cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
School principals in Southern Thailand Exploring trust with community leaders during conflict

This article reports findings from a case study of school principals in Southern Thailand who work in areas targeted by Muslim separatist groups. Data were gathered and analyzed using a conceptual framework that conceived of trust as five interrelated constructs: benevolence, honesty, openness, reliability, and competence. This study builds on prior trust research by examining trust in a specific non-Western cultural context that is moderated by two cultural phenomena: violence and ethno-religious difference. This study is a unique contribution to both the broader research on trust and to our understanding of how leadership is enacted in different cultural contexts. More narrowly, this study also helps us understand the way school leaders in southernmost Thailand build and sustain trust with community leaders. Findings suggested that school principals experienced each of these forms of trust, yet each individual principal interpreted them in a unique manner. In addition, in regards to principal work, fear...
Novel two-o.a. three-resistor variable phase inverting amplifier

A new active phase-compensated inverting amplifier is proposed. The amplifier circuit employs two o.a.s and three resistors and has an infinite input impedance. The proposed amplifier is also suitable for phase correction in two-integrator loop filters.
Performance of FDG-PET in establishing the diagnosis and resectability of pancreatic cancer (PCa)

Performance of FDG-PET in establishing the diagnosis and resectability of pancreatic cancer (PCa)
Unified approach fuzzy graph problems

We present a taxonomy of fuzzy graphs that treats fuzziness in vertex existence, edge existence, edge connectivity, and edge weight. Within that framework, we formulate some standard graph-theoretic problems (shortest paths and minimum cut) for fuzzy graphs using a unified approach distinguished by its uniform application of guiding principles such as the construction of membership grades via the ranking of fuzzy numbers, the preservation of membership grade normalization, and the "collapsing" of fuzzy sets of graphs into fuzzy graphs. Finally, we provide algorithmic solutions to these problems, with examples.
Applicability of the extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theory on the adsorption of bovine serum albumin on solid surfaces.

Protein adsorption is the prerequisite for bacterial attachment and cellular adhesion, which are critical for many biomedical applications. To understand protein adsorption onto substrates, predictive models are generally informative prior to experimental studies. In this study, the extended Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (XDLVO) theory was employed to determine whether or not it could interpret the protein adsorption behaviors. The experimental results of fluorescein isothiocyanate labeled bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorbed on six different surfaces: glass, octadecyltrichlorosilane modified glass, 2-[methoxypoly(ethyleneoxy)propyl]trimethoxy-silane (PEG)-modified glass, polystyrene, poly(dimethylsiloxane), and poly(methyl methacrylate) were utilized. The XDLVO interaction energy curves, especially from the contribution of acid–base interactions, obtained using the surface properties of substrates and BSA molecules qualitatively predict/interpret the protein adsorption behaviors on these surfaces. Some derivation of the experimental results from the prediction was noticed for the glass and the PEG-modified glass. When including a hydration layer to the PEG-modified glass surface, the nonfouling result of such surface by proteins was also elucidated by the XDLVO theory.
Marine photosynthetic performance forcing and periodicity for the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series, 1989–1995

We use the first seven years of the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series (BATS) core data set (1989–1995) to examine periodicity of and correlations between potential forcing and photosynthetic performance (Pbopt). This analysis, which focuses on seasonal to annual time scales, points to a strong annual periodicity for many of the parameters investigated, with weaker annual Pbopt variability. As has been previously demonstrated for primary production at the BATS location, shorter time scale variability induced by mesoscale events (e.g. fronts, eddies) is likely driving the majority of variability in Pbopt. Of the parameters examined, chlorophyll, temperature and mixing depth demonstrate the strongest correlations with Pbopt. Decomposition of the temperature signal into principal components further suggests that physical mixing is correlated with Pbopt, whereas the true thermal level is less important. Macronutrients and grazing indices are uncorrelated with Pbopt. Because only chlorophyll and mixing depth (of the parameters investigated) are strongly correlated with Pbopt, we suggest that light history was the dominant forcing variable at the time scales examined for Pbopt at the BATS location for 1989–1995. However, when vertical mixing is minimal, other factors, which are equally or more important in forcing Pbopt and ultimately integrated primary production, are likely acting at scales that may not be readily discernible with the BATS sampling scheme. These results are discussed in the context of a mixing-photoadaptation rate constant model that functionally describes Pbopt-mixing depth relationships and shows a great deal of consistency with observations.
A Realistic Friction Model for Computer Simulation of Sheet Metal Forming Processes

A realistic model for friction in lubricated sheet-metal forming which takes account of the different lubrication regimes which may occur at the sheet/tooling interface is developed. Friction is expressed in terms of internal interface variables (mean lubricant film thickness, sheet roughness and tooling roughness) in addition to the more traditional external variables (interface pressure, sliding speed and strain rate). The new model has been coupled to an existing finite element membrane analysis of axisymmetric stretch forming. Numerical results using the coupled codes showed excellent agreement with measured strain distributions over a range of operating conditions. Computational times with the refined friction model were typically increased by about 10 percent compared to those with a simple Amontons-Coulomb constant friction coefficient model
The use of staplers for anterior anastomoses.

