cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An analysis of the distinction between deep and shallow expert systems

Abstract : The first generation of expert systems (e.g., MYCIN, DENDRAL, R1) is often characterized as only using shallow methods of representation and inference, such as the use of production rules to encode empirical knowledge. First-generation expert systems are often dismissed on the grounds that shallow methods have inherent and fatal shortcomings which prevent them from achieving problem-solving behaviors that expert systems should possess. Examples of such desirable behaviors include graceful performance degradation, the handling of novel problems, and the ability of the expert system to detect its problem- solving limits. This paper analyzes the relationship between the techniques used to build expert systems and the behaviors they exhibit to show that there is not sufficient evidence to link the behavioral shortcomings of first-generation expert systems to the shallow methods of representation and inference they employ. There is only evidence that the shortcomings are a consequence of a general lack of knowledge. Moreover, the paper shows that the first-generation of expert systems employ both shallow methods and most of the so-called deep methods. Lastly, we show that deeper methods augment but do not replace shallow reasoning methods; both are necessary. (kr)
Significance of coexisting lawsonite, prehnite, and aragonite in the San Juan Islands, Washington

Aragonite and prehnite are widely associated in low-grade sedimentary, volcanic, and metaplutonic rocks of the San Juan Islands, Washington. The abundance of prehnite and the apparent absence of the high-pressure mineral lawsonite were thought to indicate that the aragonite had formed metastably. Our work now shows that lawsonite, commonly turbid and with a fibrous habit, also occurs in some of these rocks. The discovery of lawsonite indicates that the San Juan aragonite is probably a stable phase that indicates high-pressure metamorphism. The association of aragonite and prehnite also implies that the stability range of prehnite may extend to pressures above those of the calcite-aragonite transition. The occurrence of lawsonite is compatible with the interpretation that the bed rock of some of the San Juan Islands was subjected to deep and rapid tectonic burial by subduction at a convergent plate boundary.
The behavior of suddenly squeezed oil films

Abstract The behavioral characteristics of suddenly-squeezed castor oil films between convex steel surfaces were studied from the points of view of obtaining a continuous picture of the minimum oil film thickness, the maximum load-carrying capacity, the maximum pressure developed within the films, and the viscosity of the oil. The films exhibited great elastic properties. Light was the primary tool used in the investigation.
Comminuted fractures and fracture dislocations of the body of the astragalus

Abstract 1. 1. The customary treatment for comminuted fractures and fracture dislocations of the body of the astragalus has been astragalectomy or tarsal fusion. Results have, however, not been good. 2. 2. An operation of technical simplicity is suggested for the management of these injuries. Briefly, the principal steps are (1) exposure of the tibio-astragalar joint by means of an anterolateral incision; (2) removal of the fragmented astragalar body; and (3) embedding of a sliding graft from the distal, anterior surface of the tibia into the neck of the astragalus. 3. 3. The considerations of special importance in this operation are that the weight bearing thrust is placed on normal, undisturbed joint tissue and that there is no tendency for subsequent lateral deformity of the foot. 4. 4. Experience indicates that the end result of this procedure should be a painless, normal appearing foot and ankle with good stability and function.
Antimicrobial peptides isolated from skin secretions of the diploid frog, Xenopus tropicalis (Pipidae).

Seven peptides (XT-1-XT-7) with antimicrobial activity were isolated from norepinephrine-stimulated skin secretions of the diploid clawed frog, Xenopus tropicalis. Structural characterization of the peptides demonstrated that amino acid sequence similarity to antimicrobial peptides previously isolated from Xenopus laevis was low, suggesting that the species are not closely related phylogenetically. Peptides XT-5 and XT-3 are probably the orthologs of X. laevis peptide glycine-leucine amide (PGL(a)) and the N-terminal spacer region of prolevitide, respectively. XT-1, XT-6 and XT-7 show limited structural similarity to the spacer region of X. laevis procaeruleins and the paralogs XT-2 and XT-4 are similar to corresponding regions of proxenopsin. Orthologs of the magainins were not identified. The C-terminally alpha-amidated peptide XT-7 (GLLGPLLKIAAKVGSNLL.NH2) showed the lowest minimum inhibitory concentrations against reference microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus 5 microM, Escherichia coli 5 microM, and Candida albicans 40 microM) and was also active against clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant S. aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Streptococcus group C, Shigella sonnei, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter cloacae. The peptide was, however, hemolytic against human erythrocytes (50% lysis at 70 microM). Circular dichroism studies showed that XT-7 has a random structure in aqueous solution, pH 7.0 but adopts an alpha-helical conformation in the presence of 50% trifluoroethanol. Decreasing the cationicity of XT-7 either by replacement of the C-terminal CONH2 group by COOH or by deletion of the Lys(8) residue produced analogs with greatly (>10-fold) decreased antimicrobial potencies.
Concentration effects on the selective extraction of ethanol from aqueous solution using silicalite-1 and decanol isomers

