cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Silicon photonics as a broadband platform for parametric oscillation in the mid-infrared

We demonstrate that silicon photonics can be leveraged for nonlinear optics in the mid-infrared range from 3–6μm. We fabricate an air-clad microresonator with Q=1 million at 3.79μm wavelength and demonstrate 5.3mW parametric oscillation threshold power.
ANTI-AMERICANISM AND THE FINANCIAL CRISIS

The global image of the United States severely deteriorated under the Bush administration and anti-Americanism, an individual attitude of fundamental distrust towards what America is and does, rose accordingly during the same period. Favorable views of the US started to improve in the world in 2008, but then the financial crisis hit in September 2008. Did the crisis reignite anti-American sentiments worldwide? The crisis had the potential for increasing negative sentiments towards the US because it feeds into several of the underlying classical sources of anti-Americanism and because foreign leaders may be tempted to blame the US and stoke anti-Americanism domestically in order to absolve themselves from the failings of their own policies. Yet we do not observe such a spike in anti-American sentiments worldwide, at least at the level of public opinion. Why? The paper argues that this potential anti-Americanism has been mitigated by several factors, including the election of Obama, the new face of globalization, and the perception of US decline. The paper also examines whether anti-Americanism can affect the policy responses to the crisis.
The Nonparticipation Problem: Behavioral Economics and The Take-Up of Social Benefits

The nonparticipation of low-income households in social benefit programs remains a puzzle to many economists, especially when analyzed through a neoclassical lens. For some households, the decision to participate in a government benefit program could mean the difference between living above or below the poverty line. However, behavioral economics—a branch of economics that incorporates human psychology into economic models—may provide a useful framework through which to analyze the nonparticipation of low-income households in government benefit programs. Empirical research suggests that lack of knowledge, incomplete information, hassle costs, and procrastination each play an important role in this policy problem. This paper will begin with an overview of nonparticipation in social benefit programs in the United States, describe the neoclassical theory of how low-income households maximize their utility when deciding whether to participate in such a program, contrast this neoclassical approach with implications from theory and research from behavioral economics, and end with some broad implications—taken from the research—for future policy.
History of an Act of Faith

This study is cross-cultural, cognitive, and social-psychological in character. More importantly, it is a study of people, of children - and specifically of Sioux children. It is my hope that it may in some measure counter the fact that Native Americans are widely misunderstood, despite, or more likely because of, the “fame” bestowed upon them by movies and television.
Oblique-Incidence UT Inspection of Diffusion Bonds

An increasingly important metal joining procedure is based on “solid-state bonding”, which employs the application of temperature and stress to a metal-metal interface. Under ideal conditions[1], a sequence of metallurgical processes produces a bond whose mechanical properties are identical to those of the host material. This sequence involves the deformation of the interfaces to achieve intimate mechanical contact, atomic diffusion to achieve the “solid-state” bonding, and grain growth to remove the microstructural memory of the original interface. Standard NDE techniques can be used to detect discrete flaws in the bonds. However, even in the absence of discrete flaws, strength and fatigue resistance may be degraded by subtle differences between the microstructures of the interface region and the bulk material. This paper is motivated by a particular bonding process (diffusion bonding as applied to aircraft engine rotor components), and considers only one metallurgical cause of weak bonding (distributions of microscopic pores in the bond plane). Figure 1 presents a model problem which has been chosen to simulate the inspection of such bonds as they occur when turbine blades are joined to hubs. The model geometry consists of two rectangular plates of similar material which have been diffusion bonded in the xy plane.
Olfactory Sensory Transduction

Organisms continuously monitor their environment, employing highly specialized systems such as vision, hearing and olfaction to extract pertinent information from an array of physical stimuli. These physical sensations are then transformed into transduction events.
Clinical Vignettes: Illustrative, Unusual, and Challenging RBD Cases

REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) can be a clinical conundrum representing a diagnostic challenge for clinicians who are not familiar with it. This chapter highlights the diverse clinical presentations that often predispose the emergence of dream enactment behaviors in neurologic conditions. Cases will be discussed where RBD emerged in the setting of autoimmune limbic encephalitis in the vicinity of the rostral pons and in the setting of hypocretin (orexin) deficiency syndrome due to neurosarcoidosis of the diencephalon. Discussion will also review the challenge of disclosure of the diagnosis of RBD and disclosure of the prognostic implications of RBD as it relates to the implications of neurodegeneration later in life. Finally, a case of a young woman on antidepressants will be provided, covering newly emerging data implicating this class of medications in dream enactment behaviors and REM sleep without atonia.
A Near-Optimal Control Policy in Cloud Systems with Renewable Sources and Time-Dependent Energy Price

