cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photochemical processes in a two-component molecular contaminant film

Previously, significant laboratory work has been performed on the photochemical deposition and darkening of molecular contaminant films. Much of this work addresses single, purified molecular species to understand fundamental photochemical processes. However, some of this work disagrees with other studies involving mixed, real spacecraft materials. There are also points of disagreement with contaminated returned optics from the Hubble Space Telescope where mixed contaminants were found. In this paper, we describe a method for vacuum depositing a controlled, reproducible contaminant film containing two molecular species: tetramethyl-tetraphenyl trisiloxane (DC 704) and dioctyl phthalate (DOP). We use this film to show differences in photochemical processes compared to a pure film of DC 704. We show that some photopolymerization processes occur more slowly in a two-component, mixed film during accelerated exposure to vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation.
Identification and host range of causal agent of dieback disease on Jatropha curcas

Diseased Jatropha branches collected from Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Samaru, Zaria field were plated in Potato Dextrose Agar with Streptomycin (PDAS) and incubated for seven days. Grown cultures were observed under microscope and with aid of identification manuals Fusarium sp. was isolated. Inoculated seedlings showed symptoms of dieback. The fungus was also inoculated on some crop plants and it induced the typical dieback symptoms on sesame and leaf spot/ blight on groundnut and soya beans, respectively.
A Cost and Time Effective Alternative for an Aerial Reconnaissance and Surveillance Platform

An expanded need for information obtainable from aerial sensor platforms is driving research and development towards both the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s) and the extensive physical redesign of existing airframes to accommodate alternative capabilities. This trend in aerial platform development requires significant time and funding and has yet to transpire into low single-system cost that can be rapidly set to use. An alternative concept of utilizing existing and unmodified airframes as sensor platforms, through the use of peripheral systems, presents an attractive solution to this problem. A particular sensor platform system (Oculus) has been designed for use upon a C-130 aircraft and, as a blueprint concept, shows considerable design flexibility for use upon additional existing military and commercial airframes. This roll-on roll-off sensor platform is a stand alone system that requires no modification to the C-130 airframe and has the capacity to incorporate multi-mission sensor capabilities which can be used for a wide variety of missions. These missions are (but not limited to) Environmental Impact Assessment, Counter Drug, Counter Terrorism, Homeland Security, Resource Surveys, Environmental Surveys, and Search and Rescue. This system (patent pending) has been developed to support a broad spectrum of the latest in remote sensor technology for missions requiring highly proficient reconnaissance capabilities. It was also designed under the criterion of mission flexibility, stability, field of view, storability, modular attachment space and provisions for expansion and upgrade. This sensor platform system provides a superior cost-effective upgrade capability to existing airframes.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Countercurrent flow limitation in inclined channels with bends

Abstract The countercurrent flow limitation phenomenon in an inclined round channel connected to bends at both ends is experimentally studied. The channel inner diameter is 1.9 cm, the bend radius divided by channel diameter is 10, and the channel length divided by channel diameter is varied in the 105–315 range. Countercurrent flow rates are measured with liquid and gas superficial velocities in the 0.015–0.21 m s −1 and 0.1–3.1 m s −1 ranges respectively. Air and water at room temperature and atmospheric pressure are used in the experiments. The liquid injection system is a constant-head plenum, and the channel angle of inclination with respect to the vertical line is varied in the 0°–60° range. The measured liquid and gas flow rates for all the angles of inclination are correlated using Wallis' flooding correlation, with a unique value for each of the two constants in the correlation.
Design of the Apache Point Observatory 3.5-m telescope: V. Telescope-enclosure thermal modeling

A 3.5 m telescope is under construction at Apache Point near Alamogordo, New Mexico, at an elevation of 2800 m. A thermal model of a telescope enclosure is described. The model evaluates various strategies for minimizing local sources of image degradation (dome seeing). Direct and diffuse insolation, radiation to the sky, conduction, and the thermal inertia of the walls, interior air, roof, and structural steel are included. It is observed that highly reflective surface coatings reduce heat absorbed during the day, but are not very effective in reducing heat transfer in the telescope chamber at night, assuming that components with large heat capacities or thermal time constants are insulated.
On the current status of the issue of scientific realism

The aim of the present essay is to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the various “traditional” arguments for and against scientific realism. I conclude that the typical realist rebuttals to empiricist or constructivist arguments against realism are in important ways inadequate; I diagnose the source of the inadequacies in these arguments as a failure to appreciate the extent to which scientific realism requires the abandonment of central tenets of modern epistemology; and I offer an outline of a defense of scientific realism which avoids the inadequacies in question.
Thermal gradient in the vicinity of Kwale/Okpai gas plant, Delta state, Nigeria: Preliminary observations

