cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evapotranspiration estimates using ASTER thermal infrared imagery

The recent availability of multi-band thermal infrared imagery from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission & Reflection radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra satellite has made feasible the estimation of evapotranspiration at 90 meter resolution. One critical variable in evapotranspiration models is surface temperature. With ASTER the temperature can be reliably determined over a wide range of vegetative conditions. The requirements for accurate temperature measurement include minimization of atmospheric effects, correction for surface emissivity variations and sufficient resolution for the type of vegetative cover. When ASTER imagery are combined with meteorological observations, these requirements are usually met and result in surface temperatures accurate within 1-2 C. ASTER-based evapotranspiration estimates were made during September 2000 over a sub-humid regions at the USDA/ARS Grazinglands research laboratory near El Reno in central Oklahoma. Daily evapotranspiration was estimated by applying instantaneous ASTER surface temperatures, as well as ASTER-based vegetation indices from visible-near infrared bands, to a two-source energy flux model and combining the result with separately acquired hourly solar radiation data. The estimates of surface fluxes show reasonable agreement (within 50-100 W/m 2 ) with ground-based Bowen Ratio Energy Balance measurements and illustrate how ASTER measurements can be applied to heterogeneous terrain. There are some significant discrepancies, however, and these may in part be due to difficulty quantifying fractional cover of senescent vegetation.
An effective dynamic programming offloading algorithm in mobile cloud computing system

Mobile applications are providing increasingly richer functionalities, which generally result in high computational complexity and thus high energy consumption of mobile devices. In this article, to alleviate the computational burden of mobile devices, we present a Dynamic Programming based Offloading Algorithm (DPOA) to quickly find the optimal partitioning between executing subcomponents of a mobile application at the mobile device and the cloud server, taking into account the CPU speed of mobile device, network performance, the characteristics of an application program, and the efficiency of cloud server. DPOA solves the offloading optimization problem with much lower complexity than the Branch & Bound used in [1][2], while significantly reducing the execution time of mobile application proved by the simulations.
Symptomatic compression of the optic nerve by the carotid artery: clinical profile of 18 patients with 24 affected eyes identified by magnetic resonance imaging.

Abstract Objective To characterize the clinical features and course of patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-defined optic nerve compression by the supraclinoid carotid artery. Design Retrospective, observational case series. Participants Eighteen patients with 24 affected eyes were identified by reviewing case records from the author's referral-based neuro-ophthalmology practice. Predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to potential participants. Main outcome measures The following variables were abstracted from the medical record: age, gender, presenting symptoms, past medical problems, visual acuity, color vision, visual field, pupillary reactions, optic disc appearance, other neurologic signs, and previously documented and follow-up examinations. Results There were eight women and ten men ranging in age from 28 to 86 years (median age, 72 years) at the time of diagnosis. Ten (56%) of 18 patients had hypertension. Twelve patients had unilateral optic neuropathy, whereas 6 patients had bilateral optic neuropathy. One patient presented with subacute superior orbital fissure syndrome due to mass effect of a dolichoectatic carotid artery. Another patient had oculomotor nerve palsy with signs of aberrant regeneration due to intracavernous mass effect of a dolichoectatic carotid artery. One patient had a bitemporal hemianopia associated with bilateral compression of the immediate prechiasmatic optic nerves by dolichoectatic carotid arteries. The predominant pattern of visual field loss in most patients reflected nerve fiber bundle injury. A central scotoma or absolute central visual field loss was noted in only 6 (25%) of 24 affected eyes. Most patients demonstrated saucerlike excavation of the optic disc. Progression of visual acuity loss occurred at a relatively slow rate. Conclusions Although uncommon, intracranial compression of the optic nerve by the carotid artery should be considered in a patient with unexplained or progressive unilateral or bilateral optic neuropathy. This entity can be diagnosed using clinical skills to exclude more common causes of optic nerve injury and coronal-oriented MRI to confirm anatomic compression of the symptomatic optic nerve. Although many affected patients have excavation of the optic disc and nerve fiber bundle visual field defects, most have additional signs atypical for glaucoma, minimizing the potential for diagnostic confusion between the two disorders.
A spectral study of differential diffusion of passive scalars in isotropic turbulence

