cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Perceptual Speech and Paralinguistic Skills of Adolescents With Williams Syndrome

The purpose of this research was to compare selected speech and paralinguistic skills of speakers with Williams syndrome (WS) and typically developing peers and to demonstrate the feasibility of providing preexisting databases to students to facilitate graduate research. In a series of three studies, conversational samples of 12 adolescents with WS and 12 adolescents matched for chronological age and sex were compared on a variety of speech and paralinguistic measures. The participants with WS performed similarly to age-matched peers on intelligibility, percentage consonants correct, loudness, phrasing, and pitch. There was a significant difference between the groups of participants for modified phonological mean length of utterances, mean syllables per word attempted and accurate productions, whole word accuracy, fillers, laughter, repetitions/reformulations, sound effects, rate, stress, and voice quality. In several cases, the performance of the adolescents with WS was stronger than age-matched particip...
A study on the wideband lens amplifier for spatial power combining

In this paper, a wideband lens amplifier is proposed as a spatial power combiner for C-band services. The proposed lens amplifier has a tile-tray hybrid structure that can solve isolation, wideband, and heat-sink problems. Also, it has a balanced amplifier structure which has many benefits, such as high output power, but remains a simple circuit configuration without a balun. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 46: 148–152, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20927
Synthesis of several mesoionic 1,3,4‐thiadiazoles

Several mesoionic 1,3,4-thiadiazoles, more properly termed anhydro-4-phenyl-5-substituted-2-thio-1-thia-3,4-diazolinium thiols, have been synthesized. Physical constants for the compounds have been determined and recorded. Preliminary screening against selected microorganisms indicated some useful inhibitory activity in vitro . The compounds were determined to have low intraperitoneal acute toxicity in the mouse.
A critical review of premature infants with inguinal hernias: optimal timing of repair, incarceration risk, and postoperative apnea.

Abstract Background/purpose This study evaluated the optimal timing for repair, incarceration risk, and postoperative apnea rate in premature infants with inguinal hernias. Methods This was a retrospective review of premature infants undergoing inguinal hernia repairs from 2006 to 2008. Results One hundred seventy-two patients were identified. Mean gestational age was 30.7 weeks, and mean birth weight was 1428 g. At repair, mean postconceptional age was 46.6 weeks with mean weight of 3688 g. Elective repairs were performed on 127 patients. Thirty-five patients were discharged with a known hernia, and none developed incarceration. No postoperative apnea episodes occurred in any of these 127 patients. Forty-five patients had herniorrhaphy before discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with a median postoperative hospitalization of 8 days (2-51 days). Thirteen percent required prolonged (>48 hours) intubation after repair. Of 172 patients, 8 (4.6%) developed incarcerated hernia. Five incarcerations occurred in the NICU before discharge, and 3 patients had incarceration as their initial presentation. Conclusions There is minimal risk of postoperative apnea for premature infants undergoing elective inguinal hernia repair. The risk of incarceration in premature infants discharged from the NICU with a known hernia is low. Herniorrhaphy before discharge from the NICU was associated with a prolonged hospital stay.
Steroid sulfatase mediated growth Sof human MG-63 pre-osteoblastic cells

Estrogen plays an important role in maintaining bone density. Postmenopausal women have low plasma estrogen, but have high levels of conjugated steroids, particularly estrone sulfate (E1S) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS). Conversion of these precursors to active estrogens may help maintain bone density in postmenopausal women. The enzyme steroid sulfatase (STS) converts sulfated steroids into active forms in peripheral tissues. STS occurs in bone, but little is known about its role in bone function. In this study, we investigated STS activity and expression in the human MG-63 pre-osteoblastic cell line. We also tested whether sulfated steroids can stimulate growth of these cells. MG-63 cells and microsomes both possessed STS activity, which was blocked by the STS inhibitors EMATE and 667 Coumate. Further evidence for STS in these cells was provided by RT-PCR, using STS specific primers, which resulted in cDNA products of the predicted size. We then tested for growth of MG-63 cells in the presence of estradiol-17β, E1S and DHEAS. All three steroids stimulated MG-63 cell growth in a steroid-free basal medium. We also tested whether the cell growth induced by sulfated steroids could be blocked using a STS inhibitor (667 Coumate) or using an estrogen receptor blocker (ICI 182,780). Both compounds inhibited E1S-induced cell growth, indicating that E1S stimulates MG-63 cell growth through a mechanism involving both STS and the estrogen receptor. Finally, we demonstrated using RT-PCR that MG-63 cells contain mRNA for both estrogen receptor alpha and estrogen receptor beta. Our data reveal that STS is present in human pre-osteoblastic bone cells and that it can influence bone cell growth by converting inactive sulfated steroids to estrogenic forms that act via estrogen receptor alpha or beta.
Endoscopic repair of frontal sinus cerebrospinal fluid leaks.

