cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Verbal and graphical strategies in the teaching of economics

Abstract This study tested the hypothesis that teaching concepts in high school economics first in a familiar mode or symbol system and then elaborating on them in a second or less familiar mode facilitates classroom learning. In an experimental design, 83 high school seniors were individually assigned at random to three classes, which in turn were randomly assigned to three different classroom instructional treatments, each having a duration of 10 hours and taught by the students' regular economics teachers. It was predicted and found that comprehension of economics is facilitated by a teaching strategy that initially presents the concepts in a familiar verbal mode and then presents them in a more abstract mode using graphs or other instructive imagery. This strategy compared favorably with two alternative procedures, one presenting the same content first in graphs and then verbally ( p p
Intestinal digestion and absorption of starch in the intact rat: Effects of cestode (Hymenolepis diminuta) infection

Abstract 1. 1. Gastric emptying and intestinal transit were rapid (0·5 and 3·5 hr, respectively) after administration of a liquid test meal, and digestion of starch was incomplete. 2. 2. Absorption of starch from the liquid test meal was higher in the presence of Hymenolepis diminuta (Cestoda: Cyclophyllidea). 3. 3. Gastric emptying and intestinal transit were slower (4-0 hr and more than 5·0 hr, respectively) after a solid meal, and digestion was essentially complete. 4. 4. Effects of H. diminuta were minor after the solid meal. 5. 5. Tapeworms had no effect on gastric emptying or intestinal transit with either meal type.
Sonographically detected testicular microlithiasis and testicular carcinoma

Testicular microlithiasis is an uncommon abnormality that produces the characteristic sonographic appearance of diffuse, punctate, hyperechoic foci throughout the testicular parenchyma. We have detected this distinctive sonographic pattern in 4 patients during a seven-year period. Three of the patients had proven concurrent testicular carcinoma. We describe our experience and review previous reports of testicular microlithiasis. We conclude that testicular microlithiasis may be associated with testicular neoplasia, and advocate particularly careful evaluation and follow-up of the testes when this abnormality is detected.
TRANSLATION INITIATION OF A CARDIAC VOLTAGE-GATED POTASSIUM CHANNEL BY INTERNAL RIBOSOME ENTRY

The mammalian Kv1.4 voltage-gated potassium channel mRNA contains an unusually long (1.2 kilobases) 5'-untranslated region (UTR) and includes 18 AUG codons upstream of the authentic site of translation initiation. Computer-predicted secondary structures of this region reveal complex stem-loop structures that would serve as barriers to 5' --> 3' ribosomal scanning. These features suggested that translation initiation in Kv1.4 might occur by the mechanism of internal ribosome entry, a mode of initiation employed by a variety of RNA viruses but only a limited number of vertebrate genes. To test this possibility we introduced the 5'-UTR of mouse Kv1.4 mRNA into the intercistronic region of a bicistronic vector containing two tandem reporter genes, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase and luciferase. The control construct translated only the upstream chloramphenicol cistron in transiently transfected mammalian cells. In contrast, the construct containing the mKv1.4 UTR efficiently translated the luciferase cistron as well, demonstrating the presence of an internal ribosome entry segment. Progressive 5' --> 3' deletions localized the activity to a 3'-proximal 200-nucleotide fragment. Suppression of cap-dependent translation by extracts from poliovirus-infected HeLa cells in an in vitro translation assay eliminated translation of the upstream cistron while allowing translation of the downstream cistron. Our results indicate that the 5'-untranslated region of mKv1.4 contains a functional internal ribosome entry segment that may contribute to unusual and physiologically important modes of translation regulation for this and other potassium channel genes.
A temperature-sensitive mutant of Rous sarcoma virus that is defective for replication

Abstract ts 672 is a temperature sensitive mutant of the Prague strain of Rous sarcoma virus which fails to replicate infectious progeny virus at 41 °C. Chick embryo cells infected with ts 672 are transformed as evidenced by focus formation and increased rate of 2-deoxyglucose transport. Rescue of infectious progeny from ts 672-infected cells at 41 °C can be obtained by superinfection with avian leukosis viruses. Avian tumor virus group specific and type specific antigens can be detected in chick embryo cells infected with ts 672 at 41 °C, and physical particles that incorporate 3H-uridine and cosediment with avian tumor viruses on sucrose density gradients are produced in large numbers.
Vaginal hyperpigmentation due to ochronosis.