In a companion paper, Ulitsky & Collins (2000) applied the eddy-damped quasi-normal Markovian (EDQNM) turbulence theory to the mixing of two inert passive scalars with different diffusivities in stationary isotropic turbulence. Their paper showed that a rigorous application of the EDQNM approximation leads to a scalar covariance spectrum that violates the Cauchy–Schwartz inequality over a range of wavenumbers. The violation results from the improper functionality of the inverse diffusive time scales that arise from the Markovianization of the time evolution of the triple correlations. The modified inverse time scale they proposed eliminates this problem and allows meaningful predictions of the scalar covariance spectrum both with and without a uniform mean gradient.This study uses the modified EDQNM model to investigate the spectral dynamics of differential diffusion. Consistent with recent DNS results by Yeung (1996), we observe that whereas spectral transfer is predominantly from low to high wavenumbers, spectral incoherence, being of molecular origin, originates at high wavenumbers and is transferred in the opposite direction by the advective terms. Quantitative comparisons between the EDQNM model and the DNS show good agreement. In addition, the model is shown to give excellent estimates for the dissipation coefficient defined by Yeung (1998).We show that the EDQNM scalar covariance spectrum for two scalars with different molecular diffusivities can be approximated by the EDQNM autocorrelation spectrum for a scalar with molecular diffusivity equal to the arithmetic mean of the first two scalars. The result is exact for the case of an isotropic scalar and is shown to be a very good approximation for the scalar with a uniform mean gradient. We then exploit this relationship to derive a simple formula for the correlation coefficient of two differentially diffusing scalars as a function of their two Schmidt numbers and the turbulent Reynolds number. A comparison of the formula with the EDQNM model shows the model predicts the correct Reynolds number scaling and qualitatively predicts the dependence on the Schmidt numbers.To investigate the degree of local versus non-local transfer of the scalar covariance spectrum, we divided the energy spectrum into three ranges corresponding to the energy-containing eddies, the inertial range, and the dissipation range. Then, by conditioning the scalar transfer on the energy contained within each of the three ranges, we have determined that the transfer process is dominated first by local interactions (local transfer) followed by non-local interactions leading to local transfer. Non-local interactions leading to non-local transfer are found to be significant at the higher wavenumbers. This result has important implications for defining simpler spectral models that potentially can be applied to more complex engineering flows.
Paramagnetic resonance study of fluctuations near phase transition in triglycine sulphate

Abstract The EPR line widths of the high and the low field resonances of Cr3+ in triglycine sulphate (TGS) show two distinct anomalous broadenings near Tc. One is associated with a change in the motional frequency of the hindered rotation of the NH3 groups and the other is related to the fluctuation of the polarization. Just below Tc there is a two fold splitting of the resonances which has a ( T c − T ) 1 2 temperature dependence indicating the local geometry about the Cr3+ ion is determined by mean field theory.
Inhalation Studies on Chloropentafluoroethane

Abstract Dogs, rats, mice, and rabbits were exposed to an atmosphere of 10% chloropentafluoroethane for 90 exposures of six hours each. Body weight and clinical condition of rodents were unaffected. Rat and dog blood, urine analyses, and urinary fluoride analyses revealed no significant changes. Dog weight gain, temperature, respiration, and pulse were normal. Gross examination, histology, and organ weights of all species revealed no effects attributable to chloropentafluoroethane. An industrial hygiene standard of 1000 ppm as an eight-hour time-weighted average is suggested.
Bloch–Ogus Sequence in Degree Two

We prove exactness of the Bloch–Ogus type etale cohomology sequence with initial term of degree two with -coefficients, over any 2-dimensional excellent regular local ring of residue characteristic prime-to-n. Parts of the sequence are exact for arbitrarily twisted μ n -coefficients and excellent regular local rings of any dimension.
Self-reported influence of television-based direct-to-consumer advertising on patient seasonal allergy and asthma medication use: An internet survey

Background: Direct-to-consumer advertising (DDTCA) of medications, a marketing tool used by the pharmaceutical industry to increase patient awareness of products, affects both consumer behavior and, ultimately, physician prescribing practices. Billions of dollars are budgeted each year for DTCA, and its influence is far-reaching. However, little information is available about patient-initiated physician interactions in which television-bbased DTCA has played a role in consumer behavior. Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the influence of television-based DTCA on treatment changes in patient-initiated medication use. Methods: A 68-item survey instrument consisting of dichotomous, multiple-choice, and open-ended questions was constructed and sent to a convenience sample of US residents during 3 consecutive months ending in February 2005. The survey, which was accessed through an Internet link provided in the e-mail, was designed to capture data about patient perceptions and behaviors regarding television-based DTCA of prescription medications used for seasonal allergy and asthma as well as demographic information. Inferential and descriptive analyses were performed. Key tests included Crosstabs analysis and normal approximation to the binomial test with the z score. Results: Surveys were sent to 2500 individuals. A total of 427 valid surveys were returned for a 17.1% response rate. Of the 402 respondents (94.1%) who stated that they had seen DTCA for seasonal allergy medication, 50 (12.4%) said they had discussed the advertised medication with their physician and 22 of those discussions (44.0%) resulted in a change in treatment. Three hundred forty-two respondents (80.1%) stated that they had viewed DTCA for prescription asthma medications, and 23 of those respondents (6.7%) said that they had discussed the brand of asthma medication viewed on television with their physician. Those discussions resulted in a change in treatment for 9 respondents (39.1%). Conclusion: Within th his limited, self-reported, survey sample, patient-initiated discussions with physicians regarding television-based DTCA of allergy and asthma medications resulted in a change of treatment in 44.0% and 39.1% of respondents, respectively.
Is there an epidemic of suicides among current and former U.S. military personnel

