cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lanthanides in the Norton County achondrite

Lanthanide concentrations in 13 fractions of the Norton County achondrite have been determined by a mass spectrometric isotope dilution method. A most remarkable fact is that the distribution of lanthanides is quite different between enstatite single crystal and polycrystalline material. This difference is interpreted in terms of different formation processes. It is thought that in the growth of single crystals, individual ions were placed one by one to build a strictly defined lattice structure, whereas the polycrystalline material was produced by the transitional formation of amorphous phases or phases of low crystallinity resulting from spontaneous cohesion of neighboring ions in the melt. The lanthanide patterns for single crystal fractions are grossly similar to each other, but there is some variation between them in fine structure of the patterns. This can be interpreted as a reflection of the fact that the partition of lanthanides into single enstatite crystals is more or less sensitive to rather subtle differences in the conditions of crystal growth. The genesis of Shalka, Johnstown (both hypersthene achondrites) and eucritic achondrites can be interpreted in terms of the precipitation of single crystals only. A great difference in partition coefficient between single crystals and polycrystalline material system appeares to be of much petrological significance, because it is thought that the difference can also bring about a great difference in efficiency of enrichment of calcium in remnant liquid. Irregular behavior of Cc, Eu, and Yb in a few single-crystal fractions was ascertained by independently processed redeterminations. The irregularities may be ascribed to single crystals favoring higher valence state of these elements relative to the melt. It is suggested that lanthanum might have been a little depleted relative to the other lanthanides in the initial melt that produced Norton County.
Input and output for microprocessors

Several alternative strategies for input and output for microprocessors are described, with examples for 8080 machines and the S-100 bus. The strategies are compared in terms of cost, complexity, flexibility, and speed in typical psychology laboratory tasks. Flag testing, interrupt processing, and direct memory access are considered in both parallel and serial modes.
Efficient RDF data management including provenance and uncertainty

RDFKB (Resource Description Framework Knowledge Base) is a solution for managing, persisting and querying semantic web knowledge. RDFKB provides a flexible data management schema that allows additions, deletions, and updates at all levels in the data model. RDFKB also supports 1) knowledge inference, 2) provenance and lineage, 3) probabilities and uncertainty reasoning, 4) trust factors, 5) dataset linkage and ontology alignment. We will show through a variety of use cases and experiments that RDFKB enables each of these tasks. We will also show that RDFKB outperforms all other semantic web repositories through experiments using 26 queries against 2 accepted benchmark datasets.
Interactive design of rational Bezier tensor product surfaces in stereo

We investigate the use of stereo in creating and manipulating ration Bezier tensor product surfaces. The application uses operating system provided 2D cursors and menuing which were found to be inferior to their stereo counterparts. Stereo manipulation was accomplished using a 3-button mouse which was determined to be an adequate input device. The interface is described and possible changes and additions are suggested.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Thidiazuron-induced highly morphogenic callus and high frequency regeneration of fertile peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) plants

An efficient regeneration system was developed by culturing immature cotyledons and embryo axes of Arachis hypogaea L. cv. Georgia Green on Murashige and Skoog basal medium (MS) supplemented with various concentrations of thidiazuron (TDZ; 1, 5, 10, and 15 µM). Highly morphogenic callus was produced from 100% of the explants comprising the cotyledon with attached embryo axis when cultured in the dark on 10 µM TDZ. Upon excision and continued culture in the dark on 10 µM TDZ, morphogenic callus grew repetitively during monthly subcultures and retained its regeneration potential. For organogenesis, a gradual reduction in TDZ concentration and exposure to light were necessary before transfer to MS basal medium. Inclusion of indole-3-butyric acid in liquid MS medium favored rooting of recovered shoots. A distinct feature of this investigation is the induction of highly morphogenic callus by TDZ and regeneration of morphologically normal, fertile peanut plants after 8 months of callus subculture.
Design of a knowledge-based simulation environment

This paper presents a design of a knowledge-based simulation environment based on techniques from conventional simulation methods, object-oriented programming methods, and knowledge- based programming methods. The environment has cooperating knowledge- based and simulation parts integrated into one modeling system. An idealized knowledge-based simulation model is presented along with a language for implementing such a model. This language is based on Symbolics Common Lisp with Flavors package. A model of the software development process is presented to illustrate the use of the knowledge-based simulation environment. This software development model is not intended to be a rigorous model of the software development process, but only to illustrate the use of the knowledge-based development environment which is presented in this paper.
Electron and hole relaxation pathways in semiconductor quantum dots

