cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Benchmarks in Science Teaching

A well-known example of a document containing benchmarks is Benchmarks for Science Literacy (see also) (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1993). This U.S. document was designed to provide statements about what all students should know and be able to do in science, mathematics, and technology by the end of grades 2, 5, 8, and 12.
Problems and Prospects in Child Neuropsychological Assessment

The chapters in this volume have addressed a variety of issues pertaining to the neuropsychological assessment of children. These included a consideration of the implications for assessment that stem from our current knowledge of neurodevelopmental disorders (Risser and Edgell), the unique contributions of neuropsychological assessment in evaluating the brain-impaired child (Bigler), the relative merits of different modes of neuropsychological inference (Willis), as well as the general issue of linking assessment and treatment from a neuropsychological perspective (Lyon, Moats, and Flynn). Special consideration was given to the assessment of key aspects of child neuropsychological functioning, including attention (Barkley), memory (Boyd), functional laterality (Gray and Dean), and language (Crary, Voeller, and Haak). There also was special emphasis on infant and early childhood assessment (Aylward)—an area that has received relatively little attention in child neuropsychology, and on the assessment of learning disabilities—an area that, by contrast, has been the subject of intensive neuropsychological inquiry. Learning disabilities were addressed specifically in terms of the analysis of subtypes (Hynd, Connor, and Nieves), the early identification of developmental precursors (Hooper), and the application of electrophysiological methods in assessment (Morris, Levy, and Priozzolo). Many important topics were covered, and a synthesis of this material in terms of major themes and recommended directions is now in order.
A Multivariate Adaptive Data Fitting Algorithm

A method is presented for solving the problem of approximating a discrete set of points in a multivariate setting using adaptive approximating families. The user has to make a choice of the ap= proximating family, the norm and make assumptions about the distri= bution of errors. The criterion for selecting the best from the set of possible approximations is simple to apply and is derived from information-theoretic considerations. It is shown that under certain restrictive assumptions this method and that of generalized cross-validation are asymptotically equivalent. Numerical results are given to support the validity of the method.
Hypoxia‐Inducible Factor 1 Inhibitors

Abstract The tremendous progress in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the presence and consequences of hypoxia in human cancers has been accompanied by renewed enthusiasm for the development of therapeutic strategies targeting hypoxic cells signaling pathways. Hypoxia‐inducible factor 1 (HIF‐1), a key transcriptional activator that mediates hypoxic responses, has been the focus of intense investigation and efforts to identify small molecule inhibitors or novel strategies for HIF‐1 inhibition have multiplied over the last few years. Despite challenges associated with targeting transcription factors, which hamper these efforts, several strategies have been pursued. In this chapter, protocols related to screening assays, both cell‐based and cell‐free, are described and discussed in the context of their application for the identification of HIF‐1 inhibitors. While cell‐based assays offer the opportunity to reveal unidentified components of the hypoxic cell signaling pathway, cell‐free targeted approaches may lead to the identification of more selective HIF‐1 inhibitors. Validation of “hits” and characterization of their mechanism of action are essential for a rational development of putative HIF‐1 inhibitors in preclinical models and early clinical trials.
Pulse oximetry and factors associated with hemoglobin oxygen desaturation in children with sickle cell disease

The observation of low transcutaneous arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) in otherwise well sickle cell patients has lead to questions about the interpretation of pulse oximetry values in these patients. We undertook a prospective study of children with sickle cell disease to (1) determine the prevalence of, and factors associated with, low transcutaneous SaO2 in clinically well patients, (2) develop an algorithm for the use of pulse oximetry in acutely ill patients, and (3) assess the accuracy of pulse oximetry in these patients. Eighty-six clinically well children with hemoglobin (Hb) SS had a lower mean transcutaneous SaO2 than 22 Hb SC patients and 10 control subjects (95.6% v 99.1% v 99.0%, respectively; p 5 years old v 97.2% for those < or = 5 years old; P < .001). These associations were not seen in Hb SC patients. During acute illness, Hb SS patients with acute chest syndrome had transcutaneous SaO2 values that were less than 96% and at least 3 points lower than measurements made when they were well. A nomogram was designed to aid in the interpretation of transcutaneous SaO2 in acutely ill Hb SS patients when a comparison value is not available. The accuracy of pulse oximetry was shown by the correlation between SaO2 measured by pulse oximetry and calculated by using the patient's oxygen dissociation curve and PaO2 (r = .97). This study provides evidence that Hb oxygen desaturation is not a universal finding among children with sickle cell disease and identifies factors associated with Hb oxygen desaturation. We conclude that pulse oximetry may be useful to assess whether progressive pulmonary dysfunction begins at an early age in Hb SS patients, and to assess acutely ill patients for the presence of hypoxemia associated with acute chest syndrome.
The Traditional Spreadsheet

