cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Personality, Psychological Factors, and Behavioral Tendencies in Children With Vocal Nodules: A Systematic Review.

Abstract Objectives This systematic review examined the evidence linking vocal nodule development in children to personality traits, psychological factors, and associated behavioral tendencies. Methods Four electronic databases—PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, EBSCO Host—as well as the reference lists from articles (including online sources) were searched. After screening for relevance, eight comparative, case-control studies were identified that met inclusion criteria. The quality of each study was evaluated by two raters using a modified, standardized checklist. Results Four studies were rated as “good quality” and four were “fair”. The questionnaires used to measure personality or psychological factors varied widely among the studies, and the results linking personality dispositions (and associated behavioral inclinations) to vocal nodule development in children were mixed. Conclusions Fair to good quality evidence exists to suggest that psychological factors or personality traits related to extraversion and impulsivity (and their related behavioral inclinations) might predispose children to vocal nodules and deserve further attention. Clinical implications, limitations of the current systematic review, and recommendations for future research are also discussed.
Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy and Volumetric-Modulated Arc Therapy

Due to its dosimetric superiority relative to traditional techniques, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has become increasingly common in the management of gynecologic malignancies. The increased conformality of the dose distribution delivered via IMRT permits the delivery of an effective dose to irregularly shaped targets while simultaneously sparing nearby organs-at-risk. Volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is a related technique that can achieve similar dose distributions with shorter delivery times. In gynecologic malignancies, IMRT conveys benefits including improved dosimetry to the intestines, bladder, and bone marrow, dose escalation to gross disease, and the potential to extend treatment volumes into the para-aortic region. The benefits of IMRT presuppose great care in the development and execution of an institutional IMRT program involving physicians, physicists, and dosimetrists working effectively together. This chapter explores IMRT-specific considerations in contouring, management of motion, plan evaluation, and quality assurance in order to assist management of endometrial, vulvar, vaginal, and cervical cancers in both postsurgical and intact settings.
Super sensitive terahertz detectors

In this book chapter the authors have discussed the physical mechanisms explaining THz detection in FETs. Such detectors can support two modes of operations: (i) resonant mode and (ii) nonresonant mode. Even though resonant photo-detection is still to be fully demonstrated at room temperature, a lot of work has been done on nonresonant photo-detection using FETs. In this regard, nanometer size FETs operating as broadband THz detectors currently compete and are suitable alternatives to commercially available Schottky diodes. Recent studies show that FETs can reach responsivity levels, NEP, and speed of the same order of magnitude as Schottky diodes while having advantages arising from CMOS VLSI compatibility. In this regard, we have also presented an overview of recent experimental results on the detection of THz radiation by nanowire and GFETs.
Do raters use rating scale categories consistently across analytic rubric domains in writing assessment

Abstract Analytic rubrics for writing assessments are intended to provide diagnostic information regarding students’ strengths and weaknesses related to several domains, such as the meaning and mechanics of their composition. Although individual domains refer to unique aspects of student writing, the same rating scales are often applied across different domains. Accordingly, the interpretation of rating scale categories is intended to be invariant across domains. However, this hypothesis is rarely examined empirically. The purpose of this study is to illustrate and explore methods for evaluating the degree to which raters apply a common rating scale consistently across domains in analytic writing assessments. Data from a rater training procedure for a rater-mediated writing assessment serve as a case study for the illustrative analyses. Results indicated a lack of invariance in rating scale category functioning across domains for several raters in both examples. Implications are discussed in terms of how evidence of differential rating scale category use can be used to inform rater training and assessment development procedures.
Preferential activation for emotional Western classical music versus emotional environmental sounds in motor, interoceptive, and language brain areas.

Abstract Recent meta analyses suggest there is a common brain network involved in processing emotion in music and sounds. However, no studies have directly compared the neural substrates of equivalent emotional Western classical music and emotional environmental sounds. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging we investigated whether brain activation in motor cortex, interoceptive cortex, and Broca’s language area during an auditory emotional appraisal task differed as a function of stimulus type. Activation was relatively greater to music in motor and interoceptive cortex – areas associated with movement and internal physical feelings – and relatively greater to emotional environmental sounds in Broca’s area. We conclude that emotional environmental sounds are appraised through verbal identification of the source, and that emotional Western classical music is appraised through evaluation of bodily feelings. While there is clearly a common core emotion-processing network underlying all emotional appraisal, modality-specific contextual information may be important for understanding the contribution of voluntary versus automatic appraisal mechanisms.
Granular-cell myoblastoma of the vulva.

