cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isobaric analog resonances in collective nuclei

Abstract A modified theory of Fano is amplied in analyzing isobaric analog resonances in highly collective nuclei.
Synchronous-machine standstill frequency-response test data analysis

Frequency response methods used in the development of linear transfer functions representing nonlinear processes are extended to standstill frequency response tests for synchronous machines, thus providing an independent check on the equivalent circuit method of IEEE Standard 115A. By iterative subtraction of three separate transfer function elements from the Bode plot of the experimental data an overall transfer function can be synthesized, leaving a small residue of Bode-plotted data that represent irregularities due to nonlinearities, noise, or erroneous data. Suggested limits for the range of test frequencies and the magnitudes of residual transfer function are given. >
Wood anatomy of Cupressaceae and Araucariaceae indigenous to New Zealand

Summary Anatomical features of the secondary xylem of Libocedrus bidwillii, L. plumosa, and Agathis australis are described. Anatomical separation between Libocedrus species is practicable. It is also possible to distinguish A. australis from A. vitiensis, grown in Fiji. Axial parenchyma is present in A. vitiensis, but rare in A. australis. In the three indigenous species described here the number of cross-field pits is greater in the upper and lower margins of xylem rays than elsewhere in the ray tissue.
Effect of increasing age on the degradation of thyroxine by rat liver homogenate

The effect of increasing age on the ability to metabolize thyroxine by rat liver homogenate was studied. Rats aged 6 weeks (young), 6 months (mature), and 20 months (senescent) showed no difference in the ability to deiodinate thyroxine at the 51-position to form T3. There was, however, an age related decrease in the ability to generate excess iodide, implying less degradation through the 5-monodeiodinase pathway.
Is Autism Partly a Consolidation Disorder

Computational modeling has been useful for understanding processes of encoding and consolidation in cortical structures. In particular, this work suggests a role of neuromodulators in setting dynamics for consolidation processes during different stages of waking and sleep. Because autistic individuals show symptoms of a cognitive nature coupled with a high prevalence of comorbid conditions such as epileptiform discharge during sleep and sleep disorders, it is possible that autism could involve a breakdown in consolidation processes, which are essential to build effective cognitive representations of the environment on the basis of individual experiences. In this article, theories of consolidation during different stages of waking and sleep and the role of different neuromodulators in these consolidation processes are reviewed in conjunction with different features of autism, which may be understood in the context of these theories.
Epigenomics: the science of no-longer-junk DNA. Why study it in chronic kidney disease?

Summary Epigenetics refers to functionally relevant modifications of the genome that do not involve a change in the nucleotide sequence. Examples of such modifications are DNA methylation and histone modifications. Both modifications serve to regulate gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence. The epigenome encodes critical information to regulate gene expression. The cellular epigenome is established during development and differentiation and maintained during cell division. These instructions are different in each cell type; therefore, the epigenome is cell-type–specific. Nutrient availability and other environmental factors cause changes in the epigenome. Recent research suggests the critical contribution of the epigenome to the development of complex gene–environmental diseases including chronic kidney diseases.
Structural stability and selection of propagating fronts in semilinear parabolic partial differential equations

An alternative viewpoint for the selection problem in propagating front systems is presented. We propose that the selected solution can be identified through analysis of the structural stability of the solutions in question. A solution to a given equation is considered structurally stable if it suffers only an infinitesimal change when the equation (not the solution) is perturbed infinitesimally. Applying the structural stability condition, we identify selected solutions for semilinear parabolic partial differential equations, single-mode equations of the Fisher type, and multiple-mode equations that assume something of a generalized Fisher form. The structural stability condition is confirmed for the subclass of single-mode equations to which the Aronson-Weinberger theorem applies [in Partial Differential Equations and Related Topics, edited by J. A. Goldstein (Springer, Heidelberg, 1975)]. For other single-mode equations and multiple-mode equations, the structural stability condition is confirmed numerically. Equations possessing multiple physically realizable solutions are also studied, and several causes for such behavior are identified. We describe what we believe to be the fundamental feature distinguishing physically realizable and physically unrealizable solutions.
Male mate preferences in mutual mate choice: finches modulate their songs across and within male–female interactions

