cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessment of the Accuracy and Reliability of Vascular Surgery Quality Metrics.

Background Health care quality metrics are crucial to medical institutions, payers, and patients. Obtaining current and reliable quality data is challenging, as publicly reported databases lag by several years. Vizient Clinical Data Base (previously University Health Consortium) is utilized by over 5,000 academic and community medical centers to benchmark health care metrics with results based on predetermined Vizient service lines. We sought to assess the accuracy and reliability of vascular surgery service line metrics, as determined by Vizient. Methods Vizient utilizes encounter data submitted by participating medical centers and generates a diverse array of health care metrics ranging from mortality to costs. All inpatient cases captured by Vizient under the vascular surgery service line were identified at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center (fiscal year 2016). Each case within the service line was reviewed and categorized as “vascular” or “nonvascular” based on care provided by UMass vascular surgery faculty: vascular = vascular surgery was integral part of care, nonvascular = vascular surgery had minimal or no involvement. Statistical analysis comparing length of stay (LOS), cost, readmission, mortality, and complication rates between vascular and nonvascular cohorts was performed. All inpatient cases discharged by a vascular surgeon National Provider Identifier number were also reviewed and categorized according to Vizient service lines. Results Vizient's vascular surgery service line identified 696 cases, of which 556 (80%) were vascular and 140 (20%) were nonvascular. When comparing these 2 cohorts, vascular cases had a significantly lower LOS (3.4 vs. 8.7 days; P Conclusions Health care quality metrics play an important role for all stakeholders but obtaining accurate and reliable data to implement improvements is challenging. In this single institution experience, inpatient cases that were not under the direction or care of a vascular surgeon resulted in significantly negative impacts on LOS, cost, complication rate, and mortality to the vascular surgery service line, as defined by a national clinical database. Therefore, clinicians must understand the data abstracting and reporting process before implementing effective strategic plans.
Situational interest helps correct misconceptions: An investigation of conceptual change in university students

Many learners possess misconceptions regarding instructional content; toward this aim, educational practitioners employ teaching practices that support learners’ efforts to restructure their existing knowledge structures—a process known as conceptual change. The Cognitive Reconstruction of Knowledge Model emphasizes the importance of conceptual dissatisfaction, topic interest, and learners’ need for cognition in the process of conceptual change. However, most conceptual change studies have failed to differentiate the contribution of dispositional and situational interest to the revision of conceptual understanding. The current study was designed to test key predictions of the Cognitive Reconstruction of Knowledge Model while also exploring the influence of dispositional and situational interest on the conceptual change process. Participants (N = 360) recruited from two universities in the United States completed measures assessing pre- and post-test knowledge, individual and situational interest, need for cognition, dissatisfaction, and cognitive engagement. Further, participants read a refutational text designed to address commonly endorsed misconceptions regarding HIV/AIDS. Results of a path analysis indicated situational interest exerted a significant indirect effect on conceptual change scores through cognitive engagement. Contrary to the predictions of the Cognitive Reconstruction of Knowledge Model, our findings indicated that the need for cognition, individual interest, and cognitive conflict were not significant predictors of conceptual change. We believe the findings of our investigation highlight the importance of fostering situational interest when attempting to promote knowledge reconstruction among learners.
Application of the TRAP-18 Framework to U.S. and Western European Lone Actor Terrorists

The purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility and relevance of the Terrorist Radicalization Assessment Protocol-18 (TRAP-18), an investigative framework to identify those at risk of lone ...
Political Corruption and Development in Brazil: Do Random Audits of Corruption Increase Economic Activity?

The government of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva implemented a random audits program aimed at curbing municipal corruption in 2003. Recent literature found evidence that these audits successfully reduced corruption (Avis, Ferraz, and Finan 2018) and improved firm performance (Colonnelli and Prem 2017). These latter findings are obtained using survey data concerning formal activity alone. However, many formal firms operate partially “off the books”. Further, these audits likely affect citizen tolerance for corruption in general potentially affecting other facets of governance including informality enforcement. This has its own consequence on economic growth. Thus, an analysis including all forms of economic activity is warranted. We utilize difference-in-difference and matching techniques in conjunction with broad measures of total economic activity to test if audited municipalities improved relative to their non-audited counterparts. We find evidence of a slight decline in subsequent economic activity; we find no evidence of any benefit. A preliminary analysis suggests that this decline may stem from increased informality enforcement.
Interplay of electronic structure and unusual development in crystal structure of YbAuIn and Yb3AuGe2In3

First-principles calculations within the DFT are employed to investigate the relationship between the electronic structure and the unexpected features of the hexagonal cell parameters of YbAuIn and . Calculations indicate that YbAuIn is an intermediate valent system with one Yb 4f state pinned to the Fermi level, while is closer to integer valency with all Yb 4f states occupied. Structural relaxations performed on LaAuIn and LuAuIn analogues reveal that expansion of the c-parameter in is attributable to larger size of the divalent Yb compared with intermediate valent Yb.
Perceptions of older adults? Measuring positive, negative, and physical descriptors using the stereotype content and strength survey

