cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Absolute atmospheric densities determined from the spin and orbital decays of explorer VI

Abstract The spin and orbital decays of the Paddlewheel Satellite, Explorer VI, have been used in conjunction with several models of surface-particle interaction to calculate drag coefficients and absolute densities at altitudes near 270 km in August of 1959. The absolute densities are estimated to be accurate within 10 per cent. Because of the accuracies inherent in spin measurements, it has been possible to determine the relative densities within 1 or 2 per cent for the 5-min time interval around each perigee passage. The measured densities have been compared with several model atmospheres. The fine time resolution of the data reveals the smoothing effect of the atmosphere on the correlation with the geomagnetic planetary amplitude, d p .
Radioactive Isotopes of Scandium from Calcium and Potassium by Alpha-Particle Bombardment

A study has been made of the radioactive isotopes of scandium formed from calcium and potassium by bombardment with alpha-particles. ${\mathrm{Sc}}^{43}$ has been separated chemically from calcium, its half-life being 4.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1 hours. No evidence has been obtained of ${\mathrm{Sc}}^{46}$ or ${\mathrm{Sc}}^{47}$. Two radioactive isotopes of scandium, viz. ${\mathrm{Sc}}^{42}$ and ${\mathrm{Sc}}^{44}$, have been isolated from potassium, these having half-lives of 4.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1 hours and 52\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}3 hours, respectively. Cloud chamber studies of the positrons emitted by ${\mathrm{Sc}}^{43}$ and ${\mathrm{Sc}}^{42}$ show that the upper limits of the two spectra are 1.3 (8) and 1.6 (3) Mev, respectively.
Expedited Struvite-Stone Dissolution Using a High-Flow Low-Pressure Irrigation System

Background and Purpose: The clinical application of chemolysis for struvite stones is limited because of the need for a nephrostomy tube and the potential risk of elevated intrarenal pressures, which may be associated with sepsis and metabolic derangements. We evaluated the utility of a high-flow low-pressure irrigation system, designed to minimize the disadvantages of chemolysis, for struvite-stone dissolution. Materials and Methods: An in-vitro urinary-tract model was used to compare a novel dual-lumen ureteral catheter with a standard nephrostomy tube for struvite stone chemolysis. A laboratory-proved large human struvite stone was divided into 3.5-g fragments, which were placed in the model. In the experimental group, Renacidin® (citric acid, glucono-Δ-lactone, and magnesium carbonate; Guardian Laboratories, Lake Forest, IL) irrigation was performed through the high-flow low-pressure irrigation system. In the control group, Renacidin solution was infused at 120 mL/hour through a nephrostomy tube. Thre...
The impacts of social movements on the political process: The civil rights movement and black electoral politics in Mississippi

In this paper, the author examines the relationship between social movements and political outcomes. He begins by assessing the existing social movement literature and identifying key areas in which further theoretical development and additional empirical research will advance current knowledge. Building on the issues raised by this assessment, he examines the civil rights movement in Mississippi from the period of widespread mobilization in the early 1960s through the early 1980s. Specifically, he examines the impacts of local movements on four political outcomes : (1) number of black voters registered, (2) votes cast for black candidates in statewide elections, (3) the number of black candidates running for office in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and (4) the number of black elected officials. The strategies used by white to defeat or minimize the impact of the movement are critical pieces of the analysis. The evidence indicates that local movements have continued to play a central, though complex, role in the transformation of local politics long after the civil rights movement peaked. This suggests that, while mobilization plays a key role in the short run, its long-term consequences must be considered as well
Species conservation on human‐dominated landscapes: the case of crowned crane breeding and distribution outside protected areas in Uganda

