cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Serial plasma lactate concentrations in 68 puppies aged 4 to 80 days

Objective: To determine a reference range for venous blood lactate concentrations in healthy neonatal dogs. Design: A prospective cohort study. Setting: All work was conducted at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University. Animals: Clinically healthy dogs: 68 puppies and 30 adults. Measurements and main results: A blood sample was collected from each puppy into lithium heparin via jugular venipuncture at 4, 10, 16, 28, 70, and 80 days of age. A single venous sample was collected from each adult dog. Lactate concentration in each sample was measured immediately using an automated analyzer. Two hundred seventy-seven blood samples were analyzed. Blood lactate concentrations of adult dogs were 1.80±0.84 mmol/L (mean±SD). Mean blood lactate concentrations of puppies were significantly higher at 4, 10, 16, and 28 days of age compared with those of adult dogs. The reference range for lactate concentration for puppies at 4 days of age was 1.07–6.59, and for the puppies from 10 to 28 days of age was 0.80–4.60. Conclusions: Assessment of perfusion can be challenging in neonates due to normal physiologic variation and small size. Measurement of lactate is rapid, minimally invasive, and has potential to be a useful marker of perfusion in neonatal dogs. However, lactate concentrations of neonatal dogs in this study were significantly higher than those of adult dogs. Reference ranges for venous lactate concentrations in adult dogs should not be used for puppies younger than 70 days of age.
Exploring the Influence of Mediated Beauty: Examining Individual and Social Factors in White and Black Adolescent Girls' Appearance Evaluations

This project explored media exposure, self-esteem, and the role that sports participation might play in cultivating perceptions and expectations of ideal beauty and attractiveness in others using a sample of girls who have varying degrees of athletic involvement. The study objective was to assess the factors that were stronger predictors of more favorable appearance estimates of others based on involvement in sports, race, age, media exposure and self-esteem. This study of 117 adolescent Black and White girls measured media use and media preferences, their beliefs about the importance of appearance attributes and self-esteem to determine if these factors shaped the way they viewed attractiveness in others. Findings from this survey yielded interesting but conflicting results with regard to potential correlates of higher or lower appearance evaluations. Type of sport played, time spent viewing thin-ideal media content, and self-esteem were the strongest predictors of higher or lower appearance evaluations ...
Strong exciton-photon coupling and exciton hybridization in a thermally evaporated polycrystalline film of an organic small molecule

We demonstrate strong exciton-photon coupling in an optical microcavity containing a thermally evaporated polycrystalline organic thin film. Microcavity polaritons result from coupling between the 0-0 excitonic transition of 3,4,7,8 napthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride and a cavity photon. For thicker films, the 0-1 transition also couples to the cavity mode, as vibronic relaxation is overcome by the short Rabi period for strong coupling. To our knowledge, this is the first report of strong coupling between a cavity photon and multiple vibronic transitions in a single material, made possible by the pronounced vibronic absorption features characteristic of crystalline organic materials.
Quantitative and visual analysis of white matter integrity using diffusion tensor imaging

A new fiber tract-oriented quantitative and visual analysis scheme using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is developed to study the regional micro structural white matter changes along major fiber bundles which may not be effectively revealed by existing methods due to the curved spatial nature of neuronal paths. Our technique is based on DTI tractography and geodesic path mapping, which establishes correspondences to allow cross-subject evaluation of diffusion properties by parameterizing the fiber pathways as a function of geodesic distance. A novel isonodes visualization scheme is proposed to render regional statistical features along the fiber pathways. Assessment of the technique reveals specific anatomical locations along the genu of the corpus callosum paths with significant diffusion property changes in the amnestic mild cognitive impairment subjects. The experimental results show that this approach is promising and may provide a sensitive technique to study the integrity of neuronal connectivity in human brain.
Phase diagram and critical behavior of the Si-Ge unmixing transition: A Monte Carlo study of a model with elastic degrees of freedom.

A statistical-mechanical model of binary semiconductor alloys, consisting of a distortable diamond lattice whose sites may be occupied by A atoms, B atoms, or vacancies, is studied by Monte Carlo computer simulations. By extending a grand-canonical lattice gas, the model allows for atomic displacements governed by the Keating valence force field. Unphysical boundary conditions are avoided by keeping the pressure constant. This model is similar to a compressible Ising model, but differs from it by the occurrence of a bilinear coupling between spin field and displacement field. The interplay between the chemical and translational degrees of freedom shows up in the form of the unmixing phase diagram of a system whose parameters were chosen in an attempt to mimic a Si-Ge alloy. Methods of thermodynamic integration to obtain the free energies of different phases are discussed. The critical behavior of the unmixing transition is studied by a multihistogram data analysis. The finite-size scaling of the data is in better agreement with mean-field-like critical behavior than with an Ising transition or Fisher-renormalized exponents. Vegard's law is verified, and it is shown that the Keating potential leads to a negative coefficient of thermal expansion.
A novel divalent cation-binding site in the a domain of the β2 integrin CR3 (CD11b/CD18) is essential for ligand binding

