cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling and 2-sensor blind identification of human cardiovascular system

This paper presents modeling and blind identification of human cardiovascular system. In contrast to the population-based methods widespread in current practice, the proposed method does not require any a priori knowledge of the cardiovascular system. This paper develops a human cardiovascular system model, analyzes its identifiability, and identifies the model using two diametric blood pressure measurements. The aortic blood pressure reconstructed using the identified model can eliminate the use of invasive aortic blood pressure measurement for cardiovascular monitoring. Results based on the data from a realistic human cardiovascular system simulator demonstrate the validity of the proposed model and identification method.
Quartz Sand Surface Textural Evidence for a Glacial Origin of the Squantum “Tillite,” Boston Basin, Massachusetts

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of quartz sand grains separated from the Squantum “Tillite” reveals surface textures characteristic of those acquired during glacial transport. This evidence supports past theories of a middle to late Paleozoic mountain glaciation in the Boston area.
The primary structure of rat ribosomal protein S24.

The amino acid sequence of rat ribosomal protein S24 was deduced from the sequence of nucleotides in a recombinant cDNA. S24 contains 133 amino acids and has a molecular mass of 15 413. Hybridization of the cDNA to digests of nuclear DNA suggests that there are 12–16 copies of the S24 gene. The mRNA for the protein is about 600 nucleotides in length. Rat S24 is homologous to Xenopus laevis S19 and related to Halobacterium morismortui ribosomal protein S 15.
Quantum noise of an injection-locked laser oscillator

The quantum noise of an injection-locked laser oscillator is analyzed by the operator Langevin equation. The problem is also treated by the Fokker-Planck equation and the same results are obtained in the same regimes of applicability. The steady-state solution of the Fokker-Planck equation gives the probability distribution of amplitude and phase, the Langevin equation arrives more directly at the spectrum of amplitude and phase. The phase of the injection-locked oscillator is related to the phase of the injection signal and thus constitutes a measurement of phase. In the limit of complete inversion and zero internal loss of the laser resonator, the associated uncertainty is twice that dictated by the uncertainty principle. This result is interpreted by comparing it with the uncertainty introduced by a linear amplifier which can perform a simultaneous measurement of amplitude and phase.
Cross-Linguistic Differences in the Immediate Serial Recall of Consonants versus Vowels.

The current study investigated native English and native Arabic speakers’ phonological short-term memory for sequences of consonants and vowels. Phonological short-term memory was assessed in immediate serial recall tasks conducted in Arabic and English for both groups. Participants (n = 39) heard series of six consonant–vowel syllables and wrote down what they recalled. Native speakers of English recalled the vowel series better than consonant series in English and in Arabic, which was not true of native Arabic speakers. An analysis of variance showed that there was an interaction between first language and phoneme type. The results are discussed in light of current research on consonant and vowel processing.
Inhibition of crevicular fluid neutrophil elastase by α1-antitrypsin in periodontal health and disease

Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) was collected from two healthy, two gingivitis and two periodontitis sites of two groups of individuals presenting for treatment of chronic adult periodontitis (group 1, 25 subjects; group 2, seven subjects) and from distal approximal sites of two incisors and one molar of 10 subjects with periodontal health. GCF eluates of periodontitis group 1 and controls, prepared by a technique that lysed polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) in the samples, were assayed for functional neutrophil elastase (NE) and immunoreactive alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1-AT) and alpha 1-antitrypsin-neutrophil elastase complex (alpha 1-AT-NE). Periodontitis group 2 GCF eluates, generated by a method that did not disrupt PMNs, were assayed for functional NE in the presence and absence of a specific NE inhibitor. A greater amount of NE (ng/5-s sample) was found in eluates of GCF from diseased sites irrespective of whether or not the eluates contained products of lysed PMNs. However, the GCF eluates prepared without disrupting PMNs contained only about one-tenth as much NE as eluates of corresponding sites that included constituents of lysed PMNs. The amount of alpha-AT in GCF was insufficient to inactivate most of the NE available for release into the gingival sulcus at either healthy or diseased sites. In addition, much of the alpha 1-AT in GCF was not complexed with NE under conditions of excess NE. More than 90% of the NE in GCF from each site category was inactivated by the NE specific inhibitor. It is concluded, because of the large quantity of NE available in PMNs compared to the amount of NE inhibitors in GCF, that at least locally transient free NE occurs, which contributes to tissue destruction in chronic adult periodontitis.
Analysis of the mechanism of iron assimilation in chlamydomonas reinhardtii: A model system for strategy I plants