The EEA stapler is a convenient, well-designed, and reliable instrument. It will anastomose the bowel with reliability and speed at least equivalent to hand-sewn techniques, and probably offers a technical advantage in performing very low rectal anastomoses. Unfortunately, intraoperative misadventures are greater with this device than with hand-sewn techniques, and its use would seem best restricted to those situations in which it has its greatest advantage. Postoperative complications are not increased by its use, but the long-term incidence of anastomotic stricture and possibly increased rate of local recurrence need to be clarified.
Denosumab in breast cancer.

Bone destruction is mediated by osteoclasts, whose formation, function, and survival requires the receptor activator of NF-kB ligand (RANKL). Denosumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody to RANKL, thereby inhibiting osteoclast-mediated bone destruction, and blocks the vicious cycle of cancer-mediated bone disease. In breast cancer patients with bone metastases, denosumab was superior to zoledronic acid in delaying time to first on-study skeletal-related event (SRE; HR = 0.82; P = 0.01 superiority) and time to first and subsequent on-study SREs (HR = 0.77; P = 0.001). Overall survival, disease progression, and serious adverse events were similar between groups.
Filtering of a Multi-Dimension Stochastic Volatility Model

In this article, we study a stochastic volatility model for a class of risky assets. We assume that the volatilities of the assets are driven by a common state of economy, which is unobservable and represented by a hidden Markov chain. Under this hidden Markov model (HMM), we develop recursively computable filtering equations for certain functionals of the chain. Expectation maximization (EM) parameter estimation is then used. Applications to an optimal asset allocation problem with mean-variance utility are given.
A 6-pole filter for improving the readability of muscle contaminated EEGs.

Abstract A multi-channel switched-capacitor 6-pole filter for significantly reducing the EMG artifact present during seizures recorded by long-term monitoring procedures has been implemented for routine use. This permits repeated replay of the seizures with different filter settings. All of the channels can be simultaneously dialed to any cut-off frequency (3 dB down) between 8 Hz and 70 Hz and the event replayed for filtering and write-out onto any standard EEG machine. The advantage of the 6-pole switched-capacitor filter is that it does not require a complex design with high precision RC components. The cut-off frequency is determined by the frequency of a simple clock that is used to select the same cut-off point for all 16 channels. By changing the clock frequency, the operator moves the cut-off point linearly. The dramatic improvement obtained by off-line digital filtering that was recently reported (Gotman et al. 1981) indicates that more efficient filtering of EMG contaminated seizures is diagnostically significant in selected cases. This approach is limited by the availability and expense of not only the computer's hardware but also the dedicated software. Specially designed 4-pole analog filters (Barlow 1984) are less expensive than digital filtering, but are difficult to design even at specific frequencies and do not allow for a range of frequencies. The switched-capacitor 6-pole filters have all the advantages of the above but are even more efficient in reducing EMG artifact. They also do not have any of the above disadvantages and cost only a few dollars per channel.
Haemangioma: clinical course, complications and management

Despite their high incidence, most infantile haemangiomas (IH) do not require treatment as they regress spontaneously and most do not leave significant sequelae. For the subset of haemangiomas that require treatment, indications for intervention can be divided into three main categories: ulceration, disfigurement and impairment of function or vital structures. In addition, certain IH have a risk of associated structural anomalies. Given the wide heterogeneity of haemangiomas, deciding which haemangiomas need intervention and when to intervene requires a detailed knowledge of natural history and clinical indicators of increased risk.
Use of dynamic simulation for reactor safety analysis

Abstract Dynamic simulations of chemical processes are widely used to develop effective plantwide control structures that provide stable regulatory control at some desired operating condition. This paper illustrates that they can also serve a very useful role in the analysis of safety problems in the event of emergency situations. The dynamic response of the process when various failures occur is critical to the design of safety systems for the process (alarms, overrides, interlocks, safety valves and rupture disks). For example, a failure of the supply of cooling water will lead to rapid increases in pressures and temperatures in the process. Determining the rates of increase in these important variables and the time period to reach critical limits ( safety response time ) permits the engineer to quantitatively design effective safety systems. Chemical reactors are typically the most sensitive and potentially the most dangerous units in many processes, particularly when exothermic reactions and low per-pass reactant conversions are involved. This paper illustrates how Aspen Dynamic simulation can be used for predicting the dynamic changes in critical variables. Dynamic emergency safety simulations are presented for five processes with several types of cooled reactors (CSTR and tubular) and residence times varying from 0.16 to 60 min. Safety response times vary from several seconds to several minutes, depending on both the reactor, the system in which it is installed and the level of reactant conversion.
TU-C-T-6E-04: Clinical Reference Dosimetry of a “Hi-Art II” Helical Tomotherapy Machine