A recombinant peptide encoding the CD11b A domain bound 54Mn2+ with a high affinity. Other divalent cations, including Mg2+, Zn2+, Ni2+, Co2+, and Cd2+, but not Ca2+ or Ba2+, competed effectively for Mn2+ binding. Amino acid substitutions within two conserved and noncontiguous regions in the recombinant peptide abolished 54Mn2+ binding. When these substitutions were introduced independently in complement receptor type 3 (CR3), each abolished the metal-dependent binding of the receptor to the major C3 opsonin iC3b, without impairing subunit association or surface expression of the receptor. These findings identify an unsuspected and novel metal-binding site within the A domain of CR3 that is required for metal-dependent ligand binding and also identify a good target for designing drugs aimed at countering the inflammatory potential of this key receptor.
Characteristics and desulfurization-regeneration properties of sol-gel-derived copper oxide on alumina sorbents

Abstract Mesoporous alumina supported copper oxide granular sorbents were synthesized by the sol–gel method using different raw materials. The copper loading in the sorbents was varied from 5 to 20-wt.% CuO. The effect of the copper content on the surface area of the sorbents and dispersion of the active species was studied. Samples with 2 O 3 with 8 wt.% CuO, most of the copper species consisted of Cu 2+ ions and no sulfide species were found. The optimum temperature for operation of the sol–gel derived sorbents was 400 °C at which more than 85% of the initial sulfation capacity is maintained up to three sulfation-regeneration cycles. The pore structure, crush strength, sulfation capacity and regeneration properties of the sol–gel derived sorbents were studied and compared with those of the similar commercial sorbents used in pilot scale fluidized-bed copper oxide process for flue gas treatment. The sol–gel-derived mesoporous copper oxide coated alumina granules, with a surface area of 220–248 m 2 /g, pore volume of 0.46–0.48 cm 3 /g, and pore diameter of 6.7–8.8 nm, offer higher surface area, more uniform pore size distribution, and higher crush strength than the commercially available sorbents for the copper oxide process. For similar copper oxide content the sol–gel derived sorbents showed superior sulfation and regeneration properties than the commercial sorbents, in terms of sulfation capacity, regenerability, and SO 2 concentration in the regenerated effluent.
The effect of radioactive radiations upon euglena

Abstract An examination has been made of the rate of death of euglena cells when exposed to the alpha particle radiation from radium emanation dissolved in the containing liquid. It was found that the rate of death of the cells was pro. portional to the strength of the dissolved emanation and to the number of live euglena cells present, a conclusion in harmony with the view that death of a cell is caused by a single impact of some sensitive region with an alpha particle. The theory of the case where two impacts of the sensitive region with an alpha particle are necessary to cause death, has been worked out with a generality which allows for a recovery of the cells between the two impacts.It is found that the results of the experiment are inconsistent with such a hypothesis.From the experimental data, it is possible to calculate the size of the sensitive entity which when struck by the alpha particle causes death to the cell. The diameter of this entity comes out about equal to that of the nucleus of the euglena cell.
Metrics for object-oriented software projects

Abstract This paper puts forward an analysis of two software projects developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The two projects are The Micro Generic Controller (UGC) and The Sequence Generator (SEQGEN). Both projects use the object-oriented paradigm and the C++ programming language. Object-oriented metrics and other measures are implemented to analyze and compare the two projects.
Ba deposition and oxidation on θ-Al2O3/NiAl(100) ultrathin films. Part I: Anaerobic deposition conditions

Room-temperature Ba deposition on an oxygen-terminated theta-Al(2)O(3)/NiAl(100) ultrathin film substrate under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions is studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) techniques. In addition, Ba oxidation by the ions of the alumina substrate at 300 K < T < 1200 K in the absence of a gas-phase oxidizing agent is investigated. Our results indicate that at room temperature Ba grows in a layer-by-layer fashion for the first two layers, and Ba is partially oxidized. Annealing at T < 700 K results in further oxidation of the Ba species, whereas annealing at higher temperatures leads to loss of Ba from the surface via desorption and subsurface diffusion.
USING COLORS TO DETECT STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS IN DIGITAL PICTURES

This article describes a method of recognizing the presence of structural components in a digital picture taken at a construction site. The objective is to introduce image recognition into the construction management process in order to enhance the control of the performance at a construction site. The developed system can detect a component in a picture through its color and position. An algorithm capable of tracing the edges of a shape in a digital picture is introduced. A procedure to collect objects using this edge detector is presented. A complete description of procedures written in Delphi 5 to store a set of objects detected in a picture is included. The component-recognition engine presented in this article is an important part of a system called PHOTO-NET that was designed to monitor progress in a construction site and as such constitutes a unique application in the context of construction management.
Treatment of cancer with anticoagulants: rationale in the treatment of melanoma.

