cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Flow-stream waveguide for collection of perpendicular light scatter in flow cytometry.

We report a new physical configuration for the detection of perpendicular light scatter or fluorescence in flow cytometry when using a fluid stream in air. This configuration increases the signal-to-noise ratio and narrows the coefficient of variation for uniformly sized latex spheres when compared to using a microscope objective to collect such light. The new technique views the scattered light that is trapped within the optical waveguide that is naturally formed by the flow stream in air. One efficient and simple way to detect the light trapped within this optical waveguide is to place one end of a fiber optic, with a conically polished tip and sufficiently large-core diameter, directly into the flow stream and to place an optical detector at the fiber's other end. For perpendicular light scatter, the flow-stream waveguide achieves high collection efficiency (NA = 0.88) as well as high efficiency of optical throughput due to lack of surfaces between the light scatterers and the detector. We obtained 10-fold higher signals with this technique than with a long-working-distance microscope objective. The flow-stream waveguide is also much easier to align than traditional microscope-lens-based systems. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Motor and non-motor features of Parkinson's disease that predict persistent drug-induced Parkinsonism

Abstract Background Drug-induced Parkinsonism is common, causes significant morbidity, and can be clinically indistinguishable from idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Additionally, drug-induced Parkinsonism may, in some cases, represent “unmasking” of incipient Parkinson's disease. Clinical features or tests that distinguish degenerative from pharmacologic Parkinsonism are needed. Methods We performed a retrospective case-control study of 97 drug-induced Parkinsonism subjects and 97 age-matched patients with Parkinson's disease. We compared the frequency of subjective motor and non-motor complaints, objective motor findings (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III) and, where available, objective olfactory tests. We also performed a nested case-control study wherein we compared these same features between drug-induced Parkinsonism patients based on whether or not they recovered after changing the offending agent. Results Non-motor symptoms including constipation and sexual dysfunction were more common in Parkinson's disease than in drug-induced Parkinsonism. While total motor scores were similar between groups, Postural Instability-Gait Difficulty scores were also higher in Parkinson's disease. Features that were significantly different or showed a trend towards significance in both comparisons included subjective loss of facial expression, dream-enactment behavior, autonomic complaints and Postural Instability-Gait Difficulty scores. Hyposmia was more common in Parkinson's disease and was strongly predictive of persistent drug-induced Parkinsonism after therapy change (odds ratio 30.3, 95% confidence interval: 1.5–500, p = 0.03). Conclusions A constellation of motor and non-motor features may differentiate unmasked Parkinson's disease from drug-induced Parkinsonism. In particular, olfactory testing may offer a simple and inexpensive method to help predict outcomes in drug-induced Parkinsonism and, potentially, identify a cohort of pre-motor Parkinson's disease.
Variation in growth of Group B streptococci (GBS) and capsular polysaccharide production according to the manufacturing source of Todd-Hewitt broth

Abstract For quality assurance, we studied Todd-Hewitt broth (THB) from three manufacturing sources, since lot-to-lot variation of a medium can influence growth characteristics. We compared our current lot of Bacto THB with a lot from the new company, and a lot from a third manufacturer. All three had essentially the same chemical composition, except for the exact designation of quantity and source of heart infusion and peptone. Growth of GBS serotypes in the three sources of THB, with and without yeast supplementation, was assessed at several points in the growth curve by measuring absorbance and quantitation of colony-forming units. Capsular polysaccharide (CPS) production was examined by double immunodiffusion in agarose slides (Ouchterlony) using HCl cell extracts. While growth in the three lots was similar during log phase, the immunoprecipitin lines were more intense when strains were grown in our current THB. Addition of 1% yeast extract to any of the three lots enhanced absorbance and CFU counts, but reduced the quality of the precipitin lines. The inverse correlation between growth kinetics and intensity of the immunoprecipitin reactions may be due to modifications in the formulation of the three sources of THB, resulting in differences in the amount and/or composition of CPS.
A modified fast Fourier transform for polynomial evaluation and the Jenkins-Traub algorithm

We present an algorithm to evaluate a polynomial at uniformly spaced points on a circle in the complex plane. As an application of this algorithm, a procedure is developed which gives a starting point for the Jenkins-Traub algorithm [5, 6] to compute the zeros of a polynomial.
The resonance and residue of the first African American newspaper: how freedom's journal created space in the early 19th century

The Resonance and Residue of the First African American Newspaper: How Freedom's Journal Created Space in the Early 19th Century provides an interdisciplinary approach to historical material that illustrates an alternative history in this country - a history of and by African Americans. By combining both print and digital research methodologies, new historical information can be discovered that illustrates how the first African American newspaper fought against the influences of white society in the early 19th century and created a space for the black community that became meaningful enough to transform it into a space in which African Americans identified as Americans.
A machine learning approach to reading level assessment

