cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Youth assets and alcohol-related problems among male and female youth: Results from a longitudinal cohort study.

Abstract Youth who experience alcohol-related problems are at increased risk for developing alcohol dependence. Identifying factors associated with adolescent alcohol-related problems is essential, but most studies have focused on risk factors or a limited number of protective factors, with little attention to sex differences. We assessed the prospective association between 17 assets and alcohol-related problems among male and female youth. A 4-year cohort study with 1, 111 youth living in randomly-selected census tracts in the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area was conducted. Follow-up for the current study began at wave 2 (2004/2005; N = 1079). Seventeen assets at the individual-, family-, and community-levels were measured. Five questions documented alcohol-related problems in the past 12 months. Generalized linear mixed models evaluated the prospective influence of assets on alcohol-related problems, separately for males and females. Models controlled for age, race/ethnicity, family structure, and parental income. Overall, females had more assets than males, but the protective influence of assets on alcohol-related problems over time was stronger for males. Six assets uniquely protected males (responsible choices [AOR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.36–0.94], educational aspirations [AOR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.31–0.93], parental monitoring [AOR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.27–0.64], community involvement [AOR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.34–0.97], use of time for groups/sports [AOR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.42–0.97], and school connectedness [AOR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.34–0.77]), and 3 uniquely protected females (general self-confidence [AOR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.40–0.96], good health practices [AOR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.47–0.95], and relationship with mother [AOR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.36–0.80]). Strengthening youth assets across multiple domains may decrease alcohol-related problems for both males and females; however, gender-specific approaches to asset building are also warranted.
Mating Behavior and Reproductive Biology of Emerald Ash Borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) and Two of Its Native Congeners, the Twolined Chestnut Borer and the Bronze Birch Borer

We studied the mating behavior and reproductive biology of three members of the genus Agrilus: the bronze birch borer, Agrilus anxius Gory; the twolined chestnut borer, Agrilus bilineatus (Weber); and the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire. All three species share a highly stereotyped mating behavior. However, the copulation duration of A. planipennis was 90% longer than that of its two congeners. Female reproductive tracts of the three species were anatomically similar, as were the spermatophores. Within the spermatophores, sperm were single in A. anxius and A. bilineatus, while in A. planipennis, sperm were bundled in groups of approximately 20 in a hyaline sheath. We found that field-caught A. anxius and A. bilineatus had higher rates of female insemination than A. planipennis. In additional studies with A. planipennis and A. anxius, we found that mating duration was related to mating success, and fecundity for A. planipennis, but not for A. anxius. For both A. planipennis and A. anxius, the spermatophore was passed to the female toward the end of the copulatory period. Sperm were found in the spermatheca immediately after copulation ended in A. planipennis and 30 min after copulation ended in A. anxius. We present possible explanations for these differences.
Sifting through the weeds: Understanding heterogeneity in fertilizer and labor response in Central Malawi

Abstract Despite heavy subsidies provided by the Malawian government, input use remains low. Estimated maize response rates to fertilizer vary widely across studies, raising questions about the sources of this variability and whether fertilizer is generally profitable for most smallholder farmers at commercial prices. This study uses survey and soil data from farmer-identified most and least fertile maize plots in Central Malawi to explain the heterogeneity in maize response to inputs and to determine whether this heterogeneity explains low uptake of commercial fertilizer. We estimate maize yield functions to characterize the range of maize response to fertilizer and weeding labor at locations that vary from marginal to mesic environments and show that differences in productivity persist with a plot-level fixed effect and are not solely attributable to farmer skill. Using a range of price scenarios and classifying soil fertility by total organic carbon levels, we find that fertilizer is more profitable on low fertility plots, while current levels of weeding labor are more likely to be profitable on the high fertility plots. The largest variation in profitability occurs between plots, rather than price scenarios, highlighting the importance of policies to improve soil fertility and address constraints to use of complementary inputs.
Opioid use disorder among pregnant women in the 2000-2014 North Carolina state inpatient database.

Background: The opioid epidemic’s impact reached an increasing portion of the United States population, including pregnant women.Objectives: We sought to determine the prevalence and factors associ...
Opioid safety among high-risk cancer survivors.

e19169Background: To mitigate risks of opioid-related harms, ASCO’s pain management guidelines for cancer survivors recommend that opioids be used in conjunction with other pharmacologic and non-ph...
BRCA Mutations, Homologous DNA Repair Deficiency, Tumor Mutational Burden, and Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibition in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer.

