cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Writing and speaking letters and messages

Twelve participants composed written and spoken letters under various conditions. In the first five experiments they were told which letters to write and which letters to speak. In the last three experiments they could choose their method of composition. Results showed that speaking required only 35–75% of the time that writing did. Written and spoken letters were rated as about equally effective, being characterized more by their similarities than by their differences. When participants could choose a method, they did not always select the method that they said they would under those circumstances. A key theoretical result was that time spent planning was not a constant amount in both methods, but rather a constant ratio. Planning time was about two-thirds of total composition time, regardless of letter complexity.
Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling to Study Social Contexts: The Case of School Effects

This article focuses on a particular educational context, the school, and how characteristics of the structure and organization of high schools influence students' academic development. The emphasis is on a type of quantitative inquiry called school effects research. It describes a methodology that is most appropriate for conducting studies of school effects in particular and educational contexts in general: hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). Two previously published studies are used as heuristic examples of school effects studies conducted with HLM methods. Both studies use large and nationally representative longitudinal data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 to explore school effects on learning and its social distribution by student socioeconomic status. Study 1 focuses on the effects of high school size on learning. Study 2 focuses on how teachers' attitudes, taken as a collective property of the social organization of schools, influence both learning and its social distribution...
Light‐ and phytochrome‐mediated gene expression in Douglas‐fir seedlings

In dark-grown Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] seedlings, the steady-state level of the major light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding proteins mRNA (cab mRNA) was about 25% of the level that accumulated in light-grown seedlings. A single, 5-min irradiance with red light up-regulated expression transiently, so that cab mRNAs accumulated to a Jevel approaching that determined for light-grown seedlings. The response was reversible by far-red light to the dark level, indicating that the up-regulation was a phytochrome-mediated response. Phytochrome action also up-regulated genes that encode ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (EC 4.1.1.39) (rbcS) in Douglas-fir seedlings, but the maximal rbcS mRNA level that was attained after the red light treatment was several-fold lower than the expression level deternined for light-grown seedlings. Genes that produce ubiquitin and ubiquitin-fusion transcripts were differentially expressed in dark- and light-grown seedlings, but the genes did not appear to be phytochrome regulated.
Optimization of Medium Composition for Cultivating Clostridium butyricum with Response Surface Methodology

Probiotic bacteria, such as some strains of Clostridium butyricum, have been frequently used as the active ingredient in functional foods. However, slow growth of the probiotic bacteria has been one of the big concerns for their potential commercial application. In the present study, a fractional factorial design was applied to investigate the main factors, namely, the concentrations of the glucose, tryptone, yeast extract, beef extract, cysteine, (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 , NaCl, K 2 HPO 4 , and the medium initial pH that affected the growth of probiotic strain, C. hutyricum ZJUCB, currently preserved in out laboratory. Central composite experimental design and tesponse surface methodology were adopted to derive a statistical model for optimizing the composition of the medium. The experimental results showed that the optimum medium for incubating the C. butyricum ZJUCH was composed of 2.44% (w/v) glucose, 2.08% yeast extract (w/v), 1% tryptone (w/v), 0.1% (NH 3 ) 2 SO 4 (w/v), 0.1% NaHCO 3 (w/v), 0.02% MnSO 4 . H 2 O (w/v), 0.02% MgSO 4 . 7H 2 O (w/v), 0.002% CaCl 4 (w/v), and 2% agar (w/v) (if necessary) at pH 8.55. After incubation for 24 h in the optimum medium, the populations of the viable organisms could reach 10° colony-forming units (CFU)/mL, which was 100 times higher than that incubated in the initial medium.
The lawful use of force by peacekeeping forces: the tactical imperative

The initiation of numerous UN peace operations by the Security Council since the end of the Cold War has been bolstered by strongly worded and finely crafted resolutions. However, the emphasis placed in such resolutions on restoring peace and security by ‘all necessary means’ loses its resonance when UN troops are constrained by their national law from employing sufficient force to achieve mission objectives. The growing body of literature heralding Security Council capacities at the strategic level seems oblivious to the more prosaic question of legal authority at the tactical level. The UN ‘model’ Rules of Engagement generally follow a ‘boilerplate’ formula that may or may not be appropriate to the purpose. This is compounded by differing institutional perspectives on the ‘authority’ of UN Rules of Engagement to authorize specific uses of force in particular circumstances, especially when such rules conflict with the national law of the troop contingent in an area of operations. This article advances ar...
Runtime monitoring and verification of systems with hidden information

This paper describes a technique for runtime monitoring (RM) and runtime verification (RV) of systems with invisible events and data artifacts. Our approach combines well-known hidden markov model (HMM) techniques for learning and subsequent identification of hidden artifacts, with runtime monitoring of probabilistic formal specifications. The proposed approach entails a process in which the end-user first develops and validates deterministic formal specification assertions, s/he then identifies hidden artifacts in those assertions. Those artifacts induce the state set of the identifying HMM. HMM parameters are learned using standard frequency analysis techniques. In the verification or monitoring phase, the system emits visible events and data symbols, used by the HMM to deduce invisible events and data symbols, and sequences thereof; both types of symbols are then used by a probabilistic formal specification assertion to monitor or verify the system.
An Envelope-Based Approach for Direct Phase Determination of Macromolecular Structures