The cost of energy usage is of significant concern in cloud/data center systems that support a large number of servers. A simple way to reduce energy consumption and the electricity bill is to turn some of the servers off during periods of under utilization. However, turning a server back on typically consumes a lot of energy. Another way to reduce the energy cost is to equip cloud systems with renewable resources and batteries. Most works in the literature have focused on one or the other approach. In this work, we propose a joint server on-off and energy control policy, which determines the servers' on-off status, as well as the energy purchasing behavior, by taking electricity price, renewable resources, possible future tasks and turn-on cost into account. The server on-off control component is proved to be optimal in terms of energy consumption minimization. The joint policy is shown to be arbitrarily close to the optimal solution in terms of electricity bill minimization, in the case where the battery has infinite capacity with stable energy level. Simulation results show that even under reasonable battery size, a significant electricity cost reduction is achieved with the proposed policy.
Thermal Conduction in Polymer Composites

Abstract From prehistoric usage to modern high-tech computing, thermal conductive materials have always been of profound importance. In our everyday lives, heat conduction is a common sight; including the heating of a cooking pan, heaters in homes, melting of ice, heat exchangers in industry, and so on. Efficient heat management of a system will result in enhanced reliability, lifetime, reduced cost along with optimum energy savings. This goal can be greatly achieved by developing novel materials based on polymers with desired thermal conductive properties.
Geomorphic Responses to Extreme Rainfall, Catastrophic Flooding, and Dam Failures across an Urban to Rural Landscape

The extreme rainfall of October 2015 in South Carolina generated numerous dam failures and spawned the flood of record at most U.S. Geological Survey stream gauges. Detailed field sampling and syst...
Collaborative Partnership: Opening Doors Between Schools and Universities:

Although K-12 schools and universities are two separate and distinct systems, fundamentally both have the same broad goal: the education of students. This leads one to ponder, “How can these two en...
OWA aggregation with an uncertainty over the arguments

Abstract We discuss the OWA aggregation operation and the role the OWA weights play in determining the type of aggregation being performed. We introduce the idea of a weight generating function and describe its use in obtaining the OWA weights. We emphasize the importance of the weight generating function in prescribing the type of aggregation to be performed. We consider the problem of performing a prescribed OWA aggregation in the case when we have a probability distribution over the argument values. We show how we use the weight generating function to enable this type of aggregation. Next we consider the situation when we have a more general measure based uncertainty over the argument values. Here again we show how we can use the weight generating function to aid in performing the prescribed OWA aggregation in the face of this more general type of uncertainty. Finally we look at the task of obtaining a weight generating function from a given set of OWA weights.
Indoor airflow and contaminant transport in a room with coupled displacement ventilation and passive-chilled-beam systems

Abstract Displacement ventilation (DV) is now widely used in enclosed environments such as office buildings. Although DV can provide good indoor air quality, its ability to remove heat is limited. On the other hand, passive chilled beams (PCBs) can have a high heat-removal capability. Therefore, this investigation evaluated a coupled DV and PCB system in terms of air quality and thermal comfort. This study first conducted experiments in a full-scale environmental chamber with the DV-PCB system to obtain airflow velocity, temperature and contaminant concentration data. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to simulate air distribution in an enclosed environment with the DV-PCB system, which was then validated by the measured data. The validated CFD model was employed to analyze thermal comfort and indoor air quality in the enclosed environment with the DV-PCB coupled system using four indices: vertical temperature gradient, draft rate, normalized contaminant concentration and age of air. The results indicate that PCBs were quite effective in reducing the temperature gradient created by DV. However, the cold downward jet generated by the PCBs created a “zone with high draft” under the PCBs, and the magnitude of the draft was strongly correlated with the cooling load removed by the PCBs and the size of the PCBs. In addition, the downward air jet generated by the PCBs could disrupt the contaminant stratification and increase the mean age of air in the occupied zone.
Developing Student Process Skills in a General Chemistry Laboratory.

Laboratory coursework is widely considered to be an integral part of chemistry undergraduate degree programs, although its impact on students’ chemistry knowledge is largely unsubstantiated. Labora...
Comparison of multiequation turbulence models for several shock-separated boundary-layer interaction flows

Several multiequation eddy viscosity models of turbulence are used with the Navier-Stokes equations to compute three classes of experimentally documented shock-separated turbulent boundary-layer flows. The types of flow studied are: (1) a normal shock at transonic speeds in both a circular duct and a two-dimensional channel; (2) an incident oblique shock at supersonic speeds on a flat surface; and (3) a two-dimensional compression corner at supersonic speeds. Established zero-equation (algebraic), one-equation (kinetic energy), and two-equation (kinetic energy plus length scale) turbulence models are each utilized to describe the Reynolds shear stress for the three classes of flows. These models are assessed by comparing the calculated values of skin friction, wall pressure distribution, velocity, Mach number, and turbulent kinetic energy profiles with experimental measurements. Of the models tested the two-equation model results gave the best overall agreement with the data.
Improving Parent Satisfaction During the Well Child Check

