cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
REVERSE SAFARI. REFLECTIONS ON FLIGHT AND MIGRATION FROM THE GLOBAL SOUTH TO THE GLOBAL NORTH

The post-colonial flight and migration from the Global South to the Global North are consistent with, and the consequence of European explorations, colonization, proselytism, and globalization. In the 15th century, virtually no Africans or Amerindians had ever dreamed of conquering or establishing themselves in Europe. In other words, post-colonial and post-Colombian migratory movements are a reciprocation of the colonial era’s hospitality. This reciprocation has occurred, for the most part, without imperial ambition or forced proselytism. It has been consistent with the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.The Global South’s migratory movements to the Global North test the validity and limits of: (1) Judeo-Christian teachings about brotherly love and universal humanity; (2) some of the European doctrines, theories, and slogans such as French Universalism, “Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite”; (3) Western regional organizations such as the European Union and the meaning of freedom; (4) the USA’s Declaration of Independence and the meanings of “self-evident truth of universal equality and inalienable rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness”; (5) the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (esp. Art. 13) and the Geneva Convention of 1951; (6) globalization in light of the ‘Brexit’; (7) our commitment to multiculturalism, interculturalism, and international solidarity in a spider’s web-like and globalized society. With respect to the African case, it is plausible to argue that the “Black Mediterranean’ phenomenon is reminiscent of the Black Atlantic or the Middle Passage. Moreover, Africans’ emigration also means, to some extent, Africans’ visiting or reuniting with their fellow Africans who have been scattered throughout the world (Afrexit) since the early days of the humankind. This statement must be understood in the context of the fact that Africa is the cradle of humankind.
Aminoacylase 1 (ACY-1) Mediates the Proliferation and Migration of Neuroblastoma Cells in Humans Through the ERK/Transforming Growth Factor β (TGF-β) Signaling Pathways.

BACKGROUND Aminoacylase 1 (ACY-1) is a cytosolic enzyme that catalyzes amino acid deacylation and has been reported to participate in various human diseases. However, the role and mechanism of ACY-1 in neuroblastoma (NB) are not completely understood. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of ACY-1 in NB. MATERIAL AND METHODS Overexpression and knockdown of ACY-1 in human NB cells were performed, and the transfection efficiency was assessed through fluorescence microscopy, real-time PCR, and western blotting. The effect of ACY-1 on tumorigenesis and metastasis was determined by cell counting, colony formation, wound healing, flow cytometry, and transwell invasion assays in vitro, and the signaling pathway was examined using western blotting. RESULTS ACY-1 overexpression inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in human NB cells. ACY-1 inhibited the colony formation ability, migration, and invasion of SH-SY5Y cell lines. Moreover, the ERK1/2 and TGF-s1 signaling pathways were more active when ACY-1 was overexpressed in NB cells. However, the knockdown of ACY-1 in SH-SY5Y cell lines showed the opposite effects. CONCLUSIONS ACY-1 regulates the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human NB cells through the ERK1/2 and TGF-s1 signaling pathways, implying that ACY-1 may serve as a therapeutic target for patients with NB.
Postpartum depression in mothers with pregnancies complicated by fetal cardiac anomaly.

To investigate factors associated with positive postpartum depression (PPD) screen in pregnancies complicated by fetal congenital cardiac anomaly. We reviewed all records of pregnancies complicated by fetal congenital cardiac anomaly receiving prenatal, intrapartum and postpartum care at our single center, October 2016-October 2019. Maternal, obstetric, and neonatal data were compared between women with and without a positive PPD screen at the 6-week postpartum visit. Out of 415 women referred for fetal congenital cardiac anomaly, 86 women had complete inclusion criteria. Twenty-four women (28%) had a positive PPD screen. The frequencies of planned future infant surgery (73.9 vs. 26.2%, p = 0.01) and neonatal death prior to postpartum visit (12.5 vs. 0%, p = 0.02) were significantly higher among women with a positive PPD screen. In pregnancies complicated by fetal congenital cardiac anomaly, mothers of infants with planned future surgery or neonatal death are at significant risk for postpartum depression.
Characterization of women diagnosed with cervical cancer at age 65 or older