Objective To describe endoscopic management of frontal sinus cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks. Study design Retrospective. Methods We reviewed all frontal sinus CSF leaks treated using an endoscopic approach at our institutions from 1998 to 2003. CSF leaks originated immediately adjacent to or within the frontal recess or frontal sinus proper for inclusion in the study. Data collected included demographics, presenting signs and symptoms, site and size of skull-base defect, surgical approach, repair technique, and clinical follow up. Results Seven frontal sinus CSF leaks in six patients were repaired endoscopically. Average age of presentation was 45 years (range 25-65 years). Aetiology was idiopathic (three), congenital (one), accidental trauma (one), and surgical trauma (two). All patients presented with CSF rhinorrhea; two patients presented with meningitis. Four defects originated in the frontal recess, while two others involved the posterior table and frontal sinus outflow tract. Four patients had associated encephaloceles. We performed endoscopic repair in all six patients with one patient requiring an adjuvant osteoplastic flap without obliteration. All repairs were successful at the first attempt with a mean follow up of 13 months. All frontal sinuses remained patent on both post-operative endoscopic and radiographic exam. Conclusions Endoscopic repair of frontal sinus CSF leaks and encephaloceles can be an effective method if meticulous attention is directed toward preservation of the frontal sinus outflow tract, thus avoiding an osteoplastic flap and obliteration. The major limiting factor for an endoscopic approach is extreme extension superiorly or laterally within the posterior table beyond the reach of current instrumentation.
Zooplankton community structure and copepod species composition in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract Zooplankton community structure and copepod species composition are analysed in samples obtained during spring and winter from three areas of the northern Gulf of Mexico: near the Mississippi River outflow, off Cape San Blas, and in the central Gulf of Mexico. Samples from different regions were distinguishable in correspondence analysis of dominant species and/or functional groups. The near-surface communities of the Mississippi and central Gulf were particularly distinct while Cape San Blas was intermediate in both structure and specific character. Saltier waters directly beneath the Mississippi Plume yielded samples similar to those from near-surface waters well offshore. At the same time near-surface waters off the Mississippi and off Cape San Blass to the west were distinguishable even during spring when the outflow from the Mississippi was at its annual peak. These differences are consistent with the discharge and flow patterns of the Mississippi River plume and the northern Gulf and with systematic differences in such parameters as temperature, salinity and chlorophyll concentration. The implications of these observations upon the feeding environments of the larvae of commercially significant fish species are addressed since both zooplankton prey and larval predators appear to be particularly abundant in the Mississippi River plume environs.
Bacteria are not what they eat: that is why they are so diverse.

Microorganisms in the environment encounter a varied and not invariably benign diet. The primary suppliers of nutrients for microorganisms are plants. Consumers such as fungi and bacteria do not act singly and often offer plants a return on their investment. Fixed nitrogen and scavenged minerals are
Modelling phenotypic plasticity. I. Linear and higher-order effects of dominance, drift, environmental frequency and selection on a one-locus, two-allele model

The evolutionary dynamics of dominance, drift, selection and probability of environmental change is explored in the case of a single-locus two-allele model for the genetic control of phenotypic plasticity. The model represents a situation similar to the real case of the pennant/vestigial phenotype inDrosophila melanogaster. The aim of the simulation is to analyse the contribution of the four factors, of their quadratic effects, and of the two-way interactions on the equilibrium frequencies of the two alleles and on the genotypic constitution of the population. Selection turned out to be the only factor whose linear component significantly affects the system (73% of the variance explained); on the other hand, the cumulative effect of the nonlinear terms is strong (20% of the variance), and most of the interactions are highly significant. Some counter-intuitive effects of the interaction between selection and dominance or selection and frequency of the two environments are shown by means of contour plots from a multidimensional regression surface analysis. An interesting outcome is that plasticity can be favoured in a homogeneous environment, and it is selected against in one particular case of environmental heterogeneity: when two environments are equally likely to occur.
You're my parent but you're not: Dialectical tensions in stepchildren's perceptions about communicating with the nonresidential parent

The nonresidential parent plays a role in the lives of stepchildren and in stepfamily households. The focus of the present study was on the interaction between the nonresidential parent and his/her child who resides as part of a stepfamily household. Grounded in relational dialectics theory, the researchers performed an interpretive analysis of 50 transcribed interviews with college-aged stepchildren. Stepchildren's perceptions of communication with the nonresidential parent were animated by two contradictions: parenting/nonparenting and openness/closedness. These two contradictions form a totality, interwoven with one another. The parenting/nonparenting contradiction reflected stepchildren's ambivalence over parenting attempts of nonresidential parents. Stepchildren wanted nonresidential parent involvement and parenting, and at the same time they resisted it, often finding communication to be awkward and challenging. In addition, stepchildren wanted open and intimate communication with their nonresidenti...
Effect of concentration level on mass transfer rates

