cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distribution and Characterization of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Congeners in Soil and Sediments from a Superfund Site Contaminated with Aroclor 1268

The use of Aroclor 1268 at a former chlor-alkali plant in coastal Georgia (United States) has resulted in extensive contamination of soils on-site and also of sediments in the adjacent brackish marsh. The concentrations of total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soil and marsh sedi ments ranged between 9.6 and 567 μg/g dry wt. A nearly 100-fold decline in total PCBs with distance away from the site suggests a high attenuation of PCBs by the marsh environment. Isomer-specific analysis of PCBs in Aroclor 1268 and in soils and sediments from the site revealed that a comparable proportion of octa- and nonachlorobiphenyl congeners, characteristic of the source, were present. The distribution of PCBs in marsh sediments was similar to that in Aroclor 1268, which suggests a high degree of stability of this PCB formulation in this environment. The estimated 2,3,7,8-TCDD equivalents of coplanar PCBs in soil and sediments were between 1.6 and 28.6 ng/g dry wt and also declined by 2 orders of magnitude along the co...
Stable boundary conditions for Cartesian grid calculations

The inviscid Euler equations in complicated geometries are solved using a Cartesian grid. This requires solid wall boundary conditions in the irregular grid cells near the boundary. Since these cells may be orders of magnitude smaller than the regular grid cells, stability is a primary concern. An approach to this problem is presented and its use is illustrated.
Mobile interaction and query optimizationin a protein-ligand data analysis system

With current trends in integrating phylogenetic analysis into pharma-research, computing systems that integrate the two areas can help the drug discovery field. DrugTree is a tool that overlays ligand data on a protein-motivated phylogenetic tree. While initial tests of DrugTree are successful, it has been noticed that there are a number of lags concerning querying the tree. Due to the interleaving nature of the data, query optimization can become problematic since the data is being obtained from multiple sources, integrated and then presented to the user with the phylogenetic imposed upon the phylogenetic analysis layer. This poster presents our initial methodologies for addressing the query optimization issues. Our approach applies standards as well as uses novel mechanisms to help improve performance time.
Gendered contexts: Masculinity, knowledge, and attitudes toward biotechnology:

Research into the public understanding of science has revealed that the effect of scientific knowledge on attitudes toward science is contextualized by gender; however there has not yet been an account of how gender contextualizes knowledge. This paper investigates how gender identification affects attitudes toward science, and tempers the effects of scientific knowledge on attitudes toward science. Utilizing data from the Eurobarometer 52.1, it is predicted that when males perceive a threat to their masculinity (as measured by a perceived threat to their financial security) they will become more likely to be aversive to biotechnology, and that increased levels of perceived threat will reduce the effects of knowledge on attitudes toward biotechnology. Moreover, it is predicted that these effects will be smaller than their female counterparts. All predictions are affirmed.
MIGRATION, NATIONALITY, AND HOUSING: MIGRATION OF GERMANS AND FOREIGNERS IN DÜSSELDORF, WEST GERMANY

Intraurban migration theory suggests that locational decisions are a function of housing subsectors, defined by quality, price, location, and tenure. The development of foreign ghettos in German cities is expected to increase if the intraurban migration and emigration-immigration behavior of Germans and foreigners is different among housing subsectors. In D'bsseldorf, five housing subsectors are present. Only the German population indicates differentiation between sectors. Differences in the individual foreigner nationalities are small, and the number of each group resident in a sector is the best indicator of future migration. On the basis of four years of migration data for a typical German city, it is projected that future ghetto formation in West Germany will be slow and hindered by the tight German housing market.
Therapeutic and economic implications of emergency department evaluation for venous thrombosis

Records of 160 emergency department patients with lower extremity complaints were reviewed to determine the economic and therapeutic impact of noninvasive venous impedance testing. Venograms obtained in 86 extremities were used to determine diagnostic accuracy. The incidence of pulmonary thromboembolic events, postphlebitic syndrome and complications of anticoagulation was ascertained. Outflow impedance testing correctly identified all patients with deep venous thrombosis and overall diagnostic accuracy was 95% (41/43 patients). In 123 patients (33 positive results, 90 negative) therapeutic decisions were based solely on impedance test results. Examination required 20 to 30 minutes at a cost of $35. Follow-up ranging from 4 to 60 weeks failed to reveal documented thromboembolic complications or recurrence of lower extremity symptoms. In 37 patients (six positive results, 31 negative) impedance test results were ignored and inpatient workup, including invasive venography, was undertaken. Hospital charges for these patients averaged $1,500. In addition to its ease of performance and high degree of accuracy, comparison with inpatient evaluation documents its cost effectiveness. Impedance testing for emergency department evaluation of suspected deep vein thrombosis appears appropriate.
The Practical Irrelevance of Relativism

