cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of pH, CaCl2 and Soy Protein on [Ca2+] in Reconstituted Nonfat Dry Milk and on Rennet‐Induced Coagulum Properties

Increasing CaCl2 and lowering pH caused a significant increase in [Ca2+] in reconstituted nonfat dry milk (RNDM), while the addition of soy protein caused a significant reduction in [Ca2+]. Lowering pH greatly increased rennet-induced coagulum firmness in RNDM and slightly increased it in RNDM-soy protein mixtures. Added CaCl2 increased coagulum textural parameters and syneresis in both systems. The extent to which these properties were increased was higher in RNDM than in the coagulum containing soy protein depending on the time after rennet addition and the amount of CaCl2 added. The first increment of CaCl2 added had the highest effect in improving textural properties and increasing syneresis.
Prolactin and Growth Hormone Levels in Serum from the Cavernous Sinus of Rhesus Monkeys

Serum from the cavernous sinus (CS) of male and female rhesus monkeys was assayed for GH (radioimmunoassay) and prolactin (bioassay) levels. The titers of both hormones varied independently. GH levels varied over a much wider range than did those of prolactin. Comparison of the GH titers in CS and peripheral vein serum indicated a dilution factor of up to 130×. The significance of these findings is discussed.
Scanning holography and two-dimensional image processing by acousto-optic two-pupil synthesis

An implementation of an acousto-optic heterodyning image processor was reported earlier [ Opt. Lett.4, 317 ( 1979)]. However, details of that report are limited only to the confirmation of the basic principle of operation. In this paper, we present and emphasize the mathematical structure of the processor. We also compare this processor with other kinds of scanning and nonscanning processors. The analysis is then extended to the defocused case, where the optical transfer function is derived. A potential application of this in scanning holography is discussed.
Low-noise, low-power HgCdTe/Al2O3 1024 x 1024 FPAs

We have developed two high performance 1024 multiplied by 1024 focal plane arrays for astronomy, spectroscopy, surveillance and conventional imaging. Each hybrid consists of a photovoltaic HgCdTe detector array, fabricated on Al 2 O 3 substrate and having photoresponse cutoff wavelength optimized for each specific application, mated to a CMOS silicon readout via indium column interconnects. In addition to updating the performance of our 1024 multiplied by 1024 FPA for astronomy developed in 1994, we introduce a second 1024 multiplied by 1024 having capability for operation at TV-type frame rates. The latter device also has low read noise but at much higher bandwidth by virtue of its capacitive transimpedance amplifier input and pipelined readout architecture. Both devices have been shown capable of consistently achieving background-limited sensitivity at very low infrared backgrounds (less than or equal to 10 9 photons/cm2-sec) by their low read noise, low dark current including negligible MOSFET self-emission, and high quantum efficiency. FPA pixel operability as high as 99.94% with mean peak D* of 10 14 cm-Hz 1/2 /W has been demonstrated. Proprietary hybridization and mounting techniques are being used to insure hybrid reliability after many thermal cycles. The hybrid methodology has been modeled using finite element modeling to understand the limiting mechanisms; very good agreement has been achieved with the measured reliability.
Blow-up of solutions of a semilinear hyperbolic equation and a parabolic equation with general forcing term and boundary condition

Abstract Semilinear hyperbolic and parabolic initial–boundary value problems are studied. Criteria for solutions of a semilinear hyperbolic equation and a parabolic equation with general forcing term and general boundary condition to blow up in finite time are obtained.
Tea components: Antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic effects

Abstract Background. Tea from the Camellia sinensis species of the Theaceae family is one of the most ancient and, next to water, the most widely consumed beverage in the world. Since tea contains several polyphenols and since several other naturally occurring dietary polyphenols have shown antimutagenic effects in bacteria and anticarcinogenic effects in animal bioassay systems, we studied whether polyphenols extracted from Chinese green tea (GTP) also possess antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic effects. Results. GTP and its constituent epicatechin derivatives were found to interact with hepatic cytochrome P450 (P450) and inhibited the P450-dependent mixed-function oxidase enzymes in skin and liver. GTP and its epicatechin derivatives exhibited antimutagenic effects in several test systems. GTP showed substantial anti-skin-tumor-initiating and anti-skin-tumor-promoting activities when assessed in murine skin tumorigenesis bioassay systems. In these model systems polyaromatic hydrocarbons, benzo[a]pyrene (BP), 3-methyl-cholanthrene, 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, and (+)-7β,8α-dihydroxy-9α,10α-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (an ultimate carcinogenic metabolite of BP) were used as model skin carcinogens. The feeding of GTP in drinking water to SKH-1 hairless mice also afforded significant protection against ultraviolet-B-radiation-induced skin photocarcinogenesis. Conclusions. These data suggest that tea components possess antimutagenic and anti-carcinogenic effects, and that they could protect humans against the risk of cancer by environmental agents.
Spectrochemical evaluation of pyridinium chloride as a possible selective fluorescence quenching agent of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water and neat acetonitrile

