cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Why Schools Abandon “New Social Studies” Materials

Abstract Eight hypotheses dealing with the abandonment of innovations were inferentially developed from the educational change literature, most of which deals with the adoption of innovations. The hypotheses pertained to the characteristics of the innovations themselves, change strategies, and the school culture. Seven Indiana schools planning to abandon the use of some of the “new social studies” materials were identified. Structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with principals, department heads, and social studies teachers in the seven schools. It was found that the loss of an innovation's major advocate, unrealistic expectations on the part of users regarding how an innovation would perform, and problems resulting from the misapplication of the innovation were the primary contributors to decisions to abandon the “new social studies” materials in these seven schools.
Ear Oximetry to Detect Apnea and Differentiate Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and Non-REM (NREM) Sleep: Screening for the Sleep Apnea Syndrome

Ear oximetry is commonly employed in screening patients for the sleep apnea syndrome, but the lack of objective information regarding the duration of sleep, including the presence of rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, is a major limitation. Based on the premise that both apnea and sleep-state-dependent changes in ventilation give rise to distinctive patterns in the arterial oxygen saturation, we developed a systematic technique to analyze ear oximetric tracings for wakefulness, REM sleep, and non-REM (NREM) sleep. Fifty-four patients were studied by both all-night polysomnography and ear oximetry. A careful comparison of ear oximetric data for sleep states and apnea was then made, using polysomnography as the correct classification to determine sensitivity, specificity, predictive value positive, and predictive value negative of the ear oximetric tracings. When classification of sleep state was compared, ear oximetry correctly classified 280.5 (82 percent) of 340.9 hours of sleep that was either REM or NREM sleep. The sensitivity for classifying NREM sleep was 0.85, for REM sleep was 0.70, and for wakefulness was 0.49. The sensitivity by ear oximetry for apnea was 0.80, with a predictive value negative of 0.87. We conclude that although polysomnography must be performed for definitive evaluation, ear oximetry is a valuable screening test for sleep apnea because the presence or absence of apnea can be determined, total duration of sleep can be estimated, and NREM vs REM sleep can be differentiated.
Spirituality as an essential element of person-centered compassionate care: a pilot training program for clinicians

Spirituality is an essential aspect of person-centered compassionate care. Data demonstrate that the majority of patients with serious or chronic illness would like their clinicians to address their spirituality and to provide spiritual care but that the majority of clinicians do not provide such care. Reasons cited include lack of training. This paper pilots and evaluates the impact of spirituality training on providers’ self-reported awareness and ability to address patient spirituality and to provide compassionate care. Thirty-eight clinicians were trained and 18 completed the pre/post-training evaluation surveys. The data demonstrated increased self-reported ability to perform spiritual screening (pre-training mean of 2.59, SD = 1.33 increased to post-training mean of 4.41, SD = 0.51). The self-reported ability to identify a patient’s spiritual resources of strength improved from pre-training mean of 3.27 (SD = 1.16) to post-training mean of 4.53 (SD = 0.83). Ability to identify a patient’s spiritual distress improved from pre-training mean of 2.81 (SD = 1.22) to post-training mean of 0.31 (SD = 0.60). The self-reported ability to chart the patient’s spiritual strengths improved from mean of 2.69 (SD = 1.25) to post-training 4.31 (SD = 0.48). The self-reported ability to discuss patients’ spiritual strengths and/or distress with others in the healthcare team increased from mean of 2.76 (SD = 1.30) to post-training mean of 4.47 (SD = 0.51). The self-reported ability to identify appropriate interventions increased from pre-training mean of 2.59 (SD = 1.23) to post-training mean of 4.24 (SD = 0.44). There were also improvements in self-reported abilities to: (a) establish appropriate boundaries with patients; (b) apply the concept of compassionate presence to clinical care; (c) understand the role of spirituality in professional life; and (d) identify ethical issues in inter-professional spiritual care. We conclude that it is possible to train clinicians to address patients’ spiritual needs and provide discipline appropriate spiritual care.
Image processing by holographic gratings in polydiacetylene

Polydiacetylenes are a very promising class of polymers for both photonic and electronic applications1-3 because of their highly conjugated structures.
A study of band absorption equations for infrared radiative transfer in gases—I. Transmission and absorption functions for planar media

Abstract Transmission and absorption functions for the principal analytical forms which have been proposed for the total band absorption of molecular gases are derived for the over-lapped line limit. A comparison of these functions and of the emission from a nonisothermal slab with a linear emissive power profile shows that significantly different results are to be expected from the various possible forms over a broad range of optical depths. An estimate of the error in energy flux associated with the use of an exponential kernel substitution rather than the exact transmission and absorption functions is also given as a function of optical depth and of the choice of the path length factor.
Copper deficiency causes reversible myelodysplasia

