cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Examining the metabolic cost of otariid foraging under varying conditions

In order to understand the effects of changing prey availability on dive behavior and energetic costs, behavior and metabolism must be measured simultaneously. Video dive analysis and open-flow respirometry were used to assess changes in dive behavior and energetics of two captive trained California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) in response to high and low prey densities and increased cost of swimming. Differences in dive duration, foraging duration, dive efficiency and foraging efficiency were examined between high and low prey encounter rates, and between standard and cost-increased dives. Changes in foraging metabolic rate (FVO2) and foraging carbon dioxide elimination (FVCO2) were also assessed across all four conditions. Both animals had longer dive durations, greater dive efficiency and lower FVO2 and FVCO2 levels at high prey encounter rates. Foraging metabolic rate and FVCO2 showed a slight increasing trend in cost-increased bouts for both animals, and surface interval durations were shorter. The results suggest that at high prey encounter rates animals minimize their metabolic rate to extend dive duration. These results also suggest that although FVCO2 decreases under high prey encounter rates, increasing the cost of transport keeps VCO2 levels elevated and increases the animal's oxygen debt. The authors hypothesize that as the level of work increases, the ability of the body to sequester CO2 into bicarbonate diminishes due to an inability of the proton buffering process within the blood and muscles to keep pace with increasing CO2 production. Therefore, CO2 may be a more sensitive physiological marker than O2 when examining the metabolic cost of foraging.
Exploring performance, coherence, and clocking of magnetization in multiferroic four-state nanomagnets

Abstract Nanomagnetic memory and logic are currently seen as promising candidates to replace current digital computing architectures due to its superior energy-efficiency, non-volatility and propensity for highly dense and low-power applications. In this work, we investigate the use of shape engineering (concave and diamond shape) to introduce biaxial anisotropy in single domain nanomagnets, giving rise to multiple easy and hard axes. Such nanomagnets, with dimensions of ∼100 nm × 100 nm, double the logic density of conventional two-state nanomagnetic devices by encoding more information (four binary bits: “00”, “11”, “10”, “01”) per nanomagnet and can be used in memory and logic devices as well as in higher order information processing applications. We study reliability, magnetization switching coherence, and show, for the first time, the use of voltage-induced strain for the clocking of magnetization in these four-state nanomagnets. Critical parameters such as size, thickness, concavity, and geometry of two types of four-state nanomagnets are also investigated. This analytical study provides important insights into achieving reliable and coherent single domain nanomagnets and low-energy magnetization clocking in four-state nanomagnets, paving the way for potential applications in advanced technologies.
Unexpected Death from Hemorrhagic Pericarditis Complicating IgA Nephropathy

IgA nephropathy is the most common cause of glomerulonephritis in the developed world; however, it is usually an indolent or slowly progressive disease presenting initially as self-limited hematuri...
Watching the availability and use of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT).

At the turn of this new century and after much debate, the malaria community reckoned with failing first line therapies and moved to a global recommendation for deployment of an artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) to treat infections due to Plasmodium falciparum. No one said it was going to be easy. This series in the Malaria Journal reports longitudinal snapshots of how the core pillar of malaria elimination of ensuring universal access to malaria diagnosis and treatment is faring—it is safe to say “not so well”. Core issues that must be addressed to ensure universal access to diagnosis and treatment, and achieve elimination, include lack of access to these essential services for those with malaria and the lack of a common effective service delivery approach to ensure high quality diagnosis and treatment, especially in the private sector which provides the bulk of malaria case management services in many settings. The barriers to universal access to high quality diagnosis and treatment for malaria will need to be addressed if malaria elimination is to remain a real possibility in the foreseeable future.
TEACHING ELECTROMAGNETICS THROUGH FINITE ELEMENTS. PART I: THE RATIONALE.

The rationale for teaching undergraduate electromagnetics partly through the finite element method, is put forward. Properly presented, the finite element method, easily within the ken of the engin...
Room-Temperature Activation of InGaZnO Thin-Film Transistors via He+ Irradiation

Amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) is a transparent semiconductor which has demonstrated excellent electrical performance as thin-film transistors (TFTs). However, a high-temperature activation process is generally required which is incompatible for next-generation flexible electronic applications. In this work, He+ irradiation is demonstrated as an athermal activation process for a-IGZO TFTs. Controlling the He+ dose enables the tuning of charge density, and a dose of 1 × 1014 He+/cm2 induces a change in charge density of 2.3 × 1012 cm–2. Time-dependent transport measurements and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS) indicate that the He+-induced trapped charge is introduced because of preferential oxygen-vacancy generation. Scanning microwave impedance microscopy confirms that He+ irradiation improves the conductivity of the a-IGZO. For realization of a permanent activation, IGZO was exposed with a He+ dose of 5 × 1014 He+/cm2 and then aged 24 h to allow decay of the trappe...
Preparing Elementary School Teachers to Learn From Teaching: A Comparison of Two Approaches to Mathematics Methods Instruction

