cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Terahertz molecular electronics devices and systems

Several problems, almost impossible to defeat, among them, heat removal, addressing small devices, and fuzziness at atomistic scales confronts standard CMOS electronics. What we are concluding after intensive research is that the material is not the major problem but the way how we encode information is what can allow us to continue the steady exponential grow in computational power know as the Moore's law. Although molecules and nanoclusters are the alternative for scaling down devices, we need to develop scenarios for information coding and transfer in molecular circuits able to operate at integration densities and speeds orders of magnitude higher than in present integrated circuits. A simple scaling down using the same scenarios being used in today's microelectronics devices does not offer much hope at the atomistic and nanoscopic levels. We proposed two scenarios: One is based on the characteristic vibrational behavior of molecules and clusters and the other is based on their molecular electrostatic potentials. It is proposed that these two scenarios can be used for molecular signal processing and transfer in molecular circuits; theoretical demonstrations using computational techniques are presented for these two paradigms. The molecular electrostatic potential in the neighborhood of a molecule has very well defined zones of positive and negative potential that can be manipulated to encode information and vibrational modes of long molecules can allow us to transfer signals. Both scenarios allow very lower energies, higher speeds, and higher integration densities than in any other technology. A review of our search for other scenarios for coding, processing and transport of information is provided.
Elevated CO2 and temperature alter nitrogen allocation in Douglas-fir

The effects of elevated CO2 and temperature on principal carbon constituents (PCC) and C and N allocation between needle, woody (stem and branches) and root tissue of Pseudotsuga menziesii Mirb. Franco seedlings were determined. The seedlings were grown in sun-lit controlled-environment chambers that contained a native soil. Chambers were controlled to reproduce ambient or ambient +180 ppm CO2 and either ambient temperature or ambient +3.5 °C for 4 years. There were no significant CO2 × temperature interactions; consequently the data are presented for the CO2 and temperature effects. At the final harvest, elevated CO2 decreased the nonpolar fraction of the PCC and increased the polar fraction and amount of sugars in the needles. In contrast, elevated temperature increased the nonpolar fraction of the PCC and decreased sugars in needles. There were no CO2 or temperature effects on the PCC fractions in the woody tissue or root tissue. Elevated CO2 and temperature had no significant effects on the C content of any of the plant tissues or fractions. In contrast, the foliar N content declined under elevated CO2 and increased under elevated temperature; there were no significant effects in other tissues. The changes in the foliar N concentrations were in the cellulose and lignin fractions, the fractions, which contain protein, and are the consequences of changes in N allocation under the treatments. These results indicate reallocation of N among plant organs to optimize C assimilation, which is mediated via changes in the selectivity of Rubisco and carbohydrate modulation of gene expression.
Tor and Torsion on a Complete Intersection

Abstract Let (R, m ) be a complete intersection, that is, a ring whose m -adic completion is the quotient of a regular local ring by a regular sequence. SupposeMandNare finitely generatedR-modules. We give a necessary condition for the vanishing of TorRi(M, N) for alli ⪢ 0 in terms of the intersection of certain affine algebraic sets associated toMandN. We apply this condition to the study of torsion in tensor products. For example, we show that ifRis a domain andMis anR-module of infinite projective dimension then there exist infinitely manynfor which the tensor product ofMwith one of itsnth syzygy modules has torsion. We also give a sufficient condition for the vanishing TorRi(M, N) for alli ⪢ 0 in terms of the ability to leftMandNto “disjoint” complete intersections of smaller codimension. We use this condition to construct tensor products of non-free modules which are maximal Cohen–Macaulay.
The effect of gestational age and placental location on the prediction of pre-eclampsia by uterine artery Doppler velocimetry in low-risk nulliparous women

Objective To assess how placental position and gestational age can influence the value of a diastolic notch of the uterine arteries as a screening test for pre-eclampsia, in a low-risk population of healthy nulliparous women. Methods Color Doppler ultrasound was used to examine both uterine arteries in 654 healthy nulliparas at 4-week intervals between 20 and 32 weeks. The only criterion for an abnormal result was the presence of an early diastolic notch. In each subject the placental position was also recorded. The major end points were pre-eclampsia and pre-eclampsia requiring delivery before the 34th week. Results Ninety-eight women (15%) had abnormal flow velocity waveforms at their first visit. Twenty-one out of 654 women developed pre-eclampsia (3.2%). The sensitivity of the test became lower as gestational age advanced and ranged from 81% at 20 weeks, to 71.4% at 32 weeks. In contrast, the specificity and positive predictive value increased significantly. Eleven out of 12 women who delivered before 34 weeks had abnormal waveforms at the 24th week. In women with a full lateral placenta, the predictive value of the test was extremely low, especially in cases with unilateral notches. Conclusion Pre-eclampsia can be more accurately predicted if, along with the presence of a notch, both gestational age and placental position are taken into account. At week 24 the test maintains a high sensitivity (76.1%), but also has an improved specificity (95.1%) and positive predictive value (34%), which allow the clinician to intervene with a potential preventive treatment. Copyright © 2000 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Efficient data mining for local binary pattern in texture image analysis