Abstract Pyridinium chloride (PC) is examined as a selective, fluorescence quenching agent for alternant as opposed to nonalternant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in two polar solvents — water and acetonitrile. Nine alternant and 13 nonalternant PAHs were dissolved in water and acetonitrile and a total of 0.2 M of pyridinium chloride was added. The resulting change in fluorescence intensity was observed and reported as the Stern–Volmer quenching constant. Results show that PC is a selective quencher in both polar solvents. It selectively quenches the fluorescence emission intensity of alternant PAHs while leaving the nonalternant PAH fluorescence emission virtually unchanged. These results agree with the selective quenching behavior seen for PC surfactant analogs, cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) and dodecylpyridinium chloride (DDPC). Furthermore, these results illustrate that the presence of a surfactant or micelle is not a requirement for selective quenching. The selective quencher PC is applicable to situations where a surfactant is not desirable or soluble.
Abnormal conduction and repolarization in late-activated myocardium of dyssynchronously contracting hearts

Background : Cardiac dyssynchrony due to intraventricular conduction delay produces heterogeneous regional wall stress and worsens arrhythmia susceptibility in failing hearts. We examined whether chronic dyssynchrony per se induces regionally heterogeneous electrophysiological remodeling. Methods and results : Adult dogs ( n =9) underwent left bundle branch radiofrequency ablation (QRS duration increased from 50 ± 7 to 104 ± 7 ms); 6 untreated dogs served as controls. A subset of ablated ( n =3) and control ( n =4) dogs underwent tagged MR imaging to confirm ablation-induced left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony. Four weeks later, hearts were excised and early (anterior)- and late (lateral)-activated myocardial segments were isolated. Conduction velocity (CV), action potential duration (APD), and refractory period (RP) of paced, arterially perfused myocardial wedges were studied by extracellular and optical mapping, and arrhythmia susceptibility was assessed by programmed stimulation. Regional stress-response kinase, calcium cycling, and gap junction protein expression were assayed by Western blotting, and the subcellular distribution of connexin43 was analyzed by immunofluorescence microscopy. CV, APD, and RP were significantly reduced in the late-activated, lateral wall of dyssynchronous hearts compared to the anterior wall. Normal differences in CV (endocardial>epicardial) were reversed in the dyssynchronous lateral LV. While the total expression of connexin43 was unaltered in dyssynchronous models, its subcellular location was redistributed in late-activated myocardium from intercalated discs to lateral myocyte membranes. Arrhythmias were rare in tissue from normal and dyssynchronous models. Total expression of calcium-cycling proteins (sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase and phospholamban) and the stress-response kinase phospho-ERK did not vary regionally in either model. Conclusions : Dyssynchrony even in the absence of LV dysfunction induces regionally specific changes in conduction and repolarization. These changes support a novel mechanism linking mechanical dyssynchrony to persistent electrophysiological remodeling and heterogeneity.
The Peril and Promise of Childhood: Ethical Implications for Tomorrow's Teachers.

The purpose of this essay is to stimulate consideration of the roles that teachers might play in promoting social justice both with and for school-age youth. It is proposed that adopting an ethical...
Intergroup Relations in Integrated Schools: A Glimpse Inside Interdistrict Magnet Schools

The frequency and quality of intergroup contact within racially and ethnically diverse schools has potentially important implications for the achievement of desegregation goals. The analyses presented here use survey data to assess intergroup contact within a sample of ten interdistrict magnet schools in Connecticut. Findings indicate frequent intergroup interactions within interdistrict magnet schools, but also that the perceived quality of intergroup relations differs across racial groups and both the frequency and quality of intergroup contact varies considerably across schools. Students who report higher quality intergroup relations in their school also tend to report more positive academic environments and more positive attitudes towards other groups. Together these findings indicate that attention must be paid to intergroup relations within diverse schools if the goals of integrated schooling are to be realized.
On factoring positive operators

Abstract The problem of factoring positive operators into an “outer” factor and its adjoint has been studied, and its application to the theory of non-stationary random processes is discussed. This problem is an extension of the classical one of factoring positive matrix-valued functions defined on the unit circle of the complex plane into similar factors.
Prostate cancer: utility of fusion of T2-weighted and high b-value diffusion-weighted images for peripheral zone tumor detection and localization.