Teacher preparation programs face a significant challenge in determining how to design learning experiences that develop the combination of knowledge, practices, and dispositions needed for effecti...
Piezoelectric Shell Vibration Theory

Active piezoelectric structures capable of self—adaptation (Tzou & Anderson, 1992) and high—precision operations (Tzou & Fukuda, 1992) have drawn much attention in recent years. In this chapter, generic vibration theories of deep piezoelectric shell continua are derived. The system equations include both mechanical and electric components. The mechanical components are related to conventional elastic vibrations of shells; the electric components are electromechanical coupling effects induced by the piezoelectricity. Eliminating these electromechanical coupling terms from the generic piezoelectric system equations yields a set of conventional vibration equations for elastic shell continua. Note that the electromechanical coupling terms can also be used in sensor and actuator applications applied to distributed identification and controls of shells. (Detailed discussions will be presented in later chapters.) A background introduction and a brief review of the subject area are presented first. Detailed derivations of the piezoelectric shell theory using Hamilton’s principle are presented next. Simplification of the piezoelectric shell vibration theory to the conventional elastic shell vibration theory is also discussed. Applications of the generic theories to commonly occurring geometries, e.g., spherical shells, cylindrical shells, plates, etc., and distributed control of piezoelectric shells are demonstrated in Chapter 3.
Understanding and Explanation

In 2004 I began collaborating on a research project with a developmental psychologist, multimedia design expert and cognitive scientist, and a content expert. Our goal was to explore and evaluate design principles for multimedia simulations in chemistry education; especially ideas associated with kinetic molecular theory and associated concepts of diffusion, Gas Laws, and phase change. As a feature of exploring high school chemistry students’ understanding of the chemistry concepts, which we hoped our simulations assisted them to learn, we developed assessment questions that asked students to apply their learning to a different context, a process often called transfer. An example of one of these questions is presented below.
Techno-economic analysis of combined cycle systems

Abstract: This chapter introduces techno-economic analysis (TEA) methodology. Case studies of pulverized coal (PC), natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) and integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) systems without and with the impacts of CO2 capture are presented, illustrating the application of TEA methods and comparing performance, emissions and costs of these power generation alternatives. The advantage and disadvantage of different process simulation methods for TEA are described. IGCC systems are estimated to have less relative decrease in efficiency and increase in capital and levelized costs than the other technology options. Given uncertainties in the costs of CO2 capture, and that IGCC technologies are at an earlier stage of commercial deployment than PC and NGCC technologies, the potential cost advantage of IGCC with CO2 capture is promising but requires ongoing evaluation.
Ion Currents of Paramecium: Effects of Mutations and Drugs

Paramecium is a eukaryotic, single-celled organism which is used as a simple model system for studying the regulatory mechanisms governing excitable and sensory cell functions. In terms of ion channel functions, some strategies may have been so efficient in the primative protozoans that they may remain as universal mechanisms in most sensory and excitable cells while other specialized functions may have been refined and further evolved in higher organisms, leading to diversity in the structure, function, and regulation of ion channels.
Cognitive Primitives for Automated Learning

Artificial Intelligence deals with the automated simulation of human intelligent behavior. Various aspects of human faculties are tackled using computational models. It is clear that brain as a cognitive machine is significantly different from a computer. A general intelligent machine needs to incorporate primitives that are identical or similar to those intrinsic to human. We argue for the identification, verification, and development of technologies that will deliver core primitives that are fundamental to human cognition that are applicable to various domains. Mnemonics for aural and for visual cognition are presented in [2, 3]. We propose a generalized set of cognitive primitives that can specialized to various applications viz. a) Existential, b) Structured Recurrence, c) Relative Attachment, d) Harmonized Counterparts, e) Cordial Counterparts and f) Discriminate Counterparts.
Integrating Applied Behavior Analysis and Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health: Implications for Early Intensive Intervention in Autism

Identification of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been occurring at earlier ages, leading to a need for interventions that suit this age range. Because young children’s development is highly dependent on adults and positive adult relationships, fields that traditionally have success in treating ASD, such as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), must explicitly consider relationships. At the same time, Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health (I/ECMH) specialists that have traditionally focused on the parent and child relationship must recognize the importance of addressing atypical or difficult child behavior as major motivating factor or port of entry with families. This paper discusses two seemingly different approaches to the treatment of young children, the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) informed Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) and Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health (I/ECMH) and proposes that they are complementary therapies that can be used simultaneously within the context of an interdisciplinary team to treat the “whole” child and his/her relationships. As demonstrated by the case example, combining the strengths of ABA and mental health services when working with very young children and families has the potential for many benefits.
Model Composition Via Object-Role Modeling