I learned a lot from reading Jesse Prinz’s ambitious and entertaining book, The Emotional Construction of Morals. I think he’d be pleased to know that I learned many interesting things that I would not ordinarily find in a book of academic philosophy. Also, even when I disagreed with him, almost all of my questions were anticipated and addressed as the book proceeded, which is a very satisfying experience as a reader and (in my opinion anyway) high praise in philosophy. I say ‘almost all’ of my questions because there are a few that remain. These centre around a puzzle about Prinz’s relativism, which is the focus of my comments. The puzzle is about why the kind of relativism we get from Prinz’s metaethics matters to normative ethics or moral practice. I think it does not (or at least not directly and not in the ways he thinks it does). Moreover, I think many things Prinz says – about the advantages of relativism, about practical moral questions, and about moral progress – should have led him also to conclude that relativism doesn’t matter. But he doesn’t draw this conclusion; hence I am puzzled rather than simply disagreeing. Before I get into the puzzle, it will be helpful to explain the kind of relativism Prinz defends. According to Prinz, the truth of judgements about wrongness depends on the values (and hence the sentiments) of the person who makes the judgement (180). So, when a person says ‘it is wrong to kick puppies’, this is true only if the speaker has moral values that proscribe kicking puppies. This is so, in part, because moral judgements are constituted by emotions (such as shame and disgust) that are caused by our sentiments, and sentiments represent the secondary quality of causing disapprobation in the person whose sentiments they are. When we make moral judgements we ‘convey our feelings and also aim to assert a fact’ (100), for example, the fact that the action we are judging to be wrong has the property of causing disapprobation in us. As long as people have different sentiments, whether or not an action has that dispositional property will vary depending on the speaker. Prinz spends a good bit of time convincing us that people do indeed have different moral sentiments (this is the claim that descriptive relativism is true defended in Chapter 5). If people have different moral sentiments, and if moral judgements assert facts about moral sentiments, then we can see how the truth of moral judgements will be relative to individual agents (175). An interesting feature of Prinz’s relativism, one that begins to reveal my puzzle, is that ought judgements are treated differently from judgements of wrongness. According to Prinz, ought judgements (as opposed to judgements
Retention of individual spatial reversal problems in rats with nigral, caudoputamenal, and reticular formation lesions.

Rats with bilateral nigral, caudoputamenal, or midbrain reticular formation lesions display impairment in learning position reversal problems in a simple T maze. Test trials given after learning each reversal problem disclose defective retention only in the nigral and caudoputamenal groups. This pattern of deficits associated with nigro-neostriatal damage is similar to that reported earlier in rats with bilateral lesions in the vicinity of the parafascicular nucleus. It is proposed that the nigral—parafascicular—neostriatal complex contributes to consolidation of spatial information in rodents.
Acquaintance rape: the effect of race of defendant and race of victim on white juror decisions

Abstract Racial bias appears to lead jurors in trials of stranger rape to convict Black defendants more readily and to sentence them more harshly than White defendants. It was hypothesized that jurors in an acquaintance rape case would demonstrate a different pattern of bias, based not only on the race of the defendant but also on the racial nature of the defendant-victim relationship. White American undergraduates read a trial transcript that established defendant-victim familiarity and sexual contact but was ambiguous about the victim's consent. Race of defendant and of victim (Black or White) were varied on a 2 × 2 design. The participants were asked to rate the guilt of the defendant and to recommend a sentence. Both Black and White defendants were rated as more guilty when the victim's race differed from their own.
Challenges to situated morality: Maintaining respectability in a sexual rendezvous

A clandestine motel operation is described, concentrating upon the staff and patrons as they attempt to maintain respectability within a context of situated morality that is shifting, challenging previously negotiated realities. The staff members tend toward a refulgent respectability, using vocabularies of denial to maintain respectability. Patrons, categorized as regular customers, special customers, careful people and problem people, may seek respectability within this narrow context or challenge the background expectancies in several basic ways, most especially by threatening the security or property of the motel. Such challenges are themselves a threat to the respectability of the motel, its staff, and the other patrons, a respectability which depends not upon conformity to conventional preachments, but upon conformity to the special understandings operating within the limited context.
Low-frequency noise in GaN-based two-dimensional structures

We will discuss results of the experimental and theoretical study of the low-frequency noise in GaN/AlGaN 2D structures and examine possible sources of noise, including contacts, surface and 2D channel itself. 2D GaN/AlGaN heterostructures exhibit a much smaller level of 1/f noise than bulk GaN films. In the frame of model linking noise to the tail states, this might be explained by a high degeneracy of the 2D electrons in this structures. Due to the electron degeneracy, the tail states mechanism of the 1/f noise is suppressed in GaN-based 2D structures. Our measurements show that contacts do not contribute much to overall low frequency noise. Concentration dependence of the Hooge parameter points out to the tunneling mechanism of noise in these structures.
Relationships between Line Length and Angle Size Judgments and Embedded-Figures Test Performance