Abstract The high-energy requirement to separate ethanol from fermentation broths by distillation is a major hurdle for the economical use of bio-renewable ethanol in a wide variety of chemical applications. Three-phase Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo simulations have been employed to assess the performance of two promising alternatives: adsorptive separation using silicalite-1, a hydrophobic zeolite, and liquid-liquid extraction using two high-molecular-weight alcohols, namely decan-1-ol and decan-4-ol. These simulations show that in both separation processes the selectivity for ethanol over water is significantly higher at low concentrations though this trend is more pronounced in the zeolite system. The vapor-to-sorbent partition coefficient is significantly higher at low concentrations, while the organic solvent systems show only a weak dependence of the vapor-to-solvent partition coefficient on concentration. This behavior can be rationalized by the different ethanol/water aggregates (in terms of size and architecture) formed in these two environments. A key factor in these differences is the spatial confinement of the hydrogen-bonded aggregates by the alkyl tails of the solvent or by the rigid zeolite structure.
Maintaining the PASE: A Day in the Life of Sport Education

(2002). Maintaining the PASE: A Day in the Life of Sport Education. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 73, No. 1, pp. 36-44.
Platelet uptake of serotonin and dopamine in Huntington disease

We investigated kinetic and pharmacologic properties of the uptake of serotonin and dopamine by blood platelets from patients with Huntington disease and from persons at high genetic risk of developing Huntington disease. Uptake proved normal.
Atomic masses of selected isotopes of erbium, hafnium, and osmium

A 41-cm double-focusing mass spectrometer has been used to measure atomic masses of $^{167}\mathrm{Er}$, $^{168}\mathrm{Er}$, $^{179}\mathrm{Hf}$, $^{180}\mathrm{Hf}$, $^{189}\mathrm{Os}$, and $^{190}\mathrm{Os}$. The measurements have yielded absolute atomic masses with errors less than 5 \ensuremath{\mu}u.
A case study in conservation politics: California's coastline initiative

Abstract The people of the State of California (USA) have voted to put coastline development under strict State control; control had previously been vested in local communities, in so far as it had existed at all. The newly-established policy represents a major break with tradition, as government authority over zoning and other development control has previously always been vested in the local community. It also represents a major break with the American tradition of unguided growth and development, for scenic and recreational values were considered more important by the majority of voters. Analysis of voting patterns shows that the strongest support was found among urbanites without much coastal access, while the strongest opposition was found in rural coastal counties (which stand to lose money) and rural mountain counties (where developers fear the mountains may be regulated next).
Bilateral projection of canine tooth pulps to neurons of the cat sensory trigeminal complex

Abstract The sensory trigeminal nuclei of cats were explored bilaterally with tungsten microelectrodes until neurons responsive to electrical stimulation of each canine tooth pulp were located. Then, the right trigeminal ganglion was transected and exploration was resumed. Stimulation of the left teeth generated 124 single-unit responses in 34 penetrations into the brain stem and evoked field potentials in 10 others after ganglionectomy. Although both left and right nuclear complexes yielded evoked activity, unit responses were obtained more frequently and field potentials attained higher amplitudes on the left. Stimulation of the right teeth, in contrast, triggered no unit discharges and evoked no field potentials in 51 postganglionectomy nuclear penetrations. Similarly, conditioning stimuli applied to the right teeth after ganglionectomy had no effect upon the responses to test stimuli applied to the left teeth. The data corroborate previous observations that many neurons in the trigeminal complex are innervated by bilateral projections from the canine dental pulps. In addition, they provide evidence that the projection from the contralateral canines is composed of primary and higher order afferent fibers which cross the midline exclusively within the brain stem to form a medullary-pontine pulpal decussation.
The effectiveness of support groups in increasing social support for kinship caregivers

Abstract Kinship caregivers face a variety of stressors including strains on family resources, legal challenges, conflicts with their own child, and loss of personal time. This paper focuses on the particular stress of reduced social support that grandparents and other relatives often experience. Frequently, kinship caregivers report feeling isolated from friends and family, and feeling unsupported at a time when they are likely to need greater social support. An intervention purported to increase the feeling of social support is the kinship support group. Though widely acclaimed as a valuable intervention, there has been limited research on the support group's actual effectiveness in increasing social support. The current study used the Dunst Family Support Scale (Dunst, Trivette, & Hamby, 1994) to measure how social support changed for kinship caregivers who participated in support groups versus kinship caregivers who did not attend the support groups. Findings indicated that caregivers who attended support groups experienced a significantly greater increase in social support than those caregivers who did not attend the support groups. An additional finding was that kinship caregivers attending the support groups were more likely to increase formal social supports from sources such as parent groups, social groups/clubs, church members, family physician, early childhood programs, school or day care, professional helpers and agencies compared to an increase in informal support such as spouse's parents, relatives, spouse's relatives, spouse, friends, spouse’ friends, and children. Conclusions include the recommendation for continued efforts to find or create the best measure of kinship support group effectiveness as well as continuing efforts to understand informal kinship caregivers about whom much less is known than formal caregivers. A practice recommendation is to continue and even increase the use of kinship support groups because of this beginning evidence of their effectiveness as well as the economy and relative ease in conducting them.
Neuropeptide abnormalities in anorexia nervosa

