cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
WebSee: A Tool for Debugging HTML Presentation Failures

Presentation failures in a website can negatively impact end users' perception of the quality of the website, the services it delivers, and the branding a company is trying to achieve. Presentation failures can occur easily in modern web applications because of the highly complex and dynamic nature of the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that define a web page's visual appearance. Debugging such failures manually is time consuming and error-prone, and existing techniques do not provide an automated debugging solution. In this paper, we present our tool, \toolname, that provides a fully automated debugging solution for presentation failures in web applications. When run on real-world web applications, \toolname was able to accurately and quickly identify faulty HTML elements.
Specific electrophysiological components disentangle affective sharing and empathic concern in psychopathy

Empathic impairment is one of the hallmarks of psychopathy, a personality dimension associated with poverty in affective reactions, lack of attachment to others, and a callous disregard for the fee...
Review of Insecticide Resistance in Cat Fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)

Insecticide resistance often is blamed for failures of insecticides to control cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouche). Yet the genetics and adaptive advantage of resistance traits remain unexamined. Lethal doses of insecticides that kill 50% of the population fluctuate 7-fold within a cat flea strain. Many reports of flea resistance may be attributable to variable mortality from effects of solvents, substrates, humidities, temperatures, colonization, and ages of fleas. Resistance ratios (ratios of lethal doses of a resistant to a susceptible strain) are < 690-fold in fleas; lower than many other arthropods. This, plus strain variability, hinders resistance detection. Relationships between resistance levels, control failures, and health threats are unclear. Insensitive acetylcholinesterase, knockdown recovery, glutathione transferase conjugation, and mixed function oxidase/cytochrome P450 are demonstrated resistance mechanisms in cat fleas. Ecological genetics of resistance in cat fleas probably involves flea transfer among hosts, host movements, refugia, founder effects, and mortality from abiotic factors. Understanding cat flea resistance requires population monitoring before, during, and after insecticide treatments using conventional and rapid molecular bioassays. Sustained insecticide release devices such as flea collars and long-lived insecticide residues for premises possibly contribute to the development of resistance. New systemic and topical insecticides, especially when given prophylactically, may act similarly. Eliminating insecticides prevents insecticide resistance but necessitates application of biorational tactics incorporating mechanical, environmental, and cultural controls. Using high temperatures, low humidities, host grooming and such tactics as decreasing doses, increasing action thresholds, rotating insecticides, and leaving spatial and temporal refugia may suppress cat flea resistance.
Dynamic interactions between limb segments during planar arm movement

Movement of multiple segment limbs requires generation of appropriate joint torques which include terms arising from dynamic interactions among the moving segments as well as from such external forces as gravity. The interaction torques, arising from inertial, centripetal, and Coriolis forces, are not present for single joint movements. The significance of the individual interaction forces during reaching movements in a horizontal plane involving only the shoulder and elbow joints has been assessed for different movement paths and movement speeds. Trajectory formation strategies which simplify the dynamics computation are presented.
Aerodynamic effects of a turbulent flowfield on a vertically launched missile

Wind-tunnel tests were performed on a vertically launched surface-to-air missile model to investigate the effects of flowfield turbulence on the side forces induced by nose-generated asymmetric vortices at high angles of attack. The effects of the missile low-aspect-ratio wings on the induced side forces are also investigated. Test angles of attack range from 0 deg to 90 deg at a Reynolds number, based on model diameter, of 1.1 x 10, and at a Mach number of 0.1. Three body configurations and five flowfield conditions are tested. Increased freestream turbulence at the boundary-layer scale greatly reduces the side forces, and the initial tendency of an increase in intensity at a vortex scale is to stabilize the asymmetric behavior and to maintain the side force magnitude. Increased levels of turbulence reduces the side forces, but magnitudes remain significant. For ambient turbulence conditions, side forces are maintained at approximately the same levels with and without wings.
Theory of conductance and magnetoresistance of magnetic multilayered structures

Abstract We use a real space quantum approach, based on the Kubo formula and a model Hamiltonian with spin-dependent zero-range potentials, to describe the transport properties of metallic multilayers. Our general solution is remarkably simple and corrects the usual quasiclassical treatment of interfaces.
Expression of c-myc and induction of DNA synthesis by platelet-poor plasma in human diploid fibroblasts