Purpose: To retrospectively assess the utility of fusion of T2-weighted images (T2WI) and high b-value diffusion-weighted images (DWI) for prostate cancer detection and localization. Materials and Methods: In this IRB-approved HIPAA-compliant study, 42 patients with prostate cancer underwent MRI including multiplanar T2WI and axial DWI before prostatectomy. Two independent radiologists first assessed multiplanar T2WI and axial DWIb-1000 images and recorded whether tumor was present in each sextant. Axial T2WI was then fused with axial DWIb-1000 images, and the radiologists re-evaluated each sextant for tumor. Accuracy was compared using generalized estimating equations based on a binary logistic regression model. Results: The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for tumor detection on a sextant-basis using separate and fused image sets was 65.1%, 50.8%, 78.0%, 67.8%, and 63.6% and 71.0%, 60.8%, 80.3%, 73.7%, and 69.3%, respectively, for reader 1, and 54.0%, 42.5%, 64.4%, 52.0%, and 55.2%, and 61.1%, 56.7%, 65.2%, 59.6%, and 62.3%, respectively, for reader 2. The improvements in accuracy, sensitivity, and NPV using fused images were statistically significant for both readers, as was the improvement in PPV for reader 2 (P ranging from <0.0001 to 0.041). With either separate or fused images, there was greater sensitivity for tumors of higher grade or larger size (P ranging from <0.001 to 0.099). Conclusion: Fusion of T2WI and high b-value DWI resulted in significant improvements in sensitivity and accuracy for tumor detection on a sextant-basis, with similar specificity. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2011;. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Prewetting transition in supercritical argon

From the low frequency measurements of the dielectric constant of ultra low impurity liquid argon, we obtain the density of the liquid in the vicinity of the critical point. Along the 50 atm isobar slightly above the critical temperature, we find apparent discontinuity in the density, suggesting proximity to a prewetting transition. A simple mean field theoretical analysis provides a qualitative description of some aspects of this behavior Nous avons obtenu la densite de l'argon au voisinage du point critique a partir de mesures de la constante dielectrique a basse frequence. Nous avons observe une discontinuite de la densite le long de l'isobare correspondante a 50 atm a une temperature un peu au-dessus de la temperature critique. Cette discontinuite suggere une transition de pre-mouillage. Un calcul simple, selon le modele du champ moyen, reussit a rendre compte de quelques aspects des resultats de mesures
An improved implementation of the McCracken and Yanosik nine point finite difference procedure

Abstract The grid orientation phenomenon present in numerical models of fluid flow in a porous media can give rise to unrealistic predictions when simulating adverse mobility displacements. McCracken and Yanosik [11] proposed a nine point finite difference scheme for approximating the solution of the continuity equations that has the potential of eliminating many of the unrealistic predictions that are observed when using five point finite difference operators. Coats and Ramesh [5] have implemented this scheme in a steamflooding model, and have noted that serious grid effects are present in the simulation of an inverted seven spot pattern. Potempa [12,13] has described a procedure which exhibits minimal grid effects for the problem described by Coats and Ramesh [5]. This paper describes modifications to the McCracken and Yanosik procedure which allow for realistic simulations of this inverted seven spot pattern under a steam drive. These modifications are based upon an approximation scheme that has been previously reported [12,13], and affect the incorporation of upstream weighting in a similator.
Project LEAP: personal process improvement for the differently disciplined

Software developers and managers have faced the problem of producing quality software since the beginning of the computer age. Many people have studied the software quality problem and have proposed many solutions. We can categorize these different solutions into two groups: (1) "Topdown" solutions, that focus on software development as a group effort and (2) "Bottom-up" solutions, that focus on the individual software developer. Some of the many Top-down solutions include: the Capability Maturity Model, Clean Room development, software quality assurance groups, and Formal. Technical Review. These top down methods help improve the quality of the software, however they may not be enough.
Study of renal blood supply and its implication in renal pelvic surgery

Studies of the blood supply and healing potential of the renal pelvis were correlated. Angiographic studies of anatomic dissection of the blood supply, performed following an injection technique, proved that branches from the renal, lumbar, capsular, and ureteral arteries result in an abundant capillary supply. Comparison of healing after longitudinal and trnsverse incisions showed no significant difference.
813-3 Results of Valve Replacement with Mechanical versus Biological Prostheses in Patients on Chronic Renal Dialysis

Whether biological or mechanical valves should be used in patients on chronic dialysis therapy remains to be clearly defined. Therefore, a retrospective review was performed of all 19 patients from our institution with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on chronic peritoneal or hemodialysis undergoing aortic (N = 12) or mitral (N = 5) valve replacement. Two patients underwent aortic and mitral valve replacement. The 9 biological (BV) and 10 mechanical (MV) valve patients had similar ages (56.5 vs. 56.6 yrs) and cardiovascular risk factors. BV and MV patients combined had an estimated Kaplan-Meier survival of 60 ± 12% at 12 months and 42 ± 14% at 60 months with no significant difference in survival between BV and MV patients. MV patients had a significantly higher rate of postoperative cerebrovascular accidents or bleeding complications (10/10 vs. 0/9; χ2 = 17.0, P l 0.001). MV patients on hemodialysis required frequent reoperation for hemorrhage or infection at the access site. Furthermore, there were no subsequent reoperations required for BV failure. Only one BV developed prosthetic dysfunction lat (56 months). Download : Download high-res image (42KB) Download : Download full-size image These results demonstrate that in patients with ESRD, use of MV is associated with significant risk of hemorrhage or stroke, and BV failure due to prosthetic dysfunction is unusual. Moreover, overall survival is poor in both MV and BV patients. Therefore, strong preference should be given to BV instead of MV prostheses in patients on chronic renal dialysis.
Chemical weathering under the Greenland Ice Sheet