Carbon tetrachloride was evaporated into a stream of air over ranges of gas concentration from 0 to 0.70 mole fraction carbon tetrachloride, Reynolds number from 600 to 15,000, and Schmidt number from 0.23 to 1.17. The data were correlated by an equation and also by a computer solution to the differential equation describing mass transfer from values of eddy viscosity and eddy diffusivity obtained from the literature.
Effects of climate variations on pelagic ocean habitats and their role in structuring forage fish distributions in the Bering Sea

Abstract This paper examines how climate variations influence the boundaries of suitable ocean habitat, and how these changes affect the spatial distribution and interactions between forage fishes in the southeastern Bering Sea shelf. The study focuses on the summer distributions of forage fish age-0 and age-1 walleye pollock, Theragra chalcogramma, and capelin, Mallotus villosus, observed during National Marine Fisheries Service summer acoustic trawl, surface trawl and bottom trawl surveys conducted in the Bering Sea between 2004 and 2009. We compare the responses of these forage fish to climate-induced shifts in ocean habitats. Habitat boundaries were defined using key explanatory variables including depth, bottom temperature and surface temperature, using general additive models. Bathymetry, bottom temperature and frontal zones formed boundaries between different groups of forage fishes. Age-0 pollock were dispersed throughout the middle domain (50–100 m depth) in well-stratified regions. In cold years the highest densities of age-0s were found in the southern regions of the middle domain waters in waters warmer than approximately 1 °C. In contrast, age-1 pollock were observed on the sea floor over the middle domain and in midwater in the northern outer domain in cold years and more broadly dispersed across the middle and outer domain in warm years. The demersal concentrations of age-1 pollock in the middle domain shows age-1 pollock tolerate a wide range of bottom temperatures. Midwater and demersal distributions of age-1 pollock exhibited a patchier distribution than age-0 pollock. Midwater concentrations of age-1 pollock tended to be associated with the outer domain and regions where higher levels of lower trophic level production are expected. Capelin were concentrated in the inner domain, a well-mixed region. The overlap of age-1 pollock and capelin was higher in cold years than in warm years.
Modified regularity conditions for nonlinear programming problems over mixed cone domains

In earlier results by Sposito and David, Kuhn--Tucker duality was established over nondegenerate cone domains (not necessarily polyhedral) without differentiability under a certain natural modification of the Slater condition, in addition to the convexity of a certain auxiliary set. This note extends Kuhn--Tucker duality to optimization problems with both nondegenerate and degenerate cone domains. Moreover, under a different condition than presented in earlier results by the author, this note develops Kuhn--Tucker duality for a certain class of nonlinear problems with linear constraints and an arbitrary objective function.
Choices in medical management for prevention of acute ischemic stroke

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability. Although advances are being made in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke, its prevention is equally as important. Identification and management of risk factors are essential. Medical therapy is also helpful in the secondary prevention of ischemic stroke. There are currently four plateletantiaggregating agents used to prevent ischemic stroke: aspirin, aspirin plus dipyridamole, clopidogrel, and ticlopidine. The relevant studies proving their efficacy are noted, as are some of their similarities and differences. The use of warfarin is also discussed.
Acute Ethanol Intoxication Suppresses the Pulmonary Inflammatory Response in Rats Challenged with Intrapulmonary Endotoxin

The effects of acute ethanol intoxication on the functional activities of circulating and lung-recruited polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and alveolar macrophages (AMs) were determined in rats challenged with intratracheal endotoxin to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the defects of pulmonary host defenses caused by acute ethanol intoxication. Acute ethanol Intoxication was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of 20% ethanol at a dose of 5.5 g of ethanol/kg. The control animals were injected with an equal amount of saline. Thirty min after intraperitoneal injection, rats were challenged with intratracheal endotoxin (300 micrograms/kg in 0.5 ml of saline) or saline. The rats were killed 3 h after intratracheal injection. CD11b/c expression on PMNs and phagocytosis and hydrogen peroxide generation of PMNs and AMs were determined by flow cytometry. Cytokine-Induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC) level in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was measured with a specific ELISA. Intratracheal endotoxin caused a significant PMN recruitment into the lung in control animals. Acute ethanol intoxication completely suppressed the endotoxin-induced pulmonary recruitment of PMNs. Pulmonary-recruited PMNs exhibited a significant upregulation (8-fold) of CD11b/c expression when compared with circulating PMNs. This upregulation of CD11b/c expression was abolished by ethanol intoxication. Ethanol intoxication suppressed hydrogen peroxide generation by AMs and lung-recruited PMNs, and the phagocytosis of circulating PMNs. In contrast, acute ethanol intoxication did not affect pulmonary CINC production. These data indicate that the antiinflammatory effects of alcohol seem to be primarily based on the effects of ethanol on the PMNs themselves and not on the generation of certain chemotactic stimuli. In addition to the impairment of PMN recruitment, the suppression of AM and PMN activities also contributes to the mechanisms underlying ethanol-induced defects of pulmonary host defenses.
Multiphoton excitation of fluorescence

