cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of large memory on the performance of optimistic concurrency control schemes

Under optimistic concurrency control (OCC) schemes, the buffer hit ratio and hence the abort probability of a rerun transaction can be affected by its previous runs, since the data items brought in from the previous runs may still be in memory. It is noted that this buffering effect on rerun transactions has been ignored in previous performance studies. In the present work the authors examine its effect on different OCC schemes. It is shown that, with sufficient buffer, a new approach to buffer management can be adopted so that data items referenced by aborted transactions continue to be retained in memory for access during rerun. By considering the I/O reduction during rerun, it is found that, at high contention levels, the broadcast OCC which attempts to abort conflicting transactions as early as possible can be inferior to the pure OCC which only aborts a transaction at its commit time. Second, combining the two schemes, with pure OCC during the first run of a transaction and broadcast OCC during any reruns, can typically lead to better performance, especially at high contention levels. >
Loading Rate Effects in Structural Steel Design

Yield and flow stress criteria, expressing the effects of loading rate and temperature on the upper yield point, lower yield level, and flow stress under monotonic and reversed loading, are presented for low-carbon structural steel. Some techniques for applying these criteria for various time histories of stress or strain are examined. A possible design application of the criteria is illustrated for the limit design of steel frames subjected to rapid loading, and is compared to the results of an investigation of the behavior of model frames subjected to rapidly applied loadings.
Consequentialism and Bayesian Rationality in Normal Form Games

In single-person decision theory, Bayesian rationality requires the agent first to attach subjective probabilities to each uncertain event, and then to maximize the expected value of a von Neumann—Morgenstern utility function (or NMUF) that is unique up to a cardinal equivalence class. When the agent receives new information, it also requires subjective probabilities to be revised according to Bayes’ rule.
NETMAN: the design of a collaborative wearable computer system

This paper presents a wearable groupware system designed to enhance the communication and cooperation of highly mobile network technicians. It provides technicians in the field with the capabilities for real-time audio-conferencing, transmission of video images back to the office, and context-sensitive access to a shared notebook. An infrared location-tracking device allows for the automatic retrieval of notebook entries depending on the user's current location.
Evidence of an activated T-cell system with augmented turnover of interleukin 2 in rheumatoid arthritis. Stimulation of human T lymphocytes by dendritic cells as a model for rheumatoid T-cell activation.

The stage of activation of synovial inflammatory T cells was studied in rheumatoid arthritis and compared with that of normal T cells stimulated in vitro by dendritic cells. Increased numbers of rheumatoid inflammatory T cells expressed activation antigens such as HLA-DR, interleukin 2 receptors (Tac), and transferrin receptors. These T cells also had high spontaneous proliferation. Peripheral blood T cells stimulated by autologous dendritic cells showed a similar expression of activation antigens and had high proliferation. Resting T cells and T cells cocultured with monocytes expressed much less activation markers. Exogenous interleukin 2 significantly increased the proliferation of the various T cells. All responses were inhibited by an antibody which blocks the interleukin 2 receptor. Supernatants from mitogen-stimulated rheumatoid inflammatory mononuclear cells and mitogen-stimulated T cells preactivated by dendritic cells usually contained less interleukin 2 than supernatants from mitogen-stimulated normal T cells. Furthermore, the various in vivo and in vitro-activated Tac-positive T cells, in contrast to nonactivated Tac-negative T cells from peripheral blood of patients and controls, significantly absorbed interleukin 2. The results indicate a turnover of interleukin 2 in rheuniatoid inflammatory T cells comparable to that of T cells activated by dendritic cells.
A socio‐technical perspective of museum practitioners' image‐using behaviors

Purpose – The purpose of this project is to study how art museum practitioners use current image‐indexing practices and services to retrieve images from museum collections. The investigation examines several areas, including image needs, information‐seeking strategies, information queries, search functions, display formats, and human‐computer interaction.Design/methodology/approach – The six participating museums are in Washington, DC, and the states of California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio. The investigator interviewed 35 museum practitioners in various departments at the six museums about their image sources, search behaviors, and use of images.Findings – Wide variations and internal conflicts exist among curators, IT staff, slide librarians, registrars' offices, educational staff, faculty, and photographers. Museum practitioners' knowledge and expertise should inform the design and presentation of digital images of museum collections as well as the images' relationships with the const...
The chemistry of the group V metal carbonyls IV. Mixed metal seven-coordinate complexes

The preparation of the main group mixed metal complexes (C6H5)3SnM(CO)6, (C6H5)3SnM(CO)5(C6H5)3P, (C6H5)3SnM(CO)4[(C6H5)2PCH2]2; (C6H5)3PAuM(CO)6, (C6H5)3PAuM(CO)5(C6H5)3P; C2H5HgM(CO)6, C2H5HgM(CO)5(C6H5)3P where M = V, Nb or Ta is described. The unsubstituted complexes are very prone to heterolytic cleavage in weak donor solvents. This behavior, as well as that for the phosphine substituted complexes, is discussed in relationship to the synthesis of mixed metal complexes.
Effects of various factors on systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the Los Angeles heart study