Objectives: The objective of this study is to characterize the population of women who are diagnosed with cervical cancer after age 65. Current guidelines allow for discontinuation of cervical cancer screening at age 65 if women have met criteria for adequate screening, which is defined as three consecutive negative cytology results or two consecutive negative co-testing results within ten years before stopping screening, with the most recent test occurring within five years. However, twenty percent of incident cervical cancers occur in women over the age of 65. Download : Download high-res image (289KB) Download : Download full-size image Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with cervical cancer at age 65 or older from 2000-2020 at our institutions. Study subjects were identified by ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. Demographic information, pathologic data, treatment history, and screening history were abstracted from the electronic medical record. Results: There were 53 patients diagnosed with cervical cancer at age 65 or older from 2000-2020 with sufficient records for review. The median age at diagnosis was 73.8 years, 59% were smokers, and 94% were White. The most common method of detection was the presence of symptoms (81%), and the most common presenting symptom was vaginal bleeding (70%), followed by vaginal discharge (23%), pelvic pain (17%), and bowel or urinary symptoms (13%). At diagnosis, 40% of patients had localized disease, 57% had regional disease, and 4% had distant disease at diagnosis. The histology distribution was 70% squamous cell carcinoma, 19% adenocarcinoma, 6% clear cell carcinoma, 4% small cell carcinoma, and 2% poorly differentiated carcinoma, unspecified. Only 19% of patients had a known history of prior abnormal screening, but prior screening history was not available for 32% of patients. A total of twelve patients (23%) had not met criteria for adequate cervical cancer screening; 3 patients (6%) had met criteria for adequate screening, and 4 patients (8%) were still undergoing screening due to abnormal results. For 34 patients (64%), however, there were insufficient screening records to determine whether they met criteria for adequate screening. Conclusions: Twenty percent of patients with complete records had met criteria to stop cervical cancer screening prior and went on to develop cervical cancer after age 65. This calls into question the current guidelines defining adequate screening prior to discontinuation. The remaining 80% of patients did not meet criteria for adequate screening and, thus, their cancers may have been detected and treated while still at a pre-invasive stage. Notably, there was not sufficient documented history of cervical cancer screening in 64% of these patients who were diagnosed with cervical cancer after age 65.
INTERFACE IV: COUNTERTRADE IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS BETWEEN EAST AND WEST - AN INTRODUCTION

Businessmen, particularly those engaged in East-West trade, have participated in various forms of countertrade for years, but it is a phenomenon new to United States policy-makers and lawyers. The latter two groups are just beginning to fit this form of international exchange of goods into the framework of their respective disciplines. Interface IV brought together businessmen. policy-makers, lawyers, and scholars to discuss the promise and problems of countertrade, particularly between East and West. This introductory paper is designed to give a brief description of countertrade and to raise some questions for consideration by the Conference participants.
The Convertible Nucleoside Approach: Structural Engineering of Nucleic Acids by Disulfide Cross-Linking

In addition to noncovalent interactions, metal ligation and disulfide cross-linking are often used by proteins to achieve and maintain their three-dimensional structure. Another class of biologically important macro-molecules, nucleic acids, possess the functionality required for hydrophobic packing and metal chelation, but lack the sulfhydryl groups that are necessary for disculfide cross-linking. Hence, the limited repertoire of atoms in nucleic acids deprives them of a molecular device — the disulfide cross-link — that is widely employed by proteins to control macromolecular structure, dynamics, stability, and perhaps folding. Nonetheless, recent advances in the chemical synthesis of modified nucleic acids have made it possible to overcome this deficiency by allowing attachment of sulfhydryl groups to specific bases in DNA and RNA. Having surmounted the initial obstacle imposed by nature, we have begun to explore the structure and applications of disulfide cross-linked nucleic acids. This new field is just now taking its first, halting steps, as reviewed here, but the results thus far point toward a rich and exciting future.
Endocrinology of Complex Life Cycles: Amphibians

A complex life cycle, where an animal begins life as a larva then undergoes a metamorphosis to the adult form, is thought to represent the ancestral vertebrate life history mode. Most amphibian species exhibit complex life cycles, and the timing of metamorphosis is a central life history trait that is controlled by the interplay of developmental progression, body size and condition, and environmental signals. These different processes and signals are integrated by the neuroendocrine system to regulate production of hormones by the thyroid gland. Thyroid hormone (TH) is the primary morphogen controlling metamorphosis, while corticosteroids (CS) produced by the interrenal glands synergize with TH to promote metamorphic changes. The actions of TH are modulated by monodeiodinase enzymes expressed in TH target tissues. Corticosteroids act by sensitizing tissues to the actions of TH via the upregulation of TH receptors and monodeiodinases. The increase in thyroid gland activity during metamorphosis is controlled by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. The hypothalamo–pituitary–thyroid and hypothalamo–pituitary–interrenal axes are regulated at multiple levels. Hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) functions as a common, central regulator of pituitary thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion in tadpoles. CRH neurons transduce the signals of environmental change (e.g., pond drying, resource availability) on metamorphic timing through CRH actions on TSH and ACTH secretion, and subsequently the production of TH and CS. The proximate mechanisms for the evolution of body size at metamorphosis, and the timing of transformation among amphibian lineages involved the modification of neuroendocrinological pathways and hormone action.
An Evaluation of the New Hampshire Child Support Guidelines

Summary An initiative was introduced in the 1996 New Hampshire Legislature that would grant a reduction in child support payments based on the number of overnight stays with children. This paper presents a case study discussing the process in which data on the court's usage of child support guidelines were obtained from divorce records and attorneys in two New Hampshire counties and used by a legislative committee to assess the merits of incorporating this bill into the guidelines. Findings in this child support policy research revealed nothing compelling for amending the guidelines. Final action taken by this legislative committee, therefore, was the recommendation that there be no further legislation on this initiative.
CXC chemokine receptor 4 expression and function in human astroglioma cells.