Femtosecond (fs) broad-band transient absorption (TA) is used to study the intraband relaxation and depopulation dynamics of electron and hole quantized states in CdSe nanocrystals (NC's) with a range of surface properties. Instead of the drastic reduction in the energy relaxation rate expected due to a ``phonon bottleneck,'' we observe a fast subpicosecond $1P$-to-$1S$ electron relaxation, with the rate exceeding that due to phonon emission in bulk semiconductors. The energy relaxation is enhanced with reducing the NC's radius, and does not show any dependence on the NC surface properties (quality of the surface passivation). These data indicate that electron energy relaxation occurs by neither multiphonon emission nor by coupling to surface defects, but is likely meditated by Auger-type electron-hole energy transfer. We use fs infrared TA to probe electron and hole intraband transitions, which allows us to distinguish between electron and hole relaxation pathways leading to the depopulation of NC quantized states. In contrast to the electron relaxation, which is controlled by NC surface passivation, the depopulation of hole quantized states is extremely fast (sub-ps-to-ps time scales) in all types of samples, independent of NC surface treatment (including NC's overcoated with a ZnS layer). Our results indicate that ultrafast hole dynamics are not due to trapping at localized surface defects such as a vacancy, but rather arise from relaxation into intrinsic NC states or intrinsically unpassivated interface states.
Effect of phospholipases A2 and C on structure and phospholipids of the electroplax

Abstract Phospholipid hydrolysis after 30 min exposure to phospholipase A2 or phospholipase C was determined in intact electroplax cells and in the separated conducting and non-conducting membranes. These enzymes, in concentrations of 0.2 and 2.0 mg per ml, caused approximately the same percentage hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine (40–80%); in addition phospholipase C hydrolyzed sphingomyelin. Phospholipase A2 (0.2 and 2.0 mg per ml) caused mitochondrial swelling, and a pinching off of the membrane inpocketings into clusters of small rounded vesicles external to the membrane. Lysophosphatidylcholine (2 mg per ml) caused some vesicular formation, although not nearly as numerous as with phospholipase A2; and no mitochondrial alterations. Phospholipase C (2 mg per ml) caused some mitochondrial swelling, but no vesicle formation. Disruption by phospholipase C of hydrophilic or electrostatic interactions between phospholipids and proteins has less effect on the ultrastructural organization of the membrane than does disruption of hydrophobic interactions by phospholipase A2. The results are discussed in relationship to the fluid mosaic model of membrane organization.
Assessment of liver disease (noninvasive methods).

Purpose of review The purpose of this review is to highlight new findings published in 2010-2011 related to noninvasive fibrosis assessment in HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infected patients. Overall, in 2010-2011, 15 studies were published, of which two were excluded because they were published in languages other than English. Recent findings Eleven studies focused on serum marker panels. Studies sought to validate established panels in HIV/HCV co-infected patients often by comparing multiple serum marker panels in the same population; establish new marker panels using combinations of markers used in previously validated panels; and develop new marker panels using novel methodology. Overall, all panels performed within similar ranges of diagnostic accuracy as measured by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) but the FibroMeter panel and its derivations achieved the highest performance. Four studies focused on transient elastography. Two studies confirmed its accuracy for identifying fibrosis and cirrhosis and two studies confirmed that misclassification rates are higher in the presence of elevated triglycerides and steatosis. Summary Overall, performance of transient elastography appeared superior to the majority of serum marker panels for the detection of significant fibrosis and cirrhosis in HIV/HCV co-infected patients. Challenges of widespread application of transient elastography remain high misclassification in some subgroups, lack of standardized cut-points and lack of widespread availability. Panels that were newly developed in 2010-2011 specifically for HIV/HCV appeared to perform better than existing panels such as APRI and FIB-4; however, additional external validation will be needed to confirm their accuracy.
Coated Arsenate of Lead

This paper deals with the coating of lead arsenate with a metallic soap and its use against the Japanese beetle ( Papilla japonica Newm.). When lead oleate is precipitated under proper conditions it forms an intimate mixture consisting of globules of lead oleate with uncoated particles of arsenate of lead. After drying, the lead oleate spreads upon the surface of the arsenate of lead powder and upon the leaf and produces a coated material which adheres very firmly to the leaf surface.
The nerves of the atrio-ventricular bundle

