cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Proteomics in developmental toxicology.

The objective of this presentation is to review the major proteomic technologies available to developmental texicologists and, when possible, to provide examples of how various proteomic technologies have been used in developmental toxicology or toxicology in general. The field of proteomics is too broad for us to go into great depth about each technology, so we have attempted to provide brief overviews supplemented with many references that cover the subjects in more detail. Proteomics tools produce a global view of complex biological systems by examining complex protein mixtures using large-scale, high-throughput technologies. These technologies speed up the process of protein separation, quantification, and identification. As an important complement to genomics, proteomics allows for the examination of the entire complement of proteins in an organism, tissue, or cell-type. Current proteomics technologies not only identify protein expression, but also post-translational modifications and protein interactions. The field of proteomics is expanding rapidly to provide greater volume and quality of protein information to help understand the multifaceted nature of biological systems.
The costimulatory molecule ICOS regulates the expression of c-Maf and IL-21 in the development of follicular T helper cells and TH-17 cells

The inducible costimulatory molecule ICOS has been suggested to be important in the development of interleukin 17 (IL-17)-producing helper T cells (T(H)-17 cells) and of follicular helper T cells (T(FH) cells). Here we show that ICOS-deficient mice had no defect in T(H)-17 differentiation but had fewer T(H)-17 cells after IL-23 stimulation and fewer T(FH) cells. We also show that T(FH) cells produced IL-17 and that T(FH) cells in ICOS-deficient mice were defective in IL-17 production. Both T(H)-17 and T(FH) cells had higher expression of the transcription factor c-Maf. Genetic loss of c-Maf resulted in a defect in IL-21 production and fewer T(H)-17 and T(FH) cells. Thus our data suggest that ICOS-induced c-Maf regulates IL-21 production that in turn regulates the expansion of T(H)-17 and T(FH) cells.
The role of monitoring and shirking in information systems project management

Abstract Agency theory offers a foundation for explaining the impact of project monitoring on project success. This study applied agency theory to survey 428 information systems project managers concerning their project monitoring, shirking by systems developers, and project success. Greater project monitoring via planning and meetings predicted less shirking, while greater monitoring via responsibilities and comparison did not. Less shirking via poor focus predicted increased project success, while less shirking via loafing did not. These findings have implications for project managers and project management researchers.
Seasonal Trivalent Inactivated Influenza Vaccine Protects against 1918 Spanish Influenza Virus Infection in Ferrets

The influenza virus H1N1 pandemic of 1918 was one of the worst medical catastrophes in human history. Recent studies have demonstrated that the hemagglutinin (HA) protein of the 1918 virus and 2009 H1N1 pandemic virus [A(H1N1)pdm09], the latter now a component of the seasonal trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV), share cross-reactive antigenic determinants. In this study, we demonstrate that immunization with the 2010-2011 seasonal TIV induces neutralizing antibodies that cross-react with the reconstructed 1918 pandemic virus in ferrets. TIV-immunized ferrets subsequently challenged with the 1918 virus displayed significant reductions in fever, weight loss, and virus shedding compared to these parameters in nonimmune control ferrets. Seasonal TIV was also effective in protecting against the lung infection and severe lung pathology associated with 1918 virus infection. Our data demonstrate that prior immunization with contemporary TIV provides cross-protection against the 1918 virus in ferrets. These findings suggest that exposure to A(H1N1)pdm09 through immunization may provide protection against the reconstructed 1918 virus which, as a select agent, is considered to pose both biosafety and biosecurity threats.
Challenges and opportunities for development of an AIDS vaccine

Among the devastating consequences of AIDS has been its epidemic spread in the developing world. The disease has caused unprecedented suffering, debilitation, loss of life and disruption of family, social and economic stability. Because of the considerable expense and logistical difficulty in providing antiviral drugs to populations infected with the human immunodeficiency virus throughout the world, the biomedical community is looking towards vaccines to help solve this compelling problem.
The Delight Of Continuing The Conversation

I thank my colleagues for the enlivening ways in which they sustain the conversation. In certain respects, the conversation moves in four different directions. With Churchill, I find myself in a learning mode, appreciating more fully the relational dimensions of phenomenology; with Clegg, I find us on a conversational route toward affinity; with Sugarman and Martin, I find myself curious as to how they can reconcile what appear to be individualist and relational views of the person; and with Slife and Richardson, we move into complex issues of constructionist metatheory. Yet in all cases, we converge on the profound significance of relational process.
Revisiting Relationships between Sex-Related Variables and Continuation in Counseling

