cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Achieving and Assessing Service in Computing Service Learning: Lessons from Computing for Good

In the last 10 years, computing departments have introduced service learning in the curriculum at multiple levels, from introductory computing to senior design/capstone. Service learning combines discipline-specific learning content with real-world service in a form of experiential learning. Yet as Connolly observes in his SIGCSE 2012 paper “Is There Service in Computing Service Learning?” the presence of “true service” in these offerings is under examined in comparison to the focus on student learning outcomes. As far back as 2007, George and Shams highlighted in their IJSLE paper the challenge of assessing the closely related concept of “customer satisfaction” in international service learning. We aim to fill this examination gap by drawing on our experiences over the last five years teaching a senior-level Computing for Good class. We identify categories of risk to achieving service and key challenges within each category. We describe our course structure and the mechanisms we use to overcome challenges in achieving true service. We then turn to assessment of service and assemble evidence that many of our course projects have external value against several metrics. We provide guidance to others interested in creating or adapting engineering and computing service learning courses so that learning and service occur in roughly equal measure.
Periodicity estimation by hypothesis-directed search

Some methods are described for estimating the fundamental periodicity of additively combined quasi-periodic signals. These methods operate from measurements of the instantaneous amplitudes and frequencies of important sinusoidal components of the input signal. The methods share a similar computational structure, in which each component is allowed to assert a number of hypotheses as to possible fundamental periodicities to which it is related. Hypotheses from different components are combined in such a way as to reinforce common periodicities shared by several components. The methods discussed seem well suited to signals whose fundamental frequencies may be high, and vary over a wide range.
Case Study of Intrapartum Antibiotic Prophylaxis and Subsequent Postpartum Beta-Lactam Anaphylaxis

Universal screening for maternal group B Streptococcus (GBS) in the prenatal period has led to administration of intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP). Although IAP decreased the rate of early neonatal GBS disease, exposure of childbearing women to penicillin and other beta-lactam antibiotics has increased. Beta-lactam-induced anaphylaxis in the breastfeeding woman during the postpartum period illustrates risk factors for beta-lactam allergy and anaphylaxis. Treatment and nursing implications for this adverse reaction are suggested.
Laboratory test of suspended sediment effects on short‐term survival and swimming performance of juvenile Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus, Mitchill, 1815)

Summary Tested was the hypothesis that juvenile Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) would exhibit no response in short-term survival or swimming performance when exposed to varying concentrations of suspended sediment simulating dredge plumes in waterways where this species may be impacted by dredging operations. Sediment collected from Savannah Harbor, South Carolina, USA was used to simulate a worst-case scenario. Juvenile sturgeon were contained for a 3-day period in flow-through aquaria, with limited opportunity for movement, in sediment of varying concentrations (100, 250 and 500 mg L−1 total suspended solids [TSS]) mimicking prolonged exposure to suspended sediment plumes near an operating dredge. Of the 90 fish exposed, 86 (96%) survived the test. Of the four fish that died, one was exposed to 250 TSS and three to 500 TSS. Swimming performance results indicated that nearly all fish were positively rheotactic. Critical swim speeds (Ucrits) were moderate, whether measured as absolute values (21–31 cm s−1) or as relative values (1.4–2.1 body lengths s−1), with no significant differences among treatments (F < 0.83, P ≥ 0.4874). Behavior was dominated by contact-based locomotion and station-holding. Absence of substantial or significant immediate effects on survival and swimming performance suggest that impacts of sediment plumes in nature, where fish have freedom of movement and the power to escape rapidly, are minimal.
A method to analyze molecular tagging velocimetry data using the Hough transform.

The development of a method to analyze molecular tagging velocimetry data based on the Hough transform is presented. This method, based on line fitting, parameterizes the grid lines “written” into a flowfield. Initial proof-of-principle illustration of this method was performed to obtain two-component velocity measurements in the wake of a cylinder in a Mach 4.6 flow, using a data set derived from computational fluid dynamics simulations. The Hough transform is attractive for molecular tagging velocimetry applications since it is capable of discriminating spurious features that can have a biasing effect in the fitting process. Assessment of the precision and accuracy of the method were also performed to show the dependence on analysis window size and signal-to-noise levels. The accuracy of this Hough transform-based method to quantify intersection displacements was determined to be comparable to cross-correlation methods. The employed line parameterization avoids the assumption of linearity in the vicinity of each intersection, which is important in the limit of drastic grid deformations resulting from large velocity gradients common in high-speed flow applications. This Hough transform method has the potential to enable the direct and spatially accurate measurement of local vorticity, which is important in applications involving turbulent flowfields. Finally, two-component velocity determinations using the Hough transform from experimentally obtained images are presented, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed analysis method.
Designing Collaborative Learning Experiences for Library Computer Classrooms