Abstract A review of the literature revealed over 300 cases of granular-cell myoblastomas of which only 7 were found on the female genitals. Another case has been added to this small series of genital granular-cell myoblastomas. The various theories on the histogenesis of this entity have been reviewed.
Interventional Efforts to Reduce Psychological Distress after Orthopedic Trauma: A Systematic Review:

Unanticipated severe injury to part of the musculoskeletal system, referred to as orthopedic trauma, can be debilitating. It can also be accompanied by equally debilitating psychological distress, but little is known about the effective interventions for psychological sequelae of orthopedic trauma. We sought to determine the effectiveness of interventions on psychological outcomes, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and pain catastrophizing (feelings of helplessness, excessive rumination, and exaggerated description of pain), after major orthopedic trauma. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement as guidelines, we systematically searched Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Studies included for review were English-language interventional studies in an orthopedic trauma population that included assessment of post-injury psychological distress or disability as either a primary or secondary aim. Twelve studies were identified, including six randomized trials, three prospective cohort studies, and three retrospective cohort studies. Study sample sizes ranged from 48 to 569 patients, the mean age ranged from 29 to 52.8 years, and the percentage of male patients ranged from 38 to 90%. We examined four categories of interventions. Peer group treatment (one study) significantly reduced rates of depression but had low participation rates. Brief interventions to teach coping and self-efficacy skills (two studies) decreased depression, pain catastrophizing, and anxiety scores while increasing self-efficacy on short-term follow-up. Individualized counseling and rehabilitation (four studies) resulted in a consistent reduction in the risk of PTSD. Early amputation was found to result in lower rates of PSTD than limb salvage in US military personnel (four studies). One study examined surgeons’ confidence in dealing with possible psychological distress; surgeons who participated in a program on collaborative care were significantly more confident that they could help their patients with such issues. Interventional strategies, including group interventions, brief individual interventions, longitudinal counseling, and consideration of early amputation in selected populations have proved effective in reducing negative psychological sequelae of major orthopedic trauma. Further research that determines the effects of interventions in this population is needed.
Gelfand-type duality for commutative von Neumann algebras

Abstract We show that the following five categories are equivalent: (1) the opposite category of commutative von Neumann algebras ; (2) compact strictly localizable enhanced measurable spaces ; (3) measurable locales; (4) hyperstonean locales; (5) hyperstonean spaces. This result can be seen as a measure-theoretic counterpart of the Gelfand duality between commutative unital C ⁎ -algebras and compact Hausdorff topological spaces. This paper is also available as arXiv:2005.05284v3 .
Evaluating peripheral versus central contributions to spectral context effects in speech perception.

Abstract Perception of a sound is influenced by spectral properties of surrounding sounds. When frequencies are absent in a preceding acoustic context before being introduced in a subsequent target sound, detection of those frequencies is facilitated via an auditory enhancement effect (EE). When spectral composition differs across a preceding context and subsequent target sound, those differences are perceptually magnified and perception shifts via a spectral contrast effect (SCE). Each effect is thought to receive contributions from peripheral and central neural processing, but the relative contributions are unclear. The present experiments manipulated ear of presentation to elucidate the degrees to which peripheral and central processes contributed to each effect in speech perception. In Experiment 1, EE and SCE magnitudes in consonant categorization were substantially diminished through contralateral presentation of contexts and targets compared to ipsilateral or bilateral presentations. In Experiment 2, spectrally complementary contexts were presented dichotically followed by the target in only one ear. This arrangement was predicted to produce context effects peripherally and cancel them centrally, but the competing contralateral context minimally decreased effect magnitudes. Results confirm peripheral and central contributions to EEs and SCEs in speech perception, but both effects appear to be primarily due to peripheral processing.
Levels of Employment and Community Engagement among Low-Income Adults: Implications for Medicaid Work Requirements.

CONTEXT Twenty states are pursuing community engagement requirements ("work requirements") in Medicaid, though legal challenges are ongoing. While most nondisabled low-income individuals work, it is less clear how many engage in the required number of hours of qualifying community engagement activities and what heterogeneity may exist by race/ethnicity, age, and gender. The authors' objective was to estimate current levels of employment and other community engagement activities among potential Medicaid beneficiaries. METHODS The authors analyzed the US Census Bureau's national time-use survey data for the years 2015 through 2018. Their main sample consisted of nondisabled adults between 19 and 64 years with family incomes less than 138% of the federal poverty level (N = 2,551). FINDINGS Nationally, low-income adults who might become subject to Medicaid work requirements already spent an average of 30 hours per week on community engagement activities. However, 22% of the low-income population-particularly women, older adults, and those with less education-would not currently satisfy a 20-hour-per-week requirement. CONCLUSIONS Although the majority of potential Medicaid beneficiaries already meet community engagement requirements or are exempt, 22% would not currently satisfy a 20-hour-per-week requirement and therefore could be at risk for losing coverage.
Household mold, pesticide use, and childhood asthma: A nationwide study in the U.S.