Abstract The molecular mechanism of iron (Fe) assimilation in strategy I plants is only beginning to be understood. In an attempt to establish a model system for crop plants, the mechanism of Fe assimilation was investigated in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. As in strategy I plants, Chlamydomonas responded to Fe deficiency through the induction of a cell surface Fe3+‐chelate reductase. Within 24 h following Fe removal, the Fe3+‐chelate reductase was increased by ≥ 15‐fold compared to Fe‐sufficent cells. The reductase activity was negatively correlated with the Fe concentration in the media, and resupply of Fe to Fe‐deficient cells resulted in a decrease in activity to control levels within 4–5 h. The Fe3+‐chelate reductase activity in Fe‐starved cells was saturable and was inhibited by uncouplers of the transmembrane proton gradient but not by SH‐specific reagents. The analysis of uptake using radiolabelled Fe demonstrated that Fe uptake was only observed in cells grown in Fe‐deficient media. When Fe2+ was of...
Glutathione enzymes, glutathione content and t-butyl hydroperoxide induced lipid peroxidation in the gill and digestive gland of the estuarine clam, Rangia cuneata

1. Reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione reductase (GSSG-reductase) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-peroxidase) activities were measured in the gill and digestive gland of Rangia cuneata. 2. Substantial GSH concentrations were found in both gill (820 ± 80 nmole/g tissue) and digestive gland (930 ± 130 nmole/g tissue). The digestive gland exhibited 2.5-fold greater GSSG-reductase activities and 0.5-fold lower GSH-peroxidase activities relative to the gill. 3. In vivo exposure to t-butyl hydroperoxide (BHP) elicited a dose-dependent increase (P < 0.05) in lipid peroxidation in both tissues. Lipid peroxidation occurred earlier and to a greater extent in the digestive gland versus the gill. GSH concentrations in both tissues were unaffected by BHP exposure. 4. The study results indicate that gill and digestive gland differ in susceptibility to BHP induced oxidative damage, and the difference is accounted for by differences in tissue GSH metabolism.
A rare case of an aldosterone secreting metastatic adrenocortical carcinoma and papillary thyroid carcinoma in a 31-year-old male

We report a rare synchronous presentation of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). A 31-year-old male first presented with a large left adrenal mass that was identified during the workup for refractory hypertension due to hyperaldosteronism. The mass was removed surgically with pathology showing ACC. The patient was then treated with adjuvant radiation therapy and mitotane chemotherapy. Four months post ACC resection, metastatic ACC to the right upper lung and PTC in the left lobe of the thyroid were found in surveillance imaging. He subsequently developed pulmonary, contralateral adrenal and brain metastases from his ACC. Li Fraumeni syndrome and Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type I (MEN I) were considered, but testing of both P53 and menin genes showed no mutation. We also performed a review of the literature and found three similar cases, however gene mutation analysis was not performed..
Interactive computer assistance for biofeedback and psychophysiological research: Pragmatics of development

Key assumptions and decisions influencing the design, programming, and operation of an interactive computer-control system for a biofeedback research laboratory are discussed. Most interactions with the computer are in the form of simple English queries and answers. Laboratory activities for which the computer provides assistance include instrument calibration, time-critical system testing, experiment set-up and instrument hook-up, experiment control, data management, and analysis. Use of structured programming technique is described. Authors and laboratory staff conclude that interactive assistance is a helpful research tool in many situations and that future laboratory-control systems will have more extensive English language interactive capability.
Adverbial theories of sensing and the many-property problem

Critique de la theorie adverbiale de la sensation (de W. Sellars, p. ex.) qui elimine les donnees sensorielles (sense data) au profit d'attributions de proprietes du sujet percevant (X voit du jaune = X voit de facon jaune). La theorie se heurte au probleme des proprietes multiples, et l'A. montre qu'elle n'est ni plus simple ni plus aisee a admettre que la theorie des sense data.
A new dressing for burns

Summary A pilot study was carried out using a cheap, plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheeting to dress 29 cases of burns. The change of dressings was less painful, cheaper and quicker than with conventional dressings, while healing of partial-thickness burns was at least as good as under conventional dressings. Non-operative desloughing appeared to be quicker than under conventional dressings. The PVC material was also found to be very useful as a temporary dressing for surgeons' ward rounds and as a first-aid cover.
Quantifying the effect of colony size and food distribution on harvester ant foraging

Desert seed-harvester ants, genus Pogonomyrmex, are central place foragers that search for resources collectively. We quantify how seed harvesters exploit the spatial distribution of seeds to improve their rate of seed collection. We find that foraging rates are significantly influenced by the clumpiness of experimental seed baits. Colonies collected seeds from larger piles faster than randomly distributed seeds. We developed a method to compare foraging rates on clumped versus random seeds across three Pogonomyrmex species that differ substantially in forager population size. The increase in foraging rate when food was clumped in larger piles was indistinguishable across the three species, suggesting that species with larger colonies are no better than species with smaller colonies at collecting clumped seeds. These findings contradict the theoretical expectation that larger groups are more efficient at exploiting clumped resources, thus contributing to our understanding of the importance of the spatial distribution of food sources and colony size for communication and organization in social insects.
Using hypnosis to facilitate resolution of psychogenic excoriations in acne excoriée.

