cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The UFAIL Approach: Unconventional Technologies and Their "Unintended" Effects.

This essay presents the use-first-and-investigate-later (UFAIL) approach to technological use through two case studies: the atomic bomb in World War II and chemical defoliants during the Vietnam War. The methodology of UFAIL is as follows: despite limited understanding of an array of potential effects (medical, environmental, etc.), technology users employ a commitment to ex post facto investigations of these effects. In generalizing these cases, the essay argues (a) that failure to check rapid technological uptake will result in continued disaster and (b) the abatement of the negative consequences of UFAIL is a more tempered approach to the infiltration of technologies into society by rigorous and preemptive investigation into the potential effects of a technology.
Combination chemotherapy with adriamycin-cyclophosphamide for advanced ovarian carcinoma.

Combination chemotherapy with Adriamycin-cyclophosphamide was employed after surgical treatment in 60 women with Stage III-IV ovarian adenocarcinoma. Of 53 evaluable patients, objective response was noted in 34 of 41 (83%) without prior cytotoxic therapy but in only two of 12 (17%) who had failed a single alkylating agent or radiotherapy (P < .005). Complete response was confirmed by a negative biopsy at the site(s) of prior disease in 12 patients. Eleven of the 12 biopsy-confirmed complete responses were achieved in patients without pretreatment palpable tumor. Twenty-four out of 41 patients with palpable masses responded but only one was confirmed as complete. Confirmed complete responses had a median duration of 24 months, whereas the median duration of all other responses was only seven months. The median survival for patients in whom Adriamycin-cyclophosphamide was the initial chemotherapy was 24 months. The median survival in patients with palpable tumor exceeds that of historical controls matched for age, tumor cell type, and grade (P = .05); the median survival for the confirmed complete responders has not been reached. The toxicity of this regimen was acceptable at doses of Adriamycin and cyclophosphamide of 45 mg and 500 mg/M2 body surface area, respectively. Extensive excision of tumor followed by effective combination chemotherapy offers the best current approach toward improved patient survival in advanced ovarian cancer.
Stability analysis of a rapidly adapting control system

A method is given for stability analysis of a rapidly adapting model-reference system. The instantaneous value of the difference between model output and system output is used to adjust system gain. With proper compensating circuits in the adaptive controller, an error in plant gain is corrected in a time interval which is much less than the rise time of the system. The system performs equally well with square-wave, triangular, or sinusoidal inputs.
A Comparison of Peer-Initiation and Teacher-Antecedent Interventions for Promoting Reciprocal Social Interaction of Autistic Preschoolers.

We compared two procedures for improving the social interactions of three autistic children. In a peer-initiation condition, confederates were taught to initiate interaction with the autistic children. In a teacher-antecedent condition, teachers prompted the autistic children to initiate with confederates, who had been taught to reciprocate. Using an alternating treatment design, differential effects were found. The peer-initiation procedure reliably increased the social responses of the autistic children, whereas the teacher-antecedent condition increased the initiations and responses of the autistic children. In addition, longer chains of social interaction occurred during the teacher-antecedent condition.
Automated Data Partitioning for Highly Scalable and Strongly Consistent Transactions

Modern transactional processing systems need to be fast and scalable, but this means many such systems settled for weak consistency models. It is however possible to achieve all of strong consistency, high scalability and high performance, by using fine-grained partitions and light-weight concurrency control that avoids superfluous synchronization and other overheads such as lock management. Independent transactions are one such mechanism, that rely on good partitions and appropriately defined transactions. On the downside, it is not usually straightforward to determine optimal partitioning schemes, especially when dealing with non-trivial amounts of data. Our work attempts to solve this problem by automating the partitioning process, choosing the correct transactional primitive, and routing transactions appropriately.
Using a Case Scenario Approach to Evaluate Age-Specific Competencies