Abstract When WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts become confluent, they stop synthesizing DNA and dividing. Addition of serum causes the quiescent cell to reenter the cell cycle. Prolonged quiescence after confluence decreases and delays the response to serum. For a few days after reaching confluence, WI-38 cells also respond to platelet-poor plasma. During this period, although not cycling, WI-38 cells still express c- myc and other growthregulated genes, as measured by steady-state RNA levels. If the quiescence is prolonged further, c- myc expression (and that of two other growth-regulated genes) is no longer detectable, and its disappearance coincides with a loss of response to platelet-poor plasma. These results suggest that, also under physiological conditions, the expression of c- myc and other growth-regulated genes can cooperate with platelet-poor plasma in inducing cellular DNA synthesis in human diploid fibroblasts.
Quenching rate coefficients for O+(2P) derived from middle ultraviolet airglow

[i] O + ( 2 P) is produced in the sunlit thermosphere primarily by photoionization of atomic oxygen. Thermospheric atomic oxygen concentrations can be inferred from measurements of airglow produced near 732.0 nm by the transition of this excited state to the 2D state and at 247.0 nm by the transition to the 4 S ground state. The accuracy of these concentrations depends on the accuracy of the important chemical reaction rates used in the airglow model, including quenching of O + ( 2 P). We obtain coefficients for the quenching of O + ( 2 P) by O and N 2 by modeling rocket and satellite limb measurements of thermospheric middle ultraviolet (MUV) airglow at 247.0 nm. We derive a reaction rate for N 2 of 1.8 x 10- 10 cm 3 s -1 , which is lower than the value obtained by other airglow studies but in agreement with laboratory measurements. We obtain a best fit value for the O reaction rate of 5.0 x 10 -11 cm 3 s -1 , with an upper limit of 8.4 x 10 -11 cm 3 s -1 . The value of the O reaction rate determined by fits to 172 altitude profiles of the 247.0 nm emission shows a strong correlation with the magnitude of the excitation g factor. However, the airglow profile above 260 km favors the upper limit we have identified.
Long-term evaluation of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor on hypoxic-ischemic brain damage in infant rats.

Hypoxia-ischemia (HI), as a major cause of fetal brain damage, has long-lasting neurological implications. Therefore, therapeutic interventions that attenuate the neuropathological outcome of HI while also improving the neurofunctional outcome are of paramount clinical importance. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term functional and protective actions of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) treatment in an experimental model of cerebral HI. Postnatal day-7 Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to HI surgery, which entailed ligation of the right common carotid artery followed by 2 h of hypoxia (8% O2). Treatment consisted of subcutaneous injection of G-CSF at 1 h after hypoxia followed by an additional one injection per day for 5 days (6 total injections) or for 10 days (11 total injections). Animals were euthanized 5 weeks post-insult for extensive evaluation of neurological deficits and assessment of brain, spleen, heart, and liver damage. G-CSF treatment promoted somatic growth and prevented brain atrophy and underdevelopment of the heart. Moreover, reflexes, limb placing, muscle strength, motor coordination, short-term memory, and exploratory behavior were all significantly improved by both G-CSF dosing regimens. Long-term neuroprotection afforded by G-CSF in both morphological and functional parameters after a hypoxic-ischemic event in the neonate provides a rationale for exploring clinical translation.
Altering Milk Composition – An Introduction

Abstract Recent trends in milk production and consumption clearly indicate 1) consumer concern about health implications of animal fat and an increased demand for “light” or low fat products, 2) more milk is used for manufacturing cheese and other dairy products, 3) strong interest for standards of identity with higher nonfat solids in fluid milk products, and 4) multicomponent milk pricing systems, depending on how milk is utilized. It is well-recognized that composition, yield, and quality of cheese are dependent on milk composition. Consequently, there is increased interest in manipulating milk composition by a variety of means, ranging from selective feeding to mechanical partitioning of a particular milk component as in ultrafiltration. The objective of this symposium is to review the current knowledge of various methods of altering the composition of milk, which includes on-farm management of several factors as well as milk processing. Therefore, expertise from both production and dairy foods areas is involved.
Smoking elimination by gradual reduction

Two methods of gradual reduction in smoking over a 12-week period were compared. The first required subjects to smoke at pre-set random times using a signalling device. The second allowed subjects to smoke at times of their choice using a mechanical counter to self-regulate their daily smoking quota. Each method was tested with and without group meetings. More subjects in the counter groups finished the program; however, groups using the signalling device were more successful in eliminating smoking at the time of a 3-month follow-up. The use of the signalling device was associated with a tendency to reduce the effects of situational cues on smoking, and group meetings seemed to raise morale among participants. The greatest difficulty in further smoking reduction occurred at the 12–14 cigarettes per day level for all groups. It was hypothesized that, despite the decrease in learned cues, further reduction is inhibited by the manifestation of withdrawal symptoms caused by some physiological addiction. These results suggest that a successful smoking elimination program should combine psychological and physiological approaches.
Modeling of the Inward-Facing State of LeuT and Dynamics of the Outward-To-Inward Transition