Copper deficiency is a recognized but often overlooked cause of anemia and neutropenia. We began checking serum copper levels on patients referred for evaluation for unexplained anemia and neutropenia or myelodysplasia. Eight patients were identified as copper deficient (serum copper less than 70 μg/dL). The anemia was normochromic and normocytic in seven patients. Neutropenia was present in seven patients. Seven patients had been referred for evaluation of myelodysplasia. Three were seen for consideration for allogenic stem cell transplant. Five patients had concomitant peripheral neurological symptoms. Seven patients were treated with oral copper gluconate. All treated patients demonstrated a hematological response; seven had a complete remission. The improvement in anemia and neutropenia was rapid with normalization of blood counts within three to four weeks. In one patient, normalization of the underlying marrow dysplasia was demonstrated by bone marrow histology eight months after copper replacement. The cause of copper deficiency was felt to be gastrointestinal malabsorption in five of our patients. We conclude that copper deficiency should be considered in all patients with unexplained anemia and neutropenia or myelodysplasia. Am. J. Hematol., 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Physician Quality Reporting Initiative

This issue has focused on opportunities to improve the quality of laboratory medicine and on the challenges inherent in measuring quality in the laboratory setting. The Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) was established by Congress as one means of promoting reporting of quality data. Measures for the initiative are developed through a consensus process; like democracy, the process is far from perfect but is better than all available alternatives. This article describes the evolution of the PQRI program and the methodology involved in measure development. Key points are summarized.
Ileal symbiont intracellularis, an obligate intracellular bacterium of porcine intestines showing a relationship to Desulfovibrio species.

A new genus and species of obligate intracellular bacteria found in porcine intestines are described. Growth on any bacteriological medium deprived of living cells has not been demonstrated. The organism has been grown intracellularly in cell culture. The 16S rRNA gene sequence data, DNA probe results, and microscopic observations provide evidence that these bacteria differ from those in other described genera and that they belong to the delta subdivision of the class Proteobacteria. We have amplified and sequenced the 16S ribosomal DNA of four preparations of the intracellular bacterium from pigs. For this, intracellular organisms were released and purified from the infected cells without culture techniques. After DNA purification, the polymerase chain reaction with primers complementary to highly conserved eubacterial sequences was used to amplify regions of 16S ribosomal DNA which were subsequently cloned (in some cases) and sequenced directly by standard techniques. The sequences obtained from each preparation were identical and were most similar to that of a sulfate-reducing proteobacterium, Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ATCC 27774 (91% similarity). An oligonucleotide probe complementary to a hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA sequence of the bacterium hybridized with intracellular organisms obtained from porcine intestines. The bacterium is a gram-negative, curved rod with tapered ends. It multiplies intracellularly in the cytoplasm of ileal epithelial cells by septation. The vernacular name Ileal symbiont (IS) intracellularis is proposed for this bacterium. The type strain of IS intracellularis is strain 1482/89 grown in cell culture from a pig affected by proliferative enteropathy. It is deposited in the National Collection of Type Cultures, Colindale, London, as NCTC 12656.
Reactions of Cu+(1S and 3D) with O2, CO, CO2, N2, NO, N2O, and NO2 studied by guided ion beam mass spectrometry

Abstract Reactions of Cu + ( 1 S and 3 D ) with O 2 , CO, CO 2 , N 2 , NO, N 2 O, and NO 2 are studied using guided ion beam mass spectrometry. Cross sections as a function of kinetic energy are measured for each system to over 17 eV. In all cases, the observed reactions of Cu + ( 1 S ) are endothermic. Because of the closed shell character of ground state Cu + ( 1 S , 3 d 10 ), most of these systems exhibit cross sections with onsets and peaks at much higher energies than expected from the known thermochemistry. Such behavior indicates that the reactions occur on relatively repulsive potential energy surfaces and by impulsive processes. Reliable thermodynamic information is obtained primarily from the NO 2 system where an analysis of the kinetic energy dependence of the reaction cross sections is used to obtain D 0 (Cu + –O)= 1.35± 0.12 eV and D 0 (Cu–O)= 2.94± 0.12 eV. Although speculative, the threshold for an excited state product asymptote in the N 2 O system also allows the derivation of D 0 (Cu + –N 2 )= 0.92± 0.31 eV. Reactions of the Cu + ( 3 D , 4 s 1 3 d 9 ) excited state are generally more efficient than those of the ground state and are exothermic in several cases.
Thymomas and extrathymic cancers.

Background Patients with thymoma may have a predisposition toward extrathymic neoplasia. To understand the lifetime risk and incidence of extrathymic neoplasia in patients with thymoma, we evaluated extrathymic neoplasms diagnosed either before or after the diagnosis of thymoma. Methods We queried the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer database and identified patients with thymoma and extrathymic neoplasms. We collected demographic and treatment data, calculated the incidence of each extrathymic neoplasm (adjusting for age), and compared the incidence of extrathymic neoplasm in patients with thymoma with the age-adjusted incidence in the SEER database general population. Results Of 2,171 patients with thymoma in the SEER database, 306 (14.1%) had extrathymic primary cancers. Extrathymic neoplasms were diagnosed before the diagnosis of thymoma in 88 patients and after the diagnosis of thymoma in 206 patients. In 12 patients, separate extrathymic neoplasms were diagnosed both before and after thymoma diagnosis. The incidence of extrathymic cancers in patients with thymoma (8,224 per 100,000 persons) was significantly higher than in the SEER general population (459 per 100,000 persons; p p p p = 0.041)—but not radiation therapy or surgery—were significant risk factors for the development of extrathymic cancers in patients with thymoma. Conclusions The incidence of extrathymic neoplasia is significantly higher in patients with thymoma than in the general population and occurs both before and after the diagnosis of thymoma.
The Green in Entertainment: A conversation:

The shift to a sustainable economy represents one of the most sweeping transitions organizations face today. In this article, we ‘chat’ with five sustainability leaders in the entertainment industry to learn what interests them about sustainability, how their motivations translate into company actions, and how they overcome obstacles.
Vapor pressure and sensitization effects in detonation of a decane spray

The effect of an additive and the vapor pressure on the detonability and critical initiation energy for the detonation of a decane spray of 400 μm diameter monodisperse droplets was studied experimentally in a vertical shock tube. The effect of an additive on the ignition delay and the nature of the transition from purely liquid to purely vapor detonation behavior were also investigated. The wave position was sensed by eleven pressure switches located along the tube. The pressure profiles behind the wave were measured using two pressure transducers. A photocell was used to measure the ignition delay. The vapor pressure was increased by heating the whole shock tube through the use of heating tapes. Both air and oxygen were used as oxidizers and the additive used was normal propyl nitrate (NPN), a monopropellant with a high vapor pressure. Two different fuel additive combinations were tested, 75% decane +25% NPN and 88% decane +12% NPN (by volume). The equivalence ratio ranges tested were 0.68–2.83 for (75% decane +25% NPN) + air mixtures, 0.20–0.64 for (75% decane +25% NPN) +O 2 mixtures, and 0.86–0.98 for (88% decane +12% NPN) + air mixtures. For studying the effect of the vapor pressure, the equivalence ratios of 0.92–3.29 for decane + air mixtures and 0.24–0.74 for decane +O 2 mixtures were tested. The temperatures ranged from 15°C. to 58°C. The results showed that addition of NPN to the decane increased the sensitivity of the mixture. The higher sensitivity led to enhanced detonability, to shorter ignition delay, to lower critical initiation energy, and to wider detonation limits. The results for higher vapor pressure showed these same trends.
Effect of CO2 during Coal Pyrolysis and Char Burnout in Oxy-Coal Combustion

One of the primary concerns in oxy-coal combustion is whether or not conventional coal pyrolysis and char burnout model can be used because of the presence of high CO2 in gas medium around coal particles. This paper attempts to understand the effect of high concentration of CO2 during coal pyrolysis and oxidation by conducting experiments in a drop-tube reactor and a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). Two ranks of bituminous coal particles were pyrolyzed in CO2 and Ar atmosphere during the pyrolysis tests and in 21% O2/79% CO2 and air during combustion tests. The results showed that the differences observed during pyrolysis and combustion tests conducted with and without CO2 can be attributed to the effects of char–CO2 reaction. This result implies that char–CO2 reaction should be included in model reactions while modeling coal pyrolysis or char oxidation in oxy-coal combustion. Furthermore, a faster increase in the rate of char burnout during combustion in O2/CO2 relative to that with air for an lvb coal ...
Recovery of shear modulus in elastography using an adjoint method with B-spline representation

Shear modulus recovery in elastography with harmonic excitation is posed as an inverse problem. Large aperture is assumed. By minimizing the residual error norm of the displacement field from the signature field using a gradient-based algorithm, we recovered the B-spline represented shear modulus. The adjoint method is used to calculate the gradient efficiently. The finite element method is used for calculating both the primal and adjoint solutions. It is demonstrated that representation of the shear modulus by B-spline eliminates the need for additional regularization and hence renders the method stable and robust. The effect of noisy data is considered. The optimal B-spline corresponds to a minimal solution norm and balances the relative residual norm with the signal-to-noise ratio.
Left Atrial Transport in Mitral Stenosis

Active left atrial transport was examined acutely in five patients with mitral stenosis and sinus rhythm. To observe the effect of active left atrial contraction on subsequent left ventricular output, the timing of atrial contraction with respect to ventricular contraction was varied. Atrioventricular (A-V) dissociation produced by right ventricular pacing was used to change continually the relationship of left atrial (LA) to left ventricular (LV) contraction. Measurements of each beat included mitral valve gradient, left ventricular ejection time (LVET), and left ventricular peak-systolic pressure (LVPSP). The diastolic gradient was used to calculate diastolic flow per beat after the area of the stenotic mitral orifice had been previously determined. Calculated diastolic flow increased significantly (24%) as did the parameters of left ventricular output, LVPSP and LVET (P < 0.005 for both), when atrial contraction was optimally timed. Cumulative effects were observed when a series of well-placed or poorl...
HIRDLS observations of gravity wave momentum fluxes over the monsoon regions

[1] Measurements from the High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) on NASA's Aura satellite are used to quantify gravity wave momentum fluxes generated from monsoon regions across the globe over the 3 years 2005–2007. Momentum fluxes in the altitude range 16–60 km over eight individual monsoon regions in both hemispheres are examined and compared to convective data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Outgoing Longwave Radiation time series and precipitation data from the Tropical Rainfall Monitoring Mission. Good correlations are observed over seven of these eight regions, the exception being the North American monsoon region. An increase in measured momentum flux of approximately 50% is observed over the 10°N–30°N latitude band during the boreal monsoon period, with around half of the annual momentum flux for this latitude range measured during this period; however, the limited correspondence in the North American region suggests that at least some of this increase may be due to other processes.
Cardiac manifestation of mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome (Kawasaki disease).