The findings of several rerenr ioverrigations hove indicared rhar performance on an embedded.fiyrer tark is poorer in old age rhao middle agea (Schwarrz 81 Karp, 1967). In n rrudy using a wide varicry of perceplual meaurer across s wide a g range (10 to 83 yr.), rhc old group (60 ro 83 yr.) performed poorest on rhe cmbeddpd-figures rest.' The present rrudy examined some reasons fo r the poor performance o f rhe elderly. The main focus war relarionrhipr berwceo drawlng typical rimplc figures and embeddedfigurer test performance. The 20 Ss were male rerirers from two unions. The age range a,sr 60 ro 83 yr. ( M = 68.8 yr.) and all Ss had virrually no trouble undersranding the casks. Each S wst givcn borh reoi 1 2 rrialr on ihe embedded-fi-rcr rest (Wihin, 1969). A coral of six black lioe drawings of twoaad rhree-dimensional figures was presented ro Ss who were asked ro draw them in h e same rim, shape and proporuonr. The line-drawing rark war, given in berween che nuo rerr of embedded-figurer rcrt rrialr. The difference brween objective and rubiecrive line and angle lengrh war the score used i n the Pearron correlaoon wirh time scorcr on the emkdded-figurer rerr. The time scorer for the embeddrd-flgurer terr berwecn rhe f i r s rcr of rrialr (101.96 src.) and rhe recond rer of rrialr (79.05) wcre significantly different ( p = .05). Also. these scorcr were faster than thore reported by EirneP and Schwarn and Karp (1967) . The cmbedded-figurer rcrr scorer on borh the first rer of trials (I = 4 0 ) and the recond rer of trials ( r = .38) wece rignificandy correlated wirh overor underesrimarion of rhr dlagooal lioe segment oo one of rhe rhcee-dmenriooal line figures. Thus, Sr findiag the cmbrdded figurer relatively quickly were more able to erdmare the acrual lengrh of a d~agonnl line. Those Sr who were lcrr able to fiod rhe embedded figurer rcoded rignificaotly ro underestimate oblique angler of three-dimensional figures. The correlauonr between embedded-figure tesr scores and oblique aogle judgmeor was -.41 for the Iirrr set of rrialr nod -.55 for the secood rer of trials. The implication of the results ir char ooe reason for poor performance on a n rmbedded-figures m k is an inaccurare perceprion of the simple figure. If further work shows char the elderly are more inaccurarc in l u d ~ n g dimensions of line figurer than a middle aged or college age group, old persons' poorer performance on an tmbedded.figurer r z k may be due, in parr, ro dirtorciao in the percepdon of the simple figure.
SU-FF-T-432: Uncertainty of Dose Calculations with Pencil Beam and Convolution Superposition Algorithms for Stereotactic Treatment of Lung Lesions

Purpose: Tissue heterogeneity perturbs the electron fluence at heterogeneity interfaces. Thus, the dose delivery to lung lesions ranging from 6 mm up through 30 mm in diameter is compromised since the dimensions of the lesions are comparable to the range of the secondary electrons in lung and air. Dose perturbations are evaluated for a range of lesion diameters in lung equivalent phantom material. The impact of the dose algorithm limitations on RTOG protocol requirements is addressed. Methods and Materials: Spherical lesions of 6.4, 12.5, 19.7, and 25.4 mm in diameter and unit density were inserted into lung equivalent material (0.3 g/cm3). The dose distributions were measured with film densitometry and calculated with the dose calculation engine of the ADAC Pinnacle system and the Analytical Anisotropic Algorithm (AAA) and PB algorithm implemented in Varian's Eclipse (v. 7.3.10) treatment planning system (TPS). The Pinnacle TPS uses the adaptive convolution superposition algorithm, which rigorously reproduces x‐ray beam attenuation, and the electron fluence changes at tissue heterogeneity interfaces. Results: The spherical tumor phantoms were irradiated with beam margins of 0, 7, 10, and 25 mm. Dose volume histogram analysis was performed to determine the minimum dose delivery to each lesion as a function of margin size. The pencil beam algorithm overestimates the minimum tumor dose by 5–10%. The Pinnacle and AAA dose calculations agree with the film DosimetryConclusion: It was determined that a 7 mm margin for all lesion diameters delivers a minimum tumor dose of 94 % of the prescribed isocenter dose for all lesion diameters. The pencil beam algorithm overestimates the PTV dose by 20% whereas the adaptive convolution superposition and AAA algorithms satisfy the requirements of RTOG 0236.
Discovery and optimization of CRTH2 and DP dual antagonists

A series of phenylacetic acid derivatives was discovered as CRTH2 antagonists. Modification of the series led to compounds that are also antagonists of DP. Since activation of CRTH2 and DP are believed to play key roles in mediating responses of asthma and other immune diseases, this series was optimized to increase the dual antagonistic activities and improve pharmacokinetic properties. These efforts led to selection of AMG 009 as a clinical candidate.
Angiotensin II monoclonal antibody: blood pressure effects in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Abstract The angiotensin II (AII) specific monoclonal antibody KAA8 — a selective functional AII antagonist and a hypotensive agent in high renin hypertensive rats — did not lower blood pressure in conscious normotensive rats (NRs) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). The non-peptide AII receptor antagonist DuP 753 decreased blood pressure significantly in SHRs but not in NRs. These results suggest the involvement of locally released AII in the control of blood pressure in SHRs but not in NRs.
Flashbulb memories? The effects of when the initial memory report was obtained

