cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reliability, validity, and minimal detectable change of the push-off test scores in assessing upper extremity weight-bearing ability.

Abstract Study Design Clinical measurement study. Introduction The push-off test (POT) was recently conceived and found to be reliable and valid for assessing weight bearing through injured wrist or elbow. However, further research with larger sample can lend credence to the preliminary findings supporting the use of the POT. Purpose of the Study This study examined the interrater reliability, construct validity, and measurement error for the POT in patients with wrist conditions. Methods Participants with musculoskeletal (MSK) wrist conditions were recruited. The performance on the POT, grip isometric strength of wrist extensors was assessed. The shortened version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand and numeric pain rating scale were completed. The intraclass correlation coefficient assessed interrater reliability of the POT. Pearson correlation coefficients (r) examined the concurrent relationships between the POT and other measures. The standard error of measurement and the minimal detectable change at 90% confidence interval were assessed as measurement error and index of true change for the POT. Results A total of 50 participants with different elbow or wrist conditions (age: 48.1 ± 16.6 years) were included in this study. The results of this study strongly supported the interrater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.96 and 0.93 for the affected and unaffected sides, respectively) of the POT in patients with wrist MSK conditions. The POT showed convergent relationships with the grip strength on the injured side (r = 0.89) and the wrist extensor strength (r = 0.7). The POT showed smaller standard error of measurement (1.9 kg). The minimal detectable change at 90% confidence interval for the POT was 4.4 kg for the sample. Conclusions This study provides additional evidence to support the reliability and validity of the POT. This is the first study that provides the values for the measurement error and true change on the POT scores in patients with wrist MSK conditions. Further research should examine the responsiveness and discriminant validity of the POT in patients with wrist conditions.
Solute Reaction Dynamics in the Compressible Regime

Supercritical fluid (SCF) solvents are unique in that their densities can be varied continuously from gas-like to liquid-like values simply by varying the thermodynamic conditions. Because many of a fluid’s solvating properties are strongly dependent on the fluid density, such large changes in density can have dramatic effects on solute reactivity [1,2]. For example, at low pressures supercritical water supports homolytic, free radical reactions, whereas at higher pressures, heterolytic, ionic reactions dominate [3,4]. Thus, thermodynamic control of SCF solvent densities promises to enable us to control reaction outcome and selectively produce desired products.
Attitudes toward Muslims: a test of the parasocial contact hypothesis and contact theory

The present research relied on intergroup theory to explain attitudes toward Muslim Americans. In particular, the parasocial contact hypothesis was relied on to develop a set of hypotheses about th...
Youth athletes' sustained involvement in elite sport: An exploratory examination of elements affecting their athletic participation:

In this exploratory study, we first intended to identify the underlying structure of components affecting the sport participation of 1258 elite youth athletes from the USA through a principal compo...
Practical Operating and Educational Solutions

US image acquisition and storage is an important component of an US program. Noncommercial options for archiving including different formats and storage solutions are discussed. Educational software that pertains to images is available to help use teach and review concepts of POC US.
Adverse Childhood Experiences among a Community of Resilient Centenarians and Seniors: Implications for a Chronic Disease Prevention Framework.

Context Research has linked adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) with chronic disease in adults and diminished life span. Adverse biological embedding of ACEs potentially occurs through inflammatory mechanisms; inflammatory marker alterations are identified as candidate biomarkers for mediating health consequences. Lifestyle practices of residents of California's Loma Linda Blue Zone, one of five worldwide longevity hotspots, may provide insight into inflammation remediation and chronic disease prevention. Little research has been done on centenarians' early-life experiences or on ACEs in a longevity community. Objective To interview centenarians and seniors in this region regarding their childhood experiences to inform chronic disease prevention frameworks. Design Qualitative study of Loma Linda Blue Zone community members. Childhood exposures and practices were assessed using focus groups and semistructured key informant interviews, with open-ended questions on general hardships and ACEs and supplemented with lifestyle and resiliency factor questions. Data were audiorecorded and transcribed. Integrative grounded theory methods guided coding and theming. Main outcome measures Exposure to ACEs and practice of resiliency factors. Results Participants (7 centenarians and 29 seniors) reported exposure to multiple ACEs (domains: Economic deprivation, family dysfunction, and community violence). Community members reported practicing resiliency factors, each with anti-inflammatory properties suggesting mitigation of ACE-related toxic stress. Conclusion This is one of the first studies of its kind to identify a community of resilient members despite their tremendous burden of ACEs. Embedding the identified resiliency factors into chronic disease prevention frameworks has potential for mitigating systemic inflammation, alleviating chronic disease burden, and promoting a culture of health.
Improved recovered nodal stress for mean-strain finite elements