Abstract Higher systolic blood pressures were found among similar age groups measured in 1962 compared to those found in 1950 in the Los Angeles Heart Study. Analyses were performed to insure that these differences were real and not due to measurement differences or to self selection. Covariance analyses indicated that higher blood pressures occurred among subjects who reported that they had not eaten for 2 hr or more or for 5 hr or more prior to examination as well as among non-smokers, alcohol users, and non-salt adders. The magnitude of the differences associated with these factors is probably not of clinical significance. None of these factors explain the existing differences in blood pressures between these two examination periods. Thus, the differences observed are consistent with the hypothesis of a healthier population, age for age, entering the study in 1950 compared to the survivors examined in 1962.
Hypoplastic model for sands

A hypoplastic model is formulated to simulate the nonlinear and irreversible behavior of loose and dense sands. Hypoplasticity provides a theoretical framework that is simpler than elastoplasticity. The failure surface that is assumed fixed in stress space is chosen as the bounding surface. All the hypoplastic properties (flow and yield directions and plastic modulus) are defined as functions of the distance to the bounding surface. The model is formulated in terms of stress invariants', the influence of Lode angle is accounted for by using an adjustable Lode dependence. The incremental stress‐strain relationships are inverted and derived in a format compatible with solution techniques, such as finite element methods. The model has 12 material constants calibrated from triaxial tests. Based on the comparison of predicted and experimental results on loose and dense Sacramento River sands, it is concluded that the model is capable of predicting the drained and undrained behavior of loose and dense sands.
Probability calculations for transitivity of the simple majority rule

Abstract Let P(n,k) denote the probability that n voters who are engaged in pairwise voting by simple majority rule on k candidates will have a complete set of pairwise voting comparisons that are transitive. Values of P(n,k) are computed under the condition of impartial culture for values of n and k that are well beyond those for which P(n,k) values have been previously computed. P(n,k) values are obtained by computer enumeration for n equals three, by Monte Carlo integration for n→∞, and by direct computations from a new representation for P(n,4).
Copper mining on Isle Royale 6500–5400 years ago identified using sediment geochemistry from McCargoe Cove, Lake Superior:

Isle Royale, in Lake Superior, contains evidence of indigenous copper mining; however, the timing and geographical extent of mining activity is poorly known. We analyzed metal, carbon, nitrogen, an...
Characterization of model compounds of processed lignin and the lignome by using atmospheric pressure ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract In the search for alternatives to fossil fuel and the valuable chemicals now derived from crude oil, lignocellulosic biomass has attracted wide interest. Degradation of the cellulose and lignin components of the biomass results in complex mixtures. Hence, the ability to identify the products of processed cellulose and lignin is important. Unfortunately, mass spectrometric analysis of processed lignin (and the lignome in general) is hindered by poor ion generation and/or extensive fragmentation upon ionization. After examination of several different ionization approaches, we demonstrate here that ionization of model compounds of lignin degradation products and lignome by using positive ion mode electrospray ionization (ESI) doped with sodium chloride results in the formation of abundant adduct ions, [M + Na]+, with no accompanying fragmentation. Hence, this approach allows for the determination of the molecular weights of lignin degradation products (and lignome) directly in mixtures. However, no structural information can be obtained by examining collision-activated dissociation of the sodiated molecules. Hence, a different ionization method was identified. Doping negative ion mode ESI with hydroxide ions (from NaOH) yields only one type of an ion per analyte, the deprotonated analyte, without fragmentation. Valuable structural information can be obtained for these anions by subjecting them to multiple consecutive ion isolation and collision-activated dissociation (CAD) steps (up to MS7). This methodology significantly improves the information that can be obtained by mass spectrometric analysis for lignin degradation products and lignome.
A hierarchical Bayesian model for forecasting state-level corn yield

Historically, the National Agricultural Statistics Service crop forecasts and estimates have been determined by a group of commodity experts called the Agricultural Statistics Board (ASB). The corn yield forecasts for the “speculative region,” ten states that account for approximately 85 % of corn production, are based on two sets of monthly surveys, a farmer interview survey and a field measurement survey. The members of the ASB subjectively determine a forecast on the basis of a discussion of the survey data and auxiliary information about weather, average planting dates, and crop maturity. The ASB uses an iterative procedure, where initial state estimates are adjusted so that the weighted sum of the final state estimates is equal to a previously-determined estimate for the speculative region. Deficiencies of the highly subjective ASB process are lack of reproducibility and a measure of uncertainty. This paper describes the use of Bayesian methods to model the ASB process in a way that leads to objective forecasts and estimates of the corn yield. First, we use small area estimation techniques to obtain state-level forecasts. Second, we describe a way to adjust the state forecasts so that the weighted sum of the state forecasts is equal to a previously-determined regional forecast. We use several diagnostic techniques to assess the goodness of fit of various models and their competitors. We use Markov chain Monte Carlo methods to fit the models to both historic and current data from the two monthly surveys. Our results show that our methodology can provide reasonable and objective forecasts of corn yields for states in the speculative region.
Fibroblast stimulation in schistosomiasis. I. Stimulation in vitro of fibroblasts by soluble products of egg granulomas.

