cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activity Recognition in the Home Using Simple and Ubiquitous Sensors

In this work, a system for recognizing activities in the home setting using a set of small and simple state-change sensors is introduced. The sensors are designed to be “tape on and forget” devices that can be quickly and ubiquitously installed in home environments. The proposed sensing system presents an alternative to sensors that are sometimes perceived as invasive, such as cameras and microphones. Unlike prior work, the system has been deployed in multiple residential environments with non-researcher occupants. Preliminary results on a small dataset show that it is possible to recognize activities of interest to medical professionals such as toileting, bathing, and grooming with detection accuracies ranging from 25% to 89% depending on the evaluation criteria used.
Proving Without Knowing: On Oblivious, Agnostic and Blindolded Provers

We introduce oblivious decision proofs and agnostic decision proofs. In the former, the prover does not have to know whether the instance is in the language proven or not in order to be able to perform the decision proof; in the latter, the prover cannot even find out this information from interacting in the protocol. The proofs are minimum-knowledge, limiting the knowledge exposed to the verifier as well. We demonstrate an easily distributable oblivious computational minimum-knowledge decision proof protocol for proving validity/invalidity of undeniable signatures. This method, using obliviousness, solves an open problem [6] or practical value: the distributed verfication of undeniable signatures. We also present an agnostic proof for the same language; an agnostic prover reduces the dissemination of trust in the system; in fact, a prover can be blindfolded and not get to learn the input. As part of the agnostic protocol, and perhaps of independent interest, we exhibit an efficient zero-knowledge proof of knowledge (possession) of both a base and an exponent of an element of a finite group (and similar algebraic structures). Finally, we show a perfect agnostic minimum-knowledge decision proof protocol for quadratic residuosity modulo Blum integers.
A reliable multicast transport protocol for satellite IP networks

A multicast transport protocol, called TCP Peachtree, is proposed for satellite IP networks. In addition to the acknowledgment implosion and scalability problems appearing in terrestrial wirelined networks, satellite multicasting has additional problems, i.e., low bandwidth feedback link, different multicast topology and congestion control. In TCP Peachtree, the modified B+ tree hierarchical structure is used to form dynamic multicast groups. Local error recovery and ACK aggregations are performed within each subgroup and also via logical subgroups. Two new algorithms, jump start and quick recovery, which are based on a type of low priority segments, called NIL segments, are proposed for congestion control. NIL segments are used to probe the availability of network resources and also for error recovery. Moreover, an ACK filter is also introduced to aggregate ACKs. The simulation results show that the congestion control algorithms in TCP Peachtree outperform TCP NewReno when combined with our hierarchical groups and ACK filter. It is also shown that TCP Peachtree can have very good scalability.
Risk factors for stimulant use among homeless and unstably housed adult women

Abstract Background One of the most common causes of death among homeless and unstably housed women is acute intoxication where cocaine is present. While correlates of stimulant use have been determined in prior research, few studies have assessed risk factors of use specifically in this high-risk population. Methods We sampled biological women with a history of housing instability from community-based venues to participate in a cohort study. Baseline and 6-month follow-up data were used to determine the relative risk of stimulant use (crack cocaine, powder cocaine or methamphetamine) among individuals who did not use at baseline. Results Among 260 study participants, the median age was 47 years, 70% were women of color; 47% reported having unmet subsistence needs and 53% reported abstinence from stimulants at baseline. In analyses adjusting for baseline sociodemographics and drug treatment, the risk of using stimulants within 6 months was significantly higher among women who reported recent sexual violence (Adjusted Relative Risk [ARR] = 4.31; 95% CI:1.97–9.45), sleeping in a shelter or public place (ARR = 2.75; 95% CI:1.15–6.57), and using unprescribed opioid analgesics (ARR = 2.54; 95% CI:1.01–6.38). Conclusion We found that almost half of homeless and unstably housed women used stimulants at baseline and 14% of those who did not use began within 6 months. Addressing homelessness and sexual violence is critical to reduce stimulant use among impoverished women.
Avocado: a distributed virtual reality framework

We present Avocado, our object-oriented framework for the development of distributed, interactive virtual environment applications. Data distribution is achieved by transparent replication of a shared scene graph among the participating processes of a distributed application. A sophisticated group communication system is used to guarantee state consistency even in the presence of late joining and leaving processes. We also describe how the familiar data flow graph found in modern stand-alone 3D-application toolkits extends nicely to the distributed case.
Equation of state of solid, liquid and gaseous tantalum from first principles

We present ab initio calculations of the phase diagram and the equation of state of Ta in a wide range of volumes and temperatures, with volumes from 9 to 180 A^3/atom, temperature as high as 20 000 K, and pressure up to 7 Mbars. The calculations are based on first principles, in combination with techniques of molecular dynamics, thermodynamic integration, and statistical modeling. Multiple phases are studied, including the solid, fluid, and gas single phases, as well as two-phase coexistences. We calculate the critical point by direct molecular dynamics sampling, and extend the equation of state to very low density through virial series fitting. The accuracy of the equation of state is assessed by comparing both the predicted melting curve and the critical point with previous experimental and theoretical investigations.
Empirical gradient threshold technique for automated segmentation across image modalities and cell lines.