Abstract This paper investigates a method for improving the accuracy of the stress predicted from models using the mean-strain finite elements recently proposed by Krysl and collaborators [IJNME 2016, 2017]. In state-of-the-art finite element programs, the stress values at the integration points are commonly post-processed to obtain nodal values of stress. The mean stresses are element-wise constant, and hence the nodal values obtained from the mean stresses tend to be of lower accuracy. The proposed method post-processes the uniform stress in each element in combination with a linearly-varying stabilization stress field to produce a more accurate representation of the nodal stresses. Selected examples are presented to demonstrate improvements achievable with the proposed methodology for hexahedral and quadratic tetrahedral mean-strain finite elements.
What is Very Wrong in Obama's Business Tax Reform

Johnson argues that although the Obama administration’s framework for business tax reform wisely disapproves of subsidies embedded in tax, it has serious flaws that would reduce the nation’s wealth. The administration should not propose expensing of $1 million that will subsidize poor equipment. It should not propose excluding sales for credit from tax. It also should not propose extending domestic production subsidies. Research subsidies need to have the application of the human intelligence of experts, as the National Science Foundation does, whereas the administration relies on a sloppy definition of research that will divert resources into projects that should not be subsidized. A lower tax rate on corporations and a shift over to shareholders will not improve the tax system, because shareholders avoid tax more easily than corporations do. An integrated mark-to-market system would be better.
Zapping the Archives: Hypermedia and Anna Oppermann's “Embraces” Ensemble

Artist Anna Oppermann's ''Ensemble'' installations provide the viewer multiple paths of discovery to/from her ''association-triggering-objects.'' Hypermedia is the best tool and process to represent not only Oppermann's work but much artifactual knowledge as a compelling digital experience.
Urinary unconjugated pteridines: general considerations.

The term pterin is generally used to denote the compound having the structure of 2-amino-4-hydroxypteridine (fig 1). Since all the pteridines known to occur in man and in most mammalian systems are derivatives of this basic compound, the term pterin has customarily been used in the formulation of the trivial names of biologically active pteridines.1 These compounds are further subdivided into conjugated and unconjugated pteridines, depending on whether or not they have ap-aminobenzoyl glutamate residue. Thus, conjugated pteridines are those that belong to the folic acid group and unconjugated pteridines are all others.
Prescription of Potentially Harmful Drugs in Young Adults With Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction

According to national guidelines and statements drugs that can cause or exacerbate heart failure (HF) are considered potentially harmful and should be avoided if possible in patients with a diagnosis of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFREF). To evaluate the prevalence of potentially harmful drug (PHD) prescription among patients with a diagnosis of systolic heart failure we conducted a retrospective cohort study using Truven Health MarketScan Commercial database from 2011 to 2014. Prescription of PHD as defined by American Heart Association Statement was examined among patients with a HFREF diagnosis in: (1) Two outpatient encounters, (2) One inpatient encounter as primary diagnosis and/or (3) one inpatient encounter any position and one outpatient encounter. Among 40,966 patients, 24.2% were prescribed with at least 1 drug with the potential to cause or exacerbate heart failure. Of the 9,954 patients prescribed with PHD, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents were the most frequent category prescribed (67.4%), followed by antihypertensive (24%), diabetes mellitus (23.3%), neurological and psychiatric (21%) and antiarrhythmic medications (12.6%). After multivariable analysis female patients, the presence of a comorbidity associated with a PHD use and polypharmacy were more frequently prescribed a PHD. In conclusion almost ¼ of adult patients with a diagnosis of HFREF have a prescription of a drug with a potential to cause or exacerbate heart failure as defined by current heart failure guidelines.
Nerve conduction normal values for electrodiagnosis in pediatric patients.

INTRODUCTION Existing normal value references for pediatric nerve conduction studies (NCS) are based on limited sample sizes with uncertain reliability, suggesting a need for better normative data. METHODS Electronic medical records were reviewed for pediatric patients (0 to <18 years) with normal findings on electromyography and NCS during the period from January 1, 1997 through September 20, 2017. Electrodiagnostic and demographic data were collected. Gaussian and descriptive statistics were used to establish normal values by age group. RESULTS In this study we analyzed 1,918 normal NCS on 1,849 unique pediatric patients. Patients were stratified by age: 0 to <1 month; 1 to <6 months; 6 to <12 months; 12 to <24 months; 2 to <3 years; 3 to <4 years; 4 to <5 years; 5 to <10 years; 10 to <15 years; and 15 to <18 years. Normal reference ranges for amplitude, conduction velocity, and distal latency were established for each age group for 4 motor and 4 sensory nerves. DISCUSSION The large sample size of this study provides reliable reference values for interpreting pediatric NCS. Muscle Nerve 60: 155-160, 2019.
Reversible EMT and MET mediate amnion remodeling during pregnancy and labor.

