cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Taurine Supplementation of All-plant Protein Diets for Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Taurine has been demonstrated to be conditionally indispensable for several carnivorous fish species. Current trends in trout production include decreasing levels of fish-meal content in feeds, along with faster growing strains of fish. Taurine may be a limiting nutrient in support of elevated planes of growth for rainbow trout. A 9-wk feeding trial was conducted using a factorial treat- ment design with protein source (fish meal or plant) and taurine supplementation (four levels) as the main effects. The fish-meal diet series included 23% herring meal and contained 1.76% total sulfur amino acids (TSAA). The plant diet series did not contain any animal proteins and substituted protein from soy protein concentrate in place of the herring-meal protein and contained 1.5% TSAA. Taurine was supplemented at 0, 5, 10, and 15 g/kg dry diet to each of the diets in the plant series and the fish-meal series of diets. All diets were formulated to contain 43.8% crude protein and 20% lipid with an estimated physiological fuel value of 4.2 kcal/g. Fifteen fish were stocked in each of 24 tanks with a mean initial weight of approximately 26.8 g per fish. The un- supplemented fish-meal diet contained 2 g/kg tau- rine, and the unsupplemented plant diet had taurine levels below the detection limit of 0.1 g/kg diet. Taurine supplementation improved growth, feed conversion ratios, protein retention efficiencies, and energy retention efficiencies of fish fed the plant protein diets. No effects of taurine supplementation were observed for these response factors in fish fed the fish-meal series diets. This study demonstrates that taurine supplementation may be necessary for rainbow trout fed plant-protein- based feeds. The removal offishmeal from the diet of rain- bow trout and other carnivorous fish species has had wide interest globally. Current diet formula- tions often utilize a variety of protein sources to replace all but a small portion of fish meal. Substituting the last portion of fish-meal protein with plant-derived products often results in reduced growth rates. Animal renderings from industry, including meat and bone meals, poul- try meals, feather meals, and blood products, have been widely evaluated as substitutes for fish meal, but these products also have limits based on nutrient profiles and nutrient digest-
Clustering approach to the multitarget multisensor tracking problem

In a multitarget environment, tracking systems must include methods for associating measurements to targets. The complexity of that task is compounded when data from multiple sensors is available. This paper presents a clustering approach to the multitarget multisensor tracking problem. The measurement set is partitioned into equivalence classes (clusters) and the data association problem is redefined to be one of associating the cluster centers and the tracks, resulting in a significant reduction in the size of the association problem. Track termination and track initiation are part of system design, therefore allowing the designed system to be tested on elaborate multitarget tracking scenarios involving an unknown and changing number of real aircraft trajectories. Methods for evaluating the performance of the tracking system, as well as the clustering algorithms are introduced. An equivalence relation clustering algorithm is derived and compared by Monte-Carlo simulations to the subtractive clustering algorithm. The tracking system is shown to effectively track seven crossing aircraft trajectories of different duration, in the presence of clutter. Track maintenance is performed by extended Kalman filters.
Compliance with guidelines for thyroid nodule evaluation.

Objective: To determine whether guidelines recommended by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) for assessment of a solitary thyroid nodule have been applied in clinical practice. Methods: We retrospectively examined the pattern of testing in patients with solitary thyroid nodules at our institution during a 2-year period. We also attempted to determine whether consultation with an endocrinologist affected the workup. Patients who underwent a thyroid scan, ultrasonography, fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy, or a thyroid surgical procedure for investigation of a solitary thyroid nodule between Jan. 1, 1996, and Dec. 31, 1997, were included in the study. Test results were reviewed for these patients. Patients were categorized into two groups, those with and those without a consultation with an endocrinologist. Results: Inclusion criteria were met by 89 patients, 65% of whom had an FNA biopsy in their evaluation (the sole test in only 9%). A thyroid scan was done in 90% of patients, and an ultrasound study was done in 25%. Patients seen by an endocrinologist were more likely to undergo FNA biopsy than those who were not (82% versus 29%; P<0.001). Many patients who underwent assessment because of solitary nodules had normal findings on thyroid scans (21% of scans). Conclusion: The AACE guidelines for evaluation of thyroid nodules have not yet been fully implemented. Although a third of all study patients with a solitary thyroid nodule did not have an FNA biopsy, endocrine referral increased the rate of performance of this procedure. Thyroid scans seem to be overutilized; the high number with normal findings suggests that nuclear imaging studies are done to confirm physical findings. Early referral to an endocrinologist may be a more cost-effective workup of a possible thyroid nodule. (Endocr Pract. 1999;5:119123)
Dislocations: 75 years of deformation mechanisms

The selection of papers presented in this section reflect on themes to be explored at the "Dislocations: 75 years of Deformation Mechanisms" Symposium to be held at the Annual 2009 TMS meeting. The symposium was sponsored by the Mechanical Behavior of Materials Committee to give tribute to the evolution of a concept that has formed the basis of our mechanistic understanding of how crystalline solids plastically deform and how they fail.
Targeting growth factors and angiogenesis; using small molecules in malignancy