Physiologists, in explaining the transmission of the wave of contraction on the heart from atrium to ventricle, have alternately leaned towards either the myogenic or the neurogenic hypothesis. Many of the discussions on this subject have been useless and many of the deductions false, because of the misconception of the anatomical facts. For long it was held that through in cold-blood vertebrates the experiments of Gaskell had settled the question in favour of the myogenuc theory, yet in mammals there existed an interruption between the atrial muscle and the ventricular muscle at the atrio-ventricular groove, and that this was opposed to a general acceptance of the myogenic theory. Later anatomical investigation, however, has definitely shown that there exists in all mammals, between the ateria and the ventricles, a pathway of modified muscle fibres along which the contraction wave appears to go. This is the atrio-ventricular (auriculo-ventricular) bundle, or bundle of His. The discovery of this muscular connection gave very decided support to the myogenic hypothesis, and at present it would appear that prevailing opinion favours this theory. It receives additional support in so far that in this bundle only a few nerve fibres have as yet been recognised by one or two observers; some assert that nerves are not present, or, if so, are too few in number to be of any movement. More definite statements gave been made by Tawara and Retzer. Tawara (1) found that “in the heart of the calf the atrio-ventricular bundle is accompanied by a very considerable nerve bundle, which runs with the muscle bundle, and in the left ventricular septum nerve cells are present 1·2 cm. below the aortic valve.” In the atrio-ventricular bundle of the sheep only a few nerve bundles were seen, but in the dog, cat, and in man he could find none, though he expressly states that these cannot be excluded, since, fine nerve fibres accompany the bundle. Retzer (2) has pointed out that the first ganglion cells that appear in the embryonic heart lie in the atrial septum, immediately above the beginning of the conductive system; further, that the Prukinje fibres are surrounded by a plexus of non-medullated nerves.
Anthropology rediscovers sexuality: a theoretical comment.

Abstract Despite its reputation for openness to research on sexuality, anthropology as a discipline has only reluctantly supported such work. Anthropological research and theory developed slowly, sharing a stable theoretical paradigm (the cultural influence model) from the 1920s to the 1990s. Moving beyond determinist and essentialist frameworks still common in biomedicine, anthropological work nevertheless viewed important aspects of sexuality as universal and transcultural. Social construction theory has offered a challenge to traditional anthropological models and has been responsible for a recent burst of innovative work in sexuality, both in anthropology and in other disciplines, since 1975. The theoretical roots and implications of constructionist theory are explored. The intensifying competition between cultural influence and constructionist paradigms has been altered by the appearance of AIDS and the subsequent increased support for research on sexuality. On the one hand, the expansion in funding threatens to strengthen essentialist models in biomedical contexts and cultural influence models in anthropology. On the other hand, the complexities and ambiguities inherent in the sexuality under study may both reveal the strengths of constructionist approaches and spur the development of research and theory in anthropology.
Harnessing microbial appetites for remediation

Demonstration of dioxin dehalogenation by an anaerobic bacterium highlights potential for bioremediation of recalcitrant anthropogenic pollutants.
Do correlates of HPV vaccine initiation differ between adolescent boys and girls

Background Guidelines now recommend that adolescents routinely receive human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Because little is known about uptake among boys, we assessed HPV vaccine initiation in a population-based sample of adolescent boys and girls.
Molecular diagnostic testing by eyeGENE: analysis of patients with hereditary retinal dystrophy phenotypes involving central vision loss.

Purpose To analyze the genetic test results of probands referred to eyeGENE with a diagnosis of hereditary maculopathy. Methods Patients with Best macular dystrophy (BMD), Doyne honeycomb retinal dystrophy (DHRD), Sorsby fundus dystrophy (SFD), or late-onset retinal degeneration (LORD) were screened for mutations in BEST1, EFEMP1, TIMP3, and CTRP5, respectively. Patients with pattern dystrophy (PD) were screened for mutations in PRPH2, BEST1, ELOVL4, CTRP5, and ABCA4; patients with cone-rod dystrophy (CRD) were screened for mutations in CRX, ABCA4, PRPH2, ELOVL4, and the c.2513G>A p.Arg838His variant in GUCY2D. Mutation analysis was performed by dideoxy sequencing. Impact of novel variants was evaluated using the computational tool PolyPhen. Results Among the 213 unrelated patients, 38 had BMD, 26 DHRD, 74 PD, 8 SFD, 6 LORD, and 54 CRD; six had both PD and BMD, and one had no specific clinical diagnosis. BEST1 variants were identified in 25 BMD patients, five with novel variants of unknown significance (VUS). Among the five patients with VUS, one was diagnosed with both BMD and PD. A novel EFEMP1 variant was identified in one DHRD patient. TIMP3 novel variants were found in two SFD patients, PRPH2 variants in 14 PD patients, ABCA4 variants in four PD patients, and p.Arg838His GUCY2D mutation in six patients diagnosed with dominant CRD; one patient additionally had a CRX VUS. ABCA4 mutations were identified in 15 patients with recessive CRD. Conclusions Of the 213 samples, 55 patients (26%) had known causative mutations, and 13 (6%) patients had a VUS that was possibly pathogenic. Overall, selective screening for mutations in BEST1, PRPH2, and ABCA4 would likely yield the highest success rate in identifying the genetic basis for macular dystrophy phenotypes. Because of the overlap in phenotypes between BMD and PD, it would be beneficial to screen genes associated with both diseases.
Benjamin’s communist idea: Aestheticized politics, technology, and the rehearsal of revolution

Recent interest in communism as an idea prompts reconsideration of Walter Benjamin’s conception of a “communist” aesthetic politics. In spite of Benjamin’s categorical condemnation of aestheticized...
A Monte Carlo investigation of four nonparametric multiple-comparison tests for k independent groups