Recently, there have been reports in the news media of increased risk of suicide among current and former U.S. military personnel, particularly those who are serving or have served in either Afghanistan or Iraq, as part of Operations Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) (1). This review examines relevant published studies and government reports that address suicide among current and former U.S. military and summarizes literature of suicide among the general population to provide some context.
Severe Anion Gap Metabolic Acidosis From Acetaminophen Use Secondary to 5-Oxoproline (Pyroglutamic Acid) Accumulation

Anion gap metabolic acidosis (AGMA) is commonly encountered in medical practice. Acetaminophen-induced AGMA is, however, not widely recognized. We report 2 cases of high anion gap metabolic acidosis secondary to 5-oxoproline accumulation resulting from acetaminophen consumption: the first case caused by acute one-time ingestion of large quantities of acetaminophen and the second case caused by chronic repeated ingestion in a patient with chronic liver disease. Recognition of this entity facilitated timely diagnosis and effective treatment. Given acetaminophen is commonly used over the counter medication, increased recognition of this adverse effect is of important clinical significance.
Lunar Radio Echoes

High-power radars at the Naval Research Laboratory have been used to study the reflecting properties of the earth's moon. Experimental work over the last six years at frequencies in the 30-mc to 3000-mc band has revealed a lunar surface phenomenon which produces a "highlight." Measurements made at 198 mc have shown that more than 50 per cent of the echo energy is reflected in the first 50 microseconds after the leading edge of a short incident pulse contacts the moon. This fortunate situation permits many interesting astronomical observations and suggests the use of wideband communication signals in a circuit using the moon as a passive relay. Many types of modulation have been successfully passed over the lunar circuit, including amplitude modulation by voice.
227A DILANTIN AND NEUROBLASTOMA GROWTH

Recently, a link between Fetal Dilantin Syndrome and the occurrence of neuroblastoma in the affected fetus has been suggested by four cases. Our laboratory has previously presented data on the suppression of normal fibroblast polyamine biosynthesis by Dilantin in vitro. Because polyamine production has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neoplasia, the activity of the key polyamine biosynthetic enzyme, Ornithine Decarboxylase (ODC), was investigated in human neuroblastoma cells. The levels of Ornithine Decarboxylase in human neuroblastoma cells in vitro is 5-10 times greater than in normal fibroblasts. Acute exposure of neuroblastoma cells to Dilantin showed significant enhancement of ODC activity at concentrations of 1-3 ug/ml, while higher concentrations caused suppression of ODC activity. This enhancement effect could not be demonstrated in normal fibroblasts. Dilantin exposure of growing neuroblastoma cells showed enhancement of cell number at the 1-3 ug/ml concentration range, whereas cell growth was inhibited by higher concentrations of Dilantin. The stimulation of neuroblastoma cell ODC activity and growth in vitro by low therapeutic doses of Dilantin may be important in the pathogenesis of neuroblastoma cell tumors in fetuses exposed to Dilantin in utero.
Dynamics of neutrophil rolling over stimulated endothelium in vitro

Prior to extravasation at sites of acute inflammation, neutrophils roll over activated endothelium. Neutrophil rolling is often characterized by the average rolling velocity. An additional dynamic feature of rolling that has been identified but not extensively studied is the fluctuation in the rolling velocity about the average. To analyze this characteristic further, we have measured the instantaneous velocity of bovine neutrophils interacting with lipopolysaccharide-stimulated bovine aortic endothelium at shear stresses of 1, 2, 3, and 4 dynes/cm2. The average velocities are quantitatively similar to those reported for human neutrophils rolling over reconstituted P-selectin at a surface density of 400 sites/microns 2. At all shear stresses tested, the population average variance in the instantaneous velocity is at least 2 orders of magnitude higher than the theoretical variance generated from experimental error, indicating that the neutrophils translate with a nonconstant velocity. Possible sources of the variance are discussed. These include "macroscopic" sources such as topological heterogeneity in the endothelium and microscopic sources, such as inherent stochastic formation and breakage of the receptor-ligand bonds that mediate the rolling. Regardless of the ultimate source of the variance, these results justify the use of mathematical models that incorporate stochastic processes to describe bond formation and breakage between the neutrophil and the endothelium and hence are able to generate variable velocity trajectories.
The Importance and Implementation of a Business Foreign Language Overseas Internship Program.