Abstract Background Ochronosis is a manifestation of alkaptonuria, a rare metabolic disorder. It results in the accumulation of pigment in connective tissues. After several years, ochronosis may produce a distinctive form of degenerative arthritis. Case Vaginal ochronosis was diagnosed in an asymptomatic elderly woman with vaginal hyperpigmentation and severe degenerative arthritis. Conclusion Vaginal hyperpigmentation is a rare clinical finding that necessitates biopsy.
A hybrid boundary element method for shallow water acoustic propagation over an irregular bottom

Abstract A hybrid numerical model combining a boundary element method (BEM) and eigenfunction expansions is developed to solve acoustic wave propagation in shallow water. Waves are assumed harmonic and, therefore, the governing equation reduces to a Helmholtz equation. Accurate numerical integration techniques are implemented in the BEM, for calculating singular and quasi-singular integrals. For the latter, an adaptive integration technique is developed and tested for computational domains with very small aspect ratios, representative of shallow water environments. The model is validated by comparing the numerical solution to analytic solutions for problems with simple boundary geometries (e.g. rectangular, step, and sloped domains). Results indicate good agreement between the two solutions. Effects of node resolution, adaptive integrations, and number of modes in radiated fields, on the accuracy of the solution, are assessed. Finally, the model is used to study acoustic transmission over a rectangular bump in the bottom, as a function of frequency and bump geometry. Expected results are obtained below the first cut-off frequency over the bump, i.e. the transmission of energy beyond the bump through evanescent modes. A similar effect is commonly noted in layered media and is known as ‘tunneling’.
Potentially pathogenic immune cells and networks in apparently healthy lacrimal glands.

Lacrimal glands of people over 40 years old frequently contain lymphocytic infiltrates. Relationships between histopathological presentation and physiological dysfunction are not straightforward. Data from rabbit studies have suggested that at least two immune cell networks form in healthy lacrimal glands, one responding to environmental dryness, the other to high temperatures. New findings indicate that mRNAs for several chemokines and cytokines are expressed primarily in epithelial cells; certain others are expressed in both epithelial cells and immune cells. Transcript abundances vary substantially across glands from animals that have experienced the same conditions, allowing for correlation analyses, which detect clusters that map to various cell types and to networks of coordinately functioning cells. A core network--expressing mRNAs including IL-1α, IL-6, IL-17A, and IL-10--expands adaptively with exposure to dryness, suppressing IFN-γ, but potentially causing physiological dysfunction. High temperature elicits concurrent increases of mRNAs for prolactin (PRL), CCL21, and IL-18. PRL is associated with crosstalk to IFN-γ, BAFF, and IL-4. The core network reacts to the resulting PRL-BAFF-IL-4 network, creating a profile reminiscent of Sjogren's disease. In a warmer, moderately dry setting, PRL-associated increases of IFN-γ are associated with suppression of IL-10 and augmentations of IL-1α and IL-17, creating a profile reminiscent of severe chronic inflammation.
Parameter study and characterization for polyacrylonitrile nanofibers fabricated via centrifugal spinning process

Abstract Electrospinning is currently the most popular method for producing polymer nanofibers. However, the low production rate and safety concern limit the practical use of electrospinning as a cost-effective nanofiber fabrication approach. Herein, we present a novel and simple centrifugal spinning technology that extrudes nanofibers from polymer solutions by using a high-speed rotary and perforated spinneret. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers were prepared by selectively varying parameters that can affect solution intrinsic properties and operational conditions. The resultant PAN nanofibers were characterized by SEM, and XRD. The correlation between fiber morphology and processing conditions was established. Results demonstrated that the fiber morphology can be easily manipulated by controlling the spinning parameters and the centrifugal spinning process is a facile approach for fabricating polymer nanofibers in a large-scale and low-cost fashion.
Why Do (Some) City Police Departments Enforce Federal Immigration Law? Political, Demographic, and Organizational Influences on Local Choices

In 1996, Congress created a new way to enforce national immigration laws, inviting state and local law enforcement personnel to become formally involved in the effort. Why have police departments in some communities embraced increased involvement in immigration enforcement, whereas others have shunned this role? Do local elected officials typically determine the contours of police practice in this area or do police departments act with considerable autonomy in deciding how much to become involved in immigration enforcement? We examine these issues by analyzing data from a national survey of police chiefs in municipalities with populations of 65,000 or more. Our analysis takes account of the possibly endogenous relationship between the policies of city government and the practices of police departments. We find that immigrant-supportive city policy commitments and the presence of a Hispanic police chief are associated with less intensive immigration enforcement by local police. Voter partisanship is also related to police practices, but only in cities with an unreformed form of government. With levels of human migration around the world at historic highs in recent decades, national governments have tightened immigration policies and expanded efforts to enforce them in unprecedented ways. These efforts have notably included the devolution of enforcement responsibility to local governments, social service agencies, and private actors (Guiraudon and Lahav 2000). In the United States, this trend has entailed a reconceptualization of traditional relationships between national and local governments. From its first systematic engagement with immigration legislation in the 1880s, the federal government had asserted essentially sole responsibility for
Scaled-Out Multilayer Gas−Liquid Microreactor with Integrated Velocimetry Sensors