A Monte Carlo study of four nonparametric multiple-comparison tests (t), the Wilcoxon, Steel, Nemenyi, and Ryan tests, was done to determine their Type I error rates when overall Kruskal-Wallis H tests were and were not significant. A total of 13,000 simulated experiments, N, were performed in a design with k = 3, 5, 7, and 9 groups and n = 7, 10, and 15 replicates per group at a =.05 and and a =.01. It was found that: (1) most of the variance in the error rates was accounted for by k, t, and k × t; (2) when the Wilcoxon test was used for pairwise comparisons after a significant H test, it was the best of the four procedures. The latter finding is concordant with recent studies of parametric multiple-comparison tests.
Exclusion of the Unfolded Protein Response in Light-Induced Retinal Degeneration in the Canine T4R RHO Model of Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa

Purpose To examine the occurrence of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR) following acute light damage in the naturally-occurring canine model of RHO-adRP (T4R RHO dog). Methods The left eyes of T4R RHO dogs were briefly light-exposed and retinas collected 3, 6 and 24 hours later. The contra-lateral eyes were shielded and used as controls. To evaluate the time course of cell death, histology and TUNEL assays were performed. Electron microscopy was used to examine ultrastructural alterations in photoreceptors at 15 min, 1 hour, and 6 hours after light exposure. Gene expression of markers of ER stress and UPR were assessed by RT-PCR, qRT-PCR and western blot at the 6 hour time-point. Calpain and caspase-3 activation were assessed at 1, 3 and 6 hours after exposure. Results A brief exposure to clinically-relevant levels of white light causes within minutes acute disruption of the rod outer segment disc membranes, followed by prominent ultrastructural alterations in the inner segments and the initiation of cell death by 6 hours. Activation of the PERK and IRE1 pathways, and downstream targets (BIP, CHOP) of the UPR was not observed. However increased transcription of caspase-12 and hsp70 occurred, as well as calpain activation, but not that of caspase-3. Conclusion The UPR is not activated in the early phase of light-induced photoreceptor cell death in the T4R RHO model. Instead, disruption in rods of disc and plasma membranes within minutes after light exposure followed by increase in calpain activity and caspase-12 expression suggests a different mechanism of degeneration.
Comparison of Nutrients in Raw, Commercially Breaded and Hand-Breaded Shrimp

Three different brands of commercially breaded shrimp were analyzed for breading composition and nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fat, B-vitamins, calcium and iron) for comparison with hand-breaded laboratory samples. All analyses were on a 100g basis. The percent breading, carbohydrates and calories were higher in the commercial samples than in the hand-breaded shrimp. However, the hand-breaded shrimp exhibited slightly higher values of niacin, thiamin and riboflavin when compared to the commercial samples. An average of 41.8 mg of calcium and 0.97 mg of iron were found in commercial samples while the hand-breaded samples contained 32.4 mg and 1.1 mg. respectively, for these two minerals.
Organizational Communication Effectiveness: The View of Corporate Administrators.

Dimensions of organizational communication effectiveness have been described differently in the management, superior‐subordinate, and competence literature. This study compares previous findings to the results of interviews with 48 Northwest corporate administrators. Interview team members content‐analyzed interview notes to find six major dimensions of effectiveness: (1) Coaching and motivating employees; (2) Encouraging worker involvement and participation; (3) Self‐motivation; (4) Problem Solving Ability; (5) Direct and Adaptive Interpersonal Style; and (6) Listening Skills.
Optimization of piezoelectric energy harvester for wireless smart sensors in railway health monitoring

Wireless sensor network is one of the prospective methods for railway monitoring due to the long-term operation and low-maintenance performances. How to supply power to the wireless sensor nodes has drawn much attention recently. In railway monitoring, the idea of converting ambient vibration energy from vibration of railway track induced by passing trains to electric energy has made it a potential way for powering the wireless sensor nodes. Nowadays, most of vibration based energy harvesters are designed at resonance. However, as railway vibration frequency is a wide band range, how to design an energy harvester working at that range is critical. In this paper, the energy consumption of the wireless smart sensor platform, Imote2, at different working states were investigated. Based on the energy consumption, a design of a bimorph cantilever piezoelectric energy harvester has been optimized to generate maximum average power between a wide-band frequency range. Significant power and current outputs have been increased after optimal design. Finally, the rechargeable battery life for supplying the Imote2 for railway monitoring is predicted by using the optimized piezoelectric energy harvesting system.
Predicting Treatment Dropout in Parent Training Interventions for Families of School-Aged Children With ADHD

