cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metrics for Assessment of Information Systems

Measures (or metrics) quantify aspects of Information Systems (IS). This article describes the purposes of metrics for IS assessment and identifies the different types of IS metrics. IS metrics are grouped into four categories including internal performance, growth and learning, user/client perspective, and business contribution. The article concludes by describing various approaches to implementing IS metrics in organizations. Keywords: IS assessment; measures of IS; software metrics; practical software measurement; IS performance measurement; implementation of software metrics
Workload-based congestion prediction

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) currently uses the Traffic Flow Management System (TFMS) to perform congestion prediction, a key traffic management function that is needed to ensure the safe and efficient flow of traffic through the National Airspace System (NAS). TFMS uses expected future traffic volume to predict congestion. In researching ways to improve congestion prediction, The MITRE Corporation's Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD) developed a prototype workload-based en route congestion prediction model. The model, which considers future traffic volume and complexity in predicting workload and congestion, is expected to be a more accurate predictor of congestion than TFMS. This paper describes the predictive workload model, how workload is used to predict congestion, and how output from the model could be used to inform congestion resolution.
Examining the burdens of gendered racism: implications for pregnancy outcomes among college-educated African American women.

Objectives: As investigators increasingly identify racism as a risk factor for poor health outcomes (with implications for adverse birth outcomes), research efforts must explore individual experiences with and responses to racism. In this study, our aim was to determine how African American college-educated women experience racism that is linked to their identities and roles as African American women (gendered racism). Methods: Four hundred seventy-four (474) African American women collaborated in an iterative research process that included focus groups, interviews, and the administration of a pilot stress instrument developed from the qualitative data. Analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data from the responses of a subsample of 167 college-educated women was conducted to determine how the women experienced racism as a stressor. Results: The responses of the women and the results from correlational analysis revealed that a felt sense of obligations for protecting children from racism and the racism that African American women encountered in the workplace were significant stressors. Strong associations were found between pilot scale items where the women acknowledged concerns for their abilities to provide for their children’s needs and to the women’s specific experiences with racism in the workplace (r D 0:408, p < :001). Conclusions: We hypothesize that the stressors of gendered racism that precede and accompany pregnancy may be risk factors for adverse birth outcomes.
Author's retrospective for array privatization for parallel execution of loops

Array privatization, as a program transform to increase the opportunity for loop parallelization, was introduced at a time when numerical programs dominated the parallel computing world. Today, with parallel processors becoming ubiquitous, the computer industry faces a new challenge, i.e. how to best utilize hardware parallelism for the next generation of main-stream applications. The author re-examines the technique of array privatization both in its historical context and in view of new developments in recent years.
Robust automatic modulation classification and blind equalization: novel cognitive receivers

The automatic modulation classifier (AMC) is an important signal processing component that helps the cognitive radio (CR) better utilize the spectrum. In a typical CR scenario, training sequence or channel knowledge is not available, and hence blind equalizers are widely used. The multipath fading channel not only affects symbol detection performance but also affects the performance of the AMC. In a conventional single input single output blind equalizer, the weights of the equalizer are adapted by minimizing cost functions that are non quadratic (multimodal). Convergence of the blind equalizer to a local minimum affects both symbol detection performance and AMC performance. In a CR scenario, it is preferable to consider the performance of the AMC also while adapting the blind equalizer weights. In this article, we propose novel CR receivers where the performance of the AMC is also considered while adapting the parameters of the blind equalizer. Computer simulations are given to illustrate the concept and yield promising results.
An Examination of the Utility of Server Intervention to Reduce Alcohol‐Related Problems in College Students1

College student alcohol-related problems are a major social issue. Past research has revealed that server intervention can have a positive impact on excessive alcohol consumption and driving under the influence of alcohol. The present study is an examination of bar owners and college students' attitudes and beliefs about server intervention policies. The findings reveal group differences in acceptance and rejection of the policies. The findings are discussed with respect to change efforts geared toward alcohol service establishments.
Design and optimization of the sine condition test for measuring misaligned optical systems

By taking a new look at an old concept, we have shown in our previous work how the Abbe sine condition can be used to measure linearly field-dependent aberrations in order to verify the alignment of optical systems. In this paper, we expand on this method and discuss the design choices involved in implementing the sine condition test (SCTest). Specifically, we discuss the two illumination options for the test: point source with a grating or flat-panel display, and we discuss the tradeoffs of the two approaches. Additionally, experimental results are shown using a flat-panel display to measure linearly field-dependent aberrations. Last, we elaborate on how to implement the SCTest on more complex optical systems, such as a three-mirror anastigmat and a double Gauss imaging lens system.
DNA HELICASES DISPLACE STREPTAVIDIN FROM BIOTIN-LABELED OLIGONUCLEOTIDES