BACKGROUND: Well visits early in childhood are a pivotal part of children’s wellbeing, and parents look to physicians for education at these visits. In the current healthcare climate, patient satisfaction scores are becoming an integral part of the system. The aim of this quality improvement project was to increase both the number of guidance topics discussed and parent satisfaction with the visit through physician education components. METHODS: In a county-based pediatrics clinic, with both resident and attending physicians, parents were surveyed at the end of …
A novel PCR-clamping assay reducing plant host DNA amplification significantly improves prokaryotic endo-microbiome community characterization

Due to the sequence homology between the bacterial 16S rRNA gene and plant chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA, the taxonomic characterization of plant microbiome using amplicon-based high throughput sequencing often results in the overwhelming presence of plant-affiliated reads, preventing the thorough description of plant-associated microbial communities. In this work we developed a PCR blocking primer assay targeting the taxonomically informative V5-V6 region of the 16S rRNA gene in order to reduce plant DNA co-amplification, and increase diversity coverage of associated prokaryotic communities. Evaluation of our assay on the characterization of the prokaryotic endophytic communities of Zea mays, Pinus taeda and Spartina alternifora leaves led to significantly reducing the proportion of plant reads, yielded 20 times more prokaryotic reads and tripled the number of detected OTUs compared to a commonly used V5-V6 PCR protocol. To expand the application of our PCR-clamping assay across a wider taxonomic spectrum of plant hosts, we additionally provide an alignment of chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA sequences encompassing more than 200 terrestrial plant families as a supporting tool for customizing our blocking primers.
A case of Recurrent Guillain-Barre Syndrome observed by the same clinician 12 years apart.

Recurrent GBS is a rare neurological condition in which patients develop similar symptoms of motor weakness after different preceding infections and suffer shorter intervals in between subsequent episodes of GBS. However, the majority of RGBS patients undergo full recovery.
BABEL enables cross-modality translation between multi-omic profiles at single-cell resolution

Abstract Simultaneous profiling of multi-omic modalities within a single cell is a grand challenge for single-cell biology. While there have been impressive technical innovations demonstrating feasibility – for example generating paired measurements of scRNA-seq and scATAC-seq – wide-spread application of joint profiling is challenging due to the experimental complexity, noise, and cost. Here we introduce BABEL, a deep learning method that translates between the transcriptome and chromatin profiles of a single cell. Leveraging a novel interoperable neural network model, BABEL can generate scRNA-seq directly from a cell’s scATAC-seq, and vice versa. This makes it possible to computationally synthesize paired multi-omic measurements when only one modality is experimentally available. Across several paired scRNA-seq and scATAC-seq datasets in human and mouse, we validate that BABEL accurately translates between these modalities for individual cells. BABEL also generalizes well to new biological contexts not seen during training. For example, starting from scATAC-seq of patient derived basal cell carcinoma (BCC), BABEL generated scRNA-seq that enabled fine-grained classification of complex cell states, despite having never seen BCC data. These predictions are comparable to analyses of the experimental BCC scRNA-seq data. We further show that BABEL can incorporate additional single-cell data modalities, such as CITE-seq, thus enabling translation across chromatin, RNA, and protein. BABEL offers a powerful approach for data exploration and hypothesis generation.
Submillimeter Spectroscopy in the Liquid and Solid State with a Tunable Optically Pumped Laser

The recent development of optically pumped far infrared (FIR) lasers has resulted in relatively powerful, quasi-tunable sources whose applications are just beginning to be explored. This paper reports on the use of such a laser to make transmission measurements in liquid H 2 O, the semiconductor GaAs, and the high temperature superconductor V 3 Si. The laser results are compared to other methods.
ETV2 primes hematoendothelial gene enhancers prior to hematoendothelial fate commitment

The lineage-determining transcription factor ETV2 is necessary and sufficient for hematoendothelial fate commitment. We investigated how ETV2-driven gene regulatory networks promote hematoendothelial fate commitment. We resolved the sequential determination steps of hematoendothelial versus cardiac differentiation from mouse embryonic stem cells. Etv2 was strongly induced and bound to the enhancers of hematoendothelial genes in a common cardiomyocyte-hematoendothelial mesoderm progenitor. However, only Etv2 itself and Tal1, not other ETV2-bound genes, were induced. Despite ETV2 genomic binding and Etv2 and Tal1 expression, cardiomyogenic fate potential was maintained. A second wave of ETV2-bound target genes was up-regulated during the transition from the common cardiomyocyte-hematoendothelial progenitor to the committed hematoendothelial population. A third wave of ETV-bound genes were subsequently expressed in the committed hematoendothelial population for sub-lineage differentiation. The shift from ETV2 binding to productive transcription, not ETV2 binding to target gene enhancers, drove hematoendothelial fate commitment. This work identifies mechanistic phases of ETV2-dependent gene expression that distinguish hematoendothelial specification, commitment, and differentiation.
A new Middle Pennsylvanian species of Petalaxis (Rugosa) from eastern California