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted the health of older adults. In addition to a higher risk for serious illness and death, the societal value of senescent adults was challenged. There have been conflicting results reported in the research literature regarding positive and negative stereotypes of older adults, and areliable and valid assessment tool to measure content (existence of astereotype) and strength (intensity of astereotype) is unavailable. To address issues with instruments employed to measure ageist stereotypes, researchers developed the Stereotypes Content and Strength Survey. University students (n=483) were directed to "think about their perceptions of older adults" and indicate how many they believed could be described using the terms listed on a5-point Likert-type scale from none-all. Response categories for each descriptive item were dichotomized into 1 = "some, most or all" and 0 = "none or few." Based on an odds analyses of 117 items, 84 met the content criteria to be considered astereotype regarding older adults. Using the criteria for strength, items were categorized into 36 "strong," 25 "moderate," and 23 "weak" stereotypes. Assessing the content and strength of stereotypic beliefs using this procedure may contribute to major bias influencing ageist perceptions.
How does working from home during COVID-19 affect what managers do? Evidence from time-Use studies

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced millions of workers to suddenly shift their activity out of their offices and into their homes: 5–15% of Americans worked from home before the pandemi...
“He’s an idiot!” Experiences of International Students in the United States

Kim, a doctoral student from South Korea, went to a grocery store after being in the U.S. for only one week. When he got to a counter to pay for the items that he picked up, a clerk asked if Kim wanted cash back when he paid with his debit card. Since there was no cash back system in grocery markets in his home country, Kim did not understand right away what the clerk meant. Kim seemed to be puzzled and responded, “Yes, I want cash [back]” but changed his answer in a few seconds, “No, no, no. [I] don’t need [it].” On hearing him, the clerk whispered to another clerk:, “He’s an idiot.”
Amuletos para la imaginación

El viajero de los pies de oro. Geranio Rivera (prologo de William Ospina) Hombre Nuevo Editores, Medellin, 2003, 120 pags.
Software Engineering as Part of an Undergraduate Computer Science Program

The need for properly educated software engineers grows every year, and, unfortunately, the subject is not addressed to any depth in most undergraduate computer science programs. However, it is our position that it is premature to create an undergraduate software engineering program separate from computer science. We are convinced, nevertheless, that certain of the most significant software engineering topics can be incorporated into the existing framework of a computer science program. At the Air Force Academy we have an approach to do this that we have been evolving over the last eight years. And because we have been accredited during this time we feel confident that the incorporation of software engineering into a computer science curriculum can be done within the guidelines of recognized computer science curricula. While we do not expect this approach to produce a fully qualified software engineer, the graduate will have a good basis for competence in large scale development and an appreciation of the major issues in software engineering.
An Analysis of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for Students with Behavioral Disorders

Evaluated were 214 Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) of students with behavioral disorders assigned to public school resource, self-contained, and interrelated (i.e., cross-categorical) and residential/institutional special education programs. Federal mandate compliance, number of annual goals, completed short-term objectives, and congruency between annual goals and the present level of performance statement were examined. Descriptive analysis of the results revealed that over one-third of the IEPs lacked necessary mandated components. Differences in number of annual goals and short-term objectives were noted for age groups and delivery models. Incongruencies between present level of performance statement and annual goals were also found across all age groups and delivery models. Implications of these findings are discussed relative to the function of IEPs for students with behavioral disorders.
Orthostatic Hypotension and Risk of Venous Thromboembolism in 2 Cohort Studies.

BACKGROUND Although venous stasis is a risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE) and orthostatic hypotension (OH) can cause venous stasis, to our knowledge no study has examined the relationship between OH and VTE risk. We sought to quantify the association between OH and VTE (deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism) using data from 2 large, prospective cohort studies: the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) and the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. We hypothesized that OH was positively associated with incident VTE. METHODS We measured OH-defined as a drop in systolic blood pressure (SBP) of at least 20 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of at least 10 mm Hg within 3 minutes of standing-in participants aged 45-64 years in ARIC (n = 12,480) and ≥65 years in CHS (n = 5,027) at baseline visits (1987-1989 in ARIC; 1989-1990 and 1992-1993 in CHS), and followed participants for incident VTE (n = 568 in ARIC through 2011 and n = 148 in CHS through 2001). We calculated adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incident VTE in relation to OH status. RESULTS In CHS, there was a positive association between OH status and incident VTE (HR for VTE = 1.74 (95% CI: 1.20-2.51)). In contrast, there was no association between OH and VTE in the ARIC study (HR for VTE = 0.97 (95% CI: 0.70-1.33)). CONCLUSIONS Community-dwelling older adults with OH had a moderately increased risk of VTE. These results were not seen in a population-based middle-aged cohort.
Pharmacology and Neurochemistry of Olivocochlear Efferents

