cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of the Internal Morphology of Nanostructures Patterned by Directed Self Assembly

The directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers (BCP) is an emerging resolution enhancement tool that can multiply or subdivide the pitch of a lithographically defined chemical or topological pattern and is a resolution enhancement candidate to augment conventional lithography for patterning sub-20 nm features. Continuing the development of this technology will require an improved understanding of the polymer physics involved as well as experimental confirmation of the simulations used to guide the design process. Both of these endeavors would be greatly facilitated by a metrology, which is capable of probing the internal morphology of a DSA film. We have developed a new measurement technique, resonant critical-dimension small-angle X-ray scattering (res-CDSAXS), to evaluate the 3D buried features inside the film. This is an X-ray scattering measurement where the sample angle is varied to probe the 3D structure of the film, while resonant soft X-rays are used to enhance the scattering contrast. By measuring the same sample with both res-CDSAXS and traditional CDSAXS (with hard X-rays), we are able to demonstrate the dramatic improvement in scattering obtained through the use of resonant soft X-rays. Analysis of the reciprocal space map constructed from the res-CDSAXS measurements allowed us to reconstruct the complex buried features in DSA BCP films. We studied a series of DSA BCP films with varying template widths, and the internal morphologies for these samples were compared to the results of single chain in mean-field simulations. The measurements revealed a range of morphologies that occur with changing template width, including results that suggest the presence of mixed morphologies composed of both whole and necking lamella. The development of res-CDSAXS will enable a better understanding of the fundamental physics behind the formation of buried features in DSA BCP films.
Structure-function relationships for coralline hydroxyapatite bone substitute.

To improve the understanding of the functional requirements of trabecular bone substitutes, the structure–function relationships of coralline hydroxyapatite were determined and compared to those of trabecular bone from a variety of anatomic sites. Mechanical properties and permeability of cylindrical coralline hydroxyapatite specimens were measured and related to various morphological parameters that were obtained from analysis of high-resolution (20 μm) computer reconstructions of each specimen. Results indicated the average (±SD) Young's modulus (2900 ± 1290 MPa, n = 20) and permeability (0.50 ± 0.19 × 10−9 m2, n = 21) of the coralline hydroxyapatite were within the range of values exhibited by high density trabecular bone; ultimate stress (5.87 ± 1.92 MPa, n = 13), while in the range of mid-density trabecular bone, was low considering its high volume fraction (31.3 ± 1.9%, n = 49); and ultimate strain (0.22 ± 0.03%, n = 13) was much lower than that of trabecular bone from any anatomic site. The only correlation found between mechanical and morphological parameters was between Young's modulus and “fabric” (a scalar measure of architecture that combined the degree of microstructural anisotropy with orientation). These results provide insight into the in vivo performance of this implant, as well as the biomechanical requirements for successful trabecular bone substitutes in general. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 47, 71–78, 1999.
A kinetic study of the formation of organic solids from formaldehyde: Implications for the origin of extraterrestrial organic solids in primitive Solar System objects

Abstract Aqueous organic solid formation from formaldehyde via the formose reaction and subsequent reactions is a possible candidate for the origin of complex primitive chondritic insoluble organic matter (IOM) and refractory carbon in comets. The rate of formation of organic solids from formaldehyde was studied as a function of temperature and time, with and without ammonia, in order to derive kinetic expressions for polymer yield. The evolution in molecular structure as a function of time and temperature was studied using infrared spectroscopy. Using these kinetic expressions, the yield of organic solids is estimated for extended time and temperature ranges. For example, the half-life for organic solid formation is ∼5 days at 373 K, ∼200 days at 323 K, and ∼70 years at 273 K with ammonia, and ∼25 days at 373 K, ∼13 years at 323 K, and ∼2 × 10 4 years at 273 K without ammonia. These results indicate that organic solids could form during the aqueous alteration in meteorite parent bodies. If liquid water existed early in the interiors of Kuiper belt objects (KBOs), formaldehyde could convert into organic solids at temperatures close to 273 K, and possibly even below 273 K in the ammonia–water system.
Cognitive style as a dimension of personality.

Summary Sixty college students were selected on the basis of their performance on an unstructured personality measure, Rokeach's Interrelations Task. Interrelatedness of ideas was significantly related to resistance to the influence of peer norms and to performance on a comprehensive, college-level examination. These findings extend the construct validity of interrelatedness and join other studies to demonstrate the importance and scope of this personality variable. A test construction strategy is discussed which would change the assessment of interrelatedness from a dichotomous classification to a continuum.
Automatic extraction of table metadata from digital documents