Chemokines constitute a superfamily of proteins that function as chemoattractants and activators of leukocytes. Astrocytes, the major glial cell type in the CNS, are a source of chemokines within the diseased brain. Specifically, we have shown that primary human astrocytes and human astroglioma cell lines produce the CXC chemokines IFN-γ-inducible protein-10 and IL-8 and the CC chemokines monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and RANTES in response to stimuli such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IFN-γ. In this study, we investigated chemokine receptor expression and function on human astroglioma cells. Enhancement of CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) mRNA expression was observed upon treatment with the cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β. The peak of CXCR4 expression in response to TNF-α and IL-1β was 8 and 4 h, respectively. CXCR4 protein expression was also enhanced upon treatment with TNF-α and IL-1β (2- to 3-fold). To study the functional relevance of CXCR4 expression, stable astroglioma transfectants expressing high levels of CXCR4 were generated. Stimulation of cells with the ligand for CXCR4, stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α), resulted in an elevation in intracellular Ca2+ concentration and activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade, specifically, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) mitogen-activated protein kinase. Of most interest, SDF-1α treatment induced expression of the chemokines monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, IL-8, and IFN-γ-inducible protein-10. SDF-1α-induced chemokine expression was abrogated upon inclusion of U0126, a pharmacological inhibitor of ERK1/2, indicating that the ERK signaling cascade is involved in this response. Collectively, these data suggest that CXCR4-mediated signaling pathways in astroglioma cells may be another mechanism for these cells to express chemokines involved in angiogenesis and inflammation.
Testing devices according to an architecture specification

This paper describes methods for verifying and testing very large scale integrated (VLSI) electronic devices and subsystems according to an architecture specification. With these methods, the specification serves as the database which drives the verification and testing of the device through all phases of development: simulation, functional testing, and characterization. A hierarchical method of organization for an architecture specification is shown, verified, used to generate test cases for simulation and testing on a VLSI test system. Finally, methods for generating test programs and characterization tests are described. The unifying theme of these methods is that an architectural specification can be used to generate all phases of development. >
Infrastructure Leasing Problems

Consider the following Steiner Tree leasing problem. Given a graph G= (V,E) with root r, and a sequence of terminal sets D t i¾? Vfor each day ti¾? [T]. A feasible solution to the problem is a set of edges E t for each tconnecting D t to r. Instead of obtaining edges for a single day at a time, or for infinitely long (both of which give Steiner tree problems), we leaseedges for say, { a day, a week, a month, a year}. Naturally, leasing an edge for a longer period costs less per unit of time. What is a good leasing strategy? In this paper, we give a general approach to solving a wide class of such problems by showing a close connection between deterministic leasing problems and problems in multistage stochastic optimization. All our results are in the offline setting.
Comment on ``Theory of Metal-Insulator Transitions in Gated Semiconductors''

A Comment on the Letter by Boris L. Altshuler and Dmitrii L. Maslov, Phys.thinspthinspRev.thinspthinspLett.thinspthinsp{bold 82}, 145 (1999). The authors of the Letter offer a Reply. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
Penetration and intracellular growth of Brucella abortus in nonphagocytic cells in vitro.

Abstract In pregnant ruminants, Brucella abortus localizes and replicates within the rough endoplasmic reticulum of trophoblastic epithelial cells. In this study, Vero cells were exposed to B. abortus to investigate its internalization and intracellular growth in nonphagocytic cells. A new double-fluorescence staining procedure to discriminate between extracellular and intracellular bacteria was developed. Studies with the double-fluorescence staining procedure and quantitative bacteriologic culture of disrupted host cells showed that various B. abortus strains replicated within Vero cells, including smooth virulent (strains 2308S and 544), smooth attenuated (strain 19), and rough (strains 45/20 and 2308R) strains. Rough brucellae were more adherent and entered a greater number of Vero cells. Intracellular replication occurred in a larger percentage of cells with smooth virulent (2308S and 544) strains than with smooth attenuated (19) or rough (45/20 and 2308R) strains. Differences in adhesiveness and invasiveness were correlated to hydrophobicity of the organism, as measured by hydrocarbon adherence. Ultrastructurally, intracellular smooth (2308S) and rough (45/20) brucellae were consistently found within cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear envelope. The results suggest that transfer to the rough endoplasmic reticulum is the limiting step in the infection of nonphagocytic cells by B. abortus.
Immunity to emerging pathogens

