cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of Atmospheric Turbulence on Beam Propagation

A trailer-based sensor system has been developed for remote chemical sensing applications. The detection scheme utilizes quantum cascade lasers operating in the long-wave infrared. It has been determined that atmospheric turbulence is the dominating noise source for this system. For this application, horizontal path lengths vary from several hundred meters to several kilometers resulting in weak to moderate to strong turbulence conditions. Field experiments have simultaneously monitored meteorological and atmospheric quantities during remote sensing in order to better understand the impact of turbulence on horizontal beam propagation. A numerical model has been developed to simulate the performance of the system and comparisons between simulation and experiment have been encouraging.© (2004) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Solgel transition in dye fluorescence measurements.

The results of fluorescence quenching measurements, obtained for a dye-substituted aqueous gelatin solution during the sol–gel transition, are presented. Simultaneous optical polarization rotation and fluorescence studies allow us to find the dependence of the fluorescence yield on the amount of helix created in the medium. The exact gel point has been found as the point of inflection on the fluorescence yield versus the helix amount plot. The second-order character of the sol–gel transition is shown, which is in agreement with the theoretical predictions obtained by use of the percolation theory.
Development of dihydrazide-activated silica supports for high-performance affinity chromatography

Abstract A method of preparing dihydrazide-activated silica was developed for use in high-performance affinity chromatography (HPAC). This support was made by oxidizing diol-bonded silica and reacting it with oxalic or adipic dihydrazide. The steps involved in this synthesis were studied and confirmed by FTIR. Items considered in optimizing the preparation of the support included the amount of dihydrazide added and the reaction time or pH used. Control of dihydrazide bifunctional attachment was obtained by varying the extent of diol-bonded silica oxidation. This support was successfully used in the immobilization of oxidized antibodies, horse radish peroxidase (a glycoenzyme) and transfer RNA. In each case, data indicated that immobilization was through site specific coupling rather than non-specific adsorption. Dihydrazide-activated silica was found to be stable for 2–6 weeks after preparation when stored at 5 to 25°C. The linkage between oxidized biomolecules and this support was stable for at least one month in the presence of various solvents commonly used in HPAC.
Regulation by adrenocorticotropic hormone of the in vivo expression of scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI), a high density lipoprotein receptor, in steroidogenic cells of the murine adrenal gland

The class B, type I scavenger receptor, SR-BI, binds high density lipoprotein (HDL) and can mediate selective uptake of HDL cholesteryl esters by cultured cells. The high levels of expression of SR-BI in steroidogenic tissues and the importance of selective uptake from HDL as a source of cholesterol for steroidogenesis raised the possibility that SR-BI may participate in cholesterol delivery to steroidogenic tissues in vivo. We have used immunoblotting and immunohistochemical methods to show that SR-BI is specifically expressed in a distinctive pattern on the surfaces of steroid-producing cells in the murine adrenal gland's cortex and that its expression in vivo is induced by adrenocorticotropic hormone and suppressed by glucocorticoids. Thus, expression of SR-BI protein is coordinately regulated with adrenal steroidogenesis. These data provide strong support for the hypothesis that SR-BI is a physiologically relevant HDL receptor that provides substrate cholesterol for steroid hormone synthesis.
The effect of cortisone on the course of systemic moniliasis in mice. I. The efficacious effect of cortisone for severe infections.

A mild to moderate moniliasis in mice was rendered more severe by periodic treatment with cortisone acetate. This enhanced severity of infection occurring in male and female animals was no greater, however, than could be atributed to the deleterious effect of the cortisoneper se, as evidenced by the results on uninfected animals treated similary with cortisone. Infected male animals treated periodically with the aqueous vehicle of cortisone revealed an enhanced severity of monilial involvement; female mice similarly infected and treated showed no modification of the severity of infection. A severe moniliasis induced by suspending theCandida cells in mucin was reduced in severity for male, but not for female mice by the same schedule of cortisone treatment as used above. The effect of the aqueous vehicle on such a severe monilial involvement was similar to that found with mildly infected mice. The possible significance of these observations are discussed.
Oscillatory potentials. History, techniques and potential use in the evaluation of disturbances of retinal circulation

The oscillatory potentials seem to reflect severe disturbances in the retinal (and perhaps choroidal) circulation. In some cases of diabetic retinopathy with severe microangiopathy, the oscillatory potentials may be selectively reduced or extinguished while the amplitude of the a- and b-waves of the ERG remains normal. A correlation appears to exist between severely reduced oscillatory potentials and a circulatory deficiency in the retina. This selective reduction of the oscillatory potentials during advancing retinopathy is considered to be indirect evidence that they are generated independently from the mechanism producing the primary components (the a- and b-waves). The usefulness of the oscillatory potentials in the prognosis of retinal disease, particularly in diabetic retinopathy, is reviewed. The historical background, the techniques and instrumentation necessary to produce and record them, the experimental data available on the site of their origin, the clinical significance to date and the experimental efforts in our laboratory are summarized.
Coenzyme binding to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase after modification by substrate and coenzyme

