cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Ontology of the Digital: War on Terror and Post-9/11 Visual Culture

The 9/11 attacks converged with the rapid technological changes of the new millennium, when the widespread diffusion of digital technology challenged the indexicality of the image. This confrontation created a withering of the epistemological certainties regarding history and photography-based media. The subsequent wars generated controversies over privacy and surveillance, rendition, civil rights, and prisoner abuses. These events inevitably influenced Hollywood cinema. Investigative directors like Bigelow and Morris represent the War on Terror by embracing the ultraprofessional procedural subgenre, where the process itself is elevated to a dominant value independent of any particular goal and of any positive value or ideal of justice. Poitras took these themes and transformed them into self-reflective challenges to the transparency of film, marking the future of investigative cinema.
Language, Usage and Cognition: Analogy and similarity

Analogy and similarity in the processing of novel utterances So far we have discussed sequential chunks of linguistic material that are stored and accessed whole. We have also mentioned the gradience in the sequential associations which depends upon how often a particular transition within the sequence occurs. Constructions are formed by chunking, but their parts are not invariant: constructions contain schematic positions that encompass sets of items that have been sorted into categories. Earlier we saw how such categories within constructions are built up from experience in an exemplar model. We will say more in Chapter 5 about what has been found through empirical investigations of the nature of these categories, but for the moment we need to consider what type of processing mechanism allows the schematic positions in constructions to be used productively – that is, with new lexical items – and consequently to grow and change. An important source of creativity and productivity in language that allows the expression of novel concepts and the description of novel situations is the ability to expand the schematic slots in constructions to fill them with novel lexical items, phrases or other constructions. Considerable evidence indicates that this process refers to specific sets of items that have been previously experienced and stored in memory. A number of researchers have used the term ‘analogy’ to refer to the use of a novel item in an existing pattern, based on specific stored exemplars (Skousen 1989, Eddington 2000, Baayen 2003, Boas 2003, Krott, Baayen and Schreuder 2001, Bybee and Eddington 2006).
Saul Bellow and Modern American Fiction

AbstractSaul Bellow has been America’s leading novelist for nearly 40 years. This essay has three chief aims: 1) to define Bellow’s idiosyncratic genius as a writer: and 2) to place him in the cont...
Information access, conservation practice choice, and rent seeking in conservation procurement auctions: evidence from a laboratory experiment.

Existing research emphasizes the sensitivity of conservation auction performance and bidder behavior to auction design choices, as these auctions are not incentive compatible, meaning rent seeking must be controlled. Procuring agencies must decide how to provide bidders with information about the environmental quality of different conservation practices to manage the trade‐off between an increased probability of selecting the optimal practice and increased rent‐seeking behavior associated with this information. We use an induced‐value laboratory experiment to explore how access to quality information and variation in the bid‐submission protocol can best be combined to improve auction performance. We find that the auction performs best when a bid‐menu format, in which participants submit bids for all their practices, is combined with information about the environmental quality rank of available conservation practices.
Early Relational Experience: A Foundation for the Unfolding Dynamics of Parent–Child Socialization

Psychologists have long tried to understand why trajectories of socialization in individual parent-child dyads can be distinct, leading to adaptive or maladaptive developmental outcomes. In this article, we elucidate origins of those differences by examining the subtle yet enduring implications of early parent-child relationships in longitudinal studies of low- and high-risk families, using correlational and experimental designs, and multiple measures. Those relationships are key for socialization because they can alter cascades from children's biologically based difficult temperament to parents' negative control to negative children's outcomes, as demonstrated by social-learning theories. We suggest that those cascades unfold only in parent-child dyads whose early relationships lack positive mutuality and security. Such relationships set the tone for adversarial cascades. In contrast, early mutually positive, secure relationships initiate cooperative, effective socialization and defuse risks of negative cascades. Parents' and children's internal representations of each other may explain how such divergent sequelae unfold.
Inflaming the Brain

Exactly how cerebrovascular alterations contribute to Alzheimer's disease (AD) is still unknown. Merlini et al. (2019) show that blood-derived fibrinogen leads to dendritic spine elimination and cognitive deficit via microglial CD11b/CD18. Fibrinogen may be a significant contributor to AD pathogenesis.
Bayes factor in one-sample tests of means with a sensitivity analysis: A discussion of separate prior distributions

Due to some widely known critiques of traditional hypothesis testing, Bayesian hypothesis testing using the Bayes factor has been considered as a better alternative. Previous research about the influence of the prior focuses on the prior for the effect size and there is a debate about how to specify the prior. Thus, the focus of this paper is to explore the impact of different priors on the population mean and variance separately (separate priors) on the Bayes factor, and compare the separate priors with the priors on the effect size. Our simulation results show that both the prior distributions on mean and variance have a considerable influence on the Bayes factor, and different types of priors (different separate priors and priors on the effect size) have different influence patterns. We also find that regardless of separate priors or priors on the effect size, and shapes and centers of the priors, different priors could yield similar Bayes factors. Because noninformative prior distributions bias the Bayes factor in support of the null hypothesis, and very informative priors could be risky, we suggest that researchers use weakly informative priors as reasonable priors and they are expected to provide similar conclusions across different shapes and centers of prior distributions. Conducting sensitivity analysis is helpful in examining the influence of prior distributions and specifying reasonable prior distributions for the Bayes factor. A real data example is used to illustrate how to choose reasonable priors by a sensitivity analysis. We hope our results will help researchers choose prior distributions when conducting Bayesian hypothesis testing.
The effects of pediatric obesity on patellofemoral joint contact force during walking.