The increasing availability of fs lasers has resulted in expanded interest in multi-photon excitation of fluorescence. In this overview paper, we describe recent developments in multi-photon induced fluorescence spectroscopy and anisotropy. Experimental results are presented for three-photon excitation of tyrosine and tryptophan, and for the single tryptophan protein, troponin C Mutant F22. Three-photon excitation has been also applied to study DPH-labeled membranes and DNA stained with DAPI. The enhancement in spatial resolution resulting from three-photon excitation in spectroscopic and microscopic conditions is described for BBO scintillator in solution. We also describe two-photon excitation with using two-photon at different wavelengths.
Detection of stress-induced morphological alterations of polyethylene terephthalate by gas permeation

Films of polyethylene terephthalate drawn near the glass transition temperature show evidence of the development of stress-induced morphological alteration (referred to the amorphous, unoriented form) as deduced from observed initial increases in permeability and decreases in apparent permeation activation energy for oxygen. The respective values of\(\bar P\) and\(E_{\bar P}\) for the smaller molecule, helium, are less affected over the same range of film elongations. A simple two-group transport model of the polymer microstructure suffices to explain the data and electron micrographs reveal that an unusual type of crystalline phase, apparently the result of stretching nearTg, is the origin of the low activation energy pathways, leading to the observed diffusional enhancement for oxygen.
Non-addictive habits: optimal consumption-portfolio policies

Abstract We formulate a model of preferences with non-addictive habits, where consumption is required to be non-negative at all times, but can fall below a “standard of living” index that aggregates past consumption. We study the consumption-portfolio problem taking account of the non-negativity constraint on consumption, and provide a constructive proof for the existence of an optimal policy on a finite time-horizon [0,T]. We show that the consumption constraint binds up to an endogenous stopping time τ ∗ ∈[0,T] , after which it remains slack until T. A decomposition of constrained consumption involving an Asian average-strike capped call-option is demonstrated.
Coding of stereoscopic images

Stereo images are used in many applications including autonomous vehicle navigation, geoscience, and machine vision. The storage and transmission of the stereo images involve large amounts of data. Therefore, efficient coding techniques are required to encode the two correlated stereo image pairs with low bit rates. This paper presents two techniques to compress stereo image data. The proposed schemes are based on subband coding and disparity compensation (DC). DC, which is similar to motion compensation, exploits the redundancy that exists between two stereo images. In the first method, the two images are decomposed into four subbands using two-tap filters. The lowest band of the left image is coded using block DPCM and DC is applied to code the lowest band of the right image. The high bands are directly quantized and PCM coded. The coding is adaptive in the sense that different quantizers are selected based on the activity of each block. In the second method, disparity compensated interpolative predictive coding, DC is applied to the original images and proceeds in a different way. To find the differential signals, the pixels in each block of the right image are divided into two groups, P1 and P2. P1 pixels are predicted by the corresponding pixels in its matching block and P2 pixels are predicted interpolatively by the decoded P1 pixels. Finally, a method for the lossless coding of the disparity information is presented. The proposed lossless scheme reduces the overhead information and the search efforts.
Modification of neuronal muscarinic receptor-mediated responses by islet-activating protein

Islet-activating protein (IAP) was used to investigate the role of the guanosine triphosphate binding proteins Gi and/or Go in muscarinic acetylcholine receptor-mediated responses in neuroblastoma cells (clone N1E-115). Incubation of intact cells for 24 h with 20 ng/ml IAP resulted in inhibition of subsequent IAP catalyzed incorporation of [32P]ADP-ribose into a membrane protein doublet of molecular weight 40,000 (Gi alpha and Go alpha). IAP treatment fully blocked muscarinic receptor-mediated inhibition of cAMP accumulation. Incubation of intact cells with carbachol for 8 h resulted in the concentration dependent loss of membrane muscarinic receptor. Pretreatment of cells with IAP prior to carbachol exposure partially blocked the subsequent decrease in receptor number. Pretreatment of cells with IAP had no effect on the ability of carbachol to stimulate phosphoinositide hydrolysis in neuroblastoma cells. Thus, while the guanosine triphosphate binding proteins Gi and/or Go are involved in coupling the muscarinic receptor to some of the physiological responses in these cells, it is clear that activation of phospholipase C by the muscarinic receptor is a Gi/Go independent response.
Do Chief Resident Scores on the In-Service Examination Predict Their Performance on the American Board of Urology Qualifying Examination?

