cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measuring the impact of lexical and structural inconsistencies on developers’ cognitive load during bug localization

A large portion of the cost of any software lies in the time spent by developers in understanding a program’s source code before any changes can be undertaken. Measuring program comprehension is not a trivial task. In fact, different studies use self-reported and various psycho-physiological measures as proxies. In this research, we propose a methodology using functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) and eye tracking devices as an objective measure of program comprehension that allows researchers to conduct studies in environments close to real world settings, at identifier level of granularity. We validate our methodology and apply it to study the impact of lexical, structural, and readability issues on developers’ cognitive load during bug localization tasks. Our study involves 25 undergraduate and graduate students and 21 metrics. Results show that the existence of lexical inconsistencies in the source code significantly increases the cognitive load experienced by participants not only on identifiers involved in the inconsistencies but also throughout the entire code snippet. We did not find statistical evidence that structural inconsistencies increase the average cognitive load that participants experience, however, both types of inconsistencies result in lower performance in terms of time and success rate. Finally, we observe that self-reported task difficulty, cognitive load, and fixation duration do not correlate and appear to be measuring different aspects of task difficulty.
Conservative Larks, Liberal Owls: The Relationship between Chronotype and Political Ideology

Despite its centrality to human life, health, and happiness, sleep has never been a central topic of concern to political scientists. This article proposes that chronotype (a person’s time-of-sleep...
Augmented reality microscopes for cancer histopathology.

A microscope equipped with augmented display and accurate deep-learning models for real-time detection and highlighting of cancerous cells enables detection of breast cancer lymph node metastasis and prostate cancer.
Catheter-associated Hafnia alvei-induced Urosepsis.

Hafnia alvei, belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family, is a gram-negative, facultative anaerobe. The organism predominantly colonizes the gastrointestinal tract and, less often, the tissues, urine, and catheters. A 75-year-old male presented with a dry cough, fatigue, decreased appetite, intermittent disorientation, and difficulty ambulating. He had a history of self-catheterization due to urinary retention. He was scheduled to undergo transcatheter aortic valve replacement for enterococcal endocarditis. Physical examination was not significant for any changes. Urine analysis revealed positive leukocyte esterase, the presence of red and white blood cells, urine bacteria, and hyaline casts. The patient was started on empiric intravenous ceftriaxone. Urine culture grew Hafnia alvei and he was switched over to cefepime due to greater susceptibility. On day four, he started deteriorating clinically and was treated with four pressors but remained hypotensive and eventually became anuric. The patient developed septic shock with multiple organ dysfunction syndromes. Despite all measures, his clinical condition failed to improve, and he was continued with comfort measures only. The literature on Hafnia alvei-induced urosepsis is poor and fragmentary. Our patient showed resistance to most beta-lactam antibiotics, including cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, and ceftazidime, along with intermediate susceptibility to piperacillin/tazobactam and was managed with intravenous cefepime based on the sensitivity report. Inducible Bush group 1 beta-lactamase produced by Hafnia alvei is postulated to be responsible for antibiotic resistance. Physicians should remain vigilant of Hafnia alvei-induced urosepsis in patients with long-term catheterization initiating appropriate treatment.
Cumulative HIV Viremia Copy-Years and Hypertension in People Living with HIV.

Background Evidence regarding the association between HIV viral load (VL) and hypertension is inconsistent. In this study, we investigated the relationship using viremia copy-years (VCY), a cumulative measure of HIV plasma viral burden. Methods Data were analyzed for 686 PLWH in the Florida Cohort Study, who had at least five years of VL data before the baseline. VL data were extracted from Enhanced HIV/AIDS Reporting System (eHARS) and used to define peak VL (pVL), recent VL (rVL), and undetectable VL (uVL: rVL 5.7) for analysis. Hypertension was determined based on hypertension diagnosis from medical records. Multivariable logistic regression was used for association analysis. Results Of the total sample, 277 (40.4%) participants were hypertensive. Compared to the participants with lowest VCY (≤2.7 log10 copy × years/mL), the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval [95% CI] for hypertension of the remaining four groups, in order, were 1.91 [1.11, 3.29], 1.91 [1.03, 3.53], 2.27 [1.29, 3.99], and 1.25 [0.65, 2.42], respectively, controlling for confounders. The association was independent of pVL, rVL, and uVL, each of which was not significantly associated with hypertension. Conclusion Persistent HIV infection is a risk factor for hypertension among PLWH. Information provided by VCY is more effective than single time-point VL measures in investigating HIV infection- hypertension relationship. The findings of this study support the significance of continuous viral suppression in hypertension prevention among PLWH.
Use of Saliva to Better Understand the Daily Experience of Adulthood and Aging