This chapter covers the chemistry and pharmacology of efferent transmission in the cochlea, starting with an overview of the biochemical and biophysical steps following the arrival of an action potential at the peripheral efferent nerve terminal (Sect. 4.1.1). A brief history of advances in understanding the efferent system follows (Sect. 4.1.2). The description of the neurochemistry and pharmacology of efferent action is organized around the sequence of events beginning with the arrival of an action potential at the medial efferent peripheral terminal and ending with the activation of calcium-dependent potassium channels in the outer hair cell (OHC; Sect. 4.2). In Sect. 4.3, other efferent neurotransmitters are covered and, because most of these are associated with the lateral efferent system, it is in this section that much of the knowledge of lateral efferents is presented.
Means for the assessment of radioligand quality and its importance in receptor-binding studies. Observations with radiolabelled formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine.

Abstract Various methods for testing the quality of radioligands were applied to two different radiolabelled forms of formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMet-Leu-Phe). The purpose of the study was both to examine the value of these methods for assessing radioligand quality and to determine the suitability of these particular radioligands for studying the chemotactic formylpeptide receptors on the rabbit neutrophil. It is useful in this context to distinguish two different aspects of radioligand quality: these are purity and equivalence to the native ligand. The two methods described for measuring receptor-reactivity (or 'bindability'), by measuring binding to an increasing excess of receptors and by a re-incubation procedure, provide a reliable measure of purity that should readily be applicable to other radioligands. Equivalence to the native ligand is more difficult to establish, and any uncertainty about the specific radioactivity of the radioligand can pose serious problems with this assessment. Commercial preparations of both tritiated and 35S-labelled fMet-Leu-Phe were found to be inadequately pure for detailed receptor studies. Repurification by t.l.c., however, consistently yielded radioligand preparations of high purity and close equivalence to the native ligand. Other radioligands may often also require a suitable repurification step before use for detailed receptor studies; this is especially important whenever a complex receptor-binding pattern is envisaged.
Regulation of Recombination and Genomic Maintenance

Recombination is a central process to stably maintain and transmit a genome through somatic cell divisions and to new generations. Hence, recombination needs to be coordinated with other events occurring on the DNA template, such as DNA replication, transcription, and the specialized chromosomal functions at centromeres and telomeres. Moreover, regulation with respect to the cell-cycle stage is required as much as spatiotemporal coordination within the nuclear volume. These regulatory mechanisms impinge on the DNA substrate through modifications of the chromatin and directly on recombination proteins through a myriad of posttranslational modifications (PTMs) and additional mechanisms. Although recombination is primarily appreciated to maintain genomic stability, the process also contributes to gross chromosomal arrangements and copy-number changes. Hence, the recombination process itself requires quality control to ensure high fidelity and avoid genomic instability. Evidently, recombination and its regulatory processes have significant impact on human disease, specifically cancer and, possibly, neurodegenerative diseases.
Naive T cells sense the cysteine protease allergen papain through protease-activated receptor 2 and propel TH2 immunity

Background Sensitization to protease allergens, such as papain, or helminth infection is associated with basophil recruitment to draining lymph nodes (LNs). Basophils have the capacity to present antigen to naive T cells and promote T H 2 differentiation directly or indirectly through IL-4 production. Objective We studied how papain induces basophil migration to LNs and the contribution of various leukocytes to papain-induced immune responses. Methods We immunized mice in the footpad with papain and studied leukocyte recruitment and inflammatory cytokine and chemokine production in the draining popliteal LNs. Results Papain directly activated naive T cells through protease-activated receptor (PAR) 2 to initiate a chemokine/cytokine program that includes CCL17, CCL22, and IL-4. Papain-triggered innate immune responses were dependent on both CD4 T cells and PAR2 and were strongly reduced in the absence of CCR4, the primary receptor for CCL17/CCL22. Conclusion These results elucidate a novel innate allergen-recognition pathway mediated by naive T cells through PAR2, which provide an immediate source of chemokines and IL-4 upstream of basophils and antigen-restricted T H 2 differentiation. PAR2 antagonism might thus hold promise for the treatment of allergic disease.
Mechanisms of reduced luteal sensitivity to prostaglandin F2α during maternal recognition of pregnancy in ewes

