cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dilemmas in knowledge-based evolutionary computation for financial investing

Can knowledge about financial statements be incorporated in an investing system that improves itself via evolutionary computing? Experiments using neural logic networks and genetic algorithms were implemented. A neural logic network for processing financial ratios and biasing financial forecasts proves resistant to neural network learning. A genetic algorithm for weighting financial attributes and considering industry category also did not demonstrate gradual improvement. The experiments reveal the dilemmas of missing data and inherently unpredictable attribute values. More importantly, the results show the challenges of getting the representation, the fitness measure, and the change operators to mesh in such a way that the search space manifests gradualness. Recommendations include exploiting the declarative nature of Excel programming and involving the user in guiding changes.
What Excellent Community Colleges do: Preparing All Students for Success, By J. S. Wyner

What excellent community colleges do: Preparing all students for success provides a different and unique vantage point for addressing student success and outcomes in higher education. Focusing on t...
Aliphatic structure of humic acids; a clue to their origin

Abstract Nuclear magnetic resonance spectra (both 1 H and 13 C) of humic acids from diverse depositional environments indicate the presence of aromatic chemical structures, most likely derived from lignin of vascular plants, and complex, paraffinic structures, most likely derived from algal or microbial sources. The latter components account for a major fraction of humic acid structures in both terrestrial and aquatic environments, suggesting that algae or microbes play a large role in humification of organic remains from both systems.
Evaluation of capacity differences

MANAGEMENT IS faced frequently with the problem of selecting the most desirable plan from several possible alternatives which affect system capacity. Comparison of the various proposals may reveal differences in several respects in addition to the amount of system capacity, such as the time and amount of capital investment required, the relative service reliability of the different plans, and their simplicity or flexibility. This article deals with two particularly troublesome questions that arise when alternative plans differ in plant capacity supplied or required.
Generation time and albumin evolution.

The albumins of long-generation animals such as man and chimpanzee are shown to be no less evolved immunologically than those of some short generation time rodents such as rat, mouse, and hamster. This finding casts very serious doubt on certain assumptions concerning the times of divergence of these species made by DNA hybridization workers. As these assumptions have led them to conclude that generation time is a key factor controlling the rate of genomic or DNA evolution, this latter conclusion is also made suspect. The molecular clock concept—that it is absolute time which determines the amount of protein and DNA evolution—is, on the other hand, strengthened.
Purification and properties of a human platelet inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase

Abstract An inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase (Ins(1,4,5)P 3 3-kinase) has been purified 943-fold from a 30,000 g human platelet extract and has a specific activity of 283 nmol/min/mg protein and an apparent K m for inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate of 0.76 μM; the optimal pH for the enzymatic activity was 7.2. Under both denaturing and nondenaturing conditions, the kinase preparation contained two polypeptides, both of which exhibited Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent Ins(1,4,5)P 3 3-kinase activity. In the presence and absence of calmodulin, Ins(1,4,5)P 3 3-kinase exhibited a biphasic response to Ca 2+ , being stimulated between 10 −7 and 10 −6 M Ca 2+ and inhibited when the Ca 2+ level was further increased. Ins(1,4,5)P 3 3-kinase was stimulated by calmodulin approximately 10-fold, requiring 55 nM calmodulin for a half-maximal effect. Calmodulin stimulation was immediately reversed upon chelation of Ca 2+ by ethylene glycol bis (β-aminoethyl ether) N , N ′-tetraacetic acid consistent with a mechanism of activation involving a direct interaction of calmodulin with Ins(1,4,5)P 3 3-kinase. Since we have previously shown that Ins(1,4,5)P 3 3-kinase can also be phosphorylated and consequently inactivated by protein kinase C in vitro (Lin, A. N., Barnes, S., and Wallace,R. W., 1990, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 170, 1369-1376), Ins(1,4,5)P 3 3-kinase appears to be a key enzyme in the inositol phosphate signaling pathway and as such may play an important role in human platelet function.
High-Aspect-Ratio Titanium Micromachining: Enabling Technology for In Vivo Therapeutic Microdevice Applications

The continuing need for enhanced efficacy, safety, and/or functionality in in vivo therapeutics provides immense opportunity for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). However, continuing reliance upon materials adopted from the semiconductor industry may ultimately limit the scope of what can be achieved. Many such materials suffer from poor mechanical reliability due to low fracture toughness, which results in extreme sensitivity to stress concentration and predisposition to catastrophic failure by fracture. Although mitigation via robust design and packaging is sometimes possible, this invariably increases complexity and cost. Moreover, in many emerging applications, these avenues are not available, due to design constraint and/or performance restriction, thus underscoring need for development of viable alternatives. Herein, we present an overview of high-aspect-ratio titanium micromachining techniques we have developed to address this need. We then follow with a brief summary of recent results from several applications currently under development. In each, Ti micromachining provides a means for leveraging a host of advantageous properties that yield potential for enhanced safety, reliability, and/or performance. As such, Ti micromachining shows considerable promise for extending the utility of MEMS for in vivo therapeutics.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Burnthrough Prediction for In-Service Welding: Past, Present and Future

