cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Discussion on the inclusion of minorities and underserved populations in global health workforce

Program/Project Purpose: According to the 2011 report developed by the Committee on Underrepresented Groups and the Expansion of the Science and Engineering Workforce Pipeline and the Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, “America is at a crossroads” in which greater national efforts to strengthen infrastructures of science must include the knowledge and talents of minority Americans. They believe inclusion of a variety of Americans will significantly enhance the sustainability of the nation, and at present such contributions are underrepresented in fields such as science and engineering. Concurrently, there is a lack of participation of minority groups in global health which inspired a partnership between the Consortium of Universities for Global Health and the Public Health Institute to develop the Global Health Engagement Initiative. Through this agreement, the collaborative has researched and produced data detailing the involvement of minority and underserved populations in global health academic programs and activities in universities and colleges across the United States and its Territories. The Initiative also specifically reached out to Minority-Serving Institutions to better understand the opportunities available to students through existing international programs as well as obstacles faced at individual and institutional levels that need to be addressed. This presentation will discuss these findings and offer recommendations for engagement of minorities in the field in global health. Funding: Consortium of Universities for Global Health and the Public Health Institute. Abstract #: CUGH001
Judicial Discretion in ECCC Decisions on Pre-trial Detention against the Backdrop of the Case-law of the International Criminal Tribunals

This article examines the issue of the exercise of judicial discretion in deciding motions for pre-trial release at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) through a comparative prism of other existing and past International Criminal Tribunals (ICTs). The issue of pre-trial detention has been one of the most contentious in international criminal justice, with many questioning the ICTs' insistence on abiding by the self-imposed principle of "detention is the rule, pretrial release is the exception". This article offers an answer to the question of the extent to which the relevant statutory pronouncements have led to the creation of the foregoing principle, and the extent to which such has been achieved by the statutorily prescribed or the extra-statutory exercise of judicial discretion. Further, this article examines the extent to which the relatively newly established ECCC have followed the patterns of judicial discretion in deciding motions for pre-trial release created by its predecessors.
Exploiting route diversity in multi-packet transmission using mutual information accumulation

We consider the resource allocation problem in cooperative wireless networks wherein nodes perform mutual information accumulation. We consider a unicast setting and arbitrary arrival processes at the source node. Source arrivals can be broken down into numerous packets to better exploit the spatial and temporal diversity of the routes available in the network. We devise a linear-program-based algorithm which allocates network resource to meet a certain transmission objective. Given a network, a source with multiple arriving packets and a destination, our algorithm generates a policy that regulates which nodes should participate in transmitting which packets, when and with what resource. By routing different packets through different nodes the policy exploits spatial route diversity, and by sequencing packet transmissions along the same route it exploits temporal route diversity.
Differential Roles of Exoloop 1 of the Human Follicle-stimulating Hormone Receptor in Hormone Binding and Receptor Activation

Abstract The follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) receptor is a member of the glycoprotein hormone receptor subfamily of the seven-transmembrane receptor superfamily. These receptors have an extracellular N-terminal half of 350 amino acids and a membrane-associated C-terminal half of 350 amino acids. The N-terminal halves have the high affinity hormone binding site. On the other hand, the C-terminal half of the lutropin/choriogonadotropin receptor has the receptor activation site. However, little is known about the activation site and mechanism of the FSH receptor, although the existing evidence indicates crucial differences in the activation of the FSH receptor and the lutropin/choriogonadotropin receptor. As a first step to resolve this issue, we examined the upstream juxtamembrane five amino acids, Asp-Ile-His-Thr-Lys, of the exoloop 1. Ala scan and multi-substitutions show that the five amino acid sequence is important for both hormone binding and receptor activation to induce cAMP synthesis, despite its short length. Specifically, His is important for high affinity hormone binding, whereas Asp, Thr, and Lys are crucial for receptor activation. The data suggest that the five amino acids may form a turn of helix that is an extension of the transmembrane helix 2. In this helical arrangement, Asp, Thr, and Lys are grouped to form a hydrophilic face of the helix, suggesting a correlation between this arrangement and receptor activation. In addition, the diverse and differential roles of the five amino acids indicate that high affinity hormone binding and receptor activation are discernible functions. These novel observations will be helpful for understanding the activation mechanism of the FSH receptor.
Link between statistical equilibrium fidelity and forecasting skill for complex systems with model error

Understanding and improving the predictive skill of imperfect models for complex systems in their response to external forcing is a crucial issue in diverse applications such as for example climate change science. Equilibrium statistical fidelity of the imperfect model on suitable coarse-grained variables is a necessary but not sufficient condition for this predictive skill, and elementary examples are given here demonstrating this. Here, with equilibrium statistical fidelity of the imperfect model, a direct link is developed between the predictive fidelity of specific test problems in the training phase where the perfect natural system is observed and the predictive skill for the forced response of the imperfect model by combining appropriate concepts from information theory with other concepts based on the fluctuation dissipation theorem. Here a suite of mathematically tractable models with nontrivial eddy diffusivity, variance, and intermittent non-Gaussian statistics mimicking crucial features of atmospheric tracers together with stochastically forced standard eddy diffusivity approximation with model error are utilized to illustrate this link.
Hygienic conditions in child-care facilities in North Carolina and South Carolina: an integrated microbial and observational study.