Summary 1. The coenzyme-binding characteristics of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase ( D -glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate:DPN+ oxidoreductase(phosphorylating), EC 1.2.1.12) are altered when the enzyme is incubated with DPNH or DPNH and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate. Extensive modification occurs only in the presence of oxygen and parallels the loss of enzymic activity. 2. The modified enzyme binds the same mole-ratio of DPNH as does enzyme which has had the DPN+ removed by mixing with charcoal, i.e. 3 moles per mole of protein. However, this binding does not quench, but rather enhances DPNH fluorescence as is the case for all other pyridine nucleotide-linked dehydrogenases thus far tested.
Assessing Śabara's arguments for the conclusion that a generic term denotes just a class property

Le terme generique, denote-t-il la propriete de la classe, un objet particulier ou les deux? L'A. analyse les deux arguments de Śabara contre l'opinion des Pāninian et des Naiyāyaka qui pensent que le terme generique denote les deux, et prouve que ces arguments ne sont pas fondes.
Impacts of deregulation and price caps on rate convergence between Washington, DC and eight major cities: a pooled data model

Based on the cross-sectionally heteroskedastic and time-wise autoregressive (CSHTWA) model and data for long-distance telephone rates between Washington, DC and eight major cities, this paper has demonstrated that rates among AT&T, MCI, and US Sprint have converged over time and since the divestiture. However, price caps have increased rate differences or ratios.
Problèmes liés aux prévisions et la gestion des inondations naturelles et des crues soudaines

Nous identifions les problemes de recherche, de developpement, et de transfert de technologie associes a l’amelioration des previsions operationnelles et la gestion des inondations et des crues soudaines afin de reduire leurs graves consequences. Ces questions relevent aussi bien des sciences physiques et sociales, que du domaine institutionnel, en ce qui concerne la cooperation des chercheurs, meteorologues, et des utilisateurs finaux pour accroitre l’efficacite de l’entreprise hydrologique visant a limiter les degâts materiels et a reduire le bilan des pertes humaines. Une etude de cas portant sur une approche integree d’un bout a l’autre de la chaine climat-hydrologie-gestion des ressources en eau dans un cadre operationnel, et une autre sur la prevision des crues soudaines pour de vastes zones geographiques a haute resolution servent a souligner ces problemes. La transition des previsions deterministes aux previsions probabilistes est proposee comme etant necessaire pour ameliorer la production et l’utilisation des previsions. En outre, le concept des plates-formes d’essais avec la participation de chercheurs, de meteorologues et d’utilisateurs finaux est suggere comme solution viable pour le developpement de systemes de prevision-decision integres visant a limiter les degâts materiels et a reduire le nombre des victimes.
Reliability and Validity of Mother Responses To the Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale-Parent Version (Dbrs-P)

Reliability and construct validity of mother responses to the Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale—Parent Version were studied. Factor analysis confirmed a four-factor structure underlying the scale. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the Distractible (r=.95 and .92, respectively), Oppositional (r=.88 and .82 respectively) and Impulsive-Hyperactive (r=.92 and .89, respectively) subscales were excellent, whereas the Antisocial Conduct factor was marginal (r=.67 and .65, respectively). Convergent validity with similar rating scales and diagnostic validity against DSM-IV criterion was excellent. Evidence of discriminant validity was provided.
Infrared and visible ellipsometric studies of cholera toxin in ELISA structures

Ellipsometry is well known for its extreme sensitivity to the presence and properties of ultra-thin films. In the infrared, resonance response to chemical bonds allows chemical identification in monolayer-thick biological films. In this paper we show results of attachment repeatability for successive layers of monosialoganglioside, cholera toxin, and related antibodies using in situ visible spectroscopic ellipsometry. Several factors contributing to difficulty in obtaining reproducible results are discussed. Soecifically, these include freshness of reagents; surface type, cleaning, and preparation; temperature; birefringence of liquid cell windows; and cell design. Sensitivity and signal noise considerations for infrared spectra of molecular monolayers are discussed.
What Does the Phenocopy Copy

The concept of the phenocopy is examined from the point of view of psychology. Two main uses are described: to refer to artificially induced versions of phenotypes usually associated with mutant genes and to designate naturally occurring alternate phenotypes which appear in different environments. It is argued that the traditional definition, an environmentally produced copy of a genetic character, perpetuates the misleading and invalid assumption that some phenotypic characters are programmed and formed by the genes, while others are formed by the environment. An alternate view rejects this developmental dichotomy (which is to be distinguished from the legitimate description of specific sources of variation under restricted experimental conditions), instead taking the notion of multiple developmental pathways as central. The value of this latter idea extends far beyond the phenocopy itself, emphasizing as it does the coaction, not just interaction as it is conventionally construed, of genome and environm...
Vancomycin-resistant bacteria.

