cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of molecular anisotropy in thin films of discotic assemblies using attenuated total reflectance UV-visible spectroscopy.

We report here an investigation of absorbance anisotropy in highly ordered, single bilayer (ca. 5.6 nm) Langmuir−Blodgett (LB) thin films of discotic liquid-crystalline phthalocyanines, using a recently introduced broad-band attenuated total reflectance (ATR) spectroscopic technique, capable of measuring dichroism in such films in the UV−visible optical region down to absorbances of ca. 0.003 absorbance units. On the basis of the ATR measurements of LB-deposited films, a thorough treatment was established to determine the ensemble average of the Cartesian components and the associated optical anisotropy of transition dipoles in the molecular film. In an effort to recover order parameters of molecular orientation, those results were interpreted with a circular dipole model, which is the expected model for the isolated molecule based on symmetry properties. We measured a strong dipole component normal to the film plane that cannot be explained in terms of a truly circular model, indicating that the molecula...
Community Differentiation and the Fallacy of Intenectorial Causation

The idea that independent variables "causing" modernization are to be found in the various societal sectors commonly distinguished by our cultural vernacular, for example, educational, economic, religious, industrial, etc., is challenged by data collected in 70 communities of highland Guatemala. The data suggest that such sectorial causal hypotheses are supported only because they reflect a common underlying dimension of social systems, differentiation, which cross-cuts a variety of institutional sectors. Alternatively, it is suggested that causation must be sought in other independent, system-level variables which likewise cross-cut a variety of institutional sectors.
High-resolution x-ray guided three-dimensional diffuse optical tomography of joint tissues in hand osteoarthritis: morphological and functional assessments.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential use of multimodality functional imaging techniques to identify the quantitative optical findings that can be used to distinguish between osteoarthritic and normal finger joints. Methods: Between 2006 and 2009, the distal interphalangeal finger joints from 40 female subjects including 22 patients and 18 healthy controls were examined clinically and scanned by a hybrid imaging system. This system integrated x-ray tomosynthetic setup with a diffuse optical imaging system. Optical absorption and scattering images were recovered based on a regularization-based hybrid reconstruction algorithm. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to calculate the statistical significance of specific optical features obtained from osteoarthritic and healthy joints groups. Results: The three-dimensional optical and x-ray images captured made it possible to quantify optical properties and joint space width of finger joints. Based on the recovered optical absorption and scattering parameters, the authors observed statistically significant differences between healthy and osteoarthritis finger joints. Conclusions: The statistical results revealed that sensitivity and specificity values up to 92% and 100%, respectively, can be achieved when optical properties of joint tissues were used as classifiers. This suggests that these optical imaging parameters are possible indicators for diagnosing osteoarthritis and monitoring its progression.
Similarity of monozygotic and dizygotic twins in level and lability of subclinically depressed mood

Ninety-two adult twin-pairs were recruited through advertisements in the local media. Twin zygosity was determined by use of the self-report inventory developed by Nichols and Bilbro (1966). The level and lability of subclinical depression were assessed. Mood level was assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory and by the MMPI D, D30, and DR Scales. Mood lability was assessed by daily administrations over a 2-week period of the Depression Adjective Check List (DACL) and the Wessman-Ricks Elation-Depression Mood Scales. Monozygotic twins resembled one another more than dizygotic twins in most measures of both level and lability of mood, which provides modest evidence for a genetic influence on subclinical levels of depression. Implications of these findings for the continuity hypothesis of depression are discussed.
The thematic apperception test: A review

Abstract The development of the Thematic Apperception Test and subsequent variations in the method of administering, scoring and interpreting the test, as well as standardization attempts by Eron, Murstein, Dana, Arnold and McClelland and Atkinson are covered. At present only about two-thirds of the doctoral programs in clinical, counseling, and school psychology are teaching the TAT, and the majority of these programs are teaching nonstandardized techniques of interpretation. If the TAT is to meet the criteria of adequate reliability and validity, a large-scale effort is needed to develop a standardized test that may be easily scored and interpreted. This would be worthwhile, because research suggests that the TAT method elicits material regarding attitudes and motivation that is not adequately elicited by other methods.
Discoursal Negotiation of Identity in the Writing of Adult Students:: A Case Study

In this article, I extend the academic conversation about writing and identity by investigating the experiences of one adult student negotiating the transition between professional and academic communities and identities. Drawing on a framework articulated by Ivanic (1998), I examine the interaction between the writer’s autobiographical self, the socially available possibilities for self-hood, and the discoursal self the student constructs in a single instance of academic writing. I argue that the primary writerly identity this student constructs in his text is a workplace or professional identity and show how this identity is not entirely coherent but reflects the process of identity transition the student was facing on the job at the time. I use this case study to draw attention to the negotiations some adult students pursuing postsecondary study make, especially those with well-established workplace identities, as they face the challenge of composing new identities in academic settings. I further suggest that the challenge of identity negotiation is one faced by all writers, not just adults, and that this is a challenge we must account for in our teaching and research.
Generating Triangulated Macromolecular Surfaces by Euclidean Distance Transform