Background In the United States almost one-quarter (23%) of children younger than age 5 years participate in some form of out-of-home child care; these children are 2.3-3.5 times more likely to contract acute gastrointestinal illness. Methods Observational investigations were done to understand the hygienic conditions and practices of 40 child-care facilities in North Carolina and South Carolina. These data were compared with microbiological indicator data (aerobic plate counts and coliform counts) collected from selected surfaces in each facility. Results from the two data sets were analyzed using nonparametric statistical methods to reveal potential risk factors for enteric disease transmission. Results Statistically significant differences (P ≤ .05) in surface microbial counts were observed when comparing family child-care homes versus centers and between facilities participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and those that do not participate. Facilities without written surface cleaning or food preparation policies had statistically significantly higher microbial counts on surfaces. Conclusions Our unique study, which combined observational and microbiological data, provided revealing information about the relationship between hygiene indicators and sanitary practices in child-care facilities in the southeastern United States.
Vitamin A enhances forelimb regeneration in juvenile leopard frogs Rana pipiens

The effect of retinoids on forelimb regeneration in the leopard frog, Rana pipiens, was examined by the topical application of a concentrated solution of vitamin A palmitate to the amputated left limb stumps of 30 froglets. This treatment resulted in the enhancement of regeneration; regenerative outgrowths of experimental frogs were more frequent, larger in size, and had improved morphology compared to their untreated control counterparts. We conclude that vitamin A palmitate, topically administered in concentrated dosages, exerts a positive effect on the regenerative capacity of Rana pipiens.
Resistance in wild tomatoes to larvae of a specialist herbivore, Keiferia lycopersicella.

Delayed larval development, higher mortality, and reduced leaf consumption by the tomato pinworm, Keiferia lycopersicella (Walsingham) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), were observed on two related wild tomatoes, Lycopersicon hirsutum Humb. & Bonpl. (LA 361) and L. hirsutum f. glabratum C. M. Mull (PI 134417), when compared with the commercial variety, L. esculentum cv. VFN 7718. The exudate of type VI trichomes of these wild accessions provided significant antibiotic effects against the first larval instar of K. lycopersicella: 95–97.5% mortality occurred on foliage with the trichomes intact, versus 5.6–30% mortality on foliage where trichome heads were removed. Basal cells of type VI trichomes and other epidermal cells as well as most of the palisade mesophyll cells of L. hirsutum f. glabratum, were not consumed by K lycopersicella larvae, suggesting these structures also contain deterrent chemicals. Similar results were not evident for L. esculentum and L. hirsutum. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Resistenz bei wilden Tomaten gegen die Larven eines Nahrungsspezialisten, Keiferia lycopersicella Zwei wilde Tomatenarten, Lycopersicon hirsutum Humb. & Bonpl. (LA 361) und Lycopersicon hirsutum f. glabratum C. M. Mull. (Pl 134417), wurden mit einer kommerziell genutzten Sorte, Lycopersicon esculent um cv. VFN 7718, im Hinblick auf ihre Eignung als Wirte fur die stenotroph auf Tomaten lebende Herbivorenart Keiferia lycopersicella (Walsingham) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), vergleichend untersucht. K. lycopersicella zeigte auf beiden wilden Arten im Vergleich zu L. esculentum eine Verminderung des Konsums an Blattmasse, Verzogerung der Larvalentwicklung und gesteigerte Mortalitat. Die hochsten Mortalitatsraten traten im ersten Larvenstadium auf, wobei die Drusenhaare der wilden Arten eine Schlusselrolle als Mortalitatsfaktoren spielten. Die Ausscheidungen der Drusenhaare vom Typ VI zeigten bei den wilden Varietaten signifikant abiotische Effekte gegen Eilarven von K. lycopersicella: 95–97.5% Mortalitat konnte auf Blattern mit intakten Trichomen beobachtet werden, wahrend auf Blattern, bei denen der apikale Drusenteil der Trichome entfernt worden war, die Mortalitat nur 5.6–30% betrug. Blattquerschnitte zeigten, das die blattminierenden jungen Larvenstadien von K. lycopersicella in der kommerziellen Sorte unterschiedslos das gesamte innere Blattgewebe konsumierten; dagegen wurden in L. h. glabratum die Basalzellen der Trichome vom Typ VI sowie alle ubrigen Epidermiszellen und der uberwiegende Teil des Palisadenparenchyms nicht verzehrt. Es darf daher angenommen werden, das diese Strukturen in den Blattern von L. h. glabratum frashemmende Substanzen enthalten. Diese Studie ermutigt die Einbeziehung wilder Tomaten in die Bemuhungen zur Zuchtung von Tomatensorten mit Resistenz gegen K. lycopersicella. Mogliche negative Begleiterscheinungen, wie z.B. Einflusse auf Nutzarthropoden, Veranderungen in der Qualitat der Fruchte oder etwaige Resistenzbildung von Insekten gegen die Wirkstoffe der Drusenhaare sollten dabei allerdings nicht vernachlassigt werden.
Properties of AZ31 and AZ91 Sheets Made by Twin Roll Casting