Colonial rugose corals are uncommon in Pennsylvanian rocks in North America and until now the only massive form known from rocks of this age south of the Arctic is an undescribed species of Petalaxis reported by Sutherland (1985) from Morrowan rocks in Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. This report concerns a second species of Petalaxis recovered from Desmoinesian rocks immediately west of Death Valley, California. Although only a single colony has been found, it is profoundly different from all other described species of this genus and is significant from the standpoint of its presence during a very long time span when there was an apparent dearth of massive rugose corals in most of North America.
Software Licensing in the Case of No Network Effects

Traditionally, consumers purchase software by paying the price upfront and install the software on their computers. However, allowing consumers “pay as you go” by subscribing to the software has become increasingly popular. The two licensing models are referred to as “on-premises model” and “Software as a Service (SaaS) model” respectively. This paper studies the software vendor’s choice of the two models considering consumers’ uncertainty on the software quality and the software upgrading issue.
Portable biochemical detection systems using microfluidic and BioMEMS devices

In this paper, recent research activities at the Microsystems and BioMEMS Laboratory at the University of Cincinnati (UC) will be presented, which includes handheld biochemical detection systems with sampling and analysis capabilities and plastic based disposable biochips for clinical diagnostics. In the past few years, numerous microfluidic prototype devices and systems have been developed, specifically for biochemical warfare detection systems and portable diagnostic applications. BioMEMS-research team at the University of Cincinnati has been working on the development of a remotely accessible generic microfluidic system for biochemical detection and biomedical analysis, based on the concepts of both surface-mountable microfluidic motherboards and electrochemical detection techniques. The goal of this work is to develop a generic MEMS-based microfluidic system and to apply the fluidic system to detect bio-molecules such as specific proteins and/or antigens in liquid samples.
An evaluation of serum albumin, root caries, and other covariates in Gullah African Americans with type-2 diabetes.

Objectives Associations between dental conditions and overall health have been previously reported. Investigators have also shown significant inverse relationships between serum albumin (a general health status marker) and root caries. This relationship was explored among a study population of Gullah African Americans (who have a considerably lower level of non-African genetic admixture when compared to other African American populations) with type-2 diabetes (T2DM) and self-reported history of normal kidney function (N = 280).
Direct and Interactive Marketing

Direct marketing consists of marketing communications that use direct media technologies such as direct mail and print catalogs. Interactive marketing is an extension of direct marketing into media technologies that allow two-way communications between a buyer and a seller. Examples of interactive marketing are e-mail, online ads that can be clicked through, and e-commerce web sites. The advantages of direct and interactive marketing include the ability to precisely communicate to individuals with addressable messages that can be customized in ways that make messages more relevant to consumers. Direct and interactive marketing techniques typically include a response mechanism that allows consumers to respond directly to a communication and potentially make a purchase. Compared to mass media communications, direct and interactive marketing is much more precise and measurable. The ability to measure direct and interactive marketing effects allows marketers to design communication programs that target consumers based on recency – the amount of time since last purchase, frequency – the number of previous purchases, and monetary value – the total expenditures a customer makes over time. The strategies, methods, and metrics of direct and interactive marketing are becoming more central to marketing strategy as digital technologies allow interactive marketing communications to take place through television and mobile devices. Keywords: direct marketing; interactive marketing; database marketing; digital media; interactive media
Did stresses from the Cerro Prieto Geothermal Field influence the El Mayor‐Cucapah rupture sequence?

The Mw 7.2 El Mayor-Cucapah (EMC) earthquake ruptured a complex fault system in northern Baja California that was previously considered inactive. The Cerro Prieto Geothermal Field (CPGF), site of the world's second largest geothermal power plant, is located approximately 15 km to the northeast of the EMC hypocenter. We investigate whether anthropogenic fluid extraction at the CPGF caused a significant perturbation to the stress field in the EMC rupture zone. We use Advanced Land Observing Satellite interferometric synthetic aperture radar data to develop a laterally heterogeneous model of fluid extraction at the CPGF and estimate that this extraction generates positive Coulomb stressing rates of order 15 kPa/yr near the EMC hypocenter, a value which exceeds the local tectonic stressing rate. Although we cannot definitively conclude that production at the CPGF triggered the EMC earthquake, its influence on the local stress field is substantial and should not be neglected in local seismic hazard assessments.
Poor inter-rater reliability on mock anesthesia oral examinations.