Helicases are enzymes that use energy derived from nucleoside triphosphate hydrolysis to unwind double-stranded (ds) DNA, a process vital to virtually every phase of DNA metabolism. The helicases used in this study, gp41 and Dda, are from the bacteriophage T4, an excellent system for studying enzymes that process DNA. gp41 is the replicative helicase and has been shown to form a hexamer in the presence of ATP. In this study, protein cross-linking was performed in the presence of either linear or circular single-stranded (ss) DNA substrates to determine the topology of gp41 binding to ssDNA. Results indicate that the hexamer binds ssDNA by encircling it, in a manner similar to that of other hexameric helicases. A new assay was developed for studying enzymatic activity of gp41 and Dda on single-stranded DNA. The rate of dissociation of streptavidin from various biotinylated oligonucleotides was determined in the presence of helicase by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay. gp41 and Dda were found to significantly enhance the dissociation rate of streptavidin from biotin-labeled oligonucleotides in an ATP-dependent reaction. Helicase-catalyzed dissociation of streptavidin from the 3'-end of a biotin-labeled 62-mer oligonucleotide occurred with a first-order rate of 0.17 min-1, which is over 500-fold faster than the spontaneous dissociation rate of biotin from streptavidin. Dda activity leads to even faster displacement of streptavidin from the 3' end of the 62-mer, with a first-order rate of 7.9 s-1. This is more than a million-fold greater than the spontaneous dissociation rate. There was no enhancement of streptavidin dissociation from the 5'-biotin-labeled oligonucleotide by either helicase. The fact that each helicase was capable of dislodging streptavidin from the 3'-biotin label suggests that these enzymes are capable of imparting a force on a molecule blocking their path. The difference in displacement between the 5' and 3' ends of the oligonucleotide is also consistent with the possibility of a 5'-to-3' directional bias in translocation on ssDNA for each helicase.
Linking anisotropic sharp and diffuse surface motion laws via gradient flows

We compare four surface motion laws for sharp surfaces with their diffuse interface counterparts by means of gradient flows on corresponding energy functionals. The energy functionals can be defined to give the same dependence on normal direction for the energy of sharp plane surfaces as for their diffuse counterparts. The anisotropy of the kinetics can be incorporated into the inner product without affecting the energy functional.
On‐Site Waste Treatment and Disposal by Sequencing Batch Reactor‐Drip Irrigation: Effluent Distribution and Solute Transport

Abstract On‐site wastewater systems (OWS) are used in areas not served by municipal treatment systems for biological and chemical renovation of wastewater prior to its entrance into surface or groundwaters. A traditional OWS (septic‐tank effluent with gravity dispersal) may not function properly in soils with low hydraulic conductivity horizons or other restrictive features. Uniform dispersal of highly treated effluent (HTE) in conjunction with controlled dosing offered by subsurface drip irrigation systems (SDIS) can play an important role in overcoming these limitations. An OWS consisting of a sequential batch reactor (SBR) for production of HTE and a SDIS to control dosing and dispersal of the SBR effluent (SBRE) was used in this study. The OWS is designed to treat 18,925 L of SBRE d−1. Efficiency of wastewater treatment by the OWS was evaluated by analyzing the SBRE and soil solution collected beneath the SDIS for several water‐quality parameters. Measuring soil‐water potentials monitored the effectiv...
Farm Size, Tenure, and Economic Efficiency in a Sample of Illinois Grain Farms

Apparently Teague has not reviewed all of the literature for examining relative efficiency. In the early work of Lau and Yotopoulos (LY), differences in economic efficiency are tested by incorporating only a dummy variable in the profit function to quantify differences associated with particular groups. (Teague implicitly argues that only this should have been done as evidenced by the assertion that equations (2) and (3) are redundant.) In an extension of this early work, Yotopoulos and Lau (YL) expand their conceptual framework to permit the assessment of relative technical and pricing efficiency as well as overall economic efficiency. This latter framework is utilized by Garcia, Sonka, and Yoo. Under this formulation, the profit functions of the two firms or groups under analysis differ by a constant factor which is a function of technical and pricing efficiency. In addition, the demand equations may differ across groups by constant factors which are a function of pricing efficiency. Similar formulations also are presented in Trosper, O'Connor and Hammonds, and Khan and Maki. Perhaps Teague's difficulty arises from either a misunderstanding of the methodology or an unfamiliarity with the approach and its standard notation. In the former case, the methodology permits tests for the relative efficiency (pricing and economic) without imposing it. That is, actual UOP and demand functions can be derived based on behavioral relationships. Differences in actual functions permit an assessment of relative efficiency. In the latter, producers respond to "effective prices." Profits and demand equations are derived based on these effective prices, not actual prices. The p's in Garcia, Sonka, and Yoo can be shown to represent an underlying structure that permits differences in efficiency between the groups based on effective prices. To understand the logic behind this formulation, consider the concept of relative efficiency developed by YL. This approach begins with the notion that given comparable endowments, identical technology, and normalized input prices, the actual profits of two firms should be identical if they both maximize profits. To the extent that one is more price efficient, or technically more efficient, than the other, the normalized profits will differ even for the same normalized input prices and endowments of fixed inputs. The actual normalized profit functions will then be different. Consider the case of the production functions of two firms: (4) Y = AIF(X', ZI); and r2 = A2F(X2, Z2), where the X's and Z's are variable and fixed inputs, respectively, A1 and A2 are scalar technical efficiency parameters, and the superscripts represent the two firms. The marginal conditions can be represented by
Modulation of Outward K(+) Conductance Is a Post-Activational Event in Rat T Lymphocytes Responsible for the Adoptive Transfer of Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis.

Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an accepted animal model for the human demyelinating disease multiple sclerosis. The continuously propagated line of Lewis rat T helper lymphocytes (GP1 T cells), specific for the encephalitogenic 68–86 sequence of guinea pig myelin basic protein (GPMBP), mediates the adoptive transfer of EAE into normal syngeneic Lewis rats. Because mitogenic activation of T cells can increase K+ conductance, this study investigated changes in the outwardly rectifying K+ conductance in GP1 T cells following activation with the encephalitogen, GPMBP. Using the gigohm-seal whole-cell variation of the patch clamp technique, GP1 T cells were studied during a 3-day culture with GPMBP and throughout the subsequent 10 days, as cells progressed through both GPMBP-induced activation (EAE transfer activity) and proliferation responses, finally reverting to the resting state. Resting GP1 T cells exhibited peak K+ conductances around 2 nS, while GPMBP-induced activation resulted in 5- to 10-fold increases in peak K+ conductance, which temporally coincided with the optimal period of EAE transfer activity. During and immediately after the optimal period for EAE transfer, 20-mV depolarizing shifts in the voltage dependence of both activation and inactivation developed, abruptly reversing to resting values as cells reverted to the resting state. Accompanying the depolarizing shifts were a slowing of the K+ current activation kinetics and an acceleration of the deactivation kinetics. These results indicate that the K+ conductance in GP1 rat T helper cells is modulated over the full time course of GPMBP-induced cellular responses and that K+ channels should be optimally available during the period of adoptive EAE transfer, preceding disease manifestation.
Modified Le Fort partial colpocleisis with Kelly urethral plication and posterior colpoperineoplasty in the medically compromised elderly: a comparison with vaginal hysterectomy, anterior colporrhaphy, and posterior colpoperineoplasty

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate and compare the Le Fort partial colpocleisis and posterior colpoperineoplasty with conventional surgical repair in the medically compromised elderly population. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective sequential series of 21 elderly women with complete uterovaginal prolapse and severe medical illnesses, having failure of conservative management, underwent a modification of the Le Fort partial colpocleisis with Kelly urethral plication and posterior colpoperineoplasty. The patients' ages, time under anesthesia, change in hemoglobin, days of hospitalization, medical illnesses, complications, and follow-up were assessed and compared with those of a retrospective group of 42 women with complete uterovaginal prolapse who had a vaginal hysterectomy, anterior colporrhaphy, and posterior colpoperineoplasty performed by the same surgical team during the same period. RESULTS: The median age of Le Fort partial colpocleisis was 82 years (range 65 to 91 years), whereas median age in the vaginal hysterectomy group was 66 years (range 39 to 80 years) ( p p p = 0.51). The complications were comparable with the exception of one postoperative death in the Le Fort partial colpocleisis group. A total of 95% (1920) of Le Fort partial colpocleisis patients had excellent results with a median follow-up of 25 months (range 4 to 40 months). CONCLUSION: In this preliminary assessment the modified Le Fort partial colpocleisis with Kelly urethral plication and posterior colpoperineoplasty offers significant advantages in a select population of elderly, medically compromised patients in whom conservative management is not feasible.
Automatic identification and organization of index terms for interactive browsing

The potential of automatically generated indexes for information acces s has been recognized for several decades (e.g., Bush 1945 [2], Edmundson and Wyllys 1961 [4]), but the quantity of text and the ambiguity of natural language processing have made progress at this task more difficult than was originally foreseen. Recently, a body of work on development of interactive systems to support phrase browsing has begun to emerge (e.g., Anick and Vaithyanathan 1997 [1], Gutwin et al. [10], Nevill-Manning et al. 1997 [17], Godby and Reighart 1998 [9]). In this paper, we consider two issues related to the use of automatically identified phrases as index terms in a dynamic text browser (DTB), a user-centered system for navigating and browsing index terms: 1) What criteria are useful for assessing the usefulness of automatically identified index terms? and 2) Is the quality of the terms identified by automatic indexing such that they provide useful access to document content? The terms that we focus on have been identified by LinkIT, a software tool for identifying significant topics in text [7]. Over 90% of the terms identified by LinkIT are coherent and therefore merit inclusion in the dynamic text browser. Terms identified by LinkIT are input to Intell-Index, a prototype DTB that supports interactive navigation of index terms. The distinction between phrasal heads (the most important words in a coherent term) and modifiers serves as the basis for a hierarchical organization of terms. This linguistically motivated structure helps users to efficiently browsing and disambiguate terms. We conclude that the approach to information access discussed in this paper is very promising, and also that there is much room for further research. In the meantime, this research is a contribution to the establishment of a solid foundation for assessing the usability of terms in phrase browsing applications.
The 1996 Lindberg Award. Calcium antagonists alter cell shape and induce procollagenase synthesis in keloid and normal human dermal fibroblasts

