cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative economics of biorefineries based on the biochemical and thermochemical platforms

A variety of biochemical and thermochemical technologies have been proposed for the production of biofuels. Meaningful economic comparisons require that they be evaluated on the same bases in terms of technology maturity, plant capacity, the energy content of the fuel, feedstock costs, method of calculating capital charges, and year in which the analysis is assumed. Such an analysis for first-generation biomass-to-biofuels plants reveals that capital costs will be comparable for advanced biochemical and thermochemical biorefineries, costing four to five times as much as comparably sized grain ethanol plants. The cost of advanced biofuels, however, will be similar to that of grain ethanol as corn prices exceed $3.00 per bushel. © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Physicians' opening questions and patients' satisfaction.

Abstract Objective To determine the association between the format of physicians' opening questions that solicit patients' presenting concerns and patients' post-visit evaluations of (i.e., satisfaction with) the affective-relational dimension of physicians' communication. Methods Videotape and questionnaire data were collected from visits between 28 primary-care physicians and 142 adult patients with acute problems. Factor analysis resulted in three dependent variables derived from the 9-item Socioemotional Behavior subscale of the Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale . Results Question format was significantly, positively associated with patients' evaluations of physicians' listening ( p =.028) and positive affective-relational communication ( p =.046). Conclusion Patients desire opportunities to present concerns in their own time and terms regardless of how extensively they act on this opportunity. Practice implications Visits should be opened with general inquiries (e.g., What can I do for you today? ) versus closed-ended requests for confirmation (e.g., Sore throat, huh? ).
Breeding common bean for improved biological nitrogen fixation

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), which is an important food crop in the Americas, Africa and Asia, usually is thought to fix only small amounts of atmospheric nitrogen. However, field data indicate considerable genetic variability for total N2 fixation and traits associated with fixation. Studies have shown that selection to increase N2 fixation will be successful if: (1) discriminating traits (selection criteria) are measured precisely, (2) variability in germplasm is heritable, (3) selected parents are also agronomically suitable, (4) units of selection facilitate quantification of selection criteria, and (5) a breeding procedure that allows maximum genetic gain for N2 fixation and recombination with essential agronomic traits is chosen. Breeding lines capable of fixing enough atmospheric N2 to support seed yields of 1000-2000 kg ha-1 have been identified and new cultivars with high N2 fixation potential are being released.
Study on case temperature distribution for condition monitoring of multidie IGBT modules

The parasitic and proximity effects in multidie insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules lead to nonuniform distributions of junction temperature (TJ) and case temperature (TC) among different dies. This feature can be used to monitor the operating and health condition of multidie IGBT modules. This paper reports a comprehensive study on the distribution of TC and its influence on TJ estimation using a thermal network model for a multidie IGBT module before and after aging. Specifically, experimental studies using accelerated aging tests are conducted for a 9-die IGBT module. Results demonstrate that the TC at the position close to the package side and terminal lead should be used to estimate TJ for condition monitoring of the multidie IGBT module. Moreover, the variation of TC and nonuniformity of the TC distribution can be used as indicators for health condition monitoring of the multidie IGBT module.
Use of Makeup, Hairstyles, Glasses, and Prosthetics as Adjuncts to Scar Camouflage

Scars after facial trauma or surgery can be a source of distress for patients, and facial plastic surgeons are frequently called upon to help manage them. Although no technique can remove a scar, numerous treatment modalities have been developed to improve facial scar appearance with varying levels of invasiveness. This article reviews techniques that camouflage scars without surgical intervention. Topical scar treatments, camouflage cosmetics, use of hairstyling and glasses, and facial prosthetics are discussed. In addition, professional counseling is provided on selection and application of topical cosmetics for use as part of an office practice.
Type-2 isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase. Mechanistic studies with cyclopropyl and epoxy analogues.

Type-2 isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase, which catalyzes the interconversion of isopentenyl diphosphate and dimethylallyl diphosphate, contains a tightly bound molecule of FMN. Incubation of the a...
Splicing of Preacast Concrete-Filled FRP Tubes

This paper reports on a feasibility study of splicing techniques for precast concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tubes (CFFT). A total of four spliced beams were tested. Three were internally spliced using grouted steel bars, grouted FRP bars, or unbonded posttensioning bars, and the fourth was spliced with FRP socket, commonly used in the piping industry. A control CFFT beam with no internal reinforcement was also tested as a reference. The experiments showed the superior effect of FRP tube continuity on system performance. Although initially stiffer, none of the spliced beams tested in this program was as strong as the control specimen. This may be primarily attributed to the lack of continuity of the FRP tube, as well as the quality of the cement grout for dowel reinforcement. Posttensioning proved to be efficient in improving system performance. The system may benefit from FRP continuity through either a longer and more effective socket or a threaded coupler insert or sleeve. Internal reinf...
A randomized controlled trial of telemonitoring in older adults with multiple chronic conditions: The Tele-ERA study

