cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative solid‐state NMR imaging of synthetic calcium phosphate implants

It is shown that solid-state phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance imaging can be used to measure quantitatively the mass of hydroxyapatite (HA), a synthetic calcium phosphate used as an orthopedic implant material, in the presence of bone. A three-dimensional projection reconstruction tech-nique was used to produce solid-state images from 998 free induction decays sampled in the presence of a fixed amplitude field gradient whose direction was varied uniformly over the unit sphere. Chemical selection is achieved using T1 contrast, as the synthetic calcium phosphate has a shorter T1 (1.8 sec at 4.7 T) compared with the bone (approximately 15 sec at 4.7 T in vivo, 42 sec ex vivo). Experimental results demonstrating the linear relationship between image intensity and HA density in phantoms containing HA and silicon (IV) oxide, and HA and bone are shown. Chemically pure images of bone mineral and synthetic HA have been computed from images of New Zealand White rabbits acquired in vivo at two different recycle times. The technique can be used to follow non-invasively the resorption and remodeling of calcium phosphate implants in vivo. Magn Reson Med 41:1214–1220, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Some basic fracture mechanics concepts in functionally graded materials

In this paper, the crack-tip fields in a general nonhomogeneous material are summarized. The fracture toughness and R-curve of functionally graded materials (FGMs) are studied based on the crack-bridging concept and a rule of mixtures. It is shown that the fracture toughness is significantly increased when a crack grows from the ceramic-rich region into the metal-rich region in an alumina-nickel FGM. By applying the concept of the toughening mechanism to the study of the strength behavior of FGMs, it is found that the residual strength of the alumina-nickel FGM with an edge crack on the ceramic side is quite notch insensitive.
Which children benefit from letter names in learning letter sounds

Typical U.S. children use their knowledge of letters' names to help learn the letters' sounds. They perform better on letter sound tests with letters that have their sounds at the beginnings of their names, such as v, than with letters that have their sounds at the ends of their names, such as m, and letters that do not have their sounds in their names, such as h. We found this same pattern among children with speech sound disorders, children with language impairments as well as speech sound disorders, and children who later developed serious reading problems. Even children who scored at chance on rhyming and sound matching tasks performed better on the letter sound task with letters such as v than with letters such as m and h. Our results suggest that a wide range of children use the names of letters to help learn the sounds and that phonological awareness, as conventionally measured, is not required in order to do so.
An Error Analysis of Failure Prediction Techniques Derived From Fracture Mechanics

Three principal methods of failure prediction for brittle materials are analyzed statistically. Each method depends on fracture mechanics for its predictive value; hence the variance of the failure time depends on the scatter in the fracture mechanics data and the scatter in the estimate of the initial size of the strength-limiting crack. The variance is used to calculate confidence limits for the prediction of failure for glass and SiC. Procedures for the collection and analysis of data are discussed and the implications of the analysis for lifetime prediction are evaluated.
Public opinion and support for government AIDS policies in sub-Saharan Africa.

Abstract Based on data from Afrobarometer’s 2008–2009 public opinion surveys in 20 sub-Saharan African states, this article examines the extent of support for government AIDS policies. While many international and nongovernmental organizations have criticized African governments for failing to implement comprehensive HIV/AIDS policies, survey data shows that citizens have generally positive assessments of their governments’ responses. The findings demonstrate that support for a government’s AIDS policies arises less from demographic characteristics and more from experiences with and perceptions of the government’s capabilities. In particular, those in better economic circumstances and those who approve of the president’s job performance show particularly strong support for their government’s AIDS policies. This may suggest that leaders are exhibiting the political will necessary to implement holistic AIDS policies and receiving support for them, but it may also suggest respondents are not differentiating between support for the government as a whole and support for particular policy areas.
Near- and long-term applications of plasma-based accelerators

Abstract A variety of near-term applications has been suggested and several long-term goals, including high-energy colliders, have been discussed. Applications of laser (or beam)-driven accelerators along with applications of advanced laser itself have been considered, such as for X-ray sources. Some of the near term applications are realistic and exciting enough that they deserve serious further investigations. We point out some of these future opportunities.
Comparison of methods to determine relative bioavailability of magnesium in magnesium oxides for ruminants.