To gain further understanding of the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis in schistosomiasis, the interaction between egg granulomas and fibroblasts was investigated in an in vitro model. Egg granulomas isolated from livers of mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni or Schistosoma japonicum and cultured in vitro released a nondialyzable substance which stimulated proliferation in resting dermal fibroblasts. The release of the fibroblast-stimulating substance remained relatively constant during the first 48 hr of incubation with granulomas, during which time granulomas remained metabolically active in vitro. A dialyzable molecule(s) in granuloma supernatants interfered with fibroblast uptake of [3H]thymidine in vitro but did not inhibit cellular division. Granuloma supernatants also stimulated fibroblast secretion of prostaglandin E2 and caused an elevation in intracellular levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate.
Isolation and structural characterization of sugarcane bagasse lignin after dilute phosphoric acid plus steam explosion pretreatment and its effect on cellulose hydrolysis

The structure of lignin after dilute phosphoric acid plus steam explosion pretreatment process of sugarcane bagasse in a pilot scale and the effect of the lignin extracted by ethanol on subsequent cellulose hydrolysis were investigated. The lignin structural changes caused by pretreatment were identified using advanced nondestructive techniques such as gel permeation chromatography (GPC), quantitative (13)C, and 2-D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The structural analysis revealed that ethanol extractable lignin preserved basic lignin structure, but had relatively lower amount of β-O-4 linkages, syringyl/guaiacyl units ratio (S/G), p-coumarate/ferulate ratio, and other ending structures. The results also indicated that approximately 8% of mass weight was extracted by pure ethanol. The bagasse after ethanol extraction had an approximate 22% higher glucose yield after enzyme hydrolysis compared to pretreated bagasse without extraction.
The “drift dissipative instability”: a critique

Abstract This paper is a critique of Kadomtsev's fluid dispersion equation for electrostatic drift instabilities in a plasma with weak BGK charged-neutral collisions. The numerical solution of this equation is compared with the solution of a more exact kinetic dispersion equation. At maximum growth rate, the fluid results do not correspond to the kinetic results in either the collisionless or the collision-dominated limits. Thus in the BGK model of charged-neutral collisions, the “drift dissipative instability” is not a distinct mode, but only an approximation to the universal density drift instability in a limited range of parameter space.
Police use of deadly force: Research and reform

Police use of deadly force first became a major public issue in the 1960s, when many urban riots were precipitated immediately by police killings of citizens. Since that time scholars have studied deadly force extensively, police practitioners have made significant reforms in their policies and practices regarding deadly force, and the United States Supreme Court has voided a centuries-old legal principle that authorized police in about one-half the states to use deadly force to apprehend unarmed, nonviolent, fleeing felony suspects. This essay reviews and interprets these developments.
Perceptions and realities of male shopping behavior

Abstract While shopping by men is on the rise, perceptions of male shopping behavior, as well as how men actually shop, remain underexplored. We first describe three common stereotypes of male shopping behavior: “Grab and Go,” “Whine and Wait,” and “Fear of the Feminine.” We then demonstrate how actual male shopping behavior belies these stereotypes. For example, men often evaluate alternatives, bargain, and even shop in “feminine” stores. Our theory of male shopping behavior is rooted in studies of gender roles in the United States. We argue that men who shop have achieved gender role transcendence, and have found ways to satisfy an ethic of achievement in the marketplace.
Never Say ‘‘Always’’? Extreme Item Wording Effects on Scalar Invariance and Item Response Curves

When writing items for survey measures, common advice dictates that one should avoid using extreme words like ‘‘always.’’ However, the systematic study of extreme wording effects is rare. The current study applies confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and item response theory (IRT) methods to assess the effects of extreme item wording (i.e., the word ‘‘always’’) on item-level, response option-level, and scale- (or test) level invariance. The authors hypothesized that including the word ‘‘always’’ in an item stem would affect responses such that individuals would be less likely to strongly agree with these items. To test this hypothesis, six items with extreme wording from the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS) were compared with more moderately worded versions of the same items. Although an effect was found for item wording, the magnitude of nonequivalence was small and is unlikely to have a strong influence on scale-level measurement outcomes. Implications for evaluating survey psychometric p...
VOLUNTEER PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

