cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preparation of 5-brominated and 5,5'-dibrominated 2,2'-bipyridines and 2,2'-bipyrimidines.

Efficient syntheses of 5-brominated and 5,5‘-dibrominated 2,2‘-bipyridines and 2,2‘-bipyrimidines, useful for the preparation of metal-complexing molecular rods, have been developed. 5-Bromo-2,2‘-bipyridine, 5-bromo-5‘-n-butyl-2,2‘-bipyridine, and 5-bromo-5‘-n-hexyl-2,2‘-bipyridine were obtained by Stille coupling of 2,5-dibromopyridine with 2-trimethylstannylpyridine or the requisite 5-alkyl-2-trimethylstannylpyridine, obtained via regioselective zincation of a 3-alkylpyridine·BF3 complex in the less hindered of the two reactive positions with lithium di-tert-butyl-(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidino)zincate. 5,5‘-Dibromo-2,2‘-bipyridine was obtained by the reductive symmetric coupling of 2,5-dibromopyridine with hexa-n-butyldistannane. The yields of these coupling reactions ranged from 70 to 90%. 5-Bromo- and 5,5‘-dibromo-2,2‘-bipyrimidines were obtained in yields of 30 and 15%, respectively, by bromination of 2,2‘-bipyrimidine, prepared from 2-chloropyrimidine in 80% yield by an improved reductive symmetric...
Pyrroloquinoline Quinone-Doped Polymeric Nanospheres as Sensitive Tracer for Binding Assays

The preparation and analytical characteristics of novel prosthetic group loaded polymeric nanospheres for use in high-sensitivity bioaffinity assays is reported. Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), a prosthetic group for apoglucose dehydrogenase (apo-GDH), is loaded into poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanospheres in the presence of methanol. PQQ released from the nanospheres in the presence of 40% acetonitrile is capable of reconstituting apo-GDH and triggers the enzymatic reaction with excess glucose. The two electrons generated are transferred from a reduced PQQ to a redox dye reagent, e.g., 2,6-dichloroindolphenol (DCPIP). The decrease in absorbance of DCPIP is observed visually or spectrophotometrically to assess the number of particles present. As initial model systems, this concept is applied to develop a microtiter plate assay to detect biotin (as a model for low molecular weight species) and C-reactive protein (CRP). For the CRP assay, neutravidin-coated PQQ-doped PMMA nanospheres are used to bind w...
Formation and characterization of Au/Pd surface alloys on Pd(1 1 1)

Abstract The formation of alloys by adsorbing gold on a Pd(1 1 1) single crystal substrate and subsequently annealing to various temperatures is studied in an ultrahigh vacuum by means of Auger and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The nature of the alloy surface is probed by CO chemisorption using temperature-programmed desorption and reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy. It is found that gold grows in a layer-by-layer fashion on Pd(1 1 1) at 300 K, and starts to diffuse into the bulk after annealing to above ∼600 K. Alloy formation results in a ∼0.5 eV binding energy decrease of the Au 4f XPS signals and a binding energy increase of the Pd 3d features of ∼0.8 eV, consistent with results obtained for the bulk alloy. The experimentally measured CO desorption activation energies and vibrational frequencies do not correlate well with the surface sites expected from the bulk alloy composition but are more consistent with significant preferential segregation of gold to the alloy surface.
Global convergence of SSM for minimizing a quadratic over a sphere

In an earlier paper [Minimizing a quadratic over a sphere, SIAM J. Optim., 12 (2001), 188-208], we presented the sequential subspace method (SSM) for minimizing a quadratic over a sphere. This method generates approximations to a minimizer by carrying out the minimization over a sequence of subspaces that are adjusted after each iterate is computed. We showed in this earlier paper that when the subspace contains a vector obtained by applying one step of Newton's method to the first-order optimality system, SSM is locally, quadratically convergent, even when the original problem is degenerate with multiple solutions and with a singular Jacobian in the optimality system. In this paper, we prove (nonlocal) convergence of SSM to a global minimizer whenever each SSM subspace contains the following three vectors: (i) the current iterate, (ii) the gradient of the cost function evaluated at the current iterate, and (iii) an eigenvector associated with the smallest eigenvalue of the cost function Hessian. For nondegenerate problems, the convergence rate is at least linear when vectors (i)-(iii) are included in the SSM subspace.
Trends in antibiotic use and cost and influence of case-mix and infection rate on antibiotic-prescribing in a long-term care facility