Environmental Pollution now persist in Nigeria especially the oil-rich regions of Delta State. One of these problems is due to gas flaring. Thermal gradient resulting from the gas flared at Kwale/Okpai gas plant is hereby reported. Surface temperature variations with distance from the flare point were investigated for the four cardinal directions. The results show a surface temperature elevation of about 3.7° C above the mean normal daily temperature within a radius of 270 M. Hence the thermal equilibrium has been altered. This increase in temperature has undesirable effect on man and his environment especially on the socio-economic lives and activities of the inhabitants. It is therefore necessary that Government Agencies empowered to monitor environment such as Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) should embark on adequate remediation activities in order to stop the environmental degradation before enormous and permanent damage is caused. Furthermore, the companies involved in the gas flaring should be made to be concerned with the danger they may be causing the inhabitants in particular and the populace in general.
Consistency, relevance, and resistance to change

Abstract Two groups of subjects, one instructed to consider their opinions on a central issue to be in relevant relationships to other opinions in their belief systems and the other, to consider their opinions on the central issue to be in irrelevant relationships to these other opinions, were exposed to a persuasive communication concerning the central issue. It was predicted and found that the greatest resistance to change was among “Relevant” subjects with initially consistent belief systems, while the least resistance was among “Relevant” subjects with initially inconsistent belief systems. “Irrelevant” subjects changed an intermediate amount, and consistent and inconsistent subjects in this group did not differ in resistance to change. Derived changes that were obtained in other opinions in the system were also examined for these subjects. Another two groups of subjects were exposed to a persuasive communication concerning one of the other opinions in the system, and derived changes in opinions on the central issue were not obtained.
Comparison of 17O spin-lattice relaxation solid state NMR studies of pure and doped ices

Abstract This paper gives results from NMR experiments measuring the dynamics of proton motion in various ice samples. Specifically, we measure 17 O spin-lattice relaxation rates ( T 1 ) for pure ice, and for HCl and KOH-doped ices. For pure ice, a plot of Ln 1/ T 1 vs. 1/ T between 230 and 145 K gives activation energies for proton motion of 4.4 ± 0.1 kcal/mol (8.4 T) and 3.4 ± 0.1 kcal/mol (7.0 T). For the HCl-doped samples, an Arrhenius behavior is observed in the experimental temperature range, giving activation energies of 4.6 ± 0.1 kcal/mol (2 M) (8.4 T) and 4.4 ± 0.1 kcal/mol (0.9 M) (8.4 T). In contrast, the KOH-doped ice data does not behave in an Arrhenius fashion, rather, the molecular dynamics appear to speed up at lower temperatures for all concentrations of KOH-doped ices.
Bacterial Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) Activates NF-κB through Interleukin-1 (IL-1) Signaling Mediators in Cultured Human Endothelial Cells and Mononuclear Phagocytes

Bacterial Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) Activates NF-κB through Interleukin-1 (IL-1) Signaling Mediators in Cultured Human Endothelial Cells and Mononuclear Phagocytes
Some physical properties of paramyosin from earthworms.

Abstract Paramyosin was prepared from earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) by two different methods that have been used in the past. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate shows that the older method yields slightly degraded material (mostly β- and γ-paramyosin) while the newer method yields essentially intact, i.e., α-, paramyosin. Physical studies, particularly circular dichroism, light scattering, and sedimentation velocity show that the native molecule is a double α-helical coiled coil of molecular weight 200,000, length 1200 A, and diameter 20 A. These properties are the same as reported previously for molluscan paramyosin. Also like clam paramyosin, the worm protein molecule loses its helix content and dissociates into its two constituent polypeptide chains upon exposure to sufficient concentration of Gdn-HCl. Furthermore, the same partially denatured states can be reached from either native or completely denatured proteins, indicating that they are all equilibrium states. However, the Gdn · HCl-induced denaturation profile for the worm paramyosin is quite different from the clam. The helix content of worm paramyosin diminishes monophasically with increasing concentration of Gdn-HCl, showing that the molecule does not possess a region of special stability such as its clam analog boasts. This conclusion is supported by experiments on papain digestion of worm paramyosin, wherein no resistent core is seen.
Misconceptions Among Nurses About Evidence-Based Practice

Purpose: To delineate the origins and fundamental tenets of evidence-based practice (EBP) and to enhance understanding of this important term. Methods: A critical review of the literature pertaining to evidence-based practice from the fields of medicine and nursing, including international reports. Findings: The roots of EBP indicate this term is not a synonym for research utilization but rather is the rubric for a set of epistemologic assumptions. Key components of EBP include evidence hierarchies and systematic reviews. Differences were found between the views of EBP presented in papers published by nurses within the US compared to those published by nurses outside the US. Conclusions: The literature shows incongruity in the interpretation of the basic tenets of the evidence-based paradigm. Additionally, nurses may underestimate implications of the evidence-based movement. These two problems impede nurses' participation as full partners in the advancement of evidence-based practice. They also represent a call to action to achieve a more standardized framework for advancing EBP in nursing.
Congenital lactase deficiency.