PURPOSEHomologous DNA repair–deficient (HRD) ovarian cancers (OCs), including those with BRCA1/2 mutations, have higher levels of genetic instability, potentially resulting in higher immunogenicity...
United States: The Uphill Schools’ Struggle

The United States has seen generally flat performance on both international and national tests. Moreover, the achievement gaps between disadvantaged and more advantaged students have been large and constant for a half century. The remarkable aspect of these outcomes is that federal and state programs have changed significantly—considerably greater resources, added school choice, test-based accountability, and school desegregation. Because of the importance of skills for the economy, it is important that the schools improve, but there is no indication of finding the set of policies that will do this.
Intrasaccular flow disruption (WEB) of a large wide-necked basilar apex aneurysm using PulseRider-assistance

Large, wide-necked basilar apex aneurysms are difficult to treat. Microsurgical clipping can result in neurologic morbidity and mortality. Endovascular treatment often leaves remnants that need retreatment and/or stent placement with dual antiplatelet therapy. The Woven EndoBridge (WEB) is an intrasaccular flow disruption device that can be used without dual antiplatelet therapy. However, the WEB cannot typically be used in large or giant aneurysms > 10 mm because the largest diameter device is the 11 × 9.6 mm single layer sphere (SLS). We present a case in which we use a PulseRider aneurysm neck reconstruction device in the basilar artery to assist in WEB deployment within a 22 mm basilar apex aneurysm with 14 mm neck, thereby permitting aspirin monotherapy postoperatively.
Genetic modulation of initial sensitivity to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) among the BXD family of mice

Cannabinoid receptor 1 activation by the major psychoactive component in cannabis, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), produces motor impairments, hypothermia, and analgesia upon acute exposure. In previous work, we demonstrated significant sex and strain differences in acute responses to THC following administration of a single dose (10 mg/kg, i.p.) in C57BL/6J (B6) and DBA/2J (D2) inbred mice. To determine the extent to which these differences are heritable, we quantified acute responses to a single dose of THC (10 mg/kg, i.p.) in males and females from 20 members of the BXD family of inbred strains derived by crossing and inbreeding B6 and D2 mice. Acute THC responses (initial sensitivity) were quantified as changes from baseline for: 1. spontaneous activity in the open field (mobility), 2. body temperature (hypothermia), and 3. tail withdrawal latency to a thermal stimulus (analgesia/antinociception). Initial sensitivity to the immobilizing, hypothermic, and antinociceptive effects of THC varied substantially across the BXD family. Heritability was highest for mobility and hypothermia traits, indicating that segregating genetic variants modulate initial sensitivity to THC. We identified genomic loci and candidate genes, including Ndufs2, Scp2, Rps6kb1 or P70S6K, Pde4d, and Pten, that may control variation in THC initial sensitivity. We also detected strong correlations between initial responses to THC and legacy phenotypes related to intake or response to other drugs of abuse (cocaine, ethanol, and morphine). Our study demonstrates the feasibility of mapping genes and variants modulating THC responses in the BXDs to systematically define biological processes and liabilities associated with drug use and abuse.
The digital doctor: telemedicine in facial plastic surgery

Purpose of review In the setting of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the demand for and use of telemedicine has surged in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. This review aims to objectively review and summarize the existing evidence for the use of telemedicine within facial plastic surgery. Recent findings Telemedicine has been successfully implemented among subsets of facial plastic surgery patients, with high patient and provider satisfaction. Although the technology to facilitate telemedicine exists and preliminary studies demonstrate promise, multiple technological, financial, and medical barriers may persist in the postpandemic era. Summary Telemedicine will likely continue to grow and expand within facial plastic surgery moving forward, and we should continue to critically evaluate patient selection, access to care, and strategies for effective implementation to enhance current clinical practices.
A holed-plate with material dislocations: Formulation and verification:

Standard text-book dislocation theory for the elastic fields of a dislocation is provided in an infinite medium. For problems involving free surfaces, or image stresses, the solution for such elast...
Towards a Quantitative Ultrasonic NDE of Thick Composites

Because composite materials can be designed and fabricated to obtain specific mechanical properties at minimum weight, considerable effort has been placed on the application of thick composite materials to fabricate primary structural elements in high-performance systems such as solid rocket motors and submersible vessels. This requires composite materials which range in thickness from 1 to 8 in. and whose integrity must be assured. Thus, adequate nondestructive techniques must be available for the inspection of such materials and structures. If ultrasonic techniques can developed that will permit a non-destructive determination of the elastic properties and the detection of material inhomogeneities and flaws in these materials, they will play an essential role.
The φ4 Critical Point

To fix the notation, we consider the interaction $$V\left( \phi \right) = \lambda \phi ^4 + \sigma \phi ^2 - \mu \phi $$ (17.1.1) with λ, σ, and μ real and 0 0.)
The Role of Electrode Quality in Metal Purity

Anode quality excursions are well known as factors that can have substantial impact upon metal purity and the ability to produce specific metal products. But, there is more to managing anode quality, as delivered to the pot rooms, than avoiding a major excursion. In this paper the author reviews the key factors from the paste plant through the rodding shop that affect the amount of impurities that are delivered to the metal. Conclusions include a summary of sub-process and design activities that can be managed to minimize the impact of impurities to primary metal production.
Biosynthetic studies of marine lipids—3 : Experimental demonstration of the course of side chain extension in marine sterols