The amnion is remodeled during pregnancy to protect the growing fetus it contains, and it is particularly dynamic just before and during labor. By combining ultrastructural, immunohistochemical, and Western blotting analyses, we found that human and mouse amnion membranes during labor were subject to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), mediated, in part, by the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway responding to oxidative stress. Primary human amnion epithelial cell cultures established from amnion membranes from nonlaboring, cesarean section deliveries exhibited EMT after exposure to oxidative stress, and the pregnancy maintenance hormone progesterone (P4) reversed this process. Oxidative stress or transforming growth factor–β (TGF-β) stimulated EMT in a manner that depended on TGF-β–activated kinase 1 binding protein 1 (TAB1) and p38 MAPK. P4 stimulated the reverse transition, MET, in primary human amnion mesenchymal cells (AMCs) through progesterone receptor membrane component 2 (PGRMC2) and c-MYC. Our results indicate that amnion membrane cells dynamically transition between epithelial and mesenchymal states to maintain amnion integrity and repair membrane damage, as well as in response to inflammation and mechanical damage to protect the fetus until parturition. An irreversible EMT and the accumulation of AMCs characterize the amnion membranes at parturition.
Mounting the New Guard: The Golden Rule as a Basis for Organizational Culture Change in Response to Challenges in Academia:

The ProblemThe landscape of higher education is undergoing rapid evolution. Changes in demographics, scope of faculty responsibilities, expectations of productivity, and technology lead this evolut...
Monitoring the effect of transcranial Electric current Stimulation (tES) during a bimanual motor task via functional Near-InfraRed Spectroscopy (fNIRS)

We report on functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) as a tool to monitor the effect of transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) on human bimanual motor performance.
Linking epigenetic dysregulation, mitochondrial impairment, and metabolic dysfunction in SBMA motor neurons

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is a neuromuscular disorder caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the androgen receptor (AR). Using gene expression analysis and ChIP sequencing, we mapped transcriptional changes in genetically engineered patient stem cell-derived motor neurons. We found that transcriptional dysregulation in SBMA can occur through AR-mediated histone modification. We detected reduced histone acetylation, along with decreased expression of genes encoding compensatory metabolic proteins and reduced substrate availability for mitochondrial function. Furthermore, we found that pyruvate supplementation corrected this deficiency and improved mitochondrial function and SBMA motor neuron viability. We propose that epigenetic dysregulation of metabolic genes contributes to reduced mitochondrial ATP production. Our results show a molecular link between altered epigenetic regulation and mitochondrial metabolism that contributes to neurodegeneration.
A new sorting hat for Parkinson disease.

Neurologists have long sought clusters of features by which to assign patients with Parkinson disease (PD) to subtypes that may usefully guide diagnosis and treatment.
Load Distribution and In-Plane Superstructure Movements on Highly Skewed Steel Girder Bridges

Highly skewed girder bridges experience modified load paths, deck diagonal and acute corner cracking, and superstructure horizontal movements caused by long-term loading. This paper presents the instrumentation and load testing of a 23-year-old, three-span, medium-span-length, steel girder bridge with a skew angle of 47° to understand the effects of existing deck cracks on bending and shear girder load distribution. Measured and predicted load distribution factors as per AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications were compared. Load testing data, consisting of bending and shear strains at multiple locations across the length and width of an exterior span, were used to validate finite element models. Bridge models under temperature loading were used to evaluate the importance of bridge skew angle on in-plane superstructure displacements. The investigation showed that skew had a major role in bridge in-plane displacements, and consequent superstructure in-plane rotation, leading to greater transverse displacements with increasing skews under thermal loading.
The effect of personalized invalidation of symptoms by healthcare providers on patient depression: The mediating role of self-esteem.

Abstract Objectives Qualitative research has thoroughly investigated the diagnostic journeys of patients, who have often reported difficulty with healthcare providers regarding the acknowledgement of an organic, pathological cause for their symptoms (hereafter referred to as invalidation of symptoms). These encounters also reportedly contributed to reductions in self-esteem and to feelings of depression, particularly prior to diagnosis. The aim of this research was to quantitatively validate these observed relationships and examine the potential compounding effect of personalization of this reported invalidation. Methods Participants were 609 patients with self-reported endometriosis from a larger online research study. Invalidation and personalization of invalidation were measured with survey items developed for this research. Self-esteem and depression were assessed with well-known validated and reliable self-report instruments. Hierarchical linear regressions were performed, with path analysis to test for mediation. Results Invalidation predicted self-esteem but not depression. However, when personalized, invalidation predicted both self-esteem and depression. Path analysis testing the effect of personalization of invalidation on depression through self-esteem was significant, demonstrating full mediation. Conclusions Results confirm qualitative research and provide the first known quantitative support that invalidation, particularly when personalized, can be associated with reduced self-esteem and, in turn, greater depression. Practice implications These findings demonstrate an important barrier to patient-centered communication.
The AGA's Quality Control