The methods of determining burnthrough risk have changed over the years. The first burnthrough limits were developed experimentally and then, with the development of computers, came computer models. The first major advancement in computer models came at Battelle, in the early 1980s, with the development of the “Hot-Tap Thermal-Analysis Models.” The Battelle models use two-dimensional numerical solutions to predict the inside surface temperature as a function of the welding parameters, pipe parameters, and the operating conditions. The Battelle model considers an inside surface temperature of less than 1800°F (982°C) when using low-hydrogen electrodes, [1400°F (760°C) when using cellulosic-coated electrodes] to be safe. Since the release of the Battelle model, introduction other models have been developed which are based on Battelle’s logic as well as other approaches. PRCI, as well as others, has funded research to develop an alternative burnthrough prediction model which is based on a thermo-mechanical approach taking into account the stress associated with pressurized pipe. These alternative approaches differ from Battelle’s criteria which only uses the inside surface temperature as the lonely determining factor of safe welding practices.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Effect of Chloride Ions and Water Chemistry on Copper(II) Adsorption on Functionalized and Pristine Carbon Nanotubes Compared to Activated Carbon F-400

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of chloride ions (Cl−) on Cu2+ adsorption to carbon nanotubes (CNT). The isotherms showed a significant decrease in adsorption capacity on F-400, pristine, and acid-functionalized CNT in the presence of Cl−, but had little effect on alcohol-functionalized CNT. Several inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analyses measured the impurities concentration of (1) aqueous-phase isotherm solute, (2) as-received, and (3) acid-washed CNT solutions. Chemical-equilibrium-modeling software MINEQL+ calculations were applied to compare ICP results to complexes formation. The model suggested that some solid-phase residual-catalytic metals, such as Cr2+, after released in water from as-received CNT, formed aqueous-phase complexes and were readsorbed. The 18-metal ICP results were more than two orders of magnitude lower ( 5.1, when less Cu2+ ions are present in solution. scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis showed impurities on as-received F-400 and positively charged surface at pH 5.1 (pHpzc 7.1) explaining possible electrostatic attraction of Cl− ions, blocking adsorptive sites, reducing its adsorptive capacity for Cu2+.
The Effect of Lineup Member Similarity on Recognition Accuracy in Simultaneous and Sequential Lineups

Two experiments investigated whether remembering is affected by the similarity of the study face relative to the alternatives in a lineup. In simultaneous and sequential lineups, choice rates and false alarms were larger in low compared to high similarity lineups, indicating criterion placement was affected by lineup similarity structure (Experiment 1). In Experiment 2, foil choices and similarity ranking data for target present lineups were compared to responses made when the target was removed from the lineup (only the 5 foils were presented). The results indicated that although foils were selected more often in target-removed lineups in the simultaneous compared to the sequential condition, responses shifted from the target to one of the foils at equal rates across lineup procedures.
Distributed and Cooperative Task Processing: Cournot Oligopolies on a Graph

This paper introduces a novel framework for the design of distributed agents that must complete externally generated tasks but also can volunteer to process tasks encountered by other agents. To reduce the computational and communication burden of coordination between agents to perfectly balance load around the network, the agents adjust their volunteering propensity asynchronously within a fictitious trading economy. This economy provides incentives for nontrivial levels of volunteering for remote tasks, and thus load is shared. Moreover, the combined effects of diminishing marginal returns and network topology lead to competitive equilibria that have task reallocations that are qualitatively similar to what is expected in a load-balancing system with explicit coordination between nodes. In the paper, topological and algorithmic conditions are given that ensure the existence and uniqueness of a competitive equilibrium. Additionally, a decentralized distributed gradient-ascent algorithm is given that is guaranteed to converge to this equilibrium while not causing any node to over-volunteer beyond its maximum task-processing rate. The framework is applied to an autonomous-air-vehicle example, and connections are drawn to classic studies of the evolution of cooperation in nature.
A prospective study of grapefruit and grapefruit juice intake and breast cancer risk.