Starvation-induced alterations of neuropeptide activity probably contribute to neuroendocrine dysfunctions in anorexia nervosa. For example, CRH alterations contribute to hypercortisolemia and NPY alterations may contribute to amenorrhea. Alterations of these peptides as well as opioids, vasopressin, and oxytocin activity could contribute to other characteristic psychophysiological disturbances, such as reduced feeding, in acutely ill anorexics. Such neuropeptide disturbances could contribute to the vicious cycle that has been hypothesized to occur in anorexia nervosa. That is, the consequences of malnutrition perpetuate pathological behavior.
Erythropoietin-induced optimization of renal function after warm ischemia.

Abstract Background and Purpose: Recent preclinical data have indicated that erythropoietin (Epo) can protect organs from ischemic damage. We evaluated the ability of Epo to protect the kidney from the effects of ischemia. Methods: Thirty dogs underwent a laparoscopic nephrectomy and were allowed to recover for 2 weeks. The dogs were then divided into five groups. Animals in groups 1 and 2 underwent 1.5 hours of abdominal insufflation with placebo (saline) injection (group 1) or Epo injection (group 2) before; groups 3 to 5 underwent 1 hour of laparoscopic renal artery clamping after placebo injection (group 3), Epo injection (group 4), or mannitol injection (group 5). Serum evaluations and 24-hour urine collections were performed weekly. After 28 days, the animals were sacrificed. Statistical analysis was performed with the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: After recovery from the initial nephrectomy, all dogs had similar serum hematocrit and creatinine levels. Hematocrit was not significantly affected by Ep...
Occurrence of trehalose-6-phosphatase in Phormia regina Meig.

Abstract An enzyme capable of hydrolyzing trehalose 6-phosphate has been purified 56-fold from a homogenate of Phormia regina Meig. using a DEAE-cellulose column. The enzyme is quite specific, exhibiting a low activity toward glucose 6-phosphate and undetectable activity against a number of other phosphate-containing compounds. Other properties and its function in the metabolism of the insect are discussed.
Fat‐body remodeling in Drosophila melanogaster

The remodeling of the larval fat body is observed in many insects during metamorphosis, but little is known about the physiological importance or the regulation of this process. In Drosophila melanogaster, fat-body remodeling involves the dissociation of the fat body into individual fat cells, which persist throughout pupal development but are later removed by cell death in the young adult. Inhibition of fat-body dissociation is associated with pharate adult lethality and thus is likely to be an essential developmental event. As a start toward understanding the role of fat-body remodeling in the life history of insects, we carried out a detailed study of fat-body disassociation in D. melanogaster using fluorescent microscopy, and tested whether this process is mediated by hemocytes as proposed for fat-body remodeling in Sarcophaga peregrina. We identified and correlated stereotypic events in fat-body dissociation with developmental changes during metamorphosis, and have demonstrated by cell ablation studies that fat-body remodeling in D. melanogaster is a hemocyte independent process.
Determination of Fluorescence Efficiencies of Fluorophores in Highly Absorbing Solutions Using Right Angle Geometry

Abstract The determination of fluorescence quantum yields by measurements of fluorescence intensities of unknown and standard fluorophores at maximum possible fluorescence intensity (high absorbance) is simple and offers some distinct advantages over measurements with weakly absorbing solutions of the fluorophores.
Delay of gratification in children

To function effectively, individuals must voluntarily postpone immediate gratification and persist in goal-directed behavior for the sake of later outcomes. The present research program analyzed the nature of this type of future-oriented self-control and the psychological processes that underlie it. Enduring individual differences in self-control were found as early as the preschool years. Those 4-year-old children who delayed gratification longer in certain laboratory situations developed into more cognitively and socially competent adolescents, achieving higher scholastic performance and coping better with frustration and stress. Experiments in the same research program also identified specific cognitive and attentional processes that allow effective self-regulation early in the course of development. The experimental results, in turn, specified the particular types of preschool delay situations diagnostic for predicting aspects of cognitive and social competence later in life.
An on-line algorithm to optimize file layout in a dynamic environment

We describe an algorithm to manage the storage and layout of files cached on mechanical devices, such as magnetic disk drives. The algorithms respond in an on-line manner to maintain a dynamically changing working set of disk-resident files with fewer than ⌜lg n⌝ breaks for each disk-resident file of n blocks.
Introduction to Thematic Issues on “Islamic Religiosity: Measures and Mental Health”

Interest in Muslim populations has intensified significantly over the past few years, and published studies using Muslim samples have grown from relative obscurity in the academic landscape to incr...
Nursing home financial performance: the role of ownership and chain affiliation.