A feasibility study has been made to produce the Mg alloy sheet of high tensile strength and formability by strip casting and an optimized rolling process. 4mm thickness AZ31 and AZ91 strips were cast successfully. While the microstructure of the cast AZ31 strip consisted of columnar zones, the cast AZ91 strip consisted of fine, equiaxed dendrite and fine precipitations. All samples were rolled to 0.5 mm thickness using an optimized finish-rolling schedule, and their grain size was around 4μm. The ultimate tensile strength (UTS), yield strength (YS) (0.2% offset) and elongation (EL) of the rolled AZ31 sheet were higher than those of commercial AZ31B sheet, and the UTS and YS of the rolled AZ91 sheet were 30% higher than commercial AZ31B sheet. The press formability of the rolled AZ31 and AZ91 sheet was equal or superior to commercial AZ31B sheet.
Nonstandard finite-difference schemes for general two-dimensional autonomous dynamical systems

Abstract General two-dimensional autonomous dynamical systems and their standard numerical discretizations are considered. Nonstandard stability-preserving finite-difference schemes based on the explicit and implicit Euler and the second-order Runge–Kutta methods are designed and analyzed. Their elementary stability is established theoretically and is also supported by a numerical example.
The Individualized Education Program A Retrospective Critique

It is argued in this article that although the original purpose of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) was for it to serve as an accountability device, it has become an instructional as well as evaluative mechanism. A review of the forces that led to the inclusion of the IEP in P.L. 94-142—prior legislation, professional articles, testimony at hearings—indicates that proponents hoped that individualized programming would diminish categorical placements in favor of least restrictive environments, encourage parental participation in establishing and overseeing educational goals, and provide a method to evaluate children's progress on mutually agreed-upon objectives. The IEP was never intended to specify what or how teachers should teach. Given the luxury of hindsight, however, our analysis suggests that the provisions for establishing “short-term objectives” to be evaluated through “objective criteria” made it more likely than not that programs would choose specific skills and attainments as objectiv...
E-mail Subject Lines and Their Effect on Web Survey Viewing and Response

This article investigates the effect of e-mail subject lines on survey viewing and survey response. Using two samples of students (low involvement with the survey sponsor and high involvement with the survey sponsor), the authors tested a variety of combinations of subject lines: the reason for the e-mail contact (survey), the sponsor of the e-mail (Liberal Arts University), a plea for help (request for assistance), and a blank subject line. The authors found a modest effect of subject line for the low-involvement sample, with blank subject lines yielding the highest response.
Integrated evaluation of a sequential membrane filtration system for recovery of bioreactor effluent during long space missions

Performance of an integrated membrane filtration system was investigated for treatment of the effluent from an aerated rotating membrane bioreactor system (ARMS). The ARMS is developed and operated at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) as a potential technology for water recovery and recycling during long space missions. The 3 L bioreactor utilizes a rotating membrane module consisting of silastic hollow fibers for aeration and biofilm growth. Effluent from the ARMS contains high levels of dissolved inorganic solids. A sequential membrane filtration system consisting of prefiltration and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes was evaluated for treatment of the bioreactor effluent. To select an appropriate prefiltration membrane, a series of membrane screening experiments were conducted with two UF membranes (MWCO 10,000 and 50,000 Da) and a nanofiltration (NF) membrane using stirred filtration cells. In addition, integrated membrane filtration tests were conducted with the NF and RO membranes using a cross-flow membrane filtration unit. Effectiveness of the integrated membrane filtration system was evaluated in terms of flux and total solids rejection of the individual filtration steps as well as the overall system performance.
Studies on the Mechanism of Action of Thyrocalcitonin: Inhibition with Acetazolamide1

Preliminary in vitro experiments have indicated that CO2 or hydrogen ion concentration might be important in the action of thyrocalcitonin on bone. An attempt was made to test this hypothesis by determining whether or not the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, acetazolamide, would modify the hypocalcemic response to thyrocalcitonin in rats. It was found that when acetazolamide (50 mg/kg) was injected into intact rats either 2 hr prior to, or simultaneously with, a dose of thyrocalcitonin, the hypocalcemic response to the hormone was significantly reduced. Acetazolamide was without effect on the serum calcium in intact rats. In the acutely nephrectomized rat, acetazolamide inhibited both the hypocalcemic and the hypophosphatemic responses to the hormone. Whereas in the intact rat acetazolamide itself had no effect on the serum calcium and serum phosphorus levels, in the nephrectomized rat the drug caused a decrease in the serum calcium and an increase in the serum phosphorus. Similar results were obtained in th...
The effects of pick density on order picking areas with narrow aisles