Business foreign language courses may very well be the fastest growing phenomenon in the language curriculum today, partly in response to internal pressures within the academic world itself, but also partly in response to external pressures upon the business world today. The United States is no longer isolated from the world market, and the survival of American business in the same arena with fierce world competitors like the Japanese is heavily dependent upon its ability to understand and adapt to foreign markets. Foreign markets are products of foreign cultures, as any number of American companies have learned, often after having suffered severe monetary losses as well as public relations blunders due to poor market strategies abroad. Increasingly, American firms are looking to specialists who can advise them against the risks involved in foreign investment and enlighten them as to the demands of doing business in foreign markets. Business/Foreign Language graduates can fill this very special need of the American business community, but the foreign language component of their backgrounds must be complemented by comparative/contrastive business practice studies between home and target cultures, as well as practical business internship experience in the target culture. The Michigan State University Business Overseas Internship Program in Germany is used as a model for the implementation of such a program.
A new synthesis of difluoramino trifluoromethane

Abstract Fluorination of azidotrifluoromethane furnishes difluoramino trifluoromethane in a direct, reproducible, and high yield reaction. A maximum rate of conversion with minimum degradation was obtained at 70–80°. Enhancement of the rate of reaction was realized with added KF as a catalyst.
Meaningful LGBTQ Inclusion in Schools: The Importance of Diversity Representation and Counterspaces

This article presents a call to action for improving the school climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth, which incorporates lessons learned from educational research with students of color. Recommendations in this article are grounded in critical race theory and reflect the importance of LGBTQ representation in key school positions as well as the development of counterspaces that facilitate critical consciousness and the acquisition of skills to combat oppressive conditions. Incorporating scholarship on students of color in LGBTQ school climate research is critical as many LGBTQ students are also students of color.
Choban operators in generalized ordered spaces

Abstract In this paper we investigate generalized ordered (GO) spaces that have a flexible diagonal in the sense of Arhangelʼskii (2009) [2] . Spaces with a flexible diagonal are generalizations of topological groups and include spaces that are continuously homogeneous, Choban spaces, and rotoid spaces. We prove some paracompactness and metrization theorems for such spaces and construct examples of generalized ordered spaces that clarify how the types of spaces with a flexible diagonal are interrelated. We show, for example, that any GO Choban space is hereditarily paracompact, that any continuously homogeneous, first-countable GO-space is metrizable, that the space of real numbers is the only non-degenerate connected LOTS that is a Choban space, and that the Sorgenfrey line and the Michael line are Choban spaces. We extend some results of Arhangelʼskii and pose a family of questions.
Epithermal gold-siver deposits in the western United States: time-space products of evolving plutonic, volcanic and tectonic environments

Abstract The western United States has been the locus of considerable subaerial volcanic and plutonic igneous activity since the mid-Mesozoic. After the destruction of the Jurassic-Cretaceous magmatic arc-trench system, subduction was re-established in the Late Mesozoic with low-angle underthrusting of the oceanic plate beneath western North America. This resulted in crustal shortening during the Late Cretaceous to Early Tertiary and removal of the mantle lithosphere west of the Rocky Mountains. Commencing in the Eocene, flat subduction ceased, the volcanic arc began to re-establish itself along the continental margin, and the hingeline along the steepening subducting plate migrated from east to west. The crust east of the migrating hingeline was exposed to hot asthenosphere, and widespread tectonics and volcanic activity resulted. Hydrothermal activity accompanied the volcanism resulting in numerous epithermal gold-silver deposits. The temporal and spatial distributions of epithermal deposits in the region are therefore systematic and can be subdivided into discrete time intervals which are related to widespread changes in magmatic activity. Time intervals selected for discussion are Pre-Cenozoic, 66-55 Ma, 54-43 Ma, 42-34 Ma, 33-24 Ma, 23-17 Ma, and deep rifting that alunite-kaolinite ± pyrophyllite type epithermal deposits are formed. Adularia-sericite type deposits are most common, being related to all compositions and styles of volcanic activity. Therefore, the volcano-tectonic context of the western United States provides a unified framework in which to understand and explore for epithermal type deposits.
Giving men the come-on: effect of eye contact and smiling in a bar environment

In four conditions, a female confederate established eye contact with a male in a drinking establishment. Eye contact was established once or multiple times within a 5-min. period. After eye contact was established, the confederate smiled or did not smile. In a fifth condition, the female smiled and looked down in the general direction of the designated subject. The dependent variable was whether or not the subject approached and talked to the confederate within a 10-min. period. Two attractive female confederates were each assigned 10 subjects in each of the five conditions. The highest approach behavior (60%) was observed in the condition in which there was repeated eye contact plus smiling. In each of the remaining four conditions, the confederate was approached less than 20% of the time. It was suggested that males may need certain encouragement before approaching a female stranger in a bar environment and that this encouragement is most likely to be effective when it is both repeated and when it is d...
An improved design for a binocular mount and a specimen rod-holder for the AEI 801 electron microscope

Abstract A modification of the viewing binocular device for the AEI 801 transmission electron microscope originally filted to the AEI EM6B is described which makes it possible to cover this whole area of the viewing screen without the need to constantly refocus the instrument. A specimen rod-holder for use with the AEI EM 801 is also described. Both pieces of apparatus have been in frequent use for over two years and found to be completely satisfactory.
Does the Type of Pancreaticojejunostomy After Whipple Alter the Leak Rate