The blood coagulation mechanism regulates the growth and dissemination of malignancy by multiple mechanisms, and anticoagulant drugs have been shown to inhibit the progression of certain cancers. Although progress has been slow, there is ample information on the effects of anticoagulants in various tumors that suggests that the use of anticoagulants has considerable potential in the treatment of some cancers. For example, melanoma is one of a small number of human tumor types in which the tumor is associated with an intact coagulation pathway leading to thrombin generation and conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin in situ immediately adjacent to viable tumor cells. Observations in experimental models combined with the limited clinical trial data on this subject suggest that inhibition of tumor cell thrombin generation may improve outcomes in melanoma cases. Thus, we postulate that pharmacological interruption of the tumor cell—associated coagulation pathway at any one step or even at multiple levels might constitute effective therapy for this disease. Drugs that block the activity of tissue factor, factor Xa, or thrombin are available for clinical testing and, if effective, offer the prospect of a relatively nontoxic, novel treatment for this aggressive tumor.
Estimating the Expression of Transcript Isoforms from mRNA-Seq via Nonnegative Least Squares

mRNA-Seq is an emerging massive parallel sequencing based technology for identification and quantification of gene transcripts. Although gene level expression can easily be estimated from mRNA-Seq data, estimating the isoform level expression poses serious problems, and appropriate methods are required. In this paper, we introduce a mathematical method to estimate transcript isoform concentrations, i.e. transcript isoform expression estimation via nonnegative least squares (TIEE/NLS).
Comparative Analysis of Drought Responsive Proteins in Kentucky Bluegrass Cultivars Contrasting in Drought Tolerance

Knowledge of drought-responsive proteins is critical for further understanding of molecular mechanisms of drought tolerance. The objective of this study was to identify drought-responsive proteins associated with drought tolerance in Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) by comparing proteomic responses to drought stress in two cultivars differing in drought tolerance. Plants of drought-tolerant ‘Midnight’ and drought-sensitive ‘Brilliant’ were subjected to drought stress by withholding irrigation for 15 d in growth chambers. Midnight maintained significantly higher relative water content and photochemical efficiency and lower membrane leakage than Brilliant under drought stress. Difference gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry analyses detected 88 drought-responsive proteins in both cultivars. Many proteins involved in amino acid or energy metabolism were downregulated under drought stress in both cultivars, but most of those proteins had higher abundance in Midnight than in Brilliant. Several heat shock proteins and chaperons exhibited differential accumulation between the two cultivars, with an increase in the abundance of 70 kDa proteins in Midnight and decreases of 60 kDa chaperonin and FtsH proteins in Brilliant under drought stress. The differential accumulation of those proteins involved in amino acid and energy metabolism, as well as for protein chaperons, could be associated with drought tolerance in Kentucky bluegrass.
The Human Side of Economic Organization

The assumptions of material self-interest, bounded rationality, and negative opportunism that underlie organizational economics are deficient for many managerial purposes because they underrepresent the importance of interpersonal and other nonmarket resources in human motivation. This paper adds an aspiration-level assumption called betterment that extends transaction cost analysis to include exchanges involving interpersonal resources. Implications are discussed for the efficient design of organizational boundaries, organizational subunits, and employment relations, and special attention is given to cooperation as an organizational asset.
Time Course of TEA+-Induced Anomalous Rectification in Squid Giant Axons

Changes in the voltage clamp currents of squid giant axons wrought by low axoplasmic TEA+ (tetraethylammonium chloride) concentrations (0.3 mM and above) are described. They are: (a) For positive steps from the resting potential in sea water, the K+ current increases, decreases, then increases, instead of increasing monotonically. (b) For positive steps from the resting potential in 440 mM external K+, the current has an exponentially decaying component, whose decay rate increases with axoplasmic [TEA+]. The control currents increase monotonically. (c) For negative steps from the resting potential in 440 mM external K+, the current record has a peak followed by a decay that is slow relative to the control. The control record decreases monotonically. Qualitatively these findings can be described by a simple kinetic model, from which, with one assumption, it is possible to calculate the rate at which K+ ions move through the K+ channels. An interesting conclusion from (c) is that the channels cannot be closed by the normal voltage-sensitive mechanism (described by Hodgkin and Huxley) until they are free of TEA+.
A Knowledge-based Approach to Production Planning

This paper discusses a knowledge-based approach to production planning, the process of establishing production rates, work force levels and on-hand inventories for product families as a possible alternative to traditional operational research methods. It describes one company’s experienced-based approach to production planning and how this was incorporated into a knowledge-based system. The production planning state-space, use of common planning constraints and heuristic procedures, and a prototype of a knowledge-based system that develops production plans for one product family are also described.
Friction properties of surface-fluorinated carbon nanotubes