The absence of intestinal lactase activity is manifested by lack of absorption of lactose with consequent diarrhea and malnutrition. Two patients with congenital lactase deficiency are described. The association of other disaccharidase deficiencies is documented during the acute stage of the illness. The diagnostic possibilities in patients with lactose intolerance are discussed. A tabular review of the literature is presented.
A note on disjunctive Rado numbers

Abstract For all integers m , n , such that 3⩽ m ⩽ n , let r ( S ( m ), S ( n )) represent the least integer such that for every 2-coloring of the set {1,2,…, r ( S ( m ), S ( n ))} there exists a monochromatic solution to either S ( m ): ∑ i =1 m −1 x i = x m or S ( n ): ∑ i =1 n −1 x i = x n . The integer r ( S ( m ), S ( n )) is called the disjunctive Rado number for the above two equations. In this paper it is determined that r S(m),S(n) = m 2 −m−1 for m⩽n⩽m+1, m 2 −2m+1 for m+2⩽n⩽m 2 −2m+2, n−1 for m 2 −2m+3⩽n⩽m 2 −m−1, m 2 −m−1 for n⩾m 2 −m.
Structural features of the apical and tubulovesicular membranes of rodent small intestinal tuft cells.

Tuft cells are present in most columnar epithelia derived from endoderm including the small intestine. They are characterized by long, wide apical microvilli and an extensively developed cytoplasmic tubulovesicular system. We examined in detail the structural features of the apical plasma membrane of small intestinal tuft cells from adult guinea pigs, rats, and adult and suckling mice with freeze-fracture and conventional transmission electron microscopy methods and utilized cationized ferritin and horseradish peroxidase as tracers to determine whether tuft cells endocytose macromolecules. The microvillus membrane of intestinal tuft cells has few P-face intramembrane particles, displays little alkaline phosphatase activity, and is highly enriched in cholesterol. Tuft cell tight junctions resemble those of absorptive cells in strand count and strand-to-strand crosslinks but, unlike those of absorptive cells, they display many abluminal free-ending strands. Tuft cells of adult and suckling mouse intestine show no evidence of internalization of cationized ferritin or, in suckling mice, uptake of horseradish peroxidase. We conclude that the microvillus membrane of small intestinal tuft cells is protein poor but cholesterol-rich and that small intestinal tuft cells do not endocytose macromolecules in bulk from the intestinal lumen.
Trials and tribulations: student approaches and difficulties with proposing mechanisms using the electron-pushing formalism

The skill of proposing mechanisms of reactions using the electron-pushing formalism (EPF) is not only of value to practicing organic chemists but it is also emphasized to students enrolled in organic chemistry courses at all levels. Several research studies in the past decade have documented the difficulties that undergraduate, and even graduate students, encounter when trying to propose mechanisms using the EPF. An examination of this work suggests the emergence of a preliminary, but coherent, picture of students' strategies and difficulties with using electron-pushing to solve a variety of organic chemistry tasks. The first two sections of this paper, I present (1) two factors that may underlie several of the students' difficulties as presented in the organic chemistry education research literature; and (2) a model of how students approach solving mechanism tasks using the EPF. This paper concludes with a section on potential implications for instruction and a set of research questions arising from this analysis that have yet to be answered.
Custom IC for Ultralow Power RF Energy Scavenging

This letter presents a custom IC that provides an efficient interface between an ultralow power RF rectifying antenna (rectenna) power source and a microbattery for maximum power scavenging. The energy scavenger IC operates a boost converter in pulsed fixed-frequency discontinuous conduction mode to present a positive resistance to the rectenna. It uses current-starved circuitry, a nonoverlapping gate drive, and a subthreshold current source to achieve a nominal supply current in the 200-nA range for V DD = 2.5 V. Experimental results are given with the IC scavenging energy from a 1.93-GHz patch rectenna to a battery with voltages ranging from 2.5 to 4.15 V. Overall conversion efficiency including all control losses is demonstrated at over 35% at an input power of just 1.5 μW and at over 70% at input power levels over 30 μW. The IC is fabricated in a 5-V, 0.35-μm CMOS process. Although the IC was designed for RF energy scavenging, the low-power boost converter can be applied to other power sources such as wind, vibration, and temperature.
Mining Your OCLC ILL Data: Using OCLC ILL Management Statistics with Microsoft Access and Excel (But Mostly Access)

With the OCLC Product Services web site, OCLC member libraries began downloading their ILL Management Statistics files. IMS captures a complete record for each borrowing and lending transaction. The subscribers can import them to any off-the-shelf spreadsheet or database management software they are comfortable with, then use that software to manipulate and extract data and create customized reports
Current Perspectives on Teaching the Four Skills

