cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An immunocytochemical study of isolated human retinal Müller cells in culture.

• Background: We report a modified method for the isolation and propagation of adult human Muller cells in culture. • Methods: The retina of postmortem human eyes was mechanically dissociated and cultured. Using immunocytochemical techniques, these cells were stained with monoclonal antibodies specific for Muller cells, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), vimentin, glutamine synthetase (GS) and keratin. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was also performed. • Results: The dissociated and cultured cells expressed vimentin and GS, but not GFAP. At least 85% of these cells stained with a Muller tell-specific monoclonal antibody. Using TEM, flat cells containing 13-nm intermediate filaments and glycogen were identified. • Conclusion: Human retinal Muller cells tan be isolated and propagated in culture. Purified cell cultures are required for controlled studies of the normal physiology and pathologie responses of Muller cells.
Presence of soft phonons in a model ferroelectric

We investigate the behaviour of a one-dimensional ferroelectric crystal. The model includes both short-range and long-range interactions. We prove that the system undergoes a phase transition from an ordered to a disordered state and confirm the existence of a soft mode for this particular model. ‘Russion Text Ignoerred ’.
Calcium and phosphorous in teeth from children with and without cystic fibrosis

The objective of this study is to analyze the percentage of Ca and P in teeth from children with and without cystic fibrosis with respect to different variables, namely, gender, age, type of teeth, area, fluoridation of water supply, term of pregnancy, and maternal smoking and drinking habits. The method of analysis is proton-induced X-ray emission and proton-induced gamma emission on tooth-crown samples. T-test results show less Ca in the teeth of the population of CF+NT (cystic fibrosis+nontetracycline antibiotics) than in that of NCF (noncystic fibrosis) for incisors and the total tooth population. It also shows greater Ca for incisors than for nonincisors for NCF. Teeth from urban CF+NT have less Ca than those from urban NCF. This holds for the total area population. Both Ca and P in teeth of NCF population living in fluoridated areas are greater than in those living in nonfluoridated area. Ca is depleted in the teeth of CF+NT children whose mothers smoke and P is depleted in the teeth of NCF children whose mothers drink. High and low Ca and P values for individual teeth are reported.
The 10-year course of physically self-destructive acts reported by borderline patients and axis II comparison subjects.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper was to determine the frequency and methods of two forms of physically self-destructive acts (i.e. self-mutilation and suicide attempts) reported by borderline patients and axis II comparison subjects over 10 years of prospective follow-up. METHOD: Two hundred and ninety borderline patients and 72 axis II comparison subjects were interviewed about their physically self-destructive acts during their index admission and at five contiguous 2-year follow-up periods. RESULTS: It was found that a high percentage of borderline patients reported multiple acts and methods of each of these two forms of physically self-destructive behavior prior to their index admission. It was also found that the percentage of borderline patients reporting multiple acts and methods declined significantly over time. However, these acts remained significantly more common among borderline patients than axis II comparison subjects. CONCLUSION: The course of self-mutilation and suicide attempts among borderline patients is initially more serious and ultimately more benign than previously recognized. Language: en
Synthesis of 5,5,5-trifluoro-DL-isoleucine and 5,5,5-trifluoro-DL- alloisoleucine

Abstract Three methods of synthesis are described for 2-amino-3-methyl-5,5,5-trifluoropentanoic acid, a mixture of diastereomers which on separation afford the title compounds. The least cumbersome involves bromination and subsequent amination of 3-methyl-5,5,5-trifluoropentaonic acid, with overall yields near 45% in several trials. The starring materials is readily obtainable from the products of an anodic trifluoromethylation of menthallyl cyanide.
Univariate and Multivariate Analysis of Categorial Variables

Recent trends in the analysis of categorical or nominal variables were discussed for univariate, multivariate, and psychometric problems. It was shown that several statistical procedures commonly u...
Empirical Bayesian selection of hypothesis testing procedures for analysis of digital gene expression data

Background Differential expression analysis of digital gene expression data involves performing a large number of hypothesis tests that compare the expression count data of each gene or transcript across two or more biological conditions. The assumptions of any specific hypothesis-testing method will probably not be valid for each of a very large number of genes. Thus, computational evaluation of assumptions should be incorporated into the analysis to select an appropriate hypothesis-testing method for each gene.
Some Characteristics of the Vortical Motions in the Outer Region of Turbulent Boundary Layers (Data Bank Contribution)

