cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A complete assessment of tagging quality: A consolidated methodology

This paper presents a methodological discussion of a study of tagging quality in subject indexing. The data analysis in the study was divided into 3 phases: analysis of indexing consistency, analysis of tagging effectiveness, and analysis of the semantic values of tags. To analyze indexing consistency, this study employed the vector space model-based indexing consistency measures. An analysis of tagging effectiveness with tagging exhaustivity and tag specificity was conducted to ameliorate the drawbacks of consistency analysis based on only the quantitative measures of vocabulary matching. To further investigate the semantic values of tags at various levels of specificity, a latent semantic analysis LSA was conducted. To test statistical significance for the relation between tag specificity and semantic quality, correlation analysis was conducted. This research demonstrates the potential of tags for web document indexing with a complete assessment of tagging quality and provides a basis for further study of the strengths and limitations of tagging.
Jane Butler Kahle: passion, determination, and vision

In this article, I describe how Jane Butler Kahle’s intellectual curiosity, commitment to equity and her ability to use various research approaches, to establish research and networking groups comprised of scholars from diverse backgrounds, theoretical perspectives and geographic locations, to disseminate research outcomes and findings through scholarly publications, service on policy committees and mentoring of other scholars framed a career in science education that has impacted students, teachers, and researchers. Jane synergistically and tirelessly combined her research, teaching, and service to identify, challenge and reduce inequities in science education in the US and throughout the world because for her it was important that all students have access to quality science education.
Recent advance in non-Krylov subspace model order reduction of interconnect circuits

Model order reduction of interconnect circuits is an important technique to reduce the circuit complexity and improve the efficiency of post-layout verification process in the nanometer VLSI design. Existing works using the Krylov subspace method are very efficient, but the resulting models are less compact and lack global accuracy. Also, existing methods cannot handle interconnect circuits with large input and output ports. Recent advances in reduction techniques using non-Krylov subspace techniques such as truncated balanced realization (TBR) hold some promise to solve these problems. In this paper, we first review the classic TBR-based reduction methods and then present the recent developments in fast TBR-based reduction and techniques such as PMTBR, SBPOR, and ETBR methods. These newly proposed methods try to avoid the expensive computing steps in traditional TBR methods at some cost to accuracy to boost efficiency and scalability, which is critical to reduce large interconnect parasitics modeled as RLCK circuits. The ETBR method can also reduce circuits with massive ports by considering the input signals. We show the pros and cons of each method and compare them on a set of large interconnect circuits, and finally point to some new research directions for this area.
Shifted 1/$N$ Expansions for Energy Eigenvalues of the Schrodinger Equation

The $\frac{1}{N}$ expansion is a useful way of solving the Schr\"odinger equation to very high orders. We present a modified, physically motivated approach, called the shifted $\frac{1}{N}$ expansion, which dramatically improves the analytic simplicity and convergence of the perturbation series for the energy eigenvalues.
Rotordynamic Comparison of Built-Up Versus Solid Rotor Construction

Most manufacturers of multi-stage centrifugal compressors for the oil and gas industry utilize a solid shaft rotor construction. The impellers use a shrink fit onto the shaft with spacers in between the impellers. With the introduction of the guidelines in the 7th edition of API 617, built-up rotors for centrifugal compressors using a tie-bolt are recognized by API. This study compares the rotordynamic performance of the identical compressor using both a tie-bolt design and a more conventional solid rotor for a two-stage pipeline application. A full API 617 lateral analysis is performed on the two designs, assuming identical impeller flow path, stage spacing, and hub diameter. The critical speed and unbalance response are computed, and a full Level 2 stability analysis is performed for each case. The results show the tie-bolt construction to be slightly lighter and stiffer, resulting in a higher critical speed and improved rotordynamic stability.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
A Historical Perspective on Selective Conscientious Objection

tion (SCO) has been addressed by a National Advisory Commission on Selective Service, by the Supreme Court, and by numerous legal scholars, political philosophers, and religious ethicists. For the most part, the contemporary debate concerning SCO has been carried on without explicit reference to discussions of SCO by the classic just-war theorists.' The few documents which cite the just-war tradition have arrived at apparently contradictory conclusions.
The crystal structure of GXGD membrane protease FlaK