Summary New microscopy technologies are enabling image acquisition of terabyte-sized data sets consisting of hundreds of thousands of images. In order to retrieve and analyze the biological information in these large data sets, segmentation is needed to detect the regions containing cells or cell colonies. Our work with hundreds of large images (each 21 000×21 000 pixels) requires a segmentation method that: (1) yields high segmentation accuracy, (2) is applicable to multiple cell lines with various densities of cells and cell colonies, and several imaging modalities, (3) can process large data sets in a timely manner, (4) has a low memory footprint and (5) has a small number of user-set parameters that do not require adjustment during the segmentation of large image sets. None of the currently available segmentation methods meet all these requirements. Segmentation based on image gradient thresholding is fast and has a low memory footprint. However, existing techniques that automate the selection of the gradient image threshold do not work across image modalities, multiple cell lines, and a wide range of foreground/background densities (requirement 2) and all failed the requirement for robust parameters that do not require re-adjustment with time (requirement 5). We present a novel and empirically derived image gradient threshold selection method for separating foreground and background pixels in an image that meets all the requirements listed above. We quantify the difference between our approach and existing ones in terms of accuracy, execution speed, memory usage and number of adjustable parameters on a reference data set. This reference data set consists of 501 validation images with manually determined segmentations and image sizes ranging from 0.36 Megapixels to 850 Megapixels. It includes four different cell lines and two image modalities: phase contrast and fluorescent. Our new technique, called Empirical Gradient Threshold (EGT), is derived from this reference data set with a 10-fold cross-validation method. EGT segments cells or colonies with resulting Dice accuracy index measurements above 0.92 for all cross-validation data sets. EGT results has also been visually verified on a much larger data set that includes bright field and Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) images, 16 cell lines and 61 time-sequence data sets, for a total of 17 479 images. This method is implemented as an open-source plugin to ImageJ as well as a standalone executable that can be downloaded from the following link: https://isg.nist.gov/.
The effect of information in a behavioral irrigation experiment

Abstract When governing shared resources, the level and quality of information available to resource users on the actions of others and the state of the environment may have a critical effect on the performance of groups. In the work presented here, we find that lower availability of information does not affect the average performance of the group in terms of their capacity to provide public infrastructure and govern resource use, but it affects the distribution of earnings and the ability to cope with disturbances. We performed behavioral experiments that mimic irrigation dilemmas in which participants need to maintain infrastructure function in order to generate revenue from the use of water. In the experimental design, there is an upstream–downstream asymmetry of access to water that may lead to unequal access to water. We find that inequality of investment in irrigation infrastructure and water appropriation across players is more pronounced in experiments where resource users have limited information about the actions of others. We also find that inequality is linked to the ability of groups to cope with disturbances. Hence a reduced level of information indirectly reduces the adaptive capacity of groups.
On the signed-binary window method [cryptosystem applications]

We propose a left-to-right (i.e., from the most significant column to the least significant column) algorithm for computing a signed-binary (SB) representation of pairs of integers with minimum joint weight as well as maximum average length of zero-column runs. The proposed method speeds up the scalar multiplication of elliptic curve cryptosystems; (ECC) by all known strategies, while at the same time reduces the hardware overhead. Furthermore, we present the necessary and sufficient condition that an SB representation of n integers has minimum joint weight.
Blepharospasm and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Although essential blepharospasm is considered to be a form of focal dystonia, many patients with blepharospasm have been noted to have concomitant depression, anxiety, phobias, hypochondriasis, and other emotional and behavioral disorders, suggesting a psychiatric component to the disease that is p
Variable Stiffness Treadmill (VST): System Development, Characterization, and Preliminary Experiments

Locomotion is one of the human's most important functions that serve survival, progress, and interaction. Gait requires kinematic and dynamic coordination of the limbs and muscles, multisensory fusion, and robust control mechanisms. The force stimulus generated by the interaction of the foot with the walking surface is a vital part of human gait. Although there have been many studies trying to decipher the load feedback mechanisms of gait, there is a need for the development of a versatile system that can advance research and provide new functionality. In this paper, we present the design and characterization of a novel system, called variable stiffness treadmill (VST). The device is capable of controlling load feedback stimulus by regulating the walking surface stiffness in real time. The high range of available stiffness, the resolution and accuracy of the device, as well as the ability to regulate stiffness within the stance phase of walking, are some of the unique characteristics of the VST. We present experiments with healthy subjects in order to prove the concept of our device and show preliminary findings on the effect of altered stiffness on gait kinematics. The developed system constitutes a uniquely useful research tool, which can improve our understanding of gait and create new avenues of research on gait analysis and rehabilitation.
Two-dimensional densely packed DNA nanostructure derived from DNA complexation with a low-generation poly(amidoamine) dendrimer.