Time-resolved measurements of the spanwise vorticity component, ωz are used to investigate the motions in the outer region of turbulent boundary layers. The measurements were taken in very thick zero pressure gradient boundary layers (Rθ = 1010, 2870, 4850) using a four wire probe. As a result of the large boundary layer thickness, at the outer region locations where the measurements were taken the wallnormal and spanwise dimensions of the probe ranged between 0.7 < Δy/η < 1.2 and 2.1 < Δz/η < 3.9, respectively, where η is the local Kolmogorov length. An analysis of vorticity based intermittency is presented near y/δ = 0.6 and 0.85 at each of the Reynolds numbers. The average intermittency is presented as a function of detector threshold level and position in the boundary layer. The spanwise vorticity signals were found to yield average intermittency values at least as large as previous intermittency studies using “surrogate” signals. The average intermittency results do not indicate a region of threshold independence. An analysis of ωz event durations conditioned on the signal amplitude was also performed. The results of this analysis indicate that for decreasing Rθ, regions of single-signed ωz increase in size relative to the boundary layer thickness, but decrease in size when normalized by inner variables. © 1992 by ASME.
Fast single molecule localization using graphics processing units

We demonstrate maximum likelihood estimations of fluorophore positions in 2D and 3D using algorithms optimized for or accelerated by graphical processing units. The result is a reduction in computation time by two orders of magnitude.
Jacobian singularities in optimal power flow problems caused by intertemporal constraints

In multi-timestep Optimal Power Flow (OPF) formulations, constraints that are time-dependent such as generator ramp limits and specifically energy storage constraints may cause the Jacobian matrix to become singular as the problem iterates towards the optimal solution. The particular case of this singularity happens when the gradients of the binding intertemporal constraints are linearly dependent. Methods such as using a Moore-Penrose pseudoinverse or modifying the models used in the optimization are discussed along with novel methods developed in this paper that avoid the singular Jacobian by exploiting the specific structure of the problem and constraints.
Adaptiveness of food learning and food aversions in children

This paper uses an evolutionary perspective to explain features of food learning in human children. Data from Western parents indicate that (1) children are least picky about foods when they are between one and two years of age, (2) vegetables are frequently refused by children, and (3) children have a tendency to eat foods one at a time rather than mixed together. Adaptive explanations for these patterns are suggested, together with supporting evidence from studies of the ontogeny of human and non-human primate diet choice. The following arguments are made: (1) age difference in receptiveness to new foods is consistent with the existence of a sensitive period for learning about food; (2) since leaves and other non-fruit plant parts often contain toxic secondary compounds and young animals are less able to detoxify these chemicals than are adults, an initial dislike of vegetables may function to protect young children against the risk of poisoning; (3) a preference for easily identifiable foods eaten sepa...
IL-10 fails to inhibit the production of IL-18 in response to inflammatory stimuli.

Abstract IL-10 is an inhibitor of the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-12 and IL-1β, but it is not known whether it can inhibit the production of IL-18. Therefore, a variety of in vivo and in vitro models were used to determine whether IL-10 is an inhibitor of IL-18 production. Infection of IL-10−/− mice with Toxoplasma gondii results in increased levels of IL-12 in the serum and in recall responses compared to wild type (WT) mice. Surprisingly, although infection resulted in increased levels of IL-18 in serum, there were no differences between WT and IL-10−/− mice. Moreover, splenocytes from infected WT and IL-10−/− mice produced similar levels of IL-18 and addition of exogenous IL-10 did not inhibit their production of IL-18. To address whether endogenous IL-18 inhibitors were masking increased IL-18 production in the IL-10−/− mice, expression of IL-18 binding protein was examined using RT-PCR. Although infection leads to increased expression of IL-18BP mRNA, no difference was seen between WT and IL-10−/− mice. In addition, splenocytes from IL-10−/− mice produced elevated levels of nitric oxide (NO) compared to WT mice, and NO has been shown to inhibit activity of interleukin-1 converting enzyme (ICE), which is required for IL-18 production. However, the addition of an inhibitor of NO production did not alter the levels of IL-18 produced. Finally, analysis of the levels of cytokine mRNA of macrophages stimulated with LPS and IFN-γ revealed that although IL-10 is a potent inhibitor of IL-12 mRNA accumulation, it did not inhibit IL-1β or IL-18. Together, these data indicate that IL-10 is not an inhibitor of the production of IL-18.
Dynamic crack growth along a polymer composite–Homalite interface

Abstract Dynamic crack growth along the interface of a fiber-reinforced polymer composite–Homalite bimaterial subjected to impact shear loading is investigated experimentally and numerically. In the experiments, the polymer composite–Homalite specimens are impacted with a projectile causing shear dominated interfacial cracks to initiate and subsequently grow along the interface at speeds faster than the shear wave speed of Homalite. Crack growth is observed using dynamic photoelasticity in conjunction with high-speed photography. The calculations are carried out for a plane stress model of the experimental configuration and are based on a cohesive surface formulation that allows crack growth, when it occurs, to emerge as a natural outcome of the deformation history. The effect of impact velocity and loading rate is explored numerically. The experiments and calculations are consistent in identifying discrete crack speed regimes within which crack growth at sustained crack speeds is possible. We present the first conclusive experimental evidence of interfacial crack speeds faster than any characteristic elastic wave speed of the more compliant material. The occurrence of this crack speed was predicted numerically and the calculations were used to design the experiments. In addition, the first experimental observation of a mother–daughter crack mechanism allowing a subsonic crack to evolve into an intersonic crack is documented. The calculations exhibit all the crack growth regimes seen in the experiments and, in addition, predict a regime with a pulse-like traction distribution along the bond line.
Satellite laser ranging and its applications

