cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activity-Based Costing as a Tool for Process Improvement Evaluations

Many corporate processes common to the design and construction of major engineered projects are composed of individual activities that are variable by nature. Additionally, the process itself may have a high degree of variability, meaning that certain activities may or may not actually be performed in a given pass through the process. A probability of occurrence may be ascribed to such activities. True modeling of real world processes will often require that the process be described as having activities with stochastic durations, each linked together in a precedence logic that itself is variable and subject to uncertainty or chance. If corporate resources, such as labor, material, and equipment, are required to perform the individual activities, then an activity-based costing technique must be developed that can accommodate the inherent variability in a process if actual costs are to be accurately predicted. If process cycle time and process cost per cycle can be accurately predicted for complex, highly variable processes, companies are in a much better position to determine how proposed corporate initiatives for process improvement might actually impact overall process performance. This technique has application across a wide number of disciplines including design, construction, and administrative processes.
Twins raised from separated blastomeres develop into sexually mature Strongylocentrotus purpuratus.

The first two blastomeres ofStrongylocentrotus purpuratusembryos were separated and the resulting twins raised in pairs through larval life and to sexual maturity. We derive two conclusions from this study: changes in the pattern of specification of embryonic cell fates following blastomere separation result in the creation of two sets of fully functional coelomic pouches and imaginal rudiments, and sex determination in sea urchins is chromosomal, since the pairs of twins were always of the same sex.
Hypnotic effects of deoxycorformycin in rats

Abstract Rats implanted with EEG and EMG electrodes were treated with deoxycoformycin (0.5 or 2.0 mg/kg, i.p.), and polygraphically recorded for 6 h. Deoxycoformycin is a potent inhibitor of adenosine deaminase and would be expected to elevate the levels of adenosine in the central nervous system. The 0.5 mg/kg dose of the drug increased REM sleep and reduced REM sleep latency while the dose of 2.0 mg/kg increased deep slow-wave sleep (S 2 ). These results appear to be consistent with those reported previously for the adenosine analog, N 6 -( l -phenylisopropyl)-adenosine (L-PIA) and indicate a hypnotic role for adenosine.
Non-Erotic Cognitive Distractions During Sexual Activity in Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Young Adults

The present study examined 100 lesbian and gay college students and 100 heterosexual students to determine whether group differences exist in frequency of a range of non-erotic cognitive distractions during sexual activity. Non-erotic cognitive distraction is a descriptive term for both self-evaluative cognitions related to physical performance and body image concerns, as well as additional cognitive distractions (e.g., contracting an STI or emotional concerns) during sexual activity. Participants were matched on gender (96 males and 104 females), age, and ethnicity, and completed questionnaires assessing frequency of non-erotic cognitive distractions during sexual activity, as well as measures of additional variables (trait and body image anxiety, attitudes toward sexual minorities, self-esteem, and religiosity). Results indicated that sexual minorities experienced significantly more cognitive distractions related to body image, physical performance, and STIs during sexual activity than heterosexuals. Regarding gender, men reported more distractions related to STIs than women. Interaction effects were observed between sexual orientation and gender for body image-, disease-, and external/emotional-based distractions. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Neuropsychological characteristics of children with tourette syndrome: Evidence for a nonverbal learning disability

In this study the neuropsychological characteristics of thirty-one 6 to 16-year-old children with Tourette Syndrome (TS) were compared to 20 normal siblings and 10 children with arithmetic disabilities (AD) who were comparable in age and socioeconomic status. Unlike the sibling group, neuropsychological profiles of the TS and AD groups were expected to reflect nonverbal learning disabilities (NLD). The three groups performed generally within the average range on academic and cognitive measures. Like the AD children, the TS group demonstrated poorer performance on written arithmetic tasks with comparatively better word reading and written word spelling. Unlike the AD group, who demonstrated generalized nonverbal deficiencies, children with TS demonstrated reduced performance on visual-motor and expressive language measures as well as measures of complex cognition. These results are suggestive of an "output" subtype of learning disability and support theories that implicate the mesocortical dopaminergic system in the pathophysiology of TS.
Hollow-glass waveguide delivery of an infrared free-electron laser for microsurgical applications

The purpose of this research is to deliver free-electron-laser (FEL) pulses for intraocular microsurgery. The FEL at Vanderbilt University is tunable from 1.8 to 10.8 µm. To deliver the FEL beam we used a metallic-coated hollow-glass waveguide of 530-µm inner diameter. A 20-gauge cannula with a miniature CaF2 window shielded the waveguide from water. Open-sky retinotomy was performed on cadaver eyes. The system delivered as much as 6 × 105 W of FEL peak power to the intraocular tissues without damage to the waveguide or to the surgical probe.
Extensions and improvements of the advancing front grid generation technique

