cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification of Dss1 as a 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-responsive gene expressed in keratinocyte progenitor cells, with possible involvement in early skin tumorigenesis.

This study identifies genes expressed early in 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced skin carcinogenesis in genetically initiated Tg·AC v-Ha-rastransgenic mice. Keratinocyte progenitor cells from TPA-treated Tg·AC mice were isolated with fluorescence-activated cell sorting and expression was analyzed using cDNA microarray technology. Eleven genes were identified whose expression changed significantly in response to carcinogen treatment. Deleted in split hand/split foot 1 (Dss1) is a gene associated with a heterogeneous limb developmental disorder called split hand/split foot malformation. cDNA microarray expression analysis showed that the mouse homologue of Dss1 is induced by TPA. Dss1overexpression was detected by Northern blot analysis in early TPA-treated hyperplastic skins and in JB6 Cl 41-5a epidermal cells. Interestingly, Dss1 expression was also shown to be elevated in skin papillomas relative to normal skins, and further increased in squamous cell malignancies. Functional studies by ectopically constitutive expression of Dss1 in JB6 Cl 41-5a preneoplastic cells strongly increased focus formation and proliferation of these cells and enhanced efficiency of neoplastic transformation of the cells in soft agar. These results strongly suggest that Dss1 is a TPA-inducible gene that may play an important role in the early stages of skin carcinogenesis.
Systemic Reform Litigation and Child Welfare Policy: The Case of Illinois

This study examines systemic litigation against the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Focusing on B.H., a 1988 class action suit, it looks at the litigation process, conceptualized as continual interaction among litigants, the court, and affected non-litigants. Dividing the litigation process into five phases, it discusses the effect of B.H. on child welfare policy in Illinois. The study concludes that B.H. provided a stimulus for reform, yet has been unable to completely satisfy the hopes of the litigants in achieving significant systemic reform.
Composite force sensing foot utilizing volumetric displacement of a hyperelastic polymer

This paper illustrates the fabrication and characterization of a footpad based on an original principle of volumetric displacement sensing. It is intended for use in detecting ground contact forces in a running quadrupedal robot. The footpad is manufactured as a monolithic, composite structure composed of multi-graded polymers which are reinforced by glass fiber to increase durability and traction. The volumetric displacement sensing principle utilizes a hyperelastic gel-like pad with embedded magnets that are tracked with Hall-effect sensors. Normal and shear forces can be detected as contact with the ground which causes the gel-like pad to deform into rigid wells. This is all done without the need to expose the sensor. A one-time training process using an artificial neural network was used to relate the normal and shear forces with the volumetric displacement sensor output. The sensor was shown to predict normal forces in the Z-axis up to 80N with a root mean squared error of 6.04% as well as the onset of shear in the X and Y-axis. This demonstrates a proof-of-concept for a more robust footpad sensor suitable for use in all outdoor conditions.
Enabling Context-Aware Indoor Augmented Reality via Smartphone Sensing and Vision Tracking

Augmented reality (AR) aims to render the world that users see and overlay information that reflects the real physical dynamics. The digital view could be potentially projected near the Point-of-Interest (POI) in a way that makes the virtual view attached to the POI even when the camera moves. Achieving smooth support for movements is a subject of extensive studies. One of the key problems is where the augmented information should be added to the field of vision in real time. Existing solutions either leverage GPS location for rendering outdoor AR views (hundreds of kilometers away) or rely on image markers for small-scale presentation (only for the marker region). To realize AR applications under various scales and dynamics, we propose a suite of algorithms for fine-grained AR view tracking to improve the accuracy of attitude and displacement estimation, reduce the drift, eliminate the marker, and lower the computation cost. Instead of requiring extremely high, accurate, absolute locations, we propose multimodal solutions according to mobility levels without additional hardware requirement. Experimental results demonstrate significantly less error in projecting and tracking the AR view. These results are expected to make users excited to explore their surroundings with enriched content.
History of the treatment of childhood ALL: A paradigm for cancer cure

The history of the treatment of childhood leukemia from 1950 to the present is reviewed here. Particular emphasis is placed on the 'Total Therapy' studies conducted at St Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Under the guidance of Donald Pinkel, MD, the first medical director of St Jude, variations in chemotherapy and craniospinal irradiation were tried, and by Study XV, begun in 2000, a 4-year event-free survival of 92+/-7% had been achieved. Strengths and weaknesses in the current treatment of childhood leukemia are discussed as well as possibilities for the future.
Determination of mutagens, amino-α-carbolines in grilled foods and cigarette smoke condensate

