cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A FIELD TEST OF A MODIFIED “TWO-STEP FLOW OF COMMUNICATION” MODEL

A BOUT TWENTY YEARS have passed since the Lazarsfeld group of sociologists introduced the hypothesis of a "twostep flow of communication."' Despite the growing accumulation of relevant research stimulated by it, not enough has been done to add specification to the original statement of the hypothesis, taking into account these more recent findings.2 Recently, the author tried to develop an elaboration of the twostep-flow hypothesis in an attempt to assimilate findings that the original hypothesis did not seem to explain in a specific manner. In the fall of 1962, a field experiment was conducted in suburban Boston to test some of the assertions implied by the new model. The main elements in the conceptual model and findings of the field experiment are reported here.3
Visual interactive fitting of bounded Johnson distributions

We present a visual, interactive method for specifying a bounded Johnson (SB) probability distribution when little or no data are available for formally identifying and fitting an input process. Using subjective information, the modeler provides values for familiar characteristics of an envisioned target distribution. These numerical characteristics are transformed into parameter values for the probability density function. The parameters can then be indirectly manipulated, either by revising the desired numerical values of the function's specifiable characteristics or by directly altering the shape of the displayed curve. Interaction with a visual display of the fitted density permits the modeler to conveniently obtain a more realistic representation of an in put process than was previously possible. The techniques involved have been packaged into a public-domain microcomputer-based software system called VISIFIT.
Carbon dioxide released from subduction zones by fluid-mediated reactions

The balance between carbonate subduction into the deep Earth and CO2 release through degassing at volcanoes is critical for the carbon cycle. Geochemical analyses of an exhumed subduction zone complex in Greece show that fluid-mediated reactions could liberate significant amounts of carbon from the subducting slab for later release at arc volcanoes.
Mapping oil in a coastal marsh with polarimetric synthetic aperture radar

Our research focused on the effectiveness of high spatial resolution and fully polarimetric L-band SAR (NASA Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle SAR [UAVSAR]) for mapping oil in wetlands, specifically during the Macondo-1 oil spill and its impacts within Barataria Bay in eastern coastal Louisiana. Oil detection relied on PolSAR decomposition and subsequent classifications of the pre-spill (2009) and post-spill (2010) single look complex (SLC) scenes and numerous site observations. Results found that observed shoreline marsh structural damage accompanied by oil occurrence were evident as anomalous features on post-spill but not on the pre-spill SLC flight line data and that these nearshore features were reflected as a change in dominant scatter in Freeman-Durden (FD) and Cloude-Pottier (CP) decompositions and Wishart classifications seeded with the FD and CP classes. Pre- and post-spill SLC data and all decompositions and classifications also revealed a class of interior marshes within the central core of the study region that was associated with a transform of dominant scatter mechanism. The change of dominant scatter is associated with a preponderance of evidence that supports the penetration of oil-polluted waters into interior marshes. Contrary to documented nearshore impacts, however, the lack of contemporaneous observational data and possible shallow flooding in the pre-spill marsh prevent absolute determination of whether UAVSAR detected oil occurrences in the interior marshes.
Analysis of sub-pixel snow and ice extent over the extratropical Andes using spectral unmixing of historical Landsat imagery

Abstract With more than 30 years of imagery, the Landsat database offers potential insights into changes in the global cryosphere. In this study, a Landsat-based sub-pixel fractional snow covered area retrieval model based on spectral unmixing is applied and validated over a southern Andes study region. An application analyzing minimum annual snow/ice covered areas is presented as an example of the utility of the existence of such a model and the Landsat database. The model was validated using high-resolution imagery aggregated to the nominal Landsat resolution, showing good correlation for both fresh snow and ice/old snow presence. Using annual minimum snow/ice retrievals from Landsat 5 and 7, the presence of trends in each snow/ice-covered pixel area was assessed for the 1986–2013 historical period, and three metrics were examined: pixels with significant negative trends, total area loss, and areas with any absolute negative change. Significant negative (area reduction) trends in most of the glacier fronts were found, with a loss of approximately 15% of the original 241 km2 glacierized/snow area between 1986 and 2011. Trends in fractional values were compared with those derived from traditional binary classification of snow and significant discrepancies were observed. Even though the binary classification identified a greater total areal loss (33 vs. 23 km2) when comparing scenes from the beginning and the end of the study period, the fractional algorithm identified a larger number of pixels with significant negative trends between 1986 and 2013 (42.3 vs. 10.5 km2). The binary algorithm resulted in consistent overestimations of ice and snow area and does not offer the ability for identifying subpixel changes. The method could enable future monitoring of Andean and other glaciers and snow cover at a sub-pixel scale over large scales, and with Landsat 8 in orbit a continuous stream of more than 30 years of data is already available.
Real and nominal effective exchange rates in MENA countries: 1970–2004