An initial electron density distribution for a crystal structure may be directly derived from observed diffraction data by maximizing the product of the observed and calculated Patterson functions with respect to the electron density values within an envelope. This maximization problem may be formulated as an eigenvalue equation, in which potential electron density distributions are obtained as eigendensities (eigenvectors) of a symmetric matrix. Elements of this matrix depend only on the indices and intensities of the observed reflections, and on the coordinates of grid points inside the envelope. Eigendensities are calculated for a set of small envelopes (enclosing about 20% of the molecular volume) covering a unique region of the unit cell whose points are unrelated by space-group operations, origin shifts or changes in enantiomorph. On the basis of correlation coefficients between the observed and calculated values for both the Patterson function and structure factor amplitudes, a small set of eigendensities are selected for combination into a final electron density distribution. This electron density distribution may be Fourier transformed to yield calculated structure factors. Test calculations on lysozyme indicate that phase errors of less than 60° may be obtained for strong low-resolution reflections by this procedure. An extension of this approach to handle crystal structures containing non-crystallographic symmetry is described.
Participation in Spiritual Healing, Religiosity, and Mental Health*

Survey data are used to examine the relationship between religiosity and psychosocial distress among persons in Christian, charismatic (n = 83), “New Age,”“metaphysical” healing groups (n = 93), and a comparison group of medical patients (n = 137). Data partially support the hypothesis that religiosity is an independent predictor of positive mental health. However, the relationships vary by type of healing group, by psychosocial distress indicator used, and by type of religious belief. These findings are discussed within the context of self selection into healing groups, the social causes of distress, and the magico-religious nature of healing groups.
Radiative lifetime of the Te2 B0+u and A0+u states excited by a pulsed dye laser

Abstract A pulsed dye laser has been used to measure the radiative lifetimes and quenching rates of transitions of the B0+u and A0+u states of Te2. The observed zero pressure lifetimes vary from 55 to 730 ns. The quenching rates vary from 0.9 × 106 to 40 × 106 s−1 Torr−1.
Conflict-free shortest-time bidirectional AGV routeing

This paper presents an efficient algorithm for finding conflict-free shortest-time routes for automated guided vehicles moving in a bidirectional flow path network. The proposed algorithm is based on Dijkstra's shortest-path method. It maintains, for each node, a list of time windows reserved by scheduled vehicles and a list of free time windows available for vehicles to be scheduled. We introduce the concept of time window graph in which the node set represents the free time windows and the arc set represents the reachability between the free time windows. Then the algorithm routes the vehicles through the free time windows of the time window graph instead of the physical nodes of the flow path network. It requires O(v4n2) computations in the worst case, where v is the number of vehicles and n is the number of nodes.
The School Mental Health Capacity Instrument: Development of an Assessment and Consultation Tool

This paper describes the development of the School Mental Health Capacity Instrument, a new measure designed to capture the extent to which a school is proactive in its approach to addressing mental health. The instrument assesses the policies, systems, and activities a school has in place related to intervention, early recognition and referral, and prevention and promotion. We share preliminary psychometric information about the instrument, including its excellent internal consistency, good test–retest stability, and evidence of criterion-related validity. The instrument has broad applicability for use by researchers and evaluators. In addition, consultants could use the instrument’s findings as a guide to helping schools become increasingly proactive in the way they address student mental health.
The Insulin-Like Growth Factor System

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system in ubiquitous and plays a role in every tissue of the body. It is comprised of ligands, receptors and binding proteins, each with specific functions. While it plays an essential role in embryonic and post-natal development, the IGF system is also important in normal adult physiology. There are now numerous examples of diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and malnutrition in which the IGF system is a major player and, not surprisingly, there are attempts to affect these disorders by manipulating the system.
Doxycycline and indomethacin synergistically downregulate beta-catenin signaling and inhibit colon cancer cell growth