Macromolecular surfaces are fundamental representations of their three-dimensional geometric shape. Accurate calculation of protein surfaces is of critical importance in the protein structural and functional studies including ligand-protein docking and virtual screening. In contrast to analytical or parametric representation of macromolecular surfaces, triangulated mesh surfaces have been proved to be easy to describe, visualize and manipulate by computer programs. Here, we develop a new algorithm of EDTSurf for generating three major macromolecular surfaces of van der Waals surface, solvent-accessible surface and molecular surface, using the technique of fast Euclidean Distance Transform (EDT). The triangulated surfaces are constructed directly from volumetric solids by a Vertex-Connected Marching Cube algorithm that forms triangles from grid points. Compared to the analytical result, the relative error of the surface calculations by EDTSurf is <2–4% depending on the grid resolution, which is 1.5–4 times lower than the methods in the literature; and yet, the algorithm is faster and costs less computer memory than the comparative methods. The improvements in both accuracy and speed of the macromolecular surface determination should make EDTSurf a useful tool for the detailed study of protein docking and structure predictions. Both source code and the executable program of EDTSurf are freely available at http://zhang.bioinformatics.ku.edu/EDTSurf.
The short time horizon in the Russian mind

Abstract An individual's vision of the future is an important factor that shapes his or her quality of life and behavior. The character and intensity of this factor varies from society to society, group to group, and from one moment to the next. Four actors are central to the analysis of the Russians' perspective of the future: the leadership, political elites, business elites and the masses. The members of each of these groups have their own “time horizon,” that is, the length of time in the future that influences their decisions, moods, and quality of life. The length of this period depends mostly on how they perceive the level of stability in society, now and in the future. As an actor's pessimism about the future increases, the time horizon decreases. In extreme cases, the person's time horizon can decline to the point where they disregard what may or may not happen tomorrow. Another important factor is the power and readiness of the particular actor to influence the future of society and its institutions, not to mention their own lives. When people believe that it is impossible to change the future, or the fate of their nation, they become either fatalistic, or tend to violate social norms, resulting in crime, corruption and violence. The leadership and the elites in the country play an important role in influencing whether the masses believe that something can be done to change the nation for the better.
Cellular and humoral immune responses to mycobacterial stress proteins in experimental pulmonary tuberculosis

Abstract Objective: Immunity to mycobacterial stress protein antigens was studied in response to vaccination and/or virulent infection. Design: Guinea pigs, either vaccinated with Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), infected by the pulmonary route with virulent M. tuberculosis, or vaccinated then infected, were studied for the development of cellular and humoral immunity to two recombinant mycobacterial stress proteins, hsp 65 and hsp 70. Results: Recombinant hsp 70 stimulated good proliferation in blood lymphocytes and, to a lesser extent, spleen and bronchotracheal lymph node lymphocytes from BCG-vaccinated guinea pigs. The proliferative responses to hsp 70 were diminished in both the spleen and lymph node cells following subsequent pulmonary challenge alone, but were boosted significantly by prior vaccination. Recombinant hsp 65 was much less active at inducing the proliferation of spleen and lymph node cells, with lowest responses observed in blood lymphocytes occurring in the cells from BCG-vaccinated, aerosol-challenged guinea pigs. Using a semi-quantitative dot blot procedure, serum antibodies to both hsp 65 and hsp 70 developed gradually following BCG vaccination, with all guinea pigs studied exhibiting significant seroreactivity after 15 weeks post-vaccination. In guinea pigs exposed to virulent M. tuberculosis by aerosol, serologic reactivity to hsp 70 was consistently stronger 6 weeks post-challenge in both vaccinated and non-vaccinated guinea pigs. In fact, 6 weeks following pulmonary exposure to M. tuberculosis in previously naive guinea pigs, 3 out of 6 animals had no detectable serum antibodies to hsp 65. Somewhat surprisingly, antibody levels to both hsp 65 and hsp 70 were only slightly increased by prior BCG vaccination in guinea pigs exposed to virulent M. tuberculosis by the respiratory route. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that both hsp 65 and hsp 70 stimulate detectable humoral and cell-mediated immunity in guinea pigs vaccinated and/or infected under highly relevant conditions. There is little evidence that vaccination with BCG primes the guinea pig to make an anamnestic response to hsp 65 following virulent pulmonary challenge. The precise contribution of immunity to mycobacterial stress proteins to the pathogenesis of tuberculosis in this model remains to be elucidated.
The concern manipulation environment [OOPSLA/GPCE]