This study examined the relationships between three sex-related variables (client sex, therapist sex, and dyad matching on sex) and continuation in counseling. 245 college students who were clients at three university counseling centers participated. Consistent with previous studies, women comprised 68.2% of the clients seeking services at these counseling centers. Clients' sex was significantly related to counseling duration, explaining 2.2% of the common variance. Female clients, on the average, attended 1.8 more sessions than male clients. However, neither the therapists' sex nor dyad matching on sex was significantly related to the duration of counseling. None of the sex-related variables correlated with premature termination of counseling. The results have implications for providing counseling and outreach services to male students. Despite relatively equivalent rates in the incidence of mental health problems, female students continue to comprise the majority of clients. Therefore, university counseling centers need to communicate their services better to male students in need of mental health services.
Spin-Dependent Tunneling in Self-Assembled Cobalt-Nanocrystal Superlattices

Self-assembled devices composed of periodic arrays of 10-nanometer-diameter cobalt nanocrystals display spin-dependent electron transport. Current-voltage characteristics are well described by single-electron tunneling in a uniform array. At temperatures below 20 kelvin, device magnetoresistance ratios are on the order of 10%, approaching the maximum predicted for ensembles of cobalt islands with randomly oriented preferred magnetic axes. Low-energy spin-flip scattering suppresses magnetoresistance with increasing temperature and bias-voltage.
A functional approach to appraisal and retention scheduling

Purpose – This paper presents the approach being taken to appraisal and retention scheduling at the National Patient Safety Agency based on the principles of ISO 15489.Design/methodology/approach – The paper sets out the background to, and the factors affecting, the development of appraisal and scheduling practice. It then focuses on the use of a functional analysis approach to appraisal and scheduling within the context of a pilot project, describing the appraisal methodology, survey and scheduling techniques used within the pilot and evaluating their effectiveness in meeting relevant statutory and organisational requirements for records retention.Findings – The pilot survey provided valuable learning. Functional appraisal and surveying techniques were found to be particularly effective for establishing the business context of records and identifying their primary values; that is the legal and organisational requirements governing their retention. However, they were less effective at recognising secondar...
Fluorescence Provides Evidence of Congenital Erythropoietic Porphyria in 7000-Year-Old Specimens of the Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) from the Devil's Den

Numerous fossil vertebrates, including the eastern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger), have been recovered from the Devil's Den Sinkhole in Levy County, Florida. The majority of the fossils have been rec...
Divergent Stakeholder Theory

The article focuses on a proposal concerning convergent stakeholder theory. It states that what is needed are theories that are divergent and thus utilize the point of view of stakeholder terms in showing different but useful methods of understanding organizations. It suggests that the theory in previous comments are derived in descriptive, instrumental, and normative theory. It mentions that philosophers and ethical theorists have argued that there isn't a meaningful distinction between normative and descriptive except by relying on the distinction itself.
Aleurone Cells and the Digestibility of Wheat Mill Feeds

Abstract PELLETING feeds is usually advantageous for several reasons. Where improved growth has been shown, however, workers do not agree on the factor(s) responsible for the improvement. The relative value of pellets versus mash and grain in poultry nutrition has been the subject of a review by Calet (1965) where current speculations to account for the observed differences have been listed. It appears certain that chemical and/or physical changes must have occurred during the pelleting process to account for the large differences found. Recently Cave et al. (1965a, b) found that wheat milling fractions gave relatively low metabolizable energy values and poor protein utilization when they constituted an important part of chick diets. By steam-pelleting wheat bran, the metabolizable energy in chick diets was increased as much as 30% over unpelleted mash. An increase of 17% was found for steam-pelleted wheat shorts over unpelleted material. The present paper reports findings which…
FOSS Artifacts for Evaluating Students on Team Projects

This lightening talk discusses how various Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) artifacts can be used for student evaluation. These artifacts include wikis for tracking documentation, repositories for tracking code and commits, issue trackers for tracking project issues and enhancements, and version control for tracking contributions to the project. Each of these tools provides a way to identify concrete student accomplishments when operating as part of a team to develop a project.
Designing a configuration control mechanism for a flight software validation facility

Embedded computer systems and supporting operating systems have recently enabled the automation of many time-critical flight functions. This automation requires the integration of computer hardware and software, aircraft hardware, and the flight application. To properly integrate and control these critical functions requires a real-time environment that is provided by the onboard flight computer, a real-time operating system, and a real-time flight application that supplies the input commands to the aircraft and responds to the resulting actions. The increased complexity of developing and testing such real-time applications can best be supported by a separate test facility that provides the processing visibility and control which is virtually impossible in the actual real-time operating environment. Such a flight software validation facility has been developed at the NASA Langley Research Center to support applications using the Shuttle real-time language HAL/S. The development and control of this facility are described. Some of the management techniques used were project schedules, status monitoring, code walk-throughs, configuration control, phased releases, validation suites, and modern programming techniques.
Optimal Design Of A Transfemoral Prosthesis With Energy Storage And Regeneration

We describe the preliminary optimal design of an electromechanical above-knee active prosthesis with energy storage and regeneration. A DC motor-generator applies a positive or negative torque to the knee. The control system regulates the exchange of energy between the motor-generator and a supercapacitor. The central idea of the design is motivated by the mechanics, energy management, and sensor-based control that constitute human movement. We use biogeography-based optimization, which is an evolutionary algorithm, to optimize the system parameters, and we evaluate its performance with Simulink ® models. We optimize three alternative prosthesis designs. Simulation results indicate that the prosthesis can be optimized to achieve knee angle tracking with an RMS error on the order of 0.2 degrees.
The effects of traumatic brain injury on inhibition in the hippocampus and dentate gyrus