Reading proficiency is a fundamental component of language competency. However, finding topical texts at an appropriate reading level for foreign and second language learners is a challenge for teachers. Existing measures of reading level are not well suited to this task, where students may know some difficult topic-related vocabulary items but not have the same level of sophistication in understanding complex sentence constructions. Recent work in this area has shown the benefit of using statistical language processing techniques. In this paper, we use support vector machines to combine features from n-gram language models, parses, and traditional reading level measures to produce a better method of assessing reading level. We explore the use of negative training data to handle the problem of rejecting data from classes not seen in training, and compare the use of detection vs. regression models on this task. As in many language processing problems, we find substantial variability in human annotation of reading level, and explore ways that multiple human annotations can be used in comparative assessments of system performance.
Informatics software for the ecologist's toolbox: A basic example

Abstract Machine learning techniques for ecological applications or “eco-informatics” are becoming increasingly useful and accessible as software for these techniques becomes more readily available. Complex ecological data sets with a multitude of variables are also increasingly available. Ecologists, who do not necessarily have extensive backgrounds in machine-learning techniques, are facing decisions on new methods of data analysis. We evaluated the predictive ability of three commercially available (i.e. user-friendly) software packages for artificial neural networks (ANNs), evolutionary algorithms (EAs), and classification/regression trees (CART). To demonstrate their usage, we analyzed fish and habitat data from the mid-Atlantic region of the US, which was collected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These data, including over 200 environmental descriptors summarizing watershed, stream, and water chemistry, and physical habitat characteristics in addition to fish community metrics (i.e. richness, Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scores, % exotics), were collected as part of the EPA's Environmental Monitoring and Protection program. We predicted fish IBI scores as a function of these local and regional scale habitat variables. Predictive ability is evaluated with independent validation data. These approaches could prove especially useful for conservation or management applications where ecologists seek to utilize the most comprehensive data to make predictions at various scales. By employing “user-friendly” software we hope to show that ecologists, without extensive knowledge of computational science, can benefit from these techniques by extracting more information about complex ecosystems. We found that all models predicted better than chance ( p
Comparing Rates of Probability Discounting Using Paper-Pencil or Online Versions of the Fill-in-the-Blank or Multiple-Choice Methods of Data Collection

The present study was an attempt to determine whether rates of probability discounting would vary as a function of the type of data-collection method, mode of task administration, type of data analysis, and/or type of outcome being discounted. Some of the 650 participants completed the task using the fill-in-the-blank method (FITB) while others completed it using a version of the multiple-choice (MC) method. Some participants completed the task in paper-pencil format and others did so online. All participants discounted seven different outcomes, and the data were analyzed using a hyperbolic equation and a hyperbolic-like equation, and by calculating the area under the discounting curve. Steeper rates of probability discounting were observed for the FITB than the MC method and for participants who completed the task online than in paper-pencil format. The different methods of analyzing the data sometimes led to different conclusions. Lastly, different rates of probability discounting were observed across the different outcomes being discounting. Implications and recommendations for researchers who study probability discounting are discussed.
MORPHOMETRY AND PATHOLOGY OF THE PARASPINOUS MUSCLES IN IDIOPATHIC SCOLIOSIS

Muscle biopsies from the apex of both sides of the curve of 31 patients with idiopathic scoliosis showed abnormalities in fiber-type distribution in 68 per cent and in fiber size in 55 per cent. There was no preference for either side. Type 1 fiber predominance was as common as type 1 fiber deficiency. Atrophy occurred in 33 per cent and affected mainly type 1 fibers: atrophy of type 2 fibers was rare. Hypertrophy was limited to type 2 fibers, and occurred in 26 per cent. The strength factor for type 1 fibers exceeded that for type 2. Type 2A fibers were no larger than 2B fibers: there was a large type 2A predominance, more so on the convex side. Most of the muscle changes appear to be secondary and compensatory: none suggests a pathogenesis for the curve.
Effect of organic, sustainable, and conventional management strategies in grower fields on soil physical, chemical, and biological factors and the incidence of Southern blight

The objectives of our research were to evaluate the impact of organic, sustainable, and conventional management strategies in grower fields on soil physical, chemical, and biological factors including soil microbial species and functional diversity and their effect on the Basidiomycete plant pathogen Sclerotium rolfsii, causal agent of Southern blight. Soils from 10 field locations including conventional, organic and sustainable farms were sampled and assayed for disease suppressiveness in greenhouse assays, and soil quality indicators. Soils from organic and sustainable farms were more suppressive to Southern blight than soils from conventional farms. Soils from organic farms had improved soil chemical factors and higher levels of extractable C and N, higher microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, and net mineralizable N. In addition, soil microbial respiration was higher in soils from organic than sustainable or conventional farms, indicating that microbial activity was greater in these soils. Populations of fungi and thermophiles were significantly higher in soils from organic and sustainable than conventional fields. The diversity of bacterial functional communities was also greater in soils from organic farms, while species diversity was similar. Soils from organic and sustainable farms had improved soil health as indicated by a number of soil physical, chemical and biological factors and reduced disease.
High temperature heat pipe research at NASA Lewis Research Center