Surface modification of the tubular or sphere-shaped carbon nanoparticles through chemical treatment, e.g., fluorination, is expected to significantly affect their friction properties. In this study, a direct fluorination of the graphene-built tubular (single-walled carbon nanotubes) structures has been carried out to obtain a series of fluorinated nanotubes (fluoronanotubes) with variable C(n)F (n =2-20) stoichiometries. The friction coefficients for fluoronanotubes, as well as pristine and chemically cut nanotubes, were found to reach values as low as 0.002-0.07, according to evaluation tests run in contact with sapphire in air of about 40% relative humidity on a ball-on-disk tribometer which provided an unidirectional sliding friction motion. These preliminary results demonstrate ultra-low friction properties and show a promise in applications of surface modified nanocarbons as a solid lubricant.
High strain rate compressive tests on woven graphite epoxy composites

The behavior of composite materials may be different when they are subjected to high strain rate load. Penetrating split Hopkinson pressure bar (P-SHPB) is a method to impose high strain rate on specimen in the laboratory experiments. This research work studied the response of the thin circular shape specimens, made out of woven graphite epoxy composites, to high strain rate impact load. The stress-strain relationships and behavior of the specimens were investigated during the compressive dynamic tests for strain rates as high as 3200 s−1. One dimensional analysis was deployed for analytical calculations since the experiments fulfilled the ratio of diameter to length of bars condition in impact load experiments. The mechanics of dynamic failure was studied and the results showed the factors which govern the failure mode in high strain deformation via absorbed energy by the specimen. In this paper, the relation of particle velocity with perforation depth was discussed for woven graphite epoxy specimens.
Effect of shoot tip and leaf removal on gravitropism in pea

Summary Intact, light-grown pea ( Pisum sativum L. cv. ) seedlings were subjected to continuous horizontal gravistimulation and their growth and bending response compared with seedlings whose shoot tip and youngest leaf had been excised and with seedlings to which a counterweight to replace the mass of the decapitated tissue was added. While all seedlings achieved vertical orientation in 2 to 3 h, seedlings that were counterweighted bent upward at a significantly slower rate than the non-counterweighted, decapitated plants. In addition to this effect of mass on the rate of bending, decapitation also removed a major supply of auxin to cells in the bending zone which resulted in the slower bending of treated plants. Thus when using decapitation both the loss of mass and the time course of the response must be considered to understand its effect on gravitropism.
The competitive inhibition of Trichoderma reesei C30 cellobiohydrolase I by guanidine hydrochloride

Abstract The P -nitrophenylcellobiosidase (PNPCase) activity of Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase I (CBH I) was competitively inhibited by concentrations of guanidine hydrochloride (Gdn HC1) that did not affect the tryptophan fluorescence of this enzyme. The K m of CBH I, 3.6 mM, was increased to 45.4 mM in the presence of 0.14 M Gdn HCl, the concentration that was required to inhibit the enzyme by 50%. A similar concentration of lithium chloride and urea had little effect on the PNPCase activity of CBH I. Maximal inhibition was pH dependent, occurring in the range of pH 4.0 to 5.0, which is in the range for maximal activity. Analysis of the inhibition data indicated that 1.2 molecules of Gdn HCl combine reversibly with I molecule of CBH I. Other hydrolases and proteases were also inhibited by Gdn HCl. It is suggested that the inhibition of CBH I by Gdn HCl occurs as a result of the interaction between the positively charged guanidinium group of Gdn HCl and the carboxylate group of glutamic acid 126, postulated to be in the catalytic center of this enzyme.
UNAMBIGUOUS EVALUATIONS OF BIDECIC JACOBI AND JACOBSTHAL SUMS

For a class of primes p = 1 (mod 20) for which 2 is a quintic nonresidue, unambiguous evaluations of parameters of bidecic Jacobi and Jacobsthal sums (modp) are presented, in terms of the partition p = a 2 + 5b 2 +5c 2 +5d 2 , ab = d 2 — c 2 —cd. Similar results for sums of other orders have been obtained by E. Lehmer and by K. S. Williams.
Simultaneous Adrenal and Cardiac G-Protein–Coupled Receptor-Gβγ Inhibition Halts Heart Failure Progression

Objectives: The authors propose simultaneous inhibition of Gβγ signaling in the heart and the adrenal gland as a novel therapeutic approach for heart failure (HF).Background: Elevated sympathetic n...
G-Protein βγ Subunit Dimers Modulate Kidney Repair after Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats

Heterotrimeric G-proteins play a crucial role in the control of renal epithelial cell function during homeostasis and in response to injury. In this report, G-protein βγ subunit (Gβγ) dimer activity was evaluated during the process of tubular repair after renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in male Sprague Dawley rats. Rats were treated with a small molecule inhibitor of Gβγ activity, gallein (30 or 100 mg/kg), 1 hour after reperfusion and every 24 hours for 3 additional days. After IRI, renal dysfunction was prolonged after the high-dose gallein treatment in comparison with vehicle treatment during the 7-day recovery period. Renal tubular repair in the outer medulla 7 days after IRI was significantly (P < 0.001) attenuated after treatment with high-dose gallein (100 mg/kg) in comparison with low-dose gallein (30 mg/kg), or the vehicle and fluorescein control groups. Gallein treatment significantly reduced (P < 0.05) the number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen–positive tubular epithelial cells at 24 hours after the ischemia-reperfusion phase in vivo. In vitro application of gallein on normal rat kidney (NRK-52E) proximal tubule cells significantly reduced (P < 0.05) S-phase cell cycle entry compared with vehicle-treated cells as determined by 5′-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine incorporation. Taken together, these data suggest that Gβγ signaling contributes to the maintenance and repair of renal tubular epithelium and may be a novel therapeutic target for the development of drugs to treat acute kidney injury.
LEARNING IN LARGE OPTICAL NETWORKS

In a holographic optical learning network, the decay of multiply exposed holographic interconnections can adversely affect the training of the network. A new dynamic photorefractive holographic memory is described that allows an arbitrarily long sequence of adaptations by rejuvenating decayed holograms with a simple all-optical feedback loop.
Rosiglitazone, Myocardial Ischemic Risk, and Recent Regulatory Actions

Objective:To review the evidence surrounding rosiglitazone and ischemic cardiovascular risk and discuss the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision to revise safety information and restrict access to the drug.Data Sources:A literature search was conducted through MEDLINE (1950-January 2012), PubMed (1966-January 2012), and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-December 2011) using the search terms rosiglitazone and cardiovascular risk. Regulatory documents from the FDA and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, as well as reference citations from publications identified, were reviewed.Study Selection and Data Extraction:All articles in English identified from the data sources were evaluated for inclusion.Data Synthesis:Literature regarding rosiglitazone and ischemic cardiovascular risk has shown inconsistent results. Meta-analyses by the FDA, GlaxoSmithKline, and several independent research groups suggest an increased risk for myocardial infarction (MI), while others have not. Long-term,...
A Strategy for the Rapid Identification of Phosphorylation Sites in the Phosphoproteome

Edman phosphate ((32)P) release sequencing provides a high sensitivity means of identifying phosphorylation sites in proteins that complements mass spectrometry techniques. We have developed a bioinformatic assessment tool, the cleavage of radiolabeled protein (CRP) program, which enables experimental identification of phosphorylation sites via (32)P labeling and Edman degradation of cleaved proteins obtained at femtomole levels. By observing the Edman cycle(s) in which radioactivity is found, candidate phosphorylation sites are identified by determining which residues occur at the observed number of cycles downstream from a peptide cleavage site. In cases where more than one residue could be responsible for the observed radioactivity, additional experiments with cleavage reagents having alternative specificities may resolve the ambiguity. Given a protein sequence and a cleavage site, CRP performs these experiments in silico, identifying resolved sites based on user-supplied experimental data, as well as suggesting combinations of reagents for additional analyses. Analysis of the PhosphoBase protein sequence database suggests that CRP data from two cleavage experiments can be used to identify unambiguously 60% of known phosphorylation sites. Data from additional cleavage experiments may increase the overall coverage to 70% of known sites. By comparing theoretical data obtained from the CRP program with (32)P release data obtained from an Edman sequencer, a known phosphorylation site was identified unambiguously and correctly. In addition, our results show that in vivo phosphorylation sites can be determined routinely by differential proteolysis analysis and Edman cycling with less than 1 fmol of protein and 1000 cpm.
Reference phase-encoded fringe-adjusted joint transform correlation

A novel reference phase-encoded joint transform correlation technique is proposed for efficient multiple-target detection. The proposed method employs phase encoding for the reference image and nonlinear Fourier plane apodization to optimize the detection performance. Existing joint transform correlators (JTC's) require multistep on-line processing to eliminate the false alarms. The proposed reference phase-encoded JTC overcomes false-target detection by eliminating the false correlation peaks while alleviating the effects of noise and other artifacts in just one step, thus ensuring higher processing speed. This technique yields only one peak per target instead of a pair of peaks produced by alternate JTC's. An all-optical implementation for the reference phase-encoded JTC technique is proposed, and computer simulation results are presented.
Detecting chaotic signals with nonlinear models

Hidden Markov models of chaotic signals have been used in numerical detection experiments. For broadband deterministic chaotic signals masked with noise having identical spectra at an SNR of -15 db, the experiments found flawless receiver operating characteristics. In noisy environments the performance of models trained on noise-free signals can be improved by training on signals contaminated by noise typical of the test environment. Continuous valued scalar outputs at each discrete hidden state are modeled as Gaussians with means that depend autoregressively on previous outputs. >
“The Penny Lunch Has Spread Faster than the Measles”: Children's Health and the Debate over School Lunches in New York City, 1908–1930

