cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Emotion processing and its relationship to social functioning in schizophrenia patients

Schizophrenia patients have demonstrated deficits in affect recognition. Whether this deficit is part of a general difficulty in face perception or a specific problem in affect recognition is debatable. However, there is little research investigating the functional consequences of difficulties in identifying emotion in schizophrenia patients. We tested 20 chronic, medicated schizophrenia patients and 27 normal control participants on a battery of face recognition and affect recognition tasks. A subset of 14 patients was rated on the Social Dysfunction Index. Results demonstrated that schizophrenia patients were less accurate than normal control participants on face recognition, facial affect recognition and vocal affect recognition tasks, but among schizophrenia patients, only affect recognition performance was related to social functioning. These results suggest that schizophrenia patients have general face processing deficits, but affect recognition deficits may lead to more problems in social behavior.
Reflections on experimental research in medical education

As medical education research advances, it is important that education researchers employ rigorous methods for conducting and reporting their investigations. In this article we discuss several important yet oft neglected issues in designing experimental research in education. First, randomization controls for only a subset of possible confounders. Second, the posttest-only design is inherently stronger than the pretest-posttest design, provided the study is randomized and the sample is sufficiently large. Third, demonstrating the superiority of an educational intervention in comparison to no intervention does little to advance the art and science of education. Fourth, comparisons involving multifactorial interventions are hopelessly confounded, have limited application to new settings, and do little to advance our understanding of education. Fifth, single-group pretest-posttest studies are susceptible to numerous validity threats. Finally, educational interventions (including the comparison group) must be described in detail sufficient to allow replication.
ENDOGENOUS TRANSPLACENTAL TRANSMISSION OF NEOSPORA HUGHESI IN NATURALLY INFECTED HORSES

Over a 2-yr study period, we investigated possible endogenous transplacental transmission of Neospora hughesi in 74 mare and foal pairs following the diagnosis of neuronal neosporosis in a weanling foal. Presuckle and postsuckle serum of each foal, serum and colostrum of each periparturient mare, and serum of each mare and foal pair, collected at 3-mo intervals thereafter, were tested for N. hughesi using an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Furthermore, whole blood and colostrum samples and placentae were tested for the presence of N. hughesi by real-time PCR. The mares' seroprevalence at foaling based on IFAT (titer ≥ 160) was 52 and 6% in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Colostral antibodies against N. hughesi were detected in 96 and 11% of the mares in the 2-yr study. With the exception of 3 foals, all remaining foals were born seronegative to N. hughesi. Passive transfer of colostral antibodies to N. hughesi was documented in 15 foals. Three foals born from 2 different mares had presuckle antibodies at a titer ranging from 2,560 to 20,480. All 3 foals were born healthy. Two foals were born to the same dam that also gave birth to the weanling diagnosed with neuronal neosporosis in 2005. The third foal was born to a second mare with no previous foaling history at the farm. Seroconversion was documented in 10 foals and 9 mares over the 2-yr study. All blood and colostrum samples tested PCR negative for N. hughesi. Only 1 placenta collected in 2007 from the mare with the 2 congenitally infected foals tested PCR positive for N. hughesi. In conclusion, N. hughesi persisted in this population via endogenous transplacental infection.
Information studios: Integrating arts-based learning into the education of information professionals

Successful professionals in technical disciplines require abilities beyond technical competence—to interpret complex and ambiguous situations, interact with experts from other specialties and disciplines, and constructively evaluate their own work and the work of others. In this article, we argue that experiences and interactions with the arts should play an important role in the education of a specific group of technical workers—information professionals—and that such interactions provide a useful and necessary complement to the more familiar rational, scientific model that currently informs technical professional education. We discuss the principles inherent in an arts-based approach to learning and show how the work done by information professionals is similar to the work done by creative and performing artists as well as those in the design professions. Finally, we describe three examples of complementary learning opportunities built on arts-based practices. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) gene delivery protects dopaminergic terminals from degeneration.

