cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Leveraging Cataloging and Collection Development Expertise to Improve OER Discovery

While there is ongoing improvement in some of the larger open educational resources (OER) search engines, librarians sending emails to listservs asking “anyone know of OER on this topic?” and keeping old-fashioned reading lists of valuable OER are common occurrences. Compared to searching for books in a library catalog or scholarly articles in a research database, finding OER wherever they may be is challenging even for librarians, not to mention instructional faculty. The reason is technical: subpar and variable metadata in OER search engines leads to difficulties searching, capturing, and sharing data across repositories. In other words, the current lack of robust, descriptive metadata for OER results in fewer access points. Thus, OER are comparatively hard to find. Bibliographic control for purposes of information storage and retrieval is something librarians are experts in, but we have not shared our methods with the Open Education community yet. So far, the majority of library advocates for OER have been reference and instruction librarians, as well as library directors. This is great, and we need them to continue to champion OER creation and adoption, but the Open Education movement needs technical services librarians to step forward and apply their cataloging and systems administration expertise to streamline access to the sprawling landscape of OER content; our profession would do well to share our collection development expertise as well. To this end, Clare Sobotka, Reference Assistant at Linn-Benton Community College (LBCC), Holly Wheeler, Library Cataloging and Metadata Specialist at Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC), and Heather White, Library Technical Services & OER Coordinator, along with their colleagues, have started to experiment with creating collection development policies and MARC records for OER. Ultimately, they hope for the development of a metadata schema that is shared between the Open Education and library communities and is mapped to MARC and RDA, to improve both catalog records and OER search engines across the web.
The SENSEI Experiment

We present the status and prospects of the Sub-Electron-Noise Skipper Experimental Instrument (SENSEI) that uses a novel nondestructive readout technique to achieve stable readout for thick fully depleted silicon CCD in the far sub-electron regime (\(\sim \)0.05 e\(^-\)rms/pix). This is the first instrument to achieve discrete sub-electron counting that is stable over millions of pixels on a large-area detector. This low threshold allows for unprecedented sensitivity to the largely unexplored, but theoretically well-motivated, area of sub-GeV dark matter models. We will discuss the reach and prospects of the SENSEI experiment currently under construction, which will use 100 g of Skipper CCDs. We also present recent results from an engineering surface run and the lessons learned from a small scale prototype currently operating in the MINOS cavern at Fermilab.
Transportation costs: Mississippi River barge rates

Abstract Accurately forecasting commodity prices and transportation costs can be a major benefit to market participants. This is especially true with U.S. agricultural export commodities, such as corn and soybeans, that are characterized by small margins but large volume. Traditionally, market participants have relied on naive methods for predicting barge rates, which represent the cost to transport the agriculture commodity along the Mississippi River system. A testable hypothesis is whether a spatial autoregressive model attempting to predict these barge rates will outperform a naive model. Results support the hypothesis that improved one-, two-, and five-week-ahead forecasts can be generated using this spatial model. The benefits of increased accuracy in barge rate forecasts are quantified in a simple trading scenario. Market participants can save 17%–29% on barge rate transportation costs depending on the river segment. Increased knowledge and the ability to more accurately predict barge rates is a benefit to all market participants and has a large affect on the prices of the agricultural commodities both domestically and abroad.
Exploring the Playground: Blockchain Prototype Use Cases with Hyperledger Composer

While the accounting profession determines the possible future impacts of Blockchain, universities will need to prepare students for a career using the disruptive technology. This necessitates hand...
Evidence for the emergence of an opioid‐resistant respiratory rhythm following fentanyl overdose

Breathing resumes within one to two minutes following fentanyl overdose induced apnea in spontaneously breathing rats. As this regular rhythm is produced at a time wherein fentanyl concentrations and receptor occupancy are likely to be extremely high, the mechanisms initiating and sustaining such a respiratory activity remain unclear. Forty-four un-anesthetized adult rats were studied in an open-flow plethysmograph. Regardless of the dose of fentanyl that was used, i.e. 50 μg.kg-1 (n = 8), 100 μg.kg-1 (n = 8) or 300 μg.kg-1 (n = 7), all rats developed an immediate central apnea followed by a depressed regular rhythm that was produced 118, 97 and 81 s (median) later, respectively. Only one rat did not recover. This inspiratory and regular activity consisted of a low frequency and tidal volume pattern with a significant reduction in VE/VCO2 ratio, which persisted for at least 30 min and that was not different between 100 or 300 μg.kg-1. The time at which this respiratory rhythm emerged, following the highest dose of fentanyl, was not affected by 100 % O2 or 8% CO2/15 % O2. The absolute level of ventilation was however higher in hypercapnic and moderately hypoxic conditions than in hyperoxia. When a second injection of the highest dose of fentanyl (300 μg.kg-1) was performed at 10 min, ventilation was not significantly affected and no apnea was produced in major contrast to the first injection. When a similar injection was performed 30 min after the first injection, in a separate group of rats, an apnea and breathing depression was produced in 30 % of the animals, while in the other rats, ventilation was unaffected. We conclude that the depressed regular respiratory activity emerging during and following fentanyl overdose is uniquely resistant to fentanyl.
Mapping Shakespeare’s World: By Peter Whitfield. Oxford: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford Press. 2015. Pp. 204. $45.00. ISBN 978-1-85124-257-2

A slenderly written, lavishly illustrated volume, Mapping Shakespeare’s World states its goals directly: “This book sets out to survey the settings of the Shakespeare plays, to ask how familiar the...
Can prosopagnosics discriminate similar, non-face objects?