The cost and service performance of an order fulfillment center are determined partly by how workers are organized into an order picking system. One common approach is batch picking, in which workers circumnavigate a picking area with other workers, gathering items on a pick list. In some systems with high space utilization, narrow aisles prohibit workers from passing one another when in the same aisle, and this leads to congestion. We build analytical and simulation models of these systems to investigate their behavior under different levels of activity. Among other things, our results suggest that when the system is busier and pick density is high (that is, when workers stop often to make picks) congestion is less of a problem and workers are more productive.
POLITICAL CLIMATES AND PARTY CHOICE OF HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH

P A OLITICAL SOCIALIZATION and political attitudes of the young have received increasing attention in recent years. The continuity across generations of political party choice is well documented. Not all youth, however, choose the party of their parents. Levin,1 writing in this journal several years ago, attempted "to assess the extent to which the political climates of opinion in the various social subsystems of which the adolescent is a member contribute to his political socialization and his choice of a political party."2 He showed that "the nuclear family, the high school community, and the larger society each plays a part in impelling the adolescent to choose the political party which represents its consensus."3 This article reports on research which, although not a precise replication of Levin's work, considers the same or similar variables in a different national political opinion climate and in communities more insulated from this climate. Levin's data were based on questionnaires from students in ten northern Illinois high schools and from mailed questionnaires to their parents. The schools were selected to obtain community diversity. The sample included prosperous farming or farming and industrial communities, a working-class parochial boys' school in a large city, working-class suburbs, small cities, and an upper-middle-class suburb.4 He
Immunohistochemical localization ofα2a-adrenergic receptors in catecholaminergic and other brainstem neurons in the rat

alpha 2-Adrenergic receptors mediate a large portion of the known inhibitory effects of catecholamines on central and peripheral neurons. Molecular cloning studies have established the identity of three alpha 2-adrenergic receptor genes from several species that encode the A, B and C subtypes of the receptor. The rat alpha 2A-adrenergic receptor, as defined by sequence similarity, is the orthologue of the human alpha 2A-adrenergic receptor. In this paper, we report the development of rabbit antisera directed against a portion of the third intracellular loop of the rat alpha 2A-adrenergic receptor and the histochemical localization of alpha 2A-adrenergic receptor-like immunoreactive material in the brainstem and spinal cord of the adult rat. Our antisera detected alpha 2A-adrenergic receptor-specific punctate staining associated with neuronal perikarya. alpha 2A-adrenergic receptor-like immunoreactivity was widely, but heterogeneously, distributed in the brainstem and spinal cord, predominantly in areas involved in the control of autonomic function. Double labelling with antisera to tyrosine hydroxylase or phenylethanolamine-N-methyl-transferase revealed that alpha 2A-adrenergic receptor-like immunoreactivity is present in most, perhaps all, noradrenergic and adrenergic cells of the brainstem. alpha 2A-Adrenergic receptor-like immunoreactivity was detected in a small percentage of the dopaminergic cells of the A9 and A10 groups. This study provides the first description of the specific immunohistochemical localization of alpha 2A-adrenergic receptors using a subtype-specific polyclonal antibody. The results support the view that alpha 2-adrenergic receptors are involved in central cardiovascular control and suggest that the catecholaminergic autoreceptors of central noradrenergic and adrenergic neurons are the A subtype of the alpha 2-adrenergic receptors.
Green Tea Catechins Applied to Susceptible Hosts Inhibit Parasitic Plant Attachment Success

Parasitic plants utilize cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs) to penetrate their host plant and attach to host vasculature. Inhibition of CWDEs may confer resistance on susceptible hosts, offering a strategy for parasitic plant control. Here, exogenous application of green tea catechins, which inhibit pectin methylesterase (a CWDE), was used to delay parasitic plant attachment. Texas bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis Hook.) was grown with its naturally occurring root hemiparasite, Texas paintbrush (Castilleja indivisa Engelm.). Catechins, fertilizer (ammonium nitrate), or water were added to soil twice weekly. Parasite attachment was detected using Dragendorff reagent. Effects on growth and germination were also assessed. Parasite attachment to the host was prevented by 5 g L -1 of catechins through 20 d and reduced through 36 d after parasite seedling addition. Five grams per liter of catechins delayed germination in Texas bluebonnet but not in Texas paintbrush. To test the effects of CWDE inhibitors on aboveground parasitism, Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. seedlings were grown with field dodder (Cuscuta pentagona Engelm.), a promiscuous shoot holoparasite. Ten grams per liter of catechins applied to the A. thaliana shoot surface inhibited field dodder attachment, although prehaustorial development was not affected. Our findings corroborate existing evidence that CWDE inhibition is a critical component of natural resistance to parasitic plants and open a new area of research into the use of exogenous CWDE inhibitors to control parasitic plant attachment.
Accidental Nuclear War

If nuclear war breaks out in the coming decade or two, it will probably be by accident. The threat of a cold-blooded, calculated first strike is vanishing, but beneath the calm surface of constructive diplomacy among the traditional nuclear rivals lurks the danger of unpremeditated use of nuclear weapons. The accidental, unauthorized or inadvertent use of these weapons has become the most plausible path to nuclear war.
Status report on the SIGCSE committee on models for evaluating faculty scholarship