Abstract Two Mg balance trials were conducted with wethers to compare relative bioavailability of Mg in several Mg oxides with that of reagent grade sulfate as determined by different methods. In Experiment 1,600 ppm Mg as sulfate or four feed grade oxides varying in origin and particle size were added to a semipurified basal diet (200 ppm Mg). Diets were fed at 800 g/d to 30 crossbred wethers during the 14-d trial and fecal and urinary collections were made during the last 7 d. In Experiment 2, the basal corn-soybean meal-cottonseed hull diet (1387 ppm Mg) was supplemented with 0, 700, 1400, or 2100 ppm added Mg as reagent grade sulfate or 1400 ppm Mg as three of the oxides from Experiment 1 and fed at 1000 g/d to 35 wethers. Urine was collected daily for 10 d and feces were collected on d 7 through 10. In Experiments 1 and 2, absorption of Mg from the oxide of brine origin and larger particle size distribution was lower than that from sulfate, but there was no difference in absorption for sheep fed oxides derived from sea water or calcined magnesite. In Experiment 2, urinary Mg excretion on d 4 and 5 of the collection was lower for sheep fed the brine oxide than for those fed sulfate or oxide from calcined magnesite. Urinary Mg excretion on d 4 and 5 following addition of 1400 ppm Mg to practical diets could be used to predict bioavailability of Mg.
From Academics to Change Agents in a Gender Equity Initiative

Firsthand experience offers a valuable perspective on the lived complications of change initiatives. We describe how we suddenly found ourselves in charge of a university-wide gender equity initiative. Despite our experience with campus issues of gender bias and larger discussions about implicit bias, we were unprepared for the personal, community, and institutional implications of taking on such a widespread and very visible initiative. We reflect on the complexities of our struggles to reframe our own assumptions, to engage with the campus community, to respond to multiform resistances, and to ensure institutional accountability. Our reflections have implications both for equity initiatives in workplaces and for women’s work as organizational change agents.
Diagnosis and management of blunt carotid artery injury in oral and maxillofacial surgery

Abstract Purpose: Traumatic occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) is a rare complication of maxillofacial trauma or surgery. This investigation evaluated patient demographics, diagnostic methods, and effective therapeutic modalities associated with blunt carotid injury (BCI). Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of patient records with an ICD-9-CM diagnosis of carotid injury conducted at MetroHealth Medical Center during the 24-month period between August 1993 and July 1995. Carotid injuries attributable to penetrating trauma were excluded. Age, gender, cause of injury, Glasgow Coma Scale score, Injury Severity Score, type and location of injury, concomitant injury, diagnostic methods, treatment modalities, and outcome were identified, recorded, and analyzed. Results: During the 24-month period, 12 patients (seven males and five females) suffered BCI. These patients were divided into two groups based on cause of the problem. In group I, there were 3,214 blunt trauma patients admitted during the 2-year study, of which 10 patients had BCI, representing 0.31% of blunt trauma patients, and 1.2% of patients with head injuries. Seven patients presented with hemiplegia, two with cranial nerve palsy, and one with perceptual neglect. Ninety percent of the patients had associated injuries. Two patients had surgical intervention, three received anticoagulation, and five had only supportive care. Four of the 10 patients died, four had moderate neurologic deficits, and two survived with only minor neurologic deficits. In group II, two patients developed BCI after surgery. A 52-year-old woman had a carotid injury after right total temporomandibular joint replacement, and a 48-year-old man who underwent surgical removal of a third molar became hemiplegic postoperatively. The first patient recovered after anticoagulation, whereas the second patient, who received only supportive care, has severe neurologic deficits. Conclusions: BCI is an uncommon entity. It is usually recognized when a patient develops an unexplained neurologic deficit, most often hemiplegia, subsequent to trauma or surgery of the head, face, or neck. In the early stages, the diagnosis can be missed by carotid ultrasound or computed tomography. The injury is unrelated to Glasgow Coma Scale score. Symptoms may not develop for days after injury in 50% of patients. Anticoagulation appears to be the most beneficial therapeutic modality.
STUDIES ON THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT EMITTED BY MIXTURES OF CYPRIDINA LUCIFERIN AND LUCIFERASE

1. A photometric method was devised for measuring the intensities of light emitted per cc. of hiciferin solution and calculating the amount of light emitted per gm. of dried Cypridina powder. A total of 128 runs was made and the data are incorporated in this report. 2. The maximum amount of light emitted from 1 gm. of powder under the experimental conditions was 0.655 lumens. Different samples of powder vary greatly in amount of light production. 3. When the concentration of substrate is doubled, nearly twice as much light is emitted, or an average ratio 2C/C of 1.86. Calculations of total light emissions per gm. of powder at different concentrations indicate that slightly more light is produced from the smaller concentrations. The maximum amount of light was produced by the solutions made with neutral sea water and averaged 0.445 lumens. The least light was obtained from solutions in distilled water saturated with hydrogen. The technique allows too rapid spontaneous oxidation prior to the saturation with hydrogen. The maximum amount of light from such experiments was only 0.077 lumens. Acid sea water solutions subsequently neutralized gave an average maximum of 0.386 lumens per gm. of powder per second. 4. When the concentration of enzyme is doubled, approximately the same amount of light is produced by both concentrations, although the stronger concentrations are slightly less effective than weaker ones. This undoubtedly is due to the colloidal nature of the enzyme and is a function of surface rather than of mass. In dilute solutions greater dispersion probably allows for greater adsorption to the surface of the enzyme. The average maximum amount of light produced in the series of enzyme experiments is of the magnitude 0.56 lumens per gm. of powder.
Static manycast advance reservation in split-incapable optical networks