In the course of studies of thermionic power plants for space applications, high-temperature refractory metal heat pipes have been designed and built for alkali metal working fluids. Fabrication of tungsten wire-reinforced tantalum pipes by chemical vapor deposition is discussed; the development of reinforced pipes with integral arteries produced by chemical vapor deposition is also mentioned. The feasibility of using lithium, sodium, potassium, cesium or mercury as the working fluid in the heat pipes is also reviewed. Operation of a lithium-filled heat pipe of about 3-kW capacity for several thousand hours is reported.
Localization of two chicken IgM allotypes to H chains.

Abstract Two chicken IgM allotypic specificities, designated M-1.1 and M-1.2,were present on heavy (H) chains based on their ability to inhibit in radioimmunoassay binding of alloantibody (anti-M-1.1 or anti-M-1.2) to IgM obtained from inbred University of California line 3 chickens. M-1.1 was fully expressed on 7S IgM subunits (IgMs), but was altered on H chains. In contrast, anti-M-1.2 bound both IgMs and H chains with decreased avidity, indicating that M-l.2 was altered on these preparations. Since M-1.1 andM-1.2were absent from isolated light chains and 7SIg, they probably represent allotypic variations on the constant region of the μ chain. Analysis of binding of anti-M-1.1 and anti-M-1.2 to alloantigen indicated that both specificities were present on the same molecule.
Understanding diagnostic tests 1: sensitivity, specificity and predictive values.

The usefulness of diagnostic tests, that is their ability to detect a person with disease or exclude a person without disease, is usually described by terms such as sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value. In this article, the first of the series, a simple, practical explanation of these concepts is provided and their use and misuse discussed. It is explained that while sensitivity and specificity are important measures of the diagnostic accuracy of a test, they are of no practical use when it comes to helping the clinician estimate the probability of disease in individual patients. Predictive values may be used to estimate probability of disease but both positive predictive value and negative predictive value vary according to disease prevalence. It would therefore be wrong for predictive values determined for one population to be applied to another population with a different prevalence of disease. Conclusion: Sensitivity and specificity are important measures of the diagnostic accuracy of a test but cannot be used to estimate the probability of disease in an individual patient. Positive and negative predictive values provide estimates of probability of disease but both parameters vary according to disease prevalence.
Controlling bubble density in MWNT/polymer nanocomposite foams by MWNT surface modification

Abstract Polymer nanocomposite foams are promising substitutes for polymeric foams. Carbon nanotube/polymer nanocomposite foams possess high strength, low density, and can be made conductive. Creating polymer foams with controlled foam morphology is of great importance for controlling foam properties. The foam morphology is influenced by the foaming conditions and filler properties. For carbon nanotube/polymer composite foams, dispersion state and aspect ratio of the carbon nanotubes have been shown to influence the bubble density and bubble size. In the current study, the influence of carbon nanotube surface chemistry on the bubble density of multi-walled carbon nanotube/poly(methyl methacrylate), MWNT/PMMA, nanocomposite foams was investigated. The surface of the MWNTs with controlled aspect ratio was covalently modified with glycidyl phenyl ether (GPE). Surface modified MWNT/PMMA nanocomposite foams were produced using a supercritical carbon dioxide foaming process. At constant MWNT concentration, the bubble density of polymer nanocomposite foams filled with GPE surface modified MWNT was found to be several times higher than that of polymer nanocomposite foams filled with nitric acid treated MWNT. After the MWNTs were modified with GPE, the surface chemistry of the MWNT became the dominant factor in determining the bubble density while the MWNT aspect ratio became less influential.
Selective Picomolar Detection of Hexachlorobenzene in Water Using a Quartz Crystal Microbalance Coated with a Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Thin Film

A molecular sensor for efficient and rapid recognition of hexachlorobenzene in water has been obtained by careful engineering of a thin, molecularly imprinted polymer thin film attached to a quartz crystal microbalance. Efficient imprinting was obtained in these films by controlling the heterogeneity of cross-linking in the polymer network and using appropriate electron-rich complements to the electron-deficient hexachlorobenzene. A comparison of the signals arising from two sensors, coated with imprinted and blank films respectively, unambiguously distinguishes hexachlorobenzene from small molecules of similar sizes and structures (anisole, benzene, chlorobenzene, and cyclohexane). The investigated sensors demonstrate both high selectivity and sensitivity (down to 10-12 mol L-1), while exhibiting an exceptionally fast response time (∼10 s).
The ultrastrcture of wallerian degeneration in the severed optic nerve of the newt (Triturus viridescens)