Abstract Previously, we observed that injection of an adenoviral (Ad) vector expressing glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) into the striatum, but not the substantia nigra (SN), prior to a partial 6-OHDA lesion protects dopaminergic (DA) neuronal function and prevents the development of behavioral impairment in the aged rat. This suggests that striatal injection of AdGDNF maintains nigrostriatal function either by protecting DA terminals or by stimulating axonal sprouting to the denervated striatum. To distinguish between these possible mechanisms, the present study examines the effect of GDNF gene delivery on molecular markers of DA terminals and neuronal sprouting in the aged (20 month) rat brain. AdGDNF or a control vector coding for β-galactosidase (AdLacZ) was injected unilaterally into either the striatum or the SN. One week later, rats received a unilateral intrastriatal injection of 6-OHDA on the side of vector injection. Two weeks postlesion, rats injected with AdGDNF into either the striatum or the SN exhibited a reduction in the area of striatal denervation and increased binding of the DA transporter ligand [125I]IPCIT in the lesioned striatum compared to control animals. Furthermore, injections of AdGDNF into the striatum, but not the SN, increased levels of tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA in lesioned DA neurons in the SN and prevented the development of amphetamine-induced rotational asymmetry. In contrast, the level of T1 α-tubulin mRNA, a marker of neuronal sprouting, was not increased in lesioned DA neurons in the SN following injection of AdGDNF either into the striatum or into the SN. These results suggest that GDNF gene delivery prior to a partial lesion ameliorates damage caused by 6-OHDA in aged rats by inhibiting the degeneration of DA terminals rather than by inducing sprouting of nigrostriatal axons.
Specific adhesion model for bonding hot-melt polyamides to vinyl

Abstract Hot-melt polyamides are an important market for the dimer acid made from the tall oil fatty acids liberated during the Kraft pulping process. These polyamides bond well to many substrates, but not to polyvinyl chloride (PVC), commonly called vinyl. Dimer-based polyamides made from secondary amines such as piperazine bond well to vinyl. No model for this unique adhesion has been proposed even though many commercial adhesives and other patents have utilized this feature of dimer-based polyamides. This paper examines the validity of models based on mechanical interlock, rheological properties, solubility parameters, and acid–base interactions. Available data are consistent with the acid–base model, which depends on the availability of tertiary amides made from secondary amine to bond to the vinyl hydrogen in contrast to the strong internal polyamide hydrogen bonding of secondary amides made from primary amines. Poly(ester-amides) with a similar proton acceptor ability also bond to vinyl.
A modified methylene blue assay for accurate cell counting

Abstract Cell counting is a common technique in cellular and molecular biology research applications, such as cell culture maintenance, cell plating, cell growth and cell doubling time determinations, as well as cell proliferation and cytotoxicity measurements. Many commonly employed cell counting methods exhibit limitations that influence resulting accuracy or versatility. For example, the trypan blue method typically underestimates cell numbers in culture, and the Lowry protein assay can be influenced by cell cycle. An urgent need exists for a method of cell counting that is both accurate and versatile. This work intended to explore an adaptation of the methylene blue assay to overcome the existing limitations of the procedure, enabling application to a broader range of cell densities and various cell culture plates. This new methylene blue assay was found to be more efficient, accurate and sensitive. A linear relationship ( r 2 > 0.99) was established between cell number and absorbance at 570 nm wavelength when the new methylene blue assay was applied to three cell lines (HepG2, Caco-2, and MCF-7) plated in a broad range of cell densities (5 × 10 4 to 2.5 × 10 6 ) in four different types of culture plates (6-, 12-, 24-, and 96-well plates). Growth curves were determined using both the trypan blue and methylene blue methods. At each time point in the HepG2 growth curve, the cell count obtained using the trypan blue assay was statistically significantly lower than that obtained using the methylene blue assay ( p p
Novel Poly(EThyleneAmidoAmine) (PETAA) dendrimers produced through a unique and highly efficient synthesis

Abstract Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers have unique attributes that have led to their use in a wide variety of biomedical applications. However, the complex synthesis of this polymer leads to variations in the structure and consistency of the final product, and makes scale-up of manufacturing difficult. This has limited the clinical translation of PAMAM-based materials. Here we describe a rapid and highly efficient two-step method for the synthesis of novel P oly( ET hylene A mido A mine) (PETAA) dendrimers that have many of the favorable characteristics of PAMAM dendrimers. Generation 0 (G0) to 5 (G5) PETAA dendrimers were synthesized using a 3-(bis(2-(2,2,2,-trifluoroacetamido)ethyl)amino)propanoic acid AB 2 (compound 1 ) building block via a divergent approach. An ethylenediamine core was coupled with the AB 2 building block via O -(7-Azabenzotriazol-1-yl) N,N,N’,N’ -tetramethyluronium hexafluorophosphate (HATU) in the presence of diisopropylethyl amine to give a G0 trifluoroacetamide surface dendrimer. The G0 amine surface dendrimer was then obtained by treating the G0 trifluoroacetamide surface dendrimer with potassium carbonate. Repetitions of these two coupling/deprotection reactions were then used to build the dendrimer by coupling the surface amino groups to the carboxyl moiety of the AB 2 building block, followed by the deprotection step with potassium carbonate. The resulting PETAA dendrimers have the same number of surface primary amino groups, the same number of chemical bonds between the dendrimer core and the surface, and the same number of tertiary amino groups throughout the structures as similar generations of PAMAM dendrimers. In contrast, the structure of the PETAA dendrimers is more complete and more uniform than PAMAM dendrimers, especially at higher generations. This unique synthetic process for PETAA dendrimers also offers the potential for large-scale production, therefore providing inherently more uniform and complete structures for exacting biomedical applications.
Does sentinel lymphadenectomy improve staging and alter therapy in elderly women with breast cancer

