cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A versatile scheme for ranking the extreme points of an assignment polytope

A cutting plane scheme embedded in an implicit enumeration framework is proposed for ranking the extreme points of linear assignment problems. This method is capable of ranking any desired number of extreme points at each possible objective function value. The technique overcomes storage difficulties by being able to perform the ranking at any particular objective function value independently of other objective values. Computational experience on some test problems is provided.
3D Path Planning and Real-Time Simulation for Robot Manipulators With Applications to Aerospace Manufacturing

This paper presents a practical scheme for path and trajectory generation with applications in real-time simulation of robotic systems. The path planning is solved as a series of local obstacle avoidance problems which produce via points in the 3D Cartesian space as well as the normal vector to the obstacle surface at each via point. This vector is later utilized for trajectory generation. An intermediate orientation representation is used to guarantee continuity at the angular acceleration level for real-time simulation and control purposes. The proposed method is implemented in a real-time simulation environment for testing and final application. The real-time data generation allows hardware-in-the loop simulation, which is crucial in many aerospace applications.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Preparation of Cr-doped Y3Al5O12 phosphors by heterogeneous precipitation methods and their luminescent properties

Abstract Chromium-doped Y 3 Al 5 O 12 (YAG-Cr) phosphor powders were prepared by a heterogeneous precipitation method. Hydroxide precursor powders were precipitated from their respective metal sulfate solutions with urea. The formation of the YAG phosphors was investigated by means of XRD. Phase pure YAG-Cr was formed by heating the precursors at 1300°C, which is more than 300°C lower than that required for the conventional solid-state reaction method. The emission intensity of YAG-Cr phosphors increased with increasing firing temperature, and the intensities observed for phosphor powders were brighter than that of the commercial YAG-Cr phosphors.
De la Caffinière thumb trapeziometacarpal joint arthroplasty: 16-26 year follow-up.

Seventy-one patients (93 implants) had a de la Caffiniere prosthesis implanted between 1980 and 1989 and were reviewed and reported in 1997. We reviewed this series 10 years later. Similar outcome measures were used as in the original study, pinch and grip strength measured and validated outcome scores obtained (DASH and EQ-5D). Radiographic outcome was assessed. Twenty-six patients with 39 implants were available for review at a mean of 19 years (range, 16-26 years). Survivorship at 26 years was 73.9% (95% CI, 61.2 to 86.6) for re-operation and 26.0% (95% CI, 0 to 52.7) for all failure. Patients had satisfactory power and thumb mobility and continued to be satisfied without pain. Registries should log such prostheses and add to implant survival data.
Disturbed Sleep and Its Relationship to Alcohol Use

Abstract Study Objectives: To review evidence of an association between disturbed sleep and alcohol use. Design: We searched MEDLINE, PSYCHINFO, ETOH, BIBLIOSLEEP and the Rutgers Alcohol Studies databases between January 1966 and August 2002. Search terms included alcohol-related disorders or alcoholism in combination with sleep, sleep initiation and maintenance disorders, or sleep apnea syndromes. The search produced over 440 citations. We reviewed 107 relevant articles, of which 60 included quantitative measures of both alcohol use and sleep. Measurements and Results: Behavioral studies suggest that up to 2 to 3 standard drinks before bedtime initially promotes sleep, but these effects diminish in as few as 3 days of continued use. Clinical investigations support a relationship between sleep disturbance and alcohol use, but variability in the definition and measurement of these domains and a preponderance of cross-sectional studies make uncertain the strength and direction of the association. Conclusion...
Effects of bismarck brown R on the growth rates of large and small potassium alum crystals

Abstract Experimental data show that Bismarck Brown R, at a concentration of 10 ppm, substantially inhibited growth rates of potassium alum. All faces of the crystal were affected similarly, although there was some evidence that inhibition of the (111) faces was slightly greater. Growth rates of small crystals were inhibited more than larger crystals; this is explained using observations of growth rate dispersion believed due to variations in screw dislocation activities. Data showing time-dependent inhibition of growth was used to support the hypothesis that Bismarck Brown R forms complexes or chelates that completely inhibited growth.
Differential effects of N-acetylglutamate on citrulline synthesis by coupled and uncoupled mitochondria