Despite the overwhelming limitations that plague the literature surrounding the optimal method of reestablishing pancreatico-enteric continuity following a Whipple operation, it is clear that all successful techniques conform to sound surgical principles. These principles include a water-tight and tension-free anastomosis, preservation of adequate blood supply for both organs involved in the anastomosis, and minimal trauma to the pancreas gland. Although surgeon experience, gland texture, and pancreatic duct size are clearly the dominate risk factors from a long list of variables associated with pancreatic leaks following pancreatoduodenectomy, these are nonmodifiable covariates. Although the plethora of current literature cannot provide a single definitive technical solution for restoring pancreatico-enteric continuity, a small number of well-designed RCTs support the use of transanastomotic external stenting for high-risk pancreatic glands and an end-to-side invaginated pancreaticojejunostomy. The truth remains that an individual surgeon's mastery of a specific anastomotic technique, in conjunction with a large personal experience, is likely to be the best predictor of a low pancreas leak rate following pancreatoduodenectomy.
Estimation of Plasma Volume in Holstein and Jersey Calves

The concentration of immunoglobulin (Ig) G in the blood of neonatal calves shortly after birth is a widely used criterion to determine the degree of acquisition of passive immunity. Another method used to determine the biological mechanisms of IgG absorption is calculation of the apparent efficiency of IgG absorption. Estimation of the efficiency of IgG absorption requires the estimation of plasma volume in neonatal calves. Previous estimates of plasma volume in a few calves of varying breeds have been made; the estimates ranged from 7 to 14.5% of body weight (BW). Holstein (n = 97 from four farms) and Jersey (n = 49 from one farm) calves were fed fresh maternal colostrum or colostrum that had been previously frozen. Calves were fed 2 L of colostrum at 4.1 h (SE = 0.2; range = 0.3 to 11.0 h) and 12 h later. Plasma volume was measured by determining the concentration of Evans' blue dye in a jugular blood sample collected 10 min after injection of approximately 1.5 ml of 1.5% Evans' blue dye. Factors that affected plasma volume (milliliters) were BW, breed, and age at sampling; r2 of the regression was 0.60. Factors that affected plasma volume (percentage of BW) were BW, breed, and age at sampling; r2 of the regression was 0.08. Mean plasma volume for all calves was 3162 ml (SE = 79) and was 9.86% of birth BW (SE = 0.15%). Mean plasma volume was 2250 ml (9.71% of BW) and 3623 ml (9.94% of BW) for Jersey and Holstein calves, respectively. Body weight was the best predictor of plasma volume.
The efficacy of mechanical vibration analgesia for relief of heel stick pain in neonates: a novel approach.

BACKGROUND Hospitalized infants are often exposed to many painful procedures as a result of their illness or disease process. Untreated or poorly treated pain can have deleterious effects on normal nociceptive pain development as well as future development of pain pathways. Mechanical vibration has been found to be efficacious in adult and pediatric populations for the relief of mild-to-moderate acute and chronic pain. However, little is known about the efficacy of this intervention in the neonatal population. AIM The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that mechanical vibration would be efficacious in the relief of pain associated with heel sticks in neonates. Heel sticks are one of the most common painful procedures during neonatal hospitalization. STUDY DESIGN A random-sequencing crossover design was used with infants acting as their own controls. SUBJECTS Newborn infants of 35 weeks' gestation or greater (N = 20) met the inclusion criteria for the study. OUTCOME MEASURES Pain during heel stick was measured with the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale. The Neonatal Infant Pain Scale is a nonintrusive tool with extensive evidence of its reliability and validity in the neonatal population, when used by trained observers. RESULTS Mechanical vibration produced an analgesic effect for infants who had previously experienced painful heel sticks that approached statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS The apparent limitations of mechanical vibration as analgesia may be due to the concurrent use of sucrose and pacifier, the effects of order (ie, habituation), or type II error. Because vibration produced the predicted positive effect in some circumstances, further investigation in larger samples within a randomized clinical trial is warranted.
Foaming and frothing related to system physical properties in a small perforated plate distillation column

Experimental froth heights occurring on a perforated distillation tray were correlated with the determining system physical properties under distillation conditions. A photographic technique was used to measure accurately the foam and froth heights, produced in the 4 in. square test section of a laboratory distillation column, for several points in the composition range of five binary systems. Plate design parameters and operating vapor and liquid rates were held constant throughout the experimental study. The froth height results from this investigation (11), as well as those from studies (17) of a 6 in. distillation column, show a linear relation with the expression, UA2 ρv/(ρL — ρV), the frothing factor, for the ranges of the physical properties investigated. The foam height results of this study indicate that the mass transfer surface tension gradient, the heat transfer gradient, and the absolute value of surface tension all contribute to foam formation and stability. Because of the complex relation between the surface tension gradient and the frothing factor in relation to the degree of foaming, as well as the effects of other influencing variables, a unique correlation of the foam height data resulting from mass transture of the effect for several of the data points. This investigation was conducted to obtain experimental data which could provide a basis for correlation of the foam and froth heights occuring on an operating perforated distillation tray with system physical properties.
1-Triflato-3,5,7-trimethyl-1,3,5,7-tetrasilaadamantane and 1,3-bis-triflato-5,7-dimethyl-1,3,5,7-tetrasilaadamantane; synthesis, complexation study and X-ray structure of 1-hydroxy-3,5,7-trimethyl-1,3,5,7-tetrasilaadamantane