Changes in inhibitory neuronal functioning may contribute to morbidity following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Evoked responses to orthodromic paired-pulse stimulation were examined in the hippocampus and dentate gyrus at 2 and 15 days following lateral fluid percussion TBI in adult rats. The relative strength of inhibition was estimated by measuring evoked paired pulses in three afferent systems: the CA3 commissural input to the CA1 region of the hippocampus; the entorhinal cortical input to the ipsilateral CA1 area (temporoammonic system); and the entorhinal input to the ipsilateral dentate gyrus (perforant path). In addition to quantitative electrophysiological estimates of inhibitory efficacy, levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were qualitatively examined with immunohistochemical techniques. Effects of TBI on paired-pulse responses were pathway-specific, and dependent on time postinjury. At 2 days following TBI, inhibition of population spikes was significantly reduced in the CA3 commissural input to CA1, which contrasted with injury-induced increases in inhibition in the dentate gyrus seen at both 2 and 15 days postinjury. Low-level stimulation, subthreshold for population spikes, also revealed changes in paired-pulse facilitation of field extracellular postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs), which depended on fiber pathway and time postinjury. Significant injury-induced electrophysiological changes were almost entirely confined to the hemisphere ipsilateral to injury. Intensity of GABA immunobinding exhibited a regional association with electrophysiological indices of inhibition, with the most pronounced increases in GABA levels and inhibition found in the dentate gyrus. TBI-induced effects showed a regional pattern within the hippocampus which corresponds closely to inhibitory changes reported to follow ischemia and kindling. This degree of similarity in outcome following dissimilar injuries may indicate common mechanisms in the nervous system response to injury.
Probiotics, antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and Clostridium difficile diarrhoea in humans

Probiotics are living organisms which, when ingested, have a beneficial therapeutic effect. Examples are bacteria, especially Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, and the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii. Controlled trials indicate a benefit of both of these in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. Other less effective probiotics are Lactinex, Enterococcus faecium and bifidobacteria. In the difficult clinical problem of recurrent Clostridium difficile disease, S. boulardii as an adjunct to antibiotics has shown benefit in controlled trials. There is, however, less convincing evidence for the efficacy of Lactobacillus GG in this disease. Additional controlled trials and safety studies are needed before there can be a widespread endorsement of probiotics for these two conditions.
Defenses, Personality Structure, and Development: Integrating Psychodynamic Theory Into a Typological Approach to Personality

Psychodynamic theory does not conceptualize motivated unconscious defenses primarily in terms of individual traits. Rather, a person's mechanisms of defense are understood in terms of his or her personality structure and level of psychological development. This paper outlines the way in which this perspective has been integrated into a configural approach to personality assessment. The six-group typology based on the Weinberger Adjustment Inventory (WAI) identifies higher-order personality organization through the intersection of self-reported high/low distress and high/moderate/low self-restraint. The framework incorporates a developmental perspective by assessing affect regulation in conjunction with the internalization of self-regulatory controls. The primary defenses of prototypic members of each of the six groups are highlighted, and hypothesized links to personality traits, stages of ego development, attachment styles, and proneness to specific personality disorders are discussed.
Quality of History Taking in Patients With Aortic Dissection

Study objectives: Aortic dissection generally is an acute catastrophe. Rapid diagnosis is critical. We hypothesized that the quality of history taking contributes to the accuracy of diagnosis in patients with dissection. Design: Retrospective chart review of 83 patients, whose diagnosis of aortic dissection was confirmed by autopsy, surgery, CT scan, echocardiogram, or angiogram. The quality of the initial history was reviewed using predetermined criteria. The physicians' initial clinical impressions were recorded. Results: The examining physician correctly suspected aortic dissection after the initial clinical evaluation in 54 of 83 patients (65%). Only 33 of 78 patients with symptoms (42%) were asked about the quality, location, and onset of their pain, the three descriptors identified a priori as important. In 19 patients (24%), only zero or one descriptor was recorded. When all three questions were asked, dissection was suspected in 30 of 33 patients (91%); when zero, one, or two questions were asked, dissection was suspected in 22 of 45 patients (49%). Conclusion: Despite important advances in diagnostic imaging, accurate diagnosis of aortic dissection requires an accurate history. In our series, the quality of initial history was associated with the accuracy of the initial clinical impression in patients with aortic dissection. (CHEST 1998; 114:793–795)
Stratigraphy of upper Paleozoic volcanic rocks and regional unconformities in part of the northern Sierra terrane, California