Abstract Collaborative learning, a form of active learning, can be used in computer classrooms to provide effective library instruction. Librarians have used collaborative learning in traditional classrooms and are beginning to incorporate it into hands-on computer classrooms. As librarians develop computer-based collaborative environments, they will likely face issues that lead them to reconsider how they approach facility design, curricular strategies, student expectations, teaching styles, and classroom time management. This article makes a case for using collaborative learning within library computer classrooms and describes how librarians at a medium-sized university made the transition from hands-on individualized learning to hands-on collaborative learning.
Genomics: Fighting fire with fire

Mobile genetic elements called transposons could cause havoc in the genome if left unregulated. Of the various cellular defence strategies used to preserve genome integrity, one involves exploiting transposons themselves.
Skill‐Biased Technological Change and Wage Inequality: Evidence from a Plant Retooling1

One of the most popular explanations for the increased wage inequality that has occurred since the late 1970s is that technological change has resulted in a downward shift in the demand for low‐skill workers. This pattern is also alleged to account for the growth in racial inequality in wages over the same period. This article reports on a case study of the retooling of a food processing plant. A unique, longitudinal, multimethod design reveals the nature of the technological change, the changes in job requirements, and the mechanisms by which the changes affect the wage distribution for hourly production workers. This research finds that, indeed, the retooling resulted in greater wage dispersion and that the changes have also been associated with greater racial inequality in wages. However, contrary to the claims of advocates of the skill‐bias hypothesis, organizational and human resources factors strongly mediated the impact of the changing technology. Absent these “high road” organizational choices, th...
Optimization of ligand presentation for immunoadsorption using star-configured polyethylene glycols.

Medical, pharmaceutical, and industrial applications of immunoadsorption are frequently limited by the technologic problems of low affinity, inadequate capacity, hydrophobicity, and bioincompatibility. To overcome these difficulties we studied the use of star-burst configured polyethylene glycols (star-PEGs) with immunoreactive molecules covalently bound to the end of each of the multiple flexible arms. The optimum pH ranges were determined to maintain stability of the tresyl chloride modified star reagents, and the chemistry was designed for their subsequent linkage to the immunoadsorbent moiety. We then devised the chemical reactions using nitration or hydrazine activation to tether these 64-arm structures to polymer supports made of polysulfone or polymethylmethacrylate, respectively. Transmission, scanning, and atomic force microscopy confirmed the preservation of the star configuration, even after linkage to the luminal surface of hollow fiber devices. To establish that these modified devices also maintained immunoadsorption reactivity, we used a model having relevance for human autoimmune disease and demonstrated the clearance of antihistone antibodies by tethered histones. This novel approach to increasing the capacity of immunoadsorption benefits from the star configuration which provides a high density of ligand, improved hydrophilicity of the surface, spacing of reactive molecules away from the support structure, and possible optimization of epitope immunoreactivity by arm-to-arm interaction of the bound molecules.
Visualizing chemical reactions and crossover processes in a fuel cell inserted in the ESR resonator: detection by spin trapping of oxygen radicals, nafion-derived fragments, and hydrogen and deuterium atoms.

We present experiments in an in situ fuel cell (FC) inserted in the resonator of the ESR spectrometer that offered the ability to observe separately processes at anode and cathode sides and to monitor the formation of HO• and HOO• radicals, H• and D• atoms, and radical fragments derived from the Nafion membrane. The presence of the radicals was determined by spin-trapping electron spin resonance (ESR) with 5,5-dimethylpyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) as a spin trap. The in situ FC was operated at 300 K with a membrane−electrode assembly (MEA) based on Nafion 117 and Pt as catalyst, at closed and open circuit voltage conditions, CCV and OCV, respectively. Experiments with H2 or D2 at the anode and O2 at the cathode were performed. The DMPO/OH adduct was detected only at the cathode for CCV operation, suggesting generation of hydroxyl radicals from H2O2 formed electrochemically via the two-electron reduction of oxygen. The DMPO/OOH adduct, detected in this study for the first time in a FC, appeared at the cathode a...
Seven Maxims for Institutional Researchers: Applying Cognitive Theory and Research.

The paper presents seven institutional research maxims that are based on research and theory about how people cognitively process information: (I.) More may not be better. (II.) Augment humans with models. (III.) Chunk your data wisely. (IV.) Know your decision makers. (V.) Heuristics are not always helpful. (VI.) Arrange tables by patterns. (VII.) Negative evidence and new hypotheses are okay. Cognitive findings underlying each maxim are given, with concrete examples of how institutional researchers can apply the maxims to improve the collection, analysis, and especially the presentation of information for decision makers.
Institutionalizing urban forestry as a ''biotechnology'' to improve environmental quality

Urban forests can provide multiple environmental benefits. As urban areas expand, the role of urban vegetation in improving environmental quality will increase in importance. Quantification of these benefits has revealed that urban forests can significantly improve air quality. As a result, national air quality regulations are now willing to potentially credit tree planting as means to improve air quality. Similarly, quantification of other environmental benefits of urban trees (e.g., water quality improvement, carbon sequestration) could provide for urban vegetation to be incorporated in other programs/regulations designed to improve environmental quality.
‘I didn’t really like it, but it sounded exciting’ Admission to hospital for surgery from the perspectives of children