Background: Routine axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for elderly women with invasive breast cancer has been questioned because it rarely alters therapy yet carries a significant morbidity rate. Sentinel lymphadenectomy (SLND) improves axillary staging and alters therapy in women with T1 breast cancer, but it is not clear whether SLND alters therapy in elderly women with breast cancer. Methods: A prospective breast cancer data base was used to identify women 70 years old and older who underwent SLND for axillary staging of invasive breast cancer between 1991 and 1998. Results: There were 75 invasive breast cancers in 73 women. The mean patient age was 74.5 years (range, 70–90 years). Median tumor size was 1.4 cm (range, 0.1– 6.2 cm). Of the 75 tumors, 42 (56%) had favorable primary characteristics; the remaining tumors had unfavorable characteristics. SLND was performed alone in 17 cases (23%) and was followed by completion ALND in 58 cases (77%). Positive lymph nodes were identified in 32 cases (43%); 26 (81.3%) were detected by hematoxylin and eosin stains, and 6 (18.7%) were detected by immunohistochemistry alone. Five patients (6.9%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. Seven patients (9.6%) received axillary/supraclavicular radiation for positive nodes. Ten (13.7%) of 73 patients had obvious alterations in therapy because of axillary nodal status. As a result of SLND, 3 (13.6%) of 22 patients with tumors 1.0 cm or smaller received tamoxifen, and 7 (15%) of 46 patients with tumors between 1.0 and 3.0 cm in size had changes in therapy. When patient and tumor characteristics were analyzed to determine relationships to therapeutic decision-making, nodal status was the variable most significantly associated with changes in therapy (P 5 .0001). Conclusions: SLND improves axillary staging in elderly women with invasive breast cancer. Results of immunohistochemistry do not alter therapy in this group of individuals (P 5 .6367). In patients with small primary tumors, SLND alters therapy by increasing the number of patients receiving tamoxifen. In addition, SLND affects adjuvant systemic chemotherapy and regional radiotherapy in a significant number of patients with larger tumors, particularly tumors between 1.0 and 3.0 cm.
Ligand - Receptor interactions between surfaces: The role of binary polymer spacers

The interactions between a receptor-modified planar surface and a surface grafted with a bimodal polymer layer, where one of the polymer species is ligand functionalized, are studied using a molecular theory. The effects of changing the binding energy of the ligand-receptor pair, the polymer surface coverage, the composition, and molecular weight of both the unfunctionalized and ligand functionalized polymers on the interactions between the surfaces are investigated. Our findings show that bridging exists between the surfaces including when the molecular weight of the ligand-bearing polymer is smaller than that of the unfunctionalized polymer, even though the ligand is initially buried within the polymer layer. The distance at which the surfaces bind depends only on the molecular weight of the ligand-modified polymer, while the strength of the interaction at a given surface separation can be tuned by changing the molecular weight of the polymers, the total polymer surface coverage, and the fraction of ligated polymers. The composition of the bimodal layer alters the structure of the polymer layer, thereby influencing the strength of the steric repulsions between the surfaces. Our theoretical results show good agreement with experimental data. The present theoretical study can be used as guidelines for the design of surfaces with tailored abilities for tunning the binding strength and surface-ligand separation distances for polymer-grafted surfaces bearing specific targeting ligands.
Network Single Ion Conductors Based on Comb-Branched Polyepoxide Ethers and Lithium Bis(allylmalonato)borate

Author(s): Sun, XG; Kerr, JB; Reeder, CL; Liu, G; Han, Y | Abstract: The synthesis of network single ion conductors to obtain single ion conductors with high ambient temperature conductivity and mechanical strength is discussed. The single ion conductors were based on comb-branched polyepoxide ethers and lithium (Li) bis(allylmelonato)borate. The single ion conductors possessed good mechanical strength due to the formation of network structure and the Li/Li symmetric cell cycling showed no concentration polymerization. The results show that the backbone structure of the polyepoxides contributes to the total ionic conductivity and it increases with the increasing side chain length.
Title I and Student Achievement: A Meta-Analysis of Federal Evaluation Results:

Despite the seeming wealth of Title I evaluation information, the educational effectiveness of the program has remained debatable. Inconsistent findings can be attributed to variations in evaluation methods. Nevertheless, results from key studies have contributed to a conventional wisdom concerning Title I and student achievement. In contrast to previous reviews, this study employed metaanalytic techniques to assess the overall impact of the program on achievement and to examine the effects of mediating methodological and programmatic factors. The data were derived from 17 federal studies, ranging from 1966 to 1993, from which 657 unique effect sizes were derived. Results indicated a modest overall impact of Title I. However, the mediating factors were significant predictors. After controlling for these effects, Title I effect sizes were more favorable as the program matured. This finding may be attributable to expanded federal oversight and the growing focus on program improvement that has evolved over t...
Top-Down Control of Serotonin Systems by the Prefrontal Cortex: A Path toward Restored Socioemotional Function in Depression.