Purpose: To develop a procedure for calibrating “Hi-Art II” helical tomotherapy machines using TG-51 and analyze the uncertainties associated with minor departures from the TG-51 protocol. Method and Materials: Physical limitations of the tomotherapy unit (85cm SAD) restrict the user from performing a rigorous TG-51 calibration. The Radiological Physics Center determined the ionization ratio (IR) using a water phantom and Exradin A12 ion chamber for a 40cm × 5cm field (8.92 eq.sq.). The IR was converted to %dd(10)x using a published relationship between %dd(10)x and IR. The beam quality conversion factor, kQ, was determined, Pion was measured and Ppol was assumed to be unity. The ion chamber center electrode was placed at dmax, instead of the recommended 10cm depth. The output/min was calculated using TG-51 and verified using a newly designed TLD jig. Results: The measured IR indicates a beam energy slightly greater than that for a 4 MV x-ray beam. The reference calibration resulted in a dose rate of 882.7 cGy/min at dmax for a 40cm × 5cm field at 85cm SAD that was within 1% of the dose rate (890.6 cGy/min) set by the factory where 0.4% of the difference was due to ADCL calibration differences and an un-flattened beam. The TLD/ion-chamber dose ratio was 0.993 (std.dev.= 0.007). An analysis of uncertainties associated with measuring IR and conversion to %dd(10)x, use of a 40 × 5 cm2 field instead of 10 × 10 cm2 and calibration at dmax instead of 10 cm results in a possible increased uncertainty of 0.5% in the final reference calibration. We believe this to be negligible. Conclusion: A procedure was developed to calibrate “Hi-Art II” tomotherapy machines using TG-51 with a minimal increase in the uncertainty of the final calculated dose rate. Work supported by PHS grant CA10953 awarded by NCI, DHHS.
Retinoic acid priming potentiates the induction of urokinase-type plasminogen activator by cyclic adenosine monophosphate in mouse mammary carcinoma cells.

Interactive regulation of gene expression by retinoic acid (RA) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in mammary tumor cells was explored using Shionogi mouse mammary carcinoma cells (SC115) as a model and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) as a target gene product. Twenty-four hour treatment of SC115 cells with 100 nM RA, 1 mM 8-bromo-cAMP (BrcAMP), and 100 nM RA + 1 mM BrcAMP resulted in extracellular uPA activity increases of 1.4-fold, sevenfold, and 20-fold, respectively. These effects were dose-dependent with regard to both interacting members. Similar responses were obtained if 1 nM cholera toxin or 10 μM forskolin was used instead of the cAMP analog. Retinoids lacking the carboxylic acid function were inactive. The changes in uPA activity were accompanied by similar changes in uPA antigen concentration, as seen via Western blot analysis, and uPA mRNA abundance, as seen via Northern blot analysis. Actinomycin D, an inhibitor of RNA synthesis, blocked uPA stimulation by BrcAMP, suggesting that mRNA levels were transcriptionally regulated. The effect of BrcAMP on extracellular uPA activity was first evident at 2 h and peaked at 6 h; the effect of RA alone and the synergistic response to joint treatment, however, followed a slower time course, requiring at least 12 h for initial expression and increasing gradually with time up to at least 48 h. Priming with RA for 48 h followed by extensive washing of the cells resulted in a threefold enhancement of the stimulatory effect of BrcAMP on uPA. Experiments utilizing the casein/plasminogen overlay method for the detection of uPA secretion by single cells showed that the enhanced response to BrcAMP was due to an increased rate of uPA secretion per cell rather than to an increased fraction of uPA-secreting cells. Initial investigation of the mechanism of RA potentiation of cAMP responsiveness showed that RA did not alter cellular cAMP levels or total cAMP-dependent protein kinase A activity. Finally, the tumor promoter phorbol myristate acetate, an activator of protein kinase C, also increased SC115 cell uPA activity and synergized with RA. This raised the possibility that the enhancement of cAMP responsiveness by RA was indirectly mediated via an effect on protein kinase C. Experiments with protein kinase C-depleted cells, however, showed that this was not the case. In conclusion, RA treatment of SC115 cells potentiates the effect of cAMP on uPA expression at the single cell level via a partially irreversible mechanism independent of protein kinase C. The molecular target of RA and whether SC115 cell differentiation underlies the effect of RA remain to be established.
Grades as Valid Measures of Academic Achievement of Classroom Learning

(2005). Grades as Valid Measures of Academic Achievement of Classroom Learning. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 78, No. 5, pp. 218-223.
An evaluation of two automated quality control methods designed for use with hourly wind profiler data

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has completed the installation of a 30-site demonstration network of wind-profiling radars in the central United States. The network is being used to demonstrate and assess the utility of wind profiler technology in a quasi-operational environment, and to help define operational requirements for possible future national networks. This paper describes two automated quality control methods designed to remove erroneous winds from the hourly network data. Case study examples and statistical evaluation of the performance of each method are also presented.
Optimal checkerboard selection for structured light system calibration