A few days before Thanksgiving in 1908, the home economist Mabel Hyde Kittredge initiated a school lunch program at an elementary school in Hell's Kitchen, serving soup and bread to hungry children in the infamous Manhattan neighborhood. The following year, she founded the School Lunch Committee (SLC), a voluntary organization composed of home economists, educators, physicians, and philanthropists dedicated to improving the nutritional health and educational prospects of schoolchildren. By 1915, just seven years after the initiative began, the SLC was serving 80,000 free or low-price lunches a year to children at nearly a quarter of the elementary schools in Manhattan and the Bronx. Most of the schools were located in the city's poorest districts, and experience showed that the lunches were reaching those most in need at minimal cost to the organization. All the food served was inspected by the Health Department, and the meals were nutritionally balanced and tailored to the ethnic tastes and religious requirements of different school populations. Sparse but compelling evidence indicated that the program had reduced malnourishment among the children who partook, and teachers and principals at participating schools reported reductions in behavioral problems, dyspepsia, inattentiveness, and lethargy.
Challenges to parent nutrition education: a qualitative study of parents of urban children attending low-income schools

Objective: The present study was undertaken to learn more about parents’ (i) knowledge regarding healthy foods, factors associated with food purchasing and preparation, and current nutrition education resources, (ii) barriers to and promoters for establishing healthy eating habits for children and families, and (iii) interest in participating in nutrition interventions. Design: Focus group interviews were conducted with parents of low-income children from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Setting: LAUSD Title 1 elementary schools where 50 % or more of students are eligible for free/reduced-price meals. Subjects: Sixty-four parents (93 % female; 84 % Hispanic/Latino) of elementaryschool students. Results: The most common barriers to eating healthy foods were cost, difficulty in getting children to eat healthier foods and easy access to fast food. Parents had a basic knowledge about what foods are healthy and received most of their nutrition education through the media. Parents expressed a desire for nutrition classes and almost all of them said they would attend a nutrition programme at their child’s school. Topic areas of interest included what to purchase, how to cook healthier foods, how to encourage their children to eat healthier and how to read food labels. Parents also requested classes that engage the whole family, especially fathers. Conclusions: Parents in our study were interested in participating in nutrition education programmes. The information from these focus groups was used to design a parent nutrition education programme especially designed to respond to the needs of the LAUSD parents, the majority of whom are low-income and Hispanic/Latino.
Towards more helpful bus tracker apps for blind transit riders

Bus trackers aid in travel planning with real-time bus arrival and location information. However, their sight-centered design means they’re inherently challenging for the blind. A clear understanding of their help-seeking situations in interacting with bus trackers is necessary to design appropriate help features as a solution. We present a qualitative method to study help-seeking situations of blind users in interacting with bus-trackers, and illustrate its application on the use of CTA bus tracker. Think-aloud observation of seven participants generated verbal reports of performing bus-tracking activities. Qualitative analysis explained what, where, and how help-seeking situations arose in learning the interface, in site interaction, determining estimated time of arrival, requesting ETA alerts, and finding bus location. We elaborate results pertinent to key help-seeking situations, the underlying help needs, and design implications for appropriate help features. The paper contributes a feasible qualitative method to study help-seeking situations, as well as valuable insights into the thoughts, actions and perceptions of blind users in real time bus tracking. This represents the first step towards developing the tool to transform the 45 million blind citizens into empowered transit riders. Implications for transit agencies, real time systems designers, and research in travel management, human-computer interaction and cognitive science are discussed.
Compact and high energy-efficient AC-AC converters capable of 400 Hz operation

AC-AC converters offers much better energy efficiency and compactness than conventional two-stage power converters or inverters. This paper presents a new modular phase bank design approach of AC-AC converters. Preliminary theoretical analysis of the silicon utilization and AC switch ratings for this breed of power converter is attempted. A DSP based low-cost system control is discussed and implemented. Experimental results verify the proposed system design approach. The new design of the AC-AC converter is capable of operating for practical applications at both 50/60 Hz class and 400 Hz class. Potential practical applications are evaluated and highlighted in this paper.
Characterisation of lactose crystallised in acidified aqueous ethanol

Three types of crystalline lactose hydrates having melting points (MP) of 218°C, 195°C and 169°C were crystallised from 680 ml litre−1 ethanol solution with a lactose to solvent ratio of 1:14-1:24 at three pH values, ∼ 4, 2.5 and 1.3. The three types were characterised on the basis of their optical rotation, phase transition and X-ray powder diffraction pattern. The samples with high and low MP were α-lactose hydrates whereas that with the intermediate MP (195°C) was a hydrated lactose containing both α- and β-forms.
Partially coherent detection in rapidly time varying channels