In this chapter we develop a simple model of the traditional spreadsheet. We outline the structure and operational semantics of this useful tool, with particular emphasis on the notion of update. This allows us to distill a methodology and a number of guiding principles for the deductive spreadsheet.
Promoting Healthy Diet, Physical Activity, and Life-Skills in High School Athletes: Results from the WAVE Ripples for Change Childhood Obesity Prevention Two-Year Intervention

The purpose of this study was to compare changes in diet and daily physical activity (PA) in high school (HS) soccer players who participated in either a two-year obesity prevention intervention or comparison group, while controlling for sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Participants (n = 388; females = 58%; Latino = 38%; 15.3 ± 1.1 years, 38% National School Breakfast/Lunch Program) were assigned to either an intervention (n = 278; 9 schools) or comparison group (n = 110; 4 schools) based on geographical location. Pre/post intervention assessment of diet was done using Block Fat/Sugar/Fruit/Vegetable Screener, and daily steps was done using the Fitbit-Zip. Groups were compared over-time for mean changes (post-pre) in fruit/vegetables (FV), saturated fat (SF), added sugar, and PA (daily steps, moderate-to-vigorous PA) using analysis of covariance. The two-year intervention decreased mean added sugar intake (−12.1 g/day, CI (7.4, 16.8), p = 0.02); there were no differences in groups for FV or SF intake (p = 0.89). For both groups, PA was significantly higher in-soccer (9937 steps/day) vs. out-of-soccer season (8117 steps/day), emphasizing the contribution of organized sports to youth daily PA. At baseline, Latino youth had significantly higher added sugar intake (+14 g/day, p < 0.01) than non-Latinos. Targeting active youth in a diet/PA intervention improves diet, but out of soccer season youth need engagement to maintain PA (200).
Optimization Method of Suspected Electricity Theft Topic Model Based on Chi-square Test and Logistic Regression.

In recent years, the electricity theft has presented characteristics of high-tech and covert. Therefore, the factors that reflect the existence of stealing electricity become varied and complex. It brings the problems such as low efficiency and poor accuracy for power grid enterprises to identify the customers who had been stealing electricity. In this paper, Chi-square test and logistic regression are used to optimize the suspected electricity theft topic model. Chi-square test is used to determine the factors interrelated with the electricity theft firstly, and then the logistic regression algorithm is used to optimize the weights of the interrelated factors, and finally constructed a prediction function that can predict the customers who had been stealing electricity. Experiments show that the method proposed in this paper can help the power grid enterprises to identify the customers who had been stealing electricity, on account of having high accuracy rate, precision rate and recall rate.
The Evolution of Assessment and Accountability in the United States

This chapter provides a historical context of events, circumstances, and conditions in the United States that shaped our school system into one that is firmly entrenched in traditional instruction, leaving little room for reform practices such as formative assessment. The educational system as we know it today was formed out of dire necessity to educate the masses during the early nineteenth century and was heavily influenced by an industrial economy, resulting in instructivist practices that endure to this day. Johann Pestalozzi and, later, John Dewey sought to reform education and create an environment that was learner centered rather than teacher centered, but their ideas were met by social, political, and economic factors that worked against them. Formative assessment—a learner-centered practice—began to take shape in the late 1960s but found itself in tension with high-stakes testing and an era of accountability that reinforced established norms of teacher-centered, instructivist practices. Achievement results for American students on international tests have been mediocre thus far in comparison to other developed countries and should serve as an indicator that traditional instruction is not working. Additionally, what we do test is not necessarily what prepares students for twenty-first-century challenges. Students need to be able to regulate their own learning as they strive to keep pace with the rapidly changing world around them.
THE ROLE OF AUDITORS IN BANKS FINANCIAL STATEMENT

The banking sector in Nigeria and elsewhere in recent times have become so diversified, challenging, highly competitive and have been characterized by persistent frauds, errors and misappropriation of funds in the past, the impact of which has undoubtedly shaken the whole economy of the nation. This study was carried out using primary and secondary methods in the collection of data, where in primary data, the researcher designed and advanced questionnaires. The data collected from the questionnaire was analyzed in tables with simple percentage and interpreted for the understanding of the study. The analysis tool that was used in testing the hypothesis was the chi-square (X 2 ). After the presentation and analysis carried out, it was found out there is an effect of external auditors on the examination of financial statements and that there are problems associated with financial statements. The study, recommendations was that external auditors with qualities based on training and experience should be engaged in those firms that do not have auditors because the absence of external auditors and the roles they play in so many firms are very important and that management should establish internal audit department to reduce fraud in banks.
VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURE AND EARNINGS EXPECTATIONS IN MULTI‐LEVEL MARKETING