Older adults with multiple chronic illnesses are at risk for worsening functional and medical status and hospitalization. Home telemonitoring may help slow this decline. This protocol of a randomized controlled trial was designed to help determine the impact of home telemonitoring on hospitalization. The specific aim of the study reads as follows: to determine the effectiveness of home telemonitoring compared with usual care in reducing the combined outcomes of hospitalization and emergency department visits in an at-risk population 60 years of age or older. Two-hundred patients with the highest 10% Mayo Clinic Elder Risk Assessment scores will be randomly assigned to one of two interventions. Home telemonitoring involves the use of a computer device, the Intel Health Guide, which records biometric and symptom data from patients in their homes. This information is monitored by midlevel providers associated with a primary care medical practice. Under the usual care scenario, patients make appointments with their providers as problems arise and use ongoing support such as a 24-hour nurse line. Patients will have initial evaluations of gait and quality of life using instruments such as the SF-12 Health Survey, the Kokmen Short Test of Mental Status, and the PHQ-9 health questionnaire. Patients will be followed for 1 year for primary outcomes of hospitalizations and emergency department visits. Secondary analysis will include quality of life, compliance with the device, and attitudes about telemonitoring. Sample size is based on an 80% power to detect a 36% difference between the two groups. The primary analysis will involve Cox proportional time-to-event analysis. Secondary analysis will use t-test comparisons for continuous variables and the chi square test for proportional analysis. Patients randomized to home telemonitoring will have daily assessments of their health status using the device. Registered nurse monitoring will assess any change in status followed by videoconferencing by a mid-level provider. We obtained trial registration and Institutional Review Board approval. Trial registration number through http://www.clinicaltrials.gov:%20NCT01056640 .
A computer-aided design and simulation tool for switching converters

A fully automated computer-aided design approach is presented which results in an optimal power stage and control circuit design. The design meets all dc, small signal and large signal closed-loop performance specifications. The proposed approach is very efficient; it can help in reducing component and manufacturing costs as well as design time and is successfully demonstrated on a multiple-output flyback converter breadboard.
First-Year Operation of a New Water Vapor Raman Lidar at the JPL Table Mountain Facility, California

Abstract A new water vapor Raman lidar was recently built at the Table Mountain Facility (TMF) of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California and more than a year of routine 2-h-long nighttime measurements 4–5 times per week have been completed. The lidar was designed to reach accuracies better than 5% anywhere up to 12-km altitude, and with the capability to measure water vapor mixing ratios as low as 1 to 10 ppmv near the tropopause and in the lower stratosphere. The current system is not yet fully optimized but has already shown promising results as water vapor profiles have been retrieved up to 18-km altitude. Comparisons with Vaisala RS92K radiosondes exhibit very good agreement up to at least 10 km. They also revealed a wet bias in the lidar profiles (or a dry bias in the radiosonde profiles), increasing with altitude and becoming significant near 10 km and large when approaching the tropopause. This bias cannot be explained solely by well-known too-dry measurements of the RS92K in the upper t...
The Effect of Task Complexity on Awareness and Performance in Attitude Conditioning

Summary Attitude tasks, which were designed to be similar to the nonnormative verbal operant Taffel task in terms of availability of response classes and/or explicit presentation of response classes, yielded results that were consistent with results obtained with the verbal operant task. Specifically, the present attitude conditioning experiment yielded a large number of aware Ss, and conditioning effects only for aware Ss. When sources of complexity were eliminated from normative tasks, Ss did not appear to perceive and interact with them in a fashion that is fundamentally different from the way in which they deal with nonnormative tasks.
Performability modeling for scheduling and fault tolerance strategies for scientific workflows

Scientific applications have diverse characteristics and resource requirements. When combined with the complexity of underlying distributed resources on which they execute (e.g. Grid, cloud computing), these applications can experience significant performance fluctuations as machine reliability varies. Although the performance and reliability of cluster and Grid systems have been studied separately, there has been little analysis of the lost Quality of Service (QoS) experienced with varying availability levels. To enable a dynamic environment that can account for such changes while providing required QoS, next generation tools will need extensible application interfaces that allow users to qualitatively express performance and reliability requirements for the underlying systems. In this paper, we use the concept of performability to capture the degraded performance that might result from varying resource availability. We apply the resulting model to workflow planning and fault tolerance strategies. We present experimental data to validate our model and use simulation results driven by failure data from real HPC systems to demonstrate how the proposed scheme better accounts for resource availability.
AN AIRBORNE FLAME PHOTOMETER AND ITS USE IN THE SCANNING OF MARINE ATMOSPHERES FOR SEA-SALT PARTICLES

Abstract An airborne flame photometer for the identification of large sodium-bearing aerosols from aircraft is briefly described. This instrument is a modified form of a laboratory device which has been used to count sodium particles. A rough calibration of the flame photometer, in terms of the total amounts of sea-salt in marine air, is discussed. Preliminary observations in trade-wind areas are given and an interesting concentration of sodium in cumulus clouds is indicated.
Comparison of sideband growth in tapered and untapered free electron lasers