: Using data collected in a national survey of 1,638 individuals regarding volunteer behavior, this article examines factors related to volunteer participation in local government activities. The findings suggest that among all volunteers (regardless of sector), those individuals residing in cities with populations of under 100,000, in central cities, and in states where limitations on local tax revenues have been imposed are most likely to volunteer to perform activities under the auspices of a public jurisdiction. Furthermore, none of the other sociodemographic variables are related to volunteering to public jurisdictions. The study also revealed that among those who volunteer to public jurisdictions, different combinations of sociodemographic and environmental variables are associated with different types of volunteer activities.
Some observations on two piecewise-linear dynamic systems with induced hysteretic damping

Significant hysteretic damping can be introduced into dynamical systems for vibration control purpose by means of semi-active control implementation. The dynamic behavior of two such models with a single-degree-of-freedom are examined in this paper. Control performance is found to be not only dependent on the stiffness ratio between the primary spring and auxiliary spring, but also on the forcing frequency of the harmonic excitation. Some problems associated with the equivalent linearization of these types of dynamical systems are also discussed.
Penetration of acetylcholine into squid giant axons.

Abstract Acetylcholine (ACh) neither blocks conduction of nor penetrates into the axoplasm of crudely or finely dissected squid giant axons. d -Tubocurarine (curare) is also unable to affect conduction even in finely dissected axonal preparations. The potency of physostigmine is about equal in the two preparations. These results indicate that adhering small nerve fibers and connective tissue may not be a strong permeability barrier. Cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTA) is more potent on finely dissected than on crudely dissected preparations, whereas cottonmouth moccasin venom is much more potent on the crudely dissected preparation. ACh and curare markedly depress conduction in finely dissected axons pretreated with CTA but not in those pretreated with venom. CTA apparently disrupts permeability barriers directly, whereas the venom acts indirectly, probably by forming lysophosphatides in the adhering small nerve fibers and connective tissue. Removal of calcium and magnesium from the seawater increases the penetration of ACh through the axonal membrane, which may partially explain the known antagonism between curare and these ions on certain biological preparations.
Modified Hanley procedure for management of complex horseshoe fistulae.

Horseshoe fistulae are challenging due to configuration and sphincter involvement. In view of the new treatment options for fistulae (e.g. collagen plug), aim of our study was to review the outcome of patients primarily treated with a traditional approach. We retrospectively reviewed patients who presented between 2003 and 2008, with a posterior horseshoe abscess/fistula and were treated with a modified Hanley procedure and seton management. Excluded were Crohn’s disease, fistulae from malignancy/surgical complications, and other treatment methods. Data collection included demographics, duration of the disease, and of the treatment, outcome, and incontinence. Twenty-three patients (M/F 20/3) were analyzed. Mean age was 50.3 ± 10.2 years, median symptom duration 24 months; three patients (19%) had previously received colostomies without resolution. All patients received a posterior midline cutting seton. The average total number of setons was 3 ± 1.3 (range 2–7), with removal after 1.6 ± 1.2 months upon resolution of induration and suppuration. The cutting seton was tightened in monthly intervals on average 4.9 ± 2.2 times. Follow-up was 15.4 ± 9.7 months: 91.3% patients had complete healing time within 8.1 ± 4.5 months; 19/23 patients recovered fast, and were able to work no later than 4 weeks postoperatively (2 patients retired, 2 on disability for other reasons). No incontinence was found. Fecal diversion alone did not resolve horseshoe fistulae. A modified Hanley procedure with drainage of the deep postanal space and cutting and draining setons proved to be safe, successful, and did not result in complaints of fecal incontinence. Completion of the treatment took months, but patients remained functional even with setons in place.
A luminescent Pt(II) complex with a terpyridine-like ligand involving a six-membered chelate ring.

The ligand 2-(8′-quinolinyl)-1,10-phenanthroline (1) was prepared in 79% yield by the Friedlander condensation of 8-amino-7-quinolinecarbaldehyde and 8-acetylquinoline. The complex [Pt(1)Cl]+ was prepared and compared with the isomeric 2-(2′-quinolinyl)-1,10-phenanthroline (2) complex. An X-ray analysis indicated that the six-membered chelate ring in the tridentate complex resulted in a relief of angle strain as well as some non-planarity in the bound ligand 1. The control system for photophysical studies is [Pt(3)Cl]+ where 3 denotes 2-(2′-pyridyl)-1,10-phenanthroline. Relative to the complex of 3, in dichloromethane solution [Pt(1)Cl]+ exhibits noticeably higher energy charge-transfer absorption but slightly lower energy emission. The gap between the onset of absorption and emission is larger because the emission from [Pt(1)Cl]+ originates from a triplet excited state with substantial intra-ligand character. At room temperature in deoxygenated dichloromethane, [Pt(1)Cl]+ has an excited-state lifetime of 310 ns vs. 230 ns for [Pt(3)Cl]+. Within the series, [Pt(1)Cl]+ also exhibits the largest activation barrier for thermally induced quenching at 2730 cm−1 in fluid dichloromethane solution. However, the barrier is only about 50% larger than that found for [Pt(3)Cl]+. There is reduced ring strain in [Pt(1)Cl]+, but inter-ligand steric interactions weaken the ligand field.
Enhanced sequential optimization and reliability assessment method for probabilistic optimization with varying design variance