Abstract When rats were placed on a low-protein (5%) diet for 24 h or less, liver mitochondrial acetylglutamate decreased rapidly, carbamyl phosphate synthetase (ammonia) and ornithine transcarbamylase decreased little, and carbamyl phosphate synthesis (measured as citrulline) by isolated mitochondria occurred at very low rates. The matrix acetylglutamate content of these mitochondria, whether coupled or uncoupled, was increased similarly by preincubating them with added acetylglutamate, but citrulline synthesis increased from −1 mg −1 in the coupled state, and from −1 mg −1 in the uncoupled state. However, when coupled mitochondria were incubated with the substrates required for the synthesis of acetylglutamate in the matrix, citrulline synthesis increased to 48 nmol min −1 mg −1 ; this rate was similar to that of mitochondria from control rats (fed a normal diet). When mitochondria from controls were incubated with up to 5 m m acetylglutamate, citrulline synthesis by coupled mitochondria was increased by 10 to 40%, while synthesis by uncoupled mitochondria was 1.5 to 4 times higher than that observed with the coupled mitochondria; matrix acetylglutamate in both conditions rose to levels similar to those in the medium. The reason for the different behavior of carbamyl phosphate synthetase (ammonia) in coupled and uncoupled mitochondria was not apparent; neither oxidative phosphorylation nor ornithine transport were limiting in the coupled system. These observations are an example of the restrictions imposed upon enzymatic systems by the conditions existing in the mitochondrial matrix, and of the different behavior of carbamyl phosphate synthetase in situ and in solution. In addition, they show that conclusions about the characteristics of the enzyme in coupled mitochondria based on observations made in uncoupled mitochondria are not necessarily justified.
Imaging in plague.

An 8-year-old boy presented with elevated temperature, malaise, hepatoslpenomegaly, mesenteric adenitis, and septic shock. Cultures of biopsied abdominal lymph nodes as well as the blood grew Yersinia pestes. The boy's condition improved after two weeks of chloramphenicol and cefotaxime (Claforan). Two days after stopping intravenous antibiotic therapy, the patient again became febrile and complained of abdominal pain. Abdominal imaging with 111In-labeled leukocytes did not show any abnormalities, however, 67Ga-citrate scintigraphy demonstrated an abnormal focus of increased radiopharmaceutical uptake within a confluence of necrosed lymph nodes within the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. In addition, abnormal 67Ga-uptake was seen within the left hip region. Correlative imaging with computed tomography is also presented.
A Computerized Application of Psychology's Top 100

This article describes a computer-assisted study exercise for introductory psychology classes adapted from Boneau's (1990) list of the top 100 terms and concepts. We discuss alternative uses for the list, computer program development, and student use of the program in studying for the final examination. Preliminary evaluation suggests that the exercise increases student knowledge of introductory psychology.
Effects of neuraminidase on the phenotype of sindbis virus grown in fibroblasts obtained from patients with I-cell disease

Abstract Sindbis virus grown in fibroblasts obtained from patients with I-cell disease shows an exaggerated sensitivity to freezing and thawing. Vesicular stomatitis virus, but not influenza virus, has the same phenotype. Treatment of I-cell Sindbis virus with neuraminidase protects the virus from inactivation and is able to reactivate virus previously inactivated by freezing and thawing. I-cell fibroblasts have been shown to contain increased levels of bound sialic: acid. Although the I-cell viral glvcoproteins contained sialic acid, there was no evidence for excess sialic acid in the glycopeptides isolated from I-cell Sindhis viral glycoproteins. Promise digestion of I-cell viral glycoproteins released four glycopeptides S 1 S 4 which co-chromatographed on Bio-Gel P6 with those released from glvcoproteins of control Sindbis virus. In both cases, treatment of the glpcopeptides with neuraminidase caused disappearance of S 1 and S 2 , consistent with the removal of 2 and I residues of sialic acid from these glvcopeptides. A second phenotypic abnormality of I-cell Sindbis virus—increased sensitivity to Triton X-100—was not affected by treatment with neuraminidase. Thus, whereas the freeze-thaw sensitivity of I-cell Sindbis virus may be related to an increase in sialic acid containing glvcolipids, the Triton X-100 sensitivity may be associated with other phenotypic alterations in the viral membrane. Sindbis virus obtained from fibroblasts from a patient with mucolipidosis I, a disease associated with an isolated deficiency in neuraminidase, is mildly freeze-thaw sensitive, but (foes not show an increased sensitivity to Triton X-100.
Optical Constants of Vacuum-Evaporated Silver Films*

The optical constants of vacuum-evaporated silver films were determined in the wavelength region 2500–3700 A from reflectance measurements made at various angles of incidence. These data were obtained to investigate the discrepancy between the experimental optical emission studies from electron-bombarded thin silver foils and transition radiation theory when the optical constants of bulk silver were used as input data. The discrepancy of about 30% in the photon intensity at the peak of emission is removed when the optical constants of evaporated films are used. These optical constants also predict accurately the resonance absorption found in the optical transmission of thin silver foils.
Parturition Events and Risk of Urinary Incontinence in Later Life