Improve the performance of local binary pattern in texture image analysis.Frequent pattern mining efficiently explores the high-dimensional feature space.Mutual information-based feature selection selects the most discriminative features.Maintains low computational complexity. Local binary pattern (LBP) is a simple gray scale descriptor to characterize the local distribution of the gray levels in an image. Multi-resolution LBP and/or combinations of the LBPs have shown to be effective in texture image analysis. However, it is unclear what resolutions or combinations to choose for texture analysis. Examining all the possible cases is impractical and intractable due to the exponential growth in a feature space. This limits the accuracy and time- and space-efficiency of LBP. Here, we propose a data mining approach for LBP, which efficiently explores a high-dimensional feature space and finds a relatively smaller number of discriminative features. The features can be any combinations of LBPs. These may not be achievable with conventional approaches. Hence, our approach not only fully utilizes the capability of LBP but also maintains the low computational complexity. We incorporated three different descriptors (LBP, local contrast measure, and local directional derivative measure) with three spatial resolutions and evaluated our approach using two comprehensive texture databases. The results demonstrated the effectiveness and robustness of our approach to different experimental designs and texture images.
Jewish American Identity: Patterns of Centrality and Regard

Previous identity research has explored the presence and patterning of racial centrality and regard among African American, Latino, Asian, and multiracial Americans and their connection with important life outcomes. Extending that work, this study used cluster analysis to explore the unique combinations of centrality and regard among 174 Jewish American emerging adults (48 men, 125 women, 1 undifferentiated). Results parallel identity profiles observed among African American adolescents and adults, yet suggest potential age-related differences in profile content.
On the Mutational Topology of the Bacterial Genome

By sequencing the genomes of 34 mutation accumulation lines of a mismatch-repair defective strain of Escherichia coli that had undergone a total of 12,750 generations, we identified 1625 spontaneous base-pair substitutions spread across the E. coli genome. These mutations are not distributed at random but, instead, fall into a wave-like spatial pattern that is repeated almost exactly in mirror image in the two separately replicated halves of the bacterial chromosome. The pattern is correlated to genomic features, with mutation densities greatest in regions predicted to have high superhelicity. Superimposed upon this pattern are regional hotspots, some of which are located where replication forks may collide or be blocked. These results suggest that, as they traverse the chromosome, the two replication forks encounter parallel structural features that change the fidelity of DNA replication.
A martian case study of segmenting images automatically for granulometry and sedimentology, Part 1: Algorithm

Abstract In planetary exploration, delineating individual grains in images via segmentation is a key path to sedimentological comparisons with the extensive terrestrial literature. Samples that contain a substantial fine grain component, common at Meridiani and Gusev at Mars, would involve prohibitive effort if attempted manually. Unavailability of physical samples also precludes standard terrestrial methods such as sieving. Furthermore, planetary scientists have been thwarted by the dearth of segmentation algorithms customized for planetary applications, including Mars, and often rely on sub-optimal solutions adapted from medical software. We address this with an original algorithm optimized to segment whole images from the Microscopic Imager of the Mars Exploration Rovers. While our code operates with minimal human guidance, its default parameters can be modified easily for different geologic settings and imagers on Earth and other planets, such as the Curiosity Rover’s Mars Hand Lens Instrument. We assess the algorithm’s robustness in a companion work.
Opponent process additivity. II. Yellow/blue equilibria and nonlinear models.

Abstract A yellow/blue equilibrium light is one which appears neither yellowish nor bluish (i.e. uniquely red, uniquely green, or achromatic). The spectral locus of the monochromatic greenish equilibrium (around 500 nm) shows little, if any, variation over a luminance range of 2 log10 units. Reddish equilibria are extraspectral, involving mixtures of short- and long-wave light. Their wavelength composition is noninvariant with luminance: a reddish equilibrium light turns bluish-red if luminance is increased with wavelength composition constant. The additive mixture of the reddish and greenish equilibria is again a yellow/blue equilibrium light. We conclude that yellow/blue equilibrium can be described as the zeroing of a nonlinear functional, which is, however, approximately linear in the short-wavelength (“blue”) and middle-wavelength (“green”) cone responses and nonlinear only in the long-wavelength (“red”) cone response. The “red” cones contribute to yellowness, but via a compressive function of luminance. This effect works against the direction of the Bezold-Brucke hue shift. The Jameson-Hurvich yellow/blue chromatic-response function is only approximately correct: the relative values of yellow/blue chromatic response for an equal energy spectrum must vary somewhat with the energy level.
Fluorescence of the γ, ε and Δ systems of nitric oxide; polarization and use of calculated intensities for spectrometer calibration