Wallerian degeneration in the severed newt's (Triturus viridescens) optic nerve is complete between the 10-14th post operative day (p.o.d.). Consequently, the newt optic nerve displays one of the most rapid degenerative responses yet reported for the central nervous system of vertebrates. In most cases it also exhibits the speed of degenerative phenomenon in the vertebrate peripheral nervous system. The degeneration of unmyelinated axons is most rapid and is completed by 2-3 p.o.d., compared to myelinated axons, most of which degenerate between 2-10 p.o.d. Myelin ring formation (vesicular transformation) is the principal form of lamellar breakdown and occurs in a highly organized manner which can be clearly staged. The glial cell response to Wallerian degneration is two-fold: cytoplasmic hypertrophy and myelin-lytic. Glial hypertrophy subsides by the 10-14 p.o.d. with the ingrowth of numerous regenerating nerve fibers. The myelin-lytic response accounts for most of the myelin destruction. Leukocyte-like and microglia-like cells also participate in myelin breakdown but to a lesser degree.
Towards Forming a Primordial Protostar in a Cosmological AMR Simulation

Modeling the formation of the first stars in the universe is a well‐posed problem and ideally suited for computational investigation.We have conducted high‐resolution numerical studies of the formation of primordial stars. Beginning with primordial initial conditions appropriate for a ΛCDM model, we used the Eulerian adaptive mesh refinement code (Enzo) to achieve unprecedented numerical resolution, resolving cosmological scales as well as sub‐stellar scales simultaneously. Building on the work of Abel, Bryan and Norman (2002), we followed the evolution of the first collapsing cloud until molecular hydrogen is optically thick to cooling radiation. In addition, the calculations account for the process of collision‐induced emission (CIE) and add approximations to the optical depth in both molecular hydrogen roto‐vibrational cooling and CIE. Also considered are the effects of chemical heating/cooling from the formation/destruction of molecular hydrogen. We present the results of these simulations, showing the formation of a 10 Jupiter‐mass protostellar core bounded by a strongly aspherical accretion shock. Accretion rates are found to be as high as one solar mass per year.
Inertial separation of particles with small size-variation using self-releasing microvortex

This work presents an inertial microfluidic device for continuous size-based separation of microparticles with down to <;2μm size-difference. The design uses a high-aspect-ratio microchannel to inertially equilibrate particles into two bands along side walls. The microchannel expands downstream to form two symmetric chambers in which laminar microvortices are generated for cell extraction. A side outlet in each chamber continuously extracts larger cells, while the smaller cells exit through the main central outlet. The design offers a number of advantages, including simplicity, small footprint, one-step operation, and continuous separation with ultra-selectivity. Separation of 21μm from 18.5μm particles with high purity (79%) was demonstrated, suggesting utility in particle or cellular sample preparation with precise size-control.
Serving First in Isolation Increases Vegetable Intake among Elementary Schoolchildren

Many people want to eat healthier, but they often fail in these attempts. We report two field studies in an elementary school cafeteria that each demonstrate children eat more of a vegetable (carrots, broccoli) when we provide it first in isolation versus alongside other more preferred foods. We propose this healthy first approach succeeds by triggering one’s inherent motivation to eat a single food placed in front of them, and works even though they have prior knowledge of the full menu available and no real time constraints. Consistent with this theory, and counter to simple contrast effects, an additional lab study found that presenting a food first in isolation had the unique ability to increase intake whether the food was healthy (carrots) or less healthy (M&M’s). Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of this simple intervention in promoting healthier eating, which should interest consumers, food marketers, health professionals, and policy makers.
Modeling On-Sun Tests of a Prototype Solid Particle Receiver for Concentrating Solar Power Processes and Storage

A model has been developed to simulate the performance of a prototype solid particle receiver that was recently tested at Sandia National Laboratories. The model includes irradiation from the concentrated solar flux, two-band re-radiation and emission with the cavity, discrete-phase particle transport and heat transfer, gas-phase convection, wall conduction, and radiative and convective heat losses. Simulated temperatures of the particles and cavity walls were compared to measured values for nine on-sun tests. Results showed that the simulated temperature distributions and receiver efficiencies matched closely with trends in experimental data as a function of input power and particle mass flow rate. The average relative error between the simulated and measured efficiencies and increases in particle temperature was less than 10%. Simulations of particle velocities and concentrations as a function of position beneath the release point were also evaluated and compared to measured values collected during unheated tests with average relative errors of 6% and 8%, respectively. The calibrated model is being used in parametric analyses to better understand the impact and interactions of multiple parameters with a goal of optimizing the performance and efficiency of the solid particle receiver.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
The Social Psychology of Tokenism: Status and Homophily Processes on Wall Street:

While conscious action may produce some inequality, most discrimination occurs through cognitive processes that are automatic and unconscious. I examine the role of two cognitive mechanisms that affect gender inequality in the securities industry: homophily preferences and status expectations. I argue that homophily preferences and status expectations are the general cognitive processes that produce the effects of “tokenism,” which were originally identified by Kanter for female tokens. These processes also lead to differences in the experiences of male and female tokens. I use qualitative data on 76 Wall Street professionals to illustrate how homophily and status processes maintain and reproduce stratification in securities firms. Moreover, the compensation system in this industry, which rewards employees based on performance evaluations, aggravates the effects of these cognitive processes. Strong mentors, the possession of specialized skills, and objective performance indicators seem to mitigate these e...
Studies on the physiology and genetics of the rotifer, Asplanchna. III. Results of outcrossing, selfing, and selection

Sympatric populations of Asplanchna brightwelli and A. girodi do not hybridize, so that these two morphological species represent distinct biological species or syngens. Populations of A. brightwelli from Tennessee and Indiana may be crossed to give viable F1, F2, and backcross generations. These two widely separated populations may thus be assigned to a single biological species. A program of repeated selfing with selection for high clonal viability has been carried out with A. brightwelli. Clonal viability declined with the first selfing, then rose with succeeding generations of selfing and selection, to or above the viability of clones obtained by inbreeding within the parental mixed stock. Selfing also led to an increase in the homogeneity of the growth rates of groups of sibling clones obtained by selfing, suggesting increased homozygosity in the selfed, selected lines. The results of the selfing and selection experiments suggest that wild stocks of Asplanchna are heterozygous for a number of recessive detrimental and lethal genes affecting the growth rate and viability of clones. The heterozygosity of the natural populations, together with the failure of geographically isolated populations of a morphological species to become reproductively isolated, suggests that these rotifers are not extreme inbreeders. It is suggested that the maintenance of recessive detrimentals in these rotifers, in which the males are haploid, may indicate that the phenotype of a male is determined to a large extent by the genotype of its mother. Such maternal effects would protect detrimentals from selection in the male offspring of heterozygous females.
Parasites of the American White Pelican

Metazoan symbionts, including parasites, infecting the American white pelican (AWP) Pelecanus erythrorhynchos comprise a list of 75 species, 7 of which are new host records. Several new geographic records are also presented, but generally these have a low value because of the migratory nature of the bird. Evidence suggests that some parasites, mostly flies and other arthropods but also nematodes and digeneans, produce detrimental behavioral or pathologic changes in the AWP. Some of the arthropods transmit microbial agents to the pelican. Two digeneans that have the AWP as a definitive host harm and even kill their catfish intermediate host, especially in aquaculture, and another causes abnormalities and mortality in amphibians. Some of the arthropods with low hostspecificity can potentially transmit harmful microbial agents to humans and domestic animals. A few avian bloodflukes, intestinal flukes, and nematodes can potentially cause “swimmers itch,” gastroenteritis, and “anisakiasis,” respectively, in humans. Because of the life cycles of some helminths, presence of those worms can provide an indication as to the dietary items of a specific pelican individual, where the individual has been, and how long it has been present in an area. Feather mites, lice, and diplostomoid digeneans serve as good parasites to indicate phylogenetic relationships among different pelican species as well as relationships among the Pelecanidae and other families such as the Sulidae.
Initiating Autogenic Restoration on Shallow Semiarid Sites

Our objectives were to evaluate the use of microcatchments in the establishment of Leucaena retusa (little-leaf leadtree) and Atriplex canescens (four-wing saltbush) and their role in the initiation of autogenic landscape restoration processes on a shallow semiarid site. Three six-month-old seedlings of either Leucaena retusa or Atriplex canescens were planted in 1.5-m 2 microcatchments. An equal number of seedlings was planted in control plots (unmodified soil surface). The water collection effects on shrub survival, standing biomass, and the natural immigration of herbaceous vegetation were determined over 42 months. Planting in microcatchment basins doubled Leucaena seedling survival and resulted in a five-fold increase in standing biomass, compared to the control, during the first growing season. There was a significant increase in soil organic matter in the microcatchment basins within 32 months. At the same time, microcatchments planted with Atriplex canescens seedlings had a ten-fold increase in seedling standing biomass compared to the control. Forty-two months after transplanting, the herbaceous standing crop was significantly greater near Atriplex canescens or in microcatchment basins than in plots with unmodified surface soil. Basins containing Atriplex produced signficantly more herbaceous vegetation than basins containing Leucaena, and empty basins produced the least herbaceous vegetation of three basin treatments. These data suggest that landscape-scale procedures that concentrate scarce resources (water, organic matter, nutrients, and propagules), establish keystone species, and ameliorate microenvironmental conditions can initiate autogenic restoration of degraded semiarid ecosystems
Alterations in membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase abundance after the induction of thoracic aortic aneurysm in a murine model.

Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) develop as a result of dysregulated extracellular matrix remodeling mediated by several matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Membrane type-1 MMP (MT1-MMP) is the proto...
Developing Cognitive Control Three Key Transitions

The ability to flexibly break out of routine behaviors develops gradually and is essential for success in life. In this article, we discuss three key developmental transitions toward more flexible behavior. First, children develop an increasing ability to overcome habits by engaging cognitive control in response to environmental signals. Second, children shift from recruiting cognitive control reactively, as needed in the moment, to recruiting cognitive control proactively, in preparation for needing it. Third, children shift from relying on environmental signals for engaging cognitive control to becoming more self-directed. All three transitions can be understood in terms of the development of increasingly active and abstract goal representations in the prefrontal cortex.
Predicting Congestion in the Northeast U.S.: A Search for Indicators

The Northeast U.S. is arguably the most congested airspace in the world. Four major New York airports have very high total operations counts and are concentrated geographically. Improvements are needed for traffic managers’ decision support systems to support proactive intervention leading to smoother arrival flows. A team at The MITRE Corporation’s Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD) addressed this issue by investigating predictive indicators of the future balance of air traffic demand and capacity at airport resources. Most flights in the Northeast last less than 70 minutes, so predictions of airspace congestion at least one hour ahead would be most useful, because flow control could therefore extend to pre-departure. Predictions are needed especially during visual meteorological conditions, when congestion is not necessarily an expected outcome.The approach was to conduct an analysis in two phases. In phase one the team postulated four different indicators and used off-line and real...
Burke's Vehemence and the Rhetoric of Historical Exaggeration

This article seeks to explain Edmund Burke9s notorious verbal vehemence as the consequence of a deliberate rhetorical strategy. I argue that over the course of a thirty-year parliamentary career, Burke relied on sharply formulated historical contrasts in order to express his opposition to the policies of successive ministries and warn of threats to the nation9s defining achievements. Through the use of four distinct syntactical patterns, Burke cultivated a style of hyperbole which exaggerated both the failings of the present and the virtues of the national past, focusing on two periods in particular: the High Middle Ages and the early eighteenth-century era of Whig Oligarchy.
Doubly-selective MIMO channel estimation using superimposed training

Channel estimation for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) frequency- and time-selective channels is considered using superimposed training. The time-varying channel is assumed to be described by a complex exponential basis expansion model (CB-BEM). A user-specific periodic (non-random) training sequence is arithmetically added (superimposed) at a low power to each user's information sequence at the transmitter before modulation and transmission. A two-step approach is adopted where in the first step we estimate the channel using only the first-order statistics of the data. Using the estimated channel from the first step a Viterbi detector is used to estimate the information sequence. In the second step a deterministic maximum likelihood (DML) approach is used to iteratively estimate the MIMO channel and the information sequences sequentially. An illustrative computer simulation example is presented.
Current challenges in bioimage database design

Information technology research has played a significant role in the high-throughput acquisition and analysis of biological information. The tremendous amount of information gathered from genomics in the past decade is being complemented by knowledge from comprehensive, systematic studies of the properties and behaviors of all proteins and other biomolecules. Understanding complex systems such as the nervous system requires the high-resolution imaging of molecules and cells and the analysis of these images in order to understand how distribution patterns (e.g., the localization of specific neuron types within a region of the central nervous system, or the localization of molecules at the subcellular level) change in response to stress, injury, aging, and disease. We discuss two kinds of bioimage data: retinal images and microtubule images. We argue that supporting effective access to them requires new database techniques for description of probabilistic and interpreted data, and analysis of spatial and temporal information. The developed techniques are being implemented in a publicly available bioimage database.
Smart Textile-Based Wearable Biomedical Systems: A Transition Plan for Research to Reality

The field of smart textile-based wearable biomedical systems (ST-WBSs) has of late been generating a lot of interest in the research and business communities since its early beginnings in the mid-nineties. However, the technology is yet to enter the marketplace and realize its original goal of enhancing the quality of life for individuals through enhanced real-time biomedical monitoring. In this paper, we propose a framework for analyzing the transition of ST-WBS from research to reality. We begin with a look at the evolution of the field and describe the major components of an ST-WBS. We then analyze the key issues encompassing the technical, medical, economic, public policy, and business facets from the viewpoints of various stakeholders in the continuum. We conclude with a plan of action for transitioning ST-WBS from ?research to reality?.
Statistical Ka-Band Link Analysis