Sir, In a recent interesting study by Monroe et al (2007), grapefruit intake was associated with an increase in breast cancer risk, and they hypothesised that this might be mediated by an effect on endogenous oestrogen levels. However, the researchers were unable to examine grapefruit juice intake. Therefore, we examined grapefruit and grapefruit juice intake and breast cancer risk in the Nurses' Health Study. Briefly, the Nurses' Health Study is a prospective cohort consisting of women aged 30–55 years in 1976 (Kim et al 2006). Medical and lifestyle information was obtained with general follow-up questionnaires every 2 years and with semi quantitative food frequency questionnaires that included intakes of grapefruit and grapefruit juice in 1984, 1986, 1990, 1994, and 1998. In both age-adjusted (not shown) and multivariate analyses adjusted for standard breast cancer risk factors, we found no overall association with either grapefruit or grapefruit juice intake and breast cancer risk among all women in the cohort, and among postmenopausal women only (Table 1). Furthermore, our results did not change once additional covariates – alcohol, saturated fat, dietary fibre, and soluble fibre – included by Monroe et al were added to our models. Table 1 Multivariate relative risks of breast cancer incidence between 1984 and 2002 by cumulatively averaged grapefruit and grapefruit juice intake Stratification by BMI did not alter the breast cancer risk with either grapefruit or grapefruit juice intake. However, stratification by hormone therapy showed a significant decrease in risk of breast cancer with greater intake of grapefruit in women who never used hormone therapy (multivariate RR comparing ¼ grapefruit or more per day to none=0.78, 95% CI, 0.59–1.04, P trend=0.03). This is contrary to the findings of Monroe et al, who observed a significant increase in risk of breast cancer with greater consumption of grapefruit in this subgroup. Furthermore, the association between grapefruit (not grapefruit juice) intake and breast cancer risk differed significantly by oestrogen and progesterone receptor status of the tumours. No association was observed in women with oestrogen and progesterone receptor positive cancers. However, in women with oestrogen and progesterone receptor negative cancers, there was a significant decrease in breast cancer risk with increased consumption of grapefruit (multivariate RR comparing ¼ grapefruit or more per day to none=0.60, 95% CI, 0.37–0.98, P trend=0.03). We also examined cross-sectionally the relationship between consumption of grapefruit and grapefruit juice and plasma levels of oestrogens among 701 postmenopausal women not using hormone replacement. No significant correlation was observed (grapefruit, grapefruit juice) for plasma oestradiol (r=0.02, −0.04), oestrone (r=0.00, −0.02), or oestrone sulphate (0.09, 0.01). Our findings do not support an adverse effect of consumption of grapefruit or grapefruit juice on risk of breast cancer or on endogenous hormone levels.
A generic instrumentation framework for collecting dynamic information

Performing empirical research in software testing involves executing a set of subjects against one or more test suites and measuring some characteristics of these executions. Such measures are often collected using ad-hoc instrumentation, by inserting probes in the code that collect and report dynamic information at run-time. Another possible approach is to collect the needed information by leveraging capabilities of the runtime system. Both these approaches usually result in measurement tools that are not flexible and are, thus, hard to reuse and modify. To address this problem, we present a generic framework for collecting information on the runtime behavior of a Java program. The framework allows for easily collecting different kinds of dynamic information for a set of executions of the program, such as coverage and profiling of various code entities and program traces at different levels. The framework also lets users easily define how to process the collected information. In the paper, we also present a case study that we performed to evaluate the framework, and that shows its effectiveness and efficiency.
Avian Responses to Late‐Season Grazing in a Shrub‐Willow Floodplain

: Riparian vegetation in western North America provides important habitat for breeding birds and valuable forage for grazing livestock. Whereas a number of studies have documented the response of riparian vegetation to the removal of cattle, few have experimentally evaluated specific grazing systems. We evaluated the responses of vegetation and breeding birds to two cycles of late-season (August–September) grazing followed by 34 months of rest on the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado. We used a before-and-after control-impact (BACI) design, with two control (ungrazed) and two treatment ( grazed) pastures composing the experimental units. Vegetation characteristics and bird densities were quantified on sample plots prior to and following two cycles of the treatment. We found no statistical differences in vegetation change and few differences in bird-density change among pastures. Inspection of means for pastures, however, suggests that changes in shrub vigor and spatial pattern differed among ungrazed and grazed pastures and that changes in population density for three of the nine bird species and three guilds studied differed among pastures. Our results suggest that habitat for grazing-sensitive birds may be restored while still allowing late-season grazing, although the rate at which species are recovered will be slower than if all cattle are removed. Resumen: La vegetacion riparia del occidente de Norte America proporciona habitats importantes para aves reproductivas y forraje valioso para ganado. Mientras numerosos estudios han documentado la respuesta de la vegetacion riparia a la remocion de ganado, pocos han evaluado sistemas especificos de forrajeo experimentalmente. Evaluamos las respuestas de la vegetacion y de aves reproductivas en dos ciclos de pastoreo tardio (agosto-septiembre) seguidos de 34 meses de descanso en el Refugio de Vida Silvestre Nacional Arapaho, Colorado. Utilizamos un diseno antes y despues, control de impacto (ADCI), con dos pastizales control (sin pastoreo) y dos tratamientos (con pastoreo) como unidades experimentales. Se cuantificaron las caracteristicas de la vegetacion y las densidades de aves en las parcelas de muestreo antes y despues de los dos ciclos de tratamiento. No encontramos diferencias estadisticas en el cambio de vegetacion y pocas diferencias en los cambios de densidades de aves entre pastizales. Sin embargo, la revision de las medias de los pastizales sugiere que los cambios en el vigor de los arbustos y el patron espacial fueron diferentes entre pastizales con y sin pastoreo, y que los cambios en la densidad poblacional de tres de las nueve especies de aves y tres de los gremios estudiados difieren entre pastizales. Nuestros resultados sugieren que los habitats para aves sensibles al pastoreo pueden ser reestablecidos aun permitiendo el pastoreo tardio, aunque la tasa de recuperacion de especies sera mas lenta si todo el ganado es removido.
Multifactor feature extraction for human movement recognition