We describe the design and flow distribution of a scaled-out gas−liquid silicon-based microreactor that consists of three vertically stacked reaction layers each containing 20 reaction channels. The reaction channels are operated in parallel from single feeds of gas and liquid with a liquid throughput of 80 mL/h. Gas and liquid are introduced to the device through single inlet ports, flow vertically to the reaction layers, and are controllably distributed to the horizontal reaction channels through gas and liquid auxiliary channels that present pressure drops significantly larger than that across the reaction channels. The product mixture flows out of the device through a single outlet port. Flow visualization by pulsed-laser fluorescence imaging reveals that the flow regime is uniform across the top layer. By integrating waveguided optical multiphase flow sensors, slug-flow properties are measured across the reaction channels on the top and middle layers; comparable slug frequencies and slug velocities a...
A new three-dimensional postmortem method to study the topography of atherosclerosis using profilometry

Abstract The examination of high resolution casts of atherosclerotic arteries with a surface profile projector provides a 3-dimensional method for the measurement of atherosclerotic lesions. Lesions recorded on casts are found to predict gross and microscopic pathology. The contrast and magnification provided afford continuum of atherosclerotic grades from the microscopic to macroscopic range. Lesion size and grade can be related to the geometry of the arterial lumen.
Pathogenesis of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), initially described 40 years ago, is a dynamic clinical entity that continues to affect tens of thousands of premature infants each year. BPD was first characterized as a fibrotic pulmonary endpoint following severe Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS). It was the result of pulmonary healing after RDS, high oxygen exposure, positive pressure ventilation, and poor bronchial drainage secondary to endotracheal intubation in premature infants. With improved treatment for RDS, including surfactant replacement, oxygen saturation monitoring, improved modes of mechanical ventilation, antibiotic therapies, nutritional support, and infants surviving at younger gestations, the clinical picture of BPD has changed. In the following pages, we will summarize the multifaceted pathophysiologic factors leading to the pulmonary changes in "new" BPD, which is primarily characterized by disordered or delayed development. The contribution of hyperoxia and hypoxia, mechanical forces, vascular maldevelopment, inflammation, fluid management, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), nutrition, and genetics will be discussed.
Structural and Toxic Mechanism‐Based Approaches to Designing Safer Chemicals

The sections in this article are Toxicophores Electrophilic Toxicophores Designing Safer Electrophilic Substances Structure–Activity Relationships Aliphatic Carboxylic Acids Organonitriles Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationships (QSARs) Isosteric Substitution as a Strategy for the Design of Safer Chemicals Isosteric Substitution in the Design of Safer Drug Substances Isosteric Substitution in the Design of Safer Pesticides Isosteric Substitution in the Design of Safer Commercial Chemicals Conclusion Disclaimer Keywords: safer chemicals; chemical design; toxicophores; electrophiles; isosteric substitution; green chemistry
Factors Mediating the Relationship Between Social Skills and Academic Grades in a Sample of Students Diagnosed With Learning Disabilities or Emotional Disturbance

Research has found students with high incidence disabilities to be at risk for academic difficulties and school dropout. Using data from the NLTS-2 database, relationships between social skills and grades were examined for students who were diagnosed with learning disabilities or emotional disturbance. Results revealed significant direct and indirect effects of social skills on grades. The specific roles of different types of social skills are examined in relation to grades as are the mediating roles of relationships with students and teachers as well as school enjoyment. Implications for research and practice are presented.
State space approach to security quantification

In this paper, we describe three different state space models for analyzing the security of a software system. In the first part of this paper, we utilize a semi-Markov process (SMP) to model the transitions between the security states of an abstract software system. The SMP model can be solved to obtain the probability of reaching security failed states along with the meantime to security failure (MTTSF). In the second part of the paper, we use a discrete event dynamic system model of security dynamics. We show how to derive events and transitions from existing security taxonomies. We then apply theory of discrete event control to define safety properties of the computer system in terms of the basic concepts of controllability used in discrete event control for two special sublanguages K/sub s/ and K/sub v/. These languages correspond to maximally robust controllable sub-languages. In the third approach, we show that by associating cost with the state transitions, the security quantification problem can be casted as Markov decision problem (MDP). This MOP can be solved to obtain an optimal controllable language K/sub s//spl sube/K/sub v/ the gives the minimal cost safe security policy.
The Effect of Gender on One-Day-Old Infants' Behavior and Heart Rate Responses to Music Decibel Level

The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences among full term infants' responses to music played at a range of decibel levels. These responses were measured by physiological data (heart rate) and behavioral data (behavior state score). All subjects (N = 36) were healthy, 24-48 hours old, and had passed a hearing screening at the time of testing. Heart rate and behavior state were recorded as male (n = 18) and female (n = 18) subjects listened to alternating 3-minute periods of silence and music for 21 minutes. The music--an excerpt of an instrumental lullaby--was presented via small speakers placed on either side of each subject's head and played at three different loudness levels: 55-60 dB, 65-70 dB, and 75-80 dB. Heart rate was measured using a pulse oximeter with a Y-sensor attached to each subject's great toe, and behavior state was measured using a scale adapted from the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (Brazelton & Nugent, 1995). A two-way analysis of variance with repeated measures computed for both order and gender found no significant difference in heart rate or behavior state during the three loudness levels. Possible reasons for this lack of difference include enjoyment of the music regardless of intensity or physical inability to discriminate between the different levels.
SEE evaluation of digital analog converters for space applications