Male songbirds use song to advertise their attractiveness as potential mates, and the properties of those songs have a powerful influence on female mate preferences. One idea is that males may exert themselves maximally in each song performance, consistent with female evaluation and formation of mate preferences being the primary contributors to mate choice. Alternatively, males may modulate their song behaviour to different degrees in the presence of different females, consistent with both male and female mate preferences contributing to mutual mate choice. Here we consider whether male Bengalese finches, Lonchura striata domestica, express mate preferences at the level of individual females, and whether those preferences are manifest as changes in song behaviour that are sufficient to influence female mate choice. We tested this idea by recording songs performed by individual unmated males during a series of 1 h interactions with each of many unmated females. Across recording sessions, males systematically varied both the quantity and the quality of the songs that they performed to different females. Males also varied their song properties throughout the course of each interaction, and behavioural tests using female birds revealed that songs performed at the onset of each interaction were significantly more attractive than songs performed by the same male later during the same interaction. This demonstration of context-specific variation in the properties of male reproductive signals and a role for that variation in shaping female mate preference reveals that male mate preferences play an important role in mutual mate choice in this species. Because these birds thrive so well in the laboratory and are so amenable to observation and experimentation across generations, these results yield a new model system that may prove especially advantageous in disentangling the role of male and female mate preferences in shaping mutual mate choice and its long-term benefits or consequences.
Electron‐collisional excited‐state kinetics in argon and mercury electrical discharges

The effects of inelastic electron‐collisional processes on the efficiency for population of electronic states in atomic argon and mercury in an electrical discharge have been studied theoretically as a function of excited‐state population fraction. Electron impact excitation rates for the lowest‐lying electronic states and rates for ionization from these states have been determined through the use of the Boltzmann transport equation for the range 5×10−17?E/N?10−15 V cm2. It was found that the electron distribution functions are highly non‐Maxwellian. Also, the electron excitation rates from the ground state, and consequently the efficiency for populating these states by electron impact, can be reduced significantly as the excited‐state population fraction X* is increased; in Ar this occurs for X*≳10−5. These effects impose fundamental limitations on the efficiency and power extraction that can be obtained from electrical‐discharage‐excited visible and uv lasers that use electronic states in the noble gases for pumping the lasing species.
Novel infection strategies of Colletotrichum acutatum on ripe blueberry fruit

The infection and colonization process of Colletotrichum acutatum on ripe blueberry fruit from two cultivars with different susceptibility to anthracnose were examined using light and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Ripe fruit from susceptible cv. Jersey and resistant cv. Elliott were drop-inoculated with a conidial suspension of C. acutatum, and epidermal peels were evaluated at selected times after inoculation and incubation. Results from pre-penetration studies demonstrated that there were significant differences in the rate of formation of melanized appressoria between the two cultivars, with the rate of formation being faster in the susceptible one. In both cultivars, penetration by the pathogen occurred via appressoria 48 h post-inoculation (hpi). However, in the susceptible cv. Jersey, C. acutatum then adopted an intracellular hemibiotrophic-like infection strategy, whereas in the resistant cv. Elliott subcuticular intramural-like infection occurred. In cv. Jersey by 108 hpi, intracellular growth of the pathogen led to the formation of numerous acervuli, with orange conidial masses. By 120 hpi, the conidial masses had coalesced covering the entire inoculated area. In cv. Elliott, acervuli were not seen until 144 hpi and contained few conidia. These results demonstrate for the first time the ability of C. acutatum to adopt a different infection and colonization strategy depending on the susceptibility of the host tissue being colonized.
Adsorption characteristics of reduced Mo and Ni–Mo catalysts in the hydrodeoxygenation of benzofuran

Abstract The promotional effect of Ni on the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of benzofuran (BF) over reduced Ni–Mo/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalysts was studied. The adsorption characteristics of Al 2 O 3 support, mono-metallic Mo, and bi-metallic Ni–Mo catalysts that were pre-reduced were investigated using the feed molecule (BF) and a probe molecule (NO) as adsorbates. NO was used to probe the coordinatively unsaturated sites (CUS). Three adsorption modes for benzofuran over reduced Al 2 O 3 support, Mo, and Ni–Mo catalysts were proposed that involved OH groups, Bronsted acid sites, and CUS, respectively. Benzofuran molecule adsorbed more strongly on B acid sites and CUS than on OH groups and was activated with weakening of the C–O bond. With increasing catalytic hydrogenation activity (increasing CUS) and/or decreasing hydrogenolysis activity (decreasing acidity), the reaction pathway for benzofuran HDO changes from a hydrogenolysis route to a route that involves saturation of the benzene ring before any heteroatom removal takes place.
Theoretical estimates of equilibrium chain lengths in magnetic colloids

Jordan's theory of chaining in a magnetic colloid has been carried through for a range of grain densities and coupling constants, /gl = /gm2kBTd3). The theory assumes all grains are of the same size. The nonlinear equations involving infinite sums have been rearranged to improve convergence, and the average number of grains per agglomerate has been calculated. The range of validity of the approximate expression for (n) is established. The results of this theory are compared to five different experimental observations of agglomeration. There is agreement in some cases, but estimates of grain sizes are critical. The distribution of sizes of grains is essential to making reasonable estimates of λ. Very large agglomerates are needle-like with a width much greater than a grain diameter indicating that simple chains are inadequate.
Coupling of source and drain to a quantum Hall system.