Targeted biologic therapy for cancer has evolved from the laboratory to active clinical protocols and applied clinical practice in selected patients. Major targets include epidermal growth factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors which are commonly expressed in gastro-intestinal cancers head & neck and lung cancers, and to some degree breast and gynecologic malignancy. Down stream signal transduction pathway inhibition of B-raf and N-ras mutations are examined in melanoma. New approaches involving re-packaging of chemotherapeutic agents are being exemplified in the nanoparticle formulation of prclitaxel which provides increased access to endothelial and tumor cells with potential enhanced therapeutic efficacy compared to the conventional version solubilized in a cremophor.
Level of uncompensated care delivered by emergency physicians in Florida.

Study objectives: To determine selected characteristics of patients who present for care in emergency departments in Florida, the proportion who appear to be uninsured or underinsured, and the magnitude of uncompensated care provided by the emergency physicians in selected EDs in Florida. Design: Retrospective analysis of billing data. Setting: Twenty-five EDs in Florida. Main results: Uninsured patients comprised 20.6% of the sample. Emergency and urgent patients were 39.9% of the sample. The overall collection ratio was 59.2%. Conclusion: Emergency physicians provide substantial amounts of uncompensated care.
Wisconsin Department of Transportation's Asphaltic Pavement Warranties

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), the Wisconsin Asphalt Pavement Association, and FHWA have joined together to develop a comprehensive warranty specification that can be incorporated into highway construction contracts for asphaltic concrete pavements. The warranty specification is expected to reduce WisDOT's project delivery costs, lower total project construction costs, enable contractors to use innovative construction methods and materials, and result in equal or greater quality construction. The development of Wisconsin's warranty specification is briefly discussed, and the unique features of the warranty specification are outlined, including the warranty period, bonding requirements, pavement performance characteristics, performance thresholds, pavement evaluation methods, required pavement remedial actions, and use of a conflict-resolution team. The specification has been used successfully to bid and construct three highway projects in Wisconsin. WisDOT has evaluated projected cos...
Unpredictability and undecidability in dynamical systems

We show that motion with as few as three degrees of freedom (for instance, a particle moving in a three-dimensional potential) can be equivalent to a Turing machine, and so be capable of universal computation. Such systems possess a type of unpredictability qualitatively stronger than that which has been previously discussed in the study of low-dimensional chaos: Even if the initial conditions are known exactly, virtually any question about their long-term dynamics is undecidable.
EMMPRIN regulates cytoskeleton reorganization and cell adhesion in prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Proteins on cell surface play important roles during cancer progression and metastasis via their ability to mediate cell-to-cell interactions and navigate the communication between cells and the microenvironment. METHODS: In this study a targeted proteomic analysis was conducted to identify the differential expression of cell surface proteins in human benign (BPH-1) versus malignant (LNCaP and PC-3) prostate epithelial cells. We identified EMMPRIN (extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer) as a key candidate and shRNA functional approaches were subsequently applied to determine the role of EMMPRIN in prostate cancer cell adhesion, migration, invasion as well as cytoskeleton organization. RESULTS: EMMPRIN was found to be highly expressed on the surface of prostate cancer cells compared to BPH-1 cells, consistent with a correlation between elevated EMMPRIN and metastasis found in other tumors. No significant changes in cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, or apoptosis were detected in EMMPRIN knockdown cells compared to the scramble controls. Furthermore, EMMPRIN silencing markedly decreased the ability of PC-3 cells to form filopodia, a critical feature of invasive behavior, while it increased expression of cell-cell adhesion and gap junction proteins. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that EMMPRIN regulates cell adhesion, invasion, and cytoskeleton reorganization in prostate cancer cells. This study identifies a new function for EMMPRIN as a contributor to prostate cancer cell-cell communication and cytoskeleton changes towards metastatic spread, and suggests its potential value as a marker of prostate cancer progression to metastasis.
The Prestige Gap Differential Evaluations of Male and Female Workers

This article presents evidence from two small samples in the United States and in England that indicates that male and female incumbents in the same occupations are not accorded equal prestige. Res...
The diagnosis of bilharziasis in Southern Rhodesia

Abstract Bilharziasis is a chronic inflammatory disease. The symptoms and signs may therefore be general or constitutional such as fever, loss of weight, lassitude, an increased blood sedimentation rate, or a blood eosinophilia. Involvement of certain organs such as the liver and spleen, appendix, Fallopian tubes, testis and especially the bladder and bowel should always make one consider the possibility of bilharziasis in this territory.
Micromechanisms governing elevated temperature fracture resistance in an Al-Cu-Li-Mn-Cd alloy