Casner (2006) tested the ability of a prosopagnosic, LB, to discriminate objects that would require the use of the coordinate relations recognition system posited by Cooper and Wojan. Casner reported that the prosopagnosic, LB, was impaired in coordinate relations tasks, but did not differ significantly from controls in all tasks that only required categorical recognition. However, Farah, Levinson, and Klein (1995) reported on a patient who was not impaired at discriminating eyeglasses, a task for which the coordinate relations hypothesis would predict an impairment. The present study replicated Farah et al.’s paradigm with the prosopagnosic, LB. One experiment found that LB, relative to controls, was significantly impaired when discriminating eyeglasses requiring the use of a coordinate relations recognition system rather than a categorical recognition system, however, the other experiment failed to find such a difference. Two experiments results may have arisen from a strategy that LB developed used.
Razones que justifican la reflexión acerca de lo pedagógico en las carreras de posgrado / Reasons that justify the reflection on the pedagogical in the postgraduate races

Las carreras de posgrado en nuestro pais y en la region, comienzan a organizarse y multiplicarse a partir de la decada de los 90, sobre todo las dedicadas a las Ciencias Sociales en general, a Educacion en particular. Debido a la insuficiencia de posgraduados en Educacion, desde la decada del 2000 en adelante, fui convocada para desarrollar seminarios en diversas carreras de posgrado en el pais, para ser jurado o directora de tesis, para constituir comisiones asesoras de carreras en el pais y en el extranjero. Coincidiendo con colegas que han pasado tempranamente por experiencias similares, destaco la sensacion de incertidumbre que generaban esas tareas, lo que dio lugar a la construccion de diversos espacios de reflexion y socializacion de esas practicas. Esas experiencias han sido altamente subjetivantes en mi propia formacion y en la construccion de mis preocupaciones actuales. Mis aportes a la problematica que nos convoca se desprenden de esas experiencias. Motivo por el cual el articulo adopta un estilo netamente narrativo en algunos tramos, reflexivo y analitico en otros, con la finalidad de sistematizar algunas contribuciones teoricas y practicas. El analisis se centra en las problematicas curriculares y didacticas de los posgrados, ya que los estudios cuantitativos y de los factores externos que inciden en el desarrollo de los procesos investigativos y en la finalizacion de las tesis han sido abundantes en los ultimos anos; tambien los referidos especificamente a la escritura academica. Pero son escasos, todavia, los aportes que se focalizan en la construccion y desarrollo de los disenos curriculares y en las practicas pedagogicas en este nivel. El articulo esta organizado en cuatro items. El primero esta dedicado a analizar el contexto en el que se desarrollan los posgrados en nuestro medio. En el segundo, analizo algunos mitos y creencias que obturan la reflexion acerca de lo pedagogico en los posgrados. A continuacion, incluyo la descripcion y el analisis de experiencias que personalmente me aportaron a esa reflexion y, por ultimo, intento justificar la validez de contribuir en la construccion de una Pedagogia Doctoral.
Spatial and Spectral Super-resolution Imaging for Characterizing Multichromophoric Systems

We demonstrate simultaneous spatial and spectral subtraction-based super-resolution microscopy based on photobleaching, photoblinking, or photoactivation in multichromophoric systems to detail the ...
The Whistleblowers in the White House

This paper is an examination of the trend of White House staff members and advisors acting as "whistleblowers" to wrongdoing. It compares the practice to that of corporate whistleblowers.
Using formative research to develop HEARTS: A curriculum-based healthy relationships promoting intervention for individuals on the autism spectrum.

Curricula that teach relationship skills to autistic individuals are needed. The purpose of this formative research study was to describe the views of autistic youth about healthy and unhealthy fri...
Safety of Adult Ambulatory Direct Laryngoscopy: Revisits and Complications.