Tables are used to present, list, summarize, and structure important data in documents. In scholarly articles, they are often used to present the relationships among data and high-light a collection of results obtained from experiments and scientific analysis. In digital libraries, extracting this data automatically and understanding the structure and content of tables are very important to many applications. Automatic identification extraction, and search for the contents of tables can be made more precise with the help of metadata. In this paper, we propose a set of medium-independent table metadata to facilitate the table indexing, searching, and exchanging. To extract the contents of tables and their metadata, an automatic table metadata extraction algorithm is designed and tested on PDF documents.
The preference of albino rats for free or response-produced food

Albino rats were trained to free-feed in an operant chamber and then to leverpress for food. Subsequently, they were tested for a preference between continuing to leverpress for food on CRF, FR 2, and FR 10 schedules or eating free food. Five of the seven rats showed a preference for free food, which strengthened on schedules requiring more than one response to produce a food pellet. The results reduce the possibility that the difference between findings of prior studies of food preferences is due to strain differences in the rats used as Ss.
Fetal Programming: Prenatal Testosterone Treatment Causes Intrauterine Growth Retardation, Reduces Ovarian Reserve and Increases Ovarian Follicular Recruitment

Exposure to testosterone (T) during d 30-90 of fetal life results in low-birth-weight offspring, hypergonadotropism, multifollicular ovaries, and early cessation of cyclicity. The multifollicular phenotype may result from failure of follicles to regress and consequent follicular persistence or, alternatively, increased follicular recruitment. We tested the hypothesis that prenatal exposure to excess T causes intrauterine growth retardation and increases ovarian follicular recruitment. Time-mated pregnant ewes were treated with 100 mg T propionate in cottonseed oil or vehicle twice weekly from d 30-90 of gestation. Ewes were euthanized near term, from d 139-141 of gestation (term is 147 d). After determining fetal measures and organ weights, ovaries were removed from fetuses of control and T-treated dams, and follicular distribution in each ovary was determined by morphometric quantification. Total number and percentage distribution of the various classes of follicles (primordial, primary, preantral, and antral follicles) were compared between treatment groups. Prenatally T-treated female fetuses were smaller in size, had an increased head circumference to fetal weight ratio (P < 0.01), increased adrenal to fetal weight ratio (P < 0.05), decreased number of follicles (P < 0.05), a decrease in percentage of primordial follicles (P < 0.001), and a corresponding increase in the remaining classes of follicles (P < 0.05). Ovarian findings support decreased ovarian reserve and enhanced follicular recruitment, potential contributors of early reproductive failure. The extent to which metabolic changes associated with intrauterine growth retardation contribute toward altered trajectory of ovarian folliculogenesis remains to be determined.
Maturation and Fertilization of Bovine Oocytes In Vitro

This report is to review and summarize various aspects of maturation and fertilization of bovine oocytes. Reference also is made to other species where pertinent data for the bovine are unavailable. Finally, factors important to success of in vitro maturation and fertilization as well as applications of these procedures to the animal industry are addressed.
The Current State of Women Print Journalists: An Analysis of the Status and Careers of Females in Newspapers Sports Departments

The purpose of this study was to provide an analysis of the current state of women journalists within the sports departments at newspapers across the United States. This investigation involved a determination of their demographic make-up, job status within the sports department, rationale for entering the field, and advice for younger women preparing to follow in their footsteps. The findings suggest that although the large majority of women have faced discrimination in the sport media, they believe improvements have been made towards equity. The majority of respondents noted that they were happy with the assignments they had been given. Subjects did, however, feel that they were assigned to cover females more than their male counterparts, and some responses regarding dissatisfaction with their positions was also noted.
The Agrarian Depression in Seventeenth-Century Spain

This article summarizes recent research on the agrarian depression in seventeenth-century Spain, relying primarily upon data from the provinces of Segovia and Toledo. Both regions suffered sustained losses of population and stagnation of production and failed to develop a permanent interior market structure. Due to its reliance upon sheepherding, the Segovian rural economy recovered slightly by the end of the century, but in Toledo, an economy almost entirely dependent upon grain production, demographic and economic indices were negative throughout the entire period.
Miniature fiber optic temperature sensor for concrete structural health monitoring

This paper presents a miniature fiber optic temperature sensor and its application in concrete structural health monitoring. The temperature sensor is based on Fabry-Perot (FP) principle. The endface of the fiber was wet etched. A piece of borosilicate glass was thermally deposited into the cavity on the etched endface to form an FP cavity. Temperature calibration experiments were performed. A sensor with 30 μm microcavity length was demonstrated to have a sensitivity of 0.006 nm/°C and linearity coefficient of 0.99. During the early-age of concreting, the sensor was embedded in the concrete structure to monitor the temperature change caused by the exothermic chemical reaction between the cement and water. The dramatically increased temperature inside the structure was directly related to its future structural health. During the concrete hydration experiment, the measured peak temperature of concrete specimens was 59.7 °C 12.5 hour after concrete casting.
Control of upper gastrointestinal bleeding with a microcrystalline collagen hemostat