We investigate the performance degradation of basic modulation schemes in a rapidly time varying channel using a first order auto regressive channel model. We propose a partially coherent detector for both noncoherent frequency shift keying (FSK) and differential phase shift keying (PSK) that exploits partial channel knowledge to enable the receiver to operate effectively in both fast and slow fading. The maximum likelihood rule (ML) obtained for the partially coherent FSK turns out to be a linear combination of coherent and noncoherent detection rule. Results demonstrate that significant performance improvement can be achieved over the best of coherent and noncoherent FSK detection in fast fading. We also propose a few adaptive schemes that vary the modulation scheme in response to degrading quality of the channel estimate between successive training symbols
Nurse practitioner-client interaction as resource exchange: the nurse's view (NP-client interaction).

Aim. The aim of this study was to explore nurse practitioner (NP) client encounters from the nurse's perspective using a resource exchange paradigm. Background. In health care interactions there is a need to examine what is reinforcing from the nurse's perspective. Design. An exploratory descriptive design was used to address the following research questions: Prior to a clinic visit with midlife female clients what are NPs expectations of resources provided? What resources are actually provided during the visit with the NP and the client? To what extent is there congruence between the NP's expectations and the resources actually provided during a clinic visit? Methods. The participants included two expert NPs and eight midlife female clients. Data for the study were derived from an initial larger study which examined resource exchange from the client angle and consisted of audio-taped pre- and postencounter interviews with the NPs, audiotapes of the entire clinic visit and field notes recorded by the researcher of the client visits. Content analysis was conducted using ETHNOGRPAH software. Results. NPs anticipated that a broad range of resources would be provided. The most prominent resources provided across visits were information, services, time and affirmation (that included affirmation itself, reassurance, reinforcement of positive health behaviours, support and feedback). In the more established relationships nurse self-disclosure was evident. Conclusions. Resource exchange theoretical formulations can be applied to NP–client interactions to understand and explain the specific nature of resources NPs expect to provide and actually provide. Relevance to clinical practice. The nature of resources NPs provide, relationship development, types of exchange relationships in clinical practice were identified and posit a beginning typology for NPs to apply in their own clinical practice.
Wireless message courier

Wireless coverage is often problematic. This is especially true for mobile radio networks, e.g., cellular networks. It is a very frustrating experience for a mobile user finding out that he is out of the coverage of his wireless service provider when he needs to send an emergency message. This paper proposes a method and system for delivering electronic messages over a wireless cellular communications network when the sender of a message is out of the coverage area. With this method the message is broadcasted repeatedly until a mobile wireless courier receives the message and stores the message. When the courier is within range of a base station of the cellular communication network, it then transmits the stored message to the base station for delivery.
An 8×8 row-column summing readout electronics for preclinical positron emission tomography scanners

This work presents a row/column summing readout electronics for an 8×8 silicon photomultiplier array. The summation circuit greatly reduces the number of electronic channels, which is desirable for pursuing higher resolution positron emission tomography scanners. By using a degenerated common source topology in the summation circuit, more fan-in is possible and therefore a greater reduction in the number of electronic channels can be achieved. The timing signal is retrieved from a common anode, which allows the use of a single fast-sampling analog to digital converter (ADC) for the timing channel and slower, lower power ADCs for the 64 spatial channels. Preliminary results of one row summation of the 8×8 readout electronics exhibited FWHM energy resolution of 17.8% and 18.3% with and without multiplexing, respectively. The measured timing resolution is 2.9ns FWHM.
Characterizing declines in pediatric antidepressant use after new risk disclosures.

Steep declines in pediatric antidepressant use were documented following the 2004 release of new safety information associating antidepressants with a risk of suicidality. The authors examine whether declines in pediatric antidepressant use were steeper among individuals with certain clinical or family characteristics. The authors find that declines in antidepressant use were associated with new (as compared with ongoing) treatment episodes. Although rates of antidepressant use were higher among children of college-educated parents prior to risk disclosures, these children were more likely to forgo antidepressant medication than children of less educated parents after risk disclosures. The authors find that both children with and without psychiatric impairment experienced declines in antidepressant medication use following the risk warnings, although the decline occurred more quickly in the latter group. The authors’ findings highlight the need for additional data to assess the effects of risk disclosures...
A configuration space friction cone

Provides a geometric representation of friction for a rigid planar part with two translational and one rotational degrees of freedom. The construction of a generalized friction cone is accomplished by imbedding into the part's configuration space the constraints that define the classical friction cone in real space. The resulting representation provides a simple computational method for determining the possible motions of a part subjected to an applied force and torque. The representation has been used both for simulating part motions and for planning assembly operations. Generalizations to the six-dimensional configuration space of a three-dimensional part are possible. >
Cholinomimetics Mimic Efferent Effects on Semicircular Canal Afferent Activity in the Frog