Composition is a fundamental operation used in approaches to model-driven engineering. In this paper we present a mechanism for composing multiple models using Object-Role Modeling, as opposed to the Unified Modeling Language. We then describe an example based on the Object Management Group's Diagram Definition specification. We have proposed to define a software process, and develop a toolset to support it, that eliminates the need to directly write code in a conventional programming language. It is an approach to model-driven engineering that emphasizes the manipulation of software design artifacts over the manual maintenance of software implementation artifacts such as source code.
Foot Voting and the Future of Liberty

One of the major goals of libertarianism – and liberalism generally – is expanding political freedom: the opportunity to exercise meaningful choice over the government policies we live under. The main opportunity for political choice in modern liberal democracies is ballot box voting. Despite some genuine virtues, it has serious flaws as a mechanism for enhancing political freedom. The average citizen has almost no chance of affecting the outcome of an electoral process. In part as a result, he or she also has strong incentives to make ill-informed and illogical decisions. We can do better on both fronts when we “vote with our feet.” Part I of this chapter briefly outlines three types of foot voting: voting with your feet between jurisdictions in a federal system, foot voting in the private sector, and international migration. All three involve meaningful exercises of political choice. In Part II, I explain how foot voting is superior to ballot box voting as a mechanism of political freedom. It allows for more meaningful and better-informed choice. It is also superior from the standpoint of several leading accounts of political freedom: Consent, negative liberty, positive liberty, and nondomination. Part III considers objections to foot voting based on theories of self-determination, under which current residents of a given territory have a right to exclude newcomers in order to protect the political freedom of the former. Such theories come in both group-oriented and individualistic variants. Group theories posit that certain groups have a right to exclude newcomers based on their ethnic, racial, or religious characteristics. Individualistic theories claim that current residents can exclude newcomers for much the same reasons that private property owners or members of a private club have a right to exclude. I argue that both types of claims have severe flaws. Part IV discusses some institutional reforms that can help expand foot voting opportunities, while mitigating potential downsides. Finally, the Conclusion briefly suggests some ways in which expanded foot voting can help brighten future prospects for promoting libertarian values.
Regulation of IKs Potassium Current by Isoproterenol in Adult Cardiomyocytes Requires Type 9 Adenylyl Cyclase

The subunits KCNQ1 and KCNE1 generate the slowly activating, delayed rectifier potassium current, IKs, that responds to sympathetic stimulation and is critical for human cardiac repolarization. The A-kinase anchoring protein Yotiao facilitates macromolecular complex formation between IKs and protein kinase A (PKA) to regulate phosphorylation of KCNQ1 and IKs currents following beta-adrenergic stimulation. We have previously shown that adenylyl cyclase Type 9 (AC9) is associated with a KCNQ1-Yotiao-PKA complex and facilitates isoproterenol-stimulated phosphorylation of KCNQ1 in an immortalized cell line. However, requirement for AC9 in sympathetic control of IKs in the heart was unknown. Using a transgenic mouse strain expressing the KCNQ1-KCNE1 subunits of IKs, we show that AC9 is the only adenylyl cyclase (AC) isoform associated with the KCNQ1-KCNE1-Yotiao complex in the heart. Deletion of AC9 resulted in the loss of isoproterenol-stimulated KCNQ1 phosphorylation in vivo, even though AC9 represents less than 3% of total cardiac AC activity. Importantly, a significant reduction of isoproterenol-stimulated IKs currents was also observed in adult cardiomyocytes from IKs-expressing AC9KO mice. AC9 and Yotiao co-localize with N-cadherin, a marker of intercalated disks and cell–cell junctions, in neonatal and adult cardiomyocytes, respectively. In conclusion, AC9 is necessary for sympathetic regulation of PKA phosphorylation of KCNQ1 in vivo and for functional regulation of IKs in adult cardiomyocytes.
Challenges and solutions to the study of rare childhood tumors.

Purpose of review The majority of progress made in pediatric oncology over the past 50 years has been achieved in the most common cancers. Rare pediatric cancers, which collectively comprise more than 10% of all pediatric cancers, pose multiple challenges to researchers and clinicians, all which stem from the infrequency of these cancers. There has been a tremendous increase in focus on rare pediatric cancers by international consortia and registries, disease-specific clinics, and divisions of academic children's hospitals in the last 10 years. This focus, along with the progress made in cancer genomics, has changed the landscape for the study and treatment of rare pediatric cancers. This review focuses on the past, present, and future of the study and treatment of rare pediatric cancers. Recent findings Cancer genomics is changing the way some cancers are being diagnosed, categorized, and treated. Rare pediatric cancers potentially stand to greatly benefit from advances in precision diagnosis and treatment. Summary The challenges of studying rare pediatric cancers are well known. By utilizing similar techniques that allowed for progress in the common pediatric malignancies, namely collaboration, increased focus, greater funding, and utilization of cancer genomics, progress in the study and treatment of rare pediatric cancers is promising.
Autism Spectrum Disorder and Anxiety in Children