Aims To examine the association between specific events during vaginal deliveries and urinary incontinence later in life. Methods A retrospective cohort study of 1,521 middle-aged and older women with at least one vaginal delivery who were long-term members of an integrated health delivery system. Age, race/ethnicity, current incontinence status, medical, surgical history, pregnancy and parturition history, menopausal status, hormone replacement, health habits, and general health were obtained by questionnaire. Labor and delivery records, archived since 1948, were abstracted by professional medical record abstractors to obtain parturition events including induction, length of labor stages, type of anesthesia, episiotomy, instrumental delivery, and birth weight. The primary dependent variable was current weekly urinary incontinence (once per week or more often) versus urinary incontinence less than monthly (including no incontinence) in past 12 months. Associations of parturition events and later incontinence were assessed in multivariate analysis with logistic regression. Results The mean age of participants was 56 years. After adjustment for multiple risk factors, weekly urinary incontinence significantly associated with age at first birth (P = 0.036), greatest birth weight (P = 0.005), and ever having been induced for labor (OR = 1.51; 95%CI = 1.06–2.16, P = 0.02). Risk of incontinence increased from OR = 1.35 (95%CI = 0.92–1.97, P = 0.12) for women with one induction to OR = 2.67 (95%CI = 1.25–5.71, P = 0.01) for women with two or more inductions (P = 0.01 for trend). No other parturition factors were associated with incontinence. Conclusions Younger age at first birth, greatest birth weight, and induction of labor were associated with an increased risk of incontinence in later life. Neurourol. Urodynam. Neurourol. Urodynam. 30: 1456–1461, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Molecular genetics of radiographically defined de novo glioblastoma multiforme

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) represents the final endpoint of anaplastic progression in astrocytomas. GBM which arise without clinical evidence of a prior low-grade astrocytoma (LGA) have been designated de novo GBM, and are thought to develop rapidly from initial tumour formation. However, a purely clinical definition of de novo GBM does not exclude a long-standing, asymptomatic low-grade tumour. This study therefore sought to determine the genetic features of a unique group of cases in which GBMs were documented to have arisen radiographically in defined period of time (radiographically defined de novo GBM). Clinical and genetic features were examined in a group of 11 patients with a histological diagnosis of high-grade astrocytoma at first biopsy and radiographically defined de novo GBM. The mean age of the patients at tumour diagnosis was 62 years (range 32-87). Six of 11 tumours arose in the temporal lobes. Eight of 11 tumours had epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) overexpression, and EGFR gene amplification was found in five of the six analysed cases. Overexpression of p53 was observed in only one tumour, and a TP53 mutation was present in this case. p16 immunostaining was undetectable in 10 cases, and homozygous deletion of CDKN2A was observed in four of the six studied tumours. pRb expression was lost in four tumours. Mutations in the PTEN gene were detected in two of six cases. The results in this unique group of cases confirms the prior hypothesis that the profile of genetic alterations in de novo GBM is distinct from that of GBM arising from a known LGA, and that these specific genetic pathways promote the rapid development of GBM.
Fgf signaling instructs position-dependent growth rate during zebrafish fin regeneration.

During appendage regeneration in urodeles and teleosts, tissue replacement is precisely regulated such that only the appropriate structures are recovered, a phenomenon referred to as positional memory. It is believed that there exists, or is quickly established after amputation, a dynamic gradient of positional information along the proximodistal (PD) axis of the appendage that assigns region-specific instructions to injured tissue. These instructions specify the amount of tissue to regenerate, as well as the rate at which regenerative growth is to occur. A striking theme among many species is that the rate of regeneration is more rapid in proximally amputated appendages compared with distal amputations. However, the underlying molecular regulation is unclear. Here, we identify position-dependent differences in the rate of growth during zebrafish caudal fin regeneration. These growth rates correlate with position-dependent differences in blastemal length, mitotic index and expression of the Fgf target genes mkp3 , sef and spry4 . To address whether PD differences in amounts of Fgf signaling are responsible for position-dependent blastemal function, we have generated transgenic fish in which Fgf receptor activity can be experimentally manipulated. We find that the level of Fgf signaling exhibits strict control over target gene expression, blastemal proliferation and regenerative growth rate. Our results demonstrate that Fgf signaling defines position-dependent blastemal properties and growth rates for the regenerating zebrafish appendage.
Decision-making processes: sensitivity to sequentially experienced outcome probabilities

A computerized sequential event sampling decision-making task was administered to 187 5- to 10-year-olds and adults Participants made a series of choices between alternatives that differed in win probability (Study 1) or win and loss probability (Study 2). Intuitive and more explicit measures were used. Study 1 revealed that, across ages, participants demonstrated intuitive sensitivity to probability; however, adult participants evidenced greater sensitivity than did children, and younger children failed to demonstrate more explicit understanding of probability. Study 2 also revealed that children were intuitively sensitive to probability; however, the inclusion of loss had limited impact on decision processes. These findings and their relevance to cognitive developmental theory are discussed.
Information overload and management in radiology

