cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing peer victimization across adolescence: measurement invariance and developmental change.

An upward extension of the Revised Social Experience Questionnaire (Paquette & Underwood, 1999) was tested in a sample of adolescents followed longitudinally from 7th through 10th grade. We hypothesized that a 2-factor model with overt and social victimization factors would fit the data better than would a unidimensional model (a single general victimization factor) or a 3-factor model (separately examining verbal, physical, and social victimization). The 2-factor model best represented the data, and we found support for longitudinal invariance of this model across 7th through 10th grades for both boys and girls. Such findings of temporal invariance are important for further longitudinal comparisons, and we suggest future directions for using the Revised Adolescent Social Experience Questionnaire to examine stability and change in victimization as well as evaluating the effectiveness of intervention programs. Language: en
Seeking person-related predictors of coping: Exploratory analyses

Studies using person-related variables to predict the nature of coping responses have had only limited success. However, besides often using measures of unknown reliability, such studies have not recognized that consistency or variability of response may itself be dispositional. Current analyses of archival, community-based data selected only psychometrically sound indices and segregated consistent from flexible copers. Demographic predictors were found to have considerably greater explanatory power within the consistent groups, those variables tapping informational or material resources proving particularly germane to the choice between instrumental and avoidant strategies. These results suggest that person-related influences on coping may currently be underestimated; implications for the future study of such influences are discussed.
Matching three-dimensional objects using a relational paradigm

Abstract A relational model for describing three-dimensional objects has been designed and implemented. The model, which provides a rough description to be used at the top level of a hierarchy for describing objects, was designed for initial matching attempts on an unknown object. Each description is in terms of the set of simple parts of an object. Simple parts can be sticks (long, thin parts), plates (flat, wide parts) and blobs (parts that have three significant dimensions). The relations include an attribute-value table for global properties of the object, the properties of the simple parts, binary connection and support relationships, ternary connection relationships, parallel relationships, perpendicular relationships and binary constraints. An important use of the model is to characterize the similarity and differences between three-dimensional objects. Toward this end, we have defined a measure of relational similarity between three-dimensional object models and a measure of feature similarity, based only on Euclidean distance between attribute-value tables. In a series of computer tests, we compare the results of using the two different similarity measures and conclude that the relational similarity is much more powerful than the feature similarity and should be used when grouping the objects in the database for fast access.
Comparing the performance of collection selection algorithms

The proliferation of online information resources increases the importance of effective and efficient information retrieval in a multicollection environment. Multicollection searching is cast in three parts: collection selection (also referred to as database selection), query processing and results merging. In this work, we focus our attention on the evaluation of the first step, collection selection.In this article, we present a detailed discussion of the methodology that we used to evaluate and compare collection selection approaches, covering both test environments and evaluation measures. We compare the CORI, CVV and gGLOSS collection selection approaches using six test environments utilizing three document testbeds. We note similar trends in performance among the collection selection approaches, but the CORI approach consistently outperforms the other approaches, suggesting that effective collection selection can be achieved using limited information about each collection.The contributions of this work are both the assembled evaluation methodology as well as the application of that methodology to compare collection selection approaches in a standardized environment.
"The Capture:" Kidnapping Students' Interests Using the "Guardians of Ga'Hoole".

ABSTRACT This project describes a fourth-grade unit that integrated science and language arts using the book The Capture as a focal point. During the unit, students engaged in science activities and language arts lessons that focused on owls. Students conducted investigations that helped them develop a deeper understanding of the adaptations of several owl species. Additionally, the fourth-graders developed their language arts skills for conducting research, using figurative language, and presenting information. Examples of helpful resources and student work are included.
The use of quantitative scintigraphy in the measurement of portal-systemic shunting in rats.

Portal-systemic shunting was studied in 54 portal hypertensive rats bothin vivo andin vitro using radioactive microspheres. The animals underwent partial portal vein ligation around needles of varying diameter to produce a wide range of shunting. Two to four weeks later, quantitative lung-liver scintigraphic and whole body images were obtainedin vivo following ileocolic vein injection with99mTc-MAA. After sacrifice, the lung and liver activities were determined by the gamma camera, a dose calibrator, and a well counter. Portal-systemic shunting ranged from 0.1–97.6%. When shunting was comparedin vivo andin vitro, an excellent correlation was found (r=0.99, p< 0.001). A subgroup of 24 animals had consecutive injections of99mTc-MAA and51Cr-labeled 15 μm microspheres, which, although different in size, yielded similar results (r=0.89, p< 0.001). We conclude that in small laboratory animals a wide range of shunting can be measured accuratelyin vivo by quantitative scintigraphy.
A Computational Fluid Study of Falling Film Behavior on Flat Plate