Abstract Objectives To investigate the associations of household mold and pesticide use with risk of childhood asthma and examine the potential effect modification by child's sex at a national level in the U.S. Methods Nationally representative data were drawn from the cross-sectional 2017 and 2018 National Surveys of Children's Health. Household mold and pesticide exposures during the past 12 months and physician-diagnosed childhood asthma were assessed by standard questionnaires administered to primary caregivers. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for current asthma, adjusting for child, caregiver, and household covariates. We also examined potential effect modification by child's sex. Sampling weights accounted for the complex survey design. Results Among 41,423 U.S. children in 2017–2018, the weighted prevalence of current asthma was 10.8% in household mold-exposed children, compared with 7.2% in non-exposed children (P Conclusions Our findings suggest that household mold is associated with current asthma among children, independent of other major risk factors including child's obesity status. Our findings may inform strategies targeting mitigation of household mold as an important indoor environment factor to address childhood asthma.
Learning to Lead: an Approach to Mathematics Teacher Leader Development

This paper describes a partnership between a university and an urban school district, formed with a goal of preparing mathematics teacher leaders to conduct professional development (PD) at their schools. The university and district partners worked together to achieve the district’s mission of providing every student with high-quality instruction and equitable learning opportunities in mathematics by building the district’s capacity to conduct school-based PD for mathematics teachers. Given the power of school-based subject-specific PD for improving instructional quality, we worked with Teacher Leaders from participating schools to prepare and support them to lead PD workshops at their schools. In this paper, we examine how Teacher Leaders learn and adapt key elements of a PD model over three school years through the lenses of Prediger et al.’s Three-Tetrahedron-Model (2019) and the university’s Learning to Lead model. Over 3 years, we see that Teacher Leaders use the key structures of the PD model; make adaptations in response to school goals, interests, and priorities; and gain confidence in their work with colleagues. By viewing the adaptations through the lens of pedagogies of practice as well as the relationships illustrated by the 3-T model, this work offers insights into the complexities of teacher leadership development.
Dissecting Multiple Pathways in the Relaxation Dynamics of Helix Coil Transitions with Optimum Dimensionality Reduction.

Fast kinetic experiments with dramatically improved time resolution have contributed significantly to understanding the fundamental processes in protein folding pathways involving the formation of a-helices and b-hairpin, contact formation, and overall collapse of the peptide chain. Interpretation of experimental results through application of a simple statistical mechanical model was key to this understanding. Atomistic description of all events observed in the experimental findings was challenging. Recent advancements in theory, more sophisticated algorithms, and a true long-term trajectory made way for an atomically detailed description of kinetics, examining folding pathways, validating experimental results, and reporting new findings for a wide range of molecular processes in biophysical chemistry. This review describes how optimum dimensionality reduction theory can construct a simplified coarse-grained model with low dimensionality involving a kinetic matrix that captures novel insights into folding pathways. A set of metastable states derived from molecular dynamics analysis generate an optimally reduced dimensionality rate matrix following transition pathway analysis. Analysis of the actual long-term simulation trajectory extracts a relaxation time directly comparable to the experimental results and confirms the validity of the combined approach. The application of the theory is discussed and illustrated using several examples of helix coil transition pathways. This paper focuses primarily on a combined approach of time-resolved experiments and long-term molecular dynamics simulation from our ongoing work.
El Cavaller de Colunya. A Miracle of the Rosary in the Choirbooks of San Pedro Mártir de Toledo

This essay centers on El Cavaller de Colunya (“The Knight of Cologne”), a Spanish miracle of the rosary that appears in the illuminations of choirbooks produced ca. 1490–1510 for the Dominican convent of San Pedro Martir, an important religious institution in Toledo, Spain, that housed a tribunal of the Inquisition. Following an exposition of the miracle, this article traces its rich history in the literature, music, and art of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. It concludes by arguing for its contemporary significance to the patrons who commissioned the choirbooks—a wealthy confraternity of the rosary whose membership was strictly limited to the silk weavers of Toledo.
Distribution and movement of environmental plutonium

Abstract Activities associated with the nuclear fuel cycle and the testing of nuclear weapons have led to the release of plutonium into the environment. The behavior of plutonium in natural systems is governed by a variety of geochemical reactions, including solubility and sorption reactions, redox reactions, hydrolysis, complexation with organic and inorganic ligands and the formation of colloids. The redox reactions of plutonium are of particular interest as plutonium exhibits an unusually broad range of oxidation states in solution. In this paper, we review the chemistry of environmentally relevant plutonium species, emphasizing the importance of the oxidation state on the behavior of plutonium in aquatic systems and soils. The applicability and limitations of various analytical techniques for the speciation of plutonium in the environment are also discussed.
Radial Distribution of Atomic and Molecular Hydrogen from Propagating Star Formation