Abstract The Pacific sponge Aplysina fistularis was fed cholesterol-[4- 14 C],(24 R )-methyl-25-dehydrocholesterol-[26- 14 C] (epicodisterol[26- 14 C]), (24 S )-methyl-25-dehydrocholesterol-[26- 14 C] (codisterol-[26- 14 C]), and 24-methylenecholesterol-[28- 14 C]. Only epicodisterol, which has the same stereochemistry at C-24 as (24 R ,25 S )-24,26-dimethylcholesterol (aplysterol), was converted with high efficiency into (24 R )-24,27-dimethyl-25-dehydrocholesterol (25-dehydroaplysterol). Further side chain extension [to E -(24 R )-24,26,27-trimethyl-25-dehydrocholesterol (verongulasterol)] could also be demonstrated.
Structured spatial control of the reaction-diffusion equation with parametric uncertainties

Feedback control problems for distributed parameter systems arise in a variety of physical, chemical, biological, and mechanical systems. This paper exploits the algebraic structure of the system of ordinary differential equations that arise from spatial discretization of the partial differential equation (PDE) to analyze and design feedback controllers that are robust to bounded perturbations in the parameters of the original PDE. As a prototypical problem, this paper investigates the spatial field control of a reaction-diffusion system whose spatial discretization has a state matrix that is circulant symmetric. Structured robust controllers are designed based on internal model control and mixed sensitivity optimization. The controllers are shown to be robust to inaccuracies in the spatial manipulation, even for arbitrarily fine spatial discretizations.
A Marine Anaerobic Biodegradation Test Applied to the Biodegradation of Synthetic Drilling Mud Base Fluids

This manuscript describes a marine anaerobic biodegradation test and its application to testing the relative biodegradability of ester and olefin synthetic base fluids (SBF) for drilling mud. The test uses marine sediments spiked with the test SBF and incubated anaerobically in closed serum bottles. The production of gas (CO2 and CH4) from the sediment was used to monitor the progress of biodegradation. Gas production was a good estimation of compound biodegradation since the system was driven to methanogenesis due to the high concentrations of compounds used in the test. The degradation of esters was generally complete by 90 days of incubation, while the degradation of olefins could take more than 9 months of incubation. The source of marine sediment was very important; controlling the time it took for the test to go to completion. A sediment that had approximately 6.2% volatile solids, an esterase activity of 0.01 Δ OD490 min−1 g dry sediment−1 and > 109 MPN g dry sediment−1 sulfate reducing bacteria, >...
Place prioritization for biodiversity conservation using probabilistic surrogate distribution data

We analyse optimal and heuristic place prioritization algorithms for biodiversity conservation area network design which can use probabilistic data on the distribution of surrogates for biodiversity. We show how an Expected Surrogate Set Covering Problem (ESSCP) and a Maximal Expected Surrogate Covering Problem (MESCP) can be linearized for computationally efficient solution. For the ESSCP, we study the performance of two optimization software packages (XPRESS and CPLEX) and five heuristic algorithms based on traditional measures of complementarity and rarity as well as the Shannon and Simpson indices of α-diversity which are being used in this context for the first time. On small artificial data sets the optimal place prioritization algorithms often produced more economical solutions than the heuristic algorithms, though not always ones guaranteed to be optimal. However, with large data sets, the optimal algorithms often required long computation times and produced no better results than heuristic ones. Thus there is generally little reason to prefer optimal to heuristic algorithms with probabilistic data sets.
Calculating quench propagation with ANSYS/sup /spl reg//

A commercial Finite-Element-Analysis program, ANSYS/sup /spl reg//, is widely used in structural and thermal analysis. With the program's ability to include nonlinear material properties and import complex CAD files, one can generate coil geometries and simulate quench propagation in superconducting magnets. A "proof-of-principle" finite element model was developed assuming a resistivity that increases linearly from zero to its normal value at a temperature consistent with the assumed B magnetic field. More sophisticated models could easily include finer-grained coil, cable, structural, and circuit details. A quench is provoked by raising the temperature of an arbitrary superconducting element above its T/sub c/. The time response to this perturbation is calculated using small time-steps to allow convergence between steps. Snapshots of the temperature and voltage distributions allow examination of longitudinal and turn-to-turn quench propagation, quench-front annihilation, and cryo-stability. Modeling details are discussed, and a computed voltage history was compared with measurements from a recent magnet test.
Proteolysis of specific muscle structural proteins by mu-calpain at low pH and temperature is similar to degradation in postmortem bovine muscle.