Structured light system calibration has been widely studied over the decades, and a variety of calibration approaches have been proposed. Among these methods, the flexible method using flat checkerboard is widely adopted. However, there is a lack of studies on selecting the optimal checker size for high accuracy calibration, whilst it is vital to understanding this factor. This paper presents a systematic study on how the checker size affects the calibration accuracy for a structured light system, and provides a general guideline to select the optimal size. For this initial study, 7 different checker sizes are selected, and experiments demonstrated that the system achieved the best calibration accuracy within a certain range of checker size.
Ablation of Goα Overrides G1Restriction Point Control through Ras/ERK/Cyclin D1-CDK Activities

Abstract We have generated stable IIC9 cell lines, Goa1 and Goa2, that overexpress full-length antisense Goα RNA. As shown previously, expression of antisense Goα RNA ablated the α subunit of the heterotrimeric G protein, Go, resulting in growth in the absence of mitogen. To better understand this change in IIC9 phenotype, we have characterized the signaling pathway and cell cycle events previously shown to be important in control of IIC9 G1/S phase progression. In this paper we clearly demonstrate that ablation of Goα results in growth, constitutively active Ras/ERK, elevated expression of cyclin D1, and constitutively active cyclin D1-CDK complexes, all in the absence of mitogen. Furthermore, these characteristics were abolished by the transient overexpression of the transducin heterotrimeric G protein α subunit strongly suggesting the transformation of Goα-ablated cells involves Goβγ subunits. This is the first study to implicate a heterotrimeric G protein in tumor suppression.
The Past, Present and Future of the Marital Presumption

The marital presumption is deeply rooted in Anglo-American law: a husband and wife are assumed to be the father and mother of any child born during their marriage. With the advent of sophisticated genetic testing, no-fault divorce and changing family structures, however, American states are now questioning the continued validity of the presumption. Paternity can be determined with certainty and much of the stigma associated with the circumstances of a child’s birth has disappeared. In the face of these changes, the presumption has been exposed as a legal fiction without a simple meaning, even as it continues to confer parenthood: in all states, married couples, gay or straight, who walk out of the hospital with a child are legal parents. This article explores how states struggle to reconcile the strong public policies supporting marriage with new knowledge about biological facts.
Gene-environment correlation and interaction in peer effects on adolescent alcohol and tobacco use.

Peer relationships are commonly thought to be critical for adolescent socialization, including the development of negative health behaviors such as alcohol and tobacco use. The interplay between genetic liability and peer influences on the development of adolescent alcohol and tobacco use was examined using a nationally-representative sample of adolescent sibling pairs and their best friends. Genetic factors, some of them related to an adolescent’s own substance use and some of them independent of use, were associated with increased exposure to best friends with heavy substance use—a gene-environment correlation. Moreover, adolescents who were genetically liable to substance use were more vulnerable to the adverse influences of their best friends—a gene-environment interaction.
Improving Cardiac Surgical Site Infection Reporting and Prevention By Using Registry Data for Case Ascertainment.

Background The use of administrative data for surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance leads to inaccurate reporting of SSI rates [1]. A quality improvement (QI) initiative was conducted linking clinical registry and administrative databases to improve reporting and reduce the incidence of SSI [2]. Methods At our institution, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database (STS-CHSD) and infection surveillance database (ISD) were linked to the enterprise data warehouse containing electronic health record (EHR) billing data. A data visualization tool was created to (1) use the STS-CHSD for case ascertainment, (2) resolve discrepancies between the databases, and (3) assess impact of QI initiatives, including wound alert reports, bedside reviews, prevention bundles, and billing coder education. Results Over the 24-month study period, 1,715 surgical cases were ascertained according to the STS-CHSD clinical criteria, with 23 SSIs identified through the STS-CHSD, 20 SSIs identified through the ISD, and 32 SSIs identified through the billing database. The rolling 12-month STS-CHSD SSI rate decreased from 2.73% (21 of 769 as of January 2013) to 1.11% (9 of 813 as of December 2014). Thirty reporting discrepancies were reviewed to ensure accuracy. Workflow changes facilitated communication and improved adjudication of suspected SSIs. Billing coder education increased coding accuracy and narrowed variation between the 3 SSI sources. The data visualization tool demonstrated temporal relationships between QI initiatives and SSI rate reductions. Conclusions Linkage of registry and infection control surveillance data with the EHR improves SSI surveillance. The visualization tool and workflow changes facilitated communication, SSI adjudication, and assessment of the QI initiatives. Implementation of these initiatives was associated with decreased SSI rates.
Trees with an On-Line Degree Ramsey Number of Four