Social withdrawal, increased threat perception, and exaggerated reassurance seeking behaviors are prominent interpersonal symptoms in major depressive disorder (MDD). Altered serotonin (5-HT) systems and corticolimbic dysconnectivity have long been suspected to contribute to these symptomatic facets; however, the underlying circuits and intrinsic cellular mechanisms that control 5-HT output during socioemotional interactions remain poorly understood. We review literature that implicates a direct pathway between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) in the adaptive and pathological control of social approach–avoidance behaviors. Imaging and neuromodulation during approach–avoidance tasks in humans point to the cortical control of brainstem circuits as an essential regulator of socioemotional decisions and actions. Parallel rodent studies using viral-based connectomics and optogenetics are beginning to provide a cellular blueprint of the underlying circuitry. In these stu...
Male Breast Cancer: A Review of the Literature and a Case Report

Received December 14, 2001; accepted December 28, 2001. From the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY; the Barbara White Fishman Center for Psychological Counseling, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Center, New York; and the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Massie, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021; massiem@mskcc.org (e-mail). Copyright 2002 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Breast cancer in men is rare, and there are no large prospective studies that address either the medical/ surgical treatment of breast cancer or the psychological issues. We review the scarce psychological literature; summarize the common risk and prognostic factors, familial tendency, pathology, and primary treatments; and report a 2-year psychotherapy that illustrates both the psychological issues of a man treated for Stage III breast cancer and the similarity of men’s and women’s emotional reactions to this disease. Breast cancer in men accounts for less than 1% of all breast cancer in the United States and less than 1% of all cancers in men. About 1,500 new cases of male breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in 2002; about 400 men will die of the disease. Breast cancer in men was once believed to be biologically more aggressive than in women and more lethal. Because of the low incidence, until very recently there were few reported studies of treatment and survival among demographically matched male and female pairs and virtually no reports in mass media or professional journals describing the psychological issues of men with breast cancer. Most men and women were surprised to learn that men can “get” breast cancer, knowledge imparted during the last decade through reports about breast cancer susceptibility genes. The following report of a 2-year psychotherapy with a man with Stage III breast cancer illustrates the common cancer treatment and psychiatric/psychological issues in a man with breast cancer and a family history of breast cancer.
DOES INNER CITY PUBLIC HOUSING EXACERBATE THE EMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS OF ITS TENANTS

ABSTRACT: This article analyzes whether inner city public housing exacerbates the employment problems of its tenants. Results from two evaluations of public housing demonstrations are used to test the potential impact of location, address discrimination, eligibility criteria, and rent schedules on tenant work behavior. To supplement this analysis, the effects of public housing on tenant employment, including self-employment, are estimated using a unique cross-sectional data set known as the Urban Poverty and Family Life Survey. The results do not support the claim that public housing, independent of tenant characteristics, contributes to employment patterns. While it is true that most public housing residents do not work, their counterparts in the private real estate market are no more likely to be employed or to have ever worked. Overall, these results indicate that the provision of public housing does not inhibit work behavior.
Differential diagnosis of human lung cancer — A label-free and chemistry-sensitive approach

Lung carcinoma is the most prevalent type of cancer, and it is responsible for more deaths than other types of cancer [1]. Unlike other imaging modalities used for lung cancer diagnosis, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT), coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) offers submicron spatial resolutions and video-rate temporal resolution along with chemical specificity. This method potentially allows label-free differential diagnosis of lung cancer at high resolution. This study aims at demonstrating the feasibility of using CARS to differentiate normal, benign and different subtypes of lung cancers. Human lung lesions, including small cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and intestinal fibrosis, were imaged ex vivo using a CARS microscope and compared to their corresponding hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining results. Our data shows that CARS is capable of identifying cellular features in a similar way as H&E stain, and these features could be used to characterize different types of lung lesions from each other. Therefore, the CARS technique offers a new strategy for differential diagnosis of lung lesions using pathologically prevalent criteria, and thus could be further developed for in vivo and real time diagnosis of early stage lung cancer.
Correlation of Resonance Charge Exchange Cross-Section Data in the Low-Energy Range