Recent explosion of high-bandwidth applications and scientific collaboration has expedited the need for scheduled transmission of data to multiple scientific sites around the world. Advance reservations (AR) promote efficient bandwidth utilization, particularly when demands are high. The collaborative nature of modern science calls for more flexible point-to-multipoint distribution paradigms, such as manycasting. Combining AR and manycast communication mechanisms enables intelligent resource utilization in optical networks to support future e-science applications. Limiting the adoption of point-to-multipoint communication is the physical handicap that many optical crossconnects are Split-Incapable (SI), i.e., all-optical splitting of signals is not supported, making optical AR manycasting infeasible. In this paper, we adapt solutions which have previously only been considered in immediate reservation (IR) scenarios to provide manycasting as a multi-hop logical overlay to the unicast-only optical layer. We develop ILPs and heuristics to evaluate the resource consumption for various AR traffic scenarios 1.
Treatment response in melancholia

Objective: Ascertain the response to specific depression treatments in melancholic and non-melancholic depressed patients. Method: Literature review focusing on studies addressing symptoms, diagnostic profiles, severity and other predictors of outcome with antidepressant medication, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), psychotherapy and placebo. Results: Patients with melancholia do not consistently differ from those with non-melancholic depression in their response to antidepressants and ECT, but patients with melancholia show a significantly lower rate of placebo response. Depressed patients classified as severely ill-many of whom are melancholic-likewise do not differ from the less severely ill in response to antidepressants but do have a consistently lower placebo response rate. The little available data from psychotherapy studies also consistently show that melancholic and severely depressed patients are less likely than the more mildly depressed to improve with various types of psychotherapy. Depressed patients with increased pituitary-adrenocortical activity-most of whom are melancholic-show a similar pattern of treatment response: they do well with ECT and antidepressants and poorly with placebo and psychotherapies. Conclusion: The research data, in the aggregate, suggest that the presence of melancholia predicts a poor response to psychotherapy and placebo and a relatively good response to antidepressants and ECT.
The sibling relationships of adolescents with antisocial and comorbid mental disorders: an epidemiological investigation

A growing literature suggests that the sibling relationship provides one aetiologic context for the development of antisocial behaviour. This study adds to this body of work by examining associations between the quality of adolescent sibling relationships and antisocial behaviour in an epidemiological sample, and also by exploring whether such associations are conditional on the presentation of disorders comorbid with antisocial behaviour disorders. The sample consisted of 698 adolescents (at the average age of 16.2 years) participating in an epidemiological study of youth. Subjects completed a self-report questionnaire on the quality of the sibling relationship, which yielded three correlated factors: negative, positive and competition. All subjects were assessed for psychiatric disorders using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children. The primary focus was on 31 subjects who met ‘severe’ criteria for antisocial behaviour disorders (either conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder), and 46 subjects who met criteria for other psychiatric disorders. The antisocial adolescents reported significantly higher scores on the negative scale than the psychiatric control group. Furthermore, subjects with just antisocial disorders, as well as subjects with comorbid presentation of antisocial and other psychiatric disorders, had similar scores on the negative scale, which were elevated as compared with various psychiatric control groups. The results are consistent with theories which speculate that siblings influence the development of antisocial behaviour through direct training in coercive interaction. Furthermore, the analysis of comorbid presentation leads us to suggest that aversive sibling relationships may be specifically associated with antisocial behaviour disorders, rather than psychopathology in general. Copyright © 1997 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
Polymorphic energy ordering of MgO, ZnO, GaN, and MnO within the random phase approximation

Accurate relative energetic stabilities between the tetrahedrally coordinated (zinc-blende or wurtzite) and octahedrally coordinated (rock-salt) phases of MgO, ZnO, GaN, and MnO are obtained by first-principles calculations within the framework of adiabatic connection fluctuation-dissipation theorem (ACFDT) and with the random phase approximation (RPA) to the correlation energy. The RPA-ACFDT correctly recovers the rock-salt structure of MnO as the ground-state phase, as observed experimentally, whereas previous density and hybrid functional methods obtained the wrong energy ordering. Even though standard density functionals give the correct ordering of the non-transition-metal compounds, significant quantitative changes occur also for MgO and ZnO. We conclude that the RPA can serve as an important benchmark for structural preferences in polymorphic materials. The present study suggests that density functional predictions for open $d$-shell materials such as transition metal compounds might be more prone to erroneous structure prediction than commonly expected.
Prior-residence and coat-tail effects in dominance relationships of male dark-eyed juncos, Junco hyemalis