Anxiety may be common for children with ASD and can present in typical and atypical ways. Atypical presentations may be sensitivity to unusual sensory stimuli or changes in routine. Anxiety may be represented in increased stereotypies for children and adolescents with ASD. If anxiety is related to self-injury, then interventions to reduce anxiety and stop self-injurious behavior should occur simultaneously. Reducing the power of triggers, such as changes in routine or uncertainty in social situations, through visual cue cards and warnings, may help reduce anxiety. Cognitive-behavioral therapy interventions have been effective as a treatment approach. Social skills training also has been successful in reducing anxiety. A significant amount of the research has occurred with high functioning youth, and more research with children and adolescents with lower cognitive functioning is needed.
Understanding Parents' Perceived Barriers to Engaging Their Children in Out-of-School Computer Science Programs

To address participation inequities among youth in computer science programs, this study examined how parents evaluate out- of-school time (OST) STEM programs for their children. We facilitated a workshop and conducted interviews with parents in Digital Youth Divas (DYD), an OST STEM program for middle-school girls who are underrepresented in computing. We found that parents prefer programs that are free, at accessible locations, and run by reputable educational institutions. Parents also identified barriers such as the lack of a parent network and conflicting schedules. These challenges must be addressed in order to encourage participation in OST computing science programs.
Electronic Structure and Nonadiabatic Dynamics of Atomic Silver Nanowire–N2 Systems

Plasmonic nanoparticles can facilitate bond breaking and drive reactions of nearby molecules. Some of these processes involve bond activations which are traditionally challenging to accomplish. How...
Team-Based Primary Care Practice Transformation Initiative and Changes in Patient Experience and Recommended Cancer Screening Rates.

Team-based care has emerged as a promising strategy for primary care practices to provide high-quality care. We examine changes in patient experience of care and recommended cancer screening rates ...
Genome Resources of Four Distinct Pathogenic Races Within Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum that Cause Vascular Wilt Disease of Cotton

Whole genome sequence (WGS) based identifications are being increasingly used by regulatory and public health agencies to facilitate the detection, investigation, and control of pathogens and pests...
Age-related gait development in children with autism spectrum disorder.

Abstract Background A better understanding of gait development and asymmetries in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may improve the development of treatment programs and thus, patient outcomes. Research question Does age affect walking kinematics and symmetry in children with ASD? Method Twenty-nine children (aged 6–14 years old) with mild ASD (level one) were recruited and assigned to one of the three groups based on their ages: 6–8 years (U8), 9–11 years (U11) and 12–14 years (U14). Walking kinematics were captured using an inertia measurement unit system placed bilaterally on participants’ foot, lower leg, upper leg, upper arm, pelvis, and thoracic spine. Joint angles were computed and compared among the age groups. Symmetry angles were used to assess the gait symmetry and were compared among the age groups. Results Older children exhibited less ankle dorsiflexion and knee flexion angles at heel-strike and greater plantarflexion angles at toe-off compared with younger children. In addition, a decreased pelvis and thorax axial rotation range of motion and increased shoulder flexion/extension range of motion were observed for older children. However, no age-related difference in gait symmetry was observed. Significance These findings could suggest that older children with ASD may develop gait kinematics to a more energy-efficient walking pattern.
The association of cognitive representations with psychological adjustment in experience of infertility and fertility treatment: A systematic review.

Introduction The aim of this systematic review was to examine studies describing the association of cognitive representations with psychological adjustment or maladjustment during the experience of infertility and its treatment in light of the Common-Sense Model. According to this theoretical model cognitive perceptions about an illness can be associated with emotional adaptation. Methods A systematic search of four electronic databases (PubMed, APA PsycINFO, SCOPUS, ScienceDirect) was performed. This review considered only quantitative, primary studies in the English language without geographical limitations, published during the period 1996-2020 and relevant to the objective. The population of interest was infertile individuals who are having or not having infertility treatment. Only studies that examined the association between independent variables, such as perceived causes, timeline, controllability, consequences, symptoms, illness coherence and emotional representations, with psychological variables, such as anxiety, worry, distress, depression and well-being, were included. Two authors performed an independent extraction of articles using predefined data fields. Relevant articles were critically appraised and a narrative synthesis was conducted. Results Seven cross-sectional studies met the inclusion and methodological criteria and were included in the review. The review results revealed that all components of cognitive representations of infertility and its treatment may correlate with psychological adaptation of people who deal with a fertility problem, at intrapersonal and interpersonal level. Conclusions This systematic review suggested that the Common-Sense Model is an appropriate theoretical model to be applied in the experience of infertility and health professionals can make interventions based on modifying cognitive perceptions of a fertility problem that may increase levels of psychological well-being and decrease levels of distress.
Translation of §§ 91–94 of Lothar Meyer’s Modernen Theorien (1864)

An English translation of §§ 91–94 (pp 135–147) of Lothar Meyer’s Die modernen Theorien der Chemie und ihre Bedeutung fur die chemische Statik is given. In this book Meyer describes his first classification of the elements into a periodic system and presents his thoughts on theory and its application to chemistry.
Major Neurocognitive Disorders (Dementias)