During the course of a literature survey concerning resonance charge exchange, an unusual degree of agreement was noted between an extrapolation of the data reported by Kushnir, Palyukh, and Sena and the data reported by Ziegler. The data of Kushnir et al. are for ion-atom relative energies from 10 to 1000 ev, while the data of Ziegler are for a relative energy of about 1 ev. Extrapolation of the data of Kushnir et al. was made in accordance with Holstein's theory, 3 which is a combination of time-dependent perturbation methods and classical orbit theory. The results of this theory may be discussed in terms of a critical impact parameter b(sub c).
Nd:YAG laser cleaning of ablation debris from excimer-laser-ablated polyimide

In the processing of excimer laser ablation of nozzles on polyimide in air, both gases like CO2, CO and HCN and solid debris including C2 approximately C12 are produced in laser ablation area. In this paper, we reported for the first time a Nd:YAG laser cleaning of ablation debris generated in excimer laser ablation of polyimide. It demonstrated effective cleaning with the advantages of shortening cleaning cycle time and simplifying cleaning process. The laser used for the cleaning was a Q-switched and frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser with wavelength of 532 nm and repetition rate of 10 Hz. The laser cleaning effect was compared with conventional plasma ashing. AFM measurement showed that the Nd:YAG laser cleaning had no damage to the substrate. XPS results indicated that the polyimide surface cleaned with laser beam had a lower oxygen/carbon ratio than that of plasma ashing. The study shows that frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser cleaning is effective in ablation debris removal from excimer laser ablated polyimide.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Choosing Unsafe Sex: AIDS‐Risk Denial among Disadvantaged Women

Choosing Unsafe Sex: AIDS-Risk Denial among Disadvantaged Women. E. J. Sobo. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995. + 232 pp., appendixes, notes, bibliography, index.
The effect of calcium on the stimulation of corticosterone biosynthesis by dibutyryl-C-AMP in cultures of ATCC cell line Y-1.

Summary Monolayer cultures of mouse adrenal cortex tumors have been used to investigate the effect of calcium on the stimulation of steroidogenesis by dibutyryl-c-AMP. With the use of Ionophore A23187 as a tool, the present study strongly suggests that intracellular calcium is essential for dibutyryl-c-AMPinduced glucocorticoid synthesis.
Utility and limitations of species richness metrics for conservation planning

Abstract The appropriateness of species richness as an ecological indicator or decision variable for setting conservation and management priorities depends on many assumptions. Most critical is that current levels of species richness allow prediction of future contributions of various locations to biodiversity conservation and ecological function. Also important is the assumption that estimates of species richness can be compared among locations. Challenges arise because estimates of species richness are affected by area, scale and intensity of sampling, taxonomic grouping, estimation methods, and the dynamic nature of species richness. Nonetheless, species richness can contribute to prioritizing locations for biodiversity conservation provided it is not used in isolation—additional metrics, such as species composition, endemism, functional significance, and the severity of threats, are also required. The spatial domain of measurement also must be documented and justified. A multicriteria decision process is more likely to realize comprehensive conservation goals than prioritization of locations based on species richness alone.
Multidrug Resistance Proteins (MRPs) and Cancer Therapy.

The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are members of a protein superfamily that are known to translocate various substrates across membranes, including metabolic products, lipids and sterols, and xenobiotic drugs. Multidrug resistance proteins (MRPs) belong to the subfamily C in the ABC transporter superfamily. MRPs have been implicated in mediating multidrug resistance by actively extruding chemotherapeutic substrates. Moreover, some MRPs are known to be essential in physiological excretory or regulatory pathways. The importance of MRPs in cancer therapy is also implied by their clinical insights. Modulating the function of MRPs to re-sensitize chemotherapeutic agents in cancer therapy shows great promise in cancer therapy; thus, multiple MRP inhibitors have been developed recently. This review article summarizes the structure, distribution, and physiological as well as pharmacological function of MRP1–MRP9 in cancer chemotherapy. Several novel modulators targeting MRPs in cancer therapy are also discussed.
Principal component neurons in a realistic visual environment

The structure of receptive fields in the visual cortex is believed to be shaped by unsupervised learning. It has been shown that several of the forms of stabilized Hebbian learning rules are governed by the first principal component of the visual environment. In this paper we analyse the form of the principal components of natural images, which have been preprocessed by centre-surround filters, analogous to those found in the retina. The receptive fields are localized by a small circular boundary. We show that the ratio between the size of the receptive field and the size of the preprocessing filter determines the structure of the receptive field. We also show that the receptive field is dependent on the non-rotationally-symmetric components of the correlation function. The derivation relies on results about the correlation function of natural images in both the radially-symmetric and non-symmetric cases.
Surface History of Mercury: Implications for Terrestrial Planets