Results of a study in which fluorescence of the gamma system of nitric oxide was obtained by excitation from both the 2144 A line of ionized cadmium and a continuum source. Individual rotational lines of the 2144 A excited fluorescence spectrum were found to be partially polarized and to have polarizations of differ ing sign. Measured relative vibrational band intensities from line and continuum excitation were compared to calculated Franck-Condon factors. Those Franck-Condon factors based on a single potential for the two spin states of the X super pi state agreed better with measured values than those based on separate potentials for the two spin states. Calculated intensities of the v prime = 3 progression were used to calibrate the instrument response in the wavelength region from 2000 to 2500 A and were checked with measured intensities of the v prime = 0.1, and 2 progressions. Fluorescence of the epsilon and delta bands obtained with continuum lamp excitation also were compared to calculated intensities.
Ultra-Wideband Transceiver Architecture for Early Brest Cancer Detection System

Ultra-wideband (UWB) transceiver architecture is proposed in this paper for medical applications designed at the UWB frequency range. An analog to digital converter (ADC) circuit, which represents the key tool of signal processing for future developments of UWB systems, has been developed based on sampling theorem and pulse code modulation (PCM) techniques using UWB pulse generator with pico-second pulse width. An UWB received signal is sampled using a train of 90ps half-power pulse width and 2V impulse-response. Picosecond's high-speed sampler with high bit rate is obtained using 4 bits coding. ADS simulation results are shown with micro-strip line technology on an RT/Duroidreg 6006 high frequency laminate substrate with a relative dielectric constant of 6.15 and a thickness of 0.254 mm.
Initial experience with color-flow duplex scanning of infrainguinal bypass grafts***

Abstract Seventy-eight infrainguinal grafts were evaluated by means of color-flow duplex imaging to demonstrate its utility in the routine surveillance of leg grafts as well as in the evaluation of grafts in which a problem is already suspected. Stenoses were identified in 15 (20%) of 76 grafts evaluated for screening purposes. Seven of these had confirmatory arteriograms, and five were revised. The remaining eight grafts with suspected stenoses were followed without angiography, and four (50%) subsequently failed. Only two (3.3%) of 61 grafts with normal scan outcomes have thrombosed. Fistulas were identified in 12 (37%) of 32 in situ grafts evaluated. Nine grafts with previously suspected problems based on decreased ankle-brachial indexes were scanned, and an explanation was found, confirmed by angiogram, and corrected in six. Detection of unsuspected stenoses in five grafts requiring revision and four grafts that later thrombosed without revision, as well as identification of fistulas in 37% of in situ grafts, confirms the importance of color-flow imaging as a screening tool. (J VASC SURG 1990;12:284-90.)
Effects of Dimethyl Sulfoxide and Trimethylphosphine Oxide on Percutaneous Absorption of Corticosteroids in the Rat

Dimethyl sulfoxide and trimethylphosphine oxide facilitate absorption of a polar steroid (hydrocortisone sodium succinate) through the rat skin. Neither agent significantly increases the rate at which a highly lipid-soluble steroid (cortisone acetate) can penetrate rat skin.
Perceptions of sexual harassment: a female office professional’s perspective

Argues that, as problems with sexual harassment in the workplace become more apparent, the development of a commonly accepted, behavioural‐based definition of the construct becomes crucial to our understanding of the phenomenon. Attempts to add to the development of this definition by assessing 840 female office professionals’ perceptions of the behaviours that create a hostile work environment and assessing differences in perceptions which might be related to demographics. Contrary to previous research, indicates that demographics do not explain differences in perceptions of female office professionals. Makes suggestions for future researchers and practitioners.
The number of nerve cells in the substantia nigra in paralysis agitans.

The number of melanin-containing and melanin-free nerve cells in the substantia nigra was determined in 10 brains with paralysis agitans and in 10 control brains, both groups from subjects with the same average age. The total count in the brains with paralysis agitans was shown to be 59% less than the total count in the control brains, the melanin-containing cell count being 66% less and the melanin-free cell count being 39% less than the corresponding cell counts in the controls. In this material, therefore, it was not possible to demonstrate the so-called extra-nigral type of paralysis agitans. It is emphasized that previous findings (functional changes in the nerve cells of the globus pallidus) make it necessary to consider parkinsonism as a multifactorial problem.
Theory Of The Interaction Of Laser Radiation With Molecular Dynamical Processes Occurring At A Solid Surface

Recent experiments indicate that laser radiation can have significant nonthermal effects on molecular dynamical processes occurring at a solid surface. These processes include unimolecular decomposition and desorption. It has also been suggested that the interaction with laser radiation involves multiphoton absorption. This is particularly interesting since the power density of the radiation is only 10 watts/cm2, which is orders of magnitude less than the power densities typically needed to induce multiphoton absorption in the gas phase. In an effort to understand the mechanisms for such processes and to further explore the novel area of heterogeneous catalysis with lasers, theoretical studies have been undertaken for several different types of processes occurring at a solid surface: 1) laser-stimulated surface phenomena (migration, recombination and desorption), 2) laser-controlled heterogeneous rate processes, and 3) atom-surface collisions in the presence of laser radiation. This last type includes diffractive scattering, energy transfer and collisional ionization of an adatom by a gas-phase projectile atom.
Resonance ion dissociation spectroscopy of CH3I+ produced by molecular beam electron-impact ionization