It is a mark of respect for children that their views around their healthcare are listened to and considered. To date, too little attention has been paid to children's views and experiences of admission to hospital for surgery. This paper presents findings from a constructivist grounded theory study of children's experiences of admission to hospital for surgery (from their perspectives). Age appropriate data collection techniques were used and included interviews with children and their drawings and stories. Ten children, aged 6-12 years, who were admitted to hospital for surgery participated in the research. The children were able to clearly articulate aspects of their experience, including their fears and anxieties, the things they enjoyed and the things that assisted them to cope with their experience. The substantive theory developed was 'children's reframing of their sense of selves to incorporate the experiences of hospitalization and surgery'. Children require information and support to alleviate their anxieties around the time of their surgery. With pressures on children's services, increased day surgery rates and shorter admissions, nurses who care for children around this time are challenged to find ways of knowing each child's story and the fears that they have.
Interplay between indium and nitrogen content on the absorption strength of Ga 1-y In y As 1-x N x quantum wires

We investigate the absorption spectrum and strength of ${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\ensuremath{-}y}{\mathrm{In}}_{y}{\mathrm{As}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{N}}_{x}$ quantum wires. We show that compounds with varying fractions of indium and nitrogen but similar band gaps have different absorption patterns. This behavior is related to the interplay between different effects such as strain, which mainly affects the band offsets, and the increased electron mass in dilute nitride III-V semiconductors. We also study how the influence of these parameters changes by varying the optical band gap. Our model calculations are performed in the parabolic band approximation and include excitonic effects.
The Cambridge Introduction to Joseph Conrad

Joseph Conrad is one of the most intriguing and important modernist novelists. His writing continues to preoccupy twenty-first-century readers. This introduction by a leading scholar is aimed at students coming to Conrad's work for the first time. The rise of postcolonial studies has inspired interest in Conrad's themes of travel, exploration, and racial and ethnic conflict. John Peters explains how these themes are explored in his major works, Nostromo, Lord Jim and Heart of Darkness, as well as his short stories. He provides an essential overview of Conrad's fascinating life and career and his approach to writing and literature. A guide to further reading is included which points to some of the most useful secondary criticism on Conrad. This is a most comprehensive and concise introduction to studying Conrad, and will be essential reading for students of the twentieth-century novel and of modernism.
Modelling cancer in human skin tissue

The capacity to induce neoplasia in human tissue in the laboratory has recently provided a new platform for cancer research. Malignant conversion can be achieved in vivo by expressing genes of interest in human tissue that has been regenerated on immune-deficient mice. Induction of cancer in regenerated human skin recapitulates the three-dimensional architecture, tissue polarity, basement membrane structure, extracellular matrix, oncogene signalling and therapeutic target proteins found in intact human skin in vivo. Human-tissue cancer models therefore provide an opportunity to elucidate fundamental cancer mechanisms, to assess the oncogenic potency of mutations associated with specific human cancers and to develop new cancer therapies.
Antiviral therapy for herpesvirus central nervous system infections: Neonatal herpes simplex virus infection, herpes simplex encephalitis, and congenital cytomegalovirus infection

Herpesvirus infections of the central nervous system (CNS) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, including long-term neurologic sequelae. Among the family of herpesviruses, the most significant CNS infections are due to herpes simplex virus (HSV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV). The onset of HSV CNS infection can occur in neonates as well as older children and adults. CNS infection associated with CMV occurs predominantly in the perinatal period, but may also be seen rarely in children and adults, especially in immunocompromised individuals. Although advances in antiviral agents have led to improved outcomes, there is still a need for more effective treatments.
Characterization of an α-amylase multigene cluster in rice

Rice genomic clones containing eight different α-amylase genes have been previously classified into five groups based on DNA hybridization studies and restriction site mapping. This report describes the clustering of three Group 3 genes (RAmy3A, RAmy3B and RAmy3C) within 28 kb of genomic DNA. The genes are separated from each other by about 5 kb and transcribed in the same direction. At the protein level, RAmy3B and RAmy3C are 95% homologous while each is 78% homologous to RAmy3A. All three genes have relatively small introns in the first and third positions. RAmy3A; however, has an additional 409 bp intron in the second intron insertion site. Nucleotide sequence comparisons of the coding and 3′ flanking regions suggest that clustering of the RAmy3 genes occurred by gene duplication resulting from unequal crossing-over at repetitive sequences. A comparison of the 5′ flanking regions revealed several sequences that may be involved in transcription. Expression of RAmy3B/C first appears in the germinating seed after two days and at a higher level after four days. Quantitative primer extension analysis indicates that RAmy3B and RAmy3C contribute 25% and 75%, respectively, of the transcripts from this cluster at four days of germination. No primer extension band specific to RAmy3A transcripts could be detected at this time point. However, RAmy3A PCR products could be amplified from RNA isolated from embryo-derived callus tissue.
The synthesis and properties of benzylated oxazolines derived from 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose☆

