cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Segmentation of sparse noisy point clouds using active contour models

This paper is concerned with the segmentation of noisy point clouds. The ability to partition a set of points into meaningful subsets is of broad interest, spanning such diverse fields as perceptual grouping and remote sensing. We present an approach that is based on projecting the point cloud onto a 2D image grid and applying active contour models (“snakes”) for partitioning point clouds efficiently and effectively. Although active contours were developed for use in image analysis, only a few researchers have considered their application to point-cloud segmentation. Previous systems do not perform well when a high level of noise is present. This paper discusses the heavy dependence of such systems on the initial placement of contours, and we present a novel approach to initializing these systems. Our results demonstrate that good performance is achievable with the approach of geometric active contours (GACs) when appropriately initialized.
Optical detection of magnetic resonance in the lowest triplet state of biacetyl

Abstract By magnetic resonance experiments on the phosphorescing triplet state of biacetyl in a 3-methylpentane glass the zero field splittings and the populating and depopulating rates of the individual triplet spin levels have been measured. From these data an assignment of the zero field levels and mechanisms of intersystem crossing in the biacetyl triplet state are presented.
Rutherford backscattering and channeling analysis of epitaxial, low-mass films on high-mass substrates

Abstract The power of a variable detection angle in Rutherford backscattering and channeling spectrometry is demonstrated for obtaining depth profiles of crystalline perfection in low-mass films, grown on substrates containing higher-mass, bulk elements. By using first a grazing-exit geometry, the film can be aligned rapidly and accurately, and a background-free spectrum is obtained for the top half of the film. The standard, large scattering-angle geometry then provides information on the interface between the film and the substrate, without the need for realignment. The choice of the analyzing particle and its energy are discussed. Examples are given from MeV 4He+ analysis of the novel hetero-epitaxial system of Si on yttria-stabilized, cubic zirconia.
A high-speed computer-coinpatible event recorder

Design considerations, construction information, and programming considerations of a high-speed event recorder are presented. The device records discrete events on magnetic tape for later processing by a large computer. Although the design information is general, the instrument has 120 event channels, a time resolution of up to 100 microsec, and can record 60 or more events per second.
Toxicological significance of pesticide conjugates.

AbstractProducts formed by the reaction of pesticides and their metabolites with endogenous chemicals (glucose, glucuronic acid, sulfate, glutathione, amino acid, etc.) are referred to as pesticide conjugates. Evidence to date suggests that this is a detoxification process since the resulting products are polar and usually rapidly eliminated from the body. However, very little is known about their acute toxicity, and almost nothing concerning the effects of chronic dietary exposure of animals to these materials. Though conjugates may be formed in vivo by animals administered the parent pesticide, this hardly can be considered an adequate means of assessing their toxic properties. Pesticide metabolites formed by primary metabolic reactions are often evaluated individually in both acute and subchronic toxicity tests, but similar experiments are not conducted with conjugates. To assume that pesticide conjugates are toxicologically insignificant is unsound scientifically, although the rationale for such an as...
Sharing software engineering curriculum materials

This poster presents results of the SWENET project, an NSF funded project to produce and organize high-quality materials supporting software engineering education. These materials support faculty members delivering software engineering degrees and also individual software engineering courses or modules in other computing degrees. The poster summarizes the SWENET efforts, addresses future directions in developing shared course materials, and explains how faculty members can make use of the existing material.
Effect of CO2 enrichment and elevated temperature on methane emissions from rice, Oryza sativa

Summary Methane emissions from rice grown within Temperature Gradient Greenhouse Tunnels under doubled CO2 concentrations were 10–45 times less than emissions from control plants grown under ambient CO2. For two cultivars of rice (cvs. Lemont and IR-72), methane emissions increased with a temperature increase of 2°, from outdoor ambient temperatures to the first cell of the ambient CO2 tunnel (ambient temperature + 2 °C). Within both tunnels and for both cultivars methane emissions decreased with further temperature increases (from 2° to 5 °C above ambient). Carbon dioxide enrichment stimulated both above- and below-ground production. Our original hypothesis was that increased CO2 would stimulate plant productivity and therefore stimulate methane emission, since direct linkages between these parameters have been observed. We hypothesize that CO2 enrichment led to the attenuation of methane production due to increased delivery of oxygen to the rhizosphere because of increased root biomass and porosity. The increased root biomass due to elevated CO2 may have more effectively aerated the soil, suppressing methane production. However, this study may be unique because the low organic content (< 1%) of the sandy soils in which the rice was grown created very little oxygen demand.
Clinical response and side effects of metoclopramide: associations with clinical, demographic, and pharmacogenetic parameters.