Satellite laser ranging (SLR) provides an important capability for precise orbit determination and for geophysical parameter estimation to support a number of contemporary geodynamic and oceanographic investigations. The precision of the SLR measurement has improved from the early meter-level systems to the current capabilities of a few centimeters for the best systems. The accuracy of the orbits and geophysical parameter recovery have shown an associated improvement. Polar motion with accuracies of 2 mas, station coordinates better than 10 cm, and interstation baseline rates indicative of tectonic motion are determined routinely with the current set of global SLR data. This discussion reviews the SLR measurement, analysis approach, and some of the recent results derived from the current SLR data set.
Extended wave packet dynamics; exact solution for collinear atom, diatomic molecule scattering

Abstract The semiclassical wave packet dynamics method of Heller is extended to provide a formally exact theory of quantum mechanical motion for multidimensional anharmonic systems by introducing a complete, orthonormal, time-dependent basis of generalized oscillator functions. The exact wavefunction is expressed in terms of this basis and the expansions are shown to develop according to linear, coupled first-order differential equations. Application to collinear inelastic atom-diatomic molecule scattering demonstrates the feasibility and convergence of the new method.
Zirconium-niobium binary alloys for boiling water reactor service part II - corrosion hydrogen embrittlement

Embrittlement by hydrogen produced during corrosion of sponge-base, zirconium-niobium binary alloys containing up to 4.2 wt % Nb was studied. Thin corrosion films in water and in steam were found to allow the passage of about 12% of the corrosion-produced hydrogen into the underlying metal; beta quenched samples continue to show low pickup through thick oxide films, at least up to 454 mg/dm2, in steam. Alpha treated samples in steam showed about 25% pickup through thick films. Total hydrogen weight gains were equal to or less than those for Zircaloy-2 in all tests. Hydrogen solubility was apparently higher in the Zr-Nb alloys than in Zircaloy-2. Mechanical tests revealed a low susceptibility to corrosion hydrogen embrittleinent in alpha treated Zr-Nb alloys. Corrosion performance of the binaries in a simulated boiling water reactor environment was found to be poor however. Average hydriding rates in higher order alloys containing further additions of Fe, Cr, and Sb were not lower than those for the corresponding Zr-Nb binaries.
Communication barriers among Spanish-speaking women with pelvic floor disorders: lost in translation?

OBJECTIVES The purpose of our study was to evaluate barriers in communication and disease understanding among office staff and interpreters when communicating with Spanish-speaking women with pelvic floor disorders. METHODS We conducted a qualitative study to evaluate barriers to communication with Spanish-speaking women with pelvic floor disorders among office staff and interpreters. Sixteen office staff and interpreters were interviewed; interview questions focused on experiences with Spanish-speaking patients with pelvic floor disorders in the clinic setting. Interview transcripts were analyzed qualitatively using grounded theory methodology. RESULTS Analysis of the interview transcripts revealed several barriers in communication as identified by office staff and interpreters. Three major classes were predominant: patient, interpreter, and system-related barriers. Patient-related barriers included a lack of understanding of anatomy and medical terminology and inhibited discussions due to embarrassment. Provider-related barriers included poor interpreter knowledge of pelvic floor vocabulary and the use of office staff without interpreting credentials. System-related barriers included poor access to information. From these preliminary themes, an emergent concept was revealed: it is highly likely that Spanish-speaking women with pelvic floor disorders have poor understanding of their condition owing to multiple obstacles in communication. CONCLUSIONS There are many levels of barriers to communications with Latin women treated for pelvic floor disorders, arising from the patient, interpreter, and the system itself. These barriers contribute to a low level of understanding of their diagnosis, treatment options, and administered therapies.
Reverse translocation of tRNA in the ribosome

A widely held view is that directional movement of tRNA in the ribosome is determined by an intrinsic mechanism and driven thermodynamically by transpeptidation. Here, we show that, in certain ribosomal complexes, the pretranslocation (PRE) state is thermodynamically favored over the posttranslocation (POST) state. Spontaneous and efficient conversion from the POST to PRE state is observed when EF-G is depleted from ribosomes in the POST state or when tRNA is added to the E site of ribosomes containing P-site tRNA. In the latter assay, the rate of tRNA movement is increased by streptomycin and neomycin, decreased by tetracycline, and not affected by the acylation state of the tRNA. In one case, we provide evidence that complex conversion occurs by reverse translocation (i.e., direct movement of the tRNAs from the E and P sites to the P and A sites, respectively). These findings have important implications for the energetics of translocation.
Preparing epoxy sections of insect tissues for light microscopy.