One of the keys for using deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as a nanomaterial relies on how the individual DNA chain can be aligned and how a multitude of DNA chains can be packed into ordered nanostructures. Here we present a simple method for constructing a 2-D densely packed DNA nanostructure using the electrostatic complex of DNA with a poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer of generation two. Ordered DNA arrays are formed by drop-casting an aqueous solution containing positively overcharged complexes onto mica followed by a prolonged incubation. During the incubation, the complexes tend to adsorb onto the negatively charged mica surface through electrostatic attraction. The rodlike complexes organize to form ordered arrays to increase the surface density of the adsorbed complexes and hence the attractive free energy of adsorption. The densely packed nanostructure obtained here is distinguished from the previously reported spheroid or toroid structure derived from DNA complexations with the higher-generation de...
Synaptic plasticity: fastening synapses by adhesion.

Abstract New genetic studies have revealed that synaptic plasticity at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction can be dissociated into an adhesion-molecule-based pathway responsible for structural changes and a cAMP signaling pathway required for functional changes.
Dicationic nickel(II) carbonyl complexes containing tetradentate ligands

This article describes the preparation and spectroscopic characterization of three dicationic Ni(II) carbonyl complexes containing tripodal tetradentate ligands. An X-ray diffraction study of [Ni(PP{sub 3}E)(CO)](BF{sub 4}){sub 2} (where PP{sub 3}E is tris(2-(diethylphosphino)ethyl)phosphine) has been completed and confirms a trigonal bipyramidal structure with an apical carbonyl ligand. The binding of CO is weak and reversible. The stability of these complexes is enhanced by the small chelate bite imposed by the tetradentate ligands. The electrochemical behavior of these complexes depends on the nature of the donor atom trans to CO. The [Ni(NP{sub 3}E)-(CO)]{sup 2+} (where NP{sub 3}E is tris(2-(diethylphosphino)ethyl)amine) cation undergoes two reversible one-electron reductions, whereas the corresponding tetraphosphine cations undergo irreversible two-electron reductions. 26 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.
Single-locus control of sucrose octaacetate tasting among mice.

SWR/J mice avoid sucrose octaacetate (SOA) solutions at concentrations which other inbred strains do not. This phenotypic difference has been hypothesized to result from variation at a single autosomal locus with two alleles, one dominant (Soaa, aversion) and one recessive (Soaa, blind). Data from reciprocal F1 and F2 crosses of SWR/J (taster) and C57BL/6J (nontaster) mice and from four generations of selective lineal backcrossing to the C57BL/6J strain, in two-bottle preference tests with 10−5M SOA, were used to test this monogenic model against two polygenic models. The phenotypic ratios expected in the segregating generations according to the single-locus model were consistent with the observed ratios. The ratios expected with either two-locus model were inconsistent with those found. A strain distribution pattern, also consistent with monogenic variation, was found when a set of recombinant inbred strains (SWXL/Ty) derived from SWR/J and C57L/J (nontaster) mice was similarly tested. Outbred CFW mice (inbred substrains of which had been reported by separate laboratories to be both SOA tasters and SOA nontasters) were found to be polymorphic for SOA tasting. An allele identical by descent to that in the SWR/J strain may be segregating in this (distantly) related line.
Dietary Fat Reduction Behaviors among African American, American Indian, and White Older Adults with Diabetes

Dietary self-management of diabetes is often difficult for older adults to practice, particularly in rural communities. We describe patterns and correlates of dietary fat reduction among older rural adults with diabetes of any type. In-home interviews were conducted with a multiethnic random sample of 701 adults ≥ 65 with diabetes from two North Carolina counties. The Fat and Fiber Behavior Questionnaire was used to measure dietary behaviors. Separate multiple linear regressions assessed effects of gender, ethnicity, and diabetes education. In general, scores were more favorable for practices that involved modifying food preparation (e.g., avoiding frying) and less favorable for practices that involved changing foods consumed (e.g., substituting fruits and vegetables as desserts or snacks). American Indians and African Americans had less favorable scores than whites, and diabetes education was associated with greater fat restriction for women than men. Older men and ethnic minorities with diabetes should be targeted for dietary change education.
Toughening of some high-temperature poly(arylene ether)s and a hydroxypoly(benzoxazole) by sol-gel generated rubbery particles

