancer.Purpose To present the design, history, and analytic challenges of the Breast International Group (BIG) 1-98 trial: an international, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, phase-III study comparing the aromatase inhibitor letrozole with tamoxifen in this clinical setting.Methods From 1998—2003, BIG 1-98 enrolled 8028 women to receive monotherapy with either tamoxifen or letrozole for 5 years, or sequential therapy of 2 years of one agent followed by 3 years of the other. Randomization to one of four treatment groups permitted two complementary analyses to be conducted several years apart. The first, reported in 2005, provided a head-to-head comparison of letrozole versus tamoxifen. Statistical power was increased by an enriched design, which included patients who were assigned sequential treatments until the time of the tr...
Polymorphisms of human paraoxonase 1 gene (PON1) and susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy in type I diabetes mellitus.

Aims/hypothesis. Oxidative stress is a putative mechanism in the development of diabetic nephropathy. Paraoxonase gene 1 is an HDL-bound enzyme that protects tissues against oxidative damage. Three common polymorphisms of paraoxonase gene 1, T-107C in the promoter, Leu54Met and Gln192Arg, that modify paraoxonase activity have been associated with cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to find whether these polymorphisms also contribute to the development of diabetic nephropathy. Methods. The association between diabetic nephropathy and these three polymorphisms was examined in a case-control study. For this purpose, genomic DNA was collected from 188 patients with Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus and diabetic nephropathy and from 179 unrelated patients with Type I diabetes but without diabetic nephropathy despite the duration of diabetes of 15 or more years. Results. The genotype and allele frequencies for each of the three polymorphisms (T-107C, Leu54Met and Gln192Arg) were similar in cases and control subjects. Conclusion/interpretation. The three polymorphisms in paraoxonase gene 1 that have been associated with serum levels of paraoxonase are not associated with diabetic nephropathy. We show that this genetically determined component of the antioxidant capacity of HDL does not play a critical part in the development of diabetic nephropathy. [Diabetologia (2000) 43: 1540–1543]
The use of fluctuating asymmetry as a measure of environmentally induced developmental instability: A meta-analysis

Random and subtle deviations from bilateral symmetry (fluctuating asymmetry) have long been of interest to biologists who wish to study the susceptibility of organisms to changes in environmental quality. However, the reliability of FA as a biomarker has come under question due to inconsistent results in the literature. We conducted a meta-analysis of published literature to test the hypothesis that FA is a reliable biomarker of environmental stress in insects and identify possible sources of variation amongst studies. We expected studies to detect larger, positive magnitudes of effect on FA in lab populations due to the lack of confounding effects from other environmental factors compared to wild populations. Additionally, we predicted that studies that used geometric morphometric approaches to FA in shape and size would be more sensitive to changes in environmental quality compared to linear and meristic measures and thus show larger effects on FA. We also expected anthropogenic stressors to generate significantly larger effects on FA compared to naturally occurring stressors due to the organisms’ inability to buffer developmental pathways against a novel stressor. Finally, we predicted comparatively larger magnitudes of effect in studies that verified the environmental factor acting on the organism was a stressor by detecting negative effects on fitness-related traits. Overall, we found that FA is a sensitive biomarker of environmental stress. Environmental stressors explained 36% of the variation of effect on FA across studies. Studies that demonstrated a negative effect of the stressor on fitness-related traits showed significantly larger, positive magnitudes of effect on FA compared to studies that did not detect an effect from the environmental stressor. Additionally, studies conducted under laboratory conditions detected significantly larger, effects on FA compared to field-based studies. The kind of trait measured and the novelty of the stressor did not significantly account for differences amongst studies. Thus, the use of FA as a biomarker of environmental stress is a legitimate tool particularly when studies verify the biological relevance of stressors for the study organism.
Restraint stress-induced reduction in prepulse inhibition in Brown Norway rats: role of the CRF2 receptor.

Abstract Stress plays a role in many psychiatric disorders that are characterized by deficits in prepulse inhibition (PPI), a form of sensorimotor gating. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is one of the most important neurotransmitters involved in behavioral components of the stress response. Central infusion of CRF reduces PPI in both rats and mice. In mice, it has been shown that CRF 1 receptor activation mediates the effect of exogenous CRF on PPI. However, the roles of the two CRF receptors in a stress-induced reduction in PPI are not known. We sought to determine whether CRF 1 and/or CRF 2 receptor blockade attenuates a stress-induced reduction of PPI in rats. In separate experiments, we assessed PPI in Brown Norway rats after exposure to 5 days of 2-h restraint, and after pretreatment with the CRF 1 receptor antagonist, CP-154,526 (20.0 mg/kg), or the CRF 2 receptor antagonist, antisauvagine-30 (10.0 μg). Repeated, but not acute, restraint decreased PPI and attenuated the increase in PPI caused by repeated PPI testing. Blockade of the CRF 1 receptor did not attenuate the effect of repeated restraint on PPI or grooming behavior. While CRF 2 receptor blockade did attenuate the effect of repeated restraint on PPI, repeated ICV infusion of the selective CRF 2 receptor agonist urocortin III, did not affect PPI. These findings demonstrate the effect of stress on sensorimotor gating and suggest that the CRF 2 receptor mediates this effect in rats.
Modeling of grain pull-out forces in polycrystalline alumina