In this paper, we systematically examine multifactor approaches to human pose feature extraction and compare their performances in movement recognition. Two multifactor approaches have been used in pose feature extraction, including a deterministic multilinear approach and a probabilistic approach based on multifactor Gaussian process. These two approaches are compared in terms of the degrees of view-invariance, reconstruction capacity, performances in human pose and gesture recognition using real movement datasets. The experimental results show that the deterministic multilinear approach outperforms the probabilistic-based approach in movement recognition.
Review of infection control literature 1973 through 1981

A total of 446 manuscripts published between 1973 and 1981 were selected for analysis in this review of the literature. More than half of these articles used research designs, with presentations of epidemic outbreaks the single greatest category. The overall category of surveillance was addressed in some way in almost three fourths of all manuscripts reviewed. Some aspect of ICP role components was the topic of about 10% (n = 55) of the total sample. Physicians were credited as first authors in 56.7% of the articles. It was not possible to determine the exact extent of ICP authorship because credentials varied widely. Finally, a cursory effort was undertaken to quantify numbers of articles that might have met study criteria for inclusion in years after 1981. That effort confirmed the investigators' suspicion that the yearly total of published manuscripts continued to escalate, as did the number of specialty journals in infection control.
A study of alcohol involvement in young driver accidents with the lowering of the legal age of drinking in alabama

Accident experience in Alabama is reviewed in light of the reduction in the legal drinking age in 1975 from 21 to 19 years. Available data required an analysis of alcohol related accidents in the 18 to 20 year old group, which provided a conservative estimate of the overall change associated with the legislative action. Several statistical tests were performed to compare the 18-20 year old group with other groups throughout the period from 1972 through 1979. These confirm that (1) alcohol related single vehicle accidents within this age group were significantly lower than those of other age groups prior to the legal age reduction, and (2) currently, after the legal age reduction, there is no significant difference between the age groups. An analytical comparison of these results with other recent research findings is given.
A low-power dynamic comparator with time-domain bulk-driven offset cancellation

This paper presents a low-power dynamic comparator utilizing a novel time-domain bulk-driven offset cancellation scheme with minimal additional power consumption and delay. It uses an open loop dynamic phase detector to achieve very high precision. The circuit is designed in a 0.6-µm process. The simulation results show that the circuit consumes 540 nA current at 100 kHz clock frequency and the proposed offset cancellation scheme is able to reduce the input referred offset to within 25 µV from an initial value of 20 mV.
Merging operational satellite and historical station snow cover data to monitor climate change

Abstract Since the middle of 1987, snow cover Northern Hemisphere lands has been less extensive than at any time since the advent of reliable satellite snow charting in 1972. In fact, 1990 should of down as being the lowest snow year on record: monthly minima have been established for February through September (based on observations through September). However, with less than a two-decade long record of satellite observations of snow cover, it is impossible to place this recent dearth of cover in proper perspective. To do so requires a longer period of record, one which can only be supplied from station data. Regional intercomparisons of visible satellite-derived snow products and networks of station observations agree well on a seasonal time scale, given a network of high-quality stations in non-mountainous terrain. Thus, where these conditions are met, lengthy time series of regional snow cover may be compiled confidently from station observations, permitting documentation of natural fluctuations and trends of cover that may occurred over the past century. For instance, decadal fluctuations in snow cover have been identified over the United States Great Plains this century, and a trend towards increasing duration of cover from the 1930's to 1970's has been observed in the central Plains. Such information enhances the utility of satellite-derived snow cover observations identifying and monitoring future climate change.
Model of oscillatory activity in thalamic neurons: Role of voltage- and calcium-dependent ionic conductances

This paper describes a computer modeling study of the generation of 10 Hz oscillations in the electrical activity of guinea pig thalamic neurons in vitro. The computer model was based on experimental evidence suggesting that single thalamic neurons in guinea pig have a set of voltage- and calcium-dependent ionic conductances that is capable of generating self-sustained rhythmic oscillations. Simulation results are consistent with this hypothesis, and indicate that a model that contains dendritic calcium and calcium-dependent potassium conductances, as well as a voltage-dependent, slow sodium conductance, can indeed generate self-sustained oscillations like those seen in thalamic neurons. Moreover, simulations indicate that the occurrence of such oscillatory activity is strongly dependent on the location of the slow sodium conductance. Results predict that this slow sodium conductance is located in the dendrites.
Induction of bacteriophage by bleomycin