Abstract A new approach for recording high resolution spectra of cold nonfluorescing polyatomic ions is demonstrated. Electron-impact ionization of jet-cooled polyatomic molecules produces parent ions with nearly the same rotational temperature as that of the neutral beam and a vibrational distribution dominated in many cases by diagonal Franck-Condon factors. Resonant laser photodissociation of the cold parent ion followed by mass selective detection of the photofragment then leads to highly resolved vibronic spectra. We demonstrate the experimental capability using the A←X 2Π 1 2 transition of CH3I+ as an example. In addition, the unexpected absence of the umbrella mode ν2(1, 1) transition is explained.
Photopic Spectral Sensitivity in the Monkey: Methods for Determining, and Initial Results

Data were obtained on the spectral sensitivity of the light-adapted monkey by two operant conditioning techniques adapted to use with brief duration stimuli: cued avoidance conditioning, and a positive reinforcement-reaction time method. The results are compared with human photopic spectral sensitivity, and detailed similarities are found.
A career pathway in protein folding: From model peptides to postreductionist protein science

This review discusses the inherent challenge of linking “reductionist” approaches to decipher the information encoded in protein sequences with burgeoning efforts to explore protein folding in native environments—“postreductionist” approaches. Because the invitation to write this article came as a result of my selection to receive the 2010 Dorothy Hodgkin Award of the Protein Society, I use examples from my own work to illustrate the evolution from the reductionist to the postreductionist perspective. I am incredibly honored to receive the Hodgkin Award, but I want to emphasize that it is the combined effort, creativity, and talent of many students, postdoctoral fellows, and collaborators over several years that has led to any accomplishments on which this selection is based. Moreover, I do not claim to have unique insight into the topics discussed here; but this writing opportunity allows me to illustrate some threads in the evolution of protein folding research with my own experiences and to point out to those embarking on careers how the twists and turns in anyone's scientific path are influenced and enriched by the scientific context of our research. The path my own career has taken thus far has been shaped by the timing of discoveries in the field of protein science; together with our contemporaries, we become part of a knowledge evolution. In my own case, this has been an epoch of great discovery in protein folding and I feel very fortunate to have participated in it.
Malignant change in melanocytomas of the uveal tract

Melanocytomas are pigmented tumors of the uvea and optic nerve head composed of plump polyhedral melanocytes which have been regarded as nevus cells. There are few reports of malignant change in these usually benign lesions. This study documents 16 cases of malignant melanoma of the uvea, eight of which were characterized by the presence of plump polyhedral melanocytes in and around the tumor. The melanocytoma cells were aggregated throughout the tumors and/or at the margins of the lesions; these cells did not appear between the melanoma and the sclera, as has been reported with spindle-type nevus cells. Electron micrographs of these plump melanocytes had the characteristics of common uveal melanocytes, while the tumor cells had features of malignant melanoma cells. The clinician should recognize the potential of melanocytomas for undergoing malignant change and should follow patients who have this lesion with this in mind. Article is followed by comments of Dr. L. E. Zimmerman.
Computerized general management games as strategic management learning environments

The strategic management course continues to experience the greatest use of general, top management business games, and a number of games are available to the strategic management instructor Many are classical in their design, whereas others are of more recent vintage. Because the field of strategic management has changed dramatically from its beginnings in the late 1950s, a representative sample of games was examined based on their ability to service both the field's current knowledge domain and its unique analytical tools and devices. Depending on the instructor's desired learning outcomes, some games are more capable than others in accomplishing those results. No game provided perfect coverage of the strategic management field, thereby requiring the use of compensatory activities on the instructor's part.
Preparation of uniformly 14C-labeled and 13C-enriched catechol and hydroquinone via phenol

Catechol-U-/sup 14/C and hydroquinone-U-/sup 14/C were prepared from phenol-U-/sup 14/C by mononitration followed by chromatographic separation of o- and p-nitrophenol-U-/sup 14/C. The nitrophenols were separately hydrogenated, and the resulting aminophenols were converted by diazotization followed by hydrolysis to the title diols. Phenol-U-/sup 14/C was synthesized efficiently from benzene by nitration, reduction, diazotization and hydrolysis. A similar series of reactions beginning with benzene-U-/sup 13/C gave phenol, catechol and hydroquinone containing more than 88% total carbon-13.
Functional validation of microRNA-target RNA interactions