Upper Paleozoic volcanic rocks in the southern part of the Taylorsville strike belt are unconformably truncated at the North Fork of the American River by a lens of Upper Triassic conodont-bearing limestone and Lower and Middle Jurassic graywacke-slate flysch deposits of the Sailor Canyon Formation. The volcanic sequence consists of submarine felsic pyroclastic debris flows and tuffaceous slate of the Late Devonian Sierra Buttes Formation, andesitic turbidites of the Taylor Formation, a lower tuff-siltstone member and an upper chert member of the Peale Formation, and fine-grained tuff of the Reeve Formation. Newly discovered radiolarians date the chert member of the Peale as latest Late Mississippian and(or) Early Pennsylvanian. Shelly fossil fragments found 50 m above the chert member date the lower part of the Reeve in this area as late Early Permian. These rocks formed in the distal part of the submarine volcanic apron, presumably in an island-arc setting, and were deposited unconformably on quartz-rich clastic rocks and tectonically interlayered chert of the pre–Late Devonian Shoo Fly Complex. The Peale marks a period of quiescence in the late Paleozoic volcanism that culminated in deep-water chert deposition during latest Mississippian to the Middle Pennsylvanian. The Peale-Reeve contact is a regional hiatus, probably nondepositional in the south and becoming erosional to the north, that spans most or all of the Late Pennsylvanian and Early Permian. Post-late Early Permian to pre-Late Triassic deformation produced northeast-trending folds and a southeast-trending fault in the late Paleozoic volcanic rocks that are truncated nearly orthogonally by the Late Triassic unconformity and northwest-trending folds in the Jurassic Sailor Canyon Formation.
On the Presence in Hog Hypothalamus of (β-Corticotropin Releasing Factor, α- and (β-Melanocyte Stimulating Hormones, Adrenocorticotropin, Lysine-Vasopressin and Oxytocin

Extracts of hog hypothalamus were chromatographed on carboxymethylcellulose. The following substances were tentatively identified in the effluents based on elution volumes and biological activities: oxytocin, β-MSH, αMSH, lysine vasopressin, β-CRF, an αMSH-like or ACTH-like peptide and ACTH.
Inhibition of proteolytic processing of the polyproteins of cowpea mosaic virus by hemin.

Abstract Cleavages of the polyproteins synthesized from cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) B RNA and M RNA in rabbit reticulocyte lysates are inhibited by hemin. Cleavage of the CPMV B RNA-encoded 200K polyprotein and of the M RNA-encoded 60K intermediary precursor protein were most sensitive to hemin inhibition, while cleavages of other precursor proteins were less sensitive. A significant observation was that at a hemin concentration of 25μM, but not at higher concentrations, the 60K protein was cleaved to yield the two viral capsid proteins. This cleavage reaction has not been observed in vitro previously.
Perceived medication benefits and their association with interest in using inhaled insulin in type 2 diabetes: a model of patients' cognitive framework.

OBJECTIVE: To examine predictors of patient perceived relevance of different diabetes medication benefits, and to determine how medication benefit ratings of an inhaled insulin were associated with evaluation of, and interest in that inhaled insulin. METHODS: The study was an Internet survey of a US sample (n = 1094) of adults with type 2 diabetes using different medication regimens. Patients were given a brief description of potential clinical benefits and administration procedures for the inhaled insulin described in this study (based on MannKind Corporation's Technosphere insulin). Measures included indicators of medication benefits, needs and relevance, benefit ratings and overall evaluation of the studied inhaled insulin relative to current medication, and interest in the study medication. Multivariate regression assessed significant (P < 0.05) independent associations, controlling for demographic and disease characteristics. RESULTS: Relevance of potential medication benefits (avoidance of hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, weight gain, discomfort/inconvenience) was significantly associated with objective and subjective indicators of patients' needs. Most need indicators were associated only with the specific benefit to which they apply; concerns about weight and lifestyle were associated with multiple benefits. Ratings of the studied inhaled insulin for avoiding postprandial hyperglycemia and discomfort/inconvenience were associated with overall evaluation of and interest in the inhaled insulin described in this study; rating of this medication for avoiding weight gain was associated with overall evaluation ratings. CONCLUSIONS: Relevance of different potential benefits was based on objective and subjective indicators of need. Perceived efficacy of the inhaled insulin described in this study for avoiding postprandial hyperglycemia and discomfort/inconvenience were the benefits most strongly related to the evaluation of and interest in this medication.
Identification and localization of Ca2+‐activated K+ channels in rat sciatic nerve

To understand the physiology of Schwann cells and myelinated nerve, we have been engaged in identifying K+ channels in sciatic nerve and determining their subcellular localization. In the present study, we examined the slo family of Ca2+-activated K+ channels, a class of channel that had not previously been identified in myelinated nerve. We have determined that these channels are indeed expressed in peripheral nerve, and have cloned rat homologues of slo that are more than 95% identical to the murine slo. We found that sciatic nerve RNA contained numerous alternatively spliced variants of the slo homologue, as has been seen in other tissues. We raised a polyclonal antibody against a peptide from the carboxyl terminal of the channels. Immunocytochemistry revealed that the channel proteins are in Schwann cells and are associated with canaliculi that run along the outer surface of the cells. They are also relatively concentrated near the node of Ranvier in the Schwann cell outer membrane. This staining pattern is quite similar to what we previously reported for the voltage-dependent K+ channel Kv1.5. We did not observe staining of axons or connective tissue in the nerve and so it seems likely that most or all of the splicing variants are located in the Schwann cells. The localization of these channels also suggests that they may participate in maintaining the resting potential of the Schwann cells during K+ buffering. GLIA 26:166–175, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effects of molecular siting and adsorbent heterogeneity on the ideality of adsorption equilibria.