The main purposes of this article are 3-fold. First, we construct measures of real and nominal effective exchange rates for 14 Middle East and North African countries over the 1970–2004 period. Second, we test the validity of the Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) by applying the ADF and KPSS tests to the real effective exchange rates. Finally, we employ the bounds testing approach to cointegration and error-correction modelling to show that nominal devaluation leads to real devaluation in the short-run as well as in the long-run in many of the countries.
The enthalpy of formation of uf4 by fluorine bomb calorimetry

The energies of combustion in fluorine of two samples of uranium tetrafluoride, UF4, were measured in a bomb calorimeter. Based on these measurements, the standard enthalpy of formation of crystalline UF4, ΔH0f(UF4, c, 298.15 K) = −1910.6 ± 2.0 kJ mol-1 was derived.
Phylogenetic relationships of Loasaceae subfamily Gronovioideae inferred from matK and ITS sequence data

Members of subfamily Gronovioideae are distinctive among Loasaceae in their androecial and gynoecial simplicity. The four genera of the subfamily differ, however, in chromosome number, floral novelties, and pollen exine sculpturing, which led to suggestions that the Gronovioideae were polyphyletic. Phylogenetic analyses based on sequences of the chloroplast gene matK and the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of nuclear rDNA have been conducted using parsimony and maximum likelihood methods to assess the monophyly of Gronovioideae and to determine the sister group relationships of gronovioid genera. The results show Gronovioideae are monophyletic and placed as the sister to Mentzelia. Within Gronovioideae, Petalonyx is sister to a clade consisting of Cevallia, Gronovia, and Fuertesia. Among the remaining Loasaceae, subfamily Mentzelioideae, as originally circumscribed, is paraphyletic. Subfamily Loasoideae is placed as the sister to the Gronovioideae-Mentzelia clade.
Explanation of the W W excess at the LHC by jet-veto resummation

The WW production cross section measured at the LHC has been consistently exhibiting a mild excess beyond the SM prediction, in both ATLAS and CMS at both 7-TeV and 8-TeV runs. We provide an explanation of the excess in terms of resummation of large logarithms that arise from a jet-veto condition, i.e., the rejection of high-pT jets with pT > pT(veto) that is imposed in the experimental analyses to reduce backgrounds. Jet veto introduces a second mass scale pT(veto) to the problem in addition to the invariant mass of the WW pair. This gives rise to large logarithms of the ratio of the two scales that need to be resummed. Such resummation may not be properly accounted for by the Monte Carlo simulations used in the ATLAS and CMS studies. Those logarithms are also accompanied by large pi^2 terms when the standard, positive sign is chosen for the squared renormalization scale. We analytically resum the large logarithms including the pi^2 terms in the framework of soft collinear effective theory (SCET), and demonstrate that the SCET calculation not only reduces the scale uncertainties of the SM prediction significantly but also renders the theory prediction well compatible with the experiment. We find that resummation of the large logarithms and that of the pi^2 terms are both comparably important.
Chlorine dynamics during inactivation of coliforms, acid-fast bacteria and yeasts

Abstract To determine the mode of action of free chlorine in inactivating coliforms, acid-fast bacteria and yeasts, the uptake of radioactive chlorine was determined. Cell-associated chlorine could be modeled by the Freundlich relationship, with either free available chlorine or hypochlorous acid as an independent variable. Candida parapsilosis and Mycobacterum fortuitum exhibited greater uptake of chlorine at pH 7.0 than at pH 9.14; an opposite effect of pH on uptake was noted with Escherichia coli and may be ascribed to losses in cellular material. This study confirmed that cell-associated chlorine is responsible for the inactivation of vegetative microorganisms by free available chlorine.
Hybrid power source for manportable applications

In this paper, we present the results of work with a hybrid power system made of a fuel cell and rechargeable battery with pulse power capability. This hybrid power source successfully ran pulse power load based on the power profile of the present and future manportable military electronics and communications equipment. The hybrid consisted of a 35 W proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack in parallel with a Li-ion battery. In this work, two cyclic load scenarios were utilized. Each consisted of a baseline load for 9 minutes followed by a higher pulse load for 1 minute. One test profile consisted of 20 W (baseline)/40 W (pulse) load, whereas, the second was 25 W/50 W. Under both scenarios, the hybrid provided significant enhancements in performance over the individual components tested separately. These results are discussed and analyzed. Also discussed are possible future implications of such technology and approach.
Effects of DDAVP on movement planning and execution processes in healthy young adults.