Abstract Background: Antibiotic use and cost indicators have been developed specifically for the long-term care facility (LTCF) setting. Approximately 50% of the variation in these indicators was explained by the variation in infection rate. The objectives of this study were to further assess the utility of the antibiotic use and cost indicators in a different LTCF and to determine the correlation of case-mix and these indicators. Methods: Antibiotic use and cost indicators were collected monthly by unit (N = 10) and by physician (N = 6) at a 433-bed LTCF in Syracuse, New York, from February 1999 to September 2001. Indicators included incidence (number of antibiotic courses per 1000 resident care-days) of antibiotic use, antibiotic utilization ratio ([AUR]; ratio of the number of antibiotic-days to the number of resident care-days), cost per antibiotic-day, and cost per resident care-day. Case-mix variation was measured with the case-mix index (CMI) of the Resource Utilization Group II system. Simple linear and multilinear regression analyses were used to evaluate correlations of continuous variables. Results: Among the 10 units or 6 physicians, there was a significant difference in the average values for all indicators. Correlation between unit- or physician-specific CMI and antibiotic use or cost indicators or infection rate was poor. However, there was a significant positive correlation between unit- or physician-specific infection rate and incidence of antibiotic use, AUR, and cost per resident care-day but not cost per antibiotic-day. With use of multilinear regression analysis to control for CMI and cost per antibiotic-day, infection rate was a significant predictor of incidence of antibiotic use ( R 2 = 0.65; P R 2 = 0.78; P Conclusions: This study provides further evidence that the antibiotic use and cost indicators developed specifically for LTCFs can detect significant variation among units within a facility and among physicians. However, there was no correlation between CMI and antibiotic use or cost indicators. After controlling for case-mix variation and cost per antibiotic-day, variation in infection rate explained most of the variation in incidence of antibiotic use and AUR. (Am J Infect Control 2003;31:18-25.)
Optimized retinal nerve fiber layer segmentation based on optical reflectivity and birefringence for polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography

Segmentation of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) from swept source polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (SS-PSOCT) images is required to determine RNFL thickness and calculate birefringence. Traditional RNFL segmentation methods based on image processing and boundary detection algorithms utilize only optical reflectivity contrast information, which is strongly affected by speckle noise. We present a novel approach to segment the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) using SS-PSOCT images including both optical reflectivity and phase retardation information. The RNFL anterior boundary is detected based on optical reflectivity change due to refractive index difference between the vitreous and inner limiting membrane. The posterior boundary of the RNFL is a transition zone composed of birefringent axons extending from retinal ganglion cells and may be detected by a change in birefringence. A posterior boundary detection method is presented that segments the RNFL by minimizing the uncertainty of RNFL birefringence determined by a Levenberg-Marquardt nonlinear fitting algorithm. Clinical results from a healthy volunteer show that the proposed segmentation method estimates RNFL birefringence and phase retardation with lower uncertainty and higher continuity than traditional intensity-based approaches.
Comparison of environmental degradation in Hanwha 295 W and SunPower 320 W photovoltaic modules via accelerated lifecycle testing

Lifecycle testing of full-scale photovoltaic (PV) modules was conducted in a large-sized, accelerated-degradation chamber in our labs that enables full-solar-spectrum irradiance, temperature, and humidity control. In-situ measurement of both polycrystalline and monocrystalline silicon PV module energy conversion characteristics were examined under environmental lifecycle conditions representative of Tucson, AZ. Specifically, the performance degradation of a Hanwha 295 W polycrystalline PV module and of a SunPower 320 W monocrystalline PV module were evaluated and compared. Results indicate that the initial efficiency of the polycrystalline module and the subsequent annual degradation occurred within expected ranges for that system. In contrast, the single-crystal module exhibited both a significant decrease in PV module efficiency during the test cycle, and early evidence of environmentally-induced materials degradation across the module. The temperature and time-dependence of PV module behavior were extracted to provide insight into early-stage performance degradation under conditions approximating field-relevant environments.
Percolation-based effective conductivity calculations for bimodal distributions of local conductances

Several percolation-based schemes for calculating the effective conductivity of complex, correlated media with bimodal distributions of the local conductivity are compared with numerical simulations. A means of calculating the correlation length is employed to distinguish regions of validity of the calculations. In most cases, a rather simple scaling formulation closely related with universal scaling is found to perform best. This scaling formulation employs geometric mean values of the modes of the conductivity distribution as scale factors.
Human-In-The-Loop Simulation Testbed for Wireless Sensor Networking

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) involve the deployment of small, inexpensive, and limited capability devices to gain information about a given location. This project focuses on intrusion detection in any environment to test the limitations and capabilities of WSNs. Specifically, the goal is to detect any intrusive behavior with a limited number of human resources. The capstone team developed a simulation testbed program using C# to duplicate real life surveillance scenarios. The simulation technique can be applied in a variety of settings including agricultural monitoring, disaster relief, public utilities, security surveillance (commercial and private), traffic control, and military operations. The overall motivation behind designing this project involved reducing the number of personnel needed to monitor any given area and gain intelligent information to make informed decisions.
Optical and transport properties of amorphous Sb2Se3