Fibroblast cytomorphology is tightly coupled to phenotypic expression, particularly as it relates to extracellular matrix protein synthesis and degradation. We have observed that calcium antagonists, such as verapamil and trifluoperazine, depolymerize actin filaments and alter fibroblast cell shape from bipolar to spherical. Characteristically, the depolymerization of actin filaments, which mediates the cell shape change, turns on procollagenase gene expression in normal human skin fibroblasts. We have found the same effects of calcium antagonists on cell shape, cytoskeletal components, and induction of procollagenase in the keloid fibroblasts of three cell lines, CB792, CW792, and WT949. Rounded cells were seen in 74.8% of verapamil-treated and 86.7% of trifluoperazine-treated cells, whereas only 1.1% of the control cells were spherical. The percentage of cells that synthesized collagenase in the control, verapamil-treated, and trifluoperazine-treated groups was 3.8%, 42.8%, and 53.4%, respectively. Approximately 60% of rounded cells exhibited increased collagenase synthesis when the cells were treated with a calcium antagonist. These results indicate considerable heterogeneity in the phenotypic response to morphologic change. The amount of procollagenase synthesized in a cell was estimated by the fluorescence intensity of the fluorescein-labeled antibody. The normalized fluorescence intensity of procollagenase in the control cells was about 2 to 2.6 times that of background. In contrast, the normalized fluorescence intensity of procollagenase in the calcium antagonist-treated cells was about 2.4 to 12 times that of background. This high intensity level indicates an increase in procollagenase production in the calcium antagonist-treated cells. Calcium green dye used to study cytosolic calcium revealed that after cells were treated with verapamil, the cytosolic calcium ion concentration first increased and then decreased. The change of cytosolic calcium ion concentration may be related to the depolymerization of actin filaments and the alteration of cell shape.
Topical delivery of N-alkyl-N-alkyloxycarbonylaminomethyl (NANAOCAM) prodrugs of theophylline (ThH).

Abstract N 7 -( N -Alkyl- N -alkyloxycarbonyl) aminomethyl (NANAOCAM) prodrugs of theophylline (ThH) have been synthesized and characterized by their solubilities in isopropyl myristate ( S IPM ), solubilities in water ( S AQ ), partition coefficients between IPM and pH 4.0 buffer ( K IPM:4.0 ) and by their ability to penetrate hairless mouse skin from IPM ( J MIPM ). The most lipid soluble and water soluble member, N -methyl- N -ethyloxy-carbonylaminomethyltheophylline, gave the highest flux through hairless mouse skin from IPM compared to ThH. The flux of NANAOCAM prodrugs of ThH can be accurately predicted by the Roberts–Sloan (RS) equation.
Falls through Roof and Floor Openings and Surfaces, Including Skylights: 1992¿2000

Fall-related occupational injuries and fatalities are still serious problems in the U.S. construction industry. Two Bureau of Labor Statistics databases — Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses — were examined for 1992–2000. An important subset of falls-to-lower-level incidents is when workers fall through openings or surfaces, including skylights. A total of 605 fall-through fatalities occurred during 1992–2000. Also, 21,985 workers were injured seriously enough from fall-through incidents to miss a day away from work (DAFW). Fall-through injuries are among the most severe cases for median number of DAFW. Median DAFW were 35, 11, 25, 12, and 36 for fall-through roof and floor openings, roof and floor surfaces, and skylights, respectively, compared to 10 DAFW for all fall-to-lower-level incidents in all U.S. private industry. A conservative approach, which assumes that direct and indirect costs are equal, estimates a range of $55,000–$76,000 for the total cost of a 1998 DAFW fall-through injury. Current work practices should use commercial fall-prevention products to reduce the frequency and costs of fall-through incidents. These analyses have identified a subset of fall-related incidents that contribute to excessive costs to the U.S. construction industry. Researchers can use a systems approach on these incidents to identify contributing risk factors. Employers and practitioners can alert managers and work crews about these dangerous locations to eliminate these hazards that are often obvious and easy to rectify.
Aging and the kidney: introduction.