Abstract Background Obesity increases a child’s risk of developing knee pain across the lifespan, potentially through elevated patellofemoral joint loads that occur during habitual weight-bearing activities. Research question Do obese children have greater absolute and patellar-area-normalized patellofemoral joint forces compared to healthy weight children during walking? Methods We utilized a cross-sectional design to address the aims of this study. Experimental biomechanics data were collected during treadmill walking in 10 healthy-weight and 10 obese 8–12 year-olds. We used radiographic images to develop subject-specific musculoskeletal models, generated walking simulations from the experimental data, and predicted patellofemoral joint contact force using established techniques. Results We found that the obese children had 1.98 times greater absolute (p = 0.002) and 1.81 times greater patellar-area-normalized (p = 0.008) patellofemoral joint contact forces compared to the healthy-weight children. We observed a stronger relationship between absolute patellofemoral joint contact force and BMI ( r 2 = 0.58 ) than between patellofemoral joint contact force and body fat percentage ( r 2 = 0.38 ) . Significance Our results indicate that obese children walk with increased patellofemoral loads in absolute terms and also relative to the area of the articulating surfaces, which likely contributes to the increased risk of knee pain in this pediatric population. This information, which provides a baseline comparison for future longitudinal studies, also informs the type and frequency of physical activity prescription aimed at reducing the risk of knee injury and improving long-term outcomes.
Challenges in Caring for Linguistic Minorities in the Pediatric Population.

Physicians in the United States (U.S.) face unique obstacles in providing care for persons with limited English proficiency (LEP), especially speakers of rare languages. Lack of professional resources is not a problem exclusive to health care delivery, with speakers of Mayan dialects receiving increasingly narrow representation in detention centers and immigration courts at the U.S.–Mexico border. Parent-child dynamics and other crucial information related to pediatric care may be lost in translation in the event of inadequate interpreter services. Several strategies could address disparities in medical care faced by persons with LEP, speaking rare as well as more common languages. These include increasing the availability of professional interpreters via expanded and/or incentivized training programs, providing focused education in interpreter services for medical students, and unifying interpretation services provided by local consulates and nonprofit agencies for both medical and legal purposes.
Donor–Acceptor–Donor NIR II Emissive Rhodindolizine Dye Synthesized by C–H Bond Functionalization

A NIR II emissive dye was synthesized by the C–H bond functionalization of 1-methyl-2-phenylindolizine with 3,6-dibromoxanthene. The rhodindolizine (RhIndz) spirolactone product was nonfluorescent;...
Modeling of inter-organizational coordination dynamics in resilience planning of infrastructure systems: A multilayer network simulation framework

This paper proposes and tests a multilayer framework for simulating the network dynamics of inter-organizational coordination among interdependent infrastructure systems (IISs) in resilience planning. Inter-organizational coordination among IISs (such as transportation, flood control, and emergency management) would greatly affect the effectiveness of resilience planning. Hence, it is important to examine and understand the dynamics of coordination in networks of organizations within and across various systems in resilience planning. To capture the dynamic nature of coordination frequency and the heterogeneity of organizations, this paper proposes a multilayer network simulation framework enabling the characterization of inter-organizational coordination dynamics within and across IISs. In the proposed framework, coordination probabilities are utilized to approximate the varying levels of collaboration among organizations. Based on these derived collaborations, the simulation process perturbs intra-layer or inter-layer links and unveils the level of inter-organizational coordination within and across IISs. To test the proposed framework, the study examined a multilayer collaboration network of 35 organizations from five infrastructure systems within Harris County, Texas, based on the data gathered from a survey in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. The results indicate that prior to Hurricane Harvey: (1) coordination among organizations across different infrastructure systems is less than the coordination within the individual systems; (2) organizations from the community development system had a low level of coordination for hazard mitigation with organizations in flood control and transportation systems; (3) achieving a greater level of coordination among organizations across infrastructure systems is more difficult and would require a greater frequency of interaction (compared to within-system coordination). The results show the capability of the proposed multilayer network simulation framework to examine inter-organizational coordination dynamics at the system level (e.g., within and across IISs). The assessment of inter-organizational coordination within and across IISs sheds light on important organizational interdependencies in IISs and leads to recommendations for improving the resilience planning process.
Effect of Intramuscular Fiber Type Variation on Beef Semitendinosus Steak Metmyoglobin Accumulation during Retail Display