Objectives:Metoclopramide is associated with variable efficacy and side effects when used in the treatment of gastroparesis.Aim:To determine associations of clinical and pharmacogenetic parameters with response and side effects to metoclopramide in patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms sugge
Seasonal Variation in Lemon (Citrus limon L. Burm. f) Leaf and Rind Oil Composition

Abstract Volatile leaf oils of the Lupe strain of Lisbon lemon were analyzed by GC at monthly intervals from April 1993 through April 1994, respectively. Forty-seven lemon leaf oil components were identified by GC and GC-MS. In the leaf oils, the monoterpene limonene was die largest component (29–38%) followed by geranial (10–14%), β-pinene (9–18%), neral (5–10%), nerol (1–13%), sabinene (4–6%), geraniol (1–6%), and β-caryophyllene (2–4%). Monoterpenes were present at a higher percentage than the sesquiterpenes. It was found that the yield and composition of the volatile oils changed significantly during ripening. Plant to plant variation was in most cases statistically non-significant. Highest oil yields (370 mg/100g fw) were observed from leaves sampled in the month of December. Monoterpene hydrocarbons were higher in the beginning of the season and then decreased with time. Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were less abundant in the beginning, but gradually increased during ripening
Sensitivity of Simulated Summertime Precipitation over the Western United States to Different Physics Parameterizations

Abstract This paper investigates the effect of different physics parameterizations on summertime precipitation as simulated by the Pennsylvania State University-National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Mesoscale Model (MM4). The period of simulation is July 1979. The control simulation is carried out with a standard version of the MM4 including a simplified Kuo scheme, a bulk boundary-layer representation, and a force-restore scheme for ground temperature calculation. The parameterizations tested are a modification of the standard MM4 Kuo scheme, which imposes storage and slow release of condensation heat, an explicit moisture scheme, a version of the Arakawa-Schubert scheme, and a relatively sophisticated hydrology package. The standard MM4 strongly overestimates precipitation over mountainous terrain and, in particular, it produces an excessively large number of gridpoint precipitation events in excess of several centimeters (“numerical point storms” or NPS's). These are due to intense vertical m...
Factors predicting coronary artery disease in patients with giant negative T waves

Seventy-four patients with giant negative T waves were studied to determine which electrocardiographic variables predicted the presence of coronary artery disease. The absence of left ventricular hypertrophy and the presence of symmetric T-wave inversion predicted coronary artery disease.
Patentssearcher: a novel portal to search and explore patents

There is an abundance of systems today to search for relevant patents, ranging from free ones like Google Patents (google.com/patents) to subscription ones like Delphion (delphion.com). After studying many existing systems, we found that they all apply general-purpose Information Retrieval (IR) techniques to rank patents. We argue that the quality of search can be significantly improved by exploiting the domain semantics: e.g., patents are organized into classes and subclasses, and have links to external publication and to other patents. Also patents' text is organized into various sections and uses specific legal wording.We present the PatentsSearcher system, available at PatentsSearcher.com, whose key contribution is to leverage the domain semantics to improve the quality of discovery and ranking. PatentsSearcher also offers other novel functionalities to help users locate and navigate relevant and important patents or applications.
To Be or Not to Be? Selected Economic Questions Surrounding Distance Education: Discussion

mation. For example, a tomato buyer in Tokyo evaluates an open carton of tomatoes on his computer screen as he negotiates for that carton synchronously with a distributor in Nogales, Arizona. In the new educational economy, higher education, continuing education, and possibly all learning will occur in a global market for educational services, one that is far broader and deeper than our experience to date, and far more competitive (Davis and Botkin, Perelman). Students will choose location and medium when registering for a course or program of study. Distance is dead, or at least dying (Cairncross). Off-campus or distance education is not new. Our Extension Service's mandate since
Enhancement of Cry19Aa Mosquitocidal Activity against Aedes aegypti by Mutations in the Putative Loop Regions of Domain II

Improvements in the mosquitocidal activity of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry19Aa were achieved by protein engineering of putative surface loop residues in domain II through rational design. The improvement of Aedes toxicity in Cry19Aa was 42,000-fold and did not affect its toxicity against Anopheles or Culex.
Management of Urachal Remnants in Early Childhood

Purpose: Generally, it is recommended that all urachal remnants be excised to avoid recurrent disease and possible malignant transformation later in life. However, spontaneous resolution with no need for further intervention has been reported. We reviewed the experience with urachal remnants at a single institution and evaluated which patients could be treated nonoperatively and which required surgical intervention.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the medical records and radiographic studies of all patients with urachal remnants from January 1999 to January 2007. Patients were analyzed according to initial presentation, imaging findings and treatment. Serial clinical examinations and radiographic imaging were used to follow patients.Results: An external urachal sinus was found in 9 patients (39.1%) and 1 was surgically excised. Of the 12 urachal cysts (52.2%) 9 ultimately required surgical excision, of which 6 were infected initially. A patent urachus was found in 2 patients, which resolved during an ob...
Infrared spectra of some matrix-isolated germanium, tin, and lead chalcogenides