Abstract Some high-temperature polymers, specifically two poly(arylene ether)s and a hydroxy(benzoxazole) copolymer (HPBO), were toughened using dispersed rubbery phases generated by the sol–gel process. These rubbery phases were introduced using combinations of sol–gel precursors with varying numbers of alkyl groups. Scanning electron micrographs showed uniformly dispersed particles in these composite materials. In poly(arylene ether)s, a significant increase in toughness and ultimate elongation were achieved for samples prepared from relatively large amounts of sol–gel precursor with higher numbers of alkyl groups. In HPBO, samples having low levels of the rubbery phase, both toughness and ultimate elongation were increased with increasing amount of the rubbery phase. Improvements in these properties of the HPBO polymer are rather large compared to the poly(arylene ether)s. The results also demonstrated improved thermal properties and decreased water absorption.
Evolutionary optimization of a fuzzy rule-based network intrusion detection system

The use of computer networks has increased significantly in recent years. This proliferation, in combination with the interconnection of networks via the Internet, has drastically increased their vulnerability to attack by malicious agents. The wide variety of attack modes has exacerbated the problem in detecting attacks. Many current intrusion detection systems (IDS) are unable to identify unknown or mutated attack modes or are unable to operate in a dynamic environment as is necessary with mobile networks. As a result, it has become increasingly important to find new ways to implement and manage intrusion detection systems. Evolutionary-based systems offer the ability to adapt to dynamic environments and to identify unknown attack methods. Fuzzy-based systems accommodate the imprecision associated with mutated and previously unidentified attack modes. This paper presents an evolutionary-fuzzy approach to intrusion detection that is shown to provide superior performance in comparison to other evolutionary approaches. In addition, the method demonstrates improved robustness in comparison to other evolutionary-based techniques.
Eclipsing Binary Stars as Tests of Gravity Theories: The Apsidal Motion of AS Camelopardalis

AS Camelopardalis is an 8th-magnitude eclipsing binary that consists of two main-sequence (B8 V and a B9.5 V) components in an eccentric orbit (e = 0.17) with an orbital period of 3.43 days. Like the eccentric eclipsing system DI Herculis, and a few other systems, AS Cam is an important test case for studying relativistic apsidal motion. In these systems, the theoretical general relativistic apsidal motion is comparable to that expected from classical effects arising from tidal and rotational deformation of the stellar components. Accurate determinations of the orbital and stellar properties of AS Cam have been made by Hilditch (1972) and Khalliulin and Kozyreva (1983) that permit the theoretical relativistic and classical contributions to the apsidal motion to be determined reasonably well. All the published timings of primary and secondary minima have been gathered and supplemented with eclipse timings from 1899 to 1920 obtained from the Harvard plate collection. Least-squares solutions of the eclipse timings extending over an 80 yr interval yield a smaller than expected apsidal motion, in agreement with that found by Khalliulin and Kozyreva from a smaller set of data. The observed apsidal motion for AS Cam is about one-third that expected from the combined relativistic and classical effects. Thus, AS Cam joins DI Her in having an observed apsidal motion significantly less than that predicted from theory.
Catalytic reduction of oxygen and hydrogen peroxide by nanoporous gold

Nanoporous gold (NPG) made by dealloying silver/gold alloys is a mesoporous metal combining high surface area and high conductivity. Recently, NPG has been shown to exhibit some of the high catalytic activity previously associated only with supported gold nanoparticles. Here we describe how NPG acts as a catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction in both gas phase (in fuel cells) and aqueous environments (using rotating disk electrochemistry). NPG was found to reduce oxygen via an effectively 4-four electron route comprised of a first reduction of oxygen to hydrogen peroxide, and then an unusually active further catalytic reduction of hydrogen peroxide to water.
Executable specifications for a human-computer interface

It is useful to be able to specify a proposed human-computer interface formally before building it, particularly if a mockup suitable for testing can be obtained directly from the specification. A specification technique for user interfaces, based on state transition diagrams, is introduced and then demonstrated for a secure message system application. An interpreter that executes the resulting specification is then described. Some problems that arise in specifying a user interface are addressed by particular features of the technique: To reduce the complexity of the developer's task, a user interface is divided into the semantic, syntactic, and lexical levels, and a separate executable specification is provided for each. A process of stepwise refinement of the syntactic specification, leading from an informal specification to an executable one is also presented. Since the state diagram notation is based on a non-deterministic model, constraints necessary to realize the system with a deterministic interpreter are given.
High Accuracy High Speed Heterodyne Interferometer With 64 Parallel Channels Of Phase Recording

A high performance heterodyne interferometer is described that measures transient phenomena of flow fields. Data are acquired through 64 detectors in parallel with the output from each detector directed into a dedicated phase detector, digitizer, and buffer memory. This system operates at a 100 kHz frame rate with a precision of λ/300 rms.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Potentiation of carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity in rats by pretreatment with polychlorinated biphenyls.