This issue of Seminars in Nephrology addresses a controversial and important topic that presents at least two sobering challenges to the nephrology and geriatrics communities. Namely, the widely held view that renal function decreases with age may need to be reevaluated because new data suggest that not all aging persons are affected. If these data are confirmed it is critical to understand the reasons underlying the presence or absence of declining renal function. Second, of the many kidney functions that might be affected, it is not clear which one (or a combination thereof) represents the most significant risk for damage to other organs in the individual aged person. However, if the changes do not reach a critical functional threshold, they may not have a negative impact on health span, and are simply an unimportant laboratory value. They do not represent a disease and the nephrologist, geriatrician, and general physician populations can advise their patients of this fact. Nonetheless, it is important to reconsider causes and consequences of changes in renal function with aging because it is becoming quite clear that this process has negative consequences on multiple organ systems and because new treatment options may be available. For instance, high blood pressure, a common problem in elderly patients, is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and is associated with increased risk of heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and kidney failure. In fact, Burney and Bakris stated that 67% of US adults aged 60 and older are hypertensive. A clear interpretation of this statistic is complicated by the fact that women and men aged 70 and older are significantly less likely to control their hypertension than those aged 60 to 69. Baylis found that women develop less age-dependent loss of renal function than men, in part because of cardiorenal protective effects of estrogens. The causes of changes in renal function include a deficiency of nitric oxide, and preservation of nitric oxide production in females contributes to better cardiovascular and renal responses in aging.
Oxidative Synthesis of Amides and Pyrroles via Dehydrogenative Alcohol Oxidation by Ruthenium Diphosphine Diamine Complexes

A series of ruthenium complexes can perform the acceptorless dehydrogenation of diols as well as the reaction of amines and alcohols to form ester, lactam, and amide products. The ligand criteria necessary for high catalytic activity are identified to guide future catalyst development for amide formation from amines and alcohols. These complexes can be employed in a dehydrogenative Paal–Knorr pyrrole synthesis to give 2,5-dimethyl-N-alkylpyrroles.
CorrigendumCorrigendum to “A placebo-controlled trial of two intranasal vaccines to prevent tracheobronchitis (kennel cough) in dogs entering a humane shelter” [Prev. Vet. Med. 62 (2004) 89–99]

A placebo-controlled field trial was conducted to compare the effectiveness of intranasal (IN) vaccines containing Bordetella bronchiseptica and canine-parainfluenza virus, with (IN-BPA) or without (IN-BP) canine-adenovirus type 2, for prevention of kennel cough at a humane shelter. Dogs were examined on admission to the shelter and those without respiratory signs of disease were assigned daily, on a rotating basis, to receive one of three vaccines. We enrolled 972 healthy dogs. Dogs were monitored for up to 30 days postvaccination for coughing and other clinical signs of respiratory disease. Thirty-three (10.7%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 7.2%, 14.2%) dogs in the IN-BP group, 36 (10.2%; CI: 7.0%, 13.4%) dogs in the IN-BPA group, and 42 (13.5%; CI: 9.7%,17.3%) dogs in the IN-P group coughed spontaneously for 1 day within 30 days of vaccination (P = 0.37). The IN-BP and IN-BPA vaccines were 20.7 and 24.4% effective, respectively, in reducing coughing compared with a placebo vaccine. The strongest prognostic factor for coughing (regardless of vaccine group) was the number of days spent at the shelter, with each additional day increasing the risk of coughing by 3% (95% CI: 1.01, 1.06). The low www.elsevier.com/locate/prevetmed Preventive Veterinary Medicine 69 (2005) 309–310
Large-angle 6Li + 28Si elastic and inelastic scattering at 27 and 34 MeV☆

Abstract Elastic and inelastic scattering data extending to θ c.m ≈ 175° are reported for 6 Li + 28 Si at 27 and 34 MeV. Optical model analyses of the elastic data were made using a variety of real potential forms. The large-angle data cannot be fitted with a Woods-Saxon real potential, but are well described by Woods-Saxon squared, double-folded or Fourier-Bessel potentials. The real potential is the same at both energies, but the imaginary potential is weaker at 27 MeV. The inelastic data were analyzed using the DWBA and coupled channels techniques with folded real form factors and deformed Woods-Saxon imaginary potentials, with the deformations taken from electron scattering. The 2 + state was fitted well at both energies with the DWBA, while the prediction decreased too rapidly at large angles for the 4 + state. The large-angle 4 + data were better described when two-step excitations were included in the coupled-channels calculations. The forward-angle 2 + data are sensitive to the interference between Coulomb and nuclear scattering and show that the nuclear and Coulomb deformation parameters β 2 are equal for this transition.
Left to right atrial shunts in infants

Abstract At cardiac catheterization, 24 infants less than 1 year old had a left to right atrial shunt without other major cardiac lesions. Only 6 infants had cardiac symptoms, and there was no relation between symptoms and the size of the shunt. Six infants (including 2 who were less than 1 week old and were asymptomatic) had a pulmonary to systemic flow ratio (Qp:Qs) greater than 3. Clinical features were often atypical. Fifteen had harsh grade 3–4 6 systolic murmurs; only 10 had wide fixed splitting of the second heart sound. Splitting of the second heart sound was unrelated to the Qp:Qs. Two infants with a large shunt had no cardiomegaly. Electrocardiograms were not typical of atrial septal defect. The shunt disappeared in 9 of 12 infants who underwent recatheterization and was not clinically detectable in 3 others whose shunt was large when under 2 weeks of age. Many shunts probably occurred through an incompetent foramen ovale, sometimes secondary to left-sided lesions. However, some children had a classic atrial septal defect that closed spontaneously. Since spontaneous closure of atrial septal defects occurs and there are many atypical features of these lesions in infants and younger children, it is possible that the incidence of this lesion is underestimated in infancy and early childhood.
Cross sections for K-shell ionization, x-ray production, or auger-electron production by ion impact