Bleomycin causes the rapid induction of both λ bacteriophage in Escherichia coli K-12 (λ) and the defective bacteriophage PBSH in Bacillus subtilis 168. The production of the phages is induced even when the drug is immediately removed from the culture. Strains of E. coli K-12, E. coli C, and E. coli B, which are not lysogenic for any known phage, do not undergo lysis in the presence of bleomycin as do the lysogenic bacterial strains.
Androgeny, Flexibility, and Individualism

Questionnaire data from 195 college students were examined to clarify the relationships among masculinity, femininity, and androgyny and self-perceived flexibility and individualism. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and hierarchical regression showed no evidence for unique positive "androgyny" effects, while higher masculinity was associated with flexibility and individualism, particularly among women. Contrary to expectations, "androgynous" men were more rigid and conforming, while the cross-typed were most flexible and independent.
Fast prototyping of datapath-intensive architectures

A description is given of Hyper, a synthesis environment for real-time systems with datapath-intensive architectures. Hyper uses a single, global quality measure throughout the system to drive the exploration of the design space. This approach effectively merges the allocation of hardware, the application of transformations, and the handling of hierarchy in a consistent way. Hyper's modular organization around a central database also allows new software modules to be introduced easily. The discussion covers behavioral specification, module selection, exploring the design space, transformations, scheduling and assignment, and hardware mapping. Four versions of an IIR filter generated using Hyper and Lager IV are compared. It is seen that layouts generated using Hyper are more area efficient than layouts done using the more traditional methods based on one-to-one mapping or the use of multiprocessors. >
Comparison of normal controls and recently detoxified alcoholics on the wechsler memory scale-revised

Abstract We examined the validity of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) by contrasting scores of recently detoxified chronic alcoholics with age, sex, and education-matched controls. Associations between alcoholics' test scores and age, education, self-reported memory complaints, observed memory status, and alcohol consumption variables were also assessed. Alcoholics performed significantly more poorly than controls on all five WMS-R index scores and on five of 12 subtest scores. Differences between the groups were in terms of level of performance, not pattern of performance. Age was more highly associated with WMS-R scores for controls than for alcoholics. Observed memory status was associated with WMS-R scores, age, education, and years of drinking; self-ratings of memory functions were not. Finally, alcohol consumption variables and WMS-R scores were only weakly associated.
Ionic conduction in anion substituted CuBrTe

Abstract The fast ion conductor CuBrTe exhibits structural phase transitions at 230 K and at 351 K. Electrical conductivities of CuBrxCl1 − xTe and CuBrxI1 − xTe solid solutions were measured in an attempt to discern the effect of chemical substitution on the mobility of Cu+ cations in this compound. In general, the structural phase transitions are found to be accompanied by subtle, second-order electrical phase transitions. In the case of CuBrxCl1 − xTe, replacement of Br− with the smaller Cl − anion leads to an increase in room temperature conductivity and a corresponding decrease in activation energy beyond that expected of a proportionate mixing of CuBrTe and CuClTe. By contrast, replacement of Br− with the larger I− anion in CuBrxI1 − xTe leads to a decrease in room temperature conductivity and an increase in activation energy proportionate to that expected of a simple mixing of CuBrTe and CuITe.
Towards fine grained RDF access control

The Semantic Web is envisioned as the future of the current web, where the information is enriched with machine understandable semantics. According to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), "The Semantic Web provides a common framework that allows data to be shared and reused across application, enterprise, and community boundaries". Among the various technologies that empower Semantic Web, the most significant ones are Resource Description Framework (RDF) and SPARQL, which facilitate data integration and a means to query respectively. Although Semantic Web is elegantly and effectively equipped for data sharing and integration via RDF, lack of efficient means to securely share data pose limitations in practice. In order to make data sharing and integration pragmatic for Semantic Web, we present a query language based secure data sharing mechanism. We extend SPARQL with a new query form called SANITIZE which comprises a set of sanitization operations that are used to sanitize or mask sensitive data within an RDF graph. The sanitization operations can be further leveraged towards RDF access control and anonymization, thus enabling secure sharing of RDF data.
Genotoxicity of 5-azacytidine in somatic cells of Drosophila

The newly developed somatic mutation and recombination test, utilizing the wing-hair mutations mwh and flr3, was used to evaluate the genotoxicity of the base analog 5-azacytidine in larvae of Drosophila melanogaster. Third instar larvae were fed media wetted with various concentrations of the compound, and wings of surviving adults were removed and scored for the presence of clones of cells possessing malformed hairs. Wings of exposed flies trans-dihybrid for mwh and flr3 had significantly increased frequencies of twin spots, small single spots and large single spots. Significant linear regression of twin-spot frequencies upon concentration was also obtained. Induction of twin spots by 5-azacytidine unambiguously demonstrates its recombinogenic activity in somatic cells of Drosophila. Significantly increased frequencies of large single spots on wings of inversion-heterozygous flies were also observed and suggest that 5-azacytidine may also be inducing somatic gene mutations (or deletions).
Manometric evaluation of evacuatory difficulty (dyschezia) in ileal pouch patients

