cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association schemes on triples and ternary algebra

Abstract A generalization of the classical association schemes to a higher dimension is developed which is called an association scheme on triples , in short, an AST, and a corresponding ternary, non-associative algebra is developed generalizing the Bose-Mesner algebra. A large number of examples of ASTs are constructed using block designs, permutation groups, and two-graphs. Several identities in the ternary algebra are obtained. It is shown that, given an AST, one can obtain a 2-design and also a family of (classical) association schemes. The concept of a 2-design which is partially balanced with respect to 3-subsets, is introduced.
Experience with thoracoscopic lobectomy in infants and children.

Abstract Purpose: This study evaluates the safety and efficacy of thoracoscopic lobectomy in infants and children. Methods: From January 1995 to May 2002, 45 patients underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic lobe resection. Ages ranged from 2 days to 18 years and weights from 2.8 to 78 kg. Preoperative diagnosis included sequestration/congenital adenomatoid malformation (n = 28), severe bronchiectasis (n = 12), congenital lobar emphysema (n = 3), and malignancy (n = 2). Results: Forty-three of 45 procedures were completed thoracoscopically. Operating times ranged from 35 minutes to 210 minutes (average, 125 minutes). There were 6 upper, one middle, and 38 lower lobe resections. There was one intraoperative complication (2.4%) requiring conversion to an open thoracotomy. Chest tubes were left in 38 of 45 patients for 1 to 3 days. Hospital stay ranged from 1 to 5 days (average 2.4). Conclusions: Thoracoscopic lung resection is a safe and efficacious technique. It helps avoid the inherent morbidity of a major thoracotomy incision and is associated with the same decrease in postoperative pain, recovery, and hospital stay as seen in minimally invasive procedures. J Pediatr Surg 38:102-104. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
On the accuracy of predicting rate monotonic scheduling performance

Rate monotonic scheduling provides analytic techniques that allow the feasibility and processor utilization of a set of periodically scheduled tasks to be computed. However, the scheduling model must be adapted to take into account specific implementation details. Moreover, a model is not the same thing as the actual system; the accuracy and reliability of a model must be verified. This paper presents an Ada coding template for rate monotonic scheduling and models for that template. A series of experiments is described whose purpose was to compare the analytic predictions and measured performance for some sample task sets. Predicted and measured values differed by less than about 3% in all cases.
Photoemission studies of hydrogen chemisorption on Nb

Photoemission results are presented for recrystallized Nb foils and for chemisorbed hydrogen on Nb. A split-off bonding orbital due to adsorbed H is observed below the $d$ bands. The temperature dependence of this photoemission feature above 300 K and the kinetics of its growth and saturation suggest that H may exist in two quite different states near the surface of Nb. The interpretation of these results as they relate to recent measurements of hydrogen uptake in Nb is also discussed.
E×B transport in the DIII-D boundary plasma*

We have measured the electrostatic turbulence and associated particle transport in the DIII-D boundary plasma using a fast reciprocating Langmuir probe array located on the outboard midplane. Both the normalized rms fluctuation levels (density and floating potential) and the fluctuation-driven particle transport are altered by the L-H transition in the SOL. At the separatrix, the density fluctuation level is reduced a factor of 2, consistent with reflectometry results. There is a corresponding decrease in the turbulent particle flux. Deeper in the SOL, the turbulent particle transport in H-mode exceeds the L-mode value. The perpendicular diffusion coefficient D ⊥ and particle confinement time τ p have been estimated, assuming that the transport is purely turbulent and uniform on a flux surface. We find D ⊥ =0.7 D B (L) and 0.04 D B (ELM-free H), and τ p =54 ms (L) and 480 ms (ELM-free H).
Endogenously released GLP-1 is not sufficient to alter postprandial glucose regulation in the dog

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is secreted from the L cell of the gut in response to oral nutrient delivery. To determine if endogenously released GLP-1 contributes to the incretin effect and postprandial glucose regulation, conscious dogs (n = 8) underwent an acclimation period (t = -60 to -20 min), followed by a basal sampling period (t = -20 to 0 min) and an experimental period (t = 0-320 min). At the beginning of the experimental period, t = 0 min, a peripheral infusion of either saline or GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) antagonist, exendin (9-39) (Ex-9, 500 pmol/kg/min), was started. At t = 30 min, animals consumed a liquid mixed meal, spiked with acetaminophen. All animals were studied twice (± Ex-9) in random fashion, and the experiments were separated by a 1-2-week washout period. Antagonism of the GLP-1R did not have an effect, as indicated by repeated-measures MANOVA analysis of the Δ AUC from t = 45-320 min of arterial plasma glucose, GLP-1, insulin, glucagon, and acetaminophen levels. Therefore, endogenous GLP-1 is not sufficient to alter postprandial glucose regulation in the dog.
Signaling function of reconstituted CD16: ζ:γ receptor complex isoforms