We describe extensions and improvements to the advancing front grid generation technique that have proven useful over the years. The following areas are treated in detail: situations with thin or crossing surfaces, meshing of surfaces defined by triangulations, and ease of user input to define the desired element size in space. The first extension is important if one considers the generation of volumetric grids around shells, membranes, fabrics, or CAD-data that exhibit cusps. Traditional advancing front generators are likely to fail in these situations. We propose the introduction of a crossing environment variable attached to faces and points in order to filter out undesired or incorrect information during the grid generation process. The second extension is required for situations where the surfaces to be gridded are not defined analytically, but via a triangulation. Typical cases where such triangulations are used to define the domain are geophysical problems, climate modelling and medical problems. The third topic deals with the reduction of manual labour to specify element size in space. Sources, element size attached directly to CAD-data, and adaptive background grids are discussed. Adaptive background grids, in combination with surface deviation tolerances, are used to obtain surface triangulations that represent the geometry faithfully, and at the same time enable a smooth transition to volumetric meshes.
Identification of rolling circulating tumor cells using photoacoustic time-of-flight method

Existing optical techniques for in vivo measurement of blood flow velocity are not quite applicable for determination of velocity of individual cells or nanoparticles. A time-of-flight photoacoustic (PA) technique can solve this problem by measuring the transient PA signal width, which is related to the cell velocity passing the laser beam. This technique was demonstrated in vivo using an animal (mouse) model by estimating the velocity of nanoparticles, and red and white blood cells labeled with conjugated gold nanorods (GNRs) in the bloodstream. Here we describe the features and the parameters of novel modifications to the PA time-of-flight method and its new application for real-time monitoring of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), such as B16F10 melanoma. This method provided, for the first time, identification of rolling CTCs in analogy to rolling white blood cells and CTC aggregates. Specifically, monitoring of PA signal widths from CTCs in mouse ear microvessels revealed double maxima in peak-width histograms associated with the fast moving portion of CTCs in central flow and slowly rolling CTCs in analogy to white blood cells. We also developed a two-parameter plot representing PA peak amplitude and peak widths. This method allowed identification of fast-moving individual CTCs, CTC aggregates, and rolling CTCs. The discovery of rolling CTCs in relatively large blood vessels indicates a higher probability of CTC extravasations, further increasing the possibility of metastasis through rolling mechanism in addition to mechanical capturing of CTCs in small vessels.
Suppression of the allograft response by implants of mature lymphoid tissues in larval Xenopus laevis

One hundred and twenty-two larvae of Xenopus laevis, the South African clawed toad, at developmental stages 48, 50, 52 and 54, were implanted in the tail with two allografts from adult tissues. In each case, one allograft was from kidney, while the other was either from kidney, thymus, spleen, or liver. In any particular host the two implants were always from the same donor and the implants were all visually matched in size. The experimental period was a maximum of nine days, so as to minimize the large numbers of changes normally accompanying larval progress from stage to stage. We are concerned with the timing of allograft response initiation under the implant conditions of each experimental group at a particular point in development. An allograft response was defined as an infiltration and accumulation of small lymphocytes in the “test” kidney allograft. Larvae of all stages developed allograft responses within one week post-implantation when the variable implant was from kidney, but implants from spleen and thymus suppressed both the timing of initiation and the subsequent intensity of the response. Spleen was more effective in this regard than thymus and both were more effective in the earlier larval stages. Liver proved to be toxic to the larvae. The relationship between the maturation of the lymphomyeloid tissues and external morphological staging is also discussed.
Nuclear Architecture as an Epigenetic Regulator of Neural Development and Function

The nervous system of higher organisms is characterized by an enormous diversity of cell types that function in concert to carry out a myriad of neuronal functions. Differences in connectivity, and subsequent physiology of the connected neurons, are a result of differences in transcriptional programs. The extraordinary complexity of the nervous system requires an equally complex regulatory system. It is well established that transcription factor combinations and the organization of cis-regulatory sequences control commitment to differentiation programs and preserve a nuclear plasticity required for neuronal functions. However, an additional level of regulation is provided by epigenetic controls. Among various epigenetic processes, nuclear organization and the control of genome architecture emerge as an efficient and powerful form of gene regulation that meets the unique needs of the post-mitotic neuron. Here, we present an outline of how nuclear architecture affects transcription and provide examples from the recent literature where these principles are used by the nervous system.
Role of insulin‐like growth factor binding proteins in 1α,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3‐induced growth inhibition of human prostate cancer cells