In this paper, the 3D numerical simulations on falling film behaviour on flat plate with and without interfacial gas-liquid shear stress are carried out. The film thickness and velocity distribution of water film flow with different Reynolds numbers are studied. The results agree well with the experimental and theoretical data. The influence of the surface wave on film velocity is revealed. The calculations also investigate the effect of gas-liquid shear stress on solitary waves of falling film.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Oral Desmopressin: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Study of Effectiveness in Children With Primary Nocturnal Enuresis

AbstractPurpose: Desmopressin nasal spray has proved to be efficacious treatment of primary nocturnal enuresis. Oral desmopressin tablets would be a more easily used, convenient vehicle for our patients and their parents. We evaluated the effectiveness of oral desmopressin in decreasing the number of wet nights in patients with primary nocturnal enuresis.Materials and Methods: We performed a double-blind, placebo controlled, parallel group trial of oral desmopressin in 141 children 5 to 17 years old with documented primary nocturnal enuresis at 14 sites. Patients were screened for number of wet nights for 2 weeks before study entry. A minimum of 3 wet nights weekly for 2 consecutive weeks was required for study entry. Patients were randomized to receive 200, 400 or 600 mcg. desmopressin or placebo before bedtime. Fluids were restricted 2 hours before bedtime based on body weight. The primary efficacy variable was mean decrease in the number of wet nights recorded during the last 2-week treatment period. T...
Resolvent Estimates for Fleming–Viot Operators with Brownian Drift

Abstract This article is a supplement to the paper of D. A. Dawson and P. March ( J. Funct. Anal. 132 (1995), 417–472). We define a two-parameter scale of Banach spaces of functions defined on M 1 ( R d ), the space of probability measures on d -dimensional euclidean space, using weighted sums of the classical Sobolev norms. We prove that the resolvent of the Fleming–Viot operator with constant diffusion coefficient and Brownian drift acts boundedly between certain members of the scale. These estimates gauge the degree of smoothing performed by the resolvent and separate the contribution due to the diffusion coefficient and that due to the drift coefficient.
Import Protection, Export Promotion, and Product Positioning

The argument that import protection may lead to export promotion is examined from the marketing standpoint. The model shows that protection allows home firms to cover a larger portion of the domestic market than they otherwise would and to target market segments that are closer to the mainstream. At the same time, foreign competitors are forced to retreat to more idiosyncratic market segments of narrower appeal. Thus, protection gives home firms a product positioning advantage over their foreign rivals; this advantage translates into higher market share and profits—not only in the protected home market, but also in export markets.
Virtuosity: programmable resource management for spawning networks

Abstract The creation, deployment and management of network architecture is manual, time consuming and costly. To the network architect the creation process is ad hoc in nature, based on hand crafting small-scale network prototypes that evolve toward wide scale deployment. We envision a different paradigm where `spawning networks' are capable of profiling, spawning, architecting and managing distinct virtual network architectures. This paper provides an overview of the Genesis Kernel framework and its life cycle of spawning virtual networks, and focuses on the design, implementation and evaluation of virtuosity, a plug-in module for the Genesis framework that supports programmable resource management of spawned virtual networks. The design goal of virtuosity is to minimize the complexity of handling multiple spawned virtual networks that potentially operate over multiple resource management timescales. We present a spawning network emulation environment and a virtuosity simulation system. Both of these components are implemented as virtual network extensions to ns. Through simulation we evaluate programmability, signaling, timescales, measurement-based estimation and traffic metering of virtual networks using virtuosity.
A Kp dependent equatorial electric field model

A new model of the earth's electric field in the equatorial plane has been constructed. While many models have been proposed, most of these have had serious shortcomings. They either have only a few parameters and cannot hope to match even large scale variations in the real field, or they are too complex to be suitable starting points for constructing time dependent three dimensional models which include inductive fields. Also, few previous models have a continuous functional dependence upon magnetic disturbance levels. The new model uses only a dozen parameters and yet fits many of the known dependences upon radial distance, local time, and magnetic disturbance level. One of the roles of electric field models is to predict and understand the motion of charged particles. Models like this one which are based upon a time dependent scalar potential can greatly help in the understanding of the motion of equatorial particles during the time periods between substorms.
Localized collapsing cues can steer growth cones without inducing their full collapse

Collapsing factors are proteins that induce growth cone collapse and paralysis when added in a soluble form to cultured embryonic neurons. Here we examine the responses of growth cones to localized collapsing signals. Temporal retinal ganglion cell growth cones exposed to a localized collapsing stimulus from nasal retinal ganglion cell axons frequently turn smoothly away from the axons without collapsing. Turning is rare on contact with retinal axons that are unable to induce collapse. In a separate series of experiments, dorsal root ganglion growth cones tend to turn away from beads coated with a brain extract enriched for the motility-inhibiting protein collapsin. Many turns are accomplished with filopodial contact alone. Growth cones do not turn away from control beads coated with heat-inactivated collapsin. These results suggest that inhibitory guidance cues can steer growth cones through a localized inhibition of lamellipodial protrusion.
Multicenter Comparison of Truncated Biphasic Shocks and Standard Damped Sine Wave Monophasic Shocks for Transthoracic Ventricular Defibrillation