Abstract Introduction: Aberrant beta-catenin signaling, due to loss of the APC tumor suppressor gene, or mutation of beta-catenin, is found in the majority of colon cancers. We have recently demonstrated that doxycycline (DOX) decreases beta-catenin expression and transcriptional activity in colon cancer cells. NSAIDS also downregulate beta-catenin by an undefined mechanism. We demonstrate synergistic inhibition of beta-catenin signaling and colon cancer cell growth by DOX and indomethacin (INDO). Methods: APC-mutant SW480 human colon cancer cells were studied. DOX and INDO were used at clinically achievable concentrations. Beta-catenin levels were determined by western blotting. Beta-catenin-dependent transcription was measured by TOPFlash reporter assay. Cell viability was determined by tiazolyl blue (MTT) reduction and growth was determined by direct cell counting. In vivo, tumor growth was determined by measurement of subcutaneous xenografts in BALB/c nude mice. DOX was administered in drinking water, and INDO by IP injection. Results: In vitro, both DOX and INDO exposure result in a dose dependent down-regulation of beta-catenin protein and beta-catenin-dependent gene transcription, resulting in inhibition of cell viability and proliferation. A synergistic relationship of combining these two agents is evident. In vivo studies show an enhanced anti-tumor effect of combined DOX and INDO treatment on SW480 xenograft growth (Figure 1). Conclusions: DOX and INDO suppress beta-catenin expression and transcription activity in colon cancer cells, inhibiting cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. DOX and INDO may be of clinical use in therapeutic or chemopreventative strategies for colon cancer. Download high-res image (285KB) Download full-size image
Effects of reserpine treatment on β-adrenergic/adenylate cyclase modulated secretion and resynthesis by the rat submandibular gland

Chronic reserpine (adrenergic blocking) treatment causes a marked accumulation of secretory protein in the rat submandibular gland (SMG) but discharge of this material is delayed in response to isoproterenol stimulation. The purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of chronic reserpine treatment on 1) the number of β-adrenergic receptors, 2) the sensitivity of cell-surface-associated adenylate cyclase to various concentrations of isoproterenol, and 3) to correlate these data to morphologic studies of the secretion and resynthesis phases of the isoproterenol-induced secretory cycle in the rat SMG. Animals were injected with reserpine (0.5 μg/g b.w.) for 6 days. Plasma membrane fractions were prepared. The adenylate cyclase response to a series of isoproterenol concentrations, and the number of β-adrenergic receptors ([3H]-alprenolol binding) were determined. Other animals were given a single dose of isoproterenol (0.8 mg/100 g b.w.) and the SMG was examined by light and electron microscopy at various times (30 min to 24 h) after treatment. Chronic reserpine treatment leads to a 2.5-fold increase in SMG β-adrenergic binding sites and a 50-fold increase in adenylate cyclase sensitivity to IPR stimulation when compared to controls. However, secretion and resynthesis of secretory product in response to IPR stimulation was greatly delayed in reserpinized rats.
Child care subsidy, child care costs, and employment of low-income single mothers

Abstract This paper examines the relationship between welfare reform and child care costs among low-income single mothers and the effects of post reform child care subsidy receipt on the status and duration of these mothers' employment. A two-step model analysis of data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (1993, 1996, and 2001 panels) revealed marginal effects of welfare reform on child care costs, indicating that child care costs increased significantly among low-income single mothers after welfare reform. Results from a Tobit model revealed that child care subsidy receipt also had significant effects on employment status. Finally, families with only a mother and children in the household had a higher probability of using paid child care and spent more on care than mothers with other adults in the household.
The Criterion of Coherence and the Randomness of Charisma: Poring Through Some Aporias in The Jesus Tradition

Many scholars employ a different kind of criterion of coherence from the standard, i.e., the criterion that Jesus’ authentic sayings hold together in a coherent whole; yet Jesus scholars differ regarding the nature of this coherence. When we then understand that Jesus was a charismatic leader of a new religious movement, and when we examine how such persons in general behave, we see the importance of randomness for charismatic leadership, and we understand that we cannot expect systematic coherence among the sayings of Jesus. Jesus may have said things that appear contradictory, but they will have enhanced his charismatic authority.
Appearance-based hand sign recognition from intensity image sequences

Abstract In this paper, we present a new approach to recognizing hand signs. In this approach, motion recognition (the hand movement) is tightly coupled with spatial recognition (hand shape). The system uses multiclass, multidimensional discriminant analysis to automatically select the most discriminating linear features for gesture classification. A recursive partition tree approximator is proposed to do classification. This approach combined with our previous work on hand segmentation forms a new framework which addresses the three key aspects of hand sign interpretation: hand shape, location, and movement. The framework has been tested to recognize 28 different hand signs. The experimental results show that the system achieved a 93.2% recognition rate for test sequences that had not been used in the training phase. It is shown that our approach provide performance better than that of nearest neighbor classification in the eigensubspace.
Solubilization of the lens water-insoluble fraction by sonication.

Abstract A method is reported whereby the solubilization of the bulk of the lens water-insoluble fraction is accomplished by a short sonication of the suspended proteins in low salt buffers. This procedure solubilized greater than 90% of a bovine lens water-insoluble fraction and 80% of the normal human lens water-insoluble fraction. Decreased protein was solubilized from cataractous lenses, but in every case sonication was at least equivalent to extraction with 6·0 m urea. Fractionation of the solubilized proteins by Agarose A-1·5 m gel filtration chromatography showed native molecular weights for bovine lens, but only partial disaggregation with human lens extracts. A sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) comparison of the proteins solubilized by sonication and 6·0 m urea extraction showed no major differences except that sonication solubilized more of the highly cross-linked protein which remained at the top of the gel.
GREEN'S FUNCTIONS METHOD FOR JUSTIFYING A NONEQUILIBRIUM LANDAU THEORY.