Background The nursing home industry serves one of the most vulnerable populations, and its financial sustainability is a matter of public concern. However, limited empirical evidence exists on the impact of ownership and chain affiliation on nursing home financial performance. Purposes The aim of this study was to examine the joint effects of ownership and chain affiliation on the financial performance of the nursing home industry for the study period 1999-2004 on a national sample of 11,236 nursing homes per year. Methodology/approach Data included the Medicare Cost Reports; the Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting file; and the Area Resource File. Dependent variables included operating and total margins. Independent variables included four ownership/chain affiliation combinations: for-profit chain, for-profit independent, not-for-profit chain, and not-for-profit independent. Random effects generalized least square regressions were performed. Findings Results show that for-profit nursing homes delivered better financial performance than not-for-profit facilities did across both operating and total margins. However, the relationship between chain affiliation and financial performance was more nuanced. In the case of operating margin, chain-affiliated facilities delivered superior financial performance irrespective of ownership type; however, in the case of total margin, independents outperformed chain-affiliated facilities among for-profits. Practice implications Our findings show an interactive effect of ownership and chain affiliation on nursing home financial performance, suggesting the pursuit of different organizational strategies by different ownership/chain affiliation subgroups (for-profit chain, for-profit independent, not-for-profit chain, and not-for-profit independent), with implications for financial performance. For-profit independent nursing homes managed to be the top performing group in terms of overall financial despite the operating financial advantage of for-profit chain-affiliated nursing homes. Similarly, not-for-profit independent nursing homes and not-for-profit chain homes had comparable overall financial performance despite the operating financial advantage of chain homes.
Estimation of capillary pressure and relative permeability functions from centrifuge experiments

A method to estimate capillary pressure and relative permeability curves simultaneously from transient, multirate centrifuge experiments performed on homogeneous rock is presented. The unknown functions are represented with B-splines, and the number of knots and coefficient values are selected through a regression-based procedure. The method is demonstrated by use of experimental data for dolomite and sandstone samples with air/water and oil/water fluid systems. An analysis of the accuracy of the estimates is presented. The capillary pressure curve and regions of both relative permeability curves can be estimated accurately.
THE USE OF COLOR IN THE SCIENTIFIC VISUALIZATION OF ACOUSTICAL PHENOMENA

Color is commonly used in representing scientific data, especially as color output devices have become widely available. The misuse of color can lead to confusing or even misleading representations of data. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of guidelines for using color effectively, specifically aimed at the computational acoustics community. The question of whether or not to use color at all is initially raised, and gray-scale is suggested for appropriate cases. Human color deficiencies in technical audiences are then described, and the consequential choices of equally-accessible color schemes are discussed. The topics of human color perception models, hypsometric tints, contoured plots, and histogram equalization are introduced. Color palettes specifically suited for acoustical phenomena, such as linear and dB magnitudes, scales for positive and negative data, circular palettes for phase, and methods for illustrating different classes of phenomena (e.g., wave types) on a single plot, are discussed in detail. Color examples and Mathematica code are provided, and final recommendations are made for choosing effective color schemes.
Temperature Dependence of Spin-Wave Energy in the t-Matrix Approximation

A Green's-function method is used to determine the spin-wave energy at finite temperatures in the itinerant model for a ferromagnet. The formalism, which was developed in a previous paper, is based on the $t$-matrix approximation in a one-band model, using the Hubbard Hamiltonian. Within this approximation, a formal expression is obtained for the spin-wave dispersion relation valid for all values of the wave vector $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{q}}$ in the low-density limit. From this, the spin-wave energy at low temperatures, expressed in the form ${C}_{0}={C}_{T}{T}^{2}$, is evaluated for a fcc lattice with first- and second-neighbor interactions. The value obtained for ${C}_{T}$, using a reasonable set of band parameters, is consistent with that obtained experimentally.
Percolation on grain boundary networks: Application to fission gas release in nuclear fuels

The percolation behavior of grain boundary networks is characterized in two- and three-dimensional lattices with circular macroscale cross-sections that correspond to nuclear fuel elements. The percolation of gas bubbles on grain boundaries, and the subsequent percolation of grain boundary networks is the primary mechanism of fission gas release from nuclear fuels. Both radial cracks and radial gradients in grain boundary property distributions are correlated with the fraction of grain boundaries vented to the free surfaces. Our results show that cracks surprisingly do not significantly increase the percolation of uniform grain boundary networks. However, for networks with radial gradients in boundary properties, the cracks can considerably raise the vented grain boundary content.
Printed diodes operating at mobile phone frequencies.