Abstract Cross sections for K x-ray production, K Auger-electron production, and K -shell ionization are tabulated as functions of target and projectile atomic numbers and projectile energy. The data are given in two tables. Table I presents data for the target-projectile systems where Z 1 Z 2 ≲ 0.3 . Table II presents data for published results where no restriction on the ratio Z 1 Z 2 is applied and the studies were reported including data for different charge states of the incident heavy ion. Data are included in both tables for heavy ions incident upon gaseous targets, thick solid targets, and thin solid targets. However, data for solid targets ( Z 1 Z 2 > 0.3 ) that have not taken into account the effects of target thickness on measured target x-ray yields are not included in the present tabulations. The literature from 1973 through 1977, has been covered. This work is thus a sequel to the 1973 compilation of Rutledge and Watson .
Resistance to TRAIL‐induced apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells correlates with a loss of caspase‐8 expression

Background Disruption of apoptotic pathways may be involved in tumor formation, regression, and treatment resistance of neuroblastoma (NB). TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a potent inducer of apoptosis in cancer cell lines. Procedure In this study we analyzed the expression and function of TRAIL, its agonistic and antagonistic receptors, and important intracellular signaling elements in 18 NB cell lines. Results Semiquantitative RT-PCR revealed that TRAIL-R2 and TRAIL-R3 are the main TRAIL-receptors used by NB cells. Sensitivity to TRAIL-induced apoptosis did not correlate with mRNA expression of TRAIL receptors or cFLIP. Surprisingly, caspase-8 and caspase-10 mRNA was detected in only 5 of 18 NB cell lines. Interestingly, only these five NB cell lines were susceptible to TRAIL-induced apoptosis in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Conclusions Treatment with 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine restored mRNA expression of caspase-8 and –10 and TRAIL sensitivity of resistant cell lines, suggesting that gene methylation is involved in caspase inactivation. Since many cytotoxic drugs induce caspase-dependent apoptosis, failure to express caspase-8 and/or caspase-10 might be an important mechanism of resistance to chemotherapy in NB. Med. Pediatr. Oncol. 35:603–607, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Ascorbic Acid Glycation: the Reactions of l-Threose in Lens Tissue

L-Threose is a significant degradation product of ascorbic acid at pH 7.0 in the presence of oxygen. When compared to several other ascorbate-derived degradation products, it had the greatest ability to glycate and crosslink lens proteins in vitro. To determine whether L-threose was formed in the lens, the sugars in a TCA-soluble extract from human lenses were reduced to polyols with NaBH4, acetylated and analysed by gas-liquid chromatography. The threitol levels measured were 3.4 +/- 0.8 micrograms per lens (n = 4). GC-MS measurements made after reduction with NaBD4 indicated that threitol, but little or no threose, was originally present in the human lens. Rat lenses were incubated with [1-13C]D-threose for 24 hr, and considerable D-threitol formation was seen by NMR spectroscopy. Analysis of the lenses after medium removal showed that only [1-13C]threitol was present within the lenses indicating a rapid reduction of threose within the lens, presumably by aldose reductase. Assays with human recombinant aldose reductase and with human lens cortical and nuclear extracts all exhibited sorbinil-inhibitable aldose reductase activity with L-threose as substrate. This was confirmed by incubating a preparation of [1-14C]L-tetrose (a mixture of 40% L-threose and 45% L-erythrose) with both the pure aldose reductase and crude lens extracts followed by the subsequent identification of the [1-14C]L-threitol formed by thin layer chromatography. L-Threose degrades very slowly in 0.1 M phosphate buffer at pH 7.0, but the addition of a four-fold excess of N alpha-acetyl-L-lysine accelerated the rate of disappearance of threose 30-fold, indicating a rapid glycation reaction. When [1-14C]L-tetrose was incubated with a complete bovine lens homogenate, a linear incorporation into protein was observed over a 24 hr period. Increasing levels of lens extract exhibited increasing incorporation into protein. These data confirm a rapid reactivity of L-threose with lens protein and argue that glycation would occur in vivo in spite of the presence of aldose reductase.
Ashanti Cultural Resource Elements and Their Relevance to the Perception and Utilization of Resources