The stochastic self-propagating star formation model is able to account for the division of gas between atomic and molecular hydrogen in the Galaxy. A correlation is found between the total amount of gas available and the size of the optical disk. The distributions of gas and stars obtained from the model are in reasonable agreement with observations.
Growth-promoting Activity of Spent Sulfite Liquor for Sphaerotilus natans Growing in a Continuous-Flow Apparatus

The calcium in ammonia-base spent sulfite liquor, unlike that in calcium-base spent liquor, is not available for growth of Sphaerotilus natans. It has not been possible to obtain a mixed slime with Sphaerotilus as the dominant organism in a continuous-flow apparatus fed spent sulfite liquor.
Development of underwater acoustic backscatter and Doppler instruments from a small and versatile multi-frequency sonar board with software defined processing

The Oceanographic Systems Laboratory at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has developed a low-power multi-frequency sonar board capable of operating at a wide range of frequencies from 200 KHz to 2 MHz and suitable for a wide range of applications. Its features include a transmitter, a receiver with gain control, a 24 MHz analog-to-digital converter, a programmable down converter capable of demodulating by four separate frequencies simultaneously, a low power DSP processor, and 64 GB of SD card memory storage. This sonar board is compact (40 mm wide, 100 m long, and 15 mm high), has low power consumption (1 Watt), and is relatively low cost. Thus, it can operate autonomously on a variety of platforms: buoys, moorings, seafloor frames and pipes, gliders, profilers, towed bodies, and autonomous underwater vehicles. The modular design of the circuit board is advantageous because several sonars can be bused together and synchronized to form coherent arrays and multi-static configurations. These design characteristics broaden the field of application of sonar systems. The easily programmable DSP allows a variety of rapidly reconfigurable software-based processing schemes. The board has been incorporated as the core electronics module in a multitude of instruments. To highlight the potential range of applications for the sonar board, five of these instruments are presented here.
Systematic approach for assessment of alternative nuclear waste management strategies

A systematic approach for alternative nuclear waste management assessment is prescribed for evaluating the fate and transport of radwaste in the environment and to man. The approach consists of a system of flow dynamic and waste transport models for the physical environment, transfer models to biota, and dose models to man. Flow dynamic and waste transport models are included for computing spatial-temporal variations of the flow field and radwaste concentration in subsurface aquifers, surface water regimes, estuaries/ oceans, and the atmosphere. Transfer models are linked to flow dynamic and waste transport models to study the uptake from and to the physical environment of the waste by aquatic and terrestrial biota. Dose models are used to compute both the radwaste input to man and its effects on man. With these series of computations, the radiation dose from alternative nuclear waste management strategies can be computed. Coupled with the exposure and effect analysis, the approach should facilitate the selection of the best management methodologies among many alternatives.
JPEG-compliant image coding with adaptive pre-/post-filtering

In this paper we propose an image coding scheme with adaptive pre-/post-filtering which produces a fully compliant JPEG bitstream. The basic idea is to introduce pre-filtering to improve the coding performance and post-filtering to reduce JPEG blocking artifacts. The adaptivity of the pre-/post-filters is achieved by varying their filter supports based on two criteria: rate-distortion optimization (RD-opt) and over-/under-flow. Experiments show that despite keeping intact JPEG baseline coding, our proposed coding scheme with these two criteria can improve not only the objective quality (0.3-1.5 dB PSNR gain), but also yield superior visual quality by preserving edge details and mitigating blocking artifacts. Our proposed algorithm is competitive with state-of-the-art deblocking algorithms.
X-band beacon-receiver array evaporation duct height estimation

Radiowave propagation in the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) remains a subject of research interest given the potential utility of the ducting propagation mechanism. Ducting propagation is highly dependent on atmospheric conditions; experiments that combine propagation measurements with detailed atmospheric characterization can offer opportunities for improved modeling of the MABL effects on propagation in the future. A multichannel X-band receive array system and corresponding beacon transmitters was constructed to characterize the MABL. Propagation loss from transmitters at multiple heights was measured and the receive power profiles were compared to modeling software result libraries in order to estimate the evaporation duct height (EDH).
Engineering Analysis of Heat Transfer