Species primarily dependent on habitats outside protected areas have to cope with the direct pressure of human utilization or harassment, and the indirect pressure of habitat modification. In Uganda, wetlands mainly used by cranes occur mostly outside protected areas. The country’s wetlands are however under heavy modification, and this and other pressures are thought to have reduced crane populations to 10–30% of the number in the early 1970s. From January 2005 to January 2006, we assessed the status of crane breeding and distribution in the country. Breeding and foraging sites were assessed through a nationwide newspaper survey, and visits to wetlands. We established occurrence of 21 nests during the study period, and crane use of 27 out of 30 districts surveyed. Crane harassment and trapping were common during breeding, as was crop damage by cranes. This is the first attempt to show the distribution of crane breeding outside protected areas throughout the country. In addition to maintaining suitable breeding habitat, survival of cranes in Uganda lies in part in community engagement and punishing crimes related to hunting and destruction of nests. Resume Les especes qui dependent principalement d’habitats situes en dehors des aires protegees doivent supporter la pression directe de l’utilisation ou du harassement humains, et la pression indirecte de la modification de l’habitat. En Ouganda, les zones humides que les grues frequentent le plus souvent se trouvent en dehors des aires protegees. Les zones humides du pays subissent pourtant de lourdes modifications, et ceci, entre autres pressions, est censeetre ce qui a cause la reduction des populations de grues a 10–30% de ce qu’elles etaient au debut des annees 1970. De janvier 2005 a janvier 2006, nous avons evalue le statut de la reproduction et de la distribution des grues dans le pays. Les sites de reproduction et de nourrissage ont eteevalues grâce a une etude dans tout le pays via les journaux, et a des visites des zones humides. Nous avons pu etablir la presence de 21 nids au cours de l’etude, et la frequentation par les grues de 27 des 30 districts etudies. Le harassement et le piegeage des crues ont ete frequents pendant la reproduction, comme l’etaient les dommages causes aux cultures par les grues. Ceci est la premiere tentative pour montrer la distribution de la reproduction des grues dans le pays en dehors des aires protegees. En plus du maintien d’habitats favorables a la reproduction, la survie des grues en Ouganda repose en partie sur l’implication communautaire dans la conservation des grues et sur le renforcement des mesures de sanctions contre les crimes lies a la chasse et a la destruction des nids.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL AND NEW VENTURE PERFORMANCE: AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE MODERATING ROLE OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Many organizations today view intellectual capital (IC) as their most valuable asset. New ventures, in particular, can leverage their IC to attain and sustain a competitive advantage. This study investigates whether IC has a direct impact on venture performance. We also seek to determine if this relationship is moderated by environmental dimensions. Our findings suggest that human capital is the most critical component of IC when predicting operating performance of high-tech ventures, while intellectual property is the crucial component when predicting market-based performance. Our findings also suggest that the relationship between IC and venture performance is influenced by the environment.
Effect of multifrequency forcing on the near-field development of a jet

Flow visualization and hot-wire measurements are used to study the effect of acoustically forcing a jet with low-level disturbances containing more than one frequency component. Specifically for this study, forcings with combined frequencies at a ratio of 1 to 2 (1-2) and a ratio of 1 to 3 (1-3) are examined. For the 1-2 forcing, if the initial growth of the longer wave is sufficiently strong compared with that of the shorter wave, three manners of vortex merging can be observed: 1) pairing between two vortices of similar size, 2) pairing between two vortices of different size, and 3) vortex "tearing." Both the initial phase angle and the Strouhal number play a key role in determining the manner of vortex merging. When forced at the condition where the first mode is close to the initially most amplified frequency, no vortex tearing can be observed, and vortex pairing occurs mostly between vortices of similar size. The phase angle affects mainly the pairing location under this situation. For the 1-3 forcing, three merging modes are identified. The initial phase angle has a major effect in determining the merging mode. Regardless of the mode of forcing, the specific total energy tends toward the same asymptotic value.
Loop-shaping controller design for nonlinear systems using the Contoured Robust Controller Bode (CRCBode) plot

In this paper we introduce the Contoured Robust Controller Bode (CRCBode) plot and demonstrate how it can be used for frequency domain controller design for nonlinear systems. The CRCBode plot is based on a standard robust performance criteria which is mapped onto the controller Bode magnitude and phase plots. The contours indicate level sets of a robust performance index and define allowable and forbidden regions for the controller frequency response. We apply an iterative loop-shaping technique to design a compensator which avoids the areas of the CRCBode plot with performance index greater than zero, and we demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique for flow-rate control of a dynamic nonlinear butterfly valve system. Finally we verify the performance of the compensated system via simulation.
On‐going developments in addressing combustible dust hazards

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) continues to play an important role in creating guidance for identifying and controlling hazards associated with combustible dusts. Five separate standards address hazards associated with wood-related materials, metals, agricultural products and foodstuffs, sulfur, and all other combustible dusts (e.g., paper, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals). This article will address a number of developments in NFPA's initiatives addressing combustible dust hazards. Topics to be addressed include: The status of, and recent revisions to, NFPA's combustible dust standards; NFPA's plans for a new combustible dust standard, which will address the common issues associated with controlling combustible dust hazards, leaving the commodity-specific standards to address the issues unique to their scope; A new technical correlating committee, which will help ensure greater consistency between the approaches addressed in the various combustible dust standards; The increasing inclusion of process safety management (PSM) principles in the combustible dust standards; and The increasing allowance provided to users of NFPA standards for the use of risk-based decision-making in the selection of combustible dust hazard control options. Options exist for AIChE to provide technical support to a number of the above areas. The article will also preview a new Center for Chemical Process Safety project for providing tools for addressing combustible dust hazards. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 34: 24–30, 2015
Development of a duplex-derived velocity risk prediction model of disease progression in patients with moderate asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis.