Hypnotic suggestion successfully alleviated the behavioral picking aspect of acne excoriee des juenes filles in a pregnant woman who had been picking at the acne lesions on her face for 15 years. Acne excoriee is a subset of psychogenic or neurotic excoriation. Conventional topical antibiotic treatment was used to treat the acne. Compared with other treatments for uncomplicated acne excoriee, hypnosis is relatively brief and cost-effective and is non-toxic in pregnancy.
A Retrospective Look at the Internal Help-Seeking Process in Young Women With Eating Disorders

This qualitative study retrospectively explored the help-seeking process in women with eating disorders. Interviews were conducted with 14 college-age women suffering from anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or eating disorder NOS. Grounded theory was utilized to develop a preliminary model of the help-seeking process. Participants described a gradual shift from denial to increased awareness of self and the impact of the illness. This core process was transient in nature and influenced by interpersonal feedback, critical incidents, the women's general attitude toward help- seeking, and prior treatment experiences. Implications for clinicians include an increased focus on the transient awareness of self and the illness.
Angiosarcomas of the uterus and ovary: clinicopathologic report

The clinicopathologic features of angiosarcomas of the uterus and ovary are described. Extensive review of world literature shows only eight reported cases of angiosarcoma arising in the uterus and two in the ovary. Clinically, both patients presented with nonspecific symptoms. The tumors were found at surgery, and confirmed as angiosarcomas on histologic examination. The ultrastructure of both tumors is also presented. The association with mucinous cystadenoma in the second tumor raises the possibility that this may be a mixed Mullerian tumor. Both tumors behaved in an aggressive fashion.
Computer Technology-Infused Learning Enhancement.

The purpose of the study was to determine students’ perception of instructional integration of computer technology to improve learning. Two key questions were investigated in this study: (a) What is the students’ perception of faculty integration of computer technology into classroom instruction? (b) To what extent does the students’ perception of faculty integration of computer technology, students’ computer proficiency levels for personal activities, and students’ computer proficiency levels for instructional activities predict the students’ perception of the effect of computer technology to improve learning? A survey questionnaire with a likert-type rating scale was used to collect data to answer the research questions. Descriptive statistics as well as a multiple regression technique were used to analyze data obtained in the study. A statistically significant relationship was found between the three predictor variables and the students’ perception of the effect of computer technology to improve learning.
Driven Chain Macromolecule in a Heterogeneous Membrane-Like Medium

Monte Carlo simulations are performed to study the conformational relaxation of a large polymer chain driven into a heterogeneous (membranelike) substrate on a discrete lattice. Chains are created on trails of constrained self-avoiding walks (SAW) on the lattice. Kink–jump, crank–shaft, and reptation moves are used to move segments of chains. Short chains of length L sc are driven by a field E 1 toward an impenetrable substrate to design a membrane medium with mobile chain segments. A long chain of length L lc is then driven by a field E 2 into the membrane medium and is subsequently allowed to relax in a field E 3. Radius of gyration R g and end-to-end distance R e of the long chain are examined. The relaxation of the conformation of the long chain and its magnitude is found to depend on the initial (predeposition) conformation of the chain, i.e., on E 2. For a relatively relaxed initial conformation (at E 2 = 0.1), the longitudinal component of the radius of gyration (R gz ) is found to decay with the driving field E 3 with a power law, R gz ∝ E 3 ν where ν ≃ 0.1 at low field (E 3 ≤ 0.1) and ν ≃ 1/3 at high field E 3 ≥ 0.1.
SOCIAL INTERACTION IN MIXED-INCOME DEVELOPMENTS: RELATIONAL EXPECTATIONS AND EMERGING REALITY

ABSTRACT: In many cities, public housing has come to exemplify concentrated urban poverty and the social problems associated with it. One major policy response to addressing these problems is the demolition and redevelopment of public housing complexes as mixed-income communities. Several theoretical propositions that lie behind this policy are based on assumptions about the ways in which living among higher-income residents can lead to relationships and interactions that may benefit poor people. Based on in-depth qualitative research in two mixed-income developments in Chicago, this paper explores the dynamics of social interaction in an effort to better understand the processes and factors that influence such interaction on the ground, the differential experience of residents from different backgrounds, and the factors that contribute to their decision-making about and interpretation of social relations with their neighbors. This analysis helps to better interpret the findings of earlier studies and craft more informed expectations about such interactions and their likely effects.
Instruments of microbial warfare: Bacteriocin synthesis, toxicity and immunity