The amounts of 2 mutagens, 2-amino-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (AC) and 2-amino-3-methyl-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (MeAC), in grilled foods and cigarette smoke condensate wer3e determined by analysis system composed of HPLC and spectrofluorometer. The AC and MeAC contents of 1 g of grilled beef were 650.8 ng and 63.5 ng, respectively. They were equivalent to those of about 8 cigarettes. The smoke condensate of a blended cigarette (A) contained 79.7 ng of AC and 6.2 ng of MeAC.
The effect of dentine thickness on diffusion of resin monomers in vitro

summary Forty extracted human third molar teeth were divided into four groups, each of 10 teeth, to test the hypothesis that dentine thickness variation influences diffusion of the monomers 2-hydroxy-ethylmethacrylate (HEMA) and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) from light-cured bonding resin-composite resin restorations to the pulp space. An occlusal cavity 6 mm in diameter was prepared in each tooth of four groups with remaining dentine thickness of 3.4–3.6, 2.4–2.6, 1.4–1.6 and 0.4–0.6 mm, respectively. A polypropylene chamber was attached to the cemento-enamel junction of each tooth to contain I mL of distilled water. Each cavity was treated with Scotchbond Multipurpose (3m, U.S.A.) then restored with Z100 (3m) and light activated for 30 s. Water samples were retrieved over a time course up to 30 days and analysed by high performance liquid chromatography. Both HEMA and TEGDMA were detected in the pulp samples for all teeth. Decreasing dentine thickness substantially increased pulpward diffusion rate of both HEMA and TEGDMA during the first day after placement, as well as the total release of both components from a bonding resin-composite combination in vitro.
Vortex rings in the working surface of radio jets.

We study the effects of the presence of vortex rings surrounding a supersonic radio jet inside the cocoon of a radio lobe. We show that both the jet and the shocked ambient medium are pinched. Flow speed inside the cocoon is always close to the sonic value and it stays so by successively passing through several oblique shocks. We also discuss the possibility of the non-linear growth of the instabilities of the contact surface to explain the numerical results in the literature.
An optimization based generator placement strategy in network reduction

Solving the optimal power flow (OPF) problem on a large power system is computationally expensive. Network reduction and ac-to-dc network conversion can relieve this burden by simplifying the full system model to a smaller and mathematically simpler model. Traditional reduction methods, like Ward reduction, fractionalize generators when the buses they are attached to are removed, and scatters these fractions to topologically adjacent buses. In some OPF applications, this type of generator modeling is problematic. An improved approach is to keep generators intact by moving them whole to buses in reduced model and then redistributing loads to maintain base-case line flows. Determining generator placement using a traditional shortest electrical distance (SED) based method may result in cases where the OPF solution on reduced model is infeasible while the full model has a feasible solution. In this paper, an improved generator placement method is proposed. Tests show that the proposed method yields a better approximation to the full model OPF solutions and is more likely to produce a reduced model with a feasible solution if the unreduced model has a feasible solution.
Localization on the cell surface of streptococcal protein antigen A

The cellular localization of the major surface protein SpaA of Streptococcus sobrinus 6175 was examined by immunoelectron microscopy with rabbit polyclonal antibodies directed against purified SpaA protein. Immunoelectron microscopic analysis of thin sections of S. sobrinus cells revealed that the SpaA protein is associated with the fibrillar fuzzy coat of S. sobrinus cells and appears to be distributed over the entire surface of S. sobrinus cells.
Geography of asbestos contamination near the World Trade Center site

Despite the dust cleanup and indoor air testing program led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and offered to all residents of Lower Manhattan (south of Canal Street), concern remains about local chemical residues from the collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) buildings. Data on post-cleanup indoor airborne asbestos concentration, available from EPA Region 2, were analyzed to assess the possibility that the WTC site is the source of geographically concentrated rare post-cleanup exceedances of the health-based standard for asbestos. Recognizing that these rare exceedances may be attributable to sources other than the WTC disaster, and that these sources are very likely to exhibit geographic patterns, the data were analyzed using a spatial filter specification of the auto-Poisson probability model. Our analysis shows that ignoring geographic patterns latent in these exceedances affects the empirical probability of exceeding the health-based standards for airborne asbestos. We did not find any statistically-significant geographic pattern in the exceedance events that would indicate the WTC site as the source of the post-cleanup exceedances. Apparent geographic patterns may be due to the geographic variability in sampling intensity. Our analysis indicates the Residential Dust Cleanup Program lead by EPA Region 2 has been effective at reducing the concentration of air-borne asbestos in indoor air to below the health-based benchmark.
The electrical behavior of α and β BaCu4S3

Abstract The electrical resistivity of α BaCu 4 S 3 is 0.20 ohm-cm and is temperature independent over the range 150°K to 500°K. Below 150°K the temperature dependence is that of a semiconductor. The high temperature, β phase, is a degenerate semiconductor over the temperature range 310°K to 430°K.
Charles Cleland on Steve Magura's "Failure of intervention or failure of evaluation: a meta-evaluation of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign Evaluation".

Magura's meta-evaluation of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign Evaluation raises a number of important concerns about design weaknesses in that study and offers constructive suggestions fo...
In vivo quantification of G protein coupled receptor interactions using spectrally resolved two-photon microscopy.