Etude sur l'alliage Al-4,5% Cu-1,2% Li-0,5% Mn-0,2% Cd-0,2% Fe-0,1% Si soumis a des essais de traction a 433 K. Influence de la precipitation sur les modes de rupture
Conformations of N,N-diethyl-β-alanine and β-alanine as a function of solvent

Conformational equilibria of N,N-diethyl-β-alanine were estimated from vicinal proton–proton coupling constants between the —CH_2—CH_2—group in protic and aprotic solvents of different polarities. β-Alanine was similarly studied in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). In general, the results for both substances correspond fairly well with those reported earlier for β-alanine in neutral and acidic aqueous solutions. There appeared to be little conformational preference for N,N-diethyl-β-alanine in any of the solvents used, ranging from water to dichloromethane. The exception was a moderate preference (66–73%) for the trans conformer displayed by the conjugate base of N,N-diethyl-β-alanine in all of the solvents studied.
Fourier Transform Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Studies of Photochemical Reactions in Heterogeneous Media

FT-EPR has proved to be an excellent spectroscopic technique for the study of free radicals generated in photochemical reactions. The high spectral and time resolution make it possible to identify transient free radicals. Analysis of the time dependence of the spectra gives data on the kinetics of radical formation and decay. Chemically induced dynamic electron polarization (CIDEP) effects give information on reaction mechanisms and radical pair characteristics. Relaxation and linewidths data provide an insight into molecular motion. This contribution reviews instrumental aspects of the technique and CIDEP mechanisms that can affect the spectra. The utility of the method is illustrated with a discussion of applications in the study of photoinduced electron transfer reactions in homogeneous and heterogeneous media.
A structure-function study of a proton transport pathway in the γ-class carbonic anhydrase from Methanosarcina thermophila

Four glutamate residues in the prototypic γ-class carbonic anhydrase from Methanosarcina thermophila (Cam) were characterized by site-directed mutagenesis and chemical rescue studies. Alanine substitution indicated that an external loop residue, Glu 84, and an internal active site residue, Glu 62, are both important for CO2 hydration activity. Two other external loop residues, Glu 88 and Glu 89, are less important for enzyme function. The two E84D and -H variants exhibited significant activity relative to wild-type activity in pH 7.5 MOPS buffer, suggesting that the original glutamate residue could be substituted with other ionizable residues with similar pKa values. The E84A, -C, -K, -Q, -S, and -Y variants exhibited large decreases in kcat values in pH 7.5 MOPS buffer, but only exhibited small changes in kcat/Km. These same six variants were all chemically rescued by pH 7.5 imidazole buffer, with 23−46-fold increases in the apparent kcat. These results are consistent with Glu 84 functioning as a proton ...
X-ray crystal structure of the acylated β-lactam sensor domain of BlaR1 from Staphylococcus aureus and the mechanism of receptor activation for signal transduction

Methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are the major cause of infections worldwide. Transcription of the β-lactamase and PBP2a resistance genes is mediated by two closely related signal-transducing integral membrane proteins, BlaR1 and MecR1, upon binding of the β-lactam inducer to the sensor domain. Herein we report the crystal structure at 1.75 A resolution of the sensor domain of BlaR1 in complex with a cephalosporin antibiotic. Activation of the signal transducer involves acylation of serine 389 by the β-lactam antibiotic, a process promoted by the N-carboxylated side chain of Lys392. We present evidence that, on acylation, the lysine side chain experiences a spontaneous decarboxylation that entraps the sensor in its activated state. Kinetic determinations and quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical calculations and the interaction networks in the crystal structure shed light on how this unprecedented process for activation of a receptor may be achieved and provide insights into...
The Association of Alcohol Use Disorders with Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts in a Population-Based Sample with Mood Symptoms

Using population-based data, we examined associations between alcohol use disorders (AUD) and suicidality, assessing effect modification by mood disorders, and mediation by drinking level. Suicidality was assessed among current drinkers with 2-weeks of low mood (n = 9,173) in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Independent of mood disorder, alcohol dependence, was associated with suicidal ideation (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.64; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.25–2.14), and suicide attempts (AOR = 2.02; CI = 1.43–2.85) relative to those without AUD. Findings indicate partial mediation by consumption. Associations between AUD and suicidality among those with low mood are not explained by comorbid mood disorder, but are partially mediated by drinking level. Future studies should evaluate transitions in suicidality with change in consumption.
Inclusive Deaf Studies: Barriers and Pathways

Joining scholars signaling the need for new directions in Deaf Studies, the authors recommend a more expansive, nuanced, and interdisciplinary approach that encompasses the many ways deaf people live today. Rather than destroy Deaf culture, this approach is the only realistic way to allow it and Deaf Studies to survive. Deaf Studies today continues the focus of founding scholarship on native White American Sign Language users, now head of a powerful hierarchy through which they receive privileged status at the expense of deaf people with different language backgrounds and races or ethnicities. This marginalization is unsustainable and impedes knowledge. A companion article (this issue), "Deaf Studies: A Critique of the Predominant U.S. Theoretical Direction," analyzes this reactive stance that is oriented by a focus on audism built on the concepts of phonocentrism and colonialism.
Dynamic Systems Theory and the Complexity of Change