This article presents an overview of recent developments in second language (L2) teaching and highlights the trends that began in the 1990s and the 2000s and are likely to continue to affect instruction in L2 skills at least in the immediate future. Also highlighted are recent developments in instruction as they pertain specifically to the teaching of L2 speaking, listening, reading, and writing. In the past 15 years or so, several crucial factors have combined to affect current perspectives on the teaching of English worldwide: (a) the decline of methods, (b) a growing emphasis on both bottom-up and top-down skills, (c) the creation of new knowledge about English, and (d) integrated and contextualized teaching of multiple language skills. In part because of its comparatively short history as a discipline, TESOL has been and continues to be a dynamic field, one in which new venues and perspectives are still unfolding. The growth of new knowledge about the how and the what of L2 teaching and learning is certain to continue and will probably remain the hallmark of TESOL’s disciplinary maturation.
Effect of thermal treatments on the properties of coconut milk emulsions prepared with surface-active stabilizers

Previously we have demonstrated improved stability of coconut milk emulsions homogenized with various surface-active stabilizers, i.e., 1 wt% sodium caseinate, whey protein isolate (WPI), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), or polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate (Tween 20) [Tangsuphoom, N., & Coupland, J. N. (2008). Effect of surface-active stabilizers on the microstructure and stability of coconut milk emulsions. Food Hydrocolloids, 22(7), 1233–1242]. This study examines the changes in bulk and microstructural properties of those emulsions following thermal treatments normally used to preserve coconut milk products (i.e., � 20 � C, � 10 � C, 5 � C, 70 � C, 90 � C, and 120 � C). Calorimetric methods were used to determine the destabilization of emulsions and the denaturation of coconut and surface-active proteins. Homogenized coconut milk prepared without additives was destabilized by freeze–thaw, (� 20 � C and � 10 � C) but not by chilling (5
Architectures for Low-Offset Monolithic Op-Amps

This chapter will discuss circuit architectures for low-offset (<1OμV) op-amps. The techniques used fall into two categories: autozeroing and chopping [1]. Although these two classes of techniques could be used for low-offset amplifiers in general, the architectures presented here have been designed to process continuous-time signals. The architectures have also been designed for use as op-amps. This means they need to be stable when used with different feedback networks, i.e. they need to be compensated. Since the feedback network is application specific and left to the customer, most op-amps are designed to be stable with the greatest amount of feedback: unity closed-loop gain.
Mycosis fungoides presenting as ARDS and diagnosed by bronchoalveolar lavage. Radiographic and pathologic pulmonary manifestations.

A patient with Mycosis jungateles involving the lung, presenting with ARDS, and diagnosed by bronchoalveolar lavage, is described. A review and correlation of chest radiographic manifestations and pathologic observations are presented. We stress the importance of obtaining a specific diagnosis in light of the tenuous radiographic-pathologic correlation and discuss procedures for diagnosis and the inclusion of bronchoalveolar lavage as a previously undescribed diagnostic modality. The dismal prognosis of these patients, once pulmonary involvement is diagnosed, is noted.
P05.05. The effects of mindfulness training on caregivers of children with special needs: a qualitative analysis

Purpose Parents who raise children with special needs and special educators involved in teaching this vulnerable population experience high levels of stress. While evidence suggests that mindfulness training (MT) can help reduce stress levels, little is known about the paths through which mindfulness may influence caregivers’ well-being and interactions. This study investigated how caregivers who have children with developmental challenges perceive the experience of MT on their well-being, family and work relations, and caregiving practices.
Letter identification in word, nonword, and single-letter displays.

Letter identification in four-letter words, four-letter nonwords, and single-letter displays was tested using a two-alternative, forced-choice procedure. The nonwords were constructed to be pronounceable and orthographically regular. All displays were tachistoscopically presented without pre- or postexposure masking fields. The mean proportions of correct choices were.749 for letters,.735 for words, and.671 for nonwords, with the latter proportion being significantly smaller than those for the other conditions. The relatively high performance for letters was attributed to the absence of masking fields in the present study, since masks have been shown to interfere more with letter processing than word processing in similar studies. The superiority of words over regular nonwords was used as evidence to support the hypothesis that the perceptual unit in reading can be at least as large as a four-letter word.
POISSON REGRESSION WITH A PERIODIC FUNCTION

ABSTRACT Let {yt } be a Poisson-like process with the mean μ t which is a periodic function of time t. We discuss how to fit this type of data set using quasi-likelihood method. Our method provides a new avenue to fit a time series data when the usual assumption of stationarity and homogeneous residual variances are invalid. We show that the estimators obtained are strongly consistent and also asymptotically normal.
An Empirical Comparison of Two Sequential Decoding Algorithms