The ideal adsorbed solution (IAS) theory is the benchmark for the prediction of mixed-gas adsorption equilibria from pure-component isotherms. In this work, we use atomistic grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations to test the effects of molecular siting and adsorbent energetic heterogeneity on the applicability of the IAS theory. Pure-component isotherms generated by atomistic simulation are used to predict binary isobaric isotherms using the IAS theory. These predicted isotherms are compared with those obtained by a full atomistic simulation of the binary mixture. Binary mixtures of argon, methane, and CF4 in silicalite are found to obey IAS theory, while benzene/methane and cyclohexane/methane in silicalite are nonideal. The mixture of argon and CF4 is ideal despite the large difference in the sizes of the two species. This contradicts previous hypotheses in the literature, which state that mixtures of species of unequal size do not adsorb ideally. The nonideal behavior of the benzene/methane and cycloh...
Low-temperature behavior of single-domain through multidomain magnetite

Abstract We have investigated the low-temperature behavior of a suite of ‘grown’ synthetic and natural magnetites that span single-domain (SD) and multidomain (MD) behavior. Synthetic samples had been grown in the laboratory either in an aqueous medium or in glass. Natural samples included SD magnetites occurring in plagioclase and truly MD magnetites in the form of large octahedra. In all experiments a sample was first given a saturation remanence at room temperature; next, moment was measured continuously during cooling and warming between 230 K and 60 K. Similar to results reported earlier by other workers, magnetic memory is large in SD samples, whereas truly MD samples are almost completely demagnetized by cycling between room temperature and 60 K. Pseudo-single-domain samples exhibit behavior that is intermediate with respect to that of the SD and truly MD states. When data from this study are combined with data obtained by Hartstra [10] from sized, natural magnetites, it is found that the percentage of total remanence that survives cycling between room temperature and 60 K decreases linearly with the logarithm of grain size and, thus, with increasing number of domains. This relation suggests that memory can provide a reasonable estimate of grain size in those magnetite-bearing rocks for which these samples provide good analogues. Remarkably, some of the large natural octahedra provide a magnified view of MD response to low temperatures and thus reveal two surprising and intriguing types of behavior. First, below approximately 180 K these octahedra demagnetize through a series of large Barkhausen jumps. Second, near 117 K these same octahedra exhibit a ‘wild zone’, where magnetic moment executes large, random excursions. We interpret these two phenomena as direct evidence for the unpinning and irreversible displacement of domain walls in response to the drop in coercivity and, possibly, the broadening of domain walls as temperatures drop toward the isotropic point. One implication of this behavior is that cooling to progressively lower temperatures could provide an effective method for stepwise removal of paleomagnetic components carried by MD grains, even without passage through the isotropic point of magnetite.
Phase II Study of Neoadjuvant Bevacizumab and Radiotherapy for Resectable Soft Tissue Sarcomas

Purpose Numerous preclinical studies have demonstrated that angiogenesis inhibitors can increase the efficacy of radiotherapy (RT). We sought to examine the safety and efficacy of bevacizumab (BV) and RT in soft tissue sarcomas and explore biomarkers to help determine the treatment response. Methods and Materials Patients with ≥5 cm, intermediate- or high-grade soft tissue sarcomas at significant risk of local recurrence received neoadjuvant BV alone followed by BV plus RT before surgical resection. Correlative science studies included analysis of the serial blood and tumor samples and serial perfusion computed tomography scans. Results The 20 patients had a median tumor size of 8.25 cm, with 13 extremity, 1 trunk, and 6 retroperitoneal/pelvis tumors. The neoadjuvant treatment was well tolerated, with only 4 patients having Grade 3 toxicities (hypertension, liver function test elevation). BV plus RT resulted in ≥80% pathologic necrosis in 9 (45%) of 20 tumors, more than double the historical rate seen with RT alone. Three patients had a complete pathologic response. The median microvessel density decreased 53% after BV alone ( p p p Conclusions The results from the present exploratory study indicated that BV increases the efficacy of RT against soft tissue sarcomas and might reduce the incidence of local recurrence. Thus, this regimen warrants additional investigation. Gene expression profiles and other tissue and circulating biomarkers showed promising correlations with treatment response.
Ethical Inclinations of Tomorrow's Managers Revisited: How and Why Students Cheat.