This chapter reviews the use of saliva to assess age-related changes in important biological systems, describes how saliva can be used to assess naturally occurring fluctuations of biomarkers in adults’ daily lives, and offers cutting-edge statistical approaches that can help answer research questions that involve these multivariate and dynamic phenomena. This chapter highlights the use of saliva to assess day-to-day variability in biological markers across adulthood. Salivary biomarkers offer a unique and innovative window into investigating the daily experiences of midlife and older adults. Using findings from multiple daily diary studies where participants provide multiple saliva samples each day, we describe within-and across-day patterns of cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA). Using multilevel and latent state-trait modeling, we show differentiated patterns in each of these biomarkers across the day. Specific attention is paid to age differences in the daily patterning of these salivary biomarkers as well as their links to stressful events. The chapter also reviews recent research that links daily salivary biomarkers to long-term health and well-being. Recommendations for the design, collection, and statistical modeling of daily assessments of salivary biomarkers are also provided.
Credibility using a loss function from Spline theory

Abstract Current formulas in credibility theory often estimate expected claims as a function of the sample mean of the experience claims of a policyholder. An actuary may wish to estimate future claims as a function of some statistic other than the sample arithmetic mean of claims, such as the sample geometric mean. This can be suggested to the actuary through the exercise of regressing claims on the geometric mean of prior claims. It can also be suggested through a particular probabilistic model of claims, such as a model that assumes a lognormal conditional distribution. In the first case, the actuary may lean towards using a linear function of the geometric mean, depending on the results of the data analysis. On the other hand, through a probabilistic model, the actuary may want to use the most accurate estimator of future claims, as measured by squared-error loss. However, this estimator might not be linear. In this paper, I provide a method for balancing the conflicting goals of linearity and accurac...
A Preliminary Study Using Smartphone Accelerometers to Sense Gait Impairments Due to Alcohol Intoxication

Objective:Sensing the effects of alcohol consumption in real time could offer numerous opportunities to reduce related harms. This study sought to explore accuracy of gait-related features measured...
The Implementation of the Colored Abstract Simplicial Complex and Its Application to Mesh Generation

We introduce the Colored Abstract Simplicial Complex library (CASC): a new, modern, and header-only C++ library that provides a data structure to represent arbitrary dimension abstract simplicial complexes (ASC) with user-defined classes stored directly on the simplices at each dimension. This is accomplished by using the latest C++ language features including variadic template parameters introduced in C++11 and automatic function return type deduction from C++14. Effectively, CASC decouples the representation of the topology from the interactions of user data. We present the innovations and design principles of the data structure and related algorithms. This includes a metadata-aware decimation algorithm, which is general for collapsing simplices of any dimension. We also present an example application of this library to represent an orientable surface mesh.
WraptMor: Confirmation of an Approach to Estimate Ligament Fiber Length and Reactions With Knee-Specific Morphology.

Knee ligament length can be used to infer ligament recruitment during functional activities and subject-specific morphology affects the interplay between ligament recruitment and joint motion. This study presents an approach that estimated ligament fiber insertion-to-insertion lengths with wrapping around subject-specific osseous morphology (WraptMor). This represents an advancement over previous work that utilized surrogate geometry to approximate ligament interaction with bone surfaces. Additionally, the reactions each ligament imparted onto bones were calculated by assigning a force-length relationship (kinetic WraptMor model), which assumed that the insertion-to-insertion lengths were independent of the assigned properties. Confirmation of the approach included comparing WraptMor predicted insertion-to-insertion length and reactions with an equivalent displacement-controlled explicit finite element model. Both models evaluated 10 ligament bundles at 16 different joint positions, which were repeated for five different ligament prestrain values for a total of 80 simulations per bundle. The WraptMor and kinetic WraptMor models yielded length and reaction predictions that were similar to the equivalent finite element model. With a few exceptions, predicted ligament lengths and reactions agreed to within 0.1 mm and 2.0 N, respectively, across all tested joint positions and prestrain values. The primary source of discrepancy between the models appeared to be caused by artifacts in the finite element model. The result is a relatively efficient approach to estimate ligament lengths and reactions that include wrapping around knee-specific bone surfaces.
Allometric Modeling of Bunchgrasses in Big Sagebrush Plant Communities

Abstract Estimating plant biomass in rangeland ecosystems is essential to understanding carbon cycling, impacts on natural resources, and ecological functioning or structure—all of which inform sustainable land management. However, biomass estimation has been relatively understudied for the sagebrush steppe of North America, one of the continent's most widespread ecosystems. As a nondestructive alternative to direct biomass measurements, allometric models may be used to estimate aboveground plant biomass using predictor variables once models are developed. With this as our aim, we developed species-specific and multispecies models for eight common bunchgrass species in Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyomingensis Beetle & Young) plant communities. As codominant perennials, these bunchgrass species provide much of the forage for large herbivores while contributing to soil stability and carbon storage. To develop allometric models for these bunchgrass species, we used individual height, basal diameter, and tiller count as predictor variables. On average, multiple-predictor models (RMSE CV = 61%) were more effective (i.e., exhibited more agreement between predicted and actual biomass) than single-predictor models (RMSE CV = 79%). Power models (RMSE CV = 66%) were slightly more effective than exponential models (RMSE CV = 72%). Applying models to each species demonstrated that the effectiveness of multispecies (RMSE CV = 65%) versus species-specific (RMSE CV = 67%) models largely depended on the species being modeled. Combining our models with plant density resulted in an area-based biomass estimate range (2.3–26.7 g/m2) that generally agreed with previous studies (0.2–19 g/m2). It is our hope that the allometric models developed in this study will be tested on various locations and ultimately inform rangeland management throughout the big sagebrush region.
Genotyping Cyclospora cayetanensis from multiple outbreak clusters with an emphasis on a cluster linked to bagged salad mix - United States, 2020.