Why have some researchers found reports of flashbulb memories to be stable, while others have observed inconsistencies? Paradoxically, it appears that relatively long delays between event and initial documentation have produced greater consistency of participants' reports. To investigate this directly, we collected the initial documentation of hearing about O.J. Simpson's acquittal either five hours or one week after the acquittal was read. Observed consistency of memories varied as a function of documentation time; following an eight-week retention, the delayed reports were more consistent. The delayed group also reported fewer propositions in their initial documentation. We proposed a consolidation model to explain these results: during the days immediately following a newsworthy event, the narrative structure of these memories changes in that some details are forgotten. After this consolidation period, the memories may solidify. Thus, it may have been easier for the delayed group to provide consistent ...
Radiation damage parameters in multicomponent nonmetals

Abstract Evaluations of contributions to radiation damage parameters in nonmetals are made for several neutron and gamma-ray interactions. Damage parameters for C, Al2O3, Si3N4, and MgAl2O4 are evaluated for neutron spectra from the EBR-II, ORR, and LPTR reactors, for a hypothetical first-wall fusion spectrum, for a 14-MeV neutron spectrum, and for a neutron spectrum from the Fusion Materials Irradiation Test Facility being built at HEDL. Included in these evaluations are calculations of recoil atom damage initiated by neutrons and gamma-rays, gas production rates, energy absorbed through electronic processes, and displacement damage initiated by repulsion between a recoil atom and atoms it ionizes (ionization-assisted displacements). Evaluations were performed using the damage program DON with either the Robinson form of the Lindhard damage energy function or with special damage energy or displacement functions generated specifically for Al2O3, Si3N4, and MgAl2O4 by Coulter and Parkin.
The role of the intestine in salinity adaptation of the rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri

Abstract 1. 1. Steady-state drinking rates and intestinal absorption of water and electrolytes in vivo were studied by means of indwelling Foley catheters and a volume indicator (polyethylene glycol). 2. 2. Drinking rates of 47, 95 and 129 ml/kg body wt. per day were measured in one-third-, half- and full-strength sea water and 66, 78 and 80 per cent of these loads were absorbed from the intestine respectively. Fresh-water fish did not drink. 3. 3. Net intestinal salt absorption rates (mM/kg body wt. per day) in one-third, half- and full-strength sea water were: sodium, 4, 19·1 and 56; chloride, 5·5, 23·8 and 67·6; potassium, 0·1, 0·4 and 1·3; calcium, 0·08, 0·11 and 0·43; magnesium, 0·06, 0·37 and 3·13; and sulfate, 0·0, 0·0 and 1·0. Relative absorption rates from ingested loads for sodium and chloride were: sodium, 66, 91 and 99 per cent and chloride, 85, 94 and 98 per cent respectively. 4. 4. In the intestine, ingested media were granually depleted of mono-valent ions and water and enriched in magnesium and sulfate. 5. 5. In plasma-hyperosmotic media, relative absorption of water and monovalent ions were significantly higher (P
Probation Officer Recommendations for Sentencing Relative to Judicial Practice: The Implications for African Americans

A number of studies have been conducted that assess the role of the prosecutor on judicial decision making in regard to the differential treatment African Americans may receive relative to Whites. ...
Thermal stability of TaN Schottky contacts on n-GaN

The thermal stability and electrical characteristics of tantalum-nitrogen alloy Schottky contacts on n-GaN were investigated. Non-stoichiometric δ-phase (40 atomic percent nitrogen) tantalum nitride contacts exhibited good electrical properties up to an annealing temperature of 600°C. However, they degrade rapidly above this temperature due to outward diffusion of Ga and presumably nitrogen into the δ-phase tantalum nitride. It is surmised that excess Ta reacts with N at the GaN surface, freeing Ga which then diffuses into the TaN layer. Stoichiometric TaN Schottky contacts were stable at temperatures as high as 800°C and had far superior electrical performance. This stems from the thermodynamic stability of the stoichiometric TaN/GaN interface. δ-phase TaN had I-V and C-V barrier heights of 0.55 eV and 0.8 eV respectively. On the other hand, TaN had an I-V barrier height near 0.7 eV and a C-V barrier height near 1.2 eV. The ideality factors for both δ-phase TaN and TaN were above 1.8 at all annealing temperatures, suggesting tunneling contributes significantly to current transport.
Reading up books: A building-block approach to digital design: An overview of digital design, advocating a hierarchical approach, is followed by a review and rating of five major texts

As a student, you may be asking yourself whether you wish to enter the digital systems field, an area that is growing in importance because of the ever-decreasing cost of powerful digital building blocks. Digital designers create digital systems such as computers, industrial controllers, and electronic games. They may also do programming, but our focus in this article is on design with digital circuits.
Aspects of the pharmacology and pharmacokinetics of nitroimidazoles with special reference to tinidazole.