Background The most important factor for improving out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation survival rates is early defibrillation. This can be achieved if small, lightweight, inexpensive automatic external defibrillators are widely disseminated. Because automatic external defibrillator size and cost are directly affected by defibrillation waveform shape and because of the favorable experience with truncated biphasic waveforms in implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, we compared the efficacy of a truncated biphasic waveform with that of a standard damped sine monophasic waveform for transthoracic defibrillation. Methods and Results The principal goal of this multicenter, prospective, randomized, blinded study was to compare the first-shock transthoracic defibrillation efficacy of a 130-J truncated biphasic waveform with that of a standard 200-J monophasic damped sine wave pulse using anterior thoracic pads in the course of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator testing. Pad-pad ECGs were also examined ...
A microstructural investigation of NiAl/Ni-Si-B/NiAl transient liquid phase bonds

Microstructural development during transient liquid-phase bonding of cast polycrystalline near-stoichiometric NiAl (B2 compound, β-phase) was investigated using cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. Bonds made using Ni-4.5 wt % Si-3.2 wt % B (AWS designation BNi-3) interlayers in the form of melt-spun foils were studied. Microstructural changes in the joint region and surrounding substrates were examined as a function of holding time at temperatures of 1065 and 1150°C. The transformation of the substrate β-phase to L10-type martensite due to aluminium transfer to the joint has been discussed, and the formation of L12 type (γ′ structure) layers at the joint-substrate interfaces considered. The nature of the isothermal solidification process has also been discussed and the changes, with holding time at the bonding temperature, in the character of the residual eutectic examined. The formation of M23X6-type borides within both the joint and surrounding substrates was also considered.
Examining the linguistic needs of internationally educated nurses: A corpus-based study of lexico-grammatical features in nurse–patient interactions

Abstract Within English for Medical Purposes (EMP), one area of concern is to develop programs for international medical graduates (IMGs) working in the U.S. (Hoekje & Tipton, 2011). Along with IMGs, internationally educated nurses (IENs) are an increasingly important part of the U.S. workforce (Davis & Nichols, 2002). While communication difficulties for IENs are well documented (Davis & Nichols, 2002; Xu, 2007), few previous studies have investigated the discourse of IENs' interactions with patients. In order to inform IEN training programs, it is important to determine linguistic characteristics that distinguish IEN speech from that of U.S. nurses (USNs), native English speaking nurses born and trained in the U.S. To investigate differences between the two groups, a corpus of 102 nurse–patient interactions (52 IENs and 50 USNs) was collected and analyzed for lexico-grammatical features. Results show that USNs used particular lexico-grammatical features more frequently, including past tense and various stance features (e.g., certainty adverbs such as maybe and kind of ), all of which play an important role in creating rapport with patients and providing more patient-centered interactions. The findings have implications for IEN training programs, as well as EMP courses for nursing students and other medical professionals.
α-Oxoaldehyde metabolism and diabetic complications

The factors responsible for variable susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy are not clear. According to the non-enzymatic glycation hypothesis, diabetes-related tissue damage occurs due to a complex mixture of toxic products, including alpha-oxoaldehydes, which are inherently toxic as well as serving as precursors for advanced glycation end-products. Protective mechanisms exist to control this unavoidable glycation, and these are determined by genetic or environmental factors that can regulate the concentrations of the reactive sugars or end-products. In diabetes these protective mechanisms become more important, since glycation stress increases, and less efficient defence systems against this stress could lead to diabetic complications. Some of these enzymatic control mechanisms, including those that regulate alpha-oxoaldehydes, have been identified. We have observed significant increases in production of the alpha-oxoaldehydes methylglyoxal and 3-deoxyglucosone in three human populations with biopsy-proven progression of nephropathy. The increase in methylglyoxal could be secondary to defects in downstream glycolytic enzymes (such as glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) that regulate its production, or in detoxification mechanisms such as glyoxalase. Other mechanisms, however, appear to be responsible for the observed increase in 3-deoxyglucosone levels. We present results of our studies on the mechanisms responsible for variable production of alpha-oxoaldehydes by measuring the activity and characteristics of these enzymes in cells from complication-prone and -resistant diabetic patients. New therapeutic interventions designed to control these endogenous mechanisms could potentially enhance protection against excessive glycation and prevent or reverse complications of long-term diabetes.
Structural Trends among Ionic Metal-Halide Adlayers on Electrode Surfaces