We have set up a model that allows the effect of the source and the drain in the quantum Hall effect to be investigated. The Landau levels in the inversion layer in the presence of the three-dimensional source and drain appear as resonant levels, coupled with the scattering states in the source and the drain. The coupling rate, which is also the decay rate, of a resonant level is found to be proportional to the thickness of the inversion layer, so reflections from the boundaries seem to be important. Nevertheless, the coupling is still sufficiently strong to establish an equilibrium between the occupation of the resonant levels and the scattering states under electric fields of up to about ${10}^{3}$ V/m (for B=1 T). Non-Ohmic corrections to the quantization of the Hall conductance due to such nonequilibrium effects are found to be an exponential function of the negative inverse of the electric field.
Measurement of the Total Cross Section for Charge Transfer into the Metastable State H(2s) for Proton Collisions with Atomic Hydrogen

The total cross section ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{2s}(\mathrm{H})$ for ${\mathrm{H}}^{+}+\mathrm{H}(1s)\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{H}(2s)+{\mathrm{H}}^{+}$ has been measured over the energy range 3-70 keV. Above 10 keV, absolute cross-section values are believed accurate to within \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}35%. Only one maximum is found in the energy dependence of ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{2s}(\mathrm{H})$. The position of this maximum lies at an energy consistent with the Massey criterion. A comparison with theoretical cross sections suggests that intermediate-state coupling through the resonant charge-transfer channel ${\mathrm{H}}^{+}+\mathrm{H}(1s)\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{H}(1s)+{\mathrm{H}}^{+}$ is unimportant at low energies. The low-energy data is consistent with a molecular picture of the collision. Calculations utilizing Sturmian wave functions are not in agreement with the data. The Born approximation cross section lies significantly below experiment between 20 and 70 keV.
Near earth propagation: physics revealed

Both the military and consumer sectors are pursuing distributed networked systems and sensors. A major stumbling block to deployment of these sensors will be the radio frequency (RF) propagation environment within a few wavelengths of the earth. Increasing transmit power (battery consumption) is not a practical solution to the problem. This paper will discuss some of the physical phenomena related to the near earth propagation (NEP) problem. When radiating near the earth the communications link is subjected to a list of physical impairments. On the list are the expected Fresnel region encroachment and multipath reflections. Additionally, radiation pattern changes and near earth boundary layer perturbations exist. A significant amount of data has been collected on NEP. Disturbances in the NEP atmosphere can have a time varying attenuation related to the time of day and these discoveries will be discussed. Solutions, or workarounds, to the near earth propagation problem hinge on dynamic adaptive RF elements. Adaptive RF elements will allow the distributed sensor to direct energy, beam form, impedance correct, increase communication efficiency, and decrease battery consumption. Small electrically controllable elements are under development to enable antenna impedance matching in a dynamic environment. Additionally, small dynamic beam forming arrays are under development to focus RF energy in the direction of need. With an increased understanding of the near earth propagation problem, distributed autonomous networked sensors can become a reality within a few centimeters of the earth.
ALPAL, A PROGRAM TO GENERATE PHYSICS SIMULATION CODES FROM NATURAL DESCRIPTIONS

A Livermore Physics Applications Language (ALPAL), a new computer language, is described. ALPAL is a tool that generates a Fortran code module from a natural description of a physics model. This capability gives the computational physicist a significant productivity boost. While ALPAL is a working computer program, significant additions are being made to it. Some of the factors that make ALPAL an important tool are: first, it eliminates many sources of errors; second, it permits building program modules with far greater speed than is otherwise possible; third, it provides a means of specifying many numerical algorithms; and fourth, it is a language that is close to a journal-style presentation of physics models and numerical methods for solving them. In sum, ALPAL is designed to magnify the abilities and creativity of computational physicists.
Contrast-detail analysis for detection and characterization with near-infrared diffuse tomography.

Near-infrared (NIR) diffuse tomography is emerging as a medical imaging modality for obtaining information related to tissue hemoglobin concentration and oxygen saturation and may be used for characterizing diseased tissues such as breast cancer. The optimal methodology for NIR image reconstruction remains an ongoing research problem with several new approaches being demonstrated in recent years. However, a comparison of reconstruction methods is problematic because tools for the objective assessment of image quality have yet to be clearly defined for this type of nonlinear reconstruction problem. Contrast-detail analysis has become an accepted assessment tool to quantify x-ray mammography image quality, and in this study it has been applied to a prototype NIR diffuse tomography system that is being evaluated for breast cancer characterization. The minimum detectable levels of contrast have been defined for different sizes of objects, and the minimum contrasts which can be accurately reconstructed have also been determined for the same object sizes. In general, objects 8 mm and larger in diameter can be accurately reconstructed and detected for most absorption contrasts which are observed in human tissues (i.e., greater than 1% contrast in absorption). Objects as small as 2 mm can be detected with high contrast (i.e., near 100%), but cannot be accurately reconstructed. Within the size range of 2 mm to 8 mm, there is an inverse correlation between contrast and detail size which is characteristic of the total noise in the system. This analysis provides an objective method for assessing detection and characterization limits and can be applied to future improvements in hardware system architecture as well as reconstruction algorithms.
Effects of cardiac sympathetic nerve stimulation during adrenergic blockade on infarct size in anesthetized dogs.