A microcrystalline collagen hemostat (MCH) widely used in general surgery was tested in the control of bleeding from experimentally produced gastric ulcers. Five dogs had a gastrotomy and were given heparin. Using the standard “ulcer maker,” three sets of three ulcers were made in the gastric mucosa of each animal. Blood from each ulcer was collected for a 5-min period to allow for stabilization of bleeding. MCH powder or slurry or no MCH was placed directly on one ulcer of each set in random order. The bleeding rate for the next 10 min was measured. Mean decrements in the bleeding rate for slurry MCH and dry MCH-treated ulcers were 87% and 81%, respectively, compared with 51% for controls,P<0.05. Twelve MCH-treated ulcers, but no control ulcer, stopped bleeding completely,P<0.01. Preliminary observations show that MCH slurry can be applied through an endoscope and may be hemostatically effective in man. MCH may have a role in the endoscopic control of gastrointestinal bleeding.
Short-term stability of reinforced embankment over clayey foundation

ABSTRACT Stability against deep-seated failure of an embankment over soft clayey foundation is minimal at the end of construction. Since this stability increases as the foundation consolidates, related design is controlled by short term constraints. Stability can be enhanced by using a reinforcing agent capable of carrying tensile force. Ideally, the reinforcement will bridge over a temporary unstable situation until the structure has gained the strength needed to ensure stability over the long-run. Consequently, an efficient and possibly economical structure is produced. To analyze the stability effect of the reinforcement at the end of construction, a rotational failure mechanism is assumed. This mechanism allows the embankment to break rather steeply and enables the foundation to be squeezed out. The moment limiting-equilibrium equation is assembled rigorously for the assumed mechanism. The problem then is stated as a search for the required reinforcement tensile resistance so that specified safety factors with respect to the shear strength of the soils are exceeded while satisfying the moment equation. A computational scheme which follows the statement of the problem is introduced. Nondimensional design charts, which provide an insight into the reinforcement effects, are presented. Results indicate that reinforcement has the potential to be effective only when the extent of the soft foundation is limited as compared to the embankment dimensions.
How Posture-Profile Misalignment in IT Innovation Diminishes Returns: Conceptual Development and Empirical Demonstration

We conceive of information technology (IT) innovation posture-profile misalignment as a condition that exists when a firm's innovation posture (the extent to which a firm leads with IT innovation) does not match up with its innovation resource profile (the firm's stock of resources conducive to effective innovation). We theorize that firms with a posture-profile misalignment will see diminished returns from IT adoption because they will be less likely to possess (and be less effective at exploiting) crucial innovation resources when they need them most. We demonstrate how misalignment conditions the link between IT innovation adoption and organizational performance using a data set comprising electronic networking technologies in over 25,000 U.S. manufacturing plants. Productivity regression estimations reveal a consistent pattern that the association between IT innovation adoption and productivity is substantially diminished among misaligned firms. These empirical results provide initial confirmation of ...
The effect of heat transfer on linear crystallization kinetics in one dimension

Abstract The problem of one-dimensional crystal growth kinetics in a finite system in which coupling occurs between heat flow and the phase boundary reaction (the Stefan problem) is studied by means of a modification of Ehrlich's numerical method. The dimensionless parameters that characterize the problem are deduced by converting to dimensionless variables. They are: the ratio of conductivity and heat capacity in crystal and liquid (assumed unity in the numerical solutions), the Nusselt number, a dimensionless latent heat, the temperature dependence of the dimensionless interface resistance and the initial temperature as a fraction of the melting temperature. The numerical method is applied to the same three systems chosen by Hopper and Uhlmann; an inorganic glass, an organic glass, and tin. Temperature distributions and growth velocities are calculated and discussed for each of these cases under the simplifying but unnecessary assumption that growth rate depends linearly on the supercooling of the interface. For each of these cases, a dimensionless parameter is deduced which provides an accurate estimate of the fractional reduction in velocity due to interface heating.
Noises in the Blood: Orality, Gender, and the"Vulgar" Body of Jamaican Popular Culture

The language of Jamaican popular culture--its folklore, idioms, music, poetry, song--even when written is based on a tradition of sound, an orality that has often been denigrated as not worthy of serious study. In "Noises in the Blood," Carolyn Cooper critically examines the dismissed discourse of Jamaica's vibrant popular culture and reclaims these cultural forms, both oral and textual, from an undeserved neglect.Cooper's exploration of Jamaican popular culture covers a wide range of topics, including Bob Marley's lyrics, the performance poetry of Louise Bennett, Mikey Smith, and Jean Binta Breeze, Michael Thelwell's novelization of "The Harder They Come," the Sistren Theater Collective's "Lionheart Gal," and the vitality of the Jamaican DJ culture. Her analysis of this cultural "noise" conveys the powerful and evocative content of these writers and performers and emphasizes their contribution to an undervalued Caribbean identity. Making the connection between this orality, the feminized Jamaican "mother tongue," and the characterization of this culture as low or coarse or vulgar, she incorporates issues of gender into her postcolonial perspective. Cooper powerfully argues that these contemporary vernacular forms must be recognized as genuine expressions of Jamaican culture and as expressions of resistance to marginalization, racism, and sexism.With its focus on the continuum of oral/textual performance in Jamaican culture, "Noises in the Blood," vividly and stylishly written, offers a distinctive approach to Caribbean cultural studies.
Comparison of the Post-transcriptional Regulation of the mRNAs for the Surface Proteins PSA (GP46) and MSP (GP63) ofLeishmania chagasi