BACKGROUND The mechanisms underlying 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D)-induced growth inhibition of human prostate cancer cells have not been fully elucidated. To determine whether alterations in the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling axis are associated with 1,25D-induced growth inhibition, we examined the ability of 1,25D to regulate expression of IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) in human prostate cancer cell lines. METHODS Northern and Western blot analyses were used to detect 1,25D-induced alterations in IGFBP expression. Additional in vitro studies were performed to determine the role of IGFBP-3 in 1,25D-induced growth inhibition. RESULTS 1,25D decreased mRNA levels of the growth stimulatory IGFBP-2 and induced IGFBP-3 mRNA in LNCaP and C4-2 cells. 1,25D treatment also increased secreted IGFBP-3 protein levels in prostate cancer cell lines sensitive to 1,25D growth inhibition but had little effect on IGFBP-3 expression in 1,25D-resistant DU145 cells. However, recombinant IGFBP-3 had only a minor effect on LNCaP cell growth in the presence of serum. Furthermore, siRNA duplexes that reduced IGFBP-3 expression did not alter 1,25D growth inhibition in either LNCaP or PC-3 cell lines grown in serum-containing media. CONCLUSIONS Our studies indicate 1,25D-induced up-regulation of IGFBP-3 is not required for the growth inhibitory effects of 1,25D in prostate cancer cells grown in serum-containing media. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The use of data center recorders in thermal analysis

Abstract The application of a Data Center recorder to the thermal analysis techniques of TG, DTA and dilatometry is described. The recorder used is essentially an eight-channel data acquisition system that multiplexes and converts up to ± 10 V analog data into 12-bit digital data which are stored on a floppy disk. The stored data be recalled at the convenience of the operator and mathematically manipulated before they are replotted on the integral X–Y or Y —time plotter.
Pulmonary Vasomotor Tone during General Anesthesia and Deliberate Hypotension in Man

Pulmonary and systemic hemodynamic responses to administration of pentolinium (0.3 mg/kg) were studied in eight patients undergoing total hip replacement during N2O-halothane anesthesia with PaCO2 maintained at 35-40 mm Hg. Measurements were made prior to induction of anesthesia; 20 minutes after induction; 45 minutes after induction but prior to pentolinium administration; 10, 20, and 60 minutes after administration of pentolinium; 15 minutes after AP recovered to within 10 per cent of baseline values. The reduction in AP produced by pentolinium was associated with significant decreases in both SVR and LVFP (estimated by measuring PA0 via a Swan-Ganz catheter). The profound and significant reductions in calculated PVR were more pronounced than those in SVR. Since PVR decreased in the face of reductions in both pulmonary arterial and left atrial pressures despite a significant increase (at 10 minutes) or no change (at 20 and 60 minutes) in pulmonary blood flow, the results suggest an active decrease in pulmonary vascular tone, presumably due to autonomic inhibition by pentolinium. Both LVSWI and RVSWI decreased significantly following injection of pentolinium. HR X SAP, an indirect index of MV02, decreased significantly following an initial increase at 10 minutes. Presumably these effects of pentolinium were conspicuous because N2O-halothane anesthesia altered the baseline of pulmonary vascular tone.
Amyloid diseases of yeast: prions are proteins acting as genes.

The unusual genetic properties of the non-chromosomal genetic elements [URE3] and [PSI+] led to them being identified as prions (infectious proteins) of Ure2p and Sup35p respectively. Ure2p and Sup35p, and now several other proteins, can form amyloid, a linear ordered polymer of protein monomers, with a part of each molecule, the prion domain, forming the core of this β-sheet structure. Amyloid filaments passed to a new cell seed the conversion of the normal form of the protein into the same amyloid form. The cell9s phenotype is affected, usually from the deficiency of the normal form of the protein. Solid-state NMR studies indicate that the yeast prion amyloids are in-register parallel β-sheet structures, in which each residue (e.g. Asn 35 ) forms a row along the filament long axis. The favourable interactions possible for aligned identical hydrophilic and hydrophobic residues are believed to be the mechanism for propagation of amyloid conformation. Thus, just as DNA mediates inheritance by templating its own sequence, these proteins act as genes by templating their conformation. Distinct isolates of a given prion have different biological properties, presumably determined by differences between the amyloid structures. Many lines of evidence indicate that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae prions are pathological disease agents, although the example of the [Het-s] prion of Podospora anserina shows that a prion can have beneficial aspects.
Crystalline order in polyethylene: A 13C NMR CP/MAS solid-state T1 study†

The carbon-13 spin-lattice relaxation times T1 of the crystalline components of four solid ethylene-octene copolymers have been studied as a function of thermal history, branching number, and branching distribution. Slowly cooled samples (1 deg/min from melt to room temperature) exhibited similar or longer T1s with respect to the same sample quench cooled (from the melt into 20°C water). The greater the degree of branching and the more homogeneous the branching distribution, the shorter were the observed crystal lattice T1s. Differences of up to a factor of 3 in T1 were observed for the same sample undergoing the two thermal treatments. Different degrees of branching homogeneity (for the same total number of branches) resulted in differences approaching a factor of 7 for samples with the same thermal history. These variations were attributed to the differing effects of side-chain disruption of the crystal lattice.
Ascospore release and dispersal in black leaf streak disease of bananas (Mycosphaerella fijiensis)

