cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coincidence losses due to pile-up in crossover-timing systems

Abstract In coincidence experiments where fast timing information is derived from the zero-crossing point of a double-differentiated pulse, counting losses can occur if the crossover point shifts beyond the resolving time of the fast coincidence circuit. Pulse pile-up can produce such a shift and losses can be significant. Correction for or elimination of these losses is necessary wherever precision in the absolute number of coincidence counts, or the relative number at different energies and angles, is desired.
Convulsive properties of chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides in the cat central nervous system

Abstract The convulsive properties of subgroups of chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides were compared in locally anesthetized, paralyzed cats. Dieldrin, endrin, and lindane proved to be rapidly acting, potent convulsants. They produced indistinguishable changes in EEG and evoked-response studies. Hypersynchrony, rhythmic bursts of spikes and waves, and isolated spikes characterized the preictal state. Seizures were of a generalized tonic-clonic type. Responses in sensory and motor cortex to sensory nerve stimulation were enhanced three- to fivefold. Aldrin and heptachlor produced similar effects but only after a delay of 20–30 min and at two to three times higher doses. DDT effects were more variable. Although it produced convulsive behavior, EEG effects differed, being characterized by sustained hypersynchrony. Responses to sensory nerve stimulation were usually, but not always, enhanced. Kelthane produced no measurable effects on EEG or evoked responses at all doses below those causing death by cardiovascular collapse. These data demonstrate that the epoxide compounds (dieldrin and aldrin) and lindane are directly toxic to the mammalian CNS and do not require metabolism to an active metabolite. Second, for the cyclodienes the epoxides are more potent and more rapid in development of effects than are the nonepoxide analogs.
Cooperative Learning Instructional Activities in a Capstone Design Course

In developing our capstone design course, we decided to include instruction in design methodology, project management, engineering communications, and professional ethics, along with a comprehensive design project. As this course evolved over a number of years, we found that active and cooperative learning was critical for effective instruction in these topics and we developed a series of instructional activities using this methodology. These activities consisted of short presentations (mini-lectures) with interspersed team exercises. We describe our course, these instructional activities, and some evaluation data showing that our students found them effective and important. Our experiences convinced us that the cooperative learning approach both enhanced our students' understanding of these topics and encouraged them to incorporate the associated skills into their working skill set. Including team exercises that dealt with various steps in the design process provided a “jump-start” on these unfamiliar activities in a structured, short duration exercise environment in class. Listening to presentations by other teams and reviewing and discussing another team's results as a part of the team exercises provided an opportunity to see and think about different formulations of the problem they just considered.
Perceived importance of teaching characteristics in clinical nurse specialist preceptors.

Background Advanced practice nursing education includes a minimum of 500 hours of supervised clinical practicum, with practicing clinicians serving as preceptors providing the bulk of the supervision. Preceptor behaviors and teaching skills can significantly impact student learning, however, no empirical evidence exists that identifies or evaluates effective clinical teaching characteristics in clinical nurse specialist (CNS) preceptors. Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore and compare CNS student and preceptor perceptions of the importance of clinical teaching characteristics in CNS preceptors. Methods/Sample Data was obtained from CNS preceptors ( n = 278) and CNS students ( n = 78) through a web-based questionnaire instrument. Twenty-one previously identified effective clinical teaching characteristics served as the questionnaire items and participants were asked to rate their importance and identify the most and least important characteristic. Statistical tests including calculation of mean scores and independent t-tests for each characteristic were completed. Findings The CNS preceptors and students rated all effective teaching characteristics as important. Clinical competence/judgment was identified as the most important characteristic among participants. The findings demonstrated congruence between students' and preceptors' ratings except for the characteristics calm during times of stress and flexibility . Conclusions These findings can help CNS faculty and practicing CNSs better prepare and evaluate preceptors for supporting advanced practice students in clinical practicum experiences.
Demographic, circadian, and climatic factors in non-aneurysmal versus aneursymal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Abstract Background Although, the relationship of spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) to climatic or circadian factors has been widely studied, epidemiologic, circardian and climatic factors in non-aneurysmal SAH (naSAH), particularly perimesencephalic SAH (PMH), has not been reported before. Objective For the first time, demographic, climatic, and circadian variables are examined together as possible contributing factors comparing aSAH and naSAH. Methods We reviewed records for 384 patients admitted to University of Wisconsin Neurosurgery Service from January 2005 to December 2010 with spontaneous non-traumatic SAH. Patients were grouped as aSAH ( n =338) or naSAH ( n =46) on clinical and radiological criteria. PMH ( n =32) was identified as a subgroup of naSAH based on radiological criteria. We logged demographic data, time of SAH, temperature at onset and atmospheric pressure at onset. The three subgroups were compared. Results Aneurysmal SAH occurred most often from 6am to 12pm ( p p =0.008) and smoking ( p =0.002) in aSAH, with predominance of hypercholesterolemia in naSAH ( p =0.033). Atmospheric pressure, correlated with aSAH in the main county referral area, where we had detailed weather data ( p p =0.0159). Conclusion Statistical differences in gender, smoking status, and history of hypercholesterolemia support a clinical distinction between aSAH and naSAH. Furthermore, circadian patterning of aSAH is not reproduced in naSAH, supporting pathophysiologic differences. Only smoking status provides a robust difference in aSAH and naSAH groups. Our data prompt further investigation into the relationship between aSAH and atmospheric pressure.
Antagonists of bombesin/gastrin‐releasing peptide inhibit growth of SW‐1990 human pancreatic adenocarcinoma and production of cyclic AMP

