cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Towards a Collaborative Planning System

This paper begins with an exploration of the problem of combining the elements of group cognition, access to media, and access to computerized analysis tools into a holistic planning process. A way is then discussed in which technology can be used to help combine these activities by incorporating graphical interfaces, associative information structuring, and computer-supported collaborative work into a microcomputer-based collaborative planning system (CPS). Methods for the development of a CPS are proposed and two systems are explored as examples. It is concluded that increased access to relevant information, aided by the implementation of a CPS, can ultimately lead to greater communication among participants in a group planning situation. This will ultimately have a positive effect on the quality of plans and decisions.
Enhancing hope in people with a first recurrence of cancer.

Enhancing hope in people with a first recurrence of cancer Researchers and clinicians have identified the need for well-defined intervention studies to test the efficacy of interventions designed to strengthen hope. This quasi-experimental study sought to determine if a specific nursing intervention program designed to enhance hope would positively influence levels of hope and quality-of-life (QOL) in a convenience sample of 115 people with a first recurrence of cancer who were randomly assigned to one of three groups: treatment group (hope), attention control group (informational), or control group (usual treatment). The Herth Hope Index (HHI) and the Cancer Rehabilitation and Evaluation Systems, Short Form (CARES-SF) were administered prior to intervention, immediately after intervention and at 3, 6, and 9-month intervals. Treatment and control groups differed significantly with regard to level of hope (P=0·02) and QOL (P=0·03). Both the level of hope and QOL were significantly increased (P=0·03) immediately after intervention and across time (3, 6 and 9 months). This study was a preliminary attempt to design, implement, and evaluate a theory-driven hope intervention program. Knowledge about the effectiveness of specific interventions designed to enhance hope is vital if nurses are to significantly influence hope in those whom are in their care.
Promotion effects in bulk metal sulfide catalysts

Abstract As shown previously, an unsupported Fe-Mo sulfide catalyst is quite selective toward hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) relative to hydrodesulfurization (HDS). This paper is primarily concerned with the activity enhancement of that catalyst. It is shown that the HDN and HDS volumetric activities of the Fe-Mo catalyst can be significantly increased by promotion with nickel or cobalt. The increased activities are much higher than those observed with existing commercial catalysts. This was observed in tests with a petroleum distillate feed. The overall HDS kinetics are catalyst dependent; theoretical explanations for such a dependence are given.
Is the Person-Affecting Intuition Paradoxical?

This article critically examines some of the inconsistency objections that have been put forward by John Broome, Larry Temkin and others against the so-called "person-affecting," or "person-based," restriction in normative ethics, including "extra people" problems and a version of the nonidentity problem from Kavka and Parfit. Certain Pareto principles and a version of the "mere addition paradox" are discussed along the way. The inconsistencies at issue can be avoided, it is argued, by situating the person-affecting intuition within a non-additive form of maximizing consequentialism – a theory which then competes with such additive, or aggregative, forms of maximizing consequentialism as "totalism" and "averagism."
The eyes of a patrolling butterfly: Visual field and eye structure in the Orange Sulphur, Colias eurytheme (Lepidoptera, Pieridae)

Sensory information plays a critical role in determining an animal's behavior on both proximate and evolutionary timescales. Butterflies, like many other insects, use vision extensively over their lifetimes, and yet relatively little work has been published to date on their visual capabilities. We describe the visual system of a pierid butterfly, Colias eurytheme, with the ultimate goal of better understanding its role in shaping the behavior of this animal. We made several measurements: visual field dimensions, eye surface area, interommatidial angle (Deltaphi), facet diameter (D), and eye parameter (p). C. eurytheme had a large visual field and considerable regional variation in visual acuity, as inferred by Deltaphi and D. When compared to females, males had larger eye surface areas, smaller Deltaphi, and larger D in all regions except ventrally. Both sexes had proportionally large eye surface areas compared to other butterflies. Minimum p in males was small, indicating that some regions of their eyes may operate close to the diffraction limit. Finally, we found that both eye surface area and D scaled positively, but with negative allometry to body size. We discuss the relevance of these visual characteristics to the biology and behavior of C. eurytheme.
Extended Kalman Filter Training of Neural Networks on a SIMD Parallel Machine

The extended Kalman filter (EKF) algorithm has been shown to be advan- tageous for neural network trainings. However, unlike the backpropagation (BP), many matrix operations are needed for the EKF algorithm and therefore greatly increase the computational complexity. This paper presents a method to do the EKF training on a SIMD parallel machine. We use a multistream decoupled extended Kalman filter (DEKF) training algorithm which can provide efficient use of the parallel resource and more improved trained network weights. From the overall design consideration of the DEKF algorithm and the consideration of maximum usage of the parallel resource, the multistream DEKF training is realized on a MasPar SIMD parallel machine. The performance of the parallel DEKF training algorithm is studied. Comparisons are performed to investigate pattern and batch-form trainings for both EKF and BP training algorithms.
Developing O&M Plans for Homeowners Associations: Case Study