Premature treatment dropout is a problem for many families seeking mental health services for their children. Research is currently limited in identifying factors that increase the likelihood of dropout in families of school-aged children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Thus, the goal of the current study was to examine different child, parental, and family factors that predict dropout for families of children with ADHD at the initial assessment and during treatment. Participants included 73 families who sought treatment services at a university-based ADHD clinic. Variables found to be related to assessment or treatment dropout included ethnicity, ADHD medication status, severity of behavioral problems, and single parent families. In addition, single parent families strongly predicted assessment and treatment dropout. This provides support for identifying child and parental factors early in the evaluation process in order to modify interventions to reduce the risk of families discont...
Empowerment Theory: Clarifying the Nature of Higher-Order Multidimensional Constructs

Development of empowerment theory has focused on defining the construct at different levels of analysis, presenting new frameworks or dimensions, and explaining relationships between empowerment-related processes and outcomes. Less studied, and less conceptually developed, is the nature of empowerment as a higher-order multidimensional construct. One critical issue is whether empowerment is conceptualized as a superordinate construct (i.e., empowerment is manifested by its dimensions), an aggregate construct (i.e., empowerment is formed by its dimensions), or rather as a set of distinct constructs. To date, researchers have presented superordinate models without careful consideration of the relationships between dimensions and the higher-order construct of empowerment. Empirical studies can yield very different results, however, depending on the conceptualization of a construct. This paper represents the first attempt to address this issue systematically in empowerment theory. It is argued that superordinate models of empowerment are misspecified and research that tests alternative models at different levels of analysis is needed to advance theory, research, and practice in this area. Recommendations for future work are discussed.
Inductive Test Circuit for a Fast Acting HVDC Interrupter

A unique test facility utilizing the inductive energy storage principle has been constructed in order to examine the characteristics of a fast acting HVDC interrupter. The facility is capable of producing currents up to 10, 000 A, developing voltages up to 200 kV, and storing energies up to 125 kJ. It is able to closely simulate the operational stresses encountered in the interruption of dc current. Experimental and computer results illustrate the operating characteristics of the facility.
Questioning Collapse: Human Resilience, Ecological Vulnerability, and the Aftermath of Empire

Questioning Collapse: Human Resilience, Ecological Vulnerability, and the Aftermath of Empire, edited by Patricia A. McAnany and Norman Yoffee, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010. xvi + 37...
PRESCHOOL CHILD SEX ABUSE: The Aftermath of the Presidio Case

A case study is presented of girls who were among the preschool victims of sexual abuse linked to occult rituals that occurred at the Presidio Army Base Child Development Center. Components of the trauma, together with its effects on the victims and their families, are investigated, and implications for the mental health profession are discussed.
A comparison of power-analysis-resistant digital circuits

Power analysis attacks are a common and effective method of defeating cryptographic systems. Many power-analysis-resistant digital circuit techniques have been previously proposed, leaving the circuit designer a myriad of choices without a simple way to compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of each technique. In this paper, we compare four promising power-analysis-resistant digital logic styles against a standard CMOS baseline. By comparing these techniques side by side in a consistent manner we present a clearer picture of the advantages and drawbacks of each. Results are presented for logic gate area, energy consumption, and power-analysis resistance. We also present a novel test structure suitable for measuring power-analysis resistance of individual logic gates in actual silicon.
SU‐E‐T‐284: Quantifying Respiratory Hysteresis via an Inter‐Cluster Distance Metric

Purposes: Understanding the degree of respiratory hysteresis is important for motion adaptive radiotherapy, as patients with significant respiratory hysteresis may require different motion models and/or management techniques. This work aims to develop a quantitative hysteresis index, that has the right metric property and robust towards observation settings. Methods: The proposed method herein is a data‐driven, clustering‐based approach. It stems from the intuition that hysteresis manifests via the discrepancy between the inhalation and exhalation segments of the respiratory trajectory. Therefore, a semi‐supervised clustering method is first applied to partition the trajectory data into inhalation and exhalation stages, and hysteresis is characterized by an inter‐cluster distance metric that intrinsically associates the corresponding displacement at these two stages. This metric is designed to be robust to scale, dynamic range, and data size, to permit comparison of hysteretic behavior across datasets acquired under different observation protocols and/or modalities. In the absence of any existing objective characterization of hysteresis, the proposed index was computed for simulation data to corroborate with human judgment. The robustness of the proposed index is tested with cross‐validation, applied to 159 patient‐derived respiratory trajectories. Results: The proposed hysteresis index is stable, and corroborates well with human judgment. Distribution of the hysteresis index among the patient cohort shows a small subgroup of trajectories with noticeably high hysteresis. Conclusion: For the first time, a quantitative index for hysteresis has been proposed. It is a proper metric and reflects the insight as a measure of discrepancy between corresponding inhalation and exhalation segment. The presence of a small population with high hysteresis alludes to the potential to “differentiate” patients based on such index and customize the motion management strategy. We will continue to develop unsupervised clustering schemes with built‐in outlier detection, and endeavor to incorporate physiological/biomechanical insight. Research supported in part by AACR.
Focal transformation and the Gouy phase shift of converging one-cycle surface acoustic waves excited by femtosecond laser pulses