We investigated the effects of bombesin/GRP antagonists RC-3095 and RC-3940-II on the growth of SW-1990 human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells xenografted into nude mice or cultured in vitro. Nude mice implanted with SW-1990 tumors received s.c. injections of RC-3095 and RC-3940-II or the vehicle (control) for 28 days. Chronic administration of RC-3940-II inhibited the growth of SW-1990 tumors, as shown by a reduction in tumor volume during the treatment and a significant increase in tumor doubling time. RC-3940-II decreased final tumor volume by 57.7% and tumor growth rate by 65%. Final tumor weights in mice treated with RC-3940-II were 75% lower than in controls. Treatment with RC-3095 induced smaller, and not significant, decreases in tumor volume and weight. In cell cultures, both RC-3095 and RC-3940-II effectively inhibited the proliferation of SW-1990 cells, inducing a dose- and time-dependent decrease in the number of cells. RC-3940-II again suppressed in vitro growth of SW-1990 cells more effectively than RC-3095. After 72 hr of culture, RC-3940-II and RC-3095 at 1 microM concentrations decreased cell numbers by 45.7% and 27.7%, respectively. The estimated EC50 value for RC-3940-II was 1 nM. When SW-1990 cells were cultured in the presence of 1 nM and 10 nM RC-3095 for 72 hr, cAMP levels in the incubation medium were decreased to 77.3% and 26.9% of the control value. Our results indicate that bombesin/GRP antagonist RC-3940-II can inhibit the proliferation of SW-1990 human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells in vivo and in vitro. Our findings also suggest that this effect may involve the intracellular cAMP pathway.
The relationship between flow and permeability field in seafloor hydrothermal systems

Abstract The permeability of oceanic crust is spatially variable and probably anisotropic as well. Using realistic permeability fields for young oceanic crust, we have performed numerical simulations of finite amplitude, steady and unsteady convective fluid flow in layered and/or anisotropic porous media heated from below to investigate particular patterns of fluid flow and temperature in mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal systems. On the flanks of mid-ocean ridges, permeability measurements in deep-sea boreholes suggest that only the top few hundred meters of oceanic crust is permeable. Given this permeability structure (and assuming some minimum permeability and layer thickness), our models predict that convection occurs in the form of numerous cells with aspect ratios of order unity within this permeable layer. Such convection results in fluid flux and diagenetic reactions within the permeable layer with a negligible effect on heat flow at the seafloor, in agreement with field observations. Estimates of oceanic crust permeability based on hydrothermal veins in ophiolites and measurements in deep-sea boreholes suggest that pillow basalts/lava flows are much more permeable than underlying sheeted dikes. This is particularly true at the ridge crest where voids have not yet collapsed and filled. Given this permeability structure, our study suggest that a small percentage of the fluid entering the ridge crest circulates through the sheeted dikes before exiting the system at high temperatures in very focused discharge zones. In our models, these discharge zones narrow considerably at the interface between the sheeted dikes and the pillow basalts/lava flows. Much of the fluid entering the system, however, never circulates below the pillow basalts/lava flows and exits the seafloor at low temperatures. In general, discharge zones are more focused than recharge zones. These results are consistent with observations of narrow and focused discharge zones in ophiolites and localized high-temperature venting amid widespread low-temperature flow on the ridge crest. The spacing of upflow zones at the surface is strongly controlled by convective flow in the bottom permeable layer. In our models, near-field effects dominate over far-field effects in systems with lateral variations in permeability, and no large-scale flow develops between widely spaced areas of contrasting permeability. The time to steady-state and evolution of convective flow in porous media vary considerably with initial conditions. Our simulations suggest that the time to steady-state is relatively long and that it is possible that hydrothermal convection at the ridge axis never reaches a steady-state flow pattern, in the sense that the variations in the system boundary conditions such as basal heat flux may occur on a time scale less than the response time of the hydrothermal system. It is possible, however, that these systems may be quasi-steady for significant periods of time.
Spatiotemporal Inpainting for Recovering Texture Maps of Occluded Building Facades