A working hypothesis of Mercury's history is presented. We infer the surface of Mercury to record a sequence of events broadly similar to those recorded on the moon, implying similar histories of impact bombardment. The oldest terrain so n Mercury seem to be better preserved from modification by ejecta from subsequently formed impact basins because of higher surface gravity. The large lunarlike impact craters on Mercury can be interpreted as part of a distinct episode of bombardment which may have affected all the terrestrial planets about 4 b.y. ago. The light cratering accumulated on the surfaces of the Mercurian smooth plains is similar in diameter/frequency relationship to that of the lunar maria and of the oldest Martian plains units, consistent with recent interpretations of lunar and Martian flux histories by Wetherill(1974) and Soderblom et al. (1974). A straightforward interpretation of the Mercurian surface record thus supports recent order of magnitude increases in age estimates of many Martian features discovered by Mariner 9 but is not conclusive. The large core inferred for Mercury combined with the lack of recognizable evidence of past atmospheric activity is more easily understood in terms of radially heterogeneous accumulation than in terms of differentiation of a homogeneous planet. Early core cooling may be reflected by widespread evidence of crustal shortening. However, Mercury's surface seems little affected by any tectonic, atmospheric, or volcanic processes for the last 3 b.y. or so, raising questions concerning (1) the relationship of the origin of Mercury's magnetic field to that of earth's and (2) the primary cause of volcanic flooding, which may have begun, and ended, approximately synchronously on Mercury and the moon.
Distributional Taylor formula

Abstract We derive a distributional Taylor formula with precise integral remainder. We give applications of it and estimates for the remainder.
Endoscopic removal of a "floating" biliary Gianturco Z stent five years after placement for a benign anastomotic stricture in a liver transplant patient.

Expandable metal biliary stents are useful for managing mal ignant biliary obstruction I and, in some instances, benign biliary disease. 2-4 Recent studies demonstra te embedding of metal stents into the tissue, thus preventing subsequent dislodgment. 5-6 Endoscopic removal of these devices soon after insert ion has only been reported rarely, but to date, there have been no reports describing removal years after insertion. We describe successful endoscopic removal of a Gianturco expandable metal Z stent (Cook, Inc., Bloomington, Ind.) 5 years after its insert ion for a benign anastomotic biliary str icture in a liver t ransp lan t patient.
NONTRADITIONAL ALUMNI SURVEY OF SATISFACTION WITH THE ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE

Organizations can be classified as being either responsive or unresponsive to their constituents' needs and attitudes. The present study was undertaken at the Community and Technical College at The...
Engineering in the K-12 STEM Standards of the 50 U.S. States: An Analysis of Presence and Extent

Background Federal initiatives promoting STEM education to bridge the achievement gap and maintain the nation's creative leadership inspired this study investigating engineering content in elementary education standards. The literature review concluded that common national P-12 engineering education standards are beneficial, particularly when amplified by the common core standards movement. Purpose (Hypothesis) Compilation and analysis of engineering present in states' academic standards was performed to determine if a consensus on the big ideas of engineering already exists and to organize and present those big ideas so that they can be infused into state or national standards. Design/Method Extensive examination and broad coding of mathematics, science, technology and vocational/career standards in all 50 states identified instances of engineering content in existing standards. Explicit coding categorized engineering-relevant standards by subject area. Manual and electronic content analysis identified key engineering skills and knowledge in existing standards. Inter-rater reliability verified consistency among five individuals through descriptive statistical measures. Results Engineering skills and knowledge were found in 41 states' standards. Most items rated as engineering through strict coding were found in either science or technology and vocational standards. Engineering was found in only one state's math standard. Some states explicitly mentioned engineering standards without any specifics. A consensus of big ideas found in standards is provided in the discussion. Conclusions While engineering standards do exist, uniform or systematically introduced engineering standards are less prevalent. Now is the time to move forward in the formation of national standards based on the state standards identified in this study.
Coming Home: Ethics and the American University:

This article attempts to introduce readers to the field of university ethics. As distinct from academic ethics, which typically involves the study of the professional ethics of university faculty, covering such topics as cheating, letters of recommendation, dating students, and so forth, university ethics looks at the university as a whole and investigates the standards of ethics as they could appear across the campus in matters that pertain to student affairs, athletics, administration responsibilities, tuition prices, dormitory life, and so forth.
Non-linear variation with salinity of Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios in water and aragonitic bivalve shells and implications for paleosalinity studies

Abstract Fresh water and sea water usually differ considerably in their Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios. This suggests that these ratios in fossil shells could be used to determine paleosalinities. Calculation of the Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios in mixtures of sea water and average fresh water using a mixing equation shows that the ratios first increase rapidly with salinity to about 100% but subsequently remain nearly constant. The source of most of the Ca, Sr, and Mg in mixtures of fresh and sea water is the sea water, thus except at low salinities the trace element to Ca ratio of mixtures differs little from that in sea water. Analysis both of waters across a spectrum of salinities and of aragonitic mollusc shells growing in water of various salinities conforms to the predicted pattern. However, trace element to Ca ratios offer potential for paleosalinity determination in waters of salinity below about 100%.
Control of stock culture preservation and inoculum build-up in bacterial fermentation