ABSTRACT Age-specific competencies for staff members having direct patient contact is a requirement of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. This article addresses an annual competency evaluation of perioperative staff members relating to age-specific criteria. Several types of case scenarios were developed and given to staff members (eg, RNs, surgical technologists, OR assistants, postanesthesia care unit attendants) according to their specific job descriptions and responsibilities within the surgical services department. A case scenario format was used because of the variety of health care personnel and the ability to manipulate the scenarios according to the needs of patients, staff members, and the institution. The evaluation tools were meant to adequately assess staff members' abilities to care for patients throughout the life span. AORN J 67 (March 1998) 634–642.
Evaluation of dalbavancin, tigecycline, minocycline, tetracycline, teicoplanin and vancomycin against community-associated and multidrug-resistant hospital-associated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Dalbavancin is an investigational semisynthetic lipoglycopeptide that is structurally related to teicoplanin. We examined the activity of dalbavancin (DAL) compared with tigecycline (TIG), minocycline (MIN), tetracycline (TET), teicoplanin (TEC) and vancomycin (VAN) against community-associated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) and multidrug-resistant hospital-associated meticillin-resistant S. aureus (MDR HA-MRSA). Two hundred and twenty clinical isolates of CA-MRSA and MDR HA-MRSA were utilised. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were determined according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Selective time–kill studies were performed against CA-MRSA and MDR HA-MRSA in triplicate. Overall, DAL exhibited low MIC values against all strains of MRSA. Time–kill studies with CA-MRSA demonstrated DAL = VAN > TIG > MIN = TEC > TET (P TIG = MIN > TET (P > 0.05). DAL demonstrated potent activity against clinical strains of CA-MRSA and MDR HA-MRSA, including tetracycline-resistant S. aureus.
Persistence of Impressions of Personal Persuasiveness Perseverance of Erroneous Self-Assessments Outside the Debriefing Paradigm

Subjects' initial assessments of their persuasive ability persisted after the evidential value of apparent success or failure upon which these impressions were based was fully discredited. These results replicate previous impression-perseverance findings obtained by Ross, Lepper, and Hubbard (1975)and demonstrate that such findings generalize to tasks and discrediting procedures more typical of everyday life. Contrary to prediction, explicitly explaining initial performance did not enhance postdiscrediting perseverance; this finding is discussed in terms of the conditions that prompt spontaneous social explanations.
Some Tests of Significance, Treated by the Theory of Probability

It often happens that when two sets of data obtained by observation give slightly different estimates of the true value we wish to know whether the difference is significant. The usual procedure is to say that it is significant if it exceeds a certain rather arbitrary multiple of the standard error; but this is not very satisfactory, and it seems worth while to see whether any precise criterion can be obtained by a thorough application of the theory of probability.
Strike-induced chemical preferences in prairie rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis)

Prairie rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis) received exposure to a mouse carcass misted with diluted perfume during predatory strikes, just before or after striking, or in the absence of a strike. They then received a choice between a pair of nonenvenomated carcasses, one misted with the perfume and the other misted with a novel solution. Snakes that struck a perfume-misted carcass preferred the nonenvenomated carcass with chemical cues matching those on the carcass they had struck. However, exposure to chemical cues without striking produced no such preference even when the concentration of perfume solution was 100 times that used in the strike condition. Moreover, exposure to chemical cues just before or after the striking of an unscented carcass produced no subsequent preference for a carcass with matching cues. These results indicate the importance of the predatory strike rather than simple familiarization in the formation of chemical preferences in rattlesnakes.
Detection of coherent 7.6 Hz oscillations during a burst from Aquila X-1

The results are reported of timing and spectral analysis of the X-ray source Aql X-1 (X1908 + 005) using data obtained with the Einstein SSS and MPC instruments. A classic type I burst was observed from Aql X-1 in both detectors, and a coherent modulation with a period of 131.66 + or - 0.02 (7.6 Hz) and a pulsed fraction of 10 percent was detected in the SSS data (0.64-4.5 keV) during the period of enhanced emission. The signal has a random occurrence probability of less than 5 x 10 to the -5th. The sensitivity of the MPC for high-resolution timing during the burst is greatly reduced because of the low-duty cycle during the burst, and the modulation is not detected. There is no evidence for a loss of coherence during the 80 s or so when it is observable. It is argued that an asymmetrical burst occurring on a neutron star rotating at 7.6 Hz offers a plausible explanation for the oscillation.
GM1 ganglioside reduces ethanol intoxication and the development of ethanol dependence