Gram-positive cocci, in particular coagulasenegative species of staphylococci and enterococci, seem to be the nosocomial pathogens of the 1990s.1 In the past, vancomycin has been uniformly active against all of these pathogens, although recently some data have brought its clinical efficacy against even susceptible strains of Staphylococcus aureus into question.2 Vancomycin has been used heavily since 1982 for the treatment of infections caused by methicillin-resistant strains of S aureus, which are causing a pandemic,3 and for treatment of infections by gram-positive organisms in patients allergic to the p3-lactams. For serious infections with enterococci resistant to p3-lactams, either because of penicillin-binding protein (PBP)
Calcineurin signaling and NFAT activation in cardiovascular and skeletal muscle development

Calcineurin signaling has been implicated in a broad spectrum of developmental processes in a variety of organ systems. Calcineurin is a calmodulin-dependent, calcium-activated protein phosphatase composed of catalytic and regulatory subunits. The serine/threonine-specific phosphatase functions within a signal transduction pathway that regulates gene expression and biological responses in many developmentally important cell types. Calcineurin signaling was first defined in T lymphocytes as a regulator of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) transcription factor nuclear translocation and activation. Recent studies have demonstrated the vital nature of calcium/calcineurin/NFAT signaling in cardiovascular and skeletal muscle development in vertebrates. Inhibition, mutation, or forced expression of calcineurin pathway genes result in defects or alterations in cardiomyocyte maturation, heart valve formation, vascular development, skeletal muscle differentiation and fiber-type switching, and cardiac and skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Conserved calcineurin genes are found in invertebrates such as Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans, and genetic studies have demonstrated specific myogenic functions for the phosphatase in their development. The ability to investigate calcineurin signaling pathways in vertebrates and model genetic organisms provides a great potential to more fully comprehend the functions of calcineurin and its interacting genes in heart, blood vessel, and muscle development.
Asymptomatic Hyperammonemia in Low Birthweight Infants

Summary: At 0–3 days of age the plasma ammonium concentration in full term appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants was (mean ± SEM) 27.5 ± 0.5 μM; a value similar to that reported in adults. Ammonium levels in low birthweight AGA and SGA groups were 47.0 ± 2.0 μM and 45.1 ± 3.3 μM respectively; significantly elevated (P < 0.001) as compared to the full term group. These increased ammonium levels persisted at 3–5 weeks of age. Associated with the hyperammonemia was a significant (P < 0.01) decrease in plasma α-ketoglutarate concentration: 11.8 ± 1.0 μM, in the low birthweight AGA as compared to 20.7 ± 0.6 μM in the full term AGA infants. There was an inverse linear correlation between plasma concentrations of ammonium and α-ketoglutarate r = −0.86, P < 0.001. Urinary orotate excretion was significantly elevated (P < 0.05) in low birthweight AGA infants. There was no difference in the plasma concentrations of glutamine, glutamate, or alanine among the various groups. Hyperammonemia was not associated with neurologic dysfunction. Speculation: There is a greater accumulation of ammonium in low birthweight as compared to full term infants. This may be a consequence of a developmental delay of one or more of the enzymes required for urea synthesis. Alternatively, the hyperammonemia may be related to arginine and/or ornithine diversion out of the cycle and incomplete repletion of ornithine from glutamate via the Δ′-pyrroline-5-carboxylate pathway.
HISPANIC HERITAGE LANGUAGE SPEAKERS IN THE UNITED STATES: LINGUISTIC EXCLUSION IN EDUCATION

The Hispanic population of the United States is quite diverse and with each passing year, due to (im)migration patterns, more and more students are entering language classrooms with some degree of familiarity with the language. However, because of the tendency toward intergenerational loss of Spanish, the linguistic proficiency covers the bilingual continuum. Some of these individuals are Spanish-dominant, some are strongly bilingual in Spanish and English, while still others are English-dominant with some, although at times minimal, control of Spanish. The traditional response to linguistic diversity of both the education system and society in general has been an attempt to eradicate varieties other than the perceived standard. This view has been rationalized by stating that the standard language, which is selected to be taught, is the vehicle for general communication and serves many and varied public functions while a dialect is considered only to have informal daily functions, thereby hindering its us...
Hemodynamic Monitoring in Heart Failure: A Nursing Perspective