Abstract Captive male dark-eyed juncos from two different aviaries were combined either in one group's original aviary (seven replicates) or in a third aviary (two replicates). These experiments controlled for effects of handling the subjects during transfers between aviaries and, in statistical analysis of the results, took into account constraints on the dominance relationships within combined groups. The results (1) confirmed the influence on dominance of prior residence in an aviary and (2) revealed a lack of independence in the dominance relationships between individuals from different original groups. This lack of independence probably resulted from an influence of dominant individuals on the relatioships of their familiar subordinates, a ‘coat-tail’ effect. (3) The results further indicated that previous experience with dominance or recognition of previous opponents outweighed the effect of prior residence. Consequently, prior residence might represent a last resort in the settlement of contests in this species, as predicted on theoretical grounds for the use of conventional asymmetries in the settlement of contests. The coat-tail effect, if it applies in the field, would create an advantage for subordinates associating with familiar dominants.
THE ROLE OF HELIX VIII IN THE LACTOSE PERMEASE OF ESCHERICHIA COLI : I. CYS-SCANNING MUTAGENESIS

Using a functional lactose permease mutant devoid of Cys residues (C-less permease), each amino acid residue in transmembrane domain VIII and flanking hydrophilic loops (from Gln 256 to Lys 289) was replaced individually with Cys. Of the 34 single-Cys mutants, 26 accumulate lactose to > 70% of the steady state observed with C-less permease, and an additional 7 mutants (Gly 262-->Cys, Gly 268-->Cys, Asn 272-->Cys, Pro 280-->Cys, Asn 284-->Cys, Gly 287-->Cys, and Gly 288-->Cys) exhibit lower but significant levels of accumulation (30-50% of C-less). As expected (Ujwal ML, Sahin-Toth M, Persson B, Kaback HR, 1994, Mol Membr Biol 1:9-16), Cys replacement for Glu 269 abolishes lactose transport. Immunoblot analysis reveals that the mutants are inserted into the membrane at concentrations comparable to C-less permease, with the exceptions of mutants Pro 280-->Cys, Gly 287-->Cys, and Lys 289-->Cys, which are expressed at reduced levels. The transport activity of the mutants is inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) in a highly specific manner. Most of the mutants are insensitive, but Cys replacements render the permease sensitive to inactivation by NEM at positions that cluster in manner indicating that they are on one face of an alpha-helix (Gly 262-->Cys, Val 264-->Cys, Thr 265-->Cys, Gly 268-->Cys. Asn 272-->Cys, Ala 273-->Cys, Met 276-->Cys, Phe 277-->Cys, and Ala 279-->Cys). The results indicate that transmembrane domain VIII is in alpha-helical conformation and demonstrate that, although only a single residue in this region of the permease is essential for activity (Glu 269), one face of the helix plays an important role in the transport mechanism. More direct evidence for the latter conclusion is provided in the companion paper (Frillingos S. Kaback HR, 1997, Protein Sci 6:438-443) by using site-directed sulfhydryl modification of the Cys-replacement mutants in situ.
The Lyman far ultraviolet spectroscopic explorer

The Lyman Far UltravioletSpectroscopic Explorer mission will obtain high resolution spectra (R∼30,000) in the 912 to 1200 A region with sufficient sensitivity to study faint sources throughout the galaxy and at large extragalactic distances. This spectral region provides unique tools for solving problems in cosmology (e.g. deuterium), galactic structure and evolution (e.g. O VI and H2), stellar evolution (e.g. O VI), and planetary science (e.g. H2). The transmission of the glancing incidence telescope will enable extension of the spectral coverage with moderate resolution down to 100 A. The Phase A instrument design consists of a 70 cm Wolter type II telescope feeding either near normal incidence gratings on the Rowland circle for the longer wavelengths or glancing incidence EUV gratings for coverage down to 100 A. In 1989, NASA selected the mission for Phase B study. Both Canada and the United Kingdom are participating in the definition and development of the mission.
Dialogical Processes of Self-Transformation: The Sample Case of Eating Disorder Recovery

Recent advances in the dialogically based study of self-transformation have come from process analyses of short-term therapy. The purpose of this article is to extend dialogical analysis to the whole of the transformation process by drawing on multiple dialogical theories. Using as an example the transition from eating disorders to recovery, the article documents the correspondence between women's recovery narratives and four phases of self-transformation—recognition, distanciation, articulation, and appropriation. Dialogical theory relevant to each of the phases is described and theoretical principles are illustrated in a case study of a young woman who was followed for nearly four years. The article concludes with a discussion of the value of multiple levels of analysis and implications for future research.
Cardiac pacing with an esophageal electrode

Abstract 1. 1. In anesthetized mongrel dogs electrical stimulation of the heart was performed through electrodes placed in the esophagus and the stomach. 2. 2. The amount of current required to cause cardiac contraction through these electrodes was much greater than that required for stimulating the heart directly through the endocardium. 3. 3. When the stimulus applied through the esophagus or stomach was adequate to cause cardiac contraction, it also caused contraction of the thoracoabdominal muscles. 4. 4. As judged by these data, the application of stimuli through the esophagus or stomach, or both, does not seem to be a practical method of driving the heart. 5. 5. Since cardiac stimulation can be achieved through the esophagus, it may also occur through electrical apparatus attached to gastric and esophageal suction tubes. Ventricular fibrillation occurred when 60 cycle alternating current was run from an esophageal electrode to the precordium.
The Status of Program Evaluation Expectations in State School Counselor Certification Requirements