Leucine transporter (LeuT) is a bacterial aminoacid transporter belonging to the neurotransmitter:sodium symporter family. An ‘alternating-access model’is proposed for LeuT function, wherein the transporter alternates between outward-facing and inward-facing states. While multiple crystal structures of LeuT bound with substrate and inhibitors have been reported, only the outward-facing state is known. The inward facing state, and the dynamics of the outward-to-inward transition remain undescribed.Several transporters from different families report a structural fold similar to the basic ‘LeuT fold’indicating the significance of this fold in transporter function. These structures include some in the inward-facing state. Exploiting this information, we have generated a model for the inward-facing state of LeuT.Since the inward-facing structure employed for modeling had very low sequence similarity, and moderate structural similarity to LeuT, a combination of several techniques was required for model generation. A detailed modeling approach was adopted, including sequence- and structure-based approaches, combined with molecular dynamics techniques, such as targeted MD. The final model retains the secondary structural features of LeuT and the substrate/ion binding sites, while adopting an inward-facing state.We have also employed this model to study the dynamics of outward-to-inward transition of LeuT. The behavior of bound substrate and ions during this transition was recorded and shows interesting features relevant to the transport mechanism. Water permeation was monitored with the progress in transition. The main structural elements of LeuT involved in this transition are described. This study thus presents a model of the inward-facing state of LeuT and a description of a possibly general transport mechanism in transporters adopting the LeuT fold.
The reliability and concurrent validity of the figure-of-eight method of measuring hand edema in patients with burns

Abstract : Objective: Water volumetry is considered the gold standard for hand edema assessment. This technique requires considerable time, staff, and specialized equipment. The figure-of- eight method for hand edema assessment has been tested only in the orthopedic population. The objective of this study was to test the reliability and concurrent validity of the figure- of-eight method of measuring hand edema in the burn patient population. Methods: We conducted a prospective blinded study with 20 burned patients (33 edematous hands) admitted from February to May 2005. Two testers performed three separate blinded measurements on each edematous hand, using the figure-of-eight technique. A third tester per- formed two measurements, using water volumetry. An independent investigator recorded all measurements. Intratester and intertester reliability were analyzed. Concurrent validity was examined and compared with water volumetry measurements. Results: Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for the intratester reliability of the figure-of-eight method were 0.96 for tester 1 and 0.97 for tester 2. The ICC for intertester reliability of the figure-of- eight measurements was 0.94. The intratester ICC for volumetric measurements was 0.99. Correlation coefficient (Pearson's) for tester 1 was 0.83 ( P less than .01), and for tester 2, 0.89 (P less than .01). Conclusion: The figure-of-eight technique is a reliable and valid measure- ment tool for measuring hand edema. This technique is a more clinically feasible tool than water volumetry in the burn patient population.
Survival, reproduction, and recruitment of woody plants after 14 years on a reforested landfill

With the advent of modern sanitary landfill closure techniques, the opportunity exists for transforming municipal landfills into urban woodlands. While costs of fullscale reforestation are generally prohibitive, a modest planting of clusters of trees and shrubs could initiate or accelerate population expansions and natural plant succession from open field to diverse forest. However, among woody species that have been screened for use on landfills, these ecological potentials have not yet been investigated. We examined a 14-yr-old landfill plantation in New Jersey, USA, established to test tolerance of 19 species of trees and shrubs to landfill environments. We measured survivorship, reproduction, and recruitment within and around the experimental installation. Half of the original 190 plants were present, although survival and growth rates varied widely among species. An additional 752 trees and shrubs had colonized the plantation and its perimeter, as well as 2955 stems of vines. However, the great majority (>95%) of woody plants that had colonized were not progeny of the planted cohort, but instead belonged to 18 invading species, mostly native, bird-dispersed, and associated with intermediate stages of secondary plant succession. Based on this evidence, we recommend that several ecological criteria be applied to choices of woody species for the restoration of municipal landfills and similar degraded sites, in order to maximize rapid and economical establishment of diverse, productive woodlands.
Computer-aided process planning for assembly: generation of assembly operations sequence

Process planning for assembly requires a computerized representation and analysis of assembled products. In order to recommend a good sequence of assembly operations, the process planner needs to generate all such feasible sequences. This paper presents a methodology to consistently generate all feasible asssembly sequences with consideration for the various combinations of subassembly operations. The methodology is demonstrated on a real product. A practical method to reduce the number of feasible combinations generated is also demonstrated.
Optimal Functionally Graded Metallic Foam Thermal Insulation