SEE cross-sections were obtained for four different digital to analog converters (DACs). The different types of DAC tested were: the Analog Devices DAC8420, the Analog Devices AD768, the Maxim MAX539, and the Xicor X9C503. Both of the Analog Devices DACs and the Maxim part were seen to be immune to latch-up, not latching even at 120 MeV-cm/sup 2//mg. The Xicor part did latch-up with a threshold of 25 MeV-cm/sup 2//mg. Both Analog Devices DACs had clocked inputs which when constantly clocked rendered the device immune to SEU on the output line. The Xicor DAC had no clock option or function. All four devices had thresholds around 5 MeV-cm/sup 2//Mg for output SEU.
Modeling Latently Infected Cell Activation: Viral and Latent Reservoir Persistence, and Viral Blips in HIV-infected Patients on Potent Therapy

Although potent combination therapy is usually able to suppress plasma viral loads in HIV-1 patients to below the detection limit of conventional clinical assays, a low level of viremia frequently can be detected in plasma by more sensitive assays. Additionally, many patients experience transient episodes of viremia above the detection limit, termed viral blips, even after being on highly suppressive therapy for many years. An obstacle to viral eradication is the persistence of a latent reservoir for HIV-1 in resting memory CD4+ T cells. The mechanisms underlying low viral load persistence, slow decay of the latent reservoir, and intermittent viral blips are not fully characterized. The quantitative contributions of residual viral replication to viral and the latent reservoir persistence remain unclear. In this paper, we probe these issues by developing a mathematical model that considers latently infected cell activation in response to stochastic antigenic stimulation. We demonstrate that programmed expansion and contraction of latently infected cells upon immune activation can generate both low-level persistent viremia and intermittent viral blips. Also, a small fraction of activated T cells revert to latency, providing a potential to replenish the latent reservoir. By this means, occasional activation of latently infected cells can explain the variable decay characteristics of the latent reservoir observed in different clinical studies. Finally, we propose a phenomenological model that includes a logistic term representing homeostatic proliferation of latently infected cells. The model is simple but can robustly generate the multiphasic viral decline seen after initiation of therapy, as well as low-level persistent viremia and intermittent HIV-1 blips. Using these models, we provide a quantitative and integrated prospective into the long-term dynamics of HIV-1 and the latent reservoir in the setting of potent antiretroviral therapy.
Preliminary Report on the results obtained by duplicate measurements of specific gravity of sea-water by the Knudsen and plummet methods

During the summer of 1930 in connection with certain studies of the fertility of coastal waters, an investigation of the reliability of the assumption that the halogen salts bear a definite relation to the total salt-content of coastal waters, and consequently the specific gravity, was carried out. Observations were made on the waters of two bays bordering the Gulf of Maine: Frenchmans Bay with a salinity range of about 31.80 ‰ to 32.48 ‰ (June to August 1930) and Penobscot Bay with a salinity range of 0.46 ‰ to 32.29 ‰ (August 21 to 24, 1930). The density (σ0) of each sample of water was determined by two distinct methods: (1) By Knudsen's method of chloride-titration and calculation of σ0 by means of Knudsen's hydrographical tables, and (2) by ascertaining the weight of a calibrated glass-plummet in the water-sample at a known temperature. The former method gives a value of σ0 based on the asumption that the halogen salts bear a definite relation to the total salts dissolved in sea-water (σ0 = -0.069 + 1.4708 Cl - 0.001570 Cl2 + 0.0000398 Cl3) and the latter density-value is based directly on the total salt-content of the water irrespective of the proportions in which the various salts are dissolved. Hence, the latter density-value is regarded as the actual one and a comparison of the two series of density-values indicates the validity of assuming a constant relationship of halogen to total salt dissolved in the coastal waters studied.
The Politics of Effacement: Diego de Hojeda's Humble Poetics

The object of this study is the nature of narrative voice in La Christiada. It would be fashionable, perhaps, to argue for a ‘re-reading’ of the text of Diego de Hojeda, but this is not possible when the number of Golden-Age scholars who have read it is so small. Likewise, most Latin Americanists only know the work through anthologized fragments, despite its inclusion by many of them into the field of Spanish American colonial literature. For this reason, I feel it necessary to preface my analysis of Hojeda's narratology with some observations about the scholarly neglect of La Christiada and works of its kind.
Involved-vigilant parenting and socio-emotional well-being among black youth: the moderating influence of natural mentoring relationships.