Printing electronics is a revolutionary approach for fabricating mechanically flexible, low-cost, lightweight, roll-to-roll manufacturable, and large-area optoelectronic devices (1⇓–3). This disruptive technology relies on unconventional electronic materials (semiconductors, dielectrics, conductors, passives) that can be formulated into inks and then printed into specific patterns using processes borrowed from the graphic arts industry (4, 5). Electronic and photonic building blocks, such as transistors, diodes, circuits, light emitters, light harvesters, batteries, and sensors will soon be fabricated and combined to enable applications, such as flexible active/passive displays, plastic radio frequency identification tags (RFID), wireless devices, disposable diagnostic devices, and rollable solar cells, to cite a few (6, 7), which is forecast as a multibillion-dollar market. The goal of printed electronics is not to replace the conventional inorganic-based electronic industry but to offer opportunities for new products and reduce production costs for given devices (Table 1). The main obstacle to the realization of this technology is on the materials side and, above all, the semiconductor (charge-transporting material), because semiconductors printed in ambient and at low temperature typically exhibit poor charge-transport characteristics. Furthermore, it is challenging to use newspaper printing presses for processing thin functional materials spaced by a few micrometers. Despite the above-mentioned issues, in PNAS Sani et al. (8) demonstrate the first all-printed diode rectifier …
A Testbed for Performance Evaluation of Underwater Vehicle Team Formation and Steering Algorithms

Underwater testbeds are key tools for performance evaluation of underwater communication and coordination algorithms to enable swarming of autonomous vehicles. We describe a demonstration of underwater vehicle team formation and steering algorithms using our underwater testbed. The tesdbed allows the user to configure ocean currents and underwater communication parameters so to study properties of these algorithms such as stability, robustness, and convergence.
Sex-related differences in mechanical nociception and antinociception produced by μ- and κ-opioid receptor agonists in rats

Previous studies indicate that in antinociceptive procedures employing thermal, chemical and electrical stimuli, opioids are generally more potent in male than female rodents. The purpose of the present study was to examine nociception and opioid antinociception in male and female rats using a mechanical nociceptive stimulus. Results indicated that males had a higher threshold for nociception, and in tests in which a constant pressure was applied to the hindpaw, the paw withdrawal latencies were consistently longer in males. Opioids with activity at the μ receptor, including levorphanol, morphine, dezocine, buprenorphine, butorphanol and nalbuphine, were generally more potent and/or effective in males. In contrast, sex differences were not consistently observed with the κ-opioid receptor agonists spiradoline, (5,7,8b)-N-methyl-N[2-1(1-pyrrolidinyl),1-oxaspiro[4,5]dec-8-yl benzeneacetamide (U69,593), trans-(±)-3,4-dichloro-N-methyl-[2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl]benzeneacetamide (U50,488), enadoline, ethylketocyclazocine, and nalorphine. These findings suggest that males and females differ in their responsiveness to mechanical nociception and that sex differences in sensitivity to κ-, but not μ-, opioid receptor agonists are specific to certain nociceptive stimulus modalities.
Pathology of the pancreas in severe combined immunodeficiency and DiGeorge syndrome: Acute graft-versus-host disease and unusual viral infections

Abstract Review of autopsies of 28 children with severe combined immunode-ficiency (SCID) or combined immunodeficiency (CID) and three with DiGeorge syndrome showed a high incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in the pancreas. Acute GVHD (seven cases: four SCID, two CID, and one DiGeorge syndrome) was characterized by lymphocytes around large to medium ducts, damage to ductal epithelium (focal necrosis, reactive nuclear changes, inspissated secretions in duct lumens), and periductal edema. Changes were judged indeterminate but suspicious for GVHD when ductal damage was slight (six cases: three SCID, two CID, and one DiGeorge syndrome). All patients with pancreatic GVHD had received allogeneic bone marrow, fetal liver or thymus transplant, or nonirradiated blood products and had evidence of GVHD in other organs. Immunoperoxidase stain for HLA-DR showed strong-to-moderate staining of duct epithelium in two of four GVHD cases for which blocks were available. This change was nonspecific; weaker staining for HLA-DR was seen in cases with nonspecific abnormalities and in viral pancreatitis. Four cases had histological evidence of viral infection: two had cytomeg-alovirus pancreatitis, one had patchy parenchymal necrosis caused by adenovirus, and one had giant cell pancreatitis caused by parainfluenza virus. Mild nonspecific changes, such as focal fat necrosis or acinar dilatation, were seen in seven cases. One case had unexplained marked pancreatic atrophy and fibrosis. Acute pancreatic GVHD is not uncommon in autopsies of children with congenital immune deficiencies with GVHD of other organs; however, this finding may not have strong clinical implications in this group of patients. Careful attention to pancreatic ducts is necessary for diagnosis. Unusual viral pancreatitis may also be seen in this group, as well as nonspecific abnormalities.
Location Estimation Scheme using Connectivity Constraints for Wireless Ad Hoc Sensor Networks