Managing patients who have heart failure is challenging and requires the integration of inpatient and outpatient care. Until evidence from clinical trials of implantable hemodynamic monitors (IHMs) is available and approval from the Food and Drug Administration is received, the best available model seems to be telemonitoring in conjunction with a comprehensive heart failure disease management program. A number of issues, including established processes for data review and interpretation, must be addressed before IHMs are widely adopted and accepted. Nurses, as the most frequent and common contact for patients, have the ability and opportunity to lead this change.
ICP-MS analysis of lanthanide-doped nanoparticles as a non-radiative, multiplex approach to quantify biodistribution and blood clearance

Recent advances in material science and chemistry have led to the development of nanoparticles with diverse physicochemical properties, e.g. size, charge, shape, and surface chemistry. Evaluating which physicochemical properties are best for imaging and therapeutic studies is challenging not only because of the multitude of samples to evaluate, but also because of the large experimental variability associated with in vivo studies (e.g. differences in tumor size, injected dose, subject weight, etc.). To address this issue, we have developed a lanthanide-doped nanoparticle system and analytical method that allows for the quantitative comparison of multiple nanoparticle compositions simultaneously. Specifically, superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) with a range of different sizes and charges were synthesized, each with a unique lanthanide dopant. Following the simultaneous injection of the various SPIO compositions into tumor-bearing mice, inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) was used to quantitatively and orthogonally assess the concentration of each SPIO composition in serial blood samples and the resected tumor and organs. The method proved generalizable to other nanoparticle platforms, including dendrimers, liposomes, and polymersomes. This approach provides a simple, cost-effective, and non-radiative method to quantitatively compare tumor localization, biodistribution, and blood clearance of more than 10 nanoparticle compositions simultaneously, removing subject-to-subject variability.
Climate change and moving species: furthering the debate on assisted colonization.

With global climate change looming large in the public psyche, the recent paper by McLachlan et al. (2007) and its popular accompaniment (Fox 2007) are timely indeed. Of course some conservation biologists will not wish to think about the prospect of actively moving species that are threatened with extinction by climate change. For them this would be almost analogous to handing out placebos in the midst of an epidemic and worse yet, these placebos may have serious unintended consequences if translocated species become invasive. They will probably argue that we should focus almost exclusively on two central roles for conservation biology: (1) facilitating natural range shifts by redoubling efforts to maintain or restore large-scale connectivity (Hunter et al. 1988; Hannah et al. 2002) and (2) working with our fellow environmental professionals to avoid carbon-management solutions that will have unacceptable consequences for biodiversity (e.g., by directing biofuel production away from sites that would involve the conversion of native vegetation into fuel farms; Cook & Beyea 2000). These two roles will be very demanding, but I believe we should allocate a small portion of our attention to the issue of assisted colonization that McLachlan et al. (2007) have brought to the fore. McLachlan et al. propose framing the debate around two considerations—perception of risk and confidence in ecological understanding—that can be construed to generate an axis or continuum from scientists who would strongly support assisted colonization to those who would oppose it. I think it is useful to advance this exercise by considering three issues that can also be construed as continua: species that are more or less acceptable to translocate, sites that are more or less acceptable for receiving translocations, and projects that are more or less acceptable because of their socioeconomic ramifications and feasibility. I have used the term assisted colonization in contrast to assisted migration used by McLachlan et al.
Rehabilitation of Syndesmotic (High) Ankle Sprains

Syndesmotic ankle sprains (high ankle sprains) are a challenging lower extremity injury for athletes and sports health clinicians. Epidemiologic data suggest that syndesmotic ankle sprains account for 11% to 17% of the ankle sprains in athletic populations.15,24 Most of these injuries occur in collision sports such as American football, wrestling, ice hockey, rugby, and lacrosse. Fifty to seventy-five percent of the ankle sprains in some collision sports are classified as syndesmotic ankle injuries.13,28,46,59,64 The overall incidence of tibiofibular syndesmosis sprains in the general public is unclear. However, considering the epidemiologic data available on syndesmosis sprains and the fact that about 10 million ankle sprains occur in the United States each year, there is no doubt that the number is large.8,42 Interest in this injury and its treatment has grown due to several recent syndesmotic ankle sprains in high-profile collegiate and professional athletes. Although it may appear that high ankle sprains are becoming more prevalent, this perception is more likely a product of increased awareness than a true increase in the number of these injuries. The primary purpose of this article is to discuss current concepts in the rehabilitation of syndesmotic ankle sprains. We begin with a brief overview of tibiofibular syndesmosis anatomy, mechanisms of injury, assessment, and factors in determining surgical versus nonsurgical intervention because this information provides a framework for the discussion of rehabilitation. Detailed reviews of these background topics are available for a more comprehensive discussion of distal tibiofemoral syndesmosis injuries.4,18,40,54,63,66
The effect of tetracycline on schedule-induced polydipsia