Abstract This study investigated the effects of an acute dose of DDAVP on speed and consistency of planning and execution of simple and complex movements in healthy young adults. A simple reaction time task (SRT), a simple movement task (SMT), and a complex movement task (CMT) were performed with and without a 0.6 ml intranasal dose (60 μg) of DDAVP. Results indicated DDAVP-treated individuals planned and executed CMT and SRT tasks faster and more consistently than did placebo-treated subjects. There were nonsignificant DDAVP effects on speed and variability of both RT and MT processes involved in the SMT.
LOW TEMPERATURE ANAEROBIC BACTERIAL DIAGENESIS OF FERROUS MONOSULFIDE TO PYRITE

Abstract In vitro enrichment cultures of dissimilatory sulfate-reducing bacteria precipitated FeS and catalyzed its transformation into FeS 2 at ambient temperature and pressure under anaerobic conditions. When compared to purely abiotic processes, the bacterially mediated transformation was shown to be more efficient in transforming FeS into FeS 2 . This occurred due to the large, reactive surface area available for bacterially catalyzed diagenesis, where the biogenic FeS precursor was immobilized as a thin film (∼25 nm thick) on the μm-scale bacteria. The bacteria also contained the source(s) of sulfur for diagenesis to occur. Using a radiolabeled organic-sulfur tracer study, sulfur was released during cell autolysis and was immobilized at the bacterial cell surface forming FeS 2 . The formation of FeS 2 occurred on both the inner and outer surfaces of the cell envelope and represented the first step of bacterial mineral diagenesis. Pyrite crystals, having linear dimensions of ∼1 μm, grew outward from the bacterial cell surfaces. These minerals were several orders of magnitude larger in volume than those originating abiotically.
Experience with Lippes Loop and Copper-T intrauterine devices in rural Bangladesh

Experience with IUD use among rural Bangladeshi women within two programmatic efforts demonstrates that the Copper-T IUD suited the needs of younger, lower-parity women better than Lippes Loop. The differential performance by the device was especially marked within the program that offered a broad selection of contraceptive methods and occurred mainly because of lower rates of expulsion and lower rates of discontinuation for bleeding and pain among the Copper-T users. Nevertheless, the easy availability of a wide choice of methods during the second program successfully encouraged dissatisfied IUD discontinuers to try other methods of contraception.
Binding cooperativity between a ligand carbonyl group and a hydrophobic side chain can be enhanced by additional H-bonds in a distance dependent manner: A case study with thrombin inhibitors

One of the underappreciated non-covalent binding factors, which can significantly affect ligand-protein binding affinity, is the cooperativity between ligand functional groups. Using four different series of thrombin inhibitors, we reveal a strong positive cooperativity between an H-bond accepting carbonyl functionality and the adjacent P3 hydrophobic side chain. Adding an H-bond donating amine adjacent to the P3 hydrophobic side chain further increases this positive cooperativity thereby improving the Ki by as much as 546-fold. In contrast, adding an amidine multiple H-bond/salt bridge group in the distal S1 pocket does not affect this cooperativity. An analysis of the crystallographic B-factors of the ligand groups inside the binding site indicates that the strong cooperativity is mainly due to a significant mutual reduction in the residual mobility of the hydrophobic side chain and the H-bonding functionalities that is absent when the separation distance is large. This type of cooperativity is important to encode in binding affinity prediction software, and to consider in SAR studies.
Associations Between Dispositions to Rash Action and Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms in Children

Impulsivity is not a unitary construct; instead, dispositions to rash action can be divided into five moderately-correlated dimensions. However, the associations between these dimensions and symptoms of psychopathology among youth remain unclear. The goal of this study was to examine associations between different dispositions to rash action and psychopathology in a community sample of middle school youth. One hundred forty-four youth (M age = 11.9; 65% Hispanic, 30% African American; 50% male; 81% qualifying for free school lunches) participated in this study. Self-reported questionnaire measures of dispositions to rash action (lack of planning, lack of perseverance, sensation seeking, negative urgency, and positive urgency) and psychopathology symptoms (conduct disorder [CD], alcohol use, depression, overall anxiety, panic, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and separation anxiety, as well as teacher reports of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] inattentive and hyperactive symptoms) were used. Negative and positive urgency were positively associated with all symptom types examined except certain anxiety subtypes (and positive urgency was not associated with ADHD symptoms). Lack of planning was positively associated with externalizing and depressive symptoms. Lack of perseverance was positively associated with CD. Sensation seeking was positively associated with both CD and alcohol use. When other dispositions were adjusted for, negative urgency remained a positive predictor of CD, whereas positive urgency remained a positive predictor of depressive and panic symptoms. Sensation seeking was negatively associated with separation anxiety. Psychopathology symptoms are differentially related to dispositions to rash action in children; emotion-based dispositions to rash action may be particularly important targets for future research.
ON/OFF Control of a Modular DC–DC Converter Based on Active-Clamp LLC Modules

This paper studies ON/OFF control of a dc-dc system that contains multiple active-clamp LLC resonant modules operating in parallel. The architecture and the ON/OFF control method yield high overall efficiency and fast transient responses. Two converter models are introduced: 1) a high-frequency model to determine a gate timing sequence that enables fast ON/OFF control, and 2) an averaged model to assist in the system control loop design. The models and the ON/OFF control method are verified by experiments on a prototype consisting of two 1-MHz, 24-3.3-V, 5-W active-clamp LLC modules. The performance of PI and PID system controllers is compared, and capacitor size is analyzed by simulations on systems containing up to 20 modules.
The Fortran 90 bindings for OpenGL