On-line Ramsey theory studies a graph-building game between two players. The player called Builder builds edges one at a time, and the player called Painter paints each new edge red or blue after it is built. The graph constructed is called the background graph . Builder's goal is to cause the background graph to contain a monochromatic copy of a given goal graph , and Painter's goal is to prevent this. In the $S_k$-game variant of the typical game, the background graph is constrained to have maximum degree no greater than $k$. The on-line degree Ramsey number $\mathring{R}_{\Delta}(G)$ of a graph $G$ is the minimum $k$ such that Builder wins an $S_k$-game in which $G$ is the goal graph. Butterfield et al. previously determined all graphs $G$ satisfying $\mathring{R}_{\Delta}(G)\le 3$. We provide a complete classification of trees $T$ satisfying $\mathring{R}_{\Delta}(T)=4$.
Interpretation of freezing nucleation experiments: singular and stochastic; sites and surfaces

Abstract. Publications of recent years dealing with laboratory experiments of immersion freezing reveal uncertainties about the fundamentals of heterogeneous freezing nucleation. While it appears well accepted that there are two major factors that determine the process, namely fluctuations in the size and configuration of incipient embryos of the solid phase and the role of the substrate to aid embryo formation, views have been evolving about the relative importance of these two elements. The importance of specific surface sites is being established in a growing number of experiments and a number of approaches have been proposed to incorporate these results into model descriptions. Many of these models share a common conceptual basis yet diverge in the way random and deterministic factors are combined. The divergence can be traced to uncertainty about the permanence of nucleating sites, to the lack of detailed knowledge about what surface features constitute nucleating sites, and to the consequent need to rely on empirical or parametric formulas to define the population of sites of different effectiveness. Recent experiments and models, consistent with earlier work, demonstrate the existence and primary role of permanent nucleating sites and the continued need for empirically based formulations of heterogeneous freezing. In order to clarify some aspects of the processes controlling immersion freezing, the paper focuses on three identifiably separate but interrelated issues: (i) the combination of singular and stochastic factors, (ii) the role of specific surface sites, and (iii) the modeling of heterogeneous ice nucleation.
Work in progress - a solar powered battery charger for a hybrid electric vehicle

Scarcity and cost of fossil fuels combined with their greenhouse gas emissions make the development of non-fossil fuel based methods of transportation a high- priority task. In this paper, we present the results of an innovative senior design project at the University of Portland. The project is to design an intelligent battery charger controller so that solar energy can be used as an additional energy source for hybrid automobiles using gasoline and electricity. The design idea is implemented and tested. The experimental project successfully demonstrates the feasibility of boosting a solar panel generated low voltage (24 V) energy source to a desired high voltage (150 V) for charging a battery pack. The result demonstrates that solar energy can be used as an additional clean energy source for hybrid automobiles.
The use of heat pipes in personal computers

With the continuing increase of CPU and system power dissipation requirements in personal computers, including notebooks, desktops, workstations and servers, the last three years have witnessed increasing use of and interest in heat pipes in personal computers to meet cooling requirements. The paper reviews heat pipe applications in notebook computers and high end systems. Heat pipe's main structure, components, and operation are briefly reviewed to give the readers the necessary background in heat pipes. In notebooks, heat pipe-to-keyboard thermal solutions have been the mainstream thermal solutions used in Pentium/sup R/ based notebooks and sub-notebooks, providing about 7 W of CPU cooling solutions. New technologies like the thermal hinge concept, RHE (remote heat exchanger) thermal solutions and roll-bond heat pipes are also reviewed. Testing data on RHE prototypes showed that the technology can provide thermal resistance of 3.66/spl deg/C/W from the CPU case to the outside ambient. In high performance systems, the conventional heat pipe heat sinks are reviewed first. The heat pipe lid/plate concept is then proposed and reviewed. The heat pipe lid is designed to be an extremely efficient heat spreader or plate and is being developed for high end cooling requirements. Testing data on early prototypes showed that they can achieve a level of 0.07/spl deg/C/W spreading resistance for a /spl sim/3"/spl times/5" size heat pipe lid. Finally, the paper summarizes the future outlook of heat pipes for cooling of personal computers.
Plasma enhanced combustion in methane-, ethane-, propane-, and butane-air mixtures below self-ignition threshold

The paper presents results of temporal dynamics of hydroxyl radicals in premixed hydrocarbon-air flows excited by a nanosecond pulsed streamer discharge plasma below a self-ignition threshold. The experiments have been conducted for four different hydrocarbons - methane, ethane, propane and butane with equivalence ratio 0.1 at six different temperature points varying from 300 K to 800 K. Using laser induced fluorescence (LIF) technique the measurements of absolute OH radicals concentration dynamics is achieved by adjusting triggering synchronization between pulsed high voltage generator and Nd-YAG laser. The plasma was generated by sequential pulses of high-voltage (~20 kV), short pulse duration (~10 ns) and extremely short rise time (<; 1 ns) at repetition rate of 10 Hz. The high reduced electric field guarantees efficient electronic excitation and molecular dissociation, while the picosecond scale rising time greatly improves the discharge stability and helps sustaining uniform nonequilibrium plasma. The streamer discharge in premixed hydrocarbon-air flow results in extra large concentration of OH radicals and only about 10 percent increase of gas temperatures, inferred from nitrogen second positive band system spectra. The experiments gave quantitative information on the hydrocarbon reaction dynamics under self-ignition threshold with high initial concentration of radicals.
Recognition memory in noise for speech of varying intelligibility