A first generation, two-dimensional finite element (FE) model of grain pull-out in an alumina post fracture tension (PFT) specimen was constructed using the photomicrographs of the specimen surface. Frictional resistance to grain pull-out was generated by the intergranular compressive stresses due to randomly distributed, anisotropic thermal contractions during cool down in the fabrication process. The FE model consisted of an assembly of 11 sheets, each with an idealized microstructure of uniform grain size. The observed intragranular fracture sites and remnants of elastic grain bridging, both of which were generated prior to the PFT test, were accounted for by reducing the number of bridging sites. Elastic loading and unloading of the FE model emulated the cyclic load/unload PFT data.
Evolution of conditional dispersal: evolutionarily stable strategies in spatial models

We consider a two-species competition model in which the species have the same population dynamics but different dispersal strategies. Both species disperse by a combination of random diffusion and advection along environmental gradients, with the same random dispersal rates but different advection coefficients. Regarding these advection coefficients as movement strategies of the species, we investigate their course of evolution. By applying invasion analysis we find that if the spatial environmental variation is less than a critical value, there is a unique evolutionarily singular strategy, which is also evolutionarily stable. If the spatial environmental variation exceeds the critical value, there can be three or more evolutionarily singular strategies, one of which is not evolutionarily stable. Our results suggest that the evolution of conditional dispersal of organisms depends upon the spatial heterogeneity of the environment in a subtle way.
Pulsed-laser-induced etching of BrGaAs(110)

Scanning tunneling microscopy results show that single-layer etch pits are formed by irradiation of Br-covered GaAs(110) using 2.3 eV photons from a pulsed Nd-YAG laser. The pit morphologies produced in this way are very different from those obtained by spontaneous etching at elevated temperature or by thermal desorption of bromine-saturated surfaces. We explain this laser-induced etching by a combination of short duration substrate heating and substrate-mediated charge transfer processes. Such etching occurs under conditions where surface diffusion of Br is minimal so that the pit profiles reflect the chemisorption structures.
At-School Victimization and Violence Exposure Assessed in a National Household Survey of Children and Youth

This national household telephone survey of youth and parents assessed exposure to a broad range of at-school victimizations among a representative sample of 3,391 children and youth ages 5 to 17. Nearly half the sample (48%) had been exposed to at least one form of victimization at school during the past year (in 2011), most of which was intimidation/bullying (29.8%). Fourteen percent had been assaulted at school in the past year, 13% had witnessed an assault, 3.2% had been sexually harassed, and 0.4%, had been sexually assaulted at school. Twelve percent had an at-school victimization injury in the past year, and 6% had missed a day or more of school as a result of their at-school victimization. Some victimizations, such as weapon assault and sexual assault, were less prevalent at school than out of school, others, such as intimidation and sexual harassment, were more common.
Taking Cell-Matrix Adhesions to the Third Dimension

Adhesions between fibroblastic cells and extracellular matrix have been studied extensively in vitro, but little is known about their in vivo counterparts. Here, we characterized the composition and function of adhesions in three-dimensional (3D) matrices derived from tissues or cell culture. "3D-matrix adhesions" differ from focal and fibrillar adhesions characterized on 2D substrates in their content of alpha5beta1 and alphavbeta3 integrins, paxillin, other cytoskeletal components, and tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Relative to 2D substrates, 3D-matrix interactions also display enhanced cell biological activities and narrowed integrin usage. These distinctive in vivo 3D-matrix adhesions differ in structure, localization, and function from classically described in vitro adhesions, and as such they may be more biologically relevant to living organisms.
Discriminative pronunciation learning for speech recognition for resource scarce languages

In this paper, we describe a method to create speech recognition capability for small vocabularies in resource-scarce languages. By resource-scarce languages, we mean languages that have a small or economically disadvantaged user base which are typically ignored by the commercial world. We use a high-quality well-trained speech recognizer as our baseline to remove the dependence on large audio data for an accurate acoustic model. Using cross-language phoneme mapping, the baseline recognizer effectively recognizes words in our target language. We automate the generation of pronunciations and generate a set of initial pronunciations for each word in the vocabulary. Next, we remove potential conflicts in word recognition by discriminative training.
Computational Investigation of Thermochemistry and Kinetics of Steam Methane Reforming on Ni(111) under Realistic Conditions

The reaction pathways and kinetics of steam methane reforming (SMR) over Ni(111) are investigated using plane wave density functional theory. The thermochemical data are used to develop a microkinetic model of SMR that allows for the investigation of reforming pathways and the most abundant reaction intermediates on the catalyst surface at industrially relevant temperatures and pressures. Pairing the kinetic model with a statistical thermodynamic treatment, surface behavior under a wide range of temperatures, pressures, and initial concentrations can be examined. We present our results at T = 800 °C and P = 10 bar with an initial H2O/CH4 ratio of 2.5:1. Sensitivity analysis is used to provide information about rate-limiting steps in the reaction network. The reaction intermediate CH* is found to be the most important carbon-containing intermediate. CH4(g) adsorption as well as the reactions CH* + O* → CHO* and CH* + OH* → CHOH* are found to be the most sensitive reactions in the mechanism. Consistent acco...
The Implementation of Occupational Therapy Services in Rural School Systems