Multi‐level marketing (MLM) firms recruit individuals into a business opportunity but are not required to disclose the earnings of past participants. Some MLMs voluntarily create income disclosures, which may serve both marketing and risk‐management functions. We create an economic experiment to explore the impact of MLM income disclosure on consumer interest and expectations. Results suggest that disclosure does not significantly alter interest in the business opportunity but does reduce expectations, on average, when subjects are asked to estimate annual income in a lab environment. We discuss findings in the context of current regulatory policy.
An RNA Ring was Not the Progenitor of the tRNA Molecule

I analyzed the model that suggests that an RNA ring might have been the progenitor of the tRNA molecule (Demongeot and Moreira in J Theor Biol 249:314-324, 2007; Demongeot and Seligmann in J Mol Evol 1-23, 2019a; Demongeot and Norris in Life 9(2):51, 2019). In particular, I analyze three ways in which this precursor, especially in its RNA hairpin form, could have evolved into the complete tRNA molecule. These three modalities are based on multiple duplication events, and therefore, appear to be less parsimonious than that which assumes that this molecule originated through one duplication of a single hairpin structure. The conclusion is, therefore, that the latter model appears to be preferable with respect to that of the RNA ring, also because there are many independent observations and some of a historical nature that would corroborate it in an extraordinary way.
Extending the Direct Statistical Approach to Include Particle Bifurcation Between the Splitting Surfaces

The Direct Statistical Approach (DSA) to surface splitting and Russian Roulette (RR) is one of the current routes toward automatism in Monte Carlo and is currently applied to fixed source particle transport problems. A general volumetric particle bifurcation capability has been inserted into the Direct Statistical Approach (DSA) surface parameter and cell models. The resulting extended DSA describes the second moment and time functions in terms of phase-space surface splitting/Russian roulette parameters (surface parameter model) or phase-space cell importances (cell model) in the presence of volumetric particle bifurcations including both natural events [such as (n,xn) or gamma production from neutron collisions] and artificial events (such as DXTRAN). At the same time, other limitations in the DSA models (concerning tally scores direct from the source and tracks surviving an event at which a tally score occurs) are removed. Given the second moment and time functions, the foregoing surface or cell parameters may then be optimized.
How Complexity and Uncertainty Grew with Algorithmic Trading.

The machine-learning paradigm promises traders to reduce uncertainty through better predictions done by ever more complex algorithms. We ask about detectable results of both uncertainty and complexity at the aggregated market level. We analyzed almost one billion trades of eight currency pairs (2007–2017) and show that increased algorithmic trading is associated with more complex subsequences and more predictable structures in bid-ask spreads. However, algorithmic involvement is also associated with more future uncertainty, which seems contradictory, at first sight. On the micro-level, traders employ algorithms to reduce their local uncertainty by creating more complex algorithmic patterns. This entails more predictable structure and more complexity. On the macro-level, the increased overall complexity implies more combinatorial possibilities, and therefore, more uncertainty about the future. The chain rule of entropy reveals that uncertainty has been reduced when trading on the level of the fourth digit behind the dollar, while new uncertainty started to arise at the fifth digit behind the dollar (aka ‘pip-trading’). In short, our information theoretic analysis helps us to clarify that the seeming contradiction between decreased uncertainty on the micro-level and increased uncertainty on the macro-level is the result of the inherent relationship between complexity and uncertainty.
Interactive Effects of Pesticide Mixtures on the Neurobehavioral Responses and Ache Levels of Planaria

The exposure of non-target aquatic organisms to sublethal levels of combinations of environmental pollutants may result in synergistic, antagonistic or additive effects. Short-term exposures of planaria to sublethal concentrations of malathion, carbaryl and 2,4-D alone, and in combination, resulted in alterations in both neurobehavior and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) levels. Both interactive and individual effects of the pesticides were concentration dependent. Pesticide mixtures produced varied interactive effects. At very low levels, all pesticide mixtures produced significant (p < 0.01) synergistic responses in the neurobehavior of planaria and resulted in a greater number of responses than predicted additive values. Responses obtained from exposure to low levels of the pesticide mixtures showed a less than additive increase. Malathion and carbaryl exposure resulted in 5-45% decreases in AChE activity. AChE levels increased 6-34% after 2,4-D exposure. Evaluation of planarian neurobehavior responses provided a simple, sensitive method for biomonitoring the interactive sublethal toxicity associated with pesticide mixtures.
Probate Lending: Data From San Francisco

Recently, “probate lenders” have started to advance cash to heirs and beneficiaries in return for part of their interest in a pending decedent’s estate. This Article advances our understanding of this phenomenon by analyzing an original dataset of 1,119 probate matters from San Francisco. Capitalizing on a California statute that requires probate lenders to file their contracts in the court record, the Article offers insights about the contours of the industry, why people borrow against their inheritances, and the fairness of these transactions. The Article concludes that probate lending raises serious consumer protection concerns.
Associations Between Early Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination, and General Movements Assessment in Infants Born Very Preterm