Abstract Infrared spectra are reported for GeS, GeSe, GeTe, SnS, SnSe, PbS and PbSe in argon and nitrogen matrices at 12°K. The absorptions due to the matrix-isolated diatomic IV–VI molecules show considerable isotopic structure. The dimer absorptions are treated in terms of a D 2 h planar model and indicate that the dimers have nearly square geometries and that the bond stretching force constants in the dimers are about half those of the diatomic molecules.
Structural and electronic properties of sodium metasilicate

Abstract The structure of sodium metasilicate has been determined for the first time based on a first-principles calculation. The total energy expressed in the local-density approximation is minimized using a preconditioned conjugate gradient algorithm. The Vanderbilt ultrasoft pseudopotenial scheme is adopted to improve the computational efficiency. All the structural parameters obtained agree very well with experimental results. Also, the band structure and electron density of states are calculated and compared with experiments and other theoretical studies.
A sellar misadventure—imaging considerations

This report describes a patient with a headache and a bitemporal hemianopsia immediately following endoscopic ethmoid and sphenoid sinus surgery. Computed tomographic imaging revealed tension pneumocephalus caused by surgical interruption of the boundaries between the sinus(es) and the anterior cranial cavity. The delineation of the central chiasmal injury required follow-up magnetic resonance imaging.
Strong inhibition of estrone-3-sulfatase activity by pregnenolone 16α-carbonitrile but not by several analogs lacking a 16α-nitrile group☆

In recent years, development of potent inhibitors for estrogen sulfatases has become an actively pursued strategy for chemoprevention and/or chemotherapy of estrogen-dependent human breast cancers. We report here our findings that pregnenolone 16α-carbonitrile (PCN) is a potent inhibitor of estrone-3-sulfatase activity of rats and also humans. PCN inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner the desulfation of estrone-3-sulfate catalyzed by liver microsomal and nuclear fractions of female Sprague–Dawley rats. The inhibition of estrone-3-sulfatase activity in these two subcellular fractions showed a biphasic pattern, with a highly sensitive phase seen at 78 nM to 1.25 μm of PCN followed by a markedly less-sensitive phase at > 2.5 μm of PCN. Interestingly, several of PCN′s structural analogs without a 16α-nitrile group showed little or no inhibitory effect on rat liver microsomal E1-3-sulfatase activity. Double-reciprocal analysis showed that the inhibition of rat liver microsomal E1-3-sulfatase activity by PCN was essentially competitive in nature. When microsomes from six human term placentas were tested for their E1-3-sulfatase activity, PCN showed a similar biphasic inhibition of placental E1-3-sulfatase. Likewise, several of its structural analogs showed little or no inhibitory effect on placental E1-3-sulfatase activity. Computational analysis of the D-ring structure of PCN and other structurally similar analogs used in the study suggests that the potent sulfatase-inhibiting activity of PCN may be partly due to its unique steric orientation and size of the 16α-nitrile group. This knowledge may be useful for the rational design of more potent steroidal inhibitors of E1-3-sulfatase by introducing an additional nitrile group to their C16α-position.
Pathoadaptive mutations: gene loss and variation in bacterial pathogens

Pathogenicity-adaptive, or pathoadaptive, mutations represent a genetic mechanism for enhancing bacterial virulence without horizontal transfer of specific virulence factors. Pathoadaptive evolution can be important within single infections and for defining the population structure of a pathogenic species.
Sol-gel processing of piezoelectric thin films

Abstract Lead zirconate titanate, Pb(ZrxTi1−x)O3 [PZT] rhombohedral thin films with [001] orientation were fabricated by sol-gel spin coating techniques. Using a methoxyethanol based precursor solution and rapid thermal annealing at 700[ddot]C for 30 seconds, crack free and homogeneous PZT thin films were successfully obtained. Preferred [001] oriented PZT thin films with x = 0.80 showed a remanent polarization of 28 μC/cm2 and a coercive field of 17 kV/cm.
Fieldworker or Foreigner? Ethnographic Interviewing in Nonnative Languages

Ethnographers working in research areas devoted to understanding culture through language (e.g., ethnoscience, linguistic semantics, ethnography of communication) must often conduct fieldwork in societies and languages foreign to them. Although the ethnographic interview plays a significant role in this kind of linguistic-oriented research, there is little discussion in the methods literature about the special strategies and techniques needed in the foreign-language interview. The author takes an interactional approach to analyzing the ethnographic interview conducted in the researcher’s nonnative language. She focuses on the possible misunderstandings that can arise between researcher and participants when the researcher’s lexical knowledge of the foreign language does not suffice. Data stem from three interview situations in which the researcher (a native English speaker fluent in German) is unable to understand the particular words and expressions used by the native German participants. The author argu...
Design and analysis of a flow-through integrating cavity absorption meter