Factors influencing the integration of occupational therapy services in rural school systems are reviewed in this paper. Differences between urban and rural populations are defined and methods of successfully developing new allied health programs in public schools are discussed. A thorough understanding of the rural educational system and local community is necessary for occupational therapists to provide optimal service delivery.
Effect of temperature on the potential and current thresholds of axon membrane.

The effect of temperature on the potential and current thresholds of the squid giant axon membrane was measured with gross external electrodes. A central segment of the axon, 0.8 mm long and in sea water, was isolated by flowing low conductance, isoosmotic sucrose solution on each side; both ends were depolarized in isoosmotic KCl. Measured biphasic square wave currents at five cycles per second were applied between one end of the nerve and the membrane of the central segment. The membrane potential was recorded between the central sea water and the other depolarized end. The recorded potentials are developed only across the membrane impedance. Threshold current values ranged from 3.2 µa at 267deg;C to 1 µa at 7.5°C. Threshold potential values ranged from 50 mv at 26°C to 6 mv at 7.5°C. The mean Q10 of threshold current was 2.3 (SD = 0.2), while the Q10 for threshold potentials was 2.0 (SD = 0.1).
a well-disciplined diet

Reponse a la critique de J. Coote qui, suite a l'ouvrage des AA. les arts en Amerique, estime que chaque discipline se doit de se maintenir dans son domaine. Les AA. revendiquent la necessite d'une relation interdisciplinaire (ici la sociologie et l'anthropologie) seule capable d'etendre l'horizon de la connaissance
Induced phenylketonuria (PKU): Lack of a critical period in development

Thirty-six neonatal albino rats were intubed twice daily for 30 consecutive days under one of six L-phenylalanine or saline conditions to determine if there was a critical period in the development of their learning ability that was most sensitive to L-phenylalanine induced toxicity. Each S was tested on the Maier reasoning test and on DRL: 12 operant schedule beginning at 50 days of age. Results indicated that while no critical period was found, there was a larger learning deficit in Ss treated earlier and longer.
Attitudes about the Internet: Implications for Use in Education:

This study identified beliefs and attitudes about the Internet in relation to different populations of higher education students. A pair of surveys were used to better understand positive and negat...
Homeowner attitudes and practices towards residential landscape management in Ohio, USA.

This study describes the results of a survey of 432 homeowners in Ohio, USA concerning their perceptions and practices regarding management of residential landscapes. The results reveal that outdoor residential environments are extremely important to homeowners, who tend to view their yards as serving multiple functions: a place to observe nature and to socialize as well as a place of beauty and recreation. Use of a lawn care company to apply chemicals is reported by 22 % of respondents, while 40 % either apply chemicals themselves or have someone other than a lawn care company do it. Logistic regressions reveal that factors influencing a homeowner’s decision to employ a lawn care company or to apply chemicals themselves include: household income (+), perceived impacts on the environment (−), whether the next door neighbor does it (+), and type of residential environment (rural −, suburban and urban +). A theme that emerges throughout the study is the perceived importance of the role of the lawn in residents’ sense of social status or acceptance in the neighborhood. This perception can be viewed as a positive in ensuring that residential environments are well maintained, but also as a negative resulting in environmental degradation or presenting a barrier to creativity in the development of alternative residential environments. Specific policy implications of these findings are that efforts aimed at educating homeowners about the environmental impacts of their lawn care choices are likely to have more success if they are directed at neighborhood groups rather than individuals, show that alternatives are easy to adopt, affordable, and can produce the characteristics of lawns that homeowners seek.
Identification of glucan synthetase glycosidically bound to amylopectin from cotton leaf starch

Abstract Starch-granule bound glucan synthetase was isolated from cotton leaves by a sucrose density technique. Starch granules were successively washed with 0.02 M Na-phosphate buffer containing 0.9% NaCl. The alkaline hydrolysate of washed materials and acid hydrolysate of protein-bound amylopectin were separated by use of Con A-Sepharose. Amylolytic hydrolysate of starch granules also was carried out with α-amylase and fractionated by chromatography on Sephadex G-25. Amylopectin was the only glucan glycosidically linked with proteins, in which glucan synthetase activity was identified. The amylose component was free from covalently bound proteins.
Novel affinity-based processes for protein purification

Abstract To circumvent the difficulties encountered in conventional affinity chromatography, novel affinity-based protein purification processes using reversible protein-ligand interactions have been developed. Depending on the physical means of isolating the ligand-ligate complex, the processes can be categorized as affinity precipitation, affinity cross-flow filtration, or affinity partition. This report reviews the current status of such purification techniques.