This paper presents a case study of a town-home community in Atlanta, and describes the development of an operations and maintenance (O&M) plan for the maintenance of the exterior building components of the superstructures, grounds, driveways, and landscape of the property. Included in this O&M plan is a current conditions assessment of the facility exterior maintenance and the financial budget associated with process improvements and the projected maintenance requirements.
Theory of dynamic acoustic radiation force experienced by solid cylinders

A body insonified by a sound field is known to experience a steady force that is called the acoustic radiation force. This force can also be dynamic or oscillatory, knowing that the intensity of the incident sound field changes over time (amplitude modulation). The present paper develops the theory of dynamic radiation force experienced by a solid cylinder immersed in an ideal fluid. Analytical solutions of the equations for the dynamic force are derived. The equations provide analytical radiation force dependencies on the acoustic field and medium parameters. The case of compressional and shear waves' absorption in the solid material of the cylinder is also discussed. It is shown here that radiation force is no longer static and cannot be treated as a steady-state phenomenon.
Resistance of a commercial magnetorheological fluid to penetration

The stress, σ, required to penetrate a commercial magnetorheological (MR) fluid exposed to an applied magnetic field, B, in the range of 0 – 0.25 Tesla was determined for: (a) a constant, continuous field and (b) on-off field. With constant field application, it was found that σ vs. the penetration depth, x, of the cylindrical indenter into the MR fluid at a constant rate of 0.12–0.18 mm/s was parabolic in form, namely σ = σoxn where σ0 = AH, A = 1.7 kPa/(kA/m) and n = 0.3–0.5. The magnitude of σo is approximately six times that of the shear yield stress, τy, of the MR fluid. A model is proposed to explain the resistance to penetration into the MR fluid with the constant field. The results obtained in the on-off field tests and the in-out tests are in keeping with the model.
Stimulation of the Levels of Cytochrome P-450 and 17α-Hydroxylase in Chick Testis Microsomes by Pituitary Hormones

Chicks, one—day old, were injected with LH, FSH, and LH + FSH for two days and the levels of microsomal protein, cytochrome P— 450, and 17α-hydroxylase were measured in the testis. Since LH and FSH act on different cells in the testis, the levels of cytochrome P-450 and 17α—hydroxylase are reported both per mg microsomal protein and per chick. Between a dose range of 3–100 μg of LH, the levels of cytochrome P-450, 17α—hydroxylase, and microsomal protein were found to increase as a linear function of the log dose of LH. LH at the 100 μg dose level was found to increase, per mg microsomal protein, the levels of cytochrome P-450 and 17α—hydroxylase by 200% and 80%, respectively. On a per chick basis, these increases were 450% and 250%, respectively. FSH at the 100 μg dose level was found to decrease, per mg microsomal protein, the levels of cytochrome P-450 and 17α—hydroxylase by 27% and 48%, respectively. On the per chick basis, increases in the level of 61% and 30% were found after correction for a 1% cont...
On some claims aboutif-then

The paper has sought to show two things. One is that the apparent variety of Stalnaker and Lewis's counterexamples is misleading. Several of their examples are quite unsatisfactory because they depend on unguarded language behavior. There is in fact only one type of counterexample that is worth serious discussion, and that has the form of Barense's. For Barense's example, I try to show that it fails as a counterexample to transitivity because one of the premisses is false within the context of the example. However, Barense's example is problematic for the Stalnaker-Lewis analysis, since their device for avoiding transitivity (rejecting the rule of conditional proof) does not in fact eliminate anomalous conclusions that can be drawn when both the premisses are taken as true. In sum, there appears to be no good reason to doubt thatif is transitive, that the antecedent of a conditional can be strengthened, and that the contrapositive can be inferred. And the rule of conditional proof does seem to capture a commonly accepted form of argument in support ofif-then statements.
Recycling Behavior Under China’s Social and Economic Transition: The Case of Metropolitan Wuhan

With the end of top-down recycling campaigns and rising living standards in post-Mao China, public participation in recycling can no longer be taken for granted. This article examines the differences in recycling behaviors between social groups differentiated by age, gender, education, employment, and level of household incomes in Wuhan—China’s fifth largest city. Based on the analysis of empirical data, gender, age, and household income were identified as three important factors affecting individual recycling behavior in the city. For economic incentives, households with different incomes did take different actions, and individuals in lower income households were more active in recycling. Females, especially older women, play a crucial role in recycling household waste. Given the gender processes in China’s households, the domestic division of labor is expected to drive housewives to not only shoulder most of the routine housework duties but also to bear the responsibility for recycling. However, the con...
Lymphoid depletion in ileal loops: mechanism and clinical implications.