As was discussed in the Volume 1, Chapter 37, thermal energy transport can be quite complex and typically involves multimode heat transfer. In order to provide useful tools for engineering designers to analyze multimode heat transfer problems, idealizations and simplifications are necessary so that the dominant direction and mode of energy flow can be captured. Concepts such as thermal resistance and thermal circuits are thus very useful for analyzing such problems in conjunction with the energy conservation principle as will be discussed. In addition, these ideas will be extended to analyze heat transfer equipment using the log mean temperature difference (LMTD) and the number of transfer units (NTU). Keywords: thermal resistance; heat transfer coefficient; heat exchanger; LMTD; NTU
Optically active silica and polymeric materials for microcavity lasers and sensors

Silica and silica-doped high quality factor (Q) optical resonators have demonstrated ultra-low threshold lasers based on numerous mechanisms (eg rare earth dopants, Raman). To date, the key focus has been on maintaining a high Q, as that determines the lasing threshold and linewidth. However, equally important criteria are lasing efficiency and wavelength. These parameters are governed by the material, not the cavity Q. Therefore, to fully address this challenge, it is necessary to develop new materials. We have synthesized a suite of silica and polymeric materials with nanoparticle and rare-earth dopants to enable the development of microcavity lasers with emission from the near-IR to the UV. Additionally, the efficiencies and thresholds of many of these devices surpass the previous work. Specifically, the silica sol-gel lasers are co- and tri-doped with metal nanoparticles (eg Ti, Al) and rare-earth materials (eg Yb, Nb, Tm) and are fabricated using conventional micro/nanofabrication methods. The intercalation of the metal in the silica matrix reduces the clustering of the rare-earth ions and reduces the phonon energy of the glass, improving efficiency and overall device performance. Additionally, the silica Raman gain coefficient is enhanced due to the inclusion of the metal nanoparticles, which results in a lower threshold and a higher efficiency silica Raman laser. Finally, we have synthesized several polymer films doped with metal (eg Au, Ag) nanoparticles and deposited them on the surface of our microcavity devices. By pumping on the plasmonic resonant wavelength of the particle, we are able to achieve plasmonic-enhanced upconversion lasing.
Application of metaproteomic analysis for studying extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in activated sludge flocs and their fate in sludge digestion

Metaproteomic analysis, comprising protein separation and identification, was applied to study extracellular proteins in activated sludges and to track their fate in sludge digestion under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions. The complex sludge proteins were first separated by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and further analysed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to search their identification. Base extraction and cation exchange resin (CER) method were used to extract EPS from sludges at 0, 12 and 30 days of batch digestion. Several important observations were made during this study. Firstly, protein bands were well separated by extraction/SDS-PAGE protocol used in this study. Secondly, numerous protein bands remained after digestion, indicating that these proteins are not easily degradable in sludge digestion. Thirdly, protein bands detected following anaerobic and aerobic digestion differed, suggesting that proteins degraded in two different digestion environments are not the same. Finally, protein bands that emerged distinctively following anaerobic digestion was found to be subunits of methyl-coenzyme M reductase, the enzyme involved in methane generation, in Methanosarcina barkeri . These results demonstrated that metaproteomic investigation on activated sludge EPS is useful for studying floc formation in activated sludges and their degradation in various digestion environments.
A REGRESSION SMOOTHER FOR RESISTANT MEASURES OF LOCATION AND SCALE

There are a variety of exploratory and informal graphical methods for studying the relationship between two random variables, many of which offer some resistance to outliers or unusual values. Some of these are extremely flexible when considering how the mean of Y might be related to some other random variable, X. However, when interest is focused on a resistant measure of location, such as the trimmed mean or a robust M-estimator of location, the choice of methods is considerably reduced, and some of the more obvious procedures can fail. When dealing with how a measure of scale associated with Y varies as a function of X, even fewer methods arc available. This paper suggests a simple exploratory procedure that can be used to study how any parameter associated with Y varies as a function of Moreover, this is done without imposing any restrictions on what the relationship might be. The method might be used to suggest an appropriate transformation of the data, to summarize data without imposing any parametric restrictions, and in some cases the method suggests pursuing an investigation where more standard techniques (correlation and least squares regression) suggest that there is nothing interesting in the data. This latter feature is illustrated with data from a study on when a child utters its first word.
Limitation of transcription by puromycin or chloramphenicol in DNA-coupled systems from Escherichia coli.