Postmortem (PM) and mu-calpain-induced degradation of specific skeletal muscle proteins was monitored by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. Samples were removed from bovine longissimus thoracis (LT) at approximately 45 min PM for the preparation of at-death (0-d) myofibrils (MF). The LT was excised at 1 d PM, vacuum-packaged, and stored at 2 degrees C. Samples were removed for Warner-Bratzler shear force analysis and biochemical analysis at 1, 3, 7, 14, 28, and 56 d PM. The protease mu-calpain was purified from bovine skeletal muscle and used to digest at-death MF at pH 5.6, 4 degrees C, 100 microM CaCl2. Degradation of the proteins titin, nebulin, filamin, desmin, and troponin-T was monitored in the PM and mu-calpain-digested samples by using SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. The PM samples that had significantly lower shear force (LSF) values (P < .05) at 1 d PM exhibited faster degradation of these five proteins than the higher shear force (HSF) samples. In LSF samples, the intact titin band (T1) was absent by 7 d PM and nebulin was absent by 3 d PM. In LSF samples, some filamin was degraded by 3 d PM, but in HSF samples degradation was not apparent until 14 d PM. In LSF samples, desmin was degraded more rapidly PM than in HSF samples. Troponin-T was broken down PM to yield two major polypeptides of approximately 28 and 30 kDa; these polypeptides appeared earlier PM in LSF samples. Degradation products, similar to those observed PM, for all five proteins also were detected in Western blots of mu-calpain-digested MF, suggesting the calpain system plays a key role in PM protein degradation.
Waste heat generation: A comprehensive review.

Abstract A comprehensive review of heat generation in various types of wastes and of the thermal regime of waste containment facilities is provided in this paper. Municipal solid waste (MSW), MSW incineration ash, and mining wastes were included in the analysis. Spatial and temporal variations of waste temperatures, thermal gradients, thermal properties of wastes, average temperature differentials, and heat generation values are provided. Heat generation was influenced by climatic conditions, mean annual earth temperatures, waste temperatures at the time of placement, cover conditions, and inherent heat generation potential of the specific wastes. Time to onset of heat generation varied between months and years, whereas timelines for overall duration of heat generation varied between years and decades. For MSW, measured waste temperatures were as high as 60–90 °C and as low as −6 °C. MSW incinerator ash temperatures varied between 5 and 87 °C. Mining waste temperatures were in the range of −25 to 65 °C. In the wastes analyzed, upward heat flow toward the surface was more prominent than downward heat flow toward the subsurface. Thermal gradients generally were higher for MSW and incinerator ash and lower for mining waste. Based on thermal properties, MSW had insulative qualities (low thermal conductivity), while mining wastes typically were relatively conductive (high thermal conductivity) with ash having intermediate qualities. Heat generation values ranged from −8.6 to 83.1 MJ/m3 and from 0.6 to 72.6 MJ/m3 for MSW and mining waste, respectively and was 72.6 MJ/m3 for ash waste. Conductive thermal losses were determined to range from 13 to 1111 MJ/m3 yr. The data and analysis provided in this review paper can be used in the investigation of heat generation and thermal regime of a wide range of wastes and waste containment facilities located in different climatic regions.
Clinical results after tarsal tunnel decompression.

ABSTRACTWe reviewed the clinical results for thirty patients (thirty-two feet) who had had exploration and decompression of the posterior tibial nerve for the treatment of tarsal tunnel syndrome between 1982 and 1990. The average duration of follow-up was thirty-one months (range, twenty-four to 118
Foreign-Body Tumorigenesis in Mice: DNA Synthesis in Surface-Attached Cells During Preneoplasia

(CBA/H X CBA/H-T6)F1 mice were given sc implants of unplasticized vinyl chloride acetate 15 X 22-mm copolymer films. The animals were pulsed with [3H]thymidine at various times during the 15 months following implantation. DNA synthesis occurred in the film-attached cell population, predominantly macrophages, throughout the preneoplastic phase in both females and males. Giant cells with fewer than 10 nuclei were labeled synchronously and asynchronously. No DNA synthesis was detected in giant cells with more than 10 nuclei. Previous studies have shown that phagocytic inactivity and ultrastructural signs of functional dormancy are characteristic for the foreign-body-reactive macrophage. However, this investigation demonstrated that the macrophage was not dormant with respect to DNA synthesis.
100 Gbit/s synchronous all-optical time-division multiplexing multi-access network testbed

We have demonstrated a slotted OTDM multi-access network testbed capable of operating at 112.5 Gbit/s line rates. A headend generates a 12.5 Gbit/s global clock and defines the 100 ns system slot boundaries. The transmitter generates a 4-bit address header and 100 Gbit/s pseudo-random data payload using pulse-position modulation signaling format. The receiver achieves self-synchronization to slot timing, 4-bit address comparison, and data rate downconversion using three cascaded all-optical logic gates operating at the 112.5 Gbit/s network line rate.
From cleaning up to helping out: parental socialization and children's early prosocial behavior.