X-ray diffraction techniques have been used to determine the structures of Tl−Cl, Tl−I, and Pb−Br compounds adsorbed on Au(111) in acid solution. As in the previous case of Tl−Br, several well-defined mixed adlayer phases with stoichiometries of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 have been found over a wide potential region. Sufficient data have been gathered to explore the general structural trends among electrochemically prepared two-dimensional (2D) binary ionic compounds. The observed structural phase behavior is rationalized by symmetry and electrostatic considerations in 2D binary ionic crystals. For the 1:1 stoichiometry, square symmetry is generally preferred because it allows an ion to surround itself with the maximum number of counterions. On a hexagonal substrate, this becomes distorted to either a rectangle or a rhombus in commensurate or uniaxially commensurate phases, depending on whether the cation and anion layers are in the same plane.
Regulation of sarco/endoplasmic Ca2+ -ATPase expression by calcium in human lens cells.

Maintenance of cellular calcium levels is critical to cell function. Loss of calcium homeostasis might be a contributing factor to the development of cataract in the lens. In lens epithelium, calcium is involved in cell signaling and its precise regulation is vital. In this study, we investigated the regulation of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase2b (SERCA2b) and SERCA3 isoform expression in cultured epithelial B-3 cells from human lenses. Both mRNA and membrane proteins samples were collected for semi quantitative RT-PCR using GAPDH as a control. Western blot analyses were performed on membrane samples.Thapsigargin, a SERCA isoform inhibitor which causes increased cytosolic levels elicited dose-and time-dependent up-regulation of SERCA3 at both mRNA and protein levels; SERCA2b expression was unaffected. Both EGTA and actinomycin partially inhibited the thapsigargin-induced SERCA3 up-regulation. These results indicate that the up-regulation of SERCA3 by thapsigargin is dependent on a calcium-mediated pathway that is likely to occur at the transcription level.
Antigen binding rosette forming cells in a friend virus-induced leukemia.

Les souris infectees par le virus de la leucemie de Friend avaient le meme nombre de cellules spleniques capables de se lier a des erythrocytes de mouton grâc a un recepteur immunolgobuline que les souris normales, non infectees, et servant de controle, possedent egalement. De plus, les souris infectees par le virus repondent a l'immunisation par des erythrocytes de mouton defacon nettement diminuee.
Characterization of static 3D graphics workloads

D graphics transform 3D models into 2D images by simulating the physics of light propagation from the lighting sources, through the objects, and eventually to the eyes. Although specialized graphics hardware engines have been proposed and implemented in the past, and a heated in- terest in PC-class 3D graphics cards is currently emerging, detailed descriptions and analysis of 3D graphics workloads which graphics hardware design can be based on are almost non-existent. This work takes the first step towards a compre- hensive 3D graphics workload characterization by reporting the results of an empirical study us- ing an instrumented software polygonal renderer tested on a wide variety of static 3D graphics models with sufficiently sophisticated geometric and texture properties.
Advances in High-Speed Imaging by Objective-Coupled Planar Illumination Microscopy

For measuring neuronal activity, planar illumination microscopy possesses advantages of speed and low phototoxicity. I will describe optical strategies to improve resolution as well as applications measuring neuronal function.
Applications of nuclear methods in the automotive industry

Over the years nuclear methods have proved to be a valuable asset to industry in general and to the automotive industry in particular. This paper summarizes some of the most important recent contributions of nuclear technology to the development of vehicles having high quality and long-term durability. Radiotracer methods are used to measure engine oil consumption and the wear rates of inaccessible components. Radiographic and tomographic methods are used to image fluids and structures in engines and accessory components. Tracers are used to understand combustion chemistry and quantify fluid flow. Gauging methods are used for inspection and process control. Nuclear analytical methods are used routinely for materials characterization and problem solving. Although nuclear methods are usually considered as the means of last resort, they can often be applied more easily and quickly than conventional methods when those in industrial engineering and R&D are aware of their unique capabilities.
An "optimal" modal reduction of a system with frictional excitation

Abstract The proper orthogonal decomposition theorem is used in an "optimal" modal reduction of a frictionally excited system. The chaotic dynamics are exploited in obtaining a basis that broadly represents the system's dynamics. This basis is used in a Galerkin's approximation to reduce the system order. The reduced model is validated using qualitative and quantitative means and also from the occurrence of bifurcations. The results confirm the validity of the method and expose the benefits of using proper orthogonal modes rather than the linear natural modes of the system.
Mindin the fort.