The study of protein interactions in living cells is an important area of research because the information accumulated both benefits industrial applications as well as increases basic fundamental biological knowledge. Forster (Fluorescence) Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) between a donor molecule in an electronically excited state and a nearby acceptor molecule has been frequently utilized for studies of protein-protein interactions in living cells. The proteins of interest are tagged with two different types of fluorescent probes and expressed in biological cells. The fluorescent probes are then excited, typically using laser light, and the spectral properties of the fluorescence emission emanating from the fluorescent probes is collected and analyzed. Information regarding the degree of the protein interactions is embedded in the spectral emission data. Typically, the cell must be scanned a number of times in order to accumulate enough spectral information to accurately quantify the extent of the protein interactions for each region of interest within the cell. However, the molecular composition of these regions may change during the course of the acquisition process, limiting the spatial determination of the quantitative values of the apparent FRET efficiencies to an average over entire cells. By means of a spectrally resolved two-photon microscope, we are able to obtain a full set of spectrally resolved images after only one complete excitation scan of the sample of interest. From this pixel-level spectral data, a map of FRET efficiencies throughout the cell is calculated. By applying a simple theory of FRET in oligomeric complexes to the experimentally obtained distribution of FRET efficiencies throughout the cell, a single spectrally resolved scan reveals stoichiometric and structural information about the oligomer complex under study. Here we describe the procedure of preparing biological cells (the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae) expressing membrane receptors (sterile 2 α-factor receptors) tagged with two different types of fluorescent probes. Furthermore, we illustrate critical factors involved in collecting fluorescence data using the spectrally resolved two-photon microscopy imaging system. The use of this protocol may be extended to study any type of protein which can be expressed in a living cell with a fluorescent marker attached to it.
Solution of transient optimization problems by using an algorithm based on nonlinear programming

An algorithm is presented for solution of dynamic optimization problems which are nonlinear in the state variables and linear in the control variables. It is shown that the optimal control is bang-bang. A nominal bang-bang solution is found which satisfies the system equations and constraints, and influence functions are generated which check the optimality of the solution. Nonlinear optimization (gradient search) techniques are used to find the optimal solution. The algorithm is used to find a minimum time acceleration for a turbofan engine.
In overweight or obese patients with atrial fibrillation, a weight reduction program reduced symptoms.

Source Citation Abed HS, Wittert GA, Leong DP, et al. Effect of weight reduction and cardiometabolic risk factor management on symptom burden and severity in patients with atrial fibrillation: a ra...
A possible role for insulin in the altered capability for hepatic enzyme adaptation during aging.

The pattern of change in the concentration of immunoreactive insulin in portal vein blood during a 7-hour period following intragastric administration of glucose to fasted, male Sprague-Dawley rats is modified both in magnitude and time course of response as rat age increases from 2- to 24-months. This alteration in the control of insulin levels probably is not the consequence of modifications in the availability of administered glucose to the pancreas. A similar modification in the control of insulin secretion also is evident when pancreatic islets isolated from fasted rat donors aged 2- to 24-months are perifused with glucose invitro. This may represent the first demonstration of an altered response of aging animals which is expressed in the same way in an isolated invitro system.
Design and synthesis of 3-arylpyrrolidine-2-carboxamide derivatives as melanocortin-4 receptor ligands

Based on 3-phenylpropionamides, a series of 3-arylpyrrolidine-2-carboxamide derivatives was designed and synthesized to study the effect of cyclizations as melanocortin-4 receptor ligands. It was found that the 2R,3R-pyrrolidine isomer possessed the most potent affinity among the four stereoisomers.
Alteration of redox stability of hemoglobins A and S by biological buffers.

Abstract Several organic and inorganic buffers, including Hepes, Tris and potassium phosphate, are often used for the maintenance of pH in hemoglobin solution work. It has often been assumed these buffers do not significantly affect the solution stability of these proteins. This investigation has focused on the effect these buffers have on the redox stability of the heme-iron, [Fe+2→Fe+3], of hemoglobins A and sickle cell S (β6 glu→val) over extended periods of time. Initial results indicate that: 1) the use of different buffers under similar ionic strength conditions at pH 7.0 affect conformational changes that produce substantial differences in redox stability between Hb A and Hb S; 2) spectral analysis of these hemoglobins in the visible region (700–500 nm) at 37°C for extended periods of time indicated that a slower rate of autoxidation is observed with a Hepes buffered system over a wide ionic strength range than for either Tris or potassium phosphate buffers; 3) Hb S autoxidized at a faster rate in the presence of each of these buffers than Hb A; and 4) in contrast to Hb A, Hb S showed extensive hemichrome formation after 15 hr in the presence of potassium phosphate buffer.
Preamble, Purpose, and Ethical Principles Sections of the NASW Code of Ethics: A Preliminary Analysis

The first three, brief sections of the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers (1999) display striking inconsistency of content and uncertainty of purpose. The decision to incorporate those sections into a single code document along with the lengthy fourth section (Ethical Standards) appears to have contributed to their imperfection. The mission statement and the Ethical Principles, in particular, may develop better if they are divided into separate documents, each with its own distinct purpose. Such a development might help reduce the extent to which social workers must rely upon individualistic rather than shared wisdom in responding to common ethical issues.
The Use of Balanced Half-Sample Replication in Cross-Validation Studies