I don't for one second believe that anything I say in the next 15 minutes will stick. You came to Chicago for the course, the symposia, the lectures, and to learn what's new in scholarship and science that applies to your practices and laboratory investigations from the presentations of over 450 abstracts by your peers. You also came for good fellowship, and I hope that abounds-most of us need some in these trying times. I'm going to talk about my perception of a striking change in the distribution of common gastroenterological illnesses away from research-oriented medical centers, The movement of well-trained, capable gastroenterologists to middle and small-town America has resulted in a redistribution of patients with digestive diseases such that a large proportion with common illnesses no longer appear in researchoriented medical centers. These centers, in turn, are seeing older patients with chronic illness. This trend has produced a significant change in the clinical substrate available for research and education. My message is that the practitioners of our art in middle and small-town America have created an opportunity and may be obliged to become an active part of the tradition . of productive investigation which has characterized our specialty and this Association. In turn, this redistribution of patients requires that directors of training programs in gastroenterology redefine their training objectives to include experiences in scholarship and research to prepare their trainees for a role as practitionerinvestigator. Training programs must not cut off their graduates once they have sent them out-they must marry them on, not marry them off. Parenthetically, I have been guilty of marrying off my fellows in the
Regulation of Vesicle Formation

This chapter addresses the regulation of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) production in gram-negative bacteria; however, a brief section is dedicated to summarizing current knowledge of gram-positive membrane vesicles (MVs). To understand the molecular mechanisms of OMV formation, it is important to first review the structural differences between the cell envelopes of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Despite intense interest and research in the field since the discovery of OMVs, the molecular mechanism of OMV formation has not been completely elucidated. Three main models for the mechanism of OMV formation have been proposed, which are not mutually exclusive. Processes regulated by quorum sensing (QS) include production of secondary metabolites and virulence factors, light production, biofilm formation, and OMV formation. The contribution of OMVs to biofilm structures is discussed in the chapter; however, specifically within the host, the propensity to form microcolonies and the role OMVs play during infection may reveal novel biofilm-related regulatory mechanisms of OMV formation within the host. Through the combined efforts of many investigators over the course of decades of research, much light has been shed on the highly conserved process of bacterial MV formation, though several questions remain unanswered. Regulatory schemes for OMV formation are actively being determined, and some of the future progress could be derived from collaboration with other research areas like QS and regulatory RNAs.
Group-wise diffeomorphic diffusion tensor image registration

We propose an unbiased group-wise diffeomorphic registration technique to normalize a group of diffusion tensor (DT) images. Our method uses an implicit reference group-wise registration framework to avoid bias caused by reference selection. Log-Euclidean metrics on diffusion tensors are used for the tensor interpolation and computation of the similarity cost functions. The overall energy function is constructed by a diffeomorphic demons approach. The tensor reorientation is performed and implicitly optimized during the registration procedure. The performance of the proposed method is compared with reference-based diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) registration methods. The registered DTI images have smaller shape differences in terms of reduced variance of the fractional anisotropy maps and more consistent tensor orientations. We demonstrate that fiber tract atlas construction can benefit from the group-wise registration by producing fiber bundles with higher overlaps.
Growth and metabolism of L cells in a chemically defined medium in a controlled environment culture system. I. Effects of O2 tension on L-cell cultures.

Sixwater-jacketed 500-mlBellco spinner flasks were equipped tomonitor and control environmental variables tostudytheir effects on thegrowthandmetabolismofmammaliancells. Studies withautomated control ofp02 levels ofL-cell cultures, grown atpH 6.9i 0.1,showedthatdissolved 02 tensions ofca.9%,RO were optimal forcell growth. AtPO2values of5and20%,maximumcell yields as well as growth rates were reduced byapproximately 20%.Peakyields ofL-cell cultures exceeded 5 X 106cells/ml whengrown for4 dayswithout mediumrenewalfrominocula ofca.106cells/ml ina defined mediumsparged with5% CO2 andmaintained at9% dissolved 02 tension. Theredoxpotentials ofL-cell culturesreflected thepO2levels inthemediumandranged from-45to+160mv (versus calomel reference) for 02 values ranging from2to20%dissolved oxygentension. Increased utilization ofglucose percell occurred inthepresenceofincreased PO2, whereas minimal accumulation ofammoniaoccurred with aPO2value maintained at9%,C. Workersincell culture research havelong recognized thatfactors suchastemperature, pH,partial 02andCO2pressures andredox potential havesignificant effects on cell physiology. Theseinvestigators (4-6, 10,12,13,15, 16)haveemployed various procedures tostudy theeffects ofoneormoreofthese factors onthe growthandmetabolism ofmammaliancells. However, muchmoreremains tobedoneto understand fully theeffects ofthese variables on cellular physiology. Wepresent adescription ofa systemdeveloped forstudies oftheeffects of varied environmental conditions onmammalian cells grownina chemically defined medium. Results obtained inthis system concerning the effects ofoxygen tension oncell growth andrelated dataonculture pH,redoxpotential, and carbohydrate and NH3 metabolism willbe described.
A model for conductance changes in the squid giant axon. II. Channel kinetics.