It is important to provide a good Fortran interface to OpenGL and related libraries for scientific visualization in mathematical software. OpenGL has had FORTRAN 77 bindings for some time, however these bindings rely upon several extensions to the FORTRAN 77 standard. By using the new features of Fortran 90 it is possible to define bindings for OpenGL that do not depend on any extensions to the standard and provide access to the full functionality of OpenGL.
Issues of Self-image among Overweight African-American and Caucasian Adolescent Girls: A Qualitative Study

Abstract This study aimed to gather in-depth descriptions of the experiences of overweight adolescent girls to understand how they view themselves and their social context. The study further aimed to compare body and self-image issues among African-American and Caucasian overweight girls. The study population included 50 adolescent girls, aged 14 to 20 years, from junior and senior urban public high schools in St. Paul, MN. Individual interviews, using a semistructured interview guide, were used to gather rich descriptions of experiences. Interviews were taped, transcribed, and coded. Weight issues were central to the manner in which the girls described themselves and their ideal selves.They discussed people-related and clothing-related situations in which they felt self-conscious due to being overweight.Yet, being overweight was clearly not the only aspect of their lives, and they expressed concerns common to many adolescents. Both similarities and differences in attitudes were identified when the African-American and Caucasian girls were compared. African-American and Caucasian girls indicated their desire to be thinner, expressed dissatisfaction with their body shape and body size, and discussed situations in which they felt self-conscious due to their weight. However, the African-American girls were more likely to also discuss the positive aspects of their bodies than the Caucasian girls. Furthermore, specific situations in which the girls felt self-conscious tended to differ across ethnicity. Health care providers need to take the time to discuss both weight-related and non-weight-related concerns of overweight youth in counseling situations and ask about issues of self-image and social interactions in an empathetic manner. Furthermore, since many of the negative statements made by the girls focused on interactions with others, health care providers and educators may want to consider strategies for reaching peers, family members, and others with messages about their potential influence on the overweight adolescent's development. Implications for research on the psy-chosocial consequences of obesity include assessing domain-specific aspects of self-image.
A novel method for fitting unimodal continuous distributions on a bounded domain utilizing expert judgment estimates

Recent advances in computation technology for simulation/uncertainty analyses have shed new light on the triangular distribution and its use to describe the uncertainty of bounded input phenomena. Herein, we develop a novel fitting procedure for a continuous unimodal (four-parameter) family of distributions on a bounded domain, utilizing three properly selected quantile estimates and an estimate of the most likely value. The family in question is the two-sided power family of which the triangular distribution is a member. We analyze some of the procedure's fitting characteristics and use them to estimate the waiting time distribution in a stationary M/G/1 queuing system and the completion time distribution of a small project network example taken from the shipbuilding domain.
Social Anxiety in Obese Youth in Treatment Setting

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of social anxiety in obese children treated in a weight management clinic. We hypothesized that social anxiety would positively correlate with obesity, and that “extremely obese” patients would have significantly higher rates of social anxiety when compared to “obese” patients. Information was collected at a multidisciplinary treatment clinic for obese youth during the first clinic visit. The social anxiety scale was administered (including parent-report and self-report scales for both elementary and adolescent versions) and demographic data was obtained. Social anxiety was found to be significantly positively correlated with BMI percentile. In addition, “extremely obese” patients had significantly higher social anxiety scores than “obese” youth at least for elementary-age youth. Trends in gender differences and racial differences in this obese pediatric clinical sample were consistent with results found in community samples. Social anxiety and obesity were found to be positively correlated in this pediatric clinic-based population. For elementary-age patients, “extremely obese” patients were at greater risk than “obese patients” for social anxiety and its various symptoms—fear of negative evaluation, social avoidance/distress in new situations, and social avoidance/distress in general. Results for adolescents were less clear. Clinical implications of these results were discussed. Limitations of this study, and directions for future research were also discussed.
Assessment of the Process Parameters and Their Effect on the Chip Length When Using CNC Toolpaths to Provide Chip Breaking in Turning Operations

Past work at UNC Charlotte has demonstrated that the use of oscillating CNC toolpaths provides a reliable chip breaking alternative to conventional methods such as the use of cutting inserts with special geometries and/or adjusting machining parameters. The specific toolpath geometry and the selection of the oscillating parameters is an important step to reliably and constantly create broken chips using this new method. This paper builds on the past work and discusses the proper selection of oscillation amplitude and its effect on the ability to break chips and to achieve desired chip lengths.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Functional polymers and sequential copolymers by phase transfer catalysis. 14. Thermotropic polyethers and copolyethers based on 4,4'-dihydroxybiphenyl

Texture du type smectique: temperature de transition thermique inferieure a celle des polyesters correspondants
In vitro liver clearance of tritiated estradiol-17β in the female rat after retrochiasmatic transection and ovariectomy