In this special session, the members of the SIGCSE Committee on Models for Evaluating Faculty Scholarship would like to meet with interested SIGCSE members. In particular we would like to give an update on our progress in the last year, as well as solicit feedback and guidance.
Fiedler matrices and their factorization

Abstract Let A be an m × n real matrix with m > n such that the submatrix of A consisting of the first n rows of A is a nonsingular, lower triangular matrix and such that the submatrix of A consisting of the last n rows of A is a nonsingular, upper triangular matrix. Miroslav Fiedler introduced such matrices and called them column-rhomboidal. The structure and properties of column stochastic, centrosymmetric, column-rhomboidal matrices with constant row sums is examined. These matrices are called Fielder matrices. In particular, the factorization of Fielder matrices into Fiedler matrices is investigated.
Effective decision support systems for workforce deployment

Efficient utilization of human resources is imperative for information technology (IT) service businesses that continually manage the assignment and movement of practitioners to or between projects. These organizations constantly strive to balance the many objectives of multiple stakeholders in order to minimize idle resources while aiming to increase revenue from new project opportunities, as well as to improve the quality of practitioners assigned to each project. However, these various objectives conflict, so we can only hope to achieve an aggregated form of these disparate objectives. This emphasizes the need for a well-designed decision support system. Such a system will facilitate optimal assignment of practitioners to projects while minimizing the overheads involved in a multiuser decision-making environment. Here, "optimal" refers to maximizing certain aggregated attributes of the various matches made with respect to the system. The term Buser[ refers to the decision makers who assign employees to various projects. The system comprises a text-matching module, a business logic module, an optimization module, and a user interface (UI) module. Key innovations include translating the business objectives into optimization criteria to be solved using integer programming, incorporating individual user preferences into the optimization, and encapsulating user experience into the matching logic. Additional innovations include those in text analytics to differentiate skill and nonskill terms and a UI design that helps users understand the relative global optimality of each recommendation in familiar terms while influencing decisions made independently by individual users in a way that collectively leads to organizationally optimal outcomes. We also explain the role of decision support in implementing job-rotation and cross-training programs for practitioners. Finally, we share our experiences in the development and deployment of this system in an IT service company and describe areas where further work is needed.
Measurement of Epoxy Stiffness by Atomic Force Acoustic Microscopy

The mechanical characteristics of the epoxy matrix found in filler reinforced polymer composites is important for determining strength and performance. Locally, property variations in regions surrounding fillers can influence the overall macroscopic composite response to loading. We investigate local nanomechanical stiffness of reinforced epoxy composites by using atomic force acoustic microscopy. The effects of tip shape on the contact mechanics at the epoxy interface are found to influence the reported results significantly and will be discussed in context of different tip models. The results have direct correlation to the effect of near-filler interphase regions and the long-term influence of environmental conditions on the polymer composites.© 2009 ASME
Delayed cerebrovascular complications of intrathecal colloidal gold.

OBJECTIVE: Therapy with intrathecal colloidal gold has been used in the past as an adjunct in the treatment of childhood neoplasms, including medulloblastoma and leukemia. We describe the long-term follow-up period of a series of patients treated with intrathecal colloidal gold and emphasize the high incidence of delayed cerebrovascular complications and their management. METHODS: Between 1967 and 1970, 14 children with posterior fossa medulloblastoma underwent treatment at the University of Minnesota. Treatment consisted of surgical resection, external beam radiotherapy, and intrathecal colloidal gold. All patients underwent long-term follow-up periods. RESULTS: Of the 14 original patients, 6 died within 2 years of treatment; all experienced persistent or recurrent disease. The eight surviving patients developed significant neurovascular complications 5 to 20 years after treatment. Three patients died as a result of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, and five developed ischemic symptoms from severe vasculopathy that resembled moyamoya disease. CONCLUSION: Although therapy with colloidal gold resulted in long-term survival in a number of cases of childhood medulloblastoma, our experience suggests that the severe cerebrovascular side effects fail to justify its use. The unique complications associated with colloidal gold therapy, as well as the management of these complications, are presented. We recommend routine screening of any long-term survivors to exclude the presence of an intracranial aneurysm and to document the possibility of moyamoya syndrome.
Southwestern Internal Medicine Conference: Primary Pulmonary Hypertension

Primary pulmonary hypertension is a rare disease of unknown etiology, which mainly affects people in the third and fourth decades. Although the clinical cause is highly variable and spontaneous regression has been described, survival rates are usually poor, averaging only three years after diagnosis. Treatment with vasodilator agents, especially calcium channel blockers and prostaglandins, usually improves symptoms, but have not been shown to improve chances for survival. In a few selected patients who continue to deteriorate despite medical treatment, lung transplantation may be the only option for improving function and survival.
Robotic system design: a hierarchical simulation-based approach

Abstract The use of robotics has enjoyed increasing popularity among manufacturers. To be competitive, every area of manufacturing must be coordinated in a highly integrated but flexible environment. Robotics offers a technology with which the integration of related activities as well as the flexibility to adapt to product changes can be achieved. A hierarchical design approach for developing and implementing robotic systems is proposed. This model seeks to provide a hierarchical structure under which robotic systems (existing or new) can be rapidly developed and implemented. This hierarchical approach is be based on geometrically accurate simulation models that allow the designer to simultaneously develop logical system designs and physical layout designs.
Functional implications of ipsilesional motor deficits after unilateral stroke.