The GXGD family of intramembrane proteases includes presenilin, which is mutated in familial Alzheimer's disease, and type 4 prepilin peptidases, which are virulence factors for many pathogenic bacteria. The first crystal structure of a GXGD membrane protease has now been determined. The structure of the FlaK preflagellin peptidase from Methanococcus maripaludis reveals fundamental differences between the GXGD membrane aspartyl protease and its soluble counterparts such as pepsin. Comparison with models of presenilin derived from biochemical analysis suggests that the structure of its active site is similar to that of archaeal FlaK. This structural knowledge will facilitate rational design of inhibitors that target this family of proteases. The GXGD proteases are polytopic membrane proteins with catalytic activities against membrane-spanning substrates that require a pair of aspartyl residues1,2,3,4. Representative members of the family include preflagellin peptidase, type 4 prepilin peptidase, presenilin and signal peptide peptidase. Many GXGD proteases are important in medicine. For example, type 4 prepilin peptidase may contribute to bacterial pathogenesis5,6,7, and mutations in presenilin are associated with Alzheimer’s disease8,9,10. As yet, there is no atomic-resolution structure in this protease family. Here we report the crystal structure of FlaK, a preflagellin peptidase from Methanococcus maripaludis, solved at 3.6 A resolution. The structure contains six transmembrane helices. The GXGD motif and a short transmembrane helix, helix 4, are positioned at the centre, surrounded by other transmembrane helices. The crystal structure indicates that the protease must undergo conformational changes to bring the GXGD motif and a second essential aspartyl residue from transmembrane helix 1 into close proximity for catalysis. A comparison of the crystal structure with models of presenilin derived from biochemical analysis reveals three common transmembrane segments that are similarly arranged around the active site. This observation reinforces the idea that the prokaryotic and human proteases are evolutionarily related11,12. The crystal structure presented here provides a framework for understanding the mechanism of the GXGD proteases, and may facilitate the rational design of inhibitors that target specific members of the family.
Diethyl pyrocarbonate: An examination of its properties in buffered solutions with a new assay technique

Abstract Two assay systems for diethyl pyrocarbonate are described. The first is a spectrophotometric method that makes use of the rapid reaction with the colored compound, 5-thio-2-nitrobenzoate, to form a colorless product. The second is based on the inactivation of lactate dehydrogenase and, unlike the first, can be used in the presence of thiols. The rate of decomposition of diethyl pyrocarbonate has been studied in several buffers at different pH values.
Small-angle neutron scattering of poly(styrene)/poly(acrylic acid-ethyl acrylate) copolymers: The effect of the degree of hydrolysis of the poly(acrylic acid-ethyl acrylate) block

We report the results of systems based on polystyrene-poly(ethyl acrylate) (PEA) diblocks, which self-assemble in aqueous solutions to form spherical micelles. Previous work has shown that the rheological properties of these solutions, in particular the gel–liquid transition, can be tuned through the use of a simple hydrolysis reaction to convert PEA to poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). We studied the effect of the extent of hydrolysis on the self-assembly and micellar interactions. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) spectra were fit with a variety of models to determine the micelle structure. As more PEA was converted to PAA (i.e., as the corona became more charged and more hydrophilic), the micellar aggregation number decreased, analogous to observations of other polymeric micelles. This effect could impact the gel–liquid transition and rheology in this system and in similar micellar block copolymer gels. Finally, our SANS spectra qualitatively agreed with predictions for attractive colloidal glasses, confirming the idea that the elasticity of these gels arises from the jamming of micelles. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 93: 490–497, 2004
Status of FASTBUS Software

Much of the software effort over the last year has been concentrated on addressing. The concern has not so much been on how the address is divided up between segments and modules, but on making certain that enough control space and enough types of control space are available. This allows standard bit assignments for functions such as test, and also provides protection for such things as a computer's program memory. Our goal is to provide a standard set of control space register assignments of the most frequently used functions so that one need only generate a software driver for the FASTBUS - not a software driver for each module on the bus. Finally, much effort the addressing symmetric. to control space and a almost identical software. has gone into making For example, broadcast normal write can use In order to achieve this goal we are developing a standard set of register assignments for commonly used function. A tentative set is listed in a table along with a brief description of each operation.
Study of the effects of flexion on the position of the conus medullaris: follow-up study using MR imaging in non-human primates.

Previous anatomical and radiological studies of conus position with flexion and extension of the spine have had conflicting results. We previously performed a human cadaveric study with direct visualization of the conus during flexion and extension to further study this question and to potentially determine if flexion and extension of the spine during MRI may prove to be a diagnostic tool in occult tethered cord syndrome. We found no movement of the conus during flexion or extension. The present is a follow-up study using MR imaging of Rhesus (Macaca mulatta) monkeys to see if the conus moves in flexion or extension of the spine. We placed three adult male Rhesus monkeys under general anesthesia into a 1.5 T Siemens MRI machine. Sagittal T2-weighted images were obtained through the lumbosacral spine during flexion and extension. The conus position was compared between studies. In all animals, the conus terminated between L6 and S1, and the conus did not move from its neutral position in either flexion or extension of the spine. Flexion and extension of the non-human primate’s spine does not result in a change of position of the conus medullaris to change position. Therefore, it is unlikely that the conus would change position during flexion and extension MRI in an adult without a tethered spinal cord.
Negative fluid balance and the occurrence of radiocontrast associated acute renal failure