Acetylcholine (Ach) has received strong support as the neurotransmitter at vestibular efferent nerve endings. Ach, cholinomimetics and cholinergic antagonists were therefore applied to frog isolated whole labyrinths and isolated semicircular canals. Both spontaneous and evoked single unit and multiple unit activities were recorded from the decentralized posterior semicircular canal afferent nerve. In a manner analogous to efferent nerve stimulation, Ach produced both facilitatory and inhibitory changes in afferent firing rates. The facilitatory effect is likely mediated by muscarinic receptors (i.e. atropine antagonizes it at low concentrations). The facilitatory effect can also be elicited by muscarine and carbachol and it is likely produced presynaptically on the vestibular sensory cell. That is, the effects of Ach are not changed by removal of the efferent neurons but they are absent when afferent transmitter release is blocked. The inhibitory effect is not as well characterized as is the facilitatory ...
Mechanisms of the aftershocks of the Kern County, California, earthquake of 1952

Using directions of first motion of longitudinal waves recorded at near-by stations, the orientation of fault traces and the nature of fault motions have been deduced for fifty-seven earthquakes of the Kern County aftershock series. Unlike the main shock, the aftershocks exhibit considerable strike slip with left-hand strike slip dominating on and to the south of the White Wolf fault and right-hand strike slip and dip slip to the north of it. The two last-mentioned mechanisms represent a secondary strain release, beginning not earlier than thirty-seven hours after the main shock.
Automatic Detection of Off-Task Behaviors in Intelligent Tutoring Systems with Machine Learning Techniques

Identifying off-task behaviors in intelligent tutoring systems is a practical and challenging research topic. This paper proposes a machine learning model that can automatically detect students' off-task behaviors. The proposed model only utilizes the data available from the log files that record students' actions within the system. The model utilizes a set of time features, performance features, and mouse movement features, and is compared to 1) a model that only utilizes time features and 2) a model that uses time and performance features. Different students have different types of behaviors; therefore, personalized version of the proposed model is constructed and compared to the corresponding nonpersonalized version. In order to address data sparseness problem, a robust Ridge Regression algorithm is utilized to estimate model parameters. An extensive set of experiment results demonstrates the power of using multiple types of evidence, the personalized model, and the robust Ridge Regression algorithm.
Assessing the Reliability of Ecological Monitoring Data: Power Analysis and Alternative Approaches

Abstract To identify natural resources in need of conservation, and assess the effectiveness of ongoing management practices, a ‘reliable’ monitoring program is necessary. It is critical to assess the reliability of our data, and our data analyses, so that we draw the appropriate conclusions regarding the natural resource of interest. One way to evaluate this reliability is through the use of statistical power analysis. Although power analysis may provide valuable insights into the design and results of a study or monitoring program, its misuse may lead to inappropriate conclusions and management actions. This review describes the appropriate use of statistical power analysis in the context of natural areas management, and points out numerous misuses, some of which are not widely recognized. Alternative approaches to traditional power analyses are presented, along with a discussion of their advantages and disadvantages.
Kinematics of Star-Forming Regions

The previous chapters on star-forming regions have focussed on the spatial distributions of gas and stars. This chapter therefore focusses on the internal kinematics of the young stars within the star-forming regions. Our discussion covers the kinematics of objects in OB associations and young star clusters as well as star-forming regions, detailing not only their use in assigning membership, but also in highlighting the kinematic differences between these different environments.
Highly tunable electrical properties in undoped ZnO grown by plasma enhanced thermal-atomic layer deposition.

Undoped ZnO thin films with highly tunable physical properties have been achieved by a new plasma enhanced thermal atomic layer deposition. This innovative yet straightforward approach has not been...
Occurrence of a sodium-potassium antagonism in nerve block.

SummaryThe conduction block in bullfrog A fibers which is produced by the presence of elevated potassium ions is dependent on the sodium concentration. At a fixed level of potassium the rate of block increases as the sodium concentration is decreased. This occurs at concentrations of sodium which, at normal potassium, have no blocking action.
Ovarian cholesterol levels during the reproductive cycle of the rat.

Evidence that ovarian cholesterol may be a precursor of the ovarian hormones, particularly progesterone, has been by inference, both positive and negative. Comparison of results from previous studies on cholesterol variations during the ovarian cycle is difficult because of the lack of uniformity in presenting data, i.e., some report the free cholesterol and others only the cholesterol esters. By histochemical methods, no changes were observed in ovarian cholesterol during the reproductive cycle in humans1 although chemical analysis of human corpora lutea indicated a significant decrease in cholesterol esters only in the actively functioning corpus luteum of pregnancy.2 In the pig, the cholesterol ester content of the corpora lutea was found to vary inversely with the activity of the gland.3 Boyd4 found that in the whole ovary of the rabbit, there was an increase in the free cholesterol during the first half of pregnancy followed by a decline while the cholesterol esters increased only during the last hal...