Consultation-Liaison (CL) Psychiatrists are frequently consulted on patients with Major Neurocognitive Disorders (MNCDs; DSM-5), formerly known as dementia. The questions usually posed include determination of decisional making capacity, management of delirium superimposed on MNCD, diagnosing the etiology of and assisting with the management of behavioral and psychiatric symptoms (e.g., mood, psychotic or behavioral symptoms) due to MNCD.
Using error-correcting codes to construct solvable pebbling distributions

In pebbling problems, pebbles are placed on the vertices of a graph. A pebbling move consists of removing two pebbles from one vertex, throwing one away, and moving the other pebble to an adjacent vertex. We say a distribution D is solvable if starting from D , we can move a pebble to any vertex by a sequence of pebbling moves. The optimal pebbling number of a graph G is the smallest number of pebbles in a solvable distribution on G .It is known that every solvable distribution on the n -dimensional hypercube Q n contains at least ( 4 3 ) n pebbles. Fu, Huang, and Shiue, building on the work of Moews, used probabilistic methods to show that there are solvable distributions where the number of pebbles is in O ( ( 4 3 ) n n 3 2 ) , but hitherto, the number of pebbles in the best constructed distributions was in O ( 1.37 7 n ) .We use error-correcting codes to construct solvable distributions of pebbles on Q n in which the number of pebbles is in O ( 1.3 4 n ) .
FA 18.4: a phase-tolerant 3.8 GB/s data-communication router for a multiprocessor supercomputer backplane

Recent parallel processor supercomputer designs use an active backplane of routers to form the interconnections between processing elements. Today, high-bandwidth interconnect systems capable of scaling to configurations with more than 500 processing nodes tend to use self-timed designs. This avoids clock distribution problems seen in large phase-sensitive synchronous systems. The BiCMOS routing component described in this paper employs 200 MHz clocked communication for large scalable parallel-processor supercomputer systems. This scheme eliminates need for clock edges to be phase-aligned across the clock distribution network. Additionally, router inputs accept data at any phase relationship to the receiving router internal clock. >
Relationship investment and reciprocity: an empirical investigation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to quantify the monetary amount of relationship investment in an investment banking context, investigate the drivers behind these relationship investments and look for evidence indicating reciprocity from the clients who receive these relationship investments. Relationship marketing has been one of the dominant mantras in marketing strategy circles, yet there is a lack of empirical evidence to prove significant relationship investment and reciprocity between exchange partners. Design/methodology/approach – Relationship investment as the monetary amount by which the fair value of a loan at issuance is below its par value is measured. Regression analysis is used to study the drivers of relationship investment, including relationship depth, relationship breadth and relationship potential. Finally, reciprocity is studied as the extent to which bank’s expectations are realized through future revenues. Findings – Based on 164 loans issued by a multinational investment bank...
Dependence of coercivity ratio on anisotropy distribution and interactions in particulate media

Summary form only given. The distribution of anisotropy energies is an important consideration in the performance of high-density recording media. Particles with very small anisotropy energies will be thermally unstable and particles with very large anisotropy energies may not be switchable. It was recently shown that large anisotropy distributions exist in L1/sub 0/ materials with partial chemical ordering, including FePt nanoparticles and CoPt/SiO/sub 2/ multilayer films. It was also observed that these partially ordered materials have large remanent to ordinary coercivity ratios that may be related in part to the anisotropy distribution. We have calculated the dependence of the coercivity ratio on the anisotropy distribution width and examined the effect of interactions on this dependence. The effect of both anisotropy distribution and mean field interaction parameter on the width of the irreversible susceptibility versus field curve was also calculated. These results suggest that the coercivity ratio can be a useful parameter for estimating anisotropy distribution widths in granular systems with weak interactions.
Horizontal compensatory eye movements in goldfish (Carassius auratus)

1. Goldfish were deprived of visual input and/or normally functional horizontal semicircular canals. 2. Their horizontal eye movements were measured from cinematographic records, and the extent to which the eyes compensated for horizontal rotations of the head was given by the “compensation factor,” CF, the ratio (rotation of the eyes relative to the head)/(rotation of the head). All data were obtained from freely-swimming fish. 3. The CF's for normal, canal-lesioned, blinded, and blinded/canal-lesioned animals were: −0.95±0.10, −0.80±0.10, −0.50±0.04, and −0.41±0.06 (means ±2 S.E.M.), respectively. 4. These figures lead to the conclusion that the visual input contributes −0.39 to −0.45 to the CF, while the canal input contributes only −0.09 to −0.17. Thus, the visual input is the major factor; the canals are quantitatively much less important. There is in addition a third source (or sources) contributing to the CF, since the blinded/canal-lesioned fish compensated partially. 5. Experiments of partially restrained animals showed that this third source is not a preprogrammed instruction, nor is it dependent on sensory feedback from the rest of the labyrinth, tactile receptors, lateral line current detectors, or proprioceptors in the trunk. Its identity remains a mystery.
Formative assessment: reducing math phobia and related test anxiety in a geology class for non-science majors