The factors that influence the occurrence and course of radiocontrast associated acute renal failure (RAARF) were evaluated in ten elderly patients who developed postcardiac catheterization renal failure following the use of low osmolar (iohexol) radiocontrast material. Data from these patients was compared to that of ten similar patients who did not develop RAARF. Mean ages (73±1.2 vs. 72±1.7 years, p>0.05), and baseline serum creatinines (1.7±0.1 vs. 1.8±0.1 mg/dl, p>0.05), were not different. The amount of contrast material administered was similar in both groups. Mean fluid balance in patients with RAARF was negative 571±107 ml on the study day, while patients without RAARF were positive 707±222 ml (p<0.05). There were no significant differences between either group in regard to concomitant medications, or associated diseases. Also, no significant differences between the prophylactic use of furosemide infusion or the occurrence of diabetes mellitus were observed in either group. There was, however, an increased risk for RAARF in patients with diabetes mellitus who also developed negative fluid balance (p<0.05). The data suggest that negative fluid balance of relatively small degree (500 ml) in association with the administration of radiocontrast material may be a major factor in the development of RAARF.
Physical Sciences: Hekla Eruption Clouds

THE black clouds from the eruption in 1965 of the Icelandic volcano Syrtlingur are reported1 to have included as a major constituent particles containing high concentrations of heavy metals, supposedly produced by decomposition of the silicates in the magma followed by vaporization and progressive condensation of the decomposition products. The 1970 eruption of Hekla volcano in Iceland provided an opportunity to determine whether this behaviour is a general characteristic of Icelandic volcanic eruptions.
Information processing deficits in hydrocephalic and letter reversal children.

Abstract Hydrocephalic, letter reversal and normal children were tested with a tactile matching-to-simple task, a tachistoscopic matching-to-sample task, and a dichotic listening paradigm. For hydrocephalics, intrahemispheric as well as interhemispheric errors occurred; the partial callosal hypothesis was not supported. Letter reversal children demonstrated an interhemispheric deficit only in tactile performance.
Joe Paterno, White Patriarchy and Privilege: Nostalgia and the football-media complex

The death of Joe Paterno prompted a national moment of silence, a treatment usually reserved for dignitaries. This paper argues that this level of national mourning says less about his importance as a football coach or even a man, but more about the meaning JoPa icon, especially in light of his firing from Penn State. It says as much about us and fears about a lost white masculinity than Paterno. Signifying the end of an “era” and a perceived community under attack, on the heals of Jerry Sandusky’s arrest, his death was reframed as a sad affair because of the cloud hanging over head at death’s door. Yet, as argued here, it was that cloud and the level of nostalgia that led to heightened media coverage and national sadness.
Late Neolithic cultural elements from the Danube and Carpathian regions of Precucuteni – Trypillia A culture

The relations of Precucuteni – Trypillia A cultures with the cultures of the Late Neolithic/Early Eneolithic of South-Eastern Europe were primarily determined by two factors: origin and cultural contacts. Ideas about Precucuteni – Trypillia A formation appeared sixty years ago on the basis of typology and stratigraphy. The first part of the twentieth century was marked by numerous investigations of Neolithic cultures in South-Eastern Europe and excavations of Trypillia A sites in Ukraine. First, we present these materials. Precucuteni-Trypillia A complex was a multi-component formation which included components of different Southern and Western components originating from different cultures from the wide Balkan-Carpathian area. At different stages of T rypillia, some directions of contact became more important than others.
Rule induction in productivity analysis: a rough set approach

This paper describes the application of rough set theory to equipment productivity estimate. Rough set theory offers a novel approach both in generation of rules and statistical classification of the equipment productivity data. The approach is based on upper and lower approximations of a set in terms of positive, negative and boundary regions. The information about the equipment productivity is organized in productivity information table. The table contains data about the object of interest characterized in terms of some attributes. The paper is more of an exploratory research to determine how rough set theory can be applicable to specific construction engineering problems.
Assessment of vascular permeability in an ovine model of acute lung injury and pneumonia-induced Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis.

Objective:To assess the time changes and mechanism of pulmonary and peripheral vascular permeability in sheep with acute lung injury and sepsis.Design:Prospective, controlled, randomized trial.Setting:University research laboratory.Subjects:A total of 21 chronically instrumented, adult female sheep.
Expanding the view of scholarship: introduction.

ABSTRACTThe Association of American Medical Colleges' Council of Academic Societies (CAS) has a long-standing interest in scholarship as it relates to research, education, and service, the traditional definition of the activities of medical school. The work of Ernest Boyer and Charles Glassick is hi
A multidimensional developmental model of alcohol use during emerging adulthood.