Abstract Development of sideband frequencies in a free electron laser is studied numerically and analytically in axisymmetric geometry. In the case of small input power the sidebands grow independently in the exponential gain regime. For large input power an instability develops whereby the carrier is coupled to the sidebands via the synchrotron oscillation of the electrons. In a tapered system, the growth rate of sidebands decreases with increasing rate of taper. However, maximum extraction and efficiency is obtained when the particle motion is marginally nonadiabatic.
Morphologic effect of hyperosmolarity on rabbit corneal epithelium

The morphologic effect of hyperosmolarity, equivalent to that seen in the tear film of patients with keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), on rabbit corneal epithelium in vitro and in vivo was studied. In the in vitro studies, corneal epithelium was grown in explant cultures. Control tissue was cultured in a 307 mOsm/L medium. Epithelium cultured in the 333, 361 and 363 mOsm/L media showed decreased intercellular connections, blunting and loss of microplicae, disruptions in cell membranes and cellular swelling with decreased cytoplasmic density. In in vivo studies, corneas bathed in balanced salt solutions (BSS) concentrated to 330, 360, or 407 mOsm/L showed increased cell desquamation, and the cell changes observed at similar osmolarities in the in vitro studies. The tear film osmolarities observed in KCS are sufficient to cause the corneal epithelial changes seen in patients with this disease.
Optical propagation in turbulent water

The spectrum of optical refractive-index fluctuations caused by temperature or salinity fluctuations in turbulent water is much different from the refractive-index spectrum of temperature or humidity fluctuations in air. This occurs because the ratio of kinematic viscosity to diffusivity is much greater for temperature and salinity fluctuations in water than for temperature and humidity fluctuations in air. In turbulent water the temperature and salinity spectra have viscous-convective ranges that extend roughly one and two decades in wave number, respectively. The consequences of these viscous-convective ranges for optical propagation in water are examined. It is found that the variance of log intensity, as a function of Fresnel-zone size, rises far above its large Fresnel-zone-size asymptotic form, and the covariance function of log-amplitude is relatively narrow when the viscous-convective range dominates its shape. If the viscous-convective range dominates the shape of the structure function of phase, then the structure function is proportional to the spacing and is less sensitive to outer scale effects than for propagation in air. Likewise, the lateral coherence length has a new asymptotic form arising from a viscous-convective range and is also less sensitive to outer scale effects than for propagation in air.
Thermodynamic efficiency of solar concentrators

The optical thermodynamic efficiency is a comprehensive metric that takes into account all loss mechanisms associated with transferring flux from the source to the target phase space, which may include losses due to inadequate design, non-ideal materials, fabrication errors, and less than maximal concentration. We discuss consequences of Fermat’s principle of geometrical optics and review etendue dilution and optical loss mechanisms associated with nonimaging concentrators. We develop an expression for the optical thermodynamic efficiency which combines the first and second laws of thermodynamics. As such, this metric is a gold standard for evaluating the performance of nonimaging concentrators. We provide examples illustrating the use of this new metric for concentrating photovoltaic systems for solar power applications, and in particular show how skewness mismatch limits the attainable optical thermodynamic efficiency.
Applications Of Lasers To Kinetic Spectroscopy

Three methods of kinetic spectroscopy using lasers are described. In the first, the infrared double resonance technique using two CO2 lasers has been used to examine the relaxation of both 11BC13 and 10BC13. The relaxation of the initially excited state to a distribution of excited states proceeds by a very fast V-V process at a rate of at least 2 x 10 6 sec-1 torr-1. The rates of deactivation of BC13 by the rare gases, HC1, DC1, H2, HD, D2, N2, CH3F, and CHC13 have been measured and indicate that rotational degrees of freedom in the collision partner play an important role in deactivation. Two other applications of lasers to kinetic spectroscopy will be described. A Q-switched CO laser is used to excite CO to its first vibrational level and subsequent relaxation of CO by D2CO is monitored by following the CO fluorescence. In another application, a nitrogen laser is used to dissociate H2 CO and the time-evolution of specific states of the CO produced is monitored by the absorption of CO laser light.
Effect of Heat-Treatment on Color of Amber Bottle Glass

It is demonstrated that the color and transmittance of carbon-sulfur amber glasses are affected reversibly by heat-treatment. If a specimen is soaked at a given temperature between 1150° and 950°F. for a sufficient period and air-quenched, the transmittance is characteristic of that temperature. If the same specimen is then soaked at a lower temperature, the transmittance decreases to a value characteristic of the lower temperature. The soaking time required to establish an equilibrium condition as evidenced by attainment of the characteristic transmittance increases from less than 10 minutes at 1100°F. to more than 15 days at 950°F. A change in transmittance at 650 mμ from 54 to 27% was attained in one sample.
Implementing early vision algorithms in analog hardware: an overview