MSP (GP63) and PSA (GP46) are abundant 63- and 46-kDa glycolipid-anchored proteins on the surface of the promastigote form of most Leishmania species. MSP is a zinc metalloprotease that confers resistance to host complement-mediated lysis. PSA contains internal repeats of 24 amino acids, and its function is unknown. The steady state levels of mRNAs for both glycoproteins are regulated post-transcriptionally, resulting in about a 30-fold increase as Leishmania chagasi promastigotes growin vitro from logarithmic phase to stationary phase. Previous studies showed the 3′-untranslated regions (3′-UTRs) of these mRNAs are essential for this post-transcriptional regulation. These two 3′-UTRs of 1.0 and 1.3 kilobases were cloned immediately downstream of a β-galactosidase reporter gene in a plasmid, and segments were systematically deleted to examine which portions of the 3′-UTRs contribute to the post-transcriptional regulation. The 92-nucleotide segment of greatest similarity between the two 3′-UTRs was deleted without loss of regulation, but the segments flanking this similarity region have positive regulatory elements essential for the regulation. We propose that similar, but non-identical, molecular mechanisms regulate the parallel expression of these two L. chagasimRNAs despite their lack of sequence identity. These post-transcriptional mechanisms resemble the mechanism recently suggested for the regulation of mRNAs encoding the dipeptide (EP) and pentapeptide (GPEET) repeat proteins in Trypanosoma brucei that involves interactions between positive and negative regulatory elements in the 3′-UTR.
Estimation of the Hydrocarbons in Primary Tars by Hot Chromatography

HEATED adsorption columns or hot solutions poured down ordinary columns have been used for the separation of the desired constituent of a mixture, mainly with the aim of accelerating what might otherwise be a tedious process. Heat can only be used where the adsorption affinities of the constituents to be separated remain sufficiently different at the higher temperature for separations to be effected.
Monohydric alcohol transport in a rubbery poly(urethan)

Abstract Steady-state permeation rates and equilibrium sorption measurements were made as a function of temperature for a series of alcohols in a polybutylene adipate polyurethan. The alcohol series included methanol; ethanol; n-propanol; n-, iso-, sec-, and t-butanol; n-pentanol, n-hexanol, and n-heptanol (all at unit activity). Calculated integral diffusivities of the various penetrants correlated well with effective penetrant size. The solubility coefficients for the various alcohols increased as the difference between the solubility parameters of the polymer and penetrant decreased for the normal alcohol series. The solubility coefficients for the branched alcohol isomers were characterized by values lower than those predicted by the correlation for the normal alcohols; possibly steric hindrance limits sorption on specific polymer sites. A detailed analysis of the system ethanol/poly(butylene adipate-polyurethan) revealed a sigmoidal increase of the diffusion coefficient with increasing penetrant conc...
Rare Expression of High-Molecular-Weight Cytokeratin in Adenocarcinoma of the Prostate Gland: A Study of 100 Cases of Metastatic and Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer

Immunohistochemistry with antibodies for high-molecular-weight cytokeratin labels basal cells and is used as an ancillary study in diagnosing prostate carcinoma, which reportedly lacks expression of high-molecular-weight cytokeratin. A recent report questioned the specificity of this marker, describing immunopositivity for high-molecular-weight cytokeratin in a small series of metastatic prostate cancer. We have also noted rare cases of prostate lesions on biopsy with typical histological features of adenocarcinoma showing immunopositivity for high-molecular-weight cytokeratin, either in tumor cells or in patchy cells with the morphology of basal cells. In some of these cases, it was difficult to distinguish cancer from out-pouching of high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia. To investigate whether prostate cancer cells express high-molecular-weight cytokeratin, we studied 100 cases of metastatic prostate carcinoma and 10 cases of prostate cancer invading the seminal vesicles from surgical specimens. Metastatic sites included regional lymph nodes (n = 67), bone (n = 19), and miscellaneous (n = 14). Cases with any positivity for high-molecular-weight cytokeratin antibody (34betaE12) were verified as being of prostatic origin with immunohistochemistry for prostate-specific antigen and prostate-specific acid phosphatase. Only four cases were detected positive for high-molecular-weight cytokeratin. In two cases (one metastasis, one seminal vesicle invasion) there was weakly diffuse positivity above background level. Two metastases in lymph nodes showed scattered strong staining of clusters of tumor cells, which represented <0.2% of tumor cells in the metastatic deposits. These positive cells did not have the morphology of basal cells. We conclude that prostate cancer, even high grade, only rarely expresses high-molecular-weight cytokeratin. This marker remains a very useful adjunct in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.
Mechanochemical tumescentless endovenous ablation: final results of the initial clinical trial