Control of product quality throughout repeated fermentations depends upon maintenance of genetic uniformity from the time of strain selection until the product is harvested. Genetic control, therefore, must be maintained for stock cultures, and during inoculum preparation and growth to produce the product. Theoretical and applied aspects of a procedure that will accomplish this control are discussed. A specific procedure adaptable to situations in which a ‘seed’ is repeatedly increased to produce a larger quantity of a final material is described. The procedure was tested by comparing the product of three bacterial species grown by a standard or usual vs. recommended or experimental procedure comparing product quality and uniformity. Use of the recommended procedure resulted in the high production of a uniform product based on the maintenance of the colony type of Bacillus anthracis, colony colour and type of Serratia marcescens, and uniformity and amount of toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum type A.
Linear programming insights into solvable cases of the quadratic assignment problem

The quadratic assignment problem is an NP-hard discrete optimization program that has been extensively studied for over 50?years. It has a variety of applications in many fields, but has proven itself extremely challenging to solve. As a result, an area of research has been to identify special cases which admit efficient solution strategies. This paper examines four such cases, and shows how each can be explained in terms of the dual region to the continuous relaxation of a classical linear reformulation of the problem known as the level-1 RLT representation. The explanations allow for simplifications and/or generalizations of the conditions defining the special cases.
Temperature dependence of optically pumped far-infrared (FIR) laser output power

The temperature dependence of the small signal gain and saturation power are derived using temperature-dependent rates in a four-level model. An expression is developed for the output power of a far-infrared oscillator as a function of temperature for both fixed pressure and fixed density. The results are valid in the regime of homogeneous broadening of the rotational transition and Doppler broadening of the pump transition. It is shown that, for most lasers, both the small signal gain and the saturation power decrease with increasing temperature. These effects have the overall result of increasing output power with decreasing temperatures.
Scattering of vacuum states by dynamic plasmon singularities: generating photons from vacuum

A metallic nanoparticle surrounded by an amplifying medium results in a boundary condition that creates a singularity in the particle's dynamic polarizability at a critical value of the gain. When this boundary condition is time dependent, parametric excitation of the electromagnetic vacuum results in photon emission. Estimates of the vacuum emission from nanostructures embedded in high-gain laser dyes excited by femtosecond lasers predict energies nearly 2 orders of magnitude larger than the spontaneous emission background.
Long-term stability of neurotransmitter activity investigated with 11C-raclopride PET.

There is evidence for the shift of regulatory setpoints of functionally linked neurotransmitter systems as a basis of psychiatric disorders. 11C-raclopride PET, which has been shown to be sensitive to changes in endogenous dopamine and has a high short-term test–retest reliability, can be used to investigate different regulatory states of the dopaminergic system with respect to psychiatric diseases and pharmacological influences. Prior to these studies, the reliability of the method over time has to be established. The current study was performed in order to evaluate the long-term stability of the striatal dopaminergic system. Eight normal healthy subjects (mean age: 48.1 years; range: 24–75) were studied twice with 11C-raclopride PET two times under resting conditions with a mean time interval between the scans of 11.3 months (range: 1–19). The ratio of basal ganglia (BG) to cerebellar (CB) distribution volumes (DVs) revealed a mean absolute change of 6.94 (range: 0.0–12.87%) between study A and B. BG DVs mean absolute change was 6.30% (range: 0.55–30.46%), CB DVs mean absolute change was 8.65% (range: 3.51–16.33%). The mean change of the BG/CB ratio was −0.33% (range: 12.87–12.34%). BG DVs mean change was 4.55% (range: 4.2–30.46%), CB DVs mean change was 5.10% (range: −10.71–16.33%). The intraindividual differences between the two scans in our study were not significantly different as compared to the 24 hour interval test-retest data, which have been published earlier (repeated measures ANOVA with df = 11; F = 0.49; P = 0.50) [Volkow et al. (1993) J. Nucl. Med., 34:609–613]. The intraclass correlation of the DV ratio index was r = 0.81. The binding potential in the baseline scans and repeated scans showed a non-significant correlation with age (r = −0.58, P = 0.13). Interindividually, the DV ratio index revealed a mean of 3.18 (range = 2.55–3.68, SD = 0.42 in study A and of 3.16 (range 2.37–3.57, SD = 0.41) in study B. The intrasubject stability of the 11C-raclopride binding over a long-term period in normal human subjects suggests the feasibility of study designs investigating the long-term changes of the dopaminergic responsivity after pharmacological challenges. The baseline stability will also serve as a necessary reference for further dose-response studies and investigations of subchronical pharmacological interventions. Synapse: 28:66–70, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Fruit and Vegetable Marketing Orders: A Critique of the Issues and State of Analysis