Optimum density profiles that minimize heat transmission through a metal foam thermal insulation under onedimensional steady-state conditions are investigated. The effective thermal conductivity of the foam is derived in terms of cell parameters and the temperature. Maximizing the temperature at the outside wall of the insulation minimizes the heat conduction through the insulation because this maximizes the radiated heat. An optimality condition is derived, and the optimization problem is reduced to that of an ordinary, but a nonlinear differential equation, which is solved numerically. The optimum density variation through the thickness of the insulation for a given incident heat flux and the transmitted heat are presented for graded and uniform foams with open and closed cells. For open-cell foams, functional grading of the foam density can reduce the heat transfer through the foam for given thickness. Conversely, for a specified amount of heat transmission through the foam, the functionally graded foam insulation can be made thinner than uniform density foam insulation.
Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 2α-independent Pathway of Stress Granule Induction by the Natural Product Pateamine A

Stress granules are aggregates of small ribosomal subunits, mRNA, and numerous associated RNA-binding proteins that include several translation initiation factors. Stress granule assembly occurs in the cytoplasm of higher eukaryotic cells under a wide variety of stress conditions, including heat shock, UV irradiation, hypoxia, and exposure to arsenite. Thus far, a unifying principle of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α phosphorylation prior to stress granule formation has been observed from the majority of experimental evidence. Pateamine A, a natural product isolated from marine sponge, was recently reported to inhibit eukaryotic translation initiation and induce the formation of stress granules. In this report, the protein composition and fundamental progression of stress granule formation and disassembly induced by pateamine A was found to be similar to that for arsenite. However, pateamine A-induced stress granules were more stable and less prone to disassembly than those formed in the presence of arsenite. Most significantly, pateamine A induced stress granules independent of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α phosphorylation, suggesting an alternative mechanism of formation from that previously described for other cellular stresses. Taking into account the known inhibitory effect of pateamine A on eukaryotic translation initiation, a model is proposed to account for the induction of stress granules by pateamine A as well as other stress conditions through perturbation of any steps prior to the rejoining of the 60S ribosomal subunit during the entire translation initiation process.
Enhanced intestinal tumor multiplicity and grade in vivo after HZE exposure: mouse models for space radiation risk estimates.

Carcinogenesis induced by space radiation is considered a major risk factor in manned interplanetary and other extended missions. The models presently used to estimate the risk for cancer induction following deep space radiation exposure are based on data from A-bomb survivor cohorts and do not account for important biological differences existing between high-linear energy transfer (LET) and low-LET-induced DNA damage. High-energy and charge (HZE) radiation, the main component of galactic cosmic rays (GCR), causes highly complex DNA damage compared to low-LET radiation, which may lead to increased frequency of chromosomal rearrangements, and contribute to carcinogenic risk in astronauts. Gastrointestinal (GI) tumors are frequent in the United States, and colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer accounting for 10% of all cancer deaths. On the basis of the aforementioned epidemiological observations and the frequency of spontaneous precancerous GI lesions in the general population, even a modest increase in incidence by space radiation exposure could have a significant effect on health risk estimates for future manned space flights. Ground-based research is necessary to reduce the uncertainties associated with projected cancer risk estimates and to gain insights into molecular mechanisms involved in space-induced carcinogenesis. We investigated in vivo differential effects of γ-rays and HZE ions on intestinal tumorigenesis using two different murine models, ApcMin/+ and Apc1638N/+. We showed that γ- and/or HZE exposure significantly enhances development and progression of intestinal tumors in a mutant-line-specific manner, and identified suitable models for in vivo studies of space radiation–induced intestinal tumorigenesis.
Geography Is Children's Literature, Math, Science, Art and a Whole World of Activities

Abstract Classroom teachers and school librarians can utilize realistic picture story books as well as folk and tall tales to convey geographic concepts and thereby improve student's geographic literacy. Both the text and the illustrations of stories set in a specific locality reveal interrelationships between the people and the environment, such as the type of climate, crops grown, foods eaten, kinds of dwellings, clothing worn, methods of transportation, occupations, flora and fauna, recreational activities, etc. Picture book stories can also strengthen geographic themes or concepts of place, location, movement, and regions. This article contains a representative listing of fictional children's literature titles which relate to these geographic concepts. It also suggests specific classroom and media center activities appropriate for young children and strategies for teachers to integrate geography with the curriculum areas of math, language arts, movement and dance, art, and science.
Biomechanics of Cardiac Electromechanical Coupling and Mechanoelectric Feedback