Abstract State-level school counselor certification requirements are discussed with respect to program evaluation expectations. Certification offices of all 50 states and Washington, DC, were asked to supply current school counselor knowledge and skill requirements. Nineteen states and Washington, DC, require some form of program evaluation knowledge and skills. Only Colorado and Washington specifically require program evaluation standards recommended by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs for their school counseling programs. These findings suggest that the nation may be producing school counselors deficient in the program evaluation skills needed to meet their professional responsibilities. Several recommendations are made for ameliorating the current training deficiencies of pre-service school counselors and for using in-service training to remediate the program evaluation knowledge and skill gap of practicing school counselors. Implications for the larger evaluation community are discussed.
Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and EGF receptor in hypospadias

Objective To determine whether alterations in epidermal growth factor (EGF), which plays a major role both in the masculinization of the genitourinary tract and in wound healing, or EGF receptor (EGFR) expression are associated with hypospadias. Patients and methods The prepuces from 22 children undergoing circumcision (median age 27 months, range 5–87) and skin biopsies from 16 children undergoing surgery for hypospadias (median age 12 months, range 3–57) were studied. Fourteen patients had distal, one had mid-shaft and one had penoscrotal hypospadias. Immunoperoxidase staining was carried out for EGF and EGFR and the density of the staining quantified using image cytometry by an operator unaware of the diagnosis. Results The median EGF density in foreskins obtained by circumcision was 75% (mean 73, se 2.1) compared with 54% (mean 52, se 3.9) for tissue samples from patients with hypospadias (P<0.001); the mean EGFR was similar in both materials. Conclusion The mean EGF value was deficient in skin adjacent to hypospadias defects compared to normal phallic skin, suggesting that the inadequate expression of EGF may be related to the aetiology of hypospadias and to possible wound complications following surgery for hypospadias.
Selective ionization for elemental analysis with an ion trap mass spectrometer

Abstract The ion storage capacity ( 6 ) of ion trap mass spectrometers (ITMS) can sometimes limit the ability to analyze trace components in complex mixtures. We demonstrate here that resonant laser ablation (RLA) can offer a degree of selectivity in the ionization process, thus allowing the preferential accumulation of analyte ions in the trap. Selectivities of 75 and 50, for chromium and iron, respectively, are reported here for RLA of stainless steel in an ITMS. We offer suggestions to improve both the selectivity and the ionization efficiency, relative to the results reported here.
Production of Heterologous Cytotoxic Antibodies in vitro

THE possibility of inducing an immunological response in vitro to viral1, erythrocyte2,3 and tissue4–6 antigens has recently been the subject of much research. Ginsburg and Sachs4 have shown the destructive activity of rat spleen cells stimulated in vitro with mouse embryo cells and proved the immunological nature of this phenomenon, but they found no activity in the tissue culture medium of these spleen cells cocultivated with mouse embryo cells. Interestingly, in these experiments the medium was harvested in the presence of mouse tissue which could have absorbed antibodies specific to mouse antigens; and, the culture medium was tested without adding complement, a substance shown to be necessary for the detection of cytotoxicity of antibodies induced in vivo.
Acute myocardial infarction (MARCH 2009).

Readers comment on articles on the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (March 2009) and the shingles vaccine (January 2009).
Renal eicosanoids as determinants of renal function in liver disease

The available data suggest that alterations in renal prostaglandin metabolism participate in the pathogenesis of at least two prominent renal complications of liver disease: (a) sodium retention and (b) HRS. Although the data are highly suggestive, additional studies, including experimental manipulations that augment vasodilatory prostaglandins while diminishing vasoconstrictor metabolites of arachidonic acid, will be required to establish the role of prostaglandins or other arachidonic acid metabolites in mediating these renal abnormalities. The clinical caveat emerging from these observations is that every attempt should be made to avoid prescribing drugs which possess cyclooxygenase inhibitory activity to patients with decompensated liver disease who are sodium-avid.
Tadeusz Kantor's Happenings: Reality, Mediality, and History

In “A Voyage on the North Sea”: Art in the Age of the Post-Medium Condition, Rosalind Krauss writes about Marcel Broodthaers, James Coleman, and William Kentridge because, as she notes, these artists have decided not to follow the international fashion of installation and intermedia work in which “art essentially finds itself complicit with a globalization of the image in the service of capital.”Rosalind Krauss, “A Voyage on the North Sea”: Art in the Age of the Post-Medium Condition (London: Thames & Hudson, 1999), 56. Neither have they retreated into the etiolated forms of traditional mediums, such as painting and sculpture. Rather, their recent works have embraced the idea of differential specificity, in which a medium itself is reinvented and rearticulated.
ADAPTIVE: a flexible and adaptive transport system architecture to support lightweight protocols for multimedia applications on high-speed networks