Abstract Recent long-term follow-up studies of children undergoing ileal loop urinary diversion have shown a number of complications arising in these patients: recurrent urinary tract infections, deteriorating renal function, and late midloop stricture. We suggest that all three may be related to the same underlying problem, namely, a severe depletion of lymphoid elements in the intestine. In both clinical and animal studies urine exposure to intestinal segments resulted in a marked depletion of lymphoid elements from the Peyer's patches and from beneath the intestinal villi in the intestine. In addition there was an associated hypertrophy of the lymph nodes in the ileal loop mesentery. When the intestine was no longer exposed to urine, there was a prompt regeneration and reappearance of the lymphoid elements. The lymphocytes seemed to “home in” on the submucosal areas and reform Peyer's patches once the urine was removed. The hyperplastic lymph nodes in the ileal loop mesentery regressed when urine exposure was removed. Conventional treatment of ileal loop infections focuses on the upper urinary tracts. Mid-loop stenoses are treated by resection and creation of a new ileal loop conduit. Local therapy in the form of antibiotics and/or steroid enemas may relieve some late midloop obstruction and prevent further damage to renal parenchyma.
The WD40-repeat protein-containing deubiquitinase complex: catalysis, regulation, and potential for therapeutic intervention

Ubiquitination has emerged as an essential signaling mechanism in eukaryotes. Deubiquitinases (DUBs) counteract the activities of the ubiquitination machinery and provide another level of control in cellular ubiquitination. Not surprisingly, DUBs are subjected to stringent regulations. Besides regulation by the noncatalytic domains present in the DUB sequences, DUB-interacting proteins are increasingly realized as essential regulators for DUB activity and function. This review focuses on DUBs that are associated with WD40-repeat proteins. Many human ubiquitin-specific proteases (USPs) were found to interact with WD40-repeat proteins, but little is known as to how this interaction regulates the activity and function of USPs. In recent years, significant progress has been made in understanding a prototypical WD40-repeat protein-containing DUB complex that comprises USP1 and USP1-associated factor 1 (UAF1). It has been shown that UAF1 activates USP1 through a potential active-site modulation, and the complex formation between USP1 and UAF1 is regulated by serine phosphorylation. Recently, human USPs have been recognized as a promising target class for inhibitor discovery. Small molecule inhibitors targeting several human USPs have been reported. USP1 is involved in two major DNA damage response pathways, DNA translesion synthesis and the Fanconi anemia pathway. Inhibiting the USP1/UAF1 deubiquitinase complex represents a new strategy to potentiate cancer cells to DNA-crosslinking agents and to overcome resistance that has plagued clinical cancer chemotherapy. The progress in inhibitor discovery against USPs and the WD40-repeat protein-containing USP complex will be discussed.
Effect of Serum on Transfection by Polyethylenimine/Virus-Like Particle Hybrid Gene Delivery Vectors

Purpose Murine leukemia virus-like particles (M-VLP) complexed with polymers to promote cellular uptake and endosomal escape represent a new class of effective gene delivery vectors. Building upon recent studies of viral-synthetic hybrid vectors, we report the effects of serum on the formation, activity and stability of PEI/M-VLP complexes.
Developments in the Economic Theory of Information

Neither theory nor methodology exist to address adequately the economics of information, and, until recently, little effort was made to overcome this deficiency. A number of factors contribute to this deficiency: (a) for most information systems, particularly the public information systems, theie is no market price that would suggest the value of information and information systems; (b) information is not a physical good and, therefore, lacks the concreteness that provides a basis for valuing many items such as, for example, a reclamation project; (c) most information systems do not have an impact that is observable in easily measurable variables. Therefore, currently existing econometric techniques are of little assistance in estimating information values; (d) public and private values of information may differ significantly. Interest in this topic has grown substantially in the past decade, particularly as far as agriculture is concerned. Task forces within USDA, papers at the American Agricultural Economics Association, hearings at OMBA, FAO meetings, Bureau of Census deliberations, NASA-commissioned studies, all attest to heightened interest in the area of economics of information. Several developments contribute to this upsurge in interest: (a) costs of information and information systems have risen rapidly; (b) income distributional impacts of differently structured information systems are recognized; (c) there is increasing understanding that our ability to conceptualize is limited by data; and (d) related to the above, the growing awareness that during the past decade our profession may have relied too heavily on deductive analysis without proper concern for the relevance of the data base. The result is that an increasing amount of work was completed with increasingly irrelevant data.
Oxidative phosphorylation by membrane vesicles from Bacillus alcalophilus

ADP and Pi-loaded membrane vesicles from t-malate-grown Bacillus alcalophilus synthesized ATP upon energization with ascorbate/N,N,N',N'-tetra-methyl-P-phenylenediamine. ATP synthesis occurred over a range of external pH from 6.0 to 11.0, under conditions in which the total protonmotive force delta-mu-H+ was as low as -30 mV. The phosphate potentials (delta Gp) were calculated to be 11 and 12 kcal/mol at pH 10.5 and 9.0, respectively, whereas the delta-mu-H+ values in vesicles at these two pH values were quite different (-40 +/- 20 mV at pH 10.5 and -125 +/- 20 mV at pH 9.0). ATP synthesis was inhibited by KCN, gramicidin, and by N,N1-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. Inward translocation of protons, concomitant with ATP synthesis, was demonstrated using direct pH monitoring and fluorescence methods. No dependence upon the presence of Na+ or K+ was found. Thus, ATP synthesis in B. alcalophilus appears to involve a proton-translocating ATPase which functions at low delta-mu-H+.
Glucocorticoid receptors: relations between steroid binding and biological effects.