Objective Previously, we described risk factors for disease progression in moderate asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (ASCAS). The aim of the current study was to develop a risk prediction model for disease progression in this group. Methods All patients presenting between January 2005 and May 2012 with moderate (50%-69%) ASCAS, as determined by carotid artery duplex imaging, were included. Cox proportional hazard regression models accounting for measured duplex peak systolic velocity and end-diastolic velocity, and the internal carotid artery (ICA)/common carotid artery (CCA) ratio, with and without previously identified risk factors for progression (age, smoking, dual antiplatelet therapy), were used to develop receiver operating characteristic curves for predicting disease progression. Results The study analyzed 282 patients (52% male), aged 71 ± 9 years, with 2.6 ± 0.1 years follow-up and 25% disease progression at a mean time of 2.02 ± 0.18 years. Initial peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, and the ICA/CCA ratio were all significant independent predictors of progression. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses suggested that a prediction model based on ICA/CCA ratio alone had optimal prediction efficacy (hazard ratio, 2.01; Harrell's C, 0.74; P 2.5, 3.3, and 3.8 were found to have >10%, >20%, and >30% risk of disease progression over 2 years, respectively. Model sensitivity and specificity for predicting 10% risk of disease progression at 2 years was 80.7% and 64.0%, respectively (positive predictive value, 22.9%; negative predictive value, 96.1%). Conclusions We propose a clinical prediction model for moderate ASCAS disease progression that can be used to risk-stratify patients with >10% risk of progression at 2 years using ICA/CCA ratios. Implementation of this model may be useful for identifying high-risk patients who would benefit from routine carotid disease surveillance follow-up.
Characteristics of resistance in house flies subjected to long-term concurrent selection with malathion and permethrin

Abstract A laboratory strain of the house fly (Musca domestica L.) subjected to long-term concurrent selection with permethrin and malathion demonstrated substantial levels of resistance to the selecting agents. These insects were also cross-resistant to other anticholinesterase insecticides (dimethoate, methyl parathion, stirofos, propoxur), as well as to fenvalerate and DDT. Coadministration of the microsomal oxidase inhibitor piperonyl butoxide substantially increased the toxicity of permethrin to both susceptible (S) and resistant (R) house flies, but had little if any effect on the toxicity of malathion. The esterase inhibitor DEF caused moderate increases in the toxicity of both insecticides. Studies of the post-treatment fate of 14C-labeled malathion and trans-permethrin indicated that, with both compounds, there was a generally slower rate of cuticular penetration and internal accumulation and a more rapid rate of excretion of absorbed toxicants and their metabolites by R house flies. In vivo studies indicated that metabolic degradation was enhanced in R insects in the case of trans-permethrin, but not with malathion. Comparative in vitro studies of enzymes in homogenate preparations of S and R house flies demonstrated that in R insects acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was definitely less sensitive to inhibition by malaoxon, and microsomal oxidase and GSH-transferase activities were higher. In vitro studies of the interaction of [3H]saxitoxin with nerve membrane receptors indicated decreased binding in R house fly brains. The evidence thus suggests that resistance to malathion in this R strain of the house fly is associated primarily with a reduction in the sensitivity of AChE to inhibition, and that permethrin resistance is attributable to decreased target site sensitivity and enhanced capability for metabolic degradation. Minor modifying factors most likely are involved in both cases.
Factors Predicting the Subjective Well-Being of Nations

Subjective well-being (SWB) in 55 nations, reported in probability surveys and a large college student sample, was correlated with social, economic, and cultural characteristics of the nations. The SWB surveys, representing nations that include three fourths of the earth's population, showed strong convergence. Separate measures of the predictor variables also converged and formed scales with high reliability, with the exception of the comparison variables. High income, individualism, human rights, and societal equality correlated strongly with each other, and with SWB across surveys. Income correlated with SWB even after basic need fulfillment was controlled. Only individualism persistently correlated with SWB when other predictors were controlled. Cultural homogeneity, income growth, and income comparison showed either low or inconsistent relations with SWB.
The synthesis of tungsten imido hydride complexes by the hydrogenolysis of dialkyl complexes

Abstract The reaction of the complexes [(TMS)2pda]W(NPh)(R)2, (R=CH2CMe3, CH2CH3) ([(TMS)2pda]={o-[Me3SiN]2C6H4}2−) with dihydrogen in the presence of trialkyl phosphines results in the formation of a series of W(VI) hydride complexes of the general formula [(TMS)2pda]W(NPh)(H)2(PR3)2 (PR3=PMe3, PMe2Ph, 1/2Ph2PCH2CH2PPh2, 1/2P(C6H11)3). The reactions of these complexes with olefins are also described.
The properties of sulfite oxidation in perfused rat liver; interaction of sulfite oxidase with the mitochondrial respiratory chain.