The paper proposes a method to estimate the location of nodes in a sensor network. The network has a few nodes whose locations are accurately known. The other nodes estimate their location based on neighborhood relationships gathered by them through message exchanges over a wireless ad hoc network. The paper shows that by incorporating non-neighbor constraints, one can substantially improve the accuracy of location estimation as compared to only utilizing neighbor relationships. The expected location estimation error is analytically derived for a certain regular deployment. For other deployments, empirical evaluation of the proposed scheme shows that the node locations can be estimated accurately without the need for any specialized hardware. The paper proposes a method to estimate the location of nodes in a sensor network. The network has a few nodes whose locations are accurately known. The other nodes estimate their location based on neighborhood relationships gathered by them through message exchanges over a wireless ad hoc network. The paper shows that by incorporating non-neighbor constraints, one can substantially improve the accuracy of location estimation as compared to only utilizing neighbor relationships. The expected location estimation error is analytically derived for a certain regular deployment. For other deployments, empirical evaluation of the proposed scheme shows that the node locations can be estimated accurately without the need for any specialized hardware.
The effects of nitric oxide inhalation on the pulmonary circulation of preterm lambs.

ABSTRACT: This study was designed to test the hypothesis that inhalation of nitric oxide by lambs delivered prematurely would result in increased systemic arterial blood oxygen tension and decreased pulmonary vascular resistance. Eleven premature fetal lambs were delivered by cesarean section at 126–127 d gestation. One hundred min after the onset of ventilation, nitric oxide gas was added to the lambs' breathing mixture. The animals were exposed in random order to 5 ppm for 10 min, 20 ppm for 10 min, and 20 ppm for 20 min. Each treatment period was preceded by and followed by a 10-min washout period. When compared with the washout (control) periods, all three treatment periods resulted in an improvement in both the systemic arterial blood oxygen tension and the physiologic intrapulmonary shunt. Inhalation of nitric oxide also resulted in a selective decrease in pulmonary arterial blood pressure. Comparisons between the different treatment groups revealed a further improvement in blood oxygenation and pulmonary hemodynamics when using the higher concentration of nitric oxide. Interestingly, the rise in arterial blood oxygenation continued after inhaling 20 ppm nitric oxide for more than 10 min.
User Fees and Family Policy: Attempting to Recover Costs for State‐Provided Child Support Enforcement Services

This study looks in depth at three family policy issues surrounding one state's attempt to recover costs for child support enforcement services provided to nonpublic assistance families. The issues are whether a cost recovery user fee should be assessed; to whom the fee should be assessed; and how to develop a fee structure to meet criteria established by the policy agents. The original study was mandated by the state legislature. Recommendations were made to the legislature to continue one small fee, discontinue another unpopular fee, and institute three new broad-based fees that would allow for nearly full cost recovery. In an election year the legislature accepted the first two recommendations but chose not to pursue the three new fees. Implications for policy development are drawn, focusing on the impact of user fees on service recipients and the role of the public sector in providing services that are available in the private sector in an era of tighter budgets.
How distant is gurbet? Refik Halid’s representation of Arabs in Gurbet Hikayeleri — with a note on Ottoman and Turkish Orientalisms

This article explores Refik Halid’s (Karay) reflections of his time in exile in Bilad al- Sham and other localities on the Arabian peninsula, as collected in semiautobiographical short stories written during the 1930s and published as Gurbet Hikayeleri (Exile Stories), and compares Refik Halid’s views of the Arab locals with the attitudes described by Ussama Makdisi and Edhem Eldem as “Ottoman Orientalism” and “Turkish Orientalism” respectively. However, I am inclined not to restrict such belittling attitudes towards the subjects who lived in the cultural peripheries of the empire to the nineteenth century. It seems necessary to develop a definition of Ottoman Orientalism that does not restrict the term to the age of reforms, one that can place the perceptions and tensions between groups of people within the empire in their historical perspective.
LINGO-1 regulates oligodendrocyte differentiation by inhibiting ErbB2 translocation and activation in lipid rafts

Oligodendrocyte differentiation is negatively regulated by LINGO-1 and positively regulated by the ErbB2 receptor tyrosine kinase. In wild-type oligodendrocytes, inhibition of ErbB2 blocks differentiation, whereas activation of ErbB2 promotes differentiation. In LINGO-1(-/-) oligodendrocytes, inhibition of ErbB2 blocks oligodendrocyte differentiation; whereas activation of ErbB2 does not enhance differentiation. Biological and biochemical evidence showing that LINGO-1 can directly bind to ErbB2, block ErbB2 translocation into lipid rafts, and inhibit its phosphorylation for activation. The study demonstrates a novel regulatory mechanism of ErbB2 function whereby LINGO-1 suppresses oligodendrocyte differentiation by inhibiting ErbB2 translocation and activation in lipid rafts.
Minimum Worst-Case-Erasure QOS Routing