Abstract Steroid binding has been studied in cytoplasmic extracts of cultured rat hepatoma cells to investigate the mechanism of enzyme induction by glucocorticoids. The affinity of inducer steroids for the specific receptors contained in the extracts is directly related to the potency of these steroids as inducers of tyrosine amino-transferase. The ability of anti-inducer steroids to compete with inducers for binding is similar to their ability to inhibit induction. Furthermore, the affinity of an anti-inducer for the receptors can be predicted from its ability to inhibit inducer binding. These and other correlations allow distinction between the specific cytoplasmic receptors and a number of other molecules, includingplasma transcortin, which also bind glucocorticoid hormones. Further experiments were carried out to determine whether an allosteric model, proposed earlier, could explain the differential effects of inducer, suboptimal inducer and anti-inducer steroids. According to the model, steroids interact with either, or both, of two conformational states of the receptors; the uncomplexed receptors are predominantly in one (inactive) form and binding by inducers, but not by anti-inducers, increases the concentration of the other (active) conformation. Consistent with this idea, we find that receptors are less stable when they are free, or complexed by an anti-inducer, than when they are bound by an inducer. Furthermore, kinetic studies are in accordance with the proposal that binding by inducers, but not anti-inducers, is associated with conformational changes in the receptor molecules. Specific glucocorticoid receptors were also characterized in other tissues and found to be similar to those in hepatoma tissue culture cells.
The thermic effect of feeding in older men: the importance of the sympathetic nervous system.

We have previously published direct evidence that approximately one third of the thermic effect of feeding (TEF) in young healthy men can be accounted for by the meal-induced increment in sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity. The elderly are known to have abnormal beta-adrenergic mechanisms and blunted responsiveness to sympathetic stimulation. Therefore, we postulated that the elderly might also have a blunted thermic response to a meal. In the present study, we evaluated the TEF in 25 young (age, 29.4 +/- 4.6 years) and 12 older (66.6 +/- 7.0 years), healthy weight-stable, untrained, nonsmoking men on no medications. Energy expenditure (ventilated hood system) and SNS activity (arterialized plasma catecholamine concentrations and norepinephrine [NE] kinetics) were measured before and following ingestion of an 800-kcal high-carbohydrate meal. At baseline, arterialized plasma NE concentration (P = .001) and appearance rate (P = .05) were 40% and 28% higher, respectively, in the elderly. Resting energy expenditure was related to fat-free mass (r = .54, P less than .01), and was 21% lower in the older men (P less than .01). Energy expenditure increased in both groups following the meal, but this TEF was 48% lower in the older men (P less than .001). This reduced TEF observed in the older subjects was associated with only a slight, nonsignificant, blunting of the SNS response to the meal. The TEF was related to the arterialized plasma NE appearance rate in the young, but not the older group. The TEF was unrelated to either glucose or insulin concentrations in either group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Effects of pyruvate and lactate on food intake in rat strains sensitive and resistant to dietary obesity.

We have investigated the effects of peripherally administered pyruvate and lactate on the intake of high fat (HF) and low fat (LF) diets by a strain of rat either sensitive (Osborne-Mendel, OM) or resistant (SSB/P1) to high fat-induced obesity. Both pyruvate and lactate inhibited the intake of HF and LF diets by OM rats and these effects were blocked by selective hepatic vagotomy. In contrast, in S5B/P1 rats fed an LF diet the responses to pyruvate and lactate were attenuated and were absent in S5B/P1 rats fed the HF diet. These data suggest that OM and S5B/P1 rats differ either in their metabolism of pyruvate and lactate or in their responses to these metabolites.
Aerodynamic behavior of lipid microtubule aerosols

Abstract Lipid microtubules are a promising vehicle for drug delivery to respiratory tract tissues. Targeted delivery requires an understanding of tubule aerodynamic behavior, for which predictive relations are available but have not been experimentally validated. This work compares predicted and observed tubule sedimentation behavior in a sheared flow environment such as that experienced in conducting airways. Lipid microtubules formed from 1,2-bis(10,12-tricosadiynoyl)- sn -glycero-3phosphocholine (DC 8,9 PC) were nebulized from water suspension for 60 min and recaptured in a Stober spiral duct aerosol centrifuge. Samples were analyzed by light microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Tubules were straight with uniform diameter ∼0.6 μ m, and remained straight during aerosolization and recapture. Observed aerodynamic behavior, as aerodynamic equivalent diameter, was compared with behavior predicted by fiber aerosol equations gleaned from the literature. Best agreement was obtained when tubule aerosol was modeled as partially hydrated thin-walled cylinders. These results were consistent with previous results for DC 8,9 PC aerosol and with expectations for evaporative core water loss from tubule ends.
A study of the energy spectra of secondary ions from metal matrices