The Concern Manipulation Environment (CME) aims to provide a set of open, extensible components and a set of tools that promote aspect-oriented software development (AOSD) throughout the software lifecycle. It has two main goals:To provide an open, integrated development environment (IDE) to enable software engineers to use AOSD techniques throughout the software lifecycle, and to allow them to use different AOSD approaches in an integrated manner.To promote the rapid development of new tools supporting AOSD at any stage of the software lifecycle, and to serve as an integrating platform for such tools, facilitating development and experimentation with new AOSD approaches.This demonstration will highlight a number of tools and components that are useful to software developers and to AOSD tool providers and researchers. Tools for software developers include ones that allow developers to identify, model and visualize concerns, aspects and relationships in their software, covering software artifacts of any type, including both code and non-code artifacts, and including latent concerns or aspects that were not separated in the artifacts; that enable flexible queries over software; and that compose/integrate aspects and other concerns. For AOSD tool providers and researchers, the demonstration will describe some of the CME's support for integration of tools and approaches within the environment, highlighting the integration of Java, AspectJ and Ant artifacts within the CME, and how to use the CME's extensible components to create new AOSD tools or prototypes rapidly.
Flight performance of a Shuttle-based image motion compensation system for the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope

The design of the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) Image Motion Compensation System developed for the Columbia's Astro-1 mission is described, and the performance improvements derived through the use of this system are discussed. Flight data are presented, demonstrating the superb image stability achieved by UIT resulting in outstanding scientific data returns.
The butterfly effect under STV

Abstract This note presents an example of the sometimes chaotic character of the single transferable vote (STV) that is both somewhat simpler, and even more striking, than previous examples, and it offers several comments about the practical and theoretical implications of this feature of STV.
Diallel analyses of water intake, body weight, and percent hernoconcentration in male mice

Water intake, body weight, and percent hemoconcentration were studied in 298 male mice using a diallel cross involving three strains and their reciprocal hybrids. Proportions of total genetic variance ranged from 0.18 to 0.30. Proportions of variance due to common genic contributions of the paternal lines were low, as expected from characters closely related to fitness. However, the relative contributions of the common genic and the genetic interaction variance differed with each character.
Plateletapheresis with a next generation blood cell separator

Procedure time has been identified as the-most important element in apheresis platelet donor retention. Fenwal has developed a next generation apheresis system, the Amicus, with the intent of efficiently producing high platelet yields with low WBC content in much shorter processing times than currently available. This report describes the Amicus and presents results of a clinical trial of an Amicus prototype and a comparison to Fenwal CS 3000+. Thirty Amicus double-needle plateletapheresis procedures were evaluated. Average processing time was 61 +/- 16 min with 63% of the processing times < or = 60 min. The average preplatelet count was 246 +/- 46 x 10(3)/microliter, platelet yield 4.4 +/- 1.2 x 10(11) plt, collection efficiency 73 +/- 14%, platelet collection rate 0.075 +/- 0.016 plt x 10(11)/min and citrate toxicity incidence 3%. A comparison of double-needle procedures, 20 Amicus and 20 CS 3000+, showed that Amicus had significantly shorter (P < .05) processing times (64 +/- 17 vs. 86 +/- 10 min) and higher (P < .05) platelet collection rates (0.070 +/- 0.017 vs. 0.054 +/- 0.018 plt x 10(11)/min) but comparable (P < .05) platelet yields (4.4 +/- 1.4 vs. 4.7 +/- 1.0 x 10(11) plt). Comparison of 13 single and 13 double-needle Amicus procedures showed comparable (P < .05) processing times (71 +/- 13 vs. 65 +/- 18 min), platelet yields (4.7 +/- 1.0 vs. 4.6 +/- 1.5 x 10(11) plt), collection efficiency (74 +/- 7 vs 74 +/- 17%), and platelet collection rates (0.068 +/- 0.020 vs 0.072 +/- 0.018 plt x 10(11)/min). Using normal probability plots of WBC content at 95% confidence level. Amicus can provide products with < 5.0 x 10(6)WBC or < 1.0 x 10(6) WBC in 99.7% or 92.7% of collections, respectively, compared with 69.0% or 44.0%, respectively, for CS 3000+. We found Amicus was able to provide equivalent quantities of platelets with less WBC content in significantly shorter processing times than CS3000+ as well as shown encouraging results for single-needle procedures.
Purification and Characterization of Specific Endogenous Ouabainlike Substance from Bovine Adrenal

Endogenous inhibitors of Na, K-ATPase have been implicated in the pathogenesis of salt-induced hypertension. Despite an intensive search, the inhibitor(s) have long remained elusive. We have been able to purify such an inhibitor from methanol extracts of bovine adrenal glands by multiple steps of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This compound showed striking similarity to the cardiac glycoside ouabain in its dose dependency in the inhibition of Na, K-ATPase and Na-pump activity, competitive binding to the ouabain-binding site, and dependence of these effects on K+ concentration. These results indicate that vertebrate animals contain a regulator of Na, K-ATPase.
Quantum variation of the carrier mass density of Bi at high magnetic fields