(1987). Ethical Inclinations of Tomorrow's Managers Revisited: How and Why Students Cheat. Journal of Education for Business: Vol. 63, No. 1, pp. 24-29.
An Integral Gummel Relation for Single and Double Heterojunction Graded‐Base HBTs

An integral Gummel charge-control relation for both linearly graded and non-graded base and for single or double heterojunction bipolar transistors is derived. In addition to modeling the collector current density for different heterojunction systems, the analytical model is useful for analyzing the collector offset voltage of the heterojunction bipolar transistor with or without graded energy gap in the base. Comparisons with numerical and experimental data show excellent agreement.
Passivation and interface state studies on n-GaAs

Abstract The surface preparation of GaAs with HCl solutions is shown to be very important in determining anodic oxidation characteristics as well as resulting interface state densities on oxidized samples. Auger data and chemical thermodynamic arguments are used to show that the HCl pretreatment selectively removes Ga while leaving elemental arsenic on the GaAs surface. Interface state densities are compared for various HCl pretreatment times. Growth of the anodic oxides in neutral electrolytes containing KF are beneficial for the interface state density.
Discrete simulation of NC machining

We describe a method for simulating and verifying the correctness of Numerical Control (NC) programs. NC programs contain the sequence of cutting tool movements which machine raw stock into a finished object. Our method is based on a discrete approximation of the object by a set of points. A vector is passed through each of the points and machining is simulated by finding the intersections of tool movements with these vectors. We present a point-selection method and an analysis that shows that the error introduced by the approximation can be made as small as desired. The run time is inversely proportional to the allowable error and the size of the cutting tool, and directly proportional to the distance that the cutting tool moves.
Assessing uncertainty in high-resolution spatial climate data across the US Northeast.

Local and regional-scale knowledge of climate change is needed to model ecosystem responses, assess vulnerabilities and devise effective adaptation strategies. High-resolution gridded historical climate (GHC) products address this need, but come with multiple sources of uncertainty that are typically not well understood by data users. To better understand this uncertainty in a region with a complex climatology, we conducted a ground-truthing analysis of two 4 km GHC temperature products (PRISM and NRCC) for the US Northeast using 51 Cooperative Network (COOP) weather stations utilized by both GHC products. We estimated GHC prediction error for monthly temperature means and trends (1980–2009) across the US Northeast and evaluated any landscape effects (e.g., elevation, distance from coast) on those prediction errors. Results indicated that station-based prediction errors for the two GHC products were similar in magnitude, but on average, the NRCC product predicted cooler than observed temperature means and trends, while PRISM was cooler for means and warmer for trends. We found no evidence for systematic sources of uncertainty across the US Northeast, although errors were largest at high elevations. Errors in the coarse-scale (4 km) digital elevation models used by each product were correlated with temperature prediction errors, more so for NRCC than PRISM. In summary, uncertainty in spatial climate data has many sources and we recommend that data users develop an understanding of uncertainty at the appropriate scales for their purposes. To this end, we demonstrate a simple method for utilizing weather stations to assess local GHC uncertainty and inform decisions among alternative GHC products.
Quasielastic light scattering, mutual diffusion and viscoelasticity of polymer solutions

Quasielastic light (QEL) scattering studies of semidilute solutions of polystyrene in benzene and benzene plus diethyl phthalate mixed solvents have been carried out. Comparisons are made between experiment and theoretical results. It is found that the relative amplitude of the viscoelastic modes depends on the coupling parameter β (defined in the text). For the solutions with β=0, no viscoelastic component is observed in the QEL scattering spectrum, consistent with the theoretical prediction. The amplitude and a relaxation time distribution of the viscoelastic component of the QEL scattering spectrum of PS in the mixed solvent are found to depend on time. Steady state values are obtained only after the solution is equilibrated for more than a month. Time evolution of the QEL spectrum has been investigated.
Contingent rents and auditors' independence: Appearance vs fact

Abstract A common theme in discussions of auditors' independence is the concern that provision of nonaudit services may compromise auditors' independence. We use a simple model to show that although the latter argument applies in some cases, it is false in others. Specifically, we show that the presence of contingent economic rents is not sufficient for auditors to compromise their independence, nor is the lack of contingent rents sufficient to imply auditors' independence. We also show that contingent rents could increase audit quality and strengthen independence when the risk of misstatements is less than 50 per cent. Our paper provides definitions of independence in appearance and independence in fact. Although the issue of independence relates to the dual notion of appearance and fact, regulations generally focus on appearance. In contrast, the literature on auditors' independence has focused on independence in fact. We bridge the gap by formalising a definition of independence in fact, and a definiti...
Optimization of glioblastoma multiforme stem cell isolation, transfection, and transduction