beta-Adrenergic blockade has been shown to limit myocardial infarct size (IS) in anesthetized dogs. The objective of the present study was to determine whether sympathetic activation in the presence of beta-adrenergic blockade would alter IS. Chloralose-anesthetized dogs were divided into five groups. All hearts were neurally decentralized and paced at 150 beats/min. The circumflex coronary artery was ligated distal to the first major branch. Group 1 (n = 5) had no treatment. Group 2 (n = 6) received timolol (0.2 mg/kg) intravenously before and throughout occlusion. Group 3 (n = 7) underwent left stellate stimulation (LSS; 8 Hz, 5 ms, 7-10 V) immediately following coronary artery occlusion and for the duration of occlusion. Group 4 (n = 5) received timolol in addition to LSS. Group 5 animals (n = 6) received prazosin (0.5 mg/kg i.v.) and timolol before circumflex occlusion and LSS following coronary artery occlusion. After 6 h, Evans blue dye was injected into the left atrium while the circumflex artery distal to the ligation was simultaneously perfused with saline. Hearts were rapidly excised, and the left ventricle was sliced and photographed. IS was determined and expressed as a percentage of the area at risk by planimetry. The following mean +/- SEM values were measured: Group 1, 23.5 +/- 5.3; Group 2, 34.2 +/- 1.4; Group 3, 31.4 +/- 7.8; Group 4, 59.3 +/- 3.9; and Group 5, 25.6 +/- 5.3%. Significant differences were found between Group 4 and all other groups (p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Apertureless Scanning Near-Field Infrared Microscopy of a Rough Polymeric Surface

Infrared near-field microscopy using an apertureless probe technique has been accomplished to study the surface of a cast copolymer film. Two basic models for the predicted signal and the experimental data are presented. The first model includes plane wave light scattering by a conductive sphere and an infinitely wide absorptive layer placed on a semi-infinite conductor. This model shows infrared signal dependence on the layer absorption and predicts topographic coupling into the infrared signal. The experimental data also indicate that a significant component in the infrared contrast arises from the probe following the sample's topography, and a method to eliminate the influence of topography following is demonstrated. The images corrected by such a procedure show spatial resolution of approximately λ/80. A more complex model based on a three-dimensional finite difference time domain method was used to calculate scattering from a rough surface. Both constant tip−sample gap and constant tip−substrate heig...
Open Educational Resources in the Post MOOC Era

It's clear that the landscape of the open education movement is changing every day. The history of MOOCs has been a fascinating tale of supply and demand. The need for open educational resources (OER) have been demanded from learners all over the world and with the immense supply of open educational resources available from schools everywhere demonstrate the importance of MOOC. In response to the ever changing OER movement, UC Irvine's Open Chemistry project leads the way in offering a full, coherent curriculum of lectures and courses—rather than individual courses. Another major milestone for MOOCs is the opportunity for learners to earn credits for certain courses—again furthering the possibilities of the OER movement by lowering the cost of higher education. Various plans and projects are underway to further explore the options of open degree programs and the many possibilities MOOCs can offer.
The Demise of Live Radio Entertainment in the Heartland: A Case Study

The use of live entertainers is well-documented on radio networks, but not for local stations in rural America. This study examines the period of decline in the use of live entertainers starting in 1940 and the pinnacle of live performance on WDZ, an independent broadcaster in central Illinois that featured folk and hillbilly style entertainment. World War II, the FCC's tolerance for recordings, union struggles, and changing management emphasis from programming to sales were factors in the live performance decline. Management transitioned from emphasizing local interests to maximizing economic return with less expensive programming while relocating to a larger market.
Nonlinear multigrid eigenvalue solver utilizing nonorthogonal localized orbitals

A nonlinear multigrid eigenvalue solver utilizing nonorthogonal localized orbitals is formulated and implemented on a real-space grid. The localization of orbitals is necessary to achieve linear scaling in the computational effort. Numerical tests are performed on the benzene molecule, C 20 , and C 60 . The localization centers for the orbitals are allowed to move so as to lower the total energy. The convergence rate depends on the radius of the confined regions. Also, the convergence rate slows when the number of atoms in the system increases, and/or when unoccupied orbitals are included. The slowed convergence is due to ill-conditioning, which is related to the kinetic contribution to the total energy. Work is in progress to alleviate the ill-conditioning.
Implicit Recognition Based on Lateralized Perceptual Fluency