This paper describes a high-performance transport system architecture called ADAPTIVE, 'A Dynamically Assembled Protocol Transformation, Integration, and Validation Environment'. The authors are developing ADAPTIVE to support multimedia applications running on high-speed networks. ADAPTIVE is a transformational system providing policies and mechanisms that automatically specify and configure a flexible adaptive transport system. In addition, it provides a controlled prototyping environment for monitoring, analyzing, and experimenting with the effects of different transport system designs and implementations on application performance. >
Grounding the argument-based framework for validating score interpretations and uses

Kane’s argument-based framework is summarized and examined. He implicitly appeals to the backgrounded concepts of fairness and justice. From there it is a short distance to grounding the whole system in the mundane notion of truth. In fact, valid argument systems must depend on representations that are ‘true’ by virtue of agreement with purported facts. As a friendly amendment, therefore, I argue that (provided the ceteris paribus, all else being equal, requirement is met) agreement with known facts in testing, experimental research, and scientific measurement counts for a great deal more than disagreement. It follows by Peircean ‘exact logic’ that higher test scores (if the tests have any validity at all) are invariably more informative (interpretable in general) and thus more useful than lower scores. Why? Because higher scores show more agreement between the test-makers and the higher scoring test-takers about whatever facts (or performances) may be at issue. Exceptions are cases where the ceteris pari...
Identification of a Golgi complex-targeting signal in the cytoplasmic tail of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus envelope protein.

ABSTRACT The 2003 global outbreak of progressive respiratory failure was caused by a newly emerged virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). In contrast to many well-studied enveloped viruses that assemble and bud at the plasma membrane, coronaviruses assemble by budding into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment and are released from the cell by exocytosis. For this to occur, the viral envelope proteins must be efficiently targeted to the Golgi region of the secretory pathway. Although the envelope protein (E) makes up only a small percentage of the viral envelope, it plays an important, as-yet-undefined role in virus production. To dissect the targeting of the SARS-CoV E protein to the Golgi region, we exogenously expressed the protein and various mutants from cDNA and determined their localization using immunofluorescence microscopy and biochemical assays. We show that the cytoplasmic tail of the SARS-CoV E protein is sufficient to redirect a plasma membrane protein to the Golgi region. Through site-directed mutagenesis, we demonstrate that a predicted beta-hairpin structural motif in the tail is sufficient for Golgi complex localization of a reporter protein. This motif is conserved in E proteins of beta and gamma coronaviruses (formerly referred to as group 2 and 3 coronaviruses), where it also functions as a Golgi complex-targeting signal. Dissecting the mechanism of targeting of the SARS-CoV E protein will lead to a better understanding of its role in the assembly and release of virions.
A causal reasoning approach to DSA situational awareness and decision-making

Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) systems combine situational awareness development, decision assessment, and spectrum adaptation to provide greater spectrum access to wireless systems. While significant progress has been made in system dynamics and policy conformance reasoning, concern still exists with regards a DSA system's ability to reliably determine the operating conditions for policy compliance in situ. Current methods in literature and recent FCC policies generally develop global operating constraints based on a priori modeling and analysis, which potentially reduces DSA system performance in all cases in order to mitigate risks that occur only in a few cases. Furthermore, the a priori determination of in situ operating constraints is counter to the premise of a “smart” or “cognitive” wireless system. This paper asserts that DSA processes are inherently causal and motivates a causal inference approach to DSA situational awareness and decision-making. The specific method presented is built on Structural Causal Modeling (SCM) and multiattribute decision theory. The approach provides a formal mathematical foundation for developing a core inference structure based on first-order logic while incorporating uncertainty inherent in wireless communications and DSA operations. The proposed approach similarly guides the general awareness and decisionprocessing architecture. A DSA probabilistic SCM development approach based on Multi-Entity Bayesian Network (MEBN) theory is presented along with a worked example demonstrating the potential performance and flexibility gained through in situ probabilistic causal reasoning.
Enhanced fusion performance due to plasma shape modification of simulated ITER discharges in DIII-D

On the basis of several confinement scaling relations, the prediction has been made that tokamak performance, expressed as the volume averaged fusion triple product (nT) tau , should increase as the plasma is elongated by reducing the horizontal minor radius from the outer (low field) boundary with fixed heating power, safety factor and electron density. Experiments in DIII-D confirm this prediction, with performance enhancements of up to 40% observed as elongation is increased by 15%. It is recognized, of course, that such experiments do not constitute a simple test of elongation scaling, since the change to elongation was rather small, and other parameters, such as toroidal field, are allowed to change. Nevertheless, this `engineering test' of the effects of such small changes indicates possible advantages to the slightly modified shape. This enhancement appears most visibly as increased ion and electron temperatures. A surprising feature of the high elongation plasmas is the existence of a VH-mode-like `spin-up', where the high elongation plasmas tend to rotate with velocities as high as twice those in the low elongation plasmas. The resulting region of enhanced toroidal rotation gradient is associated with significant reductions in transport
Noncoordinated Phases in Coordinated Traffic Signal System: Evaluation of Alternative Permissive Periods on Performance