In systems prepared from E. coli for DNA-directed RNA and protein synthesis, transcription can be inhibited by antibiotics that block protein synthesis. Transcription of T4 DNA is inhibited progressively by added puromycin, reaching a final level of tecumulation about two-fold lower. Transcription of λptrp DNA is inhibited by added chloramphenicol or puromycin in short-term incubations. In the conditions used, all the transcribed RNA is preserved without degradation, so that the effect is almost certainly at the sevel of transcription.
Effects of the presence of a second male on pair-tests of captive cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis): role of dominance

In social macaques, sexual, aggressive and social interactions between a male and female occur in a complex setting in which the presence of other members of the group may exert powerful, long-lasting effects. We have studied the effects of the presence of a second male, either immediately before or during pair tests, on the behavioral interactions of male cynomolgus monkeys with their female partners. Twenty-minute tests were conducted in a large room containing a small compartment that confined a second male. Each of 8 males served in turn both as a test male and as a second male (stimulus male)(4 females, 8 male-female pairs, 480 pair-tests). After 5 weeks of pair-testing with a stimulus male absent to establish behavioral baselines, the test conditions were changed daily during the next 5-week period in the following way: (1) pair-test immediately after the test male was observed with the stimulus male (Mondays), (2) control pair-test (Tuesdays), (3) pair-test in the presence of the stimulus male (Wednesdays), and (4) control pair-test (Thursdays). A final 5-week control period of pair-testing followed with the stimulus male absent. Stimulation of a test male by a second male either immediately before or during the pair-test had highly significant but different effects. Ejaculatory activity increased in tests that followed stimulation, mainly in males dominant to the stimulus male, while sexual and social activity decreased in tests during stimulation, but mainly in males subordinate to the stimulus male. The findings suggested that dominance confers a mating advantage on males even when there is no opportunity for mating interference or active mate competition.
The Webt Campaign on 3C279 in 2006

The quasar 3C 279 was the target of an extensive multiwavelength monitoring campaign from January through April 2006, including an optical-IR-radio Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT) campaign and Target of Opportunity X-ray and soft γ-ray observations with Chandra and INTEGRAL in mid-January 2006, with additional X-ray coverage by RXTE and Swift XRT as well as independent very-high-energy (VHE) γ-ray observations by MAGIC, which led to the first-ever reported tentative detection of a quasar at VHE γ-rays. In this paper we summarize the results of the WEBT campaign. The source exhibited substantial variability of optical flux and spectral shape, with a characteristic time scale of a few days. The variability patterns throughout the optical BVRI bands were very closely correlated with each other, while there was no obvious correlation between the optical and radio variability. In intriguing contrast to other (in particular, BL Lac type) blazars, we find a lag of shorter-wavelength behind longer-wavelength variability throughout the RVB wavelength ranges, with a time delay increasing with increasing frequency. Spectral hardening during flares appears delayed with respect to a rising optical flux. This, in combination with the very steep IR-optical continuum spectral index of αo ~ 1.5 – 2.0, may indicate a highly oblique magnetic field configuration near the base of the jet, leading to inefficient particle acceleration and a very steep electron injection spectrum. An alternative explanation through a slow (time scale of several days) acceleration mechanism would require an unusually low magnetic field of B < 0.2 G, about an order of magnitude lower than inferred from previous analyses of simultaneous SEDs of 3C 279 and other FSRQs with similar properties.
Spray deposition of a Sn-40 Wt Pct Pb alloy with uniform droplets

An apparatus capable of producing and depositing uniform droplets (100 to 200 μm in diameter) was developed and used to study the relationship between spray deposition parameters and the microstructures of Sn-40 wt pct Pb alloy spray deposits. The sprays used in the study consisted of uniform droplets, either 103 or 178 μm in diameter, that were in identical thermal and solidification states as they impacted the substrate. The thermal and solidification states of the uniform droplets were determined as a function of the flight distance (the distance from the metal pouring orifice) by model calculations and calorimetric measurements assuming equilibrium solidification. Although a fair agreement was noted between the model and the calorimetric measurements at small flight distances, corresponding to large liquid fractions, the calorimetric measurements indicated 10 to 20 pct higher liquid fractions at larger flight distances. The resultant microstructures comprised either a mixture of the Pb-rich and Sn-rich phases, both in an equiaxed morphology, or a lamellar eutectic structure with a small amount of the Pb-rich primary phase in a coarse spherical morphology. The mostly lamellar eutectic structure resulted from an excessive enthalpy flux and/or slow heat extraction from the deposit. Fine, equiaxed, two-phase microstructures and high deposit density resulted from optimal combinations of droplet enthalpy, deposition rate, droplet size, and deposit cooling rate which gave short local solidification times.
Normative index numbers

Abstract Social index numbers incorporate, either explicitly or implicitly, normative assumptions concerning the means by which the individual-level data is aggregated. Since the ethical underpinnings of the indexes can always be debated, a critical empirical issue is the extent to which aggregate index numbers vary with their underlying normative bases. We find that the cost of living indexes are surprisingly insensitive to the choice of the form of the index. However, the normative basis of the social quantity indexes has a dramatic influence on the measured level of the change in the standard of living.
Computer simulation of dynamic change of surface composition induced by high-fluence nitrogen implantations