We present a technique for constructing a ldquocleanrdquo texture map of a partially occluded building facade from a series of images taken from a moving camera. Building regions blocked by trees, signs, people, and other foreground objects in a minority of views can be recovered via temporal median filtering on a registered image mosaic of the planar facade. However, when such areas are occluded in the majority of camera views, appearance information from other visible portions of the facade provides a critical cue to correctly complete the mosaic. In this paper, we apply a robust measure of spread to infer whether a particular mosaic pixel is occluded in a majority of views, and introduce a novel spatiotemporal timeline-based inpainting algorithm that uses appearance and motion cues in order to fill the texture map in majority-occluded regions. We describe methods for automatically training appearance-based classifiers from a coarse motion-based segmentation to efficiently recognize foreground and background patches in static imagery. Results of recovered building facades are shown for various sequences.
The diagnosis of surgical conditions of the newborn infant.

Summary 1. The importance of early recognition and of immediate treatment of surgical conditions in the newborn infant is stressed. The mortality in a given case is directly related to the promptness of diagnosis and proper surgical treatment. 2. Diagnostic techniques employed in the newborn period differ from those in older age groups. 3. The gas normally present in the gastrointestinal tract of the newborn infant serves as a safe and effective contrast medium in roentgen studies. In general, the use of barium sulfate is to be condemmed. The cautious use of Lipiodal is permissible in certain selected cases. Umbrathor is discussed as an expedient contrast medium. 4. Surgical procedures customarily indicated at other age periods may actually contribute to the mortality rate in this age period. 5. A review of surgical conditions in the newborn period is presented.
Urinary free cortisol values in normal children and adolescents.

14. Kaplan FS, August CS, Fallon MD, Dalinka M, Axel L, Haddad JG. Successful treatment of infantile malignant osteopetrosis by bone-marrow transplantation. J Bone Joint Surg 1988;70-A:617-23. 15. Kaplan FS, August CS, Fallon MD, Haddad JG. Calcium deficiency in osteopetrosis: osteopetrorickets. Abstracts of the Third Annual Meeting of the Adult Bone and Mineral Working Group of the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research, Atlanta, Ga., 1988;3:9. 16. Reeves J, Arnaud S, Gordon S, et al. The pathogenesis of infantile malignant osteopetrosis: bone mineral metabolism and complications in five infants. Metab Bone Dis Relat Res 1981;3:135-42.
CdTe thin film technology: Leading thin film PV into the future

Abstract CdTe is a near perfect material for PV application with a direct band gap of ∼1.5 eV that is closely matched to the terrestrial solar spectrum and a high optical absorption coefficient where less than 1 μm thickness is adequate to absorb the incident light. CdTe thin film solar cell and module technology has validated the economies of scale that were projected for thin film PV technologies since the early 1980s where manufacturing costs are now below $0.84 with module efficiencies of 11.1%. Additionally, the low-temperature coefficient of CdTe modules results in a high annualized output. A critical issue for CdTe manufacturers is that there is not a clear pathway to increase the module performance to 15% or beyond based on current laboratory results and efficiency improvements will require fundamental improvements in the CdTe semiconductor properties and/or developing an alternative device structure.
Conical detonation waves - A comparison of theoretical and numerical results

A predictive capability for conical oblique detonation waves (ODWs) is discussed with particular attention given to the special case of an axisymmetric conical projectile, which yields necessary conditions for attached waves. A multidimensional numerical model was used to study the influence of a finite Damkoehler number (Da) and viscosity on the formation of a conical ODW. The ODW is predicted for Da on the order of 10, and is found to be important in the ODW formation. For a Da of 1, shock induced combustion is predicted. Simulations of the experimental geometry showed general agreement with experimental flow features, but underpredicted the shock angle. It is suggested that this difference may be caused by inadequate boundary layer resolution, lack of grid orthogonality at the cone surface, and an inappropriate chemical mechanism.
Abstract 4943: Visualization of endogenous melanoma initiation and progression using intravital microscopy

The death rates for malignant metastatic melanoma continue to rise because melanoma is largely refractory to existing therapies. Loss or inactivation of the tumor suppressor PTEN (Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog on Chromosome Ten) is observed in 40-50% of melanoma, and BRAF and PTEN mutations exist coincidentally in approximately 20% of melanoma cases. In mouse GEMM models, these mutations cooperate to promote metastatic melanomagenesis. However, existing methods to activate these lesions with Tyr-CreERT2 and topical tamoxifen application yields multifocal primary tumors whose origins cannot be accurately determined. To improve this model, we combined a tdTomatoLSL allele that serves as a visual marker of Cre recombination with Tyr-CreERT2;BrafCA;Ptenlox/lox to produce an animal where we can reproducibly initiate tumorigenesis in a spatiotemporally controllable manner by transiently applying extremely low doses ( Citation Format: James E. Bear, Hailey E. Brighton, Norman E. Sharpless, David B. Darr, Kelly S. Clark. Visualization of endogenous melanoma initiation and progression using intravital microscopy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4943. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4943
Reading: From Paper to Pixels