In the past two decades, medical imaging has experienced an unprecedented explosion in its capacity to generate information concerning patients. It is hard to imagine that only 20 years ago medical imaging was confined to radiography, fluoroscopy, static imaging with radiopharmaceuticals, and bistable sonographic systems. At that time the following imaging technologies were not present in the clinical arena: CT, gray-scale and real-time sonography, Doppler sonography, single-photon and positron-emission tomography, interventional angiography, digital subtraction angiography and digital radiography, and MR imaging. Rather primitive equipment was used routinely for mammography and angiography, and computers were viewed as a novelty for researchers rather than as integral components of imaging systems. In many ways the evolution of medical imaging from a craft into a science in the past two decades is the result of the integration of computers into the technology of imaging. Today, radiology is leading medicine into the modern era of information generation by computer-dominated electronic systems. The ability of modern radiologists to generate information about patients is nothing short of spectacular, and the pivotal role of imaging services in patient care is a reflection of this ability. Although growth in the production of radiologic information has been astounding, little has changed in the way that the information is managed and used in the clinical arena. Most physicians still request imaging studies on printed forms, and most radiologists still interpret the studies from hard-copy images, usually on film. Studies are still stored in and retrieved from a hard-copy file room full of film folders and typed records. This approach to information management in radiology was seriously deficient 20 years ago; today it is a disaster. Twenty years ago, interpretive and consultative services in radiology were compromised by lost films and inefficient processes for retrieving and displaying radiologic information. Today, with many more studies of various types often performed in each patient and reduced tolerance of referring physicians and administrators for inefficiency and dalliance, traditional mechanisms for managing information in radiology are outmoded and unresponsive to the needs of patients and physicians [1].
Are PTSD treatment choices and treatment beliefs related to depression symptoms and depression-relevant treatment rationales?

Given high rates of depression and low rates of treatment utilization among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we examined how depression symptoms impact PTSD treatment beliefs and preference (prolonged exposure (PE), sertraline, or PE plus sertraline). We also examined whether PTSD treatment rationales tailored to individuals with symptoms of depression impact PTSD treatment preference/beliefs. Undergraduates (N = 439) were given an “imagine self” scenario where they either had symptoms of PTSD or PTSD and depression in the future. Trauma-exposed community members (N = 203) reported their own PTSD and depression symptoms. All participants watched standardized treatment rationales for PE and sertraline that were systematically manipulated to include information on depression or not. Across both samples, depression symptoms were associated with significantly increased odds of selecting combination treatment relative to PE alone. For those in the community sample who received the depression-relevant treatment rationale, higher depression symptoms were associated with significantly greater PE credibility and more positive reactions toward PE. Taken together, depression may be associated with a greater preference for combination treatment. However, treatment providers may be able to improve treatment beliefs about PE by offering a treatment rationale that explains that PE tends to help improve symptoms of PTSD and depression.
Analysis of breast reduction complications derived from the BRAVO study.

Background:Analysis of complication data derived from the Breast Reduction Assessment: Value and Outcomes (BRAVO) study, a 9-month prospective, multicenter trial, is presented.Methods:Data derived from 179 patients were analyzed, including bivariate associations between complications and single pred
Influence of bioturbation on denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) in freshwater sediments

Intensive agriculture leads to increased nitrogen fluxes (mostly as nitrate, NO3 −) to aquatic ecosystems, which in turn creates ecological problems, including eutrophication and associated harmful algal blooms. These problems have focused scientific attention on understanding the controls on nitrate reduction processes such as denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). Our objective was to determine the effects of nutrient-tolerant bioturbating invertebrates (tubificid oligochaetes) on nitrogen cycling processes, specifically coupled nitrification–denitrification, net denitrification, DNRA, and biogeochemical fluxes (O2, NO3 −, NH4 +, CO2, N2O, and CH4) in freshwater sediments. A mesocosm experiment determined how tubificid density and increasing NO3 − concentrations (using N15 isotope tracing) interact to affect N cycling processes. At the lowest NO3 − concentration and in the absence of bioturbation, the relative importance of denitrification to DNRA was similar (i.e., 49.6 and 50.4 ± 8.1 %, respectively). Increasing NO3 − concentrations in the control cores (without fauna) stimulated denitrification, but did not enhance DNRA, which significantly altered the relative importance of denitrification compared to DNRA (94.6 vs. 5.4 ± 0.9 %, respectively). The presence of tubificid oligochaetes enhanced O2, NO3 −, NH4 + fluxes, greenhouse gas production, and N cycling processes. The relative importance of denitrification to DNRA shifted towards favoring denitrification with both the increase in NO3 − concentrations and the increase of bioturbation activity. Our study highlights that understanding the interactions between nutrient-tolerant bioturbating species and nitrate contamination is important for determining the nitrogen removal capacity of eutrophic freshwater ecosystems.
Sialic Acid in HeLa Cells: Effect of Hydrocortisone

HeLa S3 cells grown in the presence of hydrocortisone contain more sialic acid than their corresponding untreated controls. The percentage of the total sialic acid present in the sedimentable fract...
Contrasting roles of detrital and authigenic phyllosilicates during slaty cleavage development