Cardiac mechanical contraction is triggered by electrical activation via an intracellular calcium-dependent process known as excitation-contraction coupling. Dysregulation of cardiac myocyte intracellular calcium handling is a common feature of heart failure. At the organ scale, electrical dyssynchrony leads to mechanical alterations and exacerbates pump dysfunction in heart failure. A reverse coupling between cardiac mechanics and electrophysiology is also well established. It is commonly referred as cardiac mechanoelectric feedback and thought to be an important contributor to the increased risk of arrhythmia during pathological conditions that alter regional cardiac wall mechanics, including heart failure. At the cellular scale, most investigations of myocyte mechanoelectric feedback have focused on the roles of stretch-activated ion channels, though mechanisms that are independent of ionic currents have also been described. Here we review excitation-contraction coupling and mechanoelectric feedback at the cellular and organ scales, and we identify the need for new multicellular tissue-scale model systems and experiments that can help us to obtain a better understanding of how interactions between electrophysiological and mechanical processes at the cell scale affect ventricular electromechanical interactions at the organ scale in the normal and diseased heart.
Loci of spectral unique hues throughout the life span

Spectral unique hues (blue, green, and yellow) were determined for 50 observers ranging in age from 13 to 74 years. Each unique hue was measured at three luminance levels (0.5-log-unit steps). There were no significant changes in the spectral locations of red–green equilibrium hues (unique blue and yellow) as a function of luminance level or age. In contrast, significant shifts in unique green loci occurred as a function of both age and luminance. Unique green loci shifted toward shorter wavelengths with age. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that with advancing age there is a parallel decline in the input of all three cone types to the red–green chromatic channel and either a selective decline in short-wave-sensitive cone input to the yellow–blue chromatic channel or a change in the way in which cone signals are combined within the yellow–blue channel.
Is Prédation Rational? Is It Profitable? - A Reply

We appreciate the respondents' encomiums to our theoretical expertise. But we beg to differ from our critics' interpretation of the facts in the Liggett case. First, the evidence of predatory intent, predatory conduct, and predatory impact in strewn throughout the extensive court records. Commenting on this evidence, the District Court found Liggett's complaint "buttressed by numerous Brown & Williamson (B&W) documents written by top executives. These documents, indicating B&W's anticompetitive intent, are more voluminous and detailed than any other reported case. This evidence not only indicates B&W wanted to injure Liggett, it also details an extensive plan to slow the growth of the generic cigarette segment" (District Court, p. 354). These documents - prepared by high-ranking B&W officials, including a vice-president for finance, a senior financial analyst, and a special company-wide 'task force' - reveal a systematically organized, brilliantly articulated plan for containing competition in low-priced generics, and for preventing this product innovation from disturbing the oligopolistic stability of the cigarette industry generally. The B&W documents were so explicit, and emphasized the predation campaign so frequently, that the District judge "later called the documents 'smoking guns' and mused that 'I don't think [Liggett] would have imagined some of this stuff that's been written down'."1 The Supreme Court agreed, acknowledging the existence of "sufficient evidence in the record from which a reasonable jury could conclude that for a period of approximately 18 months, B&W's prices on its generic cigarettes were below its costs . . . and that this below-cost pricing imposed losses on Liggett that Liggett was unwilling to sustain ..." (Supreme Court, p. 2592). Second, when it came to assessing the predation charge, however, the courts ignored the evidence that rendered predatory "recoupment" feasible. The courts disregarded what they earlier had explicitly acknowledged: persistently high concentration, high barriers to entry, and decades of tacitly collusive, noncompetitive oligopolistic behavior. Neither the decision of the District Court, nor the Court of Appeals, nor the Supreme Court rested on contextual evidence of predation and recoupment. Instead, all relied upon an unproved theoretical assertion that preda
In Situ Luminescence Probing of the Chemical and Structural Changes during Formation of Dip-Coated Lamellar Phase Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Sol−Gel Thin Films

Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-templated sol−gel films formed by the rapid dip-coating method possess highly ordered lamellar phase structure. Thin film morphology allows both the chemistry and the dynamics of the assembly process to be traced in real time because the steps involved in the formation of the mesostructured material are separated both spatially and temporally. The dynamic processes that occur during film formation can be conveniently monitored by the combination of interferometry and luminescence spectroscopy of the incorporated molecular probes. The luminescence of the probe molecule is measured with a spatial resolution of 100 μm. The selected probes respond to changes in the surrounding solvent composition and polarity, and report these changes by changes in their luminescence characteristics. In situ luminescence spectra taken at various stages during the film formation process monitor changes in the solvent composition, onset of micelle formation, and its transformation to the final mesop...
The Role of Electroconvulsive Therapy in the Treatment of Depression in the Elderly

: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most effective form of treatment of major depressive episodes available today. In particular, ECT appears to be at least as effective in the elderly as in younger depressed patients. Although a number of special factors must be considered and modifications in technique occasionally be made, ECT is generally also a relatively safe therapeutic tool in this age group.
Adrenal autotransplants with hepatic portal drainage in the rat.