Background Dyschezia occurs in patients with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. There are limited data on the mechanisms of this condition. We hypothesized that paradoxical contractions may contribute to dyschezia in those patients with mechanical or inflammatory pouch conditions. This study was aimed to evaluate the underlying manometric abnormalities in this population. Methods In this retrospective analysis, we screened our Pouchitis Registry for patients with dyschezia and underlying inflammatory bowel disease. Patients having undergone anopouch manometry were considered eligible and included. Patients without inflammatory or structural diseases of the pouch (the functional pouch disorder [FPD] group) were compared with those with inflammatory or structural diseases (the inflammatory/structural pouch disorder [ISPD] group). Demographic, clinical, manometric, and laboratory variables were analyzed. Results A total of 45 patients were included; of which, 21 (46.7%) were female. The median age of patients in the FPD group (n = 10) and ISPD group (n = 35) were 41 (interquartile range =32.5-56) years and 40 (interquartile range = 28-49) years, respectively (P = 0.469). There were no differences in the demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables between the 2 groups, with the exception of the modified Pouch Disease Activity Index. For manometric evaluations, paradoxical contractions and failure of balloon expulsion occurred in 50.0% and 60.0%, respectively, of the FPD group and in 17.1% and 20.0%, respectively, of the ISPD group (P = 0.048 and 0.043, respectively). Conclusions In this cohort, manometric evaluation demonstrated that paradoxical contractions occurred more frequently in patients with FPD than in those with inflammatory/structural conditions. This suggests that the underlying physiologic mechanisms of dyschezia in these patients differ.
Genetics of Pyrethroid Resistance in a Strain (ALHF) of House Flies (Diptera: Muscidae)

Abstract Five house fly lines were derived from crosses of the pyrethroid-resistant ALHF (wildtype) and the susceptible aabys (bearing recessive morphological markers on each of five autosomes) strains. Each line was homozygous for one mutant-type marker from aabys. The level of resistance to permethrin was measured for each line to determine the genetic linkage of pyrethroid resistance in ALHF. Permethrin resistance in ALHF was 6600-fold compared with that in aabys. Resistance in flies bearing a mutant-type marker on autosome 4 was similar to that in ALHF. Flies with mutant-type markers on autosomes 1 and 2 had relatively lower resistance than ALHF; flies with mutant-type markers on autosomes 3 and 5 had much lower levels of resistance. These results demonstrated that factors on autosomes 3 and 5 play very important roles in pyrethroid resistance, whereas factors on autosomes 1 and 2 may have relatively small roles in resistance. Piperonyl butoxide (PBO) increased toxicity of permethrin in strains with mutant-type markers on autosomes 3 and 4 similar to that in ALHF. Slightly decreased synergism ratios in strains with autosomes 1 and 2 mutant-type markers compared with ALHF indicated that factors on autosomes 1 and 2 might make a small contribution in P450 monooxygenase-mediated resistance. However, when the autosome 5 mutant-type marker was present, PBO did not substantially decrease resistance, suggesting that the factor(s) on autosome 5 plays the most important role in P450 monooxygenase-mediated resistance. The resistance ratios of permethrin + PBO in strains with mutant-type markers on autosomes 1, 2, and 5 were significantly lower than those in ALHF, suggesting that factors on autosomes 1, 2, and 5 might be involved in pyrethroid resistance mechanisms other than P450-mediated detoxication. Injection did not change levels of resistance in the house flies tested, revealing that decreased rate of cuticular penetration ( pen ) probably does not play an important role in pyrethroid resistance in ALHF. The interaction and regulation of different mechanisms and/or factors involved in pyrethroid resistance in house flies are discussed.
The state of state pre-kindergarten standards

Abstract Recent federal initiatives, including Good Start Grow Smart, and the Child Care and Development Grant (CCDF), call for states to develop early learning standards for children ages 3–5 in language, literacy and mathematics. To date, 43 states have such standards, with the remaining seven in progress. In this article, we argue that coherent, quality standards and their benchmarks (indicators) must be solidly grounded in research, and reflect age-appropriate outcomes for young children. We first review what is known about the key predictors of early literacy and mathematics achievement, and summarize recommendations from organizations that have examined the quality of state K-12 standards. We then take a look at how states are organizing their standards and benchmarks in these content domains in early learning. We end by highlighting benchmarks based on this summary of research that reflect clear, rigorous, and developmentally appropriate expectations for young learners. Finally, we urge states to review their standards in these and other areas to ensure that standards-based reform in early childhood serves to benefit children's learning and development.
MRI characterization of 9L-glioma in rat brain at 4.7 Tesla