In some circumstances, accurate recognition of repeated images in an explicit memory test is driven by implicit memory. We propose that this "implicit recognition" results from perceptual fluency that influences responding without awareness of memory retrieval. Here we examined whether recognition would vary if images appeared in the same or different visual hemifield during learning and testing. Kaleidoscope images were briefly presented left or right of fixation during divided-attention encoding. Presentation in the same visual hemifield at test produced higher recognition accuracy than presentation in the opposite visual hemifield, but only for guess responses. These correct guesses likely reflect a contribution from implicit recognition, given that when the stimulated visual hemifield was the same at study and test, recognition accuracy was higher for guess responses than for responses with any level of confidence. The dramatic difference in guessing accuracy as a function of lateralized perceptual overlap between study and test suggests that implicit recognition arises from memory storage in visual cortical networks that mediate repetition-induced fluency increments.
Effects of carbon fillers on the thermal conductivity of highly filled liquid-crystal polymer based resins

The thermal conductivity of insulating polymers can be increased by the addition of conductive fillers. One potential market for these thermally conductive resins is for fuel cell bipolar plates. In this study, various amounts of three different carbon fillers (carbon black, synthetic graphite particles, and carbon fiber) were added to Vectra A950RX liquid crystal polymer. Because the resulting composites were anisotropic, they were tested for both through-plane and in-plane thermal conductivities. The effects of single fillers and combinations of the different fillers were studied via a factorial design. Each single filler caused a statistically significant increase in composite through-plane and in-plane thermal conductivities at the 95% confidence level, with synthetic graphite causing the largest increase. All of the composites containing combinations of the different fillers caused statistically significant increases in the composite through-plane and in-plane thermal conductivities. It is possible that thermally conductive pathways were formed that linked these carbon fillers, which resulted in increased composite thermal conductivity. Composites containing 70, 75, and 80 wt % synthetic graphite and the composite containing all three fillers (2.5 wt % carbon black, 65 wt % synthetic graphite, and 5 wt % carbon fiber) had in-plane thermal conductivities of 20 W m−1 K−1 or higher, which is desirable for bipolar plates. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
How many walked through the door?: the effect of hurricane Katrina evacuees on Houston emergency departments.

BACKGROUND: Hurricane Katrina necessitated the evacuation of over 200,000 New Orleans residents into Houston in the days after landfall. The already stressed emergency departments (EDs) were faced with a potential influx of patients suffering injuries and conditions exacerbated by the hurricane and resulting devastation. OBJECTIV: To examine the effect of Katrina evacuees on Houston EDs after the hurricane. DESIGN: Data from visits to 25 Houston EDs in 2005 (n = 875,750) were analyzed to evaluate the impact of visits by Katrina evacuees (n = 8427). MEASURES: Descriptive counts of ED visits by individuals with a FEMA designated disaster area zip code due to Katrina. RESULTS: In September, immediately after Katrina, Houston-area EDs reported the lowest monthly total visits in 2005 despite treating 4518 evacuees that month. On aggregate, the increase in visits by evacuees did not overwhelm area EDs, as they coincided with a decrease in ED utilization by nonevacuees and over 20,000 evacuees were seen at medical clinics in the large shelters. The highest number of evacuee visits to an individual ED was 86, on September 1. The peak day of visits, totaling 364, occurred on September 3. The ED that bore 15% of total visits saw no more than 19 evacuees daily. Evacuee and nonevacuee visits dropped dramatically when hurricane Rita threatened Houston. CONCLUSIONS: Houston EDs experienced an increase in visits by Katrina evacuees in the hurricane's aftermath. However, the initial surge of visits was modest and corresponded with decreases in visits by nonevacuees and medical care provided in large shelters. Language: en
Bayesian Active Contours with Affine-Invariant, Elastic Shape Prior

Active contour, especially in conjunction with prior-shape models, has become an important tool in image segmentation. However, most contour methods use shape priors based on similarity-shape analysis, i.e. analysis that is invariant to rotation, translation, and scale. In practice, the training shapes used for prior-shape models may be collected from viewing angles different from those for the test images and require invariance to a larger class of transformation. Using an elastic, affine-invariant shape modeling of planar curves, we propose an active contour algorithm in which the training and test shapes can be at arbitrary affine transformations, and the resulting segmentation is robust to perspective skews. We construct a shape space of affine-standardized curves and derive a statistical model for capturing class-specific shape variability. The active contour is then driven by the true gradient of a total energy composed of a data term, a smoothing term, and an affine-invariant shape-prior term. This framework is demonstrated using a number of examples involving the segmentation of occluded or noisy images of targets subject to perspective skew.
Electronic medical records for burn centers: what do users need?