Purpose: The American Urological Association In-Service Examination and the American Board of Urology Qualifying Examination are written multiple choice tests that cover all domains in urology. We investigated whether In-Service Examination performance could identify chief residents who scored in the lowest quartile on the Qualifying Examination.Materials and Methods: All urology chief residents in the United States and Canada in 2008 and 2009 were eligible to participate in this study. In-Service Examination 2008 and Qualifying Examination 2009 performance data were obtained from the American Urological Association and American Board of Urology, respectively. Data were analyzed with the Pearson correlation and descriptive statistics.Results: Of the 257 American and Canadian chief residents who completed the Qualifying Examination 2009, 194 (75%) enrolled in this study and were included in analysis. Overall In-Service Examination 2008 scores correlated significantly with Qualifying Examination 2009 scores...
Improved fabrication accuracy of Bragg gratings

Bragg gratings have been used relatively extensively in recent years due to their highly dispersive and wavelength selective nature. Typically used as a reflective structure, the gratings reflect specific wavelengths at specific locations along the structure based on the grating periodicity to spatially shape an incident pulse of light according to its spectral components. Usually the purpose is to either compress or stretch the pulse. Unfortunately, fabrication tolerances severely limit the amount of chirp per unit of waveguide length that can be placed on a Bragg grating. For some applications, a few nanometers of chirp over a meter or more of waveguide would be ideal, yet placement accuracy of individual features is usually far less than is needed for such a task. We propose an alternative fabrication method which would provide a long grating with substantially increased placement accuracy. Instead of fashioning the grating in the typical linear manner, a waveguide is fabricated in a spiral shape. This has been done for delay lines and amplifier structures in the past. However, we propose to incorporate a radial grating underneath it. This provides us an additional degree of freedom, since the period of the grating changes very linearly with its radius, and a waveguide can be accurately positioned on top of it so as to gradually spiral inwards (or outwards) and change radius (and, hence, grating period) very slowly along its length. We present fabrication results, optical comparisons between similar linear and spiral structures, and preliminary theoretical modeling of the structures.
Methoxyflavone Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450

Cytochrome P450 enzymes are a superfamily of enzymes involved in the metabolism of endogenous compounds as well as xenobiotics. Due to the large number of reactions catalyzed by these enzymes and their importance in drug metabolism and carcinogenesis, they have been the focus of many studies over the years. Based on the knowledge that flavones are natural substrates of certain P450 enzymes (such as P450 1A2) involved in carcinogenesis, we have synthesized and studied a number of flavonoids as potential inhibitors of these enzymes. These compounds are structurally very similar to the natural flavone substrates of these enzymes but have methoxy substituents at various positions. Here we are reporting the synthesis, structural analysis, X-ray crystal structures, and preliminary inhibition studies of four methoxyflavones from this series. Crystallographic data: 2′-methoxyflavone, P-1, a = 7.2994(8) A, b = 8.3322(7) A, c = 10.8240(10) A, α = 97.905(8)°, β = 92.779(10)°, γ = 111.105(8)°, V = 604.9(1) A3; 3′-methoxyflavone, P21/n, a = 15.1313(16) A, b = 3.9699(4) A, c = 19.9454(16) A, β = 91.673(8)°, V = 1197.6(2) A3; 4′-methoxyflavone, P21/n, a = 16.451(12) A, b = 3.881(1) A, c = 19.529(16) A, β = 106.65(1)°, V = 1195.1(4) A3; 3′,4′-dimethoxyflavone, C2/c, a = 30.819(5) A, b = 4.0857(7) A, c = 26.100(3) A, β = 124.21(1)°, V = 2717.6(7) A3. Methoxyflavone Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450 Michael McKendall, Tasha Smith, Kien Anh, Jamie Ellis, Terri McGee, Maryam Foroozesh, Naijue Zhu and Cheryl L. Klein Stevens* This paper is a report of the synthesis, structural analysis, X-ray crystal structures, and preliminary inhibition studies of 2′-methoxyflavone, 3′-methoxyflavone, 4′-methoxyflavone, and 3′,4′-dimethoxyflavone.
An RIP-based evaluation method for candidate next generation cardiac CT architectures with carbon nanotube x-ray source

Despite impressive advancements in computed tomography (CT) technology in recent years, there are still critical and immediate needs in cardiac CT in terms of high spatial resolution, high temporal resolution and low radiation dose. Because carbon nanotube (CNT) x-ray sources can be compactly integrated, this technology can be used for multisource or stationary system to improve temporal resolution. To avoid the rotation of x-ray source, a lot of source-detector pairs are needed in a stationary CNT-based x-ray system. Limited by the space and costs, the number of source-detector pairs could not be too large, which results in a few-view scan problem. The reconstruction can be modeled as a l 1 -norm minimization problem, which usually can be solved by compressive sensing (CS) based algorithms. To evaluate the data completeness of candidate next generation cardiac CT architectures with CNT x-ray source, based on the fact that smaller restricted isometry property (RIP) constants lead to a better l 1 -norm recovery, we construct a measurement related to the RIP constants. The results show that the proposed RIP-based evaluation method coincides with the known CT reconstruction theory. This method is simple and easy to be implemented for different CT scan architectures, and it provides a practical tool to evaluate the data completeness in the framework of l 1 -norm recovery theory without a specific CS-based reconstruction algorithm.
Scattering length and effective range theory for multichannel processes