Abstract It was observed by means of Alfven wave propagation that the two band model of magnetic quantum levels in Bi due to Smith et al. fails for high magnetic fields parallel to the trigonal direction.
FINE STRUCTURE OF THE SURFACE OF THE CEREBRAL CORTEX OF HUMAN BRAIN

Evidence is presented for the existence of arborizing cytoplasmic processes extending from the surface of the cerebral cortex of human brain into the surrounding fluid medium. These originate from subpial fibrous astrocytes and contain the usual cytoplasmic organelles of those cells. They are bordered by basement membrane. Their occurrence is localized and variable over the cortical surface. They are more prevalent in pathological human material than in "normal" human brain and somewhat more prevalent in the latter than in normal rat cortex. Some additional information is presented regarding the relationship of leptomeninges to the cortical surface. The pia mater does not invariably adhere inseparably to the subjacent layer of fibrous astrocytes as generally assumed at present, nor does it always form a continuous layer over the surface of the brain in the material under study. Both collagen and cytoplasmic extensions of astrocytes intervene between these layers. These findings imply that glial elements of the cortex have direct access to the cerebrospinal fluid.
Acting (to) Out: Approaching Homosexuality in a 15-Year-Old Boy with Anxiety and Depression

JM is a 1.5-year-old, mixed-race boy who lives with his mother and his 11-year-old sister in a suburb of a large East Coast city. At the time of his initial evaluation, he had been living temporari...
Amperometric detection of histamine with a methylamine dehydrogenase polypyrrole-based sensor.

Methylamine dehydrogenase (MADH) has been immobilized in a polypyrrole (PPy) film on an electrode surface and used as an amine sensor for the determination of primary amines. Its response to histamine has been characterized in detail. The PPy film containing MADH was formed electrochemically on a gold minielectrode (1-mm diameter) in the presence of ferricyanide. The film was then coated with Nafion. This enzyme electrode did not require any additional cofactors and was not sensitive to oxygen. It exhibited a maximum response current to histamine at applied potentials of 0.24−0.33 V and at pH 7.5−8.5. This MADH−PPy sensor exhibited a response time of less than 3 s. The immobilized MADH on the electrode exhibited Michaelis−Menten behavior similar to that of the free enzyme in solution with a Km value of 1.3 mM. This sensor could be used to reliably detect histamine over a concentration range from approximately 25 μM to 4 mM. This is the first example of a biosensor that uses an immobilized enzyme that poss...
Molecular biology of HMGA proteins: hubs of nuclear function.

Members of the HMGA (a.k.a. HMGI/Y) family of 'high mobility group' (HMG) proteins participate in a wide variety of nuclear processes ranging from chromosome and chromatin mechanics to acting as architectural transcription factors that regulate the expression of numerous genes in vivo. As a consequence, they function in the cell as highly connected 'nodes' of protein-DNA and protein-protein interactions that influence a diverse array of normal biological processes including growth, proliferation, differentiation and death. The HMGA proteins, likewise, participate in pathological processes by, for example, acting as regulators of viral gene transcription and by serving as host-supplied proteins that facilitate retroviral integration. HMGA genes are bona fide proto-oncogenes that promote tumor progression and metastasis when overexpressed in cells. High constitutive HMGA protein levels are among the most consistent feature observed in all types of cancers with increasing concentrations being correlated with increasing malignancy. The intrinsic attributes that endow the HMGA proteins with these remarkable abilities are a combination of structural, biochemical and biological characteristics that are unique to these proteins. HMGA proteins have little, if any, secondary structure while free in solution but undergo disordered-to-ordered structural transitions when bound to substrates such as DNA or other proteins. Each protein contains three copies of a conserved DNA-binding peptide motif called the 'AT-hook' that preferentially binds to the minor groove of stretches of AT-rich sequence. In vivo HMGA proteins specifically interact with a large number of other proteins, most of which are transcription factors. They are also subject to many types of in vivo biochemical modifications that markedly influence their ability to interact with DNA substrates, other proteins and chromatin. And, most importantly, both the transcription of HMGA genes and the biochemical modifications of HMGA proteins are direct downstream targets of numerous signal transduction pathways making them exquisitely responsive to various environmental influences. This review covers recent advances that have contributed to our understanding of how this constellation of structural and biological features allows the HMGA proteins to serve as central 'hubs' of nuclear function.
Fabry-Pérot resonator for high-field multi-frequency ESR at millimetre and submillimetre wavelengths