Sections of aldehyde-fixed and osmium-stained insect tissues embedded in various epoxy resins were affixed to glass slides by use of a slide cover and hotplate combination. A high concentration of solvent vapor over the sections was thus maintained while they dried down on the slides, resulting in excellent flatness and adhesion. Sections were then stained at an elevated temperature with a mixture of equal parts of 3 dye solutions: 1% toluidine blue O, 1% safranin O, and saturated auramine O, all made up in 1% solution of borax in water. The method resulted in excellent differentiation of all insect tissue components including lightly chitinized structures.
Cluster phase chemistry: gas-phase reactions of anionic sodium salts of dicarboxylic acid clusters with water molecules.

A homologous series of anionic gas-phase clusters of dicarboxylic acids (oxalic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, and adipic acid) generated via electrospray ionization (ESI) are investigated using collision-induced dissociation (CID). Sodiated clusters with the composition (Na+)2n+1(dicarboxylate2-)n+1 for singly charged anionic clusters, where n = 1−4, are observed as major gas-phase species. Isolation of the clusters followed by CID results mainly in sequential loss of disodium dicarboxylate moieties for the clusters of succinic acid, glutaric acid, and adipic acid (C4−C6). However, all oxalate (C2) and malonate (C3) clusters and dimers (n = 1) of succinate (C4) and glutarate (C5) exhibit more complex chemistry initiated by collision of the activated cluster with water molecules. For example, with water addition, malonate clusters dissociate to yield sodium acetate, carbon dioxide, and sodium hydroxide. More generally, water molecules serve as proton donors for reacting dicarboxylate an...
Assessing the Costs of Sampling Methods in Active Learning for Annotation

Traditional Active Learning (AL) techniques assume that the annotation of each datum costs the same. This is not the case when annotating sequences; some sequences will take longer than others. We show that the AL technique which performs best depends on how cost is measured. Applying an hourly cost model based on the results of an annotation user study, we approximate the amount of time necessary to annotate a given sentence. This model allows us to evaluate the effectiveness of AL sampling methods in terms of time spent in annotation. We acheive a 77% reduction in hours from a random baseline to achieve 96.5% tag accuracy on the Penn Treebank. More significantly, we make the case for measuring cost in assessing AL methods.
Evolving RPC for active storage

We introduce Scriptable RPC (SRPC), an RPC-based framework that enables distributed system services to take advantage of active components. Technology trends point to a world where each component in a system (whether disk, network interface, or memory) has substantial computational capabilities; however, traditional methods of building distributed services are not designed to take advantage of these new architectures, mandating wholesale change of the software base to exploit more powerful hardware. In contrast, SRPC provides a direct and simple migration path for traditional services into the active environment.We demonstrate the power and flexibility of the SRPC framework through a series of case studies, with a focus on active storage servers. Specifically, we find three advantages to our approach. First, SRPC improves the performance of distributed file servers, reducing latency by combining the execution of operations at the file server. Second, SRPC enables the ready addition of new functionality; for example, more powerful cache consistency models can be realized on top of a server that exports a simple NFS-like interface. Third, SRPC simplifies the construction of distributed services; operations that are difficult to coordinate across client and server can now be co-executed at the server, thus avoiding costly agreement and crash-recovery protocols.
Adherence to Preexposure Prophylaxis: Current, Emerging, and Anticipated Bases of Evidence

Despite considerable discussion and debate about adherence to preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), scant data are available that characterize patterns of adherence to open-label PrEP. The current evidence base is instead dominated by research on adherence to placebo-controlled investigational drug by way of drug detection in active-arm participants of large randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Important differences between the context of blinded RCTs and open-label use suggest caution when generalizing from study product adherence to real-world PrEP use. Evidence specific to open-label PrEP adherence is presently sparse but will expand rapidly over the next few years as roll-out, demonstration projects, and more rigorous research collect and present findings. The current evidence bases established cannot yet predict uptake, adherence, or persistence with open-label effective PrEP. Emerging evidence suggests that some cohorts could execute better adherence in open-label use vs placebo-controlled research. Uptake of PrEP is presently slow in the United States; whether this changes as grassroots and community efforts increase awareness of PrEP as an effective HIV prevention option remains to be determined. As recommended by multiple guidelines for PrEP use, all current demonstration projects offer PrEP education and/or counseling. PrEP support approaches generally fall into community-based, technology, monitoring, and integrated sexual health promotion approaches. Developing and implementing research that moves beyond simple correlates of either study product use or open-label PrEP adherence toward more comprehensive models of sociobehavioral and socioecological adherence determinants would greatly accelerate progress. Intervention research is needed to identify effective models of support for open-label PrEP adherence.
Late Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the western United States