Abstract The energy spectra of secondary ions sputtered from 28 metal matrices by O 2 + ions have been studied. The spectra resemble those obtained from the sputtering of pure elements under similar conditions, with the presence of oxygen gas yielding a better correlation than sputtering in residual vacuum. The ionization processes are apparently the same as those which occur in pure samples, but the most probable en'ergies of the distributions are different owing to the difference in surface binding energies or efficiency of momentum transfer. The statistical model of cluster ion formation does not properly describe the details of the spectra. As a direct result of the similarity of the energy spectra of ions from various matrices to the spectra of those ions from pure elements, the bandpass efficiencies of the instrumentation for the various ions are very similar. Therefore, in quantitative analysis, the transmission of the ion optics can be assumed to be the same as when pure samples are bombarded, making the correction of energy discrimination effects feasible. The best analytical condition is obtained with a high partial pressure of oxygen.
Excitation of metastable argon and helium atoms by electron impact

Using a time-of-flight method, the excitation of argon and helium metastables by electron impact is investigated in the energy range from threshold to about 50 eV. The secondary-electron yields of the metastable detector used are reviewed in detail. The effect of metastable recoil is also discussed. Comparisons with data from other investigators are presented.
Pointing As a Socio-Pragmatic Cue to Particular vs. Generic Reference

Generic noun phrases, or generics, refer to abstract kind categories (Dogs bark) rather than particular individuals (Those dogs bark). How do children distinguish these distinct kinds of reference? We examined the role of one socio-pragmatic cue, namely pointing, in producing and comprehending generic versus particular reference. Study 1 demonstrated that parents of preschool-aged children pointed more when referring to particular instances versus generic kinds. Studies 2 and 3 addressed how children interpreted pointing when linguistic cues were ambiguous with respect to the generic versus particular distinction, for example, They are afraid of raccoons said in the presence of several dogs, where they could refer to the generic category (dogs) or a particular set (the/those dogs). Results indicate only a partial socio-pragmatic sensitivity to pointing's role in marking particular reference. They additionally speak to issues related to children's acquisition of generics and their expectations regarding tr...
Non-invasive molecular imaging and reporter genes

Molecular-genetic imaging in living organisms has become a new field with the exceptional growth over the past 5 years. Modern imaging is based on three technologies: nuclear, magnetic resonance and optical imaging. Most current molecular-genetic imaging strategies are “indirect,” coupling a “reporter gene” with a complimentary “reporter probe.” The reporter transgene usually encodes for an enzyme, receptor or transporter that selectively interacts with a radiolabeled probe and results in accumulation of radioactivity in the transduced cell. In addition, reporter systems based on the expression of fluorescence or bioluminescence proteins are becoming more widely applied in small animal imaging. This review begins with a description of Positron Emission Tomography (PET)-based imaging genes and their complimentary radiolabeled probes that we think will be the first to enter clinical trials. Then we describe other imaging genes, mostly for optical imaging, which have been developed by investigators working with a variety of disease models in mice. Such optical reporters are unlikely to enter the clinic, at least not in the near-term. Reporter gene constructs can be driven by constitutive promoter elements and used to monitor gene therapy vectors and the efficacy of gene targeting and transduction, as well as to monitor adoptive cell-based therapies. Inducible promoters can be used as “sensors” to monitor endogenous cell processes, including specific intracellular molecular-genetic events and the activity of signaling pathways, by regulating the magnitude of reporter gene expression.
Effect of Age and Sex on Heart Rate Variability in Healthy Subjects

Abstract Objective The study aimed to investigate the effect of age and sex on the heart rate variability (HRV) analysis and to explore the normal range of HRV in different age and sex groups for potential health care applications. Method Baseline HRV, age, and sex data were collected from 470 subjects without cardiovascular conditions. Short-term HRV was recorded using Biocom Active ECG units (Biocom, Seattle, Wash). Subjects were divided by age into 10-year intervals and by sex for HRV analysis. Results Total power, representing the overall autonomic activity, decreased consistently from the age groups 10+ to 80+ years ( P P P > .05) despite the significant heart rate changes ( P Conclusion This study demonstrated that age had a greater impact on HRV than sex. The older age group had consistently lower HRV than younger people. The values generated in this study may be useful in health care settings to determine abnormal ranges of HRV under different clinical and experimental conditions.
Minimal polynomials of integral symmetric matrices