Cyclosporiasis is a diarrheal illness caused by the food-borne parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. Annually reported cases have been increasing in the United States prompting development of genotyping tools to aid cluster detection. A recently developed Cyclospora genotyping system based on eight genetic markers was applied to clinical samples collected during the cyclosporiasis peak-period of 2020, facilitating assessment of its epidemiologic utility. While the system performed well and helped inform epidemiological investigations, inclusion of additional markers to improve cluster detection was supported. Consequently, investigations have commenced to identify additional markers to enhance performance.
Neurostimulation for epilepsy

Neurostimulation for epilepsy is a rapidly expanding field. Since the introduction of vagus nerve stimulation more than 15 yr ago, there have been new developments in the area, including deep brain stimulation (DBS) and responsive neuro- stimulation. Both of these modalities now have class-I evidence supporting their use. The pivotal trials for DBS and responsive neurostimulation will be summarized. Little is known about the application of these new modalities in pediatric population. Case reports and case series of DBS including pediatric population are summarized.
Industrial Origin of CEOs in Outside Succession: Board Preference and Stockholder Reaction

Although scholars have studied outside executive succession for decades, there is still no clear definition of the term “outsider”. We focus on a new dimension of outsiderness, the industrial background of executives hired from outside the firm into a CEO position. This paper examines the antecedents of boards' decisions on the industry origin of outside successors as well as the short-term stock market response. We find that firms with more independent boards and with blockholders owning large amounts of stock are more likely to hire industry unrelated successors. However, the board's decision does not strictly follow the rhetoric of stockholder's interests. The stock market reacts more positively to outside CEO succession announcements when the CEO comes from an industry related firm. These findings support our theoretical arguments that the boards of directors may use a logic or rule of appropriateness in deciding the industrial origin of outside successors.
Social role patterning in early adulthood in the USA: adolescent predictors and concurrent wellbeing across four distinct configurations

The decade following secondary school is pivotal in setting the stage for adulthood functioning and adjustment. We identify four social role configurations of early adults in their mid-20s using latent class analyses in two nationally representative samples of American youth in their last year of secondary education (modal age 18) who were followed longitudinally into adulthood (age 25/26). We focus on the big five social role domains of early adulthood: education, residential status, employment, cohabitation/marriage, and parenthood. Aims were to identify latent classes of social role configurations in early adulthood, examine demographic and late adolescent educational predictors of these classes, and explore contemporaneous health and adjustment correlates focusing on life satisfaction, economic independence, and substance use. Four classes with very similar characteristics and prevalence were identified in the two cohorts who were born 12 years apart: Educated Students without Children (8% in 80s cohort/9% in 90s cohort); Working Singles Living with Parents (16%/18%); Educated Workers without Children (45%/46%); and Married Workers with Children (31%/27%). Late adolescent demographic and educational variables and mid-20s variables were related to class membership. Results evidenced notable similarities (and some differences) across cohorts. Discussion focuses on how roles facilitate or inhibit each other and the potential diversity of optimal patterns of transitions to adulthood.
Sweat and brains: A look into intellectual and vocational trends, and their importance

In 1959, C.P. Snow argued that “the intellectual life of … Western society is increasingly being split into two polar groups, “literary intellectuals” and “physical scientists,” the former concentrating on acquiring literary and philosophical knowledge, the latter immersing themselves in scientific study and breakthroughs. With each culture establishing its own goals and personalities, Snow posits that a dichotomy emerged. This divide reflects a tension between theoria and praxis deeply rooted in the Classical period manifested in the development of modern Euro-western universities. Meanwhile, vocational training has declined in favor of college preparedness with aspirations toward white-collar employment due to stigmatization of “hands-on” occupations and an over-identification with the white-collar class. This decline will only continue if vocational trades are not presented as a viable and respectable career options. Among the results are a shortage of trade practitioners and the separation of STEM professions from intellectual society. The two cultures can be seen as the extremes of one integrated educational community; with technical writing filling the void. Expanding technical writing practices into the sciences and technical vocations can provide more thoughtful service to a decaying infrastructure, create more opportunities, and introduce a more humanistic perspective into STEM education and practice.
Subsystem Engineering and Development of Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems

The experience gained in fielding residential and intermediate-sized photovoltaic application experiments is summarized. This experience is used to guide the engineering and development of array and power conditioning subsystems for grid-connected photovoltaic systems. A major consideration in this development effort is cost. Through innovative engineering, using a modular building block approach for the array subsystem, it is now possible to construct array fields, in moderate quantities, for about $52/m2 excluding the photovoltaic modules. Similarly, results of power conditioning subsystem development indicate a projected cost of about $0.25/Wp for advanced units with conversion efficiencies in excess of 90%.
Botulinum Toxin for the Treatment of Excessive Gingival Display: A Systematic Review.