What, if anything, will be the role of publishers in a world in which books are formatted by their authors, distributed electronically, and read online? The success of e-books has spawned a boom in self-publishing, with the possibility that just as musicians now depend not on recording contracts but self-promotion for concert revenues, authors will depend on direct sales to readers rather than having their books packaged by publishers. Readers can expect more choice and lower prices, but writers will face a continued struggle.
Iterative finite difference schemes for similar and nonsimilar boundary layer equations

Abstract This paper reviews first the numerical method to solve similar boundary layer equations developed earlier by the author and then describes, as its extension, new numerical methods to solve nonsimilar boundary layer equations. The basic principle of the methods here is that the third-order ODE or PDE form of the similar and nonsimilar boundary layer equations are reduced to a second order system, and then solved iteratively using the tridiagonal solver. The method is significantly more powerful than the solution method based on the perturbation theory and also simpler than finite difference schemes developed by Bradshaw and Cebeci.
Measurement of anomalously strong emission from the 1s-9p transition in the spectrum of H-like phosphorus following charge exchange with molecular hydrogen.

We have measured K-shell x-ray spectra of highly ionized argon and phosphorus following charge exchange with molecular hydrogen at low collision energy in an electron beam ion trap using an x-ray calorimeter array with approx.6 eV resolution. We find that the emission at the high-end of the Lyman series is greater by a factor of two for phosphorus than for argon, even though the measurement was performed concurrently and the atomic numbers are similar. This does not agree with current theoretical models and deviates from the trend observed in previous measurements.
Biaxial strain in AlxGa1−xN/GaN layers deposited on 6H-SiC

Abstract Al x Ga 1− x N/GaN multilayers ( x ≤0.12) deposited on AlN(0001) buffer layer/6H-SiC(0001) substrate combinations have been investigated using high resolution X-ray diffraction. Rocking curves ( ω ) showed that the Al x Ga 1− x N layers in the main contained a reduced dislocation density relative to the underlying GaN layers. The line widths of the radial scans (2 θ − ω ) of the Al x Ga 1− x N layers increased as the Al mole fraction increased due to alloy broadening. The in-plane lattice constant ( a ) of the Al x Ga 1− x N layer for each sample was equivalent to that of the GaN layer, indicating the layers were coherently strained. The strain in the AlGaN layer was tensile for each sample. This was determined using high-resolution reciprocal space maps of the (015) and (024) planes which revealed that the Al x Ga 1− x N and GaN lattice points had the same value of the in-plane components of the reciprocal lattice vector ( S ‖ ). For higher Al mole fractions, the samples were severely cracked, indicating the strain in the Al x Ga 1− x N layers exceeded critical values.
Alcohols inhibit N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors via a site exposed to the extracellular environment

Abstract N-Methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptors are important CNS target sites of alcohols, but the site and mechanism of action of alcohols on NMDA receptors remains unclear. In CHO-K1 cells transfected with NR1/NR2B NMDA receptor subunits, ethanol inhibited NMDA-activated current with an IC50 of 138 mM. Truncation of the intracellular C-terminal domain of the NR1 subunit (NR1T) did not alter ethanol sensitivity when combined with the NR2B subunit, but a similar truncation of the NR2B subunit (NR2BT) slightly enhanced ethanol sensitivity of receptors formed from coexpression with either NR1 or NR1T subunits. 1-Pentanol applied externally inhibited NMDA receptors with an IC50 of 9.9 mM, but intracellular application of 1-pentanol (25 mM) did not alter NMDA receptor inhibition by externally applied ethanol or 1-pentanol. In addition, the amplitude of NMDA-activated current did not decrease during the time required for 1-pentanol (25 mM) to diffuse throughout the cytoplasm. Ethanol did not inhibit NMDA receptors when bath-applied in cell-attached patches or when applied to the cytoplasmic face of inside-out membrane patches. These results appear to be best explained by an action of alcohols on the NMDA receptor-channel protein, at a site located in a domain exposed to, or only accessible from, the extracellular environment.
TANGIBLE REINFORCERS AND CHILD GROUP THERAPY

Child psychiatrists and clinical psychologists have grown increasingly aware of the fact that we have produced very few rigorous studies evaluating the process and outcome of the child psychotherapies. In discussing the major developments within child psychiatry during the last 25 years, Eisenberg (1969) stated, "Although occasional studies ... do provide some evidence in favor of psychotherapy, most studies have been unable to provide systematic evidence of benefit when the treated are contrasted with waiting list or designated controls." Later in the same article Eisenberg identified two "newer forms" of psychological treatment (family therapy and behavior therapy) which may hold more promise and urged that their efficacy be evaluated through carefully controlled studies. The present paper describes such a controlled clinical evaluation of the effects of using behavior therapy with groups of child outpatients. The study was designed to speak to several questions. First, what
A novel method for distributed real time voltage stability monitoring using synchrophasor measurements