Abstract A Landau theory which includes nonequilibrium situations is derived. The approach of Kadanoff and Baym is used to obtain a quasi-particle transport equation with collision terms. Landau's identifications of physical quantities as various moments of the quasi-particle distribution function are justified through the use of identities involving the functional dependence of the real time functions. These identities are derived using the concept of the φ-derivability of the real time functions discussed in an earlier work.
The isotopic abundance of neon from helium-bearing natural gases

Abstract The abundance of the neon isotopes from seven natural gas sources has been determined. In order to obtain the necessary analytical data, neon was concentrated by a factor of approximately 2 × 10 6 and analysed by means of a mass spectrometer. As a check on the possibility of the neon isotopic abundance being altered by the concentration technique, which involved separation of the neon by solidification at 4.2°K, a mixture containing 106 ppm of neon (atmospheric source) in helium was prepared and subjected to the analytical procedures for isotopic abundance determinations; there was no evidence of “isotopic shift”. A total of 93 isotopic assays of neon was made from five Bureau of Mines and two private sources of helium-bearing natural gases. The results indicated that the amounts of Ne 21 from the helium-bearing natural-gas sources were significantly higher than those from atmospheric neon ( Eberhardt et al ., 1965; Walton and Cameron , 1965) and varied according to the source. Values compared to atmospheric neon for Ne 21 were higher by 45 to 500 per cent. Wetherill (1954) suggested that nuclear reactions such as O 18 ( α , n ) Ne 21 could explain the origin of the excess Ne 21 .
Synthesis and Characterization of Supported Phospholipid Monolayers: A Correlative Investigation by Radiochemical Titration and Atomic Force Microscopy

Membrane-mimetic lipid films with or without cholesterol were formed on alkylsilane self-assembled monolayers on glass by a process of lipid vesicle fusion. Using a combination of radiochemical titration with 14C-labeled dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and AFM imaging in an aqueous environment, we have characterized both molecular packing density and, in an homologous series of lipid monolayers, film thickness. These data confirm that a monolayer phospholipid membrane can be produced by vesicle fusion to an alkylated glass substrate.
Optimum fleet size determination by queuing and simulation

Queuing theory applications in the field of earth-moving operations are reviewed. Using queuing theory and simulation techniques, a model is developed that can predict the productivity of one pusher and a fleet of scrapers under a given set of operating conditions. A computer program is developed for this purpose that interfaces Gaarslev's Queuing Model Program and Caterpillar's Vehicle Simulation Program. The new system can consider the effect of variable inter-arrival times and bunching and road and machine conditions. The developed computer system allows the user to perform a sensitivity analysis by varying the number of scrapers, thus determining the optimum fleet size based on the lowest cost per cubic yard of production.
Conditional Expression of Fibroblast Growth Factor-7 in the Developing and Mature Lung

Effects of fibroblast growth factor-7 (FGF-7) on lung morphogenesis, respiratory epithelial cell differentiation, and proliferation were assessed in transgenic mice in which the humanFGF-7 cDNA was controlled by a conditional promoter under the direction of regulatory elements from either the human surfactant protein-C (SP-C) or rat Clara cell secretory protein (ccsp) genes. Expression of FGF-7 was induced in respiratory epithelial cells of the fetal lung by administration of doxycycline to the dam. Prenatally, doxycycline inducedFGF-7 mRNA in respiratory epithelial cells in bothSp-c and Ccsp transgenic lines, increasing lung size and causing cystadenomatoid malformation. Postnatally, mice bearing both Ccsp-rtta and (Teto)7 -cmv-fgf-7 transgenes survived, and lung morphology was normal. Induction of FGF-7 expression by doxycycline in the Ccsp-rtta × (Teto)7 -cmv-fgf-7 mice caused marked epithelial cell proliferation, adenomatous hyperplasia, and pulmonary infiltration with mononuclear cells. Epithelial cell hyperplasia caused by FGF-7 was largely resolved after removal of doxycycline. Surfactant proteins, TTF-1, and aquaporin 5 expression were conditionally induced by doxycycline. The Sp-c-rttaand Ccsp-rtta activator mice provide models in which expression is conditionally controlled in respiratory epithelial cells in the developing and mature lung, altering lung morphogenesis, differentiation, and proliferation.
Correlation Times of Motion of Deuterium Oxide in Polyamide 6 Rods

Deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of varying amounts of D2O absorbed in undrawn commercial polyamide 6 (PA6) rods at room temperature suggest the presence of only one type of water closely associated with amide sites via hydrogen bonding and that its motion can be modeled as both isotropic rotational and translational diffusion. Time constants for spin−lattice relaxation (T1) and spin−spin relaxation (T2) are used to obtain correlation times for the motions. The dependence of T1 on D2O content shows a minimum, indicating that the correlation time is on the order of ω0τc ∼ 1. Translational diffusion occurs on the time scale of less than 1 ms and describes the motion of D2O hopping between different solvated sites. The corresponding range of diffusivity of D2O in PA6, ∼10-10 cm2/s, agrees with values reported for macroscopic diffusion measurements. Within each solvated site the solvent molecules undergo isotropic reorientation diffusion on the order of nanoseconds. The correlation times of ...
Surgical management of craniopharyngiomas in children: meta-analysis and comparison of transcranial and transsphenoidal approaches.