Abstract Sulfate oxidation in the isolated mitochondrial fraction of rat liver proceeds exclusively through the respiratory chain in a sequence of electron flow from sulfite oxidase to cytochrome c and then to cytochrome oxidase. Thus, the SO 3 2− O ratio observed is almost unity and the ATP O ratio with sulfite is half that obtained with succinate as the respiratory substrate. Direct reduction of molecular oxygen to H 2 O 2 by sulfite oxidase occurs only when the respiratory chain is inhibited by cyanide. These two reactions differ with respect to the effects of the O 2 concentration and the sulfite concentration on the activity and on the SO 3 2− O ratio. In the perfused liver, infusion of sulfite causes increased uptake of O 2 , with concomitant reduction of the mitochondrial components, such as pyridine nucleotides, flavoproteins, cytochrome c and cytochrome oxidase. The SO 3 2− O ratio observed is 1.6−1.4 and no increase in H 2 O 2 production is detected during sulfite oxidation, indicating that sulfite oxidase is located between the outer and inner membranes of mitochondrion and in contact with cytochrome c , thus providing reducing equivalents to the respiratory chain. In the presence of excess cyanide, O 2 consumption increases two-fold during sulfite oxidation but the rate of sulfite oxidation does not change significantly. Under these conditions the SO 3 2− O ratio is 0.8−0.6, indicating direct reduction of O 2 to H 2 O 2 by sulfite oxidase in the perfused liver. The production of H 2 O 2 is accompanied by a remarkable oxidation of pyridine nucleotides which is attributed to the stimulation of the glutathione-peroxidase reaction. The maximal rate of sulfite oxidation is more than 1.2 μmol/min/g wet wt in the control liver, and decreases to 0.6 μmol/min/g wet wt in the liver of the tungsten-pretreated rat which possesses 23% of the sulfite oxidase activity. As the rate of sulfite oxidation reaches its maximum, progressive inhibition of some dehydrogenases appears to occur in the perfused liver.
Pyrolysis kinetics of algal consortia grown using swine manure wastewater.

Abstract In this study, pyrolysis kinetics of periphytic microalgae consortia grown using swine manure slurry in two seasonal climatic patterns in northwest Arkansas were investigated. Four heating rates (5, 10, 20 and 40 °C min −1 ) were used to determine the pyrolysis kinetics. Differences in proximate, ultimate, and heating value analyses reflected variability in growing substrate conditions, i.e., flocculant use, manure slurry dilution, and differences in diurnal solar radiation and air temperature regimes. Peak decomposition temperature in algal harvests varied with changing the heating rate. Analyzing pyrolysis kinetics using differential and integral isoconversional methods (Friedman, Flynn–Wall–Ozawa, and Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose) showed strong dependency of apparent activation energy on the degree of conversion suggesting parallel reaction scheme. Consequently, the weight loss data in each thermogravimetric test was modeled using independent parallel reactions (IPR). The quality of fit (QOF) for the model ranged between 2.09% and 3.31% indicating a good agreement with the experimental data.
Intelligent headlight control using camera sensors

This paper describes our recent work on intelligently controlling a vehicle's headlights using a forward-facing camera sensor. Specifically, we aim to automatically control its beam state (high beam or low beam) during a night-time drive based on the detection of oncoming/overtaking/leading traffics as well as urban areas from the videos captured by the camera. A three-level decision framework is proposed which includes various types of image and video content analysis, an SVM-based learning mechanism and a frame-level decision making mechanism. Both video and context information have been exploited to accomplish the task. Online test drives as well as offline evaluations on tens of videos have validated the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed system.
The induction of Alu-sequence transcripts by glucocorticoid in rat liver cells.

Abstract Two cDNA clones isolated from a library prepared from dexamethasone-treated rat hepatoma cells have permitted us to detect the presence and the induction of heterogeneous, mainly short, RNA molecules in hepatoma cells and in rat liver, but not in several other rat tissues. The induction by dexamethasone is inhibited by 100 × progesterone. Pulse label experiments suggest that it occurs in part at least, at the level of transcription and may be mediated by RNA polymerase III. The induction of the RNAs is stimulated by cycloheximide, even in the absence of hormone, but not significantly by other stressful conditions. One line of hepatoma cells spontaneously lost its ability to induce these RNAs and synthesized them constitutively. These altered cells showed proper induction of another dexamethasone-mediated response, indicating that the glucocorticoid receptor was functionally normal in these cells. The two clones contain a type 2 Alu -like sequence. The short RNAs can be distinguished from 7SL RNA, which also contains Alu -sequences. We hypothesize that the synthesis of these RNAs may be regulated by an inhibitor of transcription which is inactivated by dexamethasone. Accordingly, cycloheximide relieves the inhibition by preventing synthesis of the inhibitor and the altered cell line has spontaneously lost the function of the inhibitor. The function of these RNAs for the cell is not known. We believe this to be the first report of hormone-regulated tissue specific synthesis of repeat-sequence transcripts.
Position-independent Expression of Whey Acidic Protein Transgenes