Abstract : In its influential 2001 report, Crossing the Quality Chasm, the U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM) proposed: IT [information technology] must play a central role in the redesign of the health care system if a substantial improvement in health care quality is to be achieved in the coming decade. The U.S. government then launched a campaign (as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009), Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health, to support implementation and meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs). That campaign is now underway. Are we headed in the right direction? On April 27, 2012, several users participated in a Luncheon Symposium at the American Burn Association annual meeting in Seattle. The purpose of the symposium was to discuss the use of the EHR in burn centers. What ensued was a thorough discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the current generation of EHRs, and of the desirable features of the next generation. We would like to summarize our impressions from that meeting.
Loop ileostomy closure after laparoscopic versus open surgery: is there a difference?

Background Temporary loop ileostomy is commonly performed to protect the distal anastomosis during both open and laparoscopic colectomies. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of initial open and laparoscopic colorectal resection on the outcomes of ileostomy closure.
Designing effective interventions for children at‐risk for antisocial behavior: An integrated model of components necessary for making valid inferences

Children demonstrating antisocial behavior patterns are at-risk for a host of negative outcomes including school failure, peer and teacher rejection, academic difficulties, and future delinquency. These children are undoubtedly in need of effective and appropriate interventions to address problem areas in both behavioral and academic domains. To ensure that academic and sociobehavioral interventions will be more successful, three main components: (a) social validity, (b) treatment integrity, and (c) generalization and maintenance must be addressed when designing the interventions. The purpose of this article is to (a) describe the pertinent characteristics (e.g., definition, application, and assessment issues) of each of these components as they relate to school-based interventions, and (b) introduce an integrated model that illustrates the interrelatedness of these essential intervention components. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Mode perturbation method for optimal guided wave mode and frequency selection

With a thorough understanding of guided wave mechanics, researchers can predict which guided wave modes will have a high probability of success in a particular nondestructive evaluation application. However, work continues to find optimal mode and frequency selection for a given application. This "optimal" mode could give the highest sensitivity to defects or the greatest penetration power, increasing inspection efficiency. Since material properties used for modeling work may be estimates, in many cases guided wave mode and frequency selection can be adjusted for increased inspection efficiency in the field. In this paper, a novel mode and frequency perturbation method is described and used to identify optimal mode points based on quantifiable wave characteristics. The technique uses an ultrasonic phased array comb transducer to sweep in phase velocity and frequency space. It is demonstrated using guided interface waves for bond evaluation. After searching nearby mode points, an optimal mode and frequency can be selected which has the highest sensitivity to a defect, or gives the greatest penetration power. The optimal mode choice for a given application depends on the requirements of the inspection.
Identification of Four Genes Necessary for Biosynthesis of the Modified Nucleoside Queuosine

Queuosine (Q) is a hypermodified 7-deazaguanosine nucleoside located in the anticodon wobble position of four amino acid-specific tRNAs. In bacteria, Q is produced de novo from GTP via the 7-deazaguanosine precursor preQ1 (7-aminoethyl 7-deazaguanine) by an uncharacterized pathway. PreQ1 is subsequently transferred to its specific tRNA by a tRNA-guanine transglycosylase (TGT) and then further modified in situ to produce Q. Here we use comparative genomics to implicate four gene families (best exemplified by the B. subtilis operon ykvJKLM) as candidates in the preQ1 biosynthetic pathway. Deletions were constructed in genes for each of the four orthologs in Acinetobacter. High pressure liquid chromatography analysis showed the Q nucleoside was absent from the tRNAs of each of four deletion strains. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry confirmed the absence of Q in each mutant strain. Finally, introduction of the Bacillus subtilis ykvJKLM operon in trans complemented the Q deficiency of the two deletion mutants that were tested. Thus, the products of these four genes (named queC, -D, -E, and -F) are essential for the Q biosynthetic pathway.
Outcome Based on Management for Duodenal Adenomas: Sporadic Versus Familial Disease

Management and outcomes for duodenal adenomas may vary based on etiology, familial versus sporadic. We reviewed the records of patients managed at our institution for duodenal adenomatous polyps for the 20-year period ending July 2006. Methods of polyp resection (endoscopic, local surgical resection, or definitive surgical resection) within both sporadic and familial patient groups were compared. Patients with known cancer were excluded. Two hundred seventy-eight patients with duodenal polyps were followed during this time period: 110 patients (39.6%) with sporadic polyps and 168 (60.4%) with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Sporadic patients presented at a mean age of 66.5 years. Endoscopic resection was attempted in 44 patients (40%) with morbidity in 9% and local recurrence rate of 52% with a mean follow-up of 43 months. Surgical resection was performed in 46 patients (42%): 27 by definitive resection and local resection in 19. At a mean follow-up of 41 months, there were no local recurrences in the patients treated by definitive resection and six recurrences (32%) after local resection. Morbidity was 39%. There was a significant difference in local recurrence when comparing definitive resection to both endoscopic and local resection (p < 0.001, p = 0.002, respectively), but no significant difference between endoscopic and local excision (p = 0.13). Cancer was discovered in the surgical specimens of 11 patients (24%) with benign preoperative biopsies. FAP patients began surveillance at a mean age of 39.5 years, and mean surveillance duration was 100 months. Endoscopic resection/ablation was attempted in 40 patients (24%) with a morbidity of 7.5%. With a mean follow-up of 77.5 months, the local recurrence rate was 72.5%. Surgical resection was performed in 50 patients (30%) with a mean follow-up of 44 months. Definitive resection was performed in 47 and local excision in three with local recurrence rates of 9% and 100%, respectively. Surgical morbidity was 48%. Local recurrence was significantly lower following definitive resection compared to endoscopic or local resection (p < 0.001), but there was no difference in local recurrence between the latter two groups (p = 0.29). Four patients (8%) undergoing surgery were discovered to have invasive cancer despite benign endoscopic biopsies. In summary, endoscopic and local surgical management for both sporadic and familial duodenal polyps are associated with a high rate of local recurrence. Definitive resection in the form of pancreaticoduodenectomy, pancreas-sparing duodenectomy, or segmental duodenectomy offers the best chance for polyp eradication and prevention of carcinoma, regardless of polyp etiology.
Clinical image processing engine