Positive relationships with parents and nonpa- rental adults have the potential to bolster Black adoles- cents' socio-emotional well-being. Though each type of intergenerational relationship has been linked to more positive youth outcomes, few studies have examined the interactive influences of parenting and natural mentoring relationships on the socio-emotional development of Black youth. In the current study, we examined associations between involved-vigilant parenting and the psychological well-being and social skills of Black early adolescents (n = 259; 58 % female; mean age = 13.56, SD = .96) across types of natural mentoring relationships. Using K-means cluster analysis, we identified two types of mentoring relationships (less connected and more con- nected) based on relationship length, involvement, close- ness, and frequency of contact. Youth with more connected mentoring relationships (n = 123) had higher psychologi- cal well-being and social skills than youth with no mentor (n = 64) or less connected mentors (n = 72). Youth without a natural mentor and youth with less connected mentors did not differ in their levels of social skills or psychological well-being. Structural equation modeling was conducted to determine if associations between involved-vigilant parenting and youths' psychological well-being and social skills varied among youth with a more connected mentoring relationship in comparison to youth without a mentor or with a less connected mentor, controlling for participants' gender, age, school, and parental education. The positive associations between involved-vigilant parenting and adolescents' psychological well-being and social skills were weaker among adoles- cents with a more connected mentoring relationship in comparison to their peers without or with a less connected mentoring relationship. These results suggest that youth may be more strongly influenced by involved-vigilant parenting in the absence of a strongly connected natural mentoring relationship.
An Exploratory Study of the Curriculum Development Process of a Complementary Education Program for Marginalized Communities in Northern Ghana

AbstractComplementary education programs have emerged as a useful tool for addressing the educational needs of marginalized communities in the developing world. The literature attributes the success of these complementary education programs to innovative school organization, curriculum development, and community participation. This article is based on a recent ethnographic study that explored the curriculum development process of School for Life (SFL), a complementary education program operating in northern Ghana. The objective of the study was to understand the elements of the SFL curriculum, to explore the different stages of the curriculum development process, and to investigate the stakeholders and their roles in the process. The scope of the article includes the background, the analytical framework, the context of education in northern Ghana, the SFL program, the SFL curriculum development process, and conclusion. Initially, the study revealed that the program utilized elements of both technical and ...
Chronic Sodium Valproate Selectively Decreases Protein Kinase C α and ε In Vitro

Valproic acid (VPA) is a fatty acid antiepileptic with demonstrated antimanic properties, but the molecular mechanism or mechanisms underlying its therapeutic efficacy remain to be elucidated. In view of the increasing evidence demonstrating effects of the first-line antimanic drug, lithium, on protein kinase C (PKC), we investigated the effects of VPA on various aspects of this enzyme. Chronic exposure (6-7 days) of rat C6 glioma cells to "therapeutic" concentrations (0.6 mM) of VPA resulted in decreased PKC activity in both membrane and cytosolic fractions and increased the cytosol/membrane ratio of PKC activity. Western blot analysis revealed isozyme-selective decreases in the levels of PKC alpha and epsilon (but not delta or zeta) in both the membrane and cytosolic fractions after chronic VPA exposure; VPA added to reaction mixtures did not alter PKC activity or 3H-phorbol ester binding. Together, these data suggest that chronic VPA indirectly lowers the levels of specific isozymes of PKC in C6 cells. Given the pivotal role of PKC in regulating neuronal signal transduction and modulating intracellular cross-talk between neurotransmitter systems, the specific decreases in PKC alpha and epsilon may play a role in the antimanic effects of VPA.
A monolithic Hough transform processor based on restructurable VLSI

The implementation of a Hough transform processor using a wafer-scale-integration technology, restructurable VLSI circuit is described. The Hough transform is typically used as a grouping operation in an image processing sequence. The transform discussed here groups pixels in order to extract linear features. This calculation is realized with a wafer-scale processor that allows a complete line extraction system to be integrated on a single PC board. Also discussed is the use of the CAD tools that allowed this processor to be realized without incurring silicon layout and processing overhead. >
Thermally Stable Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Photoresists for Fabrication of Photonic Band Gap Structures with Direct Laser Writing

A recently developed methylsilsesquioxane-based photoresist is combined with direct laser writing to define 3D microstructures (see image). Because the resulting structures exhibit thermal stability above 500 °C without cracking or significant distortions, they should allow photonic crystals and other microstructures to be obtained from a large variety of materials. This is demonstrated by infiltrating a “woodpile” photonic crystal with silicon using chemical vapor deposition.
Gate oxide failures due to anomalous stress from HBM ESD testers

An unexpected and serious effect from the ESD HBM tester causing gate oxide failure in input buffers is reported in this paper. The most significant finding is that this unwarranted stress comes from the tester relay and gives rise to false HBM evaluation. In this paper we investigate this new effect on gate oxide reliability and establish the safe control limits for proper output of the state-of-the-art ESD simulator waveforms.
Scholarship and the Professional Identity of Community College Faculty Members

The institutional culture of community colleges often fosters a professional identity among faculty members that sees research, publication, and other forms of out-of-class scholarship as detrimental to teaching and student learning. But the professional associations established by and for community college faculty members in specific academic disciplines have forged a path to an alternative professional identity that recognizes disciplinary scholarship as an essential part of faculty work. This chapter examines how the associations have fostered the social conditions for the development of this alternative professional identity.
The evaluation of Murray's law in Psilotum nudum (Psilotaceae), an analogue of ancestral vascular plants.