Abstract The symmetrical 1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-1,3,5,7-tetrasilaadamantane ( 1 ) reacts with 1.5 molar equivalents of ICl–AgOTf at room temperature to furnish the hitherto unknown 1-triflato-3,5,7-trimethyl-1,3,5,7-tetrasilaadamantane ( 9 ) chemoselectively, in near quantitative yields. The treatment of 9 with 2 mol equivalents of ICl–AgOTf affords the bis-triflate 10 in high yields. Control experiments showed that reaction of 1 with ICl (1 mol equivalents)–CCl 4 is sluggish, giving 18% conversion to 1-chloro-3,5,7-trimethyl-1,3,5,7-tetrasilaadamantane ( 2 ) after 23 h at room temperature. Addition of AlBr 3 catalyzes the process, allowing 73% conversion after 21 h at room temperature. The ICl–AgOTf reagent eliminates the need to prepare and isolate 2 as an intermediate for the synthesis of 9 . In silicon NMR spectra, the 29 Si SiOTf resonance of 10 is slightly upfield compared with that of 9 . Treatment of 9 with a saturated solution of B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 in CH 2 Cl 2 at room temperature shows only minor deshielding at silicon as determined by 29 Si-NMR spectroscopy. Attempts to generate donor–acceptor complexes by treatment of 9 with Al(OTf) 3 –CD 3 CN and with liquid BCl 3 gave no notable changes in the SiOTf NMR chemical shift. In attempts to grow crystals from 9 and 10 , white crystals suitable for X-ray analysis were obtained from a sample of 9 , the molecular structure of which was shown to be 1-hydroxy-3,5,7-trimethyl-1,3,5,7-tetra-silaadamantane ( 11 ), generated by hydrolysis of the SiOTf bond.
KNOWLEDGE OF RESULTS, PRACTICE, AND SEX: ANTICIPATION OF COINCIDENCE REVISITED

Knowledge of results (KR), practice, and sex were varied to examine their effects on anticipation of coincidence. Although these factors have been given empirical attention, the findings have been ...
Replies to Green, Szabo, Jeshion, and Siebel

Mitchell Green argues that expressing requires showing or doing something of a kind that shows, and that it is doubtful that expressing would be possible without a convention if it only required intentional indication. He thus does not see how ideas, as opposed to beliefs and emotions, can be expressed. Drawing on his eagerly awaited book Self-Expression, Green distinguishes three different forms of showing. 'Show' can mean making perceptible or making known. And showing something in the second sense can mean showing that something exists or showing how something looks, sounds, or feels. Showing that p requires providing 'knowledge-enabling' evidence for p, evidence that enables observers with the right background knowledge to know that p. We cannot make our thoughts or ideas perceptible, nor can we show how they look, sound, or feel. So if expressing a thought involves showing, it must involve showing that we are thinking the thought. The same goes for belief and other propositional attitudes. Speaker expression must be distinguished from evidential (or natural) expression. Tears are a typical expression of grief. Yet when a speaker is crying in grief, it is not true that the speaker is expressing grief by crying. That would be true only if the tears were intentional. Tears of grief are a natural sign and manifestation of grief; they are not produced intentionally. On the other hand, a good actor may express grief by intentionally producing tears. When that happens, the actor's tears are typically not an expression of grief. Let 'f(S)' stand for some feature of S. Then the following formulas are logically independent, as we have seen:
Application of discrete-time model reference adaptive control to a flexible single-link robot

This article addresses the feasibility of applying discrete-time model reference adaptive control techniques to the flexible link of robot mechanisms. The method of separation of variables is used to represent the deflection of the link. A nonlinear model is obtained using a Lagrangian equation, and the candidate frequencies and the associated mode functions are obtained using Bernoulli-Euler beam theory. By considering the effect of flexibility as an internal disturbance torque acting on the rigid body motion of the system, a discrete-time MRAC is determined for a single non-rigid link. The control algorithm is implemented for a collocated sensor and actuator system, and for a noncollocated end-point sensor and actuator system. Results of computer simulation show the feasibility of this approach and the advantage of using an end-point sensing system.
Biochemical and biomechanical alterations in equine articular cartilage following an experimentally-induced synovitis