![Figure][1] [![Graphic][3] ][3][![Graphic][4] ][4][![Graphic][5] ][5][![Graphic][6] ][6] A 2-year-old boy was admitted to the hospital for febrile illness. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed dilated left ( A, arrow ; Online [Video 1][6]) and right ( B, arrow ; Online
Using Complexity Theory to Build Interventions that Improve Health Care Delivery in Primary Care

Previous observational research confirms abundant variation in primary care practice. While variation is sometimes viewed as problematic, its presence may also be highly informative in uncovering ways to enhance health care delivery when it represents unique adaptations to the values and needs of people within the practice and interactions with the local community and health care system. We describe a theoretical perspective for use in developing interventions to improve care that acknowledges the uniqueness of primary care practices and encourages flexibility in the form of intervention implementation, while maintaining fidelity to its essential functions.
Negative resistance devices: Part II

As a sequel to Reference 1, this paper presents new analytical and topological guidelines for synthesizing negative-resistance devices. Among other things, these guidelines can be used to tune the devices by varying the magnitude and dynamic range of the negative (small-signal) resistance. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given for a circuit containing only one bipolar transistor and linear reciprocal passive two-ports (e.g. ideal transformers) to exhibit a negative resistance. In the special case where the circuit contains only one ideal transformer, one transistor and linear positive 2-terminal resistors, an equivalent topological criterion which can be checked by inspection is given. Finally, three canonical negative-resistance one-ports containing two identical bipolar transistors, linear positive 2-terminal resistors and batteries are synthesized to exhibit an odd-symmetric (hence active) voltage-controlled or current-controlled v-i curve.
Precoating expanded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts alters production of endothelial cell-derived thrombomodulators.

Abstract Although the use of extracellular matrix proteins to precoat small-caliber vascular grafts before endothelial cell seeding has been shown to improve cell attachment, proliferation, and adherence, the effect of precoating on the thrombomodulatory properties of the seeded cells is unknown. The use of vascular prostheses lined with confluent endothelial cell monolayers expressing optimal thromboresistant properties may enhance patency rates. In this study human saphenous vein endothelial cells were seeded onto expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) graft material, both unmodified and precoated with fibronectin, type I collagen, or fibronectin and type I collagen (fibronectin/type I collagen). After 3 days of in vitro cultivation, endothelial cell production of prostacyclin, tissue plasminogen activator, and plasminogen activator inhibitor was evaluated under basal conditions and after stimulation with arachidonate or thrombin. Production of tissue plasminogen activator by endothelial cells cultured on fibronectin-ePTFE was significantly greater compared with production by endothelial cells grown on noncoated or fibronectin/type I collagen-ePTFE under basal conditions ( p values p values p values p values p values
Families and Deinstitutionalization: An Application of Bronfenbrenner's Social Ecology Model

Bronfenbrenner's social ecology model is applied to families that include a member with a developmental disability who are involved in the process of transition from institution to community. An overview of the model is presented as well as discussion of counselors' use of it in providing services to families in this situation. The social ecology perspective can be applied to enhance understanding of the families and to provide a framework for structuring family support during the community transition process.
Configurable analog signal processing