We present a design for a flow-through integrating cavity absorption meter. This instrument, in principle, is capable of measuring the spectral optical absorption coefficient of natural waters in situ independently of scattering effects. Monte Carlo simulations are used to determine the design parameters and evaluate instrument performance. We investigate both detector response and the distribution of radiant energy inside the instrument and present empirical equations describing these quantities as a function of the absorption coefficient. The effects of changing the instrument geometry are illustrated. Finally, we discuss the effects of scattering on the instrument performance and verify that they are negligible for natural waters.
Para primal varieties: A study of finite axiomatizability and definable principal congruences in locally finite varieties

We introduce new sufficient conditions for a finite algebraU to possess a finite basis of identities. The conditions are that the variety generated byU possess essentially only finitely many subdirectly irreducible algebras, and have definable principal congruences. Both conditions are satisfied if this variety is directly representable by a finite set of finite algebras. One task of the paper is to show that virtually no lattice varieties possess definable principal congruences. However, the main purpose of the paper is to apply the new criterion in proving that every para primal variety (congruence permutable variety generated by finitely many para primal algebras) is finitely axiomatizable. The paper also contains a completely new approach to the structure theory of para primal varieties which complements and extends somewhat the recent work of Clark and Krauss.
FACTOR ACCUMULATION OR TFP? A REASSESSMENT OF GROWTH IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

. This paper reassesses economic growth in five South-East Asian countries utilizing a non-parametric productivity index and parametric techniques to trace the ultimate source/s of growth. Our results show that there is no single explanation for the growth performance of the countries in our sample. The results, particularly with reference to the role of embodied technology are comforting in terms of policy implications for countries such as Singapore, where, given the capital output ratios, there are lower returns to future capital accumulation. The possibility of capital being embodied through technological change makes future prospects much brighter for such a country.
Cryogenic High-Pressure Shear-Coaxial Jets Exposed to Transverse Acoustic Forcing

Abstract : This experimental study investigated the response of dynamic flow structures of cryogenic coaxial nitrogen jets to pressure perturbations due to transverse acoustic forcing at a pressure antinode (PAN). The role of injector exit geometry on the flow response was examined using two shear coaxial injectors with different outer-to-inner jet area ratios. Flow conditions for varying outer-to-inner jet momentum flux ratios (0.5 - 20), and acoustic pressure antinode at the jet axis location, under subcritical (reduced pressure of 0.44) chamber pressures were considered. Dark-core length measurements of the dense inner jet were used to indicate the extent of mixing under different flow conditions and exit geometries. A basic application of proper orthogonal decomposition on the intensity fluctuation of high-speed images enabled the extraction of the spatial and temporal characteristics of the dominant flow structures that existed in the flow field during exposure to acoustic forcing. Regardless of injector geometry or pressure regime, low outer-to-inner momentum flux ratio flows were found to be responsive to acoustic pressure antinode forcing. With increasing momentum flux ratio, however, the flow response to forcing depended on the injector geometry.
On the exponent of e-regular primitive matrices

Let Pnr be the set of n-by-n r-regular primitive (0, 1)-matrices. In this paper, an explicit formula is found in terms of n and r for the minimum exponent achieved by matrices in Pnr. Moreover, matrices achieving that exponent are given in this paper. Gregory and Shen conjectured that bnr = nr 2 + 1 is an upper bound for the exponent of matrices in Pnr . Matrices achieving the exponent bnr are presented for the case when n is not a multiple of r. In particular, it is shown that b2r+1,r is the maximum exponent attained by matrices in P2r+1,r. When n is a multiple of r, it is conjectured that the maximum exponent achieved by matrices in Pnr is strictly smaller than bnr . Matrices attaining the conjectured maximum exponent in that set are presented. It is shown that the conjecture is true when n = 2r.
Good Controllability and Observability Do Not Guarantee Good Testability

In this paper we show that good controllability and observability do not guarantee good testability. In fact, one can easily find examples of faults that are difficult or impossible to detect, although both the controllability and observability figures are good.
Behavior and Daily Activity Patterns of Specialist and Generalist Predators of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Adelges tsugae