Abstract Wetter S, Poole JL, Haaland KY. Functional implications of ipsilesional motor deficits after unilateral stroke. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2005;86:776–81. Objective To investigate the functional impact of ipsilesional motor deficits after unilateral stroke and the best predictors of those deficits. Design Observational cohort. Setting Primary care Veterans Affairs and private medical center. Participants Volunteer right-handed sample; stroke patients with left (LHD) or right hemisphere damage (RHD) a mean of 3.9 to 5.2 years poststroke and able-bodied participants who were tested using their left (LAB) or right hand. Interventions Not applicable. Main outcome measure The Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JHFT). Results Ipsilesional JHFT performance was impaired to the same extent in the LHD and RHD groups. LHD patients with apraxia had poorer scores on the JHFT than LHD patients without apraxia and the LAB group. Regression analyses showed that severity of apraxia was the best predictor of JHFT performance for the LHD group and that right (ipsilesional) motor performance (grip strength, finger tapping) was the best predictor of JHFT performance for the RHD group. Conclusions Ipsilesional deficits are present on simulated activities of daily living after LHD or RHD, suggesting that rehabilitation after stroke should include the ipsilesional arm and that ipsilesional limb apraxia is a better predictor of ipsilesional functional motor skills after LHD than aphasia or simple motor skills (grip strength, finger tapping). These findings suggest that limb apraxia should be assessed more routinely after stroke of the left hemisphere.
Cloning and nucleotide sequence of the bovine β-lactoglobulin gene

Abstract A clone coding for β-lactoglobulin A has been isolated from a cDNA bank constructed from poly(A+)mRNA isolated from the bovine mammary gland. Its nucleotide sequence codes for the β-lactoglobulin A, from amino acid residues Leu-11 to Ile-162, as based on the amino acid sequence reported by Braunitzer et al. [Z. Physiol. Chem. 354 (1973) 867–878]. In addition to the 455-bp coding sequence, our clone pBβL4-10 contains a 3'-nontranslated region of approx. 270 bp.
Über ein neues Verfahren zur Bestimmung von Disproportionierungs‐ und Kombinationsabbruch. II. Unter Berücksichtigung der übertragung durch das monomere

Die Auswirkung der Kettenubertragung durch das Monomere erschwert die Bestimmung des Abbruchsmechanismus. Es wird ein Verfahren beschrieben, welches trotzdem eine Abschatzung des Verhaltnisses von Disproportionierungs- und Kombinationsabbruch erlaubt. Das Verfahren basiert im wesentlichen auf fruher abgeleiteten Gleichungen zur Bestimmung von Ubertragungskonstanten, welche dem gestellten Problem angepast werden. Die benotigten experimentellen Grosen sind wie in der vorstehenden Arbeit Pη, VBr und die spezifische Radiaoktivitat des Polymeren, bei Verwendung von 14C-markiertem Initiator. The influence of chain transfer by monomer renders more difficult the determination of the chain termination mechanism. A method is described which nevertheless allows an estimate of the extent of both termination reactions, combination and disproportionation. The method is based on equations formerly derived for the determination of chain transfer constants which have been adapted to the present problem. The necessary experimental values are, as in the preceeding paper, Pη, VBr and the specific readioactivity of the polymer, using 14C-labelled initiator.
A high speed Compton scatter pipe wall imaging system

Abstract In this study, the main features of a wide-aperture Compton scattering pipe thinning measuring system are investigated, using a simplified analytical model. Two new techniques have been developed to quantitatively measure pipe wall thickness for empty and water filled pipes with and without heat insulation, using a specially designed wide-aperture annular detector. It was found that the geometric effect plays a central role in system behavior and system arrangement. High efficiency and stability of this system make snap-shot type measurements possible and reliable. A simple counting rate method reduces the complexity of the associated electronic data acquisition system. Quantitatively measuring pipe wall thickness is achievable with good sensitivity and resolution up to about 1 cm pipe wall thickness. A relatively low source activity (30 mCi) and low energy (279 keV) 203Hg source makes the system weigh less than 16 lb (shielding designed for up to 0.5 Ci capacity). Based on the principle studied, a wide-aperture Compton pipe wall imaging system has been developed. Preliminary experimental results are reported and agree well with the analytical model.
Rethinking “Doublethinking”: Psychoanalysis and Scientific Research—An Introduction to a Series

In this introduction to a series of papers on psychoanalysis and scientific research that will be published across three issues of this journal, the author sets the stage by highlighting the urgency of the questions being debated. What we mean by science and research, validation, quantitative and group statistical measurement are shown to reflect historical, cultural, social, political, and economic factors. Ultimately this debate is not only about science and hermeneutics, positivism and constructivism, but about the future of psychoanalysis as well as our humanistic and moral values.
The Routine Use of Atypical Cultures in Presumed Aseptic Revisions Is Unnecessary

Background In presumed aseptic hip and knee revisions, it is common practice to send intraoperative cultures to screen for occult infection. Currently no guidelines exist for the routine use of acid-fast bacillus (AFB) and fungal cultures in this setting.
A frontal variant of Alzheimer's disease exhibits decreased calcium-independent phospholipase A2 activity in the prefrontal cortex.