Previous work has shown that the xylem of seed plants follows Murray’s law when conduits do not provide structural support to the plant. Here, compliance with Murray’s law was tested in the stem photosynthesizer Psilotum nudum, a seedless vascular plant. Psilotum nudumwas chosen because the central stele does not provide structural support, which means that Murray’s law is applicable, and because its simple shoot structure resembles the earliest vascular plants. Murray’s law predicts that the sum of the conduit radii cubed (Sr3) should decrease in direct proportion with the volume flow rate ( Q) to maximize the hydraulic conductance per unit vascular investment. Agreement with Murray’s law was assessed by estimating the transpiration rate distal to a cross-section, which should determine Q under steady state conditions, and comparing that with the Sr3 of that cross-section. As predicted, regressions between the Sr3 of the cross-section and Q resulted in a linear relationship with a y-intercept that was not different from zero. Two more rigorous statistical tests were also unable to reject Murray’s law. Psilotum nudumplants also increased their conductance per investment by having more conduits distally than proximally, which is more efficient hydraulically than equal or declining conduit numbers
Carbon dioxide sensor mechanism of porous hydroxyapatite ceramics

Hydroxyapatite and C1{sup {minus}} containing hydroxyapatite powders are prepared and characterized. Reversible substitution of CO{sup 2{minus}}{sub 3} for OH{sup {minus}} at the surface is presumed to be responsible for the sensor function. The role of C1{sup {minus}}, which is necessary to realize the sensor function and is incorporated during soaking treatment, is considered as follows. It may reduce the strain caused by the incorporation of CO{sup 2{minus}}{sub 3} (which is larger than OH{sup {minus}}), and hence, promote the reversible substitution reaction. This behavior is presumed because C1{sup {minus}}-containing hydroxyapatite samples exhibit sensor characteristics typical of CO{sub 2} without any treatment.
The challenge of documenting water quality benefits of conservation practices: a review of USDA-ARS's conservation effects assessment project watershed studies

The Conservation Effects Assessment Project was established to quantify water quality benefits of conservation practices supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In 2004, watershed assessment studies were begun in fourteen agricultural watersheds with varying cropping systems, landscapes, climate, and water quality concerns. This paper reviews USDA Agricultural Research Service ‘Benchmark’ watershed studies and the challenge of identifying water quality benefits in watersheds. Study goals included modeling and field research to assess practices, and evaluation of practice placement in watersheds. Not all goals were met within five years but important lessons were learned. While practices improved water quality, problems persisted in larger watersheds. This dissociation between practice-focused and watershed-scale assessments occurred because: (1) Conservation practices were not targeted at critical sources/pathways of contaminants; (2) Sediment in streams originated more from channel and bank erosion than from soil erosion; (3) Timing lags, historical legacies, and shifting climate combined to mask effects of practice implementation; and (4) Water quality management strategies addressed single contaminants with little regard for trade-offs among contaminants. These lessons could help improve conservation strategies and set water quality goals with realistic timelines. Continued research on agricultural water quality could better integrate modeling and monitoring capabilities, and address ecosystem services.
Serological Markers of Digestive Tract Cancers

Serum protein biomarkers offer the potential to diagnose and monitor GI tumors with simple, quantitative, easily automated, and inexpensive assays. Unfortunately the diagnostic accuracy of current and most prospective markers is insufficient to recommend their use in isolation for tumor detection, especially in the general population. In contrast, the role of serum protein markers in monitoring the response to treatment is well accepted, particularly for the Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) in colorectal cancer. Other glycoprotein markers, such as CA19-9 and CA242, have shown some value, particularly in combination with CEA, in detecting and monitoring advanced GI cancers. The list of newer, potential markers is large and likely to expand at an increasing rate, especially in consequence of large-scale “omic” approaches. While comprehensive proteomic approaches are unlikely to be used in the near future, combinatorial panels of selected markers offering increased sensitivity and specificity are expected to replace single biomarkers in the evaluation of patients with GI tumors.
Fibroma of the ovary with ascites and hydrothorax

Abstract Two cases of benign solid fibroma of the ovary associated with ascites and hydrothorax are here described. In both patients the left ovary was the site of the tumor, and the patients' ages were 45 and 37 years, respectively. The hydrothorax was on the left side in one case and bilateral in the other. A mild cardiac decompensation is suggested as the cause of the ascites and hydrothorax, as disclosed by the necropsy in the second case.
Do Cross-Listed Firms Get More Than They Deserve from Listing in US Markets?