The behavior and daily activity patterns of two specialist predators, Laricobius nigrinus Fender (Coleoptera: Derodontidae) and Sasajiscymnus tsugae, Sasaji and McClure (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), and a generalist predator, Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), of hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), were examined using digital video recording in the laboratory. The two specialists are part of a biological control program for A. tsugae, and it is not known if competitive interactions with previously established generalist predators will negatively impact their effectiveness. The behavior and daily activity patterns of adult females of each species were documented in single- and paired-predator assays under simulated spring and summer conditions. Behavior varied qualitatively and quantitatively by species, and did not appear to be highly coordinated temporally or spatially. All species exhibited continuous activity patterns that were punctuated by longer periods of rest. Extensive and intensive searching behavior occurred in all species, with intensive searching being highly variable. Specialist predators appeared to be more selective of feeding and oviposition sites, and rested at more concealed locations than the generalist species. In spring conditions, L. nigrinus had greater activity and a more even behavior distribution than S. tsugae or H. axyridis, which were skewed towards resting. In summer, the latter two species showed increased activity at higher temperatures. Conspecifics significantly altered the time allocated to specific behaviors for L. nigrinus and H. axyridis, resulting in reduced predator effectiveness by reducing time and energy expenditure on activities that directly impact the adelgids. In contrast, S. tsugae conspecifics and all heterospecific combinations showed non-interference. The activity of each species varied with time of day; L. nigrinus was more active at night, while S. tsugae and H. axyridis were more active during the day. All predator groupings maintained a high degree of spatial separation relative to assay size. The use of multiple-predator species combinations that include the specialist predators, is recommended over single-species for biological control of A. tsugae, as temporal and spatial patterns were not highly coordinated. Low-density releases may reduce the potential negative effects of intraspecific competition.
A new look at patient selection criteria for continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII)

Abstract Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) is an increasingly popular modality for intensive diabetes treatment (IT). Appropriate patient selection is a key component for success with CSII. Current guidelines for patient selection are largely based on consensus or expert opinion. While most published studies have shown a modest but significant improvement in glycemic control when patients are switched to CSII, other studies have shown no benefit. One possible reason for this is patient selection criteria, ifmentioned at all, are significantly different. Any attempt at a comparison of existing studies may be confounded by the lack of patient selection criteria. This not only makes itdifficult to compare studies, but may introduce a bias into the conclusions that are reached. The selection of patients for CSII may depend as much upon the availability of a skilled and motivated team as on the patients themselves.
Atrial natriuretic factor enhances the hydroosmotic response of toad bladder to submaximal doses of vasopressin.

Abstract Using the toad urinary bladder, we examined the effects of submaximal levels of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) upon the hydroosmotic water flux caused by physiologic concentrations of vasopressin (VP). Pre-treatment with ANF prior to the addition of VP (10−9M) significantly enhanced water transport (123 ± 23%) compared to tissues exposed to VP alone. Pre-treatment with ANF also significantly enhanced the hydroosmotic response (143 ± 43%) to cylic-3', 5'-adenosine monophosphate (cyclic-AMP). When the concentration of VP was progressively increased during time course experiments, an inhibitory effect of ANF on water transport followed the early stimulatory response to this peptide. The data support a novel, dose-dependent modulatory role for ANF early in the response of transporting epithelia to VP. Moreover, the stimulatory effect of submaximal doses of ANF to cyclic-AMP mediated water transport suggest the possibility that modulation by ANF may occur at a site following the VP receptor-linked adenylate cyclase system.
Testifying About Mitigation: When Social Workers and Other Mental Health Professionals Face Aggressive Cross-Examination

Aggressive cross-examinations can be challenging and difficult for social workers and other mental health professionals who testify in court as expert witnesses. Although several sources of guidance for expert witnesses are available, responses to cross-examination can be understood especially clearly in case-specific contexts. This article describes the nature of mitigation assessments and presents cross-examination of a social worker offering psychosocial mitigation testimony in the sentencing phase of a capital murder trial. The cross-examination questions and answers are discussed in several categories, including challenges to objectivity, challenges to thoroughness and competence, challenges to validity, and differing findings by another expert. Each set of questions and answers is accompanied by interpretative comments about how to cope with the specific cross-examination strategies.
Changes in Al, Mn and Fe from sediments and aquatic plants after lake drawdown

Lake drawdown is often practiced during the winter season, causing freezing and/or drying of the sediments in order to retard subsequent rooted aquatic plant growth. In both lake and jar experiments, Zn and Mn levels in tissues of Elodeacanadensis and seeded aquatic plants were elevated when grown on softwater sediments (pH 6.4) exposed to winter drawdown conditions, compared to plants grown on unexposed sediment. Dry weight production was likewise reduced by half. Sediment exchangeable acidity, and extractable Al, Zn and Mn were higher after exposure, and sediment Zn and Mn levels were highly correlated to growth (negatively) and tissue content (positively) of rooted aquatic plants. There were no consistent changes in metal concentrations of the overlying water after reflooding. It is proposed that plant growth inhibition upon reflooding is chemically mediated by increased root-available metal concentrations, found after sediment exposure and the associated oxidation of organic materials, metals, and reduced S, with release of H+ and a temporary drop in pH.
Feeding preferences of herbivores in a relatively pristine subtropical seagrass ecosystem