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to examine effects of steak location (LOC) on muscle fiber type distribution and metmyoglobin accumulation of Semitendinosus (ST) steaks.Materials and MethodsTwenty ST muscles (IMPS 171C) from a commercial abattoir were wet aged for 22 d. Progressing from the proximal to distal end, each ST was fabricated into twelve 2.54-cm thick steaks. Steaks 1 through 4 were designated proximal (PROX), 5 through 8 were designated middle (MID), and 9 through 12 were designated distal (DIST), with steaks 1, 6, and 12 utilized for fiber type analysis. Remaining steaks within each location were randomly assigned to 0, 4, or 9 d of simulated retail display under fluorescent light. Day-0 and -4 steaks were utilized for metmyoglobin reducing ability (MRA) analysis. Day-9 steaks were subjected to daily objective and subjective steak surface metmyoglobin analyses, and day-9 MRA analysis.ResultsThere were Location × Day interactions (P 0.17). On d 7 of display, MID steaks tended to have more metmyoglobin than steaks from other locations (P 0.15). No differences in panel percent discoloration scores were found between muscle locations on d 0 (P = 1.00); however from d 1 to 5, MID steaks had more discoloration than PROX and DIST steaks (P 0.12). From d 6 to 8, MID steaks had more discoloration than PROX steaks (P 0.16). On d 9, PROX steaks had less discoloration than MID and DIST steaks (P 0.51).Location affected percentage of all 3 fiber types (P < 0.01). There were less type I fibers in PROX steaks than the other 2 locations (P < 0.01), and MID steaks tended to have more (P = 0.10) than DIST steaks. Proximal steaks had more (P < 0.01) type IIA fibers than the MID location, and tended to have more (P = 0.07) than DIST steaks. The DIST steaks tended to have more (P = 0.08) type IIA fibers than MID steaks. Steaks from PROX and MID locations did not differ (P = 0.72) in type IIX fiber percentage, but did possess more type IIX fibers than the DIST steaks (P < 0.01).ConclusionThroughout most of display, ST MID steaks accumulated more surface metmyoglobin than PROX and DIST steaks, which was also detected by a visual panel. Steaks from the MID location possessed less MRA compared to the other 2 locations on d 0 and 4 of display. Differences in MRA and discoloration may be due to the MID location possessing less type IIA fibers.
Impact of Different Cardiopulmonary Bypass Strategies on Renal Injury After Pediatric Heart Surgery.

Background The purpose of this study is to compare the incidence and severity of acute kidney injury (AKI) after open heart surgery in neonates and infants for two different cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) strategies. Methods In all, 151 infants undergoing cardiac surgery were prospectively enrolled between June 2017 and June 2018 at two centers, one using conventional CPB (2.4 L · min−1 · m−2, 150 mL · kg−1 · min−1) with reduction of flow rates with moderate hypothermia and with a targeted hematocrit greater than 25% (center 1, n = 91), and the other using higher bypass flow rates (175 to 200 mL · kg−1 · min−1) and higher minimum hematocrit (greater than 32%) CPB (center 2, n = 60). The primary endpoint was the incidence of postoperative AKI as defined by Acute Kidney Injury Network criteria and risk factors associated with AKI. Results Preoperative characteristics and complexity of surgery were comparable between centers. The overall incidence of early postoperative AKI was 10.6% (16 of 151), with 15.4% (14 of 91) in center 1 and 3.3% (2 of 60) in center 2 (P = .02). Mean lowest flow rates on CPB were 78 mL · kg−1 · min−1 vs 118 mL · kg−1 · min−1 and mean highest hematocrit on separation from CPB were 33% vs 43% at center 1 and 2, respectively (P Conclusions In this contemporary comparative study, higher flow rates and higher hematocrit during cardiopulmonary bypass were associated with better preservation of renal function.
Estimation of CO2 solubility in ionic liquids using connectionist tools based on thermodynamic and structural characteristics

Abstract Ionic Liquids (ILs) are a promising alternative to conventional amine-based solvents in CO2 absorption processes. Relatively high cost and viscous nature of ILs tempt researchers to find appropriate combination of cations and anions for targeting a competitive absorbent close to amines in terms of CO2 absorption capacity. Conducting extensive experimental studies appears to be time-consuming and expensive for a large number of common CO2/IL systems. One of the fast and reliable approaches to predict the solubility of CO2 in ILs is Machine Learning (ML)-based models or smart tools where the thermodynamic-based and structure-based property relationships can be explored. Four ML methods including Least Squares Support Vector Machine (LSSVM), Decision Tree (DT), Random Forest (RF), and Multilinear Regression (MLR) are employed in this study to obtain CO2 solubility in a structurally diverse set of ILs based on thermodynamic properties and Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationship (QSPR) model. In this paper, two datasets of CO2 solubility (taken from the literature) at various operating conditions are used; one model (or dataset) considers critical properties, molecular weight, and acentric factor of pure ILs as the input information, and the second one includes structural descriptors of cations and anions as the input parameters. Among different types of descriptors, the most important input variables (e.g., Homo-Lumo fraction and Disps (cation)) are selected using Genetic Algorithm (GA)-MLR method. The predictive ability of the introduced models is also analyzed using a four-fold external cross-validation procedure. A great match between the predicted values and experimental measurements is attained while using RF and DT techniques developed based on descriptors and thermodynamics properties. The structural descriptors-based models are more accurate and robust than those built on the critical properties. The feature selection approach is also applied to identify the most effective cation and anion descriptors. For both thermodynamic and QSPR modeling approaches, pressure has the maximum relative importance in the estimation of CO2 solubility in ILs. In the absence of temperature and pressure impacts, the critical pressure and Homo-Lumo fraction have the highest contribution to the thermodynamic – based and structural-based tools, respectively.
The Unification of Three Calculi