We studied the changes of the pulse shape and the phase of the spectral components in converging-surface acoustic wave pulses. These pulses were excited with a femtosecond laser by a thermoelastic mechanism. To produce converging acoustic pulses, the laser beam was focused with an axicon in a circle on the surface of an aluminum sample. During propagation through the focus, the shape of the pulses of the normal surface velocity changed from two to three polar. The absolute value of the phase of the spectral components experienced a change close to pi/2 rad (Gouy phase shift) after passage of the focal region. These observations were confirmed by analytical and numerical calculations based on the two-dimensional wave equation for surface acoustic waves.
On the Design and Implementation of Interactive XML Applications

This paper describes issues and challenges in the design and implementation of interactive client-server applications where program logic is expressed in terms of an extensible markup language XML document. Although the technique was originally developed for creating interactive short message service SMS applications, it has expanded and is used for developing interactive web applications. XML-Interactive or XML-I defines the program states and corresponding actions. Because many interactive applications require sustained communication between the client and the underlying information service, XML-I has support for session management. This allows state information to be managed in a dynamic way. The paper describes several applications that are implemented using XML-I and discusses design issues. The software framework has been implemented in a Java environment.
Making a mobile robot learn to determine its location using neural networks

Abstract The extraction of a meaningful relationship between a robot and its environment from sensed data is a key component of all intelligent robot task. In many instances, the relationship between the sensed data and the desired output from the robot is so highly complex that it becomes very difficult to specify algorithms for extracting the desired relationships. In such situations, the use of a nonalgorithmic approach through the procedural learning exhibited by the feedforward multiple-layer neural networks appears very attractive. Motivated by this, we present in this paper the details of applying such networks to the task of robot localization. The robot localization scheme presented here uses an ultrasonic ring sensor to capture the environment and is meant for indoor applications. Experimental results simulated and real sensor data are presented to show the usefulness of the proposed scheme.
Diagnosis and clinical management of post-stroke depression.

Abstract Major or minor depression occurs in almost half of relatively unselected acute stroke patients and continues for more than six months. The most important determinant of its type and severity is lesion location. Left frontal lesions produce major depressive disorder in more than half of the patients, and the closer the anterior border of the lesion is to the frontal pole, the more severe the depression. In contrast, patients with right frontal lesions show an inappropriately cheerful but apathetic state. Time elapsed since stroke also is an important variable for prevalence of depression, and the high-risk period for post-stroke depression lasts for two years. Some mood disorders in stroke patients may result from injury to the norepinephrine-containing neurons as they arborize throughout the cerebral cortex, and this may explain the association with anterior hemisphere injury.
How is design organized? A preliminary study of spatiotemporal organization in engineering design

Design is widely considered to be the central or distinguishing activity of engineering and yet it remains an insufficiently researched and understood topic. From the perspective of engineering education, where a "disconnect" between professional engineering practices and university-based practices is an oft-discussed limitation, the sparseness of research on professional engineering design is noteworthy. Specific representations of real engineering practices are necessary to inform attempts to prepare future engineers. The present study attends to the location of engineering design in different organizational settings, as a way of examining the nature of purported "disconnects" between professional engineering design practices and those taking place in the undergraduate curriculum. Our core methodology is that of cognitive ethnography, which examines how cognitive tasks, in our case design, are accomplished within "functional systems" constituted of heterogeneous elements, both human and nonhuman. Our focus is on "how the work of the organization" gets done through the process of design. This work in progress (WIP) paper explores the spatiotemporal organization of activity as a key aspect of the situatedness and heterogeneity of design work, and reports preliminary findings regarding important differences in how design is organized in different design settings.
Relationship of Lipids to Glucose Tolerance and Insulin Response in the Aged

: The relation between lipid and carbohydrate metabolism was studied in 97 patients (average age, 82) by means of the glucose tolerance curve, blood insulin curve, and blood lipid pattern. A significant percentage of abnormal lipid values (including cholesterol and triglycerides) was found, whether or not the glucose tolerance curve was normal or abnormal. The blood insulin response to a 75–gm glucose load showed a correlation with lipid levels whereas the glucose tolerance curve alone did not. In patients with a high insulin response curve there was a greater incidence of abnormal lipid values than in patients with normal or low insulin response curves. The glucose-insulin (G/I) ratio was an even better predictor of the lipid pattern. Low G/I ratios were more frequently associated with elevated lipid levels, regardless of the absolute glucose and insulin values.
Motions of the cloud medium behind large scale galactic shocks