Understanding forage choice of herbivores is important for predicting the potential impacts of changes in their abundance. Such studies, however, are rare in ecosystems with intact populations of both megagrazers (sirenians, sea turtles) and fish grazers. We used feeding assays and nutrient analyses of seagrasses to determine whether forage choice of grazers in Shark Bay, Australia, are influenced by the quality of seagrasses. We found significant interspecific variation in removal rates of seagrasses across three habitats (shallow seagrass bank interior, shallow seagrass bank edge, deep), but we did not detect variation in gazing intensity among habitats. In general, grazers were more likely to consume fast-growing species with lower carbon : nitrogen (C : N) and carbon : phosphorus (C : P) ratios, than the slower-growing species that are dominant in the bay. Grazer choices were not, however, correlated with nutrient content within the tropical seagrasses. Slow-growing temperate seagrasses that experienced lower herbivory provide greater habitat value as a refuge for fishes and may facilitate fish grazing on tropical species. Further studies are needed, however, to more fully resolve the factors influencing grazer foraging preferences and the possibility that grazers mediate indirect interactions among seagrass species.
Sintering with Rigid Inclusions

Rigid inclusions retard the densification of a sintering body by creating a hydrostatic tensile stress in the matrix. Two models of this process are presented and compared with others from the literature. The composite can be represented by a composite sphere, with the core representing the inclusion. Alternatively, a self-consistent (s-c) calculation can be performed in which the sintering material is regarded as being surrounded by a composite matrix with a slower densification rate. The results differ only in that the shear modulus of the matrix is replaced by the shear modulus of the composite in the s-c calculation. The stress in the inclusion cannot exceed twice the sintering pressure, unless the Poisson's ratio of the matrix is negative. Predictions of higher stresses by previous authors carry the erroneous implication that Poisson's ratio is negative. Since the predicted stresses are not large, models of this type cannot account for the experimentally observed retardation of densification of polycrystalline matrices by inclusions.
Gender Role Expectations of Juveniles

This paper discusses the development of two five-item Likert scales that classify juveniles' gender role expectations as highly traditional to nontraditional. One is composed of behavioral expectations that juveniles define as traditionally feminine and the other is composed of expectations they define as traditionally masculine. With a sample of junior and senior high school students, correlational and factor analyses of scale items were conducted to assess the validity of the assumptions of bipolarity and unidimensionality common in theoretical conceptualizations of gender roles. The results suggest that feminine and masculine role expectations are not bipolar opposites and do not form a unidimensional continuum.
Fifth Graders' Science Inquiry Abilities: A Comparative Study of Students in Hands-On and Textbook Curricula.

A large number of American elementary school students are now studying science using the hands-on inquiry curricula developed in the 1990s: Insights; Full Option Science System (FOSS); and Science and Technology for Children (STC). A goal of these programs, echoed in the National Science Education Standards, is that children should gain “abilities to do scientific inquiry” and “understanding about scientific inquiry.” We have studied the degree to which students can do inquiries by using four hands-on performance assessments, which required one or three class periods. To be fair, the assessments avoided content that is studied in depth in the hands-on programs. For a sample of about 1000 fifth grade students, we compared the performance of students in hands-on curricula with an equal number of students with textbook curricula. The students were from 41 classrooms in nine school districts. The results show little or no curricular effect. There was a strong dependence on students' cognitive ability, as measured with a standard multiple-choice instrument. There was no significant difference between boys and girls. Also, there was no difference on a multiple-choice test, which used items released from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). It is not completely clear whether the lack of difference on the performance assessments was a consequence of the assessments, the curricula, and/or the teaching. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 43: 467–484, 2006
Qualia and the psychophysiological explanation of color perception

Can psychology explain the qualitative content of experience? A persistent philosophical objection to that discipline is that it cannot. Qualitative states or ‘qualia’ are argued to have characteristics which cannot be explained in terms of their relationships to other psychological states, stimuli, and behavior. Since psychology is confined to descriptions of such relationships, it seems that psychology cannot explain qualia.
Enhanced transport of bacteria in porous media by sediment-phase and aqueous-phase natural organic matter

Abstract Aqueous-phase dissolved natural organic matter (DOM) and sediment organic matter (SOM) were shown in laboratory mini-column experiments to affect the transport of bacteria within porous media. Attachment efficiencies of bacteria were estimated from their retention on quartz, iron oxide coated quartz (Fe-quartz), and Fe-quartz coated with SOM (SOM-Fe-quartz). Suwannee River Humic Acid (SRHA) and Soil Humic Acid (SHA) were used to represent organic matter (SOM and DOM), and were added to radiolabeled bacterial suspensions (106 cells/ml, pH = 7.7) prior to transport. Coating quartz with iron oxide increased bacterial retention 160% relative to uncoated quartz. Coating Fe-quartz with SOM lowered bacterial retention, resulting in a fraction retained only 33% greater than retained on uncoated quartz. Compared to these effects, the effect of DOM on bacterial retention was secondary, and reflected the extent of DOM adsorption to the porous media. When DOM did not interact with the porous media, as in the case of quartz, bacterial retention in the presence of DOM was reduced by 20%. However, when DOM adsorption to the porous media was increased by coating the quartz with iron oxide, bacterial retention on the Fe-quartz increased by 10%. When Fe-quartz surfaces were loaded with DOM to equilibrium conditions to produce SOM-Fe-quartz, the presence of DOM in the applied solution also increased bacterial retention by 10%. The effects of DOM were the same for both types of humic acids (SHA or SRHA). These results suggest that SOM and DOM affect bacterial transport by increasing the negative surface charge of the Fe-quartz and bacteria, respectively. The largest decrease in bacterial retention (60%) was associated with coating of Fe-quartz by SOM in the absence of DOM.
Novel approach to unequal error protection for image/video delivery with source detector