The central thesis of this paper is that grand theories of development are alive and well and should be paramount to those interested in behavioral intervention. Why? Because how we think about development affects how we approach treatment. Here I discuss the central concepts of a new theory of development—dynamic systems theory—to highlight the way in which a theory can dramatically alter views of what intervention is all about. Rather than focusing on one root of maladaptive behavior such as biological predispositions, environmental causes, or motivational states, dynamic systems theory presents a flexible, time-dependent, and emergent view of behavioral change. I illustrate this new view with a case study on how infants develop the motivation to reach for objects. This example highlights the complex day-by-day and week-by-week emergence of new skills. Although such complexity presents daunting challenges for intervention, it also offers hope by emphasizing that there are multiple pathways toward change.
Cenozoic Sedimentation in the Pacific Ocean: Steps Toward a Quantitative Evaluation

ABSTRACT Computerized procedures have been developed for calculating ocean sediment accumulation rates in terms of mass per unit area. Using these procedures and a simplified plate tectonic model, palinspastic maps of sedimentation in the Pacific Ocean over the past 48 million years (m.y.) have been prepared. These maps show a relatively simple and persistent sedimentation pattern with maximum accumulation occurring around the perimeter of the ocean and along the equator. Sediment seems to be more uniformly distributed at times of low overall accumulation rates. The maps further show that the history of sedimentation in the Pacific over the past 48 m.y. can be divided into five broad time periods: 0-6 m.y., 6-15 m.y., 15-27 m.y., 27-42 m.y., and prior to 42 m.y. Detailed differences between the sediment accumulation patterns of these time periods are related to major reorganizations of Pacific Ocean circulation and climate.
Mortality and income inequality among economically developed countries.

The absence of a correlation between age-adjusted death rates and the average income levels of economically developed countries has led researchers to conclude that income does not affect the mortality levels of economically developed countries. The mortality experiences of the former Soviet Union and some of the eastern European countries have further brought into question the importance of income's distribution in determining mortality among economically developed countries; prior to its breakup, the income distribution of the Soviet Union was as equal as that of Sweden, yet the life expectancy of the Soviets has been dramatically shorter than that of the Swedes. Using insights from a longitudinal microanalysis of U.S. mortality, this study presents evidence that, even for economically developed countries, the income distribution of a nation is an important determinant of its mortality. The results of this study also suggest that the relatively unequal income distribution of the United States is an important contributing factor to its low life expectancy relative to other high-income countries.
Kinesiological motion expert system

Kinesiology builds on anatomical information by establishing which muscles contribute to human motion and to what extent. This 'body as machine' approach seeks to identify particular muscles as contractile 'engines'. The learning of muscular contributions to human motions based on long tables of origins, insertions, innervations, and actions is tedious and often incomplete based on author judgments of which muscles and motions to include. The kinesiological motion expert system (KMES) was developed so that students could easily select joints, actions, and tension types and receive computerized output listing the muscles that could contribute to the motion requested. In addition, a student can select a particular muscle and tension type and the program will return all of the motions that the selected muscle might contribute. The KMES was written in PDC Prolog^T^M and has a knowledge base of 1583 movements. Implementation of the KMES in kinesiology classes resulted in an increase in average student final scores of approximately 15% (F"("3","1"9"0")= 12.11, P < 0.0001).
PO-0346 Review Of Life Threatening Laryngospasm, As An Isolated Symptom Of Epilepsy

Background Severe laryngospasm, as a presenting symptom of epilepsy in children, is very uncommon and often misdiagnosed. To increase awareness, we present a literature review. The incentive was a 22 month old girl who presented with life threatening laryngospasm. The choking episodes progressed rapidly to frequent unprovoked episodes day and night; associated with severe oxygen desaturation, whist being fully aware and requiring paediatric intensive care interventions. Initially, investigations did not confirm a diagnosis of epilepsy. Repeat video EEG finally demonstrated cortical seizures, with focality over the right posterior temporal region. To achieve seizure control, high doses of carbamazepine and levetiracetam were necessary. Interestingly, the patient shares neurological features with family members, suggesting a genetic link. Methods and results A literature review shows that the extent of epileptic laryngospasm in this case report has not previously been described amongst only 9 related case reports. Reviews concerning choking episodes during sleep debate a diagnostic challenge that stems from the frequent absence of recorded epileptiform activity, often causing a delay in adequate seizure treatment. Two recent reports on severe neonatal episodic laryngospasm describe a new phenotype of seizure disorder related to sodium channelopathy. In these patients, high dose carbamazepine was necessary to achieve seizure control. Conclusions Despite being a rare phenomenon, severe laryngospasm in children should be suspicious as a symptom of epilepsy, even without EEG correlation. Treatment should no be postponed, while excluding other aetiology. Carbamazepine may be effective, however high doses may be necessary to achieve seizure control. Clinical and Video EEG Available
Travel Medicine and the Solid-Organ Transplant Recipient