Importance Direct laryngoscopy, once an inpatient procedure, is now commonly performed in the outpatient setting. To ensure that safety follows the adoption of novel techniques and practice patterns, it is important to analyze the complication and revisit rates of these ambulatory surgery practices. Objective To determine revisit rates and complications after ambulatory adult direct laryngoscopy procedures. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of cases of adult patients who had undergone a direct laryngoscopic procedure extracted from multistate ambulatory surgery and hospital databases (State Ambulatory Surgery Databases for New York, Florida, Iowa, and California for 2010 and 2011). The analysis was performed on December 1, 2014. Index cases were linked to the corresponding State Emergency Department Databases and the State Inpatient Databases for visit encounters occurring within a 7-day postoperative window. All index cases were ambulatory surgery, without overnight stay or 23-hour observation. Participants Adult patients who had undergone a direct laryngoscopy procedure. Exposures Direct laryngoscopy performed in an ambulatory setting. Patients who underwent flexible laryngoscopy, lesion destruction, laryngectomy, cordectomy, or a secondary nonlaryngoscopy procedure were specifically excluded. Main Outcomes and Measures Data regarding sex, age, revisit occurrence with associated complications, and mortality were analyzed. Results A total of 7743 cases of ambulatory laryngoscopy were identified (mean age, 60.4 years; 61% were male). The 7-day revisit rate was 3.0% (232 revisits). Serious airway complications occurred in 0.27% of cases (n = 21) and accounted for 9.1% of revisits. The rates of other major complications and minor complications were 0.15% (n = 12) and 0.75% (n = 58), respectively. There were no cases of anoxic brain injury. Two deaths occurred at the time of the revisit (7-day mortality rate, 0.03%; 95% CI, 0.01%-0.09%). Conclusions and Relevance Adult ambulatory direct laryngoscopy has a favorable safety profile. Serious airway complications occur in fewer than 3 patients per 1000 cases. The risk of death following outpatient laryngoscopy is extremely low. Outpatient laryngoscopy is not universally suited for all patients, and careful preoperative selection and counseling are imperative.
ULTRAVIOLET AND CHEMICAL INDUCED DNA REPAIR IN HUMAN CELLS ASSAYED BY BROMODEOXYURIDINE PHOTOLYSIS OR BY CYTOSINE ARABINOSIDE ARREST

The bromodeoxyuridine photolysis assay of DNA damage in human cells permits an estimate of both the number of repaired regions in the DNA and the size of the average repaired region - the patch size. The antineoplastic agent arabinofuranosyl cytosine (ara-C) can also be employed to assay the magnitude of repair since this agent appears to block rejoining of single-strand incisions made in the DNA during the initial step of repair. Thus, the number of incisions can be accumulated. The ara-C effect is dependent on the presence of hydroxyurea. Both assays can be employed for the study of physical or chemical DNA damages. Results comparing these assays are presented.
The replication of bacteriophage P4 DNA in vitro: Partial purification of the P4 α gene product

Abstract A soluble enzyme system has been prepared from a phage P4-infected Escherichia coli strain that supports the replication of exogenous, supercoiled P4 DNA. This DNA synthesis in vitro depends upon the four deoxyribonucleotides and ATP, but is enhanced about four- to fivefold by the presence of other ribonucleotides. E. coli DNA polymerase III holoenzyme, the E. coli single-strand DNA binding protein, and the partially purified P4 α gene product are required for replication in vitro . Rifamycin does not inhibit P4 replication in vitro . Since the P4 α gene codes for a rifamycin-resistant RNA polymerase (Barrett et al. , 1983), and since P4 DNA replication is independent of the host primase (Bowden et al. , 1975), we believe the α gene product is functioning as a P4-specific DNA primase.
The Invariant Chain Gene Intronic Enhancer Shows Homology to Class II Promoter Elements

Coordinate expression of MHC class II proteins and the class II-associated invariant chain (Ii) is important for proper MHC class II functioning in Ag processing and presentation. The coordinate regulation of these genes results, in part, from the sharing of transcriptional regulatory regions between MHC class II and Ii genes; the Ii has previously been shown to have an upstream enhancer closely related to the essential class II promoter elements. We report here the characterization of a second enhancer in the Ii gene, located within the first intron. This intronic enhancer is contained within a 155-bp region, enhances transcription from the Ii minimal promoter, and also contains elements that are homologous to class II promoter elements X1, X2, and Y boxes.
Quantitative evaluation of gallium phosphide samples prepared from rapid solid state metathesis: Solid state 31P and 69Ga magic angle spinning NMR strategies

Abstract Quantitative solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques are capable of evaluating the crystalline quality of III-V semiconductor preparations. To this end, an analytical protocol consisting of magic angle spinning lineshape analysis, spin counting studies, and quadrupolar nutation NMR has been established, allowing sample comparisons on a numerical scale. This protocol is applied to a suite of gallium phosphide (GaP) samples prepared by a novel rapid solid state metathesis route from gallium halide and sodium phosphide. The results show that the quality and crystallinity of the GaP product phase depends senstively on the gallium halide precursor used, with GaF3 resulting in the highest-quality material.
Rapamycin-FKBP12 blocks proliferation, induces differentiation, and inhibits cdc2 kinase activity in a myogenic cell line.