Eight samples from a prograde slate sequence from Central Wales, ranging from the diagenetic zone to the epizone, were studied by X-ray texture goniometry, SEM and TEM. X-ray pole figure data imply that, in the four lower-grade samples, the crystallographic preferred orientations of both mica and chlorite change from parallel to bedding, to intermediate to bedding and cleavage, to parallel to cleavage orientation with increasing grade. There is no difference in the degree of preferred orientation between mica and chlorite in individual samples. The sample with an intermediate preferred orientation has the lowest degree of preferred orientation. In the four higher-grade samples, the preferred orientations of mica are primarily in the cleavage orientation, whereas those of chlorite are largely parallel to bedding. Observations by SEM and TEM show that the samples have two populations of phyllosilicates: (1) large (tens of pm) chlorite-mica stacks of detrital origin, dominated by chlorite in a matrix of (2) authigenic fine-grained (tens of nm) mica and chlorite with dominant illite (muscovite). Preferred orientation measurements of chlorite primarily reflect the chlorite in the stacks. However, preferred orientation measurements of mica are dominated by the mica in the stacks for four lower-grade samples, but by mica in the fine-grained matrix with (001) parallel to cleavage for the four higher-grade samples. These observations collectively show that: (1) mechanical rotation of detrital grains was the dominant reorientation mechanism of cleavage formation in the lower-grade samples; (2) in the higher- grade samples, the preferred orientation of matrix mica and chlorite transformed from bedding-parallel to cleavage-parallel primarily by dissolution and neo-crystallization. Copyright @ 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd
Linaclotide: A novel agent for chronic constipation and irritable bowel syndrome

Purpose The pharmacology, pharmaco-kinetics, and clinical efficacy and safety of linaclotide in the management of chronic constipation (CC) and constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C) are reviewed. Summary Linaclotide (Linzess, Forest Pharmaceuticals) is a 14-amino acid peptide indicated for the treatment of adults with CC and IBS-C. Linaclotide acts on guanylate cyclase-C receptors on the luminal membrane to increase chloride and bicarbonate secretions into the intestine and inhibit the absorption of sodium ions, thus increasing the secretion of water into the lumen and improving defecation; the drug is minimally absorbed into the systemic circulation. Linaclotide is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for oral once-daily administration at doses of 145 μg for CC and 290 μg for IBS-C. In placebo-controlled Phase III clinical trials, linaclotide significantly increased weekly spontaneous bowel movements and complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs) while reducing abdominal pain in patients with CC. In patients with IBS-C, linaclotide was demonstrated to be effective in meeting FDA-recommended endpoints such as reductions of at least 30% from baseline in abdominal pain scores and CSBM frequency. The most common adverse effect of linaclotide is diarrhea, which was reported in 16–20% of clinical trial participants. Conclusion Linaclotide is an important advance in the treatment of CC and IBS-C, with a novel mechanism of action resulting in accelerated intestinal transit. In clinical trials, linaclotide demonstrated efficacy relative to placebo for treatment of both CC and IBS-C. Linaclotide’s adverse effects are generally mild and confined to the gastrointestinal tract.
Approximate Physical Treatment of the Beam-Beam Effects

When the beam-beam force is approximated as a periodic ?-function non-linear potential kicks, it is expected to excite a continuum(density of rational numbers) of resonances. The totality of resonance within a narrow "width" of the betatron oscillation tune contribute to a diffusion-like amplitude growth as if the kicks are random. A semi-quantitative formulation is derived and applied to electron colliding beams.
M2M: From mobile to embedded internet

Is M2M hype or the future of our information society? What does it take to turn the M2M vision into reality? In this article we discuss the business motivations and technology challenges for machine-to-machine communications. We highlight key M2M application requirements and major technology gaps. We analyze the future directions of air interface technology improvements and network architectures evolution to enable the mass deployment of M2M services. In particular, we consider the salient features of M2M traffic that may not be supported efficiently by present standards, and provide an overview of potential enhancements. Finally, we discuss standards development for M2M.
Intermediate filament genes as differentiation markers in the leech Helobdella

The intermediate filament (IF) cytoskeleton is a general feature of differentiated cells. Its molecular components, IF proteins, constitute a large family including the evolutionarily conserved nuclear lamins and the more diverse collection of cytoplasmic intermediate filament (CIF) proteins. In vertebrates, genes encoding CIFs exhibit cell/tissue type-specific expression profiles and are thus useful as differentiation markers. The expression of invertebrate CIFs, however, is not well documented. Here, we report a whole-genome survey of IF genes and their developmental expression patterns in the leech Helobdella, a lophotrochozoan model for developmental biology research. We found that, as in vertebrates, each of the leech CIF genes is expressed in a specific set of cell/tissue types. This allows us to detect earliest points of differentiation for multiple cell types in leech development and to use CIFs as molecular markers for studying cell fate specification in leech embryos. In addition, to determine the feasibility of using CIFs as universal metazoan differentiation markers, we examined phylogenetic relationships of IF genes from various species. Our results suggest that CIFs, and thus their cell/tissue-specific expression patterns, have expanded several times independently during metazoan evolution. Moreover, comparing the expression patterns of CIF orthologs between two leech species suggests that rapid evolutionary changes in the cell or tissue specificity of CIFs have occurred among leeches. Hence, CIFs are not suitable for identifying cell or tissue homology except among very closely related species, but they are nevertheless useful species-specific differentiation markers.
Towards a Real-Time Bayesian Imitation System for a Humanoid Robot