Abstract The optical absorption, reflectivity, electrical conductivity, photo-conductivity and photo-emission have been studied in amorphous films of Sb2Se3. The films were prepared by coevaporation thus allowing strict control of composition. Comparison with data on Sb2Se3 single crystals show marked similarity of properties and in particular, show that the forbidden energy gap values closely correspond. Furthermore, in contrast to published data, on similar amorphous systems such as As2Te31), the structure at the band edges appears to be quite sharp, thus showing no evidence of a mobility gap.
The identification of interlock groups in large corporate networks: convergent validation using divergent techniques

Abstract The present study attempts to assess the substantive and theoretical implications of using different analytical techniques to identify groups of highly interlocked corporations within large corporate networks. Specifically, it compares the interlock groups identified using direct factor analysis with those identified using hierarchical cluster analysis. A comparison of these two sets of empirical results suggests that these two analytical techniques yield surprisingly similar findings even though they employ disparate methodological rationales and computational algorithms. Nevertheless, some minor but significant differences in the results provided by these two techniques arise as a consequence of different assumptions implicit in these techniques concerning the possibility of overlap between interlock groups. Finally, the convergence of these two analyses confirms that interlock groups are concrete empirical aggregations within corporate networks which cannot be dismissed as the artifacts of particular analytical methodologies.
The revised Generalized Expectancy for Success Scale: A validity and reliability study.

The Generalized Expectancy for Success Scale (GESS; Fibel & Hale, 1978) was revised and assessed for reliability and validity. The revised version was administered to 199 college students along with other conceptually related measures, including the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Life Orientation Test, and Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale. One subsample of students also completed the Eysenck Personality Inventory, while another subsample performed a criterion-related task that involved risk taking. Item analysis yielded 25 items with correlations of .45 or higher with the total score. Results indicated high internal consistency and test-retest reliability.
Sorption equilibria and kinetics of ethanol in miscible poly(vinylidene fluoride)/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends

At 35°C miscible blends of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVF2), and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), may be semicrystalline or wholly amorphous and rubbery or glassy depending on composition and prior history. Ethanol is rather soluble in PMMA and plasticizes it, while sorption into PVF2 is rather small. The equilibrium sorption of ethanol into these blends decreases in a well defined manner as the PVF2 content increases and is only slightly affected by prior history of the sample. On the other hand, the kinetics of ethanol sorption varies in a complex manner with composition, ranging from Case II kinetics for glassy blends to Fickian diffusion for rubbery ones, and is a strong function of prior history. Quantitative descriptions are given and discussed in terms of the various mechanistic processes known to occur.
Programmed cell death and the pathogenesis of tissue injury induced by type A Francisella tularensis

Francisella tularensis is a highly virulent bacterial species that causes various forms of tularemia in humans. The urgency in understanding the pathogenesis of these diseases has stimulated unprecedented interest in this bacterial species over the past few years. Recent findings underscore a number of important distinctions between the Francisella ssp. and emphasize the importance of using type A F. tularensis strains when characterizing pathophysiological responses that are relevant to the lethal forms of human disease. This review focuses on the mediators of cell death induction in infected tissues and the implications of these processes on the pathophysiological changes observed in various host species.
Analysis and prediction of traffic fatalities resulting from angle collisions including the effect of vehicles' configuration and compatibility

Although the rapid growth in light truck vehicle (LTV) sales, including minivans, sports utility vehicles (SUVs), and light-duty trucks, has not been associated with an overall increase in collisions or traffic deaths in the US, there is a need for a research program to determine whether particular types of collisions have become more frequent or injurious because of the increase in the percent of LTVs in traffic. This paper presents an analysis of the effect of the increasing number of LTV registrations on fatal angle collision trends in the US. The analysis investigates the number of annual fatalities that result from angle collisions as well as collision configuration (car-car, car-LTV, LTV-car, and LTV-LTV). The analysis uses the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) crash databases covering the period 1975-2000. Results showed that death rates differ based on the collision configuration. Time series modeling results showed that fatalities in angle collisions will increase in the next 10 years, and that they are affected by the expected increase in the percentage of LTVs in traffic. Forecast showed that the total number of annual deaths is expected to reach 6300 deaths by the year 2010 (an increase of 12% over 2000). Analysis into the configuration of the collision indicated the seriousness of angle collisions involving an LTV striking a common passenger car (LTV-car). A time series model illustrated the significance of time lag and percent of LTVs in traffic on the increase of this type of fatal collisions. Forecasts from the time series model indicated a 32% increase in deaths due to this type of collisions in the next 10 years.
Gossypol promotes the apoptosis of bladder cancer cells in vitro