This paper constitutes a section of my dissertation on “Resource Perception and Its Developmental Determinants in Ashanti, Ghana: A Study in Cultural-Resource Geography.” The purpose of the primary study is to determine the factors of economic progress--in this case, that aspect dealing with the perception of and development of the natural resources as evidenced within the Ashanti region of Ghana. In the pursuit of the basic purpose of the study, the underlying problems of economic or cultural underdevelopment of the Ashanti were to be identified. I recognize the role of such a variety of factors as ecology, history, culture, science, and technology in understanding the development of natural resources and the problems connected with their development. In this section, I wish to emphasize that a vital element in evaluating the relationship of man to nature is the human element or human culture involved and then to bring out aspects of the cultural resources of the people relevant to the primary study. By cultural resources of the Ashanti, I am referring to the institutions, cultural traits, and tools of the Ashanti that were evolved or designed to ensure the survival and development of the individual members of the group, the group as a whole, and the resources of the land. In a sense, the cultural elements discussed below bring out those attitudes, beliefs, objectives, and technical knowledge possessed by the Ashanti that help make possible a judgment as to how the group perceived and utilized the raw materials of nature within their region.
Geochemistry: Lost terrains of early Earth

Isotope data provide insight into the earliest phases of terrestrial evolution. The latest reappraisal supports the view that the early Earth had a cratered crust which crystallized from a magma ocean.
An Evaluation of Factors Regarding Students’ Assessment of Faculty in a Business School*

Student faculty ratings are used at most institutions of higher learning for three important reasons. First, the ratings provide direct feedback to the faculty, and this enables faculty to adjust their teaching styles. Second, the ratings provide the administration with information intended to assist in guiding and mentoring faculty toward more effective pedagogical performance in the classroom. Third, the ratings also provide the administration with information to be used in the reappointment, tenure, and promotion processes, as well as for assignment of salary range adjustments and teaching awards. To be of real value, however, all of this is predicated on the use of a valid and reliable faculty-rating instrument along with a system designed to provide both the faculty and the administration with norming reports that allow for appropriate comparisons of ratings. This article reports such a study conducted within a large department of a business school and recommends that the process used be adapted by other business school departments and other academic units across the university and at other universities to ensure a more universally appropriate usage of students’ ratings.
Faculty and librarian collaborations: A case study and proposal for online learning environments

Abstract To design a new distance education course with an emphasis on student group work, a collaborative effort among the University of Missouri St. Louis Libraries and faculty was established. The collaborative process resulted in a more individualized service experience for library users, and the problems of course construction, using the Blackboard course management system, were shared and solved with new efficiency. The goals of the institution and individuals involved were initially successful and have expanded into a larger effort of developing new resources and collaborative efforts throughout the campus. New methods, new technologies, and new roles and responsibilities for faculty and librarians are described. As librarians assume online “course librarian” positions, significant responsibilities can be shifted to their support, and new resources can be made available to students with considerable ease—particularly via library electronic resources, databases, and electronic communication.
Fractional extraction with hollow fibers with hydrogel-filled walls

Extractions using hollow fibers can be faster and more efficient than those in conventional equipment. These advantages, due to the large area per volume possible with fibers, can be compromised by accidental convection through the fibers' pores. When these pores are filled with gels of crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol, convection through the pores is stopped but the overall mass transfer is unaltered. The separations across these gel-filled fiber walls provide excellent yield and purity, especially in the case of fractional extraction.
Recognizing native folds by the arrangement of hydrophobic and polar residues.

Central to theab initioprotein folding problem is the development of an energy function for which the correct native structure has a lower energy than other conformations. Existing potentials of mean force typically rely extensively on database-derived contact frequencies or knowledge of three-dimensional structural information in order to be successful in the problem of recognizing the native fold for a given sequence from a set of decoy backbone conformations. Is the detailed statistical information or sophisticated analysis used by these knowledged-based potentials needed to achieve the observed degree of success in fold recognition? Here we introduce a novel pairwise energy function that enumerates contacts between hydrophobic residues while weighting their sum by the total number of residues surrounding these hydrophobic residues. Thus it effectively selects compact folds with the desired structural feature of a buried, intact core. This approach represents an advance over using pairwise terms whose energies of interaction that are independent of the position in the protein and greatly improves the discrimination capability of an energy function. Our results show that 85% of a set of 195 representative native folds were recognized correctly. The 29 exceptions were lipophilic proteins, small proteins with prosthetic groups or disulfide bonds, and oligomeric proteins. Overall, our method separates the native fold from incorrect folds by a larger margin (measured in standard deviation units) than has been previously demonstrated by more sophisticated methods. The arrangement of hydrophobic and polar residues alone as evaluated by our novel scoring scheme, is unexpectedly effective at recognizing native folds in general. It is surprising that a simple binary pattern of hydrophobic and polar residues apparently selects a given unique fold topology.
Enhanced three-dimensional integral imaging system by use of double display devices