Imitation learning, or programming by demonstration (PbD), holds the promise of allowing robots to acquire skills from humans with domain-specific knowledge, who nonetheless are inexperienced at programming robots. We have prototyped a real-time, closed-loop system for teaching a humanoid robot to interact with objects in its environment. The system uses nonparametric Bayesian inference to determine an optimal action given a configuration of objects in the world and a desired future configuration. We describe our prototype implementation, show imitation of simple motor acts on a humanoid robot, and discuss extensions to the system
An Eyellipse for Rear Seats with Fixed Seat Back Angles

This paper describes the development of the fixed seat eyellipse in the October 2008 revision of SAE Recommended Practice J941. The eye locations of 23 men and women with a wide range of stature were recorded as they sat in each of three second-row bench seats in a laboratory mockup. Testing was conducted at 19-, 23-, and 27-degree seat back angles. Regression analysis demonstrated that passenger eye location was significantly affected by stature and by seat back angle. The regression results were used to develop an elliptical approximation of the distribution of adult passenger eye locations, using a methodology previously used to develop the driver eyellipse in SAE J941-2002.
The New Rivalry Dataset: Procedures and Patterns

The 1990s saw the emergence of a new research agenda focused on enduring rivalries, longstanding competitions between the same pair of states. The original Diehl & Goertz dataset on international r...
Comparing Assessment Methods as Predictors of Student Learning in an Undergraduate Mathematics Course.

This experiment was designed to determine which assessment method: continuous assessment (in the form of daily in-class quizzes), cumulative assessment (in the form of online homework), or project-based learning, best predicted student learning (dependent upon post-test grades) in an undergraduate mathematics course. Participants included 117 university-level undergraduate freshmen enrolled in a course titled ‘Mathematics for Calculus’. A stepwise regression model was formulated to model the relationship between the predictor variables (the continuous assessment, cumulative assessment, and project scores) versus the outcome variable (the post-test scores). Results indicated that ultimately the continuous assessment scores best predicted students’ post-test scores.
Modality and placement of a pedagogical adviser in individual interactive learning

Fifty-eight graduate students in an education programme took a 40-minute computer-based instructional module on introductory statistics with a builtin solicited guidance mechanism. Students were randomly assigned to programs that used one of four types of advisement: on-screen digitised video of a human adviser, on-screen text-based adviser, pull-down digitised video of a human adviser or pull-down text-based adviser. Results indicated that the onscreen video-based adviser condition resulted in higher adviser use than both the text-based and video-based pull-down adviser conditions. Adviser use was significantly correlated with performance during instruction, with time spent during instruction and with television hours watched per week, but not with retention scores. Two non-significant but suggestive findings were that the video-based on-screen advisers were used twice as much as text-based onscreen advisers, and active learners used advisement three times as often as passive learners.
Decision-Directed Multivariate Empirical Bayes Classification with Nonstationary Priors

A decision-directed learning strategy is presented to recursively estimate (i.e., track) the time-varying a priori distribution for a multivariate empirical Bayes adaptive classification rule. The problem is formulated by modeling the prior distribution as a finite-state vector Markov chain and using past decisions to estimate the time evolution of the state of this chain. The solution is obtained by implementing an exact recursive nonlinear estimator for the rate vector of a multivariate discrete-time point process representing the decisions. This estimator obtains the Doob decomposition of the decision process with respect to the a-field generated by all past decisions and corresponds to the nonlinear least squares estimate of the prior distribution. Monte Carlo simulation results are provided to assess the performance of the estimator.
Understanding uncertainty in seagrass injury recovery: an information-theoretic approach