The immune system uses many sensors to detect and report microbial invaders. Most of these sensors are associated with immune cells, but the extracellular matrix also seems to be essential for this sentinel duty.
Numerical simulation of surfactant–polymer coreflooding experiments for carbonates

Abstract Surfactant–polymer (SP) flooding is of particular interest in recent years due to its synergetic effects of interfacial tension reduction and mobility control with minimal side effects. This work focuses on constructing an SP simulation model using laboratory data and validating it by matching coreflooding results. A series of SP coreflooding experiments were performed in carbonate cores under reservoir conditions. Chemical injection was implemented in tertiary mode with varying slug sizes and concentrations. The coreflooding results show significant oil recovery potential for SP formulations under the conditions investigated. The base SP flood resulted in 23.4% incremental recovery after waterflooding with the polymer and surfactant contributions being about the same. The results also demonstrate the effects of surfactant slug-size and concentration on the recovery performance. Using UTCHEM the input parameters, necessary to predict incremental recoveries, were investigated. A general SP simulation model was initiated, in which polymer viscosity dependence on concentration and salinity was established in the laboratory; surfactant phase behavior parameters were generated from test-tube results; and oil desaturation was based on additional coreflooding. After matching water and polymer flooding results, the surfactant simulation model was tuned through history matching the performance of a series of SP corefloods. A subsequent sensitivity analysis establishes the confidence level of the input parameters. The sensitivity analysis also highlights the significance of IFT reduction. Finally, we numerically investigated the optimum chemical formulation. Optimization runs were performed under a fixed chemical consumption condition. The results support the optimality of previously selected slug sizes while suggesting the potential benefit of increasing the polymer concentration at the expense of surfactant concentration.
The Demand for Money: The Evidence from the Short-Run Data

I. Introduction, 291. — II. The issues, 292. — III. The definition of money, 293. — IV. The role of interest rates, 296. — V. Cyclical variations, 297. — VI. Summary, 299. — Appendix, 300.
Sol-gel processing of oriented PbTiO3 thin films with lead acetylacetonate as the lead precursor

Abstract Sol-gel lead titanate thin films were spin-coated onto MgO(100), platinum-coated silicon, SrTiO3(211) and SrTiO3(100) substrates. This method utilizes lead acetylacetonate as the lead precursor instead of the widely used lead acetate trihydrate, along with titanium iso-propoxide. The use of lead acetylacetonate yielded a more stable precursor solution as compared to that of lead acetate trihydrate. Lead titanate crystallized at a temperature as low as 425°C, which is considerably lower than the Curie temperature. Films deposited on various substrates and annealed at 425°C showed different orientations. Typical microstructure studies indicated the presence of submicrometer grains of the order of 0.1 μm.
Small, local, and loyal: How firm attributes affect workers’ organizational commitment

We explore how firm size and local ownership influence employees’ organizational commitment. Using a civic community perspective, we hypothesize that small and locally owned businesses engender more employee loyalty in a representative national sample of workers. That hypothesis is supported for all workers and is most clearly evident in a subsample of rural workers. Our results show that working at small businesses and locally owned businesses significantly increases an employee’s organizational commitment. Furthermore, individuals who work at small businesses that are also locally owned are found to have the highest level of organizational commitment. Our study provides insight into how structural elements of an organization, such as small businesses and locally owned businesses, are associated with an improved quality of life and a more robust civil society. Moreover, this paper highlights the need for further research on how structural attributes of businesses affect the attitudes and opinions of workers.
Efficient execution of memory access phases using dataflow specialization

This paper identifies a new opportunity for improving the efficiency of a processor core: memory access phases of programs. These are dynamic regions of programs where most of the instructions are devoted to memory access or address computation. These occur naturally in programs because of workload properties, or when employing an in-core accelerator, we get induced phases where the code execution on the core is access code. We observe such code requires an OOO core's dataflow and dynamism to run fast and does not execute well on an in-order processor. However, an OOO core consumes much power, effectively increasing energy consumption and reducing the energy efficiency of in-core accelerators. We develop an execution model called memory access dataflow (MAD) that encodes dataflow computation, event-condition-action rules, and explicit actions. Using it we build a specialized engine that provides an OOO core's performance but at a fraction of the power. Such an engine can serve as a general way for any accelerator to execute its respective induced phase, thus providing a common interface and implementation for current and future accelerators. We have designed and implemented MAD in RTL, and we demonstrate its generality and flexibility by integration with four diverse accelerators (SSE, DySER, NPU, and C-Cores). Our quantitative results show, relative to in-order, 2-wide OOO, and 4-wide OOO, MAD provides 2.4×, 1.4× and equivalent performance respectively. It provides 0.8×, 0.6× and 0.4× lower energy.
Measuring Patients' Expectations and Requests

The literature supports the conclusion that patients' expectations are wide ranging, can be measured, and have potentially important clinical consequences. Learning to elicit, evaluate, and underst...
The role of lung function in brain tissue oxygenation following traumatic brain injury.