Abstract Rapamycin is a potent immunosuppressant that binds to the cytosolic protein, FKBP12, and blocks T cell activation. Here we report that rapamycin also blocks myogenic proliferation and induces differentiation, associated with a decrease in p34cdc2 activity and cyclin A levels. In yeast and mammals, rapamycin blocks cell cycle progression by causing G1 arrest, arguing for a conserved signaling pathway governing the G1 to S transition. p34cdc2 has been shown to play a role in both the transition from G1 to S and from G2 to M in yeast. In higher eukaryotes the role of p34cdc2 in G1 to S transition is less clear. Rapamycin and the structurally related macrolide antibiotic FK506 both bind to a cytosolic protein, the FK506-binding protein (FKBP12). We show that inhibition of myogenic proliferation is achieved at low doses of rapamycin (< 1 ng/ml) and is competed by a molar excess of FK506, indicating specificity for FKBP12. The distinct FK506-calcineurin pathway did not affect myogenic proliferation, differentiation, or p34cdc2 kinase activity. Thus, the rapamycin-FKBP12 signaling pathway involves a specific and direct effect on p34cdc2 kinase activity at the G1 to S transition and identifies a regulatory step during myogenic differentiation.
Laparoscopic vs open nephrectomy in 210 consecutive patients

A recent article by K. W. Kercher, B. T. Heniford and B. D. Matthew et al., demonstated fewer hospital days, fewer complications and more rapid recovery with laparoscopic nephrectomy than with open surgery. The benefits of laparoscopy are becoming more apparent with improvements in techniques. Until recently, laparoscopic pneumoperitoneum was initiated and maintained by carbon dioxide gas at 20 C and less than 0.0002% relative humidity. It has been shown that the use of heated humidified gas for laparoscopy is beneficial in terms of reduced hypothermia, reduced postoperative pain scores, shortened recovery time, reduced pain medication use, and less peritoneal damage [1–5 ]. Our group at the University of Minnesota found results similar to those reported by Kercher when we used cold dry gas for insufflation, additional improvements were demonstrated when the gas was insufflated at 35 C and 95% relative humidity using the Insuflow device. We used the device for 10 laparoscopic donor nephrectomies and compared it with 10 contemporaneous controls conditions in which the device was not used. Although the length of hospital stay and analgesic requirements were not different between the groups, we found that the Insuflow patients had a decreased incidence of shoulder pain and rigor. At the end of the procedure 70% of the control group were hypothermic (<36 ), as compared with none in the Insuflow group. We reported this experience at the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) 2003, and since then, it has become standard practice to use heated humidified gas in all our laparoscopic nephrectomies.
Characterizing Microarchitecture Soft Error Vulnerability Phase Behavior

Computer systems increasingly depend on exploiting program dynamic behavior to optimize performance, power and reliability. Prior studies have shown that program execution exhibits phase behavior in both performance and power domains. Reliabilityoriented program phase behavior, however, remains largely unexplored. As semiconductor transient faults (soft errors) emerge as a critical challenge to reliable system design, characterizing program phase behavior from a reliability perspective is crucial in order to apply dynamic fault-tolerant mechanisms and to optimize performance/reliability trade-offs. In this paper, we compute run-time program vulnerability to soft errors on four microarchitecture structures (i.e. instruction window, reorder buffer, function units and wakeup table) in a high-performance out-of-order execution superscalar processor. Experimental results on the SPEC2000 benchmarks show a considerable amount of time varying behavior in reliability measurements. Our study shows that a single performance metric, such as IPC, cache miss or branch misprediction, is not a good indicator for program vulnerability. The vulnerabilities of the studied microarchitecture structures are then correlated with program code-structure and run-time events to identify vulnerability phase behavior. We observed that both program code-structure and run-time events appear promising in classifying program reliability phase behavior. Overall, performance counter based schemes achieved an average Coefficient of Variation (COV) of 3.5%, 4.5%, 4.3% and 5.7% on the instruction queue, reorder buffer, function units and the wakeup table, while basic block vectors offer COVs of 4.9%, 5.8%, 5.4% and 6% on the four studied microarchitecture structures respectively. We found that in general, tracking performance metrics performs better than tracking control flow in identifying reliability phase behavior of applications. To our knowledge, this paper is the first to characterize program reliability phase behavior at the microarchitecture level.
Meeting the Challenges of Curriculum Construction and Change: Revision and Validity Evaluation of a Placement Test

Achievement of advanced literacy as a goal of foreign language (FL) study within the available amount of time requires that FL departments construct a well-articulated program and optimize student learning at each stage of the curriculum. One essential element of such optimization is the development of assessment procedures to place students into courses that enable successful fostering of their abilities. Ideally, such assessment practices should incorporate aspects of textual literacy, including a well-motivated link between meaning-oriented textual semantics and the required lexicogrammatical features. This article reports on the revision and validity evaluation of a C-test as one component of the placement test in the Georgetown University German program and as an instrument that includes accounting for textual literacy. We begin with the reasons for the test revision and report on the development and evaluation of the new C-test texts, which enabled better alignment with the curriculum and demonstrate a fitting range of reliable distinctions among examinees of broadly differing abilities. The article concludes by highlighting the central role of contextually relevant assessment practices for the success of a program that aims to develop advanced literacy in a FL and the lessons learned throughout the evaluation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Shelter Availability, Occupancy, and Residency in Size-Asymmetric Contests Between Rusty Crayfish, Orconectes rusticus