Abstract 2-Methyl-(2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-1,2-dideoxy-α- D -glucopyrano)-[2,1-d]-2-oxazoline,2-methyl-(2-acetamido-6-O-acetyl-3,4-di-O-benzyl-1,2-dideoxy-α- D -glucopyrano)-[2,1-d]-2-oxazoline,and 2-methyl-(2-acetamido-4-O-acetyl-3,6-di-O-benzyl-1,2-dideoxy-α- D -glucopyrano)-[2,1-d]-2-oxazoline were synthesized from the allyl 2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-2-deoxy- D -glucopyranosides, and from the 3,4-di-O-benzyl or 3,6-di-O-benzyl analogs, respectively, both the α and β anomer being used in each case. The preparation of allyl 2-acetamido-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl- and 3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-β- D -glucopyranoside is also described. Treatment of the tri-O-benzyl oxazoline with dibenzyl phosphate gave a pentabenzylglycosyl phosphate, from which all the benzyl groups were removed by catalytic hydrogenation, giving 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α- D -glucopyranosyl phosphate. The corresponding β anomer was not detectable. Treatment of the 3,4-, or 3,6-, di-O-benzyl oxazoline with allyl 2-acetamido-3,4-di-O-benzyl-α- D -glucopyranoside readily gave disaccharide products from which the protecting groups were removed, to give the (1→6)-linked isomer of di-N-acetylchitobiose. Under both acidic and basic conditions, this isomer was less stable than the (1→4)-linked compound. Attempts to employ the 3,6-di-O-benzyl oxazoline for the formation of (1→4)-linked disaccharides, by treatment with either anomer of allyl 2-acetamido-3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy- D -glucopyranoside, were not very successful, presumably owing to hindrance by the bulky benzyl groups.
Reliable power line communication — A vehicle to smart home and smart energy

Power Line Communication or PLC - Using power line to connect and communicate is not new. But the data flowing over power lines connecting smart energy devices inside and outside homes imposes new challenges. Those devices include electrical meters (e-Meters or smart meters), distributed generators (wind, solar, heat+power), power switches, power plants, inverters, and distributed consumer electronics, sensing and monitoring devices. One of the most important requirements for the connectivity of those devices is high reliability. All the components need to be reliably connected all the time in any geographic location or environmental condition, and resilient to any interference. In this paper, we present several unique PLC architectures to achieve such highly reliable communications.
The Importance of Adjusting Production to Sales in the Early Automobile Industry

Abstract Producing and selling mechanically complex and expensive consumer durables involves a number of difficulties, especially if the products are manufactured in high volume. This paper focuses on the problem that companies employing high volume production methods are extremely vulnerable to the consequences of the variance in final sales across the business cycle, unless they devise methods for adjusting production to sales. Evidence is presented that it was the Ford Motor Company that first developed the methods required to ensure that production was kept in line with sales. These methods played a heretofore overlooked role in the success of Ford during its early years. General Motors was able to overtake Ford for leadership of the automobile industry only after it began to adopt similar methods, beginning in 1924.
Hardware acceleration for Window systems

Graphics pipelines are quickly evolving to support multitasking workstations. The driving force behind this evolution is the window system, which must provide high performance graphics within multiple windows, while maintaining interactivity. The virtual graphics system presented by [7] provides a clean solution to the problem of context switching graphics hardware between processes, but does not solve all the problems associated with sharing graphics pipelines.The primary difficulty in context switching a graphics accelerator is the pipeline latency encountered during a pipeline flush. This latency removes the responsiveness and interactivity of the graphics system. As primitives become more complex and pipelines become longer, pipeline latency grows. Hardware solutions are described which further accelerate the window system by eliminating the need for pipeline flushing and resynchronization. An overview of the entire system is presented, highlighting the hardware mechanisms which contribute to window acceleration.
Stiffness Control of Balance During Quiet Standing and Dual Task in Older Adults: The MOBILIZE Boston Study

Distractions affect postural control, but this mechanism is not well understood. Diversion of resources during cognitive stress may lead to decreased motor drive and postural muscle tone. This may appear as decreased postural stiffness and increased postural sway amplitude. We hypothesized that dual tasking leads to decreased stiffness and increased sway amplitude. Postural sway (center of pressure; COP) data were used from 724 participants aged 77.9 ± 5.3 yr, a representative sample of community-dwelling older adults, the MOBILIZE Boston Study cohort. Subjects stood barefoot with eyes open for 30 s per trial on a force plate. Five trials were performed each with and without a serial subtractions-by-3 task. Sway data were fit to a damped oscillator inverted pendulum model. Amplitudes (COP and center of mass), mechanical stiffness, and damping of the sway behavior were determined. Sway amplitudes and damping increased with the dual task (P < 0.001); stiffness decreased only mediolaterally (P < 0.001). Those with difficulty doing the dual task exhibited larger sway and less damping mediolaterally (P ≤ 0.001) and an increased stiffness with dual task anteroposteriorly (interaction P = 0.004). Dual task could still independently explain increases in sway (P < 0.001) after accounting for stiffness changes. Thus the hypothesis was supported only in mediolateral sway. The simple model helped to explain the dual task related increase of sway only mediolaterally. It also elucidated the differential influence of cognitive function on the mechanics of anteroposterior and mediolateral sway behaviors. Dual task may divert the resources necessary for mediolateral postural control, thus leading to falls.
Variation in nickel accumulation in leaves, reproductive organs and floral rewards in two hyperaccumulating Brassicaceae species