Natural killer cells express an Fc receptor for IgG (CD16) in association with disulfide-linked dimers composed of two homologous subunits: the zeta chain of the T cell antigen receptor complex and the gamma chain of the mast cell/basophil Fc receptor for IgE. The ability of zeta and gamma to transduce CD16-mediated activation signals was compared by reconstituting distinct CD16 receptor isoforms composed of various combinations of zeta- and gamma-containing dimers. Stably transformed non-hematopoietic and hematopoietic cell lines were established that expressed chimeric molecules comprising the extracellular domain of CD16 joined to the transmembrane and intracellular domains of zeta or gamma. Reconstituted CD16 receptor complexes triggered Ca2+ influx, tyrosine phosphorylation, and IL-2 production in stable transformants of the Jurkat T cell line. However, cross-linking of the CD16/gamma chimera induced a specific pattern of tyrosine phosphorylation and was more efficient at signal transduction than a CD16, zeta-zeta complex, suggesting that zeta and gamma cytoplasmic domains may be coupled to distinct tyrosine kinase pathways that differentially regulate CD16-mediated activation signals. By contrast, both CD16/zeta and CD16/gamma chimeric molecules were not functional in stable transformants of the fibroblast Chinese Hamster Ovary cell line, indicating a requirement for downstream signaling components present in hematopoietic cells. Finally, the zeta transmembrane domain appears to preferentially associate with CD16 rather than the CD3:TCR complex, suggesting that a hierarchy of molecular interactions governs NK and T cell differentiation.
Beyond the Mayan Lowlands: impacts of the Terminal Classic Drought in the Caribbean Antilles

Abstract High-resolution paleoclimate records from the Mayan Lowlands and the Cariaco Basin have shown that the collapse of the Mayan socio-political structure at the end of the Classic period ∼1000 C.E. was linked to a series of severe, multi-decadal drought events, collectively termed the ‘Terminal Classic Drought’ (TCD), between ∼750 and 1100 C.E. Here we present proxy evidence indicating that increased aridity leading up to and during the TCD also strongly affected the Caribbean Antilles. Additionally, the timing of the TCD corresponds with cultural and demographic shifts in the Greater Antilles, including the appearance of Ostionoid cultural traditions, the colonization of new islands, and the intensification of agriculture. We propose that these multi-decadal droughts affected not only the very large and complex socio-political structures governing large populations like that of the Late Classic Maya, but also smaller and less politically complex societies across the Caribbean. However, instead of resulting in societal collapses as suspected in the Mayan Lowlands, these climatic events may have spurred a cultural transition across the Caribbean Antilles that ultimately led to the development of Taino cultural traditions encountered by Christopher Columbus upon his arrival in 1492 C.E.
Two Applications UsingN,N′-Diethyldithiocarbamate as a Stain for Copper in Native Polyacrylamide Gels of Superoxide Dismutase

N,N'-Diethyldithiocarbamate has been shown to be an analytical stain for copper in native polyacrylamide gels of the copper-zinc superoxide dismutase from purified preparations as well as from crude red cell extracts, i.e., lysates from which hemoglobin has been removed (Jewett, S. L., and Rocklin, A. M. (1994) Anal. Biochem. 217, 236-240). Applying this methodology, it was found that the relative amounts of copper-containing forms of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) from bovine red cell extracts did not change significantly with either the age or with hydrogen peroxide treatment of the red cells. Furthermore, no significant changes were seen in the specific activity of the dismutase in either type of experiment. These observations for both types of experiments are contrary to what was expected from similar studies reported in the literature. However, discrepancies may be accounted for by hemoglobin interference in indirect dismutase assays of the previous work. In the case of the peroxide treatment of red cells, however, there is an additional factor in that the dismutase is protected from peroxide-mediated changes in copper content and heterogeneity by the hemoglobin present. This protection was demonstrated in in vitro experiments using only a 24-fold excess of hemoglobin over the dismutase.
Some Aspects of Mass Transfer Within the Passages of Fuel Cells

This paper describes a numerical heat/mass transfer analysis for planar and square duct geometries, found in certain fuel cells. Both developing and fully-developed scalar transport are considered. The solution to the heat/mass transfer problem is presented in terms of normalized conductance as a function of the driving force and wall Reynolds/Peclet numbers.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Effect of nano-encapsulation on photophysical properties of ICG

Indocyanine green (ICG) is an FDA-approved infrared chromophore used for various biomedical applications such as cardiac and hepatic function evaluation, and ophthalmic angiography. Despite its clinical applications, freely dissolved ICG binds non-specifically to various plasma proteins resulting in changes in its near infrared (NIR) emission properties and rapid elimination from the vasculature. To overcome these shortcomings, we have encapsulated ICG within polymeric nano-constructs composed of poly allylamine hydrochloride (PAH) cross-linked with di-sodium hydrogen phosphate (Na2HPO4). To optimize the photophysical properties of nano-encapsulated ICG (NE-ICG) for clinical imaging applications, we report measurements of fluorescent quantum yield (φ) of NE-ICG. Specifically, we constructed capsules of three different diameters (~130, ~240, and ~450 nm). Our preliminary results indicate that NE-ICG shows less quantum yield compared to freely-dissolved ICG. We determined that the 240 nm diameter capsule to have the highest φ and 450 nm diameter capsules to have the least φ at room temperature.
A Simple System of Replicated Recirculating Experimental Streams