Abstract During maternal recognition of pregnancy, the conceptus stimulates endometrial secretion of PGF 2 α and PGE 2 . However, PGF 2 α is less effective in causing luteal regression in pregnant than in non-pregnant ewes. Experiments were conducted to elucidate mechanisms for reduced luteal sensitivity to PGF 2 α during maternal recognition of pregnancy. Corpora lutea (CL) were collected from pregnant and non-pregnant ewes 0, 4, or 12h following treatment with PGF 2 α on day 12 after estrus. Luteal PTGHS2 mRNA did not differ due to PGF 2 α or pregnancy status. Luteal PTGES mRNA was reduced in both pregnant and non-pregnant ewes after PGF 2 α treatment; while, luteal PTGFS mRNA was reduced 4h after PGF 2 α in pregnant, but not non-pregnant ewes. The result was a greater ratio of PTGES to PTGFS mRNA in pregnant ewes. Luteal mRNA for HPGD did not differ between pregnant and non-pregnant ewes on day 12. Luteal END1 mRNA was reduced in pregnant as compared to non-pregnant ewes prior to PGF 2 α challenge. Luteal END1 mRNA was increased after PGF 2 α in pregnant and non-pregnant ewes; however, ECE1 mRNA was reduced 4h after PGF 2 α in pregnant, but not non-pregnant ewes. The in vitro conversion of PGF 2 α to PGFM was greater in CL of pregnant than non-pregnant ewes at day 14. Luteal conversion of PGF 2 α to PGFM appears to be regulated post-transcriptionally. During maternal recognition of pregnancy, mechanisms of reduced luteal sensitivity to PGF 2 α may include a shift in prostaglandin production to the luteotropin PGE 2 , a reduction of ECE1 mRNA, and increased catabolism of PGF 2 α.
A PHONEMIC PERMISSIBILITY SCALE FOR PREDICTING EFFORT RATINGS AND RATES OF AUDITORY PAIRED-ASSOCIATE LEARNING OF WORDS FOREIGN TO A LANGUAGE

The phonemic permissibility scale of Smith and Koutstaal (1972) was extended to five categories to include CCVCs composed of phonemes foreign to American English. A monotonic function for effort ra...
ROOFING AN EARLY ANASAZI GREAT KIVA: ANALYSIS OF AN ARCHITECTURAL MODEL

AbstractGreat kivas played an important role in the social and ritual integration of prehistoric Pueblo societies in the northern Southwest. Early great kivas are found throughout the region, and a partially excavated example from Grass Mesa Village is used to develop an architectural roof design for a Pueblo I great kiva. Based on this design, the required diameters of the primary beams, secondary beams, and roof-support columns are calculated, and the construction costs are estimated using results from replicative building experiments. Based on climate and vegetation reconstructions for the area around Grass Mesa Village, it appears that the necessary materials were available locally. The results indicate that the construction project would require approximately 8,850 person-hours. Based on probabilistic estimates, the population of Grass Mesa Village at the time of great kiva construction (late A.D. 700s) was 38 to 58 households. If 40 households each contributed one laborer for 50 hours per week, the ...
The napsylate salt of carbendazim: 2-(methoxy­carbonyl­amino)benzimidazolium naphthalene-1-sulfonate

In the title compound, C9H10N3O2+·C10H7O3S−, the asymmetric unit comprises a carbendazim cation and a napsylate anion. Three inter­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds stabilize the structure.
Role of MAP Kinases p42erk-2/p44erk-1 in Cementum-derived Attachment-protein-mediated Cell Attachment:

Cementum-derived attachment protein (CAP) is a collagenous protein which promotes the attachment and spreading of periodontal cell types. We examined the role of the MEK/MAPK pathway in CAP-mediated fibroblast attachment. Human gingival fibroblasts were labeled with 35S-methionine, and the effect of MAP kinase pathway inhibitor PD98059 on attachment and spreading on CAP-coated dishes was examined. Effect on cell proliferation on CAP-coated plates was determined by [3H]-thymidine uptake. Attachment of human gingival fibroblasts to CAP-containing surfaces activated extracellular-signal-regulated kinases (ERK) ERK-2 and ERK-1. In the absence of serum, the ERKs were activated 15 min after attachment, reaching peak levels after 3 hours, and the activity was sustained for at least 12 hours. The enzyme levels were inhibited in cells treated with PD98059. The PD98059 did not significantly affect the kinetics of fibroblast attachment or the number of cells attaching to CAP-coated plates. However, cell spreading was retarded. DNA synthesis as indicated by [3H]-thymidine uptake was not significantly affected. In contrast to PD98059, attachment, spreading, and [3H]-thymidine uptake were inhibited by the protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor genestein. Our results indicate that the MEK/MAPK pathway participates in CAP-mediated fibroblast spreading, but cell attachment and proliferation do not appear to require ERK-2.
Modeling, design, and control of a fuel cell/battery/ultra-capacitor electric vehicle energy storage system

Within three types of energy storage, fuel cell is chosen as main energy source and battery and ultra-capacitor as power source. The slow dynamics of fuel cell will be compensated with a combination of battery and ultra-capacitor. Use of ultra-capacitor has several benefits. First longer life span of ultra-capacitor will reduce the maintenance or replacement cost of battery pack. Secondly, higher charging rate of ultra-capacitor makes regenerative braking efficient and simpler. With proper control of fuel cell boost converter, battery is directly connected to DC bus, which can improve overall efficiency. Hybrid topology will be discussed and method for charging and discharging battery and ultra-capacitor will be studied in this paper.
Fast algorithm for probabilistic bone edge detection (FAPBED)