The results of comparison of the conventional Fano algorithm and a new stack algorithm proposed by Zigangirov and Jelinek, by computer simulation of two sequential decoding algorithms are reported. The results indicate that for rates near R comp the stack algorithm offers a considerable improvement in decoder speed over the Fano algorithm, provided that fairly large storage capacity is available for use by the decoder.
Inventions and the creative process

Patents and inventions, while related (in that the former describes the latter), are orthogonal instruments. A patent is merely a legal document that entitles its bearer to an argument. Although it might contain an invention, this isnt absolutely necessary. Whether it does is generally the subject of the (aforementioned) argument. Thats what lawyers are for. On the other hand, an invention is an abstract instrument created by the mind, and in the (nascent) information age, machines can also create.
Automated Question Answering From Lecture Videos: NLP vs. Pattern Matching

This paper explores the feasibility of automated question answering from lecture video materials used in conjunction with PowerPoint slides. Two popular approaches to question answering are discussed, each separately tested on the text extracted from videotaped lectures: 1) the approach based on Natural Language Processing (NLP) and 2) a self-learning probabilistic pattern matching approach. The results of the comparison and our qualitative observations are presented. The advantages and shortcomings of each approach are discussed in the context of video applications for e-learning or knowledge management.
The Impact of Intersectoral Labor Reallocation on Economic Growth

This study seeks to explain economic growth differences in an aggregate production function framework, where labor reallocation from agriculture to modern sectors influences labor efficiency growth. The econometric analysis uses a panel of 65 countries over 1960-90. The results highlight: (a) the differences in labor reallocation impact on growth, controlled for using the intersectoral wedge in labor productivities; (b) the significance of labor reallocation effects, even after controlling for capital accumulation, initial conditions, and country effects; (c) the role of slow labor reallocation in explaining the dummy variable for Sub-Saharan Africa; (d) the role of initial education levels in explaining differences in labor reallocation rates.
Where the action is: monitoring local trends in sexual behaviour

Objectives: To assess the role in an overall monitoring strategy of the PLACE method of estimating local trends in sexual behaviour among individuals at social venues in areas at increased risk of HIV transmission. Methods: Public venues identified by community informants as places where people meet new sexual partners were visited and characterised in Karaganda, Kazakhstan, in 2002 and 2003, and in a township in South Africa in 2000 and 2003. At a subset of venues, a representative sample of individuals socialising at the venue were interviewed about their sexual behaviour. The age distribution and partnerships rates of those socialising at these venues were compared by year and with national data from Kazakhstan and South Africa obtained via household surveys. Results: Women and men socialising at venues were younger and had higher rates of new and concurrent partnerships than men and women interviewed in national household surveys. There was little apparent change in sexual behaviour between 2002 and 2003 in Karaganda. In the South African township, there was a reduction in sexual partnerships and an increase in condom use, possibly due to a local AIDS prevention programme. Conclusion: Findings from the PLACE method supplement national data on sexual behaviours with data from key populations in high transmission areas, inform local targeting of interventions, and, when subsequent rounds of PLACE are implemented, can evaluate change in target populations.
The People, Rhetoric, and Affect: On the Political Force of Du Bois' 'The Souls of Black Folk'

In recent years, the concept of "the people" has received sustained theoretical attention. Unfortunately, political theorists have said very little about its explicit or implied deployment in thinking about the expansion of the American polity along racial lines. In taking up this issue, the purpose of this paper is twofold. First, to provide a substantive account of the meaning of "the people," what I call its descriptive and aspirational dimensions. And second, to use that description as the framework for understanding the rhetorical character of W. E. B. Du Bois' classic work, The Souls of Black Folk, and its relationship to what we might call the cognitive-affective dimension of judgment. In doing so, I argue that as a work of political theory, Souls draws a specific connection between rhetoric on the one hand, and emotional states such as sympathy and shame on the other to enlarge America's political and ethical imagination regarding the status of African-Americans.
Applying behavior change models to understand spiritual mechanisms underlying change in substance abuse treatment.

Despite increasing attention directed to conceptual and methodological issues surrounding spirituality and despite the centrality of “spiritual transformation” in the recovery literature, there is little systematic evidence to support the role of spiritual change as a necessary condition for substance abuse behavior change. As an explicit conceptualization of mechanisms underlying behavior change is fundamental to effective interventions, this article: 1) briefly reviews relevant behavior change theories to identify key variables underlying change; 2) presents an integrative conceptual framework articulating linkages between program components, behavior change processes, spiritual change mechanisms and substance abuse outcomes; and 3) presents a discussion of how the mechanisms identified in our model can be seen in commonly used substance abuse interventions. Overall, we argue that spiritual transformation at an individual level takes place in a social context involving peer influence, role modeling, and...
Systematic search for multi-phase codes and design of mismatched filters for multi-user underwater sonar ranging system