ABSTRACT A system of recirculating artificial streams is described that has low initial cost and operating expense and operates efficiently over long periods of time. Although individual stream units are large enough to accommodate minnows and crayfish, they are sufficiently compact that replication with up to 12 streams is possible in a relatively small laboratory. The system is simple in design, with no moving parts (except pumps) and no costly flow meters or regulating devices. Replication of stream units is facilitated by depending on inlet ports of fixed size, full-capacity operation of pumps, and uniform diameters of distribution systems. A basic stream tank unit is described in detail, with techniques for combining up to 12 units for water-exchange and inflow-outflow of water in different experimental applications. We have operated the system for almost a year with very little cost or repair. Substrates incubated in the laboratory streams readily grow an algal flora similar to that of nearby natura...
Cardiovascular Disease and Changes in Intellectual Functioning From Middle to Old Age

The relationship between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and intellectual functioning was investigated using a categorical division of a previously studied cross-sequential sample into groups with and without clinical cardiovascular diagnoses during the period of assessment. CVD was found to be a significant predictor of performance on several cognitive subtests, even when chronological age (cohort) was included as a factor in the statistical analysis. However, the pattern of effects was not completely consistent with a model relating CVD to intellectual decrement over time. Further breakdown of subjects into CVD subgroups (e.g., hypertension) showed the CVD effect to be specific to some subgroups, but did not fully resolve the inconsistency with the decremental model. The results also suggest CVD to be one of the factors leading to subsequent attrition from the sequential sample.
Serum levels of ethinylestradiol following its ingestion alone or in oral contraceptive formulations.

Abstract The pharmacodynamics of ethinylestradiol (EE2) were studied utilizing a specific radioimmunoassay to measure serum levels in subjects ingesting EE2 alone or in combination with various gestagens. Following the administration of a single oral dose of 20 ug of EE2 to three postmenopausal women, peak serum levels ranging from 29 to 58 pg/ml were reached within one hour. Levels fell below the sensitivity of the assay (20 pg/ml) 2, 5 and 8 hours after ingestion. In normal menstruating women, peak serum EE2 concentrations averaged 84 ± 27 pg/ml after the ingestion of 35 ug EE2 and 0.5 mg norethindrone, 152 ± 57 pg/ml after the ingestion of 50 ug mestranol and 1.0 mg norethindrone and 201 ± 11 pg/ml after the ingestion of 50 ug EE2 and 0.5 mg norgestrel. After the ingestion of mestranol, peak serum levels of EE2 were less than and occurred later than peak levels obtained after the ingestion of the same dose of EE2.
EMPIRICALLY CORRECTED DFT AND SEMI-EMPIRICAL METHODS FOR NON-BONDING INTERACTIONS

Computational modeling of systems governed by non-bonded interactions, especially van der Waals (dispersion) interactions, is currently a difficult task, since many conventional quantum mechanical techniques neglect such interactions. For example, the popular semi-empirical and Hartree–Fock methods, as well as most DFT methods all neglect long-range dispersion. In attempt to model dispersion interactions at reduced computational expense, one approach is to add an empirical potential to one of the quantum mechanical techniques. This approach has been successfully used to model a large variety of systems that involve, or are governed by, dispersion interactions. The accuracy of empirically-corrected density functional theory (DFT-D) and empirically-corrected semiempirical (SE-D) methods are reviewed here. The analysis considers both the ability to reproduce benchmark energies and geometries.
Host genetic determinants of influenza pathogenicity

Despite effective vaccines, influenza remains a major global health threat due to the morbidity and mortality caused by seasonal epidemics, as well as the 2009 pandemic. Also of profound concern are the rare but potentially catastrophic transmissions of avian influenza to humans, highlighted by a recent H7N9 influenza outbreak. Murine and human studies reveal that the clinical course of influenza is the result of a combination of both host and viral genetic determinants. While viral pathogenicity has long been the subject of intensive efforts, research to elucidate host genetic determinants, particularly human, is now in the ascendant, and the goal of this review is to highlight these recent insights.
The role of choice and customization on users' interaction with embodied conversational agents: effects on perception and performance

We performed an empirical study exploring people's interactions with an embodied conversational agent (ECA) while performing two tasks. Conditions varied with respect to 1) whether participants were allowed to choose an agent and its characteristics and 2) the putative quality or appropriateness of the agent for the tasks. For both tasks, selection combined with the illusion of further customization significantly improved participants' overall subjective impressions of the ECAs while putative quality had little or no effect. Additionally, performance data revealed that the ECA's motivation and persuasion effects were significantly enhanced when participants chose agents to use. We found that user expectations about and perceptions of the interaction between themselves and an ECA depended very much on the individual's preconceived notions and preferences of various ECA characteristics and might deviate greatly from the models that ECA designers intend to portray.
Young measure solutions for nonlinear evolutionary systems of mixed type

This is a study of measure-valued solutions for systems of mixed type modelled by a hyperbolic-elliptic and a dispersive-parabolic system in arbitrary dimension. Existence is established by time-discretisation of the equations which is solved by the minimisation of a non-convex functional. By relaxation, a Young measure solution is obtained for every time step. Uniform bounds derived by energy considerations allow passage to the limit of continuous time. The potential gradient and the identity are shown to be independent with respect to the Young measure.
Oocyte selection: a new model for the maternal-age dependence of Down syndrome.