The Sequential Optimization and Reliability Assessment (SORA) method is a single-loop method containing a serial of cycles of decoupled deterministic optimization and reliability assessment for improving the efficiency of probabilistic optimization. However, the original SORA method as well as some other existing single-loop methods do not take into account the effect of varying design variance (changing variance) in design problems. In this paper, to enhance the SORA method, three formulations are proposed in order to improve the efficiency for solving problems with changing variance. These formulations are categorized by the different strategies of Inverse Most Probable Point (IMPP) approximation. Mathematical examples and a speed reducer design problem are utilized to test and compare the effectiveness of the proposed formulations. The insight gained from our study on the applicability of different approaches can be extended and utilized in other probabilistic optimization strategies that require IMPP ...
Sexual function in altered physiological states: comparison of effects of hypertension, diabetes, hyperprolactinemia, and others to “normal” aging in male rats

In this review, we examine the changes in sexual function that accompany deviations from "normal" physiological states. We propose that the changes one observes in many altered physiological states should not be viewed in isolation. We describe our paradigms for assessing sexual function, and proceed to evaluate how sexual function changes with hormonal deprivation and aging, in rat models for hypertension, in severe hyperprolactinemia, in streptozotocin-induced diabetes, after chronic alcohol intake, after chronic morphine administration, and after exposure to the heavy metal, cadmium. We will provide evidence for the involvement of adrenergic transmitters and two neuropeptides, neuropeptide Y and somatostatin, in the neuroendocrine regulation of sexual behavior. Finally, we compare and contrast the changes observed relative to the changes seen in "normal" aging in rats. The sequence of age-related changes in sexual function is distinct. The first change observed is a decrement in ex copula erectile reflexes. Next are decreases in ejaculatory threshold, followed shortly by increases in initiation and reinitiation of copulation after ejaculation. This is followed by a decrement in the number of males copulating to ejaculation. Finally, there is a failure to initiate the copulatory process. This sequelae is relatively common, being evident after castration, with hyperprolactinemia, and after exposure to cadmium. The data available for sexual function in hypertension is incomplete and modified by the etiology, but a suggestion for this sequelae is seen in SHR. In contrast, sexual dysfunction associated with chronic morphine administration appears to be due to an initial deficit in motivational aspects. Testosterone reverses sexual dysfunction associated with castration, but not with idiopathic sexual inactivity, nor with sexual dysfunction associated with aging, diabetes, or chronic morphine administration. Comparing sexual function in rat models for hypertension, diabetes and chronic ethanol leads to the conclusion that increases in blood pressure, like decreases in testosterone, cannot be the primary causal factor for sexual dysfunction. Age, hormonal history of the subject, and the age at castration influence changes in sexual function. Age-related sexual dysfunction appears to be contributed to by changes in adrenergic-neuropeptidergic, to include sympathetic, systems. Site-specific administration of NPY induces alterations in parameters of copulatory behavior which mimic those seen in aging and the retention of ejaculatory behavior with aging is associated with site-selective attenuation (or reversal) of age-associated changes in NPY content. Yohimbine enhances copulatory activity in castrated and aging rats, and attenuates or reverses the antisexual effects of clonidine, epinephrine and somatostatin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Stroop interference in the left and right visual fields.

Abstract The Stroop Color-Word test was employed to study the amount of interference in naming colors when stimuli were presented in either visual field. It was hypothesized that more Stroop interference would occur in the dominant hemisphere. The subjects were 24 right-handed college students, between 18 and 25 years old. There were three conditions in each visual field: Interference, Reading, and Naming. Each slide was presented for 150 msec preceded by a fixation dot. Subjects were asked to verbally report as fast and as accurately as they could either the color words or the color names, depending upon the conditions. Reaction times and error rates were analyzed. As expected, significantly higher error rates were obtained when color words were presented in the right visual field under the Stroop interference condition. Under this same condition, reaction time analysis yielded no significant differences between hemispheres.
Alternative models of the real number line in physics

Mathematicians have shown that alternative models of the real number line exist, which have all properties of the usual real numbers (a complete ordered field). Since our conception of metric distances in space-time can be put in one-to-one relation with our conception of the real number line, if alternative models exist, it becomes a matter for experiment which model nature has chosen for physical space-time. We consider one such model in which ordinary real numbers are replaced by random variables and show that the model satisfies the 11 axioms of a complete ordered field. This model then is used to model metric distances in physical space-time and to explore the physical implications for the propagation of light. A nice feature of the model is that it provides a new conceptual framework for building a constant with dimensions of length into space-time. The Mossbauer effect restricts this fundamental length to be less than 10−24 cm.
Proportionally off-mass-shell equation for unequal mass systems