The kinetics of the sodium and potassium channels in voltage clamped squid giant axon following a relaxation of the membrane subunits are examined and compared with the Hodgkin-Huxley equations. Mechanisms are suggested for the turn-off of the sodium conductance and a set of kinetic states are proposed for the potassium channel which are consistent with the experimental observations. Determination of the rate constants for relaxation of the surface subunits which triggers the subsequent changes within the independent channels provide information on the equilibrium constant and free energy for this process. The free energy is observed to approach zero as the depolarizing voltage of the clamp approaches ENa, the voltage for zero sodium current in voltage clamped axons. Analysis of the final rate constants in the kinetic sequence for potassium indicates a symmetry of the channel when it is in its steady-state configuration during clamp in the absence of external gradients.
Time-teaching the 4/sup th/ dimension using real-time video imaging of construction projects

In the academic world, one of our goals is to develop valued employees, while the educational challenge is how to teach our students real life lessons such as the value of time (both their own and of others) as well as the value of money. This is especially true and important in the construction industry, where a time delay in delivery and/or installation of a critical component can stop the job and cost the contractor and owner thousands of dollars. At IUPUI, as part of our Construction Technology Program we are pursuing an idea that will aid our students in learning and understanding this crucial concept of time estimating and management. We are developing an idea that gives us the advantages of "being there" without the problems of leaving the classroom-by using live video feeds from construction sites on campus, viewed in the classroom via the Internet, and discussed in conjunction with the actual construction documents and schedules. Because of the advancements in video/digital imaging and Internet technology, we the instructors, have the capability to access real time information, and the ability to manipulate the input and output to create teaching resources that are a giant leap towards true understanding of real time aspects of construction by the students.
Mobile e-Gov

Abstract The mobile/wireless evolution began with the familiar, but will expand rapidly to new frontiers. Wireless messaging emerged first as an extension of the office environment. Everyone understands e-mail and can translate that concept easily to a mobile, wireless device. But looking further down the road, the real payoff will be mobile, wireless access to and interaction with mission-critical, enterprise-wide applications. So what does this mean for e-government? The answer is twofold. On one hand it means governments will interact with citizens wirelessly. All those people out there with all those wireless devices are also citizens of governments. And, on the other hand, more than any other industry, public sector workforces stand to gain the most from wireless advances.
Firms' Cost Functions: A Reconstruction

Three empirical stylized facts characterize afirm's cost functions: AVC is generallyhorizontal; scale economies are often important;and capital usage (as well as labor usage)varies with the rate of output. In contrast ourstandard theory of diminishing marginalproducts, variable proportions, and U-shapedunit cost curves does not adequately reflectthese stylized facts of industrial reality. Explicit distinction between capital stocks andcapital flows allows a remodeling of a firm'scost curves to conform with these empirical facts.
Venture capitalists' expertise

Abstract This article proposes that research into decision aids can improve venture capitalists' (VCs) decision process and decision accuracy and speed up the acquisition of expertise. After reviewing research into the accuracy of decision aids such as bootstrapping models and the use of these models in cognitive learning, we propose that theory on the use and performance of decision aids can have important implications on how VCs gain expertise in predicting new venture performance. This discussion leads to a proposed research agenda.
Civil Society and International Organizations: A Liberal Framework for Global Governance