Vessel groundings cause severe, persistent gaps in seagrass beds. Varying degrees of natural recovery have been observed for grounding injuries, limiting recovery prediction capabilities, and therefore, management's ability to focus restoration efforts where natural recovery is unlikely. To improve our capacity for predicting seagrass injury recovery, we used an information-theoretic approach to evaluate the relative contribution of specific injury attributes to the natural recovery of 30 seagrass groundings in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida, USA. Injury recovery was defined by three response variables examined independently: (1) initiation of seagrass colonization, (2) areal contraction, and (3) sediment in-filling. We used a global model and all possible subsets for four predictor variables: (1) injury age, (2) original injury volume, (3) original injury perimeter-to-area ratio, and (4) wave energy. Successional processes were underway for many injuries with fast- growing, opportunistic seagrass species contributing most to colonization. The majority of groundings that exhibited natural seagrass colonization also exhibited areal contraction and sediment in-filling. Injuries demonstrating colonization, contraction, and in-filling were on average older and smaller, and they had larger initial perimeter-to-area ratios. Wave energy was highest for colonizing injuries. The information-theoretic approach was unable to select a single ''best'' model for any response variable. For colonization and contraction, injury age had the highest relative importance as a predictor variable; wave energy appeared to be associated with second-order effects, such as sediment in-filling, which in turn, facilitated seagrass colonization. For sediment in-filling, volume and perimeter-to-area ratio had similar relative importance as predictor variables with age playing a lesser role than seen for colonization and contraction. Our findings confirm that these injuries naturally initiate seagrass colonization with the potential to recover to pre-injury conditions, but likely on a decadal scale given the slow growth of the climax species (Thalassia testudinum), which is often the most severely injured. Our analysis supports current perceptions that sediment in-filling is critical to the recovery process and indicates that in order to stabilize injuries and facilitate seagrass recovery, managers should consider immediate restorative filling procedures for injuries having an original volume .14-16 m 3 .
Economic Evaluation of Controlled Environmental and Conventional Commercial Egg Production Systems in Georgia

Abstract The value of controlled environmental production systems for commercial eggs has economic implications for the Southeast. The primary objectives of this study were to determine physical and economic differences among commercial egg production systems. Production records were obtained by personal interview surveys for 200 flocks of commercial layers during the 1972 to 1975 period. Production records were analyzed with respect to strains of hens and production systems to evaluate both average performance flocks and high performance flocks. Production costs were developed by budgetary procedures for average and high performance flocks. The best feed conversion of 3.78 pounds per dozen was obtained from high performance flocks housed in the semi-controlled environmental cage system. There was a 1.5 cent per dozen cost saving to high performance producers using the semi-controlled environmental cage system compared with high performance flocks housed in open cage systems. Commercial egg producers in the Southeast can, however, improve production efficiency by using high producing strains of hens and improved management practices with existing open cage systems.
Branhamella catarrhalis peritonitis in two continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients

Two cases of peritonitis caused by Branhamella catarrhalis are presented. Both occurred in CAPD patients dialyzed and hospitalized at the same institution, but no common source of infection could be found. Branhamella catarrhalis infections can be difficult to treat and cause significant morbidity if not recognized early and treated aggressively with appropriate antibiotics.
Side-reading free spin-valve read sensor

A novel scheme essentially eliminates side-reading while maintaining on-track magnetic sensitivity for spin-valve read heads. By directly patterning a magnetic layer that is antiparallelly coupled with the free layer beyond the track edges, the magnetic torque generated by signal field in the wing regions of the free layer can be counterbalanced by the torque generated by the patterned layer via the antiparallel coupling. The magnetic read width of the sensor becomes essentially the same as the physical track width for track widths as low as 50 nm. With this scheme, the on-track magnetic sensitivity exhibits virtually no reduction as track width reduces from 200 to 50 nm. In addition, the scheme enables recessing the contact leads from the track edges to reduce shield-to-shield widening at the track edges.
Effect of Including a Clinical Example on the Ability of Physical Therapists to Apply Information in a Technical Research Report

Background and Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine whether an example in a technical research report would affect application of content to hypothetical patient problems and to future patients. Subjects. Subjects were 69 physical therapists who routinely used isokinetic equipment in the treatment of patients with knee joint pathologies. Methods. Thirty-five subjects (group 1) read a research report that described mathematical models for predicting preinjury quadriceps femoris and hamstring muscle performance. The report included an example of applying the information. The remaining 34 subjects (group 2) read the same research report with the example omitted. Subjects were asked to select appropriate prediction models and determine preinjury knee torques for two hypothetical patients. Subjects were also contacted 6 to 12 weeks after initial data collection to determine whether they had applied research report results in their treatments of patients. Results. Chi-square analyses indicated manuscript type was not related to the selection of correct models, but group 1 subjects computed correct torque values more frequently than did group 2 subjects. Insufficient data were available regarding application of research report content to patients. Conclusion and Discussion. The results indicate application of technically oriented research reports may be enhanced by including examples of applications.
Effect of Deformation on the Fracture of Si3N4 and Sialon

At elevated temperatures, all materials creep. This is true in nitrogen ceramics (1–3) and is particularly important for them because of their intended applications at high temperatures. In general, the total strain, eT, in a body can be separated into an elastic component, ee, which is independent of time at constant load and a creep component, eC, which increases with time: $$\varepsilon _{\rm T} = \varepsilon _e + \varepsilon _c$$ Since the creep rate can be characterized by $$_{\rm{\varepsilon }}^ \bullet = {\rm{A}}{{\rm{\sigma }}^{\rm{\eta }}}$$ where σ is the stress and A and n are constants, we see that creep occurs throughout a stressed body. In cracked bodies, the deformation due to creep is concentrated at the crack tip because of the high stresses there. One can define a creep zone (analogous to the plastic zone in metals) by determining that region within which the creep strain exceeds the elastic strain (Fig. 1). This zone grows with time because the creep strain at constant stress increases with time, while the elastic strain is independent of time. This creep zone has the same effect on the measured fracture toughness as the plastic zone in metals: the toughness is increased by the deformation (4,5).
Synthesis of Al and Al2O3 Coatings by Ion Beam Assisted Deposition