This study investigated the extent to which noise impacts normal-hearing young adults' speech processing of sentences that vary in intelligibility. Intelligibility and recognition memory in noise were examined for conversational and clear speech sentences recorded in quiet (quiet speech, QS) and in response to the environmental noise (noise-adapted speech, NAS). Results showed that (1) increased intelligibility through conversational-to-clear speech modifications led to improved recognition memory and (2) NAS presented a more naturalistic speech adaptation to noise compared to QS, leading to more accurate word recognition and enhanced sentence recognition memory. These results demonstrate that acoustic-phonetic modifications implemented in listener-oriented speech enhance speech-in-noise processing beyond word recognition. Effortful speech processing in challenging listening environments can thus be improved by speaking style adaptations on the part of the talker. In addition to enhanced intelligibility, a substantial improvement in recognition memory can be achieved through speaker adaptations to the environment and to the listener when in adverse conditions.
The History and Future of Community Colleges in Vietnam

This chapter describes the status of community colleges in Vietnam in the current context of the Vietnamese higher education system. Historical background and suggestions for the future development of Vietnamese community colleges are also provided.
How the Internet Shapes Religious Life, or the Medium Is Itself the Message:

The Internet has become a resource for everyone for everything. It is accordingly now also a source of sermons and much more for pastors of churches in the USA. In consequence, the Internet shapes and alters how pastors and parishioners practice their religion. Because “the medium is the message,” as Marshall McLuhan observed, Internet sermons necessarily reflect and convey something of their Internet source. So, too, the nature and content religious life changes and takes on the characteristics of its new source of inspiration, the Internet. As the dominant expression of technology today, the Internet reveals technology ultimately and in the words of Jacques Ellul as “the real religion of our time.”
A Modest Proposal for a Minor Revolution in the Language of Psychology

The definitions of negative reinforcer and negative reinforcement that are currently in nearly universal use are operationally awkward and confusing. The modest proposal for a minor revolution in the language of psychology is to replace the current definitions of positive as well as negative reinforcement with different ones derived from those proposed by E.L. Thorndike (1911) in Animal Intelligence. This revolution should gain popular support because it restores an element of common sense to psychology. It should appeal to science because it is operationally attractive and creates a situation in which important concepts have consistent implications for behavior.
Dynamic communication models in embedded system co-simulation

Many co-simulation techniques either suffer from poor performancewhen simulating communications intensive systems, or theyrepresent communications with a uniformly low level of detail.This paper presents a technique which allows communication tobe represented at multiple levels of detail and which gives a designerthe ability to dynamically choose the appropriate level fordifferent parts of the system. This paper also presents a tool whichuses this technique and experiments which show relative simulationspeedups.
The effects of modified ringer's solutions on the membrane potentials of innervated and denervated frog sartorius muscle fibers

Comparison has been made between innervated and chronically denervated frog sartorius muscle fibers for resting potentials and a number of features of the action potential. Muscles were obtained from force-fed frogs maintained at room temperature for periods up to one year, and were studied with intracellular microelectrodes. Denervated muscles increased in sensitivity to acetylcholine by 100–400-fold. Studies were made in normal Ringer's solution, and in media in which concentrations of K+, Na+, Ca++, and Cl− were altered. The only significant differences noted between the denervated and the innervated fibers were a reduction in the maximum rate of fall of the action potential (ca. 20%) and an increase in the fall time of the active membrane potential (ca. 25%). These differences were present in normal Ringer's solution and remained when the bathing medium was modified. The resting membrane potential of denervated and innervated muscles varied with log [K+]o in exactly the same manner, and followed the theoretical relation proposed by Hodgkin (Proc. Roy. Soc., B, 148: 1–37, ′58), with the term representing the ratio of the sodium to potassium permeabilities assigned a value of 0.01. The results suggest that (a) the resting sodium and potassium permeabilities are reduced proportionately after denervation, since it is known that denervated frog muscle has a smaller potassium permeability, and (b) the mechanism controlling the increase in potassium conductance during the action potential is less available after denervation. Data indicate that the system controlling the sodium permeability is capable of activation to the same extent as in innervated muscles. Muslces which had been allowed to reinnervate did not show the differences presented by the denervated muscles. Innervated and denervated muscles did not show any significant changes in maximum rates of rise or fall of the action potential, nor of the active membrane potential amplitude over a 30 mV range of resting membrane potentials, indicating that the sodium and potassium permeability systems are fully available in frog muscle at membrane potentials larger than −80 mV.
Comparison of arterial lesions and serum lipids in spider and rhesus monkeys on an egg and butter diet.