The northeast-, northwest-, and north-northeast-trending basin-range structures that evolved in the late Cenozoic western United States may be explained with a modified version of earlier models within the framework of an intraplate card-deck analogy. Predominantly northwest-trending horst-graben structures began to develop in the southern Basin and Range province during the late Oligocene-early Miocene time (30 to 20 m.y. B.P.) in a wide dextral shear zone extending eastward from the early San Andreas transform fault. Dextral shearing motion in the southern Basin and Range province rotated the entire Colorado Plateau clockwise and opened up the Rio Grande rift in its wake. During Miocene time, dextral shearing continued in the southern Basin and Range province and spread northward into the Great Basin. The Oregon-Nevada lineament and Walker lane were the major dextral wrench faults controlling Miocene deformation in the Great Basin; north-trending pull-apart grabens formed at 45° to these major northwest-trending wrench faults. A transform-fault jump into the Gulf of California 5 m.y. B.P. created the big bend in the San Andreas transform fault that initiated compression along the Transverse Ranges; this squeezed the Mojave fault-bounded block eastward and thus jammed and ended dextral shear deformation in the southern Basin and Range province. Deformation since then has been concentrated in the wide dextral shear zone of the Great Basin.
Contrast-induced acute kidney injury following coronary angiography: a cohort study of hospitalized patients with or without chronic kidney disease

Background Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CIAKI) has been linked to unfavorable consequences. In routine clinical practice, small increases in serum creatinine (SCr) following coronary angiography tend to be underestimated, especially in patients without chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study to analyze in-hospital and long-term outcomes of CIAKI following coronary angiography in patients with or without CKD (eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) from January 2008 through December 2009. CIAKI was defined as SCr either ≥ 25% or ≥ 0.5 mg/dL from baseline within 72 h after contrast exposure. Multivariable logistic regression for in-hospital mortality and Cox proportional hazards calculations for long-term mortality and requirement for dialysis were performed. Results A total of 1160 patients were included in the study. CIAKI occurred in 19% of CKD patients and in 18% of non-CKD patients. In CKD and non-CKD patients, CIAKI was more frequent in patients requiring mechanical ventilation or inotropes or in those given furosemide, and it was associated with adverse in-hospital (prolonged hospitalization, acute dialysis and mortality) and long-term (increased creatinine, initiation of dialysis and mortality) outcomes. In multivariable analysis, CKD patients had greater in-hospital mortality if they developed CIAKI (adjusted OR 8, 95% CI 1.9-34.5, P = 0.005), and non-CKD patients had greater long-term mortality if they developed CIAKI (adjusted HR 2.2, 95% CI 1.2-4.1, P = 0.016). Conclusions CIAKI following coronary angiography was associated with adverse in-hospital and long-term outcomes in both CKD and non-CKD patients.
Fabrication of topologically complex three-dimensional microfluidic systems in PDMS by rapid prototyping.

This paper describes a procedure for making topologically complex three-dimensional microfluidic channel systems in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). This procedure is called the “membrane sandwich” method to suggest the structure of the final system: a thin membrane having channel structures molded on each face (and with connections between the faces) sandwiched between two thicker, flat slabs that provide structural support. Two “masters” are fabricated by rapid prototyping using two-level photolithography and replica molding. They are aligned face to face, under pressure, with PDMS prepolymer between them. The PDMS is cured thermally. The masters have complementary alignment tracks, so registration is straightforward. The resulting, thin PDMS membrane can be transferred and sealed to another membrane or slab of PDMS by a sequence of steps in which the two masters are removed one at a time; these steps take place without distortion of the features. This method can fabricate a membrane containing a channel...
Hard-Palate Mucosa Graft in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

Purpose We evaluated the use of hard-palate mucosa grafts in the treatment of cicatricial entropion and trichiasis associated with Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Methods Six patients, two men and four women, were treated with hard-palate mucosa grafts of one or more eyelids with cicatricial entropion, trichiasis, and corneal disease. The follow-up ranged from 19 to 33 months. Results Visual acuity improved in one of nine eyes and remained stable in the rest. Corneal epithelial disease improved in eight of nine eyes, while in one eye the epithelial defect stabilized. The corneal epithelium of all three corneal transplants remained intact, although one of these patients underwent another corneal transplantation and the other two transplants opacified from rejection. Cicatricial entropion resolved and symblephara improved in all 16 eyelids. Trichiasis resolved or improved in 12 of 16 eyelids and remained stable in the other eyelids. Conclusions The chronic relapsing nature of Stevens-Johnson syndrome requires caution in interpreting surgical intervention in the treatment of dysfunctional eyelids. However, hard-palate grafts may be considered for patients with the Stevens-Johnson syndrome and severe ocular surface disease.
A scalable approach to approximating aggregate queries over intermittent streams