Emerging infectious diseases constitute one of the most significant health and security challenges facing the world today. Pathogens that are recently adapted to humans, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), have become rampant worldwide, and pathogens that were thought to be under some control are creating new concerns, such as drug-resistant tuberculosis. Furthermore, the threat of ‘new’ viruses, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus, and agents of bioterror, such as Franciscella, present novel health challenges. Many factors influence the emergence and spread of these pathogens including climate change, man’s encroachment into new environments, patterns of travel and migration, and deliberate dissemination. Thus, emerging infectious diseases will pose a major threat to human health well into the future. The challenge for mankind is to develop effective strategies to control these emerging diseases, including establishing surveillance and response networks, improving diagnostics, promoting public health initiatives, establishing vector control strategies, and developing effective vaccines and therapeutics. The battle against infectious disease has been ongoing since humans developed the capacity for medical intervention. The advent of vaccines and antibiotics was a huge step forward, and, based on early successes, it was expected that in time mankind could eventually conquer infectious diseases. However, in the first article in this volume (1), Prof. Frank Snowdon (Yale University) offers a historical perspective of the fight against infectious diseases that highlights our hubris. Today, we realize that the task is more difficult than was imagined. Despite the many challenges that lie ahead, it is nonetheless essential that humans continue the fight to control major infectious disease killers in this century. Indeed, several national and international organizations are dedicated to this task, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and others. It is an article of faith for research scientists that new David L. Woodland Gary M. Winslow
High-frequency components in the electrocardiograms of normal subjects and of patients with coronary heart disease.

Abstract Through the use of electronic and photographic equipment capable of recording a wide band of frequencies, from 0.01 to 5,000 cycles per second, it has been shown that subjects with clinical evidence of coronary heart disease have a much greater incidence of high-frequency notching and slurring in the electrocardiogram recorded with this high-fidelity equipment than do apparently normal subjects. The diagnostic possibilities of this method are discussed.
Explaining lapse in long‐term care insurance markets

Expansion of private long-term care insurance (LTCI) is often posited as a potential mechanism to finance long-term care (LTC) for a growing elderly population in the US. One largely ignored issue is lapse or cancellation of policies. Individuals who let a LTCI policy lapse face resumed risk of LTC expenditures while suffering the financial loss of premiums paid. The motivation for lapse has been poorly understood, though some have hypothesized that improvements in health risk may be responsible. We use 1996–2006 Health and Retirement Study data from 3974 respondents who report having private LTCI to estimate baseline and dynamic predictors of lapse and test for ex post adverse selection. Individuals who lapse are generally poorer, less educated, less healthy, and more likely to be racial and ethnic minorities than those who retain their policies. Changes in health status play a relatively small role in lapse, and we find little evidence for adverse selection associated with lapse. We conclude that lapse of LTCI is more an issue of finances and alternatives than a reassessment of health risk. Because lapse rates are highest among the least healthy individuals, lapse should be considered explicitly in efforts to expand the LTCI market. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sequential shrinkage estimation of the difference between two multivariate normal means

The paper considers sequential estimation of the difference of two -variate normal means from independent populations when the variance covariance matrix from each population is known up to a scalar multiple and are not necessarily equal. The sampling scheme is a multivariate extension of the stopping rule proposed by Ghosh and Mukhopadhyay (1980). A class of James Stein estimators that dominates the difference of sample mean vectors is developed and asymptotic risk expansions are also provided.
Forward to Better Understanding of Optical Characterization and Development of Colored Polyamides for the Infra-Red/Laser Welding: Part I - Efficiency of Polyamides for Infra-Red Welding:

The influence of a wide range of the infrared (IR) wavelengths (from 830 to 1064 nm) on the optical properties of welded thermoplastics was evaluated for unfilled, filled and reinforced polyamide 666 and amorphous grades. Presented results and developed recommendations will help, designers, technologists and materials scientists in welded parts design, materials selection and new materials development for various laser welding (LW) applications.
Relative toxicities of chemicals to the earthworm Eisenia foetida

In the present study, 90 chemicals were tested against Eisenia foetida for the purpose of using this organism as the marker species to indicate the relative toxicities of chemicals to earthworms and other soil invertebrates. The worms were exposed to deposits of the chemicals on filter paper for 48 h and the mortality was recorded; concentrations were expressed in μg/cm2. Based on the resulting LC50 values, the chemicals were classified as supertoxic ( 1,000 μg/cm2). Of the chemicals tested (pesticides, solvents, metals, drugs, carcinogens, etc.), only carbofuran and eserine salicylate, both carbamates, were supertoxic. The remaining chemicals were distributed about equally among the other toxicity categories. The most surprising results were that the phenolic hydrolytic products of parathion, carbaryl, 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T were as toxic, or more toxic, than the parent material, with all of these compounds falling within the extremely toxic and very toxic classifications. Several chemicals, considered only moderately or relatively nontoxic to mammals, were extremely or very toxic to earthworms; among these compounds were carbaryl, malathion, cypermethrin and benomyl. The results of this study further demonstrate the unpredictability of chemical toxicity to different animal species, a fact which complicates the assessment of environmental risk to one or more species based on data attained with another.
Promoting public health through electronic media: a challenge for schools of public health.