Background Controversy persists regarding the optimal treatment of pediatric craniopharyngiomas. Objective We performed a meta-analysis of reported series of transcranial (TC) and transsphenoidal (TS) surgery for pediatric craniopharyngiomas to determine whether comparisons between the outcomes in TS and TC approaches are valid. Methods Online databases were searched for English-language articles reporting quantifiable outcome data published between 1990 and 2010 pertaining to the surgical treatment of pediatric craniopharyngiomas. Forty-eight studies describing 2955 patients having TC surgery and 13 studies describing 373 patients having TS surgery met inclusion criteria. Results Before surgery, patients who had TC surgery had less visual loss, more frequent hydrocephalus and increased intracranial pressure, larger tumors, and more suprasellar disease. After surgery, patients in the TC group had lower rates of gross total resection (GTR), more frequent recurrence after GTR, higher neurological morbidity, more frequent diabetes insipidus, less improvement, and greater deterioration in vision. There was no difference in operative mortality, obesity/hyperphagia, or overall survival percentages. Conclusion Directly comparing outcomes after TC and TS surgery for pediatric craniopharyngiomas does not appear to be valid. Baseline differences in patients who underwent each approach create selection bias that may explain the improved rates of disease control and lower morbidity of TS resection. Although TS approaches are becoming increasingly used for smaller tumors and those primarily intrasellar, tumors more amenable to TC surgery include large tumors with significant lateral extension, those that engulf vascular structures, and those with significant peripheral calcification.
Revealing latent structural instabilities in perovskite ferroelectrics by layering and epitaxial strain : a first-principles study of Ruddlesden-Popper superlattices.

Utilizing first-principles computational techniques, we have mapped out structural instabilities in the Ruddlesden-Popper homologous oxide superlattice families with a general chemical formula ${A}_{n\ensuremath{-}1}{A}_{2}^{\ensuremath{'}}{\text{Ti}}_{n}{\text{O}}_{3n+1}$, $A=\text{Sr}$, Ba, and Pb (perovskite-type slab) and ${A}^{\ensuremath{'}}=\text{Sr}$ (rocksalt-type insert) for $n=1--5$. Our calculations show that each superlattice family has a unique set of ``instability footprints,'' combining the ferroelectric, antiferroelectric, and antiferrodistortive types, and that the competition among the instabilities can be influenced by epitaxial strain and changing thickness of the perovskite-type slab, granting us wide flexibility to fine tune the properties of these materials for various device applications.
Clinical Experience With Long-Term Use of Implantable Left Ventricular Assist Devices: Indications, Implantation, and Outcomes

We describe our clinical experience with 205 implantable left ventricular assist devices at the Cleveland Clinic between December 1991 and January 2000, along with manufacturers' data submitted to the Food and Drug Administration. In patients with end-stage cardiac failure who are suitable candidates for transplantation, these devices serve as excellent bridges to transplantation. Recent modifications have increased pump reliability and reduced thromboembolic rates. The vented electric HeartMate (Thermocardiosystems Inc, Woburn, MA) and the Novacor (Baxter- Novacor, Oakland, CA) left ventricular assist systems allow patients to be discharged from the hospital while awaiting a donor heart. Experience with long-term support is providing insights into permanent implantation of these devices as destination therapy. Although infection remains a major impediment to long-term support, patient-pump interactions leading to changes in the coagulation and immune systems are being recognized, and these interactions may have important implications with respect to thromboembolism, infection, and sensitization to human leukocyte antigens (HLAs). Better understanding of these factors may eventually lead to the development of permanently implantable pumps as an alternative to transplantation.
'An Amazonian Heroickess': The Military Leadership of Queen Henrietta Maria in Margaret Cavendish's Bell in Campo (1662)

During the English Civil War, Queen Henrietta Maria’s (1609-1669) active involvement in her husband’s, and therefore her own, political party’s defense served as both a model and mirror for Royalist women across the country. Some women were left alone to take defensive measures on the home front, while other women participated in more organized offensive fronts. The queen’s public example of female heroics during the Civil War put her at the head of a scattered league of women privately taking action in defense of their homes and towns and in support of their husbands. In the wake of important, yet I argue, potentially misleading recent scholarship on Henrietta Maria, this essay endeavors to broaden our understanding of her participation in the Civil War and the public’s reception of those efforts through the literary representation of the queen in the writings of Margaret Cavendish. First, the essay will examine Queen Henrietta Maria’s correspondence to find, what I demonstrate to be, the energetic presentation of herself as a true and willing Cavalier Woman, and second, this study will discuss how that public image and the fundamental Royalist political philosophy of divine patriarchalism are endorsed, rehearsed and revised in Margaret Cavendish’s page play Bell in Campo .
Moral freedom and metaphysics