It was reported in a previous study that serum estradiol-17beta (E2) was elevated in rats after retrochiasmatic transection (FC). Serum E2 was also higher in estradiol cypionate treated, ovariectomized (OVX) rats that had been subjected to FC than in those that had not. This suggested that increased secretion of E2 was not the only factor responsible for elevated serum E2 after FC. To ascertain the contribution of decreased metabolism of E2 to this response, liver tissue slices were incubated with 3H-estradiol-17beta, and the rates of 3H uptake and conversion to water-soluble conjugates were measured. The rate of uptake of 3H by the tissue was not indicative of the rate of conjugate formation. Livers of rats with high serum E2 exhibited lower rates of 3H uptake than those of rats with low serum E2. Even so, the formation of 3H conjugates was greater in liver of rats with high serum E2. As hypothesized, livers of rats with FC formed conjugates at a significantly lower rate than those of similarly treated rats without FC. Thus, FC of an intact rat leads to an increase in serum E2 by increasing the secretion of E2, and apparently also by decreasing the rate of E2 metabolism by the liver.
Back to the future: Temporal perspective in the explanation of events

Prospective hindsight involves generating an explanation for a future event as if it had already happened; i.e., one goes forward in time, and then looks back. In order to examine how shifts in perspective might influence people's perceptions of events, we investigated two possible factors: temporal perspective (whether an event is set in the future or past) and uncertainty (whether the event's occurrence is certain or uncertain). In the first experiment, temporal perspective showed little influence while outcome uncertainty strongly affected the nature of explanations for events. Explanations for sure events tended to be longer, to contain a higher proportion of episodic reasons, and to be expressed in past tense. Evidence from the second experiment supports the view that uncertainty mediates not the amount of time spent explaining, but rather subjects' choice of explanation type. The implications of these findings for the use of temporal perspective in decision aiding are discussed.
Tracheoesophageal fistula and associated congenital heart disease: implications for anesthetic management and survival

Summary Background : Infants with tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) and/or esophageal atresia (EA) frequently have other associated congenital anomalies which can have a significant impact on their anesthetic care and survival to discharge. Methods : A medical record review and retrospective data analysis were performed in a university affiliated children's hospital of all infants undergoing TEF/EA repair between January 1998 and July 2004. The incidence of intraoperative complications during the TEF repair and overall survival to hospital discharge was compared in two groups of infants: 26 patients with TEF/EA and coexisting congenital heart disease (CHD), and 27 patients with TEF/EA and no CHD. Results : The overall incidence of intraoperative critical events during repair of TEF/EA was significantly higher in infants with associated cardiac pathology (P = 0.003). Six of 53 infants died during hospitalization (overall mortality, 11.3%) and all had associated cardiac pathology. In comparison with nonductal-dependent lesions, the presence of a ductal-dependent cardiac lesion appeared to significantly increase patient mortality (57% vs. 10%, P = 0.028). Conclusions : Low birth weight (<1500 g) and associated cardiac pathology were found to be independent predictors of mortality in infants undergoing surgery for TEF/EA repair. The presence of a ductal-dependent cardiac lesion further increased the risk of morbidity and mortality, in addition to necessitating special anesthesia considerations.
Effect on rats’ straight alley performance of shifts in body weight as a function of method of weight maintenance

Rats were maintained at either 80% or 95% of their initial ad lib weights or their expected weights. Weights were then shifted from 80% to 95%. The effects of level of percentage body weight loss and the effects of shifting percentage body weight loss on straight alley performance were independent of method of weight maintenance.
Protein values of milk samples from mothers without biologic pregnancies

5. Perman JA, Barr RG, and Watkins JB: Sucrose malabsorption in children. Noninvasive diagnosis by interval breath hydrogen determination, J P~D~ATR 93:17, 1978. 6. Dahlqvist A: Method of assay of intestinal disaccharidases, Anal Chem 7:18, 1964. 7. Townley RR, Khaw KT, and Shwachman H; Quantitative assay of disaccharidase activities of small intestinal mucosal biopsy specimens in infancy and childhood, Pediatrics 36:911, 1965. 8. Lowry OH, Rosebrough N J, Farr AL, and Randall R J: Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent , J Biol Chem 193:265, 1951. 9. Maffei HVL, Metz G, Bampoe V, Shiner M, Herman S, and Brook CGD: Lactose intolerance, detected by the hydrogen breath test, in infants and children with Chronic diarrhea, Arch Dis Child 52:766, 1977. 10. Harrison M, and Walker-Smith JA: Reinvestigation of lactose intolerant children: Lack of correlation between continuing lactose intolerance and small intestinal morphology, disaccharidase activity, and lactose tolerance tests, Gut 18:481, 1977. 11. Manuel PD, Walker-Smith JA, and France NE: Patchy enteropathy in childhood, Gut 20:211, 1979. 12. Rubin CE: Celiac disease and idiopathic sprue. Some reflections on reversibility, gluten, and the intestine, Gastroenterology 39:260, 1960. 13. Newcomer AD, and McGill DB: Distribution of disaccharidase activity in the small bowel of normal and lactasedeficient subjects, Gastroeterology 51:481, 1966.
Compressive orthotic bracing in the treatment of pectus carinatum: the use of radiographic markers to predict success