Objective: Longitudinal analyses identified unique multidimensional classes of alcohol use and examined individuals' movement among these classes during emerging adulthood. Method: Latent transition analysis was used to identify a developmental model of alcohol use incorporating four aspects of use: use in the past year, frequency of use, quantity of use, and heavy episodic drinking. Participants were drawn from the Reducing Risk in Young Adult Transitions study (N = 1,143). Participants' alcohol use was assessed at mean ages of 18.5, 20.5, and 22.5 years. Results: Through exploratory analysis, a five-class developmental model was identified as the best description of participants' alcohol use between ages 18.5 and 22.5 years. This model consisted of five multidimensional alcohol-use latent variables: no use, occasional low use, occasional high use, frequent high use, and frequent high use with heavy episodic drinking. Analyses provided information regarding the proportion of participants in each latent c...
Smoking motives in movies are important for understanding adolescent smoking: a preliminary investigation.

Introduction: Exposure to smoking in movies is strongly associated with smoking uptake and maintenance among adolescents. However, little is known about what features of movies (e.g., the context for smoking or motives for a character smoking) moderate the association between exposure to movie smoking and adolescent smoking. This laboratory study examined whether exposure to movie smoking that is portrayed as having a clear motive is associated with the desire to smoke differently than smoking that is portrayed as having no clear motive. Methods: A sample of 77 middle school students (mean age of 12.8 years, 62% male, 60% Caucasian) viewed movie clips that portrayed smoking as helping to facilitate social interaction, to relax, to appear rebellious, or as having no clear motive. After exposure to each clip, participants rated their desire to smoke. Results: Exposure to clips where smoking was portrayed as helping characters to relax was associated with a significantly stronger desire to smoke compared with clips where the motive for smoking was unclear. Desire to smoke was similar for clips where no motive was clear, social smoking clips, and rebellious smoking clips.
Nuclei for totally point determining graphs

Abstract The nucleus (edge nucleus) of a point determining graph is defined by Geoffroy and Sumner to be the set of all points (edges) whose removal leaves the graph point determining. It is the purpose of this paper to develop the analogous concepts for totally point determining graphs, that is, graphs in which distinct points have distinct neighborhoods and closed neighborhoods.
X-ray resonant reflection from magnetic multilayers: Recursion matrix algorithm

Recursion equations for $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2$ scattering matrices have been derived to calculate resonant x-ray reflection from magnetic multilayers. The solution has been basically reduced to that found in Stepanov et al, Phys. Rev. B 57, 4829 (1998) for grazing incidence x-ray diffraction from crystalline multilayers.
Application of iterative global/local finite-element analysis. Part 1: Linear analysis

Iterative global/local finite-element stress analysis was used to perform linear analysis of two configurations with local damage. One was a tubular joint with local debonding; the other was a fibre matrix unit cell with debonding along part of the interface. The global/local procedure was shown to be both accurate and efficient for both configurations.
Protocadherin-18a has a role in cell adhesion, behavior and migration in zebrafish development

Protocadherin-18a (Pcdh18a) belongs to the delta 2-protocadherins, which constitute the largest subgroup within the cadherin superfamily. Here we present isolation of a full-length zebrafish cDNA that encodes a protein highly similar to human and mouse Pcdh18. Zebrafish pcdh18a is expressed in a complex and dynamic pattern in the nervous system from gastrula stages onward, with lesser expression in mesodermal derivatives. Pcdh18a-eGFP fusion protein is expressed in a punctate manner on the membranes between cells. Overexpression of pcdh18a in embryos caused cyclopia, mislocalization of hatching gland tissue, and duplication or splitting of the neural tube. Most neural markers tested were expressed in an approximately correct A-P pattern. By cell transplantation we showed that overexpression of pcdh18a causes diminished cell migration and reduced cell protrusions, resulting in a tendency of cells to stay more firmly aggregated, probably due to increased cell adhesion. In contrast, knockdown of pcdh18a by a morpholino oligonucleotide caused defects in epiboly, and led to reduced cell adhesion as shown by cell dissociation, sorting and transplantation experiments. These results suggest a role for Pcdh18a in cell adhesion, migration and behavior but not cell specification during gastrula and segmentation stages of development.
Differential Recall of Subcategory Information about In-Group and Out-Group Members

Subjects read stories depicting positive or negative activities involving in-group (same gender) and out-group (opposite gender) targets. Subcategory information (declared college major) about the targets was also provided. The frequency and gender typicality of the subcategory information were varied. More subjects recalled subcategory information about in-group members than about out-group members, but only when the subcategory was infrequent. Subjects also tended to recall differentiating subcategory information more about in-group members performing negatively than about positive in-group targets. These results were generally consistent with the differential subcategorization explanation of the general tendency to perceive less variability among out-group than among in-group members, although several limits on the subcategorization process were found.
Social Groups, Social Media, and Higher Dimensional Social Structures: A Simplicial Model of Social Aggregation for Computational Communication Research