Bacteria have devised ingenious enzymatic machinery to synthesize antibiotic molecules (bacteriocins) for their continuous warfare with other microorganisms. Synthesis and export of these toxic compounds are coordinated to ensure the proper extracellular activation of bacteriocin toxicity. In designing future antibiotics, some of the tricks used by bacteriocins might be exploited for the synthesis of novel compounds.
The Effect of Amiloride on the Renin—Aldosterone System in Primary Hyperaldosteronism and Bartter's Syndrome

Abstract: Amiloride is a potassium-sparing diuretic which has been advocated for the treatment of hypokalemic disorders. This agent was prospectively evaluated in hypokalemic patients with either primary hyperaldosteronism (ten patients) or Bartter's syndrome (five patients). Vital signs, electrolytes, and ambulatory hormonal studies were assessed during a control period and treatment period with amiloride therapy at 10 to 40 mg/day over two to 24 weeks. During the treatment period the systolic and diastolic blood pressure fell significantly in primary hyperaldosteronism but remained unchanged in Bartter's syndrome. In summary, amiloride therapy (1) increased plasma potassium in both diseases; (2) increased plasma renin activity (PRA) in primary hyperaldosteronism but decreased PRA in Bartter's syndrome; and (3) increased plasma aldosterone in both diseases. Since potassium is known to suppress renin production and stimulate aldosterone secretion, correction of the hypokalemia in this study probably accounts for the decreased PRA and increased plasma aldosterone observed in Bartter's syndrome. The increase in both PRA and plasma aldosterone in primary hyperaldosteronism, however, may be evidence of either a direct activation of the renin-aldosterone system or, alternatively, may be due to the mild natriuretic effects of amiloride.
Lymphedema following breast cancer treatment and impact on quality of life: A review

Lymphedema resulting from breast cancer treatment is a chronic condition which can significantly compromise quality of life. We sought to review various aspects of breast-cancer related lymphedema including measurement techniques, definitions, risk factors, and specifically, impact on physical, psychological, and emotional well-being of women treated for breast cancer. For the purpose of this review, we performed a literature search using PubMed for articles on lymphedema secondary to breast cancer treatment published since 1997. While improvements in breast cancer therapy have contributed to a decrease in the incidence of lymphedema, the overall negative impact the condition has on patients and survivors has remained unchanged. The development of lymphedema results in physical impairments including compromised function, diminished strength, fatigue, and pain in the affected arm. Affected women may have decreased self-confidence resulting from a distorted body image. Negative emotions reported by women with lymphedema include anxiety, frustration, sadness, anger, fear, and increased self-consciousness. Lymphedema secondary to breast cancer treatment remains a significant quality of life issue, with known consequences related to a woman's physical, psychological, and emotional well-being.
HIV: the more things change, the more they stay the same.

New data on the AIDS virus suggest that an HIV-1 subtype, ‘clade’ E, which is prevalent in Asia, may spread easily through mucosa, accounting for the greater efficiency of heterosexual spread of the disease in that part of the world.
Simulation study of flow through a reach of the Chattahoochee River

A three-dimensional numerical hydrodynamic model was developed by the writers to simulate flows through natural river reaches. The model has been successfully applied to and validated for a number of open channel flows. In this study, it is further applied to a flow through a reach of the Chattahoochee River, near Atlanta, GA, for which field and laboratory measurements were performed. The region of interest contains two piers of the Holcomb Bridge, a pier of an abandoned bridge, an old in-stream water intake, and six pump intakes. Good agreement is obtained between the model simulation and the experimental measurements demonstrating the ability of the model to capture important flow features.
Hormonal regulation of maternal behavior in rats: stimulation following treatment with ectopic pituitary grafts plus progesterone.

Changes in hormone secretions during pregnancy help to stimulate the onset of maternal behavior at parturition. To date, studies have demonstrated that estradiol (E2) appears to be a necessary component in the hormonal induction of maternal behavior in rats and other mammals. In the present study, we have reevaluated the contribution of E2, progesterone (P), and hormone-secreting pituitary grafts in the rapid induction of maternal behavior by measuring the behavioral effects of exposure to various combinations of P and prolactin-secreting ectopic pituitary grafts in the absence of estrogen. Adult hypophysectomized and nonhypophysectomized nulliparous rats were ovariectomized 2-3 days (Treatment Day 1) after their arrival in our laboratory. In Experiment #1, experimental, hypophysectomized rats were implanted s.c. with 6 P-filled Silastic capsules and given 2 anterior pituitary (AP) glands that were grafted beneath the kidney capsule on Treatment Day 1. Controls were given blank implants and were sham-grafted. P-filled and blank Silastic capsules were removed on Day 11, and behavioral testing was conducted once-a-day beginning on Day 12 for eleven days. Animals treated with P-plus-pituitary grafts displayed full maternal behavior significantly faster than did controls (median latencies of 3.0 and 7.5 days, respectively). In Experiment #2, nonhypophysectomized rats were assigned to one of three treatments. On Treatment Day 1, one group of rats received 6 P-filled Silastic implants and had 2 AP glands grafted under their renal capsules. A second group of animals received 6 P capsules and was sham-grafted, while controls were given blank implants and were sham-grafted.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate determinationsin poliomyelitis and other infections of the central nervous system and meninges