Abstract Dynamic SASAMAL code takes into account target alterations which occur under high fluence implantations, so that dynamic changes of the atomic composition, the retention probability of implanted ions, etc., with the fluence can be calculated. The model calculations have been applied for implantations of nitrogen ions of energy 50 keV into zirconium with fluences of 10 17 –10 18 ion cm -2 , assuming (1) no special diffusion and (2) upward diffusion for the extra atoms over stoichiometry. Also, the saturation concentration of nitrogen is assumed to be equal to the saturated nitride phase. Depth profiles of the atomic composition and the retention rate of implanted ions obtained by the calculations were compared with the results of nuclear reaction analysis, and the results obtained with the assumption of “upward diffusion” agreed very well with the experimental results. The depth profiles of the energy deposited by the implanted ions on the target atoms through electronic and nuclear interactions also were calculated. These are discussed in comparison with the results of glancing-angle X-ray diffraction.
1,3‐specific lipolysis ofLesquerella fendleri oil by immobilized and reverse‐micellar encapsulated enzymes

Three types of reaction systems, all batch-mode, were employed for production of hydroxy (lesquerolic and auricolic) fatty acidsvia 1,3-specific lipolysis ofLesquerella fendleri oil: “Free”Rhizopus arrhizus or immobilizedRhizomucor miehei lipase (Lipozyme™) in reverse micelles (System 1), Lipozyme suspended in lesquerella oil/isooctane mixture (System 2) and a suspension of water and freeR. miehei lipase in lesquerella oil/isooctane (System 3). The objective was to find the system that best maximized yield (i.e., percent hydrolysis), the proportion of hydroxy acids among the free acids liberated (hydroxy acid “purity”), and recovery/reuse of lipase activity, and that could be easily adapted into a large-scale process. System 1 provided the largest percent hydrolysis (55%) and hydroxy acid purity (85%), but of the three systems would be the most difficult to scale up. Thus, System 1 would be the most desirable reaction system only when small batch sizes are to be processed. System 3 yielded 47.2% hydrolysis, but the hydroxy acid purity was at most 73%, making it the least desirable of the three systems to employ. System 2 yielded moderate extents of hydrolyses (30–40%) and large hydroxy acid purity initially (80–83%), but the purity decreased slightly in the latter stages of the reaction due to acyl migration. System 2 was the system most easily adaptable to a large-scale process, making it the method of choice. For System 2 reactions, only when the medium was initially saturated with water and water consumed by the reaction was continuously replaced could 30–40% hydrolysis be achieved. External mass transfer limitations for Lipozyme-catalyzed reactions were not present when the solution’s water content was not above saturation, and its kinematic viscosity, controlled by the temperature and the proportion of isooctane, was below 41 centistokes.
AN EPISTEMOLOGICAL DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACY

Abstract Folk epistemology—the idea that one can't help believing that one's beliefs are true—provides an alternative to political theorists' inadequate defenses of democracy. It implicitly suggests a dialectical, truth-seeking norm for dealing with people who do not share one's own beliefs. Folk epistemology takes us beyond Mill's consequentialist claim for democracy (that the free array of opinions in a deliberative democracy leads us to the truth); instead, the epistemic freedom of the democratic process itself makes citizens confident that evidence for one's beliefs have not been distorted by a corrupt system. Since the starting point of folk epistemology is the meta-conviction that people believe that what they believe is true, it should also serve as a starting point for more rigorous scholarship that seeks to understand why people believe what they believe, instead of dismissing them as “irrational” if one disagrees with their beliefs.
Resolving The Northern Arm Sources at the Galactic Center

Diffraction limited images obtained with the W. M. Keck telescopes have spatially resolved the cool luminous Galactic Center sources IRS 21, 1W, 2, 5, and 10W at wavelengths ranging from 2 to 25 μm. Their gaussian convolved sizes (∼ 2000 AU or 0″. 25 in diameter), along with their mid-infrared color temperatures, favor the hypothesis that they are centrally heated stellar sources rather than externally heated dust clumps. The near-infrared Keck speckle and AO images as well as 2.2 μm Gemini AO images of IRS 8 reveal asymmetric structures indicative of bow shock structures around all the Northern Arm sources. The presence of such large bow shocks around these objects suggests that their central heating sources have large winds requiring them to be young, massive stars like those observed in the nearby IRS 16 cluster. This number of windy stars is expected considering the a 10% volume coverage of the Northern Arm and the number of windy stars detected over a smaller region of the central parsec by Paumard et al (2001). This increases the total population of such stars to fifteen, which is comparable to the number of similar stars found in the nearby Quintuplet cluster.
Convertible debt: Valuation and conversion in complex capital structures