The purpose of this note is to show how much the predicate calculus, the relational calculus, and the regularity calculus have in common, or, more precisely, how much commonality we can design into them. Because the predicate calculus will emerge as a subcalculus of the other two calculi, we discuss the predicate calculus first.
Conceptualizing the work of facilitating practice-embedded teacher learning

Abstract Increasingly, teachers are asked to make their practice public for collective inquiry. In “practice-embedded” professional learning experiences, educators work alongside colleagues to enact instruction in front of each other with students present. How teacher educators facilitate these professional learning settings is critical to successfully supporting teachers’ learning. This study identified facilitation practices and described the functions they fulfill toward fostering productive practice-embedded environments, including promoting collaborative learning, supporting teachers’ experimentation with and analysis of instructional practice, and shaping the emotional space. The practices identified can support the work of facilitators in creating practice-embedded experiences for pre-service and in-service teachers.
Political Influence within the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Evidence from the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program

We analyze the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, which was part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), to determine the extent to which political influence affected implementation of the program. While other studies analyze the ARRA in totality, we focus on a specific program within the ARRA, the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, or BTOP, to more clearly distinguish potential political influence. The stated goal of BTOP was to expand broadband access and adoption nationwide, with particular emphasis on improving broadband participation among unserved and underserved populations such as minorities, low-income households, and those living in rural areas. Results show that both Congress and the Executive branch influenced implementation of the program despite independent participation in applications for grants and in the review of such applications. We find that while the application process appears to have been impartial and successful with respect to reaching intended groups, significant political influence over funding occurred, with programs more likely to be funded if submitted under a Democrat governor, from a state with a Democrat voting majority, or from a county with representative on a key Congressional committee. Our results support prior assertions that ARRA funds were misallocated due to the political influence of the executive and legislative branches of government.
Computer use in a multidisciplinary control laboratory

This article describes a multidisciplinary control systems laboratory based on PCs with IEEE-488 capability. The laboratory is used for courses in electrical engineering control systems, mechanical engineering control systems, and chemical engineering process control.
Cell cycle‐regulated degradation of tmRNA is controlled by RNase R and SmpB

The production and removal of regulatory RNAs must be controlled to ensure proper physiological responses. SsrA RNA (tmRNA), a regulatory RNA conserved in all bacteria, is cell cycle regulated and is important for control of cell cycle progression in Caulobacter crescentus. We report that RNase R, a highly conserved 3' to 5' exoribonuclease, is required for the selective degradation of SsrA RNA in stalked cells. Purified RNase R degrades SsrA RNA in vitro, and is kinetically competent to account for all SsrA RNA turnover. SmpB, a tmRNA-binding protein, protects SsrA RNA from RNase R degradation in vitro, and the levels of SmpB protein during the cell cycle correlate with SsrA RNA stability. These results suggest that SmpB binding controls the timing of SsrA RNA degradation by RNase R. We propose a model for the regulated degradation of SsrA RNA in which RNase R degrades SsrA RNA from a non-tRNA-like 3' end, and SmpB specifically protects SsrA RNA from RNase R. This model explains the regulation of SsrA RNA in other bacteria, and suggests that a highly conserved regulatory mechanism controls SsrA activity.
Thermodynamic Theory of Site-Specific Binding Processes in Biological Macromolecules

Preface 1. Statistical thermodynamic foundations 2. Global binding processes 3. Local binding processes 4. Specific cases and applications 5. Site-specific effects in Ising networks References Index.
Herpesvirus proteinase: Site-directed mutagenesis used to study maturational, release, and inactivation cleavage sites of precursor and to identify a possible catalytic site serine and histidine