Objective To evaluate the prevalence and associations between structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) injury/abnormality at term-equivalent age and absent fidgety General Movements Assessment (GMA) and abnormal Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE) scores among infants born very preterm at 3-4 months of corrected age. Study design This prospective cohort study enrolled 392 infants born ≤2 weeks of gestation from 5 neonatal intensive care units in the greater Cincinnati area between September 2016 and October 2019. Infants completed sMRI at term-equivalent age and GMA and HINE at 3-4 months of corrected age. All assessors were blinded. Results Of 392 infants, 375 (96%) had complete data. Of these, 44 (12%) exhibited moderate or severe brain abnormalities, 17 (4.5%) had abnormal GMA, and 77 (20.3%) had abnormal HINE. Global and regional abnormality scores on sMRI were significantly correlated with GMA (R2 range 0.05-0.17) and HINE at 3-4 months of corrected age (R2 range 0.01-0.17). These associations remained significant in multivariable analyses after adjusting for gestational age and sex. There was a significant but low correlation (R2 0.14) between GMA and HINE. Conclusions We observed a low prevalence of moderate or severe brain abnormalities in survivors born very preterm in this geographically defined cohort. The much greater prevalence of abnormal motor examination on the HINE compared with GMA and their low correlation suggests that these tests evaluate different constructs and, thus, should be used in combination with sMRI rather than interchangeably.
Results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover, multimodal-MRI pilot study of gabapentin for co-occurring bipolar and cannabis use disorders.

Disrupted brain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)/glutamate homeostasis is a promising target for pharmacological intervention in co-occurring bipolar disorder (BD) and cannabis use disorder (CUD). Gabapentin is a safe and well-tolerated medication, FDA-approved to treat other neurological diseases, that restores GABA/glutamate homeostasis, with treatment studies supporting efficacy in treating CUD, as well as anxiety and sleep disorders that are common to both BD and CUD. The present manuscript represents the primary report of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover (1-week/condition), multimodal-MRI (proton-MR spectroscopy, functional MRI) pilot study of gabapentin (1200 mg/day) in BD + CUD (n = 22). Primary analyses revealed that (1) gabapentin was well tolerated and adherence and retention were high, (2) gabapentin increased dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and right basal ganglia (rBG) glutamate levels and (3) gabapentin increased activation to visual cannabis cues in the posterior midcingulate cortex (pMCC, a region involved in response inhibition to rewarding stimuli). Exploratory evaluation of clinical outcomes further found that in participants taking gabapentin versus placebo, (1) elevations of dACC GABA levels were associated with lower manic/mixed and depressive symptoms and (2) elevations of rBG glutamate levels and pMCC activation to cannabis cues were associated with lower cannabis use. Though promising, the findings from this study should be interpreted with caution due to observed randomization order effects on dACC glutamate levels and identification of statistical moderators that differed by randomization order (i.e. cigarette-smoking status on rBG glutamate levels and pMCC cue activation). Nonetheless, they provide the necessary foundation for a more robustly designed (urn-randomized, parallel-group) future study of adjuvant gabapentin for BD + CUD.
Rapid mid-jump production of high-performance silk by jumping spiders.

Summary Jumping spiders (Salticidae) do not rely on webs to capture their prey, but they do spin a silk dragline behind them as they move through their habitat. They also spin this dragline during jumps, continuously connecting them with the surface they leapt from. Because spiders cannot spin silk in advance, this silk must be spun at the same speed as the spider jumps — in effect, requiring spin speeds over ten times faster than typical. And while many spiders can move rapidly, for example when running or rappelling, previous research on silk has found that silk spinning rates in excess of walking and web-building speeds (∼2–20 mm/s) result in lower quality silk and even dragline failure 1 . Here we report that, despite being spun at high speeds (∼500–700 mm/s; 100–140 body lengths/s), jump-spun salticid silk shows consistent, uniform structure as well as the high-performance qualities characteristic of silk spun by other spiders, including orb-weaving species, at low speeds 2 . The toughness of this jump-spun silk (mean = 281.9 MJ/m3) even surpasses reported values for all but the toughest orb-web draglines 2 . These results show that salticids are capable of spinning high-performance silk and are able to do so extremely rapidly under natural conditions.
Hand care begins with prevention in elementary schools.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this paper is to provide background information on the epidemic proportions of hand injuries related to computer use. It offers a solution of early health education in prevention of cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) through specially designed instruction in elementary schools.Study design: The current literature is reviewed. Some physical impairments caused by poor biomechanics and computer overuse are identified. Disability factors are highlighted in relation to how the physical impairment affects an individual's performance in the domain of work. Handicapping factors that are the result of the individual's decline in performance roles of worker are noted. These factors impact our society in dollars spent on medical insurance and worker's compensation claims. A review of a pilot project aimed at early education in hand health basics is introduced, as a proactive ergonomic solution to the present epidemic of cumulative trauma disorders.RESULTS: A positive response was displayed by the 950 elementary students and their staff to a 20-min program that introduced concepts of posture at the keyboard and basic upper body stretches. Children were instructed in their individual classes during their computer lab time. Daily follow-up, particularly for the forearm and hand stretches, was fostered by the computer lab coordinator, teachers, and wall posters. Parents were informed through a summary article printed in the monthly school newsletter.CONCLUSIONS: Wellness thinking and living can be learned at an early age to assure that basic principles of work practice such as posture and upper body stretches become a life skill. Review of the literature supports programs to educate individuals at an early age to develop life skills that would minimize the occurrence of cumulative trauma disorders, especially in relation to the use of computers. Language: en
Embedding Undergraduate Student Research Experiences in the Community College Curriculum