In communication networks where (1) some nodes are capable of correcting up to a maximum number of erasure, and (2) the nodes are connected by the q-ary Symmetric Erasure Channels parametrized by their Bit Erasure Ratios (BER); it is often possible to find the path with minimum (zero) worst possible erasure. We introduce (1) the BER and Worst-Case Erasure (WCE) metrics and (2) an algebra equipped with a total ordering that allows us to compute and compare the path lengths from its edges' lengths, and ultimately measure edge QoS. We use these metrics with a generalized Dijkstra's Algorithm to compute the minimum WCE path.
Tectonic control of the crustal organic carbon reservoir during the Precambrian

Carbon isotopic trends indicate that the crustal reservoir of reduced, organic carbon increased during the Proterozoic, particularly during periods of widespread continental rifting and orogeny. No long-term trends are apparent in the concentration of organic carbon in shales, cherts and carbonates. The age distribution of 261 sample site localities sampled for well-preserved sedimentary rocks revealed a 500-700-Ma periodicity which coincided with tectonic cycles. It is assumed that the numbers of sites are a proxy for mass of sediments. A substantial increase in the number of sites in the late Archean correlates with the first appearance between 2.9 and 2.5 Ga of extensive continental platforms and their associated sedimentation. It is proposed that the size of the Proterozoic crustal organic carbon reservoir has been modulated by tectonic control of the volume of sediments deposited in environments favorable for the burial and preservation of organic matter. Stepwise increases in this reservoir would have caused the oxidation state of the Proterozoic environment to increase in a stepwise fashion.
ENHANCED DIAGNOSIS OF NARROW COMPLEX TACHYCARDIAS WITH INCREASED ELECTROCARDIOGRAPH SPEED

The objective of this study was to determine if the addition of rapid speed (50 mm/s) electrocardiograms (EKGs) improves the clinician's diagnostic accuracy of narrow complex tachycardias when compared to standard speed (25 mm/s) EKGs. We conducted a prospective, comparative trial. Forty-five difficult narrow complex tachycardias (heart rate range: 150-250 beats per minute) were printed at both 25 mm/s and 50 mm/s. Eight board certified emergency physicians initially interpreted the standard speed EKG (standard group) and chose a therapy for the hypothetical patient. These eight participants later interpreted the same 45 EKGs by using both the standard and rapid speed EKGs (rapid group) and again chose a therapy. The gold standard for each EKG was based on the patient's clinical diagnosis and was independently confirmed in all cases by a board-certified cardiologist. The rhythm distribution was as follows: atrial flutter (17), atrial fibrillation (11), paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (15), and sinus tachycardia (2). Participants were masked to all clinical information and EKG ratios. Diagnostic accuracy was compared by using McNemar's chi(2) test. Correct diagnosis improved from 226/360 (63%), in the standard group to 257/360 (71%) in the rapid group (difference in means 8.6%, p = 0.002). The incorrect use of adenosine was decreased from 43/240 (18%) in the standard group to 32/240 (13%) in the rapid group (difference in means 4.5%, p = 0.06). In conclusion, correct diagnosis of difficult narrow complex tachycardias was improved when EKGs at both 25 mm/s and 50 mm/s were used for interpretation. It appears that the simple technique of increasing the EKG paper speed, and thus effectively spacing out the rhythm, enhances the diagnostic ability of the observer.
The risk of low birth weight associated with vaginal douching

Abstract Objective: To examine the association between vaginal douching and low birth weight (LBW) after accounting for known risk factors. Methods: We used cross-sectional interview data from the 1988 National Survey of Family Growth, a nationally representative sample of 4665 women of child-bearing age and 11,553 singleton live births. We compared the risk of LBW among women who reported they douched regularly with the risk among women who did not douche, after controlling for potential confounders including maternal age, race, household income, marital status, total number of pregnancies, smoking, alcohol use, drug use during the pregnancy, year of birth of each infant, geographic region, and self-reported history of pelvic inflammatory disease. Results: In multivariate analysis, regular douching was associated with an increased risk of LBW (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.29; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06, 1.57). Frequency of douching and LBW exhibited a dose-response. The adjusted OR for the association between daily douching and LBW was 2.49 (95% CI 1.23, 5.01) compared with an adjusted OR of 1.13 (95% CI 0.83, 1.55) for the association between monthly douching and LBW. There was no racial difference in the risk of LBW associated with douching. Conclusion: These preliminary data suggest an association between douching and LBW risk. If these findings are replicated in future studies, douching may represent a major preventable risk factor for LBW.
The distribution of submerged aquatic macrophyte biomass in a eutrophic stream, Badfish Creek: the effect of environment