- Ka-band link performance is dominated by weather effects, both in terms of atmospheric attenuation and atmospheric noise temperature increase. Weather effects are inherently statistical, and Kaband weather effects have higher uncertainty compared to the S-band and X-band counterparts. As such, the Gaussian assumption that simplifies statistical link analysis for S- and X-bands might not be valid, and computational-intensive convolution of probability density functions are needed for link analysis. The weather effects, whether individual or aggregated, can be easily measured but difficult to characterize as parametric probability distribution functions. To simplify the analysis, the current statistical link analysis approach uses the worst-case weather loss as a deterministic value to evaluate the link performance, which results in a conservative link design. Using sound statistical principles, this paper describe a simple link analysis approach that integrates the Gaussian components of a link directly with the empirical Ka-band weather data from direct measurements This approach removes the artificial conservatism of the current approach, and yields a lower and tighter upper bound of the received power required to close the link in a statistical sense. We illustrate this technique and compare with the current approach on link analysis using the antennas and weather measurements of the three DSN sites in Goldstone, Canberra, and Madrid.
Children and Youth With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Summary of Intervention Recommendations After Clinical Diagnosis

Abstract Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) present with a wide range of developmental disabilities; however, clinical standards of care after a diagnosis are not well established. This retrospective review summarizes the types of intervention recommendations generated by an interdisciplinary FASD diagnostic team for 120 children ages 0.2 to 16.5 years receiving an FASD diagnosis at the University of Washington FAS Diagnostic & Prevention Network Clinic. Intervention recommendations documented in a FASD diagnostic summary report and submitted to each patient's medical record were subject to masked review and content analysis. Intervention recommendations were compared across 3 FASD diagnostic groups and selected demographic variables. The results show the type and frequency of services, supports, and resources recommended to a clinical sample of children with FASD.
N‐(Phenylsulfonyl)(3,3‐dichlorocamphoryl)oxaziridine

(−) [22270-28-4] C16H19Cl2NO3S (MW 376.33) InChI = 1S/C16H19Cl2NO3S/c1-13(2)12-9-10-14(13,3)16(15(12,17)18)19(22-16)23(20,21)11-7-5-4-6-8-11/h4-8,12H,9-10H2,1-3H3/t12-,14+,16?,19-/m0/s1 InChIKey = SKXAHVPODUVSJW-IDOUZKKGSA-N (+) [138874-52-9] InChI = 1S/C16H19Cl2NO3S/c1-13(2)12-9-10-14(13,3)16(15(12,17)18)19(22-16)23(20,21)11-7-5-4-6-8-11/h4-8,12H,9-10H2,1-3H3/t12-,14+,16?,19-/m1/s1 InChIKey = SKXAHVPODUVSJW-DDAVFFBNSA-N (asymmetric oxidizing reagent for the enantioselective oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides,1 selenides to selenoxides,2 and sulfenimines to sulfinimines3) Physical Data: mp 121–122 °C; (3′S,2R)-(−) [α]D20 −159° (c 4.2, CHCl3); (3′R,2S)-(+) [α]D20 +157° (c 4.1, CHCl3). Solubility: insol H2O; sol CH2Cl2, CHCl3, THF, alcohols; sparingly sol CCl4. Form Supplied in: white solid. Analysis of Reagent Purity: by mp and specific rotation determination. Preparative Methods: the (−)-oxaziridine 1 is prepared from (1R)-(+)-camphor by condensation with benzenesulfonamide/TiCl4 (eq 1). The chlorine atoms are introduced via the sulfonimine azaenolate by treatment with Sodium Hexamethyldisilazide and N-Chlorosuccinimide or preferably with 1,8-Diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene and 1,3-dichloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin.4, 5 Although oxidation of the dichlorosulfonimine 2 requires >95% m-Chloroperbenzoic Acid and 4–5 days for completion, the oxidation can be carried out on a multigram scale (>60 g). Higher yields of 1 are obtained when 2 is dissolved in a minimum of the CH2Cl2 solvent. The antipode, (+)-1, is similarly available from (1S)-(−)-camphor. (1) In contrast to 2-(phenylsulfonyl)-3-phenyloxaziridine, this less reactive reagent does not epoxidize alkenes or oxidize amines to amine oxides. Purification: flash chromatography. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: store at room temperature.
Using recursive classification to discover predictive features

Finding most predictive features for statistical classification is a challenging problem and has important applications. Support Vector Machines (SVMs), for example, have been found successful with a recursive procedure in selecting most important genes for cancer prediction. It is not well understood, however, how much the success depends on the choice of the classifier, and how much on the recursive procedure. We answer this question by examining multiple classifiers (SVM, ridge regression and Rocchio) with feature selection in recursive and non-recursive settings, on a DNA microarray dataset (AMLALL) and a text categorization benchmark (Reuters-21578). We found recursive ridge regression most effective: its best classification performance (zero error) on the AMLALL dataset was obtained when using only 3 genes (selected from over 7000), which is more impressive than the best published result on the same benchmark - zero error of recursive SVM using 8 genes. On Reuters-21578, recursive ridge regression also achieves the best result ever published (the improvement was verified in a significance test). An in-depth analysis of the experimental results shows that the choice of classifier heavily influences the recursive feature selection process: the ridge regression classifier tends to penalize redundant features to a much larger extent than the SVM does.
Mid- to long-wavelength infrared surface plasmon properties in doped zinc oxides