Math and test anxiety are common in science classes for non-science majors. Formative assessment was used to prepare such students for exams. This included weekly quizzes that were challenging, graded harshly, and completely correctable (corrected grade completely replaced original grade). By the midterm, 100% of the students mastered rate calculations, and when retested at the final, 80% of the students retained the ability to solve the rate calculations. Students also reported feeling less math phobic.
Organization, market and community as strategies for change: what works best for deep changes in schools

How one approaches changing a school or an educational system depends, fundamentally, on one’s views about what kinds of places schools really are or should be. In this chapter, Tom Sergiovanni describes three dominant perspectives on schooling and the change strategies that spring from them — schools as bureaucratic organizations, schools as market systems, and schools as communities.
High pressure, high temperature equation of state for Fe2SiO4 ringwoodite and implications for the Earth's transition zone

[1] We measured the density of iron-ringwoodite and its pressure and temperature dependence at conditions of the mantle transition zone using the laser-heated diamond anvil cell in conjunction with X-ray diffraction. Our new data combined with previous measurements constrain the thermoelastic properties of ringwoodite as a function of pressure and temperature throughout the transition zone. Our best fit Mie-Gruneisen-Debye equation of state parameters for Fe end-member ringwoodite are V0 = 42.03 cm3/mol, K0 = 202 (4) GPa, K′ = 4, γ0 = 1.08 (6), q = 2, and θD = 685 K. This new equation of state revises calculated densities of the Fe end-member at transition zone conditions upwards by ∼0.6% compared with previous formulations. We combine our data with equation of state parameters across the Mg-Fe compositional range to quantify the effect of iron and temperature on the density and bulk sound velocity of ringwoodite at pressure and temperature conditions of the Earth's transition zone. The results show that variations in iron content and temperature have opposing effects on density and bulk sound velocity, suggesting that compositional (iron content) and temperature variations in the transition zone may be distinguished using seismic observables.
Targeted programs v the basic income guarantee: an examination of the efficiency costs of different forms of redistribution

Abstract A basic income guarantee is known to require a great deal of tax revenue per dollar of net transfer. Such revenue requirements can appear to be prohibitive, not only politically but also in terms of economic efficiency; and this impression can lead people to favor more targeted forms of redistribution in which there are eligibility requirements and means-testing and where the financing is entirely by non-recipients. A simple simulation is used in this article to show that, in the United States, a basic income guarantee is not necessarily a less efficient way of accomplishing redistributive goals and that it could well be more efficient. Two other important and related conclusions become apparent. First, a large proportion of the inefficiency is due to the behavioral response of the net donor population rather than to net recipient behavior. Second, the efficiency costs of these two types of redistributive programs are not proportional to their revenue requirements.
Obstetrician-gynecologists performing genetic amniocentesis may be misleading themselves and their patients

Abstract Objective: Our purpose was to compare midtrimester amniocentesis-related fetal loss rates between obstetrician-gynecologists and perinatologists. Study Design: This cohort study analyzes 1384 midtrimester amniocenteses from January 1, 1996, to December 31, 1999. Obstetrician-gynecologists who split their practices between two or more hospitals and explained fetal losses (eg, fetal anomalies, aneuploidy) were excluded from analysis. Eight obstetriciangynecologists performed 138 procedures; 3 perinatologists performed 1246 procedures. Three experienced obstetrician-gynecologists accounted for 113 procedures. Analysis was by χ 2 . Results: Within 30 days of midtrimester amniocentesis, there were 3 fetal losses for obstetriciangynecologists and 4 for perinatologists ( P = .02, χ 2 = 5.19, degrees of freedom=1). Obstetriciangynecologist loss rates were 1 in 46 procedures versus 1 in 312 procedures for perinatologists. Losses were clustered among the 3 experienced obstetrician-gynecologists ( P 2 = 6.93, degrees of freedom=1). The experienced obstetrician-gynecologist fetal loss rate was 1 in 38 amniocenteses, and the perinatologist fetal loss rate was 1 in 312. Conclusion: The risk of fetal loss from midtrimester amniocentesis appears to be higher when performed by an obstetrician-gynecologist compared with a perinatologist. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2001;184:1340-4.)
Integrated facilities design using a contour distance metric

Abstract The unequal area facility design problem has been studied in the literature generally by considering block layout separate from detailed design. This paper shows a tractable method for concurrently optimizing department shape and location within the facility, and selection of the appropriate number of Input/Output (I/O) stations per department and then optimally locating them. The distance metric used is the contour distance that measures transport between I/O stations along the perimeters of departmental boundaries. This distance metric better reflects allowable material flow for many industrial applications and it directly implies the optimal aisle structure for the facility.
The Gamete-Shedding Substances of Starfishes: A Physiological-Biochemical Study