The design and performance of a Fabry-Perot (FP) resonator for high-field multi-frequency electron spin resonance (ESR) at microwave frequencies from 110 GHz to 330 GHz and corresponding Zeeman fields between 3.9 T and 12 T (at g = 2) is described. The tunable semiconfocal FP arrangement includes an inductive copper mesh that can be mechanically adjusted to obtain best performance in the entire temperature range from room temperature to 4 K. Sensitivity improvements (as compared to transmission mode experiments without a resonator) of about two orders of magnitude are obtained at 330 GHz. The potential of the configuration for investigating spin systems of low concentration with millimetre and submillimetre ESR is demonstrated on three examples.
Computer graphics and connected topologies on finite ordered sets

Abstract Motivated by a problem in computer graphics, we develop a finite analog of the Jordan curve theorem in the following context. We define a connected topology on a finite ordered set; our plane is then a product of two such spaces with the product topology.
Order of the Proteasomal ATPases and Eukaryotic Proteasome Assembly

The 26S proteasome is responsible for a large fraction of the regulated protein degradation in eukaryotic cells. The enzyme complex is composed of a 20S proteolytic core particle (CP) capped on one or both ends with a 19S regulatory particle (RP). The RP recognizes and unfolds substrates and translocates them into the CP. The RP can be further divided into lid and base subcomplexes. The base contains a ring of six AAA+ ATPases (Rpts) that directly abuts the CP and is responsible for unfolding substrates and driving them into the CP for proteolysis. Although 120 arrangements of the six different ATPases within the ring are possible in principle, they array themselves in one specific order. The high sequence and structural similarity between the Rpt subunits presents special challenges for their ordered association and incorporation into the assembling proteasome. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of proteasomal RP base biogenesis, with emphasis on potential specificity determinants in ring arrangement, and the implications of the ATPase ring arrangement for proteasome assembly.
The fuzziness index for examining human statistical decision-making

The fuzziness index is described as one of the most efficient and useful experimental tools to examine human decision-making in the area of statistical judgement. This study investigated how statistical significance levels were treated and interpreted by various researchers by using the fuzziness index to measure the degree of fuzziness in hypothesis-testing. The fuzziness index showed a significant association between the magnitude of the fuzziness and the critical point of the human statistical decisions. The research demonstrated the possibility of measuring the human imprecision of the decision boundary, and the effectiveness of the fuzziness index in assessing underlying psychological mechanisms in decision-making. >
Occupant posture analysis with stereo and thermal infrared video: algorithms and experimental evaluation

Dynamic analysis of vehicle occupant posture is a key requirement in designing "smart airbag" systems. Vision-based technology could enable the use of precise information about the occupant's size, posture, and, in particular, position in making airbag-deployment decisions. Novel sensory systems and algorithms need to be developed for capture, analysis, and classification of dynamic video-based information for a new generation of safe airbags. This paper presents a systematic investigation in which stereo and thermal long-wavelength infrared video-based real-time vision systems are developed and systematically evaluated. It also includes the design of several test beds, including instrumented vehicles for systematic experimental studies for the evaluation of independent and comparative evaluation in automobiles. Results of extensive experimental trials suggest basic feasibility of stereo and thermal long-wavelength infrared video-based occupant position and posture-analysis system.
A controlled demonstration of the effectiveness of electric shock in the elimination of chronic infant rumination.

An aversive therapy program was used to eliminate chronic ruminative vomiting in a nine-month-old infant, hospitalized with severe weight loss, malnutrition, and secondary medical complications judged potentially fatal by the pediatric staff. A trial of thickened feedings and continuous maternal attention conducted on the pediatric ward before this intervention proved ineffective. In contrast to previous uncontrolled case reports, the present study included an extended pretreatment baseline and a treatment reversal, in which potentially relevant variables such as ward routines, observers, and apparatus remained constant. During treatment, a series of 0.5-sec shocks were delivered at 0.5-sec intervals when a ruminating sequence was observed and then terminated when it ceased. Shock intensity was set at a level that resulted in a startle response and produced fussing but failed to elicit crying. Treatment location and the individuals present were systematically varied to facilitate generalization. Ruminating dropped from a five-day baseline mean of 114 to a single instance on treatment Day 3. During the three-day treatment reversal, in which the shock source was disconnected, ruminating increased from four instances on the first day to 10 by the third day. Because of clinical considerations, however, shock was re-introduced before ruminating reached pretreatment baseline levels. Reductions in ruminating were accompanied by significant weight gains, a decrease in crying, and an increase in interactions with staff and parents. The infant was discharged on the tenth day of the second treatment period. Followup evaluations conducted nine months after discharge showed that, despite several instances in the immediate two-week posttreatment period, rumination no longer occurred and developmental progress was within normal limits. This article presents detailed procedural descriptions, discusses the problem of determining when to terminate treatment, considers nutritional management, and compares the relative effectiveness of an alternative aversive stimulus, concentrated lemon juice.
Adapting a Tier 2 Behavioral Intervention, Check-in/Check-out, to Meet Students’ Needs

Check-in/check-out (CICO) is a resource-efficient, mentor-based, Tier 2 intervention. Various problem behaviors of students with and without disabilities across traditional and alternative school settings have been impacted positively by CICO. Not all students respond to the traditional, five-step approach, however. This article provides an overview of three resource-efficient adaptations educators may consider prior to designing resource-intensive, Tier 3 (i.e., individualized) interventions for students who do not respond to traditional check-in/check-out.
Health promotion in megachurches: an untapped resource with megareach?