Abstract We investigate what the possible minimal polynomials are for integral symmetric matrices. We show that the obvious necessary conditions are sufficient for polynomials of degree at most 4. We show that necessary conditions are sufficient for minimal polynomials of self-adjoint operators on positive definite unimodular lattices. We also give a relatively elementary proof of the result of Estes that any total real algebraic integer is the eigenvalue of an integral symmetric matrix. This question was asked by Alan Hoffman, who also showed that this result implies that any totally real algebraic integer is the eigenvalue of the adjacency matrix of some graph.
Charge transfer and ionic bonding in organic solids with segregated stacks

In ionic charge-transfer salts which have segregated stacks of organic donor ($D$) and acceptor ($A$) molecules, the major feature of the classical electrostatic interactions is the strong repulsion between like charges along the stacks. Two ways are described by which the magnitude of this repulsion may be decreased: (i) by the formation of a complex salt (i.e., one whose ratio $D:A\ensuremath{\ne}1:1$); and (ii) by incomplete transfer of charge from $D$ to $A$. In both cases, some of the molecules in the stack are neutral, giving rise to a mixed-valence, partly ionic ground state. The first effect is quantitatively investigated by a Madelung energy calculation of tetrathiafulvalene-${\mathrm{Br}}_{0.79}$ as a function of (theoretical) bromine concentration. The results of this calculation show that the unusual composition of this salt occurs in order to reduce the Coulomb repulsion along the stacks. As an example of the second effect, a similar calculation is described for TTF-TCNQ (tetrathiafulvalene-tetracyanoquinodimethane), as a function of the amount of charge transferred from TTF to TCNQ. Although electrostatic interactions do not give a complete description in this case, they are clearly an important factor in determining the degree of charge transfer in such salts. In fact, in cases where the net electrostatic binding energy is small, incomplete charge transfer may be energetically favored. In this case, the charge distribution is shown to be modulated along the stack and charge density waves are formed, with wave vector "$4{k}_{F}$". These results are compared to the case of Rb-TCNQ, where the Madelung energy is shown to favor complete charge transfer.
Usefulness of the Framingham risk score and body mass index to predict early coronary artery calcium in young adults (Muscatine Study)

The value of a coronary artery disease prediction algorithm, the Framingham risk score (score), for detecting coronary artery calcium (CAC) was examined in 385 men and 472 women, aged 29 to 43 years. Scores were compared in subjects with and without CAC and were also used to predict presence of CAC. Receiver-operating characteristic curves were computed to compare different prediction models. The score model was compared with age only, natural logarithm of body mass index (lnBMI) only, and score plus lnBMI models. CAC was detected in 30% of men and 16% of women. The mean score was significantly higher in men and women with CAC. For every 2-point increase in the score, the odds of CAC increased by 30% in women and 20% in men. Significant associations between CAC status and risk factors were observed for age in women, and high- density lipoprotein cholesterol and blood pressure in men and women. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for the score was 0.67 and 0.57 for women and men, respectively. When lnBMI was added to the score model, the area increased to 0.76 in women (lnBMI p 0.60) in the model with lnBMI (p <0.0001). Score predicts CAC in asymptomatic young adults. Inclusion of lnBMI in the score model adds significantly to the prediction of CAC in women and men. The lnBMI model has a greater predictive value than the score in this young population.
A double self‐consistent‐field method for electron correlation: Applications to LiH, H2O, and cyclopropane

A computational procedure which introduces some electron correlation into quantum mechanical calculations is described. Diverse applications are given. Among these, the method gives values of 65.6 kcal/mole for the dissociation energy of LiH, 62.0 kcal/mole for the ring-opening energy of cyclopropane, and 9.123 × 155 dynes/cm for the O–H stretching force constant of H2O. These results, and others given, suggest that our procedure has great potential and provides a very economical method for introducing electron correlation into a wave-function.
Membrane Deflection Analysis of the Intelligent Micro-Sensor/Pump Under the Consideration of Micro-Viscosity and Membrane Pillar

New emerging technologies such as MEMS “Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems” provides many promising opportunities for developing innovative methods. This research focuses on the design, development and analysis of functional micro-pumps. Micro-pumps open new frontiers of engineering applications where precise fluid amounts to a targeted location are required. Micro-pumps can be used in environmental monitoring, where localized water quality measurements are needed, chemical/biological detection and analysis, and industrial process control. Conventional MEMS micro-pumps are driven by micro-actuators, which add complication to micro-pump membrane/structure design, control, and fabrication. The proposed MEMS micro-pump will have its membrane (or diaphragm) be sensitive to external pressure change and self-actuated in response to a designated pressure level; thus named IMSP (intelligent micro-sensor/pump). This paper provides a detailed study of membrane deflection which is one of the most important component of micro-pump. The membrane of the conventional design has uniform thickness. The novel smart micro-pump has a membrane pillar in the center. This membrane pillar has advantages of greater stability, larger pumping force and longer life cycle. The deflection of the membrane is analyzed and compared in two cases: 1) Membrane deflection without membrane pillar, and 2) Membrane deflection with membrane pillar. The micro-viscosity effect on a micro-pump will be augmented as the size of the micro-pump becomes smaller, especially in the micron range. Therefore two more cases are analyzed under the consideration of micro-viscosity effect: 1) Membrane deflection with micro-viscosity effect and without membrane pillar, and 2) Membrane deflection with micro-viscosity effect and with membrane pillar. The critical design parameters of the membrane—thickness and diameter—are varied and substituted into the governing equations to calculate the membrane deflection. The curves of membrane deflection versus the applied pressure on the membrane are plotted for further characterization of the micro-pump. This study will lead to the full development of a smart micro-pump and set off a new research direction.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Soybean-Derived Biofuels and Home Heating Fuels