Previously proposed mechanisms for Down syndrome (trisomy 21) have generally invoked a progressive increase in meiotic nondisjunction to explain maternal-age dependence, but models of this sort have failed to predict the observed patterns of marker segregation. Here we propose instead that age-dependent trisomy 21 results primarily from a mechanism that favors maturation and utilization of euploid oocytes in preference to the pre-existing aneuploid products of mitotic (premeiotic) nondisjunction. The increased utilization of aneuploid oocytes at later stages of maternal life would result from their increased proportion following many progressive cycles of selection against their maturation in earlier stages. Derivation of a quantitative model and evaluation of existing data indicate that the pattern of marker segregation associated with agedependent trisomy 21 supports the proposed mechanism.
Mutation of a Conserved Amino Acid Residue (Tryptophan 1173) in the Tyrosine Kinase Domain of the IGF-I Receptor Abolishes Autophosphorylation but Does Not Eliminate Biologic Function

The amino acid sequence of the tyrosine kinase domain of the insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) receptor is 84% identical to the sequence of the analogous region of the insulin receptor. A naturally occurring mutation of the tryptophan residue at position 1200 of the insulin receptor to serine results in impaired β subunit autophosphorylation of wheat germ agglutinin-purified receptors, severely impaired thymidine incorporation and moderately reduced glycogen synthesis; however, glucose uptake was unaffected. To study the importance of this residue in IGF-I receptor function, we mutated the analogous tryptophan residue at position 1173 of the IGF-I receptor to serine and overexpressed the mutant receptor in NIH-3T3 cells. In cell lines overexpressing this mutant IGF-I receptor, β subunit autophosphorylation was severely reduced. Additionally, the overexpressed mutant receptors exhibited a dominant-negative effect on IGF-I-stimulated autophosphorylation of endogenous mouse IGF-I receptors. Phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 in intact cells by the mutant IGF-I receptors was similar to the level of IRS-1 phosphorylation seen in the parental NIH-3T3 cells, but there was no obvious dominant-negative effect on IRS-1 phosphorylation. Wheat germ agglutinin-purified mutant receptors were as active in phosphorylating poly(Glu,Tyr) 4:1 as wild-type IGF-I receptors, suggesting that, in intact cells, additional factors are necessary in order for the IGF-I receptor to phosphorylate IRS-1. Thymidine incorporation was severely reduced in one clone overexpressing the mutant IGF-I receptor and abolished in a second clone. Glucose uptake in both clones was reduced to about half of that seen in a cell line overexpressing wild-type IGF-I receptors. Thus, we propose that the tryptophan residue at position 1173 of the IGF-I receptor is important in the regulation of autophosphorylation in vivo. This study again confirms that high levels of autophosphorylation are not required for mediation of all of the biologic activities of the IGF-I receptor.
A small error in Thurstone’s length-difficulty function

It is shown that Thurstone’s well known square-root function relating length of a paired-associate list with trials to criterion was the result of a minor oversight. Length-difficulty relationships actually implied by Thurstone’s learning theory are derived and discussed.
Voice analysis during bad news discussion in oncology: reduced pitch, decreased speaking rate, and nonverbal communication of empathy

This study was designed to determine if differences exist in the speaking rate and pitch of healthcare providers when discussing bad news versus neutral topics, and to assess listeners’ ability to perceive voice differences in the absence of speech content. Participants were oncology healthcare providers seeing patients with cancer of unknown primary. The encounters were audio recorded; the information communicated by the oncologist to the patient was identified as neutral or bad news. At least 30 seconds of both bad news and neutral utterances were analyzed; provider voice pitch and speaking rate were measured. The same utterances were subjected to low pass filtering that maintained pitch contours and speaking rate, but eliminated acoustic energy associated with consonants making the samples unintelligible, but with unchanged intonation. Twenty-seven listeners (graduate students in a voice disorders class) listened to the samples and rated them on three features: caring, sympathetic, and competent. All but one provider reduced speaking rate, the majority also reduced pitch in the bad news condition. Listeners perceived a significant difference between the nonverbal characteristics of the providers’ voice when performing the two tasks and rated speech produced with the reduced rate and lower pitch as more caring and sympathetic. These results suggest that simultaneous assessment of verbal content and multiparameter prosodic analysis of speech is necessary for a more thorough understanding of the expression and perception of empathy. This information has the potential to contribute to the enhancement of communication training design and of oncologists’ communication effectiveness.
Management of the Bladder in Spinal Cord Injury Patients