Dysregulation of Bcl2 family member proteins has been associated with poor chemotherapeutic response in bladder cancer, suggesting that agents targeting these crucial proteins may provide an interventional strategy to slow or halt bladder cancer progression and metastasis. In this study, we investigated whether the cottonseed polyphenol, -(-)gossypol, a BH3 mimetic, can reduce the expression of pro-survival, or increase the expression of pro-apoptotic, Bcl2 family proteins and thereby effectively sensitize otherwise resistant bladder cancer cells to the standard chemotherapeutic drugs gemcitabine, paclitaxel and carboplatin. These studies show that gossypol induced apoptosis in both chemosensitive UM-UC2 and chemoresistant resistant UM-UC9 bladder cancer cells in vitro in a dose and time dependent manner via a caspase mediated death signaling pathway. Moreover, in combined treatments, gossypol synergized with gemcitabine and carboplatin to induce apoptosis in chemoresistant bladder cancer cells. This effect was associated with the down-regulation the Bcl-xl and Mcl-1 pro-survival Bcl2 family proteins and up-regulation of the Bim and Puma BH3-only Bcl2 family proteins. Overall, these studies show that gossypol sensitizes bladder cancer cells to standard chemotherapeutic drugs and may provide a promising new strategy for bladder cancer treatment.
Machine utilizations achieved using balanced FMS production ratios in a simulated setting

Stecke [21] has developed mathematical programming approaches for determining, from a set of part type requirements, the production ratios (part types to be produced next, and their proportions) which maximize overall machine utilizations by balancing machine workloads in a flexible manufacturing system (FMS). These mathematical programming (MP) approaches are aggregate in the sense that they do not take into account such things as contention for transportation resources, travel time for work-in-process, contention for machines, finite buffer space, and dispatching rules. In the current study, the sensitivity of machine utilizations to these aggregations is investigated through simulation modeling. For the situation examined, it is found that achieved machine utilizations are a strong function of some of the factors ignored in the MP methodology, ranging from 9.1% to 22.9% less than those theoretically attainable under the mathematical programming assumptions. The 9.1% degradation results from modeling with nonzero work-in-process travel times (i.e. 2 minutes per transfer) and using only central work-in-process buffers. Resource levels (e.g. the number of automated guided vehicles; the amount of work-in-process; the number of slack buffers) needed to limit the degradation to 9.1% correspond to FMS operating conditions which are feasible in practice.
The indifference function.

Resume L'objet de cet article est de montrer qu'il est possible de reduire la fonction de l'indifference au traitement experimental et qu'il est possible d'ecrire une equation rationnelle pour la fonction de l'indifference laquelle est basee sur des postulats psychologiques plausibles. On a developpe deux fonctions psychologiques, 'est-a-dire, la courbe de satisfaction et la courbe d'indiffeerence. L'equation pour la courbe de satisfaction laquelle s'accorde avec les donnees experimentales est semblable en forme a la loi de Fechner, et on peut, en effet, la considerer comme une extension de cette loi qu'on a interpretee ordinairement comme limitee a la discrimination sensorielle. L'equation rationnelle pour la courbe d'indifference prend la forme generale x1k1. x2k2=m ou x1 et x2 sont les quantites des deux choses. Les constants k1 et k2 decrivent le sujet individuel et ses preferences pour les deux choses, tandis que le constant m designe la somme totale de satisfaction representee par la courbe d'indiff...
The role of thought suppression in building mental blocks

This research examined the role of thought suppression in the formation of mental blocks. In Experiment 1, participants were asked to generate a series of creative associates for two target words after initially suppressing a word that was semantically related to one of the two target words. Participants produced fewer responses, and experienced a greater sensation of being mentally blocked, when attempting to produce associates for the target word that was semantically related to the suppressed word. In Experiment 2, participants either thought about or suppressed a series of words prior to completing a word fragment completion task. Each word either corresponded exactly to one of the word fragment solutions (target primes) or resembled one of the solutions but was slightly different in its orthographic properties (negative primes). Participants performed most poorly on the items for which they had initially suppressed negative primes.
The Sikhs, Congress, and the Unionists in British Punjab, 1937–1945

The period from 1937 to 1946, between the first and second elections to provincial legislatures held in British India under the 1935 Government of India Act, is one of great interest in Indo-Pakistani history. This was the period of ‘if only,’ the period in which it is still possible to imagine an unpartitioned South Asia.
K-shell X-ray production cross sections in 6C, 8O, 11Na, 12Mg and 13Al by 0.75 to 5.0 MeV 7Li+ ions

Abstract K-shell X-ray production cross sections are reported for elements with K-shell X-ray energies between 277 eV (C) and 1487 eV (Al). X-ray measurements were made with a LINK Analytical windowless Si(Li) detector that was calibrated for efficiency by comparing bremsstrahlung spectra from electron bombardment of thin foils of aluminum, silver, and gold with theoretically determined bremsstrahlung spectral distributions. The X-ray measurements are compared to first Born and ECPSSR ionization theories using single-hole fluorescence yields. The ECPSSR theory is shown to be in much closer agreement to experiment than the first Born theory.
Defects in epitaxial multilayers: I. Misfit dislocations*