Summary form only given. A technique is introduced to select poly-phase codes and design mismatched filters of a pulse compression system to have specific temporal and frequency response characteristics. In the particular problem under study, multiple sonar vehicles, up to eleven, need to be assigned codes and receiver filters that have nearly orthogonal signatures. Also, narrowband users that act as interference are present within the system. A code selection procedure based on global optimization technique called simulated annealing is used that selects codes which have low auto-correlation sidelobes and low cross-correlation peaks. Mismatched filters are designed for these codes which minimize the peak values in the auto-correlation and the cross-correlation. Also, a slight adjustment to the mismatched filter design technique produces mismatched filters with nulls in their frequency response in addition to having low correlation peaks. These two separate procedures, code selection and mismatched filter design, taken together, provide a unique approach to solving the problems of multi-user system corrupted by narrowband interference. The mismatched filter design also allows the design frequency nulls at any frequency with arbitrary null attenuation, null width, and sidelobe level, at the cost of processing gain. >
From global to local, a continuum of shape models with fractal priors

A new shape modeling scheme is introduced. It can transform smoothly from local (distributed parameter) to global (lumped parameter) models or vice-versa. The modeling scheme makes use of a hybrid primitive, called the deformable superquadric, constructed in an orthonormal wavelet basis. This multiresolution basis provides the power to continuously transform from local to global shape deformations, and thereby allow for a continuum of shape models-from those with local to those with global shape descriptive power-to be created. The characteristic of continuously transforming from local to global shape deformations allows the generation of fractal surfaces of arbitrary degree that can be useful in describing natural detail. These multiresolution shape models reembedded in a probabilistic framework and used for segmenting anatomical structures in the human brain from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. >
Blended analysis for improving the quality of framework-intensive applications

We propose a new combination of static and dynamic analyses to improve software quality in large, framework-intensive applications, e.g., for performance and security.
STUDIES ON SOLUBLE RIBONUCLEIC ACID: THE ACTION OF SNAKE VENOM PHOSPHODIESTERASE ON SOLUBLE RIBONUCLEIC ACID IN YEAST.

SUMMARY The hydrolytic action of snake venom phosphodiesterase on soluble ribonucleic acid in yeast and synthetic polyribonucleo- tides was examined. It found that these polynucleotides were digested completely by the enzyme. All evidence in our study, as well as in earlier studies, indicates that the action phosphodiesterase is exonucleolytic and devoid base specific- ity. In confirmation of earlier findings with soluble ribonucleic acid in rabbit liver, it was seen that the methylated purines and pyrimidines, and also +uridine, soluble ribonucleic acid in yeast show a tendency to group together in the central segments of the chain. Acknozuledgment-The authors are indebted and grateful to Drs. K. S. McCully, W. A. Klee, and S. W. Luborsky for patient and interesting discussions during both the course of the work and the preparation of the manuscript. REFERENCES 1. RAZZELL, W. E., AND KHORANA, H. G., J. Biol. Chem., 334. 2105 (1959). 2.
Dispersion Durations of P-Wave and QT Interval in Children Treated With a Ketogenic Diet

Abstract Background Limited data are available on the effects of a ketogenic diet on dispersion duration of P-wave and QT-interval measures in children. We searched for the changes in these measures with serial electrocardiograms in patients treated with a ketogenic diet. Methods Twenty-five drug-resistant patients with epilepsy treated with a ketogenic diet were enrolled in this study. Electrocardiography was performed in all patients before the beginning and at the sixth month after implementation of the ketogenic diet. Heart rate, maximum and minimum P-wave duration, P-wave dispersion, and maximum and minimum corrected QT interval and QT dispersion were manually measured from the 12-lead surface electrocardiogram. Results Minimum and maximum corrected QT and QT dispersion measurements showed nonsignificant increase at month 6 compared with baseline values. Other previously mentioned electrocardiogram parameters also showed no significant changes. Conclusions A ketogenic diet of 6 months' duration has no significant effect on electrocardiogram parameters in children. Further studies with larger samples and longer duration of follow-up are needed to clarify the effects of ketogenic diet on P-wave dispersion and corrected QT and QT dispersion.
On the importance of global diversity trends and the viability of existing paleontological data