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of the ClariVein w system that employs mechanochemical ablation of the great saphenous vein (GSV). Method: Patients eligible for ablation of the GSV underwent micropuncture access with only local anaesthesia to insert a 4 or 5 Fr sheath. The ClariVein w catheter was placed through the sheath, the wire was extruded, and the distal tip of the wire positioned 2 cm from the saphenofemoral junction under ultrasound guidance. Catheter wire rotation was then activated for 2 – 3 seconds at approximately 3500 rpm. With the wire rotating, infusion of the sclerosant was started simultaneously with catheter pullback. The sclerosant used was 1.5% liquid sodium tetradecyl sulphate (Sotradecol # , Bioniche Pharma Group, Geneva, Switzerland). Results: Thirty GSVs in 29 patients were treated. All patients have reached six-month followup; the average number of postoperative days is 260. No adverse events have been reported. The Primary Closure Rate is 96.7%. Conclusion: Mechanochemical ablation appears to be safe and efficacious. The ClariVein w technique eliminates the need for tumescent anaesthesia. The great majority of incompetent GSVs can be treated with this technique.
GATE is Good for All Students

This paper evaluates the comparative performance of several elementary school districts in Northern California which implement either a self-contained GATE (gifted and talented education) program or an alternative mixed-classroom model. The results demonstrate that the self-contained GATE model, by reducing within-classroom disparities in both GATE and non-GATE classes, leads to better academic progress for both GATE and non-GATE children, than the mixed classroom model.
25-Hydroxyvitamin D Supplementation and BMI Change: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

The impact of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) supplementation on weight change remains controversial. The objective of this study was to summarize the effects of 25[OH]D supplementation (cholecalciferol or ergocalciferol) on BMI change through a meta-analysis of published clinical trials. We completed a systematic review of English articles, using MEDLINE (Ovid, Pubmed) from January 1, 1998 through January 1, 2013. The articles selected focused on 25[OH]D supplementation and body mass index (BMI) in randomized controlled trials (RCT’s). The association between 25[OH]D and mean BMI change was estimated utilizing a random effects model. A total of 30 studies were reviewed and 9 were included in the meta-analysis. Total participants included 1651 adults (82.6% women and mean age 47.9 years) and mean follow-up ranged between 6 to 196 weeks and mean daily 25[OH]D dose ranged from 200 IU to 1,110 IU. Five of the 9 studies included calcium supplementation in both groups. Average baseline BMI was 30.7 and 30.4 kg/m2 in the intervention and control groups, respectively. Five studies suggested a beneficial effect for 25[OH]D supplementation for BMI change whereas 3 studies showed no effect of 25[OH]D supplementation on BMI change, and one showed a non-perceptible change. Meta-analysis of BMI values at end of trial showed no statistically significant difference in BMI change by use of 25[OH]D supplementation. Based on existing published trials, oral 25[OH]D supplementation does not significantly impact BMI change.
Gene structure identification with MyGV using cDNA evidence and protein homologs to improve ab initio predictions.

Summary: MyGV is an application to visualize (potentially genome-scale) gene structure annotation and prediction. The output of any external gene prediction program can be easily converted to a generalized format for input into MyGV. The application displays all input simultaneously in graphical representation, with a toggle option for a textbased view. Zooming capabilities allow detailed comparisons for specific genome locations. The tool is particularly helpful for refinement of ab initio predicted gene structures by spliced alignment with cDNA or protein homologs. Availability: The program was written in Java and is freely available to non-commercial users by electronic download from http://bioinformatics.iastate.edu/bioinformatics2go/
CD4+ T Lymphocytes Are Critical Mediators of Tumor Immunity to Simian Virus 40 Large Tumor Antigen Induced by Vaccination with Plasmid DNA