THE variability and nonspecificity of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate ~ are l w e l l known.!, ~ Previous reports '~, 4 have pointed out the variations in the erythroeyte sedimentation rate in acute poliomyelitis but have, at the same time, emphasized the value of this determination as an aid in the diagnosis of the disease. Because of the problems in differential diagnosis which are frequently presented by abnormal findings in the spinal fluid, it was decided to evaluate the sedimentation rate as a diagnostic procedure on all patients who presented clinical evidence of meningeal irritation or who had abnormal spinal fluid findings. The present report is concerned with erythroeyte sedimentation rate determinations on sixty-five poliomyelitis patients during the acute and convalescent phase of their disease and also acute phase sedimentation rate determinations on forty-six patients who had abnormal spinal fluids, some of which presented a problem in diagnosis. Twenty-six patients who had questionable clinical evidence of meningeal irritation or who .were thought to have central nervous system disease disproved by lumbar puncture and clinical course were used as controls.
Laser induced fluorescence as a diagnostic tool integrated into a scanning fiber endoscope for mouse imaging

Scanning fiber endoscope (SFE) technology has shown promise as a minimally invasive optical imaging tool. To date, it is capable of capturing full-color 500-line images, at 15 Hz frame rate in vivo, as a 1.6 mm diameter endoscope. The SFE uses a singlemode optical fiber actuated at mechanical resonance to scan a light spot over tissue while backscattered or fluorescent light at each pixel is detected in time series using several multimode optical fibers. We are extending the capability of the SFE from a RGB reflectance imaging device to a diagnostic tool by imaging laser induced fluorescence (LIF) in tissue, allowing for correlation of endogenous fluorescence to tissue state. Design of the SFE for diagnostic imaging is guided by a comparison of single point spectra acquired from an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) model to tissue histology evaluated by a pathologist. LIF spectra were acquired by illuminating tissue with a 405 nm light source and detecting intrinsic fluorescence with a multimode optical fiber. The IBD model used in this study was mdr1a-/- mice, where IBD was modulated by infection with Helicobacter bilis . IBD lesions in the mouse model ranged from mild to marked hyperplasia and dysplasia, from the distal colon to the cecum. A principle components analysis (PCA) was conducted on single point spectra of control and IBD tissue. PCA allowed for differentiation between healthy and dysplastic tissue, indicating that emission wavelengths from 620 - 650 nm were best able to differentiate diseased tissue and inflammation from normal healthy tissue.
FORMATION OF CAROTENOIDS AND CHLOROPHYLLS IN ETIOLATED BARLEY SEEDLINGS EXPOSED TO RED LIGHT.

For the investigation of many of the problems pertaining to the metabolism and function of the leaf pigments, it would be desirable to vary the relative proportions of the several leaf pigments in any given plant through changes in the environment. Average pigment determinations reported by Rudolph (1) have already indicated that red light, which promotes the formation of chlorophyll, does not stimulate the formation of the yellow pigments in etiolated bean leaves, but the individual determinations were subject to great variation. Moreover, etiolated bean leaves contain relatively large quantities of carotene and xanthophylls in nearly the same proportions found in green leaves, so that, for demonstration of the effect of red light on the formation of carotenoids in these seedlings, extremely precise determinations of the pigments were required. Investigations in this laboratory have shown that etiolated barley leaves, in contrast with the etiolated bean seedlings, contain very small quantities of carotene relative to the xanthophylls. These investigations also made possible the precise determination of the carotenoid pigments, because it was found that the rapid oxidation of the yellow pigments which takes place when the etiolated leaves are ground with sand and acetone during the extraction of the pigments may be prevented by treatment of the leaves with hot water (4). By the use of the improved methods of analysis, it was possible to determine accurately the effect of red light on the formation of the carotenoids in etiolated barley plants. When etiolated barley seedlings are exposed to red light, both carotene and chlorophylls increase rapidly. The xanthophylls, comparatively large quantities of which are present in the etiolated barley seedlings, increase more slowly. Investigation of the pigments of etiolated barley seedlings, which had been impregnated with sucrose and kept in the dark, demonstrated that the presence of sucrose did not promote the formation of carotene or chlorophyll. Determination of the absorption spectra of lutein acetate and of beta-carotene demonstrated that lutein and beta-carotene, the principal constituents of the leaf carotenoids, absorb considerable light in the red region of the spectrum in which chlorophyll exhibits maximum absorption. Since etiolated barley seedlings contain extremely little green
Neutrino-nucleus reaction cross sections