Our group provides clinical image processing services to various institutes at NIH. We develop or adapt image processing programs for a variety of applications. However, each program requires a human operator to select a specific set of images and execute the program, as well as store the results appropriately for later use. To improve efficiency, we design a parallelized clinical image processing engine (CIPE) to streamline and parallelize our service. The engine takes DICOM images from a PACS server, sorts and distributes the images to different applications, multithreads the execution of applications, and collects results from the applications. The engine consists of four modules: a listener, a router, a job manager and a data manager. A template filter in XML format is defined to specify the image specification for each application. A MySQL database is created to store and manage the incoming DICOM images and application results. The engine achieves two important goals: reduce the amount of time and manpower required to process medical images, and reduce the turnaround time for responding. We tested our engine on three different applications with 12 datasets and demonstrated that the engine improved the efficiency dramatically.
Undergraduate Public Health Education: Alternative Choices within the BSPH Degree

The University of South Florida’s College of Public Health, has been in existence since 1984. After many years of only offering a public health minor, a Bachelors of Science in Public Health was offered. This article explores the creation, development, scheduling, and lessons learned of this degree.
Shift in the Equilibrium between On and Off States of the Allosteric Switch in Ras-GppNHp Affected by Small Molecules and Bulk Solvent Composition.

Ras GTPase cycles between its active GTP-bound form promoted by GEFs and its inactive GDP-bound form promoted by GAPs to affect the control of various cellular functions. It is becoming increasingly apparent that subtle regulation of the GTP-bound active state may occur through promotion of substates mediated by an allosteric switch mechanism that induces a disorder to order transition in switch II upon ligand binding at an allosteric site. We show with high-resolution structures that calcium acetate and either dithioerythritol (DTE) or dithiothreitol (DTT) soaked into H-Ras-GppNHp crystals in the presence of a moderate amount of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) can selectively shift the equilibrium to the "on" state, where the active site appears to be poised for catalysis (calcium acetate), or to what we call the "ordered off" state, which is associated with an anticatalytic conformation (DTE or DTT). We also show that the equilibrium is reversible in our crystals and dependent on the nature of the small molecule present. Calcium acetate binding in the allosteric site stabilizes the conformation observed in the H-Ras-GppNHp/NOR1A complex, and PEG, DTE, and DTT stabilize the anticatalytic conformation observed in the complex between the Ras homologue Ran and Importin-β. The small molecules are therefore selecting biologically relevant conformations in the crystal that are sampled by the disordered switch II in the uncomplexed GTP-bound form of H-Ras. In the presence of a large amount of PEG, the ordered off conformation predominates, whereas in solution, in the absence of PEG, switch regions appear to remain disordered in what we call the off state, unable to bind DTE.
Theoretical study of FEL active guiding in the small signal regime

Abstract We use a self-consistent small signal FEL field equation to study active guiding. We show that self-similar mode propagation is possible only in the exponential regime. These modes must be either growing or decaying; the purely oscillatory self-similar mode is not confined. By a Gaussian approximation, we investigate the eigenvalue structure of the fundamental mode analytically, and derive a cubic equation for the complex growth rate, the laser mode size, and the radius of the phase front curvature.
Determination of heteroatom combinations in middle distillates by high resolution mass spectrometry

70 eV electron impact HRMS has been applied to monitor heteroatom combinations present in middle distillates. Three fractions containing hetero compounds of different polarity were separated from a middle distillate and their spectra were recorded. Because the concentration of single heterocompounds in these complex mixtures is low, 70 eV were used to improve the sensitivity. A dynamic resolution of 10000 was sufficient to separate peaks of different heteroatom combinations. The measured peaks were assigned to the heteroclasses O, O 2 , O 3 , S, S 2 , SO, N, N 2 , NO, NS, NO 2 , and NOS using a Fortran program developed for this purpose. This evaluation summarizes the results of HRMS measurements to get a quick overview over classes of heterocompounds in mineral oil products.
Contributions of tyloses and terpenoid aldehyde phytoalexins to Verticillium wilt resistance in cotton