The effects of inflammation on the biochemical and biomechanical properties of articular cartilage at two sites (dorsal and palmar) from the radial facet of the equine third carpal bone were examined in response to a synovitis induced with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Four groups were studied. In group 1 synovitis was induced at time zero and evaluated at week 6. Group 2 was the sham-treated control for group 1. In group 3 synovitis was induced at time zero and evaluated at week 2. Group 4 was the sham-treated control for group 3. There was a significant increase (P palmar). There was no significant difference in aggregate modulus or permeability constant among groups. Primary joint inflammation induced by LPS alters the biochemical and biomechanical properties of the articular cartilage as a function of time and site. An increase in chondrocyte PG synthesis in the early period following synovitis may be a reparative response to the inflammatory insult. Continued alterations in the qualitative PG composition in the later period following synovitis may represent a shift in chondrocyte metabolism to repopulate the existing cartilage matrix.
Products of Markovian semi-groups of operators

Let A and B denote the generators of two contraction semi-groups of operators (Pt) and (Qt) acting on some Banach space. If the operator A + B has a closure generating a third semi-group (Rt), then it is known (Trotter) that \(R^t = \mathop {\lim }\limits_{h \to 0} (P^h Q^h )^{[t/h]}\). The existence and identification of this limit is of interest even when the closure of A + B is not a generator. A probabilistic version of this problem is given here in the case of Markovian transition semi-groups when the corresponding processes have identical hitting distributions. Sufficient conditions for the existence of (Rt) are given, and in special cases its generator is identified.
Notch3 signaling initiates choroid plexus tumor formation

Notch3 has been studied in the context of brain development, but whether it plays a role in the formation of brain tumors is unclear. We demonstrate that the introduction of constitutively active Notch3 into periventricular cells of embryonic day 9.5 mice causes the formation of choroid plexus tumors (CPTs). Tumors arose in the fourth ventricles in 83% of animals and were associated with hydrocephalus. They were microscopically highly similar to choroid plexus papillomas in humans, with an ongoing proliferation rate of 4-6%. Signs of Notch pathway activity were also present in human choroid plexus lesions, and receptor mRNA levels in papillomas were elevated over those in non-neoplastic choroid plexus. Notch2 was overexpressed approximately 500-fold in one case, suggesting that the role of this pathway in CPTs may not be specific to Notch3. Our findings indicate that activated Notch3 can function as an oncogene in the developing brain, and link the Notch pathway to human CPT pathogenesis.
Effect of accelerating voltage on planar and axial channeling in ordered intermetallic compounds

The ternary site occupancy of two alloys, vanadium in NiAl + V and hafnium in nickel-rich, boron doped Ni 3 Al + Hf, was determined by ALCHEMI, or atom location by channeling enhanced microanalysis. Vanadium exhibited a preference for the aluminum sublattice in NiAl, and hafnium preferentially occupied the aluminum sites in Ni 3 Al. Spectra were acquired over a range of accelerating voltages from 80 kV to 200 kV. Delocalization effects were observed to increase as the accelerating voltage increased, which thus reduces the accuracy of the ALCHEMI data. For NiAl + V, both planar and axial channeling were performed, and delocalization effects were greater for axial channeling, further reducing the accuracy of the ALCHEMI data.
Effects of pH Gradients on Liposomal Charge States Examined by Capillary Electrophoresis

Liposomes have been used for biomimetic containers and to study phenomena ranging from photosynthetic systems to membrane fusion and dynamics. An important aspect of many preparations and in biological processes is the presence of a pH gradient across the membrane. Here, experiments were conducted using capillary electrophoresis to investigate the effects of this gradient on liposomes composed of phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylcholine, and cholesterol. pH gradients for the liposomes were created by titration of the exterior buffer; then the electrophoretic properties were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis and the size was measured by laser light scattering. Our results show that the presence of a pH gradient has a significant effect on the electrophoretic migration of liposome samples, induced principally by a change in effective charge. The differences in charge for the liposome samples are evaluated with regard to acid-base equilibria, which is shown to be inadequate to describe the dynamics of the system. A more complex capacitive theory incorporating elements of the Overbeek-Booth theory and the relaxation effect appears to more effectively describe the results and could aid in predicting liposome behavior under various pH gradient conditions.
ARMI: A high level communication library for STAPL

ARMI is a communication library that provides a framework for expressing fine-grain parallelism and mapping it to a particular machine using shared-memory and message passing library calls. The library is an advanced implementation of the RMI protocol and handles low-level details such as scheduling incoming communication and aggregating outgoing communication to coarsen parallelism. These details can be tuned for different platforms to allow user codes to achieve the highest performance possible without manual modification. ARMI is used by STAPL, our generic parallel library, to provide a portable, user transparent communication layer. We present the basic design as well as the mechanisms used in the current Pthreads/OpenMP, MPI implementations and/or a combination thereof. Performance comparisons between ARMI and explicit use of Pthreads or MPI are given on a variety of machines, including an HP-V2200, Origin 3800, IBM Regatta and IBM RS/6000 SP cluster.
Investigating the Portability of Corpus-Derived Cue Phrases for Dialogue Act Classification