We present a viewpoint showing that analog signal processing approaches are becoming configurable and programmable like their digital counterparts, while retaining a huge computational efficiency, for a given power budget, compared to their digital counterparts. We present recent results in programmable and configurable analog signal processing describing the widespread potential of these approaches. We discuss issues with configurable systems, including size, power, and computational tradeoffs, as well as address the computational efficiency of these approaches. Analog circuits and systems research and education can significantly benefit from the computational flexibility provided by large-scale FPAAs. The component density of these devices is sufficient to synthesize large systems in a short period of time. However, this level of reconfigurable and programmable complexity requires a development platform and CAD tools to demonstrate the capabilities of large-scale FPAAs before they will be widely accepted. To address this need, a self-contained FPAA setup has been developed along with an integrated software design flow. With only an Ethernet connection and an AC power outlet, a researcher or student can explore the numerous analog circuit possibilities provided by large-scale FPAAs.
Prevalence of transient hyperglycemia during induction chemotherapy for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Background Transient hyperglycemia (TH) is a recognized side effect of the corticosteroids and asparaginase given during induction chemotherapy for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Information is needed about how TH has been impacted by changes in ALL therapy. This study examined the prevalence of TH in a cohort of pediatric ALL patients and the impact on TH of type of steroid or asparaginase used and of risk factors such as age, gender, and overweight. Methods Retrospective record review of patients aged 2–18 years diagnosed with ALL in 1999–2006. TH was defined as ≥2 random glucose values ≥200 mg/dl. Overall prevalence of TH was calculated. Risk factors were evaluated using Chi-square analysis and logistic regression. Results One hundred sixty-two subjects (70 female) were reviewed, 33 (20.4%) of whom had TH. 42.2% of subjects over age 10 years had TH, compared to 12.0% of younger children (P < 0.001). No gender difference was found. Overweight (BMI ≥ 95th percentile) and at risk for overweight (BMI ≥ 85th percentile) were significant risk factors for TH (P = 0.007 and P = 0.003, respectively). Native L-asparaginase was associated with increased TH compared to PEG-asparaginase (P = 0.047). There was a non-significant trend toward more TH in patients who received prednisone, but this disappeared in multivariate analysis. Conclusions The prevalence of TH in this study was higher than previously reported. Overweight, age ≥10 years, and use of native L-asparaginase were significant predictors of TH. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;52:814–818. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
MOVEMENT SOCIALIZATION IN ART WORKSHOPS: A Case from Pinochet's Chile

This article addresses the question of how the socialization of people into a social movement occurs under repressive dictatorships. It takes as a case the socialization of shantytown women into th...
The effect of microstructure on wear modes of ceramic materials

Abstract The effect of the microstructure on the wear modes in structural ceramic materials was studied in two SiC and three A12O3 materials. In each class of materials, it was observed that the predominant damage mode is determined by the microstructure of the material. The materials with weak grain boundaries were found to wear primarily by grain pluck-out and so showed more wear than did (the one, α-SiC) materials with stronger grain boundaries. In addition, the presence of a softer second phase around the grain boundary, which in commercial materials is usually more ductile than the grain, changed the mode and amount of damage, resulting in improved wear resistance (only in repeated passes). Under repeat pass sliding, the amount of wear increased considerably in all the materials except the material with a softer second phase.
Axonal branch shapes

Abstract To distinguish the relative roles of the intrinsic and the extrinsic determinants of axonal branching shapes, a number of key branch parameters were measured under a variety of conditions. Branch shapes of frog and of chick axons were analyzed in tissue culture, and these in vitro patterns were compared with in vivo branch patterns of axons in tadpole tail fins. The shape of a branch junction can be characterized by the sizes of its branch angles. In all cases, branch junctions had only two branches (3 branch angles), and the bifurcation angle between them was usually the smallest. The shape of the branch junction was xonstant in a wide variety of environments, but the exact branch angles, as well as the numbers of branches per axon and the numbers of axons per neuron, could be modulated by changes in the substrate adhesivity.
Teacher Training and Higher Education in Selected Islamic Countries

Abstract UNESCO statistics reveal wide disparities in higher education enrollment patterns and the production of teachers in selected Islamic countries. About 8% of tertiary level students go abroad for studies, but increasingly to other Islamic countries, where higher education institutions continue to expand. High student enrollments are in humanities, religion and theology, and disproportionately low enrollments in math and science. Tertiary level teacher education enrollments vary widely from country to country, though there are more than twice as many candidates enrolled in secondary level teacher training programs as there are in tertiary level. The Islamic fundamentalist movement repudiates Western education and science, including teacher education content and methods, and regards faith as the criterion of a teacher's worth.
Preferential colonization and release of Legionella pneumophila from mature drinking water biofilms grown on copper versus unplasticized polyvinylchloride coupons

Legionella occurrence in premise drinking water (DW) systems contributes to legionellosis outbreaks, especially in the presence of suitable protozoan hosts. This study examined L. pneumophila behavior within DW biofilms grown on copper (Cu) and unplasticized polyvinylchloride (uPVC) surfaces in the presence of Acanthamoeba polyphaga. One year-old DW biofilms were established within six CDC biofilm reactors: three each containing Cu or uPVC coupons. Biofilms were then inoculated with L. pneumophila (uPVC-Lp and Cu-Lp), or L. pneumophila and A. polyphaga (uPVC-Lp/Ap and Cu-Lp/Ap) and compared to sterile water inoculated controls (uPVC- and Cu-Control) over a 4 month period. L. pneumophila appeared more persistent by qPCR within Cu biofilms in the presence of A. polyphaga compared to uPVC biofilms with or without A. polyphaga, but maintained their cultivability in uPVC biofilms compared to Cu biofilms. Also, persistent shedding of L. pneumophila cells (assayed by qPCR) in the effluent water implied colonization of L. pneumophila within Cu-coupon reactors compared to no detection from uPVC-coupon reactor effluent 14 days after inoculation. Hence, L. pneumophila appeared to colonize Cu surfaces more effectively and may be shed from the biofilms at a greater frequency and duration compared to L. pneumophila colonized uPVC surfaces with host amoebae playing a role in L. pneumophila persistence within Cu biofilms.
Synthesis of Hydroxy-Telechelic Poly(methyl acrylate) and Polystyrene by Atom Transfer Radical Coupling