cleavage site, called theinactivation (I)site, was also identified near themiddleofthehumancytomegalovirus 28-kDaassemblin homolog. We haveused site-directed mutagenesis toverify allthree predicted sequencesinthesimian cytomegalovirus proteinase, and haveshownthattheproteinase precursorisactive without cleavage atthese sites. We havealsoshownthatthe P4tyrosine andtheP2lysine oftheR site were more sensitive tosubstitution thantheotherR-andM-site residues tested: substitution ofalanine forP4tyrosine attheR site severely reduced cleavage atthatsite but notattheM site, andsubstitution ofasparagine forlysine atP2oftheR site reduced M-site cleavage and nearly eliminated I-site cleavage buthadlittle effect on R-site cleavage. Withtheexception ofP1'serine, all R-site mutations hindered I-site cleavage, suggesting a roleforthecarboxyl endofassemblin inI-site cleavage. Pulse-chase radiolabeling andsite-directed mutagenesis indicated thatassemblin ismetabolically unstable andisdegraded bycleavage atitsIsite. Fourteen aminoacidsubstitutions were alsomadeinassemblin, the enzymatic aminohalfoftheproteinase precursor.Amongthose tested, only2aminoacids were identified as essential foractivity: thesingle absolutely conserved serine andone ofthetwoabsolutely conserved histidines. Whenthehighly conserved glutamic acid(Glu22) was substituted, theproteinase was abletocleave attheM andIsites butnotattheR site, suggesting either adirect (e.g., substrate recognition) orindirect (e.g., protein conformation) roleforthisresidue indetermining substrate specificity. Assembly oftheherpesvirus capsid includes a maturational proteolytic cleavage that appearstobean essential stepinthe formation ofinfectious virions (35). Onetarget ofthis cleavage istheprocapsid assembly protein precursorwhichloses asmall portion ofitscarboxyl endduring theprocess(19, 28,48). The proteinase responsible forcatalyzing thisreaction isencoded bya viral gene thatisconserved among theherpes group viruses andcontains thegene foritssubstrate, theassembly protein precursor,as itsnested, in-frame, 3'-coterminal half (28, 36,48). Byusing insertion anddeletion mutantstostudy thecytomegalovirus proteinase intransient transfection assaysand plasma desorption mass spectrometry todetermine its cleavage site inthematureassembly protein, we showedthefollowing (48). (i)Theenzymatic portion oftheproteinase iscontained within theaminohalfofthefull-length molecule andincludes twohighly conserved domains, referred toas CDI andCD2. Thisfinding hasbeenconfirmed forbothherpes simplex virus (HSV)andhumancytomegalovirus (HCMV)(5,7,30,47). (ii) Maturational cleavage atthecarboxyl endoftheassembly protein precursorisbetween AlaandSerintheconsensus sequenceV/L-X-A IS.Thissequence iscalled thematura
Microhabitat Characteristics of Lapland Longspur, Calcarius lapponicus , Nests at Cape Churchill, Manitoba

We examined microsite characteristics at 21 Lapland Longspur ( Calcarius lapponicus ) nests and land cover types in which they occurred in Wapusk National Park, Cape Churchill, Manitoba. Nests were located in four of six physiographic-vegetation land-cover types. Regardless of land-cover type, all but one nest was built on a pressure ridge or mound. Nests were built midway between the bottom and top of ridges or mounds with steeper slopes than was randomly available. Longspur nests had a distinctive southwest orientation (P < 0.001). Longspurs selected nest sites that consisted of comparatively greater amounts of shrub species and lesser amounts of moss than were randomly available. Nests were generally well concealed by vegetation (mean = 67.0%) and concealment was negatively associated with amount of graminoid species at the nest (P = 0.0005). Our nesting habitat data may facilitate a better understanding of breeding Lapland Longspur habitat requirements, and potential impacts of habitat degradation by increasing Snow Goose ( Chen caerulescens ) populations in the study area.
Steps toward a theory of coordination for intelligent agent societies

The paper investigates various aspects of coordination in intelligent agent societies and makes progress toward a theory of coordination for such societies. A representative simulation model of an intelligent agent society, called the P-System, has been established to run systematically designed experiments. By running the P-System under different configurations, important descriptors of the structure and functioning of intelligent agent societies have been inferred, providing insight into the fundamental issues of coordination.
Human Sexuality as a Critical Subfield in Social Work

Human sexuality is of vital importance to social work practitioners, educators, and scholars. Yet historically, the profession’s leadership around it has waxed and waned, impacting practice. This article discusses the importance of human sexuality as a critical subfield within social work. It suggests that the mechanisms, namely textbooks, journals, and national conferences, for stimulating human sexuality social work scholarship are limited. The authors assert that the taboo of human sexuality limits the advancement of a cohesive professional discourse and contributes to the continued oppression of marginalized populations. Recommendations for providing better support for those who study, teach, and practice in the arena of human sexuality are offered.
First principles test of transferability hypothesis of semi-empirical theories using correlated ab initio effective valence shell hamiltonian methods

Abstract Ab initio effective valence shell hamiltonian ( v ) calculations for CH, NH and OH are utilized to test the transferability of one-center v integrals between the hydrides and the C, N and O atoms as well as to investigate the transferability hypothesis of traditional semi-empirical theories which introduce model hamiltoruans v to mimic v .
Tetrahymena: Effect of Freezing and Subsequent Thawing on Breeding Performance