Abstract Relations between parental socialization and infants’ prosocial behavior were investigated in sixty three 18- and 30-month old children. Parents’ socialization techniques (e.g., directives, negotiation, reasoning) differed for the two age groups, as did relations between socialization and different forms of emerging prosocial behavior (helping; sharing).
Transport of gyration-dominated space plasmas of thermal origin 2: numerical solution

Abstract A numerical solution has been found for the hyperbolic initial-value problem, which follows from the 16-moment set of equations describing the transport of a plasma in a strong magnetic field. In addition to the time-dependent evolution of mass and momentum, these equations describe the variations in anisotropic temperatures and heat fluxes for both ion and electron species. The numerical solution employs a high-order Godunov method to achieve third-order accuracy in space and second-order accuracy in time. The method includes an approximate Riemann solver which is suitable for a system of equations that cannot entirely be expressed in conservation form. In addition, a new technique has been developed to overcome the stiffness that occurs in regions where plasma flows are strongly reactive. Simple test cases showing correct wave behavior are presented.
The Shape of Things to Come: Results From a National Survey of Trauma Surgeons on Issues Concerning their Future

Background:This study seeks to characterize the opinions of practicing surgeons as a basis for formulating a plan to restructure the discipline of trauma surgery and its training path.Methods:A 52-item questionnaire was administered to the membership of the American Association for the Surgery of Tr
Freeway Sensor Spacing and Probe Vehicle Penetration: Impacts on Travel Time Prediction and Estimation Accuracy

Accurate travel time prediction-estimation is important for advanced traveler information systems and advanced traffic management systems. Traffic managers and operators are interested in estimating optimal sensor density for new construction and retrofits. In addition, with the development of vehicle-tracking technologies, they may be interested in estimating optimal probe vehicle percentage. Unlike most studies focusing on data-driven models, this paper extends some limited previous work and describes a concept developed from first principles of traffic flow. The goal is to establish analytical relationships between travel time prediction-estimation accuracy and sensor spacing by means of two basic travel time prediction-estimation algorithms, as well as to probe vehicle penetration rate. The methods are based on computing the magnitude of under- and overprediction-estimation of total travel time (TTT) during shock passages in a time-space plane by using the midpoint method for online travel time predic...
The omni wedge: a method to produce wedged fields at arbitrary orientations.

A method to produce wedged fields at any orientation relative to the collimator is described. The wedged field is generated by combining two appropriately weighted orthogonal wedged field segments at fixed collimator and gantry positions. The method requires only that wedged fields can be produced in orthogonal directions without rotating the collimator, such as is commonly provided on most radiation therapy accelerators by sets of standard and rotated wedges. Expressions are derived relating the effective wedge angle and orientation to the weighting and wedge angles of the orthogonal wedged field segments. This technique will be important when using multileaf collimatorfield shaping for which collimator rotation is dictated by target or critical structure shape and orientation. The term omni wedge is introduced to describe this technique.
Stochastic simulation of a multistage model of carcinogenesis

Stochastic mathematical models of carcinogenesis have been used to quantify cancer risks for about 40 years. As more detailed data of the cancer process are obtained, mathematical models try to incorporate this information and as a result become more complex and sometimes analytically and numerically intractable. Simulation studies have become an important tool for examining the operating characteristics of the models of interest. The many quantities one can examine using this tool include bias in parameter estimates, adequacy of approximation methods, and the appropriateness of large sample generalizations to small studies. This manuscript describes a general method of stochastic simulation that may be carried out for arbitrarily complicated stochastic models of carcinogenesis.
Restoring Justice Through Community Policing

Principles of restorative justice guide new approaches to criminal justice policy and practice worldwide; however, scant attention is paid to policing within this paradigm. This article describes the theoretical, practice, and value dimensions of restorative justice and examines these in relation to community policing ideology and practice. It presents a policy analysis of the bold Northern Ireland police reform experience and explores the central dilemmas and opportunities inherent in transforming police within communities in conflict. In spite of substantial implementation challenges, community policing may restore justice because of the demand for a sustained peace, dynamism generated when police reform is part of larger social reform, and determination elicited from the poignant recognition of prior injustice. Through police reform, there is potential for greater local democratic control and accountability of the state social control mechanism.
Statistical uncertainty due to misclassification: implications for validation substudies.

Certain studies incorporate a validation substudy as an integral part of their design. In the substudy, the results of a primary but error-prone measurement are compared with the results of a more accurate (but more difficult or costly) criterion measurement. The results of this substudy are then used to evaluate the impact of errors in the primary measurement on study validity. The present paper shows that the alternative of a fully-validated design (i.e. one that obtains criterion measurements on all subjects) may provide more information per unit cost than a larger study coupled with a validation substudy. Several formulas are provided to aid in detecting such a situation, and illustrated in the design of a case-control study of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Beyond Empiricism: Policy Inquiry in Post positivist Perspective