Abstract Pretreatment of male rats with Aroclor 1254 at a dose of 25 mg/kg i.p. for 6 days resulted in potentiation of the hepatotoxicity of inhaled carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) as evidenced by a decrease in liver glucose-6-phosphase and elevations of serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminace (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), isocitrate dehydrogenase, and sorbitol dehydrogenase. Aroclor 1254 alone did not demonstrate hepatotoxicity. Aroclor 1254 administration resulted in large increases in cytochrome c reductase, cytochrome P-450 (448) and p-nitroanisole demethylation. Subsequent exposure to CCl4 vapor resulted in over 70% decreases in the latter two parameters. The potentiation was dose-dependent with a dose of 5 mg/kg or higher being effective. Aroclor 1260 administration gave results similar to those of Aroclor 1254, but Aroclor 1221 enhanced CCl4 toxicity to a lesser extent.
Bacterial suppression of chlorella by hydroxylamine production

An actively nitrifying Arthrobacter sp. isolated from a lake inhibited the growth of Chlorella vulgaris. This was found to be due to hydroxylamine released by the bacterium during the oxidation of ammonium or other reduced nitrogen compounds. Plates containing Plate Count Agar streaked with Arthrobacter, accumulated 5 μg ml−1 hydroxylamine-N. Chlorella was sensitive to less than 0.24 μg ml−1 hydroxylamine-N. Non-nitrifying bacterial isolates of lacustrine origin did not demonstrate inhibiting activity. Our results indicate that nitrifying microorganisms may thus affect the population dynamics of algae in eutrophic lakes.
Electron donor-acceptor photochemistry of 1-cyano-naphthalene with norbornadiene: Stereospecific regiorandom [2 + 2] cycloaddition

Abstract The electron donor-acceptor photo-reaction of norbornadiene (N)dN with 1-cyano-naphthalene (CNN) in benzene yields four [2+2] cycloadducts, 1–4. The addition occurs exclusively on the exo-face of N, on either ring of the acceptor, either at or adjacent to the cyano group, and shows limited preference for anti- vs. syn-addition. In more polar solvents, the reaction becomes more selective, favoring anti-addition to the substituted ring. The formation of the products is rationalized via the “collapse” of short-lived encounter complexes of different geometries.
Electrochemical oxidation of thiourea in a micelle system

Abstract Electrochemical oxidation of thiourea, which is not possible on platinum electrodes in strongly basic solutions, was found to be possible when a cationic surfactant. Hyamine 2389, was added to the aqueous solution to form micelles. The Hyamine solubilized the product of the oxidation and prevented the electrode from becoming passive. A study of the effect of pH on the voltammetric oxidation waves showed waves for the oxidation of the protonated species, the neutral thiourea, the thiourea anion and an adsorbed film of the first oxidation product. It was shown that the voltammetric oxidation waves obtained in the micelle system could be treated mathematically using the same equations used in the treatment of homogeneous solutions. It was found that it was a one-electron, irreversible, diffusion-controlled process producing formamidine sulfide. However, the pH in the surfactant film on the anode was apparently not the pH of the solution.
Redetermination of the valley-orbit (chemical) splitting of the 1s ground state of group-V donors in silicon

The sixfold degeneracy of the 1s(A 1 +E+T 2 ) ground state of substitutional group-V donors in Si, originating from the six Δ conduction-band minima, is lifted by the valley-orbit (chemical) splitting, with 1s (E) and 1s(T 2 ) remaining close to the effective-mass position and 1s (A 1 ) depressed significantly. The binding energies of 1s(A 1 ), 1s (E), and 1s(T 2 ) are accessible to an experimental determination through the observation ofthe 1s(A 1 ), 1s (E), 1s (T 2 )→np 0 ,np± transitions in the Lyman spectrum of the neutral donors, where the p 0 and p ± levels are accurately described in the effective-mass theory
Particulate Emissions from U.S. Department of Defense Artillery Backblast Testing

Abstract There is a dearth of information on dust emissions from sources that are unique to the U.S. Department of Defense testing and training activities. However, accurate emissions factors are needed for these sources so that military installations can prepare accurate particulate matter (PM) emission inventories. One such source, coarse and fine PM (PM10 and PM2.5) emissions from artillery backblast testing on improved gun positions, was characterized at the Yuma Proving Ground near Yuma, AZ, in October 2005. Fugitive emissions are created by the shockwave from artillery pieces, which ejects dust from the surface on which the artillery is resting. Other contributions of PM can be attributed to the combustion of the propellants. For a 155–mm howitzer firing a range of propellant charges or zones, amounts of emitted PM10 ranged from ∼19 g of PM10 per firing event for a zone 1 charge to 92 g of PM10 per firing event for a zone 5. The corresponding rates for PM2.5 were ∼9 g of PM2.5 and 49 g of PM2.5 per ...
Making meaning about educational experiences through participatory action research: a project conducted with adults enrolled in a community college mathematics course