Spore traps were set up in Hawaii and Fiji in 1969 and 1970 in plots of bananas severely affected by black leaf streak disease (Mycosphaerella fijiensis). Ascospores of M. fijiensis were trapped on almost every day of sampling at both sites. During dry weather ascospore concentration increased during the night, became maximal near 06.00 h, and decreased to a low level during the day. On rainy days peak concentrations were recorded shortly after rain started. Seasonal increases in daily mean concentrations of ascospores were associated with increased rainfall and r.h. There was no evidence that ascospore production or release was reduced at temperatures between 10 and 15°C.
An Overview of Pancreatic Pseudocysts: The Emperor's New Clothes Revisited

In the past, the indications, timing, and methods to treat pancreatic pseudocysts have created confusion, misunderstanding, and disagreement among surgeons and gastroenterologists. The confusion is perpetuated partly by long-held beliefs based on individual or anecdotal experiences with pseudocysts in dissimilar groups of patients. Before axial body imaging, it was not possible to follow up on pancreatic pseudocysts, and it was difficult to refute these beliefs because surgery was the only available method to treat pancreatic pseudocysts and confirm the diagnosis. The only questions concerning pancreatic pseudocysts were when to perform surgery and which surgical procedure to perform, not whether surgery was indicated. In large part, this was because only large, symptomatic pancreatic pseudocysts were detectable. To this author, perpetuation of this management tradition is analogous to admiring "the emperor's new clothes": It ignores data accumulated over the past 70 years. Revisiting the subject of pancreatic pseudocysts with open eyes will shed new light on old surgical traditions.
Conformation and dynamics of atactic poly(acrylonitrile). 3. Characterization of local structure by two-dimensional 2h-13c solid-state NMR

The detailed conformational structure of a disordered crystalline polymer, atactic poly(acrylonitrile) (aPAN), has been characterized by two-dimensional (2D) NMR experiments. A solid-state 2H−13C heteronuclear multiple-quantum correlation (HMQC) NMR experiment has been applied to an aPAN sample containing both α-hydrogen-deuterated and 13C⋮N-carbon-labeled repeat units. The 2D spectrum yields information in particular on the two successive torsion angles in racemo trans−trans dyads. Their average values are found as (180 ± 5°, 180 ± 5°), with distributions of standard deviation σ = 10 ± 5° for both torsion angles. The torsion angles and their distributions in racemo trans−trans dyads thus obtained are closer to the ideal trans conformation than are those in meso trans−trans dyads determined by 2D double-quantum solid-state NMR spectroscopy on a 13C⋮N-carbon-labeled aPAN sample. The differences are considered to originate from larger steric hindrance and larger electric dipole interaction between the C⋮N g...
Attitude generalization and the measurement of trust in American leadership

For nearly a decade informed observers of American public opinion have vigorously debated the “crisis of confidence” question: Does the ongoing tide of political distrust ported cataclysmic change in the body politic or is the public harmlessly letting off some steam? This paper approaches the debate from a new perspective by reflecting on the manner in which researchers have sought to measure public confidence in leaders and political institutions. It is argued herein that researchers' dependence on global measures of political trust has lead to overestimation of the extent to which public confidence has eroded. Evidence is presented which suggests that survey respondents engage in a process of attitude generalization which causes them to express distrust of leaders generally when only certain specific leaders are actually seen as culpable. The methodological and theoretical significance of this sort of generalization is discussed.
ENVIRONMENTAL I131 IN THYROIDS OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS—RECENT POST MORTEM AND WHOLE BODY COUNTER MEASUREMENTS: AN ABSTRACT

Abstract—The Division of Radiological Health of the U.S. Public Health Service, since the resumption of nuclear weapons testing in fall 1961, has collected and determined I131 in more than 1300 human thyroid glands made available from autopsies through arrangements with the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and a number of medical centers throughout the country. Some of the results from this activity are reviewed. The Division of Radiological Health, jointly with the National Institutes of Health, New York University and Brookhaven National Laboratory, have conducted several pilot-scale feasibility studies in children and pregnant women involving in vivo measurement of thyroidal burdens of I131 from fallout, and have attempted to relate the measured burdens to intake. Comparison has been made of measured burdens with those calculated from intake using available models, granting certain assumptions and information on intake of the radionuclide. In one feasibility study in ten children 1–6 years old, the I131 in their thyroids as determined by external monitoring was found to be lower by about a factor of 2 than the calculated accumulation of I131 based on a commonly used exponential model, assuming 30 per cent thyroidal uptake and a 7.6 day effective half-life. The limited data obtained in the feasibility studies appear to support the contention that the vehicle of intake of I131 from fallout was fresh foods, principally milk. It was demonstrated that, under appropriate conditions involving use of a suitable facility, 20-min measurements of I131 in the thyroid in human subjects as young as 4 years of age may be made repeatedly without sedation or restraint.
Diagnostic Value of Testosterone Therapy in Boys With Delayed Puberty