The distribution of biomass of the macrophyte community in Badfish Creek was examined in three sections (A–C) totaling ten kilometers. Biomass samples were taken in a stratified-random manner, with sediment characteristics, depth, current velocity and incident light measured at each site to correlate individual biomass samples with environmental factors. Total community biomass decreased in the downstream section (C), with the biomass ofElodea canadensis decreasing abruptly below section A. The only environmental factors which were correlated with the decrease in macrophyte community biomass, especially that ofPotamogeton pectinatus, in section C was the increase in substrate heterogeneity and sand substrates which lacked surface gravel. The change in substrate was related to channelization. Considering the stream as a whole, the biomass of the dominant species,Potamogeton pectinatus, was correlated with incident light. Other species present wereCeratophyllum demersum andCladophora glomerata. Analysis of riparian vegetation type indicates that tree cover significantly reduced macrophyte biomass by incident light reduction.
Workshop participants assess Monte Carlo simulations in oceanography

Oceanographers enthusiastically integrate global ocean circulation models in conjunction with atmospheric models over periods of thousands of years in order to assess future climate states—without actually knowing the skill of their ocean models. Oceanic circulation models represent the turbulent ocean as a laminar flow. This representation, except in the most fortuitous of circumstances, involves some grave errors whose effects need to be understood and quantified. Usually, models are validated and/or calibrated by comparing their predictions with observations. This has worked well for weather prediction models, but we cannot wait out climate changes.
Maternal diabetes status does not influence energy expenditure or physical activity in 5-year-old Pima Indian children

Children of women who have diabetes during pregnancy are more likely to become obese by early adulthood than those of women with normal glucose tolerance during pregnancy. Obesity can result from either excess food intake, low levels of energy expenditure or both. In our study, we tested whether maternal diabetes status influences total energy expenditure (TEE by doubly labelled water), resting metabolic rate (RMR by ventilated hood) and physical activity level (PAL = TEE/RMR and assessed by activity questionnaire). Measurements were taken in 88 5-year-old Pima Indian children, 24 children of women with diabetes (2-h plasma glucose ≥ 11.1 mmol/l) diagnosed before or during pregnancy and 64 children of women with normal glucose tolerance (2-h plasma glucose < 7.8 mmol/l during pregnancy and no prior history of abnormal glucose tolerance). Although birth weight was higher in children of diabetic than of nondiabetic women (mean ± SD; 3.8 ± 0.6 vs 3.5 ± 0.4 kg, p < 0.03), there were no differences in weight (26.4 ± 6.9 vs 24.2 ± 5.6 kg) or per cent body fat (18O dilution; 33 ± 8 vs 31 ± 8 %) between the groups at 5 years of age. There was no difference in TEE (6508 ± 1109 vs 6175 ± 942 kJ/d) or in RMR (4674 ± 786 vs 4483 ± 603 kJ/d) expressed as absolute values or after adjustment for weight and sex (TEE) or fat-free mass, fat mass, and sex (RMR). Physical activity level was also similar between the groups (1.40 ± 0.12 vs 1.38 ± 0.12). These results suggest that maternal diabetes status does not influence energy expenditure in the children by 5 years of age. Thus the greater obesity seen at older ages in the children of women with diabetes could be due to excess energy intake. Alternatively, if energy expenditure does have a role in the aetiology of obesity in these children, perhaps it does so only in older children. [Diabetologia (1998) 41: 1157–1162]
Recrystallization improves the mechanical properties of sintered electrospun polycaprolactone.

Abstract Background Resorbable electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds for tissue reconstruction can provide physicians with an “off the shelf” product tailored to the patient's specific tissue architecture. However, many tissue-engineering platforms do not possess the necessary long-term mechanical stability needed to properly support tissue development. Objective Sintering has been explored as a means of altering the properties of electrospun PCL. However, crystallinity-driven changes in mechanical properties following thermal treatment have not been previously investigated. Methods PCL nanofibers were produced by electrospinning and subsequently thermally sintered (at 55, 56 and 58 °C) to enhance their long-term mechanical integrity in response to representative biological milieux. Results Scaffolds initially sintered at 56 °C displayed 6-fold increases in compressive strength and 3-fold increases in modulus, while displaying 10-fold increases in energy dissipation with increasing sintering temperature. Sintering just below the Tm resulted in amorphization of the 55 °C sample as indicated by the 20-fold lower XRD peak intensities. Although crystallinity is suppressed, the polymer chains likely retain chain alignment from electrospinning and are apparently highly susceptible to recrystallization. After only 1 d PBS exposure, the 55 °C samples recover a substantial fraction of the as-spun crystallinity; 7 d of exposure fully restores as-spun peak intensities. The mechanical properties of all three (55, 56, or 58 °C) scaffolds displayed peak values of compressive strength and modulus following 7 d exposure. Conclusion In contrast with the current state-of-the-art which assumes that tissue engineering scaffolds only grow weaker following exposure, in these scaffolds maximum values of compressive strength and modulus were observed after 7 d of aqueous immersion. This suggests that polymeric recrystallization can be used to increase or optimize mechanical properties in vitro/in vivo. Scaffolds that increase their mechanical integrity during biological exposures constitute a new pathway enabling clinical advances.