Tinidazole has been reported to be highly effective against trichomoniasis, giardiasis and amoebiasis.
Spontaneous Mammary Cancer Developing in Rats Born and Nursed by Mothers Treated with 3-Methylcholanthrene.

SummarySpontaneous mammary cancers were observed in 4 female rats among a total of 28 (7♂ and 21♀) offspring of mothers treated with 3-methylcholanthrene before pregnancy. These tumors developed at the age of 49. 85. 90. and 90 days. Histologically, 3 were mammary adenocarcinoma and 1 an undifferentiated breast cancer. One female rat among a total of 12 (3♂ and 9♀) offspring of mothers treated with 3-methylcholanthrene during pregnancy developed spontaneous mammary cancer at the age of 200 days. No mammary cancer was observed in rats whose mothers were fed 3-methylcholanthrene during lactation. Also, injection of cell-free filtrate prepared from the mammary cancer induced with 3-methylcholanthrene to the normal newborn rats of less than 24 hours old failed to induce mammary tumors in these animals. These observations are of great interest for further investigation.
Optimum Undulator Trajectories

The undulator is a machine that induces amplitude fluctuations in normally-rectilinear electron trajectories, causing coherently-reinforced radiation to appear along the direction of electron motion. Presently, such machines operate on electrons travelling in straight sections of synchrotron rings. The inherently large number of variables characterizing the undulator-electron interaction makes it difficult to identify the principal parameters for c-)t-Lmization when designing synchrotron rings dedicated to undulator operation. In this paper we present the results of a variational analysis of the equation describing undulator radiation. In particular, our results identify the optimum electron trajec-tories in undulators, in the sense of maximizing the intensity of the emitted radiation in the forward direction, and establish the optimum amplitudes of the electron motion. These important results are presented in terms of the total electron velocity, 13c, and the average on-axis velocity 3*c. The results, besides providing a valuable insight into undulator operation, rigorously establish the principal optimization parameters for associated syn-chrontron ring design.© (1984) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Flow injection determination of diesters as ferric hydroxamate complexes

Diesters such as succinylcholine chloride (SCC) and dioctylsulfosuccinate (DOSS) can be converted to hydroxamic acids which are found to react with Fe3+ in methanol to form a purple chelate complex having an useful absorption band at 520 nm with a molar absorptivity of about 171 L/mole*cm, and a detection limit of 1.5 × 10−4 M. To adapt this method for flow injection, a methanol-water solvent and acidification of the sample were required to reduce the large blank peak. The reproducibility of the flow injection method was a factor of two better than standard spectrophotometry but the detection limit of the former method was two times higher. This colorimetric method can permit analysis of pharmaceutical products containing either SCC or DOSS. Phosphatidylcholine (lecithin) can also be determined using this method.
Problems of Studying American Culture

THE last quarter century has witnessed a great surge of anthropological interest in American society and culture. In turn, there has been a growing awareness by other disciplines and professions of contributions which might be made by anthropologists to American institutional and community life. An unmeasured but considerable portion of this expansion into the field of modern life has been a product of the times. The political climate of the New Deal, the Second World War, and the expanding postwar economy have been factors which, when combined with forces within the profession, have led to the present stage of development. Irrespective of any evaluation of the relative importance of different factors, the fact remains that anthropology has become firmly committed to the study of American society and of other contemporary civilizations. The reality leads us to pose such questions concerning the consequences of this activity as: the adequacy of methodology and techniques for research; the quality of the substantive findings; the relations and influences with and from other disciplines; the effect of incorporation and modification of new techniques upon outlook and theory; and the prospect for the future. Although it will be impossible to treat in detail all ramifications of our central problem, it is hoped that a reasonably adequate presentation of the development and an assessment of the present situation will show both deficiencies and strengths and provide insight into the future course of events. We must recognize that any attempt to discuss the application of anthropological techniques to the study of American culture is faced with many difficulties and some pitfalls. The immediately obvious question concerns the relative adequacyof a method which has been developed through decades of study of rudimentary civilizations in terms of its comparable applicability to advanced civilizations. The answer to this question is, of course, crucial, and, if the application of the method failed to survive the test, there would then be no further need to examine other aspects of our general problem. The empirical evidence assures us that the frontier phase has been passed, and we now possess the accumulated experience from which to judge the greater or lesser success of those who have devoted some share of their attention to American civilization.
In vivo imaging of rat coronary arteries using bi-plane digital subtraction angiography

INTRODUCTION X-ray based digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is a common clinical imaging method for vascular morphology and function. Coronary artery characterization is one of its most important applications. We show that bi-plane DSA of rat coronary arteries can provide a powerful imaging tool for translational safety assessment in drug discovery.
Temporal integration in vision: Masking can aid detection