• A brief course of testosterone injections is known to be an effective treatment for boys with constitutional delayed puberty. In this study, data from seven boys at least 14 years old who received testosterone enanthate (100 mg intramuscularly monthly for four months) were analyzed to see if linear and testicular growth responses could be useful diagnostically in excluding growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and isolated gonadotropin deficiency, two conditions that are often difficult to distinguish from constitutional delayed puberty. During four months of testosterone therapy, growth rate increased from 4.0±1.0 cm/y to 10.7±2.3 cm/y, and was greater than 8 cm/y in all patients. Since testosterone-induced stimulation of linear growth is largely GH-mediated, the large increase in growth rate in all boys is considered indicative of GH sufficiency. Testis length, which did not increase during testosterone therapy, increased by 0.6 to 0.8 cm in every patient (from 2.7 ± 0.3 cm to 3.4 ± 0.4 cm) over the following four months, indicating normal gonadotropin secretion and normal pubertal progression; in contrast, the increase in serum testosterone concentrations after discontinuation of testosterone treatment was more variable. It is concluded that the growth response to a four-month course of testosterone is helpful in excluding GHD in boys with delayed puberty, and an additional four months of follow-up is sufficient to document the onset of puberty, thereby eliminating the possibility of isolated gonadotropin deficiency. (AJDC1989;143:116-120)
Lateral epitaxial overgrowth of GaN on sapphire and silicon substrates for ultraviolet photodetector applications

Abstract Lateral epitaxial overgrowth of GaN thin films was conducted by low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on basal plane sapphire and (111) silicon substrates. The films were characterized through X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and deep level transient spectroscopy. Schottky metal–semiconductor–metal ultraviolet photodetectors were fabricated on LEO grown GaN films for the first time. The spectral responsivity, its dependence on optical excitation power and bias voltage, and the device time decay properties were characterized. The orientation of the interdigitated fingers with respect to the LEO stripes was investigated.
Using Force Mapping to Obtain Data on Live Bacteria in Fluid

Atomic force microscopy has been previously used to image various biofilm-forming bacteria live in fluid, followed by performing force curves on selected areas to learn about the biophysical properties of the cells. However, some bacteria do not adhere sufficiently strongly to a surface to be analyzed in this fashion. Here we have used force mapping to obtain force curves on live cells that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to collect. Predatory B. bacteriovorus cells, which are highly motile and form no biofilms, can be loosely trapped on polylysine-coated slides. Force mapping is sufficiently gentle to obtain data on these cells without dislodging them from the slide. Comparison of these predatory B. bacteriovorus cells with those of their “host-independent,” nonpredatory counterparts indicates that predatory cells are much less stiff, presumably enabling them to squeeze into prey cells’ periplasm. Moreover, host-independent B. bacteriovorus cells demonstrate considerable adhesion to AFM tips, whereas predatory B. bacteriovorus cells show little or no interaction with AFM tips. The molecular basis for these interactions is being further explored.
Boundary integral techniques for multi-connected domains

Attention is given to iterative methods applicable to such changing domain cases of elliptic problems in multiconnected domains as those of incompressible inviscid flow with free surfaces. One such formulation is developed and tested on circular and elliptic annuli, using interpolated quadrature points to maintain accuracy when annuli regions are thin. The technique is noted to be applicable to the study of accelerating thin fluid shells.
Comparison of Cortical and Cancellous Screws for Sternal Fixation

The goal of this study is to compare the performance of currently available screw types and configurations for rigid sternal fixation. Bone fixation plates were attached to osteoporotic human sternum with cortical or cancellous screws in either a unicortical or bicortical manner. The plates were cyclically loaded transversely (0–50N at 2Hz) for 15,000 cycles; the resulting lateral screw displacement was measured continuously. Bicortical attachment allowed significantly lower initial displacement than unicortical (p = 0.015), whereas cortical screws allowed significantly lower displacement than cancellous screws after long term cycling (p = 0.039). These initial findings indicate that both screw type and cortical purchase are important parameters in the design of a rigid plating system for sternal closure. Cortical screws appear to be more applicable to the osteoporotic sternum, as the cortical shell regions support more screw purchase than the degenerated cancellous part, and bicortical screw purchase appears to decrease screw loosening.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
The surface structure and segregation profile of Ni50Pd50(100) : a dynamical LEED study

Abstract The (100) surface of a single crystal Ni 50 Pd 50 alloy was studied using low energy electron diffraction. IV -spectra collected at three angles of incidence were analyzed by dynamical LEED calculations using the average t -matrix approximation. The compositions of the first three atomic layers and the first two interlayer spacings were determined. An oscillatory segregation profile was observed, with the surface layer enriched in Pd (composition 20% Ni), the second layer enriched in Ni (composition 100% Ni), and the third layer slightly enriched in Pd (composition 36% Ni). Both the first and second interlayer spacings were found to be contracted relative to the interplanar spacings of the bulk alloy, the first by 2.7% of the bulk value and the second by 3.9% of the bulk value.
Moments of momenta as predictors of “molecular” species in crystal growth solutions