To contrast continental and alpine subglacial weathering regimes and thereby assess the role of large ice masses in chemical weathering, borehole and outlet water samples were collected from multiple locations on a major, land-terminating outlet of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Boreholes, reaching ice depths to 824 m, were drilled to the bed with hot-water methods in four areas of the ice sheet ablation zone along a 45 km transect extending inland from the outlet terminus. The bulk chemical composition of these samples shows substantially less influence of sulfides and carbonates than found in alpine glaciers, suggesting that the sediment under this region of the ice sheet has become depleted of accessory minerals. The waters show wide variability in chemical composition over both large and small temporal-spatial scales, suggesting large ranges in length of subglacial water storage and in rates of abrasion and comminution of subglacial earth materials. The dissolved solids concentrations found in the Greenland Ice Sheet are comparable to and in some cases exceed those of alpine glaciers, suggesting that large ice masses are capable of generating substantial dissolved loads through silicate weathering mechanisms.
A conceptual framework for environmental protection

The environmental and economic components of a region or a nation are inextricably linked. Moreover, environmental protection technology must deal specifically with the linkages between the economy and the environment—that is, with by-products of the economy as they move from the economy to the environment or with natural resources as they move from the environment to the economy. Yet, environmental policy analyses are rarely able to focus on these linkages. A conceptual framework aimed at mitigating that inadequacy is developed here. The framework is tied to its theoretical basis in thermodynamics and is utilized to identify generic categories of environmental protection strategies, to identify some disadvantages of current strategies, and to suggest alternatives.
The control of digestion in the tsetse fly, Glossina morsitans: A comparison between field flies and flies reared in captivity

Abstract There is no cycle of activity alternating with inactivity in the neuroendocrine system of the tsetse fly such as occurs in other insects. Histological studies indicate that it is a continuously secreting system in both the field and the laboratory-reared fly. However, the rate of digestion is higher in field flies than in laboratory-reared flies when maintained under identical conditions. The results are the same whether the rate is measured in terms of enzyme activity in the midgut or as the rate of excretion. Attempts to increase the rate of digestion in laboratory-reared flies by altering environmental conditions have so far failed. It is thought that the lower rate of digestion in laboratory-reared flies is due to an intrinsically lower rate of secretory activity of the neuroendocrine system and that this is the main cause of the failure of laboratory colonies to be self-supporting. The greater activity of field flies imposed upon them by the necessity of seeking a suitable host is thought to be an important factor in the preconditioning of the neurosecretory system which is missing in laboratory-reared colonies.
Incidence of and Risk Factors for Catheterization-Induced Complete Heart Block in the Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory

Background— The majority of the literature on catheterization-induced heart block (CIHB) was published >30 years ago. The field of cardiac catheterization has evolved, performing more interventional compared with diagnostic cases. We sought to determine the incidence and risk factors of CIHB. Methods and Results— A catheterization database that records the occurrence of adverse events on all cases was queried for heart block. Additional retrospective data on event outcome were collected on patients who developed CIHB. Multivariable logistic regression modeling was used to identify risk factors of CIHB (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval). In a 6-year period, 6183 cases were performed. The median weight was 15.0 (7.0–47.0) kg, with 29% consisting of infants <1 year. A total of 72% involved complex congenital heart disease. One hundred thirty-five cases were complicated by CIHB (2.2%; 95% confidence interval, 1.9–2.6). Age <1 year (3.0; 2.2–4.3) and case duration ≥2 hours (3.4; 2.0–6.0) were risk factors of CIHB; cardiac anatomy and intervention performed were not. A total of 96% of CIHB recovered within 1 week but 6 patients underwent pacemaker placement (3 L-loop ventricles, 2 intracardiac devices, 1 double inlet-double outlet RV). Of these, 50% recovered atrioventricular nodal conduction within 1 month; 2 patients with L-loop ventricles and 1 patient with a left ventricular-to-right atrial device did not recover. Conclusions— The incidence of CIHB in the pediatric cardiac catheterization laboratory is low at 2.2%. Risk factors include young age and long case duration. The recovery of atrioventricular nodal function after CIHB is high and follows a similar time course to that of postsurgical heart block.
Suitability of Three Prey Species for Nearctic Populations of Coccinella septempunctata, Hippodamia variegata, and Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Coccinella septempunetata L. larvae reared at 23 ± 2°C (16:8 [L:D]) on pea aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), required an average of 13.1 d to complete development, a significantly faster rate of development than observed on corn leaf aphids, Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch) (16 d). Adult C. septempunetata from larvae reared on A. pisum were larger and weighed more than adults reared on R. maidis . Developmental times of Nearctic Hippodamia variegate Goeze and Propylea quatuordecimpunetata L., were not influenced by larval prey, but adult P. quatuordecimpunetata were heavier and larger when reared on A. pisum . First instars of the three > (Hiibner) and desiccated within 3 d at 23°C. A. pisum is a highly suitable larval prey for Nearctic populations of these predators; redistribution program releases in alfalfa infested with A. pisum are appropriate. In corn, these coccinellids can develop on R. maidis , but first instars cannot utilize O. nubilalis eggs as an alternate food source.
Enlistment Motivations of Army Reservists: Money, Self-Improvement, or Patriotism?