We present a novel approach to approximate evaluation of standing aggregate queries over streaming data, subject to user-specified error bounds. Our method models the behavior of aggregates as Brownian motions, and adoptively updates the model according to stream characteristics. This approach has two advantages. First, it greatly improves system scalability since we can defer query evaluation as long as the difference between the returned and true aggregate values remains within user-specified bounds. Second, we are able to provide approximate answers during stream interruptions by estimating the rate at which the streams and the aggregate drift during the blackout periods. We also study processor allocation issues in such approximate aggregate evaluation systems. Our experiments show that our model captures the behavior of real-world streams such as sensor data and stock traces with excellent fidelity, and scales very well for large numbers of standing queries.
Importance of Achieving Lower Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Patients With Diabetes

The The INternational VErapamil SR-trandolapril STudy (INVEST), a prospective open trial with blinded end point design, included 6400 participants with diabetes, coronary artery disease, and hypertension among a total of 22 576 participants.1 The trial was designed to compare a nondihydropyridine calcium antagonist verapamil SR-based and atenolol-based antihypertensive regimen. The protocol provided for an option of adding an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, trandolapril or hydrochlorothiazide, to achieve blood pressure targets from the sixth report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC VI), less than130/85 mm Hg in the cohort with diabetes. Diabetes was defined as anyone with a history of diabetes mellitus or use of an oral hypoglycemic agent or insulin at baseline. Mean follow-up was 2.7 years in the diabetic group. The …
An investigation of the cumulative impacts of shrimp trawling on mud-bottom fishing grounds in the Gulf of Maine: effects on habitat and macrofaunal community structure

The cumulative impacts (i.e. collective, multi-year effects) of seasonal commercial shrimp trawling on habitat and macrofaunal community structure were investigated for two mud-bottom fishing grounds and adjacent untrawled areas in the Gulf of Maine. Habitat structure on mud-bottom fishing grounds did not differ significantly from that in similar untrawled areas. Moreover, sediment resuspension associated with shrimp trawling did not appear to result in net loss of deposited material on fishing grounds, but there is evidence that trawling may alter sediment mixing regimes. Visual inspection of the sediment surface in trawled areas revealed minimal evidence of fishing gear disturbance (such as door, bobbin, or net marks), but biological disturbance features, including numerous large burrows, pits, and dense aggregations of the brittle star Ophiura sarsi, were present in both trawled and untrawled areas. Macrofaunal communities on the two fishing grounds exhibited different responses to shrimp trawling, which were attributed to disparities in levels of fishing activity during the 2000-2001 shrimp season. The results suggest that seasonal shrimp trawling produced at least short-term changes (<3 months) in macrofaunal community structure, but did not appear to result in long-term cumulative changes. Resilience to trawling disturbance may be due in part to high levels of biological disturbance generated by benthic megafauna, such as lobsters and fish. By burrowing, pit-digging, and possibly foraging, these animals rework sediments to a depth of 16-17 cm, creating a natural level of disturbance that appears to maintain macrofaunal communities in a perpetually low successional state, so potentially minimizing trawling impacts.
Relationship between gross primary production and chlorophyll content in crops: Implications for the synoptic monitoring of vegetation productivity

CO2/m 2 s in maize (GPP ranged from 0 to 3.1 mg CO2/m 2 s) and less than 0.2 mg CO2/m 2 s in soybean (GPP ranged from 0 to 1.8 mg CO2/m 2 s). Validation using an independent data set for irrigated and rainfed maize showed robustness of the technique; RMSE of GPP prediction was less than 0.27 mg CO2/m 2 s.
Persuasion and attitude change in science education

Many strategies used to induce the occurrence of desirable science-related beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors involve the use of persuasive messages. Science educators need to become acquainted with persuasion in the context of social influence and learning theory to be able to evaluate its usefulness in the science education milieu. Persuasion is the conscious attempt to bring about a jointly developed mental state common to both source and receiver through the use of symbolic cues, and it can be distinguished from other forms of social influence. Propaganda is a type of persuasion directed toward a mass audience. Coercion relies on reinforcement control, whereas persuasion is prompted by information. Brainwashing involves coercive techniques used to obtain cooperation and compliance. Persuasion and instruction are much alike; both require conscious cognitive activity by the recipient and involve communication which includes giving arguments and evidence for the purpose of getting someone to do something or to believe something. Persuasion research is anchored in learning theory. Early efforts were based on information processing. Studies following an information process approach focused on the effect of the variables harbored within the question “Who says what in which channel to whom with what effect?” on belief and attitude change. Cognitive processing and social exchange approaches to persuasion represent extensions to information process. Cognitive processing is concerned specifically with how people personally process the arguments presented in a persuasive message. Social exchange emphasizes the interchange that takes place between the message source and recipient. These approaches seem to be fruitful areas for future persuasion research in science education. Science educators' unfamiliarity with persuasion research stems from the fact that it is largely reported in the social psychology literature and has not been integrated into a framework familiar to educators.
Web-based simulation