Hydroxy-terminated poly(methyl acrylate) (HO-PMABr) and polystyrene (HO-PStBr) were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) using a HO-functionalized initiator. These HO-functional polymers were further employed in an atom transfer radical coupling (ATRC) reaction in the presence of a zerovalent metal forming hydroxy-telechelic poly(methyl acrylate) (HO-PMA-OH) and polystyrene (HO-PSt-OH). In ATRC process macroradicals, generated in situ by an atom transfer radical equilibrium, take part in bimolecular termination reactions in the presence of a reducing agent, such as nanosize copper. The coupling of hydroxy-terminated PSt was fast; after 3 h more than 95% of polymeric chains being reacted. Under similar ATRC conditions, the coupling of poly(methyl acrylate) was slow since the ATRP equilibrium constant, and consequently radical concentration, is much smaller than those of polystyrene. This difficulty was overcome by introducing small amounts of St in the ATRC of polyacrylate. The acryla...
Mechanical ventilation for a child with quadriplegia.

Parents generally have the right to make medical decisions for their children. This right can be challenged when the parents’ decision seems to go against the child’s interests. The toughest such decisions are for a child who will survive with physical and neurocognitive impairments. We discuss a case of a 5-year-old boy who suffered a spinal injury as a result of a motor vehicle accident and whose father requests discontinuation of life support. Many experts recommend a “trial of therapy” to clarify both prognosis and quality of life. The key ethical question, then, is not whether to postpone a decision to forego mechanical ventilation. Instead, the key question is how long to wait. Parents should be allowed time to see what life will be like for themselves and for their child. Most of the time, life turns out better than they might have imagined. Comments are provided by 2 pediatric intensivists, Drs William Novotny and Ronald Perkin of East Carolina University, and by a specialist in rehabilitation, Dr Debjani Mukherjee of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
Estimation of anisotropic elastic properties of nanocomposites using atomistic-continuum interphase model

Abstract We have revised classical micromechanics by accounting for the effect of interface to predict the effective anisotropic elastic properties of heterogeneous materials containing nano-inhomogeneities. In contrast to sharp interface between the matrix and inhomogeneity, we introduce the concept of interphase to account for the interfacial-stress effect at the nano-scale. The interphase’s constitutive properties are derived from atomistic simulations and then incorporated in a micromechanics-based interphase model to compute effective properties of nanocomposites. This scale transition approach bridges the gap between discrete atomic level interactions and continuum mechanics. An advantage of this approach is that it combines atomistic with continuum models that consider inhomogeneity and interphase morphology. It thereby enables us to account simultaneously for both the shape and the anisotropy of a nano-inhomogeneity and interphase at the continuum level when we compute material’s overall properties. In so doing, it frees us from making any assumptions about the interface characteristics between matrix and the nano-inhomogeneity.
Concentration of activity in brain following administration of 11C-labeled α-p-iodoanilinophenylacetonitrile

Abstract An iodinated aminonitrile (α- p -iodoanilinophenylacetonitrile) was synthesized labeled with 11 C and its in vivo distribution studied. Synthesis was completed in 77 min at a radiochemical yield of 76.5%. Elemental analysis corresponded to theoretical values. The in vivo distribution showed highest tissue activity in highly perfused organs. Rapid concentration of activity in the brain was noted suggesting a high single pass clearance rate. Since the agent contains iodine, the use of this agent labeled with radioiodine is suggested for evaluation of regional brain perfusion.
LPC as a Modifier of Leader-Follower Relationships

The article presents a study on how least preferred co-worker (LPC) questionnaire scores of leaders and followers can affect industrial relations. LPC scores are used to measure leadership styles s...
A unified approach for robust stability design of PID controllers

In this paper a graphical technique is introduced for finding all continuous-time or discrete-time proportional integral derivative (PID) controllers that satisfy a robust stability constraint for an arbitrary order transfer function with time delay. These problems can be solved by finding all achievable PID controllers that simultaneously stabilize the closed-loop characteristic polynomial and satisfy constraints defined by a set of related complex polynomials. The key advantage of this procedure is that this method depends only on the frequency response of the system. The ability to include the time delay in the nominal model of the system will often allow for designs with reduced conservativeness in plant uncertainty and an increase in size of the set of all PID controllers that robustly stabilize the system. The delta operator is used to describe the controllers in a discrete-time model, because it not only possesses numerical properties superior to the discrete-time shift operator, but also converges to the continuous-time controller as the sampling period approaches zero. A unified approach allows us to use the same procedure for discrete-time and continuous-time robust stability design of PID controllers.
Impedance characteristics of applied-B ion diodes.