Purpose Inter-rater reliability (IRR) and communication skills are both important factors that have been shown to affect oral examination scores. This study was designed to test: 1) IRR of a group of American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) graders who graded in true isolation; 2) the effect of teaching residents examination techniques.
Validation of clinical prognostic indices for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the National Cancer Data Base

Background Accurate risk stratification is necessary for epidemiologic and outcomes research in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We evaluated performance characteristics of the clinically derived International Prognostic Index (IPI) and revised IPI (R-IPI) with a regression modelbased score using the National Cancer Data Base. Methods We studied DLBCL patients diagnosed in 2004‐2011, divided into derivation and validation cohorts. The model-based score was calculated from a Cox model incorporatingvariablesroutinelyrecordedbycancerregistries. Calibration and discrimination of the indices with regard to overall survival were evaluated in the validation cohort. Results The IPI was recorded in 19,511 of 119,942 patients, of whom 79 % received chemotherapy. Both clinical indices provided good survival discrimination (5year estimate range 33‐74 % for the IPI, and 41‐87 % for the R-IPI), but explained only 16 % of variation in survival. Survival predictions among chemotherapy-treated patients were similar to estimates from published clinical cohorts. The model-based score had significantly better discrimination characteristics (5-year survival estimate range 22‐87 %) and explained 23 % of variation in survival. Conclusions We validated the IPI and R-IPI as recorded by cancer registries to provide robust risk stratification in the general population with DLBCL, but a prognostic model using raw registry data provides superior performance. Explicit recording of prognostic factors is preferable to abstracting coarsened clinical indices for the purpose of population-based epidemiologic research. Considering low variation of survival explained by the standard clinical variables, incorporating molecular markers into registry data is necessary to improve risk stratification.
Robot-assisted extended pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) at the time of radical prostatectomy (RP): a video-based illustration of technique, results, and unmet patient selection needs

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Extending the pelvic lymph node dissection template for radical prostatectomy to include the hypogastric and sub-obturator zones increases the number of lymph nodes retrieved and the chance of finding metastases. This study demonstrates how to modify the robot-assisted technique to accomplish the extended template and demonstrates the short-term impact of this approach. OBJECTIVE • To describe the differences in technique and results between standard vs extended template pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) at the time of radical prostatectomy (RP) using a robot-assisted (RA) technique. PATIENTS AND METHODS • Using extended templates illustrated for the open surgical technique, a RA technique was developed to solve obstacles related to surgical exposure, identification of key landmarks, proper sequencing of operative steps, and prevention of complicationsshown in the accompanying video. • From May 2006 to October 2007, 261 patients underwent a standard PLND, and from November 2007 to November 2010, 670 underwent an extended PLND (E-PLND) by one surgeon. RESULTS • The lymph node (LN) yield increased from a median(interquartile range) of 8 (5–11) to 16 (11–21) with the extended technique (P < 0.001). • The ratio of positive LNs increased from 7% to 18%. Among E-PLND cases by risk group, positive LNs were found in 39%, 9%, and 3% of high-, intermediate-, and low-risk cases, and the later two groups strongly associated with upgrading and/or upstaging. • Extensive clipping appears necessary to avoid postoperative lymphoceles, and peritoneal fenestration for the extraperitoneal technique. • The median operative duration for E-PLND was 42 min, roughly double that of a standard PLND. CONCLUSIONS • E-PLND is feasible with a RA technique, and increases the LN yield and positive LN ratio;the latter especially in high-risk disease. • The procedure takes twice as long and requires several updates in technique shown in the video.
Deformation Evaluation of Part Overhang Configurations in Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing

Powder-bed electron beam additive manufacturing (EBAM) has emerged as a cost-effective process for many industrial applications. Intuitively, EBAM would not require support structures for overhang geometry because the powder bed would self-support the overhang weight. However, without a proper support structure, overhang warping actually occurs in practices. In this study, a two dimensional (2D) finite element (FE) model was developed to study the thermomechanical process of EBAM. The model was applied to evaluate (1) the process parameter effect, (2) the overhang and support configuration effect, and (3) the powder porosity effect on overhang deformations. The major results are summarized as follows. (1) Increasing the beam speed and diameter will result in less deformation in an overhang area, while increasing the beam current will worsen the deformation condition. (2) A smaller tilt angle will cause a larger overhang deformation. (3) A support column, even placed away from the solid substrate side, will minimize overhang deformations. (4) An anchor-free solid piece beneath the overhang can reduce the deformation with an appropriate gap. (5) A lower powder porosity level may alleviate overhang deformations.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Consequences of Ignorance and Arrogance for Mismanagement of Sports-Related Concussions: Short- and Long-Term Complications

The major objective of this chapter is to provide my insights on short, and most importantly long-term complications from mismanagement of sports-related concussions. There is an expanding data base accumulating in neuroscience and clinical practice indicating the danger of long-term brain dysfunctions grounded on metabolic and structural deficits in the concussed brain. Although the exact mechanisms of these brain disorders still remained to be elucidated, the medical professionals in charge of concussed individuals have to be knowledgeable about epidemiology, pathophysiology, and current developments regarding evaluation, diagnostic imaging, management principles, complications, and prevention strategies. Clearly, both short- and long-term consequences of a single episode or multiple sub-concussive blows should NOT be overlooked while assessing injured athletes. There are several myths about concussion that I will elucidate in my final statements of this chapter, emphasizing still existing controversies and discrepancies between basic brain science and clinical management of sports-related concussions.
Digitizing oral history: can you hear the difference?