Object Previous studies have demonstrated that periods of low brain tissue oxygen tension (PbtO2) are associated with poor outcome after head trauma but have primarily focused on cerebral and hemodynamic factors as causes of low PbtO2. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of lung function on PbtO2 with an oxygen challenge (increase in fraction of inspired oxygen [FiO2] concentration to 1.0). Methods This prospective observational cohort study was performed in the neurointensive care unit of the Level 1 trauma center at San Francisco General Hospital. Thirty-seven patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) undergoing brain tissue oxygen monitoring as part of regular care underwent an oxygen challenge, consisting of an increase in FiO2 concentration from baseline to 1.0 for 20 minutes. Partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2), PbtO2, and the ratio of PaO2 to FiO2 (the PF ratio) were determined before and after oxygen challenge. Results Patients with higher PF ratios achieved g...
Digital Applications of Thermoplastic Recording

Thermoplastic films' unique combination of thermal, electrical, and optical properties results in a versatile information storage medium which finds both digital and analog applications. As a digital storage medium, thermoplastic is best suited as a file memory where large capacity and rapid read access is a necessity. Reading and writing rates are completely independent. The fabrication of either sequential or random access devices using tapes or plates is possible. These couple high density capability with electron beam agility to provide large capacity storage and outstanding performance with regards to data transfer rates and read access. The recording medium consists of a substrate for mechanical carriage, a conductive film for heat developing, and the thermoplastic film. The recording process consists of writing line charges with a data-modulated electron beam and then developing with heat. The surface grooves which are formed can be read optically with a flying spot scanner. The position feedback Information inherent in the recorded data allows tracking along a single groove regardless of density.
Nonstandard Student Conceptions About Infinitesimals

This is a case study of an undergraduate calculus student’s nonstandard conceptions of the real number line. Interviews with the student reveal robust conceptions of the real number line that include infinitesimal and infinite quantities and distances. Similarities between these conceptions and those of G. W. Leibniz are discussed and illuminated by the formalization of infinitesimals in A. Robinson’s nonstandard analysis. These similarities suggest that these student conceptions are not mere misconceptions, but are nonstandard conceptions, pieces of knowledge that could be built into a system of real numbers proven to be as mathematically consistent and powerful as the standard system. This provides a new perspective on students’ “struggles” with the real numbers, and adds to the discussion about the relationship between student conceptions and historical conceptions by focusing on mechanisms for maintaining cognitive and mathematical consistency. The conclusions we reach when we research student thinking are highly influenced by the way we regard a conception that differs from the standard ones held by communities of mathematicians. If we treat such a conception as a mere misconception, as a simple lack of knowledge or as an incorrect idea that should be eradicated, then we may miss some important aspects of how that conception functions within a student’s understanding. This article offers an extreme example of how examining the functionality and structure of a student’s conceptions, rather than dismissing these conceptions as misconceptions, reveals a meaningful structure to the student’s conceptions that otherwise might have been overlooked.
Unimolecular micelles: Synthesis and characterization of amphiphilic polymer systems

Unimolecular micelles were successfully synthesized from mucic acid, fatty acids, and poly(ethylene glycols) to create biocompatible polymers. These polymers consist of a core-shell structure that resembles conventional micellar structures but with significant thermodynamic stability in aqueous media. The core of the polymers provide a hydrophobic environment for drug encapsulation via hydrophobic interactions, whereas the shell provides excellent water solubility. The polymers were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared and mass spectroscopies, as well as gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric and elemental analyses. Encapsulation ability was measured using high-pressure liquid chromatography to monitor lidocaine, a hydrophobic molecule. Encapsulation capabilities increased as lipophilicity of the core increased. To verify that encapsulation was caused by individual unimolecular micelles, surface tension and dynamic light scattering measurements were performed. The results indicated that these unimolecular micelles have great potential as drug carriers.
Pressure volume relationships in human hydronephrosis

Pressure volume curves were obtained in 8 children with ureteropelvic junction obstruction prior to pyeloplasty after totally obstructing the ureteropelvic junction. All human renal pelves displayed a similar shape pressure volume curve. The human renal pelvis is able to accommodate to increasing volumes by maintaining a relatively low intrapelvic pressure Once its capacity is reached, pressures rise to pathologically high levels at a much faster rate. These findings suggest that hydronephrosis can be viewed as a compensatory mechanism which protects some kidneys from further overdistention, high intrapelvic pressures, and progressive renal deterioration by virtue of acquired changes in compliance, pelvic size, and renal function which limit the rate of pressure rise within the hydronephrotic kidney.
A robust feedforward compensation scheme for multistage operational transconductance amplifiers with no Miller capacitors