The registration of preoperative CT to intra-operative reality systems is a crucial step in Computer Assisted Orthopedic Surgery (CAOS). The intra-operative sensors include 3D digitizers, fiducials, X-rays and Ultrasound (US). FAPBED is designed to process CT volumes for registration to tracked US data. Tracked US is advantageous because it is real time, noninvasive, and non-ionizing, but it is also known to have inherent inaccuracies which create the need to develop a framework that is robust to various uncertainties, and can be useful in US-CT registration. Furthermore, conventional registration methods depend on accurate and absolute segmentation. Our proposed probabilistic framework addresses the segmentation-registration duality, wherein exact segmentation is not a prerequisite to achieve accurate registration. In this paper, we develop a method for fast and automatic probabilistic bone surface (edge) detection in CT images. Various features that influence the likelihood of the surface at each spatial coordinate are combined using a simple probabilistic framework, which strikes a fair balance between a high-level understanding of features in an image and the low-level number crunching of standard image processing techniques. The algorithm evaluates different features for detecting the probability of a bone surface at each voxel, and compounds the results of these methods to yield a final, low-noise, probability map of bone surfaces in the volume. Such a probability map can then be used in conjunction with a similar map from tracked intra-operative US to achieve accurate registration. Eight sample pelvic CT scans were used to extract feature parameters and validate the final probability maps. An un-optimized fully automatic Matlab code runs in five minutes per CT volume on average, and was validated by comparison against hand-segmented gold standards. The mean probability assigned to nonzero surface points was 0.8, while nonzero non-surface points had a mean value of 0.38 indicating clear identification of surface points on average. The segmentation was also sufficiently crisp, with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) value of 1.51 voxels.
Sterol Solubility in Vesicles (GUV's) Containing the Ternary Lipid Mixture DPPC:DOPC:Sterol by Quantitative NMR

In the laboratory, giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) offer a rich system for studying miscibility of cholesterol and phospholipids in a lipid bilayer. Our laboratory produces vesicles through various methods, but this study will focus on electroformation. Our work and the work of many other laboratories rely on the assumption that the electroformation process creates vesicles with the same lipid composition originally assembled in the electroformation chamber, up to an ultimate sterol solubility limit. A few sterol solubility limits have been previously tested in selected binary systems [1], but are not generally known for ternary systems. It is important for us to test our assumption that the electroformation process does not significantly alter lipid composition, and also to determine the solubility limit of sterols in membranes in order to understand and properly present the results of other GUV studies from our laboratory. Here we describe studies using quantitative NMR to ascertain the solubility of sterols for which convenient chemical assays exist (e.g. cholesterol) and for which chemicals assays are not readily available (e.g. ergosterol).[1] Huang J., Buboltz J.T., Feigenson G.W., 1999. Maximum Solubility of Cholesterol in Phosphatidylcholine and Phosphatidylethanolamine Bilayers. Biochim. et Biophys. Acta 1417, 89-100.
Examining context and association at the Clovis type-site: Interpreting the 1963–1964 spring conduit excavations, Roosevelt County, New Mexico

Excavations carried out by F. Earl Green and El Llano Archaeological Society at Blackwater Locality No. 1, Roosevelt County, New Mexico provided the opportunity to investigate spatial patterning and artifact diversity between Clovis and Folsom assemblages identified in the north bank area of the Clovis type-site. Four assemblages, containing Clovis and Folsom diagnostic artifacts, were recovered during the 1963 and 1964 excavations. By viewing artifacts as clasts, and correlating particle size analyses with spatial patterning, the depositional environments associated within the four assemblages were evaluated. Building upon these findings, assemblage diversity was examined revealing both variability and continuity in the level of Clovis and Folsom technological organization. These findings augment existing models of Clovis and Folsom technology on a local basis and highlight variability in the regional transition from the late Pleistocene to the early Holocene period at Blackwater Draw Locality No. 1.
Renal reabsorption of phosphate during development: tubular events.

Studies performed in our laboratory on the isolated perfused kidney of the guinea pig have demonstrated that the rate of Pi reabsorption is substantially greater in the newborn than in the adult, when appropriate corrections are being made either for differences in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) or in renal tubular mass. In order to determine the location of this enhanced reabsorption along the nephron, micropuncture experiments were performed on euvolemic, non-fasted guinea pigs 5–14 and 42–49 days of age, maintained on standard guinea-pig chow diet (0.76% Pi). Concomitant measurements of overall kidney function were also obtained. The results confirmed that fractional reabsorption of Pi (TRPi%) across the entire kidney was significantly higher (P 0.70), the fraction of the filtered load of Pi reabsorbed was significantly higher (P<0.001) in the immature (76.66±2.74%) than in the mature (67.21±2.74%) guinea pigs. Estimates based on the differences between proximal Pi reabsorption and the urinary excretion of Pi indicate that the reabsorption of Pi in tubular segments located beyond the proximal tubule is also enhanced in the newborn when compared with the adult (15.62±2.11% vs 10.51±1.83%, respectively,P<0.05). Alternatively, this finding may be interpreted to represent a higher fractional reabsorption of Pi by deep nephrons.
The effects of heavy metals on [3H]thymidine uptake in lymphocytes.