We compare mean quarterly size-adjusted returns across portfolios of cross-listed firms that fail to meet, meet or beat analysts' earnings forecasts. While we confirm the result in prior literature that cross-listed firms that meet or beat analysts' earnings expectations enjoy a higher return over the quarter than cross-listed firms that fail to meet those expectations, we also find that despite documented differences in the regulatory environments of cross-listed firms, investors appear to react similarly to cross-listed and US firms that meet or beat analysts' earnings expectations even when the sample of cross-listed firms includes only firms from the weakest regulatory environments. These findings suggest that investors do not fully consider the information risks in cross-listed firms' regulatory environments when assessing cross-listed firms' earnings.
Mathematical analysis of partial discharges in an electrical insulation structure with AC ramp input voltage

In this work, a dynamic mathematical model is derived relating the ramp power frequency voltage applied to a rod-plane gap with a polymer nano composite dielectric barrier and the resultant values of maximum partial discharges. These partial discharges lead to an electric field which is intrinsically complex due to the charges being sprayed, recombined, trapped and redistributed thus leading to a constantly varying combined electric field that influences the consequent partial discharge behavior. Further, the interactions between the applied voltage and the emanating partial discharges are also governed by the dielectric characteristics of the base polymer as well as the type and content of the nanofiller. Since, a deterministic relation cannot be established between the applied voltage and maximum partial discharge magnitude, a dynamic mathematical model is derived between the two. In a practical insulation system, this technique will enable us to precisely predict the magnitude of partial discharges at a given applied voltage given the time history records of applied voltage and corresponding maximum partial discharge magnitudes. The methods adopted and the results obtained are presented.
Ultrastructure of Zoospores of the Oomycete Apodachlya Pyrifera

ABSTRACTProposed phylogenetic relationships between members of the order Leptomitales and other Oomycetes are controversial. Whereas some members of the Leptomitales have developmental similarities...
Patient-Controlled Fentanyl Iontophoretic Transdermal System Improved Postoperative Mobility Compared to Intravenous Patient-Controlled Analgesia Morphine: A Pooled Analysis of Randomized, Controlled Trials.

Background Postoperative pain management protocols that use patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) can hinder mobility due to attached machinery and tubing. Immobility in the postoperative setting can increase complications, length of stay (LOS), and costs. Early and enhanced mobilization can reduce the cost of care while improving patient outcomes. A needle-free, compact, patient-activated, and portable fentanyl iontophoretic transdermal system (fentanyl ITS, IONSYS; The Medicines Company, Parsippany NJ) has been shown to provide comparable efficacy and tolerability to intravenous (IV) PCA morphine that promotes improved mobility. Methods This pooled analysis of 1,882 patients across three randomized, controlled trials compared fentanyl ITS to IV PCA morphine for postoperative pain management. Outcomes of patient mobility were assessed by a validated Patient Ease of Care Questionnaire that was given to patients, patients' nurses, and physical therapists involved in patient care. Safety was assessed via spontaneously reported treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAE). Results Fentanyl ITS significantly improved overall patient mobility, each mobility subscore (P < 0.0001) across all demographics (male/female; elderly/non-elderly; normal BMI/overweight/obese/morbidly obese) and surgery types, and was consistent across nurses and physical therapists mobility assessments. TEAEs were generally similar between the two groups. However, more patients reported an opioid-related TEAE with morphine IV PCA than with fentanyl IV PCA (P = 0.003). Conclusion Due to improved mobility with fentanyl ITS, complications are expected to be less frequent than with IV PCA and epidural PCA. Incorporation of this strategy into postoperative pain management protocols may reduce LOS and total hospital costs.
Quality of life in pediatric brain tumor patients treated with proton therapy: a review of the literature

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Primary brain tumors are the most common solid cancer of childhood, and treatment involves surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. Although radiation therapy is an effective treatment, the effect on children in the long term is concerning. Proton beam therapy (PBT) exploits the favorable characteristics of charged particle beams to deliver less radiation dose to normal tissues. As cancer treatment improves, and as children live longer, attention has turned to maximizing health-related quality of life.Areas covered: Within this review, we summarize the literature on proton beam therapy and health-related quality of life instruments and the trials that have evaluated the impact of radiation therapy on health-related quality of life (HRQOL).Expert commentary: In order to justify the use of PBT, it will be important to quantify the HRQOL benefit in clinical trials. However, unexpected toxicities like brainstem necrosis may reduce the gain in HRQOL benefits of PBT. Since HRQOL is a n...
Imagine the Following

You bring along knowledge and skills about how to make fire and build a shelter, find food, cultivate the soil, and use plants to make medicine. Many of the things you’ll need to survive, you’ll find on the way.
Velocity-Vorticity Simulation of Unsteady 3-D Viscous Flow within a Driven Cavity