Abstract Cross-validation techniques involve omitting a portion of the available data, fitting a prediction function to the portion remaining, and then testing the fitted function on the omitted data. Ideally, one would like to repeat this process on all possible splits. In many instances, this is not computationally feasible. This paper argues and demonstrates, using half samples by way of illustration, that the balanced sampling techniques developed for the analysis of complex sample survey data provide an efficient way of sampling the population of all possible splits.
In vitro activity of temafloxacin against pathogens causing sexually transmitted diseases

Abstract The fluoroquinolones represent a new therapeutic alternative for the treatment of many sexually transmitted diseases, especially those caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae , Chlamydia trachomatis , Mycoplasma hominis , and Ureaplasma urealyticum . In vitro studies have demonstrated the 90% minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC 90 s) of temafloxacin for these pathogens to be N. gonorrhoeae ; 0.25μg/mL for C. trachomatis ; 0.125-2 μg/mL for M. hominis ; and 4 μg/mL for U. urealyticum . These concentrations are equal to or less than those achievable in plasma following a 400-mg temafloxacin oral dose given twice daily. Based on temafloxacin's antimicrobial activity and pharmacokinetic profile, it appears to be an excellent agent for the treatment of patients with gonococcal or nongonococcal urethritis and/or cervicitis.
Dilatation in planes containing dipole accumulations

Abstract The dilatation at an arbitrary point in a plane containing the midpoints of an infinite array of edge dislocation dipoles is evaluated and its relation to the corresponding quantity in planes containing finite numbers of such dipoles is pointed out.
Distraction resection arthroplasty of the wrist

Proximal row carpectomy should not be done if wrist degeneration includes cartilage destruction of the capitate or lunate fossa of the radius; yet total wrist arthroplasty has been disappointing for treatment of osteoarthritis. We have used a technique we call distraction resection wrist arthroplasty in such cases. We retrospectively reviewed distraction resection wrist arthroplasty in 14 wrists and compared them to nine patients who had PRC; average follow-up was 32 months. Three patients had spastic contractures and 20 had operation for painful osteoarthritis. Patient satisfaction was high but there were four failures requiring arthrodesis (1 PRC, 3 DRA). Average postoperative wrist motion was 41 degrees of extension, 38 degrees of flexion, 11 degrees of radial deviation, and 13 degrees of ulnar deviation. Static strength averaged almost two thirds of the uninvolved side and dynamic power more than half. Differences between the DRA and PRC patients were not statistically significant in single or aggregate analysis. We believe that distraction technique extends the indications for biologic arthroplasty to patients whose only prior option was wrist arthrodesis.
Aging-associated shifts in functional status of mast cells located by adult and aged mesenteric lymphatic vessels.

We had previously proposed the presence of permanent stimulatory influences in the tissue microenvironment surrounding the aged mesenteric lymphatic vessels (MLV), which influence aged lymphatic function. In this study, we performed immunohistochemical labeling of proteins known to be present in mast cells (mast cell tryptase, c-kit, prostaglandin D2 synthase, histidine decarboxylase, histamine, transmembrane protein 16A, and TNF-α) with double verification of mast cells in the same segment of rat mesentery containing MLV by labeling with Alexa Fluor 488-conjugated avidin followed by toluidine blue staining. Additionally, we evaluated the aging-associated changes in the number of mast cells located by MLV and in their functional status by inducing mast cell activation by various activators (substance P; anti-rat DNP Immunoglobulin E; peptidoglycan from Staphyloccus aureus and compound 48/80) in the presence of ruthenium red followed by subsequent staining by toluidine blue. We found that there was a 27% aging-associated increase in the total number of mast cells, with an ∼400% increase in the number of activated mast cells in aged mesenteric tissue in resting conditions with diminished ability of mast cells to be newly activated in the presence of inflammatory or chemical stimuli. We conclude that higher degree of preactivation of mast cells in aged mesenteric tissue is important for development of aging-associated impairment of function of mesenteric lymphatic vessels. The limited number of intact aged mast cells located close to the mesenteric lymphatic compartments to react to the presence of acute stimuli may be considered contributory to the aging-associated deteriorations in immune response.
Obesity-related quality-adjusted life years lost in the U.S. from 1993 to 2008.