RESTRICTED ACCESS TO health care services has long been a problem for our nation's poorest citizens. In his presidential address to the 55th annual meeting of the American Public Health Association in 1926, C. E. A. Winslow—the founding chair of Yale University's Department of Public Health—urged the development “of free public services for the examination of well persons or of persons who suspect the presence of disease, for their hygienic instruction and for the administration of preventive medical treatment or reference to private physicians or to institutions where such treatment can be secured.”1 Regrettably, the system that Winslow envisioned three quarters of a century ago still has not materialized. The disenfranchisement of the estimated 47 million Americans who have no health insurance, and thus have little or no access to medical care,42,3 underscores the desperate need for a better balance “between the clinical approach to disease, currently the dominant public health model for most risk factors, and research and intervention efforts that address generic social and behavioral determinants of disease, injury and disability.”4(p6)
Preventing the need for whistleblowing: Practical advice for university administrators

A thoughtful and well-designed institutional response to a whistleblower starts long before a problem ever arises. Important elements include efforts by the institution’s leaders to cultivate an ethical environment, provide clear and fair personnel policies, support internal systems for resolving complaints and grievances, and be willing to address problems when they are revealed. While many institutions have well-developed procedures for handling formal grievances, systems for handling complaints at their earliest stages usually receive less attention. This article focuses on systemic elements necessary for cultivating an ethical environment, good practices in responding to complaints, and the role those practices can play in preventing a confrontation with a whistleblower.
School Strategies and the College-Linking Process : Reconsidering the Effects of High Schools on College Enrollment

This study reconsidered school effects on college enrollment by focusing on strategies that schools use to facilitate college transitions. It also examined whether school strategies influence diffe...
Storage quality of ‘Cox's Orange Pippin’ apples grown on a range of rootstocks

Abstract This study involved storing samples of ‘Cox's Orange Pippin’ from the 1974 and 1975 crops from each of 2 rootstock trials. After 12 weeks cool storage, the samples were examined for bitter pit and internal breakdown. In the high-pit year 1974, ‘Cox's Orange’ on ‘M.16’ and ‘MM.115’ had significantly more pit and breakdown than when grown on ‘MM.106’, ‘MM.112’ and ‘MM.114’, with fruit from ‘MM.104’ in between the 2 groups. However, in the low-pit year 1975 there were no differences. In the second trial in 1974, ‘Cox's Orange’ on ‘M.16’ had significantly more pit and breakdown than when on ‘Northern Spy’, ‘MM.109’ and ‘M.7’. In the following year there were no differences in the incidence of pit, but fruit from ‘M.7’ and ‘M.2’ had more breakdown than from other rootstocks in this trial.
The Role of the Office Nurse in Caring for Families Choosing Pregnancy Termination for Anomalies

Women’s Health Poster Presentation Purpose for the Program When severe or fatal anomalies are diagnosed during pregnancy, the decision to end a pregnancy is a difficult. Parents struggle with grief and guilt because of the stigma associated with this choice. Their regular obstetric provider may transfer their care, and they may feel abandoned and have fragmented follow-up support for the loss. The purpose of this program was to provide improved continuity of care and support for these families. Proposed Change When care is disrupted by a transfer of health care provider, the office-based nurse can do much to assist these parents through sensitive prenatal care, counseling and education, memorial planning, postpartum visits, referrals, and interconception care. Implementation, Outcomes, and Evaluation The office-based women's health nurse identified the need for an improvement in care for these families during and after pregnancy. Care was changed beginning with intake because women or couples were arriving with poor comprehension of fetal diagnosis, prognosis, or options. More time was allocated to provide further education, and couples were encouraged to explore pregnancy interruption and effects of the decision on the family within their cultural and religious framework, which promoted a trusting relationship. The nurse also provided resources specifically associated with grief and assisted with determining options of memory items to affirm the existence and importance of the pregnancy. The office nurse now establishes contact with the hospital-based personnel to ensure communication of the patient's arrival, pertinent history, plans for delivery, and plans regarding autopsy or burial arrangements. This alleviates some of the discomfort of a woman arriving in labor and provides time to consider options most appropriate. Postpartum care now includes time to review pathology reports and interconception planning with the same health care provider and assessment to identify need for long-term support. Patient comments confirm that couples feel supported throughout the process by knowing there is a single nurse who can address their concerns, communicate their plan, and follow up with them afterwards. Implications for Nursing Practice Having a dedicated nurse–physician team to coordinate patient care through difficult decisions is essential to help couples make a truly informed decision in a supportive environment, which entails arranging couples’ access to consultation before and subsequent to pregnancy termination, as well as coordinating care with the inpatient facility. Implications for research include the need for more studies that explore couples’ care during and after pregnancy termination.
Networked Physics Curriculum:. From Static Web to Dynamic Java