A new two-body relativistic equation is presented. The major advantage of the proposed equation over existing equations in the literature is that this equation automatically adjusts itself for different mass systems. Besides unitarity and covariance, this equation gives a physically meaningful prescription of how the particles go off-mass-shell in the intermediate states. It allows the particles to go off-mass-shell proportionally to their masses so that when one of the masses becomes infinite, it automatically becomes a one-body equation for the lighter particle and for equal mass systems, it reduces to the Todorov equation. Because of the off-mass-shell prescription for the intermediate states, it will be useful for systems with a wide variety of masses such as mesons, positronium, muonium, pionium, the deuteron and light hadronic atoms.
Steam quality measurement in flow lines

This paper presents the results of a small scale experimental program undertaken to investigate critical and subcritical flow correlations between steam quality and pressure. Subcritical flow tests indicate only a general trend exists between steam quality pressure drop through a venturi. However, for the critical flow of a steam-water mixture in the pressure range of 26 to 69 psia, results indicate a suitable correlation exists between steam quality and upstream pressure. Unlike existing methods for measuring quality, this method is independent of mass flow rate, is insensitive to flow splitting and avoids problems associated with sampling.
Development of a finite dynamic element for free vibration analysis of two-dimensional structures

The paper develops an efficient free-vibration analysis procedure of two-dimensional structures. This is achieved by employing a discretization technique based on a recently developed concept of finite dynamic elements, involving higher order dynamic correction terms in the associated stiffness and inertia matrices. A plane rectangular dynamic element is developed in detail. Numerical solution results of free-vibration analysis presented herein clearly indicate that these dynamic elements combined with a suitable quadratic matrix eigenproblem solution technique effect a most economical and efficient solution for such an analysis when compared with the usual finite element method.
Smoothed eigenstates from molecular spectra

Abstract A means to understand smoothed spectral features is presented here. This technique is based on the generation of a hierarchical tree from a molecular spectrum. The tree is then used to choose superpositions of eigenstates which can be associated with smoothed features of the spectrum. These “smoothed eigenstates” allow for the assignment of spectral features. The method can be directly applied to time-independent calculations without any time evolution. It should also be useful for understanding the eigenstates of multidimensional potential surfaces without reference to any particular molecular spectrum.
Long-term effects of religious upbringing

Abstract The impact of religious experiences on development is often ignored in therapeutic settings. This study examines the effects of rigidity and fear in religious upbringings and of current religious status on conformity to parental expectations, guilt, aversion to religious artifacts, family strife, independence and irrational beliefs. Questionnaires were designed to measure these effects and were completed by 129 adult men and women. Regression analyses revealed that high histories of fear, high current religiosity and older age were predictive of guilt; high current religiosity predicted conformity to parental wishes; high histories of fear and low current religiosity predicted aversion to religious artifacts; and high histories of rigidity were predictive of family strife. Histories of religious rigidity and fear were differentially associated with disaffiliation from parental religions. Family strife was also associated with similarity of beliefs between subjects and their parents. Subjects over...
Some Ideas about Teaching Design of Experiments, with 25 Examples of Experiments Conducted by Students

Abstract Some experiences with the use of student projects in experimental design courses at Wisconsin are described. Each student is given the opportunity of selecting a problem of direct interest to him/her, designing and performing an experiment, collecting and analyzing the data. Some ideas with regard to pedagogy and the use of simulated data are also discussed.
Impacts of small mammals and birds on low-tillage, dryland crops

Abstract During 2000–2001, small mammals, birds, and potential corn/soybean damage were studied at a low-tillage, non-irrigated agricultural research site in the Colorado Piedmont. A small mammal survey involved four trapping sessions and 18, 12-live-trap grids each. Within years, two grids each were placed at random, fixed locations in experimental corn, fallow, millet, pea, soybean, sunflower, and wheat plots at the site; two off-plot grids each were set at random, fixed locations X =2.2% ). Sixty-three small mammals were captured and 39 were recaptured. Captures included deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), northern grasshopper mouse (Onychomys leucogaster), thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Spermophilus tridecemlineatus), and western harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis). Deer mice accounted for 56 of the initial captures (88.9%). In-crop captures (n=15) and recaptures (n=16) were most frequent in wheat plots. Bird counts were low and included horned lark (Eremophila alpestris), killdeer plover (Charadrius vociferus), lark bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys), mountain plover (Charadrius montanus), mourning dove (Zenaida macroura), and western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta). No direct seed removal, sprout removal, or plant clipping by small mammals or birds was observed, but some clipping of soybean plants was attributed to deer (Odocoileus virginianus and O. hemionus) and jack rabbits (Lepus townsendii or L. californicus). Plant debris accumulation is viewed as a key factor determining small mammal abundance and potential damage in low-till agriculture.
Spectroscopic studies on the nature of the active centres in anionic polymerization.