By building on classical communication network literature, we present a computational approach to modeling tightly bound groups and social aggregations as higher dimensional social structures. Using the mathematical theory of simplicial complexes, these groups can be represented by geometric spatial elements (or simplexes) and a social aggregation a collection of simplexes (i.e., a simplicial complex). We discuss the uniting conditions that define a tightly bound group as a higher-dimensional group, which can be mathematically treated as nodes in a network of social aggregation. We utilize Facebook as a particularly relevant example to demonstrate innovative ways researchers can tap into digital data, in addition to traditional self-reported data, to advance communication research using the simplicial model, although the approach is applicable to many questions not involving communication technology.
Development of the Lipid-Rich Core in Human Atherosclerosis

In recent years the role of the atherosclerotic core in promoting plaque rupture has become well recognized. A new insight into core development is its origination early in atherogenesis, before formation of the fibrous plaque. The early core is associated with accumulation of vesicular lipid rich in free cholesterol. Later in core development, lipid deposits become more diverse. The weight of evidence points toward a direct extracellular process, probably lipoprotein aggregation and fusion, as the chief pathway of cholesteryl ester accumulation, although foam cell death may also contribute cholesteryl ester. The mechanism or mechanisms of formation of vesicular, cholesterol-rich deposits are unknown. Since the increase in free cholesterol is likely to have deleterious effects on cells bordering the core, the further elucidation of cellular and biochemical pathways leading to and responding to free cholesterol accumulation is of great importance. Complement activation and cellular stress responses are prominent in the vicinity of core lipids, but their pathogenetic roles remain to be established. Since the core appears so early in atherogenesis, these as well as other, yet to be determined cellular responses to core lipids, oxidized and unoxidized, could have a considerable effect on overall lesion development. Much remains to be learned about macrophage and smooth muscle responses, calcification, capillarization, and matrix protein alterations in the evolution of the core and surrounding arterial intima.
Induction of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase by chlorinated dibenzofurans in rats

Abstract Five of 25 chlorinated dibenzofurans induced aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase in rats when administered orally at 40 μg/kg body weight. Active inducers included the three congeners with chlorines in all four lateral positions and the 2,7- and 2,8-dichlorodibenzofurans. The findings agree well with other in vivo studies involving common congeners, but do not agree with in vitro findings in that congeners with three lateral chlorines were inactive in vivo .
The interaction region in the boundary layer of a shock tube

Velocity and temperature boundary layers developed on a plane wall by ideal shock-tube flow are considered for weak shock and expansion waves. Analytically, the boundary layer consists of three regions, bounded by (1) expansion-wave head, (2) diaphragm location, (3) contact discontinuity, (4) shock. The flow fields (1, 2) and (3, 4) are, essentially, known. In the interaction region (2, 3), these flow fields merge, the governing equations are ‘singular parabolic’ and admit boundary conditions usually associated with elliptic equations. It is convenient to replace the weak expansion wave in the main flow by a line discontinuity. A consistent linearization scheme can now be devised to obtain the solution in the three regions. In (2, 3), the resulting linear singular parabolic equations for the first-order solutions are solved successfully by an iterative finite difference method, normally applied to elliptic equations.
Lower bounds for constrained task allocation problem in distributed computing environment

In this paper, we propose three lower bounds to the constrained task allocation problem (CTAP). These three lower bounds are: a heuristic lower bound (HLB), a linear programming relaxation (LPR) lower bound and a lagrangean relaxation with subgradient optimization (LRSO) based lower bound. We empirically compare the performance of these three bounds under different task executing times. Our experiments with real-world CTAPs indicate that the LPR provides efficient and tight lower bounds for the CTAP.
Techniques for real-time determination of the components of variance for control of continuous-sheet processes

The total variance of important output quality characteristics of continuous-sheet processes serves as a valuable qualitative guide for process control. Where significant correlation exists between a machine adjustment and a single component of the quality characteristic variance, quantitative decisions resulting in specific machine adjustments can be made. For improved control to be realized in such situations, however, the control system must be capable of performing real-time calculations of appropriate variance components. This paper presents three measurement-computing systems for the real-time, in-line calculation of the profile (cross-sheet), machine direction, and random components of variance of the output of a continuous-sheet process. A general analysis-of-variance model is developed in terms of actual sensor outputs and scanning patterns and then adapted for each of the three systems presented.
Differential Production Cross Sections of Low-Momentum Particles from 12.3-BeV/c Protons on Beryllium and Copper