Abstract To draw physics conclusions from the SNO data, it is crucially important to have reliable estimates of the neutrino-deuteron reaction cross sections. I describe here the latest calculations of these cross sections and assess their reliability.
Socio-economic perspectives on household saving behavior

It is ultimately through saving, the act of deferring current consumption, that resources are made available to maintain and increase the amount of productive capital available for the production of national wealth. For this reason, few household decisions have social and economic consequences as far-reaching as those of the saving decision. Yet, economists’ understanding of what motivates households to save is remarkably incomplete. As a result, at a time when policymakers are becoming increasingly concerned about the low level of savings in the United States, there is a notable lack of consistent evidence on the determinants of household saving behavior to guide the formulation of appropriate policies to increase saving. The basic framework for research on the determinants of saving behavior and for evaluating the effects of fiscal and tax policies on saving has been the life cycle model of household consumption. In its simplest form, this model implies that the level of household saving can be explained as the outcome of choices made by purely self-interested individuals who must decide how to allocate their lifetime economic resources between current and future consumption. The life-cycle model is appealing to economists because it provides a model of saving which purports to explain household behavior as the
The rise of South Africa's quick service restaurant industry

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the rise of South Africa's quick service restaurant (QSR) industry by examining the structural changes and competitive strategies driving the industry.Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses Michael Porter's Five Forces and secondary data to describe the structural reorganization of South Africa's QSR industry and market positioning strategies being used to respond to the growing industry competition and global challenges.Findings – The paper finds that South Africa's QSR industry has risen tremendously and has expanded globally. The evolving fast food market comprises South African franchises and multi‐national franchise corporations co‐existing with modern supermarkets, contract food caterers, and informal traders. The industry uses a mix of market coordination, operational and competitive strategies to counter the intense global competition. Further research is needed to examine the potential of information communication technologies in QSR indust...
Performance of Different Temperature Sensors in Standard Fire Resistance Test Furnaces

Defining a methodology for measuring temperature in fire resistance furnaces is a challenge. This paper presents and discusses the performance of six different types of temperature sensors in wall and floor fire resistance furnaces namely: the ASTM E119 shielded thermocouples, ISO 834 plate thermometers, directional flame thermometers, bare-bead thermocouples, Inconel grounded and ungrounded sheathed thermocouples. The Inconel grounded and ungrounded sheathed thermocouples provided comparable results to those of the bear-bead thermocouples and are most suitable when a fast response time is desirable. Because of the fast response time and good durability, grounded and ungrounded junction thermocouples are well-suited for use in controlling the temperature in fire resistance standard test furnaces. The predicted and measured incident heat flux in furnaces controlled by either the bare-bead or grounded and ungrounded sheathed thermocouples are in good agreement.
Learning about ovarian tumorigenesis by watching Cables.

Commentary to:Mechanisms of Cables 1 gene inactivation in human ovarian cancer developmentHideo Sakamoto, Anne M. Friel, Antony W. Wood, Lankai Guo, Ana Ilic, Michael V. Seiden, Daniel C. Chung, Maureen P. Lynch, Takehiro Serikawa, Elizabeth Munro, Esther Oliva, Sandra Orsulic, Sandra D. Kirley, Rosemary Foster, Lawrence R. Zukerberg, Bo R. Rueda
Calculation of Occluded Diffuse and Nondiffuse Radiative Exchange Shape Factors Between Polygons

A procedure is described to calculate the radiative exchange shape factor between polygons. The spatial distribution of the emitting surface can be arbitrary and occluding surfaces are taken into account. Emitted radiant power is discretized into collimated, homogeneous beams leaving in a 3-dimensional, angular spray. Since a beam is homogeneous, the flux transported to a receiving surface is proportional to the intersection area of beam and surface. Occluding surfaces change the shape of the areas of intersection by casting collimated shadows. The total radiant power transported is proportional to the sum of the areas of intersection of all beams. Test cases are presented that demonstrate the utility and accuracy of the procedure and compare the computational expense with ray casting.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Mortality in workers in poultry slaughtering/processing plants: the Missouri poultry cohort study

Background: Subjects who work in poultry slaughtering and processing plants have one of the highest human exposures to viruses that cause cancer in chickens and turkeys. It is not known whether these viruses cause cancer in humans also. Epidemiological studies investigating this issue are scarce. Aims and Methods: Mortality was studied during the period 1969–90 in a cohort of 7700 subjects who worked in poultry slaughtering and processing plants and were members of a local poultry union in the State of Missouri. Results and Conclusions: Statistically significant excess risks of non-malignant respiratory diseases, accidents, and symptoms, senility, and ill-defined conditions, and increased but not statistically significant excesses for some cancers were observed in particular race/sex groups. Most of these results were based on small numbers of deaths, and in many cases were evident only in particular subgroups of the cohort. Because of this and the multiple comparisons made, chance could not be ruled out in explaining the findings. Furthermore, the cohort is young, with only 6% deceased at the end of follow up. Further follow up of this cohort is required before a reliable assessment of the potential risk associated with these viruses can be made.
Effects of northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) age and weight on results of the avian dietary toxicity test.