This work investigates properties of surface plasmons on doped metal oxides in the 2-20 µm wavelength regime. By varying the stoichiometry in pulse laser deposited Ga and Al doped ZnO, the plasmonic properties can be controlled via a fluctuating free carrier concentration. This deterministic approach may enable one to develop the most appropriate stoichometry of ZnAlO and ZnGaO in regards to specific plasmonic applications for particular IR wavelengths. Presented are theoretical and experimental investigations pertaining to ZnAlO and ZnGaO as surface plasmon host materials. Samples are fabricated via pulsed laser deposition and characterized by infrared ellipsometry and Hall-effect measurements. Complex permittivity spectra are presented, as well as plasmon properties such as the field propagation lengths and penetration depths, in the infrared range of interest. Drude considerations are utilized to determine how the optical properties may change with doping. Finite element simulations verify these plasmonic properties. These materials not only offer potential use as IR plasmon hosts for sensor applications, but also offer new integrated device possibilities due to stoichiometric control of electrical and optical properties.
Helical ice-sheets inside carbon nanotubes in the physiological condition

Molecular dynamics simulations were performed, in the physiological condition (300 K and 1 atm), on nanotube segments of various diameters submerged in water. The results show that water molecules can exist inside the nanotube segments, and, most importantly, the water molecules inside the tubes tend to organize themselves into a highly hydrogen-bonded network, i.e., solid-like wrapped-around ice sheets. The disorder-to-order transition of these ice-sheets can be achieved purely by tuning the size of the tubes. The results also suggest that the nanotubes have the potential to be used as proton-conducting pores for a variety of biological applications.
Serum lipoproteins in rats with carbon tetrachloride-induced fatty liver

After the administration of CCl4 to male rats, liver triglycerides began to increase after a lag period of about 1 hr; the level of serum triglycerides fell sharply during the first 30 min of intoxication. Three classes of serum lipoproteins were isolated by flotation in the ultracentrifuge and their concentrations and chemical compositions were determined. Within 4 hr of the administration of CCl4 the level of the very low density (VLD-) lipoproteins fell to 25% of that in the control rats. Smaller decreases in the levels of the other two classes of lipoproteins were evident. The serum concentration of all the components of the VLD-lipoproteins were reduced, but proportionally more lipids were bound to the protein moiety in the CCl4-treated rats than in the controls. The concentrations of protein and triglycerides of the VLD-lipoproteins declined most steeply during the first hour of intoxication. The results are interpreted as further evidence that the fatty liver induced by CCl4, is due to a block in the release of hepatic triglycerides to the plasma, the primary lesion being, very probably, inhibition of the synthesis of the protein moiety of serum lipoproteins.
Strong motion seismology

Strong motion accelerographs and data processing systems for the measurement of strong ground motion of damaging earthquakes are described with some comments on future developments. Some information is given on the earthquakes and instrumentation sites for which important records have been obtained. Studies of the areal distribution of ground motions during earthquakes are discussed in terms of transmission path effects. Some speculations are advanced concerning the establishment of limiting values of earthquake ground motions.
Determinants of Foreign Aid: Rivalry and Domestic Instability

ABSTRACTForeign aid is usually seen as a form of international cooperation. Thus, the expectation is that states engaged in international rivalry with one another should be unlikely to provide each other aid. However, they do provide their enemies aid. We consider how situations of uncertainty influence aid transfers between states. We argue that states may provide each other aid to limit uncertainty from potential regime changes that could lead to war. Such uncertainty is particularly bad for rivals who are prone to militarized conflict. We find that rivals may provide one another foreign aid when one of the countries is experiencing regime-threatening levels of domestic instability. We compare these results to the behavior of nonrivals and find that: Rivals are likely to provide their enemies aid in times of uncertainty; rivals are no less likely to give aid to each other than are nonrivals; and rivals provide more aid during times of instability than do nonrivals.
The Masses of Ne 20 and B 11 . The Mass of Ne 22 and the Disintegration of F 19

The mass of ${\mathrm{Ne}}^{20}$ measured from ten spectra is 19.9967\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0009. This value is outside the limit of error of Aston's measurement and an explanation for his high mass value is suggested. The mass of ${\mathrm{B}}^{11}$ was measured from two spectra as a test of the method used to determine the mass of ${\mathrm{Ne}}^{22}$. The mass of ${\mathrm{B}}^{11}$ from these measurements is 11.0107\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.001. The mass of ${\mathrm{Ne}}^{22}$ from five spectra is 21.9947\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0009. The maximum value for the mass of ${\mathrm{Ne}}^{22}$ is 21.9925\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0015 calculated from Aston's value for ${\mathrm{F}}^{19}$ and from the ${\mathrm{F}}^{19}$ disintegration experiments of Chadwick and Constable. The discrepancy between the two values for the mass of ${\mathrm{Ne}}^{22}$ is discussed.