Metal hyperaccumulation by plants involves the uptake and sequestration of extremely high concentrations of soil heavy metals. It is unclear, however, whether plants that hyperaccumulate heavy metals do so across all organs, including reproductive ones, and whether floral metal accumulation varies depending on whether plants require pollinator visitation for reproduction. We grew two species of nickel hyperaccumulators, one that requires pollinator visitation and the other an autonomous selfer, in two soil treatments: (1) control or (2) nickel-supplemented. We quantified nickel concentration in leaves, reproductive organs and floral rewards (pistils, anthers, pollen and nectar). Nickel accumulated into all organs, with the autonomously selfing species (Noccaea fendleri subsp. glauca) accumulating higher concentrations, especially in anthers and pistils. Streptanthus polygaloides incorporated nickel into nectar, but at lower concentrations than floral organs. Both species incorporated nickel into pollen. Nickel-hyperaccumulators incorporated nickel into all reproductive organs as well as rewards, suggesting possible reproductive consequences that may either be positive (e.g., elemental defense) or detrimental (e.g., reducing gamete viability or pollinator visitation) to plant fitness. Our work suggests that identifying any adaptive value of metal hyperaccumulation requires further study of floral metal accumulation and the reproductive consequences of metals in reproductive organs and rewards.
EXOGENOUS INSULIN ACCELERATES FETAL GROWTH AND CAUSES NEONATAL HYPOGLYCEMIA IN THE RAT

With maternal diabetes in pregnancy, the fetus receives a surfeit of metabolic fuels and as a consequence increases insulin secretion. Insulin stimulates the growth of specific tissues and the combination of increased fuels and insulin causes macrosomia. To assess the effect of hyperinsullniom alone upon the fetus, we injected fetal rats in situ with insulin (I) or saline (S) on day 18 (term 21.5 days). One day following injection, I and S fetuses were of similar weight. Fetal/maternal glucose ratios did not differ between I and S fetuses (.63-.75); however I fetuses had elevated plasma insulin (543.3±74.9 v 139.0±27.0 uU/ml, p .01) and diminished glucagon conc (151.8±24.9 v 267.7±35.0 pg/ml. By day 20, I>S fetuses (4.58±.09 v 3.16±.07g, p<.001). Insulin (165.8±19.6 v 181.2±24 uU/ml) and glucagon were equivalent between I and S fetuses. Newborn I pups weighed 5.21±.05 and S, 4.93±.09g (p<.001). While initially normoglycemic (0-60 min), I pups developed hypoglycemia at 120 and 240 min of life. This resulted from a sustained insulin effect since while S newborns decreased plasma insulin, I pups had relatively elevated values at 60, 120, and 240 min (60 min I 46.8±3.8 v 22.7±3.7 uU/ml, p<.01) and plasma glucagon did not differ (60 min 429.6±50.2 v 359.3±32 pg/ml). For these reasons, hepatic glycogen conc in I pups remained elevated (20 min 54.9±6.0 v 36.4±6.25 mg/g liver, p.<01). Insulin can stimulate fetal growth without the provision of extra fuels. Fetal hyperinsulinism is associated with delay in the normal decrease in insulin during the neonatal period and causes hypoglycemia.
Timeliness across the continuum of care in veterans with lung cancer.

Introduction By providing timely care at all steps along the continuum of lung cancer care, providers may be able to limit disease progression before treatment and possibly improve clinical outcomes. This study examines the timeliness of key events in the process of care between initial radiograph and first treatment. Methods Dates of key events were extracted from the medical records of 2463 veterans receiving lung cancer care at 133 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities. After reviewing their site's abstraction results, facility leaders completed a survey on their perceptions of their local processes of lung cancer care. Results Median time from first radiography to first treatment was 71 days. The longest intermediate time interval examined was between first treatment referral and first treatment (median = 12 days). Time from first to last diagnostic test was most variable (interquartile range=0–27 days). We found a significant trend indicating that the time interval from first radiograph to treatment was shorter for patients with more advanced disease. This effect was also significant within six of the seven intermediate time intervals we examined. Survey responses indicated that the chart review process stimulated improvement activity. Conclusions Although patients with earlier stage disease benefit more from treatment, they do not proceed as quickly through the continuum of care as patients with more advanced disease. By measuring variability in timeliness of care at multiple steps in the lung cancer care process, facilities may identify opportunities for improvement.
Simultaneous low-frequency relaxation and high-frequency microwave oscillation of a bulk GaAs c.w. oscillator

A new mode of operation of a Gunn-effect diode has been observed, where the bulk GaAs oscillator simultaneously generates a low-frequency relaxation oscillation and a microwave oscillation. This operational mode results from the dynamic path moving into and out of the negative-resistance region.
Some aspects of fatty acid metabolism in brown adipose tissue.