Measurements of the differential production cross sections of pions, kaons, protons, and antiprotons from 12.3-BeV/c protons incident upon copper and beryllium targets were made at the Zero-Gradient Synchrotron at Argonne National Laboratory. These measurements were taken at production angles between 0 and 11.2 deg and covered the momentum range 500-1030 MeV/c. The particles were detected by a time-of-flight technique, supplemented by \ifmmode \check{C}\else \v{C}\fi{}erenkov counters for kaons and antiprotons.
Tuberculosis among Healthcare Workers, United States, 1995–2007

Objective. We examined surveillance data to describe the epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) among healthcare workers (HCWs) in the United States during the period 1995–2007.Design. Cross-sectional descriptive analysis of existing surveillance data.Setting and Participants. TB cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from the 50 states and the District of Columbia from 1995 through 2007.Results. Of the 200,744 reported TB cases in persons 18 years of age or older, 6,049 (3%) occurred in individuals who were classified as HCWs. HCWs with TB were more likely than other adults with TB to be women (unadjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 4.1 [3.8–4.3]), be foreign born (1.3 [1.3–1.4]), have extrapulmonary TB (1.6 [1.5–1.7]), and complete TB treatment (2.5 [2.3–2.8]).Conclusions. Healthcare institutions may benefit from intensifying TB screening of HCWs upon hire, especially persons from countries with a high incidence of TB, and encouraging treatment for latent TB infection amon...
Contractor-Led Quality Control and Quality Assurance Plus Design—Build: Who Is Watching the Quality?:

Recent innovations by the Arizona Department of Transportation (DOT) in the use of design—build procurement for highway construction are presented. Explosive population growth in Arizona has pushed its DOT to the limits of its capacity and has challenged the department to develop innovative ways to stretch its resources to meet its constituents' needs. In 1996 the department spearheaded the passage of a pilot design-build law aimed at completing public-sector construction projects more rapidly than could be done by traditional methods. An evaluation of the material quality program used in the second design—build project in this program is described. The project reconstructed an extremely congested 7-mi segment of Interstate 17, a primary artery carrying 180,000 vehicles per day through the city of Phoenix, widening it from 6 to 10 lanes. The design—build contract was awarded after A+B bidding, which considered the bid price to do the work and the time required to complete the project, and was the largest ...
Premature adrenarche: findings in prepubertal African-American and Caribbean-Hispanic girls.

Premature adrenarche was previously thought to be a benign condition. However, the authors and several other research groups have noted hyperinsulinism and insulin resistance in many girls with premature adrenarche. African-American and Caribbean-Hispanic girls with premature adrenarche are frequently obese with marked hyperandrogenism, signs which correlate with the degree of insulin resistance (i.e., those girls who are obese and insulin resistant tend to have higher levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone-stimulated androgens). Also, girls with premature adrenarche and reduced insulin sensitivity can have subtle decreases in their high-density lipoprotein (HDL) profile. Many of these girls have a strong family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Preliminary data regarding long-term follow-up of girls with premature adrenarche indicate that those girls who remain obese are at risk of developing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The term 'syndrome X' refers to the constellation of laboratory and clinical findings associated with hyperinsulinism stemming from insulin resistance. These findings include obesity, acanthosis nigricans, glucose intolerance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia with reduced HDL and elevated low-density lipoprotein, cardiovascular disease and PCOS. Hence, for certain girls, premature adrenarche may be a part of the clinical spectrum of syndrome X.
State-selective electron capture in (0.5-50)-keV/u C 5+ -He collisions studied by cold-target recoil-ion momentum spectroscopy

Cross sections, differential in translational energy gain and projectile scattering angle, for single- and double-electron capture processes in collisions of ${\mathrm{C}}^{5+}$ ions with He at laboratory energies between 0.5 and 50 keV/u, have been studied experimentally by means of a high-resolution cold-target recoil-ion momentum spectroscopy. The translational energy spectra for single-electron capture show that capture into the ${\mathrm{C}}^{4+}$ $(n=3)$ state is the dominant reaction channel observed over the entire collision energy region studied, in agreement with close-coupling calculations. However, capture into $n=2$ and $ng~4$ states is only significant at $Eg~4 \mathrm{k}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}/\mathrm{u}.$ Transfer excitation processes contribute only very weakly to the total cross sections for single-electron capture (2--4 %). This contribution is considerably smaller than the close-coupling prediction. The autoionizing double-electron-capture (transfer ionization) spectrum clearly shows that ${\mathrm{C}}^{3+}$ ${(2l,2l}^{\ensuremath{'}})$ states are populated at the lowest impact energy, whereas contributions from capture into ${\mathrm{C}}^{3+}$ ${(2l,n}^{\ensuremath{'}}{l}^{\ensuremath{'}})$ states with ${n}^{\ensuremath{'}}g~3$ increase as the impact energy is increased and become the dominant process at $E=35 \mathrm{k}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{V}/\mathrm{u}.$ State-selective and differential cross sections have also been measured and compared with the close-coupling and multichannel Landau-Zener calculations.
Arachidonate-induced experimental nerve infarction ☆