The monosialoganglioside, GM1, protects the nervous system against a variety of insults. In this study, we evaluated the protective properties of GM1 on ethanol intoxication and development of dependence. GM1 (20-40 mg/kg, IP) reduced the extent and duration of ataxia produced by ethanol (2 g/kg, IP, 15-95 min), and delayed the onset of loss and reduced the duration of the righting reflex (LORR) produced by ethanol (4.2 g/kg, IP). GM1 did not alter ethanol-induced hypothermia or the rate of ethanol clearance. Rather, GM1 increased the waking blood ethanol concentration. In animals fed a complete liquid diet containing 4.5% ethanol, concurrent administration of GM1 (40 mg/kg/day) blocked the tremors, hypolocomotion, and anxiety-like behavior associated with ethanol withdrawal. These findings demonstrate that GM1 reduces both ethanol's acute intoxication and the signs and symptoms of ethanol withdrawal by a mechanism not related to ethanol pharmacokinetics.
Particle simulation of plasma processes in the earth's magnetotail

Abstract An electromagnetic code in the Darwin approximation is used to model process in the current sheet of the Earth's magnetotail that may lead to the generation of electrostatic field responsible for auroral electron acceleration. It is shown that the Hamiltonian formulation has advantages over the more commonly used Lagrangian formulation of the Darwin approximation. This paper describes the specific techniques that are needed, to include the magnetic field normal to the current sheet, the presence of a convection electric field and the continuous inflow of particles from the lobe. Simulations incorporating these new features reveal new effects that maybe of significant importance to the understanding of auroral and geomagnetic storm phenomena.
Acute reinforcing effects of low-dose nicotine nasal spray in humans.

Tobacco smoking behavior is reinforced by nicotine intake, but there has been little human research examining self-administration of nicotine per se, isolated from tobacco. In this study, 10 smokers (5 men, 5 women) who wanted to quit smoking sampled 0 (placebo), 0.75, and 1.5 ug/kg/spray nicotine via nasal spray during separate lab sessions before engaging in a free choice session, involving ad lib access to all three spray doses. Subjects also ad lib smoked during another session. For the group as a whole, neither nicotine spray dose was self-administered significantly more than placebo during the free choice session, suggesting low abuse potential. However, 4 of 10 subjects self-administered 1.5 ug/kg/spray on more than 50% of all sprays (vs. 33% chance) and were designated nicotine "choosers," while the others were "nonchoosers." Choosers responded to initial nicotine spray exposure during sampling sessions with greater positive subjective effects (similar to their responses to tobacco smoking), smoked more during the ad lib smoking session (i.e., self-administered more nicotine via tobacco smoking), and tended to be more heavily dependent smokers. They did not report greater withdrawal relief or less aversive effects from nicotine, suggesting their greater nicotine choice reflected greater positive reinforcement rather than negative reinforcement. These results are consistent with the few existing studies demonstrating that acute nicotine intake per se, in the absence of tobacco, may be reinforcing in some smokers.
Acupuncture and Osler.

To the Editor.— While reading Harvey Cushing's 1 Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Sir William Osler, I came across the following passage. It is an account of Dr Osler's unsuccessful use of acupuncture to treat a patient suffering from lumbago. Although the date of this event is somewhat uncertain, it probably occurred in 1880. ... for the patient was none other than old Peter Redpath, the wealthy Montreal sugar-refiner, who being on the 'M.G.H.' Board had hopes that the newly appointed physician might be able to cure him of an intractable lumbago. He arrived exhausted after mounting the stairs, and in due course they proceeded to treat him by acupuncture, a popular procedure of the day, which consists in thrusting a long needle into the muscles of the small of the back. At each jab the old gentleman is said to have ripped out a string of oaths, and in the end
Physiology of Injury Caused by Lygus hesperus

Injury caused by Lygus hesperus Knight is due principally to the enzymatic digestion of the plant’s tissue by polygalacturonase secreted during feeding. A limited amount of mechanical injury may result from feeding. L. hesperus is unable to synthesize indoleacetic acid and is also unable to secrete plant hormones in its saliva after having ingested these hormones in its diet. The type of damage associated with feeding, i.e., necrosis, abscission of reproductive organs, “blasting,” “cat facing,” or reduction of vegetative growth, depends upon the size of the organ fed upon and the specific site of feeding. If feeding results in the destruction of specific hormone producing sites, the resultant damage is in accord with the known physiological responses of plants to hormonal manipulation.
Relationship of admissions variables and college of osteopathic medicine variables to performance on COMLEX-USA level 3.