Abstract Purpose The treatment of pectus carinatum (PC) has classically been operative, though compressive orthotic braces have been used with good success in recent years. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the use of radiologic measurements in a successful bracing protocol. Methods Sixty-three patients with PC have been evaluated for an 8-year span. The average age is 13.3 ± 2.5. Follow-up is from 4 to 60 months, with a median of 24 months. Seventeen patients with mild defects elected observation alone. The remaining 46 patients began the bracing protocol. Baseline chest computed tomography (CT) was obtained, and custom-fitted orthotic braces were constructed for each patient. Radiographic markers were evaluated to include the Haller index, angle of sternal rotation, and asymmetry index. Patient surveys and chart review were used to identify compliance and success rates. Pretreatment CTs were retrospectively reviewed by bracing outcomes and radiographic measurements were compared. Ten patients received posttreatment CTs after successful bracing. Results Of 63 patients with PC, 17 patients (27%) with mild defects elected observation alone. The remaining 46 patients began the bracing protocol as described above. Of these, 10 are excluded from analysis, with 6 patients currently in the early treatment phase and 4 who have been lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 36 patients, 8 failed bracing because of noncompliance. Of the 28, 24 patients who completed treatment report either good or excellent results after bracing. Eight patients have required surgical intervention, 4 as a result of noncompliance and 4 who were compliant but failed bracing. In patients who were compliant, significant differences were seen on initial CT between those with successful outcomes and those who required surgical repair. Haller index (2.85 vs 2.05; P P P Conclusion Compressive orthotic bracing is a successful method of treatment of pectus carinatum. The associated sternal rotation can be significantly improved with appropriate bracing that results in a subjective improvement in the deformity. Asymmetry of chest diameter related to concomitant excavatum-type deformity is less likely to respond to bracing attempts. In this way, initial chest CT can be of value in treatment planning.
Convex Komlós sets in Banach function spaces

Abstract In 1967 Komlos proved that for any sequence { f n } n in L 1 ( μ ) , with ‖ f n ‖ ⩽ M ∞ (where μ is a probability measure), there exists a subsequence { g n } n of { f n } n and a function g ∈ L 1 ( μ ) such that for any further subsequence { h n } n of { g n } n , 1 n ∑ i = 1 n h i → n g μ -a.e. Later, Lennard proved that every convex subset of L 1 ( μ ) satisfying the conclusion of the previous theorem is norm bounded. In this paper, we isolate a very general class of Banach function spaces (those satisfying the Fatou property), to which we generalize Lennard's converse to Komlos' Theorem. We also extend Komlos' Theorem itself to a broad class of Banach function spaces: those that satisfy the Fatou property and are finitely integrable (or even weakly finitely integrable ), when the measure μ is σ -finite. Banach function spaces satisfying the hypotheses of both theorems include L p ( R ) ( 1 ⩽ p ⩽ ∞ , μ = Lebesgue measure ), Lorentz, Orlicz and Orlicz–Lorentz spaces.
A study of reactions to Corynebacterium parvum (C. parvum) in the brain and dermis of the rat.

A comparative analysis was made of the histological changes caused by Corynebacterium Parvum (C. parvum) injected into the brain and dermis of normal and C. parvum presensitized rats. Control rats were injected with saline. It was shown that for approximately 3 days after the intracerebral injection the brain reacted with a polymorphonuclear cell infiltration. This reaction was replaced in order by lymphocytes, macrophages, and finally by epithelioid cells progressing to granuloma. The histological changes were similar but more intense in the dermis than in the brain. Lymphocytes reached a peak by day 7, macrophages by day 3, and epithelioid cells by day 18. In comparison to the dermis, the cellular infiltration in the brain is more delayed, less intense and of longer duration. Intracerebral saline induced a moderate lymphocytic infiltrate, and in C. parvum presensitized rats a more intense macrophagic response. It is concluded that the brain of the rat, especially in the presensitized animal, mounts an inflammatory response to C. parvum which is morphologically similar to that seen in the skin.
Mentally Ill Offenders and Community Transitions: Resource Acquisition and Recidivism:

National (U.S.) estimates suggest that over 210,000 adult felons are released each year with mental illness severe enough to warrant significant attention from prison mental health staff. Previous ...
Improvement of stability in current-programmed SEPIC DC/DC converters

Techniques to enhance the stability of current-programmed single-ended primary inductance converters (SEPICs) are described, ranging from component selection to sensing a filtered copy of the control current. A summary is presented of a method for analyzing stability by direct calculation of the eigenvalues of an averaged time-evolution operator. The key to the method is the expression of duty ratio variation as a function of the state variables, i.e. voltages and currents in the circuit. This allows the formation of a modified matrix (as opposed to the straightforward weighted average of coefficients of differential equations) which approximates the time-evolution operator for the vector of state variables. Calculations are compared with experimental results. >
The effect of glycocyamine on the high-energy phosphate fractions in rat muscle.