Abstract Serum and aortic lipids and atherosclerotic lesions were studied in five spider monkeys (Ateles sp.) and three rhesus monkeys ( Macaca mulatta ) after changing from a commercial chow diet to a high fat (40% of calories), high cholesterol (1 mg/cal), semisynthetic diet containing egg yolk and butter. There was a large species difference in response of serum cholesterol. After 12 weeks on the diet the mean elevation of serum cholesterol was 285 mg/100 ml for the rhesus and 17 mg/100 ml for the spider monkeys. Changes in serum cholesterol ester fatty acid patterns were also very much greater for the rhesus than for the spider monkey. Aortas and coronary arteries of the rhesus were extensively involved with sudanophilic lesions. The cholesterol and cholesterol ester content of the aortic intima was much greater in the rhesus than in the spider monkey. The proportional contribution of aortic cholesterol oleate was greater in rhesus than spider monkeys and the palmitate was lower. There were only a few sudanophilic lesions in the coronary arteries of the spider monkeys. The coronary arteries of one older rhesus monkey were extensively involved with fibrous lesions. There was no appreciable difference between species in the histologic appearance of the sudanophilic lesions.
Using Outcome to Improve a Career Development Course: Closing the Scientist-Practitioner Gap.

The use of outcome data can serve as an important catalyst for improving career interventions. A follow-up to the Reese and Miller study was conducted over a 2-year period to assess whether modific...
Software quality maintenance model

We develop a quality control and prediction model for improving the quality of software delivered by development to maintenance. This model identifies modules that require priority attention during development and maintenance. The model also predicts during development the quality that will be delivered to maintenance. We show that it is important to perform a marginal analysis when making a decision about how many metrics to include in a discriminant function. If many metrics are added at once, the contribution of individual metrics is obscured. Also, the marginal analysis provides an effective rule for deciding when to stop adding metrics. We also show that certain metrics are dominant in their effects on classifying quality and that additional metrics are not needed to increase the accuracy of classification. Data from the Space Shuttle flight software are used to illustrate the model process.
Concise, efficient three-dimensional fast multipole method for micromagnetics

This paper presents derivation of the three-dimensional (3-D) fast multipole method for use in calculating magnetostatic fields. Many other derivations use complex, inefficient, and awkward function normalizations. In this derivation, tensor functions and an operator are defined that greatly simplify the theory and implementation of the algorithm. This paper provides proof of O(N) scaling, implementation, and parallelization tips, performance results, and an error analysis.
Implant-related nerve injuries.

Abstract Injuries to branches of the trigeminal nerves are a known complication during dental implant placement. These injuries tend to be more severe than those experienced during other dentoalveolar procedures. This article reviews the types of nerve injuries and areas and situations of which clinicians should be cognizant when placing dental implants. Strategies to avoid injuries, and a management algorithm for suspected nerve injuries, are also discussed.
Toward a Historical Dialectic of Culinary Styles

Culinary styles through history follow a recurring and predictable pattern shifting from complexity to simplicity and then back again. Each new aesthetic nonetheless incorporates elements, either ingredients, techniques or modes of service, from its immediate predecessor, such that the process is more dialectical than strictly oppositional. This article provides numerous concrete examples drawn from cookbooks and gastronomic literature which illustrate this complex pattern of evolution, driven largely by the process of social emulation though also influenced by economic trends, trade and the business of selling food.
Generation of infrared supercontinuum covering 3–14 μm in dielectrics and semiconductors

Infrared supercontinua spanning the range 3-14 microm were observed when an intense pulse generated from a CO(2) laser was passed into GaAs, AgBr, ZnSe, and CdS crystals. These supercontinua have been qualitatively compared with theoretical predictions.
Analytic performance estimation for complex maintenance systems

Earlier models are extended and combined to provide an analytic means of estimating the average number of inoperative machines in a two-echelon (bases and a depot), two-indenture (machines have components which may have modules) maintenance system with spares and repair. Separate expressions are developed for the no cannibalization and complete, instantaneous cannibaliza tion cases. The expressions are suitable for verification of aircraft maintenance system simulation models as well as for estima tion of system performance and the maximum benefit of cannibalization.
Comparison of Ketorolac-Chlorpromazine With Meperidine-Promethazine for Treatment of Exacerbations of Chronic Pain

Background: The aim was to compare the efficacy and safety of a combination of intramuscular ketorolac and chlorpromazine for the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic pain with the more commonly used regimen of intramuscular meperidine and promethazine. Methods: Use-effective case series were drawn from a real-life, rural emergency department practice, in which 200 consecutive patients coming to a rural emergency department with acute exacerbations of chronic pain syndromes were assigned on an every-other basis in a single-blind fashion to one of the two treatment conditions. Patients were given intramuscular doses of either 60 mg of ketorolac plus 50 mg of chlorpromazine (75 mg of chlorpromazine for patients weighing more than 100 kg), or 50 mg of meperidine plus 25 mg of promethazine (50 mg of promethazine for patients weighing more than 75 kg); patients weighing more than 100 kg were given 1.5 doses. Patients older than 65 years or whose blood pressure at the time of injection was less than 110/70 mmHg were given half-doses. Patients could receive one additional half-dose injection if they had no results within 30 to 60 minutes after the first injection. Patients were assessed on self-report and on a verbal and visual analog scale of pain rating. Temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and respirations were monitored every 15 minutes. Results: Both regimens performed well, with more than 90 percent of patients reporting good or excellent improvement on acute exacerbations of chronic pain. Ketorolac-chlorpromazine offered significant advantages compared with meperidine-promethazine when patients rated their pain on a visual analog pain scale (P Conclusions: The combination of ketorolac and chlorpromazine is a safe and efficacious alternative to meperidine plus promethazine for the treatment of exacerbations of chronic pain in the rural emergency department setting.
Strategy, Ideology, and Human Rights: Jimmy Carter Confronts the Left in Central America, 1979-1981