CONTEXT New accreditation standards require that all US colleges of osteopathic medicine (COMs) publically report the first-time pass rates of graduates on the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination-USA (COMLEX-USA) Level 3. Little is known about the extent to which admissions variables or COM performance measures relate to Level 3 performance. OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship of admissions variables and COM performance to scores on Level 3 and to assess whether a relationship existed between Level 3 scores and sex, curriculum track, year of graduation, and residency specialty in the first postgraduate year. METHODS Data were analyzed from 4 graduating classes (2008-2011) of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg. Relationships were examined between first-attempt scores on COMLEX-USA Level 3 and Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores; undergraduate grade point averages (GPAs); GPAs in COM year 1, year 2, and clinical rotation years (years 3 and 4); and first-attempt scores on COMLEX-USA Level 1, Level 2-Cognitive Evaluation, and Level 2-Performance Evaluation. RESULTS Of the 556 graduates during this 4-year period, COMLEX-USA Level 3 scores were available for 552 graduates (99.3%). No statistically significant differences were found in Level 3 scores based on sex, curriculum track, graduating class, or residency specialty. The strongest relationship between Level 3 scores and any admissions variable was with total MCAT score, which accounted for 4.2% of the variation in Level 3 scores. The strongest relationship between Level 3 scores and COM year performance measures was with year 2 GPA, which accounted for 35.4% of the variation in Level 3 scores. Level 1 scores accounted for 38.5% of the variation in Level 3 scores, and Level 2-Cognitive Evaluation scores accounted for the greatest percentage of variation (45.7%). The correlation of Level 3 scores with passing the Level 2-Performance Evaluation on the first attempt was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION A weak relationship was found between admissions variables and performance on COMLEX-USA Level 3, suggesting that graduates with lower MCAT scores and undergraduate GPAs may have overcome their early disadvantage. Strong relationships were found between Level 3 scores and year 2 GPAs, as well as scores on COMLEX-USA Level 1 and Level 2-Cognitive Evaluation.
Fusion of Vehicle Hybrid Electric Power Conversion With Optimization of Wheel Power Distribution

Over the past several decades numerous hybrid electric (HE) configurations have been researched and developed for various vehicle applications. The origination of HE vehicle concepts resulted in many new research directions in vehicle dynamics and control and vehicle system design. However, vehicle driveline systems, which distribute power between the drive wheels, have not yet been included in the area of interest nor researched for their potential contribution to the HE power transformation.This paper presents a work in a new proposed direction, specifically fusion of the HE power conversion process with optimization of power distribution between the drive wheels. A new principle is proposed to optimize power distribution between the front and rear wheels and to minimize slip power losses in tires by maintaining equal tire slippages and, thus, reducing energy consumption; wheel power optimization is algorithmically integrated with the mechanical-electrical-mechanical power conversion in a 4×4 terrain vehicle with a series HE powertrain.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Synthesis and Structure of Fused N-Heterocylic Carbenes and Their Rhodium Complexes.

New procedures for the synthesis of N-heterocyclic carbenes with multiple fused rings have been developed utilizing a key ring-closing metathesis step. Rhodium complexes were obtained via the pentafluorophenyl carbene adducts. Solid-state structural behaviors of the new carbene ligands were analyzed via X-ray crystallography.
Essentials of psychological testing

I.BASIC CONCEPTS. 1.Who Uses Tests? And for What Purposes? 2.Varieties of Tests and Test Interpretations. 3.Administering Tests. 4.Scores and Score Conversions. 5.How to Judge Tests: Validation. 6.How to Judge Tests: Reliability and other Qualities. II.TESTS OF ABILITY. 7.General Ability: Appraisal Methods. 8.The Meanings of General Ability. 9.Influences on Intellectual Development. 10.Multiple Abilities and Their Role in Counseling. 11.Personnel Selection. III.MEASURES OF TYPICAL RESPONSE. 12.Interest Inventories. 13.General Problems in Studying Personality. 14.Personality Measurement through Self-Report. 15.Judgments and Systematic Observations. 16.Inferences from Performance.
Lost P’s, but Not Yet Forgotten