With the advent of synchrophasor technology, real time voltage stability analysis using synchrophasor data has been the focus of many researchers resulting in the development of several new algorithms. These developed algorithms have several advantages as well as limitations. This paper discusses briefly about the shortcomings of some existing synchrophasor measurement based voltage stability indicators. Most of the existing model-free algorithms are iterative in approach, thus making them computationally slow as well as making non-convergence a possibility. Some of these algorithms also have accuracy issues when the system conditions change fast by large amounts. Thus a new algorithm is necessary that is devoid of these limitations. A new algorithm for distributed real time voltage stability monitoring based on local phasor measurements has been presented in this paper. The newly developed algorithm to compute the Voltage Stability Assessment Index (VSAI) can be used for normal operation as well as for contingency cases to monitor dynamic security of a system. Results of the new algorithm tested on different IEEE test cases under different system conditions show its satisfactory performance.
Anticipatory problem solving: models for clinical practice and research.

Summary Problem solving that anticipates a client's future is a fundamental component of primary care. However, adequate models for clinical practice and for research are needed. A paradigm of anticipatory care conceptualized as an interpersonal problem solving process is used as a framework for critical analysis of existing models and for the specification of conceptual and practical bases of new models of anticipatory care. The paper addresses questions concerning problem solving for the model of anticipatory guidance presented by the American Public Health Association and the model developed by Caplan, and the models of preparatory communication developed by Janis and by Leventhal and Johnson. The questions that are used to critique existing models and to specify new ones deal with identification and specification of issues for anticipatory care; its goals, functions, and intended outcomes; appraisal of readiness to participate in and worthwhileness of anticipatory care; the characteristic features of a model's solution phases and strategies of preparation; and the evaluation of the adequacy of anticipatory care.
Daily stress and anxiety and their relation to daily fluctuations of symptoms in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients

Although stress and anxiety have long been assumed to play an exacerbatory role in asthma, no study has systematically documented that daily exacerbations of asthma symptoms are related to stress and/or anxiety. In this study, 24 airways obstruction patients (12 asthmatics and 12 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients) were instructed to monitor the severity of daily respiratory symptoms. In addition, subjects recorded their daily anxiety level and the number and perceived impact of daily stressors. The results showed that although there were differences between high- and low-stress days for both groups, there were no differences between groups on symptom severity or between high- and low-anxiety days, as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Thus, although the number and impact of daily stressors were found to be directly associated with the severity of asthma symptoms, anxiety does not appear to have a direct role in the exacerbation of asthma. The findings failed to support the anxiety theory of asthma but provided an explanation for the poor results obtained in previous treatment studies which employed anxiety management with asthmatics.
Second-Order Upwind and Central Difference Schemes for Recirculating Flow Computation

Two-dimensional driven cavity flows with the Reynolds number ranging from 102 to 3.2 x 10 3 are used to assess the performance of second-order upwind and central difference schemes for the convection terms. Three different implementations of the second-order upwind scheme are designed and tested in the context of the SIMPLE algorithm, with the grid size varying from 21 x 21 to 161 x 161 uniformly spaced nodes. Converged solutions are obtained for all Reynolds numbers. Although these different implementations of the second-order upwind scheme have the same formal order of accuracy, significant differences in numerical accuracy are observed. It is demonstrated that better performance can be obtained for the second-order upwind scheme if the discretization is cast in accordance with the finite volume formulation. Although both the second-order upwind and central difference schemes exhibit no oscillations in the solution, the upwind scheme is more accurate. In assessing and comparing the performance of these schemes, the distribution of cell Reynolds number is discussed and its impact on numerical accuracy illustrated.
Ordinal numbers and the Hilbert basis theorem

In [5] and [21] we studied countable algebra in the context of “reverse mathematics”. We considered set existence axioms formulated in the language of second order arithmetic. We showed that many well-known theorems about countable fields, countable rings, countable abelian groups, etc. are equivalent to the respective set existence axioms which are needed to prove them.One classical algebraic theorem which we did not consider in [5] and [21] is the Hilbert basis theorem. Let K be a field. For any natural number m, let K[x1,…,xm] be the ring of polynomials over K in m commuting indeterminates x1,…,xm. The Hilbert basis theorem asserts that for all K and m, every ideal in the ring K[x1,…,xm] is finitely generated. This theorem is of fundamental importance for invariant theory and for algebraic geometry. There is also a generalization, the Robson basis theorem [11], which makes a similar but more restrictive assertion about the ring K〈x1,…,xm〉 of polynomials over K in mnoncommuting indeterminates.In this paper we study a certain formal version of the Hilbert basis theorem within the language of second order arithmetic. Our main result is that, for any or all countable fields K, our version of the Hilbert basis theorem is equivalent to the assertion that the ordinal number ωω is well ordered. (The equivalence is provable in the weak base theory RCA0.) Thus the ordinal number ωω is a measure of the “intrinsic logical strength” of the Hilbert basis theorem. Such a measure is of interest in reference to the historic controversy surrounding the Hilbert basis theorem's apparent lack of constructive or computational content.
NAPL compositional changes influence partitioning coefficients