Abstract The impact of conversion strategies on the value of convertible debt is examined. It is shown that, for capital structures comprised of multiple classes of convertible debt, the optimal conversion policy for a given bond class is affected by the decisions of other bond classes. Using this optimal conversion strategy, closed-form solutions for bond prices are derived.
Lack of proarrhythmia as assessed by Holter monitor after atrial radiofrequency ablation of supraventricular tachycardia in children

The purpose of this study was to assess the short-term arrhythmogenicity of atrial radiofrequency (RF) ablation lesions in children. Patients with the greatest exposure to RF energy comprised the study group. Holter data on 35 RF ablation procedures in 31 patients with a median age of 13.2 years (range 3 months to 20 years) was retrospectively analyzed. Patients received an average of 19.9 (SD = 13.6) RF lesions, all delivered by an atrial approach. Supraventricular ectopy and ventricular ectopy were compared immediately before and after and 4 to 9 weeks after RF ablation by serial Holter monitoring. Factors thought to possibly predispose patients to a proarrhythmic effect were used to define subgroups for separate analysis. No increase in ambient supraventricular ectopy or ventricular ectopy was observed either immediately after or 4 to 9 weeks after RF ablation compared with the baseline Holter recordings. Children exposed to relatively large doses of RF energy may demonstrate transient and asymptomatic nonsustained tachycardias in the short term. However, no new sustained tachycardias and no increase in supraventricular or ventricular ambient ectopy are detected by short-term Holter monitoring.
Influence of Ca, pH and humic acid on Cd uptake

Solution culture experiments were conducted to examine the effect of naturally occurring compounents of soil solutions such as Ca-ion, H-ion and organic acids on the Cd uptake of corn and snap beans. An increase in the Ca-ion concentration of solution cultures depressed the translocation of Cd from roots to tops of snap beans and corn but had no apparent deffect on the absorption of Cd by roots. Suppression of Cd translation by Ca was less marked for the corn than for the beans. No change in Cd absorption or translocation in corn was noted for solution pH values ranging from 4 to 7. Addition of humic acid to the solution decreased the Cd activity in soolution and the subsequent absorption of Cd by corn roots, indicating that Cd-ion activity in solution directly affectes Cd uptake. The addition of humic acid had no effect on Cd translation in corn plants.
Annual summary of vital statistics: 2000.

The birth rate in 2000 (preliminary data)was 14.8 births per 1000 population, an increase of 2% from 1999 (14.5). The fertility rate, births per 1000 women aged 15 to 44 years, increased 3% to 67.6 in 2000, compared with 65.9 in 1999. The 2000 increases in births and the fertility rate were the third consecutive yearly increases, the largest in many years, halting the steady decline in the number of births and fertility rates in the 1990s. Fertility rates for total white, non-Hispanic white, black, and Native American women each increased about 2% in 2000. The fertility rate for black women, which declined 19% from 1990 to 1996, has changed little since 1996. The rate for Hispanic women rose 4% in 2000 to reach the highest level since 1993. Birth rates for women 30 years or older continued to increase. The proportion of births to unmarried women remained about the same at one third, but the number of births rose 3%. The birth rate for teen mothers declined again for the ninth consecutive year. The use of timely prenatal care (83.2%) remained unchanged in 2000, and was essentially unchanged for non-Hispanic white (88.5%), black (74.2%), and Hispanic (74.4%) mothers. The number and rate of multiple births continued their dramatic rise, but all of the increase was confined to twins; for the first time in more than a decade, the number of triplet and higher-order multiple births declined (4%) between 1998 and 1999 (multiple birth information is not available in preliminary 2000 data). The overall increases in multiple births account, in part, for the lack of improvement in the percentage of low birth weight (LBW) births. LBW remained at 7.6% in 2000. The infant mortality rate (IMR) dropped to 6.9 per 1000 live births (preliminary data) in 2000 (the rate was 7.1 in 1999). The ratio of the IMR among black infants to that for white infants was 2.5 in 2000, the same as in 1999. Racial differences in infant mortality remain a major public health concern. The role of low birth weight in infant mortality remains a major issue. Among all of the states, Utah and Maine had the lowest IMRs. State-bystate differences in IMR reflect racial composition, the percentage LBW, and birth weight-specific neonatal mortality rates for each state. The United States continues to rank poorly in international comparisons of infant mortality. Expectation of life at birth reached a record high of 76.9 years for all gender and race groups combined. Death rates in the United States continue to decline. The age-adjusted death rate for suicide declined 4% between 1999 and 2000; homicide declined 7%. Death rates for children 19 years of age or less declined for 3 of the 5 leading causes in 2000; cancer and suicide levels did not change for children as a group. A large proportion of childhood deaths, however, continue to occur as a result of preventable injuries.