Multilayers composed of many thin films of GaAs and GaAs 0·5 P 0·5 were grown epitaxially on GaAs surfaces inclined at a few degrees to (001). Examination of the multilayers by transmission and scanning electron microscopy has revealed that the interfaces between layers were made up of large coherent areas separated by long straight misfit dislocations. The Burgers vectors of the dislocations were inclined at 45° to (001) and were of type 1/2a . Dislocations in adjacent interfaces were usually not independent of one another. They often lay on the same slip plane and when this was so they were clearly products of the same source. The layer thickness at which misfit dislocations were formed was in satisfactory agreement with the predicted thickness. However, the fraction of the total misfit accommodated by dislocations (once the critical thickness for dislocation generation was passed) was much smaller than predicted. This large discrepancy seems to arise from difficulties associated with the creation of misfit dislocations. Although there are many processes which can impede dislocation generation, the most important one in GaAs/GaAs 0·5 P 0·5 multilayers appears to be the impaction of dislocations on one glide plane against dislocations in another.
Hunt Aberration Generator

Under contract to the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, we have designed and fabricated a new aberration generator for use in a 1-gigawatt, 4-cm-diameter, 1.06-μm laser beam. Four glass lenses, one of which is aspheric, form a unit-magnification, nonachromatic telescope. The elements are shaped and oriented to resist laser damage. Through selected tilt, translation, and decentration of the elements, up to three waves of fourth order and more than 10 waves of second order aberrations can be generated separately or in combination.© (1977) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Teacher's Handbook: Contextualized Language Instruction

Teacher's Handbook emphasizes real-world practice by presenting a concise theoretical review followed by provocative case studies that ask new and experienced instructors to judge for themselves how best to acquire ESL and foreign language proficiency. Appropriate for secondary and college instructors, Teacher's Handbook also includes extensive appendices covering professional organizations, publications, and performance standards for language teachers and students. This new edition includes a text-specific web site that contains video case studies, a bulletin board, and useful links to a variety of professional organizations and mailing lists.
A fast algorithm for finding an edge-maximal subgraph with TR-formative coloring

Abstract If TR is the class of triangulated graphs, a TR-formative edge coloring is a green/red coloring of the edges of a graph, such that the green graph is triangulated (i.e., belong to TR) and the red graph has no triangles. Recently, Balas, Chvatal and Nesetril gave an O(|V|5) algorithm for finding a maximum-weight clique in any graph G = (V,E) with a known TR-formative edge coloring. In this paper we give an O(Δ|E|) algorithm, where Δ is the largest vertex degree, for finding an edge-maximal subgraph with a TR-formative edge-coloring in an arbitrary graph G. This can be used to construct improved implicit enumeration procedures for finding a maximum-weight clique in an arbitrary graph.
Perceived health, HIV illness, and mental distress in African-American clients of AIDS counseling centers.

The development of effective coping strategies may require that adults with HIV disease have an accurate, and to the extent possible, positive perception of their own health status. This has been found to be lacking among HIV-infected people with limited education/information, including many minority adults. The objective of this study was to test several hypotheses that predict depression and perceived health in African-American adults with HIV disease. Data were obtained from 255 HIV-infected black adults (age >18) who sought support, counseling, and maintenance services from one of three HIV care and referral centers in the Mid-South. The results emphasized that perceived health status may fulfill a psychological distress moderating or distress-aggravating function for persons with HIV/AIDS.
Active control of nonlinear pressure oscillations in combustion chambers

A theoretical analysis of active control of nonlinear acoustic instabilities in combustion chambers is developed in this article. The formulation starts with a generalized wave equation that describes the dynamic behavior of second-order nonlinear oscillations with distributed feedback actions. Control inputs are provided by the burning of the injected seconday fuel in the chamber, with its instantaneous mass flow rate modulated by a proportionalplus-integral (PI) controller located between the pressure sensor and the fuel injection mechanism. Various nonlinear stability characteristics, including the existence and stability of limit cycles, are studied analytically using the method of time averaging. In addition, an optimization procedure is developed for selecting controller gains. Nomenclature Anij = parameters associated with nonlinear acoustic coupling a = speed of sound in mixture Bnij = parameters associated with nonlinear acoustic coupling b = spatial distribution of burning of control fuel, Eq. (5b), Cv - constant-volume specific heat for two-phase mixture c = amplification factor of sensor output Dni = linear parameters, Eq. (11) Eni = linear parameters, Eq. (11) e - error signal between desired response and actual measurement
Contemporaneous calc-alkaline and alkaline volcanism at Sanganguey Volcano, Nayarit, Mexico