Background Although trends in the prevalence of obesity and obesity-attributable deaths have been examined, little is known about the resultant burden of disease associated with obesity. Purpose This study examined trends in the burden of obesity by estimating the obesity-related quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) lost—defined as the sum of QALYs lost due to morbidity and future QALYs lost in expected life years due to premature deaths—among U.S. adults along with differences by gender, race/ethnicity, and state. Methods Health-related quality-of-life data were taken from the 1993–2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to calculate QALYs lost due to morbidity. Age-specific mortality data were used to calculate QALYs lost due to mortality. Results QALYs lost due to obesity in U.S. adults have more than doubled from 1993 to 2008. Black women had the most QALYs lost due to obesity, at 0.0676 per person in 2008. This number was 31% higher than the QALYs lost in black men and about 50% higher than the QALYs lost in white women and white men. A strong and positive relationship between obesity-related QALYs lost and the percentage of the population reporting no leisure-time physical activity at the state level ( r =0.71) also was found. Conclusions This analysis enables the overall impact of obesity on both morbidity and mortality to be examined using a single value. The overall health burden of obesity has increased since 1993 and such increases were observed in all gender-by-race subgroups and in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Discrete–time nonlinear filtering with marked point process observations: ii. risk–sensitive filters

We discuss in this article the risk–sensitive filtering problem of estimating a nonlinear signal process, with nonadditive non–Gaussian noise, via a marked point process observation. This extends to the risk sensitive case all the risk–neutral results studied in Dufour and Kannan [2].By going into a change of measure, we derive the unnormalized conditional density of the signal conditioned on the observation history. We also derive the unnormalized prediction density. Using these, we present two separate expressions for the optimal estimate of the signal. A similar analysis of the smoothing density of the signal is also studied under both the risk–sensitive and risk–neutral cases. We specialize the above optimal estimation to the linear signal dynamics and marked point process observation under some Gaussian assumptions. We obtain a Kalman type risk-sensitive filter. Due to the special nature of the observation process, the conditional mean and covariance estimates directly depend now on the point process
Diagnostic and therapeutic problems in extracranial meningiomas.

Summary Extracranial meningiomas, either primary or secondary, may present in numerous sites about the head and neck. We have described primary extracranial meningiomas of the middle ear and jugular foramen-parapharyngeal regions. Surgical extirpation of such meningiomas should provide a good prognosis if removal is complete. For tumors in the infratemporal region, preliminary total parotidectomy exposes the facial nerve so that the surrounding tumor may be removed without injuring the nerve. With patients who have extracranial extensions of intracranial meningiomas, the surgeon may be reluctant to excise the extracranial component. However, follow-up study of cases in which extracranial excision was performed suggests that long-term relief from pain and disfiguration may be expected. The intracranial component may be removed at a second-stage procedure, or in certain instances, the patient may be observed. Consultation with a neurosurgeon is essential in determining the appropriate therapeutic course.
Reduced aflatoxin toxicity in hybrid crosses of aflatoxin B1 sensitive and resistant strains of Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera)

Abstract Toxicity studies on four different wild-type strains of Drosophila melanogaster (Lausanne-S, Canton-S, Florida-9, and Swedish-C) and a hybrid strain produced by intercrossing these four strains are reported. The Lausanne-S and hybrid strains exhibited resistance to aflatoxin B 1 above 0.35 ppm. The resistant strains did show decreasing egg-to-adult viabilities with increasing concentrations of the toxin in the media. No adults eclosed at or above 0.35 ppm in the Canton-S, Florida-9, or Swedish-C strain, all of which we classify as aflatoxin-sensitive. The genetic control of the degree of sensitivity to AFB 1 displayed by a strain is discussed briefly.
SU-FF-T-479: Design of a Flexible, Web Accessible, Clinical Outcomes Database to Support Evidenced Based Radiation Treatment Planning

Purpose: Lack of patient outcome data for use in retrospective examinations is a notorious problem both for large and small clinics wishing to gain insight on their control rates and morbidity statistics and to correlate these with DVH based endpoints. Often spread sheet based approaches are attempted, but these typically prove inadequate for addressing the department wide problem. Most clinics lack the resources to design databases sufficiently flexible to accommodate evolving determination of clinical endpoints and design of an interface that integrates easily into daily clinical practice. The object of this research was to develop a database and web based interface, to solve these problems and which could be shared as part of an open source effort among multiple institutions. Method and Materials: Objectives for SQL database design were 1) ability to store DVH data and analysis 2) ability to accommodate new or evolving studies without modification of table structure 3) ability to integrate with other department objectives e.g. QA 4) ability to import data from current record and verify system. Web based interface and database were used to conduct internal outcome studies for several anatomic target sites. Results:Meta data tables were used to define, and manage queries from independent endpoint data tables. Database and interface have proven clinical viability and become part of our program to improve documentation. Data reports can be web or spreadsheet based. Largest hurdle for implementation was staff time for data input from charts not yet structured to simplify locating endpoint data. Conclusion: Department databases for monitoring outcome are needed to support evidenced based approach to treatment design. The current application works, is inexpensive, and is promising as the basis of a multi‐institutional open source effort. Conflict of Interest: Work was supported in part by a grant from Varian Medical Systems
System measure for persistence in holographic recording and application to singly-doped and doubly-doped lithium niobate.