Introduction.In the United States, megachurches (churches with 2,000+ attendance) represent a community institution with extensive reach within the population. Despite this potential for reach, the current health promotion practices of megachurches are unknown. This study aimed to document current health promotion activities and resources for health promotion in megachurches.Method.Staff at megachurches were recruited to take an online survey of health promotion programs, health promotion–related beliefs, barriers, and existing resources.Results.Respondents (n = 110 churches) indicated that churches were primarily Baptist (23.6%) or nondenominational (21.1%), had 2,500 to 4,999 congregation members (44.5%), primarily White congregation members (83.5%), and 31 to 60 employees (45.4%). Churches reported 4.73 ± 2.54 activities/year, most commonly reporting clubs or teams related to physical activity (74.5%), hands-on classes (65.5%), and educational activities (59.1%). Most churches (39.1%) reported their pr...
Twisting tongues and memories: Explorations of the relationship between language production and verbal working memory

Many accounts of working memory posit specialized storage mechanisms for the maintenance of serial order. We explore an alternative, that maintenance is achieved through temporary activation in the language production architecture. Four experiments examined the extent to which the phonological similarity effect can be explained as a sublexical speech error. Phonologically similar nonword stimuli were ordered to create tongue twister or control materials used in four tasks: reading aloud, immediate spoken recall, immediate typed recall, and serial recognition. Dependent measures from working memory (recall accuracy) and language production (speech errors) fields were used. Even though lists were identical except for item order, robust effects of tongue twisters were observed. Speech error analyses showed that errors were better described as phoneme rather than item ordering errors. The distribution of speech errors was comparable across all experiments and exhibited syllable-position effects, suggesting an important role for production processes. Implications for working memory and language production are discussed.
A Comparison of DL-Methionine and Liquimeth® as a Source of Supplemental Methionine for the Turkey Poult

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy of DL-methionine and DL-methionine-Na (Liquimeth®) 2 as a source of methionine for the turkey poult. A corn-soybean meal diet containing sulfate-free trace minerals and no supplemental choline was used. In two experiments the poults were fed the experimental diets from 1 to 21 days of age. The experimental diets and deionized water were offered ad libitum. A linear increase in growth was obtained by adding increments of either DL-methionine or Liquimeth. There were no significant differences in body weight of poults receiving equivalent amounts of methionine from the two sources. Feed efficiency was also equal for each level of supplemental methionine from the two sources.
Experience-dependent plasticity in white matter microstructure: reasoning training alters structural connectivity

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) techniques have made it possible to investigate white matter plasticity in humans. Changes in DTI measures, principally increases in fractional anisotropy (FA), have been observed following training programs as diverse as juggling, meditation, and working memory. Here, we sought to test whether three months of reasoning training could alter white matter microstructure. We recruited participants (n = 23) who were enrolled in a course to prepare for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), a test that places strong demands on reasoning skills, as well as age- and IQ-matched controls planning to take the LSAT in the future (n = 22). DTI data were collected at two scan sessions scheduled three months apart. In trained participants but not controls, we observed decreases in radial diffusivity (RD) in white matter connecting frontal cortices, and in mean diffusivity (MD) within frontal and parietal lobe white matter. Further, participants exhibiting larger gains on the LSAT exhibited greater decreases in MD in the right internal capsule. In summary, reasoning training altered multiple measures of white matter structure in young adults. While the cellular underpinnings are unknown, these results provide evidence of experience-dependent white matter changes that may not be limited to myelination.
The Ising model, the Yang-Lee edge singularity, and 2D quantum gravity

Abstract We consider one-and two-matrix models recently used to define nonperturbative 2D quantum gravity. We prove the equivalence of the m = 3 multicritical one-matrix model and the Yang-Lee edge singularity coupled to 2D quantum gravity. We also derive formulae for the correlation functions for the Yang-Lee edge singularity and for the Ising model in their summed over topologies formulations.
Structure in personal networks

Most personal (egocentric) network studies describe networks using measures that are not structural, opting instead for attribute-based analyses that summarize the relationships of the respondent to network members. Those researchers that have used structural measures have done so on networks of less than 10 members who represent the network core. Although much has been learned by focusing on attribute-based analyses of personal network data, the application of structural analyses that are traditionally used on whole (sociocentric) network data may prove fruitful. The utility of this approach becomes apparent when the sample of network members elicited is relatively large. Forty six respondents freelisted 60 network members and evaluated tie strength between all 1,770 unique pairs of members. Graph-based measures of cohesion and subgroups revealed variability in the personal network structure. Non-hierarchical clustering generated subgroups which were subsequently verified by respondents as meaningful. Further analysis of the correlation between subgroup types and overlap between subgroups demonstrates how the analysis of each network can be summarized across subjects. Four case studies are presented to illustrate the richness of the data and the value of contrasting individual matrix results to the norm as defined by all 45 subjects.
Central projections of melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells in the mouse