Management of the lower urinary tract in spinal cord injury patients can be very challenging The decision-making process should be based on the individual patient symptoms, which could vary even between patients with a similar level of injury, and an appropriate evaluation. Important factors in the evaluation of patients with neurogenic bladder secondary to spinal cord injury include intravesical detrusor storage pressures, integrity of the outlet, upper extremity function, and the ability to perform clean intermittent catheterization, as well as patient preference when choosing between the various conservative and surgical treatment options available. When used appropriately, treatment of neurogenic bladder can lead to significant improvements in urinary continence, protection of the upper urinary tracts, improved quality of life, and patient independence. This paper reviews the various options available today as well as several potential therapies that may become available in the future.
A Program for the Initial Stages of Fluency Therapy

An orientation program which was cognitive in nature and based on the philosophy of, responsibility for, and control of one’s own speech behavior was administered to six stutterers. The program con...
Computational Fluid Dynamics for Simulation of Wind-Tunnel Experiments on Flare Combustion Systems

Flaring is used extensively in the energy and petrochemical industries to dispose of unwanted combustion gases by burning them in an open flame. However, these units may represent an important source of gas emissions due to inefficient operation under certain conditions such as high crosswind velocities. Several experimental studies have previously focused on flames burning in a fixed volume by using wind tunnels. In these experiments, the entire plume of combustion products was collected, sampled, and analyzed to calculate the combustion efficiency. Present work simulates these wind-tunnel experiments by using the commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software package Fluent 6.2. Several three-dimensional (3D) computational models are developed, and suitable turbulence and chemistry models are applied to simulate the complex combustion phenomena and flame downwash. The computational work was greatly reduced by applying the laminar flamelet model, which assumes that a turbulent flame is an ensembl...
Component-Aware Triggered Scenarios

Use-case scenarios, with notations such as UML sequence diagrams, are widely used to specify software system behavior. Although intuitive, these notations allow engineers to specify behaviors with unintended semantic side-effects. To address these inconsistencies, one class of languages targets triggered scenario specifications for expressing a system's reactive behaviors. However, these languages lack adequate facilities for modeling the intended behavior of the individual system components. This runs the risks of sacrificing the expressive power required to model component behaviors, misinterpreting the stakeholder intent, and misspecifying the component behaviors. The risks are particularly prominent when the requirements specification and software architecture specification are refined iteratively and in parallel. To remedy these problems, we propose component-aware Triggered Scenarios (cats), an enhancement to triggered scenario languages that allows an engineer to define components' obligations within a scenario. We have formalized the syntax and semantics of cats, and have applied cats on a real-world case study, which suggests improved accuracy and conciseness of cats in comparison to existing alternatives.
Review of the molecular biology of Cowdria ruminantium.

Abstract Cowdria ruminantium is a rickettsial agent which causes heartwater, an economically important disease of livestock in the tropics and the Caribbean. Significant advances have been made in the molecular biology of C. ruminantium since its reproducible propagation in vitro in bovine endothelial cells. These advances have been targeted towards the development of improved vaccines and diagnostic tests. Several immunogenic proteins of C. ruminantium have been identified and monoclonal antibodies have been developed to some. The gene for the 21 kDa C. ruminantium protein has been cloned, characterized, sequenced and expressed to high levels to produce a recombinant analogue. This gene is conserved amongst all C. ruminantium isolates tested. The gene for the immunodominant 32 kDa protein has also been cloned recently. Analysis shows that this protein varies structurally between different C. ruminantium isolates. Recombinant protein analogues will have application in vaccine studies and subunit enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) developments. In the field of serology, a 32 kDa protein specific competitive ELISA (cELISA) is available and a 21 kDa protein specific direct and a cELISA is being developed. Detection of C. ruminantium in Amblyomma ticks and in animals is now possible using DNA and RNA probes and the sensitivity of these nucleic acid based assays is being maximized using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sequencing of the 16s rRNA gene has revealed the close phylogenetic relationship of C. ruminantium to Rickettsia, Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species. The implications of these studies will be discussed.
Performance analysis of a large-scale switching system for high-speed ATM networks

This paper evaluates the performance of a proposed large-scale ATM multipoint switching system designed from a new technological perspective. The use of wafer-scale integration (WSI) technology is proposed which allows the entire system to be implemented on a single silicon wafer. Wafer-scale technology offers significant potential advantages such as higher reliability and performance with reduced power and cost, and is well-suited to switching systems. WSI permits us to consider this new design which would not be practical in a system using conventional technologies.
Threshold autoregression in economics