Although a number of researchers have examined active-force enlistment at both the aggregate and individual levels, relatively little work has been done on reserve enlistment motivations at the individual level. This study uses a log-linear model to profile the self-reported motivations of male U.S. Army Reserve recruits as a function of age, educational attainment, mental category, and plans to transfer to the active Army. The empirical results suggest that there are several differently motivated subgroups of Army Reserve recruits and that the Army Reserve may play a significant role in active-Army recruiting.
III.—Two New British Carboniferous Insects, with Remarks on those already known

By the kind communication of my friend, the Rev. P. B. Brodie, M.A., F.G.S., I have been able to study two very striking wing-fragments from the Coal-measures of Great Britain, which are interesting, not only from the excessive rarity of such remains in this country, but also from their relationship to the two or three already known.
Systems theory of Smad signalling

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta) signalling is an important regulator of cellular growth and differentiation. The principal intracellular mediators of TGFbeta signalling are the Smad proteins, which upon TGFbeta stimulation accumulate in the nucleus and regulate the transcription of target genes. To investigate the mechanisms of Smad nuclear accumulation, we developed a simple mathematical model of canonical Smad signalling. The model was built using both published data and our experimentally determined cellular Smad concentrations (isoforms 2, 3 and 4). We found in mink lung epithelial cells that Smad2 (8.5-12 x 10(4) molecules cell(-1)) was present in similar amounts to Smad4 (9.3-12 x 10(4) molecules cell(-1)), whereas both were in excess of Smad3 (1.1-2.0 x 10(4) molecules cell(-1)). Variation of the model parameters and statistical analysis showed that Smad nuclear accumulation is most sensitive to parameters affecting the rates of R-Smad phosphorylation and dephosphorylation and Smad complex formation/ dissociation in the nucleus. Deleting Smad4 from the model revealed that rate-limiting phospho-R-Smad dephosphorylation could be an important mechanism for Smad nuclear accumulation. Furthermore, we observed that binding factors constitutively localised to the nucleus do not efficiently mediate Smad nuclear accumulation, if dephosphorylation is rapid. We therefore conclude that an imbalance in the rates of R-Smad phosphorylation and dephosphorylation is likely an important mechanism of Smad nuclear accumulation during TGFbeta signalling.
An adaptive and information theoretic method For compressed sampling

By considering an s-sparse signal x ∼ (X, P) to be an instance of vector random variable X = (X1, … ,Xn)t We determine a sequence of binary sampling vectors for characterizing the signal x and completely determining it from the samples. Unlike the standard approaches, ours is adaptive and is inspired by ideas from the theory of Huffman codes. The method seeks to minimize the number of steps needed for the sampling and reconstruction of any sparse vector x ∼ (X, P). We prove that the expected total cost (number of measurements and reconstruction combined) that we need for an s-sparse vector in ℝn is no more than s log n + 2s.
Alcohol consumption in early and late pregnancy is associated with poor child reading and writing ability at 8-9 years of age.

Commentary on: O'Leary CM, Taylor C, Zubrick SR, et al. Prenatal alcohol exposure and educational achievement in children aged 8–9 years. Pediatrics 2013;132:e468–75.[OpenUrl][1][Abstract/FREE Full Text][2] Nearly 1 in 10 children may be exposed prenatally to some level of alcohol. Forty years of research has demonstrated a link between prenatal alcohol exposure and a range of developmental problems in children, many of which impact academic achievement. Recent research has found that heavy drinking in early and late pregnancy, as well as binge pattern drinking throughout pregnancy, is associated with deficits in specific academic skills … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DPediatrics%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1542%252Fpeds.2012-3002%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F23837182%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/ijlink?linkType=ABST&journalCode=pediatrics&resid=132/2/e468&atom=%2Febnurs%2F17%2F3%2F87.atom
Scarcity and Non-Scarcity in a Non-Market Economics Model

This article describes a model that can be used to introduce basic economic concepts to children at the K-8 grade levels and lay a foundation for the later study of markets and prices. The model focuses on non-market environments, such as homes and schools, where people first experience economic decision making. In the model sunk costs provide an explanation for the observation of non-scarcity situations which are seldom considered and more rarely explained in textbooks and K-12 teaching lessons. In fact, non-scarcity situations often occur in non-market environments. The utility of the non-scarcity economics model is magnified by the commitment most states have made to establishing economics standards at the K-8 grade levels.
A comparative fatigue study of solder/electroless-nickel and solder/copper interfaces