Contest outcomes are usually determined by differences in resource-holding potential, the social histories of the combatants, and perceptions of resource value. One aspect of gaining an advantage is the residency effect. Prior occupancy of a particular place can affect the knowledge and motivation of the resident. There could be a tactical advantage in knowing the terrain or an increased willingness to fight to maintain control of a familiar area. In this study, we evaluated the importance of shelter residency effects relative to size differences between rusty crayfish (Orconectes rusticus) as potential competitors for access to shelter. The intensity of any residency effects was manipulated by altering the number of shelters in the arena. Our results suggest that any residency effect is very weak in this system, and if present, may often be masked by the strong and pervasive influence on contest outcome of the relative body sizes of the contestants. We also found that both shelter number and crayfish size asymmetries had strong, independent effects on levels of aggression. Dominance, but not residency status, was a factor in shelter use.
Corneal thickness and intraocular pressure in edematous corneas before and after Descemet stripping with automated endothelial keratoplasty.

Purpose It is important to accurately measure intraocular pressure (IOP) in eyes with corneal endothelial dysfunction both before and after Descemet stripping with automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK). Glaucoma is a common comorbidity in this population, and IOP elevation can worsen corneal edema. Additionally, preexisting glaucoma and steroid-responsive ocular hypertension are significant risk factors for graft rejection after DSAEK. Accurate tonometry is limited by variations in central corneal thickness (CCT) and corneal hydration that may affect corneal biomechanical properties. We analyzed CCT and IOP in eyes before and after DSAEK to determine whether changes in corneal biomechanics because of edema, grafted tissue, and subsequent stromal deturgescence affect IOP measurement. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed on 32 eyes from 31 patients with corneal edema secondary to Fuchs endothelial dystrophy, bullous keratopathy, or prior graft failure, or rejection that received uncomplicated DSAEK with no evidence of persistent corneal edema or steroid-induced ocular hypertension. IOP was measured by Tono-Pen XL, and CCT was measured by ultrasound pachymetry before and approximately 3 months after surgery. We used paired t tests to evaluate changes in CCT and IOP after DSAEK and linear regression to determine the relationship between CCT and IOP before and after surgery. Results CCT significantly decreased from 703 ± 82 to 650 ± 52 μm after DSAEK (P = 0.0026), but there was no significant change in measured IOP (16.7 ± 3.4 mm Hg preoperatively and 16.3 ± 4.1 mm Hg postoperatively; P = 0.61). There was no significant relationship between CCT and IOP before (slope = 0.10 ± 0.07 mm Hg/10 μm; r = 0.062; P = 0.17) or after (slope = 0.21 ± 0.14 mm Hg/10 μm; r = 0.072; P = 0.14) DSAEK. Conclusion CCT is significantly reduced by DSAEK but remains well above the normal range. IOP remains near the preoperative level 3 months after DSAEK. Furthermore, no correction is required for Tono-Pen measurements of IOP in corneas thickened by edema secondary to endothelial dysfunction or by DSAEK.
Production of viable homozygous, doubled haploid channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus).

Production of doubled haploids via mitotic gynogenesis is a useful tool for the creation of completely inbred fish. In order to produce viable doubled haploid channel catfish, we utilized hydrostatic pressure or thermal treatments on eggs fertilized with sperm that had been exposed to ultraviolet light. At 1.5 h post-fertilization, the embryos were exposed to either 590 kg/cm2 hydrostatic pressure for 3 min, 37°C for 5 min, or 41°C for 3 min. In the pressure-treated group, only 21 offspring hatched from five spawns with family sizes of one, two, two, four, and 12 offspring each. Eight embryos from the 37°C treatment and 32 embryos from the 41°C treatment survived to hatch. Genotype analysis using microsatellite loci demonstrated all 21 offspring resulting from pressure treatment were homozygous at the 64 loci tested, and none contained alleles unique to the donor male. Eleven of 32 offspring from the 41°C treatment were homozygous at the 18 loci tested, while 21 offspring were heterozygous at six to 12 of these loci. Again, no offspring contained alleles unique to the donor male. However, all eight offspring from the 37°C treatment were heterozygous at multiple loci, and one contained unambiguous paternal alleles. These experiments demonstrated our ability to produce viable homozygous, doubled haploid channel catfish. Doubled haploid catfish can be used to create completely inbred populations for genetic analyses, and homozygous genomic templates will be useful in gene identification and genome characterization.
Protective effects of clonidine and verapamil in experimental amitriptyline poisoning in rabbits.