The expression of a 3-kilobase genomic rat whey acidic protein (WAP) clone (-949/+2020) in transgenic mice has been demonstrated previously to be copy number-dependent and independent of the site of integration (Dale, T., Krnacik, M. J., Schmidhauser, C., Yang, C. Q.-L., Bissell, M. J., and Rosen, J. M. (1992) Mol. Cell. Biol. 12, 905-914). The present study demonstrated that position-independent expression of the rat WAP -949/+2020 transgene was dependent on transgene spacing. Position-independent expression also was inhibited by an internal replacement of 49 base pair within the conserved GC-rich 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) with an identically sized nonspecific DNA sequence. Using electrophoretic mobility shift assays, nuclear factors isolated from mouse and human cells were shown to associate specifically with the rWAP 3'-UTR DNA, but not with the 3'-UTR containing the internal replacement or specific point mutations. Since a single copy of the 3'-UTR inserted 5' of the promoter could not rescue the 3'-UTR deletion, the 3'-UTR element does not appear to be functioning as either a classic enhancer or insulator element. However, the level of expression of rWAP transgenes was correlated with transgene association with the chromosomal scaffold in vivo.
Preparation of 14C- and 3H-methoxyl-labelled forms of ubiquinone by photochemical O-demethylation and subsequent remethylation

Ubiquinone [ubiquinone (50), coenzyme Q10, CoQ10] undergoes O-demethylation to the 2- and 3-hydroxyubiquinones, reduction to the hydroubiquinone, and cyclization to the ubichromenol derivative when irradiated, in alcohol solution, with a sunlamp. It is likely that the ubichromenol and hydroubiquinone derivatives form via a common intermediate which is different from that involved in the formation of the hydroxyubiquinone derivatives. The mixture of hydroxyubiquinones, on methylation with 14C- and 3H-labelled methyl iodide or diazomethane, yields methoxyl-labelled ubiquinone, a material useful in the study of ubiquinone photodecomposition, metabolism, and biochemistry.
Genotypic variation does not explain differences in growth of mummichogs Fundulus heteroclitus from simple and complex tidal marsh landscapes

Decimal coded wire tags were used to measure individual growth rates of mummichogs (Pisces: Fundulidae) within tidal marshes on Sapelo Island, Georgia, USA. Mummichogs (n = 17 508) were marked and released at 3 sites with different levels of complexity in their tidal channel drainage networks. The proportion of recaptures (average 19%), which varied from 6.4 to 43.3% among sites and release dates, was inversely related to relative complexity of the tidal drainage networks. Gender-specific differences were detected in size metrics and growth rates. Mean (± SD) growth rates (mm d -1 total length, TL) of individuals at large for 28 to 56 d prior to recapture ranged from 0.062 ± 0.044 to 0.274 ± 0.060 for males and 0.071 ± 0.036 to 0.279 ± 0.062 for females, with the least and most rapid growth rates associated with complex and simple tidal drainage networks, respec- tively. A 'common garden' experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that there were geno- typic differences in growth potential seemingly associated with landscape structure. Two size classes (40-50 and 55-65 mm TL) of individually marked mummichogs from drainage networks character- ized as simple (high growth) and complex (low growth) were raised in the laboratory for 42 d on each of 2 daily rations (10 and 30% wet body mass) of minced fresh-frozen grass shrimp. There was no significant difference in mean (± SD) daily growth rates of mummichogs from the 2 sites (simple: 0.283 ± 0.124 and complex: 0.299 ± 0.131) when reared under the same conditions. Although there was no evidence of a genotypic difference in growth potential between these local populations of mummichogs, a possible association between landscape structure and gene expression reflected in the spatial variation of fish growth within tidal marsh ecosystems remains to be explored.
An adaptive approximation algorithm for community detection in dynamic scale-free networks

We introduce A3CS, an adaptive framework with approximation guarantees for quickly identifying community structure in dynamic networks via maximizing Modularity Q. Our framework explores the advantages of power-law distribution property, is scalable for very large networks, and more excitingly, possesses approximation factors to ensure the quality of its detected community structure. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first framework that achieves approximation guarantees for the NP-hard modularity maximization problem, especially on dynamic networks. To certify our approach, we conduct extensive experiments in comparison with other adaptive methods on both synthesized networks with known community structures and real-world traces including ArXiv e-print citation and Facebook social networks. Excellent empirical results not only confirm our theoretical results but also promise the practical applicability of A3CS in a wide range of dynamic networks.
Phase boundaries in vertically vibrated granular materials

Abstract A boundary structure is observed in beds of vertically vibrated granular materials separating regions of opposite phase. This structure is investigated and it is identified as giving rise to both a global kink and hexagonal patterns. A global phase diagram of surface patterns on a vibrated bed is presented.
Direct observation of atomic disordering at the SrTiO3/Si interface due to oxygen diffusion

The stability of epitaxially grown single crystal SrTiO 3 (001) thin films on Si(100) substrates was studied as a function of temperature under vacuum and oxygen-rich environments using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry in channeling geometry, nuclear reaction analysis, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. During vacuum annealing, it was found that interfacial silica formed due to diffusion of oxygen from the film to Si. This was further accompanied by the atomic disordering of Sr, Ti, and O sublattices in the film due to reduction reactions. Although the interfacial degradation process is similar during heating in oxygen environment, no disordering of the film was observed.
Minimal clinically important difference (MCID)--adding meaning to statistical inference.