The effects of lead, cadmium, mercury, and zinc were determined on the response of mouse splenic lymphocytes cell cultures to stimulation by the mitogens phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and pokeweed mitogen (PWM). Mice were exposed for 30 days to the metal salt in the drinking water. Splenic lymphocytes were cultured at 15 and 30 days to determine the response to the mitogens by measuring the uptake of [3H]thymidine. In vitro response was measured after adding the metal salts directly to the cell culture. In vivo exposure to high concentrations of lead, cadmium, or mercury for 30 days resulted in significantly (p < 0.05) decreased responses to both mitogens. Cadmium (1.42 mm) and mercury (0.50 mm) produced these decreases after 15 days of exposure. Cadmium and mercury also produced dose-dependent inhibition in vitro, with the response to PHA being more sensitive. The results suggest that the metals may affect the lymphocyte directly by altering the synthesis of cellular DNA and thereby influence production of antibodies. Lymphocyte membrane ATPase activity was measured to ascertain the metal effects. All metals used caused a dose-dependent inhibition of ouabain-insensitive ATPase in isolated lymphocytes.
Observation of strong many-body effects in thin InN films grown on GaN buffer layers

Here, we present our new results following our studies of the temperatureand intensity-dependent photoluminescence (PL) spectra. We grew two samples of the InN thin films by using molecular-beam epitaxy. Both of the films were deposited on the 4-mum-thick semi-insulating GaN buffer layers. These buffer layers were directly grown on the (0001) sapphire substrates
Geologic profile across Southeastern New England

Abstract This progress report describes major geological features of three segments of a profile across southern New England: (1) the Clinton—Boston, (2) the Boston—Narragansett Basins, and (3) the Narragansett Bay cross sections. Segment (1) is a traverse across four tectonic blocks from the Merrimack synclinorium across the Clinton—Newbury and Bloody Bluff fault zones and across the southwestern tip of the Boston Basin. The Clinton—Newbury and Bloody Bluff fault zones together may define the suture between the North American plate and the Avalonian terrain of the Eur-African plate. The Avalonian plate may have been overridden by the North American or vice versa, these two faults in any case mark the northwestern and southeastern boundaries of crustal underplating. These tectonic features probably formed during the Acadian, although their present geometry was defined during the Alleghanian orogeny. The Boston and Narragansett basins, segments 2 and 3 are within the Avalonian platform. The age of the cover rocks of the former is uncertain but arguments for a Late Precambrian—Cambrian age are presented; those of the Narragansett Basin are fossiliferous Pennsylvanian. The northwestern part of the Avalonian platform is characterized by SE-directed, NW-dipping, thrusts and highangle reverse faults; the southeastern part of the platform, on the other hand, is characterized by NW-directed, SE-dipping faults. In the Narragansett Basin the Alleghanian (Variscan) orogeny is a major orogenic event consisting of the following elements: (1) isoclinal folding and refolding associated with thrusting; (2) upper amphibolite facies Barrovian regional metamorphism; and (3) intrusion of probably anatectic granites.
CONQUER: A Tool for NL-Based Query Refinement and Contextualizing Code Search Results

Identifying relevant code to perform maintenance or reuse tasks is becoming increasingly difficult. Software systems continue to grow and evolve, and developers often find themselves searching within thousands to even millions of lines of code to identify code relevant to a particular maintenance task. Automated solutions are vital to help developers become more efficient at locating code to be modified when performing maintenance tasks. In order to address this need and help developers reduce the time spent finding and searching for relevant code, we have built an Eclipse-plug in, CONQUER, that helps developers identify relevant results by providing critical insight and context of how query words are used in the code. CONQUER leverages advanced natural language (NL) information in the source code to group, sort and display the results in a meaningful way. In addition, CONQUER analyzes the frequency and co-occurrence of words in the method result set to provide alternative phrases that can help further refine the query. This rich contextual hierarchy helps the developer quickly determine if the query is correct and hone in on relevant results. The NL-based organization of results reduces the number of relevance judgments the developers need to make, and thus can reduce the overall time for a maintenance task.
Methamphetamine exposure during the preweanling period causes prolonged changes in dorsal striatal protein kinase A activity, dopamine D2-like binding sites, and dopamine content.