The action of catecholamines on white and brown adipose tissue is compared. The available evidence indicates that lipolysis is initiated in both tissues by hormonal action. There are, however, some differences in the behavior of the lipolytic process in the two tissues in their response to theophylline, nicotinic acid and insulin which remain unexplained. It would appear that the release of free fatty acids triggers the stimulation of O2 consumption in both tissues. In brown adipose tissue no evidence has been obtained to indicate that the increased O2 consumption is geared to the production of ATP for the purpose of reesterification of the released free fatty acids, as is the case in white adipose tissue.
Validation of transesophageal echocardiography to determine physiologic coronary flow.

UNLABELLED Human studies have suggested that Doppler transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) can determine normal physiologic coronary blood flow (CBF) and alterations in CBF due to proximal flow-limiting stenoses. However, assessment of CBF by Doppler TEE has not been validated. To determine if true estimation of CBF could be obtained with Doppler TEE, seven mongrel dogs (weight range 28 kg-36 kg) were evaluated. Simultaneous CBF determinations by Doppler TEE and epicardial electromagnetic flow (EMF) and/or epicardial Doppler flow (EDF) probes were compared. Measurements were obtained at baseline and following varying degrees of proximal coronary occlusion, which produced reactive hyperemia. RESULTS Consistent Doppler flow waveforms were obtainable by Doppler TEE in 34 different measurements during perturbations: Mean for TEE Flow (ml/min) = 85, EMF or EDF Flow (ml/min) = 53; Standard Deviation for TEE Flow (ml/min) = 45, EMF or EDF Flow (ml/min) = 38; Minimum for TEE Flow (ml/min) = 42, EMF or EDF Flow (ml/min) = 11; and Maximum for TEE Flow (ml/min) = 174, EMF or EDF Flow (ml/min) = 130. TEE Flow (ml/min) = 1.1 EMF/EDF flow + 26.3. There was a general trend towards overestimation of CBF by Doppler TEE. This study demonstrates that Doppler TEE is a promising method for obtaining measurements of CBF over the physiologic range.
Oxidation behavior of FeAl+Hf, Zr, B

The oxidation behavior of Fe-40Al-1Hf, Fe-40Al-1Hf-0.4B, and Fe-40Al-0.1Zr-0.4B (at. percent) alloys was characterized after 900, 1000, and 100 C exposures. Isothermal tests revealed parabolic kinetics after a period of transitional theta-alumina scale growth. The parabolic growth rates for the subsequent alpha-alumina scales were about five times higher than those for NiAl+0.1Zr alloys. The isothermally grown scales showed a propensity toward massive scale spallation due to both extensive rumpling from growth stresses and to an inner layer of HfO2. Cyclic oxidation for 200 1-hr cycles produced little degradation at 900 or 1000 C, but caused significant spallation at 1100 C in the form of small segments of the outer scale. The major difference in the cyclic oxidation of the three FeAl alloys was increased initial spallation for FeAl+Zr,B. Although these FeAl alloys showed many similarities to NiAl alloys, they were generally less oxidation resistant. It is believed that this resulted from nonoptimal levels of dopants and larger thermal expansion mismatch stresses.
Radioactive Labeling Index of the Periodontal Ligament in Aging Rats

Fifteen rats, 10 to 400 days old, were given injections of tritiated thymidine. The percentage of labeled cells in the periodontal ligament of the maxillary first molar decreases with age. Functional occlusion reduces the numbers of cells synthesizing deoxyribonucleic acid.
The Taï Plaque and Calendrical Notation in the Upper Palaeolithic

Analysis of the Tai plaque, the most complex Upper Palaeolithic composition, has revealed evidence of the problem-solving and visual cueing strategies involved in the accumulation of the marks. The composition consists of a boustrophedon sequence of short horizontal containing lines or sections, each of which carries irregular subsets of marks. The analysis proceeded in stages over a period of twenty years, initially with use of a microscope, but did not involve cross-sectional analysis or counting. The theoretical assumption guiding the analysis was that notations represent a cognitive form of visual problem-solving and structuring. A test of the sequence of containing lines and their subsets of marks suggested the notation on the Tai plaque was a non-arithmetic form of lunar/solar observational recording. The analysis, if validated, carries profound implications for our understanding of Upper Palaeolithic culture, and cultural features of the indigenous European population in the periods that followed.
Light adaptation in a normal and a rod monochromat: psychophysical and VEP increment threshold comparisons.