It is environmentally enticing to consider replacing or blending petroleum derived heating fuels with biofuels for many reasons. Major considerations include the soaring worldwide price of petroleum products, especially home heating oil, the toxicity of the petroleum-derived fuels and the environmental damage that leaking petroleum tanks afford. For these reasons, it has been suggested that domestic renewable energy sources be considered as replacements, or at the least, as blending stocks for home heating fuels. If recycled soy restaurant cooking oils could be employed for this purpose, this would represent an environmental advantage. Renewable plant sources of energy tend to be less toxic than their petroleum counterparts. This is an important consideration when tank leakage occurs. Home fuel oil storage tanks practically always contain some bottom water. This water environment has a pH value that factors into heating fuel stability. Therefore, the question is: would the biofuel help or exacerbate fuel stability and furnace maintenance issues?
Anion detection by aggregation-induced enhanced emission (AIEE) of urea-functionalized tetraphenylethylenes

Substituted tetraphenylethylenes (TPEs) have been prepared that feature four alkyl or aryl urea groups arrayed along the periphery. Exposure of these TPEs to monovalent anions (halide, carboxylate, nitrate, and azide) resulted in enhanced fluorescence emission attributed to aggregation of the TPE molecules via urea-anion hydrogen bonding. Emission enhancement correlated with anion basicity, with fluoride ion eliciting the largest fluorescence response. Increased fluorescence emission could also be detected visually in solutions viewed under UV light. This study demonstrates the feasibility of TPE-based fluorescent anion sensors/detectors, and it is envisioned that additional design modifications may afford anion-selective fluorescent sensors.
Relaxation effects in the gel electrophoresis of DNA in intermittent fields

The electrophoretic mobility of restriction fragments of lambda DNA in agarose gels declines if the field is intermittent rather than continuous, with a greater effect on the longer fragments. The changes are compatible with the assumption of two exponential relaxation processes for field-dependent configurational changes, one when the field is turned on and another when it terminates. The length dependence at the extrapolated limit of mobility for short pulses with long intervals corresponds closely to the simple inverse proportionality to length expected from theoretical considerations when the molecular configuration is not affected by the electric field. Simple intermittent fields would allow separation of longer molecules than can ordinarily be resolved. The relaxation times for both the change in conformation imposed by the field and the return to field-free conformation vary as approximately the second power of the length of the molecule, independent of the salt concentration or field strength and varying only slightly with gel density. These relations are not in good agreement with properties expected from reputation theory, and they suggest that a different mechanism must be invoked for the electrophoretic migration of long DNA molecules at ordinary values of field strength.
Evaluation of an oxygen-diffusion dressing for accelerated healing of donor-site wounds.

Abstract : Accelerating the healing process and reducing pain during healing are beneficial for the following reasons: faster return to work, lower risk of wound infection, improved quality of life, and possibly reduced need for analgesia. This clinical study assessed the effectiveness of a new oxygen-diffusion dressing (OxyBand; Oxyband Technologies, St. Louis, MO) compared with standard Xeroform gauze dressings (Convidien, Mansfield, MA), in the care of skin-graft donor sites in burn patients. Time to healing was the primary endpoint, and pain scores and cosmetic outcome were also assessed. This was a prospective, randomized, controlled study of burn patients undergoing harvesting of two donor sites. Patients were followed at predetermined time points for 30 to 45 days to determine the time to reepithelialization, cosmetic appearance, and pain. Subjects were adult burn patients with less than 30% TBSA burns admitted to the burn center, who required excision and grafting. Twenty patients were enrolled, of whom 17 completed the study. Average age was 35 years. Average burn size was 9.2% TBSA. Patients underwent harvesting of split thickness skin grafts with one donor wound dressed with OxyBand and the other dressed in Xeroform gauze. Wounds were inspected and photographed on postoperative days 4 and 8, and then every 2 days until the donor wounds were healed. Pain scores at each site were also collected at these visits (rated by patients on a scale from 0 to 10). Mean time to wound healing for OxyBand was 9.3 1.7 days; for Xeroform, 12.4 2.7 days (P .001). Pain scores were lower (P .01) at the OxyBand site compared with the Xeroform site at all time points during postoperative days 4 to 12. There was no difference in the cosmetic outcome of the wounds at 30 to 45 days postoperatively. This study revealed a decrease in the time to healing and in pain at donor sites dressed with an oxygen-diffusion dressing.
The additional parameter in withdrawal