Sanganguey Volcano, located in the northwestern segment of the Mexican Volcanic Belt, is a calc-alkaline stratovolcano that has erupted a chemically continuous suite of andesites and dacites during the past 200,000 yr. Alkalic volcanism, however, appears to have been predominant in the area since the Pliocene. Alkalic basalts and their derivatives erupted along extensional fractures trending northwest through Sanganguey, and continued to erupt through the flanks of the stratocone following cessation of calc-alkaline activity. The calc-alkaline andesite-dacite volcanism was focused beneath Sanganguey and appears to have been controlled by crystal fractionation in a shallow magma chamber. No basalts that erupted in the area have chemical compositions that could be parental to the Sanganguey calc-alkaline suite. The most basic calc-alkaline rocks (basaltic andesites) have incompatible trace-element concentrations nearly identical to the most basic alkaline rocks, implying that the two suites were derived from distinct parental magmas. Alternatively, it is suggested that stagnation of mantle-derived alkalic basalts provided heat input to mobilize lower crustal rocks, resulting in the generation of calc-alkaline magmas.
Automatic Accent Assessment Using Phonetic Mismatch and Human Perception

In this study, a new algorithm for automatic accent evaluation of native and non-native speakers is presented. The proposed system consists of two main steps: alignment and scoring. In the alignment step, the speech utterance is processed using a Weighted Finite State Transducer (WFST) based technique to automatically estimate the pronunciation mismatches (substitutions, deletions, and insertions). Subsequently, in the scoring step, two scoring systems which utilize the pronunciation mismatches from the alignment phase are proposed: (i) a WFST-scoring system to measure the degree of accentedness on a scale from -1 (non-native like) to +1 (native like), and a (ii) Maximum Entropy (ME) based technique to assign perceptually motivated scores to pronunciation mismatches. The accent scores provided from the WFST-scoring system as well as the ME scoring system are termed as the WFST and P-WFST (perceptual WFST) accent scores, respectively. The proposed systems are evaluated on American English (AE) spoken by native and non-native (native speakers of Mandarin-Chinese) speakers from the CU-Accent corpus. A listener evaluation of 50 Native American English (N-AE) was employed to assist in validating the performance of the proposed accent assessment systems. The proposed P-WFST algorithm shows higher and more consistent correlation with human evaluated accent scores, when compared to the Goodness Of Pronunciation (GOP) measure. The proposed solution for accent classification and assessment based on WFST and P-WFST scores show that an effective advancement is possible which correlates well with human perception.
Estrogen in the etiopathogenesis of BPH.

BACKGROUND While the androgen-dependence of the prostate gland has long been accepted, the participation of estrogen, mediated via the stroma in the elicitation of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), has only recently been recognized. Its mode of action is still uncertain. METHODS This review first outlines the regulation of gene expression via hormones, growth factors, and other ligands in the coordination of cell growth, differentiation, and function. Focus is next directed to factors particularly involved in phosphorylation of estrogen receptors. Then, the access of sex steroids, especially of estrogen to the cell and to the transduction machinery, is described, preparatory to examining the hypotheses by which this access causes the process of BPH to occur. RESULTS It becomes clear that the necessary phosphorylative activities which transmit signals to nuclear receptors and thence transcription of target genes can be performed by steroids or mimicked by proxy molecules and by cross-talk between discrete pathways. The character and concentration of the available estrogen are determined by the extent of its biosynthesis, its penetration of the cell, and its subsequent metabolism. In addition, the estrogen affects its own access through stimulation of facilitating peptide hormones, prolactin, and sex hormone-binding globulin. Finally, the induction of BPH is shown to be determined by the androgen/estrogen ratio and the change in stromal/epithelial balance accompanying aging. CONCLUSIONS Despite a growing knowledge of hormone levels, metabolism, and activities in the prostate, and the variety of processes and factors they affect, our explanation of BPH is still fanciful. Prostate 41:263–274, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Thermo-oxidative stability studies of Celion 6000/PMR-15 unidirectional composites, PMR-15, and Celion 6000 fiber

Experimental results on the influence of the thermooxidative resistance characteristics of the fiber and matrix resin on the thermal stability of isothermally aged Celion 6000/PMR-15 matrix resin composites are presented. SEM studies reveal that extreme oxidative erosion of the graphite fiber occurs at elevated temperatures in the presence of the polyimide matrix. The activation energy of oxidation of the composite was shown to be greater than those of the fiber and the matrix resin.
An examination of Bayesian statistical approaches to modeling change in cognitive decline in an Alzheimer's disease population

The mini mental state examination (MMSE) is a common tool for measuring cognitive decline in Alzhiemer's Disease (AD) subjects. Subjects are usually observed for a specified period of time or until death to determine the trajectory of the decline which for the most part appears to be linear. However, it may be noted that the decline may not be modeled by a single linear model over a specified period of time. There may be a point called a change point where the rate or gradient of the decline may change depending on the length of time of observation. A Bayesian approach is used to model the trajectory and determine an appropriate posterior estimate of the change point as well as the predicted model of decline before and after the change point. Estimates of the appropriate parameters as well as their posterior credible regions or regions of interest are established. Coherent prior to posterior analysis using mainly non-informative priors for the parameters of interest is provided. This approach is applied to an existing AD database.
Quantification of intravascular and extravascular contributions to BOLD effects induced by alteration in oxygenation or intravascular contrast agents