Abstract Verticillium wilt-resistant cv. Seabrook Sea Island and -susceptible cv. Rowden cottons were inoculated in the hypocotyl at the ten leaf stage with conidia of Verticillium dahliae . Stem xylem was observed from 10 to 96 h after inoculation for Verticillium hyphal growth and sporulation, vascular occlusion and terpenoid aldehyde synthesis. Rapid occlusion of xylem vessels by tyloses followed by synthesis of fungitoxic terpenoid aldehydes is apparently required for the resistance of Seabrook Sea Island to Verticillium wilt. Occlusion of infected vessels throughout the stem of Seabrook Sea Island by 48 h after inoculation appeared to prevent the systemic distribution of most, if not all, secondary conidia released at the primary infection sites between 24 and 48 h after inoculation. The fungitoxic terpenoid aldehydes, predominantly hemigossypol and methoxyhemigossypol, then accumulated within the localized primary infection sites. Once V. dahliae was effectively localized, formation of new, non-infected xylem tissue apparently enabled Seabrook Sea Island to compensate for vessels occluded by responses to the primary infections. Occlusions of infected vessels in the stem of Rowden were delayed. This delay allowed secondary conidia to escape containment at primary infection sites and thereby escape exposure to the localized accumulation of terpenoid aldehydes. Because of the extensive systemic distribution of secondary conidia in Rowden, infection of newly formed xylem vessels generally kept pace with their formation, and severe wilt developed.
Tempering the EU? NGO advocacy in the Area of Freedom, Security, and Justice

The European Union's (EU) area of Freedom, Security and Justice (AFSJ) portfolio comprises policy areas such as immigration and asylum, and police and judicial cooperation. Steps were taken to bring this field into the mandate of the EU first by the Maastricht Treaty, followed by changes implemented by the Amsterdam and Lisbon Treaties, the last one ‘normalizing’ the EU's erstwhile Third Pillar. As the emergent EU regime continues to consolidate in this field, NGOs of various kinds continue to seek to influence policy-making and implementation, with varying success. This article seeks to establish the context in which NGOs carry out their work and argues that the EU-NGO interface is impacted both by the institutional realities of the European Union and the capacities of EU-oriented NGOs to seize and expand opportunities for access and input into the policy cycle. Using EU instruments representing three different policy bundles in AFSJ (immigration, asylum and judicial cooperation in criminal matters), the...
LATERAL DISPERSION OF SOLID IN FLUIDIZED BEDS

The reported lateral dispersion of fluidized solids is accounted for by the bubbling bed model and an additional postulate which views solids being pushed aside by the rising bubbles, then drawn into their wakes and mixed there.
Self-Assembling Multidomain Peptide Hydrogels: Designed Susceptibility to Enzymatic Cleavage Allows Enhanced Cell Migration and Spreading

Multidomain peptides are a class of amphiphilic self-assembling peptides with a modular ABA block motif in which the amphiphilic B block drives self-assembly while the flanking A blocks, which are electrostatically charged, control the conditions under which assembly takes place. Previously we have shown that careful selection of the amino acids in the A and B blocks allow one to control the self-assembled fiber length and viscoelastic properties of formed hydrogels. Here we demonstrate how the modular nature of this peptide assembler can be designed for biological applications. With control over fiber length and diameter, gelation conditions, and viscoelastic properties, we can develop suitable materials for biological applications. Going beyond a simple carrier for cell delivery, a biofunctional scaffold will interact with the cells it carries, promoting advantageous cell−matrix interactions. We demonstrate the design of a multidomain peptide into a bioactive variant by incorporation of a matrix metallo...
Elemental abundance analyses with DAO spectrograms. VII - The late normal B stars Pi Ceti, 134 Tauri, 21 Aquilae, and Nu Capricorni and the use of Reticon spectra

This paper presents elemental abundance analyses of sharp-lined normal late B stars. These stars exhibit mostly near-solar abundances, but each star also shows a few abundances which are a factor of 2 less than solar. The coadded photographic spectrograms are supplemented with Reticon data. A comparison of 261 equivalent widths on 2.4 A/mm spectra of sharp-lined B and A stars shows that the Reticon equivalent widths are about 95 percent of the coadded equivalent mean. The H-gamma profiles of the coadded and Reticon spectra for eight sharp-lined stars show generally good agreement. The generally high quality of the coadded data produced from 10 or more spectrograms is confirmed using the REDUCE graphics-oriented computed reduction code. For five stars, metal lines which fall in the gap between the U and V plates are analyzed using Reticon data.