A mechanistic analysis of tumor immunity directed toward the viral oncoprotein simian virus 40 (SV40) large tumor antigen (Tag) has previously been described by our laboratory for scenarios of recombinant Tag immunization in BALB/c mice. In the present study, we performed a preliminary characterization of the immune components necessary for systemic tumor immunity induced upon immunization with plasmid DNA encoding SV40 Tag as a transgene (pCMV-Tag). Antibody responses to SV40 Tag were observed via indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay following three intramuscular (i.m.) injections of pCMV-Tag and were typified by a mixed Th1/Th2 response. Complete tumor immunity within a murine model of pulmonary metastasis was achieved upon two i.m. injections of pCMV-Tag, as assessed by examination of tumor foci in mouse lungs, without a detectable antibody response to SV40 Tag. Induction-phase and effector-phase depletions of T cell subsets were performed in vivo via administration of depleting rat monoclonal antibodies, and these experiments demonstrated that CD4(+) T lymphocytes are required in both phases of the adaptive immune response. Conversely, depletion of CD8(+) T lymphocytes did not impair tumor immunity in either immune phase and resulted in the premature production of antibodies to SV40 Tag. Our findings are unique in that a dominant role could be ascribed to CD4(+) T lymphocytes within a model of DNA vaccine-induced tumor immunity to Tag-expressing tumor cells. Additionally, our findings provide insight into the general mechanisms of vaccine-induced tumor immunity directed toward tumors bearing distinct tumor-associated antigens.
Performance assessment of near-perfect machines

This is a short, practical note which provides some reference operating curves of false acceptance rate versus missed acceptance rate as a function ofN, the number of test samples andf 0, the specified machine error rate requirement. The only important statistical assumption made is the statistical independence of the samples in the test. The analysis shows that, to equalize the false acceptance rate with the missed acceptance rate, the machine acceptance test must use a thresholdK *=Nf 0 − 1. If there areK * or fewer failures, then the machine acceptance test is passed. Otherwise, it fails. Furthermore, with such an acceptance test, the probability that the test is accurate depends only on the productNf 0. WhenNf 0 = 10, the probability that the test is accurate is 0.875. WhenNf 0 = 20, the probability that the test is accurate is 0.912. These results indicate the necessity of large sample sizes when performing acceptance testing of near-perfect machines whose required error ratef 0 is very close to zero.
Attention-orienting and attention-holding effects of faces on 4- to 8-month-old infants

Attention-orienting and attention-holding effects of faces were investigated in a sample of 64 children, aged 4 to 8 months old. A visual preference task was used, in which pairs of faces and toys were presented in eight 10-second trials. Effects of age and sitting-ability were examined. Attention-orienting toward faces was measured using the direction of infants’ first looks toward faces. The effect of attention-holding of faces was measured by calculating infants’ face preference scores at 1-second time intervals across the duration of each trial. Faces were not found to attract infants’ first looks significantly more than chance. However, during the first second of looking-time, infants displayed a face preference that was maintained throughout trial length. This attention-holding effect by faces was not related to sitting-ability or age.
Epigenetics and plant evolution

A fundamental precept of evolutionary biology is that natural selection acts on phenotypes determined by DNA sequence variation within natural populations. Recent advances in our understanding of gene regulation, however, have elucidated a spectrum of epigenetic molecular phenomena capable of altering the temporal, spatial, and abundance patterns of gene expression. These modifications may have morphological, physiological, and ecological consequences, and are heritable across generations, suggesting they are important in evolution. A corollary is that genetic variation per se is not always a prerequisite to evolutionary change. Here, we provide an introduction to epigenetic mechanisms in plants, and highlight some of the empirical studies illustrative of the possible connections between evolution and epigenetically mediated alterations in gene expression and morphology.
Tracking Refractivity from Clutter Using Kalman and Particle Filters

We address the problem of tracking the spatial and temporal lower atmospheric variations in maritime environments. The evolution of the range and height-dependent index of refraction is tracked using the sea clutter return from sea-borne radars operating in the region. A split-step fast Fourier transform based parabolic equation approximation to the wave equation is used to compute the clutter return in complex environments with varying index of refraction. In addition, regional statistics are incorporated as prior densities, resulting in a highly nonlinear and non-Gaussian tracking problem. Tracking algorithms such as the extended Kalman, unscented Kalman and particle filters are used for tracking both evaporative and surface-based electromagnetic ducts frequently encountered in marine environments. The tracking performances and applicability of these techniques to different types of refractivity-from-clutter problems are studied using the posterior Cramer-Rao lower bound. Track divergence statistics are analyzed. The results show that while the tracking performance of the Kalman filters is comparable to the particle filters in evaporative duct tracking, it is limited by the high non-linearity of the parabolic equation for the surface-based duct case. Particle filters, on the other hand, prove to be very promising in tracking a wide range of environments including the abruptly changing ones.
Shear‐velocity structure of the crust and upper mantle beneath the Tibetan Plateau and southeastern China