One way to efficiently combat channel errors is to employ unequal error protection (UEP) for information of different importance. The traditional approach to UEP through channel coding does not fully take advantage of the image signal properties. The high correlation nature of the image signal makes it possible to detect and correct many channel errors directly on the decoded image. Based on this observation, we propose in this paper a new approach which provides UEP through channel coding in a way seemingly contrast to traditional ones. Specifically, some good source detection/correction schemes are incorporated to detect/correct, directly on the decoded image, the noticeable damage which is often caused by channel errors affecting the important (in the view of tradition UEP schemes) data. With the help of source detectors, the problem of how to prioritize the transmitted data for channel protection is revisited and reformulated. We show that by intelligently combining unequal channel protection and source detection, both subjectively and objectively better quality of reconstructed images can be obtained. A general framework of the new approach is presented. Three case studies, including one for transmission of vector quantized images over noisy channels, one for a simplified fax coding system and the other one suggested by an intelligent block dropping approach, are examined.
Verifying Network Protocol Implementations by Symbolic Refinement Checking

We consider the problem of establishing consistency of code implementing a network protocol with respect to the documentation as a standard RFC. The problem is formulated as a refinement checking between two models, the implementation extracted from code and the specification extracted from RFC. After simplifications based on assume-guarantee reasoning, and automatic construction of witness modules to deal with the hidden specification state, the refinement checking problem reduces to checking transition invariants. The methodology is illustrated on two case-studies involving popular network protocols, namely, PPP (point-to-point protocol for establishing connections remotely) and DHCP (dynamic-host-configuration-protocol for configuration management in mobile networks). We also present a symbolic implementation of a reduction scheme based on compressing internal transitions in a hierarchical manner, and demonstrate the resulting savings for refinement checking in terms of memory size.
Dibenzoylmethane activates Nrf2-dependent detoxification pathway and inhibits benzo(a)pyrene induced DNA adducts in lungs.

Cigarette smoke derived carcinogens have been identified as the main agents implicated in lung carcinogenesis. Epidemiological as well as animal studies have indicated that certain phytochemicals can block the carcinogenic process by enhancing the detoxification of environmental and or dietary carcinogens. Dibenzoylmethane (DBM), a minor constituent of licorice, is a beta-ketone analog of curcumin, a promising chemopreventive agent for colon, breast and skin cancer. The present study was designed to examine the chemopreventive efficacy of DBM in lungs, its global molecular targets and the mechanism of its action. Feeding DBM to A/J mice significantly inhibited benzo[a]pyrene induced DNA adducts in lungs. Further analysis of its global molecular targets in lungs by oligonucleotide microarray revealed expression of several cytoprotective genes including phase II enzymes that are regulated by Nrf2, a basic leucine zipper transcription factor. To decipher if DBM mediates its function via Nrf2 activation, Nrf2 dependent reporter assays were performed. DBM elicited a dose-dependent increase in antioxidant response element (ARE)-driven luciferase reporter activity which correlated with an increase in mRNA expression of NQO1, GSTA2, and GCLC in mouse hepatoma cells, which are well established targets of Nrf2. Conversely, DBM stimulated ARE reporter activity was attenuated by a dominantnegative mutant of Nrf2. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay confirmed that DBM greatly increased the DNA binding activity of Nrf2. In conclusion, DBM mediates the induction of phase II enzymes by Nrf2 activation and inhibits benzo[a]pyrene induced DNA adducts by enhancing its detoxification in lungs.
Dyslipidemia and metabolic syndrome in the sisters of women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Context: Dyslipidemia is a feature of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but its pathogenesis remains controversial. Objective: The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that dyslipidemia is a heritable trait in sisters of women with PCOS. Design: A case-control design was used. Setting: The study took place at General Clinical Research Centers in four academic medical centers in the United States. Patients: The subjects included 385 sisters of women with PCOS with the following reproductive phenotypes: sisters with PCOS (n = 51), sisters with hyperandrogenemia and regular menses (HA) (n = 38), unaffected sisters (n = 143), and unknown phenotypes (n = 153). One hundred twenty-five control women of comparable age, body mass index, and ethnicity to women with PCOS were included. Interventions: Fasting blood was obtained for measurements of lipid profile, reproductive hormones, glucose, and insulin levels. Main Outcome Measures: The main outcome measures included lipid and lipoprotein levels and ...
The Smoothed Spline