A rare type of ganglion cell in mammalian retina is directly photosensitive. These novel retinal photoreceptors express the photopigment melanopsin. They send axons directly to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), intergeniculate leaflet (IGL), and olivary pretectal nucleus (OPN), thereby contributing to photic synchronization of circadian rhythms and the pupillary light reflex. Here, we sought to characterize more fully the projections of these cells to the brain. By targeting tau-lacZ to the melanopsin gene locus in mice, ganglion cells that would normally express melanopsin were induced to express, instead, the marker enzyme beta-galactosidase. Their axons were visualized by X-gal histochemistry or anti-beta-galactosidase immunofluorescence. Established targets were confirmed, including the SCN, IGL, OPN, ventral division of the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGv), and preoptic area, but the overall projections were more widespread than previously recognized. Targets included the lateral nucleus, peri-supraoptic nucleus, and subparaventricular zone of the hypothalamus, medial amygdala, margin of the lateral habenula, posterior limitans nucleus, superior colliculus, and periaqueductal gray. There were also weak projections to the margins of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. Co-staining with the cholera toxin B subunit to label all retinal afferents showed that melanopsin ganglion cells provide most of the retinal input to the SCN, IGL, and lateral habenula and much of that to the OPN, but that other ganglion cells do contribute at least some retinal input to these targets. Staining patterns after monocular enucleation revealed that the projections of these cells are overwhelmingly crossed except for the projection to the SCN, which is bilaterally symmetrical.
Indoor bioaerosol dynamics.

Inhaling indoor air is the primary means by which humans are exposed to bioaerosols. Considering bacteria, fungi, viruses, this paper reviews the dynamic processes that govern indoor concentrations and fates of biological particulate material. Bioaerosol behavior is coupled to particle size; this paper emphasizes the range 0.1-10 μm in aerodynamic diameter. The principle of material balance allows concentrations to be determined from knowledge of important source and removal processes. Sources reviewed here include outdoor air introduced by ventilation plus indoor emission from occupants, occupant activities, and moldy materials. Important mechanisms that remove bioaerosols from indoor air include ventilation, deposition onto indoor surfaces, and active filtration. The review summarizes knowledge about size-dependent particle deposition in different regions of the respiratory tract, techniques for measuring indoor bioaerosols, and evidence for diseases caused by airborne exposure to bioaerosols. Future research challenges and opportunities are highlighted.
Predicted Performance of a Ceramic Foam Gas Phase Heat Recuperator for a Solar Thermochemical Reactor

The efficiency of solar thermochemical cycles to split water and carbon dioxide depends in large part on highly effective gas phase heat recovery. Heat recovery is imperative for approaches that rely on an inert sweep gas to reach low partial pressures of oxygen during thermal reduction and/or use excess oxidizer to provide a higher thermodynamic driving potential for fuel production. In this paper, we analyze heat transfer and pressure drop of a tube-in-tube ceramic heat exchanger for the operating conditions expected in a prototype solar reactor for isothermal cycling of ceria. The ceramic tubes are filled with reticulated porous ceramic (RPC). The impacts of the selection of the composition and morphology of the RPC on heat transfer and pressure drop are explored via computational analysis. Results indicate a 10 pore per inch (ppi), 80–85% porous alumina RPC yields effectiveness from 85 to 90 percent.© 2014 ASME
Reliability of Readmission Rates as a Hospital Quality Measure in Cardiac Surgery

Background Recent policy interventions have reduced payments to hospitals with higher-than-predicted risk-adjusted readmission rates. However, whether readmission rates reliably discriminate deficiencies in hospital quality is uncertain. We sought to determine the reliability of 30-day readmission rates after cardiac operations as a measure of hospital performance and evaluate the effect of hospital caseload on reliability. Methods We examined national Medicare beneficiaries undergoing coronary artery bypass graft operations for 2006 to 2008 (n = 244,874 patients, n = 1,210 hospitals). First, we performed multivariable logistic regression examining patient factors to calculate a risk-adjusted readmission rate for each hospital. We then used hierarchical modeling to estimate the reliability of this quality measure for each hospital. Finally, we determined the proportion of total variation attributable to three factors: true signal, statistical noise, and patient factors. Results A median of 151 (25% to 75% interquartile range, 79 to 265) coronary artery bypasses were performed per hospital during the 3-year period. The median risk-adjusted 30-day readmission rate was 17.6% (25% to 75% interquartile range, 14.4% to 20.8%). Of the variation in readmission rates, 55% was explained by measurement noise, 4% could be attributed to patient characteristics, and the remaining 41% represented true signal in readmission rates. Only 53 hospitals (4.4%) achieved a proficient level of reliability exceeding 0.70. To achieve this reliability, 599 cases were required during the 3-year period. In 33.7% of hospitals, a moderate degree of reliability exceeding 0.5 was achieved, which required 218 cases. Conclusions The vast majority of hospitals do not achieve a minimum acceptable level of reliability for 30-day readmission rates. Despite recent enthusiasm, readmission rates are not a reliable measure of hospital quality in cardiac surgery.
Toward a nonhuman model of contingency management: effects of reinforcing abstinence from nicotine self-administration in rats with an alternative nondrug reinforcer