Abstract The threshold properties of a two-body system which is coupled to other two-body channels are investigated. In particular, we examine the new channel when it is coupled to only one other, open, channel. At the threshold of the new channel we consider three real parameters (which describe the scattering amplitudes): the complex scattering length, a = A − iB, in the new channel and the diagonal K matrix element in the old channel, c. We first establish the quantitative behavior of these parameters with respect to certain averaged strengths of the interactions. An interesting application is, for example, a relation between the three actual parameters and the c that would apply if the coupling between the channels were turned off. Effective range expansions exist for the three parameters. (These can be easily generalized to the problem of many old channels.) These have the same form as the familiar one-channel expansion, except that the coefficient, r0, of the quadratic term in the expansion is now an effective range type intergral multiplied by a factor depending on a and c. For example, in the effective range expansion of a, we find that if Im ( 1 a ) is large (compared to a kinematical factor, roughly the momentum, κ1, in the old channel) r0 will be large compared to the range of forces. A similar result applies for the effective range expansion of the length c κ 1 . We then illustrate the usefulness of some of the relations by solving, exactly, the problem in which the 2-channel system is described by 2 coupled Schrodinger equations with square well potentials. The scattering length is also examined by means of a complex potential for the situation where there are many coupled channels.
Comparison of clinical vs. electrophysiological methods of diagnosing of Essential tremor

Essential tremor (ET) may be differentiated from normal or enhanced physiological tremor based on a clinical examination or electrophysiological tests such as quantitative computerized tremor analysis. There have been few head to head comparisons of the two methods. Our objective was to estimate diagnostic agreement between these two methods. Cases and controls underwent a clinical evaluation (interview and videotaped examination) and an electrophysiological evaluation (quantitative computerized tremor analysis using accelerometry and electromyography) on the same day, and diagnoses were independently assigned using clinical vs. electrophysiological criteria. Agreement between diagnoses was assessed with a concordance rate and kappa statistic (kappa).Thirty-two (59.3%) of 54 subjects were diagnosed clinically as ET (possible, probable, or definite), compared with 35 (64.8%) of 54 based on tremor analysis. The concordance rate between the two methods of diagnosis was 94.4% (51 of 54). Kappa was 0.88, indicating a level of agreement between diagnoses that was in the "near perfect" range. All of the subjects who received electrophysiological diagnoses of definite ET also received clinical diagnoses of ET. Conversely, all of the subjects who received clinical diagnoses of definite ET also received electrophysiological diagnoses of ET. The agreement between the clinical and electrophysiological diagnosis of ET was substantial, suggesting that study protocols that were to utilize either technique would arrive at similar diagnostic conclusions. In addition, physiological testing can quantify potentially valuable subclinical measurements as well as detect possible additional cases of ET not diagnosed as such during clinical assessments.
Student and Faculty Member Engagement in Undergraduate Research.

Undergraduate research (UR) is a valued co-curricular activity that has involved an increasing number of students and faculty members in recent years. While there is a growing body of research on student participation in UR, there is less research available examining faculty perceptions of, participation in UR, and how those factors influence student participation in UR. This study examined approximately 110,000 responses to the National Survey of Student Engagement and 40,000 responses to the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement at over 450 four-year institutions. Findings revealed that individual and institutional characteristics predicted student and faculty member involvement and that the majority of faculty members perceived UR to be of importance. Implications for fostering faculty involvement, student success, and viewing UR as an institutional asset are discussed.
Tolerance and sensitization to chronic escalating dose heroin following extended withdrawal in Fischer rats: possible role of mu-opioid receptors.