Community colleges have long struggled with the question of how to incorporate student research activities into the undergraduate curriculum. Common barriers to maintaining an active research agenda for two-year faculty include high teaching loads, lack of adequate facilities and support staff, a lack of graduate or upper-level undergraduate students to serve as teaching assistants, and a student population which is often under-prepared and transient in terms of how they expect to move through major requirements.In response to this situation, various community colleges have begun to explore potential solutions, recognizing that we have an obligation to our students, especially those who plan to transfer to four-year universities, to provide comparable skills and experiences that will prepare them to continue their educations at a level consistent with those of their peers who spend their entire undergraduate educations at a single institution. One such initiative is the Council on Undergraduate Education (CUR) workshops (funded by the National Science Foundation) on “Developing Undergraduate Research at Community Colleges”, which began in the 2010-2011 academic year, and continues in the current academic year. These workshops pair faculty and administrators at two-year institutions which have embedded undergraduate research in the curriculum with counterparts at institutions which plan to follow suit in the near future. Another is a statewide project in the state of Minnesota (under the auspices of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Leadership Academy) which plans to identify resources, level-appropriate expectations, and to showcase opportunities for faculty and students at four-year institutions to share their research experiences with two-year colleagues.The presenter has been involved in both of these initiatives (he serves on the MnSCU team mentioned above, and is the team leader for a college group being trained at the October 2011 CUR workshop in Minneapolis). Findings from both projects will be shared with fellow panelists and participants; however, the primary purpose of this presentation is to encourage a discussion of successful practices that other faculty have implemented. Topics to be discussed could include partnerships between two-year and neighboring four-year institutions, potential funding sources, capstone projects, course-level assignments, and the teaching of a methods course at the sophomore level (either as a stand-alone Political Science course, or in conjunction with faculty from other Social Science disciplines). Participant involvement is highly encouraged; the primary purpose of this presentation is to start a dialogue which would allow faculty at various institutions to brainstorm and share their expertise.
Next Generation Networks and Cost-Based Bitstream Access: Pricing Asymmteric Flexibility Using Contingent Claim Analysis

Questions about the efficacy of cost-based prices, as a basis for pricing capacity access in telecommunication networks, continue to dominate the debate in both theory and practice. The literature questions the versatility of cost-based access from the standpoint of option pricing theory. The question at the core of this debate is the shortcoming of cost based prices in the face of the asymmetric distribution of downstream risk. This debate currently resonates strongly with the transition to Next Generation Networks, given the considerable investment and risk that this transition entails. While the literature mainly provides qualitative conjectures about the potential shortcomings of cost-based price regulation, it still lacks a rigorous treatment of the asymmetry alluded to. Therefore the basis to quantify the relative value of the asymmetry remains unresolved. We use contingent claim analysis to provide a rigorous treatment of how the risk associated third-party bitstream access can be priced in Next Generation Access (NGA) platforms, based on European evidence. We employ a two-dimensional model to capture the stochastic dynamics of downstream value to virtual providers. The model captures the value arising from the flexibility of favorably timing entry and exit decisions to the drivers of downstream value. Based on the overall mechanics of open access, which give virtual providers the right but not the obligation to participate in the downstream market - the value that accrues to such providers is, in effect, a bundle of contingent claims. These claims are valued using contingent claim analysis where Q-values are determined via the market price of risk. Finally, this paper provides a closed-form solution for valuing the asymmetrical distribution of risk associated with bitstream access in NGNs.
Open learning objects for data structure course

The paper presents an approach to the design of Open Learning Objects (OLOs). The approach is based on open standards, mostly XML markup languages and their related tools. It enables learning-object-to-learner interaction and supports learning object adaptation to the learner. We use inner metadata to describe the OLOs with features of learner adaptation and interaction. OLOs designed using this approach can be used to organize learning materials of a wide range of courses, and better support learner-centered, self-paced, and highly interactive Web-based learning environment. To demonstrate the use of the innovative approach, we create the OLOs for a core computer science course, Data Structure.
The impact of EPACT on reflector lamp replacements

The Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT) requires that manufacturers stop manufacturing and distributing some very commonly used fluorescent and incandescent lamps after October 31, 1995. Consequentially, when end users are faced with replacing standard reflector (R) and parabolic aluminized reflector (PAR) lamps, their alternatives will be limited to those that comply with EPACT. Confusion is likely to occur when users try to understand how the available alternatives would perform compared with the original lamp. This paper discusses a research study that was conducted to evaluate manufacturer-recommended equivalents for 150 Watt PAR38 flood and spot lamps, and 75 Watt R30 flood and spot base case lamps. The photometric performance and visual beam distribution of 58 lamp types from seven manufacturers, a total of 211 lamps, were evaluated. The results indicate that halogen and krypton-filled equivalents performed as well as, or better than, the base case lamps. Compact fluorescent reflector lamps, however, did not perform as well. The evaluations identified seven categories of beam distributions that represent the beam distributions of the base case lamps and their equivalents. Most of the base case lamps had smooth beam distributions; however, many of the recommended replacements did not. >
Democracy by Decree: What Happens When Courts Run Government

Schools, welfare agencies, and a wide variety of other state and local institutions of vital importance to US citizens are actually controlled by attorneys and judges rather than governors and mayors. In this text, Ross Sandler and David Schoenbrod explain how this has come to pass, why it has resulted in service to the public that is worse, not better, and what can be done to restore control of these programmes to democratically elected, and accountable, officials. Sandler and Schoenbrod tell how the courts, with the best intentions and often with the approval of elected officials, came to control ordinary policy making through court decrees. These court regimes, they assert, impose rigid and often ancient detailed plans that can flounder on reality. Newly elected officials, who may wish to alter the plans in response to the changing wishes of voters, cannot do so unless attorneys, court-appointed functionaries and lower-echelon officials agree. The result is neither judicial government nor good government, say Sandler and Schoenbrod, and they offer practical reforms that would set governments free from this judicial stranglehold, allow courts to do their legitimate job of protecting rights, and strengthen democracy.
A Note on the Earnings of Real Estate Salespersons and others in the Financial Services Industry

The earnings of females in various sales professions are less than their male counterparts. By expanding on the set of variables used by Jud and Winkler we were able to explain a large portion of this differential for most professions. Child rearing and marriage explain much of the differential in income in business sales outside of real estate. These variables fail to explain the remaining large gap in real estate sales, however.
PBX-M ohmic heating power supply upgrade

The ohmic heating (OH) power supply performs two functions in the PBX-M experiment. The OH system provides the voltage necessary for the initial discharge breakdown, and is the primary method of plasma current drive. In 1987 the PBX (Princeton Beta Experiment) device was upgraded to PBX-M (Princeton Beta Experiment-Modified). At that time, the OH power supply was reconfigured and portions of the control system were replaced. The upgrade provides control over the amount and duration of the voltage applied for initial discharge breakdown, more precise control of the overall current waveshape, and increases the total volt-seconds available for plasma current drive to 3 V-s. Details of the upgrade and operating experience from the previous run periods are presented along with discussions of the three leading candidate schemes for a proposed 1989-90 upgrade. >
Loss of membrane expression of E-cadherin in leukemic erythroblasts.

Abstract Context.—The special societal relationships existing between various cell types in bone marrow suggests that there may be a link between the adhesive characteristics of hematopoietic cells and their maturation. Egress of the developing hematopoietic cells is also a highly regulated process governed by adhesive interactions. In leukemia, immature blasts are not retained within the marrow, suggesting a breakdown of adhesive mechanisms. Recent reports suggest that E-cadherin, an epithelial adhesion molecule, is expressed on erythroid precursors and megakaryocytes, but not on other hematopoietic marrow elements. Objective.—To characterize the expression pattern of E-cadherin in normal and leukemic erythroid precursors by immunohistochemistry in paraffin-embedded tissue and bone marrow aspirate smears. Methods.—Five normal bone marrow specimens from rib resections, 15 trephine bone marrow biopsy specimens, and 6 bone marrow aspirate smears from the iliac crest of patients with no known leukemia were s...
Isolation and some properties of a carotenoid-protein complex from rat liver