More than a quarter of solid-organ transplant recipients are traveling to foreign regions where there are greater health risks than their home country. There may be higher risk of complications from typical travel-related illnesses and risk of opportunistic infections not faced by healthy travelers. Some vaccinations may be contraindicated after solid-organ transplant, and those that are safe may have decreased efficacy. Drug interactions between antirejection regimens and medications for malaria prophylaxis and traveler's diarrhea must be considered. This article discusses how providers can best advise and help protect these high-risk travelers.
Structural Change of the Endoplasmic Reticulum during Fertilization: Evidence for Loss of Membrane Continuity Using the Green Fluorescent Protein

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) was targeted to the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of starfish eggs by injecting mRNA coding for a chimeric protein containing a signal sequence and the KDEL ER retention sequence. By confocal microscopy, the GFP chimeric protein was localized in intracellular cisternae (membrane sheets) and the nuclear envelope, showing that it had been successfully targeted to the ER. The labeling pattern closely resembled that produced by the fluorescent dicarbocyanine DiI, which has been used previously to label the ER (Jaffe and Terasaki, Dev. Biol. 164, 579-587, 1994). Eggs expressing the GFP chimera were used to examine whether there is a loss of ER continuity at fertilization. The time required for recovery of fluorescence after photobleaching for both the GFP chimera and DiI was much longer in eggs at 1 min postfertilization than in unfertilized eggs or in 20-min-postfertilized eggs. This result provides strong evidence for a transient loss of continuity of the ER associated with Ca release at fertilization.
A Motivational Analysis of Defensive Pessimism and Self‐Handicapping

Two studies examined motivational influences on and correlates of defensive pessimism and self-handicapping and investigated the relationship between these two cognitive strategies and performance attainment. The findings indicated that defensive pessimism and self-handicapping have similar motivational profiles, with the primary difference being that self-handicapping represents the absence of approach motivation in the achievement domain, as well as the presence of avoidance motivation. Self-handicapping, but not defensive pessimism, was shown to undermine performance-attainment, and performance-avoidance goals were validated as mediators of this negative relationship. Issues regarding the functional nature of the two cognitive strategies are discussed.
Robust scripting via patterns

Dynamic typing in scripting languages is a two-edged sword. On the one hand, it can be more flexible and more concise than static typing. On the other hand, it can lead to less robust code. We argue that patterns can give scripts much of the robustness of static typing, without losing the flexibility and concision of dynamic typing. To make this case, we describe a rich pattern system in the dynamic language Thorn. Thorn patterns interact with its control constructs and scoping rules to support concise and robust test-and-extract idioms. Thorn patterns encompass an extensive set of features from ML-style patterns to regular expressions and beyond. And Thorn patterns can be first-class and support pattern-punning (mirror constructor syntax). Overall, this paper describes a powerful pattern system that makes scripting more robust.
The effect of sex and shoal size on shoaling behaviour in Danio rerio

Male and female zebra fish Danio rerio were given choices of shoals that differed in sex and size. Male zebra fish preferred to associate with female shoals over male shoals, but had no preference when given a choice between a mixed-sex shoal and either a male or female shoal. Female zebra fish showed no significant preference when given a choice between male and females shoals, nor between mixed-sex shoals and either male or female shoals. When given choices between shoals of differing size, females preferred to associate with the larger shoal, whether or not they were composed of males or females. Males, however, had no preference for larger shoals over smaller shoals, whether or not they were composed of males or females. These results showed that male zebra fish were capable of distinguishing between males and females solely on the basis of visual cues. Furthermore, these results demonstrated a significant difference between the shoaling choices of male and female zebra fish, which may indicate a difference in the function of shoaling for the two sexes.
Temporal Changes in mRNA Expression for Bikunin in the Kidneys of Rats during Calcium Oxalate Nephrolithiasis

Abstract . Inter-α-inhibitor and other bikunin-containing proteins are synthesized in relatively large quantities by the liver. These proteins function as Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitors and appear capable of inhibiting calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystallization in vitro . Preliminary studies have shown that renal tubular epithelial cells synthesize bikunin in response to CaOx challenge. To examine this response in vivo , a sensitive reverse transcription-quantitative competitive template-PCR was developed to detect and quantify poly(A) + -tailed bikunin mRNA expression in kidney tissue from normal rats and rats developing CaOx nephrolithiasis after challenge with ethylene glycol. Bikunin mRNA expression in rat liver tissue was assessed as a positive control. The expression of bikunin mRNA in liver did not differ significantly between normal control rats and experimental rats with induced hyperoxaluria and renal CaOx crystallization. In contrast, there were significant temporal increases in the levels of bikunin mRNA expression in rat kidneys during CaOx nephrolithiasis after challenge with ethylene glycol. Urinary excretion of bikunin-containing proteins seemed to increase concomitantly. These findings indicate an association between the induction of hyperoxaluria/CaOx nephrolithiasis and the expression of the bikunin gene in rat kidneys.
Constrained optimal designs