Abstract The relationship between the human visual evoked potential (VEP) and various levels of light adaptation was studied in a normal and a rod monochromat. VEP's were recorded at several levels above the psychophysically determined increment threshold, over a wide range of light adaptation levels. Both psychophysical and VEP measures were taken in each of several sessions. VEP increment threshold functions were generated by the criterion response method. Direct comparison between the psychophysical and the VEP functions revealed good agreement between the two measures. In the normal's case, both measures clearly were sensitive to scotopic and photopic activity. On the other hand, the rod monochromat's data indicated the presence of only scotopic activity, and the psychophysical and the VEP measures were found to be sensitive indicants of this rod activity. Additionally, as the light adaptation level for the rod monochromat approached 1000 scotopic td both measures evidenced rod saturation. It was concluded that the VEP can be a sensitive correlate of psychophysical measures and is an equally sensitive indicant of scotopic or photopic activity.
'Bottom power': theorizing feminism and the women's movement in Sierra Leone (1981-2007)

This paper examines the theory and praxis of women's political activism in contemporary Sierra Leone. In spite of the steady upswing in the number of women elected or appointed to positions of political authority, the growing influence of women in politics runs into male resistance which privately and derisively refers to women's newly held positions of authority and public clout as "bottom power." This essay proposes that male pushback results from a neo-liberal women's movement that frames women's economic marginality and lack of access to political power as the result of patriarchy and male privilege, rather than using an African feminist framework which recognizes women's lack of resources as primarily the result of the appropriation of the country's wealth by multinational corporations, lending agencies and members of the elite. If viewed from this perspective, the women's movement would be framed as a socially transformative struggle for all sectors of society, and not as a contest between men and women for power.
The Role of Beliefs in Mother-Adolescent Conflict: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior

This mixed method study applies components of the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen and Fishbein 1980) to mother-adolescent conflict. We examine if three kinds of beliefs—behavioral, control, and normative—predict patterns of family conflict. Forty mother-adolescent dyads completed an open-ended interview, self-report measures of conflict, and an observational measure of family interaction. Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that mothers’ and adolescents’ beliefs about the costs and benefits of conflict significantly predicted how they interacted and perceived conflict within dyads. Sex differences and differences between mothers and adolescents were identified. This work contributes to our understanding of the role of both general and specific beliefs in family conflict.
Relationship between vitamin E and certain enzymes dependent on the sulphydryl group.

VITAMIN E was discovered in the 1920s and its physiological role has still to be demonstrated1. Much of the interest in this vitamin has centered around its casual relationship in the events leading to a vitamin E deficient myopathy in several animal species2–4.
Efficacy of Potassium Permanganate in Treating Ichthyophthiriasis in Channel Catfish

Abstract Epizootics of ichthyophthiriasis can be controlled with potassium permanganate (KMnO4), but its effectiveness has not been confirmed by controlled studies. The purpose of this study was to determine the concentration of KMnO4 needed to halt an active Ichthyophthirius multifiliis infestation in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus. Juvenile channel catfish were exposed to fish infested with I. multifiliis until they developed immature trophonts. They were then moved to individual static containers with 2 L of filtered well water, where they were treated with KMnO4 daily for 10 d. The lowest effective dose of KMnO4 required to eliminate theronts was 1.25 mg/L. The results indicate that KMnO4 is effective for controlling I. multifiliis epizootics at low concentrations in clean water. However, effective treatment in ponds will be strongly influenced by detoxication of KMnO4 depending on the concentration of easily oxidizable substances in the water.
Differential decline in word generation from phonemic and semantic categories during the course of Alzheimer's disease: Implications for the integrity of semantic memory

The ability to generate words from phonemic (i.e., words beginning with 'F,' 'A,' and 'S') and semantic (i.e., animals, fruits, and vegetables) categories was assessed longitudinally in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD; N = 59) and normal controls (NC; N = 59). Patients with AD performed worse than NC participants on both tasks at each of 4 annual evaluations and exhibited greater impairment relative to controls on the semantic-category task than on the phonemic-category task. In addition, the performance of the patients with AD declined over time on both tasks, but the rate of decline was faster on the semantic-category than on the phonemic-category task. Examination of individual responses across the annual evaluations revealed that patients with AD were more consistent than NC participants in failing to generate previously produced semantic-category, but not phonemic-category, items in all years following the 1st year in which the item was not produced. These results are consistent with the notion that patients with AD suffer a gradual deterioration of the organization and content of semantic memory as the disease progresses.
Using intervention analysis to assess catastrophic events on business environment

This article describes the use of Autoregressive Interactive Moving Average with impact assessment (intervention analysis) on a time series. In this case, a search was made for sudden changes in the business environment when a natural disaster struck a community. The catastrophic event was hurricane Hugo. Data were obtained from a public hospital. Admissions, outpatient visits, and emergency room visits were examined. All showed a significant increase in activity, not only for the period immediately following the event, but also for at least two years following the storm. Studies indicate that the long-term clean-up and reconstruction activities may have increased this public facility's case load in a manner somewhat different from other community hospitals.
Utility of preoperative endometrial assessment in asymptomatic women undergoing hysterectomy for pelvic floor dysfunction.

Introduction and hypothesis Uterine morcellation during laparoscopy for pelvic floor repair has prompted adoption of uterine screening tests by some surgeons. We report a case series of uterine malignancy incidentally diagnosed at the time of pelvic floor surgery.
Evaluation of the toxicity, pathology, and treatment of cyclohexylmethylphosphonofluoridate (CMPF) poisoning in rhesus monkeys.