AbstractThe effects of various agents on acute amitriptyline-induced cardiotoxicity were investigated in conscious rabbits. Amitriptyline (50 mg/kg, IP) regularly produced consistent and reproducible electrocardiographic changes such as lengthening of Q-T intervals, widening of the QRS complex, arrhythmias of various types, convulsion, and severe hypotension. Prevention of these toxic manifestations by the use of various agents alone or in combination was explored. Clonidine (50 μg/kg, IV) and verapamil (0.25 mg/kg, IV) alone or in combination at lower doses (25 μg/ kg plus 0.125 mg/kg, respectively) significantly reduced the lengthening of the QRS and Q-T intervals, restored sinus rhythm, maintained blood pressure at a constant level, and protected against a lethal dose of amitriptyline (75 mg/kg). These results suggest that verapamil, clonidine, and their combination appear to be promising antidotal agents in restoring cardiac function under these conditions.
Beyond computer literacy: supporting youth's positive development through technology

In a digital era in which technology plays a role in most aspects of a child's life, having the competence and confidence to use computers might be a necessary step, but not a goal in itself. Developing character traits that will serve children to use technology in a safe way to communicate and connect with others, and providing opportunities for children to make a better world through the use of their computational skills, is just as important. The Positive Technological Development framework (PTD), a natural extension of the computer literacy and the technological fluency movements that have influenced the world of educational technology, adds psychosocial, civic, and ethical components to the cognitive ones. PTD examines the developmental tasks of a child growing up in our digital era and provides a model for developing and evaluating technology-rich youth programs. The explicit goal of PTD programs is to support children in the positive uses of technology to lead more fulfilling lives and make the world a better place. This article introduces the concept of PTD and presents examples of the Zora virtual world program for young people that the author developed following this framework.
Quetiapine for insomnia: A review of the literature

Purpose The safety and efficacy of quetiapine for the treatment of insomnia in adults are reviewed. Summary Quetiapine was developed for the treatment of psychiatric disorders, but its antagonism of histamine H1- and serotonin type 2A receptors has the added effect of causing sedation. As such, quetiapine is widely used off-label as a treatment for insomnia. Due to quetiapine’s potential adverse effects, guidelines for the treatment of insomnia have recommended the drug’s use only in patients with specific comorbid psychiatric disorders. The use of quetiapine for the treatment of insomnia in the absence of comorbid conditions has been evaluated in only two clinical trials of 31 patients in total, and very few studies have evaluated quetiapine use in patients with insomnia and other comorbidities. No trials have been conducted comparing quetiapine with an active control (e.g., zolpidem); the data that exist compare quetiapine to a placebo or there is no comparison and all patients are treated with quetiapine. Very few studies have evaluated quetiapine’s efficacy in the treatment of insomnia using sleep objective testing, another limitation of the available data on quetiapine. Conclusion Robust studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of quetiapine for the treatment of insomnia are lacking. Given its limited efficacy data, its adverse-effect profile, and the availability of agents approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of insomnia, quetiapine’s benefit in the treatment of insomnia has not been proven to outweigh potential risks, even in patients with a comorbid labeled indication for quetiapine.
Denial of true-false statements and verbal ability

Sixteen high-verbal and 16 low-verbal university students were asked to deny ordinarily true statements (e.g., A ship is large), partially false statements (e.g., A dog is large), and utterly false statements (e.g., A fly is large). High-verbal students used affirmative statements 57% of the time to ordinarily true statements, 69% of the time to partially false statements, and 87% of the time to utterly false statements. Low-verbal students did not distinguish the three types of statements. The findings were discussed in terms of the role of verbal ability and stylistics in the English language.
Evaluation of long bone surface textures as ontogenetic indicators in centrosaurine ceratopsids.

The search for criteria for aging non-mammalian fossil vertebrates has preoccupied paleobiologists in recent years. Previous studies of the long bones of pterosaurs and modern and subfossil birds as well as of cranial material of centrosaurine ceratopsid dinosaurs have documented variations in surface textures that seem to be ontogenetically related. In this study, long bones from the centrosaurine ceratopsid genera Centrosaurus, Einiosaurus, and Pachyrhinosaurus are examined to test the hypothesis that changes in bone surface textures and reduction of surface porosity could be correlated with size (and presumably age) classes, as has been previously documented in pterosaurs and birds. The data set includes 141 bones representing all six long bone elements, collected from monodominant centrosaurine bone beds. Bone surface patterns are documented by macroscopic visual examination, and a sequence of five texture classes ordered by decreasing surface porosity is described based on the common distributions of these patterns. Calculations of Spearman's rank correlation coefficients reveal significant correlations between texture class and size. The smallest bones are invariably associated with porous midshaft textures that grade to fibrous and long-grained patterns proximally and distally [Texture Class (TC) 1]. Post-hoc analysis after Kruskal–Wallis ANOVA on ranks confirms that the mean size of TC1 bones is, in most cases, significantly different than the mean size of bones in other texture classes. Results of this study suggest the presence of an ontogenetic surface textural signal in centrosaurine long bones; however, comparison of texture classes with size-independent maturity criteria is needed to clarify further the potential ontogenetic significance of higher texture classes. Anat Rec, 292:1485–1500, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Integration of structural health monitoring in a system performance based life-cycle bridge management framework

In this paper, an approach for integrating the information obtained from structural health monitoring in a life-cycle bridge management framework is proposed. The framework is developed on the basis of life-cycle system performance concepts that are also presented in this paper. The performance of the bridge is quantified by incorporating prior knowledge and information obtained from structural health monitoring using Bayesian updating concepts. This performance is predicted in the future using extreme value statistics. Advanced modelling tools and techniques are used for the lifetime reliability computations, including incremental nonlinear finite element analyses, quadratic response surface modelling using design of experiments concepts, and Latin hypercube sampling, among other techniques. The methodology is illustrated on an existing bridge in the state of Wisconsin.
A review on the role of activity-based costing information and costs structure integration in supply chain and operations