The author discusses the use of statistical inference in public health research, focusing on the concept of minimal clinically important difference (MCID) in clinical trials. She notes that MCIDs can help draw distinctions in medical outcomes to determine differences in treatment effectiveness between two drugs. She also explores the utility of confidence interval statistics in medical decision making.
The Effect of Ration, Caponizing, and Hormone Treatment on Broiler Strain New Hampshire Cockerels

Abstract IT IS apparent from growth data in recent years that great improvement has been made in the rate of growth of meat production strains of chickens. The question arises as to what proportion of this improvement is genetic and nutritional. Another consideration arising from such rapid growth is how long is such growth profitable or when shall such birds be marketed? Such meat birds are usually sold alive as broilers (2½ to 3½ lbs.), as roasters (4 to 6 lbs.), or as capons (6 lbs. and up). If such birds are to be carried to the capon weights they can be surgically caponized, or treated with the estrogenic hormones to produce caponettes which closely resemble capons. Excellent reviews on the use of the estrogenic hormones in the poultry industry have been published by Lorenz (1953, 1954). An experiment was designed to test the hormone treatment against surgical caponizing and to …
Group work experiences: Domestic MBA student experiences and outcomes when working with international students

This article forms part of an exploration into the results of a single-case, embedded study that was conducted to explore how domestic part-time graduate business students in the United States experience group work for summative assessment. Multiple information collection methods were utilised, including open-ended and semi-structured interviews, case study documents and student journals. The aim of this larger study was to understand the unique experiential factors that contribute to a student's perceptions of positive group work outcomes within a graduate-level context. However, this article will detail only one of the more unexpected findings of this study, which involves how international students affect the perception of positive group work for domestic part-time students. Since key informants of this study included only domestic part-time MBA students, the limitations and ethical implications surrounding this finding will also be addressed. This article suggests noteworthy implications in the area o...
Quantitative assessment of atherosclerotic lesions in mice

Abstract The well-defined genetic systems of the mouse are proving useful in experimental studies of atherosclerosis. Inbred mouse strains differ in atherosclerosis susceptibility, and several variants of apolipoproteins have been identified and mapped. This report explores the location and timing of lesion formation in the mouse in an effort to provide a basis for quantitatively comparing groups of mice. After 14 weeks on an atherogenic diet containing 1.25% cholesterol, 15% fat, and 0.5% cholic acid, C57BL/6J female mice had aortic lesions at each of the intercostal arteries, at the junction of the aorta to the heart, and in scattered areas covering 1.1% ± 0.5 (SD) of the aortic surface. After 9 months on the atherogenic diet, those lesions near the heart and intercostal arteries were extensive, 8% ± 3 (SD) of the remainder of the aorta was involved in lesions, and lesions were found in the coronary arteries. Results indicated that one suitable location for scoring lesions was in a 300 [tin area of the aorta just beyond the aortic sinus. The mean number of lesions/mouse in the selected area after 14 weeks on the atherogenic diet was 1.1 ± 0.3 (SD). The results were reproducible over 10 separate experiments. The number of lesions per mouse fit a Poisson distribution indicating that the presence of one lesion did not predispose the mouse to acquiring a second lesion. Lesion formation and cholesterol levels did not vary with the season of the year as demonstrated by 9 separate experiments over more than 12 months. Methods of evaluating the number and size of lesions were compared including sizing with a microscope eyepiece grid and computer-assisted planimetry. The resulting data provide reproducible methods of quantitatively comparing lesion formation in various strains or groups of mice, thereby increasing the usefulness of the mouse as an experimental system for atherosclerosis research.
Stereotactic radiosurgery for recurrent gliomas

Background. The treatment of recurrent gliomas is palliative; however, the local pattern of tumor recurrence permits retreatment with single fraction, high dose stereotactic radiotherapy or radiosurgery (RS). Methods. Twenty patients (median Karnofsky performance status, 80), aged 8-62 years with recurrent gliomas, were treated with RS after failing adjuvant therapy. Tumor bistologies included glioblastoma multiforme (5), anaplastic astrocytoma (10), fibrillary astrocytoma (4), and primitive neuroectodermal tumor (1), Tumor volumes ranged from 3-53.5 cc, with a median of 17 cc. Results. Seven early and one late radiation complication were seen. All seven early radiation complications were due to raised intracranial pressure and resolved in all but one patient who died. Median follow-up in 19 evaluable patients was 8 months (range, 2-29 months). Fourteen patients died from progressive tumor (median survival, 7 months). Five patients, four with recurrent tumor, were alive (median follow-up, 19 months) with a median time-to-tumor progression of 9 months. Conclusions. Radiosurgery demonstrates modest efficacy with acceptable toxicity in selected patients with recurrent gliomas and warrants further investigation.
The Role of Social and Intergenerational Equity in Making Changes in Human Well-Being Sustainable