In the last ten years, significant progress has been made in understanding the first steps in visual processing. Thus, a large number of algorithms exist that locate edges, compute disparities, estimate motion fields and find discontinuities in depth, motion, color and intensity. However, the application of these algorithms to real-life vision problems has been less successful, mainly because the associated computational cost prevents real-time machine vision implementations on anything but large-scale expensive digital computers. We here review the use of analog, special-purpose vision hardware, integrating image acquisition with early vision algorithms on a single VLSI chip. Such circuits have been designed and successfully tested for edge detection, surface interpolation, computing optical flow and sensor fusion. Thus, it appears that real-time, small, power-lean and robust analog computers are making a limited comeback in the form of highly dedicated, smart vision chips.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Stability analysis of toxic substances within aquatic ecosystems and their effect on aquatic populations

Abstract A stability analysis is presented for toxic substances introduced to aquatic ecosystems and their intercompartmental relationships to aquatic populations. A specific toxin, vinyl chloride, was used in this study because an aquatic ecosystem model that includes vinyl chloride is available. The system and compartmental stability are dependent on the magnitudes and rates of transfer of vinyl chloride into, out of, and within each compartment. An 11 compartment model is presented and set up for the system eigenvalues. Compartments whose eigenvalues equal zero are the least stable because they accumulate vinyl chloride. Intercompartmental transports of vinyl chloride into and out of the filter-feeding fish compartment is incorporated into a logistic population model. This model is analyzed for growth stability as a function of vinyl chloride in the aquatic system. It is found that the population collapses when the vinyl chloride decay rate terms are greater than the growth rate term. These techniques apply to the analysis of any aquatic population where a toxic substance is present.
Regulation of STAT signaling in mouse bone marrow derived dendritic cells by respiratory syncytial virus.

Background/aims Dendritic cells (DCs) act as a portal for virus invasion as well as potent antigen-presenting cells (APCs) involved in the antiviral host response. Interferons (IFNs) are produced in response to bacterial and viral infection and activate innate immune responses to efficiently counteract and remove pathogenic invaders. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) could inhibit IFN-mediated signaling pathway in epithelial cells; however, the effects of RSV on IFN signaling in the dendritic cells (DCs) are still unknown.
Infectious Mononucleosis: A Polyclonal B Cell Transformation in Vivo

We obtained spontaneous formation of Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B lymphocyte colonies from the blood of four patients with mononucleosis with the use of soft-agar medium. The colonies were propagated into separate cell lines and analyzed for their immunoglobulin secretion. Of 52 such lines, 44 produced immunoglobulin composed of a single class of heavy chain and single type of light chain. Among these clonal transformants, 27 (62%) of 44 produced mu-chain, 13 (29%) of 44 produced gamma-chain, and 4 (9%) of 44 produced alpha-chain. Analysis of light-chain secretion revealed that of the 44 cell clones secreting complete, monoclonal immunoglobulin products, 31 produced kappa-chain and 13 produced gamma-chain. One clone secreted mu-heavy chain and no light chain, an observation suggesting the clone is a pre-B cell phenotype. Seven lines derived from clones had aberrant patterns of immunoglobulin secretion that produced either two heavy chains or two light chains. B lymphocytes in different states of immunoglobulin gene expression are, therefore, transformed in vivo by Epstein-Barr virus.
Ionic Ligand Mediated Electrochemical Charging of Gold Nanoparticle Assemblies

We demonstrate that ionic surface functionalization is well-suited for controlling the electrochemical charging of nanoparticle assemblies. Gold nanoparticles ∼2 nm in diameter were functionalized with between 0 and ∼3.3 cationic thiols per particle and the coupled motion of ions and electrons during redox cycling (charging) was followed in situ using an electrochemical quartz-crystal microbalance. When the electrochemistry is performed using a polycation electrolyte too large to penetrate the nanoparticle film, the degree of reduction possible was found to be dictated by the number of cationic ligands on the particle surface available for charge compensation. This route to reduced particles might be useful for electronic device fabrication, since the negative electronic charge is precisely compensated by immobile cationic ligands.
Amorphous state and delayed ice formation in sucrose solutions

Summary Phase transitions of amorphous sucrose and sucrose solutions (20–100% sucrose) were studied using differential scanning calorimetry, and related to viscosity and delayed ice formation. Glass transition temperature (Tg) was decreased by increasing water content. Ice formation and concurrent freeze concentration of the unfrozen solution increased apparent Tg. Tg could be predicted weight fractions and Tg values of components. Williams–Landel-Ferry (WLF) relation could be used to characterize temperature dependence of viscosity above Tg. Crystallization of water above Tg was time dependent, and annealing of solutions with less than 80% sucrose at –35°C led to a maximally freeze-concentrated state with onset of glass transition at –46°C, and onset of ice melting at -34°C. The state diagram established with experimental and predicted Tg values is useful for characterization of thermal phenomena and physical state at various water contents.
Prolactin secretion in permeable GH3 pituitary cells is stimulated by Ca2+ and protein kinase C activators.