In recent times, activity-based costing (ABC) has been evolving to a managerial and cost accounting system rather than a mere cost accounting. The popularity of integration of the ABC in the mathematical models of supply chain management (SCM) for decision support further emphasises the managerial scope of ABC. In this paper, we review the significant role of ABC information and cost structure integration in supply chain mathematical decision support modelling, with the aim of comparing its applicability at different managerial hierarchy levels. The presented literature provides a framework for evaluating the suitability of ABC into different SCM decision making processes.
Suppression of Multiple Substrate Mutations by Spliceosomal prp8 Alleles Suggests Functional Correlations with Ribosomal Ambiguity Mutants

Conformational change within the spliceosome is required between the first catalytic step of pre-mRNA splicing, when the branch site (BS) attacks the 5' splice site, and the second step, when the 5' exon attacks the 3' splice site, yielding mRNA and lariat-intron products. A genetic screen for suppressors of BS A-to-G mutants, which stall between the two steps, identified Prp8, the highly conserved spliceosomal factor. prp8 suppressors facilitate the second step for multiple intron mutants and interact functionally with first step suppressors, alleles of PRP16 and U6 snRNA. Genetic interactions among prp8, prp16, and U6 alleles suggest that these factors control a common stage in first-to-second step transition. We propose that mutant substrates are utilized by alteration of the equilibrium between first/second step conformations, resembling tRNA miscoding caused by altered equilibrium between open/closed ribosomal conformations. This mechanistic commonality suggests that alteration of rearrangements represents an evolutionarily convenient way of modulating substrate selectivity.
Neuronal proliferation in the 9-month-old rodent-radioautographic study of granule cells in the hippocampus.

Nine-month-old rats were injected with 5 μCi 3H-thymidine (3H-Tdr) and allowed to survive for 20 days. In light-microscopic radioautographs, labeled cells were found in the granule cell layer of the hippocampus. Analysis of electron micrographs of the labeled cells, taken from re-embedded 1.5 μm radioautographic sections, clearly demonstrated their neuronal nature with synapses along their cell bodies and dendrites. Our results indicate that 0.025% of the granule neurons are heavily labeled in the dorsal hippocampus. Electron microscopy of re-embedded light-microscopic radioautographic sections confirms that granule neurons in the rodent are newly formed up until 9 months after birth.
Southern swamps and marshes

Introduction 413 Relation to Sea Level 414 Terminology 415 List of Major Types of Swamps and Marshes 416 Deep Fresh-Water Swamps 418 Shallow Fresh-Water Swamps 42C Peaty Fresh-Water Swamps 422 Salt-Water Swamps 425 Minor Swamp Types 428 Deep Fresh-Water Marshes 429 Shallow Fresh-Water Marshes 431 Salt Marshes 432 Minor Marsh Types 434 Plant Suiccession ......... 435 Habitat Factors ........ 439 Factors. Related to Succession 443 Literature Cited ......... 444
Development of Pump Characteristics from Field Tests

Field tests were conducted to determine the pump characteristics at four pumping plants on the Southern Nevada Water Project. Each pump tested was instrumented to measure speed, torque, and pressure head as functions of time. Records were obtained for pump startup, normal operation, and power failure. The Southern Nevada system was modeled for these same operations on a master computer program, TAHS. Using TAHS, the pump characteristics were adjusted by an iterative process until the computer results were in agreement with the field test records.
The role of angiotensin in the cardiovascular and renal response to salt restriction.

The role of Angiotensin in the cardiovascular and renal response to salt restriction. Dietary sodium restriction in rabbits resulted in a significant reduction in cardiac output: blood pressure was well maintained through an increase in total peripheral resistance. Renal blood flow, measured with tagged microspheres, and glomerular filtration rate were reduced with salt restriction. There was a larger reduction in outer cortical than inner cortical flow rates. Blockade of the renin-angiotensin system with either a competitive antagonist to angiotensin II (1-sar, 8-ala angiotensin II) or inhibition of converting enzyme (SQ 20881) reduced arterial pressure in animals on a low salt diet but not on a high salt diet. Similarly, renal blood flow increased only in animals on a low salt diet despite the fall in arterial pressure, suggesting that the vasoconstriction was mediated by the renin-angiotensin system. Despite the increase in total and outer cortical renal blood flow, however, neither an increase in the glomerular filtration rate nor natriuresis occurred in animals on a low salt diet: either the renal vascular response did not contribute to the functional effects of salt restriction or the hypotensive response overrode the renal vascular effects on sodium handling and filtration rate. Role de l'angiotensine dans la reponse cardiovasculaire et renale a la restriction en sel. La restriction en sodium alimentaire chez le lapin determine une diminution significative du debit cardiaque: la pression arterielle est maintenue par l'intermediaire d'une augmentation des resistances peripheriques. Le debit sanguin renal, mesure avec des microspheres marquees, et le debit de filtration glomerulaire sont diminues au cours de la restriction de sel. La reduction est plus importante pour le debit cortical externe que pour l'interne. Le bloquage du systeme renine-angiotensine avec un antagoniste compatiteur de l'angiotensine II (1-sar, 8-ala angiotensine II) ou par l'inhibition de l'enzyme de conversion (SQ 20881) diminue la pression arterielle chec les animaux soumis a un regime pauvre en sel mais pas celle des animaux soumis a un regime riche en sel. De la meme facon, le debit sanguin renal n'augmente que chez les animaux soumis a un regime pauvre en sel, malgre la baisse de la pression arterielle, ce qui suggere que le systeme renine-angiotensine est le mediateur de la vasoconstriction. En depit de l'augmentation du debit sanguin renal total et cortical externe ni une augmentation du debit de filtration glomerulaire ni une natriurese ne sont observes chez les animaux soumis au regime pauvre en sel: ou bien la reponse vasculaire renale ne contribue pas aux effets fonctionnels de la restriction sodique, ou bien la reponse hypotensive outrepasse les effets vasculaires renaux en ce qui concerne le comportement du sodium et la filtration glomerulaire.
Receptor for advanced glycation end products in donor lungs is associated with primary graft dysfunction after lung transplantation