Temporal form-part integration is the process whereby two discrete sets of stimuli, presented at different times, are perceived by the visual system as a single integrated percept. Dixon and Di Lollo (Cognitive Psychology 26(1):33-63, 1994) proposed a temporal correlation model that was able to quantitatively account for a number of findings related to both form-part integration tasks and partial report. The present study demonstrates a novel approach to form-part integration—the addition of a whole-field mask stimulus at the termination of the second set of stimuli. According to an extension of the correlation model, the mask stimulus should reduce the visual system’s response to the trailing display, thus increasing the relative overlap of the two displays, fostering integration. Experiment 1 supported this hypothesis, showing a maximum benefit when the mask followed the trailing display immediately, as opposed to after a delay of 60 ms. Experiment 2 showed that this same mask actually did yield worse performance when presented immediately after a single set of stimuli. The third experiment collected detailed data for a few observers over a larger number of mask delays. Taken together, these experiments provide a rare example of masking degrading a target stimulus, and yet aiding perception.
Evaluating information technology in teaching and learning

The effectiveness of instructional technology depends on appropriate evaluation of the technology, with special focus on outcomes. Because evaluation assesses how effective the technology is in enabling learners to master a particular subject, what students learn becomes an important criterion for evaluation. But how and when to assess learning and comprehension is an important and continuing problem. This paper deals withstrategic evaluation, which emphasizes technical accuracy, pedagogical soundness, substantive fidelity, integrative flexibility, and cyclic improvement. Effective strategic evaluation is a continuing process-ranging from querying immediate comprehension, to modifying instruction, to assessing long-term effects.
AB0677 Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 Scores Correlate Well with Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index in the Assessment of Disease Activity and Monitoring Progression of Ankylosing Spondylitis

Background Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) is a composite tool unique to measure disease activity in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) just as Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) is for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID3) is another composite tool that measures physical function, pain and patient global assessment in various rheumatic diseases. It correlates well with DAS28 in RA. If RAPID3 can also be used to assess disease activity in AS it may save time and costs in busy practices. Objectives To study the association between BASDAI and RAPID3 in patients with AS, and to obtain a cut-off value for RAPID3 which correlates with BASDAI of 4 (indicative of high disease activity). Methods An electronic medical record search identified 157 patients with AS at our university who were followed between 2007 to 2012. Of these, 113 patients had BASDAI and RAPID3 measured at each visit (intervals ranged from 1 to 57 months). Nonparametric receiver operating characteristic (ROC) determined a cut-off of RAPID3 best correlating with BASDAI ≥4. RAPID3 captures both pain and function, but BASDAI measures predominantly pain without function, so multiple non linear regression modeled BASDAI with RAPID3 and RAPID3 2 while controlling for visit number. Individual BASDAI and RAPID3 scores and summaries were plotted and compared over time. Results Of 113 patients, 75 (66%) were male and 38 (34%) were female, age averaged 44.3 (SD: 13.7), disease duration averaged 8.4 years (SD 9), 77 (61%) had more than one visit, and 36 (39%) had only one. At baseline BASDAI and RAPID3 averaged 4.17 and 3.79 respectively. BASDAI was explained by RAPID3 ( b =1.218; s.e. =0.110, p 2 ( b = -0.045; s.e. =0.014, p=0.002), and visit number ( b = -0.141; s.e. =0.038, p 2 =0.691. RAPID3 cut-off was 3.33 for 82.4% correct classification, 87.5% sensitivity and 78.8% specificity. Conclusions RAPID3 correlates well with BASDAI, and along with pain, it provides additional information about patient function. Since it also correlates with measures of disease activity in RA and other rheumatic diseases, RAPID3 could be an attractive measure to be used in busy rheumatology practices. Disclosure of Interest None declared DOI 10.1136/annrheumdis-2014-eular.1321
Operational methods for minimization of energy consumption of manufacturing equipment

This paper develops operational methods for the minimization of the energy consumption of manufacturing equipment. It is observed that there can be a significant amount of energy savings when non-bottleneck (i.e. underutilized) machines/equipment are turned off when they will be idle for a certain amount of time. Using this fact, several dispatching rules are proposed. A detailed performance analysis indicates that the proposed dispatching rules are effective in decreasing the energy consumption of especially underutilized manufacturing equipment. In addition, a multi-objective mathematical programming model is proposed to minimize the energy consumption and total completion time. Using this approach, a production manager will have a set of non-dominated solutions (i.e. the set of efficient solutions) which he/she can use to determine the most efficient production sequence which will minimize the total energy consumption while optimizing the total completion time.
Pulmonary changes induced by combined mouse β-interferon (rMuIFN-β) and irradiation in normal mice — toxic versus protective effects