This paper discusses the findings of a group of co-researchers involved in a participatory action research (PAR) project conducted with adults in a developmental education program. The co-researchers were mostly individuals of Hispanic descent, who had struggled in the past with schooling. Because the educational experiences of Hispanics often involve marginalizing events, the experiences of the co-researchers are contextualized by explaining how Hispanics and other persons of color experience schooling, and the lasting impact of those experiences on their psyche. The study was based on principles of PAR especially tied to the notion of vivencia (genuine human experiences), and on examples of the use of PAR in educational environments. In order to understand the meaning of the co-researchers’ experiences conveyed during dialogue sessions, the author/researcher used thematic analysis of dialogue and journals that was guided by ‘hermeneutic phenomenological reflection’. Those themes were then critically ana...
Child maltreatment and juvenile delinquency: Investigating the role of placement and placement instability

Abstract Children who experience maltreatment are at increased risk of engaging in delinquent behavior. Although little is known about the mechanisms responsible for this increased risk, the use of substitute care placement and placement instability are often identified as correlates. It is not clear from prior studies, however, whether delinquency precedes or follows placement instability. The current study adds significantly to the literature by identifying selected factors related to child maltreatment and delinquency and disentangling the timing of delinquency petitions relative to movements within the child welfare system. The results indicate that substantiated victims of maltreatment average 47% higher delinquency rates relative to children not indicated for abuse or neglect. In addition, approximately 16% of children placed into substitute care experience at least one delinquency petition compared to 7% of all maltreatment victims who are not removed from their family. Placement instability further increases the risk of delinquency for male foster children, but not for female foster children. Other characteristics related to delinquency include race, age, and recurrence of maltreatment.
Oxidation and degradation of a plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coating system

The isothermal oxidation behavior of thermal barrier coating (TBC) specimens consisting of single-crystal superalloy substrates, vacuum plasma-sprayed Ni-22Cr-10Al-1Y bond coatings and air plasma-sprayed 7.5 wt.% yttria stabilized zirconia top coatings was evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis at 1150{degrees}C for up to 200 hours. Coating durability was assessed by furnace cycling at 1150{degrees}C. Coatings and reaction products were identified by x-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy.
The effect of polymer morphology on the performance of a corrosion inhibiting polypyrrole/aluminum flake composite pigment

Abstract Two different morphologies of polypyrrole (PPy) aluminum flake composites, namely spherical PPy/Al flake composites and wire PPy/Al flake composites, were synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization. These composites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), four point probe conductivity, conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). These composites were incorporated into an epoxy primer and coatings were applied on an aluminum alloy (AA 2024-T3) substrate. The coatings were exposed to salt spray according to ASTM B117 and prohesion conditions according to ASTM G85-A5. The corrosion resistance properties were monitored via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The current produced by corrosion reactions on the surface of the substrate was mapped using the scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET). Galvanic coupling experiments were performed for measurement of galvanic current and mixed potential in controlled environment. It was observed that the morphology of PPy on the surface of aluminum flake has an effect on the conductivity and anticorrosion performance of the pigment. The wire PPy/Al flake composite coatings exhibited better anticorrosion performance than the spherical PPy/Al flake composite coatings and as received aluminum flake coatings. The enhancement in anticorrosion performance was attributed to the unique morphology and electrochemical activity of the PPy on the surface of aluminum flakes. It was also revealed that the wire PPy/Al flake composite coating was sacrificially protecting the AA 2024-T3 substrate in larger defects.
Effects of Energy Conservation in Residential and Commercial Buildings

In 1977, heating, cooling, lighting, and other operations in residential and commercial buildings used 27 quads (1 quad = 1015 British thermal units) of energy. This is more than one-third of the nation9s total energy budget. Future trends in energy use in buildings are likely to depend strongly on fuel prices and government policies designed to save energy. Three scenarios are examined: (i) a base line in which fuel prices rise as projected by the Department of Energy; (ii) a conservation case that includes higher gas and oil prices plus the regulatory, financial incentive, and information programs authorized by the 94th Congress and proposed in the April 1977 National Energy Plan; and (iii) another conservation case that also includes new technologies (more efficient equipment, appliances, and structures). These scenarios are analyzed for changes in energy use, costs, and employment by means of detailed engineering-economic models of energy use in residential and commercial buildings developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and input-output analyses developed at the University of Illinois.
Evidence for catalytic activity by lower nuclearity rhodium carbonyls in the Rh6(CO)16 catalyzed oxidation of cyclohexanone with molecular oxygen