A 30-year-old man presenting with 2 months of increasing cough and worsening dyspnea with minimal exertion was diagnosed with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. An initial ECG revealed sinus tachycardia and left atrial enlargement. Despite maximal medical management, his symptoms and cardiac function did not improve. Orthotopic heart transplantation was performed using biatrial anastomosis from a 27-year-old donor. In this procedure, the donor atria are sutured to intact remnants of the native right and left atria, allowing for minimal interruption of blood flow from both vena cavae and all the recipient’s pulmonary veins while requiring fewer anastomotic connections. The recipient’s native right and left atrial remnants are physically and electrically intact and are sutured into and electrically isolated from the donor atria. A postoperative ECG was performed (Figure 1), revealing …
Corporate social responsibility reporting platforms: enabling transparency for accountability

This paper presents a theoretical model of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting from an information processing perspective. It begins with a brief literature review of CSR, sustainable consumption, socially responsible investment, and sustainability reporting, followed by a summary of the reporting process in the context of the Global Reporting Index and the industry that has grown up around it. We begin model development by clarifying the sub-dimensional structure of organizational transparency in terms of IT capability and transparency culture, and distinguishing transparency from sustainability. We then dimensionalize the CSR report itself, and identify design characteristics of the reporting platform that support these dimensions. Following this, we discuss believability of the data relative to the needs of different constituents, primarily investors and ethical consumers. We then discuss the implications of the theoretical model and the future research streams it identifies. We close with a discussion of how reporting platforms can be designed with particular data users in mind, and describe the challenges of designing for the needs of ethical consumers.
Xylanase biosynthesis in Thermomonospora curvata is not repressed by glucose

Abstract The biosynthesis of inducible extracellular enzymes is repressed by glucose in most bacteria; however, glucose did not repress xylanase biosynthesis in Thermomonospora curvata in the presence of an inducer. When xylbiose was added to glucose-grown, exponential phase cells, the rate of glucose uptake decreased, xylobiose was taken up, and xylanase biosynthesis was induced. The ability of this thermophilic actinomycete to resist repression of xylanase biosynthesis would be particularly advantageous in solid waste composting, where pH and temperature are optimal for the activity of this thermostable enzyme.
Nafion® 115/zirconium phosphate composite membranes for operation of PEMFCs above 100 °C

Abstract Composite Nafion/zirconium phosphate membranes were investigated for high temperature operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The composite membranes were prepared via impregnation of Nafion films (either commercial Nafion 115 or recast Nafion) with zirconyl chloride and 1 M phosphoric acid at 80 °C. An MEA employing a composite membrane prepared starting from commercial Nafion 115 gave a H 2 /O 2 PEMFC performance of about 1000 mA/cm 2 at 0.45 V at a temperature of 130 °C and a pressure of 3 bar; this result compares very favorably with the performance of an MEA based on commercial unmodified Nafion, which gave only 250 mA/cm 2 at 0.45 V when operated under the same conditions of temperature and pressure. Similar experiments performed with recast Nafion and recast Nafion/zirconium phosphate composites confirmed an analogous improvement of performance of the composite membranes over the unimpregnated ones. In this case, the composite recast Nafion/zirconium phosphate gave about 1500 mA/cm 2 at 0.45 V at a temperature of 130 °C and a pressure of 3 bar. The composite membranes showed stable behavior during time when maintained at 130 °C, while irreversible degradation affected Nafion under the same conditions.
Human magnetic auditory evoked fields

Abstract Magnetoencephalographic (MEG) averaged auditory evoked fields to click stimuli (N = 512) were recorded with an asymmetric second derivative SQUID gradiometer located in an aluminum shielded room. Unlike conventional EEG auditory evoked potentials, which have a widespread distribution, evoked magnetic fields appear to be localized to the general area of the primary auditory cortex and diminish rapidly in amplitude as the gradiometer is moved away in any direction.
Active photonic lattices: is greater than blackbody intensity possible?