Development of primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is associated with poor outcomes after transplantation. We hypothesized that Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-products (RAGE) levels in donor lungs is associated with the development of PGD. Furthermore, we hypothesized that RAGE levels would be increased with PGD in recipients after transplantation. We measured RAGE in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALf) from 25 donors and 34 recipients. RAGE was also detected in biopsies (transbronchial biopsy) from recipients with and without PGD. RAGE levels were significantly higher in donor lungs that subsequently developed sustained PGD versus transplanted lungs that did not display PGD. Donor RAGE level was a predictor of recipient PGD (odds ratio = 1.768 per 0.25 ng/mL increase in donor RAGE level). In addition, RAGE levels remained high for 14 days in those recipients that developed severe graft dysfunction. Recipients may be at higher risk for developing PGD if they receive transplanted organs that have higher levels of soluble RAGE prior to explantation. Moreover, the clinical and pathologic abnormalities associated with PGD posttransplantation are associated with increased RAGE expression. These findings also raise the possibility that targeting the RAGE signaling pathway could be a novel strategy for treatment and/or prevention of PGD.
A model of reputation building and destruction

Abstract Previous studies of a firm's reputation have either confirmed its existence as an influence agent or described in general terms its effects upon other attributes (quality, price, advertising, etc.). This study attempts to quantify the reputation concept through a competitive evaluation. The competitive credibility model of reputation building is formulated and tested through simulation. Results are reported and discussed.
Numerical modeling of microbubble backscatter to optimize ultrasound particle image velocimetry imaging: initial studies

Abstract We have developed a promising non-invasive ultrasound-based method for performing particle image velocimetry (PIV) in vivo. This method, termed echo PIV, provides multi-component blood velocity data with good (∼2 ms) temporal resolution. The method takes advantage of the non-linear ultrasound backscatter characteristics of small gas-filled microbubbles (ultrasound contrast) that are seeded into the blood stream. In this study, we use a numerical model to explore potential areas to focus future work in echo PIV. Ultrasound backscatter from encapsulated microbubbles was modeled using a modified Rayleigh–Plesset equation (Church model, 1995), taking into account the protein/lipid shell layer as a thick, mass-conserving incompressible fluid surrounded by incompressible blood-like fluid. The equation of motion was solved numerically to characterize the fundamental and second harmonic components of the backscattered pressure. Results show a significant advantage in using the second harmonic component for echo PIV, especially for small bubble sizes less than 3 μm in diameter at 2.2 MHz frequency. The effect of the shell thickness ranging from 10 to 500 nm on the vibration amplitude of the bubble was examined and it is shown that the presence of the shell requires mechanical index (MI)>0.2 of incident pressure amplitude to improve bubble detectability. Analysis of the effect of pulse length shows a tradeoff between axial resolution (short pulse length) and bubble detectability (longer pulse length) will most likely be required. The effect of varying MI between 0.1 and 0.6 was also studied at a center frequency of 2.2 MHz and the results indicate that the resonance of the second harmonic is maximized for bubbles with diameter of approximately 2.75 μm. Bubble non-linearities at MI>0.2 induced a resonant frequency shift away from the integer multiple of the incident frequency in the second harmonic backscatter. For a given bubble size, there is a combination of optimal incident frequency and mechanical index range that maximizes the ratio of the second harmonic compared to the fundamental. This resonant frequency decreases with increasing bubble radius. Further, a narrow bandwidth pulse is shown to increase signal strength. Both of these effects may cause conflict with factors governing spatial resolution. Optimization of the incident frequency, microbubble size and mechanical index to enhance bubble detectability will depend on the particular clinical application. These theoretical predictions provide further understanding of the physics behind our echo PIV technique, and should be useful for guiding the design of echo PIV systems.