Background To date, no standardized minimally invasive approach for the treatment of excessive gingival display exists. Objectives This systematic review aims to assess the evidence in the literature regarding the role of botulinum toxin injection in the management of gummy smile. Methods All publications through December 2014 and pertaining to the subject were electronically searched in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science, and the bibliographies of retrieved articles were manually screened. Results Out of 33 articles, 29 were discarded based on exclusion criteria. Although all 4 selected articles were in line with a role for botulinum toxin injection in the treatment of gummy smiles and the importance of targeting the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscle, studies differed in the type and the dose of toxin administered and the technique adopted. Conclusions Injection with botulinum toxin is a novel, safe, and cosmetically effective treatment for gummy smile when performed by experienced practitioners. However, further randomized controlled trials are warranted. Level of Evidence 4![Graphic][1] Therapeutic [10.1093/asj/sjv126][2] [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif [2]: /lookup/doi/10.1093/asj/sjv126
WHEN INNOVATION MEETS LEGACY

Journalism's transition from an industrial age to an information age and the unstable economics of profit-driven newsmaking have allowed for an unprecedented level of citizen input and involvement in the making of news. Here, new relationships between legacy and innovative newsmaking are forged and new models of newsmaking emerge. In this article, we discuss the case of The New Orleans Eye, an attempt at innovative newsmaking rooted in an individual citizen who started blogging in the wake of hurricane Katrina. The New Orleans Eye is a largely foundation-funded, non-profit online news organization composed of bloggers and former ink reporters, and has a unique relationship with the local Fox television station. We treat The New Orleans Eye as an example of a mixed-media system and discuss the tensions that emerge over innovative newsmaking within a context of a profit-driven legacy news industry and a neoliberal state.
Photovoltaic applications for electric vehicles

Current solar car technology, rules and strategies for the major racing events, and plans for GM Sunrayce USA, a university competition of solar-powered car scheduled for July, 1990, are described, along with plans by the US Department of Energy to investigate the technical requirements and economic viability of solar-assisted commuter cars. >
Apical versus Basal Neurogenesis Directs Cortical Interneuron Subclass Fate

Summary Fate determination in the mammalian telencephalon, with its diversity of neuronal subtypes and relevance to neuropsychiatric disease, remains a critical area of study in neuroscience. Most studies investigating this topic focus on the diversity of neural progenitors within spatial and temporal domains along the lateral ventricles. Often overlooked is whether the location of neurogenesis within a fate-restricted domain is associated with, or instructive for, distinct neuronal fates. Here, we use in vivo fate mapping and the manipulation of neurogenic location to demonstrate that apical versus basal neurogenesis influences the fate determination of major subgroups of cortical interneurons derived from the subcortical telencephalon. Somatostatin-expressing interneurons arise mainly from apical divisions along the ventricular surface, whereas parvalbumin-expressing interneurons originate predominantly from basal divisions in the subventricular zone. As manipulations that shift neurogenic location alter interneuron subclass fate, these results add an additional dimension to the spatial-temporal determinants of neuronal fate determination.
Aerodynamic sound generation induced by flow over small, cylindrical cavities

An experimental investigation has been conducted on the production of high intensity tones by small cylindrical cavities in a flat surface. The application of such a mechanism is to the acoustic coding of moving objects containing drilled holes. The sound intensity and frequency have been determined as functions of flow velocity, diameter and depth of the cavities. As a practical matter, it is possible to produce a whistle producing 106 dB at 30.5 cm distance from a cylindrical hole of 0.5 cm diameter and 1.2 cm deep with an airflow of 60 m/s past the hole.
Development of a censored robust design model for time‐oriented quality characteristics

Robust design (RD) techniques, which are based on the concept of building quality into products or processes, are increasingly popular in industry primarily because of their practicality. Traditional RD principles have often been applied to situations in which the quality characteristics of interest are time-insensitive. However, when time-oriented quality characteristics are studied, censored data often occur. As a result, current RD models reported in the literature may not be effective in finding solutions based on such data. To address such practical needs, this paper develops a censored RD model. We also propose an estimation method that is closely related to the expectation–maximization algorithm and compare it with the method of maximum likelihood estimation via a numerical example. Model validation is conducted, and comparative studies are discussed for model verification. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PEPTIC STRICTURES OF THE ESOPHAGUS