In vivo estimation of intracranial tumor progression is important in tumor treatment response studies in animal models. High resolution MR images at 4.7 T of 9L-gliomas stereotactically implanted in Fisher-344 rat brains were obtained. Due to elongation of T1 at higher fields, tissue contrast is diminished in T1-weighted images. However, normal anatomy and vasogenic edema are clearly discerned in T2-weighted images (echo times of greater than 50 ms and recycle times of greater than 2 sec). Tumor tissue is not always clearly delineated. Images obtained after administration of contrast agents (Gadolinium DTPA), with short TR (0.6 sec) selectively enhanced the tumorous tissue, with little effect upon normal tissue and edema. Good correlation of enhanced tumor lesions has been observed with histological examination of formalin fixed brains. Relaxation times (T1 and T2) of tumor and normal tissues were measured using stimulated-echo and multi-echo sequences, respectively. Serial images corresponding to tumor growth were recorded, from which tumor volume progression was monitored.
Psychiatry-family practice liaison: A collaborative approach to clinical training ☆

In view of the growing need for effective liaison between psychiatry and family practice programs, some of the models for educational and clinical liaison are discussed, and a clinical training program is described in which psychiatry and family practice educators work collaboratively in the training of both family practice and psychiatry residents and medical students. The program is offered as a model for providing comprehensive clinical training to residents and students and comprehensive clinical care to patients.
Relevance of free tryptophan in serum to tissue tryptophan concentrations.

Abstract The consumption of a carbohydrate diet by fasted rats is followed by major decreases in serum nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) and nonalbumin-bound tryptophan (unbound tryptophan), but by increases in serum total tryptophan and brain tryptophan; the tryptophan concentrations of liver and small intestine are unchanged, while that of skeletal muscle falls slightly. The addition of 15% or 30% fat to a protein-carbohydrate diet results in dose-related increases in serum NEFA and serum unbound tryptophan, but no significant changes in serum total tryptophan or brain tryptophan. The observation that diet-induced changes in serum unbound tryptophan does not correlate with brain tryptophan concentrations is independent of the method used to separate free from albumin-bound serum tryptophan. These studies confirm that, in the rat, a major physiologic regulator of the extent to which serum tryptophan binds to albumin is the concentration of NEFA in serum. These studies also provide additional evidence that the concentration of tryptophan in the brain is not necessarily determined by the size of the unbound pool of tryptophan in blood as measured in serum.
Learnable evolution model performance impaired by binary tournament survival selection

A Cultural Algorithm (CA) is an evolutionary algorithm augmented by a machine learner. The machine learner updates a knowledgebase with each generation based on bes and least fit individuals. Using a stochastic selection operator may eliminate critical "best" and "worst" individuals via genetic drift thus radically changing the inferred rules. The new rules may be so different from the previous generation as to switch the convergence trajectory to a different optimum. Overall performance may be severely impaired by this optima "thrashing" from generation to generation. This research demonstrates this phenomena using a variant of a CA, Learnable Evolution Model, on a simple problem. The performance between truncation survival selection and binary tournament survival selection operators is compared. It was expected that the latter survival selection operator would introduce pathological effects due to genetic drift because of its stochastic nature. Comparatively binary tournament selection converged more slowly, had larger convergence variations, and converged to inferior solutions than truncation selection. Practitioners that use evolutionary algorithm/machine learner hybrids need to be aware of this problem. Selection operators will have to be judiciously chosen accordingly to avoid deleterious effects of genetic drift on the machine learning component.
Debye type dielectric relaxation and the glass transition of alcohols.

Many hydrogen-bonded liquids, especially glass-forming cases, display a dielectric relaxation behavior that differs qualitatively from that of other simple liquids. The majority of models aimed at explaining this unusual dielectric behavior associate the prominent Debye process with structural relaxation, viscous flow, and the glass transition. We perform dielectric and calorimetric studies of glass-forming mixtures of 2-ethylhexylamine and 2-ethyl-1-hexanol across the entire composition range. The kinetic glass transition temperature derived from the large dielectric Debye peak decreases, whereas that of the much smaller and asymmetrically broadened peak increases upon addition of amine. Only the latter feature coincides with the calorimetric glass transition results, implying that molecular structure and dielectric polarization fluctuate on time scales that can differ by orders of magitude in many hydrogen-bonding liquids.
C2NVEO advanced FLIR systems performance model

Since 1975, the NVL Static Performance Model for thermal Viewing Systems has been the primary tool in government and industry for evaluating thermal imaging system performance. However, advances in thermal imager technology have resulted in FLIR design improvements not specifically included in the NVL Thermal Model. Model development efforts at the U.S. Army Center for Night Vision and Electro-Optics have produced a model that includes features typically found in advanced FLIR systems, in particular sampling and improved vertical resolution. The Advanced FLIR Systems Performance Model (AFSPM) is a documented and validated computer model that predicts noise equivalent temperature, modulation transfer function, and minimum resolvable temperature for many thermal imaging systems.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Asks the Chief Engineer: "So what do I go do?!" [1]