The late professor Sidney Hoos of Berkeley, a leading authority on marketing orders, once described them as neither all good nor all bad (1978, p. 13). The objective of this paper is to sort out some of the good and the bad and, importantly, some of the "undetermined." The recently completed USDA Review Team report on federal marketing orders for fruits and vegetables is a focal point for much of the discussion. However, marketing orders established under state legislation are included as well since the economic considerations are similar.
Infant circumcision: the last stand for the dead dogma of parental (sovereignal) rights

J S Mill used the term ‘dead dogma’ to describe a belief that has gone unquestioned for so long and to such a degree that people have little idea why they accept it or why they continue to believe it. When wives and children were considered chattel, it made sense for the head of a household to have a ‘sovereignal right’ to do as he wished with his property. Now that women and children are considered to have the full complement of human rights and slavery has been abolished, it is no longer acceptable for someone to have a ‘right’ to completely control the life of another human being. Revealingly, parental rights tend to be invoked only when parents want to do something that is arguably not in their child’s best interest. Infant male circumcision is a case in point. Instead of parental rights, I claim that parents have an obligation to protect their children’s rights as well as to preserve the future options of those children so far as possible. In this essay, it is argued that the notion that parents have a right to make decisions concerning their children’s bodies and minds— irrespective of the child’s best interests—is a dead dogma. The ramifications of this argument for the circumcision debate are then spelled out and discussed.
Cherokee Townhouses: Architectural Adaptation to European Contact in the Southern Appalachians

Public structures known as townhouses were hubs of public life in Cherokee towns in the southern Appalachians during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries A.D., and in towns predating European contact. Townhouses were sources of cultural stability and conservatism during periods of dramatic change, and they were an architectural medium through which Cherokee towns adapted to life in the postcontact Southeast. This article summarizes the characteristics of townhouses in the southern Appalachians dating from the thirteenth through the eighteenth centuries A.D., focusing on size and shape, the surfaces on which they were built, sequences of building and rebuilding, and the presence or absence of burials inside townhouses. The architectural form of townhouses rooted people to particular places, but Cherokee townhouses also enabled towns to move from one place to another, because a town could build a townhouse at any particular place, old or new.
Feedback on plant productivity can be constrained by SOM in N-limited grasslands

In many terrestrial ecosystems plant productivity is limited by the availability of mineral nitrogen, which is produced by soil microbial transformations of organic N in soil organic matter (SOM-N). Mineral N availability results from two opposing processes, 1) gross mineral N production (gross ammonification/ gross nitrification) and 2) microbial N immobilization. These processes can be influenced by the availability of plant-derived C (PDC) inputs to the microbes, SOM-N pool size, and the size of the microbial community (microbial biomass). We considered how changes in PDC inputs and SOM-N pool size together may alter microbial biomass, mineral N availability, and feedbacks on plant productivity. In areas dominated by one of six tallgrass prairie species along a natural gradient of PDC inputs and SOM-N pool size, we conducted a field survey of microbial biomass and gross ammonification. We also performed greenhouse manipulations of SOM-N pool size and PDC inputs on two species in our study area (Poa pratensis and Schizachyrium scoparium). Structural equation modeling of the field data showed that gross ammonification was both positively and directly related to microbial biomass and SOM-N pool size. Gross ammonification was positively and indirectly related to SOM-N pool size and belowground PDC inputs, via microbial biomass. In the short-term greenhouse study, PDC inputs and SOM-N pool size positively affected gross mineral N production, although only at high SOM-N pool size. If the patterns in the greenhouse can be applied to field conditions, this suggests that SOM-N pool size may constrain plant driven feedbacks on plant productivity by limiting gross mineral N production. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
A platform for discovery: The University of Pennsylvania Integrated Neurodegenerative Disease Biobank

Abstract Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are defined by the accumulation of abnormal protein deposits in the central nervous system (CNS), and only neuropathological examination enables a definitive diagnosis. Brain banks and their associated scientific programs have shaped the actual knowledge of NDs, identifying and characterizing the CNS deposits that define new diseases, formulating staging schemes, and establishing correlations between neuropathological changes and clinical features. However, brain banks have evolved to accommodate the banking of biofluids as well as DNA and RNA samples. Moreover, the value of biobanks is greatly enhanced if they link all the multidimensional clinical and laboratory information of each case, which is accomplished, optimally, using systematic and standardized operating procedures, and in the framework of multidisciplinary teams with the support of a flexible and user-friendly database system that facilitates the sharing of information of all the teams in the network. We describe a biobanking system that is a platform for discovery research at the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research at the University of Pennsylvania.