A sustainable world is one in which human needs are met equitably and without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Human well-being is described by four primary elements—basic human needs, economic needs, environmental needs, and subjective well-being. These elements can interact in a myriad of ways to influence overall well-being. What makes changes in human well-being sustainable for a population or a nation? Two major interactional concepts can push changes in human well-being toward a sustainable state in space and time—social equity and intergenerational equity. The concept of social equity distributes well-being over space, ensuring the fair treatment of all members of society promoting spatial sustainability of a well-being decision. The concept of intergenerational equity distributes well-being through time, ensuring the well-being of present and future generations of a population or nation, promoting temporal sustainability of a well-being decision. The roles of social and intergenerational equity in terms of their influence on human well-being are examined with a focus on more sustainable decision-making.
Predictors of computer use in community-dwelling, ethnically diverse older adults.

Objective: In this study, we analyzed self-reported computer use, demographic variables, psychosocial variables, and health and well-being variables collected from 460 ethnically diverse, community...
Political-Economic Integration, Industrial Pollution and Human Health: A Panel Study of Less-Developed Countries, 1980—2000

Bridging multiple areas of sociology, the author tests hypotheses derived from foreign investment dependence theory, ecologically unequal exchange theory and world society theory in analyses of industrial organic water pollution in less-developed countries, 1980—2000. Using panel data from a variety of sources, the author proposes three hypotheses: (1) industrial organic water pollution intensity is positively associated with foreign investment in manufacturing; (2) industrial organic water pollution intensity is positively associated with overall export intensity; and (3) industrial organic water pollution intensity is negatively associated with the presence of environmental international non-governmental organizations. Further analyses investigate the impact of organic water pollution on infant mortality rates in less-developed countries. In general, findings for Prais—Winsten regression analyses with panel-corrected standard errors and generalized least squares panel regression analyses of less-develop...
Network analysis of a demonstration program for the developmentally disabled

This chapter provides a network analysis of a disability demonstration program within a large state and compares its results with the results of a more traditional evaluation of the program.
Forest tree biotechnology

The past year has seen the fruits of biotechnological manipulation of forest trees approach commercial application. Advances in somatic embryogenesis have brought mass clonal propagation of the top commercial trees closer to reality, and efficient gene transfer systems have been developed for a number of conifers and hardwoods. Radical alterations in the quantity and quality of lignin in wood have been shown to be possible in softwoods and hardwoods through identification of naturally occurring mutants, as well as by engineering the lignin biosynthetic pathway with transgenes. The potential environmental and social impacts of the release of transgenic trees have become an increasingly contentious issue that will require more attention if we are to use these technologies to their full advantage.
Cross-layer optimization with retransmission diversity in wireless CDMA networks

In this paper, we propose a cross-layer optimization approach that exploits retransmission diversity in wireless CDMA communications. Conventionally, data packets that are not correctly detected are usually dropped. These dropped packets can be used to help data packet detection. By exploiting all the retransmitted packets, data packets can be correctly detected with higher probability. The proposed approach provides a way to detect the packet by canceling out the known interference and summing up the residue received signal for all the retransmissions of a packet. Higher throughput is obtained with this approach. Regarding fairness, our proposed approach performs better than the power control approach. An algorithm is brought out to find the transmission probabilities for all the users to get maximum throughput with control of fairness. Higher power efficiency, defined as a new measure to estimate cross-layer performance, is achieved. Hence power control, which is critical in wireless communications, can be relaxed with the proposed approach.
Mark sense and port-a-punch programming inputs

The United States Military Academy is faced with the situation whereby 700 cadets may in a single subject prepare computer programs in class one day and get their solutions in the form of a computer runoff at their next class attendance. If the programs had to be processed by conventional keypunch techniques the peak requirements for keypunching would be overwhelming. Keypunched cards with operator errors caused by misinterpreted coding sheets could not be returned to students for review and correction prior to the time the solutions are required in class. This situation has caused the Military Academy to investigate methods bypassing the keypunching operation. A number of special type mark-sense and Port-A-Punch cards have been used. Figure 1 shows a card used with SADSAC, a simplified academic design single address computer; Figure 2, a card for SASSY, a symbolic assembly program; Figure 3, a card for CADETRAN, a dialect of FORTRAN. (It contains the arithmetic statement X = 3.5 * A/(K**2 - C**2).) The CADETRAN/FORTRAN card is printed in four colors. Numbers (which require marking of a single position) are printed in black. Letters of the first third of the alphabet are printed in green, as is the 12-zone position which is identified A→I. Middle third letters of the alphabet are printed in red, as is the 11-zone position identified J→R. The final third of the alphabet is printed in blue as is the 0-zone position, and identified as S→Z. Commonly used symbols which would require 3 marks have been brought out to a separate left column where a single mark serves to identify them. Common but lengthy verbs such as FORMAT, DIMENSION and READ may also be represented by a single mark.
Valuing environmental outcomes: Preferences for constant or improving sequences