Although tetracycline, a bacteriostatic drug, is usually administered to experimental animals via their drinking water, its effect on drinking in experimental situations has not yet been demonstrated. Three rats were given tetracycline and clear water in the home cage while they were receiving food pellets on a fixed-time 1-min schedule in the experimental chamber. Tetracycline did not affect the total session liquid intake or the pattern of drinking within a session. The study indicates that it is safe to use tetracycline on rats that are serving as subjects in studies on schedule-induced polydipsia.
Use of bladder pressure to correct for the effect of expiratory muscle activity on central venous pressure

To assess whether subtracting the expiratory change in intra-abdominal (bladder) pressure (ΔIAP) from central venous pressure (CVP) provides a reliable estimate of transmural CVP in spontaneously breathing patients with expiratory muscle activity. Prospective observational study in a medical ICU. Twenty-four spontaneously breathing patients with central venous and bladder catheters: 18 with no clinical evidence of active expiration (group 1) and 6 with active expiration (group 2). Patients in group 1 were coached to change their breathing pattern to one of active expiration for several breaths; those in group 2 were asked to sip water through a straw to briefly interrupt active expiration. During active expiration end-expiratory CVP (uncorrected CVP) and ΔIAP were measured; ΔIAP was subtracted from uncorrected CVP to obtain corrected CVP. End-expiratory CVP during relaxed breathing (best CVP) was assumed to represent the best estimate of transmural CVP. The absolute difference between corrected CVP and best CVP was much less than the difference between uncorrected CVP and best CVP (2.3 ± 2.0 vs. 12.5 ± 4.7 mmHg). In patients with active expiration, subtracting ΔIAP from end-expiratory CVP yields a more reliable (and lower) estimate of transmural CVP than does the uncorrected CVP value.
An Active Flap Deployment System for Blade–Disturbance Interaction Alleviation

A new, actively deployable trailing edge flap system is introduced and an experimental investigation is undertaken to determine its effects on the disturbances created during blade-disturbance interactions (BDI), with blade-vortex interaction (BVI) alleviation being the ultimate objective. Experimental tests were conducted using a two-dimensional (2D) wind tunnel setup incorporating a pressure instrumented airfoil section with a deployable 20% trailing edge flap and an upstream vortex generator to produce the disturbance. Results of this study showed that the disturbances, caused by BDI events, to the pressure distribution over the airfoil occur mostly at the leading edge. Carefully synchronized deployment of the trailing edge flap during BDI events resulted in a reduction of this pressure disturbance. The aeroelastic response of the active flap was modeled via unsteady linear theory and the model was validated experimentally
Bone health and prostate cancer

Bone metastases are a substantial burden to men with advanced prostate cancer as they often cause pain and can cause fractures and spinal cord compression. Osteoblasts and osteoclasts are both pathologically activated in the setting of prostate cancer bone metastases. As osteoclast activation is associated with disease progression, skeletal complications and death, osteoclast-targeted therapies are a rational approach to disease management. Zoledronic acid is standard of care for castration-resistant prostate cancer with bone metastases as it reduces the risk for skeletal-related events. Additional trials are needed to better define the ideal dose, frequency and duration of zoledronic acid therapy. No bisphosphonate has yet been shown to prevent bone metastases or to benefit men with androgen-sensitive disease. Denosumab is an experimental osteoclast-targeted monoclonal antibody against receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand. Two ongoing phase III trials are expected to define its efficacy in preventing bone metastases and disease-related skeletal events in men with prostate cancer. Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer is associated with osteoporosis and fragility fractures. Several bisphosphonates have been shown to improve bone mineral density in men receiving ADT. Two recent phase III trials have shown that denosumab and toremifene reduce the incidence of fragility fractures in these men. The World Health Organization has developed a fracture risk assessment model (FRAX) for the general population to guide the selection of patients who may benefit from pharmacotherapy. In the absence of a prostate cancer-specific algorithm, we advocate the use of FRAX for men receiving ADT.
Large-modulation-depth 2f spectroscopy with diode lasers for rapid temperature and species measurements in gases with blended and broadened spectra

A method that uses tunable diode lasers is developed for rapid temperature and concentration measurements of gases with highly broadened and congested spectra. Wavelength modulation absorption spectroscopy with 2f detection is utilized, because this derivative method offers benefits in dealing with blended spectral features. The 2f signal depends critically on the modulation depth of the laser alpha, which is increased to values above those typically achieved when wavelength modulation spectroscopy with diode lasers is performed. The 2f method with large modulation depths is validated by using near-IR diode lasers to probe pressure-broadened water-vapor features in the 1.4-microm region over a range of temperatures from 296 to 800 K and at pressures as high as 20 atm. Modulation depths as high as alpha = 0.8 cm(-1) are attained at modulation frequencies of 50 kHz and measurement bandwidths of 15 kHz. Comparisons of experimental results with 2f simulations, based on the HITRAN spectral database, provide confirmation of the capability of this method for rapid measurements of gas temperature and species concentration.
The matrix envelope of a semigroup