The state of the art talk which accompanies this entry in the WSC proceedings presents a working definition for “web-based simulation” as well as a methodology for constructing model repositories, connected to the web. The methodology, Object-Oriented Physical Modeling (OOPM), defines a formal approach to constructing both natural and artificial systems using an extension of the classical object-oriented framework as defined in software engineering and programming language design. The extension is one where class attributes and methods can take on models as values. The end result of OOPM design is a model repository, which is integrated with the web and made available to others on the Internet so that models can be constructed in a “plug and play” fashion.
Dopamine depletion hypothesis of cocaine dependence: A test

Measurements of plasma homovanillic acid (HVA), plasma 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), serum prolactin and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) scores were made in 21 cocaine-dependent patients seeking inpatient treatment. These measurements were obtained within 1–3 days of the last dose of cocaine and were repeated after 10–20 days of abstinence from cocaine. Abnormal values on any of the biochemical measurements were unusual and showed no convincing evidence of dopamine or norepinephrine depletion. Ten patients had significant HDRS scores on admission which decreased by 50% or more during hospitalization without specific treatment. The controversy over whether chronic exposure to cocaine depletes dopamine remains unsettled. Howevr, it is more likely that down-regulation of postsynaptic dopamine receptors is the major consequence of such exposure.
The Cluella Study: Optimal Segmentation and Voicing for Oral Blending

Using a within-subjects design, researchers compared 183 kindergartners' ability to blend words segmented in four different ways. On digitized video, a researcher portraying the fictitious “Cluella” pronounced 40 consonant-vowel-consonant words for participants to blend. She gave 10 words in phoneme segments with a loud schwa added to consonants, 10 in phoneme segments minimizing any schwa voicing, 10 in onset-rime chunks, and 10 in body-coda chunks. Participants were significantly more successful blending body-coda chunks than blending onsetrime chunks. They also were significantly more successful blending phonemes with added schwa than without. We apply these results to suggest procedures for providing optimal scaffolds for helping children learn to identify words.
Improved polymer thin-film wetting behavior through nanoparticle segregation to interfaces

We report a systematic study of improved wetting behavior for thin polymer films containing nanoparticles, as a function of nanoparticle size and concentration, the energy of the substrate and the dielectric properties of the nanoparticles. An enthalpy matched system consisting of polystyrene nanoparticles in linear polystyrene is used to show that nanoparticles are uniformly distributed in the film after spin coating and drying. However, on annealing the film above its bulk glass transition temperature these nanoparticles segregate strongly to the solid substrate. We find that for a wide range of film thicknesses and nanoparticle sizes, a substrate coverage of nanoparticles of approximately a monolayer is required for dewetting inhibition. Cadmium selenide quantum dots also inhibit dewetting of polystyrene thin films, again when a monolayer is present. Moreover, TEM microscopy images indicate that CdSe quantum dots segregate primarily to the air interface. Theoretical interpretation of these phenomena suggests that gain of linear chain configurational entropy promotes segregation of nanoparticles to the solid substrate, as occurs for polystyrene nanoparticles; however, for CdSe nanoparticles this is offset by surface energy or enthalpic terms which promote segregation of the nanoparticles to the air interface.
Design, verification, and performance of a MODBUS-CAN adaptation layer

The MODBUS protocol is nowadays very popular at both the field and SCADA levels, thanks to its simplicity and its open nature. However, the choice of physical transmission medium is currently limited to either the low-performance TIA/EIA-485 bus (MODBUS RTU) or Ethernet (MODBUS TCP), with its topology and cabling shortcomings and additional software complexity. In this paper, a MODBUS adaptation layer for the Controller Area Network (called MODBUS CAN) is proposed, formally verified, and evaluated experimentally. The results show that, on a typical low-cost embedded system, its performance compares favorably with respect to a MODBUS TCP implementation, based on a 100Mbps Ethernet, carried out on the same system and using the same protocol stack.
Altered Ecosystem Nitrogen Dynamics as a Consequence of Land Cover Change in Tallgrass Prairie

ABSTRACT In recent decades, substantial areas of North American tallgrass prairie have been lost to the establishment and expansion of woodlands and forests, including those dominated by eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana). This shift in dominant plant life form, from C4 grasses to coniferous trees, may be accompanied by changes in productivity, standing stocks of biomass and nutrients and biogeochemical cycles. The goal of this study was to quantify and compare major pools and fluxes of nitrogen in recently established (≤ 80 y) redcedar forests and adjacent native grasslands. Three former grassland sites in the Flint Hills region of Kansas that developed closed-canopy redcedar forests in the recent past were paired with adjacent grassland sites on similar soil type and topographic position (n = 3 sites/land cover type), and selected soil and plant nitrogen pools and fluxes were measured in replicate plots (n = 6/site) along transects in each forest or grassland site over a 20-mo period. We found ...
Complementary lenses: Using theories of situativity and complexity to understand collaborative learning as systems-level social activity