MicroRNAs are small, non-coding RNA regulators of gene expression with important outcomes in cell state, proliferation, metabolism, immunity and development; their deregulation leads to significant clinical consequences. MicroRNAs and their associated target RNAs can be identified by genetic, bioinformatic and biochemical methods. MicroRNAs can recognize target mRNAs via direct base-pairing and recruit effector complexes to modulate their gene expression in a sequence-specific manner. MicroRNA interactions with target RNAs produce their roles in gene expression. The following are some of the validation methods employed to confirm functionally relevant microRNA interactions with their target mRNAs. Each method involves interference with the microRNA or the target mRNA to disable their interaction, which should lead to loss of microRNA-mediated gene expression if the interaction is functionally consequential. Subsequent alleviation of the interference and restoration of productive base-pairing interactions between the microRNA and target should rescue microRNA-mediated gene expression and confirm the functional requirement for direct microRNA-target mRNA interaction. Characterization of functional microRNA interactions with their target mRNAs will provide significant insights into their gene expression regulatory mechanism and lead to the development of potential therapeutic approaches to manipulate these interactions and their consequent gene expression outcomes.
Response of isolated monocytes and lymphocytes to LPS and progesterone

PROGESTERONE JENNIFER GOTKIN, JEREMY CELVER, PATRICK MCNUTT, SHAD DEERING, BOBBY HOWARD, NATHAN HOELDTKE, PETER NAPOLITANO, Madigan Army Medical Center, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Tacoma, Washington, Tripler Army Medical Center, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Honolulu, Hawaii OBJECTIVE: The mechanisms of progesterone action in the prevention of preterm labor are largely unknown but may result from its anti-inflammatory properties. We previously demonstrated that progesterone (P4) can inhibit lipopolysacharide (LPS) induced interleukin-6 (IL-6) secretion in whole blood and in both maternal and fetal mononuclear cells. To more specifically identify the progesterone-responsive cell type, we further fractionated mononuclear cells into monocyte and other mononuclear populations and evaluated the induction of IL-6 expression following exposure to LPS and/or progesterone. STUDY DESIGN: Fetal cord blood was obtained from uncomplicated, fullterm pregnancies undergoing cesarean section, and Histopaque-isolated mononuclear cells were fractionated into either monocytes or other mononuclear cell types using Dynabeads (Dynal Biotech). Isolated cell populations were treated with LPS (50 ug/mL), P4 (30 ng/mL) or pretreated with P4 and then exposed to LPS. Following incubation, supernatants were collected and evaluated for secreted IL-6 by ELISA. Data was analyzed using Student t-test and a P-value!0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Progesterone significantly blocked LPS induced secretion of IL-6 in fetal mononuclear cells. Following fractionation of mononuclear cells into monocyte and other mononuclear cell populations, IL-6 induction was no longer significantly inhibited by P4. CONCLUSION: In this ex vivo model, P4 exposure does not significantly modulate the pro-inflammatory response of isolated monocytes. The lack of response to P4 following fractionation could result from a required interaction between multiple cell types or alternatively be the consequence of monocyte activation during the isolation technique.
The Effect of Gender upon Nasalance Scores among Normal Adult Speakers.

Nasometry, pressure-flow, and fundamental frequency data were obtained from 15 normal female speakers and 15 normal male speakers all of whom were over the age of 18 and had Mid-Atlantic dialects. The nasalance scores and nasal cross-sectional areas of these two groups did not differ. The nasalance scores based on three standardized reading passages were not highly correlated with nasal cross-sectional area or voice fundamental frequency. The clinical significance of these findings is discussed.
Ultrasonic flaw detection using discrete wavelet transform for NDE applications

In this work, we analyze signal decomposition properties of discrete wavelet transform (DWT) for enhanced ultrasonic flaw detection. In wavelet signal decomposition, a collection of time-frequency representations of the signal with different resolutions is obtained. DWT allows to utilize both time and frequency domain information for compacting and decorrelating the flaw echo from clutter echoes. In this paper, we present the performance analysis of different wavelet kernels with respect to ultrasonic NDE applications and develop the wavelet selection criteria for optimal flaw detection. Experimental results indicate that DWT based flaw detection algorithms offer flaw-to-clutter ratio enhancement of 5-12 dB when the measured flaw-to-clutter ratio is 0 dB or less. DWT flaw detection system can be implemented efficiently for real time applications using reconfigurable architecture and lifting scheme.
The prosecution of sexual assault cases: Correlation with forensic evidence