A multistage operational transconductance amplifier with a feedforward compensation scheme which does not use Miller capacitors is introduced. The compensation scheme uses the positive phase shift of left-half-plane (LHP) zeroes caused by the feedforward path to cancel the negative phase shift of poles to achieve a good phase margin. A two-stage path increases further the low frequency gain while a feedforward single-stage amplifier makes the circuit faster. The amplifier bandwidth is not compromised by the absence of the traditional pole-splitting effect of Miller compensation, resulting in a high-gain wideband amplifier. The capacitors of a capacitive amplifier using the proposed techniques can be varied more than a decade without significant settling time degradation. Experimental results for a prototype fabricated in an AMI 0.5-/spl mu/m CMOS process show DC gain of around 90 dB and a 1% settling time of 15 ns for a load capacitor of 12 pF. The power supply used is /spl plusmn/1.25 V.
Differentiable Sparse Coding

Prior work has shown that features which appear to be biologically plausible as well as empirically useful can be found by sparse coding with a prior such as a laplacian (L1) that promotes sparsity. We show how smoother priors can preserve the benefits of these sparse priors while adding stability to the Maximum A-Posteriori (MAP) estimate that makes it more useful for prediction problems. Additionally, we show how to calculate the derivative of the MAP estimate efficiently with implicit differentiation. One prior that can be differentiated this way is KL-regularization. We demonstrate its effectiveness on a wide variety of applications, and find that online optimization of the parameters of the KL-regularized model can significantly improve prediction performance.
A peer-based hardware protocol for intrusion detection systems

A number of intrusion detection systems have been developed to detect intrusive activity on individual hosts and networks. These systems rely almost exclusively on a software approach to intrusion detection analysis and response. In addition, the network systems developed apply a centralized approach to the detection of intrusive activity. The problems introduced by the's approach are twofold. First the centralization of these functions becomes untenable as the size of the network increases. However, the introduction of intermediate security systems increases the number of potential targets and introduces communication delays which are unacceptable for high bandwidth data transfers. Second, and more importantly, the combination of centralization and software implementation as an approach to network intrusion detection introduces a dangerous vulnerability. As intruders gain access to the system, they target the security software itself and the centralization ensures the compromise of the entire network. The solution to these problems is a hardware implementation of a decentralized approach to intrusion detection. This paper describes the hardware platform necessary to implement such a system. It also proposes an intrusion detection protocol which would be used by this hardware to communicate relevant intrusive activity events between heterogeneous systems connected in a network or internetwork. This work is based on the Cooperating Security Managers; a peer-based approach to intrusion detection developed at Texas A&M University.
Social and emotional impact of strabismus surgery on quality of life in children.

Purpose Improved quality of life after strabismus surgery has been demonstrated in adults, but has not been extensively studied in children. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychosocial effects of childhood strabismus surgery. Methods This was a prospective interventional study. A modified version of the RAND Health Insurance Study quality of life instrument was administered to parents or guardians of children with strabismus. The questionnaire was administered by telephone interviews conducted by trained staff before and 2 months after corrective surgery. Results Ninety-eight children with a mean age of 4.5 (±3.3) years were studied. Reliability measures (Cronbach's α coefficients) indicate that the questionnaire has good internal consistency (α > 0.7 in most subscales). Compared with before surgery, significant improvements were noted after surgery, especially within the functional limitations (paired Student's t -test, P = 0.01), social relations ( P P P Conclusions Parental proxies can provide meaningful measures of children's response to strabismus surgery. Statistically significant improvements were observed in social, emotional, and functional measures of the children's health status. As previously documented for adults, this study shows that psychosocial benefits afforded by strabismus surgery also contribute to an improvement in quality of life for children.
Temporal Distribution of Chaetocnema pulicaria (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Populations in Iowa

Abstract In 1999 and 2000, yellow sticky cards and sweep net samples were used to document the occurrence of an overwintering adult generation of Chaetocnema pulicaria Melsheimer, corn flea beetle, followed by two distinct populations peaks during the growing season in Iowa. Emergence of the overwintering adult generation started in mid-April and continued until early June in both years, with populations as high as 45 ± 7.9 per 10 sweeps. Periods that ranged from 14 to 32 d were observed in 1999 and 2000 when C. pulicaria was not found following the overwintering generation. The first summer peak of C. pulicaria was observed between the end of June into the middle of July, with the highest observed peak at 16.70 ± 1.42 C. pulicaria per 10 sweeps in cornfields. The second summer peak of C. pulicaria was observed between the middle into early September, with populations as high as 27.80 ± 2.76 C. pulicaria per 10 sweeps. During the growing season, more C. pulicaria were caught on yellow sticky cards origina...
Reinstatement of conditioned fear and the hippocampus: An attentional-associative model