Abstract Crystal growth occurs from supersaturated or supercooled, thermodynamically unstable fluids in which a variety of aggregated molecular species are possible. The moments of momenta of these various species in the fluid phase influence the resulting habits of the crystals. The distribution of these molecular species can be deduced from the observed crystal habits, since growth can only occur in response to the rates at which suitably oriented growth units arrive at growing faces. Biphenyl, potassium hydrogen tartrate, and sucrose are presented as examples.
A comparative analysis of in situ methods for directly measuring the acoustic target strength of individual fish

In recent years, acoustic techniques have been used extensively to monitor and quantify fish stocks remotely. One of the parameters that is often measured is the target strength of the individual fish in the population. To obtain the target strength of a fish from its acoustic echo, the effect of the transducer beam-pattern factor must be removed from the echo amplitude. This paper discusses a number of different approaches for directly estimating the beam-pattern factor for an individual fish target. The effects of noise and interfering signals on the various estimation techniques are investigated. Expressions are derived for the bias and variance in the estimates of the beam-pattern factor as a function of signal-to-noise ratio and angular location of the target. Results of a Monte Carlo simulation of the effect of interference on the various processing techniques are presented. Some of the problems encountered in implementing the various techniques are discussed.
Effectiveness of Community Dissemination of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy

The Trauma Treatment Training Center (TTTC) at Cincinnati Children's Hospital examined the imple- mentation and effectiveness of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) in community agencies working with high-risk families through an awarded grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The current study summarizes posttreatment data collected from community clinicians trained by the TTTC. Results include 53 posttreatment outcomes from 23 clinicians in 15 agencies in the United States. Significant improvement was seen on several measures regarding child behavior, child trauma symptoms, child dissociative characteristics, and caregiver stress. Community clinicians trained in PCIT during a five-day workshop did get effective results with even their first PCIT cases. It is only in the last generation that treatments for child mal- treatment establishing efficacy through randomized controlled studies have been developed and tested (Silverman et al., 2008). Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, the one well- established treatment for traumatized/maltreated children and their caregivers, includes a brief component about effective parenting, but further research in this area is warranted to help rebuild attachment relationships between maltreated children and their caregivers and to give parents the skills to deal with the emotional and behavioral dysregulations that often accompany child abuse and neglect. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), originally developed for families of children with disruptive behavior disor- ders, has shown potential to fill this gap in childhood trauma treatment by helping physically abusive parents transform their parenting practices and by offering a variety of skills to nonof- fending parents and caregivers (Chaffin et al., 2009). This study examined the dissemination and effectiveness of PCIT in commu- nity practices after clinicians, whose caseloads included substantial numbers of high-risk and maltreated children, were trained in a five-day workshop. PCIT is a dyadic treatment supported by more than 20 years of research and practice (Herschell, Calzada, Eyberg, & McNeil, 2002). It has demonstrated long-term maintenance of treatment gains of up to six years posttreatment (Hood & Eyberg, 2003). More than 100 randomized controlled trials support PCIT's effec- tiveness. Originally developed by Dr. Sheila Eyberg in the 1970s for young children with disruptive behavior disorders, PCIT has been successfully used with a variety of other populations, includ-
Information theoretic learning with adaptive kernels

This paper presents an online algorithm for adapting the kernel width that is a free parameter in information theoretic cost functions using Renyi's entropy. This kernel computes the interactions between the error samples and essentially controls the nature of the performance surface over which the parameters of the system adapt. Since the error in an adaptive system is non-stationary during training, a fixed value of the kernel width may affect the adaptation dynamics and even compromise the location of the global optimum in parameter space. The proposed online algorithm for adapting the kernel width is derived from first principles and minimizes the Kullback-Leibler divergence between the estimated error density and the true density. We characterize the performance of this novel approach with simulations of linear and nonlinear systems training, using the minimum error entropy criterion with the proposed adaptive kernel algorithm. We conclude that adapting the kernel width improves the rate of convergence of the parameters, and decouples the convergence rate and misadjustment of the filter weights.
Hydrogen Bond Dissociation and Reformation in Methanol Oligomers Following Hydroxyl Stretch Relaxation

Vibrational relaxation and hydrogen bond dynamics in methanol-d dissolved in CCl4 have been measured with ultrafast infrared pump−probe spectroscopy. We excited the subensemble of methanol-d molecules both accepting and donating hydrogen bonds at ∼2500 cm-1. Following vibrational relaxation with a ∼500 fs lifetime, the signal does not decay to zero. Rather, the signal increases to a second maximum at ∼4 ps. The decay from the second maximum occurs on two time scales. We propose a model in which hydrogen bond dissociation, following vibrational relaxation, decreases the concentration of methanol-d molecules that accept and donate hydrogen bonds and produce the observed long-lived bleach of the absorption signal. Using a set of coupled kinetic equations, the time constants for hydrogen bond dissociation and reformation have been determined. Hydrogen bond breaking occurs with ∼200 fs and ∼2 ps time constants. We attribute the fast rate to a direct breaking mechanism wherein the excited hydroxyl stretch decay...
Windows 2000 deployment overview at the University of Colorado at Boulder