It has been known for many years that the liver can inactivate etitrogenic hormone or impair the function of ovarian tissue. It has, likewise, been found that epinephrine is destroyed in the liver since injections of it into the splenic vein produce about a fourth the rise in blood pressure that can normally be expected (Philpot and Cantoni, 1941). Progesterone, on the other hand, is not inactivated by liver pulp “in vitro” (Engel, 1944). There are also indications that the function of cortical tissue of the adrenal is not impaired by the liver since Eversole, Edelmann and Gaunt (1940) succeeded in maintaining the lives of two of ten rats with adrenal autografts in the liver. Failure in eight of their experiments may have been a matter of technique or the liver may have been antagonistic toward hypertrophy of the tissue of the adrenal.
Distinguished Lecture on Economics in Government: Data Quality and Public Policy

The public policy use of statistical data has increased markedly over the last half century. Today, this country uses statistical series to redistribute income and to fine tune the economy. We mandate use of statistical series in a number of our country's laws, and we use data to evaluate policy alternatives. Competing interpretations of statistics on income, inflation, and unemployment figure prominently in our election campaigns. We use statistics to evaluate risk in legislative policy on toxicity and the environment, and we use statistics in our governmental efforts to contain the cost of health care. Under these circumstances, the federal government's data system must produce data that are of high enough quality for the demands that are placed upon them. But how can we maintain a data system of high quality in an increasingly complex society while at the same time cutting back on government expenditures?1 The quality of a statistical indicator is sometimes elusive and often difficult to define. Effective measurement requires an underlying conceptual framework and careful identification of the phenomenon to be estimated in the statistical series. Consider, for a moment, the task of quality management in a government statistical agency like the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Our task is to measure economic and social phenomena which frequently change, as does society's view of the 1 For example, the appropriations for the Bureau of Labor Statistics have been reduced by nearly $14.5 million over the last 3 years due to deficit reduction legislation. These reductions, taken proportionately in all BLS programs, were: $9.743 million in fiscal year 1988, $2.839 million in fiscal year 1989, and $1.827 million in fiscal year 1990.
X‐ray determination of crystallinity in poly(ethylene terephthalate)

Three recently published x-ray methods for determining the crystallinity of poly(ethylene terephthalate) are discussed and compared with density and infrared methods. The effect of crystallite size is shown to account for most of the disagreement among the several methods. A short method of estimating crystallinity from x-ray diffraction, suitable for counting techniques and requiring only two measurements, is presented and compared with the density method.
Tendons and ligaments: A morphological and biochemical comparison

The purpose of this study was to compare selected rabbit tendons and ligaments morphologically and biochemically. Five representative structures from each of six age- and sex-matched rabbits were compared. Biochemical analyses included total collagen, reducible collagen cross-links, quantitative collagen typing, DNA, and glycosaminoglycans. Histological and chemical differences were demonstrated between the tendons and the ligaments. Smaller differences were also found between the individual ligaments (collateral and cruciate) and between the two tendons (patellar and Achilles) that were examined. These findings suggest that ligaments are more metabolically active than tendons, having more plump cellular nuclei, higher DNA content, larger amounts of reducible cross-links, and the presence of more type III collagen, as compared with tendons. They also contain slightly less total collagen than tendons and more glycosaminoglycans. We conclude that the tendons and ligaments studied have unique histological and biochemical characteristics, despite their gross similarities. Relatively increased metabolic activity in ligaments, implied by our findings, may be species specific, age related (transient), or may truly represent a structural expression of functional need for more rapid adaptation. Further investigation of other similarities or differences between particular ligaments (or tendons) is indicated, and attention is directed toward the importance of such variables in development of models for tendon and ligament studies.
Tetrahydropyran formation by rearrangement of an epoxy ester: a model for the biosynthesis of marine polyether toxins.

Acid-catalyzed rearrangement of the (S)-epoxide derived from 2α-allyl cholestanyl acetate resulted in a 1:1 mixture of a steroidal tetrahydrofuran and a steroidal tetrahydropyran. Formation of a six-membered ring supports the hypothesis that epoxy ester−orthester−cyclic ether rearrangement may be involved in the biosynthesis of ladder-type marine polyether toxins. This reaction represents a new biomimetic preparation of medium ring cyclic ethers.
Concept Design for a Composite Manufacturing Robot

Manufacturing of advanced composite test specimens and small parts in a research lab environment is often done by hand lay-up. Associated drawbacks include errors in stacking sequence, ply angles, geometry and material waste. The manufactured specimens are often used for testing and concept validation and as such should be representative of parts manufactured using fully automated processes resulting in a finished part with significantly higher quality and geometric tolerances. To this end, a concept design for a manufacturing robot has been developed and constructed. The robot suits the needs of a research lab environment size wise and rate and number of manufactured parts from pre-impregnated tape materials. Details of the concept design, manufacturing, control and operation are provided. An assessment of the robot versatility, portability versus cost is presented.© 2010 ASME
Drugs in muscular dystrophy of the chicken: Corticosterone ‐21‐acetate