Various representations of semigroups by means of matrices over a group with zero have been thoroughly studied in semigroup theory. It is well known that any semigroup can be represented faithfully by means of the Schiitzenberger representations of some containing semigroup. The representing matrices are either row-monomial, that is, have at most one non-vanishing entry in each row, or column-monomial. While the Rees representation of a semigroup has yielded much useful information, the Schtitzenberger representations of a semigroup S are often so much larger than S itself that little information about S can be obtained from its Schiitzenberger representations. Clearly, one needs to embed S into a matrix semigroup more closely related to S. The purpose of this paper is to faithfully represent a semigroup S which satisfies the descending chain condition on its left and right ideals by rowmonomial A x A matrices over a group with zero. If S has only a finite number of left and right ideals then [A[ is finite, where IAl denotes the cardinal number of the set A. If S has A distinct left and right ideals where A is infinite, then IAl = /Al. From this theorem, it is easy to conclude that a finite semigroup can be embedded in a finite regular semigroup. Throughout this paper, S will be a semigroup which has a zero element and satisfies the descending chain condition on left and right ideals. S’ will denote the semigroup Su 1 arising from S by the adjunction of an identity element 1, unless S already has an identity, in which case S’ = S. If A and B are sets, A \ B will denote the set of all elements of A which are not in B.
Nonlinear Adaptive Engine Speed Control Using an Instrumental Variables Approach and a Truncated Volterra Series

An instrumental variable approach to nonlinear model-based adaptive control of engine speed is investigated and implemented on a spark ignition internal combustion engine. A four-step version of the instrumental variable parameter estimation algorithm is used to identify a bias-free and noise tolerant model of the engine dynamics between the by-pass air valve voltage and engine speed. The parametric model representing the engine dynamics is a truncated Volterra series with a time delay. Model-based adaptive control is accomplished through a partitioned inversion of the engine model which is minimum phase and OL stable. The desired closed loop throttle response and disturbance rejection dynamics are introduced via a two-degree-of-freedom feedback control structure. Performance of the nonlinear model-based adaptive control algorithm is verified experimentally.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Anticipated Changes in Human Resource Management: Views from the Field

This article reports the results of a major survey that was distributed to the members of the International Personnel Management Association and the Section on Personnel and Labor Relations of the American Society for Public Administration. The intent of the survey was twofold: to gauge the respondents' perspectives on the relative importance of various personnel techniques, activities, and values, and to assess their projections concerning the changes that will occur during the next decade. In addition to providing an interesting snapshot of the perceived state of modernization within public-sector human resource management, the results reflect a considerable degree of agreement concerning the expected direction of further changes. Themes arising from the reinvention movement, as well as the technological revolution, dominate the response patterns. The implications of these perceived alterations in the field of human resource management are discussed, and potential problem areas are identified.
Cellular fatty acids during fowlpox virus infection of three different host systems.

Abstract Fatty acid compositions of host cells during fowlpox virus infection have been studied by complementary thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatographic techniques. Three different host systems have been studied: the in vivo infection of the chick scalp, the in ovo infection of the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane, and the in vitro infection of chick embryo fibroblast cell cultures. Extensive alterations in fatty acid composition of the host cell accompany the fowlpox infection of the chick scalp. The noticeable trends are toward greater unsaturation and a depletion of odd numbered fatty acids. In contrast, the fatty acid compositions of the chorioallantoic membrane and chick embryo cell cultures are not altered significantly following fowlpox virus infection. A slight increase in pentaenoic fatty acids was the only consistent effect of infection in these systems. To the extent that the fatty acid composition of a cell reflects its fatty acid metabolism, it can be concluded that the alterations in fatty acid metabolism observed in the chick scalp are not a constant feature of fowlpox virus infection, and therefore probably represent a host-determined response to infection.
Preliminary Assessment of an Economical Fugitive Road Dust Sampler for the Collection of Bulk Samples for Geochemical Analysis