The threshold autoregressive (TAR) model developed by Howell Tong has been enormously influential in economics. A simple illustration of the depth of this influence is to examine the recent edition of the graduate text Applied Econometric Time Series by Walter Enders [25] and observe that 60 pages of the text are devoted to nonlinear time series models, with the bulk devoted to TAR models. My goal in this paper is to document the influence of Howell Tong’s TAR model in the fields of econometrics and economics. I do so by reviewing 75 papers published in the econometrics and economics literatures which either contribute to the theory of TAR estimation and inference, or report a substantive application of a TAR model to economics. Many of these papers are themselves highly cited. This literature is enormous, and the papers reviewed here are not an exhaustive list of all applications of the TAR model. I focus on the more substantial and influential papers. Closely related to the TAR model is the smoothtransition autoregressive (STAR) model which has been equally influential in economics. To keep the attention focused, I do not review this literature here. Extensive reviews on the STAR model in economics can be found in the monographs by Granger and Terasvirta [38] and Franses and van Dijk [31], and the review paper by van Dijk, Terasvirta and Franses [23]. In Section 2 I review the literature on the econometric theory of TAR estimation and inference. In Section 3 I review empirical applications of the TAR model.
Lab Partners: If They're Good Enough for the Natural Sciences, Why Aren't They Good Enough for Us?

Despite many professed benefits of collaboration, some computer science educators feel students need to master work individually, particularly in the courses early in the curriculum that feed into software engineering courses. In the natural sciences, however, students almost always work with one or more partners in the laboratory. What can computer science educators learn about collaborative lab settings from our natural science counterparts? We conducted a survey of science and computer science educators to compare views and use of collaboration in their classes. The positive and negative aspects of collaboration, as reported by the natural science educators, are strikingly similar to those of computer science educators. These results suggest that computer science educators should be more open to the use of collaborative labs, as is done in the natural sciences, for the overall benefit to students.
Creativity, General Systems and the Gifted

1974). In an effort to classify what he called dresearch milestonesd, Gowan identified four in the area of intelligence and its identification, three in the area of curriculum, and two in the areas of development, and two in creativity, the last four areas of which he suggests need pursuing. For the pursuit to be productive he indicates that a shift be made from surface symptoms to underlying basic concepts, i.e.:
Differential Luteolytic Effects of Right and Left Uterine Horns in the Alpaca

The effect of the uterus on corpus Iuteum function was studied in adult multiparous alpacas subjected to different surgical treatments. Removal of the left uterine horn from females with a corpus luteum in the left ovary significantly prolonged luteal function in 3 out of 4 females, as evidenced by high peripheral plasma progesterone levels, large corpora lutea and lack of sexual receptivity. Removal of the right uterine horn in females with a corpus luteum in the right ovary also prolonged luteal function, but the effect in this case was much less marked. Only 1 animal, out of a total of 4, maintained a large and functional corpus luteum up to Day 70 and she rejected the male at all times. Removal of the oviduct ipsilateral to the ovary containing the corpus luteum or the contralateral uterine horn and oviduct, had no effect on the lifespan of the corpus luteum, regardless of whether this was located in the right or the left ovary; early regression of the corpus luteum, as indicated by a marked decline in plasma progesterone levels by Day 12 and sexual receptivity occurred in all of these animals. These results were similar to those of the control, sham operated females. In females with a corpus luteum in each ovary results were as follows: a) removal of both uterine horns and oviducts caused maintenance of both corpora lutea up to Day 70; b) removal of the left uterine horn and oviduct prolonged the lifespan of the corpus luteum in the left ovary, but the one in the right ovary showed early regression; c) removal of the right uterine horn and oviduct failed to exert any effect on the corpora lutea as evidenced by early regression of both. Results indicate that the luteolytic activity of the right uterine horn in the alpaca is local only, while that of the left uterine horn, has both a local effect and a systemic effect.
Solution to the positive real control problem for linear time-invariant systems

In this paper we study the problem of synthesizing an internally stabilizing linear time-invariant controller for a linear time-invariant plant such that a given closed-loop transfer function is extended strictly positive real. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a controller are obtained. State-space formulas for the controller design are given in terms of solutions to algebraic Riccati equations (or inequalities). The order of the constructed controller does not exceed that of the plant. >
Intestinal uptake and lymphatic absorption of beta-carotene in ferrets: a model for human beta-carotene metabolism

To determine the appropriateness of the ferret as a model for human beta-carotene (beta-C) metabolism, we have perfused both 15,15'-beta-[14C]C and unlabeled beta-C through the upper 30-cm portion of the small intestine of ferrets in vivo. The effluents of a mesenteric lymph duct cannulation and a common bile duct cannulation, as well as portal vein blood periodically sampled via an indwelling catheter, were collected. Ten percent (9.5 +/- 0.06%) of the total administered beta-C was taken up by the intestine after a 4-h perfusion. Of the radioactivity taken up, 68.6 +/- 6.5% remained in the intestinal mucosa, 3.2 +/- 0.2% was recovered in the lymph, and 28.2 +/- 6.5% (calculated) was absorbed via the portal system. The total uptake/absorption of beta-C was 12.9 +/- 6.8 nmol.h-1.30 cm intestine-1. Large amounts of unchanged beta-C and relatively small amounts of both beta-apo-12'-carotenal and beta-apo-10'-carotenal were isolated in the intestinal mucosa after a 4-h perfusion with beta-C. Considerable amounts of metabolites more polar than retinol were formed and comprised 35% of the total radioactivity recovered in the intestinal mucosa. Polar metabolites were absorbed mostly into the portal venous system, whereas retinol and retinyl esters were absorbed mainly into the mesenteric lymph. Of the total absorbed radioactivity in lymph, 10 +/- 1.0% appeared as unchanged beta-C, with peak absorption occurring at 3 h after beginning the perfusion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Do epidermal lens cells facilitate the absorptance of diffuse light