Over the past decade, international economic organizations have come under attack as illegitimate and oppressive. The remedy, according to the critics, is civil society: non-state associations should have a right to participate in the policymaking activities of international organizations. But the moral grounds for giving civil society such a central role in global governance, together with the ramifications of those moral grounds for organizational reform in the international arena, have not yet been systematically analyzed. Why are associations outside the state better placed than trained, career civil servants and elected politicians to decide on international aid, the regulatory pre-requisites for free trade, and other issues of global governance? And even though we might all agree that associations outside the state have something to contribute to the work of international elites, what, precisely, should be their role? Writing press articles, lobbying, commenting on policymaking proposals, voting on committees, or suing in international tribunals? This paper explores the contribution that the political philosophy and empirical practice of liberal democracy can make to this set of questions. Liberal theorists have made four different types of claims for how civil society contributes to the good life, each of which generates a different understanding of the associations that count as “civil society” and the policy initiatives that should be undertaken in favor of civil society. Equipped with these insights, the organizational reforms under way in the international realm are evaluated. However, the literature review also demonstrates, somewhat surprisingly, that the political theorists and the civil society activists are talking past one another: the theory does not address directly the question of whether associations should take part in democratic governance. For the theory, the democratic value of civil society lies in collective life outside the state. Therefore, the paper turns to the practice of contemporary democracies. Comparative law shows that private associations can participate in public life in at least three different ways: pluralism, corporatism, and republicanism. In pluralism, multiple, competing interest groups have numerous opportunities to influence policymaking, irrespective of their size or aims, through the legislature, the bureaucracy, and the courts. In corporatism, certain intermediate organizations are afforded a special role in policymaking because they are believed to represent significant social and economic forces. In republicanism, citizen associations engage in the public life of the nation through debate and protest, but enjoy relatively few opportunities to influence legislators, bureaucrats, and judges. In light of the ideals underpinning these different cultures of democracy and the empirics of the international realm, the paper concludes that the law of corporatism is the most appropriate for some of today’s international organizations.
Statistical Modeling for Radiation Hardness Assurance: Toward Bigger Data

New approaches to statistical modeling in radiation hardness assurance are discussed. These approaches yield quantitative bounds on flight-part radiation performance even in the absence of conventional data sources. This allows the analyst to bound radiation risk at all stages and for all decisions in the RHA process. It also allows optimization of RHA procedures for the project’s risk tolerance.
What Eye Fixation Patterns Tell Us About Subitizing

Differences between the enumeration of very small (1-3) versus larger (4-6) numerosities were examined by investigating where people fixate when they are enumerating different numbers of items. Overall, fixations were more likely to be located in regions of the array that contained target items when the array contained 4 or more targets than when it contained 3 or fewer, a result that is consistent with previous research indicating that the enumeration of very small sets is less dependent on attentional processing than is the enumeration of larger sets. However, both the pattern of fixations across different distractor conditions and an analysis of the temporal course of fixations in the absence of distractors were inconsistent with a dichotomous distinction between pre-attentive and attentional forms of enumeration. Rather, our results suggest that, irrespective of numerosity, enumeration entails some attentional processing of target items, but attentional processing plays a markedly greater role in the enumeration of 4 or more items than in the enumeration of 3 or fewer.
Selective inhibition of excessive scleroderma fibroblast collagen production by lymphokines from normal human mononuclear cells

We studied the effects of lymphokines from mitogen-stimulated normal human mononuclear cells on collagen production by confluent monolayer cultures of scleroderma dermal fibroblasts. We examined 10 cell lines obtained from patients with early onset, rapidly progressive disease. All cell lines exhibited increased collagen production, compared with cell lines from age- and sex-matched normal individuals. We found that supernatants from phytohemagglutinin-stimulated mononuclear cells caused greater than 45% inhibition of collagen production by the cultured scleroderma fibroblasts; the degree of inhibition was concentration-dependent. Partially purified lymphokine preparations produced 84-94% inhibition of collagen production by scleroderma cells. The lymphokine effects were shown to be selective for collagen, since the synthesis of noncollagenous proteins was not significantly affected. The results suggest that lymphokines from normal mononuclear cells can modulate the excessive collagen biosynthesis that is characteristic of scleroderma fibroblasts, and these lymphokines may have a place as possible therapeutic agents for this incurable disease.
Biochemical effects of phosphatidylcholine treatment in rats

We measured several biochemical effects of 10 days of intragastric administration of phosphatidylcholine (10 mmoles/kg) to rats because of the expanding clinical use of chronic phosphatidylcholine treatment for disorders involving impaired cholinergic neurotransmission. The plasma and erythrocyte choline concentrations were increased 3.5-fold, which was the same percent increase as found after an acute treatment with phosphatidylcholine. The lipid and fatty acid compositions of the plasma were also altered; free and total cholesterol levels increased, triglycerides increased, the monoene fatty acids generally decreased, and the diene and tetraene fatty acids generally increased. We found no effect of this treatment on the hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 activity or on the N-demethylation of benzphetamine or methamphetamine. Ten days of phosphatidylcholine treatment increased the concentration of choline in the brain but had no effect on the concentration of acetylcholine, the activity of choline acetyltransferase, cholinesterase activity, the apparent KD or Bmax of muscarinic receptors, or the fatty acid composition of rat brain lipids. These findings indicate that the largest effect caused by this treatment was an increase in the choline levels. No indication of altered cholinergic metabolism was observed. Further studies of the effects of chronic phosphatidylcholine treatment are required to clarify its therapeutic mechanism of action.
A numerical investigation of s-duct flows with boundary-layer ingestion