Cyclohexylmethylphosphonofluoridate (CMPF) is an organophosphate cholinesterase inhibitor with military significance. The purpose of these studies was 1) to determine the acute toxicity of CMPF in the male rhesus monkey, 2) to evaluate the efficacy of pyridostigmine (PYR) pretreatment plus atropine and oxime (2-PAM or H16) treatment, and 3) to evaluate the pathological consequences of acute poisoning. An i.m. LD50 of CMPF was estimated using an up-and-down dose selection procedure and 12 animals. The 48-h and 7-day LD50 was 46.6 micrograms/kg, i.m. In the protection experiments, pyridostigmine (0.3-0.7 mg/kg/24 h) was administered by surgically implanted osmotic minipumps for 3-12 days resulting in 21-65% inhibition of erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase activity. Animals were challenged with 5 x L50 CMPF (233 micrograms/kg) and treated with atropine (0.4 mg/kg) and either 2-PAM (25.7 mg/kg) or HI6 (37.8 mg/kg) at the onset of signs or 1 min after challenge. Osmotic pumps were removed within 30 min after agent challenge. Pyridostigmine, atropine, and either 2-PAM or H16 were completely effective against CMPF, saving ten of ten animals in each group. In comparison, three of five animals challenged with 5 x LD50 of soman and treated with atropine and 2-PAM survived 7 days. The primary histologic lesions in the acute toxicity group were neuronal degeneration/necrosis and spinal cord hemorrhage. The CMPF treated groups (total of 20 animals) had minimal nervous system changes with no significant lesion difference resulting from the different oxime therapies. The primary non-neural lesions were degenerative cardiomyopathy and skeletal muscle degeneration which occasionally progressed to necrosis and mineralization.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
"Rip Van Winkle" and "Shiloh": Why Resisting Readers Still Resist

Leroy Moffitt, the protagonist of Bobbie Ann Mason's short story "Shiloh," is marked by the same tendencies for far-wandering, slumbering escapism and perpetual adolescence that Judith Fetterley's Resisting Reader identifies in Washington Irving's masculinist icon Rip Van Winkle. Unlike Rip, however, when Leroy is forced home from his wanderings, he is greeted not by the comforting and liberating news of his wife's demise, an absence that would allow him to continue as he has for many years been accustomed, but by the presence of his own lively and much-changed wife. Norma Jean, whose Southern and feminist "her story" of their long-distance relationship threatens to displace Leroy's deeply ingrained and well-rehearsed "his story," resists becoming demonized in or excluded from this text, as Fetterley maintains Dame Van Winkle and others of her literary daughters have been. Despite textual clues in Mason's story, intertextual threads throughout her canon, and Mason's own defense of her character, however, ...
Hepatic effects of glucose and insulin independent of cyclic nucleotide changes

To determine if cGMP might function as a second messenger for insulin, anin situ liver perfusion system was established in which hepatic effects of insulin could be correlated with changes in cyclic nucleotides. Several combinations of insulin (10 mU/ml) and glucose (50 mg/ml) were infused (0.1 ml/min) for 30 min into fasted normal and diabetic rats with removal of a similar volume of blood. Samples of livers were removed at the beginning and end and at various times during the perfusion. In normal animals perfused with buffer alone, hepatic glycogen content fell. When glucose (with or without added insulin) was added to the perfusate, glycogen levels rose. With buffer alone, there was no change in the independent (I) form of glycogen synthase at 10 min but a modest increase at 30 min. With insulin and/or glucose, there was a large increase in the I-form of the enzyme at 10 min and a further rise at 30 min. Neither cGMP nor cAMP changed even though tissue samples were obtained at multiple times throughout the perfusion. Cyclic nucleotides were also measured in liver slices exposed to insulin (1 mU/ml) after 30 min of preincubation for stabilization. Although significant increases in cGMP were noted in the tissue exposed to insulin, similar significant rises also occurred in appropriately paired control slices. When glucagon was used in both thein situ perfusion and the paired liver slice systems, the expected rapid and large increases in cAMP levels occurred attesting to the validity of both approaches in evaluating hepatic cyclic nucleotide responses. These results plus the paucity of convincing data in the literature strongly suggest that cGMP can no longer be considered a candidate for the putative second messenger of insulin.
Pressure-Induced Amorphization of R-Al5Li3Cu: A Structural Relation Among Amorphous Metals, Quasi-Crystals, and Curved Space

A central question in the study of amorphous materials is the extent to which they are ordered. When the crystalline intermetallic R-Al[sub 5]Li[sub 3]Cu is compressed to 23.2 gigapascals at ambient temperature, an amorphous phase is produced whose order can be described as defects in a curved-space crystal. This result supports a structural relation between quasi-crystals and amorphous metals based on icosahedral ordering. This result also shows that a metallic crystal can be made amorphous by compression. 29 refs., 3 figs.