Abstract The yield of carboxylic acid in the Rh6(CO)16 catalyzed oxidation of cyclohexanone with molecular oxygen is higher with increasing CO pressure. The data are interpreted as providing support for a lower nuclearity rhodium carbonyl complex being involved as the reactive intermediate in the catalytic cycle.
Carborane-based metal–organic frameworks as highly selective sorbents for CO2 over methane

Separation of CO2/CH4 mixtures was studied in carborane-based metal–organic framework materials with and without coordinatively unsaturated metal sites; high selectivities for CO2 over CH4 (∼17) are obtained, especially in the material with open metal sites.
An Interaction Model for Solid-Matrix Phosphorescence with Filter Paper via the Modulus of Filter Paper:

The experimental values of Young's modulus for filter paper samples were obtained as a function of temperature. These experimental modulus values for the filter paper samples, along with literature modulus values for regenerated cellulose and chromatography paper, were used to derive equations that relate Young's modulus values of filter paper to the phosphorescence lifetimes of adsorbed phosphors on filter paper as a function of temperature. In addition, an equation was derived for one of the phosphors that relates the changes in phosphorescence quantum yield with temperature to Young's modulus. The basis for the equations is a theory for hydrogen-bond-dominated solids that considers Young's modulus as related to the average force constant for the hydrogen bonds in paper and the effective number of hydrogen bonds in paper. For all the systems investigated, linear relationships were obtained between ln(phosphorescence lifetime) and ln(Young's modulus). Also, a linear equation was obtained between ln(phosphorescence quantum yield) and ln(Young's modulus) for one of the phosphors. In general, the results of this work form the basis of a fundamental theory for the phosphorescence of compounds adsorbed on filter paper.
Pheochromocytoma: case report and review of diagnosis and treatment.

Pheochromocytoma is rarely the cause of secondary hypertension, but its diagnosis is important to the oral and maxillofacial surgeon because of its life-threatening potential. Sudden hypertensive crises, with blood pressure levels frequently exceeding 250/150 mm Hg, may occur. 1 The hypertensive crisis may be precipitated by emotional stress, trauma, drugs, anesthetic agents, surgery for an unrelated condition, or physical manipulation of the patient. These episodes are caused by norepinephrine, the principal catecholamine secreted by most pheochromocytomas. When a patient presents with a history of hypertensive episodes, either paroxysmal or continuous, associated with symptoms of profuse sweating, palpitations with or without tachycardia, and headaches, pheochromocytoma should be added to the list of differential diagnoses. This triad of symptoms has been reported by various authors in 75 to 93% of patients with pheochromocytomas, and a total absence of the triad of symptoms should eliminate pheochromocytoma from the differential diagnosis in 99% of the cases.!'? Pheochromocytoma usually occurs as a sporadic event in patients without related disease. However, it can also be inherited as an autosomal dominant disorder, or it can be a part of three other dominantly inherited conditions-von Recklinghausen's disease, von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis." In 1961, Sipple first made an association between thyroid carcinoma and pheochromocytoma.' It is currently recognized that familial pheochromocytoma can be associated with two groups of patients having multiple endocrine neoplasms (MEN): type II (MEN II or IIa), also called Sipple syndrorne.s and type III (MEN III or IIb).7 Type II MEN consists of pheochromocytomas, frequently bilateral and extra-adrenal, with parathyroid hyperplasia and medullary thyroid car-
Microarray data mining: A novel optimization-based approach to uncover biologically coherent structures

DNA microarray technology allows for the measurement of genome-wide expression patterns. Within the resultant mass of data lies the problem of analyzing and presenting information on this genomic scale, and a first step towards the rapid and comprehensive interpretation of this data is gene clustering with respect to the expression patterns. Classifying genes into clusters can lead to interesting biological insights. In this study, we describe an iterative clustering approach to uncover biologically coherent structures from DNA microarray data based on a novel clustering algorithm EP_GOS_Clust. We apply our proposed iterative algorithm to three sets of experimental DNA microarray data from experiments with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and show that the proposed iterative approach improves biological coherence. Comparison with other clustering techniques suggests that our iterative algorithm provides superior performance with regard to biological coherence. An important consequence of our approach is that an increasing proportion of genes find membership in clusters of high biological coherence and that the average cluster specificity improves. The results from these clustering experiments provide a robust basis for extracting motifs and trans-acting factors that determine particular patterns of expression. In addition, the biological coherence of the clusters is iteratively assessed independently of the clustering. Thus, this method will not be severely impacted by functional annotations that are missing, inaccurate, or sparse.
AIDS and dentistry: Educational intervention strategies for dental professionals

Since the AIDS epidemic began, it has been determined that dental professionals can play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease and that they must meet ethical and legal obligations to offer treatment. Studies report, however, that dentists prefer not to treat AIDS patients, that they are only moderately knowledgeable about the disease and its oral manifestations, that they lack the skills to treat AIDS patients, and that their use of infection control procedures falls below established standards of care. It also appears that traditional forms of education have failed to improve this situation. In this article the authors propose educational interventions designed to influence knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of dentists and thereby improve the delivery of dental care to the HIV-positive population.
Urn designs with immigration: Useful connection with continuous time stochastic processes