Many understory plants rely on diffuse light for photosynthesis because direct light is usually scattered by upper canopy layers before it strikes the forest floor. There is a considerable gap in the literature concerning the interaction of direct and diffuse light with leaves. Some understory plants have well-developed lens-shaped epidermal cells, which have long been thought to increase the absorption of diffuse light. To assess the role of epidermal cell shape in capturing direct vs. diffuse light, we measured leaf reflectance and transmittance with an integrating sphere system using leaves with flat (Begonia erythrophylla, Citrus reticulata, and Ficus benjamina) and lens-shaped epidermal cells (B. bowerae, Colocasia esculenta, and Impatiens velvetea). In all species examined, more light was absorbed when leaves were irradiated with direct as opposed to diffuse light. When leaves were irradiated with diffuse light, more light was transmitted and more was reflected in both leaf types, resulting in absorptance values 2-3% lower than in leaves irradiated with direct light. These data suggest that lens-shaped epidermal cells do not aid the capture of diffuse light. Palisade and mesophyll cell anatomy and leaf thickness appear to have more influence in the capture and absorption of light than does epidermal cell shape.
The electromagnetic inverse-scattering problem for partly coated Lipschitz domains

We consider the inverse-scattering problem of determining the shape of a partly coated obstacle in R3 from a knowledge of the incident time-harmonic electromagnetic plane wave and the electric far-field pattern of the scattered wave. A justification is given of the linear sampling method in this case and numerical examples are provided showing the practicality of our method.
Boolean Logic and Alternative Information-Processing Devices

Emerging research device technologies might first appear in special applications that can extend conventional general-purpose processors along one of several axes. These applications could optimize the performance of future workloads such as recognition, mining, and synthesis by using the unique nonlinear output characteristics associated with the emerging research devices. However, a new device technology might emerge that, by way of first supplementing conventionally scaled CMOS, could eventually offer a highly scalable new information- processing paradigm.
1,3‐Butadiene

[106-99-0] C4H6 (MW 54.09) InChI = 1S/C4H6/c1-3-4-2/h3-4H,1-2H2 InChIKey = KAKZBPTYRLMSJV-UHFFFAOYSA-N (co-monomer in synthetic elastomers and polymers, polybutadiene rubber, chloroprene, and nylon intermediate;1 4π partner in Diels–Alder reactions2) Alternate Names: butadiene; α,γ-butadiene; bivinyl; divinyl; vinylethylene; biethylene. Physical Data: bp −4.5 °C/760 mmHg; mp −109 °C; fp <−7 °C; ρ4−6 0.650. Solubility: sol common organic solvents. Form Supplied in: widely available in compressed liquid phase. Supplied in several grades ranging from 99.0–99.8% purity. Sizes available range incrementally from lecture bottles (100 g) to large gas cylinders (61 kg). Preparative Methods: butadiene sulfone (2,5-dihydrothiophene 1,1-dioxide), a crystalline, nonhygroscopic, commercially available solid, can be used to generate 1,3-butadiene in situ: heating the sulfone at 100–130 °C induces loss of SO2.3b,3c Handling, Storage, and Precautions: extremely flammable liquid and gas. Avoid polymerization initiators. Relatively nontoxic. Suspected chronic carcinogen. Acutely irritating to respiratory tract. 1,3-Butadiene 1 is used in the laboratory by condensing the gas directly into a reaction vessel, or by forming a saturated solution of the gas in the reaction solvent. For reactions run below rt (e.g. Lewis acid-catalyzed reactions), normal reaction flasks can be used. For higher temperature reactions, sealed tubes are required to prevent escape of 1. A particularly convenient, reusable apparatus is available from Ace Glass, Inc., and consists of a heavy-walled glass tube sealed on one end and threaded on the other. The threaded end can be sealed with a heavy Teflon plug fitted with an O-ring.
Punchthrough diode as the transient voltage suppressor for low-voltage electronics

Protection devices for future low-voltage electronics are needed. Performances of a new punchthrough transient voltage suppressor (TVS) are analyzed with two-dimensional device simulation. Compared with the available low-voltage TVS constructed with a Zener diode, the punchthrough diode shows far superior leakage current and capacitance. These punchthrough TVS devices are satisfactory for applications not only at 3 V but even at 1 V.
Educating Tomorrow's Managers:

Four major trends that will affect future management education are identified, and data from a study of MBAs is used to develop a perspective on how management education needs to change to address ...
The Multidisciplinary Facets of Research on Humour

Humour is one of the most interesting and puzzling aspects of human behaviour, and it has been rightfully argued that it plays an important role in an individual's development, as well as in interpersonal communication. Research on this topic has received a significant amount of attention from fields as diverse as linguistics, philosophy, psychology and sociology, and recent years have also seen attempts to build computational models for humour generation and recognition.
Abstract conceptualization in schizophrenia: a fundamental psychological deficit?