Regardless of the macroevolutionary issues at stake, most students of biodiversity would agree that there is value in calibrating global biodiversity trends through critical intervals. To cite one obvious example, given the overwhelming interest in mass extinctions, we would certainly like to know the extent to which diversity declined during these events. Just as significantly, if we are to argue that any mass extinction was truly a global phenomenon, we must demonstrate definitively that its biotic effects reached around the world. Clearly, “standard” global compendia (e.g., Sepkoski 1992, 2002) are insufficient for the latter objective, because they contain no geographic or environmental information. At the least, a database that compares biodiversity transitions among different regions or paleoenvironments is required. Such analyses have the added benefit of providing opportunities to evaluate geographic and environmental selectivity in extinctions, an important facet of any attempt to understand what caused them (e.g., Raup and Jablonski 1993; Jablonski and Raup 1995). However, beyond the desire to assess mass extinctions and other globally mediated biotic events, does an accurate read of global diversity through a given stratigraphic interval really tell us anything that we could not learn about macroevolutionary processes simply by focusing on one or a few well-studied regions? After several decades of intense investigation, this question remains contentious. Even among the four authors who reached a landmark consensus about the trajectory of Phanerozoic global diversity (Sepkoski et al. 1981), there was no consensus about what produced the pattern. On the one hand, Bambach (1977) suggested that Phanerozoic trends in median species richness within communities (a proxy for alpha diversity [see Sepkoski 1988]) paralleled trends exhibited in aggregate, global compilations of taxonomic richness. Further, in evaluating the ecological propensities of Sepkoski's (1981) three evolutionary faunas, Bambach (1985) argued that increases in the …
The problem of corrosion and tarnish of dental restorative and implant metals.

The linear polarization technique has been used to measure polarization resistances and corrosion currents directly in the mouths of baboons and in vitro for a wide range of dental and implant alloys. Good correlations were found to exist between these two conditions, indicating that this test is accurate and valid as well as being simple to perform. Intraoral corrosion proceeded faster, probably due to abrasion by foodstuffs. Tarnish has also been measured using an intraoral tristimulus colorimeter and results were compared with the corrosion determinations. The tarnish of pure metals (Au, Ag and Cu) was inversely proportional to corrosion. Gold alloys tarnished little but varied in corrosion current. Dental amalgams corroded the most but the tarnish experience depended more on their chemistry than their precious metal composition.
Some effects of copper-based fungicides on plant-feeding terrestrial molluscs: A role for repellents in mollusc management

Abstract The effects of three copper-based fungicides on feeding by four terrestrial molluscs (two slugs and two snails) were assessed in laboratory choice and no-choice tests. These products functioned effectively as short-term feeding deterrents. However, a copper hydroxide-based fungicide was more persistent than copper octanate- and copper diammonia diacetate-based fungicides under field conditions. Tests with foliage treated in the field and fed to Leidyula floridana and Lissachatina fulica showed that significant feeding suppression persisted for several days. We also determined that copper hydroxide was repellent, affecting movement of L . floridana slugs independent of food. Further, we assessed copper hydroxide effects with and without iron phosphate molluscicide bait. Copper hydroxide alone significantly suppressed foliage consumption, but did not affect slug survival. Iron phosphate bait alone caused slug mortality, and significantly suppressed feeding, but only after 24 h. Significantly improved foliage protection, relative to iron phosphate bait application alone, was attained when copper hydroxide repellent was used simultaneously with iron phosphate bait. Where terrestrial molluscs are a plant protection issue, it appears that ancillary benefit can be derived from using copper hydroxide fungicides. These data provide evidence for the potential application of the “push–pull” or “stimulo-deterrent” concept relative to mollusc management; plant protection may be enhanced when attractant and repellent treatments are applied simultaneously.
Active learning for electrodermal activity classification

To filter noise or detect features within physiological signals, it is often effective to encode expert knowledge into a model such as a machine learning classifier. However, training such a model can require much effort on the part of the researcher; this often takes the form of manually labeling portions of signal needed to represent the concept being trained. Active learning is a technique for reducing human effort by developing a classifier that can intelligently select the most relevant data samples and ask for labels for only those samples, in an iterative process. In this paper we demonstrate that active learning can reduce the labeling effort required of researchers by as much as 84% for our application, while offering equivalent or even slightly improved machine learning performance.
Season of Birth and Intelligence in Samples of Exceptional Children

The relationship between season of birth and intelligence was studied utilizing a group of 923 exceptional students, including 213 gifted, 302 mentally retarded, and 408 learning disabled children. The statistical analysis indicated that the areas of exceptionality and season of birth are not independent of one another. The significance was attributed to the subjects with learning disabilities.
Warmup effects in free recall

A series of six experiments investigated warmup effects in free recall as a function of stimulus item type (words vs trigrams) and composition (related vs unrelated). Significant warmup was found when trigrams served as stimuli, but there was no sizable effect for word stimuli.
Patient health satisfaction survey in connecticut correctional facilities.

Although routine in the community, patient satisfaction surveys are relatively rare in correctional settings. This article describes the development of an instrument specifically adapted to the cor...
Effect of heparin on triglyceride and free fatty acid concentrations in lymph.