Partitioning interwell tracer tests (PITTs) that were developed by the petroleum industry are being used to characterize the extent and amount of subsurface contamination by nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). A promising application of PITTS is to estimate the volume of contamination removed by various remediation technologies by conducting the tests before and after remediation efforts. Laboratory experiments with a light NAPL from Hill Air Force Base, UT, the site of the SERDP demonstration of innovative technologies, indicate that the type of remediation technology used changes the partitioning of the tracer compounds between the NAPL and the aqueous phase. Partitioning coefficients (K{sub nw}) that were measured by static and dynamic methods showed a statistically significant change in value after the NAPL was treated in batchwise washes with a cosolvent that simulated enhanced dissolution. In contrast, the value of K{sub nw} showed little change before and after the NAPL was treated in a column with a cosolvent that simulated mobilization. The results indicate that PITTS could significantly underestimate the volume remaining of a complex NAPL like the Hill AFB material for an operation that employs the solubilization mechanism without a corrected K{sub nw} for the post-treatment test.
Dynamic Planning Navigation Technique Optimized with Genetic Algorithm

This article proposes a new dynamic planning navigation strategy for use with mobile terrestrial robots. The strategy was applied to situations in which the environment and obstacles were unknown. After each displacement event, the robot replanned its route using a control algorithm that minimized the distance to the target and maximized the distance between the obstacles. Using a spatial localization sensor and a set of distance sensors, the proposed navigation strategy was able to dynamically plan optimum routes that were free of collisions. Simulations performed using different types of environment demonstrated that the technique offers a high degree of flexibility and robustness, and validated its potential use in real applications involving mobile terrestrial robots.
Strain differences in susceptibility to the convulsant actions of 3-carbomethoxy-β-carboline

Abstract NIH mice were found to be approximately three-fold more sensitive than NIH General Purpose mice to the convulsant actions of 3-carbomethoxy-β-carboline. The convulsant action of 3-carbomethoxy-β-carboline has been previously demonstrated to be mediated via an interaction with C.N.S. benzodiazepine receptors. The characteristic of the benzodiazepine receptor from the two strains appeared to be identical with respect to both binding affinity and capacity for [3H]3-carbomethoxy-β-carboline and [3H]diazepam, as well as the relative decreases in apparent receptor affinity for [3H] 3-carbomethoxy-β-carboline in the presence of 10 ωM γ-aminobutyric acid. Although the rate of degradation of 3-carbomethoxy-β-carboline in plasma was similar in the two strains, a marked difference in brain levels of the drug (or an active metabolite) was observed after in vivo administration. These results suggest that pharmacokinetic, rather than pharmacodynamic factors are primarily responsible for the observed strain differences in sensitivity to 3-carbomethoxy-β-carboline.
Success in Science Learning and Preservice Science Teaching Self-Efficacy

This study examined relationships between conceptual understanding, self-efficacy, and outcome expectancy beliefs as preservice teachers learned science in a constructivist-oriented methods class. Participants included 49 preservice elementary teachers. Analysis revealed that participants increased in self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and conceptual understanding. Engaging preservice teachers in hands-on, minds-on activities and discussion were important contributors. Participants reported that they would be inclined to teach from a constructivist perspective in the future. One implication from this study is that increasing the quantity of science content courses that preservice elementary teachers are required to take may not be sufficient to overcome their reluctance to teach science if some of their learning does not take place in a constructivist environment. In our teaching, we have tried to integrate pedagogy with learning science content.
Auger spectroscopy of polyethylene and poly (ethylene oxide)

Abstract The X-ray excited Auger spectra of polyethylene and poly(ethylene oxide) have been corrected for Auger electron energy losses due to interactions with the solid and compared to the corresponding spectra of gas phase molecular analogs. The corrected polyethylene spectrum is an extrapolation of trends observed in the spectra of gas phase alkanes from CH4 through C6H14. The O(KVV) spectrum of poly(ethylene oxide) is similar to that of methyl ether, consistent with similar nearest neighbor environments for the oxygen atoms in the two materials. In contrast, the C(KVV) spectrum of poly(ethylene oxide), a material which contains C-C bonds, is better approximated by the spectrum of ethane (H3C-CH3). A comparison of the polyethylene Auger spectrum with the spectra of the normal alkanes and with a self-fold of its X-ray excited valence band photoemission (single hole) spectrum indicates the presence of correlated two-hole final states in the case of polyethylene.
Patterns and energy expenditure of free-living physical activity in adolescents with sickle cell anemia.