Fugitive road dust collection for chemical analysis and interpretation has been limited by the quantity and representativeness of samples. Traditional methods of fugitive dust collection generally focus on point-collections that limit data interpretation to a small area or require the investigator to make gross assumptions about the origin of the sample collected. These collection methods often produce a limited quantity of sample that may hinder efforts to characterize the samples by multiple geochemical techniques, preserve a reference archive, and provide a spatially integrated characterization of the road dust health hazard. To achieve a “better sampling” for fugitive road dust studies, a cyclonic fugitive dust (CFD) sampler was constructed and tested. Through repeated and identical sample collection routes at two collection heights (50.8 and 88.9 cm above the road surface), the products of the CFD sampler were characterized using particle size and chemical analysis. The average particle size collected by the cyclone was 17.9 μm, whereas particles collected by a secondary filter were 0.625 μm. No significant difference was observed between the two sample heights tested and duplicates collected at the same height; however, greater sample quantity was achieved at 50.8 cm above the road surface than at 88.9 cm. The cyclone effectively removed 94% of the particles >1 μm, which substantially reduced the loading on the secondary filter used to collect the finer particles; therefore, suction is maintained for longer periods of time, allowing for an average sample collection rate of about 2 g mi⁻¹.
Electoral Mandates in American Politics

Political science has not come to terms with the idea of electoral mandates. The discipline's view is a hodgepodge of competing claims. In this article we review the empirical issues about mandates asking whether or not mandates occur and with what effect. We observe evidence of mandates as social constructions, as dialogues in the Washington community and in the press which serves it.We find that these dialogues accurately reflect election results – consensus emerges from actual sweeping election victories and not from mere strategic attempts to claim policy mandates. We find that Congress is highly responsive to the consensus interpretation. It engages in bursts of unusual policy activity which run for some months and then cease. And we find that these have a substantial policy legacy, that the changes that occur in these bursts produce some of the most important movements in American public policy.
Complementarity of pensions and training under multiemployer plans

We compare firmoptimizing and institutional models of labor contracts to investigate how different types of pension plans affect employee training. Unlike previous stud-ies, we consider an expanded voice model of training and pension coverage in which worker and union preferences feed back on firm decisions, and we test for this bidi-rectional causality between pensions and training. A standard view is that firms pro-vide pensions to optimize their training costs. However, when pension coverage is treated as endogenous in a twostage least squares regression (the data are merged 1991 CPS samples), pensions have a negative effect on training. In contrast, when the pension is a definedbenefit, multiemployer plan, training and pensions are comple-ments, consistent with both optimizing and institutional models.
Transmission Rating of Telephone Systems

The problem of rating the transmission performance of telephone connections is considered, including a review in considerable detail of a method proposed by J. R. Hughes.1 With this background, a modification of Hughes' technique is presented with indications of certain attendant advantages.
A mobile tram system for systematic sampling of ecosystem optical properties

Reliable and repeatable field sampling methods are needed for monitoring ecosystem optical properties linked to carbon flux. Here we describe a tram system, consisting of a dual-detector spectrometer mounted on a robotic cart for mobile sampling of ecosystem spectral reflectance. To illustrate the application of this system for monitoring dynamic ecosystem activity, we illustrate how the tram can be used for exploring the multiple factors influencing the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), a measure of vegetation greenness and a key optical indicator of vegetation carbon dioxide assimilation. With this system, we collected five years of NDVI data for a chaparral ecosystem in Southern California subject to extreme disturbance. Key factors affecting NDVI at this site included snow cover, sky conditions (clear vs. cloudy), time of day, season, species composition, and environmental perturbations such as rainfall, drought and fire. Applications of this tram system include ecosystem monitoring, satellite validation, and developing surface-atmosphere flux models from remote sensing.
Establishment of a neurocomputing model for part family/machine group identification

The part family/machine group identification (or formation) is the crux of implementing Group Technology, and a well-studied subject. However, most of the approaches have neglected the original family concept proposed by Burbidge, that there are already ‘naturally occurring’ families existing. A desirable approach should be that of identifying these families rather than forcing to form the families. This paper describes a neurocomputing model which is inspired by the way the biological neuronal systems reach intelligent decisions. A comprehensive survey of previous approaches is presented. The simulation results from an example are provided to show how the model is used to identify the part families and the machine groups. The advantages of the neurocomputing model and future directions are discussed.
The spectrum of accidental childhood poisoning in the Caribbean

Objective. To assess accidental poisoning in children in the Caribbean country of Antigua and Barbuda, including the incidence, the types of substances ingested, the age of the children involved, and the clinical outcomes. The results from Antigua and Barbuda were compared with the results of other reports from the English-speaking Caribbean and from the United States of America. Design and Methods. We performed a retrospective review of the charts of all patients less than 13 years old admitted to the Children's Ward at Holberton Hospital in Antigua for accidental poisoning between March 1989 and March 1999. Those data were compared with data from earlier reports from Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, and the United States of America. Results. In Antigua and Barbuda there were 255 hospital admissions for accidental poisoning among children below 13 years old over that 10-year period. Of the 255 ingestions, 115 of them (45%) were in 1-year-old children, 69 (27%) were in 2-year-old children, and 26 (10%) were in 3-year-old children. These proportions in Antigua and Barbuda are similar to the age patterns seen in the other countries with which we made comparisons. In Antigua and Barbuda there was an annual average of 26 hospital admissions for poisoning for the roughly 20 000 children below 13 years of age, for a rate of 1.3 per 1 000. In comparing the patterns of childhood poisoning in all the countries we studied, we found that, as economic levels rose, there was a shift in the substances ingested, with hydrocarbon and plant ingestions decreasing and chemical and medication ingestions increasing. Conclusions. There is an increasing variety and complexity of poisonous substances ingested as economic conditions improve. This trend would make the establishment of a poison control center for the English-speaking Caribbean a logical step.
Effects of Contact Lens-Induced Hypoxia on the Physiology of the Corneal Endothelium