We present recent work in the area of Cross-Domain Dialogue Act tagging. Our experiments investigate the use of a simple dialogue act classifier based on purely intra-utterance features - principally involving word n-gram cue phrases. We apply automatically extracted cues from one corpus to a new annotated data set, to determine the portability and generality of the cues we learn. We show that our automatically acquired cues are general enough to serve as a cross-domain classification mechanism.
Methods of photoelectrode characterization with high spatial and temporal resolution

Materials and photoelectrode architectures that are highly efficient, extremely stable, and made from low cost materials are required for commercially viable photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting technology. A key challenge is the heterogeneous nature of real-world materials, which often possess spatial variation in their crystal structure, morphology, and/or composition at the nano-, micro-, or macro-scale. Different structures and compositions can have vastly different properties and can therefore strongly influence the overall performance of the photoelectrode through complex structure–property relationships. A complete understanding of photoelectrode materials would also involve elucidation of processes such as carrier collection and electrochemical charge transfer that occur at very fast time scales. We present herein an overview of a broad suite of experimental and computational tools that can be used to define the structure–property relationships of photoelectrode materials at small dimensions and on fast time scales. A major focus is on in situ scanning-probe measurement (SPM) techniques that possess the ability to measure differences in optical, electronic, catalytic, and physical properties with nano- or micro-scale spatial resolution. In situ ultrafast spectroscopic techniques, used to probe carrier dynamics involved with processes such as carrier generation, recombination, and interfacial charge transport, are also discussed. Complementing all of these experimental techniques are computational atomistic modeling tools, which can be invaluable for interpreting experimental results, aiding in materials discovery, and interrogating PEC processes at length and time scales not currently accessible by experiment. In addition to reviewing the basic capabilities of these experimental and computational techniques, we highlight key opportunities and limitations of applying these tools for the development of PEC materials.
Transesophageal Echocardiography-Guided Cardioversion After Cardiac Operations

Background Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is often performed during cardiac operations. The need to repeat TEE to exclude left atrial or left atrial appendage thrombus before direct current cardioversion (DCCV) in patients with a recent intraoperative TEE showing no thrombus is unclear. We sought to determine the incidence of and risk factors for new thrombus in patients undergoing TEE-guided DCCV after cardiac operations. Methods We reviewed 817 patients referred for TEE-guided DCCV within 30 days of a cardiac operation and an intraoperative TEE. Patients were excluded if the intraoperative TEE showed thrombus or a surgical left atrial appendage intervention was performed. Univariate logistic regression identified risk factors for thrombus. Results The study included 362 patients (71% male) with a mean age of 69 years. Median time from the operation to DCCV was 6 days. Thrombus was present in 13 patients (3.6%) on TEE before cardioversion; DCCV was cancelled in these patients. Heart failure was associated with a significantly higher risk of new thrombus formation (7% vs 2%; odds ratio, 3.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.07 to 9.95). Preoperative atrial arrhythmias, duration of perioperative arrhythmias, level of anticoagulation, and time from operation to DCCV were not significantly associated with thrombus. Thrombus was not associated with 30-day mortality. Conclusions Development of new thrombus in patients with atrial arrhythmias early after cardiac operations is not uncommon, especially in patients with heart failure. Patients at high risk for thromboembolic events should undergo TEE before DCCV, even if a recent intraoperative TEE showed no thrombus.
Further Evidence for Collapsed Objects in Binary Star Systems

IT would be of great interest to discover a collapsed object (neutron star or black hole) as one component of a binary star system. Trimble and Thorne1 have compiled a list of fifty candidate systems from Batten's2 catalogue. These are non-eclipsing single-line spectroscopic binaries in which the unseen companion has a mass estimated to be greater than 1.4 M⊙. These unseen companions are thus too massive to be non-rotating white dwarfs (although the possibility that they are rapidly, differentially rotating white dwarfs cannot be completely excluded as Ostriker and Bodenheimer3 have shown). In principle, some of these unseen companions could be neutron stars or black holes. In most cases, including all those to be considered here, the unseen companion is less massive than the observed primary star and can be a normal main-sequence star, which is not observed simply because it is considerably less luminous than the primary. Recently, however, Gibbons and Hawking4 have presented evidence that suggests that one or more of the systems on the Trimble and Thorne list contain collapsed objects. Their argument is as follows. Let the initial binary system consist of two stars with masses M1 and M2. Let the more evolved star (M1) eject some of its mass and collapse to form a neutron star or black hole with gravitational mass MN1. The ejected mass-energy can be in the form of a shell of matter or gravitational radiation, for example. If the initial orbit is circular and the mass loss can be treated as instantaneous and spherically symmetric, then the resultant binary system (M2, MN1) will have an orbital eccentricity given by (Note: the notation for the star masses above is not the usual notation for spectroscopic binaries.) Three of the seven systems from the Trimble and Thorne list with P 0.08. By a comparison with short-period double-line binaries Gibbons and Hawking concluded that the probability of this occurring by chance is only 8%. This suggests that in one or more of the three systems, the eccentricity arises from a sudden mass loss and that the unseen companion is a collapsed object rather than a main-sequence star.