A simple model is presented that allows quantitative separation of the contributions of signals from water in blood and extravascular parenchyma due to changes in blood oxygenation, induced either by brain activation or by alteration of inspired oxygen. The separation is based on the progressive attenuation of the signals in the vasculature of different levels when bipolar field gradient pulses are applied. Diffusion-weighted spin-echo echo-planar imaging sequences were used to measure signal changes under various conditions in both animals and human volunteers. Normoxic-hyperoxic episodes were induced in rats before and after injection of a superparamagnetic iron oxide contrast agent. Signal changes produced by visual stimulation were measured in human volunteers, and in volunteers subject to alternating normoxic-hyperoxic episodes, and with administration of Gd-DTPA. Analysis of the results with our simple model suggests that the apparent diffusion coefficient increases and R2 ( = 1/T 2 ) decreases upon brain activation, with a large component from extravascular water related to the decrease in the blood deoxyhemoglobin concentration. Furthermore, this study suggests that apparent diffusion coefficient of the extravascular component alone may provide localization of neuronal activation.
A Personnel Classification Model Based on Reducing Cost and Avoiding Risks

Most enterprises face the challenge to reduce personnel cost, since enterprises spend a lot of money on it. This paper studies the classifying method of personnel with the purpose to minimize the cost and avoid risk. It presents an evaluation classifying approach based on integration of quantitative models with subjective evaluation for the classification. At last the AS Corporation’s case demonstrates that the method is feasible.
Singular forces in the immersed interface method for rigid objects in 3D

Abstract In the immersed interface method, a boundary immersed in a fluid is represented as a singular force in the Navier–Stokes equations. An explicit approach was proposed recently for determining the singular force for the boundary of a rigid object with prescribed motion in 2D [Sheng Xu, The immersed interface method for simulating prescribed motion of rigid objects in an incompressible viscous flow, J. Comput. Phys. 227 (2008) 5045–5071]. Necessary formulas for extending the approach to 3D are derived in this work. With the implementation of these formulas, the immersed interface method can accurately, stably, and efficiently simulate the prescribed motion of rigid objects in 3D.
Effects of acetate and other short-chain fatty acids on yeast metabolism.

Abstract The inhibition by short-chain fatty acids of several metabolic reactions in yeast and cell-free yeast extracts is demonstrated. Some properties of these inhibitions are shown and their similarity to the binding of short-chain fatty acids to proteins is discussed.
Cortical visual impairment in children

Purpose of reviewCortical visual impairment is rapidly becoming a leading cause of visual loss in children in developed countries predominately because of the improved survival rates of premature infants over the past decade.Recent findingsMost cases of cortical visual impairment arise from hypoxic
Adaptive Optics for Free Space Laser Communications

We discuss adaptive optics (AO) role in free-space laser communications with focus on two major challenges: the high cost of AO deployment, and high intensity scintillation levels that are typical for most communication scenarios.
The impact of early mental health services on child behavioral outcomes: Comparisons between and within trajectory groups

There is a limited amount of research examining the long-term impact of early mental health services on child outcomes. These analyses examined the outcomes associated with early mental health services in terms of the behavioral trajectories from ages 4 to 12 of a sample of 245 children recruited from low-income, urban families. Three groups of children were identified based on their trajectories of externalizing behavioral problems: Low, Moderate, and High. Children in the High trajectory group were significantly more likely than children in the Low trajectory group to have received early mental health services. Within the trajectory groups, early mental health services were significantly associated with better outcomes in the Low trajectory group and in the Moderate trajectory, but not in the High trajectory group. Early mental health services appear to be associated with some modest beneficial outcomes for some children, but more research is needed on the effectiveness of services with children who have chronically high levels of behavioral problems.
Topics in organizational systems and technology

Summary form only given. Topics in Organizational Systems and Technology has been added to the HICSS-34 program as a new minitrack. In recent years it has been noted that many deserving papers did not fit well into any of the minitracks usually offered. The Topics minitrack was created to give a proper forum for such papers. It was planned that one, ninetyminute session would be scheduled for the minitrack, including three papers. However, although the announcement of the minitrack was somewhat delayed, approximately twenty papers were submitted to the minitrack, exceeding our most optimistic projections. To accommodate as many papers as practical, two additional sessions were added, bringing the total number of papers to be presented to nine. Needless to say, several excellent papers were not accepted because of these limitations. After much deliberation, the reviewers were able to agree on nine papers for the sessions. They fell neatly into three themes: 1) Business Process Management and Reengineering, 2) IT Career Management, and 3) Achieving Success in IT Endeavors. We believe that these papers and their associated sessions at HICSS-34 will provide new insight and provoke lively discussion. In planning for HICSS-35, remember that the Topics minitrack in Organizational Systems and Technology provides a forum for non-traditional, imaginative, and thought-provoking research that might not fit well in any of the standard tracks. Contributors are encouraged to contact Hugh Watson, track chair, or Martin Richards, minitrack chair, with ideas that might be appropriate for the Topics minitrack.
Electron arc irradiation of the postmastectomy chest wall with CT treatment planning: 20-year experience.