When interpreting results from dietary toxicity tests, age and body weight should be considered, noting that responses may vary by as much as 2-fold between extreme ages and weights
Intra-hour DNI forecasting based on cloud tracking image analysis

Abstract We describe an image processing methodology using Total Sky Imagers (TSIs) to generate short-term forecasts of Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) at the ground level. Specifically, we are interested in forecasting 1-min averaged DNI values for time horizons varying from 3 to 15 min. This work describes several sky image processing techniques relevant to solar forecasting, including velocity field calculations, spatial transformation of the images, and cloud classification. The solar forecasts derived here are analyzed and quantified in terms of root mean square error (RMSE) deviations in relation to actual values and compared to the performance of persistence models.
Effect of adsorbed metal ions on the transport of Zn- and Ni-EDTA complexes in a sand and gravel aquifer

Adsorption, complexation, and dissolution reactions strongly influenced the transport of metal ions complexed with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in a predominantly quartz-sand aquifer during two tracer tests conducted under mildly reducing conditions at pH 5.8 to 6.1. In tracer test M89, EDTA complexes of zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni), along with excess free EDTA, were injected such that the lower portion of the tracer cloud traveled through a region with adsorbed manganese (Mn) and the upper portion of the tracer cloud traveled through a region with adsorbed Zn. In tracer test S89, Ni- and Zn-EDTA complexes, along with excess EDTA complexed with calcium (Ca), were injected into a region with adsorbed Mn. The only discernable chemical reaction between Ni-EDTA and the sediments was a small degree of reversible adsorption leading to minor retardation. In the absence of adsorbed Zn, the injected Zn was displaced from EDTA complexes by iron(III) [Fe(III)] dissolved from the sediments. Displacement of Zn by Fe(III) on EDTA became increasingly thermodynamically favorable with decreasing total EDTA concentration. The reaction was slow compared to the time-scale of transport. Free EDTA rapidly dissolved aluminum (Al) from the sediments, which was subsequently displaced slowly by Fe. In the portion of tracer cloud M89 that traveled through the region contaminated with adsorbed Zn, little displacement of Zn complexed with EDTA was observed, and Al was rapidly displaced from EDTA by Zn desorbed from the sediments, in agreement with equilibrium calculations. In tracer test S89, desorption of Mn dominated over the more thermodynamically favorable dissolution of Al oxyhydroxides. Comparison with results from M89 suggests that dissolution of Al oxyhydroxides in coatings on these sediment grains by Ca-EDTA was rate-limited whereas that by free EDTA reached equilibrium on the time-scale of transport. Rates of desorption are much faster than rates of dissolution of Fe oxyhydroxides from sediment-grain surfaces and, therefore, adsorbed metal ions can strongly influence the speciation of ligands like EDTA in soils and sediments, especially over small temporal and spatial scales.
Characterization and computation of local Nash equilibria in continuous games

We present derivative-based necessary and sufficient conditions ensuring player strategies constitute local Nash equilibria in non-cooperative continuous games. Our results can be interpreted as generalizations of analogous second-order conditions for local optimality from nonlinear programming and optimal control theory. Drawing on this analogy, we propose an iterative steepest descent algorithm for numerical approximation of local Nash equilibria and provide a sufficient condition ensuring local convergence of the algorithm. We demonstrate our analytical and computational techniques by computing local Nash equilibria in games played on a finite-dimensional differentiable manifold or an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space.
Time-varying stock returns and labor income risks in the US and UK

I propose and estimate conditional asset pricing models where the risk premiums of the markets are related to the conditional covariance of the markets with labor income growth within and across countries and the volatility of the markets are related to the shocks and interactions of stock returns and labor income growth. I document that the risk premiums for the US and UK stock markets are more related to the conditional covariance of returns with the labor income growth within countries than across countries. I also find significant interactions of volatilities between stock returns and labor income within countries but not across countries. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that prices of domestic stocks are determined to a greater extent by stochastic discount factors of domestic investors than foreign investors and vice versa.
Parallel algorithm for linear feature detection from airborne LiDAR data