Tetrahymena pyriformis, syngen 1, frozen in 10 percent dimethyl sulfoxide, stored for 2 months, and then thawed could conjugate normally. More significantly, they were viable, in normal numbers, through two sex ual reorganizations. The strains ap parently did not sustain genetic dam age during the treatment. The tech niques offer considerable promise for the maintenance of breeding stocks in ciliated protozoans.
Lithium Type X Zeolite as a Superior Sorbent for Air Separation

Li-X, Ba-X, and Li-A zeolites are prepared by ion exchange with the commercial Na-X (13X) and Na-A (4A) zeolites. At the ambient temperature (298 K), only Li-X exhibits a significant enhancement of...
Emotional intelligence and academic performance of engineering students

Professional technical expertise is no longer the main standard by which employers evaluate college graduates. ‘Soft skills’, such as emotional intelligence (EI also referred to as EQ), are viewed as effective ways to distinguish potential high-performance workers. It is posited that high performing students will also exhibit more proficiency at these ‘soft skills’ than students with more modest academic success. The purpose of this paper is to attempt to correlate EI with the academic performance of civil engineering students. A student's grade point ratio (GPR) is the criterion used in this research to measure academic performance. The hypothesis is that students with high GPRs will score better on measures of EI than other students. Literature reviews found that there is a growing area of research into EI and its relationship with job performance, specifically through the research presented in Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than IQ [Goleman, D. (1995) Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can ...
Adjunctive Skin Care of the Brow and Periorbital Region

This article discusses adjunctive skin care of the brow and periorbital region. Anatomic properties of eyelid skin require skin care products specifically suited to this area. Common patient concerns, including wrinkles, infraorbital dark circles, puffiness, and thinning eyebrows and eyelashes, are addressed in the context of contributing anatomic and physiologic factors and the classes of and/or specific ingredients targeting these problems.
Scaling and resonances in elementary K+Λ photoproduction

Recent cross-section data for the reaction {gamma}+p{yields}K{sup +}+{Lambda} are examined for evidence of scaling in both the low-t Regge domain and in the high-{radical}(s) and -t domain where constituent counting may apply. It is shown that the reaction does scale in both regimes. At large center-of-mass angles, s{sup -7} scaling appears to hold at essentially all -t but with angle-dependent oscillations. The scaled data show particularly strong evidence for s-channel resonances for -t below 2 GeV{sup 2} and for W below about 2.3 GeV. The dominant contributions are consistent with an N{sup *}S{sub 11} resonance at 1690 MeV, a P{sub 13} resonance at 1920 MeV, and a D{sub 13} resonance at 2100 MeV, which interfere to give the observed strong angular dependence.
Regiochemical Tagging: A New Tool for Structural Characterization of Isomeric Components in Combinatorial Mixtures

In this contribution we present a new combined synthetic and analytical strategy (regiochemical tagging) that allows facile determination of complete structure, including substituent position and regiochemistry, of mass-redundant components in complex combinatorial mixtures. The libraries of components (oxime ethers) are formed by the reaction of a mixture of substituents (aldehydes) with a scaffold containing several chemically similar attachment points (aminooxy groups). The structure of the resulting library components can then be determined from a combination of single MS and the tandem (MS/MS) spectra. Determination of the unique isomeric motif for each component is made possible via the following features of library design: (1) part of the scafforld moiety, “transferable group” (the nitrogen atom from the oxime group) is transferred to the substituent during fragmentation in the tandem experiment, (2) transferable groups on the scaffold differ from each other by either isotopic labels or fragmentat...
Computerized Global Electrophysiological Mapping of the Atrium in Patients with Wolft-Parkinson-White Syndrome

The activation sequence of the human atrium has been inferred previously from a limited number of atrial electrograms recorded sequentially with a single-point mapping system. In 10 patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, three form-fitted, flexible templates containing a total of 156 bipolar electrodes were fixed to the epicardial surface of both atria. Data were recorded continuously from all 156 electrodes simultaneously during normal sinus rhythm, left atrial pacing, right atrial pacing, and reciprocating tachycardia. In all 10 patients, the site of the accessory pathway correlated with the results of the preoperative electrophysiological study and of the standard intraoperative band electrode mapping. The accessory pathway was located in the left free wall position in 8 patients, the right free wall position in 1 patient, and the posterior septal position in 1 patient. In 4 of the 8 patients with left free wall pathways, activation maps of retrograde atrial activation during reciprocating tachycardia demonstrated a broad base of initial atrial depolarization. This finding suggests that some accessory pathways may have a broad band of insertion on the atrium, and supports our practice of wide dissection of the entire anatomical space associated with each pathway to avoid recurrences of WPW syndrome. Simultaneous global atrial-activation mapping in patients with WPW syndrome provides a clearer understanding of atrial activation during reciprocating tachycardia.
An extrusion fluidic driving method for continuous-flow polymerase chain reaction on a microfluidic chip