Abstract A carotenoid-protein complex has been characterized from aqueous liver extracts of male Wistar rats fed 0.2% (wt/wt) β-carotene, but not from the livers of control rats that did not receive any β-carotene. The carotenoid-protein complex was precipitated from the aqueous 100,000g supernatant fraction between 0 and 50% saturation with ammonium sulphate (AS). Ion exchange chromatography of the AS fraction on a DEAE-sephacel column resulted in the elution of a major yellow fraction that had a characteristic curotenoid absorption spectrum, having a primary peak at 460 nm, with two shoulders at 432 nm and 489 nm. This absorption spectrum was not abolished by treatment with NaBH4, indicating that it is not a flavoprotein. The carotenoid component of the complex was quantitatively extracted with hexane only after denaturing the complex with an equal volume of ethanol or acetone. The organic extract exhibited the characteristic absorption spectrum of β-carotene. The carotenoid-protein complex was successfully reconstituted by incubating the dissociated chromophore with its endogenous apoprotein fraction from rat liver but not with bovine serum albumin. Subcellular distribution of the carotenoid-protein complex showed that 84% of the recovered β-carotene was localized in the mitochondrial and lysosomal fractions, while the nuclear, microsomal, and cytosolic fractions had negligible amounts of β-carotene. These results imply that a significant portion of the carotenoid-protein complex exists in the membrane fraction of the liver cell. Thus, a carotenoid-protein complex may be involved in liver storage and/or transport of β-carotene.
Treatment Considerations for the Depressed Geriatric Medical Patient

Depression is one of the most common reversible psychiatric disorders in the medically ill hospitalised elderly. Because of its adverse impact on quality of life, compliance with medical therapy, motivation towards recovery, and survival itself, depression requires rapid diagnosis and comprehensive management. Because of the risks attendant on the use of antidepressants and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in this population, medical and psychosocial strategies are of paramount and primary importance in the treatment of most critically ill depressed elderly individuals. These include adequate treatment of reversible medical illness, provision of psychological support, mobilisation of community resources, and involvement of family and social support networks. When depression is severe or associated with marked suicidal ideation, however, these four strategies may need to be carried out concurrently with biological therapies. After ensuring adequate cardiac, liver, and renal function, antidepressant therapy is best initiated at a low dosage (secondary amine preferred) and gradually titrated upward following serum concentrations carefully and monitoring for anticholinergic, hypotensive and cardiac adverse effects. If antidepressant therapy is not tolerated or is unsuccessful, then psychiatric consultation should be obtained and ECT considered, particularly if the patient is well enough to undergo repeated episodes of brief general anaesthesia.
An ultrastructural search for lectin-binding sites on surfaces of spinach leaf organelles

Organelles isolated from leaves of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) were prefixed in glutaraldehyde and then incubated with ferritin conjugates of four lectins — Concanavalin A (Con A), Ricinus communis L. agglutinin, MW 120,000 (RCA), soybean agglutinin (SBA), and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) — in order to probe their cytoplasmic surfaces for saccharide residues. In each case the major leaf organelles, including microbodies, mitochondria and chloroplast derivatives, failed to exhibit labeling when examined with the electron microscope. Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) leaf protoplasts, incubated simultaneously with and under identical conditions to the spinach organelles, showed specific labeling of their plasma membranes with all four lectin conjugates, thus establishing the efficacy of the procedure for demonstrating the presence of binding sites when they exist. Further attempts to show binding of one of the lectins, Con A, by labeling with fluorescein-Con A and by organelle agglutination, yielded results consistent with the absence of ultrastructural labeling. It is concluded that no saccharide residues recognized by the four lectins are present on the cytoplasmic surfaces of organelles and that those residues reported to be constituents of intracellular membranes, therefore, are most likely exposed on the luminal (extracytoplasmic) surfaces.
Three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiographic delineation of ventricular septal aneurysm producing right ventricular outflow obstruction in an adult.

We report three-dimensional echocardiographic delineation of a congenital aneurysm of the membranous interventricular septum causing right ventricular outflow tract obstruction in an adult patient. To our knowledge, these findings have not been described before. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 21, January 2004)
Localization of a laminin-binding protein in brain

Abstract A 110,000 mol.wt laminin-binding protein from newborn mouse brain recognizes a neunte promoting laminin A chain site and is related to the β -amyloid precursor protein. In the present study, we examined the expression of 110,000 mol.wt laminin-binding protein in brains of adult mice, rats, and non-human primates. Essentially identical immunoreactivities were observed across species with distinct staining of cortical pyramidal neurons with apical dendrites, cerebellar basket cell axons, hippocampal mossy fibers, and fine labeling of processes throughout the brain. Colocalization of immunoreactivities to 110,000 mol.wt laminin-binding protein and to laminin in neurons of the adult rat brain was observed. Electron microscopy demonstrated that 110,000 mol.wt laminin-binding protein-like immunoreactivity is intracellular and is possibly associated with the neuronal cytoskeleton. Western blot analysis revealed that anti-110,000 mol.wt laminin-binding protein also recognizes a 140,000 mol.wt protein in the pellet, in addition to the 110,000 mol.wt protein in the Triton soluble extract. Antibody fractions specific to the two reactive protein species (110,000 mol.wt and 140,000 mol.wt) exhibited cross-reactivity on immunoblots and revealed similar immunohistochemical staining in adult brain. Results suggest a significant interaction between laminin-like molecules and 110,000 mol.wt laminin-binding protein-like molecules in normal brain function, in response to CNS injury and possibly in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.
Remote plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (rpcvd) process for low temperature (<450°c) epitaxy of si and si, 1-xgex