Films of Al and Al2O3 were formed by physical vapor deposition (PVD) and ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) onto (100) Si, glass and graphite substrates. Ion to atom arrival rate (R) ratios for IBAD varied from 0.004 to 0.1 and film thicknesses varied from 150 to 1000 nm. The O/Al ratio of oxide films and the oxygen content of Al films decreased with increasing R ratio. Al incorporation into both types of films increased with R ratio up to a value of ≈4 at% at R=0.1. Al films were crystalline with a strong (111) fiber texture becoming more pronounced with increasing R ratio. Film morphology is characterized by large columnar grains at R=0, with a breakup of the columnar structure by R=0.04. Al2O3 films are amorphous under all deposition conditions. Average film stress for PVD Al2O3 films is tensile with a value of 0.68 GPa, becoming compressive at ≈1.3 eV/atom and saturating at a value of ≈−0.65 GPa at R=0.04. Indentation experiments of Al2O3/(100)Si with a 300 g Vickers indenter showed that the changes in crack length are consistent with a model in which the residual film stress is controlling.
Number and Variety of Small Mammals on the AEC Savannah River Plant

Small mammal populations were sampled by standard traplines for 12 years on the AEC Savannah River Plant, Aiken, South Carolina. In 86,000 trap nights 12 of 15 potentially trappable species were collected. The variety of species was expressed as species per line and species per number of individuals. The species per number of individuals relationship was used to predict the number of individuals that must be captured to collect the regional species pool of 15 species. The number of individuals required ranged from 360,000 by trapping in only one habitat to 700 by stratified sampling based on the percentage occurrence of each habitat on the total land area. Relative abundance of mammals, as influenced by habitat, year and season, was determined from the trapping data. Peromyscus polionotus and Sigmodon hispidus were the most abundant species. Sigmodon was captured in the greatest variety of habitat at the greatest range in abundance, 0.14 to 16.81 individuals per line. P. polionotus was taken in fewer habitats, but at a relatively constant level of abundance of three mice per line. Broomsedge-vine and lespedeza habitats supported greatest numbers of animals; forest habitats, the least.
Gainsharing: Plans for Improving Performance

The article reviews the book “Gainsharing: Plans for Improving Performance,” by Brian Graham-Moore and Timothy L. Ross.
Image and Reality in the UN's Peaceful Settlement of Disputes

Observers of the UN tend to fall into one of two camps when examining its role in the peaceful settlement of disputes. The first sees a glass more than half full, with far greater potential for the Organization if only its member States would utilize the processes contemplated in the Charter. This group tends to be institutionalist or functionalist in its political philosophy, positing the United Nations as an independent actor in global politics, one that can influence and settle disputes and thereby contribute to international peace. Chapter VI offers the non-forcible means to this end; lack of coercive measures does not diminish the UN's effectiveness. In the other camp lie the sceptics of Chapter VI, and often of the UN as an institution. Seeing a glass nearly empty, they judge the UN a failure as an actor to end conflicts and any notion of collective security a farce. Typically realist in their political approach, the sceptics argue that the UN can reflect only the individual preferences of member States. Other than perhaps as a forum for negotiation, the Organization itself can exert little successful effort to further international peace and security. Naturally, each camp has its empirical data. The optimists typically cite two categories of UN accomplishments a history of UN diplomatic interventions that have defused tensions in certain situations; and the results of some UN peacekeeping operations. The former typically consists of a litany of missions by the Secretary-General or his Special Representatives that aim to demonstrate how his manoeuvring avoided bloodshed and led to an eventual settlement. The latter
Measuring Gas Shale Permeability Tensor In the Lab Scale

Permeability tensor measurements for three different gas shale samples were done using quasi-steady flow technique in specially designed apparatus in which confining pressure, upstream pore pressure, downstream pore pressure and temperature are independently controlled. The initial pressure difference between upstream and downstream changes only after the pressure pulse passes across the whole sample. Using the quasi-steady flow technique gives the ability to measure axial permeability of three different oriented plugs simultaneous at the same pressure temperature conditions. Measured intrinsic permeability anisotropy ratio in gas shale was 25 % in average. The anisotropy ratio remains almost constant with increasing effective pressure, however permeability magnitudes decrease by almost two orders. This reduction in permeability was described by a cubic k- law and explained by preferential flow through pore like-cracks. The anisotropy ratios response suggested a presence of this type of pores both parallel to and perpendicular to bedding which close upon increasing confining pressure. The pore like-crack throats could be small as the test fluid kinetic molecular diameter (e.g. 0.381 nm for natural gas “Methane”).