The evidence provided on active centre structure by NMR studies on models of ionic polymerization systems is described. It is also shown that near UV optical spectroscopy studies can also be of value in some specific cases. The application of such studies to the elucidation of the mechanism of stereospecific polymerization is discussed.
Deposition of alumina from dimethylaluminum isopropoxide

Abstract Results from an investigation of chemical vapor deposition of aluminum oxide from dimethylaluminum isopropoxide as a function of deposition temperature at a total pressure of 1.5 mTorr are reported. An effective activation energy for this process was determined to be 85 kJ/mol. Deposited films were shown to be oxygen-rich compared to Al 2 O 3 , with higher deposition temperatures resulting in films closer to stoichiometric alumina. Carbon content of the films increased from approximately 1 to 8 at.% at substrate temperatures of 417 and 659 °C, respectively.
A Regression Method for Mark-Recapture Estimation of Population Size with Unequal Catchability

The assumption of equal catchability of marked and unmarked animals in mark—recapture sampling is examined. Violation of this assumption may come from two basic sources, heterogeneity or contagion, and both produce a bias in the estimate of population size. Two approaches to this problem are discussed. First, it is noted that bias can be avoided by statistically independent sampling procedures for marking and recapturing. Second, a new regression method is presented for multiple captures on a closed population, which combines mark—recapture with "simulated" removal and tests whether the assumption of equal catchability holds, regardless of the source of bias. Furthermore, if the ratio of catchabilities between unmarked and marked animals is constant over at least two successive samples, the method provides an estimate of population size even if the assumption of equal catchability does not hold. Two suggestions are made to supplement the regression method. First, noncapture sampling to obtain the ratio of...
Pelvic hemangiopericytoma in a patient with mixed germ cell tumor of the testis.

Hemangiopericytoma is a vascular neoplasm thought to arise from pericytes. It typically occurs in the lower extremities, pelvic fossa and retroperitoneum. Patients often present with only a painless mass, thus making diagnosis difficult. The histological features of hemangiopericytoma are similar to those of other soft tissue neoplasms. We describe a patient in whom this disease process was incidentally discovered during evaluation for another neoplastic disease process.
Iron Acquisition by Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale

Abstract Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (ORT) is an emerging respiratory pathogen of poultry in North America that is causing millions of dollars in economic losses to the poultry industry. Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale is associated with airsacculitis, pleuritis, pneumonia, and consolidation of lungs. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms of infection. In this study, the mechanism of iron acquisition by O. rhinotracheale was explored. O. rhinotracheale strains grown under iron deprivation in media containing 200 µM 2,2′-dipyridyl did not secrete siderophores as measured by the chrome azurol S (CAS) agar and CAS solution assays. Filter disks impregnated with various protein-bound iron compounds and inorganic iron salts of Fe(III) and Fe(II) placed on iron-restricted agar inoculated with a lawn of O. rhinotracheale supported growth from sheep and porcine hemoglobins, ovotransferrin, Fe(III), and Fe(II), but they did not support growth from bovine transferrin, bovine apo-transferrin, bovine lact...
Spatial heterodyne spectroscopy - A novel interferometric technique for the FUV

The optical principles associated with spatial heterodyne spectroscopy (SHS) are described and the results of proof-of-concept tests performed in both the visible and the UV spectral regions are presented. A specific all-reflecting SHS configuration now being developed for high-resolution planetary Lyman-alpha studies is discussed. The expected performance of SHS systems is compared to that of conventional instrumentation in two cases: Venusian Ly-alpha measurements at high resolution from a sounding rocket and the velocity-resolved survey of the diffuse FUV interstellar medium emission from a Small Explorer class satellite.
QSAR and molecular shape analysis of aryl-substituted alanine analogs as antigelling agents

Quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) analyses have been performed to analyze the basis for the antigelling activity of a series of aryl-substituted alanine analogs, including both phenylalanine and tryptophan analogs. We find that these two groups of compounds should be treated separately, probably due to the difference in shape between the phenyl and indole rings in the respective side chains. For the phenylalanine analogs, the hydrophobicity of the side chain, as measured by the π constants of the aromatic ring and their substituents, explains about 50% of the variance in antigelling activity. The square of the aromatic dipole moment and the steric overlap volume, as obtained from three dimensional molecular shape analysis, account for an additional 20% and 10% of the variance, respectively. For the tryptophan analogs, the majority of the variance is explained either by the square of the aromatic dipole moment (70%) or by the steric overlap volume (60%), with the two descriptors being highly correlated. This result suggests that the tryptophan analogs exhibit a relatively tight steric fit within their binding sites. The separate QSAR's of phenylalanine and tryptophan analogs also suggest that these two groups of compounds may bind to hemoglobin through different mechanisms or at different sites. For phenylalanine analogs, the hydrophobic interaction is dominant, and the dipole-dipole interaction and steric effects contribute to lesser extents. For the tryptophan analogs, the dipole-dipole interaction prevails with a high degree of steric shape complimentarity, but without any significant contribution from hydrophobic interactions. This information should assist in the future development of more specific and effective agents.
Phase equilibria for the aluminum-rich region of the AlRu system