Despite the clinical importance of ischemia in the pathogenesis of many human neuropathies, little is known about the effect of circulatory compromise on the structure of peripheral nerves. This results in part from the lack of an entirely satisfactory model in which to study ischemic neuropathy. We therefore injected arachidonic acid, a potent stimulus to platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction, into the femoral artery of normal rats. This resulted in the rapid onset of focal infarction of the proximal posterior tibial nerve in all animals. Distally there was evidence of Wallerian degeneration but not of primary ischemic damage. The site and nature of the infarct and the temporal sequence of the pathological changes were highly consistent. This new method is a simple and highly reproducible means of producing experimental nerve infarction.
Impacts of Organic Zero Tillage Systems on Crops, Weeds, and Soil Quality

Organic farming has been identified as promoting soil quality even though tillage is used for weed suppression. Adopting zero tillage and other conservation tillage practices can enhance soil quality in cropping systems where synthetic agri-chemicals are relied on for crop nutrition and weed control. Attempts have been made to eliminate tillage completely when growing several field crops organically. Vegetative mulch produced by killed cover crops in organic zero tillage systems can suppress annual weeds, but large amounts are needed for adequate early season weed control. Established perennial weeds are not controlled by cover crop mulch. Integrated weed management strategies that include other cultural as well as biological and mechanical controls have potential and need to be incorporated into organic zero tillage research efforts. Market crop performance in organic zero tillage systems has been mixed because of weed, nutrient cycling, and other problems that still must be solved. Soil quality benefits have been demonstrated in comparisons between organic conservation tillage and inversion tillage systems, but studies that include zero tillage treatments are lacking. Research is needed which identifies agronomic strategies for optimum market crop performance, acceptable levels of weed suppression, and soil quality benefits following adoption of organic zero tillage.
Transient Eigenfrequencies in Liquid-Filled Cylinders

Conclusions The graphs in Fig. 1 are for pd* vs % at Mach number 10. Curves 1, 4, and 5 present the calculations of this report for the perfect gas case, the real gas case with no slip effects, and the real case with slip effects. Curve 4, when compared with curve 1, indicates that the real gas effects are not very significant for the Mach number considered, which is also obvious and expected because Taw is only around 4000°K. This analysis also is useful and presents a method of solving for the real gas effects with slip for the regime between the strong interaction zone and the strong slip zone, where the behavior of r\ with respect to £ should be of the strong interaction zone itself for continuity purposes. Again the reduction of the boundary-layer growth due to slip effects is clearly brought out by the first-order solution. The results for the strong slip can be obtained in a similar manner. To conclude, the small slip effects do not really change the character of rj with respect to ^, which changes only when the strong slip effects are present. The Aroesty first-order results are in good agreement with the present results, indicating that his results are only for the weak slip case and for this reason the results of Kumar and Jain for the strong slip are not in agreement with Aroesty's results. Real gas effects are not very significant in the Mach number 10 case, but are seen to be dominant for the Mach number 20 case as in Fig. 2.
POINT AND AREA PRECIPITATION PROBABILITIES1,,2

Abstract The relationship between point and area precipitation probabilities is examined on the basis of a simple model in which circular precipitation cells of uniform size are distributed at random over an area that is large compared to the forecast area. From knowledge of the cell size and the number of cells per unit area it is then possible to state both the point and area precipitation probabilities. Formulas and graphs of these relationships are shown. When the cells are large, point and area precipitation probabilities are almost equal, but they differ markedly when the cells are small. Joint and conditional probabilities of precipitation at two or more stations are also examined. An extension of the model is presented in which uncertainty regarding the density of cells is expressed as an elementary probability density, and the effects of this on the expected point and area precipitation probabilities are shown.
Strategies for Workplace Learning Used by Entry-Level Physician Assistants

Purpose: Physician assistants (PAs) play an increasingly important role in medicine. While PAs have strong basic science and clinical training in school, typically they don’t participate in postgraduate training and are expected to expand their generalists’ competencies through continuing professional education. The purpose of this study was to investigate the methods PAs use during their initial phase of workplace learning and determine which methods are deemed most effective by PAs. Methods: This large, cross-sectional study of PAs within the first 2 years of practice consisted of a survey of PAs investigating the methods used for assessment of educational needs, instruction, and assessment of learning. Results: The results revealed that PAs generally found that employers are well aware of their learning needs and their supervising physicians play an essential role in their learning. PAs themselves often recognized their learning needs based on perceived gaps in competencies noted with patient encounters. Though many PAs reported having an orientation period, most PAs said that this orientation was not well adapted to their unique learning needs. A variety of methods were used during workplace learning, with those related to real patient problems deemed most helpful by PAs. Although PAs reported that their learning was assessed, review of patient outcome data was uncommon. Conclusions: Consistent with principles of adult learning theory, these findings suggest that PAs find active forms of learning most valuable. Employers and supervising physicians should consider these findings and the available literature on adult learning in developing an environment that is supportive of continuing professional development.
Semiclassical analysis of long-wavelength multiphoton processes: The periodically driven harmonic oscillator