Mechanisms of decelerating the cloud medium in the large-scale galactic shock are studied. It is shown that the process of cloud-cloud collisions, which results in diffusive momentum transport and hence gives rise to the turbulent viscosity, is very effective in slowing down the cloud medium so that the postshock velocity of the intercloud medium can be matched within a short distance behind the shock front. The drag force exerted by the slow-moving intercloud medium alone is simply not enough to effectively decelerate the cloud medium in the shock. Using the results of Shu et al., we analyze the internal structure of the shock of the cloud medium by including turbulent viscous effects. The thickness of the shock is found of the order of 100 pc if the turbulent viscosity is taken proportional to the mean free path of the cloud-cloud collisions. The phase transition takes place in an even thinner layer of the order of 10 pc immediately after the viscous shock front of the intercloud medium.
Genetic and Ecological Guidelines for Species Reintroduction Programs: Application to Great Lakes Fishes

Complete restoration of the Great Lakes is unlikely, due to naturalization of exotic species, habitat degradation and destruction, heavy fishing mortality, lack of native gene pools, and complicated political jurisdictions that rarely work toward a common vision. A more realistic goal is rehabilitation, a movement along the trajectory toward complete restoration. Proper rehabilitation employs an evolutionary-genetic perspective, which protects and works with the remaining genetic variation available in lake trout or other species of concern. A difficult question is how to define the units of genetic conservation; one answer is to determine Evolutionary Significant Units. To do this, population structure must be defined, and various conceptual models are here presented that determine genetic population structure as a function of geographic structure of the habitat. Several concepts from the developing field of conservation biology should also be incorporated into lake trout rehabilitation. These include metapopulations—groups of populations that experience some degree of regular or intermittent gene flow, and that serve as recolonization sources after local extinctions. Related to this is “source-sink dynamics,” a recognition that habitats typically are unequal in quality. Habitat fragmentation is also relevant because it can stop inter-population movement and disrupt metapopulation structure and source-sink dynamics. Finally, hatcheries should be used in rehabilitation only with great caution and skepticism. Hatcheries tend to address the symptoms, rather than the causes, of fish declines, and may mask the underlying problems by continually replacing declining fish. Improved habitat quality, rather than artificial production, is the key to rehabilitation of the Great Lakes for lake trout and other native species, and hatcheries should only be used as a stopgap measure to prevent further losses of genetic diversity.
Progress in management of malperfusion syndrome from type B dissections

Objective Malperfusion syndrome is a known predictor of poor outcomes in acute type B dissection. We describe our experience with revascularization in the acute setting. Methods Patients undergoing intervention for ischemia complicated acute type B dissection between November 1999 and March 2011 were reviewed. Details of presenting condition, surgical intervention, and postoperative course were collected. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses included survival and freedom from reintervention using Cox proportional hazards models. Results A total of 61 patients were identified with malperfusion in at least one territory, including spinal cord 7/61 (12%), mesenteric 37/61 (61%), renal 45/61 (73%), and lower extremity 38/61 (62%). Thoracic stent grafts were placed in all patients, and 41% of patients required adjunctive branch vessel stenting. After intervention, resolution of the ischemia was reported in 57/61 (93%) of patients. The 30-day/in-hospital mortality was 21.3%. The 6-month, 1-year, and 5-year survival was 75% (95% CI, 65%-87%), 71% (95% CI, 61%-84%), and 56% (95% CI, 43%-74%), respectively. The 6-month, 1-year, and 5-year freedom from reintervention was 84% (95% CI, 75%-95%), 76% (95% CI, 65%-90%), and 42% (95% CI, 24%-76%), respectively. Territory of ischemia was not independently associated with mortality, but placement of a stent graft proximal to the subclavian artery was associated with poor outcome hazard ratio 2.91 (95% CI, 1.09-8.11; P = .034). Conclusions Malperfusion in any territory at the time of presentation in patients with type B dissections can be treated with endovascular intervention with acceptable outcomes. Opposed to branch vessel intervention alone, increased aortic intervention with regard to proximal coverage may signify more serious disease is associated with worse outcome.
Uncertainty and incentives for nonpoint pollution control

Abstract In dispersed or nonpoint pollution problems, monitoring of individual polluting actions is difficult and those actions cannot generally be inferred from observed ambient pollution because (i) ambient pollutant levels have a random distribution that is contingent on the level of abatement undertaken and/or (ii) the actions of several polluters contribute to the ambient levels and only combined effects are observable. This paper describes a general incentive scheme for controlling nonpoint pollution. Rewards for environmental quality above a given standard are combined with penalties for substandard quality. The mechanism is discussed in the context of both a single suspected polluter and multiple suspected polluters where free riding must be avoided.
Functionalized regio-regular linear polyethylenes from the ROMP of 3-substituted cyclooctenes