The essence of this paper is to report the computational research in furthering NASA's experimental study on active flow control systems for a flush-mounted inlet with significant boundary layer ingestion. In conjunction with a NASA sponsored research grant, the aim is to further accumulate knowledge and insight on the effectiveness of flow control devices in reducing circumferential distortion. With the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics, this study seeks to validate wind tunnel results recorded by the NASA Langley Research Center. For this study, NASA's air jets configuration was chosen as the flow control device. The accuracy of a numerical solution is determined by the ability to match experimental values for mass flow rate through the S-duct, pressure measurements along the center line, and distortion coefficient at the fan-face location. The “Tenasi” code was able to calculate agreeable numerical solutions for the baseline case of no jet flow and for the case of jet flow with a low mass flow ratio. The high mass flow ratio cases have proven more difficult to validate. This paper reveals the steps taken in achieving early success in a computational validation of experimental data and discusses current actions being made to obtain complete valid numerical solutions.
Impaired Secretion of Triglycerides by the Liver; A Cause of Tetracycline-Induced Fatty Liver

SummaryThe increments in plasma triglyceride levels observed after administration of Triton were consistently and significantly lower in tetracycline-injected rats, when hepatic tetracycline concentration was high, than in Triton-injected controls. These data are interpreted as indicating impaired release of hepatic triglyceride in tetracycline-injected animals. Hepatic triglyceride increased in tetracycline-injected rats and most of this could be accounted for by impaired release of liver triglyceride. This mechanism, possibly due to impaired synthesis of hepatic lipid acceptor protein, appears to be the major cause of tetracycline-induced fatty liver.
Low-power charge sensitive amplifier for semiconductor scintillator

A design of low-noise charge sensitive amplifier (CSA) for measurement of optical response of photo-detector registering light produced by semiconductor scintillator is presented. Detailed analysis of the CSA suitable for large parasitic detector capacitance is provided, regarding noise, power and stability. Two scenarios where input transistor is biased in strong inversion and weak inversion are compared, with included accurate 1/f noise modeling. The experimental prototype was implemented in 0.5/xm CMOS process with a 5 V power supply.
Quantitative use of Rayleigh waves to locate and size subsurface holes

An ultrasonic inspection method is used to obtain the circumference of a subsurface hole and the depth of the hole below the surface. A pitch-catch Rayleigh wave transducer set-up was used to launch a Rayleigh surface wave at the flaw and to capture and record the scattered waves. The frequency spectrum of the scattered waves can be used to obtain the depth of the hole. The ligament of material between the hole and the surface is sent into resonance, and this feature can be extracted from the scattered waves' frequency spectrum. The frequency is a function of the ligament length; thus the hole depth can be obtained. The circumference of the hole is found from a time of flight measurement. A Rayleigh wave is formed that travels around the hole's surface. The length of time required for the wave to travel around the hole is a measure of the circumference.
On Navigation Systems for Motorcycles: The Influence and Estimation of Roll Angle

Vehicle navigation systems use various sensors and the global positioning system (GPS) to locate a vehicle. This location is then matched to a map database to provide navigation information. Between GPS updates, the vehicle's heading angle and forward speed are used to “dead reckon” its position. Heading angle is often measured by integrating the output of a rate gyroscope. For this measurement to be equal to the vehicle's heading angle, the vehicle should not experience any rotation about its roll or pitch axes. For an automobile, the roll and pitch angles are small and may be neglected for the purposes of navigation. This article demonstrates that this same assumption is not true for a motorcycle. Through simulation, it is shown that for a motorcycle, obtaining a meaningful heading angle from a single angular rate measurement requires accounting for the motorcycle's roll angle. Methods to estimate roll angle and heading angle from available navigation measurements are presented, and two possible sensor configurations are compared. A motorcycle navigation scheme based on these roll angle estimation methods is shown to produce exceptional results in a simulation environment.
Deregulation: The Principal Inconclusive Arguments

In recent years there has been a major effort to eliminate or defuse regulation, primarily in the fields of health and safety environmental protection and market structure. The purpose of this chapter is to place in perspective the principal arguments in support of deregulation. The theme is that these arguments are fundamentally inconclusive.
The effect of glucocorticoids on adipocyte corticotropin receptors and adipocyte responses