The problem of multiphoton processes for intense, long-wavelength irradiation of atomic and molecular electrons is presented. The recently developed method of quasiadiabatic time evolution is used to obtain a nonperturbative analysis. When applied to the standard vector potential coupling, an exact auxiliary equation is obtained that is in the electric dipole coupling form. This is achieved through application of the Goeppert-Mayer gauge. While the analysis to this point is general and aimed at microwave irradiation of Rydberg atoms, a Floquet analysis of the auxiliary equation is presented for the special case of the periodically driven harmonic oscillator. Closed form expressions for a complete set of Floquet states are obtained. These are used to demonstrate that for the oscillator case there are no multiphoton resonances.
Alternative splicing generates multiple transcripts of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein 1 in Aedes and Culex spp. mosquitoes

We determined the sequences of cDNA encoding Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein 1 (IAP1) homologues from Aedes triseriatus, Aedes albopictus, Aedes aegypti, Culex pipiens and Culex tarsalis. The cDNAs encode translation products that share > or = 84% sequence similarity. The IAP1 mRNA of each mosquito species exists as 3-5 distinct variants due to the presence of heterogeneous sequences at the distal end of their 5'UTRs. Partial genomic sequencing upstream of the 5' end of the Ae. triseriatus IAP1 gene, and analysis of the Ae. aegypti genomic sequence, suggest that these mRNA variants are generated by alternative splicing. Each IAP1 mRNA variant from Ae. triseriatus and Cx. pipiens was detected by RT-PCR in all mosquito life-stages and adult tissues examined, and the relative concentration of each Ae. triseriatus IAP mRNA variant in various tissues was determined.
SU‐GG‐T‐123: Theoretical and Experimental Determination of Therapeutic Advantage of Single Fraction Megavoltage Grid Therapy for F98 Glioma Brain Tumor Cell Lines

The hypofractionated megavoltage grid‐therapy is an effective treatment for management of bulky tumors with radiation. The main merit of this technique is that it takes advantage of the ability of normal tissue to repair better than tumor cells after radiation damage. Grid therapy deliberately creates cold spots that spare normal tissues, which can serve as centers of regrowth while the hot spots created by this therapy kill the tumor cells. Grid therapy also increases radiationdose tolerance and reduces the side effects. However, because the grid field is highly non‐uniform, there is currently no treatment planning system that can handle dose calculation. The only recourse is Monte Carlo simulation. A Monte Carlo technique was employed to calculate dose distribution of a commercially available grid collimator. The linear‐quadratic (LQ) model was used to evaluate the therapeutic outcome of a list of the single fraction treatments using grid therapy to treat F98 Glioma tumor cell line. F98 cell line was represented by a set of radio‐biological response parameters measured in our lab. The tumor cell and normal tissue survival statistics of grid therapy for open and grid field were calculated using the 3‐D dose distributions obtained by Mon Carlo technique, and the therapeutic ratios and equivalent open field doses were derived. Our in‐vitro experiments using the grid and uniform open field also indicated that the grid field could significantly increase the sensitivity of F98 cell lines to the radiation. In all the single fraction treatments, the therapeutic ratio depends on the fraction dose and tumor size; there is a significant therapeutic advantage of grid therapy for treating the studied Glioma cell line. The therapeutic advantage of the megavoltage grid therapy is demonstrated clearly by both the experimental measurements and theoretical calculations.
Theoretical analysis of DC link capacitor current ripple reduction in the HEV DC-DC converter and inverter system using a carrier modulation method

This paper presents theoretical analysis of the dc link capacitor current ripple reduction in the HEV dc-dc converter and inverter system by using a proposed carrier modulation method. This carrier modulation method introduces a modified triangle carrier, with a switching frequency that is twice as much as the inverter's, for the dc-dc converter to synchronize this dc-dc converter output current with the SPWM inverter input current. Resulting from this synchronization, the current ripple flowing into the dc link capacitor is greatly reduced by 50%, compared to the unsynchronized traditional triangle carrier method, whose switching frequency is the same as the inverter's. Experimental results are obtained from a 30 kW boost converter and inverter prototype. Theoretical equations are derived to demonstrate the effectiveness for all situations, considering different load power factors and dc-dc converter duty cycles.
On criminals' risk attitudes

Abstract If criminals are expected utility maximizers and more sensitive to changes in the certainty than the severity of punishment, they must be risk preferrers. We show that risk aversion is not ruled out if the expected utility hypothesis is weakened. © 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.