This study in normal mice was undertaken to investigate possible enhancement of pulmonary toxicity by interferon-beta (IFN-beta) combined with single doses of irradiation. A pharmacokinetic study preceded the toxicity study to determine the optimal route and timing of IFN administration. Graded single doses of radiation were combined with graded doses of IFN. Pulmonary toxicity was determined using endpoints of alveolar surfactant and procollagen in lung lavage fluid at 7 days, breathing frequency, lethality and histology. Increased lethality was seen when IFN was combined with irradiation at 12.5 Gy vs. irradiation alone. This occurred between 20 and 30 weeks post treatment with no increased breathing frequency or surfactant release, suggesting independent mechanisms of injury. Increased breathing frequency after 40 weeks, usually associated with fibrosis, was less pronounced for IFN treated vs. irradiation only controls. Ultrastructural studies at 72 weeks suggest reduced fibrosis in lungs of IFN treated vs. irradiation only controls. Supporting this was the finding that Procollagen III, a biosynthetic precursor of collagen, was increased in the lavage fluid at 7 days for all radiation doses but decreased with the addition of IFN at 12.5 and 15 Gy. Interferons can act either as sensitizers or radioprotectors, depending on the biological system and type of interferon. Our study suggests that while IFN-beta may increase the acute effects of radiation in the mouse lung, some protection from radiation-induced fibrosis, possibly related to alteration of immune mechanisms, may exist.
East-northeast–trending structures in western Mexico: Evidence for oblique convergence in the late Mesozoic

East-northeast trends of folds, thrust faults, foliation, and beds of late Mesozoic age are common in a 1100-km-long belt along the west coast of Mexico. The structures indicate north-northwest–directed crustal shortening, which is parallel to the present and probable late Mesozoic continental margin. The structures are best known in southern Sinaloa, where timing constraints indicate that the deformation most likely occurred shortly before 100 Ma. Similar occurrences are in Nayarit, northern Sinaloa, Sonora, and Baja California; timing of deformation is less constrained in these areas but also appears to be mid-Cretaceous. The deformation patterns suggest compression parallel to the continental margin and plate boundary, which seems incompatible with simple perpendicular convergence. All plausible explanations require oblique convergence between the North American and cither the Farallon plate or the Kula plate along a north-northwest–trending continental margin. The most likely explanation involves transmission of oblique compression across the plate boundary, but the structures seem to require a more tangential component than motion histories indicate. Accretion by strike-slip faulting from elsewhere along the North American continental margin of a single, large block that encompasses the entire area of east-northeast structures is less likely and simply displaces the origin of these structures without explaining them. An east-trending continental margin off southwestern Mexico during the late Mesozoic is also unlikely.
Fluid mechanics in membrane filtration: Recent developments☆

Abstract Recent developments of the role of fluid mechanics in membrane filtration are presented. Understanding of membrane polarization and fouling is intimately related through mass transfer to fluid mechanics in membrane modules. After discussing the behavior of dissolved ions, macromolecules and collodial particles in cross-flow filtration, we describe several attempts to model both steady one and two phase flows and unsteady flows. For the latter, we consider both oscillating flows and flows with centrifugal instabilities. Moving cake and surface reaction models are also included. Several examples using these principles are taken from biotechnology and industrial effluent treatment.
Manhattanville College expert academic advisor--preliminary report

In this paper I summarize the experiences of four novice knowledge engineers in the development of an expert academic advising system. We discuss the ideas and techniques behind the system and some of the methods developed and used in implementing the system using a frame-based expert systems shell.
The relationship of play behavior to cognitive ability in developmentally disabled preschoolers.

The relationship of play behavior to cognitive functioning in preschool developmentally disabled children was studied by comparing performance on Lowe and Costello's Symbolic Play Test (SPT) with that on the Bayley Scales and Stanford-Binet Scale. Subjects were 247 children referred for evaluation to a hospital-based child development clinic. Subjects were classified as midley retarded, moderately retarded, atypical, borderline, and language disordered. Correlations between the Bayley/Binet and SPT for the whole sample were significant and in the low to moderate range. Correlations between cognitive and play measures for each clinical group were in the low to moderate range, except for atypical children where the correlations were negligible. The retarded and borderline groups achieved similar mental ages on the Bayley/Binet and SPT but the language-disordered and atypical groups demonstrated marked differences in their Bayley/Binet and SPT functioning. Implications for using the SPT in clinical practive were discussed.
Generalized joint signal representations and optimum detection

Generalized joint signal representations (JSRs) extend the scope of joint time-frequency representations (TFRs) to a richer class of nonstationary signals, but their use, just as in the case of TFRs, has been primarily limited to qualitative, exploratory data analysis. To exploit their potential more fully, JSR-based statistical signal processing techniques need to be developed that can be successfully applied in real-world problems. We present an optimal detection framework based on arbitrary generalized quadratic JSRs, thereby making it applicable in a wide variety of detection scenarios involving nonstationary stochastic signals, noise and interference. For any given class of generalized JSRs, we characterize the corresponding class of detection scenarios for which such JSRs constitute canonical detectors, and derive the corresponding JSR-based detectors. Our formulation also yields a very useful subspace-based interpretation in terms of corresponding linear JSRs that we exploit to design optimal detectors based on only partial signal information.
Pharmacokinetics and tolerance of transdermal fentanyl administration in foals.