IT IS A safe bet that a substantial number of Professor Reinelt's readers at least found themselves clenching their fists in exasperation, if not quitting in utter despair, before they had read more than a dozen pages of his essay. The simple truth is that most of us, for better or for worse, do not think of ourselves as living in a world of "pure possibilities," "realized possibilities," or "actual entities." Our world is rather a world of trees and stones, of brick and mortar, of men and books and cars and trucks and all the other familiar objects of our everyday experience. It is only by the most unusual effort that we can wrench our minds from the familiar categories of our workaday world, and force it to seek, as Reinelt says, "some general account of the character of that which (we) encounter." And many there are who are far from convinced that the project is really worth the effort—whence it follows that few men become philosophers, and fewer yet metaphysicians. Kierkegaard once said of the attempt to prove the existence of God that "generally speaking, it is a difficult matter to prove that anything exists; and what is still worse for the intrepid souls who undertake the venture, the difficulty is such that fame scarcely awaits those who concern themselves with it." * Something similar must surely be said of those hardy souls who venture into the perpetually
Background enhancement of CPT reach at an asymmetric φ factory

Photoproduction of neutral-kaon pairs is studied from the perspective of CP and CPT studies. Interference of the P and S waves, with the former due to diffractive phi production and the latter to f{_}0/a{_}0 production, is shown to enhance the CPT reach. Results are presented of Monte Carlo studies based on rates expected in future experiments.
Pharmacokinetics of oral valacyclovir and acyclovir in late pregnancy

Abstract Objective: The objective was to obtain preliminary pharmacokinetic data for acyclovir from gravid women receiving herpes simplex virus suppressive therapy with the acyclovir prodrug valacyclovir. Study Design: In a prospective, double-blind trial, 20 women with a history of recurrent genital herpes simplex virus infection and positive herpes simplex virus 2 serologic results were randomly assigned at 36 weeks' gestation to receive oral valacyclovir (500 mg twice daily) or acyclovir (400 mg 3 times daily). Acyclovir pharmacokinetic profiles were obtained after the initial dose (36 weeks) and at steady state (38 weeks). Amniotic fluid samples were obtained during labor and simultaneous umbilical cord and maternal plasma samples were collected at delivery. Laboratory studies were performed to screen for laboratory evidence of toxicity in mothers and infants. Results: Peak acyclovir plasma concentrations (mean ± standard deviation) were higher in valacyclovir recipients than in acyclovir recipients after the initial dose (3.14 ± 0.7 μg/mL vs 0.74 ± 0.6 μg/mL, P P P P = .009). There was no significant difference in drug elimination half-life or in time to peak concentration between valacyclovir and acyclovir recipients at either sampling interval. Acyclovir was concentrated in the amniotic fluid; however, there was no evidence of preferential fetal drug accumulation (mean maternal/umbilical vein plasma ratios at delivery were 1.7 for valacyclovir and 1.3 for acyclovir). Valacyclovir was well tolerated, and no significant laboratory or clinical evidence of toxicity was detected. Conclusion: In this phase I trial maternal valacyclovir therapy resulted in higher plasma acyclovir levels, with significantly higher peak concentrations and daily area under the curve values, than did acyclovir therapy. Additional trials are needed to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of suppressive valacyclovir therapy during late pregnancy. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1998;179:846-51.)
An evaluation of welding processes to reduce hexavalent chromium exposures and reduce costs by using better welding techniques.

A group of stainless steel arc welding processes was compared for emission rates of fume and hexavalent chromium, and costs per meter length of weld. The objective was to identify those with minimal emissions and also compare relative labor and consumables costs. The selection included flux-cored arc welding (FCAW), shielded-metal arc welding (SMAW), and multiple gas metal arc welding (GMAW) processes. Using a conical chamber, fumes were collected, and fume generation rates and hexavalent chromium (Cr6+) were measured. GMAW processes used were short-circuit (SC) and pulsed-spray modes. Flux-cored welding used gas shielding. Costs were estimated per meter of a 6.3-mm thick horizontal butt weld. Emission rates of Cr6+ were lowest for GMAW processes and highest for SMAW; several GMAW processes had less than 2% of the SMAW generation rate. Labor and consumable costs for the processes studied were again highest for SMAW, with those of several GMAW types about half that cost. The results show that use of any of the GMAW processes (and flux-cored welding) could substantially reduce fume and Cr6+ emissions, and greatly reduce costs relative to SMAW.
Segmentation, reconstruction, and analysis of blood thrombi in 2-photon microscopy images