Abstract The problem combining optimality criteria using constrained optimization techniques is considered. Constraints may be due to some optimality criteria so that the designs satisfying the constraints will have at least the minimal quality that an investigator wishes to maintain. A necessary and sufficient condition similar to Kiefer (Theorem 1, 1974a) is obtained using Frechet derivatives. Some examples are presented to illustrate some possible applications of the constrained optimality criterion, including Stigler's (1971) C-restricted D-criterion, Lauter's (1976) multiresponse modeling problem and Lee (1987), combination of A- and D-criteria.
Stochastic Cramer-Rao bound for direction estimation of non-circular signals in unknown noise fields

This paper gives explicit closed-form expressions of the stochastic Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) on direction of arrival (DOA) estimation accuracy for non-circular Gaussian sources in the case of an arbitrary unknown noise field parameterized by a vector of unknowns from the Slepian-Bangs formula. As a special case, the CRB under the nonuniform white noise assumption is derived. Our expressions can be viewed as extensions of the well-known results by Stoica and Nehorai (1990), Weiss and Friedlander (1993), Ottersten et al. (1992), and Gershman et al. (2002). Some properties of these CRB are proved, then these bounds are numerically compared with the conventional CRB under the circular complex Gaussian distribution for different unknown noise field models.
December 1996--cervicomedullary tumor.

Case Abstract A cervicomedullary tumor in a 22-month-old female with an eight-month history of symptoms showed the histological features of a pilocytic astrocytoma but had many areas of palisading cells identical to those described in polar spongioblastomas. The tumor recurred 18 months later and showed predominately pilocytic features. The case is used to discuss polar spongioblastomas and tumors which can histologically simulate them.
Building Cohesive Leadership Development.

In 2004 the General Assembly of the State of Ohio (USA) enacted Senate Bill 2, which created the Educator Standards Board ‘to develop and recommend to the state board of education standards for entering and continuing in the teaching and principalship professions’. Since that time the Ohio Department of Education has established a coherent leader development system to strengthen the accountability and performance of school principals under the standards that were adopted. This article reports on the national and international context of such work, related research, the development of the Ohio Principal Standards, the alignment of the standards with national standards, the development of the Ohio Principal Evaluation System, and the development of rubrics to measure principal performance. The authors believe that this work may be instructive and helpful to other entities that are seeking to upgrade principal performance.
THE REDEVELOPMENT OF A WEATHER-TYPE CLASSIFICATION SCHEME FOR NORTH AMERICA

Synoptic weather-typing, or the classification of weather conditions into categories, is a useful tool for climate impact applications. Numerous procedures have been developed to accomplish this goal. Before the advent of high-speed computers, manual methods were most common; more recently, more automated methods have come into wide use. Both types of classification have shortcomings; manual methods are time consuming and difficult to reproduce, whereas automated methods may not produce easily interpretable results. Several recent methods have incorporated the advantages of both methodologies into a hybrid scheme. This paper describes the redevelopment of one such hybrid scheme, the Spatial Synoptic Classification (SSC). The SSC, originally developed in the mid-1990s, classifies each day at a location into one of six weather types, or a transition. It has been utilized for several applications, from climate trends to human health. Despite its utility, it has several shortcomings, most notably a lower-than-desired match percentage among adjacent stations and a framework that only allows for classification during winter and summer. The new SSC (SSC2) has been altered in several important ways. The most notable changes involve the procedure for selecting seed days, days that typify a particular weather type at a particular location. With the new procedures, the SSC can now produce weather-type classifications year-round, instead of only winter and summer. The spatial cohesiveness among stations has also been improved. The SSC has been expanded to include Canada, Alaska, and Hawaii in addition to the lower 48 US states. SSC calendars are now available for 327 stations with a mean length of 44.6 years, and are updated daily on a website. This paper also presents an important application of the redesigned SSC. It has been used in several heat-stress warning systems worldwide. The synoptic approach is considered to be superior to a traditional apparent temperature approach, as it considers more parameters in its holistic assessment. At each location, one or two of the weather types is associated with mortality levels significantly above the mean. Copyright  2002 Royal Meteorological Society.
The design of optimal extremal controllers

This article considers the optimal extremal control of processes with quadratic performance or cost index, and with random disturbances (with gaussian independent increments) to thu optimum operating point and random (gaussian, independent) errors in measuring the coat index. Five different controller configurations are considered. Optimum parameters (which give least mean square tracking of the process optimum) are found by using digital computer simulations and pattern search in parameter space. A dimensionless parameter which measures the relative influence of errors and disturbances (as defined above) is derived, and design formulae for the parameters of each of the five controllers are found for a wide range of this parameter, including the asymptotic region in which measurement errors became insignificant. These formulae cover all combinations of the parameters of the basic problem except those in which measurement error is extremely dominant.
Enhancement of external system modeling for state estimation [power systems]