A velocity-vorticity formulation of the unsteady three dimensional Navier-Stokes equations has been used to solve for the incompressible viscous flow within a driven cavity of spanwise aspect ratio 3:1 at a Reynolds number Re = 3200 on a non-uniform (65 × 65 × 49) grid covering one half of the span. An efficient Alternating-DirectionImplicit method which treats all cross derivative terms implicitly and which requires only six scalar tridiagonal sweeps has been developed for the vorticity transport equation. The divergence-curl formulation for the elliptic velocity problem is solved at each time step by a Multi-Grid Distributive Gauss-Seidel iterative scheme. The pressure is solved, only when desired, from the three-dimensional Pressure Poisson problem using a Multi-Grid Gauss-Seidel iterative scheme. Velocity, vorticity and pressure results are given for a characteristic time t = 50 after the upper surface of the cavity is impulsively started from rest.
Traitement de l'incontinence urinaire d'effort par suspension transvaginale du col vésical: procédé de Peyreyra-Raz

Results are reported of the use of the technique of suspension of paravaginal tissue from either side of the neck of the bladder to treat female stress incontinence. Conducted almost exclusively through the vaginal route, an inversed incision in U allows dissection of the total retropubic space and pre-urethral bladder neck adhesions from any previous surgery, and the passage of a solidly implanted non-absorbable thread from one side of the suprapubic incision involving skin and subcutaneous tissue is made down to the aponeurosis alone. A special long needle is then passed from above downwards from the lateral extremity of the suprapubic incision to the vaginal incision and the two ends of the non-absorbable thread clamped. One of the advantages of the retropubic dissection is the guidance of this needle without the risk of perforation of the bladder or urethra. The ends of the thread are brought from the vaginal incision to the lateral angles of the hypogastric wound and tied together or over a small square of Teflon. The tension of the thread is such that it will just allow ascension of the posterior lip of the neck. This ascension, as well as the absence of any vesico-urethral perforation, and the permeability of the ureteral meatuses is verified by endoscopy. The very wide safety margin inherent in this procedure is shown by the 96% of perfect results in patients not previously operated upon, and the 94% of successes in those operated upon previously on one or several occasions without practically any complications. These findings suggest that this technique should occupy a place of choice in the treatment of urinary stress incontinence in women.
Temporal and articulatory control of fricative articulation by speakers with Broca's aphasia

Abstract: Spectrographic analysis of /s, z/ duration and LPC analysis of /s, z/ noise spectra in single-word utterances of mild-moderate Broca’s aphasics and normal controls revealed aphasics’ normal control of /s, z/ duration. Aphasics’ fricatives revealed marked spectral shifts characteristic of a looser, less accurately placed /s, z/ articulatory constriction. Transcription analysis revealed moderate to severe laryngeal-articulatory dyscoordination and imprecision of lingual control. These findings suggest substantial phonetic, but little phonological impairment for simple single-word utterances by these Broca’s aphasics.
Progress on design and testing of corrugated waveguide components for ITER ECH&CD transmission lines

The performance requirement of 1 (possibly 2) MW cw at 170 GHz for ITER electron cyclotron heating & current drive transmission line components is much more demanding than the 1 MW, 5 to 10 s performance, generally at 110 GHz, that has been demonstrated on present devices. The high ITER heat loads will require enhanced cooling and, for some components, new or modified designs. In addition to thermal management issues, the components must be designed to have very low losses in order to meet the ITER transmission line efficiency requirements. Testing at representative ITER conditions of some components has been initiated at the JAEA 170 GHz gyrotron test stand at Naka, Japan. In addition, testing of a complete prototype ITER transmission line is planned in order to validate the designs for use on ITER. The design changes that are being made for the various components to assure low loss transmission and acceptable component temperatures are presented.
Effect of Spatial Complexity on Dopaminergic Signaling Revealed from Multiscale Simulations

Efficient clearance of neurotransmitters from the synapse by dopamine transporters (DATs) is critical to regulating dopamine (DA) signaling in the central nervous system. Despite significant advances in the field, we still lack a complete mechanistic understanding of DA transport events. First it is still unclear how molecular structure and dynamics affect cellular neurosignaling events. Second, the structural and stochastic properties of the cellular environment, including the morphology of the synaptic regions, and the heterogeneous distribution of transporters on the cell membrane may affect the efficiency of neurotransmitter transport, and no realistic simulations of the dopaminergic signaling has been carried out to date. We adopted a multiscale methodology to examine the effects of spatial complexity and firing patterns on DA reuptake by DATs. We used a kinetic scheme derived from our earlier molecular, together with high resolution images dopaminergic neurons from fluorescence spectroscopy and electron microscopy, to reconstruct in silico the simulation environment mediating DA signaling. Overall, our model provides a framework to investigate the effect of variations in different neuronal properties to gain a better understanding of the modulation of DA signaling in the central nervous system. Our results highlight the significance of considering the realistic geometry as well as the spatial heterogeneities from experiments as opposed to adopting well-mixed assumptions. The computing platform also permits us for the first time to gain a quantitative understanding of the effect of psychostimulants and antidepressants on DA signaling.