Abstract Measurements by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermal analysis show that the aluminum-rich end of the published phase diagram for the AlRu system is incorrect. A new phase diagram is proposed for the aluminum-rich end of the diagram. The main differences from the previous diagram are as follows: (1) Al13Ru4 melts peritectically at 1403°C rather than at 1200°C, (ii) Al6Ru melts peritectically at 723°C rather than congruently at 1340°C and (iii) we find no evidence for the phase Al12Ru, reported earlier. The kinetics of phase formation in this system are discussed with reference to the synthesis of metastable structures such as the icosahedral phase.
Non-linear effects in transition edge sensors for X-ray detection

Abstract In a microcalorimeter that uses a transition-edge sensor to detect energy depositions, the small signal energy resolution improves with decreasing heat capacity. This improvement remains true up to the point where non-linear and saturation effects become significant. This happens when the energy deposition causes a significant change in the sensor resistance. Not only does the signal size become a non-linear function of the energy deposited, but also the noise becomes non-stationary over the duration of the pulse. Algorithms have been developed that can calculate the optimal performance given this non-linear behavior that typically requires significant processing and calibration work—both of which are impractical for space missions. We have investigated the relative importance of the various non-linear effects, with the hope that a computationally simple transformation can overcome the largest of the non-linear and non-stationary effects, producing a highly linear “gain” for pulse-height versus energy, and close to the best energy resolution at all energies when using a Wiener filter.
Altitudinal distribution of territorial Pallas’s Leaf Warblers ( Phylloscopus proregulus ) in Korea and its disruption by fir ( Abies )-planting

Pallas’s Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus proregulus) is a common breeding bird above 700 m in the forests of the Myohyang range, Korea. Within the largely natural forest are several temple gardens, four of which at 140–520 m held territorial Pallas’s Leaf Warblers. All had mature planted firs (Abies), which occur naturally in the area only over 1,000 m. The planted firs evidently stimulated the warblers to settle below their natural altitudinal range, but cannot be the only stimulus because the natural lower distribution of the warbler is 300 m below that of the tree.
Cryptococcal meningitis in patients with glioma: a report of two cases

Objective and importance We describe two patients with high-grade glioma undergoing treatment with corticosteroids and chemotherapy who presented with cryptococcal meningitis and sepsis. This report of two cases highlights the importance of examining the efficacy of prophylactic antibiotic and/or antifungal regimens in this patient population due to their increased risk of opportunistic infections. Clinical presentation A 73-year-old man with a history of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), on dexamethasone and status post radiation therapy and two cycles of temozolamide, presented with decreased level of consciousness for 24 h and was found to have cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood cultures positive for Cryptococcus neoformans. A 33-year-old man with a history of anaplastic astrocytoma, on dexamethasone and status post radiation therapy, four cycles of temozolomide and two cycles of Lomustine (CCNU), presented with headache, dizziness and photophobia and was found to have CSF and blood cultures positive for Cryptococcus neoformans. Intervention Both patients were treated with an initial regimen of amphotericin B and flucytosine for a minimum of two weeks and switched to fluconazole for 6 months to 1 year of treatment. Conclusion Patients with high-grade glioma treated with long-term corticosteroid therapy and chemotherapy are at increased risk of developing opportunistic infections. The two patients reported here developed cryptococcal meningitis and sepsis. Prophylactic regimens with either fluconazole or itraconazole currently exist that effectively decrease the incidence of both cryptococcal infections. Further investigations into the risk:benefit ratio of primary prophylactic therapy in this patient population may prove beneficial.
A Predictive Coding Framework for Learning to Predict Changes in Streaming Data

Streaming sensorial data poses major computational challenges, such as, lack of storage, inapplicability of offline algorithms, and the necessity to capture nonstationary data distributions with concept drifts. Our goal is to build a learner framework that uses the current data and the knowledge from historical data to predict the next data in an efficient, unsupervised and online manner. Labeled streaming data is scarce, hence prediction of data instead of labels is a more realistic problem. We present a learner model, called SELP, for learning in variances as features from explanations of surprises due to prediction errors in streaming spatiotemporal data. This model runs a relentless cycle of Surprise → Explain → Learn → Predict involving the real external world and its internal model. The learner is continuously updated, independent of a trigger, proportional to its surprise. It implements a more efficient version of predictive coding, a form of biologically-plausible information coding paradigm, by predicting changes in the data instead of the data itself. Experimental results obtained from deploying our implementation on synthesized and real-world data are qualitatively comparable to that of traditional predictive coding on similar data sets. The results also offer insights into the learner design. This research lays out the foundations for an agent-based framework with an internal model grounded to the data stream.