Abstract A single dose of glycocyamine and betaine increased the creatine phosphate levels in the skeletal muscles of adult rats to a slight but statistically significant extent. The creatine phosphate returned to control values between 6 and 12 days. Daily ingestion of glycocyamine over a 98-day period produced the same, but no greater increase, in creatine phosphate.
Enhanced Efficiency in Plastic Solar Cells via Energy Matched Solution Processed NiOx Interlayers

We show enhanced efficiency and stability of a high performance organic solar cell (OPV) when the work-function of the hole collecting indium-tin oxide (ITO) contact, modified with a solution-processed nickel oxide (NiOx) hole-transport layer (HTL), is matched to the ionization potential of the donor material in a bulk-heterojunction solar cell. Addition of the NiOx HTL to the hole collecting contact results in a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.7%, which is a 17.3% net increase in performance over the 5.7% PCE achieved with a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) HTL on ITO. The impact of these NiOx films is evaluated through optical and electronic measurements as well as device modeling. The valence and conduction band energies for the NiOx HTL are characterized in detail through photoelectron spectroscopy studies while spectroscopic ellipsometry is used to characterize the optical properties. Oxygen plasma treatment of the NiOx HTL is shown to provide superior contact properties by increasing the ITO/NiOx contact work-function by 500 meV. Enhancement of device performance is attributed to reduction of the band edge energy offset at the ITO/NiOx interface with the poly(N-9′-heptadecanyl-2,7-carbazole-alt-5,5-(4′,7′-di-2-thienyl-2′,1′,3′-benzothidiazole) (PCDTBT):[6,6]-phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester PCBM and [6,6]-phenyl-C71 butyric acid methyl ester (PC70BM) active layer. A high work-function hole collecting contact is therefore the appropriate choice for high ionization potential donor materials in order to maximize OPV performance.
Separation and Insect Repellent Activity of Diastereoisomers of 2-Ethyl-1,3-hexanediol Against Aedes aegypti

The threo and erythro isomers of the insect repellent Rutgers 612, 2-ethyl-1, 3-hexanediol, have been separated by preparative gas chromatography, characterized, and tested biologically against the yellow-fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (L.). Repellent activities of the isomers are equal.
A control method for the movement of a robot arm along a prescribed path

A method for moving a robot arm along a prescribed path with sufficient accuracy and lower cost is presented. The entire path of movement is divided into n equal segments of fixed length 1 each. By using direction measurements or analytical methods, the location of each node on the path can be determined in the three-dimensional space. Then the straight distance d between each two consecutive nodes is determined. A series of fixed, symmetrical parabolic curves with length 1 but different curvature is defined and stored in the computer. On the basis of the value of d in relation to 1, a suitable curve is chosen and fitted between each two consecutive points. Since the execution strategy for each of these curves is already determined and stored in the computer, the overall execution time is reduced. This method seems to work well for smooth paths. The inverse kinematic problem can be solved to determine the position and velocity of each joint. The dynamic equations are then solved to determine the required torque for each joint. >
Wind Loads for 19th Century Bridges: Design Evolution, Historic Failures, and Modern Preservation

This paper presents an historical survey of the basis for design wind pressure used by 19th and early 20th century engineers. Events significant to the development of current wind design standards for pedestrian bridges are explored. These include 19th century treatments of wind load, a review of bridge disasters that spurred new thinking, and historical developments of today’s standards.
A BALANCED USABILITY CHECKLIST APPROACH TO EVALUATE PALESTINIAN HOTEL WEBSITES

This paper introduces a Balanced Usability Checklist (BUC) approach to assess the usability of ten Palestinian hotel websites. The BUC is a modified version of the known checklist analysis technique of user interfaces and includes dimensions for User Friendliness, Attractiveness, Marketing Effectiveness, and Technical Aspects of a website. Eight participants with experience in website design and usability were asked to evaluate each of the ten websites using the BUC approach. Overall, the hotel websites faired poorly on three out of the four dimensions. A relative ranking, based on the total score, was used to rank the hotels from 1 (highest) to 10 (lowest). This study has numerous implications, mainly for hotel managers wanting to improve the delivery of their services on the Internet. Results, limitations, and future research are discussed.
A probabilistic approach for reducing connectivity in multiple bus systems

This paper presents a probabilistic approach for reducing the number of connections in a multiple bus system while achieving the performance of a full bus connection system. The memory modules are partitioned into some equal sized groups. A subset of buses are connected to each of these groups and a set of common buses are connected to all the groups; and the buses are connected to all the processors. We use a probabilistic approach to determine the number of full connection buses. We consider all possible request patterns and determine the number of common buses required for each of those patterns. For each request pattern we consider the corresponding request probability and determine the statistical average of the number of common buses required. We assume a uniform distribution for processor to memory requests. We show that only with a few common buses the performance, in terms of memory bandwidth, remains the same as that of full bus connection system. The connection complexity is however reduced significantly. Our results are supported by simulations.
Detection and confirmation of urinary cannabinoids.