Abstract We have used GH 3 cells permeabilized by electric field discharge to examine the effects of Ca 2+ and protein kinase C activators (phorbol ester and diacylglycerol) on prolactin (PRL) release. Ca 2+ was found to stimulate PRL release ∼4 fold at 3 μM Ca 2+ with a half-maximal response at ∼.5 μM estimated free Ca 2+ . 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate and 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol stimulated PRL release throughout a range of Ca 2+ concentrations (1 nM −3 μM), but stimulation was greater at higher Ca 2+ concentrations (.1 μM to 1 μM). Both agents decreased by 1.8 fold the apparent [Ca 2+ ] at which half-maximal stimulation of secretion occurred. Quin 2 was used to measure the free [Ca 2+ ] of intact and permeable cells; PRL secretion at a free [Ca 2+ ] corresponding to resting cytoplasmic [Ca 2+ ] was 10% of maximal, while secretion at the [Ca 2+ ] corresponding to the Ca 2+ spike induced by thyrotropin-releasing hormone was ∼25% of maximal.
Towards a Consistent Rate Law: Glass Corrosion Kinetics Near Saturation

Although glass corrosion resistance has been tested using laboratory methods for decades, investigators are now just beginning to understand the reaction phenomena at or close to saturation with respect to the rate-limiting phase(s). Near saturation, the phenomena that govern element release rates are unique to the vitreous state and include alkali-hydrogen (species) exchange, phase separation, and precipitation of secondary minerals. This review discusses the two over-arching models for glass reactivity, diffusion and surface reaction control, and demonstrates the importance of glass reactivity in terms of glass composition and micro-heterogeneity of the glass. Our conclusion is that surface reaction control best describes the release of elements to solution, but that models based on transition state theory (TST) must be modified to account for reported anomalies in behavior near saturation.
Particle swarm optimization for the clustering of wireless sensors

Clustering is necessary for data aggregation, hierarchical routing, optimizing sleep patterns, election of extremal sensors, optimizing coverage and resource allocation, reuse of frequency bands and codes, and conserving energy. Optimal clustering is typically an NP-hard problem. Solutions to NP-hard problems involve searches through vast spaces of possible solutions. Evolutionary algorithms have been applied successfully to a variety of NP-hard problems. We explore one such approach, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), an evolutionary programming technique where a 'swarm' of test solutions, analogous to a natural swarm of bees, ants or termites, is allowed to interact and cooperate to find the best solution to the given problem. We use the PSO approach to cluster sensors in a sensor network. The energy efficiency of our clustering in a data-aggregation type sensor network deployment is tested using a modified LEACH-C code. The PSO technique with a recursive bisection algorithm is tested against random search and simulated annealing; the PSO technique is shown to be robust. We further investigate developing a distributed version of the PSO algorithm for clustering optimally a wireless sensor network.
A case of agnathia, situs inversus, and a normal central nervous system.

We report here a premature female infant with agnathia, low-set but normally formed ears, a downward eye slant, choanal atresia and a cleft palate. She had severe respiratory distress and died despite maximum intervantion at 5 days of age. Autopsy revealed situs inversus totalis; crossed fused renal ectopia; agnathia; normal thyroid, larynx, trachea, and bronchi; incomplete lobation of the lungs; immature pulmonary development with early hyaline membranes; and a normal central nervous system
ASSESSING STUDENT WRITING PROFICIENCY IN GRADUATE SCHOOLS OF SOCIAL WORK

This article focuses on the assessment of writing abilities among master of social work students. The purposes and methods of writing assessment are explored, as well as the evaluation and reporting of results. The article also summarizes results from an assessment project conducted in 2003 of 129 MSW students' writing skill. Among the findings were (a) 1 quarter of the beginning MSW students did not have adequate writing skill, (b) their major deficit was in building an essay using appropriate and sufficient details with a persuasive voice, (c) 3 factors predicted good writing skills, and, (d) 1 of these factors, "selectivity" of students' undergraduate college, was related to subsequent academic success at the graduate level.
Standardized Performance Analysis: An Application to the Texas High Plains

The Standardized Performance Analysis method was used to complete a whole-farm financial analysis and crop enterprise financial and production analysis of a farming operation in the Texas High Plains for three years of crop production. The Standardized Performance Analysis procedure is described and illustrated for an individual farming operation in addition to a regional level analysis.
Empirically Derived Subtypes of Pervasive Developmental Disorders: A Cluster Analytic Study

A cluster analytic study was conducted to empirically derive behaviorally homogeneous subtypes of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD). Subjects were clustered based on a broad range of behavioral symptoms which characterize autism. Behavioral variables were measured using several of the standardized psychometric instruments most commonly employed in assessing autistic individuals. The cluster solution indicated the presence of four distinct groups. Validity checks generally confirmed significant between-group differences on independent measures of social, language, and stereotyped behaviors. In addition, the four-group cluster solution was compared to previously developed typological systems of PDD (i.e., subcategories based on IQ, early onset, styles of social interaction, and DSM-III-R diagnosis). Results generally supported both the behavioral homogeneity of the four subgroups and also several important between-group differences. The potential utility of using cluster analyses to explore subtypes of PDD is discussed.
Analysis of Carbon and Nitrogen Isotopes for Natal Host Determination of Tarnished Plant Bug (Hemiptera: Miridae) Adults