In a previous series of 22-day evaluations of 31 compounds, only corticosterone-21-acetate (C-21-A) increased righting ability of genetically dystrophic chickens to a greater extent than the standard of comparison, methysergide maleate. In the present study, C-21-A was subjected to longer-term trials of up to 48 days, and additional signs of the myopathy were examined. The highest doses of C-21-A increased righting ability for the duration of the trials, decreased the typically elevated plasma levels of creatine kinase (CK) activity by more than 80%, and improved morphology of the dystrophic pectoralis major muscle at the light microscopic level. The major adverse effect of C-21-A, reduction of body weight, was consistently observed at the relatively high doses needed to increase righting ability. That alone, however, could not account for increased righting ability, and plasma CK activity was decreased even at doses that did not reduce body weight. The results show that C-21-A is the most effective compound yet tested in this system and, perhaps more significantly, provides the first evidence that it is possible to identify compounds that improve muscle morphology in a hereditary myopathy using a short-term, step-wise system.
The Fractal Self and the Organization of Nature: The Daoist Sage and Chaos Theory

The interconnections between self and surroundings in Daoist thought have been explored in the past in a variety of contexts. This paper, however, explores the Daoist version of the relational self from the general perspective of chaos theory and, more specifically, examines the role of the self in creating emergent form and dynamism in nature and society. The fractal self and world merge through the disciplined effort of the sage until the effort becomes effortless. Both self and world are transformed and become one through the emergent moment. This moment represents a new opportunity for subsequent patterns, or attractors, to emerge, We suggest that the self folds itself into the world, creating and being created by a new attractor, or pattern, in the organization of nature, which we argue is Dao. Our current investigation addresses the following aspects of chaos theory and its relation to Daoism: (1) the Daoist notion of wuwei as perfect congruence; (2) yin and yang at the edge of chaos; (3) the emergent nature of the myriad things; and (4) a Daoist warning against fractal disconnections in the world. Finally, we conclude that the self has the potential to become the world. To approach this amplified condition, the self must dedicate itself to and risk open engagement with events across the complexity of nature. Through openly engaging the world, the self is transformed, leaving the world forever changed.
Analog simulation of a digital three-mode controller

Textbook designs of digital systems are often based on classical responses produced by specific closed- loop transfer functions, and offer little assistance to the "analog" engineer who is required to convert a number of analog loops to digital control while maintaining product specifications. To ensure uni form operation of the plant during the conversion, it is desirable to have as little change as possible in the response of individual loops in order to minimize unexpected side effects.This paper describes a simulation procedure which enables the engineer to incorporate the familiar analog concepts of proportional, derivative, and integral modes into the digital software and to identify the mode coefficients with corresponding software variables. Thus the digital controller can be tailored to provide mode emphasis similar to that of the analog device being replaced. The whole sys tem, including the digital software, is simulated by analog means and the gain of each mode is adjusted independently until ...
An O(n2) algorithm for the variable common due date, minimal tardy jobs bicriteria two-machine flow shop problem with ordered machines

Abstract We consider the ordinary NP- hard two-machine flow shop problem with the objective of determining simultaneously a minimal common due date and the minimal number of tardy jobs. We present an O ( n 2 ) algorithm for the problem when the machines are ordered, that is, when each job has its smaller processing time on the first (second) machine. We also discuss the applicability of the proposed algorithm to the corresponding single-objective problem in which the common due date is given.
Benign tracheobronchial stenoses: changes in short-term and long-term pulmonary function testing after expandable metallic stent placement.

Purpose: To determine the short- and long-term improvement in airflow dynamics in patients undergoing tracheobronchial stent placement for benign airway stenoses. Methods: Twenty-two patients underwent 34 tracheal and/or bronchial stent placement procedures for benign airway stenoses and had the results of pulmonary function tests available. Stent placement indications included bronchomalacia after lung transplantation (n = 11), postintubation stenoses (n = 6), relapsing polychondritis (n = 2), and 1 each of tracheomalacia, tracheal compression, and histoplasmosis. Six patients underwent more than one stent placement procedure (range: 2-7 procedures). The mean forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1 ), forced expiratory flow rate in the midportion of the forced vital capacity curve (FEF 25-75 ), forced vital capacity, and peak flow (PF) rate obtained before stent placement were compared with those immediately after stent placement and with those measurements most remote from stent placement using the paired two-tailed t test. Results: All patients reported improved respiratory function immediately after stent placement. The mean FEV 1 , FEF 25-75 , and PF rate improved significantly (p < 0.001, p = 0.002, and p = 0.009, respectively) after stent placement. On long-term follow-up averaging 15 months after stent placement, these parameters declined despite patients' subjective sense of improvement. Segregating the population into transplant and non-transplant airway stenosis etiologies, however, FEF 25-75 and PF rate remained significantly improved (p = 0.045, p = 0.027, respectively), over the long term for the latter. FEV 1 increased after subsequent stent placements for patients receiving multiple stents. Conclusion: Stent placement for benign tracheobronchial stenoses provides significant immediate improvement in airflow dynamics. Long-term improvement in airflow obstruction may be expected, and additional stent placements may further improve pulmonary function.
Particle charging bounds, symmetry relations, and an analytic charging rate model for the continuum regime