A shedding substance, found in the radial nerves of 14 species of starfish, induced the release of gametes from intact animals as well as from whole or fragmented gonads. The shedding substance was not sex-specific, being present in the radial nerves of both males and females throughout the year, and, in general, was not species-specific. This neurosecretory-like polypeptide appeared to function by stimulating ovarian muscle to contract, and was calcium-dependent: it also stimulated the maturation of immature eggs. The shedding substance has been purified and its amino acid composition investigated. A second physiologically-active material, termed “shedhibin” because it inhibited shedding activity, was also found in the radial nerves of ripe sea stars. In the presence of shedhibin, normally-adequate quantities of shedding substance would not cause the release of gametes from isolated ovarian fragments. It appeared that although the level of shedding substance was constant throughout the year, the level of shedhibin fluctuated, possibly controlling the natural release of gametes from sea stars. The precise chemical nature of shedhibin has yet to be determined.
Ogg1 null mice exhibit age-associated loss of the nigrostriatal pathway and increased sensitivity to MPTP.

Cumulative damage to cellular macromolecules via oxidative stress is a hallmark of aging and neurodegenerative disease. Whether such damage is a cause or a subsequent effect of neurodegeneration is still unknown. This paper describes the development of an age-associated mild parkinsonian model in mice that lack the DNA repair enzyme 8-oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (Ogg1). Aged OGG1 knock-out (OGG1 KO) mice show a decreased spontaneous locomotor behavior and evidence a decrease in striatal dopamine levels, a loss of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons in the substantia nigra (SN), and an increase in ubiquitin-positive inclusions in their remaining SN neurons. In addition, young OGG1 KO mice are more susceptible to the dopaminergic toxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) than their wild-type (WT) counterparts. Age-associated increases in 7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanine (oxo8dG) have been reported in brain regions and neuronal populations affected in Parkinson’s disease (PD), toxin-induced parkinsonian models, and mice harboring genetic abnormalities associated with PD. Because of these increased oxo8dG levels, the OGG1 KO mouse strain could shed light on molecular events leading to neuronal loss as a consequence of cumulative oxidative damage to DNA during aging and after toxicological challenge.
R. K. Merton's concepts of function and functionalism

In this paper an attempt is made to provide an analysis of the meaning of the term function and related terms as they are used by R. K. Merton in the first chapter of his book Social Theory and Social Structure. Several problems are suggested which must be solved if statements about functions are to be considered scientifically adequate. Secondly the term functionalism is defined and several of Merton's functionalist explanations of social phenomena are stated and criticized.
A new grain-boundary etchant for aluminum alloys

Abstract A new etchant containing HNO3, HF, and CrO3 has been developed for aluminum alloys whose grain structure is normally difficult to reveal. It removes smeared metal left by polishing and shows detail in areas prone to staining. This etchant has proved highly satisfactory for both optical and scanning electron microscopy, particularly for the powder metallurgy (PM) alloys. The preferred metallographic etchant for structural aluminum alloys is generally one based on HCl, NHO3, and HF, usually referred to as Keller's etch [1]. At times, however, this etchant does not give completely satisfactory results. This is true when the structure is nonhomogeneous, having patches of recrystallized and nonrecrystallized grains or clusters of intermetallic particles in material containing otherwise few particles. Samples with a poor final polish and a smeared surface also do not respond well to Keller's etch.
Antioxidant and prooxidant mechanisms in the regulation of redox(y)-sensitive transcription factors

A progressive rise of oxidative stress due to the altered reduction-oxidation (redox) homeostasis appears to be one of the hallmarks of the processes that regulate gene transcription in physiology and pathophysiology. Reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen (RNS) species serve as signaling messengers for the evolution and perpetuation of the inflammatory process that is often associated with the condition of oxidative stress, which involves genetic regulation. Changes in the pattern of gene expression through ROS/RNS-sensitive regulatory transcription factors are crucial components of the machinery that determines cellular responses to oxidative/redox conditions. Transcription factors that are directly influenced by reactive species and pro-inflammatory signals include nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha). Here, I describe the basic components of the intracellular oxidative/redox control machinery and its crucial regulation of oxygen- and redox-sensitive transcription factors such as NF-kappaB and HIF-1alpha.
Are All Amateurs Equal? Candidate Quality in the 1992-1998 House Elections

An analysis of U.S. House elections is undertaken for the years 1992–98. Building upon the work of Canon (1990 and 1993), we look at the performance of amateur candidates who defeat at least one quality candidate in the party primary. We find that these “competitive amateurs,” as we call them, are comparable to quality candidates in terms of strategic behavior, fundraising, competitiveness, and electoral success. These results hold for both incumbent and open seat races. The results in many ways replicate Canon's earlier analysis despite a more stringent coding scheme. We present evidence that suggests candidate occupation could be a possible explanation for the success of these candidates. The analyses suggest that the class of candidates we call competitive amateurs should be coded as quality candidates in future congressional research.
Diverse roles of leptin in the gastrointestinal tract: modulation of motility, absorption, growth, and inflammation.