This paper addresses the velocity structure of the crust and upper mantle beneath southern China with special emphasis on the Tibet region. Waveform data from 48 earthquakes as recorded on the WWSSN and GDSN are used in this detailed forward modelling study. Constraints on the upper crustal section are derived from modelling local Love waves in the time domain applying the mode-sum modelling technique. Lower crustal constraints are derived by modelling the P_(nl)-wavetrain with the reflectivity method. An average crustal thickness of 70 km is obtained beneath the Tibetan Plateau with a modest increase of velocity with depth. The lithospheric and upper mantle structure is deduced from modelling S and SS triplication waveform data and relative traveltimes by applying a combination of WKBJ and generalized ray methods. S-SS seismograms chosen with bounce-points directly under Tibet allow remote sensing of this inaccessible region. The resulting model is an averaged 1-D model where corrections for lateral variation have been applied. We conclude that the upper mantle structure in the entire region is basically shield-like below 200 km (SNA). However, the velocity of the lithosphere is abnormally slow, roughly 5 per cent beneath Tibet. The model for Tibet derived does not have a distinct lid, and has a positive velocity gradient in the crust, suggesting crustal shortening. A preliminary velocity model for southeastern China is also suggested.
Buy-at-bulk network design

The essence of the simplest buy-at-bulk network design problem is buying network capacity "wholesale" to guarantee connectivity from all network nodes to a certain central network switch. Capacity is sold with "volume discount": the more capacity is bought, the cheaper is the price per unit of bandwidth. We provide O(log/sup 2/n) randomized approximation algorithm for the problem. This solves the open problem in Salman et al. (1997). The only previously known solutions were restricted to special cases (Euclidean graphs). We solve additional natural variations of the problem, such as multi-sink network design, as well as selective network design. These problems can be viewed as generalizations of the the Generalized Steiner Connectivity and Prize-collecting salesman (K-MST) problems. In the selective network design problem, some subset of /spl kappa/ wells must be connected to the (single) refinery, so that the total cost is minimized.
The Classroom as Rhizome: New Strategies for Diagramming Knotted Interactions.

This article calls attention to the unexamined role of diagrams in educational research and offers examples of alternative diagramming practices or tools that shed light on classroom interaction as a rhizomatic process. Drawing extensively on the work of Latour, Deleuze and Guattari, and Châtelet, this article explores the power of diagramming as a creative force in research rather than a reductive one. The concepts of rhizome, assemblage, and knot are developed and applied to the study of classroom interaction. The author then shows how these concepts and their application to classroom interaction can be studied through topological knot diagrams. The author discusses the specific qualities of knot diagrams that make them suitable tools for the study of rhizomatic processes and offers some examples of such diagrams. The author offers these knot diagrams as tools that actually undermine the usual conventions of graphic representation in our field, not simply to disrupt for the sake of disruption, but to in...
Quantum efficiency of the MCP detector: Monte Carlo calculation

A prototype scanning-slit X-ray imaging system with microchannel plate (MCP) detector has recently been developed and tested for potential applications in medical imaging. For this purpose, the quantum efficiency of the MCP needs to be calculated and verified experimentally for polychromatic X-ray beams. X-ray detection in the MCP is a cascade of several processes including the absorption of the photon in the MCP material, the escape of created fast (photo, Compton, or Auger) electrons from the MCP channel walls into the channels, triggering an avalanche of secondary electrons in the microchannels, and detecting the resulted charge pulse. Because electron transport in the material is involved in this process, Monte Carlo simulations were used to calculate the quantum efficiency of an MCP for photon beams used in mammography, computed tomography (CT), and chest radiography. The quantum efficiency of the MCP with 5-/spl mu/m channel diameter was calculated to be 68%, 89%, and 81% at X-ray tube voltages of 45, 90, and 120 kVp, which are used in scanning slit mammography, breast CT, and chest radiography, respectively. The detection efficiencies of an MCP with 2 /spl mu/m channel diameter was calculated to be 91%, 92%, and 86% at 45, 90, and 120 kVp tube voltages, respectively. The efficiency of a recently introduced silica MCP (pure SiO/sub 2/) with 5 /spl mu/m channel diameter was calculated to be 86% and 76% at 35 kVp and 45 kVp, respectively, and is rapidly decreased at higher energies. Results of the calculations show that the detection efficiencies of the MCPs are comparable to the currently available detectors in the medical X-ray imaging.
Adenosine receptors and second messenger signaling pathways in rat cardiac fibroblasts

The ability of adenosine (ADO) to inhibit proliferation and protein synthesis (in particular, collagen synthesis) in cardiac fibroblasts (CF) may ameliorate adverse cardiac remodeling and fibrosis ...
Spiralling and Folding: The Topological View

For every n, we construct two arcs in the four-punctured sphere that have at least n intersections and which do not form spirals. This is accomplished in several steps: we flrst exhibit closed curves on the torus that do not form double spirals, then arcs on the four-punctured torus that do not form spirals, and flnally arcs in the four-punctured sphere which do not form spirals.
Satisfaction of Family Physicians Working in Community Health Centers