This paper addresses the issues of external power system modeling and the detection of topology errors in the external system. A set of significant measurements and branches are identified in the external system based on their sensitivities on the tie-line flows. Any errors in the topology of the external system branches that are identified as significant are then detected. This is based on the degree of colinearity of the columns of the sensitivity matrix to the calculated normalized residuals of the significant measurements in the external system. Simulation results are presented using the IEEE-118 bus system as an example.
Gender Differences in Early Free and Open Source Software Joining Process

With the growth of free and open source software (FOSS) and the adoption of FOSS solutions in business and everyday life, it is important that projects serve their growingly diverse user base. The sustainability of FOSS projects relies on a constant influx of new contributors. Several large demographic surveys found that FOSS communities are very homogenous, dominated by young men, similar to the bias existing in the rest of the IT workforce. Building on previous research, we examine mailing list subscriptions and posting statistics of female FOSS participants. New participants often experience their first interaction on a FOSS project’s mailing list. We explored six FOSS projects – Buildroot, Busybox, Jaws, Parrot, uClibc, and Yum. We found a declining rate of female participation from the 8.27% of subscribers, to 6.63% of posters, and finally the often reported code contributor rate of 1.5%. We found a disproportionate attrition rate among women along every step of the FOSS joining process.
What Drives Mass Transport Usage Intentions: Collectivism, Environmentalism, or Plain Pragmatism?

While existing literature talks about the choice between the use of private or public transportation and refers to the economics of transportation like travel times and reliability as well as environmental concerns (See for example VanVugt, Van Lange and Meertens 1996), there is no comprehensive empirical analysis about the drivers of a consumer’s behavioral intention to use mass transit systems. The context of this study is to explore the consumer’s intention to use of mass transportation systems, as compared to individual transport, using the context of mass rail transit.
Strong matching preclusion of (n,k)-star graphs

The strong matching preclusion number of a graph is the minimum number of vertices and edges whose deletion results in a graph that has neither perfect matchings nor almost-perfect matchings. This is an extension of the matching preclusion problem that was introduced by Park and Ihm. The generalized ( n , k ) -star graph was introduced to address scaling issues of the star graph, and it has many desirable properties. In this paper, the goal is to find the strong matching preclusion number of ( n , k ) -star graphs and to categorize all optimal strong matching preclusion sets of these graphs. Since bipartite graphs generally have low strong matching preclusion numbers, we assume that k ? n - 2 .
The Replacement of Warranties with Logic and Common Sense

Many problems are caused by owners specifying project technical requirements to expert vendors, then picking the low-price vendor, assuming that all the vendors are providing the same quality of product. Research over the last 20 years has identified that when working with highly technical areas, this practice brings high risk to the owner because the vendors do not have the expertise to understand the requirements. The Alpha sprayed polyurethane foam (SPF) roof system has brought the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) high value but also occasional risk caused by the low-price vendor. The authors are proposing that DISD’s effort to buy the Alpha SPF roof system through the low-price competition will cause DISD risk. A new approach is proposed to DISD: the Alpha SPF roof system only be used as an alternate value added option. This approach assumes that the only way the Alpha SPF system can be procured is if it is in the best interest of the owner due to dominant value. This approach minimizes the risk that DISD has encountered from low-price contractors who have not been able to minimize risk through the use of expertise and experience because their low-price was directly related to practices which are related to a lack of experience and expertise.
Comparison of Short-Term Outcomes of Geriatric Distal Femur and Femoral Neck Fractures: Results From the NSQIP Database

Purpose:To compare and contrast postoperative complications in the geriatric population following open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for (DF) fractures relative to femoral neck (FN) fractu...
Effects of Excess Dietary d/-Methionine and/or /-Arginine on Rats

SummaryWhen excess /-arginine is added to casein, the nitrogen balance index is reduced slightly. An excess of d/-methionine on the other hand reduces the nitrogen balance index markedly and the excretion of creatinine is increased. When both /-arginine and d/-methionine are added to casein the nitrogen balance index is not reduced as much as it is in the presence of casein plus methionine, but the creatinine excretion is increased. The animals receiving 12% casein and pair-fed with the group receiving 12% casein plus 4.8% d/-methionine lose weight slightly over a 20-day period. Those receiving 12% casein plus 4.8% methionine lose weight markedly, a loss which is overcome in part by adding 1.7% /-arginine to the methionine diet. The decrease in weight in the presence of a large excess of methionine is associated with a loss in body nitrogen and fat. The addition of d/-methionine increases the amount of nitrogen in the liver and reduces the amount of fat. Feeding d/-methionine plus casein increases the siz...
Vector monitoring in Longgang district,Shenzhen,2009