The fatigue resistance of the interface between electroless–nickel and the eutectic tin–lead solder alloy was examined in the as-reflowed and aged conditions and compared to fatigue behavior of the copper/solder interface under the same conditions. In the as-reflowed state, the fatigue resistance of the solder/electroless-nickel interface was slightly superior to that of the solder/copper interface. However, after long-term aging, the fatigue resistance of the solder/electroless-nickel interface became far worse in the high crack growth rate regime. Examinations of interfacial microstructures and crack growth mechanisms indicated that the differences in fatigue resistance between the two interfaces were not directly related to the thickness of the intermetallic phase at the interface, as commonly believed, but were due to differences in crack growth mechanisms.
Curcumin suppresses constitutive activation of STAT‐3 by up‐regulating protein inhibitor of activated STAT‐3 (PIAS‐3) in ovarian and endometrial cancer cells

Signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT-3) is constitutively activated in ovarian and endometrial cancers and is implicated in uncontrolled cell growth. Thus, its disruption could be an effective approach to control tumorigenesis. Curcumin is a dihydroxyphenolic compound, with proven anti-cancer efficacy in various cancer models. We examined the anti-tumor mechanism of curcumin on STAT-3 and on the negative regulators of STAT-3, including suppressors of cytokine signaling proteins (SOCS-1 and SOCS-3), protein inhibitors of activated STAT (PIAS-1 and PIAS-3), and SH2 domain-containing phosphatases (SHP-1 and SHP-2) in ovarian and endometrial cancer cell lines. Treatment of cancer cells with curcumin induced a dose- and time-dependent decrease of constitutive IL-6 expression and of constitutive and IL-6-induced STAT-3 phosphorylation, which is associated with decreased cell viability and increased cleavage of caspase-3. The inhibition of STAT-3 activation by curcumin was reversible, and phosphorylated STAT-3 levels returned to control levels 24 h after curcumin removal. Compared to normal cells baseline expression of SOCS-3 was high in cancer cells and a marked decrease in SOCS-3 expression was seen following curcumin treatment. Overexpression of SOCS-3 in curcumin-treated cells increased expression of phosphorylated STAT-3 and resulted in increased cell viability. Normal ovarian and endometrial cells exhibited high expression of PIAS-3 protein, whereas in cancer cells the expression was greatly reduced. Curcumin increased PIAS-3 expression in cancer cells. Of significance, siRNA-mediated knockdown of PIAS-3 overcomes the inhibitory effect of curcumin on STAT-3 phosphorylation and cell viability. In conclusion, curcumin suppresses JAK-STAT signaling via activation of PIAS-3, thus attenuating STAT-3 phosphorylation and tumor cell growth.
Familiarity With and Social Distance From People Who Have Serious Mental Illness

Objectives: This study examined the effects of familiarity with and social distance from persons who have serious mental illness on stigmatizing attitudes about mental illness. METHODS: A total of 208 community college students completed three written measures about familiarity, perception of dangerousness, fear, and social distance. Path analysis with manifest-variable structural modeling techniques was used to test a version of a model in which familiarity influences the perception of dangerousness, which in turn influences fear, which influences social distance from persons with serious mental illness. RESULTS: Most of the participants reported experience with mental illness. Scores on the three written measures largely supported the path model. Correlations between the perception of dangerousness and fear as well as between fear and social distance were particularly strong. CONCLUSIONS: Approaches to social change that increase the public's familiarity with serious mental illness will decrease stigma....
Alcohol consumption and risk of breast cancer by molecular subtype: Prospective analysis of the nurses' health study after 26 years of follow‐up

Alcohol consumption is a consistent risk factor for breast cancer, although it is unclear whether the association varies by breast cancer molecular subtype. We investigated associations between cumulative average alcohol intake and risk of breast cancer by molecular subtype among 105,972 women in the prospective Nurses' Health Study cohort, followed from 1980 to 2006. Breast cancer molecular subtypes were defined according to estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor, human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2), cytokeratin 5/6, and epidermal growth factor status from immunostained tumor microarrays in combination with histologic grade. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Competing risk analyses were used to assess heterogeneity by subtype. We observed suggestive heterogeneity in associations between alcohol and breast cancer by subtype (phet = 0.06). Alcohol consumers had an increased risk of luminal A breast cancers [n = 1,628 cases, per 10 g/day increment HR (95%CI) = 1.10(1.05-1.15)], and an increased risk that was suggestively stronger for HER2-type breast cancer [n = 160 cases, HR (95%CI) = 1.16(1.02-1.33)]. We did not observe statistically significant associations between alcohol and risk of luminal B [n = 631 cases, HR (95%CI) = 1.08(0.99-1.16)], basal-like [n = 254 cases, HR (95%CI) = 0.90(0.77-1.04)], or unclassified [n = 87 cases, HR (95%CI) = 0.90(0.71-1.14)] breast cancer. Alcohol consumption was associated with increased risk of luminal A and HER2-type breast cancer, but not significantly associated with other subtypes. Given that ERs are expressed in luminal A but not in HER2-type tumors, our findings suggest that other mechanisms may play a role in the association between alcohol and breast cancer.
Dense Parity Check Based Secrecy Sharing in Wireless Communications