For many years, ionic particle charging has been described in terms of field or diffusion charging because of their simplicity as models. Important advances in charging theories have come with publication of numerical models of the process. Still, numerical models exact a computational penalty that has led to investigations of approximations for them. In this paper, we present new analytical upper and lower charging bounds for continuum charging, useful for checking the accuracy of charging models. The best of the numerical models predicts charging within these bounds over much of its range, but exceeds the upper bound at moderate fields and long charging times. The standard models and the charging bounds exhibit a symmetry between positive and negative charges which may provide another test for numerical theories. We formulate an analytic charging rate model that remains within the bounds and gives good agreement with unipolar and bipolar charging data. The charging rate symmetry makes bipolar charging calculations quite simple. The adequacy of existing data for testing particle charging models is also discussed.
Freeweb: P2P-Assisted Collaborative Censorship-Resistant Web Browsing

In many countries, the Internet is under stringent censorship for political or religious reasons which severely undermines the free flow of information. A censorship-resistant web browsing system must be scalable, blocking resistant, and tracing resistant. However, current censorship-resistant web browsing systems, which use a group of dedicated proxies to bypass censorship, fail to meet these requirements. To tackle these challenges, we propose Free web, which relies on widely-distributed peer-to-peer (P2P) nodes in a decentralized manner rather than specified proxies in a centralized manner. Free web is built on top of a Distributed Hash Table (DHT)-based P2P network, where nodes not under censorship help nodes under censorship to access blocked web pages. Free web has a web browser front end whose user interface resembles existing web browsers. The underlying complex process of retrieving blocked web pages is therefore hidden from users. We implemented and open-sourced Free web and conducted extensive real-world experiments on Planet Lab. The experimental results show that Free web has a high success rate and reasonable browsing latency.
A Cross-National Analysis of Militarization and Well-Being Relationships in Developing Countries☆☆☆

We focus upon linkages between militarization and development in Third-World countries. The theoretical and empirical literature variously ascribes positive or negative developmental consequences to militarization. Part of this ambiguity results from an empirical focus solely on the impacts of national defense spending on growth in the gross national product. We expand our analysis to includethreecomponents of militarization (military regimes, participation in the military, and the importation of military hardware), as influences onthreeforms of national development (economic growth, accumulation of human capital, and growth in political rights). An important part of our analysis is the use of regression techniques that address the untoward consequences of a variety of regression problems, that are for the most part untreated in conventional analyses. We find with these techniques that militarization significantly impacts development in readily interpretable ways.
Race/Ethnicity, Religiosity and Adolescent Alcohol, Cigarette and Marijuana Use

Previous research suggests that religiosity "protects" young people from substances abuse. Because most of this research has been based on samples of White youth, however, the extent to which its findings apply to Black and Hispanic youth is largely unknown. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to address two relatively simple but essential questions: first, "How religious are American Black and Hispanic adolescents?" and second, "Does religiosity 'protect' Black and Hispanic young people from drug use as research suggests that it protects White youth?" The present study analyzed data from large, nationally representative samples of Black, Hispanic, and White 10th graders drawn from the Monitoring the Future Project. The results indicate that the majority of 10th graders, irrespective of racial or ethnic group, are at least somewhat religious and that a third or more might be considered very religious. The data further suggest that Black 10th graders are significantly more religious than White and Hispanic 10th graders. The data suggest that religion does, in fact, "protect" Black and Hispanic youth from substance abuse, but that the strength of this relationship is greater for White than for non-White youth. The reasons for racial and ethnic differences in the strength of the relationship between religiosity and substance abuse are not clear. One possibility is that religiosity may be more of a cultural or group phenomenon among non-White youth, while among White youth it may be more of an individual factor affecting individual behavior such as substance use. Understanding the mechanisms by which religion might influence substance use and the reasons why these mechanisms may vary by race and ethnicity is an important task for future research.