We define a measure for persistence in holographic recording. Using this measure and the known measures for dynamic range and sensitivity, we compare the performance of singly-doped and doubly-doped LiNbO3 crystals. We show that the range of performance that can be obtained using doubly-doped crystals is much larger than that obtained using singly-doped ones.
‘Branding’ Branson (Missouri, USA) World's Largest Live Indoor Entertainment Centre

Branson, a community of 8000 permanent inhabitants, situated on the hilly Ozark Plateau of southwestern Missouri, in southerly mid-central USA, is an anomaly. Most world-famous music centres develop in cities with large government.upported venues. In Branson, with 60,000 seats and over 70 live shows per day, most theatres are performer-owned. In the past halt century Branson has evolved from an early hunting-fishing tourism area into its acknowledged role as the capital of Country music. Confronted with changing tourist ages and interests, from Depression-Era senior citizens to middle-aged baby boomers, Branson is developing a new upscale image and, by 'branding' their name, seeks to maintain their product: good, clean tun.
Loss rates of acetone in filtered and unfiltered coastal seawater

Abstract Loss rates of acetone were measured in filtered and unfiltered seawater samples over a 12 month time period at a Pacific Ocean coastal site in Orange County, Southern California, USA, using purge and trap isotope-dilution gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The average measured first-order rate constant for acetone loss in unfiltered seawater (biotic and abiotic rate) was 0.12 ± 0.05 h− 1 corresponding to a half-life of 5.8 ± 2.4 h. The observed loss rate in filtered seawater (abiotic rate) was less than 10% of this. Seasonal variations were observed, with higher loss measured in winter and after rain events. Diurnal effects were also observed, with loss rates higher earlier in the day and lower at noon. These are attributed to seasonal and temporal variations in bacteria concentrations, suggesting that bacterial metabolism may be the primary loss process for acetone in urbanized coastal waters.
The polarization vector and secular equation for surface waves in an anisotropic elastic half-space

Abstract The displacement at the free surface of an anisotropic elastic half-space x2>0 generated by a surface wave propagating in the direction of the x1-axis traces an elliptic path. It is represented by the polarization vector a R = e 1 + i e 2 , where e 1 , e 2 are the conjugate radii of the ellipse on the polarization plane. The displacement traces the ellipse in the direction from e 1 to e 2 . We present explicit expressions of e 1 , e 2 and the secular equation without computing the Stroh eigenvalues p and the associated eigenvectors a and b . After presenting the expressions for a general anisotropic elastic material, the special cases are studied separately. For monoclinic materials with the symmetry plane at x3=0, the secular equation and the conjugate radii e 1 , e 2 are identical to that for orthotropic materials when s′16=0 but s′26 need not vanish. For monoclinic materials with the symmetry plane at x1=0, e 1 is along the x1-axis while e 2 is on the plane x1=0. If the symmetry plane is at x2=0, e 1 is on the plane x2=0 while e 2 is along the negative x2-axis. In both cases, e 1 , e 2 are the principal radii of the ellipse. We also present the derivative of a R with respect to x2, the depth from the free surface, that provides information on (i) whether the conjugate radii of the ellipse increase as x2 increases and (ii) whether the polarization plane rotates as x2 increases. New secular equations are obtained for monoclinic materials with the symmetry plane at x1=0 or x2=0.
Capture Software Design Rationale Based on an Integrated Analysis of Both Software Process and Product Quality Requirements from Multiple Perspectives

The capture of design rationale in terms of the process and product quality requirements for a software system from different perspec tives in concurrent engineering poses two challenges (1) process and product quality requirements arising from different perspectives usually conflict with each other, and (2) both process and product quality requirements are often vague and imprecise Recent research into methods for handling software quality requirements has taken one of two approaches—quantitative and qualitative Quantitative approaches are based upon software metrics and specify requirements using predicate logic Qualitative approaches represent requirements qualitatively and decom pose the requirements into a hierarchy of subrequirements A unified approach for specifying and analyzing requirements quantitatively and qualitatively is also developed based on fuzzy logic However, none of these methods addresses design rationale capture based on integrated analysis of both product and process quality requir...
Pentamethylcyclopentadienyl—aminoborole derivatives of zirconium and hafnium with alkyl and allyl ligands

The preparations of new alkyl, iodo, and allyl derivatives of zirconium and hafnium with pentamethylcyclopentadienyl and aminoborole ancillary ligands are described. The dialkyl complexes Cp * {~5-CaH4BN(CHM%)2}ZrR2Li (R = Me, C~-C-p-C6H4CH 3, C-=CMe3, CH2Ph) are prepared from Cp*{rIS-C4H4BN(CHM%)z}ZrCI - LiCl and two equivalents of RLi. Cp*ZrI 3 is prepared from
Light at the end of the tunnel: recent analytical applications of liquid-core waveguides

Abstract Optical chemical analysis systems are the most important tools to analytical chemists in need of sensitive measurement techniques. Liquid-core waveguides (Fig. 1) have proved to be an important innovation that has led to improvements in detection limits when incorporated into many types of optical analysis systems, especially UV–Vis absorbance, fluorescence and Raman measurements.
Object placement as inverse motion planning