Peptic esophageal strictures occur in the context of inadequately treated gastroesophageal reflux, especially in elderly patients. Studies show more pronounced abnormalities of esophageal function resulting in an increased number of prolonged reflux episodes. The diagnosis is best made by a combination of barium esophagram and endoscopy. Patients usually require esophageal dilation to relieve dysphagia followed by adequate medical therapy. Proton pump inhibitors are effective for preventing the recurrence of strictures after dilation. In young patients and patients with strictures that are difficult to dilate or need frequent dilations, surgery may be required; however, results can be disappointing.
Photoinduced Electron Transfer in “Two-Point” Bound Supramolecular Triads Composed of N,N-Dimethylaminophenyl-Fullerene-Pyridine Coordinated to Zinc Porphyrin

Stable with defined distance and orientation, self-assembled supramolecular triads composed of N,Ndimethylaminophenylfullerene-pyridine bound to zinc porphyrins by a newly developed “two-point” binding strategy are reported. For this, zinc porphyrin was derivatized to bear “hydrogen-bonding” functionalities, carboxylic acid or amide groups, and C60 was functionalized to bear a ligating group, pyridine, and a second electron donor, N,N-dimethylaminophenyl group. The supramolecular triads formed by self-assembly of the zinc porphyrin and fullerene derivatives via the two-point binding method were characterized by spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques and were modeled by using ab initio computational methods. Evidence for axial coordination of the pyridine entity to the zinc metal center and H-bonding between the pyrrolidine ring nitrogen and the pendant carboxylic acid or amide groups was obtained. In the supramolecular triads, the second electron donor, N,N-dimethylaminophenyl, promotes efficient charge separation upon excitation of the zinc porphyrin to yield the radical ion pairs. The radical ion pairs thus generated undergo slow charge recombination to yield relatively long-lived (30-40 ns) charge-separated states.
Diversity and Habitat Use of Neotropical Harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) in a Costa Rican Rainforest

In tropical rain forests, harvestmen assemblages are extremely diverse, with richness often exceeding 25 species. In the neotropics, there are published accounts of harvestmen faunas in South America rainforests (especially Amazonia), but relatively little is known about the community ecology of harvestmen in tropical forests of Central America. In this paper, we provide the first insights into the diverse assemblage of harvestmen inhabiting a wet forest at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. Over five field seasons, we recorded 38 species. During our 2009 field season, we examined variation in species abundance, richness, and composition between adjacent successional forests (young secondary, mature secondary, and primary forests) as well as between distinct habitats (ground/litter layer and shrub/tree layer). Based on night samples (but not day), our results indicate that there are only minor differences in species composition and relative abundance between the forest ages, but no differences in richness. The ground/litter layer and shrub/tree layer habitats differed markedly in species composition, species richness, and relative abundance of several species. Our analysis of covariance supports the hypothesis that leg length is related to climbing behavior for several species belonging to Eupnoi and Laniatores.
Life expectancy for a class of life distributions having the “setting the clock back to zero” property☆

It is demonstrated that the expression for the life expectancy of an individual in biomedical investigations can be greatly simplified if the class of life distributions possesses what has been called the "setting the clock back to zero" property, studied previously by Raja Rao and Talwalker. It is shown that the Gompertzian growth process, Krane's family of life distributions, and the linear hazard exponential distribution have this property. To illustrate the use of this property, an individual's life expectancy is tabulated for several choices of the parameter values when the individual's life distribution belongs to a Gompertzian growth process. In addition, it is shown that a new survival model considered by Chiang and Conforti for the estimation of time to tumor has the "setting the clock back to zero" property. Its life expectancy is evaluated at any given time chi 0 using this property.
Photofragment translational spectroscopy of nitric acid at 248 nm with VUV photoionization detection of products

Abstract This study examines the 248-nm photodissociation of nitric acid (HNO 3 ) and characterizes the translational energy distribution of the nascent photofragments. Photofragment translational spectroscopy with VUV photoionization detection evidenced one product channel, cleavage of HNO 3 to form OH + NO 2 , and established an upper limit on the contribution from the O + HONO formation channel of 3%. These data contribute an independent measurement to a literature debate regarding the branching between these two channels.
Sex, Religion, and Risk-Taking Behavior as Correlates of Death Anxiety:

The research investigates death anxiety and risk-taking behavior as personality dimensions. It is hypothesized that the greater the risk-taking behavior an individual will exhibit, the lower his de...
An evaluation of basic periodontal therapy using sonic and ultrasonic sealers

10 adult patients with periodontitis were treated with oral hygiene instruction and a single episode of supra- and subgingival debridement using either a sonic or an ultrasonic instrument in a split-mouth design. The clinical response was evaluated by measurements of dental plaque, bleeding on probing, probing depths, and probing attachment levels taken at baseline and every 3rd month for 12 months. An improvement of periodontal conditions was observed during the initial 3-6 month period followed by a stabilization of parameters. No difference in clinical response could be observed between sites treated with the sonic or ultrasonic instruments.
Toughening of High-Temperature Resistant Epoxy Resins