It has been postulated that brain tumor stem cells (TSCs) may be the population of cells responsible for the maintenance and recurrence of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The purpose of this study was to optimize a reproducible protocol for generating TSCs for their subsequent transfection or transduction. Patient GBMs were enzymatically and mechanically dissociated and tumor spheres were resuspended in appropriate media and analyzed to ensure they met stem cell criteria. These cells were then transfected with a plasmid or transduced with a viral vector to introduce a previously absent gene and then allowed to form tumor spheres. Tumor spheres were generated from patient GBMs without contamination. These cells met stringent criteria as stem cells, including multipotentiality and self-renewal. High efficiency transfection and transduction of tumor spheres was possible, even at the core of the sphere. This allowed for the introduction of new genes to the TSCs, as evidenced by fluorescent microscopy and Western blot analysis. This study is a guide to optimize the generation of patient derived GBM tumor spheres without RBC and dead cell contamination. GBM TSCs within tumor spheres can easily be transfected with plasmids or transduced with a virus. This is important from a therapeutic perspective if gene replacement is to be successful in replacing genes lost in GBM progression or to knock down or silence genes that are over-expressed in malignant brain tumors.
Monospecific nematode infections of donor calves with Cooperia punctata

During a 25 year period, 48 calves from three states were raised helminth-free from birth and inoculated with Cooperia punctata. These calves served sequentially as donors of the parasite. The following aspects of the monospecific infection were of value in successful donor management and contributed to understanding the host-parasite relationship. Calves with no previous experience with C. punctata were the best hosts for establishing initial infections. Male Holstein calves were satisfactory donors of the parasite. Inoculation of calves 6-24 weeks of age with 10,000-11,200 infective third-stage larvae (L3) over a 2 day period produced the desired donors. Occasional over-feeding of calves appeared to reduce the patent period. Superimposed infection was more likely when calves were still patent from previous infection, whereas reinfection was less likely after patency of the earlier infection had ended. Strong immunity eventually developed following oral administration of L3.
Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Resection or Transplantation

Management of hepatocellular carcinoma in the early cirrhotic remains controversial. The exact role of liver transplantation versus resection remains to be determined. The following short review attempts to present the evidence for the respective roles of liver transplantation versus liver resection in early stage HCC.
PREFERENCE FOR THE COLOR RED AND ACTIVATION: A TEST OF THAYER'S THEORY '

As a test of Thayer's two-dimensional arousal theory, it was reasoned that a stimulus with a relatively high arousal potential would be preferred by persons who scored higher on the energetic dimension and would not be preferred by persons who scored high on the tense arousal dimension. A group of undergraduates was asked to rank colors in order of their preference and to respond to the items of the Thayer scale. Using only the scores of the 21 individuals who reported either high or low preference for the color red, i.e., color having a high arousal potential, a single difference score was calculated for each person. This value reflected the relative scores on the energetic and tense dimensions of the Thayer scale. These data clearly supported the hypothesis.
Federal support of graduate nursing education: rationale and policy options.

With government attention now directed to graduate medical education, it is imperative that nursing leaders clearly articulate how Medicare dollars can best be directed to meet current nursing workforce goals.
Sedimentary History of Mangrove Cays in Turneffe Islands, Belize: Evidence for Sudden Environmental Reversals

McCloskey, T.A. and Liu, K.-B., 2013. Sedimentary history of mangrove cays in Turneffe Islands, Belize: evidence for sudden environmental reversals. Journal of Coastal Research, 29(4), 971–983. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The Holocene history of the continental margin of Belize has frequently been interpreted as being very straightforward, controlled almost entirely by postglacial sea level rise. Depending upon location, the dominant depositional environment, whether coral or mangrove, is either able to keep up with the rising sea level and thereby maintain its integrity through the present, or becomes drowned. Here we present sedimentary evidence from four mangrove cays situated on Turneffe Islands that shows an unusual pattern wherein early mangrove development is replaced by carbonate sedimentation before reverting back to mangroves in the relatively recent past. The bracketed carbonate layers, up to .2 m thick and resembling lagoon-floor material, display both a rough temporal coincidence across sites and a distinctive geographic signature, thinning landward irrespective of relative elevation. The carbonate sections are often underlain by a mixed sediment layer characterized by a jumble of stratigraphically incoherent mangrove clumps intermingled with carbonates. The replacement of mangrove peat with bottom-style carbonate deposition suggests a lowering of island surface elevation. Seismic activity is identified as the most likely cause, although hurricanes cannot be excluded. In either case the elevational reduction is probably amplified by peat collapse associated with mangrove mortality. The occurrence of such activity and the resulting catastrophic ecological/geomorphic change indicate a need for incorporating these geological perturbations in risk assessment for Turneffe Islands.
Globalization and Governance: The Prospects for Democracy

The contours of public law are changing rapidly, and judges, practitioners, and academic writers are anxiously seeking a guide to the new frontiers. Reference has been made by some American observers to the “profound changes brought about by deregulation, commercialization, corporatization, public sector downsizing, privatization and globalization.” At the same time, the courts in many jurisdictions are revising the language as well as the substance of the changing law, often by reference to developments in other countries, and there is renewed concern about the prospects for democracy in a climate of globalization, with issues of democratic governance unsurprisingly achieving prominence in public international law as well as in national law. Democracy “used to be a word that international commentators preferred to avoid,” and it is a term that has often invited skepticism or embarrassment in domestic law. In writing on “The Democratic Character of Judicial Review” Eugene Rostow commented that democracy “is a slippery term,” and it is doubtless wise to avoid a firm definition. The existence of a free, democratic system of government creates, in the words of Ivor Jennings, “an atmosphere of freedom which is more easily felt than analyzed,” and it is possible to speak of parliamentary institutions, of second chambers, of free elections, of fair
Anti-Vascular endothelial growth factor treatment augments tumor radiation response under normoxic or hypoxic conditions.