In this paper, we study the problem of segmenting, reconstructing, and analyzing the structure and growth of thrombi (clots) in vivo in blood vessels based on 2-photon microscopic image data. First, we develop an algorithm for segmenting clots in 3-D microscopic images which incorporates the density-based clustering algorithm and other methods for dealing with imaging artifacts. Next, we apply the union-of-balls (or alpha-shape) algorithm to reconstruct the boundary of clots in 3-D. Finally, we perform experimental analysis on the reconstructed clots and obtain quantitative data of thrombus growth and structures. The experiments are conducted on laser-induced injuries in vessels of two types of mice (the wild type and the type with low levels of coagulation factor VII). By analyzing and comparing the developing clot structures based on their reconstruction from image data, we obtain results of biomedical significance. Our quantitative analysis of the clot composition leads to better understanding of the thrombus development, which is also valuable to the modeling and verification of computational simulation of thrombogenesis.
Resolving and mediating ambiguous contexts for pervasive care environments

Ubiquitous (or smart) healthcare applications envision sensor rich computing and networking environments that can capture various types of contexts of patients (or inhabitants of the environment), such as their location, activities and vital signs. Such context information is useful in providing health related and wellness management services in an intelligent way so as to promote independent living. However, in reality, both sensed and interpreted contexts may often be ambiguous, leading to fatal decisions if not properly handled. Thus, a significant challenge facing the development of realistic and deployable context-aware services for healthcare applications is the ability to deal with ambiguous contexts to prevent hazardous situations. In this work, we propose a quality assured context mediation framework, based on efficient context-aware data fusion and information theoretic system parameter selection for optimal state estimation in resource constrained sensor network. The proposed framework provides a systematic approach based on dynamic Bayesian network to derive context fragments and deal with context ambiguity or error in a probabilistic manner. It has the ability to incorporate context representation according to the applications' quality requirement. Experimental results using SunSPOT sensors demonstrate the promise of this approach.
Implications of high energy proportional servers on cluster-wide energy proportionality

Cluster-level packing techniques have long been used to improve the energy proportionality of server clusters by masking the poor energy proportionality of individual servers. With the emergence of high energy proportional servers, we revisit whether cluster-level packing techniques are still the most effective way to achieve high cluster-wide energy proportionality. Our findings indicate that cluster-level packing techniques can eventually limit cluster-wide energy proportionality and it may be more beneficial to depend solely on server-level low power techniques. Serverlevel low power techniques generally require a high latency slack to be effective due to diminishing idle periods as server core count increases. In order for server-level low power techniques to be a viable alternative, the latency slack required for these techniques must be lowered. We found that server-level active low power modes offer the lowest latency slack, independent of server core count, and propose low power mode switching policies to meet the best-case latency slack under realistic conditions. By overcoming these major issues, we show that server-level low power modes can be a viable alternative to cluster-level packing techniques in providing high cluster-wide energy proportionality.
Brachygnathia Superior and Degenerative Joint Disease: A New Lethal Syndrome in Angus Calves

Brachygnathia superior and generalized diarthrodial degenerative joint disease were seen in 17 related, purebred Angus calves ranging in age from 2 days to 4 months. Craniometrical studies revealed decreased maxillary and palatine bone lengths and increased cranial, skull, and facial indices. Radiological evaluation of major appendicular joints demonstrated lipping of the joint margins with osteophyte formation, sclerosis of subchondral bone, and narrowing of joint spaces. Synovial fluid evaluation indicated joint degeneration but no etiologic agent. Rheumatoid factor analysis of plasma was negative. Grossly, all major appendicular joints were defective including the atlanto-occipital articulation. Lesions ranged from loss of surface luster to erosions and deep ulcers with eburnation of the subchondral bone and secondary proliferative synovitis. Histological changes were degeneration of the articular cartilage matrix, chondrocyte necrosis, flaking and fibrillation, chondrone formation, erosions and ulcers of the articular cartilage with subchondral bone sclerosis, vascular invasion with fibrosis, and chronic, nonsuppurative, proliferative synovitis. Growth plates had defective chondrocyte proliferation and hypertrophy with aberrant ossification of calcified cartilaginous matrix. Histochemical analysis of cartilage and bone failed to incriminate which component was defective, glycosaminoglycan or collagen, but indicated different distribution or absence of one or the other. Genealogic studies revealed a genetic basis for the new defect.
Wetlands map of Alaska using L-Band radar satellite imagery

We have used two seasons of L-band SAR imagery to produce a thematic map of wetlands throughout Alaska. The classification was developed using the Random Forests statistical decision tree algorithm. Input data included mosaics of summer and winter JERS-1 SAR imagery with associated image collection dates, summer and winter SAR backscatter texture, elevation, slope, proximity to water, and geographic latitude. The accuracy of the resulting thematic map was quantified using extensive ground reference data. The overall aggregate accuracy calculated based on all classified pixels was 89.5%, with individual per-tile aggregate accuracies ranging from 80% to 97%. As the first high-resolution large-scale synoptic wetlands map of Alaska, this product provides the basis for improved characterization of land- atmosphere CH4 and CO2 fluxes and climate change impacts associated with thawing soils and changes in extent and drying of wetland ecosystems.
Measurement of three antibiotics (penicillin, cephalothin, and chloramphenicol) when present together in mixtures.