ABSTRACT Remote Plasma-enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (RPCVD) is a low temperature growth technique which has: been successfully employed tor in situ remote hydrogen plasma cleaning, dielectric deposition, silicon homoepitaxy and Si1−x, Gex heteroepitaxy in the temperature range of 150°C-450°C. The growth rate of epitaxial Si in the RPCVD process can be varied from 0.4A/min to 50A/min by controlling the r-f power. The wide range of controllable growth rates makes RPCVD a excellent tool for applications ranging from quantum-well type structures to more conventional Si epitaxy. Epitaxial Si and Si1−x, Gex films with defect densities below the detectable limits of TEM (∼105 cm− 2 or less) and low oxygen content (∼3×101B cm− 3) have been achieved by RPCVD. The in situ boron-doped Si films have been grown on n-typo, phosphorus-doped substrates to form p-n junctions for mesa diode fabrication. The mesa diodes with different boron doping concentrations (1017-1019 cm− 3) show good current-voltage characterist...
New “Gabriel” syntheses of amines

Abstract The Gabriel synthesis is generalized as monoalkylation of an ammonia or primary amine derivative with subsequent removal of the derivatizing group(s) from nitrogen. Two new derivatives for this purpose are introduced: phenacylsulfonamides and triflamides, with discussion of their generality and effectiveness.
On eliminating vertices from a tree

Abstract The removal of any vertex incident with at least three edges in a tree network would cause a significant structural change in the tree. We discuss the need for such vertex removals and establish relationships between distances on a tree resulting from removing at least one vertex and those on the original tree.
First experiments probing the collision of parallel magnetic fields using laser-produced plasmas

Novel experiments to study the strongly-driven collision of parallel magnetic fields in β ∼ 10, laser-produced plasmas have been conducted using monoenergetic proton radiography. These experiments were designed to probe the process of magnetic flux pileup, which has been identified in prior laser-plasma experiments as a key physical mechanism in the reconnection of anti-parallel magnetic fields when the reconnection inflow is dominated by strong plasma flows. In the present experiments using colliding plasmas carrying parallel magnetic fields, the magnetic flux is found to be conserved and slightly compressed in the collision region. Two-dimensional (2D) particle-in-cell simulations predict a stronger flux compression and amplification of the magnetic field strength, and this discrepancy is attributed to the three-dimensional (3D) collision geometry. Future experiments may drive a stronger collision and further explore flux pileup in the context of the strongly-driven interaction of magnetic fields.
Ectopic spleen. A sonographic diagnosis.

The diagnosis of an ectopic spleen can be made sonographically by recognizing the characteristic parenchymal texture and shape of the spleen. Evaluation of the left upper quadrant is necessary to confirm the diagnosis or to diagnose a mass displacing a normal spleen. A rare case of an ectopic spleen in a child with chronic torsion is presented.
Fluorescence lifetime of in vivo chlorophyll studied in chloroplasts and algae

Abstract Fluorescence lifetime of in vivo chlorophyll a in isolated chloroplasts and green algae have been investigated by single photon counting with picosecond time resolution. The fluorescence decay showed three exponential components in all species. Inactivation of the reaction centers || caused almost exclusively a 20-fold increase in the yield of the slowest component (θ ≅ 2.2 ns). We conclude that this variable part of the fluorescence in mainly controlled by a rate-limiting charge recombination in the reaction centers but that it indicates also energy transfer between photosynthetic units.
A Fabry Perót type resonator tunable below 2 GHz for use in time domain rotational spectroscopy: Application to the measurement of the radio frequency spectra of bromobenzene and iodobenzene

Abstract Two aluminum mirrors with radii of 203.2 mm and radii of curvature also of 203.2 mm have been used to construct a tunable Fabry–Perot type resonator with Q values of ∼200 at frequencies as low as 500 MHz. The resonator has been incorporated into a pulsed nozzle, Fourier transform, Balle–Flygare spectrometer typically used for recording pure rotational spectra in the microwave region. The resonator design allows the instrument to access the radio frequency region (⩽3 GHz) of the electromagnetic spectrum. The spectrometer is of use in (i) recording low J transitions of large asymmetric molecules where the spectra are often greatly simplified compared to higher frequency regions; (ii) measuring hyperfine constants for heavy molecules with higher accuracy than may be obtained at higher frequencies where hyperfine structure may not be resolvable; and (iii) provides further synchronicity between laboratory based measurements and radio astronomy in the 30 cm region. The resonators use is illustrated by recording the rotational spectra of bromobenzene and iodobenzene. The lowest ΔJ = +1 transition for iodobenzene has been observed at 1130.5292(10) MHz.