We describe our efforts at the University of Oregon to use Web-based Instructional Technology (IT) supplemented with interactive Java virtual experiments to change the standard pedagogy associated with large, introductory undergraduate classes in physics and astronomy. We begin by examining some of the problems associated with the standard pedagogy in these classes and how these problems motivated our development of networked courseware. Although we identify and describe five empirical positive outcomes associated with IT, we conclude that the use of HTML-based course material and assignments does not substantially alter the standard pedagogy as this medium alone is not conducive to interactive exercises. To build interactivity into our courseware, we have undertaken a vigorous effort of creating Java-based experiments which are grounded in physical reality and duplicate the kinds of experiments that are done in the physical lab. In so doing, we build experimentation into a curriculum for large lecture-based classes in which the standard pedagogy and resource constraints normally preclude lab sections. The main goal is to create a networked environment where the student can easily retrieve the notes and the demonstrations that were done in class as well as to engage in experiments that are designed to illustrate basic principles. In so doing, we hope to move to a more learner-centered environment which is driven by student inquiry. Five specific Java experiments are described here and each is accompanied by a snapshot of the experimental apparatus and controls. An appendix contains the relevant URLs of the experiments, courseware, and animation described herein.
Membrane activity, antioxidant, antiaggregatory and anti-hemolytic properties of four calcium channel blockers

Four calcium channel blockers: nifedipine, fendiline, verapamil and diltiazem have been found to possess different affinity to cytomembranes of platelets and erythrocytes. Nifedipine bound to proteins of the external site of cytomembranes. Verapamil and fendiline possessed affinity to lipids of the cytoplasmic site of the cytomembranes. Diltiazem bound practically neither to erythrocyte nor to platelet membranes. All tested compounds were antioxidants, the strongest being fendiline. Antiaggregatory and antihemolytic properties of tested compounds were roughly correlated with their membrane activity.
Neighborhood environment and body mass index trajectories from adolescence to adulthood.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether neighborhood conditions during adolescence are associated with body mass index (BMI) extending into young adulthood. METHODS: Latent growth curve modeling was used to examine BMI over three waves (1996, 2001, and 2008) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n = 9,115). RESULTS: Parental perceptions of neighborhood disorder and neighborhood structural disadvantage were positively associated with BMI at baseline. Although parental perceptions of disorder were not associated with the rate of change in BMI over time, neighborhood structural disadvantage was positively associated with the slope of BMI. Adolescents who lived in more disadvantaged neighborhoods not only had higher BMI at the beginning of the study, but they also gained weight at a faster rate than those who lived in more advantaged neighborhoods at the first wave of data collection. The data also revealed notable gender, racial, and ethnic subgroup variations in the relationship between neighborhood context and BMI. CONCLUSION: The neighborhood environment during the critical period of adolescence appears to have a long-term effect on BMI in adulthood. Policy interventions focusing on the neighborhood environment may have far-reaching effects on adult health. Language: en
Feminist Perspectives on Erikson 's Theory: Their Relevance for Contemporary Identity Development Research

In view of recent controversies about theory and self, identity development researchers need to examine the utility of their own theory. In an effort to begin this enterprise, we define what we see as the central concerns of Erikson 's theory a life-span, psychosocial emphasis, and the notion of agentic identity development and use a feminist standpoint analysis to examine the usefulness of these aspects of his theory in a rapidly changing, multicultural context. We critique the theory 's emphasis on biology as a significant component of psychosocial development, including the emphasis on the biological distinctiveness of women and men as an explanatory construct. We also address the issue of an androcentric bias that many have argued is interwoven with the theory 's core concepts. Finally, we offer conclusions regarding the aspects of the theory we find most useful and most in need of clarification or revision.
Correlation of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Histopathology in Eosinophilic Endomyocarditis

A 71-year-old white woman was admitted for the evaluation of progressive dyspnea. Her medical history was remarkable for 3 episodes of pneumonia and asthma with peripheral eosinophilia. As a part of her diagnostic evaluation, a contrast-enhanced computed tomographic scan of the chest was performed, which excluded pulmonary embolism and interstitial lung disease. Transthoracic echocardiogram revealed right-sided chamber enlargement, with a mildly hypokinetic right ventricle and an estimated right ventricle systolic peak pressure of 58 mm Hg. Moreover, an area of increased echogenicity was noted at the apex of the left ventricle (LV) consistent with possible LV apical mass (Movie I in the Data Supplement). Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (Siemens Magnetom Avanto 1.5T VB15; Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany) was obtained to characterize the mass further. Cine MR images (Movie II in the Data Supplement) confirmed the presence of an apical LV mass with obliteration of the midventricular and apical segments and associated regional dysfunction. After the administration of 0.1 mmol/kg gadopentetate dimeglumin (Magnevist, Bayer, Germany), early postcontrast images (Figure 1A) demonstrated the avascular nature of the mass consistent with thrombus. Delayed images (Figure 1B and 1C) revealed diffuse subendocardial hyperenhancement, most apparent in the …
Death, Funeral and Bereavement Practices in Appalachian and Non-Appalachian Kentucky *