Abstract Thermosetting polymers tend to have disadvantages of brittleness and susceptibility to crack initiation and propagation which accompany the good properties of high strength, high modulus, and good solvent resistance. Unfortunately, these disadvantages limit the use of these thermosetting polymers, particularly as matrices in fiber-reinforced plastics but also as adhesives. Internal cracking resulting in a loss in modulus becomes prevalent under cyclic loading [1].
THE REGULATION OF PINOCYTOSIS IN MOUSE MACROPHAGES III. THE INDUCTION OF VESICLE FORMATION BY NUCLEOSIDES AND NUCLEOTIDES

A study has been conducted on the influence of nucleosides and nucleotides to induce the formation of pinocytic vesicles in cultured mouse macrophages. Extremely high levels of cytoplasmic vesicles were found after exposure of macrophages to adenosine 5'-phosphate, ADP, and ATP. A limited vesicle response was obtained with adenosine 2'-. and 3'-phosphate, 3',5'-adenosine-phosphate, and deoxyadenosine 5'-phosphate. The di- and triphosphates of guanosine, inosine, cytidine, and uridine were stimulatory but much less active than the adenosine derivatives. Adenosine administration resulted in high levels of pinocytic activity whereas other nucleosides, including inosine, guanosine, cytidine, and uridine, yielded little or no stimulatory effect. Adenosine and its 5'-phosphates produced morphological effects on macrophages characterized by increased spreading, a thin, peripheral cytoplasmic veil with denser cores of oriented mitochondria and contraction of the centre-sphere region. Large numbers of pinosomes were seen in association with mitochondria-containing portions of the cytoplasm. The stimulatory effects of adenosine and ATP were rapid and involved the majority of cells in the culture. Adenosine was unable to reverse the pinocytosis inhibition produced by 2,4-DNP, whereas ATP raised vesicle counts to high levels. Possible mechanisms for these effects are discussed.
A system for fractionating by density gradient procedures.

Abstract A system is described which has been found useful for density gradient fractionation. It consists of a screw-capped holder with a trocar and cannula in the bottom to puncture the plastic tube and an electrolytic gas generator to control the outflow rate. The size of the fractions was uniform and independent of density or surface tension of the fluid.
Environmental supports for walking/biking and traffic safety: income and ethnicity disparities.

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigates the influence of income, ethnicity, and built environmental characteristics on the percentages of workers who walk/bike as well as on pedestrian/cyclist crash rates. Furthermore, income and ethnicity disparities are also explored. METHODS: This study chose 162 census tracts in Austin as the unit of analysis. To explore income and ethnicity differences in built environments, this study examined the associations of the poverty rate, the percentage of white population, and the percentage of Hispanic population to each built environmental variable. Path models were applied to examine environmental supports of walking/biking and pedestrian/cyclist safety. RESULTS: Areas with high poverty rates had more biking trips and experienced more cyclist crashes, while areas with a high percentage of white population generated more walking trips and fewer pedestrian crashes. Sidewalk completeness and mixed land uses promoted walking to work but increased the crash risk for pedestrians as well. In terms of biking behaviors, road density and transit stop density both increased biking trips and cyclist crashes. CONCLUSIONS: Environmental designs that both encourage walking/biking trips and generate more safety threats should attract more attention from policy makers. Policies should also be more devoted to enhancing the mobility and health for areas with high poverty rates. Language: en
Lexical access in Chinese speech comprehension and production.

This paper offers a description of Chinese speech comprehension and production processes that demonstrates why the word is the unit of lexical access-the Lexical Unit-in Chinese natural speech. It is argued that an access model which posits the morpheme as the Lexical Unit would be unlikely, as it must assume for Chinese either a real-time morpheme combination algorithm (i.e., an on-line grammar that takes morphemes as basic combinatory units) or an improbable lexical processing mechanism in which morphemes are identified as the first step in accessing precompiled words.
Acetylcholinesterase: An enzymatic marker of human red blood cell aging