A frontal variant of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has recently been identified on neuropathological and neuropsychological grounds (Johnson, J.K., Head, E., Kim, R., Starr, A., Cotman, C.W., 1999. Clinical and pathological evidence for a frontal variant of Alzheimer Disease. Arch. Neurol. 56, 1233-1239). Frontal AD differs strikingly from typical AD by the occurrence of neurofibrillary tangle densities in the frontal cortex as high or higher than in the entorhinal cortex. Since cerebrocortical membranes are commonly abnormal in Alzheimer's disease (AD), we assayed frontal AD cases for enzymes regulating membrane phospholipid composition. We specifically measured activity of phospholipase A2s (PLA2s) in dorsolateral prefrontal and lateral temporal cortices of frontal AD cases (n=12), which have respectively high and low densities of neurofibrillary tangles. In neither cortical area was Ca(2+)-dependent PLA2 activity abnormal compared to controls (n=12). In contrast, a significant 42% decrease in Ca(2+)-independent PLA2 activity was found in the dorsolateral prefrontal, but not the lateral temporal, cortex of the frontal AD cases. Similarly, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, but not the lateral temporal cortex of the frontal AD cases suffered a 42% decrease in total free fatty acid content, though neither that decrease nor those in any one species of free fatty acid was significant. The observed biochemical changes probably occurred in neurons given (a) our finding that PLA2 activity of cultured human NT2 neurons is virtually all Ca(2+)-independent and (b) the finding of others that nearly all Ca(2+)-independent PLA2 in brain gray matter is neuronal. The decrease in Ca(2+)-independent PLA2 activity is not readily attributable to Group VI or VIII iPLA2s since neither NT2N neurons nor our brain homogenates were greatly inhibited by drugs potently suppressing those iPLA2s. Decreased Ca(2+)-independent PLA2 activity in frontal AD may reflect a compensatory response to pathologically accelerated phospholipid metabolism early in the disorder. That could cause an early elevation of prefrontal free fatty acids, which can stimulate polymerization of tau and thus promote the prefrontal neurofibrillary tangle formation characteristic of frontal AD.
Mrs. Boyd's Fifth-Grade Inclusive Classroom: A Study of Multicultural Teaching Strategies.

Public school students are increasingly heterogeneous in their family structure and the social, cultural, ethnic, and economic diversity they bring to the class-room. Inclusive classrooms broaden this scope to encompass behavioral, intellectual, and physical diversity. Educators who are committed to providing each student with an equal opportunity for success frequently seek and experiment with accommodation methods that use creative management, instruction, and assessment strategies to foster academic proficiency and social responsibility. This case study of one exemplary multicultural fifth-grade classroom teacher provides educators with accommodation activities that support and encourage all students without limiting or impeding their academic or social development.
Experimental and mathematical/computational assessment of the acute toxicity of chemical mixtures from the Microtox® assay

Abstract A mathematical algorithm has been developed to compute the combined toxicity of mixtures of metal contaminants using toxicity data for the individual components of the mixture. The Microtox® bioassay was used to experimentally obtain the toxicity data for a suite of metals (Pb, As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Zn, Cr) that could be potentially present in the environment. Statistically significant deviation of the experimental toxicity of mixtures from the calculated EC50 value using the algorithm represents a departure from an additive response, and is classified as synergism or antagonism, as appropriate. Results from binary and ternary metal combinations indicate that all three mixture situations — additive, synergistic, and antagonistic — are possible. The approach described here may also be applicable to any other assay capable of generating the required algorithm parameters.
A new deep‐sea towed digital camera and multi‐rock coring system

Photographs of the sea floor provided some of the first clues about the abundance of life in the deep ocean, lava flows on the mid-ocean ridge crest, and evidence for hydrothermal venting [e.g., Hersey, 1967; Heezen and Hollister, 1971; Ballard and Moore, 1977; Lonsdale, 1977]. These direct observations of the ocean floor are critical to understanding the physical, chemical, and biological processes occurring there. Last year, a team of engineers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), in collaboration with engineers at DeepSea Power and Light (DSPL) of San Diego, California, designed and successfully built and tested a new, digital deep-sea camera and multi-rock coring system. The system has been used during three expeditions thus far: the East Pacific Rise at 9°50′N, the Galapagos Rift at 86°–89°W and most recently to the Hess Deep in the equatorial eastern Pacific. To date, it has acquired ˜20,000 digital sea floor images and 50 volcanic glass chip samples during 20 lowerings.
Concentrations and disappearance post mortem of polyphosphoinositides in developing rat brain