Heroin addiction is characterized by recurrent cycles of drug use, abstinence, and relapse. It is likely that neurobiological changes during chronic heroin exposure persist across withdrawal and impact behavioral responses to re-exposure. We hypothesized that, after extended withdrawal, heroin-withdrawn rats would express behavioral tolerance and/or sensitization in response to heroin re-exposure and that these responses might be associated with altered mu-opioid receptor (MOPr) activity. Male Fischer rats were exposed chronically to escalating doses of heroin (7.5–75 mg/kg/day), experienced acute spontaneous withdrawal and extended (10-day) abstinence, and were re-exposed chronically to heroin. Homecage behaviors and locomotor activity in response to heroin, as well as somatic withdrawal signs, were recorded. Separate groups of rats were sacrificed after extended abstinence and MOPr expression and G-protein coupling were analyzed using [3H]DAMGO and [35S]GTPγS assays. The depth of behavioral stupor was lower during the initial days of heroin re-exposure compared to the initial days of the first exposure period. Behavioral responses (e.g., stereotypy) and locomotion were elevated in response to heroin re-exposure at low doses. Rats conditioned for heroin place preference during the chronic re-exposure period expressed heroin preference during acute withdrawal; this preference was stronger than rats conditioned during chronic heroin exposure that followed chronic saline and injection-free periods. Extended withdrawal was associated with increased MOPr expression in the caudate-putamen and frontal and cingulate cortices. No changes in G-protein coupling were identified. Aspects of tolerance/sensitization to heroin are present even after extended abstinence and may be associated with altered MOPr density.
Advanced Lightweight Beryllium Mirrors

Perkin-Elmer fabricated two 9.5-inch diameter beryllium mirror blanks using an advanced powder metallurgy process to produce a monolithic, lightweight structure with honeycomb interior weighing 2.16 pounds. The new beryllium material exhibits improved isotropy as measured by x-ray diffraction techniques. The mechanical properties meet or exceed the published values for commercially available vacuum hot pressed beryllium block. In addition, the material is readily polished to good figure and surface quality and has demonstrated potential for lower scatter than standard material. The monolithic sandwich construction demonstrated in the program is exceptionally stiff, permitting large lightweight mirrors to be constructed. A scaled-up 36-inch diameter mirror would weigh only 31 pounds using the technology demonstrated in the project. It is estimated that with minor modification in the process this weight could be halved.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Mechanical hysteresis on an atomic scale

Abstract A micromechanical hysteresis associated with intimate atomic force microscopy (AFM) on the Si(100) surface is discovered using ab initio total energy pseudopotential density functional calculations. It is predicted that it is possible to cycle repeatedly between two buckled configurations of a surface dimer along two different paths, one of which involves a discontinuous change of the equilibrium dimer-angle, by varying appropriately the vertical movement of the AFM tip. This microscopic mechanical hysteresis effect should be detectable experimentally in low temperature AFM measurements.
Correlation of Hollow and Solid Cylinder Dynamic Pressurization Tests for Measuring Permeability

An experimental apparatus and analytical derivation are developed for quantifying the permeability of cementitious materials using dynamic pressurization of a hollow cylinder. Experimental results from the newly developed hollow dynamic pressurization technique for measuring permeability are then compared to results obtained using the solid dynamic pressurization test. The measured permeabilities obtained from testing Vycor® glass and hardened cement paste indicate close agreement between the two test methods, which supports the validation of the hollow dynamic pressurization test as an accurate and repeatable method for measuring the permeability of cementitious materials. Three different pore fluids with widely varying viscosities were tested, each yielding equivalent intrinsic permeabilities. Additionally, the permeability values from this study agree reasonably well with relevant values presented in the recent literature.
Reanalysis Information for Eigenvalues Derived from a Differential Equation Analysis Formulation

The investigation reported demonstrates that in the case considered perturbation methods can be used in a straightforward manner to obtain reanalysis information. A perturbation formula for the buckling loads of a general shell of revolution is derived. The accuracy of the obtained relations and their range of application is studied with the aid of a specific example involving a particular stiffened shell of revolution.
Orders on intervals over partially ordered sets: extending Allen's algebra and interval graph results

To make a decision, we need to compare the values of quantities. In many practical situations, we know the values with interval uncertainty. In such situations, we need to compare intervals. Allen's algebra describes all possible relations between intervals on the real line which are generated by the ordering of endpoints; ordering relations between such intervals have also been well studied. In this paper, we extend this description to intervals in an arbitrary partially ordered set (poset). In particular, we explicitly describe ordering relations between intervals that generalize relation between points. As auxiliary results, we provide a logical interpretation of the relation between intervals, and extend the results about interval graphs to intervals over posets.
Social Control in the Newsroom: A Functional Analysis

It will be noted that, in general, the groups with "practically no deviation" are those that rank relatively high on the autonomy scale and the groups with "some deviation" are those that rank relatively low on the autonomy scale. By the H-test of significance of differences,7 the indicated differences are found to be significant at the .05 level of significance, and at that level the null hypothesis of a common universe can be rejected. The rejection of the null hypothesis permits the adoption of a major corollary to the original hypothesis: The eJfectiveness of a group's control over the members of the group increases monotonically with increase in the autonomy of the group. Since the corollary has been both deduced from and substantiated independently of the manipulatorypotential conclusions outlined above, it offers support for the validity of those conclusions. At the same time, it must be remembered that the data utilized are crude, and further substantiation in additional studies is imperative.
Geospatial analysis based on GIS integrated with LADAR