SummaryThe glyceride and free fatty acid contents of thoracic, intestinal, and hepatic lymph of rabbits, and thoracic lymph of rats were determined before and after intravenous administration of he...
392 QUALITY OF LIFE AND BURDEN OF DISEASE FOR ADULTS WITH CONGENITAL HEART DISORDERS AND ARRHYTHMIAS

Background Advances in surgical techniques and patient care have decreased mortality rates and increased the life expectancy for patients with serious congenital heart abnormalities. These individuals are now commonly living into adulthood following palliative surgeries. As the group of adult congenital heart patients grows, it is increasingly important to quantify the experiences and symptoms that they live with. In order to understand the patient perspective, investigations must explore the impact that increased life expectancy has on the quality of life (QOL) of these individuals. Limited investigations have begun to describe QOL for this population but the impact of specific procedures and complications has not been well described. One frequent complication of palliative surgeries like the Fontan and Mustard procedures is arrhythmia and this investigation explores the impact of this complication on QOL and self-perceived health for these individuals. Methods Self-perceived health status and quality of life were investigated for 39 patients who had undergone either Fontan or Mustard procedures, and are followed in an adult congenital heart clinic. Patients completed a package that included the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index (QLI) and the Short Form Health Status (SF-36) questionnaires, with additional items designed by the investigators to assess arrhythmia specific symptoms. Results No significant differences between the diagnostic groups (Mustard and Fontan) or arrhythmia (arrhythmia and nonarrhythmia) groups were found on measures of perceived health (SF-36), quality of life (QLI), or arrhythmia symptoms (dizziness, nausea, and syncope (all p ≥ .05)). Between-groups effect sizes (Cohen9s d) for Mustard vs. Fontan and arrhythmia vs. nonarrhythmia were small, indicating that surgical procedure or presence of diagnosed arrhythmia have little effect on patient9s perceived quality of life and perceived arrhythmia symptoms. Conclusion While arrhythmia is a common outcome of some corrective cardiac surgeries for congenital abnormalities, this study indicates that in the adult population, it has little impact on patients9 perceived quality of life. These results suggest that current efforts to manage adult congenital heart patients with arrhythmias have been successful at minimizing the impact of their conditions.
Embryo transfer to the uterus or the fallopian tube after in vitro fertilization yields similar results

The outcome of ZIFT and IVF-ET was compared in consecutive nontubal factor patients in a prospective fashion. Groups did not differ in characteristics and were matched by the number of prezygotes/pre-embryos transferred. Overall, implantation, pregnancy, miscarriage, and ongoing PRs were not statistically different. These results suggest that ZIFT offers no significant advantage over IVF-ET for the treatment of nontubal infertility.
Dynamics of cancer cell interactions with microvasculature and interstitium

Interactions of cancer cells with the microvasculature and the interstitium of non-malignant tissue were studied in a rabbit ear chamber preparation using intravital fluorescent microscopy. Injection of VX2 carcinoma cells into the auricular artery feeding the chamber led to mechanical entrapment, adhesion, and in some instances, extravasation of cancer cells. Implantation of VX2 cells in the interstitial space led to increases in the interstitial diffusion coefficients and the microvascular permeability. Our results are compared with those available in literature and directions for future research are pointed out.
Case 13-1989: A 76-Year-Old Woman with Multiple Bone Lesions and Thrombocytopenia

Presentation of Case A 76-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of pain about the right hip. There was a history of the radiographic detection of osteosclerotic lesions of the lumbosa...
The Domestic Context of Soviet Emigration Policy

The most widely held view among Western scholars and analysts is that shifts in emigration policy during the 1970s and 1980s were linked to the ebb and flow of US–Soviet relations.2 According to adherents of this position, when US–Soviet relations are good, or the Soviet Union desires improved political or economic relations, emigration increases. Conversely, emigration decreases when relations sour or the USSR sees no foreign policy advantage accruing from it. While such reasoning, which may be called the ‘barometer thesis’, offers a model for explaining and projecting trends in emigration, it is flawed because by overlooking influences beyond those in the realm of foreign policy it perpetuates a narrow view of the USSR as a state that makes policy only on the basis of external considerations, a state with no domestic concerns. Further, it is ultimately ineffective as a method of interpreting Soviet emigration policy. For example, it cannot account for either the surge in Jewish emigration during 1976–79, when US-Soviet relations were deteriorating rapidly, or for the flood of emigrants after 1986, although the Jackson-Vanik amendment still remained in force. Similarly, it fails to explain trends in German emigration, especially when FRG-USSR relations improved but emigration decreased.
Family-Centered Positive Behavior Support Interventions in Early Childhood To Prevent Obesity

Positive behavior support (PBS) strategies in early childhood, which include proactively structuring environments to support and positively reinforce healthy dietary and physical activity behaviors, are critical for preventing pediatric obesity, particularly among low-income, ethnic minority children. Existing evidence-based family-centered preventive interventions effectively impact parents’ use of PBS strategies. Enhancing these programs to more directly target the key mechanisms of change specific to promoting children's healthy lifestyle behaviors could serve as the foundation for the next generation of effective protocols for preventing pediatric obesity. Two established programs that target PBS that can be feasibly implemented in a variety of service delivery systems using a multi-tiered, adaptive approach and the next steps of translation are discussed.