Both a thin layer chromatographic procedure (TOXI-LAB) and two homogeneous immunoassays with differing sensitivity limits (EMITC'~-st TM, and EMIT~d.a.u. TM) were used to test 525 urine specimens for metabolites of tetrahydrocannabinol. Negative results were obtained by all techniques for 283 specimens. The EMIT-st was positive for 184 specimens, the EMIT-d.a.u. for 47 additional specimens. The TOXI-LAB results were positive for all these 231 specimens. An additional 11 specimens were positive by EMIT-d.a.u. and negative by TOXI-LAB. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses of five of these 11 indicated that their average 11-nor-,W-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid concentration was 7.4 + 2.2 ng/mL, well below the lower detection limit of the TOXI-LAB procedure. Using both EMIT-d.a.u. and TOXlLAB assures a reliable urinary cannabinoid analysis above a concentration of 25 ng/mL.
Alternative transcription factor sigmaSB of Staphylococcus aureus: characterization and role in transcription of the global regulatory locus sar.

A homolog of the multiple-stress-responsive transcription factor sigmaB of Bacillus subtilis was predicted from the DNA sequence analysis of a region of the Staphylococcus aureus chromosome. A hybrid between the coding sequence of the first 11 amino acids of the gene 10 leader peptide of phage T7 (T7.Tag) and the putative sigB gene of S. aureus was constructed and cloned into Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)pLysS for overexpression from a T7 promoter. A homogeneous preparation of the overproduced protein was obtained by affinity chromatography with a T7.Tag monoclonal antibody coupled to agarose. The amino-terminal amino acid sequence of the first 22 residues of the purified protein matched that deduced from the nucleotide sequence. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified protein, designated sigmaSB, indicated that it migrated as an approximately 39-kDa polypeptide. Promoter-specific transcription from the B. subtilis sigmaB-dependent PB promoter of the sigB operon was stimulated by sigmaSB in a concentration-dependent fashion when reconstituted with the S. aureus core RNA polymerase (RNAP). Specific transcript from the predicted sigmaB-dependent PB promoter of the sigB operon of S. aureus was obtained by the reconstituted RNAP in a runoff transcription reaction. The sar operon of S. aureus contains three promoter elements (P1, P2, and P3) and is known to partly control the synthesis of a number of extracellular toxins and several cell wall proteins. Our in vitro studies revealed that transcription from the P1 promoter is dependent on the primary sigma factor sigmaSA, while that of the P3 promoter is dependent on sigmaSB. As determined by primer extension studies, the 5' end of the sigmaSB-initiated mRNA synthesized in vitro from the sar P3 promoter is in agreement with the 5' end of the cellular RNA.
Designing classifier ensembles with constrained performance requirements

Classification requirements for real-world classification problems are often constrained by a given true positive or false positive rate to ensure that the classification error for the most important class is within a desired limit. For a sufficiently high true positive rate, this may result in the set-point being located somewhere in the flat portion of the ROC curve where the associated false positive rate is high. Any further classifier design will then attempt to reduce the false positive rate while maintaining the desired true positive rate is. We call this type of performance requirements for classifier design the constrained performance requirement. This type of performance requirements is different from the accuracy maximization requirement and thus requires different strategies for classifier design. This paper is concerned with designing classifier ensembles under such constrained performance requirements. Classifier ensembles are one of the most significant advances in pattern recognition/classification in recent years and have been actively studied by many researchers. However, not much attention has been given to designing ensembles to satisfy constrained performance requirements. This paper attempts to identify and address some of design related issues associated with the constrained performance requirement. Specifically, we present a design strategy for designing neural network ensembles to satisfy constrained performance requirements, which is illustrated by designing a real-world classification problem. The results are compared to those from conventional design method.
Higher serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations are related to a reduced risk of depression

Vitamin D has been suggested to protect against depression, but epidemiological evidence is scarce. The present study investigated the relationship of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) with the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders. The study population consisted of a representative sample of Finnish men and women aged 30-79 years from the Health 2000 Survey. The sample included 5371 individuals, of which 354 were diagnosed with depressive disorder and 222 with anxiety disorder. Serum 25(OH)D concentration was determined from frozen samples. In a cross-sectional study, a total of four indicators of depression and one indicator of anxiety were used as dependent variables. Serum 25(OH)D was the risk factor of interest, and logistic models used further included sociodemographic and lifestyle variables as well as indicators of metabolic health as confounding and/or effect-modifying factors. The population attributable fraction (PAF) was estimated. Individuals with higher serum 25(OH)D concentrations showed a reduced risk of depression. The relative odds between the highest and lowest quartiles was 0.65 (95% CI 0.46, 0.93; P for trend = 0.006) after adjustment for sociodemographic, lifestyle and metabolic factors. Higher serum 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with a lower prevalence of depressive disorder especially among men, younger, divorced and those who had an unhealthy lifestyle or suffered from the metabolic syndrome. The PAF was estimated to be 19% for depression when serum 25(OH)D concentration was at least 50 nmol/l. These results support the hypothesis that higher serum 25(OH)D concentrations protect against depression even after adjustment for a large number of sociodemographic, lifestyle and metabolic factors. Large-scale prospective studies are needed to confirm this finding.