Currently, there is no standard nomenclature to describe coordination modes. Different traffic signal controller manufacturers use various terms, and the terms are not always easily understood. Furthermore, there is no documented understanding of the effectiveness of alternative approaches. The purpose of this study is to investigate the main issues related to noncoordinated movements of coordinated semiactuated traffic signals. A set of consistent terms and definitions is proposed. Based on this terminology, three coordination modes are presented, and their performance is evaluated for three different volume-to-capacity (v:c) ratios by using hardware-in-the-loop simulation. With average vehicle delay as the measure of effectiveness, results suggest that for lower v:c ratios, the modes perform differently. This paper provides some guidance on the use of coordinated semiactuated traffic signal operation by making traffic engineers aware of how different coordination modes can affect intersection performance.
A process model of the effects of price promotions on brand image

This article introduces a model to explain the process by which consumer satisfaction or dissatisfaction with price promotions can influence brand image. Specifically, the model explores conditions under which consumers experience satisfaction or dissatisfaction with price promotions, predicts ways that consumers might engage in various levels of attributional processing about price promotion satisfaction or dissatisfaction, and examines how consumer attributions of price promotion satisfaction or dissatisfaction influence brand image. Managerial implications and directions for future research are also offered. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Genomic markers of ancient anaerobic microbial pathways: sulfate reduction, methanogenesis, and methane oxidation.

Genomic markers for anaerobic microbial processes in marine sediments—sulfate reduction, methanogenesis, and anaerobic methane oxidation—reveal the structure of sulfate-reducing, methanogenic, and methane-oxidizing microbial communities (including uncultured members); they allow inferences about the evolution of these ancient microbial pathways; and they open genomic windows into extreme microbial habitats, such as deep subsurface sediments and hydrothermal vents, that are analogs for the early Earth and for extraterrestrial microbiota.
Newborns with acute respiratory distress: diagnosis and management.

If respiratory distress develops in the newborn after he or she has been normal for more than a few hours, bacterial sepsis, inborn errors of metabolism, cardiac disorders, and intracranial hemorrhage should be suspected. It is virtually impossible to determine whether an infant with mild respiratory distress in the first few hours of life will have rapid resolution of disease or progress to severe respiratory distress. That is, it is difficult to differentiate among transient tachypnea of the newborn, sepsis, and pulmonary hypertension in the infant with mild respiratory distress in the first few hours of life. Transient tachypnea is a diagnosis that can only be made with certainty after the infant9s respiratory distress has resolved. The newborn infant with mild respiratory distress of more than a few hours9 duration requires a minimum number of laboratory tests including chest roentgenogram, hematocrit or hemoglobin, blood glucose determination, direct or indirect measurement of arterial blood gases, and blood cultures. The liberal use of oxygen in the near-term, term, or post-term vigorous but cyanotic infant in the delivery room may decrease the incidence and/or severity of respiratory distress due to pulmonary hypertension. A newborn infant with respiratory distress for more than a few hours should be considered a candidate for infection.
Evaluation of earthquake triggering during the 2005–2008 earthquake sequence on Qeshm Island, Iran

[1] Coseismic static Coulomb stress changes may either advance or retard the timing of subsequent earthquakes on nearby faults in a manner that depends both on the relative orientations of faults within the vicinity of the primary rupture, as well as on the postseismic redistribution of stress. Here we examine interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data spanning two earthquakes that occurred in close temporal and spatial proximity on Qeshm Island in southern Iran. Remote observations of earthquakes such as ground deformation or seismic waves allow us to infer earthquake source parameters, but in general, a nonunique family of solutions is consistent with the data, given our understanding of data noise and the limitations of our ability to model the real Earth. Here, we explore methods for assessing and propagating InSAR noise through our entire analysis of the stress triggering potential between these two earthquakes. We generate a range of source models for each earthquake based both on InSAR and seismic observations and assess whether the expected static Coulomb stress change during the first earthquake is likely to have brought the second event closer to or further from failure. Some combinations support the hypothesis that the first earthquake brought the second fault closer to failure, whereas some do not. Fault plane geometries that agree with InSAR constraints are more likely to suggest that the first earthquake increased the likelihood of the second earthquake, those based on the Harvard and global centroid moment tensor tend to not support triggering between the two events.
The Association Between Biological Subtype and Isolated Regional Nodal Failure After Breast-Conserving Therapy