Benzylpenicillin, cephalothin, and chloramphenicol were measured individually and quantitatively when present together in mixtures at concentrations found in patients. The assay depended on the selective inactivation of two of the antibiotics, permitting the third to be assayed as if present alone. Agar seeded with a chloramphenicol-resistant, penicillinase-negative Staphylococcus aureus was used for a cylinder-plate assay of appropriately diluted fluid to determine the activity of either benzylpenicillin or cephalothin after either β-lactamase inactivation of the former or ultraviolet light inactivation of the latter. Chloramphenicol was assayed with Sarcina lutea after appropriate β-lactamase inactivation of both cephalothin and benzylpenicillin. Fluids containing various amounts of the three antibiotics were assayed by this method with less than 8% error. Procedures that fail to measure each antibiotic individually may give larger errors.
Tunable group velocity reduction in coupled-resonator optical waveguide (CROW)

Summary form only given. We recently proposed a new type of waveguide, the coupled-resonator optical waveguide (CROW), where an array of high Q resonators are coupled together. Under the tight-binding approximation, we found that the dispersion relation of a CROW can described by a coupling coefficient K and that its group velocity is greatly reduced. However, the concept of CROW is not necessarily limited by the tight-binding approximation. Here we propose a novel CROW structure by coupling a series of resonators with a waveguide.
Developing Social Entrepreneurs and Social Innovators: A Social Identity and Self-Efficacy Approach

Training social entrepreneurs and social innovators is becoming increasingly prevalent in business schools throughout the world, highlighting the need for effective pedagogical strategies. Drawing on social identity theory and research on self-efficacy, we present a social identity and self-efficacy approach to social entrepreneurship education that focuses on helping students develop identities as social entrepreneurs and gain confidence in their ability to effect positive social change. We share examples of pedagogical devices and related content that have been used in the classroom to reinforce such an approach, and we offer four case examples to demonstrate the significant impact group social entrepreneurship projects can have on both students and society. We also identify—and offer suggestions for overcoming—many of the potential challenges faced when attempting to teach social entrepreneurship and innovation in a university setting.
Physical Violence by Partner during Pregnancy and Use of Prenatal Care in Rural India

The role of physical violence during pregnancy on receipt of prenatal care is poorly understood, particularly for South Asian countries that have high levels of both fertility and domestic violence. Data from the 1998/1999 Indian National Family Health Survey and a 2002/2003 follow-up survey that re-interviewed women in four states were analyzed, examining the association between physical violence during pregnancy and the uptake of prenatal care. Women who experienced physical violence during pregnancy were less likely to receive prenatal care, less likely to receive a home-visit from a health worker for a prenatal check-up, less likely to receive at least three prenatal care visits, and less likely to initiate prenatal care early in the pregnancy. This study highlighted the constraining effect that the experience of physical domestic violence during pregnancy had on the uptake of prenatal care for women in rural India. Maternal health services must recognize the unique needs of women experiencing violence from their intimate partners.
Sister Chromatid Exchanges, Chromosomal Aberrations, and Cytotoxicity Produced by Antitumor Topoisomerase II Inhibitors in Sensitive (DC3F) and Resistant (DC3F/9-OHE) Chinese Hamster Cells

Abstract 4′-(9-Acridinylamino)methanesulfon- m -anisidide, etoposide, and 2-methyl-9-hydroxyellipticinium are antitumor topoisomerase II (topo II) inhibitors. The relationship between drug-induced sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) or chromosomal aberrations and cytotoxicity was investigated in Chinese hamster cells sensitive (DC3F) and resistant (DC3F/9-OHE) to topo II inhibitors. Thirty-min drug treatments produced SCEs and chromosomal aberrations in sensitive (DC3F) cells, 4′-(9-acridinylamino)methanesulfon- m -anisidide being more potent than etoposide or 2-methyl-9-hydroxyellipticinium at equimolar concentrations. Comparable treatments of resistant (DC3F/9-OHE) cells did not produce chromosomal damage. The cytotoxicity of 4′-(9-Acridinylamino)-methanesulfon- m -anisidide was also greater than that of etoposide or 2-methyl-9-hydroxyellipticinium in DC3F cells, and no cytotoxicity was observed in DC3F/9-OHE at drug concentrations that produced more than two logs of cell kill in DC3F cells. A plot of cytotoxicity versus SCEs showed a good correlation between the two parameters. Therefore, short treatments of mammalian cells with topo II inhibitors produce reversible topo II-mediated DNA breaks which are associated with chromosomal aberrations and SCEs whose number correlates with cytotoxicity. In addition, topo II mutant DC3F/9-OHE cells were more sensitive than DC3F cells to the chromosomal, DNA cross-linking and cytotoxic effects of mitomycin C and were equally sensitive to the cytotoxic effect of camptothecin.