An existing attentional-associative model of classical conditioning [Schmajuk N, Lam Y, Gray JA. Latent inhibition: a neural network approach. J Exp Psychol: Anim Behav Process 1996;22:321-49] is applied to the description of reinstatement in animals and humans. According to the model, inhibitory associations between the context (CX) and unconditioned stimulus (US) are formed during extinction, which help preserve the association between the conditioned stimulus (CS) and the US. However, summation and retardation tests fail to reveal these associations because (a) the CX is not attended or (b) a CX-CS configural stimulus formed during extinction is both poorly attended and weakly active during testing. When US presentations and testing occur in the same context, reinstatement is the consequence of a decreased CX inhibition and the increased attention to the CS, which activates the remaining CS-US association. When US presentations occur in the context of extinction but the CS is tested in a different context, reinstatement results from an increased attention to the CS and the combination of CS-CX and CX-US excitatory associations. The assumption that associations between CSs are impaired following neurotoxic hippocampal lesions or in amnesia, is sufficient to describe absence of reinstatement in those cases. However, additional assumptions might be needed to describe the effect of hippocampal lesions on other postextinction manipulations.
Quantitation and Characterization of Drip from Frozen-Thawed and Refrigerated Pork Liver

Drip from fresh (F), refrigerated (R-S), and frozen and thawed (F-T) vacuum packaged pork liver slices was characterized by blood or plasma content, enzymatic activity, protein content and SDS-PAGE patterns. Amount of drip from F and R-S liver slices was 2.2% and contained 40% blood. F-T increased drip but the amount depended on the number of F-T cycles. F-T drip contained 28% plasma. Enzymatic activity was higher for F-T drip but protein content was about the same. SDS-PAGE protein patterns of drip resembled patterns of model liver-blood mixtures but variations were evident due to storage conditions.
Validating pharmaceutical product claims: questions a formulary committee should ask

Claims, justifying the acceptance and placement of new products on health system formularies, are all too often presented in terms that are either unverifiable or only verifiable in a timeframe that is of no practical benefit to formulary committees. One solution is for formulary committees to request that (i) all predictive claims made should be capable of empirical testing and (ii) manufacturers in making submissions should be asked to submit a protocol that details how their claims are to be assessed. Evaluation of claims can provide not only a significant input to ongoing disease area and therapeutic reviews, but can also provide a needed link to comparative effectiveness research and value-based healthcare. This paper presents a set of protocol standards (PROST) together will questions that should be addressed in a protocol review.
Recurrent gene deletions and the evolution of adaptive cyanogenesis polymorphisms in white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

Understanding the molecular evolution of genes that underlie intraspecific polymorphisms can provide insights into the process of adaptive evolution. For adaptive polymorphisms characterized by gene presence ⁄absence (P ⁄A) variation, underlying loci commonly show signatures of long-term balancing selection, with gene-presence and gene-absence alleles maintained as two divergent lineages. We examined the molecular evolution of two unlinked P ⁄A polymorphisms that underlie a well-documented adaptive polymorphism for cyanogenesis (hydrogen cyanide release with tissue damage) in white clover. Both cyanogenic and acyanogenic plants occur in this species, and the ecological forces that maintain this chemical defence polymorphism have been studied for several decades. Using a sample of 65 plants, we investigated the molecular evolution of sequences flanking the two underlying cyanogenesis genes: Ac ⁄ac (controlling the presence ⁄absence of cyanogenic glucosides) and Li ⁄li (controlling the presence ⁄absence of their hydrolysing enzyme, linamarase). A combination of genome walking, PCR assays, DNA sequence analysis and Southern blotting was used to test whether these adaptive P ⁄A polymorphisms show evidence of long-term balancing selection, or whether gene-absence alleles have evolved repeatedly through independent deletion events. For both loci, we detect no signatures of balancing selection in the closest flanking genomic sequences. Instead, we find evidence for variation in the size of the deletions characterizing gene-absence alleles. These observations strongly suggest that both of these polymorphisms have been evolving through recurrent gene deletions over time. We discuss the genetic mechanisms that could account for this surprising pattern and the implications of these findings for mechanisms of rapid adaptive evolution in white clover.
Joint optimization of TCQ-TCM systems

Signal set expansion and set partitioning ideas from trellis coded modulation (TCM) have been previously applied to develop a source coding technique known as trellis coded quantization (TCQ). It has been also known that joint optimization of source and channel encoders/decoders results in substantial performance improvement. In this work, we investigate the performance of joint TCQ/TCM systems and develop various system optimization techniques. We consider channel optimized TCQ levels and asymmetric TCM symbol sets, and propose a simulated annealing based algorithm for joint optimization of TCQ levels and TCM symbols. Using these techniques signal to quantization noise ratio (SQNR) gains of 0.5-4 dB over nonoptimized systems are attained off-line. This, in turn, provides all the gain of going to a one step higher order trellis.