We present an approach to robust placing that uses movable surfaces in the environment to guide a poorly grasped object into a goal pose. This problem is an instance of the inverse motion planning problem, in which we solve for a configuration of the environment that makes desired trajectories likely. To calculate the probability that an object will take a particular trajectory, we model the physics of placing as a mixture model of simple object motions. Our algorithm searches over the possible configurations of the object and environment and uses this model to choose the configuration most likely to lead to a successful place. We show that this algorithm allows the PR2 robot to execute placements that fail with traditional placing implementations.
Xenophon's Retreat: Greece, Persia and the End of the Golden Age – By Robin Waterfield

Xenophon is back. After decades of neglect, the Athenian aristocrat and student of Socrates, whose work once served as an introduction to the study of ancient Greek and thrilled generations of Brit...
Concentration-Time Models for the Effects of Ozone on Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Protein from Rats and Guinea Pigs

AbstractQuestions about the adequacy of the existing ozone (O3)standard prompted an examination of relationships between concentration (C) and exposure time (T) and the impact of changes in the C × T product on toxic responses. Using protein concentration of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALP) as an index of O3-induced lung damage, models were developed from a matrix of C (0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 ppm) and T (2, 4, and 8 h) values in rat and guinea pig. Equal C × T products with different levels of C and T were incorporated into the protocol. Polynomial and exponential least-squares models were developed and the lognormal linear model (Larsen et al., 1991) was evaluated for the rat and guinea pig data. For equal C × T products the results showed similar BALP responses at low C × T products. Calculations from the data and the models showed that (1) the models were consistent with reported experiments from our laboratory (Hatch et al., 1986), (2) exercising humans were more responsive to O3 exposure (wit...
Regulation: A Transaction Cost Perspective

This essay explores the immense impact of Oliver Williamson's writings and thoughts on contracting and organizations to research on the economics of regulation. Based on Williamson's transaction cost economics approach, this essay discusses the fundamental hazards inherent in government/utility-investors' interactions and explores how these hazards affect the way regulation is developed and the institutional environment within which these interactions take place.
Correction of anterior open bite deformity: a study of tongue function, speech changes, and stability.

Summary Nine individuals with anterior open bite underwent tongue function and speech evaluation prior to treatment, postoperatively, and at three-month intervals for at least one year. Aberrant tongue function and speech improved in the absence of tongue or speech therapy during the postoperative period. Periodic clinical and cephalometric evaluation demonstrated generally good stability of treatment results for the period of study.
Colloidal cobalt hydrous oxides. Preparation and properties of monodispersed Co3O4

Monodispersed cubic crystals (∼0.1 μm in edge length) of cobalt(II,III) oxide, Co3O4, have been obtained by heating cobalt acetate solutions (10−3–10−2 M) at ∼100°C for a few hours. Bubbling of oxygen prior to aging was found to greatly increase the yield in Co3O4. No precipitates have been obtained from other cobalt salt solutions (CoSO4, Co(NO3)2 and CoCl2) when these were treated in a similar manner. When sodium persulfate was used instead of oxygen as an oxidizing agent, the particles obtained on aging the cobalt(II) salt solutions at 100°C had a composition of CoO(OH) and were irregular in shape. Heating cobalt(II) salt solutions at 300°C in an autoclave yielded Co23O4 in all cases; in the presence of acetate ions the resulting particles were of cubic morphology but polydispersed, whereas other cobalt salts yielded irregularly shaped solids.
Does performance on memory for order correlate with performance on standardized measures of ability? A meta-analysis

Abstract For over a century psychologists have been interested in measures of memory for order (MFO), and the relationship of MFO with measures of general ability. The results have been many and varied; thus, a meta-analysis was performed to determine the nature and degree of such relationships. Specifically, 225 hypothesis tests relating measures of MFO with performance on standardized tests of ability were included in the meta-analysis. The combined effect size was found to be moderate and highly significant. In addition, separate meta-analyses were performed for standardized achievement and aptitude tests, partial and whole recall MFO tasks, and for each of the 11 MFO tasks included in the overall analysis. Other task and subject characteristics were coded and used to predict effect size. It was found that the relationship between partial recall and standardized achievement tests was significantly higher than other relationships involving partial and whole recall with achievement and aptitude tests. Age was not found to predict effect size in a systematic manner. Quality of the MFO task was a significant predictor of effect size.
Non-performance penalties in the hotel industry

Abstract This paper deals with the related issues and problems of hotel reservations, cancellations, no shows, holdovers, early departures, overbooking, oversales, upgrades, walks, and the associated non-performance penalties or compensation. Specifically, we concentrate on non-performance penalties related to late cancellations and no shows, early departures, and walks. Because of the growing importance of the meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions market, special attention is paid to group reservations, group sales contracts, and attrition clauses which penalize meeting planners for not picking up the agreed upon number of blocked room nights. Comparisons are then made with the cruise, airline, and car rental industries. Comparative statistics show that overall, hotels have outperformed the airlines and car rental agencies, but not the cruise lines. We conclude with recommendations for greater efficiencies in managing non-performance penalties or compensation for the hotel industry.
The effects of dispersion and dissipation on wave propagation in viscoelastic layered composities