Abstract Study Objective: We sought to determine the association between historical and physical evidence with judicial outcome in sexual assault cases. Methods: A population-based, retrospective review of forensic evidence was conducted for all sexual assault cases reported in Duval County, FL, during a 2-year period. Variables examined included age, race of victim, evidence of trauma (body, genital, or both), presence of spermatozoa at the time of the forensic examination, weapon use, and whether the victim knew the assailant. In cases in which an arrest was made, logistic regression was used to estimate the strength of association with the outcome of conviction in sexual assault cases. Results: During the study period, 821 sexual assaults were reported, and 801 forensic examinations were performed. The victims were predominantly female (776; 97%), with 409 (51%) being black, 376 (47%) white, and 16 (2%) other minorities. A suspect was identified in 355 (44%) of the 801 cases for which a sexual assault forensic examination was conducted. No suspect was identified in 446 (56%) of these cases. There were 271 arrests made. The police did not have enough evidence to arrest a suspect after detention in 84 cases. For those cases in which a suspect was arrested, 153 had charges dropped, 89 were found guilty, 2 were found not guilty, and 27 cases were still pending or the files were sealed and unavailable for review. There was evidence of trauma in 202 (57%) of the examinations, and spermatozoa were found at the time of the forensic examination in 110 (31%) of the cases in which a suspect was identified. Logistic regression found that victims aged younger than 18 years, the presence of trauma, and the use of a weapon by the assailant were significantly associated with successful prosecution. There was a trend toward conviction if the victim was white. Conclusion: Emergency physicians have an obligation to provide care for victims of sexual assault cases. This care includes a possible legal defense. To that end, emergency physicians should be vigilant in the documentation of the history of the event (eg, weapon use) and in the documentation of traumatic injuries because these factors can assist in a successful prosecution. [Gray-Eurom K, Seaberg DC, Wears RL. The prosecution of sexual assault cases: correlation with forensic evidence. Ann Emerg Med. January 2002;39:39-46.]
Fair Trade Flowers: Global Certification, Environmental Sustainability, and Labor Standards*

This article analyzes the organization of the fair trade flower industry, integration of Ecuadorian enterprises into these networks, and power of certification to address key environmental and social concerns on participating estates. Pursuing a social regulatory approach, I locate fair trade within the field of new institutions that establish and enforce production criteria in international markets. My research finds that while firm owners and managers support fair trade's environmental and social goals, these commitments are delimited by mainstream market expectations related to production efficiency and product quality. In environmental arenas, certifi- cation helps ensure that conditions exceed legal mandates and industry norms. In social arenas, certification helps ensure that labor standards exceed legal and industry expectations and funds important programs benefiting workers and their families. Where unions are absent, fair trade's greatest impact may be in the establishment of workers' committees that can build collective capacity. Although these new labor organizations face numerous challenges, they may strengthen the social regulation of global flower net- works, making firms accountable to their workers as well as to nongovern- mental organizations, retailers, and consumers.
Total surface area estimates for individual ice particles and particle populations

Abstract Representations for the surface area of ice particles in terms of the projected area have been developed using two different methods. The first method uses ice particles that are imaged in situ and geometric calculations that are based on the outline of the two-dimensional image of the particle. The second method uses computer-generated ice particle shapes and calculates the total surface area analytically. The results of the second method compare reasonably well with the results of the first method. Surface area estimates for individual particles were combined with particle size distribution and projected area measurements from the Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers (CRYSTAL)–Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (FACE) field project to give total surface area estimates for observed ice particle populations. Population surface area estimates were also made from balloon-borne replicator data collected during the First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) Regi...
Lactate Uptake and Release in the Presence of Glucose by Sympathetic Ganglia of Chicken Embryos and by Neuronal and Nonneuronal Cultures Prepared from These Ganglia

Uptake and output of lactate were measured in lumbar sympathetic chains excised from embryos of white leghorn chickens, 14-15 days old. The chains, typically containing 30-40 micrograms of protein, were incubated in Eagle's minimum essential medium containing bicarbonate buffer, 6-17 mM glucose, various concentrations of lactate, and either [U-14C]lactate, [1-14C]glucose, or [6-14C]glucose. The average rate of uptake of labeled lactate was measured with incubations of 5-6 h, starting with various external lactate concentrations. From these data the instantaneous relation between lactate uptake rate and concentration was deduced with a simple computerized model. The instantaneous uptake rate increased with the concentration according to a relation that fit the Michaelis-Menten equation, with Vmax = 360 mumol/g protein/h and Km = 4.8 mM. Substantial fractions of the lactate carbon were recovered from tissue constituents and in several nonvolatile products in the medium, as well as in CO2. Glucose uptake averaged about 108 mumol/g protein/h and did not vary greatly with external lactate concentration, although the metabolic partitioning of glucose carbon was considerably affected. Regardless of initial concentration, the lactate concentration in the medium tended to change towards approximately 0.6 mM, showing that uptake equaled output at this level, with rates at about 40 mumol/g protein/h. With the steady-state concentration of 0.6 mM lactate, about 20% of the glucose carbon was shunted out into the medium before it was reabsorbed and metabolized into various products. Lactate uptakes by neuronal and nonneuronal cultures prepared from the ganglia did not differ consistently from one another or from uptake by undissociated ganglia. The neuronal cultures tended to oxidize a greater fraction of the consumed lactate to CO2 and to convert a smaller fraction of the lactate to products in the medium than did the nonneuronal cultures. Computer modeling, using known parameters for blood-brain transport of lactate in the adult rat and data on uptake by the ganglia, suggests that lactate may supply substantial fuel to the brain, even in the presence of abundant glucose, when the lactate concentration in the blood is raised to levels commonly observed in exercising humans, such as 10-20 mM. This is in agreement with the findings of several investigators in hypoglycemic humans and in animals with intermediate blood lactate concentrations.
The RAW benchmark suite: computation structures for general purpose computing