Background: Community health centers (CHCs) receive $2.9 billion in federal funding to provide primary care to 20 million people annually, and these numbers are increasing. Understanding of physician satisfaction in CHCs may help guide recruitment and retention efforts aimed at expanding CHC programs. The objective of this study was to contrast the satisfaction of family physicians working in CHCs with the satisfaction of family physicians working in other practice settings. Methods: Analysis of 4 cross-sectional surveys of recent residency graduates from the Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho Family Medicine Residency Network. Surveys were conducted approximately every 3 years from 2000 to 2010. Main outcome measures included self-reported satisfaction with residency training, practice, and specialty on a 1 (low) to 5 (high) scale. Results: Eight hundred ninety-three family physician responded (response rate, 61%), of whom 129 were CHC physicians and 764 were non-CHC physicians. Compared with non-CHC physicians, higher proportions of CHC physicians reported being highly satisfied with their residency training (79% vs 61%; P Conclusions: The lower level of satisfaction reported by CHC physicians has implications for workforce recruitment and retention in CHC settings. In an era of CHC growth, efforts to improve physician relationships with employers may be a potential target for enhancing the physician workforce in CHCs.
Effects of pH on Blood Flow and Peripheral Resistance in Muscular and Cutaneous Vascular Beds in the Hind Limb of the Pentobarbitalized Dog

The responses of the vascular beds in skeletal muscle and skin to changes in blood pH on the acid and alkaline sides of the physiologic range were compared. Dilatation occurred in both cutaneous and muscular beds when the blood pH was shifted to the acid range. Dilatation also occurred in the muscle beds when the blood pH was shifted to the alkaline range but such change in blood pH caused vasoconstriction in skin.
Theoretical π-π* absorption and circular dichroic spectra of helical poly(L-proline) forms I and II

Absorption and CD spectra of the π-π* transition near 200 nm are calculated for helical (Pro)n I and II (n = 6, 10) using the dipole interaction model, including interactions among all atoms, with optical parameters obtained from previous studies of related molecules. Calculated spectra for (Ala)n and (Pro)n in the same conformation show marked differences. The spectra for (Pro)n are sensitive to side-chain structure but are found to agree reasonably well with exeriment for forms I and II when the side-chain CC bond length is set at 1.54 A, with structural data otherwise obtained from x-ray diffraction studies.
Quantum cascade laser spectrometer for trace-gas detection of exhaled carbonyl sulfide

Simultaneous concentration measurements of exhaled carbonyl sulfide and carbon dioxide were demonstrated using a pulsed quantum cascade laser based gas sensor. This sensor has potential applications in biomedical diagnostics such as in lung transplant rejection.
Origins and population genetics of weedy red rice in the USA

Weedy red rice (Oryza sativa spontonea) is a persistent and problematic weed of rice culture worldwide. A major hypothesis for the mechanism of production of this weed in South and Southeast Asia is hybridization between cultivated rice (Oryza sativa) and wild rice (Oryza rufipogon). However, weedy red rice can often be found outside the range of O. rufipogon leaving questions on the origin and process behind weedy rice infestations. In the USA, weedy red rice was first documented as early as 1846 and has continued to affect rice production areas. In this study, we attempt to identify the origin and population structure of weedy red rice sampled from the USA using both DNA sequence data from a neutral nuclear locus as well as microsatellite genotype data. Results suggest that two major accessions of weedy rice exist, strawhull and blackhull, and these forms may both hybridize with the cultivated rice of the USA, O. sativa japonica. Using population assignment of multilocus genotype signatures with principal component analysis and structure, an Asian origin is supported for US weedy rice. Additionally, hybridization between strawhull and blackhull varieties was inferred and may present the opportunity for the production of new weedy forms in the future.
Proactive Reflection in the Development of Nursing Student Clinical Judgment

This qualitative study investigates one mechanism for teaching nursing students to be prepared to handle difficult patient situations. Students were required to proactively assess a clinical situation prior to engaging in a solution. This concept of ldquoproactiverdquo reflection utilizing clinical simulations in a nursing laboratory was tested to determine if exposing students to these situations would allow them to be more effective when dealing with the ldquoreal worldrdquo situations they would encounter as a nursing student and practicing nurse. Simulation situations based on previously reported ldquoresonantrdquo encounters with patients were developed and downloaded into the clinical simulation mannequins. Students encountered these ldquopatientsrdquo and their responses were videotaped. They then wrote post-occurrence reflection with the aid of the video tape. Qualitative analysis of these situations was conducted and the pilot data will be used to refine clinical simulations for students to be exposed to during the course of their nursing career.
Distinctive clinicopathologic features of the common myxoid soft-tissue lesions

Abstract Myxoid change is a nonspecific finding in soft tissue tumours and can be encountered in sarcomas, benign soft tissue neoplasms, and even reactive lesions. For this reason, tumours that are intrinsically myxoid often present a diagnostic dilemma, especially if limited material is available for study. Here we provide a detailed description of four commonly encountered myxoid neoplasms: myxoma, myxoid liposarcoma, myxofibrosarcoma, and low grade fibromyxoid sarcoma. The accompanying differential diagnosis for each will aid the pathologist in the correct classification of myxoid soft tissue tumours.