A specific and sensitive assay for determining the binding of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) to isolated rat adipocytes has been developed and utilized to study the effect of glucocorticoids on ACTH receptor. Measurement of the binding of tritiated ACTH (spec. act. 90 Ci/mmol) to adipocytes isolated from normal, adrenalectomized, and adrenalectomized dexamethasone-treated rats indicated that there are no differences among these three populations in either the magnitude or the affinity of the binding reaction. The binding interaction was found to be of high affinity (Kd = 5.23 + 1.92 . 10(-9) M and paralleled closely the stimulation of lipolysis (Km = 2.09 +/- 0.35 . 10(-9) M. About 16,300 receptors were calculated to be presented per adipocyte. Hormone-induced cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate production remained intact after adrenalectomy, thereby confirming that receptors are not lost during steroid deprivation. The lipolytic response did, however, become less sensitive to both ACTH and epinephrine following adrenalectomy. Pre-treatment of adrenalectomized rats with dexamethasone resulted in an increase in basal and hormone-stimulated levels of cyclic AMP and glycerol production to super-normal values. In adipocyte ghost preparations, ACTH and epinephrine sensitive adenylate cyclase activity was not decreased by adrenalectomy and dexamethasone administration did not result in a selective enhancement of ACTH sensitive adenylate cyclase activity. Our results indicate that glucocorticoids do not cause their permissive effects by specific regulation of the ACTH receptor on the adipocyte.
Surpassing Normal: Preparing Teachers for Diverse Learners

Teacher education must prepare teacher candidates for diverse contexts and diverse learners. Such preparation involves teacher candidates unearthing their assumptions about diverse populations and understanding the roles candidates' own backgrounds play in these assumptions. Queer theory can facilitate this process through attention to culturally constructed notions of “normal” and “deviant.” This chapter investigates a strategy intended to identify teachers' cultural expectations through disrupting candidates' perceptions of “normal” students. Data sources include responses to a specific learning activity, interviews, and demographic surveys. Findings indicate that teacher candidates are reluctant to discuss certain demographic descriptors, such as race/ethnicity and sexual orientation, preferring to focus on students' interests and social behaviors. candidates' conceptions of a “normal” student mirror their own experiences. Interview responses suggest that the learning activity disrupted these conceptio...
Fermions, strings, and gauge fields in lattice spin models

We investigate the general properties of lattice spin models with emerging fermionic excitations. We argue that fermions always come in pairs and their creation operator always has a stringlike structure with the newly created particles appearing at the end points of the string. The physical implication of this structure is that the fermions always couple to a nontrivial gauge field. We present exactly soluble examples of this phenomenon in two and three dimensions. Our analysis is based on an algebraic formula that relates the statistics of a lattice particle to the properties of its hopping operators. This approach has the advantage in that it works in any number of dimensions---unlike the flux-binding picture developed in fractional quantum Hall theory.
The Riemann disks. II - Stability

The Riemann disks are the two-dimensional analogs of the Riemann S-type ellipsoids. They form a simple yet rich family of galactic bar models. A method is developed to find their normal modes to arbitrary order, and the stability analysis is carried out for all modes with order not greater than 5.
Economics of place-based monitoring under the safe drinking water act, part II: Design and development of place-based monitoring strategies

The goals of environmental legislation and associated regulations are to protect public health, natural resources, and ecosystems. In this context, monitoring programs should provide timely and relevant information so that the regulatory community can implement legislation in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) of 1974 attempts to ensure that public water systems (PWSs) supply safe water to its consumers. As is the case with many other federal environmental statutes, SDWA monitoring has been implemented in relatively uniform fashion across the United States. In this three part series, spatial and temporal patterns in water quality data are utilized to develop, compare, and evaluate the economic performance of alternative place-based monitoring approaches to current monitoring practice. Part II: Several factors affect the performance of monitoring strategies, including: measurable objectives, required precision in estimates, acceptable confidence levels of such estimates, available budget for sampling. In this paper, we develop place-based monitoring strategies based on extensive analysis of available historical water quality data (1960–1994) of 19 Iowa community water systems. These systems supply potable water to over 350,000 people. In the context of drinking water, the objective is to protect public health by utilizing monitoring resources to characterize contaminants that are detectable, and are close to exceeding health standards. A place-based monitoring strategy was developed in which contaminants were selected based on their historical occurrence, rather than their appearance on the SDWA contaminant list. In a subset of the water systems, the temporal frequency of monitoring for one ubiquitous contaminant, nitrate, was tailored to patterns in its historical occurrence and concentration. Three sampling allocation models (linear, quadratic, and cubic) based on historic patterns in peak occurrence were developed and evaluated. Random and fixed-interval sampling strategies within the context of such models were also developed and evaluated. Strategies were configured to incorporate a variety of options for frequency and number of samples (depending on budget and the desired precision in estimate of peak concentrations).