Linear features from airport images correspond to runways, taxiways and roads. Detecting runways helps pilots to focus on runway incursions in poor visibility conditions. In this work, we attempt to detect linear features from LiDAR swath in near real time using parallel implementation on G5-based apple cluster called Xseed. Data from LiDAR swath is converted into a uniform grid with nearest neighbor interpolation. The edges and gradient directions are computed using standard edge detection algorithms such as Canny's detector. Edge linking and detecting straight-line features are described. Preliminary results on Reno, Nevada airport data are included.
Nonrigid brain registration: synthesizing full volume deformation fields from model basis solutions constrained by partial volume intraoperative data

Abstract During image-guided neurosurgery, maintaining accurate registration of the patient with the preoperative image volume is essential to any navigational system. Since the patient’s brain shifts during many OR procedures, we have developed a physically based deformation model to update images concurrent with surgery in order to achieve nonrigid registration between the brain and the preoperative scans. In this paper, we introduce a strategy for integrating sparse displacement data acquired during surgery with the computational model using an efficient and accurate approach. The complex boundary conditions that exist during surgery are estimated from sparse data through a synthesis of simpler precomputed sets of model basis solutions. These basis solutions are weighted in accordance with a minimization procedure that reduces the error between the observed and computed displacement fields. This method appears to be a promising technique for increasing the speed and accuracy of the computational estimate, thus making intraoperative updates more efficient. Furthermore, it has the advantage of incorporating intraoperatively acquired measurements of true displacements into the model to ensure a more accurate estimation of tissue motion. Results from in vivo pig brain experiments involving multiple retractions show that full volume deformation fields can be constructed throughout a series of retraction events from a single set of basis solutions with equal or increased accuracy.
A method for separation of granulocytes from normal human blood using hydroxyethyl starch.

Abstract A comparison of the granulocyte yield obtained from normal buffy coats following the addition of different concentrations of hydrojtyethyl starch (H.E.S.) was made. Hydrcocyethyl starch proved to be at least as effective as Dextran both in regard to the percentage of granulocytes recovered and the speed of sedimentation of the red blood cells.
Character Education: Christian Education Perspectives

Character is defined broadly by leading authorities, including concepts such as practicing apt behavior and teaching right from wrong. Virtue and moral undertones tend to pervade most experts' use of character, although in secular settings, the notion of ethics is more prominent. Overall, developing in students a desire for the good is how most authorities understand the construct. Implementing character in the public and Christian schools, apart from a Judeo-Christian view of the construct, leaves schools open to values clarification, situational ethics, and other post-modern foundational options. Character development, at least at the conceptual level, is at the heart of all education—Christian or non-Christian.
A Weibull multi-state model for the dependence of progression-free survival and overall survival.

In oncology clinical trials, overall survival (OS), time to progression (TTP) and progression free survival (PFS) are three commonly used endpoints. Empirical correlations among them have been published for different cancers, but statistical models describing the dependence structures are limited. Recently Fleischer et al. proposed a statistical model that is mathematically tractable and shows some flexibility to describe the dependencies in a realistic way, based on the assumption of exponential distributions. This paper aims to extend their model to the more flexible Weibull distribution. We derived theoretical correlations among different survival outcomes, as well as the distribution of overall survival induced by the model. Model parameters were estimated by the maximum likelihood method and the goodness of fit was assessed by plotting estimated vs. observed survival curves for OS. We applied the method to three cancer clinical trials. In the non-small-cell lung cancer trial, both the exponential and the Weibull models provided an adequate fit to the data and the estimated correlations were very similar under both models. In the prostate cancer trial and the laryngeal cancer trial, the Weibull model exhibited advantages over the exponential model and yielded larger estimated correlations. Simulations suggested that the proposed Weibull model is robust for data generated from a range of distributions.
Evaluating Bounds and Estimators for Constants of Random Polycrystals Composed of Orthotropic Elastic Materials

While the well-known Voigt and Reuss (VR) bounds, and the Voigt-Reuss-Hill (VRH) elastic constant estimators for random polycrystals are all straightforwardly calculated once the elastic constants of anisotropic crystals are known, the Hashin-Shtrikman (HS) bounds and related selfconsistent (SC) estimators for the same constants are, by comparison, more difficult to compute. Recent work has shown how to simplify (to some extent) these harder to compute HS bounds and SC estimators. An overview and analysis of a subsampling of these results is presented here with the main point being to show whether or not this extra work (i.e., in calculating both the HS bounds and the SC estimates) does provide added value since, in particular, the VRH estimators often do not fall within the HS bounds, while the SC estimators (for good reasons) have always been found to do so. The quantitative differences between the SC and the VRH estimators in the eight cases considered are often quite small however, being on the order of ±1%. These quantitative results hold true even though these polycrystal Voigt-Reuss-Hill estimators more typically (but not always) fall outside the Hashin-Shtrikman bounds, while the self-consistent estimators always fall inside (or on the boundaries of) these same bounds.