Contact lens wear can cause a number of physiological changes in the cornea. Two areas of interest in my laboratory have been contact lens effects on the endothelium and, more recently, the role of metabolic activity in predicting corneal swelling. The first part of this review focuses on the function of the corneal endothelium, the nature of its fluid pump, and the effects of contact lens-induced hypoxia and corneal pH changes on corneal endothelial function. In the second part, the etiology of hypoxia-induced corneal swelling is reviewed in relation to new studies on the causes of intersubject corneal swelling variability. The results indicate that corneal swelling is influenced by both corneal metabolic activity and endothelial function.
Implementing Electronic Reserves Using the Blackboard Content System

SUMMARY In 2004, the Binghamton University Libraries created a task force to explore the possibility of providing access to electronic reserves through the newly available Blackboard Content System™. The Content System is used to collect, manage, and publish content in Blackboard. The task force used a psychology course to pilot the Content System for reserve material after the class professor assigned “Course Builder” privileges to the reserves staff. Preliminary findings of the pilot study suggest that using Blackboard for course reserves allows library resources to be better integrated into academic course work. The task force plans to continue their investigation into using Blackboard for course reserves. Challenges that need to be addressed in this investigation include the issue of requiring Course Builder privileges for each course, gathering and managing statistics, and the management of documents saved in the Content System.
δ13C and δ15N variations in Weddell Sea particulate organic matter

Abstract The δ 13 C and δ 15 N of particulate organic matter (POM) sampled from the Weddell Sea in 1986 and 1988 ranged from −30.4 to − 16.7%o and from −5.4 to +41.3%o, respectively. These large variations in POM δ 13 C and δ 15 N may reflect spatial/temporal changes in the concentrations and isotope abundances of CO 2 (aq.) and NH 4 + , respectively. Elevated isotope values were found exclusively in POM in or closely associated with sea ice, which may be the source of the 13 C- and 15 N-enriched sediments observed in this region.
Management of behavioral emergencies

Accurate diagnosis and a clear management approach are the most important considerations in caring for behaviorally disordered emergency department patients. Treating behavioral emergencies often precedes an accurate diagnosis. A useful approach is differentiating emergencies that need nonpharmacological intervention, minimal pharmacological intervention, or maximal pharmacological intervention. Conditions that require nonpharmacological interventions include suicidal state, homicidal state, self-neglect state, abuse state, and conditions primarily requiring an organic workup. Behavioral emergencies usually requiring minimal pharmacological intervention include adjustment disorder, acute grief, rape and assault, and borderline personality disorder. Behavioral emergencies requiring maximal pharmacological intervention include assault, agitated psychosis, exacerbation of bipolar disorder, exacerbation of schizophrenia, brief reactive psychosis, delirium, dementia, substance withdrawal, and substance intoxication accompanied by violent behavior.
Physical and biological doses produced from neutron capture in a 235U foil

As a follow‐on study to the feasibility of neutron capture therapy (NCT) with 235U brachytherapy seeds, physical doses were calculated and measured for the radiation from a 235U foil in a lucite phantom which was irradiated at the epithermal neutron irradiation port of the Brookhaven Medical Research Reactor. In addition, cell survival experiments were performed to obtain the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for the neutron part of the radiation. The calculated absorbed doses agree with the measured ones. From cell survival experiments, it is deduced that the fission neutrons from the 235U foil have a RBE of 3.0 while the fast neutrons in the beam have a RBE of 3.8. Also observed is that, with the cells 7 mm from the foil, a significant amount of absorbed dose comes from the β rays of 235U fission events. This absorbed dose from β rays is a significant addition to the therapeuticdose. Due to the limited ranges of β rays in tissue, this absorbed dose is restricted to the vicinity of the foil. This is the first demonstration of β rays as part of NCT.
Death of the Wehrmacht: The German Campaigns of 1942 – By Robert M. Citino

This book is a winner across the board. It completes the author's four‐volume oeuvre on modern mobile warfare, and is the best of them in terms of scholarship, conceptualization, and presentation. ...