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to answer the questions: Can students discern the difference between oral histories digitized at archival quality (96 kHz/24-bit) versus CD-quality (44.1 kHz/16-bit)? and How important do they believe this difference is? Digitization of analog audio recordings has become the recommended best practice in preserving and making available oral histories. Additionally, well-accepted standards in performing this work are available. However, there is relatively little research that addresses if individuals can hear a qualitative difference in recordings made with best practices versus those that have not. Design/methodology/approach – In all, 53 individuals participated in the study, where they listened to three sets of oral histories and had to decide which was the archival-quality recording versus the CD-quality recording and mark their answer on a survey. Findings – Students could discern less than half of the time on average which was the archival quality versus the CD-...
Individual differences in the expression of a "general" learning ability in mice.

Human performance on diverse tests of intellect are impacted by a “general” regulatory factor that accounts for up to 50% of the variance between individuals on intelligence tests. Neurobiological determinants of general cognitive abilities are essentially unknown, owing in part to the paucity of animal research wherein neurobiological analyses are possible. We report a methodology with which we have assessed individual differences in the general learning abilities of laboratory mice. Abilities of mice on tests of associative fear conditioning, operant avoidance, path integration, discrimination, and spatial navigation were assessed. Tasks were designed so that each made unique sensory, motor, motivational, and information processing demands on the animals. A sample of 56 genetically diverse outbred mice (CD-1) was used to assess individuals9 acquisition on each task. Indicative of a common source of variance, positive correlations were found between individuals9 performance on all tasks. When tested on multiple test batteries, the overall performance ranks of individuals were found to be highly reliable and were “normally” distributed. Factor analysis of learning performance variables determined that a single factor accounted for 38% of the total variance across animals. Animals9 levels of native activity and body weights accounted for little of the variability in learning, although animals9 propensity for exploration loaded strongly (and was positively correlated) with learning abilities. These results indicate that diverse learning abilities of laboratory mice are influenced by a common source of variance and, moreover, that the general learning abilities of individual mice can be specified relative to a sample of peers.
Comparison of the structure of harmonic aqueous glasses and liquid water.

Glassy structures of water were generated by rapidly quenching configurations of 64 and 343 molecules of liquid water; and the potential energy was then expanded through quadratic order around local minima generated in this way, and the properties of the resulting harmonic system were calculated. The results obtained were used to test the degree to which the structure of liquid water is similar to that of a harmonic aqueous glass. The radial distribution functions for the glass were found to be remarkably similar to those of the liquid. Translational modes were found to be almost entirely responsible for the broadening of the oxygen-oxygen radial distribution function of the quenched configuration, and also primarily responsible for the broadening of other radial distribution functions.
4-Hydroxynonenal inhibits Na+-K+-ATPase

4-Hydroxynonenal binds rapidly to Na+-K+-ATPase, and this was accompanied by a decrease in measurable sulfhydryl groups and a loss of enzyme activity. The I50 value for Na+-K+-ATPase inhibition by 4-hydroxynonenal was found to be 120 μM. Although the sulfhydryl groups could be completely restored with β-mercaptoethanol during the reaction of the Na+K+-ATPase-HNE-adduct, the Na+-K+-ATPase activity was only partially restored by this reducing agent. A combination of hydroxylamine and β-mercaptoethanol yielded the greatest recovery of enzyme activity, 85% of original. Thus, 4-hydroxynonenal binding to Na+-K+-ATPase led to an irreversible decrease of enzyme activity under the conditions employed. It is hypothesized that 4-hydroxynonenal reacts with sulfhydryls at sites on the enzyme that are inaccessible by β-mercaptoethanol. Furthermore, evidence was obtained that 4-hydroxynonenal reacts with other amino acids such as lysine to form adducts that also interfere with protein function.
Stereochemistry of mono-tetrahydrofuranyl moiety in cytotoxic polyketides. Part A: Synthesis of model compounds

Dimesitoate esters of α,α-dibutyl-2,5-tetrahydrofurandimethanols of different relative stereochemistry were prepared. They serve as model compounds for a 1H-NMR-based stereochemical analysis of the mono-tetrahydrofuranyl moiety of cytotoxic polyketides.
WATER‐SOLUBLE PRODUCTS FROM PATULIN DURING ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION OF APPLE JUICE

During the course of alcoholic fermentation, 50 ppm of14 C-patulin added to apple juice was converted to other materials. The products were largely nonvolatile and water soluble. Little, if any, patulin was metabolized to CO2. Comparison of the thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) migration of the major patulin products from fermentation with the products of the reaction of patulin with cysteine indicated that at least 58% of the added patulin was converted to substances other than adducts of cysteine, peptides and proteins. In addition to a major TLC-immobile component (21%), at least six TLC-mobile patulin products were observed.
The Economic Impact Of Islam On Developing Countries