Abstract The content of di- and triphosphoinositide in the brains of young rats of different ages was determined. Appreciable quantities of these phospholipids are present as early as two days after birth, possibly in extramyelin structures, and their levels increase during myelination at a rate greater than that for total lipids. Rat brain triphosphoinositide undergoes rapid partial breakdown post mortem after which degradation proceeds only very slowly. The persistence of some brain polyphosphoinositides after death is not due to the irreversible inactivation of triphosphoinositide phosphomonoesterase or triphosphoinositide phosphodiesterase.
Acute Stroke: Delays to Presentation and Emergency Department Evaluation

Abstract Study objective: To document prehospital and inhospital time intervals from stroke onset to emergency department evaluation and to identify factors associated with presentation to the ED within 3 hours of symptom onset, the current time window for thrombolytic therapy. Methods: Patients admitted through the ED with a diagnosis of stroke were identified through admitting logs. Time intervals were obtained from EMS runsheets and ED records. Information regarding first medical contact, education, and income was obtained by patient interview. Baseline variables were analyzed to assess association with ED arrival within 3 hours of symptom onset; variables significant on univariate analysis were placed in a multivariable model. Results: There were 151 stroke patients (59% white and 41% black). Time of stroke onset and time to ED arrival were documented for 119 patients (79%). The median time from stroke onset to ED arrival was 5.7 hours; 46 patients (30%) presenting within 3 hours. Of those with times recorded, the median time from stroke onset to EMS arrival was 1.7 hours. Multivariable logistic regression identified use of EMS (odds ratio [OR], 4.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3 to 12.1) and white race (OR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.3 to 10) as being independently associated with ED arrival within 3 hours of symptom onset. Median time from ED arrival to physician evaluation was 20 minutes. Median time from ED arrival to computed tomographic evaluation was 72 minutes. When patients were asked the main reason they sought medical attention, 40% (60/141) of those able to be interviewed said that they themselves did not decide to seek medical attention, but rather a friend or family member told them they should go to the hospital. Conclusion: The median time from stroke onset to ED evaluation was 5.7 hours, with almost a third of patients presenting within 3 hours. Use of EMS and white race were independently associated with arrival within 3 hours. [Kothari R, Jauch E, Broderick J, Brott T, Sauerbeck L, Khoury J, Liu T: Acute stroke: Delays to presentation and emergency department evaluation. Ann Emerg Med January 1999;33:3-8.]
Force constants for 3-chloropropyne and chloro-2-butyne

Normal coordinate calculations were carried out for H-C=C-CH2Cl using a valence force field and the force constants obtained were transferred to CH3-C=C-CH2Cl. There seem to be small but significant differences in some of the force constants of the -CH2Cl group of these two molecules. The vibrational assignment of McLachland [1] is confirmed, and the calculations show that the fundamental vibrations are relatively pure except for the C-C symmetric stretch and the skeletal bends.
Radiation dose to the rat thyroid from several radioiodine nuclides.

Abstract Radiation dosages to the rat thyroid during radioiodine tracer and equilibrium studies have been estimated for I 125 , I 129 and I 131 . The total dose-rate constants for each of these isotopes in 10, 15 and 20 mg thyroids were calculated. An equation for the concentration of radio-activity in the thyroid as a function of time after the beginning of radioiodine equilibration, was derived by assuming a steady state of iodine metabolism. This gave riseto a general dose equation which was programmed on a computer. Tables of radiation dose estimates were generated which give the dose as a function of time and level of daily iodine intake. A comparison of the three isotopes was made, based on the radiation dose required to produce a given sensivity in a particular isotopic equilibrium study.
Improved flexibility of thermally stable poly-lactic acid (PLA)

Abstract The objective of this research was to determine the optimum solvent mixture ratio to improve flexibility while maintaining the thermal expansion stability of PLA film. PLA films were produced from mixed solvent solutions of (M: methylene chloride) and (A: acetonitrile) and 10% plasticizer using the solvent-casting technique. The ratio of solvents used were 70% methylene chloride with 30% acetonitrile (73MA10), 60% methylene chloride with 40% acetonitrile (64MA10) and 50% methylene chloride with 50% acetonitrile (55MA10). The single solvent solution was 100% methylene chloride (100M10). Thermal stability was enhanced by the addition of acetonitrile. Thermal stability of 55MA10 was 0.6219 μm/°C as compared to 15.63μm/C for 100M10. Increased concentration of acetonitrile also improved crystal formation as seen by the peak intensity of WAXD. Films that had more crystallinity (64MA10, 55MA10), had less thermal expansion stability and brittle behavior. In contrast, 73MA10 having less crystallinity, had the best flexibility at 49.36% elongation while having similar thermal behavior as the more crystalline films. This work shows that PLA film produced by solvent casting from solvent mixture compared to a traditional single solvent will have better thermal and mechanical performance.