This chapter reviews the historical evolution of death practices in Kentucky with special emphasis on Appalachian Kentucky. It presents the results of a survey concerned with the visibility of death, conducted in contemporary Appalachian and non-Appalachian regions of Kentucky. The evidence for the low visibility of death is fairly convincing in those cultural settings which are modern, cosmopolitan and technologically advanced. After death, the body was prepared by friends and neighbors who verified that life had actually departed, washed the body and applied lotions to retard mortification. The historical survey indicated that Appalachian Kentucky, while adopting many death practices of the larger society, retains some of its uniqueness. The independent variable of region was defined geographically as towns lying within or outside of Kentucky “Appalachia”. The questionnaire survey gives striking evidence that death denial, avoidance and invisibility are not the norm in Kentucky, contrary to what has been suggested in much of the death literature describing trends in western society.
Action of endo-α-N-acetyl-d-galactosaminidase on synthetic glycosides including chromogenic substrates

Abstract The synthetic glycosides, p -nitrophenyl- and o -nitrophenyl-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3- O -β- d -galactopyranosyl-α- d -galactopyranosides, were found to be effective chromogenic substrates for an endo-α- N -acetyl- d -galactosaminidase. We did not experience any problems when these substrates were used for the sereening of column fractions during the purification of the endoenzyme from Diplococcus pneumoniae culture filtrates. However, it should be pointed out that a combination of exo-β-galactosidase, capable of cleaving β1 → 3 linkages, and an exo-α- N -acetyl galactosaminidase would also liberate nitrophenol from the above substrates. The enzyme had no action on several other synthetic glycosides tested indicating the strict specificity of this enzyme for the disaccharide Gal → β GalNAc linked via an α-linkage to the aglycone. The enzyme was inactive when the aglycone was methanol but shows activity against the glycosides of phenol, nitrophenols, serine, and threonine. The use of p -nitrophenyl-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3- O -β- d -galactopyranosyl-β- d -galactopyranoside, which is a competitive inhibitor of the endoenzyme, as an affinity ligand for the purification of the enzyme is described.
Emotional Leadership as a Key Dimension of Public Relations Leadership: A National Survey of Public Relations Leaders

Based on the emotional leadership theory, this study used a national survey of public relations leaders to examine the core emotional traits and skills for effective public relations leadership. Transformational leadership was preferred by public relations leaders, in which empathy played an essential role. Transformational leadership and empathy were found to be significant predictors of public relations leaders' competency in gaining employees' trust, managing employees' frustration and optimism, as well as taking stances toward employees and top management in decision-making conflicts. By identifying emotional leadership as an essential dimension of public relations leadership, the findings advance the understanding of how emotional skills can enhance public relations managers' employee and top management communications in decision-making conflicts.
The effect of task on classification accuracy: using gesture recognition techniques in free-sketch recognition

Generating, grouping, and labeling free-sketch data is a difficult and time-consuming task for both user study participants and researchers. To simplify this process for both parties, we would like to have users draw isolated shapes instead of complete sketches that must be hand-labeled and grouped, and then use this data to train our free-sketch symbol recognizer. However, it is an open question whether shapes draw in isolation accurately reflect the way users draw shapes in a complete diagram. Furthermore, many of the simplest shape recognition algorithms were designed to recognize gestures, and it is not clear that they will generalize to freely-drawn shapes. To answer these questions, we perform experiments using three different recognizers to measure the effect of the data collection task on recognition accuracy. We find that recognizers trained only on isolated shapes can classify freely-sketched shapes as well as the same recognizers trained on free-sketches. We also show that user-specific training examples significantly improve recognition rates. Finally, we introduce a variant of a popular and simple gesture recognition algorithm that recognizes freely-drawn shapes as well as a highly-accurate but more complex recognizer designed explicitly for free-sketch recognition.
Scorpion helps catalog the Web

Scorpion is a research project at OCLC exploring the indexing and cataloging of electronic resources. Since subject information is key to advanced retrieval, browsing and clustering, the primary focus of Scorpion is the building of tools for automatic subject recognition based on well-known schemes like the Dewey Decimal Classification
Plasma albumins of reptiles.