It is generally believed harmful to have transmission errors in the wireless communications. The high decoding complexity of dense parity check codes is unfavorable. This paper proposes to apply these two "negative" facts to enable the secrecy sharing with the information theoretical security. We claim that the secrecy sharing is always possible if the wiretap channel is not error-free, regardless of the main channel performance. Particularly, the proposed secrecy sharing protocol can provide provable and testable security using the existing wireless technologies.
Bennett and Landauer clocking in quantum-dot cellular automata

Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is a new computation paradigm which encodes bit information by charge configurations. No current flows through the cells; only Coulomb interaction contributes to the computation. Power dissipation has become an important issue in nanotechnology because of the high densities in nano-devices. The chip will melt unless the device dissipates only a small amount of energy to the environment. Landauer (Landauer and Keyes, 1970) has proposed an adiabatic switching method, which has been applied widely in clocked QCA cells (Timler and Lent, 2003). Gradual clocking insures the cells always in the instantaneous ground state, which can provide arbitrarily low power dissipation if the switching process is slow enough. Nondissipative computation can be achieved by keeping a copy to the bits that are going to be erased (Timler and Lent, 2003). Bennett pointed out that any computation could be rendered into reversible format by accumulating a history of all information that would normally thrown away, then disposing this history by the reverse of the process that created it (Bennett, 2000). In this paper, we employ the Bennett clocking design in QCA circuits, which clocks the circuit forward through the cell array and then retreats the clock in a backward sequence. In conventional CMOS considerable overhead in circuit complexity is required to achieve Bennett clocking. In QCA by contrast, no additional circuit complexity is required - only a different clock signal. We show by direct calculation of the equations of motion for a QCA system that energy dissipation less than k/sub B/Tlog(2) is possible for logically irreversible systems using the Bennett clocking approach.
Parenting Behaviors and Anxiety in Young Adults Effortful Control as a Protective Factor

Parenting behaviors – specifically behaviors characterized by high control, intrusiveness, rejection, and overprotection – and effortful control have each been implicated in the development of anxiety pathology. However, little research has examined the protective role of effortful control in the relation between parenting and anxiety symptoms, specifically among adults. Thus, we sought to explore the unique and interactive effects of parenting and effortful control on anxiety among adults (N = 162). Results suggest that effortful control uniquely contributes to anxiety symptoms above and beyond that of any parenting behavior. Furthermore, effortful control acted as a moderator of the relationship between parental overprotection and anxiety, such that overprotection is associated with anxiety only in individuals with lower levels of effortful control. Implications for potential prevention and intervention efforts which specifically target effortful control are discussed. These findings underscore the impo...
Automatic generation of peephole superoptimizers

Peephole optimizers are typically constructed using human-written pattern matching rules, an approach that requires expertise and time, as well as being less than systematic at exploiting all opportunities for optimization. We explore fully automatic construction of peephole optimizers using brute force superoptimization. While the optimizations discovered by our automatic system may be less general than human-written counterparts, our approach has the potential to automatically learn a database of thousands to millions of optimizations, in contrast to the hundreds found in current peephole optimizers. We show experimentally that our optimizer is able to exploit performance opportunities not found by existing compilers; in particular, we show speedups from 1.7 to a factor of 10 on some compute intensive kernels over a conventional optimizing compiler.
Neck dissection through a facelift incision

Obectives/Hypothesis To determine the feasibility and safety of neck dissection through a facelift incision.
A survey of image classification methods and techniques for improving classification performance

Image classification is a complex process that may be affected by many factors. This paper examines current practices, problems, and prospects of image classification. The emphasis is placed on the summarization of major advanced classification approaches and the techniques used for improving classification accuracy. In addition, some important issues affecting classification performance are discussed. This literature review suggests that designing a suitable image-processing procedure is a prerequisite for a successful classification of remotely sensed data into a thematic map. Effective use of multiple features of remotely sensed data and the selection of a suitable classification method are especially significant for improving classification accuracy. Non-parametric classifiers such as neural network, decision tree classifier, and knowledge-based classification have increasingly become important approaches for multisource data classification. Integration of remote sensing, geographical information systems (GIS), and expert system emerges as a new research frontier. More research, however, is needed to identify and reduce uncertainties in the image-processing chain to improve classification accuracy.
Strain Differences in the Ovulatory Response of Immature Mice to PMS and to the Pheromonal Facilitation of PMS-Induced Ovulation

Pheromonal facilitation of PMS-induced ovulation was compared in six strains of immature mice following exposure to adult males of the same strain. All mice were injected with PMS at 24 days of age and exposed to adult males 51 hr later. Examination of the animals for ovulation was carried out at 72-74 hr after the PMS injection. Significant facilitation of average number of ova released and/or percentage of mice ovulating was found for the BALB/cJ, SWR/J, and C3HeB/FeJ mice at both a dosage of 3 and 7 IU of PMS. The SJL/J strain showed facilitation at the 7 IU dose of PMS, but none at the 3 lU dose. The DBA/2J strain showed an inhibition at 3 1U PMS and facilitation at 7 lU while the C57BL/6J showed no facilitation at either 1, 3, or 7 IU of PMS but did so at S IU. It is apparent a significant strain difference exists both in the ovulatory response of mice to PMS and in the ovulatory response to the combined treatment of PMS and exposure to the adult male of the same strain.
Estimation of anterior cruciate ligament tension from inverse dynamics data and electromyography in females during drop landing.