Exposure to methamphetamine (METH) during the preweanling period produces few, if any, neurotoxic effects (using criteria established in adult rats), yet it has substantial long-term effects on a variety of behavioral measures (e.g., locomotor activity, acoustic startle response, and spatial learning). The purpose of the present study was to examine the long-term changes in dopaminergic functioning brought about by early METH exposure. Rats were injected with METH (10 mg/kg) or saline four times daily on postnatal days (PD) 11–20 and housed undisturbed until PD 90, at which time they were killed and their dorsal striata (i.e., caudate–putamen) were removed and frozen for assay. The ability of early METH exposure to alter protein kinase A (PKA) activity and dopamine (DA) D2-like binding sites, as well as DA and DOPAC content, were assessed. Results showed that METH exposure on PD 11–20 caused long-term reductions in all of the dopaminergic markers assayed. METH-induced reductions in DA content and D2-like receptors were observed. Some sex differences were apparent, as the METH-induced decreases in PKA activity and DOPAC content were more evident in male rats. In conclusion, preweanling METH exposure caused changes in DA markers that were still detectable at PD 90; however the magnitude of many of these effects (e.g., the reductions in DA and DOPAC levels) was substantially less than typically reported for rats treated with METH in adulthood. The ability of METH to cause long-term reductions in PKA activity may partially account for some of behavioral deficits exhibited by rats exposed to METH prior to weaning. Synapse 48:131–137, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Glycosphingolipid-enriched signaling domain in mouse neuroblastoma Neuro2a cells. Mechanism of ganglioside-dependent neuritogenesis.

Abstract Differentiation and neuritogenesis of mouse neuroblastoma Neuro2a cells are induced by exogenous ganglioside but are not induced by nerve growth factor because its receptor is absent in these cells. In view of the emerging concept of the “glycosphingolipid-enriched domain” (GEM), we studied the mechanism of the ganglioside effect, focusing on the structure and function of such a domain. GEM in Neuro2a cells, separated as a low density membrane fraction, contains essentially all glycosphingolipids and sphingomyelin, together with five signal transducer molecules (c-Src, Lyn, Csk, Rho A, Ha-Ras). 3H-Labeled Il3NeuAc-LacCer (GM3), Gb4Cer (globoside), and Il3NeuAc-Gg4Cer (GM1) added exogenously to cells were incorporated and concentrated in the low density GEM fraction. In contrast, more than 50% of glycerophospholipids and 30% of cholesterol were found in the high density fraction.3H-Labeled phosphatidylcholine added exogenously to cells was incorporated exclusively in the high density fraction. c-Src, the predominant signal transducer in the microdomain, was coimmunoprecipitated with anti-GM3 antibody DH2 or with anti-Csk; reciprocally, Csk was coimmunoprecipitated with anti-c-Src, indicating a close association of GM3, c-Src, and Csk. Brief stimulation of an isolated GEM fraction by the exogenous addition of GM3, but not lactosylceramide, caused enhanced c-Src phosphorylation with a concomitant decrease of Csk level in GEM. A decreased Csk/c-Src ratio in GEM may cause activation of c-Src because Csk is a negative regulator of c-Src. The effect of exogenous GM3 on c-Src activity was also observed in intact Neuro2a cells. Activation of c-Src was followed by rapid and prolonged (60 min) enhancement of mitogen-activated protein kinase activity leading to neuritogenesis. Thus, the ganglioside induction of neuritogenesis in Neuro2a cells is mediated by GEM structure and function.
Parents’ and teachers’ perceptions of standards-based and traditional report cards

The purpose of this study was to determine parents’ and teachers’ perceptions of standards-based and traditional report cards. Participants included 115 parents/guardians of students from a single, midsize school district that had implemented a standards-based report card. During the first two marking periods, all parents/guardians received both a traditional report card in which teachers assigned a single overall grade for each subject and a standards-based report card that included marks for individual standards within subjects. After midyear, parents were asked to complete a survey that asked which form they preferred and the reasons for their preference. Three hundred and eighty three teachers from two nearby midsize school districts considering the adoption of the same standards-based report card completed a similar survey. Parents overwhelmingly preferred the standards-based form. The teachers considering the adoption of a standards based report card were positive overall, but significantly less than the parents who had received them.
Dry eye (Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca), rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjögren's syndrome.

The results of this study may be summarized as follow: Dry eye is common in RA patients (92% dry eye and 47% probable dry eye). In patients with RA and SS, there is a correlation between LI and tests of dry eye severity but there is no correlation evident in patients with RA but not SS. In RA patients without SS, increased activity of RA (deterioration) does not seem to lead to aggravation of dry eye disease. The authors suggest that the etiology of dry eye may be different in SS and non-SS patients with RA. To interpret these results, it is useful to consider the criteria used to establish patient categories. In this study, dry eye was diagnosed on the basis of objective signs that is, an abnormality of “tear dynamics” (Schirmer test with anesthetic or tear film break up time [TFBUT]) and an abnormality of the ocular surface (fluorescein staining of the cornea or rose Bengal staining of the conjunctiva). The presence of an abnormality in each category qualified the patient with the diagnosis of dry eye; the presence of only one category of abnormality is considered “probable dry eye.” This formulation differs from that in general use outside of Japan in that symptoms are not included. Roughly, however, those considered “dry eye” in this study would correspond to moderate to severe dry eye and those labeled “probable dry eye” to mild dry eye. This is, admittedly, an oversimplification but it enables us to interpret these findings in a format that is more widely in use.
Techniques And Application Of FTIR Vibrational Circular Dichroism