Abstract Objective: Our purpose was to examine the relationship between physical activity (PA), PA-associated energy expenditure (PAEE), and total daily energy expenditure (TEE) in free-living adolescents with sickle-cell anemia (SCA). Study design: Adolescents with SCA (n = 28) were matched for sex and age with 22 healthy control participants. PA was measured for 6 to 8 consecutive days with a triaxial accelerometer and resting energy expenditure (REE) by whole-room indirect calorimetry. TEE was calculated by summing PAEE and REE. Results: TEE was similar, REE was higher (difference, 209 kcal×day –1 ; P = .0001), and PAEE was lower (difference, 657 kcal×day –1 ; P r 2 = 0.583). Time spent in PA of moderate and high intensity was lower in patients with SCA than in control participants (18 ± 22 vs 48 ± 31 min/d; P Conclusion: In adolescents with SCA under free-living conditions, there is a significant intra and interindividual variability in the amount of PA, PAEE, and PA patterns. Because of a lower PAEE and a higher REE, TEE is similar in adolescents with SCA and healthy adolescents. An association of PAEE with hemoglobin concentration may be a part of an energy saving compensatory mechanism in SCA. (J Pediatr 2002;140:86-92)
Racial and ethnic variations in temporal changes in fetal deaths and first day infant deaths

The purpose was to examine changes in overall and gestational age-specific proportions and rates of fetal death, first day death (<24 h), and combined fetal-first day death from 1990–1991 to 2001–2002. Changes were considered by race/ethnicity. Deliveries to U.S. white, black, and Hispanic mothers were selected from the NCHS linked live birth-infant death cohort and fetal deaths files (1990–1991 and 2001–2002). There was an overall improvement in mortality, but improvements were not uniform across all racial/ethnic groups or by gestational age. The fetal mortality rate among whites and Hispanics declined 4.32 and 12.82 percent, respectively. For blacks, the fetal mortality rate increased 4.06 percent between 1990–1991 and 2001–2002. Despite overall reductions in perinatal and <24 h mortality, black rates in all outcomes maintained a twofold disparity. The overall black: white fetal mortality rate ratio increased from 2.17 to 2.36 over time. The gestational age-specific black: white combined fetal-first day mortality rate ratios were greater than 1 at later gestational ages. In some cases, the ratio increased over time, indicating that despite reductions, fetal mortality did not decline uniformly among whites and blacks at term and post-term. Despite overall improvements in fetal, first day, and combined fetal-first day mortality, racial disparities persisted and in some cases widened. This study identifies lack of improvements in fetal death in the black population compared to the white or Hispanic population at later gestational ages.
Three‐dimensional features of particle dispersion in a nominally plane mixing layer

Navier–Stokes simulations of a temporally growing mixing layer are employed to investigate three‐dimensional mechanisms for the dispersion and accumulation of small, heavy, spherical particles. It is found that in particular the presence of the streamwise braid vortices gives rise to additional dynamical effects that modify the concentration, dispersion, and suspension patterns observed in two‐dimensional situations. Intense stretching and folding by the evolving three‐dimensional vorticity field, when combined with inertial effects such as ejection by the concentrated streamwise vortices, strongly distorts the geometry of both clear fluid and particle laden regions. Different time scales can be associated with the spanwise and streamwise vortices, so that these distinct vortical systems can selectively affect different classes of particles.
Promoter occupancy of the basal class I transcription factor A differs strongly between active and silent VSG expression sites in Trypanosoma brucei

Monoallelic expression within a gene family is found in pathogens exhibiting antigenic variation and in mammalian olfactory neurons. Trypanosoma brucei, a lethal parasite living in the human bloodstream, expresses variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) from 1 of 15 bloodstream expression sites (BESs) by virtue of a multifunctional RNA polymerase I. The active BES is transcribed in an extranucleolar compartment termed the expression site body (ESB), whereas silent BESs, located elsewhere within the nucleus, are repressed epigenetically. The regulatory mechanisms, however, are poorly understood. Here we show that two essential subunits of the basal class I transcription factor A (CITFA) predominantly occupied the promoter of the active BES relative to that of a silent BES, a phenotype that was maintained after switching BESs in situ. In these experiments, high promoter occupancy of CITFA was coupled to high levels of both promoter-proximal RNA abundance and RNA polymerase I occupancy. Accordingly, fluorescently tagged CITFA-7 was concentrated in the nucleolus and the ESB. Because a ChIP-seq analysis found that along the entire BES, CITFA-7 is specifically enriched only at the promoter, our data strongly indicate that monoallelic BES transcription is activated by a mechanism that functions at the level of transcription initiation.
Exploiting multimedia content: a machine learning based approach