Abstract Transient waves propagating normal to the layerings of a semi-infinite viscoelastic layered composite are studied. The stress response at a large distance from the boundary due to a unit step stress applied at the boundary is obtained. If the distance is not large enough, the stress response is oscillatory due to the dispersive nature of the composite. As the distance increases, the dissipation effect of the viscoelastic materials becomes pronounced and eventually wipes out completely the oscillatory response. The transition from the oscillatory response to the monotonic response is controlled by a parameter γ which contains (a) the impedance mismatch of the composite which contributes to the dispersion, (b) the dissipative properties of the viscoelastic materials and (c) the distance traveled by the wave.
Molecular characterization of porcine TT virus, an orphan virus, in pigs from six different countries☆

Human TT virus (TTV), originally isolated from a patient with post-transfusion hepatitis in 1997, is ubiquitous and non-pathogenic. Viruses related to human TTV have since been identified in non-human primates, bovine, ovine, porcine, feline, and canine. The objective of this study was to genetically characterize porcine TTV from pigs in different geographic regions. PCR primers based on the non-coding region of the only available porcine TTV isolate were designed to amplify porcine TTV DNA from sera of pigs in six different countries. Porcine TTV DNA was detected in 66.2% (102/154) of the swine sera. The percentages of positive pigs varied greatly from country to country and even within the same country: 33% in Iowa, USA; 40% in Thailand; 46% in Ontario, Canada; 80% in China; 85% in Korea; 90% in Spain; 100% in Quebec and Saskatchewan, Canada. A total of 40 porcine TTV isolates (five from each geographic region) were sequenced for a 218 bp fragment within the non-coding region. Sequence analyses revealed that porcine TTV isolates from different geographic regions shared 86-100% nucleotide sequence identity to each other. The prototype Japanese isolate of porcine TTV, Sd-TTV31, shared 90-97% nucleotide sequence identity with porcine TTV isolates reported in this study. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the clustering of the porcine TTV isolates is not associated with geographic origins. Although porcine TTV is not known to be associated with any swine disease, co-infection of pigs with TTV and other known swine pathogens may result in enhanced disease. There are also concerns for risk of potential human infection during xenotransplantation.
Trends in Occupational Sex Segregation and Inequality, 1950 to 1990

Abstract Trends in occupational sex segregation and inequality from 1950 to 1990 are examined, indicators of which are calculated for 489 occupations from the 1980 and 1990 U.S. Censuses and compared with previous results. The data signal a decline in unevenness and isolation but not concentration in occupational distribution, due mostly to changes in occupational sex composition. Occupational sex inequality also decreases during the 1980s, due to increasing female occupational status. The results suggest that occupational integration and equality will not be achieved until the concentration and isolation of women in the labor force are reduced.
Effects of strain rate on the deformation and failure behavior of 93wt.%W–5wt.%Ni–2wt.%Fe under shear loading

Abstract A tungsten heavy alloy containing 93wt.%W (Teledyne 93wt.%W–5wt.%Ni–2wt.%Fe alloy swaged to 17%) was tested in torsion from quasi-static to high strain rates of loading. High strain rate tests were conducted using a torsional split-Hopkinson-bar apparatus. The results from these tests show that the yield and failure strengths of this alloy increase with increasing strain rate. The strain to failure decreases with increasing strain rate. At a strain rate of 600 s −1 , the flow stress decreases with increasing strain, indicating that thermal softening dominates over both strain and strain rate hardening of the material at high strain rates of deformation. The instability that leads to the initiation of failure at high rates is a result of the formation of a localized shear band. The width of the intense shear zone of deformation decreases with increasing shear strain rate, reaching a limiting width of one to two grains at high strain rates. As the shear strain rate is increased, there is a reduction in the number of cleavage and brittle grain boundary fracture zones. The results under dynamic conditions show that the 93wt.%W alloy deforms and fails quite differently compared with that under slow rates of shear loading.
Studies of a targeted risk reduction intervention through defined exercise (STRRIDE).

KRAUS, W. E., C. E. TORGAN, B. D. DUSCHA, J. NORRIS, S. A. BROWN, F. R. COBB, C. W. BALES, B. H. ANNEX, G. P. SAMSA, J. A. HOUMARD, and C. A. SLENTZ. Studies of a targeted risk reduction intervention through defined exercise (STRRIDE). Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 33, No. 10, 2001, pp. 1774–1784. P
Generated meaningfulness of single letters as a function of position in CVC trigrams

A method of computing generated meaningfulness values (GM) of single letters as a function of their position (initial, middle, terminal) within CVC trigrams is presented. GM is based on Archer (1960) meaningfulness values (M) for all 2100 CVC trigrams. GM represents the contribution to M of a given letter in a given position after all “residual” effects have been averaged out. The results show that differences in M are associated with different letters in a given position. High correlations between GM and letter frequency lend validity to the concept of M.