Vibrational Circular Dichroism (VCD) has proven to be useful for detecting conformational change and for characterizing secondary structures for a variety of biopolymers. Use of FTIR-based VCD for such problems has been made possible with recent improvements in optical design and S/N. FTIR-VCD and dispersive VCD each have strengths that are optimal for specific problems. A comparison of techniques is presented in this lecture, and selected examples of VCD applications to polypeptides and proteins are given.
Coping with distance: an empirical study of communication on the jazz platform

Global software development - which is characterized by teams separated by physical distance and/or time-zone differences - has traditionally posed significant communication challenges. Often these have caused delays in completing tasks, or created misalignment across sites leading to re-work. In recent years, however, a new breed of development environments with rich collaboration features have emerged to facilitate cross-site work in distributed projects. In this paper we revisit the question "does distance matter?" in the context of IBM Jazz Platform -- a state-of-the-art collaborative development environment. We study the ecosystem of a large distributed team of around 300 members across 35 physical locations, which uses the Jazz platform for agile development. Our results indicate that while there is a delay in communication due to geographic separation, teams try to reduce the impact of delays by having a large percentage of work distributed within same/few time zones and working beyond regular office hours to interact with distributed teams. We observe different communication patterns depending on the roles of the team members, with component leads and project managers having a significantly higher overhead than development team members. We discuss the practical implications of our findings in terms of some best practices that can help lessen the impact of distance.
MODELLING OF SURFACE WATER BEHAVIOUR ON ICE PROTECTED AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS

A numerical solution for ‘running wet’ aircraft anti‐icing systems is developed. The model includes breakup of the water film, which exists in regions of direct impingement, into individual rivulets. The wetness factor distribution resulting from the film breakup and rivulet configuration on the surface are predicted in the numerical solution procedure. The solid wall is modelled as a multi‐layer structure and the anti‐icing system used is of the thermal type utilizing hot air and/or electrical heating elements embedded within the layers. Details of the calculation procedure and the methods used are presented.
Counting the integers factorable via cyclotomic methods

Abstract Let F ( x , t , A ) denote the number of integers up to x that algorithm A can completely factor with probability at least 1/2 using at most t arithmetic operations with integers at most x . In this paper we analyze F ( x , t , A ) for the p − 1 and p + 1 integer factoring algorithms based on the first two cyclotomic polynomials. We show that the p ± 1 algorithms each factor a positive proportion more integers in t steps than trial division but far fewer than the elliptic curve method.
Can the second law be compatible with time reversal invariant dynamics

It is commonly thought that there is some tension between the second law of thermodynam- ics and the time reversal invariance of the microdynamics. Recently, however, Jos Uffink has argued that the origin of time reversal non-invariance in thermodynamics is not in the second law. Uffink argues that the relationship between the second law and time reversal invariance depends on the formulation of the second law. He claims that a recent version of the second law due to Lieb and Yngvason allows irreversible processes, yet is time reversal invariant. In this paper, I attempt to spell out the traditional argument for incompatibility between the second law and time reversal invariant dynamics, making the assumptions on which it depends explicit. I argue that this argument does not vary with different versions of the second law and can be formulated for Lieb and Yngvason's version as for other versions. Uffink's argument regarding time reversal invariance in Lieb and Yngvason is based on a certain symmetry of some of their axioms. However, these axioms do not constitute the full expression of the second law in their system.
Diazonium salts in photochemistry II: Scavenging of Norrish type II biradicals

Abstract Diazonium salts are excellent scavengers of Norrish type II biradicals; the process triggers the free-radical loss of molecular nitrogen. For example, the biradical from γ-methylvalerophenone reacts with benzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate with a rate constant of (3.3 ± 0.5) × 10 9 M −1 s −1 in methanol at 27 °C.
Discovering Information in Context.

L'A. examine la litterature relative au concept de decouverte de l'information en contexte. L'information est consideree comme etant construite par les gens dans leurs interactions avec autrui, avec les technologies et les structures, dans leur vie comme dans leur travail. L'objectif est d'eclairer la facon dont les gens decouvrent, faconnent ou creent l'information, ainsi que les facteurs situationnels qui facilitent ou au contraire entravent ce processus de decouverte. La comprehension de la decouverte de l'information en contexte servira de base a une science de la conception de systemes socio-techniques. La decouverte de l'information consideree dans le contexte implique engagement, reflexion, apprentissage et action, tous comportements lies au processus du faire sens, au-dela du domaine traditionnel des etudes en sciences de l'information.