Wright (1975) has recently argued that impairment in abstract conceptualization is an important schizophrenic deficit. We contend that the data to which he refers are insufficient support for that conclusion. Although schizophrenics' performance on sorting tasks may be less efficient than that of some other groups, the significance of this finding is debatable. A differential deficit in conceptual ability has not been shown and the confounding effects of third variables have not been ruled out. In addition, the validity of sorting techniques in measuring abstraction has not been adequately established. These methodological issues have a more general applicability to the study of psychopathology. Appreciation of them and a more specific definition of "acceptable evidence" would reduce considerably the continuing state of confusion in research on psychological deficit.
Bassaricyon gabbii (Carnivora: Procyonidae)

Bassaricyon gabbii Allen, 1876, is a procyonid called the olingo or bushy-tailed olingo. This species is brown to grayish brown, colored lighter ventrally; is semiarboreal with a long, nonprehensile tail; and is 1 of 5 species in the genus Bassaricyon. It occurs in Central America from Nicaragua through Panama, and in South America has been documented in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. It prefers multistrata tropical evergreen forests below 1,600-2,000 m. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources classifies B. gabbii as Lower Risk/Near Threatened, and it is included in Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna. DOI: 10.1644/826.1.
The correlation structure for a class of scene-based video models and its impact on the dimensioning of video buffers

We analyze the autocorrelation structure for a class of scene-based MPEG video models at the groups-of-pictures (GOP) (course grain) and frame (fine grain) levels assuming an arbitrary scene-length distribution. At the GOP level, we establish the relationship between the scene-length statistics and the short-range/long-range dependence (SRD/LRD) of the underlying model. We formally show that when the intrascene dynamics exhibit SRD, the overall model exhibits LRD if and only if the second moment of the scene length is infinite. Our results provide the theoretical foundation for several empirically derived scene-based models. We then study the impact of traffic correlations on the packet loss performance at a video buffer. Two popular families of scene-length distributions are investigated: Pareto and Weibull. In the case of Pareto distributed scene lengths, it is observed that the performance is rather insensitive to changes in the buffer size even as the video model enters the SRD regime. For Weibull distributed scene lengths, we observe that for small buffers the loss performance under a frame-level model can be larger than its GOP-level counterpart by orders of magnitude. In this case, the reliance on GOP-level models will result in very optimistic results.
A robust, locally optimal model reference adaptive controller

This paper proposes a new model reference adaptive controller. The innovation of this algorithm is that it adds a filtering of the plant inputs and outputs prior to their use in determining the adapted controller parameter vector update. This modification is based on engineering intuition that suggests that this filtering should provide an improvement in the robustness of the adaptive controller to unmodelled plant actions outside the bandwidth of this added filter. Global convergence of this algorithm is easily proven in ideal use, i.e when there are no unmodelled plant components. In non-ideal use this filtering is interpreted as appropriately influencing the cost function being locally minimized by this adaptive controller, if stable. This optimization interpretation provides a guide to how to choose this added filtering in order to improve algorithm robustness. These results are illustrated with simulation
Gas and Bloating

Bloating is commonly reported by patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) such as irritable bowel syndrome, functional constipation, and dyspepsia. The term bloating refers to a subjective sensation of excessive gas/flatulence, fullness, abdominal hardness or tightness, or the feeling of abdominal inflation or swelling. This needs to be differentiated from distension which is reserved for an actual increase in abdominal girth. Not all patients with bloating exhibit a change in abdominal girth (i.e., distension). Both bloating and distension most frequently associate with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and thus, IBS has been the focus of bloating research with little knowledge of how this may translate to other conditions.
Ventricular Fibrillation and Defibrillation: State of Our Knowledge and Uncertainities

Ventricular fibrillation (VF) has been reported to recur in as many as 80 % of patients during basic and advanced life support care in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with VF as the initial rhythm. Current ILCOR and American Heart Association Guidelines advocate a period of two minutes following a defibrillation shock committed to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), without regard to the post-shock rhythm, including recurrent VF. Because VF is a high oxygen-demanding arrhythmia, permitting the heart to remain in VF shortly after a shock is delivered may be problematic. It has also been observed that VF can recur quickly after a shock upon resumption of chest compressions. A protocol revision should consider shocking recurrent VF quickly after the first 2–3 shocks in a witnessed arrest, after which post-shock CPR might be done as currently recommended. There is sufficient evidence and experience to warrant a reassessment of the present recommendation to do CPR for two minutes after a shock even if VF recurs within 30–60 seconds after a shock
Clinical relevance of myocardial injury after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Every cardiac intervention is fraught with the potential complication of myocardial injury or infarction. The prognostic importance of myocardial injury related to percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass grafting has been well documented [(1,2)][1]. After valvular heart surgery