Purpose To evaluate the risk of isolated regional nodal failure (RNF) among women with invasive breast cancer treated with breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and radiation therapy (RT) and to determine factors, including biological subtype, associated with RNF. Methods and Materials We retrospectively studied 1,000 consecutive women with invasive breast cancer who received breast-conserving surgery and RT from 1997 through 2002. Ninety percent of patients received adjuvant systemic therapy; none received trastuzumab. Sentinel lymph node biopsy was done in 617 patients (62%). Of patients with one to three positive nodes, 34% received regional nodal irradiation (RNI). Biological subtype classification into luminal A, luminal B, HER-2, and basal subtypes was based on estrogen receptor status–, progesterone receptor status–, and HER-2–status of the primary tumor. Results Median follow-up was 77 months. Isolated RNF occurred in 6 patients (0.6%). On univariate analysis, biological subtype ( p = 0.0002), lymph node involvement ( p = 0.008), lymphovascular invasion ( p = 0.02), and Grade 3 histology ( p = 0.01) were associated with significantly higher RNF rates. Compared with luminal A, the HER-2 ( p = 0.01) and basal ( p = 0.08) subtypes were associated with higher RNF rates. The 5-year RNF rate among patients with one to three positive nodes treated with tangents alone was 2.4%; we could not identify a subset of these patients with a substantial risk of RNF. Conclusions Isolated RNF is a rare occurrence after breast-conserving therapy. Patients with the HER-2 (not treated with trastuzumab) and basal subtypes appear to be at higher risk of developing RNF although this risk is not high enough to justify the addition of RNI. Low rates of RNF in patients with one to three positive nodes suggest that tangential RT without RNI is reasonable in most patients.
Monocyte Tissue Factor in Treated Hodgkin's Disease

Thrombosis is a recognized complication of Hodgkin's disease. The mechanism for thrombosis in this setting is not known. We determined the functional expression of tissue factor on peripheral blood monocytes in 14 consecutive patients with relapsed Hodgkin's disease. Marked elevations in activity were present in slightly more than half of the subjects. Tissue factor activities varied over 75-fold. Patients with higher tissue factor levels tended to be males who had not undergone splenectomy as part of their staging evaluation. Definite thrombotic complications occurred in three of the patients with the highest levels of tissue factor. While monocyte tissue factor may play a contributory role in the development of thrombotic complications in some patients with relapsed Hodgkin's disease, marked elevation of tissue factor is characteristic of only a subpopulation of these patients. This suggests that patient-, therapy- or disease-specific variables, including tissue factor, may determine the development of ...
Negotiating antiretroviral drug prices: the experience of the Andean countries

Objectives This study analyses the effect of the Andean countries’ June 2003 negotiation of antiretroviral drug (ARV) prices. The objectives were to assess the problems faced during the negotiation process, to evaluate the impact of the negotiation on ARV prices, and to identify factors that could make it difficult for countries to implement the results of the negotiation. Methods Price information of ARVs purchased by public programmes during 2004 was collected from the ministries of health. A survey of the ministries of health was conducted using a questionnaire with information related to the countries’ health care and drug regulations and policies. Interviews with a convenient sample of key Andean health authorities and other stakeholders were also conducted. Results Study results show that the negotiation did achieve lower prices and higher quality and bioequivalence standards for ARVs. However, in general, the public health care programmes of the six countries analysed did not purchase ARVs from the companies that participated in the negotiation, nor did they base purchases on the prices or quality and bioequivalence criteria established in the negotiation. Prices paid by the Andean countries’ public programmes in 2004 were a weighted average of 65% higher than the negotiated prices; and this difference in negotiated prices vs. actual prices represented 39.5% of the programmes’ ARV expenditures in 2004, or US$18 million in ARV expenditures. Conclusion The successful development and implementation of multinational price negotiations requires that participant countries coordinate pharmaceutical regulations and policies, and pool procurement processes.
Modelling bacterial spoilage in cold-filled ready to drink beverages by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Gluconobacter oxydans

A . S . B A T T E Y A N D D . W . S C H A F F N E R . 2001. Aims: Mathematical models were created which predict the growth of spoilage bacteria in response to various preservation systems. Methods and Results: A Box-Behnken design included five variables: pH (2AE8, 3AE3, 3AE8), titratable acidity (0AE20%, 0AE40%, 0AE60%), sugar (8AE0, 12AE0, 16AE0 ∞Brix), sodium benzoate concentration (100, 225, 350 ppm), and potassium sorbate concentration (100, 225, 350 ppm). Duplicate samples were inoculated with a bacterial cocktail (100 l l5 0 ml ‐1 ) consisting of equal proportions of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Gluconobacter oxydans (5 · 10 5 cfu ml ‐1 each). Bacteria from the inoculated samples were enumerated on malt extract agar at zero, one, two, four, six, and eight weeks. Conclusions: The pH, titratable acidity, sugar content, sodium benzoate, and potassium sorbate levels were all significant factors in predicting the growth of spoilage bacteria. Significance and Impact of the Study: This beverage spoilage model can be used to predict microbial stability in new beverage product development and potentially reduce the cost and time involved in microbial challenge testing.