A new model of relativistic Applied-B ion diodes is presented that appears to explain a previously discovered empirical scaling law. The model is based on a self-consistent calculation of the diamagnetic effect of virtual-cathode location coupled with the assumption of a uniform electron-density profile in the sheath. The success of this model greatly increases our understanding of the undesirable phenomenon of impedance collapse in applied-B diodes and suggests a simple measure for improving their performance.
Pace of landscape evolution in the Sierra Nevada, California, revealed by cosmogenic dating of cave sediments

We report 26 Al/ 10 Be based ages of Sierra Nevada caves that constrain detailed late Pliocene and Quaternary river incision his- tories for five river canyons. Rapid incision of ! 0.2 mm/yr from 2.7 to ca. 1.5 Ma slowed markedly to ! 0.03 mm/yr thereafter, likely reflecting the combined effects of a transient erosional re- sponse to Pliocene rock uplift and periodic mantling of riverbeds with glacially derived sediment in the late Quaternary. While ! 400 m of incision has occurred in the past 2.7 m.y., outpacing interfluve erosion and thereby increasing the local relief, canyons as deep as 1.6 km existed prior to that time. These new erosion rates strength- en the case for tectonically driven late Cenozoic uplift.
Pain-related anxiety-like behavior requires CRF1 receptors in the amygdala

Corticotropin-releasing factor receptor CRF1 has been implicated in the neurobiological mechanisms of anxiety and depression. The amygdala plays an important role in affective states and disorders such as anxiety and depression. The amygdala is also emerging as a neural substrate of pain affect. However, the involvement of the amygdala in the interaction of pain and anxiety remains to be determined. This study tested the hypothesis that CRF1 receptors in the amygdala are critically involved in pain-related anxiety. Anxiety-like behavior was determined in adult male rats using the elevated plus maze (EPM) test. The open-arm preference (ratio of open arm entries to the total number of entries) was measured. Nocifensive behavior was assessed by measuring hindlimb withdrawal thresholds for noxious mechanical stimulation of the knee. Measurements were made in normal rats and in rats with arthritis induced in one knee by intraarticular injections of kaolin/carrageenan. A selective CRF1 receptor antagonist (NBI27914) or vehicle was administered systemically (i.p.) or into the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA, by microdialysis). The arthritis group showed a decreased preference for the open arms in the EPM and decreased hindlimb withdrawal thresholds. Systemic or intraamygdalar (into the CeA) administration of NBI27914, but not vehicle, inhibited anxiety-like behavior and nocifensive pain responses, nearly reversing the arthritis pain-related changes. This study shows for the first time that CRF1 receptors in the amygdala contribute critically to pain-related anxiety-like behavior and nocifensive responses in a model of arthritic pain. The results are a direct demonstration that the clinically well-documented relationship between pain and anxiety involves the amygdala.
Electronic structure of clusters modeling silica

Self-consistent-field-Xα-scattered wave calculations on clusters Si2O76− and H6Si2O7 modeling silica have been performed. Incorporation of Si 3d orbitals produces significant changes in the overall valence structure. In addition to σ Si — O bonds, there exists a bonding π character due to the participation of O 2p and Si 3d. Hydrogen terminators do not seem to correct edge effects for these π states.
The New Federalist Party Covention of 1814

Levine recounts the issues related to the battle between the Federalists and the Republican parties for supremacy in the New Jersey state legislature in 1814. He relies heavily on a rare document in Rutgers Special Collections. "Proceedings and Address of the Second Convention of Delegates held at the City of Trenton on Fourth July, 1814, to the People of New Jersey." It contains the minutes, the address, and the resolutions of the Federalist conclave. This document thus presents both a description of the convention and a summation of the Federalist appeal for the 1814 campaign.
The phosphorylation state of GluR1 subunits determines the susceptibility of AMPA receptors to calpain cleavage.

Abstract The α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazoleproprionic acid receptor (AMPAR) is an ionotropic glutamate receptor that governs most of excitatory synaptic transmission in neurons. In vitro biochemical assay has shown that calpain, a Ca2+-activated protease, can cleave AMPAR GluR1 subunits. Our physiological study found that calpain, which was activated by prolonged stimulation of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (100 μm, 10 min), caused a substantial suppression of AMPAR currents in cortical neurons. Since the phosphorylation sites of GluR1 by several protein kinases are located in close proximity to the calpain cleavage sites, we investigated the effect of phosphorylation on the susceptibility of GluR1 to calpain cleavage. Interestingly, we found that the calpain regulation of AMPAR currents was diminished by inhibition of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) but was augmented by inhibition of protein phosphatase 1/2A (PP1/2A). In agreement with this, in vitro assay showed that the calpain-induced proteolytic cleavage of GluR1 C-terminal fusion protein was strongly potentiated by adding the purified active CaMKII, and GluR1 phosphorylated at Ser831 by CaMKII is much more sensitive to calpain cleavage. Taken together, our data suggest that calpain activation suppresses AMPA receptor currents via proteolytic cleavage of GluR1 subunits, and the susceptibility of AMPARs to calpain cleavage is determined by the phosphorylation state of GluR1 subunits, which is mediated by CaMKII-PP1/2A activity.
Insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and lung function in US adolescents with and without asthma