Summary This essay focuses on two questions: How do the current economic systems and institutions of Muslim countries differ from those of other countries at the same stage of economic development? What is the impact of Islam on the economic and social performance of these countries? Employing a cluster analysis I find that there is no special Muslim economic system; moreover, few economic institutions are uniquely Muslim. Using a regression analysis I also find that the presence of Islam has relatively little influence on most economic or social performance indicators. In the analysis of Muslim economies, religion does not appear to be a useful explanatory variable.
Francis Wayland's 1830s Textbooks: Evangelical Ethics and Political Economy

Francis Wayland (1796–1865) became the president of Brown University at age 31, remaining so for twenty-eight years. According to the custom of that era, the president taught moral philosophy and political economy to the Brown undergraduates. Wayland published his lectures on moral philosophy as a textbook in 1835 (this essay cites the 1837 edition); his notes on political economy followed in 1837 (this essay cites the 1841 edition). The Elements of Moral Science ultimately reached 100,000 copies in print, while The Elements of Political Economy reached approximately 50,000 copies and its abridgment another 12,000 (Wayland and Wayland 1868, p. 389). Paul T. Heyne (1982, p. 126) states that Wayland's Political Economy “was by far the most popular political economy texbook prior to the Civil War,” with ongoing influence “through adaptations and imitations.” A comparison of book sales to college enrollments suggests that Wayland's Political Economy served a greater proportion of the market of its day than Paul Samuelson's Economics did between 1948–1980.
Association of nerve growth factor mRNA levels with MK-801-induced explosive behaviors in mice.

MK-801, a noncompetitive antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, stimulated an outbred strain of NIH Swiss mice to display discrete episodes of explosive jumping behavior, designated as “popping.” The rapid onset of the MK-801-induced “popping” seems to follow the rapid distribution of the drug to the frontal cortex, the area that contains high levels of NMDA receptors. We examined the effect of this drug on the levels of mRNA coding for nerve growth factor (NGF) in the frontal cortex in relation to the exhibited “popping” episodes. Mice treated with 1 mg/kg MK-801 could be split into two groups based on the total number of “popping” episodes in a 30 min post-injection period. These groups also differed in the steady-state levels of frontal cortex NGF mRNA. Animals that exhibited low numbers of “popping” had levels of NGF mRNA significantly higher than saline treated controls or mice that exhibited high numbers of “popping.” Mice treated with 10 mg/kg MK-801 had a high frequency of “popping” that was impossible to separate into episodes. In addition, these mice had levels of frontal cortex NGF mRNA that were significantly lower than either group of mice treated with 1 mg/kg MK-801. These data indicated that there was an increased level of NGF mRNA under conditions where MK-801 induced a low level of “popping” behavior. However, when “popping” intensified, NGF mRNA levels were decreased, suggesting a possible behavioral antagonism of the NGF response. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.1
Foraminifera of petroleum platforms, Louisiana shelf, Gulf of Mexico

Abstract Species of benthic foraminifera presumably colonized the bacteria- and diatom-rich biofilms on the metallic surfaces of Louisiana-shelf petroleum platforms soon after their emplacement. At present, however, most underwater platform legs are covered by a thick growth of macrofoulers, predominantly barnacles and bivalves. Scraped samples from five such platforms (water depth 16–61 m) yielded 104 species of benthic foraminifera—44 of them with attached individuals. Among the obligate sessile species, Dyocibicides biserialis and Planorbulina mediterranensis were especially widespread. This group of epibionts also includes Calcituba polymorpha , Carpenteria candei , Cornuspiramia antillarum , Lepidodeuterammina ochracea , Nubeculinita inhaerens , Planorbulina acervalis , Planorbulinoides retinaculatus , Sagenina divaricans , Webbina bonairensis , and Webbina rugosa . The platforms are habitat islands; the surrounding soft, clastic substrate does not support the growth of most sessile species. The putative source areas of these colonists of Louisiana platforms are carbonate hardgrounds to the west (banks or reefs formed over salt diapirs) and other platforms. The foraminiferal species diversity on the platforms is most likely controlled by their distances from these sources, and the dimensions of the settlement surfaces. The eastward transport of propagules in summer by the Louisiana–Texas Coastal Current facilitates the species migration.
Prestimulus and poststimulus cuing of recall order in the memory span

Permutations of nine-digit sequences were recalled in either forward (F) or backward (B) order with order of recall cued either before the sequences (Prestimulus Cuing) or after the sequences (Poststimulus Cuing). Prestimulus Cuing produced significantly better recall than Poststimulus Cuing and F recall was superior to B recall, with a significant interaction between the two main effects. The shapes of the serial position curves for F and B recall were relatively unchanged by the position of cuing recall order, although the level of performance was lower in the Prestimulus Cuing condition.
Ion implantation in polycrystalline silicon thin film transistors

Abstract Polycrystalline silicon thin film transistors were fabricated using crystallized amorphous silicon. Ion implantation was used to form the source-drain regions of the transistor and to adjust the threshold voltage. A threshold voltage shift ΔV th of −10 V was achieved using phosphorus implantation. The conductivity in ion implanted source-drain regions varied from sample to sample, ranging from 22 S cm −1 to 170 S cm −1 , with an average of 60 S cm −1 . A heavily doped amorphous silicon layer was used as the starting material for the Si gate. This layer was patterned, ion implanted (as the self-aligned gate) and annealed. The result showed a high conductivity of 360 S cm −1 and a low sheet resistance of 230 Ω/square, for a silicon gate layer with a thickness of 120 nm. The repeatability of the sheet resistance from device to device and between run to run is excellent.
High-strength, in situ-setting calcium phosphate composite with protein release.