Abstract Background Recent human performance studies have shown that various kinematic and kinetic parameters may be implicated in non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during landing and cutting. In this paper, a phenomenological sagittal plane model was used to estimate the ACL tension during drop landing from the net knee moments and forces, obtained from inverse dynamics and electromyography. Methods Model parameters were determined with data from anatomical and ACL loading studies of cadaveric specimens. The model was used to process averaged data from 60 cm drop landing trials of sixteen healthy females. Findings ACL loading during drop landing occurred during the between toe and heel impact with a peak tension of 0.15 body weight. The factors that contributed to ACL tension were the patellar tendon force and the tibial slope in combination with the joint axial loads. Factors responsible for reducing ACL tension were hamstring and ground reaction forces. Interpretation Sagittal plane results largely confirmed a previous forward dynamics study of landing. The knee appeared to be largely stabilized against abduction moments due to the large axial loads present during drop landing for typical landing trials. Rotational moments were small in drop landing and contributed little to ACL tension. Estimates from this model can be used in human performance studies to determine the relative amount of ACL tension produced in different landing scenarios.
The Influence of Differences in Taxable Income and Book Income on the Bond Credit Market

ABSTRACT: We examine the importance of information pertaining to the relationship between taxable income and reported book income to bond rating analysts. Specifically, using a relatively large sample of new bond issues over an extended period of time, we examine information related to deferred taxes as well as the overall tax‐to‐book position in the assessment of a firm's default risk. Our results are consistent with the existence of a U‐shaped relationship, with firms falling in the extreme upper or lower quintiles of their industry‐year group receiving lower bond ratings than firms that are nearer to their industry average. Additional analyses suggest this effect is partially diminished for firms identified as highly effective tax planners. Finally, examination of investors' bond yields provides further corroborating evidence with respect to the importance and treatment of the information provided by the firm's overall tax‐to‐book position.
A Simulated Annealing Clustering Algorithm Based On Center Perturbation Using Gaussian Mutation

Clustering, the unsupervised classification of objects into groups, is a widely used technique in exploratory data analysis. The clustering problem is a very complex one, and a popular heuristic for solving it is the Simulated Annealing (SA) algorithm. SA is an approximation algorithm that involves generating a neighborhood solution by perturbing the current solution in a small, yet meaningful way. This new solution is accepted with a probability of 1 if it is quantitatively better than the current solution, and accepted according to the Metropolis criterion otherwise. Cluster quality is measured using the Sum of Squared Error (SSE) criterion. This paper presents an SA algorithm that uses a new type of perturbation to generate solutions. Whereas most SA clustering algorithms perturb data point memberships directly, our algorithm perturbs a randomly chosen center using Gaussian mutation, and then reassigns data points in a nearest neighbor fashion. Experimental results on a diverse collection of data sets demonstrate that our algorithm has comparable effectiveness to other SA algorithms, while being much faster due to its simplicity.
Medicare Hospital Outcome Measures and Unrelated Socioeconomic and Clinical Factors

Prior studies generally find non-existing or weakly negative (heart failure) associations between risk adjusted readmission and mortality rates at the hospital level. We examined all Hospital Referral Regions (HRR), and found persisting modest positive associations for acute myocardial infarction and stronger negative associations for heart failure at the HRR level. Subgroup analyses suggest differences in local characteristics of beneficiaries are associated with differences in RSRR and RSMR. It is clear that community infrastructure – the psychosocial context in which a discharged patient operates – should be an important predictor of post-discharge events. Yet such community differences are not currently well-addressed in CMS’ hospital readmission and mortality models. Given the importance, use for accountability, and basis for substantial financial penalties of 30 day risk standardized outcome measures, it is vital that CMS hospital performance measures continue to be scrutinized.
Temperature-Mediated Programming of Activity Rhythms in Male Gypsy Moths (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae): Implications for the Sterile Male Technique

In previous mark-recapture studies, laboratory-reared male gypsy moths, Lymantria dispar (L.), tended to arrive at pheromone sources 1–3 h later than feral males. In this study, laboratory-reared male pupae were exposed to five different temperature regimes, and the resulting adults were tested in an actograph at 25°C. Males that had been held at lower temperatures as pupae became active earlier than males that had been held in warmer treatments. In subsequent mark-recapture trials, males from all treatments were captured at pheromone sources earlier on warm days than on cool ones; however, on any given day, males from lower pupal temperature regimes were captured consistently earlier than males from warmer regimes. Temperature-mediated programming provides a potential means of synchronizing activity rhythms of sterile males with those of wild males in target populations.