This essay contributes to the growing critique of poky science's dominant neopositivist methodologies. Not only is neopositivist policy science seen to have failed in its effort to develop a usable body of predictive generalizations, it has been unable to supply effective solutions to social problems. An important part of this failure is traced to outmoded epistemological assumptions. Drawing on developments in both science and the sociology of science, in particular the recognition that the “hard” sciences themselves no longer rest on traditional concepts of objectivity and proof, the discussion outlines a post positivist conception of policy science designed to address the multidimensional complexity of social reality. As a discursive orientation grounded in practical reason, the post positivist approach situates empirical inquiry in a broader interpretive framework. More then just an epistemological alternative, the approach is offered as a better description of what social science actually do in practice the essay closes with a brief discussion of the implications of u post positivist approach for both a socially relevant policy curriculum and a democratic practice of policy inquiry.
Cross sections for ionization of inner-shell electrons by electrons

A survey is given of the available cross-section data for ionization of inner-shell electrons by incident electrons in the range of interest for electron-probe microanalysis and for Auger-electron spectroscopy of solid surfaces. Owing to the paucity of data, the bulk of the discussion is limited to $K$-shell and $L$-shell ionization of light atoms. Calculated, semiempirical, and experimental cross-section data have been intercompared graphically and through fits to the linearized Bethe equation for inner-shell ionization (the Fano plot). Almost all of the data could be satisfactorily fitted over the range $4\ensuremath{\lesssim}{U}_{\mathrm{nl}}\ensuremath{\lesssim}30$, where ${U}_{\mathrm{nl}}=\frac{{E}_{0}}{{E}_{\mathrm{nl}}}$, ${E}_{0}$ is the incident electron energy, and ${E}_{\mathrm{nl}}$ the binding energy of electrons in the $\mathrm{nl}$ shell. From these fits, values could be obtained of the "effective" Bethe parameters ${b}_{\mathrm{nl}}$ and ${c}_{\mathrm{nl}}$. Values of the parameter ${b}_{\mathrm{nl}}$ have also been derived from photoabsorption data and were found to be generally consistent with the ionization data if account was taken of the distribution of differential oscillator strength with respect to excitation energy and the consequent expected variation of ${b}_{\mathrm{nl}}$ with incident electron energy. The derived "effective" Bethe parameters should not therefore be used outside the range of each fit.
Effects of drying regime on microbial colonization and shredder preference in seasonal woodland wetlands

Summary 1. Energy budgets of wetlands in temperate deciduous forests are dominated by terrestrially derived leaf litter that decays under different drying conditions depending on autumn precipitation. We compared decay rates and microbial colonization of maple leaves under different inundation schedules in a field experiment, and then conducted a laboratory study on shredder preference. In the field, litter bags either remained submerged (permanent), were moved to a dried part of the basin once and then returned (semi-permanent), or were alternated between wet and dry conditions for 8 weeks (temporary). 2. There was no difference in decay rates among treatments, but leaves incubated under permanent and semi-permanent conditions had higher fungal and bacterial biomass, and lower C : N ratios than those incubated under alternating drying and wetting conditions. 3. To determine the effects of these differences in litter nutritional quality on shredder preference, we conducted a laboratory preference test with larvae of leaf-shredding caddisflies that inhabit the wetland. Caddisflies spent twice as much time foraging on permanent and semi-permanent litter than on litter incubated under temporary conditions. 4. There is considerable variation among previous studies in how basin drying affects litter breakdown in wetlands, and no previous information on shredder preference. We found that frequent drying in a shallow wetland reduces the nutritional quality of leaf litter (lower microbial biomass and nitrogen content), and therefore preference by invertebrate shredders. These results suggest that inter-annual shifts in drying regime should alter detritus processing rates, and hence the mobilization of the energy and nutrients in leaf litter to the wetland food web.
Effects of Structure of β-Cyclodextrin-Containing Polymers on Gene Delivery

Linear cationic β-cyclodextrin-based polymers (βCDPs) are capable of forming polyplexes with nucleic acids and transfecting cultured cells. The βCDPs are synthesized by the condensation of a diamino-cyclodextrin monomer A with a diimidate comonomer B. In this paper, the effects of polymer structure on polyplex formation, in vitro transfection efficiency and toxicity are elucidated. By comparison of the βCDPs to polyamidines lacking cyclodextrins, the inclusion of a cyclodextrin moiety in the comonomer A units reduces the IC50s of the polymer by up to 3 orders of magnitude. The spacing between the cationic amidine groups is also important. Different polymers with 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 methylene units (βCDP4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10) in the comonomer B molecule are synthesized. Transfection efficiency is dependent on comonomer B length with up to 20-fold difference between polymers. Optimum transfection is achieved with the βCDP6 polymer. In vitro toxicity varied by 1 order of magnitude and the lowest toxicity is observed with βCDP8. The LD40 of the βCDP6 to mice is 200 mg/kg, making this polymer a promising agent for in vivo gene delivery applications.
Step-scan FT-IR photothermal spectral depth profiling of polymer films