The RAW benchmark suite consists of twelve programs designed to facilitate comparing, validating, and improving reconfigurable computing systems. These benchmarks run the gamut of algorithms found in general purpose computing, including sorting, matrix operations, and graph algorithms. The suite includes an architecture-independent compilation framework, Raw Computation Structures (RawCS), to express each algorithm's dependencies and to support automatic synthesis, partitioning, and mapping to a reconfigurable computer. Within this framework, each benchmark is portably designed in both C and Behavioral Verilog and scalably parameterized to consume a range of hardware resource capacities. To establish initial benchmark ratings, we have targeted a commercial logic emulation system based on virtual wires technology to automatically generate designs up to millions of gates (14 to 379 FPGAs). Because the virtual wires techniques abstract away machine-level details like FPGA capacity and interconnect, our hardware target for this system is an abstract reconfigurable logic fabric with memory-mapped host I/O. We report initial speeds in the range of 2X to 1800X faster than a 2.82 SPECint95 SparcStation 20 and encourage others in the field to run these benchmarks on other systems to provide a standard comparison.
Arabidopsis Kinesin KP1 Specifically Interacts with VDAC3, a Mitochondrial Protein, and Regulates Respiration during Seed Germination at Low Temperature

The involvement of cytoskeleton-related proteins in regulating mitochondrial respiration has been revealed in mammalian cells. However, it is unclear if there is a relationship between the microtubule-based motor protein kinesin and mitochondrial respiration. In this research, we demonstrate that a plant-specific kinesin, Kinesin-like protein 1 (KP1; At KIN14 h), is involved in respiratory regulation during seed germination at a low temperature. Using in vitro biochemical methods and in vivo transgenic cell observations, we demonstrate that KP1 is able to localize to mitochondria via its tail domain (C terminus) and specifically interacts with a mitochondrial outer membrane protein, voltage-dependent anion channel 3 (VDAC3). Targeting of the KP1-tail to mitochondria is dependent on the presence of VDAC3. When grown at 48C, KP1 dominant-negative mutants (TAILOEs) and vdac3 mutants exhibited a higher seed germination frequency. All germinating seeds of the kp1 and vdac3 mutants had increased oxygen consumption; the respiration balance between the cytochrome pathway and the alternative oxidase pathway was disrupted, and the ATP level was reduced. We conclude that the plantspecific kinesin, KP1, specifically interacts with VDAC3 on the mitochondrial outer membrane and that both KP1 and VDAC3 regulate aerobic respiration during seed germination at low temperature.
trans-Tetra­bromo­bis­(di­methyl­amine)­tin

The title compound, [SnBr4(C2H7N)2], consists of separate centrosymmetric mol­ecules with nearly octahedral geometry, in which the central Sn metal is surrounded by four Br atoms and two di­methyl­amine ligands. The unique Sn—N bond length is 2.244 (3) A and the two Sn—Br lengths are 2.5867 (11) and 2.5707 (12) A. The C—N bond lengths of the amine ligand are 1.482 (6) and 1.492 (6) A. The unique angle in the SnBr4 plane is 90.82 (3)°, and the axial to equatorial angles are 86.18 (10) and 85.46 (10)°.
ABET assessment of student initiated interdisciplinary senior capstone project

In most capstone engineering projects, it is not unlikely to have collaborative work between engineers of different disciplines, but few projects incorporate the work of disciplines outside of the engineering school. This paper is a case study of a student initiated capstone engineering project which incorporates collaborative work between engineering and fine art students. The problem statement of the proposed project was “to build, fabricate, test and install an interactive outdoor sculpture for the Binghamton University campus.” The design process of the project will be reviewed at different stages: from artistic design, through structural analysis, to construction of a scale section of the sculpture for testing purposes. This paper will describe the collaboration of designers (artists, engineers) for whom the practice of “design” is different. A comparison will be made between previous interdisciplinary projects. In addition, the ABET assessment of this interdisciplinary project will be presented.
Contested Territory: Parents and Teachers Wrestle for Power in an Urban Neighborhood School Located Within a Gentrifying Community

This case exemplifies the frequent need for principals to negotiate the conflicting demands of parents and teachers. Parents are advocating increased participation in school decision making while teachers are demanding a more secure and isolated environment. Issues of class and race complicate this challenge for many urban administrators. Discussions spurred by this story should inform educators who work both inside and outside of cities about school community relations—especially parental input in schools—micropolitics, difference, and school safety. There are multiple opportunities for role playing, giving students the opportunity to examine this complex case from many angles.
Empowerment and Experiential Education: A State of Knowledge Paper