Background Obesity increases both the risk of asthma and asthma severity and is a well-known risk factor for insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome (MS) in children and adolescents. Objective We aimed to examine the association among obesity, insulin sensitivity, MS, and lung function in US adolescents with and without asthma. Methods We performed a cross-sectional study of 1429 adolescents aged 12 to 17 years in the 2007-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Adjusted regression was used to assess the relationships among obesity, insulin sensitivity/resistance, MS, and lung function in children with and without asthma. Results Insulin resistance was negatively associated with FEV 1 and forced vital capacity (FVC) in adolescents with and without asthma, whereas MS was associated with lower FEV 1 /FVC ratios, with a more pronounced decrease found among asthmatic patients; these associations were driven by overweight/obese adolescents. Higher body mass index was associated with a decrease in FEV 1 /FVC ratios among adolescents with insulin resistance. Compared with healthy participants, adolescents with MS had an approximately 2% decrease in FEV 1 /FVC ratios, adolescents with asthma had an approximately 6% decrease, and those with MS and asthma had approximately 10% decreased FEV 1 /FVC ratios ( P Conclusion Insulin resistance and MS are associated with worsened lung function in overweight/obese adolescents. Asthma and MS synergistically decrease lung function, as do obesity and insulin resistance. These factors might contribute to the pathogenesis of asthma severity in obese patients and warrant further investigation.
8 A Manger in a Sea of Mud: Material Legacies and Loss at the Temple of the Innocent Blood

Early in the 1920s, Mother Catherine Seal founded her Temple of the Innocent Blood in what is now known as the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Under her leadership, the Temple became not just a church but also the center of an auto-constructed and integrated space that explicitly defied the racist ideologies of white supremacy. Utilizing data from recent excavations at the site, this chapter explores how materiality is enmeshed in the daily place-making strategies of individuals on the fringes of urban society. By constituting a singular space, the Temple, through the person of Mother Catherine, transformed ordinary, mass-produced items, suffusing them with qualities only apparent within the totality of the social world she created. The persistence and durability of objects at the site of the Temple gave them power to transform long after Mother Catherine's death, and the traces of the Temple still resonate in the memory of the neighborhood in unforeseen ways today.
Design of a multilevel fuzzy controller for nonlinear systems and stability analysis

In this paper, a multilevel fuzzy control (MLFC) system is developed and implemented to deal with the real-world nonlinear plants with intrinsic uncertainties and time-varying parameters. The proposed fuzzy control strategy has a hierarchical structure with an adaptation mechanism embedded in the lower level to tune the output membership functions (MFs) of the first layer fuzzy controller and can be used to control a system with an input-output monotonic relationship or a piecewise monotonic relationship. The stability of the closed-loop system under the proposed MLFC is theoretically proven. Simulations are carried out by applying the proposed multilevel fuzzy control (MLFC) to a uncertain nonlinear plants, and it is shown that much better system performances are achieved compared with conventional fuzzy logic controllers (FLC), even in presence of disturbance and noise.
CHST1 and CHST2 sulfotransferase expression by vascular endothelial cells regulates shear-resistant leukocyte rolling via L-selectin.

Sulfation is an essential component of the selectin ligands, potentially mediated by members of a new family of carbohydrate sulfotransferases. In this study, we assessed the contributions of CHST1, CHST2, CHST3, and CHST4 in producing functional L-selectin ligands. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells predominantly expressed CHST1 and CHST2 transcripts with low levels of CHST3 mRNA, while cytokine activation up-regulated CHST2 expression and induced low-level CHST4 expression. A human umbilical vein endothelial cell line, EA.hy926, displayed functional L-selectin ligands that correlated with CHST1 and CHST2 expression in the absence of CHST4 expression. Increased CHST1 or CHST2 expression by a cell line expressing low-level L-selectin ligand activity during in vitro flow chamber assays increased rolling leukocyte numbers, reduced rolling velocities, and enhanced leukocyte rolling under higher shear stresses. These results suggest that CHST1 and CHST2 contribute to the generation of optimal L-selectin ligands in vascular endothelial cells at sites of inflammation.
In Vivo Activity of Solid Phase Interleukin 2

Interleukin 2 (IL-2) coupled to polystyrene beads to form a solid phase of the cytokine was able to increase the cytotoxic activity of rat spleen cells in vitro . A single injection of the IL-2 coupled beads into the peritoneal cavities of normal rats also resulted in the in vivo activation of cytotoxicity of peritoneal exudate cells, whereas a single i.p. injection of the same amount of soluble IL-2 was not effective. When IL-2 coupled beads were mixed with methylcholanthrene-induced Mc7 or Mc107 sarcoma cells and injected into normal syngeneic Wistar rats, the growth of the tumor was suppressed. This effect was localized to the site of the injection. The in vivo activities were achieved with modest amounts of IL-2, less than has been previously reported to be well tolerated in rodents. IL-2 coupled to a solid matrix may be useful for delivering increased concentrations of the lymphokine to tumor dominant regions while maintaining low systemic levels and thereby increasing the therapeutic index.