Abstract In step-scan Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, a constant modulation frequency can be applied to the entire spectral range. This is particularly useful for photoacoustic (PA) detection since, in the absence of saturation, the PA response at all wavelengths in step-scan FT-IR PA spectroscopy will correspond to the same depth in the sample, whereas in a typical continuous-scan FT-IR PA spectrum each wavelength corresponds to a different sampling depth. A step-scan FT-IR PA spectral depth profile can be obtained by changing the modulation frequency for different scans. Alternatively, depth information can be obtained from the phase of the PA signal. The step-scan mode of data collection permits easier access to the PA phase than does the continuous-scan mode. The combined use of modulation frequency variation and analysis of the phase allows a wider range of depths to be probed. This type of spectrally resolved depth information is particularly useful when applied to polymeric materials with special surface properties. This includes not only characterization of surface-coated and laminar materials, but also studies of weathering, aging, curing and the diffusion of species into or out of a polymer matrix. Step-scan FT-IR PA spectral depth profiling of some of these types of samples is illustrated and the theory and techniques involved are discussed.
Cell signalling through phospholipid breakdown.

There is much evidence that G-proteins transduce the signal from receptors for Ca2+-mobilizing agonists to the phospholipase C that catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphoinositides. However, the specific G-proteins involved have not been identified. We have recently purified a 42 kDa protein from liver that activates phosphoinositide phospholipase C and cross-reacts with antisera to a peptide common to G-protein α-subunits. It is proposed that this protein is the α-subunit of the G-protein that regulates the phospholipase in this tissue.
Properties of polarization evolution in spun fibers.

We study the properties of polarization evolution in sinusoidally spun fibers. It is found that, similar to linear birefringent fibers, the evolution of the state of polarization exhibits periodicity, which can be measured by distributed measurement, such as those made with a polarization optical time domain reflectometer. The spatial period is linked with the spin parameters and fiber beat length in a simple equation. In combination with a previous finding, it is shown that the spatial period is uniquely related to spun-fiber polarization mode dispersion. This suggests that distributed fiber polarization mode dispersion can be determined through the measurement of the spatial period obtained in a distributed measurement.
Uniformity of radiation-induced mutation rates among different species.

ONE of the major difficulties in estimating thegenetic hazards of ionising radiation to human populations has been our inability to extrapolate with confidence from mutation rate data in lower organisms to man1,2. Experimentally observed mutation rates per locus per rad extend over an enormous range of three orders of magnitude. For instance, the forward mutation rate per locus per rad is 1 × 10−9 in Escherichia coli B/r at two loci for phage T1 resistance, 2.7 × 10−9 in Neurospora at the ad3 locus, 1.4 × 10−8 in Drosophila for eight specific loci (averaged), 1.7 × 10−7 in the mouse for twelve specific loci (averaged), and 1 × 10−6 in barley for three loci.
Development of a Two-Color Fluorescent Tracer Technique to Study Aqueous Outflow Patterns and Outflow Resistance in Human Eyes

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness, and elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) characteristic of glaucoma is caused by increased aqueous humor outflow resistance. Studies have localized the bulk of outflow resistance to particular regions along the outflow pathway — namely, the inner wall endothelium of Schlemm’s canal and its underlying juxtacanalicular tissue (JCT) [1] — but the hydrodynamic details of how aqueous humor flows through these tissues and how these tissues generate outflow resistance are not well understood.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Oceanographic visualization interactive research tool (OVIRT)

The Oceanographic Visualization Interactive Research Tool (OVIRT) was developed to explore the utility of scalar field volume rendering in visualizing environmental ocean data and to extend some of the classical 2D oceanographic displays into a 3D visualization environment. It has five major visualization tools: cutting planes, minicubes, isosurfaces, sonic-surfaces, and direct volume rendering. The cutting planes tool provides three orthogonal cutting planes which can be interactively moved through the volume. The minicubes routine renders small cubes whose faces are shaded according to function value. The isosurface tool is conceptually similar to the well-known marching cubes technique. The sonic surfaces are an extension of the 2D surfaces which have been classically used to display acoustic propagation paths and inflection lines within the ocean. The surfaces delineate the extent and axis of the shallow and deep sound channels. The direct volume rendering (DVR) techniques give a global view of the data. Other features include the ability to overlay the shoreline and inlay the bathymetry. There are multiple colormaps, an automatic histogramming feature, a macro and scripting capability, a picking function, and the ability to display animations of DVR imagery. There is a network feature to allow computationally expensive functions to be executed on remote machines.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Membrane bilayer instability and the pathogenesis of disorders of myelin.