In this work, we describe multi-layered analyses of a high-resolution broad-area LADAR data set in support of expeditionary activities. High-level features are extracted from the LADAR data, such as the presence and location of buildings and cars, and then these features are used to populate a GIS (geographic information system) tool. We also apply line-of-sight (LOS) analysis to develop a path-planning module. Finally, visualization is addressed and enhanced with a gesture-based control system that allows the user to navigate through the enhanced data set in a virtual immersive experience. This work has operational applications including military, security, disaster relief, and task-based robotic path planning.
Stabilization in the Baltic Countries: A Comparative Analysis

The Baltic countries began their stabilization and reform process in earnest in mid-1992. During the first two and a half years of reform, these countries have made significant progress in macroeconomic stabilization. Financial policies were tight, inflation was brought down, and by 1994, the output decline had bottomed out and recovery was under way. The paper analyzes the key aspects of this adjustment process in a comparative framework. Apart from comparing the Baltic stabilization programs themselves, major features of their fiscal adjustment, price, and output stabilization are related to the Central European experience. Factors that could explain the good performance in the Baltic countries are suggested and key aspects of an adjustment process typical for an exchange-rate-based stabilization and money-based stabilization, respectively, are discussed. The paper argues that in light of the Baltic experience the credibility of stabilization policies has been of greater importance than the choice of the exchange rate regime per se. Moreover, the cost of disinflation in terms of lost output was limited and short lived.
Strategic sourcing in the textile and apparel industry

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate performance outcomes of strategic sourcing, specifically examining how strategic sourcing affects buyer-supplier relationship, supplier evaluation, and sourcing performance from the buying firm's perspective in the context of the US textile and apparel industry.Design/methodology/approach– This study provides an empirical investigation of a theory-based model integrating the resource-based view and the relational view of strategic management. The model is tested using data from 180 US textile and apparel firms by structural equation modeling.Findings– The survey results indicate that strategic sourcing significantly impacts buyer-supplier relationships, supplier evaluation, and sourcing performance of buying companies. The study also shows that supplier evaluation significantly influences buyer-supplier relationship.Research limitations/implications– Given that the data are from a specific industry, the generalizability of current findings to other industries may require additional investigation.Practical implications– Sourcing becomes a key strategic consideration for textile and apparel firms to sustain or improve their competitiveness.Originality/value– The study contributes to the literature by developing a research model based on a multi-theoretical perspective and conducting a large-scale empirical survey in the textile and apparel industry and analyzing the model by structural equation modeling. The dynamic textile and apparel industry is a classical representation of global supply chain, characterized by the industry's significant contribution to the world economy and international trade, the extremely worldwide spread supply network, and the tremendous competition in global market. Examining strategic sourcing's influences in this important industry provides many valuable implications for industrial practitioners.
Long-term care planning and preparation among persons with multiple sclerosis.

ABSTRACT Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) primarily rely on informal supports such as family members and assistive technology to meet their daily needs. As they age, formal supports may become important to compliment these supports and sustain community-based living. No previous research exists exploring plans and preparations of persons with MS for future independent living and long-term care needs. We analyzed data from a random sample survey (N = 580) to assess knowledge and perceptions of future service needs using ANOVA, chi-square, correlations, and MANOVA procedures. Results indicate that overall, most respondents are not well informed and have not planned or prepared for future care needs. Persons reporting severe MS were more likely to plan and prepare. Key “entry points” for making preparations include receiving specific education and planning information, discussions with family and professional service providers, and increased age, education, and income. We recommend greater infusion o...
Crystal structure of 1-benzyl-3-methyl-1H-imidazolium hexa-fluorido-phosphate.

In the title salt, C11H13N2+·PF6−, the dihedral angle between the planes of the imidazole and benzene rings is 84.72 (4)°. In the crystal, C—H⋯F inter­actions connect the cation and anion pairs into a three-dimensional network. Weak π–π inter­actions are observed between the imidazolium ring and the aromatic benzene ring of an adjacent mol­ecule with C⋯C and C⋯N distances ranging from 3.3714 (16) to 3.4389 (15) A.
A reprogramming machine

In this paper a description is given of a model programming system which is directed by a programming language and has a library for storing the user's items. Rules are given for transforming programs written in the language and for rearranging the items in the library so that they share their common parts. Some speculations are made about how the mechanical detection of common parts or patterns of library items could help a user to solve his problems, and about the relationships between the behavior of the reprogramming machine and human intelligent behavior.
Antimicrobial properties of propylene oligomers modified with acylonitrile

The process of grafting of acrylonitrile to propylene oligomers was investigated. The modified samples of the oligomer were tested as biocidal additives for M-10 lube oil. It was shown that the nitrile modification products have fungicidal properties.