This paper describes the University of Colorado’s Windows 2000 deployment project for the Boulder campus, which is in progress as of this writing. Our department, Information Technology Services (ITS), is the primary computing services provider on the campus and is responsible for this project. The paper discusses our actual deployment project, rather than an ideal one, and considers both the technical and organizational issues that we must address.
Understanding Fandom: An Introduction to the Study of Media Fan Culture

Understanding Fandom is a well-researched, clearly organized, and forcefully argued revisionist treatise. Mark Duffett, Senior Lecturer in Media and Cultural Studies at the University of Chester (U...
Laparoscopic-assisted cecectomy is associated with decreased formation of postoperative pulmonary metastases compared with open cecectomy in a murine model.

Abstract Background It was shown in a murine model that sham laparotomy is associated with a higher incidence of postoperative lung metastases when compared with results seen after carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum. Using the same tumor model, the present study was undertaken to determine if the addition of bowel resection to the operative procedure would impact the results. Methods Sixty mice underwent anesthesia alone (anesthesia control [AC]), laparoscopic-assisted cecectomy (LC), or open cecectomy (OC). After surgery, all animals received tail vein injections of 105 TA3-Ha tumor cells. On postoperative day 14, the lungs and trachea were excised en bloc and processed, and surface lung metastases were counted and recorded by a blinded observer. Results The mean number of surface lung metastases in the AC, LC, and OC groups was 30.9, 76.3, and 134.5, respectively. Significantly more metastases were documented after OC (P Conclusions OC was associated with significantly more lung metastases than either LC or AC. Surgery-related immune suppression or trophic tumor cell stimulation occurring after surgery may contribute to this phenomenon.
Evaluation of Ceftaroline Activity versus Daptomycin (DAP) against DAP-Nonsusceptible Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains in an In Vitro Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Model

The objective of this study was to investigate the potential role of ceftaroline, a new broad-spectrum cephalosporin, as a therapeutic option for the treatment of daptomycin-nonsusceptible (DNS) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Four clinical DNS MRSA strains, R5717, R5563, R5996 (heteroresistant vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus) and R5995 (vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus) were evaluated in a two-compartment hollow-fiber in vitro pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model at a starting inoculum of 107 CFU/ml for 96 h. Simulated regimens were ceftaroline at 600 mg every 12 h (q12h) (maximum free-drug concentration [fCmax], 15.2 μg/ml; serum half-life [t1/2], 2.3 h), daptomycin at 6 mg/kg q24h (fCmax, 7.9 μg/ml; t1/2, 8 h), and daptomycin at 10 mg/kg q24h (fCmax, 15.2 μg/ml; t1/2, 8 h). Differences in CFU/ml between 24 and 96 h were evaluated by analysis of variance with Tukey's post-hoc test. Bactericidal activity was defined as a ≥3-log10 CFU/ml decrease in the colony count from the initial inoculum. The ceftaroline MIC values were 0.25, 0.5, 0.5, and 0.5 μg/ml, and the daptomycin MIC values were 2, 2, 4, and 4 μg/ml for R5717, R5563, R5996, and R5995, respectively. Ceftaroline displayed sustained bactericidal activity against 3 of the 4 strains at 96 h (R5717, −3.1 log10 CFU/ml; R5563, −2.5 log10 CFU/ml; R5996, −5.77 log10 CFU/ml; R5995, −6.38 log10 CFU/ml). Regrowth occurred during the daptomycin at 6-mg/kg q24h regimen (4 strains) and the daptomycin at 10-mg/kg q24h regimen (3 strains). At 96 h, ceftaroline was significantly more active, resulting in CFU/ml counts lower than those obtained with daptomycin at 6 mg/kg q24h (4 strains, P ≤ 0.008) and daptomycin at 10 mg/kg q24 h (3 strains, P ≤ 0.001). Isolates with increased MIC values for daptomycin (all 4 strains) but not for ceftaroline were recovered. Ceftaroline was effective against the 4 isolates tested and may provide a clinical option for the treatment of DNS MRSA infections.
Obsessive‐compulsive disorder in children: The role of nurse practitioners

Purpose: To review the characteristics of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in children, differential diagnoses, screening and assessment tools, interventions, and outcomes. The role of nurse practitioners (NPs) in caring for children with OCD and the need for more research are discussed. Data sources: Review of published literature on the topic. Conclusions: OCD is now recognized as a common psychiatric disorder that may go unrecognized during childhood, leading to interference with a child's development and daily functioning. Early identification and treatment of OCD are crucial for a child's psychosocial functioning and quality of life. Implications for practice: NPs familiar with OCD in children can identify patients and make informed judgments about assessment, treatment, and referral.
The Relativistic Proton Spectrometer (RPS) for the Radiation Belt Storm Probes Mission