Rationale Reinforcing abstinence from drug use with alternative nondrug reinforcers (e.g., contingency management) is one of the most effective interventions for drug abuse. While nonhuman studies have also shown that access to alternative nondrug reinforcers reduces drug self-administration, this effect has not been examined in nicotine self-administration models. Moreover, abstinence contingencies per se under free-operant conditions have not been examined.
Immunologic aspects of human infertility.

Blood sera of 148 infertile patients from the Tyler Clinic was sent to the Bombay laboratory for examination. The macroscopic agglutination technique by Kibrick et al was used for examination of sperm agglutinin. 16 of these samples contained autoagglutinins and 14 isoagglutinins. 220 samples of sera were collected from infertile patients of the Family Welfare Bureau in Bombay. Of these 20 contained autoagglutinins and 17 had isoagglutinins. 3 of the 50 female fertile sera examined with the semen of Donor 1 were +. No + reactions were observed when these sera were tested with semen of other donors. 17 (11.6%) of 146 infertile female specimens tested had + reactions with semen specimens from Donor 1 as compared to 3 with sperm from Donor 2. The results were negative in another group of 132 infertile female sera similarly tested. 18 + reactions among the infertile male specimens (12.2%) were observed with Donor 1; 6 (4.0%) with Donor 2 and 3 (2.3%) with Donor 3. 4+ reactions were noted in the prenatal sera examined but when retested with semen from another donor the results were negative. Autoagglutinins or isoagglutinins were found in 18% of 368 infertile sera when the hemagglutination technique was used to detect sperm agglutinins in blood sera. Sera of unmarried females did not exhibit detectable levels of agglutinins nor did those of married couples whose blood were obtained just before or soon after conception.
In Search Of New Forms

This essay examines language reform in the first two decades of Singapore's independence in 1965, specifically the bilingual education policy and the ‘Speak More Mandarin, Less Dialects’ campaign. The policy and campaign simultaneously divide and restructure the heterogeneous Sinophone community into a cohesive homologous unit with the promotion of Mandarin as the common language among the various Sinitic dialect groups. The policy and campaign also directly impacted the relationship between the Chinese, Indian and Malay communities and their mother tongues. Mandarin was assigned as the mother tongue to all Sinophone Singaporeans, serving as a maternal figure to preserve cultural traditions against western influence in a rapidly modernizing, postcolonial nation-state. This essay analyses three contemporary Sinophone poems, showing how each of them directly or indirectly responds to the impact of the bilingual policy and the ‘Speak Mandarin’ campaign on Singapore society and its literary traditions.
The Luscher Color Test and Buyer/Seller Negotiating Behavior

The Luscher Color Test has been advanced as a relatively simple, but reasonably effective, means of personality assessment. Experimental results from a negotiation role play suggest that different negotiation outcomes may arise depending on the color-predicted personalities of the participants.
Maximum Clique Solver Using Bitsets on GPUs

Finding the maximum clique in a graph is useful for solving problems in many real world applications. However the problem is classified as NP-hard, thus making it very difficult to solve for large and dense graphs. This paper presents one of the only exact maximum clique solvers that takes advantage of the parallelism of Graphical Processing Units (GPUs). The algorithm makes use of bitsets to reduce the amount of storage space needed and take advantage of bit-level parallelism in hardware to increase performance. The results show that the GPU implementation of the algorithm performs better than the corresponding sequential algorithm in almost all cases; performance gains tend to be more prominent on larger graph sizes that can be solved using more levels of parallelism.
Fixed Length Interval Estimation of the Location Parameter of a Pareto Distribution

A sequential fixed-width confidence interval for the location parameter of a Pareto distribution with unknown shape parameter is developed. The procedure Is shown to be asymptotically consistent and asymptotically efficient in the sense of Chow and Robbins (1965).
Teaching as Scholarship: Preparing Students for Professional Practice in Community Services by Jacqui Gingras, Pamela Robinson, Janice Waddell, and Linda Cooper

This book on the scholarship of teaching and learning was written by several members of the Faculty of Community Services, a collective representing nine professional schools: Child and Youth Care,...