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether acetylcholinesterase (AChE) can be used as a marker of cell aging in human red blood cells (RBCs). This study used consented subjects; both males and females in an age range of 21-42 years. The blood samples (8-9 mL) were drawn in tubes containing sodium heparin or EDTA as anticoagulants. To avoid contamination with other cells, (lymphocytes, monocytes and reticulocytes), RBCs were purified (PRBC) by Hypaque-Ficoll gradient technique. The PRBCs were subfractionated into young (y) (1.08-1.09), mid (m) (1.09-1.11) and old (o) (1.11-1.12) percoll density (g/mL) fractions using a discontinuous percoll gradient. The mean +/- 1 SD AChE per gram hemoglobin (U/g Hgb) activities in whole blood (WB) purified human red blood cells (PRBCs), young human red blood cells (y-RBCs), mid age human red blood cells (m-RBCs) and old human red blood cells (o-RBCs) were 27.4 +/- 2.98, 26.0 +/- 2.33, 25.5 +/- 1.64, 20.3 +/- 3.84, 14.6 +/- 3.42 in males and 26.3 +/- 4.44, 24.8 /- 4.83, 26.4 +/- 4.59, 24.0 +/- 5.50 and 12.4 +/- 7.09 in females respectively. Although there was variation in the data, the results indicated that old human red blood cells showed significantly (p<.05) lower AChE activity compared to young human red blood cells of both sexes. These preliminary but novel observations suggest that AChE can be an excellent enzymatic marker for RBC aging in man.
Novel design of a planar UWB antenna with enhanced gain using a mixed-parameter CMA-ES algorithm

Different planar monopole antenna configurations have been used in Ultrawideband (UWB) applications. They include rectangular, triangular, elliptical, and hexagonal configurations, among others. These antennas present a number of advantages such as a low profile, ease of fabrication, low cost, and compatibility with RF circuit boards. However, they can also suffer from an unstable boresight gain which is undesirable in most applications. Squinting of the main beam occurs at higher frequencies which causes a degradation of the boresight gain and instability of the antenna radiation pattern.
Agents with Attitude: Exploring Coombs Unfolding Technique with Agent-Based Models

This snapshot is intended as an illustration of some ways that computational modeling can help one engage with and extend pragmatically complex applied mathematical problems. Specifically, I explore Coombs unfolding technique (1950), a mathematical method used in psychometrics to analyze individual and collective preferences toward some topic of interest. Coombs unfolding works well when used on individuals, but becomes difficult if one wishes to combine individual data to determine the attitudes and preferences of an entire population. In this paper, I briefly introduce Coombs unfolding technique, and model the technique using simple agent-based models (ABMs) developed in the NetLogo (Wilensky 1999) modeling environment. I then attempt to address some of the difficulties one may encounter when applying Coombs unfolding to a population by using these ABMs as a starting point. Finally, I discuss the affordances and disadvantages of using computational modeling as a starting point for thinking about applied mathematical problems.
The Rhetoric of Catalogues in Richard Wright's Black Boy

about narrative (Hodges) and the blues influence (Gilyard) are innovative but still do not address one of the most obvious features of the text: the catalogues. Michel Fabre's excellent article on Wright's poetry (1970) offers interesting insights about the poetry in Black Boy but does not address the lists or catalogue passages to any extent. The intent of this study, therefore, is to demonstrate the significance of the four catalogues in terms of plot structure, theme, character development, and Wright's artistic philosophy. An examination of the catalogues in terms of a rhetorical approach to the problem of survival in the South reveals interesting insights about Wright the artist, and suggests a positive, metaphoric interpretation for Black Boy. Black Boy's traditional social/biographical criticism overshadows its artistic and technical aspects. The horror of Wright's life experience as revealed in the book is so graphic that the primary impression upon the reader and the critic is probably shock. Wright surely intended "the American reader to consider the South from the black point of view, to understand that the social structures, the legal measures, the interracial etiquette of the country were all expressly designed to relegate the black man [to an inescapable position]" (Fabre, Unfinished Quest 280). These conditions do indeed deserve attention, but the artistry of the text has been obscured by the emotional impact of its content. This is rather surprising considering the poetic elements present. One example of this poetic influence is the use of extensive passages of blank verse. The use of more nonpoetic lists which also echo the events is less obvious as poetry. Because they interrupt the prose and are so varied in style and content, these catalogues demand attention, yet very little has been given to them. Criticism of this
Epoxies Give Good Service in Well Casing Coating Test

Abstract Gives brief description of coatings test on well casing exposed for 18 months in West Virginia. Conclusion is made that epoxies gave best service. Tubular data give coatings tested and well log on test well. 5.4.5, 8.4.3
Small molecule agonists of integrin CD11b/CD18 do not induce global conformational changes and are significantly better than activating antibodies in reducing vascular injury

Abstract Background CD11b/CD18 is a key adhesion receptor that mediates leukocyte adhesion, migration and immune functions. We recently identified novel compounds, leukadherins , that allosterically enhance CD11b/CD18-dependent cell adhesion and reduce inflammation in vivo , suggesting integrin activation to be a novel mechanism of action for the development of anti-inflammatory therapeutics. Since a number of well-characterized anti-CD11b/CD18 activating antibodies are currently available, we wondered if such biological agonists could also become therapeutic leads following this mechanism of action. Methods We compared the two types of agonists using in vitro cell adhesion and wound-healing assays and using animal model systems. We also studied effects of the two types of agonists on outside-in signaling in treated cells. Results Both types of agonists similarly enhanced integrin-mediated cell adhesion and decreased cell migration. However, unlike leukadherins, the activating antibodies produced significant CD11b/CD18 macro clustering and induced phosphorylation of key proteins involved in outside-in signaling. Studies using conformation reporter antibodies showed that leukadherins did not induce global conformational changes in CD11b/CD18 explaining the reason behind their lack of ligand-mimetic outside-in signaling. In vivo , leukadherins reduced vascular injury in a dose-dependent fashion, but, surprisingly, the anti-CD11b activating antibody ED7 was ineffective. Conclusions Our results suggest that small molecule allosteric agonists of CD11b/CD18 have clear advantages over the biologic activating antibodies and provide a mechanistic basis for the difference. General significance CD11b/CD18 activation represents a novel strategy for reducing inflammatory injury. Our study establishes small molecule leukadherins as preferred agonists over activating antibodies for future development as novel anti-inflammatory therapeutics.
Integrated written and oral assignments for the MPA curriculum