Abstract Experimental results on individuals' preferences for temporal sequences of environmental outcomes related to air quality and near-shore ocean water quality are compared with preferences for sequences of health and monetary outcomes. Generally, graduate business student participants gave significantly lower ratings to environmental and health sequences (with equal means) that worsened over time, relative to the ratings they gave to sequences that either remained the same or improved over time. This pattern was reversed by the participants when they faced sequences of monetary payments. This preference structure held for both short (5-year) and long (50-year) time horizons, and it was confirmed with choice data. A model proposed by Loewenstein and Prelec for the valuation of sequences of outcomes was applied to the current data set and compared to the traditional discounting model. In all cases, the model that incorporated “Gestalt” features of the sequence (slope and uniformity) performed better than the net present value discounting model at predicting the mean ratings for the sequences in the different domains.
Distribution of angiotensin II receptor expression in the microcirculation of striated muscle.

Objective:The current study was undertaken to localize and identify angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor subtypes in the microcirculation of striated muscle. Methods:Cremaster muscles from 7- to 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were excised, placed in a dissection solution maintained at 4 °C, and 3 branch orders of arterioles and venules, as well as capillaries and a muscle specimen, were microdissected under a stereomicroscope. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methods were developed for purification and amplification of extremely small amounts of RNA (<5 ng/µL) from whole tissue samples. RNA was isolated from each sample, reverse transcribed, and the cDNA products were amplified by polymerase chain reactions (PCR) specifically primed with either AT1a, AT1b, or AT2receptor primers. The products were electrophoretically size-fractionated on an agarose gel, stained with ethidium bromide to visualize DNA bands, and analyzed to determine the presence or absence of AT receptor subtypes. Prote...
Novel heterojunction varactors

Several varactor structures that have been proposed for millimeter- and submillimeter-wave receiver systems are described, and their performance in a harmonic multiplier is compared. The performance is calculated using a nonlinear large-signal analysis program. >
Jazz as a Black American Art Form: Definitions of the Jazz Preservation Act

Jazz music and culture have experienced a surge in popularity after the passage of the Jazz Preservation Act (JPA) in 1987. This resolution defined jazz as a black American art form, thus using race, national identity, and cultural value as key aspects in making jazz one of the nation's most subsidized arts. Led by new cultural institutions and educational programs, millions of Americans have engaged with the history and canon of jazz that represent the values endorsed by the JPA. Record companies, book publishers, archivists, academia, and private foundations have also contributed to the effort to preserve jazz music and history. Such preservation has not always been a simple process, especially in identifying jazz with black culture and with America as a whole. This has required a careful balancing of social and musical aspects of jazz. For instance, many consider two of the most important aspects of jazz to be the blues aesthetic, which inevitably expresses racist oppression in America, and the democratic ethic, wherein each musician's individual expression equally contributes to the whole. Balanced explanations of race and nationality are useful not only for musicologists, but also for musicians and teachers wishing to use jazz as an example of both national achievement and confrontation with racism. Another important aspect of the JPA is the definition of jazz as a “high” art. While there remains a vocal contingent of critics arguing against the JPA's definitions of jazz, such results will not likely see many calling for an end to its programs, but rather a more open interpretation of what it means to be America's music.
Integration of Remote Sensing with GIS for Urban Growth Characterization

This chapter explores the utilities of remote sensing and GIS integration for urban growth characterization by using a loose-coupling approach. Central to this approach is a time series of satellite imagery for detecting urban land changes. The change detection output is combined with other biophysical and socio-economic data to examine some causal factors leading to the observed changes. The historical urban extent data derived by remote sensing are used to calibrate a dynamic model, which is further applied to assess the spatial consequences of future urban growth under different scenarios. This approach has been applied to a case study site, Atlanta, a typical postmodern American metropolis having undergone rapid demographic and economic growth during the past several decades. Remote sensing-based change detection reveals far-reaching suburbanization in Atlanta during 1973–1999, as indicated by large urban land area growth that substantially outpaced the rate of population growth, as well as more scattered urban spatial patterns. The growth and change revealed by remote sensing are found to be highly correlated with population and economic growth and accessibility conditions. Future urban growth simulations suggest that numerous edge cities would emerge and smaller ones would coalesce together to form larger urban clusters. If current growth patterns do not alter, the process of suburbanization would deplete vegetation and open space by around 2030. The research approach reported here contrasts with many other urban growth studies that focus on the remote sensor data analysis without enabling GIS-based spatial analysis and modeling to go beyond data description and exploration into areas of simulation and prediction.