Abstract We have previously shown that total lipid extracts from normal nervous tissues spontaneously form a structure in vitro resembling the cell membrane bilayer, but only at a critical temperature, T∗, equal to the ‘physiological’ temperature of the original tissues. In the present study, we found T∗ for normal human myelin lipids was 37°C, in agreement with the concept that lipid metabolic pools maintain a critical composition in vivo which permits spontaneous formation of the (myelin) membrane bilayer at normal body temperature. But T∗ for myelin lipids from a patient with metachromatic leukodystrophy was
Effect of α-methylnorepinephrine, an α2-adrenergic agonist, on jejunal absorption in neurally intact conscious dog

Although α2-adrenergic agonists stimulate absorption in the mammalian small and large intestinein vitro, the possibility of central neural effects have confounded interpretation ofin vivo studies. Our aim was to assess the effects of intravenous administration of α-methylnorepinephrine (MNE), and α2-adrenergic agonist that does not cross the blood-brain barrier, on net jejunal absorption of water and electrolytes in the neurally intact, conscious dog. Absorption from a 30-cm proximal jejunal segment was studied using a triple-lumen perfusion technique in seven dogs. A warmed, isosmolar, balanced electrolyte solution containing [14C]polyethylene glycol was infused at 5 ml/min. Net jejunal fluxes of water and electrolytes were determined before, during, and after a 1.5-hr infusion of MNE (900 nmol/kg/hr). MNE increased net jejunal water absorption (from 12.9±1.8 to 22.5±1.5 μl/cm/min,P<0.05). Peripheral α2-adrenergic receptors mediate a net proabsorptive response in the neurally intact canine jejunumin vivo independent of direct central neural effects.
Synthesis of 4-fluoro-4′-trifluoromethylbenzophenone guanylhydrazone hydrochloride labeled with 14C

Four steps were required to synthesize the title compound. This involved carboxylation, acid chloride formation, condensation, and hydrazone formation. The overall radiochemical yield was 12.5% amd the specific activity was 2.04 mCi/mmole. Because of the difficulty encountered in preparing the p-fluorobenzal-dehyde-aldehyde-14C, p-fluorobenzoyl chloride-carbonyl14C was used for the condensation reaction.
Developmental neuroscience: two gradients are better than one.

Wiring up retinal neurons to the correct brain region during development is a feat of precision growth. A novel directional cue repels retinal neuron fibres, acting as a counterbalance to a known attractive signal.
On Computing Normalized Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Sets

This paper explains how to compute normalized interval type-2 fuzzy sets in closed form and explains how the results reduce to well-known results for type-1 fuzzy sets and interval sets. Such normalized interval type-2 fuzzy sets may be needed in linguistic probability computa- tions or multiple criteria decision analysis under uncertainty. Index Terms—Fuzzy weighted average (FWA), interval type-2 fuzzy sets (IT2 FSs), interval weighted average (IWA), linguistic probability, linguistic weighted average (LWA), normalized interval type-2 fuzzy sets.
Symptom resolution after operative management of complications from transvaginal mesh.

OBJECTIVE Complications from transvaginal mesh placed for prolapse often require operative management. The aim of this study is to describe the outcomes of vaginal mesh removal.
Qualitative simulation using time-scale abstraction

Abstract Qualitative simulation faces an intrinsic problem of scale: the number of limit hypotheses grows exponentially with the number of parameters approaching limits. We present a method called Time-Scale Abstraction for structuring a complex system as a hierarchy of smaller, interacting equilibrium mechanisms. Within this hierarchy, a given mechanism views a slower one as being constant, and a faster one as being instantaneous. A perturbation to a fast mechanism may be seen by a slower mechanism as a displacement of a monotonic function constraint. We demonstrate the time-scale abstraction hierarchy using the interaction between the water and sodium balance mechanisms in medical physiology, an example drawn from a larger, fully implemented, program. Where the structure of a large system permits decomposition by time-scale, this abstraction method permits qualitative simulation of otherwise intractably complex systems.
Ca2+-Induced Structural Changes in Tn: A Multi-Site FRET Study Combining TCSPC with Single Filament Imaging

Troponin is the allosteric sensor for calcium in cardiac muscle. During activation, calcium binds to troponin (Tn), causing a conformational change leading to myofilament activation. We seek to understand the energetics and design principle of the regulated actin (TnTmA7) switch and the basis for cooperative activation in cardiac muscle contraction. To study Ca2+-induced structural changes in Tn, we have engineered single Cys-mutants within Tn that enable the measurement of 36 unique inter-probe distances by time-resolved FRET (trFRET). Regulated actin (rAc) was reconstituted from dye-labeled Tn, tropomyosin (Tm) and f-actin (A7), immobilized on glass coverslips. Epifluorescence images revealed actin filaments with no TnTm bound, actin filaments fully decorated with TnTm, bundles of rAc, and random points of fluorescence from Tn and Tm not bound to actin. Video microscopy demonstrated Brownian movement in non-immobilized segments of rAc. To obtain reliable trFRET data from Tn within non-bundled rAc filaments, we first imaged partially immobilized rAc. Isolated filaments were identified, and TCSPC was performed on a single point within the filament for 1 min, yielding 20,000 photons from approximately 50 Tn molecules within the 1 μm3 confocal volume. The inter-dye distance was obtained under Mg2+- and Ca2+-saturating conditions in 36 FRET constructs.