This thesis explores use of machine learning for multimedia content management involving single/multiple features, modalities and concepts. We introduce shape based feature for binary patterns and apply it for recognition and retrieval application in single and multiple feature based architecture. The multiple feature based recognition and retrieval frameworks are based on the theory of multiple kernel learning (MKL). A binary pattern recognition framework is presented by combining the binary MKL classifiers using a decision directed acyclic graph. The evaluation is shown for Indian script character recognition, and MPEG7 shape symbol recognition. A word image based document indexing framework is presented using the distance based hashing (DBH) defined on learned pivot centres. We use a new multi-kernel learning scheme using a Genetic Algorithm for developing a kernel DBH based document image retrieval system. The experimental evaluation is presented on document collections of Devanagari, Bengali and English scripts. Next, methods for document retrieval using multi-modal information fusion are presented. Text/Graphics segmentation framework is presented for documents having a complex layout. We present a novel multi-modal document retrieval framework using the segmented regions. The approach is evaluated on English magazine pages. A document script identification framework is presented using decision level aggregation of page, paragraph and word level prediction. Latent Dirichlet Allocation based topic modelling with modified edit distance is introduced for the retrieval of documents having recognition inaccuracies. A multi-modal indexing framework for such documents is presented by a learning based combination of text and image based properties. Experimental results are shown on Devanagari script documents. Finally, we have investigated concept based approaches for multimedia analysis. A multi-modal document retrieval framework is presented by combining the generative and discriminative modelling for exploiting the cross-modal correlation between modalities. The combination is also explored for semantic concept recognition using multi-modal components of the same document, and different documents over a collection. An experimental evaluation of the framework is shown for semantic event detection in sport videos, and semantic labelling of components of multi-modal document images.
AI and Global Science and Technology Assessment

Addressing the research opportunities we've identified could substantially broaden the spectrum of multilingual text-mining and its practicality for supporting global S&T knowledge management. These opportunities also share a common set of challenges that deserve further attention. For example, competitive intelligence surveillance, which allows organizations to understand their current and potential competitors better, often requires the extraction of names of different organizations, technologies, or products from various S&T documents. When dealing with multilingual documents, adequate cross-lingual entity-resolution mechanisms are essential for effective global S&T analysis. Furthermore, some S&T documents are scientific or technologically oriented, whereas others have a predominantly business orientation. This increases the chance of different documents using different terms inreferring to identical or similar concepts. Establishing cross-domain interoperability is essential, especially in multilingual environments.
Effects of Pigment Type and Dispersion on Photodegradation of Epoxy and Acrylic Urethane Films

The effects of surface treatment, particle size, and concentration of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and its dispersion on the photodegradation of two resin systems, epoxy and acrylic urethane, were examined. A suite of techniques, including laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) and attenuated total reflectance –Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), was used to follow the degradation process of TiO2/polymer films as a function UV exposure. LSCM was used to show that both pigment dispersion and durability of the polymer matrix influenced the generation of pits/holes in pigmented polymer film. The type of pigment had a greater influence on the more durable polymer matrix, the acrylic urethane system. The epoxy system showed the greatest extent of degradation regardless of the TiO2 choice. The LCSM results were supported by the ATR-FTIR data.
Morbidity and mortality after surgery for congenital cardiac disease in the infant born with low weight.

Objective Low weight at birth is a risk factor for increased mortality in infants undergoing surgery for congenitally malformed hearts. There has been a trend towards performing surgery in patients early, and for amenable lesions, in a single stage rather than following initial palliative procedures. Our goal was to report on the current incidences of morbidities and mortality in infants born with low weight and undergoing surgery for congenital cardiac disease. Methods We made a retrospective review of the data from patients meeting our criterions for entry from July, 2000, through July, 2004. The criterions for inclusion were weight at birth less than or equal to 2500 grams, and congenital cardiac malformations requiring surgery during the initial hospitalization. A criterion for exclusion was isolated persistent patency of the arterial duct. We assessed preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables. Results We found a total of 105 patients meeting the criterions for inclusion. The median weight at birth was 2130 grams, and median gestational age was 36 weeks. The most common morbidity identified was infections of the blood stream. Infections, and chronic lung disease, were associated with increased length of stay. Survival overall was 76%. Patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, or a variant thereof, had the lowest survival, of 62%. The needs for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, post-operatively were the only factors identified as independent risk factors for mortality. Conclusion Patients undergoing surgery during infancy for congenital cardiac disease who are born with low weight have a higher mortality and morbidity than those born with normal weight.
Small GTPases: Versatile Signaling Switches in Plants

Small GTPases, having masses of 21 to 30 kD, are monomeric guanine nucleotide binding proteins related to the α subunit of heterotrimeric G proteins. All small GTPases belong to a superfamily, often named the Ras superfamily because the founding members are encoded by human Ras genes initially