A novel extrusion driving protocol was developed based on micro-fabricated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) pneumatic valves. High efficiency liquid transfer was performed by using entirely overlapping control channels and fluid channels. A 0.5-s time is sufficient for the transfer of 9 μL sample solution between two chambers in the microchip with a nitrogen pressure of 70 kPa. The driving method was used in a microfluidic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system, and rapid cycling of the PCR mixture in a closed loop was achieved. The amplification of DNA was demonstrated via both three-stage and two-stage PCR thermal cycling on the microchips resulting in significant reduction of the PCR time. The amplifications of 144-bp and 200-bp DNA fragments were achieved within 24 min using a three-stage protocol with 30 thermal cycles, and 130-bp DNA fragments within 12 min by using 20 thermal cycles in the two-stage system, compared to about 2 h in benchtop PCR with the same number of thermal cycles.
CSR as reputation insurance: Primum non nocere

An overlooked but important benefit of CSR is to insure a firm against a decline in reputation in the face of adverse events. Through a case study and a multi-year analysis of stock price responses for S&P 500 companies following product recalls, we find that firms that have high CSR ratings fare better than those that do not. Furthermore, a firm that is exceptional in both doing good and avoiding harm suffers virtually no reputational damage following negative media publicity. Using the results of this study, we offer a guide to managers for determining the appropriate amount and mix of CSR activities.
Current and Future Directions in the Technology Relating to Bedside Testing of Critically III Patients

Significant progress has been made recently in the measurement methods and instrumental approaches applicable to bedside testing of critically ill patients. While the "ideal" technology would involve the ability to obtain accurate stat profile values on a continuous basis via noninvasive methods, given the present state of noninvasive sensing technologies, this capability is unlikely to be achieved in the foreseeable future. In principle, invasive and on-line techniques offer more hope for future success in continuous bedside monitoring of all the key critical care analyses. However, success in these directions will come only when issues regarding sensor stability and sampling device/sensor biocompatibility are completely solved. Until then, it appears that the user-friendly point of care type stat analyzers that can provide accurate values for all the key analytes, used in conjunction with existing noninvasive trend monitors (eg, pulse oximetry), will offer the most attractive approach for the effective treatment of critically ill patients.
Photodynamic therapy using Photofrin and Foscan and the treatment of malignancies of the head and neck

One hundred thirty patients with neoplastic diseases of the larynx, oral cavity, pharynx and skin have been treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT) with follow-up to 79 months. Those patients with primary or recurrent leukoplakia, carcinoma-in- situ (CIS) and T1 carcinomas obtained a complete response after one PDT treatment and 87% remain free of disease. Sixteen patients with deeply invasive T2 and T3 carcinomas were treated with PDT. Of those sixteen, ten obtained a complete response, but six have recurred locally. Although a response can be achieved with PDT in the larger solid tumors, it is not a consistent complete response because of the depth of invasion of the tumor. This is due to the inability to adequately deliver laser light to the depths of the tumor bed. Fourteen patients with massive recurrences of squamous cell carcinomas were treated with intraoperative adjuvant PDT following tumor resection. Two patients developed a local recurrence within the field of treatment. PDT is highly effective for the curative treatment of early carcinomas (CIS, T1) of the head and neck. T2 and T3 superficial carcinomas, with invasion less than 0.5 cm, are also curatively treated with PDT with significantly reduced morbidity compared to conventional modes of treatment. Also, intraoperative adjuvant PDT may increase cure rates of large infiltrating carcinomas of the head and neck.
Journalistic Ethics at the Border: How El Paso Times Journalists Balance Reporting the News and Protecting Their Sources

El Paso Times journalists routinely face ethical dilemmas as they cover difficult stories amid all of the violence in neighboring Ciudad Juarez. This ethnographic study, which utilizes participant-observation and in-depth interviews, examines how journalists deal with tough ethical choices. It reveals how reporters and editors at the El Paso Times consider the needs of the public and the ramifications of their stories. The journalists strive to be accurate and fair while protecting their sources and themselves. They weigh the importance of each story with its potential for risk.
Ambient Air Temperature Does Not Predict whether Small or Large Workers Forage in Bumble Bees (Bombus impatiens).

Bumble bees are important pollinators of crops and other plants. However, many aspects of their basic biology remain relatively unexplored. For example, one important and unusual natural history feature in bumble bees is the massive size variation seen between workers of the same nest. This size polymorphism may be an adaptation for division of labor, colony economics, or be nonadaptive. It was also suggested that perhaps this variation allows for niche specialization in workers foraging at different temperatures: larger bees might be better suited to forage at cooler temperatures and smaller bees might be better suited to forage at warmer temperatures. This we tested here using a large, enclosed growth chamber, where we were able to regulate the ambient temperature.We found no significant effect of ambient or nest temperature on the average size of bees flying to and foraging from a suspended feeder. Instead, bees of all sizes successfully flew and foraged between 16C and 36C. Thus, large bees foraged even at very hot temperatures, which we thought might cause overheating. Size variation therefore could not be explained in terms of niche specialization for foragers at different temperatures
Selective recognition of carbonic anhydrase using transition metal complexes

A metal complex was designed to bind to the protein carbonic anhydrase strongly and selectively in aqueous medium.
Gestational cigarette smoke exposure and hyperthermic enhancement of laryngeal chemoreflex in rat pups.