Objective Leptin was discovered in 1994 as a hormone produced by adipose tissue with a modulatory effect on feeding behavior and weight control. Recently, the stomach has been identified as an important source of leptin and growing evidence has shown diverse functions for leptin in the gastrointestinal tract.
The metal-insulator transition in stressed germanium

Abstract We study the luminescence from highly excited (111)-stressed germanium above the electron-hole liquid critical temperature. We relate our results to recent screening theories and conclude that a plasma is formed near the excited surface and maintained in steady state.
Exchange of adenosine diphosphate bound to actin in superprecipitated actomyosin and contracted myofibrils.

Up to half of the ADP bound to actin passes into the medium from super-precipitated actomyosin. The presence of ATP or other nucleotide triphosphates is necessary for release to take place. Superprecipitation is also a required condition. If superprecipitation of actomyosin is delayed or inhibited by the omission of magnesium in the presence of the various nucleotide triphosphates or by lowering the temperature, the release is also delayed or inhibited even though ATP or nucleotide triphosphates are present in the medium in great excess. The reaction is an exchange reaction and the actin-bound ADP is replaced by ADP formed from the ATP of the medium. In a system where the actomyosin contains [3H]ADP and the medium [14C]ATP, the loss of [3H]ADP from the actomyosin precipitate is compensated for by the incorporation of [14C]ADP throughout the whole course of the reaction. The same sites can undergo a reaction more than once and a major portion of the newly incorporated [14C]ADP re-exchanges at about the same speed as the unreacted sites containing [3H]ADP. The change on actin leading to the availability of its bound ADP is a transitory one and the ADP newly incorporated into super-precipitated actomyosin cannot serve as cofactor for the creatine kinase-phosphocreatine system. Exchange takes place also on “natural” actomyosin and, though with a slower speed, on washed myofibrils. The exchange reaction with actomyosin starts with a rapid burst, then proceeds at a slower rate. The experiments are interpreted to mean that myosin and ATP in conditions of superprecipitation and contraction impose a change on actin which leads to a loosening of the bond between actin and its bound ADP. The evidence would indicate that repetitive, cyclic reactions occur at the sites of actin and myosin interaction. The rapidly exchanging fraction of ADP may represent the maximum number of actin and myosin sites in contact in an actomyosin precipitate. The slower exchange would be limited by the time required for the completion of the previous cycle and for the unreacted actin sites to come into close proximity with active sites on myosin.†
Graft-facilitating doses of ex vivo activated gammadelta T cells do not cause lethal murine graft-vs.-host disease.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the ability of gamma(delta) T cells to cause graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and to determine whether these cells offered any therapeutic advantages relative to alphabeta T cells. Due to the paucity of naive gamma(delta) T cells in mice and humans, gamma(delta), T cells (obtained from alpha(beta) T cell-deficient murine donors) were ex vivo activated and expanded in interleukin (IL)-2 so as to achieve sufficient cell numbers and to serve as a more clinically feasible strategy. After transplantation into lethally irradiated hosts, donor gamma(delta) T cells were detected in target organs of GVHD such as the spleen and intestines 2 weeks after BMT and constituted the primary T cell subpopulation. Large doses (150 x 10(6)) of activated gamma(delta) T cells, which we have previously shown capable of facilitating engraftment in MHC-disparate recipients, failed to cause fatal GVHD in lethally irradiated recipients of MHC-incompatible donor marrow grafts (C57BL/6 [H-2b]-->B10.BR [H-2k] and C57BL/6 [H-2b]-B6D2F1[H-2b/d]). The absence of GVHD was confirmed by histologic analysis of target organs, splenic B cell reconstitution, and appropriate negative selection in the thymus, that were all comparable to those observed in mice transplanted with T cell-depleted BM only. While early splenic reconstitution was attributable to donor gamma(delta) T cells, analysis of durably engrafted chimeras 2 months posttransplant revealed that the vast majority of donor splenic T cells expressed the alpha(beta) T cell receptor. The results of secondary adoptive transfer assays showed that these cells were tolerant of recipient alloantigens in vivo, demonstrating that gamma(delta) T cells did not prevent the subsequent development of donor anti-host tolerance in BM-derived alpha(beta) T cells. When comparatively evaluated, the minimal number of naive alpha(beta) T cells necessary for donor engraftment caused significantly more fatal GVHD than the corresponding minimal dose of activated gamma(delta) T cells and thus had a superior therapeutic index. These studies indicate that doses of activated gamma(delta) T cells that are able to promote alloengraftment do not cause lethal GVHD in mice transplanted with MHC-incompatible marrow grafts. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 1999;5(4):222-30.