We take some ideas from the realm of complexity theory, the study of complex systems science, etc., and apply this learning to a purported way of improving the practice of systems engineering. We choose one of the very challenging domains that we face-the acquisition of electronic systems that will add significant improvements in military mission capability. Systems engineers are being asked to apply their engineering acumen in larger and more complex contexts. We offer some principles of a complementary approach to traditional or conventional systems engineering, called complex systems engineering, which show considerable promise in helping us cope with what seem to be intractable or even unsolvable problems. We focus on ensuring that our most important system elements are composable (capable of being integrated adoptively) with other such elements to satisfy emergent needs and new operational understandings not previously envisioned. This is quite different from our present acquisition process and, along with complexity principles, usually doesn't communicate very well with a typical program's chief engineer, who often asks the key question: "So, what do I go do? " In attempting to answer this question, we make some observations of what is done today and what we might do differently.
Differences among Isolates of Simian Hemorrhagic Fever (SHF) Virus

ilbstract. Simian hemorrhagic fever (SHF) virus is a member of the Togaviridae family which currently is unclassified to genus. We have studied the relatedness of four different SHF virus isolates obtained from infected macaque or patas monkeys. Differences were found among isolates in type and severity of disease produced in patas monkeys. cell sensitivity to infection. viral antigens, and levels of specific antibody induced in patas monkeys. Based on these criteria, the four isolates have been grouped in two categories: those producing acute infections in patas monkeys (LVR, P-180) and those producing persistent infections (P-248. P-741). The P-180 isolate induced the most severe disease in experimentally infected patas monkeys, but only occasionally were their infections fatal. Persistently infected patas monkeys were viremic over a period of years. but showed no signs or symptoms of infection. All four isolates were found to be antigenically related by use of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA): the P-248 isolate showing the weakest antigenic relationship. However, none of the four isolates induced cross-neutralizing antibodies in infected patas monkeys. High titers of specific IgG antibody (up to 31.250 as determined by ELISA) were induced in acutely infected patas monkeys (LVR, P-180), but antibody was barely detectable (<SO) in persistently infected patas monkeys (P-248, P-74 I). LVR lytically infected USU-104 cells. patas monkey peritoneal macrophages (PMAC). and rhesus monkey PMAC. The P-180 isolate lyticall) infected both patas monkey PMAC and rhesus monkey PMAC. but not USU- 104 cells. The isolates producing persistent infections (P-248, P-74 1) lytically infected only rhesus monkey PMAC. These results show that marked differences exist among isolates of SHF virus from naturally infected animals. These differences should be useful in categorizing new isolates. 0 1986 Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.
Portable gamma probe for radioimmune localization of experimental colon tumor xenografts

Tumor radioimmune detection as presently practiced utilizes a gamma scintillation camera to image tumors. A major clinical limitation is the inability to detect tumors smaller than 2 cm. This limitation is due in part to the inverse square law which states: the number of detected radioactive counts is inversely proportional to the square of the distance separating a radioactive source from the detecting device. A hand-held gamma-detecting probe (GDP) suitable for intraoperative use has been developed. The GDP can be placed near radioactive tumors and take advantage of the inverse square law in a way not possible with external scanning cameras. The use of radiolabeled baboon carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-specific antisera produced increased tumor isotope localization in CEA-producing tumors compared to the injection of nonspecific antisera. Tumor isotope-antisera localization was not influenced by tumor volume or time since tumor implantation. The GDP probe counts demonstrated a high degree of correlation with gamma well tissue counts. The probe was able to detect preferential tumor localization in doses lower than could be detected with external scintillation cameras.
Iceberg alert for NIH.

A century ago, the unsinkable Titanic charged into a moonless night, full steam ahead. Today, unless it changes course to escape its own icebergs, the U.S. biomedical research enterprise hurtles toward a similar doom. The fiscal year 2012 budget of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) buys 18% less research than in 2004. On 2 January 2013, budget sequestration mandated by the Budget Control Act of 2011 could reduce NIH extramural funds still further, producing a staggering cumulative 41% decline in a single decade (in constant dollars, from 2004 to 2014), down to the level that NIH invested in 1997. In contrast, China's governmental support for biomedical research may double that of the United States, or even, in proportion to gross domestic product (GDP), quadruple it by 2017.*
Complete innervation of extensor digitorum brevis by accessory peroneal nerve.

Abstract The accessory peroneal nerve is a normal anatomical variant, electrophysiologically present in 15–28% of normal individuals. An individual with a rare, complete innervation of extensor digitorum brevis muscle by an accessory peroneal nerve is reported, emphasizing the importance of proximal stimulation during routine electrodiagnostic evaluation despite absent distal responses to avoid misdiagnosing axonal lesions.