Experiential settings hold great potential for empowering participants. Beginning with an overview of how empowerment has been defined and conceptualized in the literature, this article examines the construct of empowerment in experiential education settings as a process and an outcome. A summary of how empowerment has been applied and measured in experiential settings is described through a review of the research in this area. This article concludes with recommendations and implications for researchers and practitioners in the field of experiential education who seek to understand ways in which programs can facilitate and foster the development of empowerment.
The CAIN II access-control system

A description is given of the access-control system that is being built at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Called the Controlled Access by Individual Number, Phase II (CAIN II) project, it is part of the Safeguards and Security Enhancements-Phase I (SSE-1) line item. Under normal circumstances, the CAIN II system operates without human intervention. The CAIN II system consists of three major subsystems: (1) the CAIN II main computer (CMC) subsystem-four DEC model 8250 VAX computers, connected in a cluster; (2) the front-end processor (FEP) subsystem-Micro VAX II computers driving communications servers; and (3) the entry control device (ECD) subsystem-the actual equipment that controls personnel access. There are four types of entry-control devices: booths, single-door portals, staffed badge-readers, and sally ports. Several hundred entry-control devices can be connected to the access-control system. Each entry-control device contains the entire list of persons permitted to enter its controlled area and can make the go/no-go decision about passage on its own. >
Trichloroethene Biodegradation Potential in Wetland Soils and Paleowetland Sediments

Trichloroethene (TCE) plumes extend north-northeast toward the Ohio River from the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP), a Superfund site in the Gulf Coastal Plain of western Kentucky. Wetlands in the floodplain are in the paths of these plumes, and on-site contamination has migrated downward from the Regional Gravel Aquifer (RGA) into the upper McNairy Formation, which overlies a bedrock aquifer. Intrinsic biodegradation in these two environments at the margins of the RGA could limit further contaminant migration and ecosystem or water-quality degradation. To assess cometabolic biodegradation potential in these uncontaminated environments, we attempted to culture and enumerate methanogens, sulfate- and Fe(III)-reducers, and methanotrophs, which have been implicated elsewhere as TCE degraders. Soil samples were collected at three wetland sites in the floodplain. McNairy sediments were collected beneath one of the suspected source areas at PGDP. Methanogens, sulfate reducers, and methanotrophs were abund...
Comparison of School Food Policies and Food Preparation Practices before and after the Local Wellness Policy among Indiana High Schools

Abstract Background: Federal legislation requires local education agencies or school districts to develop a local wellness policy. No data-based research using a prospective cohort of a representative sample of secondary schools has been conducted to investigate the impact of the local wellness policy. Purpose: To investigate changes in school food policies and food preparation practices before and after the local wellness policy was implemented in Indiana high schools. Methods: The principal or food service director of 226 food-serving Indiana high schools participated in a survey in February-March 2006. Of the 226 schools, 150 participated in the follow-up survey in April-May 2007 (response rate: 66%). Results: The proportion of schools was significantly reduced that offered chocolate candy (63% to 39%), non-low-fat cookies or crackers (79% to 53%), soda pop (83%) to 63%), and non-low-fat salty snacks (72% to 43%). The proportion of schools that prohibited junk foods from being offered significantly inc...
Quantifying effects of particulate properties on powder flow properties using a ring shear tester.

Effects of particle size, morphology, particle density, and surface silicification, on powder flow properties were investigated using a ring shear tester. Flow properties were quantified by flow function (FF), that is, unconfined yield strength, fc, as a function of major principal stress. A total of 11 powders from three series of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC): Avicel (regular MCC, elongated particles), Prosolv (silicified MCC, elongated particles), and Celphere (spherical MCC), were studied. Particle size distribution in each type of MCC was systematically different. Within each series, smaller particles always led to poorer powder flow properties. The slope of FF line was correlated to degree of powder consolidation by external stress. A key mechanism of the detrimental effect of particle size reduction on flow properties was the larger powder specific surface area. Flow properties of Celphere were significantly better than Avicel of comparable particles size, suggesting spherical morphology promoted better powder flow properties. Flow properties of powders different in densities but similar in particle size, shape, and surface properties were similar. When corrected for density effect, higher particle density corresponded to better flow behavior. Surface silicification significantly improved flow properties of finer MCC, but did not improve those of coarser.
Was Mises Right

This paper argues that Mises’s methodological position has been misunderstood by both friends and foes alike. On the one hand, Mises’s critics wrongly characterize his position as rejecting empirical work. On the other hand, his defenders wrongly interpret his stance as rejecting empirical analyses on the grounds that they contradict apriorism and push economics towards historicism. We show that Mises’s methodological position occupies a unique place that is at once both wholly aprioristic and radically empirical.