We propose an enhanced three-dimensional (3D) integral imaging system using multiple display devices. Experimental results with double devices prove the improvement in the image depth for a given image quality. We present experiments on an enhanced 3D integral imaging system using double display devices, in which two 3D subimages that cover different depth ranges are separately generated in each device, and then they are combined with a beam splitter to reconstruct the whole 3D image with an enhanced depth of view. In a similar manner, the double-device system can also be used to obtain a wider viewing angle by combining two images with different viewing angle ranges. We discuss the possibility of 3D integral imaging systems using multiple display devices as extensions of the system with double display devices.
Comparison of two treatment techniques for breast irradiation including internal mammary nodes

Techniques to treat breast cancer inclusive of the internal mammary lymph node chain (IMC) vary. This study compared a presently accepted technique implemented at the Radiation Oncology Department at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine (BJ/WU) to a proposed technique for irradiation of breast tissue and the IMC. The present technique consists of parallel-opposed breast tangential beams in combination with photon and electron IMC fields angled along the chest wall. The proposed method involves a wide medial tangent field covering the IMC, with an angled electron IMC field for a portion of the treatment regimen and an opposed lateral breast-only tangent. This technique uses a multileaf collimation (MLC) reduction to treat the IMC aspect following the wide medial tangent, to supplement the IMC to a tumorcidal dose. These techniques were compared by reviewing isodoses with subsequent isodensity confirmation. Computerized tomography imaging sets of patients with various body types (chest wall, small and large breasts) for left-sided tumors were planned using a three-dimensional treatment planning system (FOCUS, Computerized Medical Systems). The plans were evaluated by comparing irradiated heart and lung volumes and the respective dose distribution at the IMC field/medial tangent junction. Specific treatment aids and photon/electron energies were employed to produce desirable isodose distributions, with a dose prescription of 4680-cGy total dose. The efficiency of the radiation treatments itself was also evaluated. The proposed technique decreases treatment time by eliminating an additional IMC field that involves repositioning and placement of a block. Phantom-based film isodensity measurements were evaluated to validate the calculated dosimetry for these techniques.
Assessing the role of agency services in reducing adoption disruptions

Abstract Successful placement of special needs children in adoptive homes presents a challenge to the child welfare worker. Identification of factors which predict placement outcomes can lead to more effective practices. The reported study examined data from six agencies for 235 placements, 27 percent of which resulted in disruptions or dissolutions. Findings indicate that disruptions are more a function of factors related to the child than family or agency variables. Age of the child is the single best predictor. While agency services appear to be targeted to the most needy children, they play a relatively minor role in predicting the placement outcome.
Predicting Non-African American Lesbian and Heterosexual Preadoptive Couples' Openness to Adopting an African American Child

Despite increases in transracial adoption, African American children remain the least likely to be adopted. No research has examined the factors that predict prospective adopters' willingness to adopt an African American child. This study used multilevel modeling to examine predictors of willingness to adopt an African American child in a sample of 48 lesbian couples and 65 heterosexual couples. Individuals pursuing public adoption were more willing than those pursuing private domestic adoption, and heterosexuals pursuing international adoption were more willing than heterosexuals pursuing private domestic adoption. In addition, younger persons, White persons (rather than non-African American racial minorities), lesbians, and individuals who perceived their neighborhoods as more diverse were more likely to be willing to adopt an African American child.
On rheology, cure kinetics and chemorheology of gum rubbers

The paper presents an experimentally supported modeling approach, which describes the rheology, detailed cure kinetics, and chemorheology of a gum elastomer in course of sulfur accelerated vulcanization. Changes in the rheology during cure reaction are correlated with degree of cross-linking, described by vulcanization kinetics. Oil extended SBR exemplifies the approach.
Remarks on the Bénard and related stability problems

Fur gewisse mathematische Probleme, die im Zusammenhang mit dem Verhalten einer von unten beheizten Schicht Newtonscher Flussigkeit und mit der Couette-Stromung Stokesscher Flussigkeiten auftreten, wird gezeigt, dass sie in einem geeigneten Hilbert-Raum selbstadjungierten Charakter annehmen.
Mechanism of popcorn popping

During the popping of popcorn the pericarp acts as a pressure vessel. It was found that the initial break in the pericarp affects popped volume more radically than do any subsequent breaks. Popping occurs at about 177 °C, which is equivalent to a pressure of 135 psi inside the kernel. Most of the water in the kernel is superheated at the moment of popping and provides the driving force for expanding the kernel once the pericarp ruptures. At temperatures below 177 °C the proportion of kernels that have popped declines markedly. The scanning electron microscope was used to document changes occurring in the kernel as a result of popping. In the translucent endosperm the superheated water appears to vaporize into the hilum, expanding the starch to a thin film. In the opaque endosperm large voids are produced and the starch granules remain birefringent. The voids around the starch provide an alternative site into which the superheated water vaporizes. Thus, the starch granules are not expanded and retain their birefringence.
Smooth-skin of Russet Burbank potatoes as influenced by soil temperature and moisture

Surface netting of Russet Burbank potato tubers was modified by selected soil temperatures and minimum soil moisture levels. A soil temperature of 45 F completely eliminated skin netting. Russeting was also reduced by soil temperatures of 90 and 60 F.