Abstract. Tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), is the major insect pest of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., in the mid-South. This pest moves into cotton fields from non-cotton hosts during late spring and early summer. Stable carbon isotope (SCI) analysis was used to characterize plant hosts of tarnished plant bugs, as well as adult tarnished plant bugs that had developed as immatures on the plants. Plants of two host types (C3 versus C4) were identified using the SCI analysis, and tarnished plant bug adults reared as immatures on the plants retained a carbon isotopic signature similar to the host plant. Thus, carbon isotope ratios of tarnished plant bugs reared on C3 plants differed from those reared on C4 plants. Carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios were analyzed jointly using cluster and discriminant analyses to discriminate between adults that developed as immatures on two primary C4 hosts (maize, Zea mays L., and pigweed, Amaranthus spp.). These analyses distinguished tarnished p...
Creativity of small groups and of persons working alone.

Abstract IN THE PRESENT STUDY, the experimental sample consisted of 79 groups of 3 to 5 students, and the control sample consisted of 20 students working alone. Both samples were assigned the same task. All participants (approximate age range = 18-22 years) in the experiment were affiliated with a large, urban university located on the East Coast of the United States.
Children in the streets of Brazil: drug use crime violence and HIV risks.

The presence of vast numbers of unsupervised and unprotected children is a phenomenon that is common throughout Latin America, and in few places are the street children more visible, and reviled, t...
Same City, Different Worlds Examining Gender- and Work-Based Differences in Perceptions of Neighborhood Desirability

Studies of residential location typically have treated the household unit as an undifferentiated whole and have not accounted for divergent needs and desires between male and female household members. Using the factorial survey technique, this article examines different preferences for neighborhood characteristics between men and women, focusing on women with varying family and labor market responsibilities. Based on a sample of 177 Syracuse, New York, metropolitan residents, this article shows the desires of men, housewives, single women, and employed women for varying combinations of neighborhood attributes. Findings show that men's desires for neighborhoods suit them well for the typical suburb, whereas women's desired neighborhood characteristics are found both in suburbs and in central cities. Women expressed contradictory desires, wanting the density, residential homogeneity, and racial and socio-economic composition of suburbs, but with the diversity and proximity of services found in cities. These...
Pacemaker Periodicity in Atrial Fibrillation

The presence of a periodic component in the atrial waveform of patients with chronic atrial fibrillation can be demonstrated by the use of autocorrelation techniques, and is interpreted as evidence for the presence of a periodic or almost periodic pacemaking mechanism. In twelve patients the average rate of this periodic element was 421 per minute with a range of 346 to 528. No correlation is present between increasing rate and disorder of the waveform. The presence of persistent random wavelets modifying the beat-to-beat spread of excitation generated by a periodic focal pacemaker is proposed as a unifying hypothesis explaining the variability of the atrial waveform in atrial fibrillation in man.
Bixby symposium on population & conservation: key note address

Full transcript of Dr. Goodall’s keynote address at the Bixby symposium on Population and Conservation, held at the University of California, Berkeley on May 6, 2006. Dr. Goodall contrasts population growth amongst chimpanzees and human beings and discusses current conservation efforts of the Jane Goodall Institute in the Gombe region of Tanzania and the development of the TACARE (take care) program.
Xbra functions as a switch between cell migration and convergent extension in the Xenopus gastrula

During Xenopus gastrulation, the dorsal mesoderm exhibits two different cell behaviors in two different regions: active cell migration of prechordal mesoderm and convergent extension of chordamesoderm. Although many genes involved in specification and differentiation of the dorsal mesoderm have been studied, the role of these genes in controlling cell behaviors is poorly understood. To understand better the link between the development and cell behaviors of the dorsal mesoderm, we have examined these behaviors in dissociated cells and explants, where activin protein can induce both active cell migration and convergent extension. We find that Xbra, a transcription factor necessary for convergent extension, actively inhibits cell migration, both in animal cap explant assays and in the endogenous dorsal mesoderm. In addition, Xbra appears to inhibit cell migration by inhibiting adhesion to fibronectin. We propose that Xbra functions as a switch to keep cell migration and convergent extension as mutually exclusive behaviors during gastrulation.
PREVALENCE OF CUTEREBRID PARASITISM AMONG WOODMICE IN VIRGINIA