The Relativistic Proton Spectrometer (RPS) on the Radiation Belt Storm Probes spacecraft is a particle spectrometer designed to measure the flux, angular distribution, and energy spectrum of protons from ∼60 MeV to ∼2000 MeV. RPS will investigate decades-old questions about the inner Van Allen belt proton environment: a nearby region of space that is relatively unexplored because of the hazards of spacecraft operation there and the difficulties in obtaining accurate proton measurements in an intense penetrating background. RPS is designed to provide the accuracy needed to answer questions about the sources and losses of the inner belt protons and to obtain the measurements required for the next-generation models of trapped protons in the magnetosphere. In addition to detailed information for individual protons, RPS features count rates at a 1-second timescale, internal radiation dosimetry, and information about electrostatic discharge events on the RBSP spacecraft that together will provide new information about space environmental hazards in the Earth’s magnetosphere.
Linear stability of free shear flow of viscoelastic liquids

The effects of viscoelasticity on the hydrodynamic stability of plane free shear flow are investigated through a linear stability analysis. Three different rheological models have been examined: the Oldroyd-B, corotational Jeffreys, and Giesekus models. We are especially interested in possible effects of viscoelasticity on the inviscid modes associated with inflexional velocity profiles. In the inviscid limit, it is found that for viscoelasticity to affect the instability of a flow described by the Oldroyd-B model, the Weissenberg number, We, has to go to infinity in such a way that its ratio to the Reynolds number, G ∞ We/Re, is finite. In this special limit we derive a modified Rayleigh equation, the solution of which shows that viscoelasticity reduces the instability of the flow but does not suppress it. The classical Orr–Sommerfeld analysis has been extended to both the Giesekus and corotational Jeffreys models. The latter model showed little variation from the Newtonian case over a wide range of Re, while the former one may have a stabilizing effect depending on the product ςWe where ς is the mobility factor appearing in the Giesekus model. We discuss the mechanisms responsible for reducing the instability of the flow and present some qualitative comparisons with experimental results reported by Hibberd et al. (1982), Scharf (1985 a, b) and Riediger (1989).
Translation Validation for Stateflow to C

Code generators play a critical role in the Model Based Development of complex software systems. This is particularly true in the automotive domain, where the code auto-generated from Simulink/Stateflow models is directly flashed onto embedded controllers. Testing based approaches are popular for validating the translation of models to code. However, these approaches cannot guarantee the absence of bugs introduced during translation.We use translation validation as an alternative to testing. By checking the equivalence between a Stateflow model and C code, it can provide formal guarantees about the absence of bugs introduced during translation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first application of translation validation to code generation from hierarchical state-machine modeling languages. Our approach builds upon the significant progress over the last few years in software model-checking: we use a state-of-the-art off-the-shelf software model-checker, CBMC, to make translation validation practical for a complex modeling language like Stateflow. We have applied this approach to Stateflow models from the automotive domain.
Photodynamic therapy with verteporfin combined with intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide for choroidal neovascularization.

Purpose To examine the 12-month results of a group of patients treated with combined photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin and intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide for choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Design Noncomparative case series. Participants Twenty-six eyes of 26 patients with CNV secondary to AMD. Thirteen with CNV, without restriction to type, were not treated with prior PDT (newly treated group). Thirteen patients with prior PDT therapy who experienced visual loss while being treated with PDT alone comprised the remainder (prior PDT group). Methods Patients with CNV were treated with PDT, immediately followed by an intravitreal injection of 4 mg of triamcinolone acetonide. Visual acuity was measured by Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study protocol refraction. Need for retreatment was based on fluorescein angiographic evidence of leakage at 3-month follow-up intervals. Main outcome measures Visual acuity and retreatment rate. Results In the newly treated group, the mean acuity change was an improvement of 2.5 lines (last observation carried forward [LOCF], +2.4 lines; P = 0.011, Wilcoxon signed ranks test, as compared with baseline acuity) for patients completing the 12-month follow-up. In the prior PDT group, the mean change was an improvement of +0.44 lines (LOCF, +0.31 lines; P = 0.53). Retreatment rates were 1.24 for the newly treated group and 1.2 for the prior PDT group over the first year. Ten patients (38.5%) developed an intraocular pressure (IOP) of >24 mmHg during follow-up, a threshold used to institute pressure reduction therapy. No patient developed endophthalmitis. Conclusion Although the number of patients in this pilot study was limited, the improvement of acuity and the reduced treatment frequency in these patients suggest that combination therapy with PDT and intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide, particularly when used as first-line therapy, merits further investigation. Elevated IOP seems to be the most frequent early side effect of the treatment.