Abstract This article highlights possibilities for understanding challenges related to collaborative learning by bringing two complementary lenses into theoretical and empirical conversation—complexity and situativity. After presenting a theoretical comparison that characterizes complementarity between complexity and situativity in order to frame their relative contributions to a systems-level understanding of learning processes, we examine persistently unproductive social activity during a 14-session, collaborative engineering design project in a fifth-grade peer group from both perspectives. We do so in order to demonstrate the value of these complementary perspectives for understanding collaborative learning processes and to suggest different explanations of why unproductive social activity sometimes persists and possibilities for interrupting such dynamics. We thus suggest a shift from explanatory accounts of system processes to prospective processes for systems of action within social ecologies of change. Such a framework can resolve the social activity of collaborative learning around a systems-level orientation.
Deep Learning through Reusable Learning Objects in an MBA Program

It has well been established that it is important to be able to leverage any organization's processes and core competencies to sustain its competitive advantage. Thus, one learning objective of an online MBA is to teach students how to apply the VRIO (value, rarity, inimitable, operationalized) model, developed by Barney and Hesterly (2006), in order to identify an optimum strategy. However, students in the program have had difficulty in understanding this model, partially because of the traditional pedagogy used in online teaching. This case study demonstrates how reusable learning objects (RLO) can facilitate knowledge in an online learning environment. The RLO developed and applied here, was able to enhance student learning through interaction and subsequent deep learning.
Model Reaction Systems to Produce Monodisperse Colloids

Monodispersely-sized spherical metal oxide particles have recently attracted growing attention for many industrial applications. In particulate coating applications, controlling the size and distribution of the starting colloid plays a crucial role in the final coating properties (1,2). In chromatography, both porous and nonporous monodispersely sized colloidal particles have been used as a column-packing material (3,4). Monodisperse particles can also be used as a startingn material in a ceramic processing to make ceramic materials with uniform properties for mechanical, refractory, and catalysis applications. Even though various monodisperse metal oxide colloids are already widely used in industry, predicting and controlling the particle size distribution is frequently more dependent on experience and ingenuity rather than on modeling. There is nothing wrong with empiricism, but models can help to achieve process control, optimization, and flexibility. We have sought to assess what combination of processes in solution (both reactive and aggregative) need to be modeled, and in doing so we have found a number of very useful references that give insight into 1) the mechanism of the particle formation and growth, and 2) the effect of reaction parameters on the final size distribution by using both experimental and numerical techniques. Understanding these should allow us to intelligently design a new process in order to make particles with the desired size and distribution. In this short contribution we hope that it will be of service to provide a brief overview of some key work that may yield itself to modeling. This review is not intended to be comprehensive; instead, we have selected work that shows features that one hopes should be captured by meaningful models.
Extensive Energy Landscape Sampling of Nanotube End-Caps Reveals No Chiral-Angle Bias for Their Nucleation

In the formation of a carbon nanotube (CNT) nucleus, a hemispherical fullerene end-cap, a specific pattern of six pentagons encodes what unique (n,m) chirality a nascent CNT would inherit, with many possible pentagon patterns corresponding to a single chirality. This configurational variety and its potential role in the initial stages of CNT catalytic growth remain essentially unexplored. Here we present large-scale calculations designed to evaluate the intrinsic energies of all possible CNT caps for selected chiralities corresponding to tube diameters d ≲ 1 nm. Our quantitative analysis reveals that for all chiral angles χ the energy scale variability associated with the CNT caps is small, compared to that of the CNT/catalyst interface. Such a flat energy landscape cannot therefore be a dominant factor for chiral distribution and lends further credibility to interface-controlled scenarios for selective growth of single-walled CNT of desired chirality.
Effects of Nano-CeO_2 on hot corrosion resistance of NiCoCrAlY cladded coatings

To study the effects of nano-CeO2 on the hot corrosion resistance of NiCoCrAlY coating,three NiCoCrAlY coatings reinforced by different contents of nano-CeO2 and the one without nano-particles were prepared on a Ni-based superalloy,and their hot corrosion behaviors in Na2SO4/K2SO4(75∶25) mixture at 1 050 ℃ in static air investigated.Results indicate that the hot corrosion resistance of the NiCoCrAlY coatings after adding nano-CeO2 is obviously improved,among which the one with 2% nano-CeO2 presented the best hot corrosion resistance.Under the same experimental condition,the surface integrity of the coatings with nano-CeO2 is better than that of the one without nano-particles,and the corroded layer depth of the coatings with nano-CeO2 is also far below that of the one without nano-particles.