Abstract Objective To characterize the pharmacokinetics of fentanyl and the tolerance of foals to the drug following a single application of a commercially available transdermal system (TS). Study design Prospective experimental study. Animals Six (two male, four female) foals aged 4–8 days, weighing 56–74 kg. Methods After placement of a jugular sampling catheter, one fentanyl TS (FTS) containing 10.2 mg fentanyl, released at 100 μg hour−1, was applied for 72 hours. Blood samples were withdrawn over the course of 90 hours for fentanyl plasma analysis. Before and after the study, weight, complete blood count and blood chemistry values were obtained. During the study, tolerance and safety were monitored by physical examination and assessment of behavior. Results Fentanyl was detected as early as 20 minutes after FTS placement. Peak plasma concentrations were variable (0.1–28.7 ng mL−1), were reached after 14.3 ± 7.6 hours (mean ± SD), and returned to baseline concentrations 12 hours after FTS removal. All foals satisfactorily tolerated the FTS application and no significant adverse effects were observed. Rectal temperature increased above 38.5 °C (max. 39.0 °C) in all foals, although this did not correlate with fentanyl plasma concentrations. Results of hematological and biochemical analyses were within reference ranges. Conclusion and clinical relevance Our data show that 100 μg hour−1 fentanyl administered by an FTS results in time-related but variable plasma concentrations in foals. The FTS was easy to apply and was well tolerated.
Error-Revision in the Spontaneous Speech of Apraxic Speakers ☆ ☆☆

Spontaneous speech samples from four men diagnosed with apraxia of speech were transcribed to examine the ways in which they attempted to repair their speech errors. The study sought evidence for the presence of production or perceptual constraints in error revision and for the presence of a functional prearticulatory monitor. Three judges independently evaluated the transcriptions and audiotapes to identify instances in which speakers revised speech errors. They then coded the nature of the relationship between the error and the revision. In previous reports, the form of error repairs among normal speakers has been attributed to perceptual constraints, that is, determined by the needs of the listener. Results of the present study suggest that the form of some error repairs among these speakers with apraxia of speech is not in the service of the listener; rather, it conforms with production constraints. It may be argued that some forms of error repair evidenced by these speakers, such as the prosodic marking of phonetic errors and prosodic marking in the temporal domain (syllable segregation), may actually serve to exacerbate the listener's task of message decoding. In addition, these speakers offered little evidence of an efficient prearticulatory monitor. The time delays between interrupting the flow of speech in recognition of an error and the initiation of a revision suggest an impaired ability to plan revisions prior to the production of the error.
An Empirical Examination of Predictive Validity of Alternative Conjoint Data Collection Procedures

This empirical investigation examines variations in measures of predictive validity of conjoint measurement solutions as a result of using different data collection procedures. The two most commonly used conjoint methods are comparatively evaluated: Multiple-Factor-Evaluation (MFE) and Two-Factor-Evaluation (TFE). The results show on an average basis the validity measures reported for both procedures are extremely good.
Elevated serum kininogen in patients with Paget's disease of bone: a role in marrow stromal/preosteoblast cell proliferation.

Paget's disease (PD) of bone is a chronic focal skeletal disorder characterized by excessive bone resorption followed by abundant new bone formation. Enhanced levels of IL-6, RANKL, M-CSF, and endothelin-1 have been associated with PD. In the present study, we identified increased serum levels (2 to 5-fold) of inflammatory cytokine, kininogen (KNG) in patients with PD compared to normal subjects. Treatment of pagetic bone marrow derived stromal/preosteoblast cells with recombinant KNG (25 ng/ml) for 24 h period resulted in a 5-fold increase in the levels of phospho-HSP27 and a 3-fold increase in ERK1/2 phosphorylation in these cells. However, pagetic stromal cells stimulated with KNG in the presence of ERK activation inhibitor peptide did not significantly affect the levels of phospho-HSP27. KNG increased normal and pagetic marrow stromal cell proliferation at 1.4-fold and 2.5-fold, respectively. KNG in the presence of an ERK inhibitor peptide did not stimulate pagetic marrow stromal cell proliferation. Furthermore, siRNA suppression of HSP27 expression significantly decreased KNG inhibition of etoposide-induced caspase-3 activation and apoptosis in these cells. In summary, KNG modulate bone marrow derived stromal/preosteoblast cell proliferation and suppress etoposide-induced apoptosis through ERK and HSP27 activation, respectively. These results implicate a pathophysiologic role for KNG in patients with PD. J. Cell. Biochem. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Rhinoplasty in the Multiracial Nose

There are distinctive anatomical differences between the non-Caucasian (Platyrrhine, Mesorrhine) nose and the Caucasian (Leptorrhine) nose. In general, non-Caucasian patients requesting aesthetic rhinoplasty desire improvement and refinement of their noses with preservation of defining ethnic characteristics. Surgeons who perform rhinoplasty in this patient population must be familiar with the variations in nasal anatomy and implement augmentation rather than reduction techniques in order to achieve the desired aesthetic and functional outcome. A brief review is provided of recent historical trends in ethnic rhinoplasty, highlighting relevant anatomical differences and describing the authors’ strategy for addressing the challenges of ethnic rhinoplasty.