The article describes an integrated approach to written and oral assignments throughout the MPA curriculum. Beginning with the program orientation and the lead course in the MPA program, a series of written assignments that blend theory and practice are used as the basis for later advanced work and special projects such as internships, major papers, or theses. A three-part assignment in the first course, an assessment center for developing interviewing and other skills, and a conscious attempt to develop linkages across courses in the MPA curriculum are the keys to implementation of the model. The integrated writing and speaking model introduces students to research through preparation of an article review essay on some aspect of public policy or management. Another paper requires field work to analyze a particular aspect of the policy or management process. The third assignment produces a “usable product” for a level of government or public agency, such as a policy or management options paper. Written as...
Childhood Sexual Abuse, Relationship Satisfaction, and Sexual Risk Taking in a Community Sample of Women

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) has been proposed to influence both women's adult sexual risk behaviors and the quality of their intimate relationships. Among a household sample of women (n = 732), good fit was obtained for a model in which CSA predicted Wave 1 male partner sexual risk and aggression characteristics, resulting in lower relationship satisfaction, and ultimately in higher numbers of Wave 2 sexual partners. The model was generally replicated among women who entered new relationships at Waves 2 and 3. Partner sexual risk characteristics also were associated with women's risk of sexually transmitted infection from current partner. Elevated sexual risk behaviors among CSA survivors reflect difficulty in establishing stable and safe relationships and may be reduced by interventions aimed at improving intimate relationships.
Effects of intraventricular growth hormone-releasing factor on growth hormone release: further evidence for ultrashort loop feedback.

We examined the effects of cerebroventricular injection of synthetic human GH-releasing factor [hGRF-(l- 44)] on regulation of GH release in conscious male rats. These results were compared with the direct effects of hGRF on hormone released from dispersed anterior pituitary cells. Administration of two higher doses of hGRF (200 and 2000 ng) into the third ventricle (3V) produced a dose-related increase in plasma GH levels (P <0.001). Injection of hGRF into the 3V at two lower doses actually reduced GH release. Infusion of 20 ng (5 pmol) hGRF reduced plasma GH from 5-60 min (P < 0.005), with a maximum suppression of 66%. The 2-ng (0.5-pmol) dose decreased GH secretion by 45% (P <0.05). hGRF stimulated a significant and dose-dependent release of GH from dispersed pituitary cells at concentrations of 10-10 and 10-9 m (P < 0.025). The specificity of GRF for GH control, whether stimulatory or inhibitory, was seen by the failure of GRF to modify PRL, TSH, or LH release. Our results indicate that injection of l...
Microstructural evolution of Co nanostructures in diamond-like carbon by plasma-assisted processing

Nanocomposite thin films consisting of Co nanoparticles in a diamond-like carbon (DLC) matrix were synthesized by plasma-assisted magnetron sputtering using a discharge with different Ar/CH4 gas flow ratio and chamber pressure. The evolution of the Co nanostructures was studied by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. It was found that depending on processing parameters, the Co nanostructures develop from slightly elongated nanoparticles to self-assembled nanorods of high aspect ratio. Flow rate and pressure were also found not only to influence the degree of crystallinity of the Co nanostructures, but also the chemical state of C in the DLC matrix. It is suggested that under the prevailing processing conditions the evolution of the Co nanorods is under kinetic control.
Iris-derived melanocytes contain a growth factor that resembles basic fibroblast growth factor.

Abstract A melanocyte growth stimulating factor has been purified from bovine iris melanocytes and identified as being closely related to the basic form of fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). This conclusion was based on the behavior of the melanocyte-derived growth factor when submitted to heparin-Sepharose affinity chromatography, as well as on its ability to cross-react with bFGF in radioimmuno- and radioreceptor assays. The ability of neutralizing bFGF antibodies to block cell proliferation in response to the melanocyte growth factor further confirms that it is closely related to bFGF. Since melanocytes express the 3·7-kb and 7·0-kb bFGF transcript, the possibility exists that uncontrolled expression of melanocyte-derived bFGF could be involved in the malignant transformation of melanocytes into melanoma cells.