Abstract Dimensional analysis indicates one more non-dimensional parameter in withdrawal than the number predicted by previous theories. For the case of continuous plate withdrawal from Newtonian fluids, the suitable independent parameter is foudn to be fluid property number ( F p ) which is a function of viscosity, surface tension, density, and gravitational field. The Reynolds number is defined for withdrawal and is shown to be a function of F p and capillary number for laminar flow. The onset of wavy flow in withdrawal is shown to occur near Re of one, based on tests with eight liquids having an 80-fold range of F p . It appears that the Froude number may also be used as a wave point criterion, but use of the Weber number does not appear to be useful for the conditions studied. Comparisons are made with wetted wall flow.
Conditioned aversion to sucrose in rats using X-rays as the unconditioned stimulus

Rats which received 4% or 32% sucrose for 20 min. prior to a 100 roentgen X-ray exposure showed a marked aversion to the sweetened water in a post irradiation preference test. Control Ss receiving sham exposures or water prior to X-rays preferred the sweetened solution. The results are interpreted as a conditioned aversion to sucrose with X-rays as the motivating stimulus.
One-pot synthesis of hyperstar polymers via sequential ATRP of inimers and functional monomers in aqueous dispersed media

Core–shell structured hyperstar polymers that contained a hyperbranched core and hundreds of radiating arms were synthesized in a one-pot process without worrying about the hyperstar–hyperstar coupling reactions. The synthesis started with the atom transfer radical polymerization of an inimer in a microemulsion to produce hyperbranched polymers with high molecular weight, low polydispersity, and a high density of bromine initiating groups. After the complete conversion of the inimer, a second batch of monovinyl monomers was added in situ without destabilizing the microemulsion to subsequently grow radiating arms from these hyperbranched polymer macroinitiators (MIs). Two scenarios of arm growth were presented to demonstrate the efficient synthesis of hyperstar polymers. The hydrophobic n-butyl acrylate (nBA) monomer diffused into the latexes and swelled the hyperbranched polymers to form a seeded emulsion, which protected the growth of PnBA arms from each individual hyperbranched MI with no hyperstar–hyperstar coupling product even at >90% nBA conversion. The use of the zwitterionic cysteine methacrylate (CysMA) monomer caused the growth of arms out of the micelles and stabilized the hyperstar polymers in the aqueous phase, benefiting from the electrostatic repulsion between the charged arms and stars, which also avoided the hyperstar–hyperstar coupling at high conversion. When inimers containing a disulfide linker group were used in the synthesis of hyperbranched MIs, the produced hyperstar polymers exhibited rapid core degradation in a reducing environment and produced linear polymers as the degradation product.
Detection and comparison of color edges via median based PCA

In this paper we present a novel image quality measure for color images. This measure is based on the correlation of information between color planes and principal component analysis conversion of a color image into grayscale. Furthermore, a scheme for boundary detection based on this principle is developed and presented. This innovative design utilizes partial derivatives of Boolean functions for edge detection and is then analyzed using our new measure. Results testing the scheme on a database of natural and synthetic images show the performance to be quantitatively competitive with existing measures.
Projective tensor products and the Dunford–Pettis property

We show the existence, in c0 ⊗γc0, of a shrinking, subsymmetric basic sequence (zi) having no c0 subsequences. In particular, the coefficient functionals for (zi) are weakly null and the subspace fails to have the Dunford-Pettis property.
Low Level Engraftment and Improvement following a Single Colonoscopic Administration of Fecal Microbiota to Patients with Ulcerative Colitis

Objective Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an investigational treatment for diseases thought to involve alterations in the intestinal microbiota including ulcerative colitis (UC). Case reports have described therapeutic benefit of FMT in patients with UC, possibly due to changes in the microbiota. We measured the degree to which the transplanted microbiota engraft following FMT in patients with UC using a donor similarity index (DSI).
An Empirical Study of the NETCONF Protocol

This paper presents an overview and empirical study of NETCONF, which is a new network management protocol approved by IETF in December 2006. The traditional approaches of CLI, SNMP, and CORBA are discussed, along with their deficiencies in network management. In this paper we present an empirical study based on a standard NETCONF implementation. We highlight the major capabilities of NETCONF, which is a document-oriented approach based on XML, and how these capabilities could be used to address the challenges of configuration management in a complex network environment. To demonstrate the NETCONF capability, we installed an open source implementation of NETCONF, EnSuite (Yencap), on our lab Linux environment. Our preliminary results show that NETCONF provides more functionality (more advanced features), and is more efficient (single transaction for complex configuration data), more secure (embedded in the transport protocol), and easier to develop new services than CLI and SNMP.