Botfly infestation was analyzed in 1319 small mammals from varied habitats and elevations in upland Virginia, 1972-1974. Adult Cuterebra fontinella were reared from bots infesting the woodmouse (Peromyscus leucopus). Of 651 woodmice, 199 (30.6%) were infested at least once. The season of bot infestation extended from May through November of all years, with peak prevalence (mean 42.2%) in August. Infestation in woodmice was general over a 2000 km2 study area during peak months. Significantly greater prevalence (P<0.001) was seen in forested and brushy habitat (39.9%) compared with old fields (2.6%). Higher prevalence (P<0.01) was found in males than in females, and in postjuveniles compared to adults. Greatest overall prevalence (39.1%) was in postjuvenile males. Most warble sites (98%) were inguinal, and observations suggested that many infested adults were non-reproductive. Mean burden (1.27) was independent of host age, sex, habitat, and month of capture. Multi-infestations occurred in 23% of the affect...
Noise in the geomagnetic tail

Abstract Present observations have revealed a variety of magnetic wave phenomena in the tail, from ULF to ELF frequencies. However, only VLF measurements of electric fields have been made. These measurements reveal that the tail is electrically quiet at VLF frequencies, except in the near Earth plasma sheet during substorm expansion phases. The magnetic waves observed include: waves with periods of about 2 min which cause the plasma sheet boundary position and the neutral sheet location to oscillate; waves from 10−1 to 1 Hz which occur throughout the plasma sheet during plasma sheet expansions; and ELF waves which occur sporadically in the plasma sheet.
DESIGN OF A PIEZORESISTIVE SURFACE MICROMACHINED THREE-AXIS FORCE TRANSDUCER FOR MICROASSEMBLY

One of the challenges facing microrobotic manufacturing is the ability to sense interactions for force-guided assembly of small devices. There is a need for a force transducer with the ability to sense forces in multiple degrees-of-freedom in the mN range with resolution on the order of 10 µN for microassembly applications. This paper presents theoretical studies for developing a surface micromachined piezoresistive force transducer that can measure normal force in the zdirection and moments about the x and y-axes. The devices proposed here are based on a compliant platform design with integrated piezoresistive sensing elements fabricated in a modified SUMMiT process. Various configurations and sensor element layouts are explored to determine the relationship of the applied forces and moments experienced during assembly and the corresponding strain. Structural and finite element analysis is used to determine the elastic response of the device and establish the best locations and orientations of the sensing elements to effectively utilize the piezoresistive effect of the polysilicon sensors. Initial experiments show the polysilicon piezoresistors to have a gauge factor of approximately 25. The expected sensitivities for these devices are presented.
The impeding role of initial unrealistic goal-setting on videogame-based training performance: Identifying underpinning processes and a solution

Videogames are increasingly being used as instructional tools within education, workforce, and military contexts. Yet, additional research is needed to better understand what (and how) videogame-based training design attributes impact trainee performance in this type of training context. Goals/goal-setting and performance feedback represent two such important game design attributes. Goal-setting theory suggests that moderately difficult goals produce modest goal-performance discrepancies, which result in enhanced performance. Yet, goal-performance discrepancies are not universally beneficial. This study investigates the performance consequences of trainees setting an unrealistically difficult goal early in videogame-based training, and the mechanisms underlying this relationship. Data from 387 trainees completing a videogame-based training program demonstrated that an initial unrealistic goal, and subsequently a large goal-performance discrepancy, negatively impacts subsequent training performance. Self-regulation was examined as a mediator of this relationship; yet, was not supported, as goal-performance discrepancy failed to predict self-regulation. However, goal-performance discrepancy and videogame self-efficacy were found to interact in predicting trainees' self-regulation, suggesting more complex underlying mechanisms. This study also demonstrated that providing trainees with simple goal-setting advisement can facilitate realistic goal-setting. These findings highlight the important role of realistic goal-setting in enhancing videogame-based training effectiveness.
Changing How We Think About the Goals of Higher Education

In the past 20 years, scholars and practitioners have committed to measuring the cognitive outcomes of education. In this chapter, the author assesses the movement that focuses on cognition, to the exclusion of other outcomes. An identity-based framework is offered as an alternative.
Effect of supplemental dietary fat or protein on the short-term milk production response to bovine somatotropin.

Abstract Effects of supplemental energy or protein on the milk production response to bST administration were examined in two separate trials. In trial 1, 40 cows were used in a 2 × 2 factorial, completely randomized design to determine the effects of bST and fat supplementation. The study consisted of a 7-d pretreatment period and a 42-d treatment period. Fat was top-dressed at 3.0 Mcal/d of NE L , and bST was administered. Supplemental fat had no effect on milk production, and NE L intakes were unaffected. Administration of bST increased milk production by 7.1 kg/d, and the milk production response was unaffected by supplemental fat. In trial 2, 4 cows were used in four periods with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement in which water or casein was infused into the abomasum of cows fed for ad libitum intake or at 80% of their requirements. Diets and infusions were initiated simultaneously and continued for 11 d. All cows were given bST during the last 5 d. Infusion of water or casein did not alter the milk production response to bST, but restricted feeding reduced the bST response (3.2 vs. 7.2 kg/d). Concentrations of IGF-I in plasma were increased by bST administration, and the increase was greatest for cows fed for ad libitum intake. The milk production response to bST was not increased by additional energy or protein offered to cows fed well-balanced diets.
Aldehyde dehydrogenase and ATP binding cassette transporter G2 (ABCG2) functional assays isolate different populations of prostate stem cells where ABCG2 function selects for cells with increased stem cell activity.

High expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase1A1 (ALDH1A1) is observed in many organs and tumors and may identify benign and cancer stem cell populations. In the current study, the stem cell characteristics were determined in cells isolated from human prostate cell lines and clinical prostate specimens based upon the ALDEFLUOR™ assay. Cells isolated based on the ALDEFLUOR™ assay were compared to cells isolated based on ATP binding cassette transporter G2 (ABCG2) activity using the side population assay. To test for stem cell characteristics of self-renewal and multipotency, cells with high and low ALDH1A1 activity, based on the ALDEFLUOR™ assay (ALDHHi and ALDHLow), were isolated from prostate clinical specimens and were recombined with rat urogenital sinus mesenchyme to induce prostate gland formation. The percentage of ALDHHi cells in prostate cell lines (RWPE-1, RWPE-2, CWR-R1, and DU-145) was 0.5 to 6%, similarly in non-tumor and tumor clinical specimens the percentage of ALDHHi cells was 0.6 to 4%. Recombinants using ALDHHi cells serially generated prostate tissue up to three generations with as few as 250 starting cells. Immunohistochemical analysis of the recombinants using ALDHHi cells contained prostatic glands frequently expressing androgen receptor (AR), p63, chromogranin A, ALDH1A1, ABCG2, and prostate specific antigen (PSA), compared to their ALDHLow counterparts. Inhibition of ALDH resulted in the reduction of sphere formation capabilities in the CWR-R1, but not in the RWPE-2 and DU-145, prostate cell lines. ABCG2 inhibition resulted in a more robust decrease of sphere formation in androgen sensitive cell lines, CWR-R1 and RWPE-2, but not androgen insensitive DU-145. ALDH1A1 expression was enriched in ALDHHi cells and non-side population cells. ABCG2 expression was only enriched in side population cells. The percentage of ALDHHi cells in prostate cell lines and prostate tissue was consistently higher compared to cells with high ABCG2 activity, identified with the side population assay. The expression of the stem and differentiation markers indicates the ALDHHi recombinants contained cells with self-renewal and multipotency activity. When the two assays were directly compared, cells with the side population phenotype demonstrated more stem cell potential in the tissue recombination assay compared to ALDHHi cells. The increased stem cell potential of side population cells in the tissue recombination assay and the decrease in sphere formation when ABCG2 is inhibited indicates that the side population enriches for prostate stem cells.
Real-Time Brain Oscillation Detection and Phase-Locked Stimulation Using Autoregressive Spectral Estimation and Time-Series Forward Prediction

Neural oscillations are important features in a working central nervous system, facilitating efficient communication across large networks of neurons. They are implicated in a diverse range of processes such as synchronization and synaptic plasticity, and can be seen in a variety of cognitive processes. For example, hippocampal theta oscillations are thought to be a crucial component of memory encoding and retrieval. To better study the role of these oscillations in various cognitive processes, and to be able to build clinical applications around them, accurate and precise estimations of the instantaneous frequency and phase are required. Here, we present methodology based on autoregressive modeling to accomplish this in real time. This allows the targeting of stimulation to a specific phase of a detected oscillation. We first assess performance of the algorithm on two signals where the exact phase and frequency are known. Then, using intracranial EEG recorded from two patients performing a Sternberg memory task, we characterize our algorithm's phase-locking performance on physiologic theta oscillations: optimizing algorithm parameters on the first patient using a genetic algorithm, we carried out cross-validation procedures on subsequent trials and electrodes within the same patient, as well as on data recorded from the second patient.
Reducing the nicotine content to make cigarettes less addictive

Nicotine is highly addictive and is primarily responsible for the maintenance of cigarette smoking. In 1994, Benowitz and Henningfield proposed the idea of federal regulation of the nicotine content of cigarettes such that the nicotine content of cigarettes would be reduced over time, resulting in lower intake of nicotine and a lower level of nicotine dependence. When nicotine levels get very low, cigarettes would be much less addictive. As a result, fewer young people who experiment with cigarettes would become addicted adult smokers and previously addicted smokers would find it easier to quit smoking when they attempt to do so. The regulatory authority to promulgate such a public health strategy was provided by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. Although it precludes ‘reducing nicotine to zero’, the act does not prohibit the Food and Drug Administration from setting standards for cigarette nicotine content that would prevent them from being capable of causing addiction. This paper reviews the assumptions implicit in a nicotine reduction strategy, examines the available data on the feasibility and safety of nicotine reduction, and discusses the public education, surveillance and support services that would be needed for the implementation of such a policy.