We demonstrated that the ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of 3-substituted cyclooctenes bearing polar substituents allows the synthesis of highly regio- and stereo-regular polymers. A series of polyalkenamers with 90–99 % head-to-tail/trans configuration were synthetized in good yields (33–87 % yield). Upon saturation of the backbone using diimide, these polymers represent a class of linear polyethylene derivatives where the polar side chain is located on every eighth carbon. The thermal properties of both the saturated and unsaturated polymers depend strongly on the size and polarity of the functional side groups. The results presented here demonstrate that the 3-substituted cyclooctenes can be used not only for the synthesis of precisely functionalized polyethylene derivatives, but also to participate in the ring-opening metathesis copolymerization with unfunctionalized cyclic olefins to generate copolymers with tunable properties.
Particle acceleration in accreting magnetospheres

The possibility that energetic protons are accelerated within the closed magnetosphere of accelerating neutron stars is considered. The accelerating mechanism is suggested to be plasma turbulence excited by the accretion flow. Rough estimates show that this mechanism may be capable of accelerating protons to the energies of about 10 to the 16th eV required to explain observations of about 10 to the 15th eV gamma rays from some thermal X-ray sources. Proton synchrotron radiation may be observable at energies ranging from the infrared to about GeV gamma rays.
Evaluation of toxicity: Whole-sediment versus overlying-water exposures with amphipod Hyalella azteca

A laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the toxicity of whole-sediment versus overlying-water exposures to the amphipod Hyalella azteca using field-collected sediments. Severe toxic effects (5–63% survival) were observed with amphipods exposed for 10 d in direct contact with sediment. In contrast, amphipods exposed only to overlying water in these sediment exposures did not exhibit any toxic effects.
Body-Vortex Interaction, Sound Generation, and Destructive Interference

It is generally recognized that interaction of vortices with downstream blades is a major source of noise production. To analyze this problem numerically, a two-dimensional model of inviscid flow together with the method of matched asymptotic expansions is proposed. The method of matched asymptotic expansions is used to match the inner region of incompressible flow to the outer region of compressible flow. Because of incompressibility, relatively simple numerical methods are available to treat multiple vortices and multiple bodies of arbitrary shape. Disturbances from vortices and bodies propagate outward as sound waves. Due to their interactions, either constructive or destructive interference may result. When it is destructive, the combined sound intensity can be reduced, sometimes substantially. In addition, an analytical solution to sound generation by the cascade-vonex interaction is given.
Transcending the traditional: Using tablet PCs to enhance engineering and computer science instruction

Traditional instructional methods present many obstacles to effective teaching and learning in engineering and computer science courses. These include a reliance on text-based or static mediums to convey equation- and graphics-heavy concepts, a disconnect between theoretical lecture presentations and applied laboratory or homework exercises, and a difficulty in promoting collaborative activities that more accurately reflect an engineering approach to problem solving. Additionally, technical courses can suffer, like any other course, when students are not actively engaged in the learning and when instructors cannot gauge student understanding. This project has explored the utility of Tablet PCs for overcoming these challenges within a sample of courses in engineering and computer science. There were three primary questions: which knowledge domains benefit from the use of Tablet PCs; whether observed benefits are derived from Tablet PC-specific activities; and what problems limit the effectiveness of Tablet PCs in educational settings? The evaluation of assessment data using regression approaches demonstrated that Tablet-PC-specific activities had a consistent, meaningful, and positive impact upon engineering and computer science courses.
What Every Young Person Ought to Know About Naked-Eye Astronomy

In order to provide a starting point for an understanding of ancient astronomical texts, I shall begin by presenting, in all brevity, the basic elements of naked-eye astronomy. I shall, of course, deal principally, but not entirely, with phenomena of interest to ancient astronomers. Among these are many phenomena, such as the first or last visibility of a planet or the moon, that the modern astronomer shuns since they take place near the horizon and further depend on imperfectly understood criteria. Thus, these phenomena are not commonly discussed in the modern astronomical literature and, more seriously, we lack modern standards with which we may measure the quality of the ancient results.
The Benefits and Risks of I-131 Therapy in Patients with Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Background: I-131 has been used in the therapy of well-differentiated thyroid cancer for over 50 years. Although the benefits and risks of I-131 remain issues of controversy and research, our understanding of them continues to improve. This review presents an overview of the benefits of I-131 therapy for ablation, adjuvant treatment, and treatment of locoregional and/or metastasis of well-differentiated thyroid cancer and considers the risks of complications of I-131 therapy. Summary: The benefits of I-131 remnant ablation include: [1] facilitating the interpretation of subsequent serum thyroglobulin levels, [2] increasing the sensitivity of detection of locoregional and/or metastatic disease on subsequent follow-up radioactive iodine whole-body scans, [3] maximizing the therapeutic effect of subsequent treatments, and [4] allowing a postablation scan to help identify additional sites of disease that were not identified on the preablation scan or when a preablation scan was not performed. The potential be...