Laryngeal chemoreflex (LCR) apnea occurs in infant mammals of many species in response to water or other liquids in the laryngeal lumen. The apnea can last for many seconds, sometimes leading to dangerous hypoxemia, and has therefore been considered as a possible mechanism in the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). We have found recently that this reflex is markedly prolonged in decerebrate piglets and anesthetized rat pups that are warmed 1–3 °C above their normal body temperatures. We intermittently exposed pregnant rats to cigarette smoke and examined the LCR in their four- to fifteen-day-old offspring under general anesthesia, with and without whole body warming. During warming, pups of gestationally smoke-exposed dams had significantly longer LCR-induced respiratory disruption than similarly warmed control pups. The results may be significant for the pathogenesis and/or prevention of SIDS as maternal cigarette smoking during human pregnancy and heat stress in infants are known risk factors for SIDS.
Puzzles, PROLOG and logic

Puzzles have been and continue to be very effective agents for the presentation of logic. Recently, PROLOG has been suggested as the tool of choice for approaching "virtually all" logic problems. One of Smullyan's puzzles is used to demonstrate this thesis. We question this rush to PROLOG and its associated procedural interpretation of logic. We give a simple puzzle (definitely not of the Lewis Carroll or Smullyan caliber) and our PROLOG solutions. Our problems in applying PROLOG to this puzzle in turn lead us to try to discover the logic roots of PROLOG.
Aging changes in the retinal capillary bed of the rat

Abstract Thirty normal albino rats of ages from 2 to 32 months were sacrificed, their globes removed, and their retinas prepared by the pepsin-trypsin digest technique. The mounted preparations were stained with hematoxylin and PAS. The retinal capillaries were then analyzed with a light microscope in the peripapillary, midretinal, and peripheral areas. The following results were obtained: (1) The ratio of endothelial cells to intramural pericytes ranged from 1.57 to 2.18. No definite changes were found between different age groups or between different retinal regions. (2) The number of endothelial cells and intramural pericytes per high-power field decreased with age, with the decrement most marked between 8 and 12 months. (3) Two types of acellular strands were noted: thin, threadlike strands and thick, acellular capillary strands. The number of thin strands per high-power field averaged 4.86, with no obvious increase with aging. The number of thick strands increased markedly between 12 and 24 months: Up to the age of 12 months an average of only 0.02 thick strands were found per high-power field, whereas in rats 24 months or older an average of 0.38 thick strands were found per high-power field. (4) In all age groups the capillary cells appeared more ragged and their nuclei more weakly stained in the periphery than in the other retinal regions; this was more marked in older rats.
A Rod-Shaped Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite for Use as an Active Catheter-Platform

“Catheterization” is becoming one of the important medical operations since it engages minimally invasive medical procedures. It is a common practice that a catheter is inserted into body-cavities to administrate diversified medical functions such as diagnosis and surgery. Current method to deal with catheters is based upon the manual mechanisms that are time consuming and, sometimes, involving high risk to the patient. In this work, we explore the use of a promising electroactive polymer (EAP), called ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) as a material for use in active catheter-platforms. The configuration of our interest is a rod-shaped IPMC with 2-DOF electromechanical actuation capability. The desired functionality was achieved by fabricating inter-digitated electrodes. Firstly, the 3-D Finite Element (FE) model was introduced as a design tool to optimize the important parameters including electrode configurations. The FE model is based upon the physical transport processes — field induced migration and diffusion of ions. Secondly, based upon the FE modeling we fabricated an initial prototype exhibiting desired electromechanical output. The prototype of rod-shaped IPMC has a diameter of 1 mm and a 20 mm length. We have successfully demonstrated that the 2-DOF bending of the fabricated IPMC is feasible.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Air flow characteristics of a room with square cone diffusers

A computational fluid dynamics model with radiant exchange between surfaces is developed to examine the air flow characteristics of a room with square cone diffusers. As an input to the full-scale 3-D room model, a 2-D diffuser model that supplies direction and magnitude of air flow into the room is developed and evaluated using infrared visualization. The room air flow model is assessed using several previously documented problems with various geometries and boundary conditions. Simulations are conducted for heating and cooling of the room with one or two supply air diffusers. The results show that the offset and lips of the diffuser work together to determine the discharge air angles, which play an important role in determining the room air flow patterns. For a certain discharge angle in the heating case, the air flows along the ceiling. The results indicate that, for the same supply air flow, operating only a single diffuser initiates more mixing of the room air flow, which results in enhanced temperature uniformity compared to that for two diffusers. Radiant exchange between the exterior window and interior surfaces causes a significant change in the window temperature.