Abstract 1. 1. Each of the fifteen reptilian species investigated has a plasma protein which ranges in concentration from approximately 20 per cent of the total plasma protein in turtles to nearly 50 per cent in some iguanid lizards, and which has a number of properties comparable to avian or mammalian plasma albumin. 2. 2. The plasma protein has a molecular weight in the range of 65,000–75,000 g/mole, is soluble in aqueous 2 M ammonium sulfate, deionized distilled water and in trichloroacetic acid-ethanol. It is insoluble in saturated ammonium sulfate and in aqueous 2% Rivanol. 3. 3. It is similar to human albumin in that it generally has the greatest mobility of all the proteins in its particular plasma. 4. 4. Calculations based upon estimated molecular weight, and relative molecular charge, indicate that this protein is a chief contributor of colloid osmotic pressure in these reptilian species.
Naturally occurring fulvene hydrocarbons

Abstract Two dihydrochamazulene hydrocarbons have been isolated from Artemisia absinthium L . and are assigned the structures of 3,6-dihydrochamazulene and 5,6-dihydrochamazulene from spectral evidence. A hydrocarbon ( lactarofulvene ) isolated from Lactarius deliciosus L . is assigned the structure of 1-methylene-1,6-dihydrolactarazulene from spectral data.
Applications of Focused Ion Beams

Using a focused ion beam of Ga + ions at 25 keV, one can obtain usable beams as small as 50 nm in diameter. As a result of this, small and precise areas can be milled to obtain cross sections, small vias, and cut metal lines. Additionally, the ion beam can be used to induce metal deposition. This deposition allows nondestructive design changes directly on the device, and provides increased failure analysis capabilities. Examples on the use of the FIB for such applications are given and some drawbacks are discussed. Methods employed to overcome the drawbacks also are discussed
Myofascial pain and fibromyalgia trigger point management

Abstract Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related surgery, Vol 19, No 4 (April), 2003: pp 446–450
Zygomycosis of the basal ganglia in intravenous drug users.

Abstract Zygomycosis of the basal ganglia should be recognized as a syndrome in intravenous drug users associated with a culture-negative cellular CSF, fever lethargy, adn lesions apparent on contrast-enhanced CT scans of the head. The infection is most likely the result of intravenous inoculation of fungal spores. This entity is different from the rhinocerebral zygomycosis seen with diabetes mellitus and other diseases. In the rhinocerebral form, there are external signs of the disease with involvement of the orbit, paranasal sinuses, and palate. In these drug users, infection was directed to areas deep within the brain.
Architectural and physiological mechanisms of reduced size inequality in CO2‐enriched stands of common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)

Testing whether and how subordinate individuals differ from dominants in the utilization of enriched CO2 atmospheres is important for understanding future stand and community structure. We hypothesized that subordinate and dominant Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (Asteraceae) (common ragweed) plants growing in dense stands would not equally acquire or utilize carbon gains from CO2-enrichment, and that the resulting disproportionate growth gains to subordinates would reduce size inequalities in competing stands. We grew experimental stands of A. artemisiifolia in either ambient (360 μL L−1) or twice ambient (720 μL L−1) levels of atmospheric CO2. We compared the relative growth, photosynthetic capacity, and architecture of subordinate and dominant plants in each treatment, and assessed size inequalities using the stand-level coefficient of variation (CV). In elevated CO2, plants grew larger, but subordinate plants shifted more mass to upper stem allocation than dominants. Dominant plants demonstrated reduced leaf-level photosynthetic gains in elevated CO2 compared with subordinate plants. Reduced CVs in plant size reflected smaller proportional growth gains by dominants over subordinates in elevated vs. ambient stands. We conclude that differences in the architectural and physiological responses of subordinate and dominant ragweed plants reduce competition and allow subordinate plants to catch up to dominants in elevated CO2 conditions.
Addiction training in general psychiatry residency: a national survey.

Concerns have been raised regarding the status of addiction training in psychiatry residency programs. A number of factors such as the need for more comprehensive substance abuse treatment educatio...
Ontogeny, anatomy, and the problem of homology: Carl Gegenbaur and the american tradition of cell lineage studies

Summary In this paper we analyze Carl Gegenbaur's conception of the relationship between embryology (“Ontogenie”) and comparative anatomy and his related ideas about homology. We argue that Gegenbaur's conviction of the primacy of comparative anatomy and his careful consideration of caenogenesis led him to a more balanced view about the relationship between ontogeny and phylogeny than his good friend Ernst Haeckel. We also argue that Gegenbaur's ideas about the centrality of comparative anatomy and his definitions of homology actually laid the conceptual foundations for Hans Spemann's (1915) later analysis of homology. We also analyze Gegenbaur's reception in the United States and how the discussions between E.B. Wilson and Edwin Conklin about the role of the “embryological criterion of homology” and the latter's argument for an even earlier concept of cellular homology reflect the recurring theme of preformism in ontogeny, a theme that finds its modern equivalent in various genetic definitions of homology, only recently challenged by the emerging synthesis of evolutionary developmental biology. Finally, we conclude that Gegenbaur's own careful methodological principles can serve as an important model for proponents of present day “evo-devo”, especially with respect to the integration of ontogeny withphylogeny embedded in comparative anatomy.
Environmental fate and toxicity in wastewater treatment of quaternary ammonium surfactants

Revue bibliographie concernant la biodegradabilite des surfactants et leur toxicite envers les microorganismes