Objective To investigate the species,density and distribution of vectors in Longgang district,Shenzhen,providing the basis for vector prevention and control in the region.Methods Vector monitoring was conducted in 4 streets(Pinghu,Buji,Bantian,Pingshan)of Longgang district from March to June,2009.Rodents were captured by night traps,mosquitoes by lamps,flies by glue boards and cockroaches by roach motels.Results As for Pinghu,Buji,Bantian and Pingshan,the rodent densities were 4.21%,0,12.09% and 13.75%,respectively; mosquito densities were 2.04,0.84,3.13 and 0.66/h,respectively; fly densities were 2.02,1.43,1.19 and 0.66/(board·day),respectively; and cockroach densities were 1.04,1.80,1.03 and 1.91/instrument,respectively.Conclusion The general characteristics of vectors in Longgang district were identified,which would serve as the basis for development of corresponding vector control strategies.
Effect of free amino acids and vitamins on cleavage and developmental rate of bovine zygotes in vitro.

Due to the complicated media used for culturing bovine embryos, most of the nutrient requirements are unknown. Recently, we developed a simple, serum-free medium (CR1) that allows bovine embryos to develop in vitro. Therefore, our objective was to determine whether development of bovine embryos would be improved by the addition of free amino acids and vitamins to CR1. Oocytes were recovered from slaughterhouse ovaries and matured 22 +/- 2 h, following which the oocytes were randomly allotted to treatment. The experiment was a randomized block design with a 2 x 5 factorial treatment structure. The oocytes were fertilized with or without cumulus cells intact. The five fertilization media were 1) Control (CR1 +/- 10 micrograms/mL of phenol red); 2) control + basal medium Eagle (BME) essential amino acids (EAA) + minimum essential medium (MEM) nonessential amino acids (NEA) + MEM vitamins (VIT); 3) control + EAA + NEA; 4) control + EAA + VIT; and 5) control + NEA + VIT. Cleavage rate was greater (P < .001) when cumulus cells remained on the oocytes during fertilization (51.7 vs 73.2% without and with cumulus cells, respectively). The frequency of blastocysts was increased (P < .001) when EAA or NEA were added to CR1; however, adding VIT had no effect or tended (P = .12) to decrease the frequency of embryos attaining the blastocyst stage. This experiment demonstrates that development of bovine embryos in vitro can be improved by the addition of free amino acids to a simple medium. Contrary to work in rodents, the mixture of vitamins in MEM was not beneficial for bovine embryos.
Introduction: The Year 2010 as a Watershed Moment in Iowa Politics

This chapter introduces readers to the unusual nature of electing and reelecting governors in Iowa since 1962. Although Iowa is one of several states without gubernatorial term limits, it remains a statistical anomaly in terms of the reelection capacity and tenure of recent governors. That pattern was abruptly broken, however, in 2010 when, for the first time in almost 50 years, an incumbent governor lost his reelection bid. This chapter provides a detailed outline for the book and argues that noneconomic factors and, to date, unmeasured aspects of a governor’s time in office may explain the incumbency bias observed in Iowa.
SLEEPWALKING THROUGH SCHOOL: NEW EVIDENCE ON SLEEP AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Policymakers advocating for later school starting times argue that increased sleep duration may generate important schooling benefits. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this study examines the relationship between sleep duration and academic performance, while carefully controlling for difficult‐to‐measure characteristics at the family and individual levels. We find that increased sleep time is associated with improvements in classroom concentration as well as increased educational attainment. However, we also find evidence of diminishing returns to increased sleep. We estimate an “academic optimum” number of sleep hours of, on average, 8.5 hours per night. Turning to sleep quality, we find that the onset of insomnia‐like symptoms is associated with diminished contemporaneous academic concentration, but little change in long‐run educational attainment.
Lateral dopant profiling in MOS structures on a 100 nm scale using scanning capacitance microscopy

Scanning capacitance microscopy and atomic force microscopy have been used to image the extent of lateral dopant diffusion in MOS structures. The data are capacitance vs. voltage measurements made on a submicron scale. The technique is nondestructive when imaging uncleaved samples. New experimental data on actual, cleaved device structures are presented. The data clearly indicate the two-dimensional dopant profile in terms of a spatially varying modulated capacitance signal. Lateral dopant profiling has been demonstrated on a 100-nm scale. First-order deconvolution indicates that the technique has much promise for the quantitative characterization of dopant profiles. The potential of the technique for clarifying important device-related phenomena on a local scale is also discussed. >
Adaptationism Carves Emotions at Their Functional Joints

We appreciate Agnes Moors's (this issue) history of the debates among classical and constructionist emotion researchers and her attempt at integration. We have been pursuing an alternative perspect...
Introduction: tools for a critical heritage

This collection engages with heritage studies at a dynamic moment in the development of the field. It builds on longstanding trends toward a more expansive understanding of heritage values and, con...