Abstract In this paper we present techniques that allow obtaining joint and marginal distributions of random variables arising in urn designs with immigration. The urn is embedded into a family of continuous time Markov processes. Then the generating function approach is used to obtain distributional results. A randomized version of the inverse sampling is introduced.
An Examination of Variations in the Nature of Employee Commitment: The Case of Paid and Volunteer Firefighters

Organizations depend heavily upon employees’ willingness to make an extra effort. As such, employee commitment is very important to the effective operation of any organization. We argue that the previous concept of organizational commitment may not capture some important aspects of the organizational commitment construct. We identify three dimensions of commitment: commitments to the supervisor, the work group, and the organization. We examine differences in the foci of commitment comparing the organizational commitment configuration of a sample of paid and volunteer firefighters in Northern New York. All firefighters perform the same work and must meet the same job requirements so we anticipate any differences in the configuration of the organizational commitment construct to be a function of whether they are getting paid or not. We found significant differences between the two groups of firefighters in the foci of their commitment: paid firefighters are higher on their commitment to their supervisor, wh...
Models for the study of respiratory syncytial virus infection and disease

Although the pathogenesis of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection and resultant lung injury are not completely understood, recent advances have increased our knowledge of the roles of the virus and host immune responses in the development and severity of respiratory disease. Cell culture and animal models of RSV infection have played key roles in these advances, and should enhance development of effective RSV prophylaxis (vaccines and passive immunoprophylaxis) and antiviral agents for treating RSV infection.
Evaluation of a 3D lesion segmentation algorithm on DBT and breast CT images

Recently, tomosynthesis (DBT) and CT (BCT) have been developed for breast imaging. Since each modality produces a fundamentally different representation of the breast volume, our goal was to investigate whether a 3D segmentation algorithm for breast masses could be applied to both DBT and breast BCT images. A secondary goal of this study was to investigate a simplified method for comparing manual outlines to a computer segmentation. The seeded mass lesion segmentation algorithm is based on maximizing the radial gradient index (RGI) along a constrained region contour. In DBT, the constraint function was a prolate spherical Gaussian, with a larger FWHM along the depth direction where the resolution is low, while it was a spherical Gaussian for BCT. For DBT, manual lesion outlines were obtained in the in-focus plane of the lesion, which was used to compute the overlap ratio with the computer segmentation. For BCT, lesions were manually outlined in three orthogonal planes, and the average overlap ratio from the three planes was computed. In DBT, 81% of all lesions were segmented at an overlap ratio of 0.4 or higher, based on manual outlines in one slice through the lesion center. In BCT, 93% of all segmentations achieved an average overlap ratio of 0.4, based on the manual outlines in three orthogonal planes. Our results indicate mass lesions in both BCT and DBT images can be segmented with the proposed 3D segmentation algorithm, by selecting an appropriate set of parameters and after images have undergone specific pre-processing.
Analyzing over-dispersed count data in two-way cross-classification problems using generalized linear models

Several methods of testing factor effects in a two-way cross-classification analysis are compared in a Monte Carlo simulation study, using over-dispersed count data generated from the family of negative binomial distributions. Tests compared are based on general linear models, using raw and transformed data, and on generalized linear models specifying either the Poisson or negative binomial distribution. The general linear model is recommended, especially in the case of small means and small numbers of replications.
Gliding properties of the long head of the biceps brachii

To elucidate the role of mechanical forces that resist motion of the long head of the biceps brachii, the gliding resistance of the tendon during abduction and adduction was measured. Nine human cadaveric glenohumeral joints were obtained (mean age 68 years, range 47-84). A testing device was developed to simulate glenohumeral abduction and adduction motion. Gliding resistance was calculated as the force differential on the proximal and distal ends of the biceps brachii at five glenohumeral angles (15 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees and 75 degrees ). The average gliding resistance in abduction at 15 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees and 75 degrees for a 4.9 N load was 0.41, 0.40, 0.36, 0.32 and 0.28 N, respectively. At these same angles, but during adduction motion, the force on the proximal tendon end was either identical or less than the distal tendon end (p>0.46) indicating a lack of resistance and even a phenomena of "negative" resistance in which some other force overcame the friction. The difference in gliding resistance between abduction and adduction was significant (p<0.05). The results indicate that forces opposing biceps tendon gliding are more complicated than simply due to friction. Tendon deformation inside the bicipital groove produces a direction-dependent effect due to a mechanism of elastic recoil. Understanding forces that are absorbed by the tendon during active motion may provide insight into pathological changes that develop inside and around the tendon.