The aim of this study was to develop a mechanically-strong calcium phosphate cement (CPC) with protein release. Chitosan was used to strengthen CPC and control protein release. Mass fraction of protein release = mass of released protein/mass of total protein incorporated into the specimen. Flexural strength (mean ± sd; n = 6) of CPC containing 100 ng/mL of protein increased from 8.0 ± 1.4 MPa with 0% chitosan, to 19.8 ± 1.4 MPa with 15% chitosan (p < 0.05). The latter exceeded the reported strengths of sintered porous hydroxyapatite implants and cancellous bone. When the chitosan mass fraction was increased from 0% to 10% and 15%, protein release varied from 0.60 ± 0.03 to 0.41 ± 0.04, and to 0.23 ± 0.07, respectively (p < 0.05). When powder:liquid ratio increased from 2:1 to 3:1 and 4:1, protein release changed from 0.89 ± 0.10 to 0.41 ± 0.04, and to 0.23 ± 0.07, respectively p < 0.05. Therefore, chitosan content and powder:liquid ratio successfully controlled the protein release. The protein release mass fraction, M, was related to CPC porosity P by: M = 16.9 P4.5. In summary, a mechanically-strong CPC with controlled protein release was formulated. Protein release was proportional to CPC porosity. The in situ-hardening, nano-apatite composite may have potential for bone tissue engineering, especially when both mechanical strength and controlled release of therapeutic/bioactive agents are needed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 85A: 388–396, 2008
Mercury and methylmercury complexes of the 1-butyl and 1-hexadecyl esters of L-cysteine and 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid

Abstract The 1-butyl and 1-hexadecyl esters of 1-cysteine have been synthesized from 1-cysteine hydrochloride and the corresponding alcohol. These compounds [HSCH2CH (NH3)CO2R]Cl (R = 1-C4H9, 1-C16H33) complex to methylmercury via the thiolate sulphur. The complexes [CH3HgSCH2CH(NH3)CO2R]Cl show bands in the IR spectrum in the 300–350 cm−1 region due to v(HgS), and in the 500–550 cm−1 region due to v(HgC). The ethyl, 1-butyl and 1-hexadecyl esters of 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid have been synthesized. Complexation with mercuric ion yields polymers (CH(SHg)CO2R)n, and complexation with methylmercury gives bimetallic complexes (CH(SHgCH3)CO2R)2. The partition coefficients between 1-octanol and water for the complexes CH3HgSCH2 CH(NH2)CO2R have been measured, and the values compared with that of the analogous cysteine complex CH3HgSCH2CH(NH2)CO2H.
Rathke's cleft cyst presenting as bilateral abducens nerve palsy.

We present a patient with a Rathke’s cleft cyst who presented with rapidly progressive bilateral 6th nerve palsy. A 20-year-old woman with a history of cleft palate, hypertension, and hydronephrotic kidneys presented with a one month history of headache, associated with dizziness and diplopia on horizontal gaze. Examination was significant for profound bilateral 6th nerve palsies. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a hypodense mass that filled the sella and compressed the right cavernous sinus without contacting the optic chiasm. Pituitary function was normal. An endoscopic, transnasal transsphenoidal resection of the lesion was performed; microscopic examination revealed a Rathke’s cleft cyst. Surgical excision resulted in near complete resolution of the bilateral 6th nerve palsy. Rathke’s cleft cysts are an unusual cause of bilateral sixth nerve palsy and represent a potential cause of cranial neuropathy.
Effects of actor's causal role, outcome severity, and knowledge of prior accidents upon attributions of responsibility

Ninety-six subjects read one of eight reports of an industrial accident in which a small child was injured. The severity of the consequences (mild, severe), the number of previous accidents (few, many), and the actor's knowledge of previous accidents (informed, not informed) were varied in a 2×2×2 factorial design. It was hypothesized that defensively lenient attributions of responsibility would be made only when two conditions were met: (a) The actor, rather than situational factors, must be perceived as the primary causal agent. (b) The negative consequences of the accident must be severe. It was also predicted that an actor forewarned of potential dangers in a situation would be held more to blame than an actor who was unaware of any possible hazards. Both predictions were supported. It was suggested that the actor's causal role in the accident situation may be a critical factor in the arousal of defensive tedencies in observers.