This article discusses the Carter administration's policies toward Nicaragua and El Salvador after the Sandinistas took power in Nicaragua in July 1979. These policies were influenced by the widespread perception at the time that Marxist revolutionary forces were in the ascendance and the United States was in retreat. Jimmy Carter was trying to move away from traditional American “interventionism” in Latin America, but he was also motivated by strategic concerns about the perception of growing Soviet and Cuban strength, ideological concerns about the spread of Marxism-Leninism, and political-humanitarian concerns about Marxist-Leninist regimes' systematic violations of human rights.
Solid-Solution Interface: Its Role in Regulating the Chemical Composition of Natural Waters

The presence of suspended particles in natural waters can significantly affect the fate of most chemical constituents. Selective adsorption of chemical species onto suspended particles followed by differential coagulation of the suspended particulate signifies the importance of solid-solution interface in regulating the chemical composition of natural waters. The above interfacial reactions are governed by the intrinsic properties of the suspended particles, the nature of the solutes and the physical-chemical characteristics of the aquatic environment.
CiteSeerx: A Scholarly Big Dataset

The CiteSeer x digital library stores and indexes research articles in Computer Science and related fields. Although its main purpose is to make it easier for researchers to search for scientific information, CiteSeer x has been proven as a powerful resource in many data mining, machine learning and information retrieval applications that use rich metadata, e.g., titles, abstracts, authors, venues, references lists, etc. The metadata extraction in CiteSeer x is done using automated techniques. Although fairly accurate, these techniques still result in noisy metadata. Since the performance of models trained on these data highly depends on the quality of the data, we propose an approach to CiteSeer x metadata cleaning that incorporates information from an external data source. The result is a subset of CiteSeer x , which is substantially cleaner than the entire set. Our goal is to make the new dataset available to the research community to facilitate future work in Information Retrieval.
Can America Still Lead in the Global Economy

From the vantage point of 2008, some of the most memorable initiatives of U.S. international economic leadership - the Paris and Louvre Accords, the support for Poland and Russia after the fall of communism, the Uruguay Round, and the Mexican Financing Loan - seem like quaint reminders of a simpler time. In the coming years, the exercise of international economic leadership will surely prove more complex than in the past. The very success of the American vision of a global spread of vibrant and competitive markets has created a huge, rapidly integrating private economy of trade and finance much less amenable to guidance, let alone control, by governments. Unlike in diplomacy and defense, where non state actors are growing in importance but still a side show, in international economics, households, corporations, labor unions, and non-profits are now the dominant players in most parts of the world. While they respond to national laws and policies, their interests are varied and their operations often span borders.
2 Verfassungsrechtliche Grundlagen des Öffentlichen Wirtschaftsrechts

Dem Grundgesetz kommt eine nicht zu unterschatzende Bedeutung fur das Offentliche Wirtschaftsrecht und das Wirtschaftsleben zu, bildet es doch deren Rahmen. Es stellt sich nicht nur die einleitend beleuchtete Frage nach den fur die Wirtschafts- und Sozialordnung grundlegenden Systementscheidungen, die die Verfassung als „rechtliche Grundordnung des Gemeinwesens“ beantwortet (dazu II.). Vielmehr bedingt der im Grundgesetz angelegte umfassende Freiheitsschutz, dass die Grundrechte eine weit reichende Masstabsfunktion fur wirtschaftsregulatorische Vorgaben entfaltet haben: Von Ladenschlussregeln uber die Unternehmensmitbestimmung bis hin zum Atomausstieg – die Zulassigkeit all dieser und zahlloser weiterer Masnahmen bildete den Gegenstand verfassungsrechtlicher Kontroversen, die bis hin zum BVerfG ausgetragen wurden. Vor diesem Hintergrund entfaltet der Hauptteil dieses Kapitels den grundrechtlichen Rahmen des Offentlichen Wirtschaftsrechts (III.). Ein kurzer Blick gilt weiteren grundgesetzlichen Strukturgewahrleistungen allgemeiner und besonderer Art, denen Relevanz fur das Wirtschaftsleben zukommt (IV.). Im deutschen Bundesstaat stellt sich schlieslich die Frage nach der Verteilung der Regelungskompetenzen zwischen Bund und Landern fur den Erlass wirtschaftsrechtlicher Regeln (V.).