Recent studies in experimental animals have shown that combining antiangiogenic therapy with radiation can enhance tumor response. Whether this enhancement is mainly attributable to angiogenesis inhibition, endothelial cell radiosensitivity, tumor cell apoptosis, or a decrease in the number of hypoxic cells (improved oxygenation) is not known. We designed this study to discern the role of tumor oxygenation. We chose an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) monoclonal antibody (mAb) which has a known target, human VEGF. We also measured interstitial fluid pressure (IFP) to test the hypothesis that the decreased vascular permeability induced by the anti-VEGF mAb can lower IFP. The effect of anti-VEGF mAb on vascular density, partial oxygen tension (pO2), and apoptosis was also measured. Athymic NCr/Sed nu/nu mice bearing 6-mm xenograft of the human glioblastoma multiforme (U87), or colon adenocarcinoma (LS174T) were treated with anti-VEGF mAb injected i.p. on alternate days for a total of six injections at a dosage of 100 microg/injection/mouse. For combined anti-VEGF and radiation, single radiation doses were given under normal blood flow (20 and 30 Gy) or clamped hypoxic conditions (30 and 40 Gy) 24 h after the sixth injection of mAb. The inhibition of the growth of U87 and LS174T tumors by the anti-VEGF mAb was associated with a significant reduction in tumor vascular density and a relatively small increase in the number of apoptotic cells. Compared with size-matched controls, IFP decreased by 74% in LS174T, and 73% in U87 in mice treated with anti-VEGF mAb. After antibody treatment PO2 increased significantly in U87, but did not change in LS174T tumors. Combined treatment induced in U87 tumors a tumor-growth delay (TGD) which was greater than additive; in LS174T except for the 40-Gy hypoxic group, the effect was only additive. In both U87 and LS174T the TGD induced by the antibody was independent of oxygen levels in the tumor at the time of radiation. The fact that the increase in TGD occurred under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions suggests that anti-VEGF mAb treatment can compensate for the resistance to radiation induced by hypoxia.
Internalized plans for communication-sensitive robot team behaviors

Autonomous teams of robots operating in a dynamic, adversarial environment stand to benefit from using all available resources. But how can knowledge be used to construct a plan that does not interfere with the robots ability to react to its environment? In this research we distill abstract representation into a plan usable by a reactive behavior-based architecture. This plan is then exploited to enhance the performance of a team of robots tasked with maintaining communications while performing reconnaissance. Utilizing multiple plans in serial and in parallel is shown via simulation to be a promising method for increasing mission performance. We conclude that the utility of these internalized plans warrants further investigation as a method for imbuing reactive agents with a priori knowledge.
Electrical Comparison of Ta/Ti/Al/Mo/Au and Ti/Al/Mo/Au Ohmic Contacts on Undoped GaN HEMTs Structure with AlN Interlayer

A significant improvement of contact transfer resistance on undoped GaN/AlGaN/AlN (10 A)/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structure was demonstrated using a Ta/Ti/Al/Mo/Au metallization scheme compared to a Ti/Al/Mo/Au metallization scheme. A contact resistance as low as 0.16 ± 0.03 ohm-mm was achieved by rapid thermal annealing of evaporated Ta (125 A)/Ti (150 A)/Al (900 A)/Mo(400 A)/Au(500 A) metal contact at 700 °C for 1 min followed by 800 °C for 30 sec in a N2 ambient. An excellent edge acuity was also demonstrated for the annealed Ta/Ti/Al/Mo/Au ohmic contacts.
Confronting Counsels of Despair for the Behavioral Sciences

In recent decades, influential counsels of despair have asserted that the behavioral sciences, including much educational research, have failed to produce long-lasting generalizations. The failure, they say, is due to cultural and historical relativism and interaction effects. But those counsels rest more on logical possibilities than on empirical actualities. They depend on questionable assumptions about the spread and influence of knowledge, they involve contradictions, and they overemphasize the importance of interaction effects. In the last 20 years, moreover, meta-analysis has yielded knowledge concerning the impressive magnitude, consistency, and validity across contexts of many generalizations in the behavioral sciences and promising methods for quantifying and analyzing the generalizability of research results. These arguments, findings, and methods justify mitigating the despair and continuing the effort to build sciences of behavior.