Piecewise approximation functions are compared to single functions which are defined over entire sets of data. The former are presented as providing close fits to the data and as being desirable for performance of subsequent calculations. The cubic spline is described as a piecewise function with controlled curvature and good continuity conditions over a data span.
The Role of Self–efficacy in Recovery from Serious Psychiatric Disabilities: A Qualitative Study with Fifteen Psychiatric Survivors

This qualitative analysis applied the theory of self–efficacy to results from a study that used grounded theory to identify the factors that influenced the recoveries of 15 psychiatric survivors. Participants identified the development of a more competent and efficacious sense of self as a central aspect contributing to their recoveries. Analysis also revealed four factors related to this development: meaningful activities, supportive professional relationships, peer-support and choice among a variety of treatment alternatives. Participants' description of the recovery process and how they were able to develop a competent sense of self, possessed several parallels with Bandura's social cognitive theory of self–efficacy. This article argues that self–efficacy may provide practitioners with a useful guide for creating the contexts that facilitate the recovery process. Implications for practice and research will be explored.
Low-Loss Bloch Waves in Open Structures and Highly Compact, Efficient Si Waveguide-Crossing Arrays

Low-loss, compact, broadband silicon-waveguide crossing arrays and active structures are proposed based on periodicity-matched multimode focusing. Simulations show loss of 0.045 dB/crossing and >200 nm bandwidth in a typical example. Correspondence to low-loss, structure-matched Bloch-waves is demonstrated.
High-Throughput Methods for Combinatorial Drug Discovery

A more nuanced approach to drug design is to use multiple drugs in combination to target interacting or complementary pathways. Drug combination treatments have shown higher efficacy, fewer side effects, and less toxicity compared to single-drug treatment. In this Review, we focus on the use of high-throughput biological measurements (genetics, transcripts, and chemogenetic interactions) and the computational methods they necessitate to further combinatorial drug design (CDD). We highlight the state-of-the-art analytical methods, including network analysis, integrative informatics, and dynamic molecular modeling, that have been used successfully in CDD. Finally, we present an exhaustive list of the publicly available data and methodological resources available to the community. Such next-generation technologies that enable the measurement of millions of cellular data points simultaneously may usher in a new paradigm in drug discovery, where medicine is viewed as a system of interacting genes and pathways rather than the result of an individual protein or gene.
A mechanical model of retinal detachment.

We present a model of the mechanical and fluid forces associated with exudative retinal detachments where the retinal photoreceptor cells separate, typically from the underlying retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). By computing the total fluid volume flow arising from transretinal, vascular and RPE pump currents, we determine the conditions under which the subretinal fluid pressure exceeds the maximum yield stress holding the retina and RPE together, giving rise to an irreversible, extended retinal delamination. We also investigate localized, blister-like retinal detachments by balancing mechanical tension in the retina with both the retina‐RPE adhesion energy and the hydraulic pressure jump across the retina. For detachments induced by traction forces, we find a critical radius beyond which the blister is unstable to growth. Growth of a detached blister can also be driven by inflamed lesions in which the tissue has a higher choroidal hydraulic conductivity, has insufficient RPE pump activity, or has defective adhesion bonds. We determine the parameter regimes in which the blister either becomes unstable to growth, remains stable and finite-sized, or shrinks, allowing possible healing. The corresponding stable blister radius and shape are calculated. Our analysis provides a quantitative description of the physical mechanisms involved in exudative retinal detachments and can help guide the development of retinal reattachment protocols or preventative procedures. (Some figures may appear in colour only in the online journal)
Multiple pixel intensity region growing algorithm for surface reconstruction using ECG gated MRI

The identification of pixels that belong to a 3-D region of interest is discussed. The error function and spatial constraint, which a pixel must satisfy to be included in a region of interest, are discussed. The region grows outward in 3-D space from an initial pixel known to be within the region. Satisfaction of the multi-intensity error function and the spatial constraint is reported to result in a robust algorithm that uniquely identifies regions of interest. >
Effect of novelty on stimulus selection in children

Thirty-nine four and five year old children were instructed to choose between looking at the picture behind one of two windows on each of 20 trials. The picture behind one window was always the same whereas the picture behind the other window changed on each trial. The results indicated that the frequency with which “varying” or novel stimuli were selected for viewing increased as familiarity with the “recurring” stimulus increased. The importance of this finding for the study of stimulus selection and exploratory behavior was discussed.