Abstract Purpose: Since 1980, electron arc irradiation of the postmastectomy chest wall has been the preferred radiotherapy technique at the University of Utah for patients with advanced breast cancer. We report the results of this technique in 156 consecutive Stage IIA–IIIB patients treated from 1980 to 1998. Methods: CT treatment planning was used in all patients to identify chest wall thickness and internal mammary lymph node depth. Computerized dosimetry was used to deliver total doses of 50 Gy in 5-1/2 weeks to the chest wall and the internal mammary lymph nodes with electron arc therapy. Patients were assessed for local, regional, and distant control of disease and for survival. Univariate and multivariate proportional hazards were modeled using a hierarchical nonproportional semiparametric model testing the following prognostic factors: age, stage, tumor size, number of positive lymph nodes, estrogen receptor status, and dose. End points evaluated included disease-free survival, cause-specific survival, and overall survival. Results: Eighty-one percent of patients were at high risk for local-regional failure because of >T2 primary tumor or >3 positive axillary lymph nodes. The median number of positive lymph nodes was 5, and the median tumor size was 3.5 cm. Actuarial 10-year local-regional control and overall survival were 95% and 52%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, the only factor prognostic for disease-free survival, cause-specific survival, and overall survival was the number of positive lymph nodes ( p Conclusion: These data demonstrate excellent local-regional control rates with electron arc therapy of the postmastectomy chest wall in patients with advanced breast cancer. Our 20-year experience with electron arc radiotherapy has demonstrated the safety and efficacy of this technique. The advantage of this technique is that the internal mammary lymph node chain can be easily encompassed while the dose to heart and lung is minimized; it also obviates match lines in areas of high risk.
The validity of type A behavior scales for employed women.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to test the validity of the Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS) and the Framingham Type A Scale (FTAS) for employed women using structured interview ratings (SI) as the validating criterion. The sample consisted of 149 white females ages 30–42 who were employed full time. Forty-five percent were classified as Type A. The JAS Type A Scale provided better agreement with the SI (57%) than the FTAS (49%). Eleven items from all four scales of the JAS in combination with four FTAS items were identified by discriminant analysis. Using the resulting equation, 76.5% of the women were classified correctly as Type A or not Type A. It was concluded that neither the standardized version of the JAS Type A Scale nor the FTAS has a satisfactory degree of concurrent validity for measuring this behavior pattern in employed women. Investigators are cautioned against using either instrument to measure Type A behavior in women without recognition of their limitations.
Reconstruction and exploration of virtual middle-ear models derived from micro-CT datasets.

Background Middle-ear anatomy is integrally linked to both its normal function and its response to disease processes. Micro-CT imaging provides an opportunity to capture high-resolution anatomical data in a relatively quick and non-destructive manner. However, to optimally extract functionally relevant details, an intuitive means of reconstructing and interacting with these data is needed.
Some effects of oral doses of oxytetracycline on growth, survival and disease in Penaeus aztecus

Abstract Two size groups of brown shrimp ( Penaeus aztecus ) were fed a formulated feed containing 0, 100, 1 000 or 5 000 mg of oxytetracycline/kg of feed. Growth and survival were measured after a 3-week drug consumption period. The shrimp were then inoculated with Vibrio alginolyticus , and survival was monitored during the following 24 h. At all three concentrations of oxytetracycline, small shrimp (mean initial wet weight 143.4 mg) consumed approximately one-third the amount of feed consumed by those fed the control diet with no oxytetracycline, yet growth was more rapid with diets containing 100 and 1 000 mg of oxytetracycline/kg of food than with the control diet. Larger shrimp (mean initial wet weight 458.1 mg) receiving oxytetracycline consumed about one-fourth the feed consumed by those on the oxytetracycline-free diet. Some growth inhibition was apparent in these shrimp at all oxytetracycline concentrations. Maximum drug consumption rate, based on actual feed intake, was approximately 1 300 mg oxytetracycline per kg body weight per day for small shrimp, but only 370 mg per kg body weight per day for larger shrimp. All shrimp fed 0, 100 or 1 000 mg of oxytetracycline/kg of feed died within 24 h following inoculation with a standard dose (70% light transmission at 520–540 nm) of Vibrio alginolyticus . All the small shrimp and 70% of the large shrimp fed at the 5 000-mg drug level died, but death generally took place later in the 24-h period than with those fed at the lower drug concentrations. All shrimp fed 5 000 mg oxytetracycline/kg of feed and inoculated with a 1 : 100 dilution of the standard dose of Vibrio alginolyticus survived. All small shrimp and 90% of the large shrimp survived injection of sterile saline.