The emission from a radiating source embedded in a photonic lattice is investigated. The photonic lattice spectrum was found to deviate from the blackbody distribution, with intracavity emission suppressed at certain frequencies and significantly enhanced at others. For rapid population relaxation, where the photonic lattice and blackbody populations are described by the same thermal distribution, it was found that the enhancement does not result in output intensities exceeding those of the blackbody. However, for slow population relaxation, the photonic lattice population has a greater tendency to deviate from thermal equilibrium, resulting in output intensities exceeding those of the blackbody.
Ion cyclotron waves in the Io torus during the Galileo encounter: Warm plasma dispersion analysis

During the Galileo-Io flyby, nearly field-aligned, left-hand circularly polarized ion cyclotron waves were observed in a band near the sulfur-dioxide ion gyrofrequency. We have performed a warm plasma dispersion analysis using nominal Io torus composition ratios, pickup ion “ring”-type velocity-space distributions, and a thermal background plasma of typical torus temperature. Analysis shows that the SO2+ wave is dominant, particularly as the ring begins to broaden. The observed spectral peak indicates that the ring distribution of pickup SO2+ is highly unstable and generates waves, but there is unlikely to be sufficient time for ions to fully thermalize before dissociation occurs. Assuming wave-particle scattering of ions towards a “bispherical” shell-type distribution, a free energy analysis and comparison with observed wave amplitudes suggests that the ions are not scattered far from the ring and/or that the SO2+ composition ratio in the Io torus falls off considerably from Io wake values.
A simplified predictive model for high-fluence ultra-short pulsed laser ablation of semiconductors and dielectrics

Abstract Ultra-short pulsed laser ablation is a very complicated process and a predictive model is very desirable for process design and optimization in practical applications. However, the molecular dynamics or hydrodynamic models, although they are powerful and necessary tools for the study of the fundamental physics, are time-consuming and difficult to apply for practical applications. In this paper, a predictive, simplified and easy to apply model has been developed for high-fluence ultra-short laser ablation of semiconductors and dielectrics. Unlike many other simplified models, this model does not involve any free adjustable variables. The model predictions agree well with experimental measurements for femtosecond laser ablation, while the model is not very applicable for pulse durations more than ∼10 ps.
Random-drift sampling—A study by computer simulation

Abstract Bias introduced by a continuous-drift sampling method for selecting and measuring tracks in nuclear emulsion was evaluated by computer simulation. The sample distributions drawn from population types and densities that are of possible interest to neutron spectroscopy were compared with expected distributions by χ 2 , sign and sum, and spacing distribution tests. The results indicate that the random-drift method provides samples that closely approximate in general shape and in slope the populations from which they are drawn. In addition, the bounds and limits of random-drift sampling domains, and the number of tracks sampled per 2.5 cm pass, are given for certain distributions pertinent to fast neutron spectroscopy.
Regional Growth in Medicare Spending, 1992–2010

Objective To determine if regions with high Medicare expenditures in a given setting remain high cost over time. Data Sources/Study Setting One hundred percent of national Medicare Parts A and B fee-for-service beneficiary claims data and enrollment for 1992–2010. Study Design Patients are classified into regions. Claims are price-standardized. Risk adjustment is performed at the beneficiary level using the CMS Hierarchical Condition Categories model. Correlation analyses are conducted. Data Collection/Extraction Methods The data were obtained through a contract with CMS for a study performed for the Institute of Medicine. Principal Findings High-cost regions in 1992 are likely to remain high cost in 2010. Stability in regional spending is highest in the home health, inpatient hospital, and outpatient hospital settings over this time period. Despite the persistence of a region's relative spending over time, a region's spending levels in all settings except home health tend to regress toward the mean. Conclusions Relatively high-cost regions tend to remain so over long periods of time, even after controlling for patient health status and geographic price variation, suggesting that the observed effect reflects real differences in practice patterns.
Utilizing expectations to measure economic depreciation and capital gains of farm machinery.

Rather than relying on ex post market data, this study derives theoretically more appropriate measures of economic depreciation and capital gains based on the expectations of farmers. In this context, values of depreciable assets are highly sensitive to the pattern of expected future earnings and unexpected windfall gains. Experimental survey data obtained from a panel of Illinois cash grain farmers demonstrate the magnitude by which conventional accounting methods overstate economic depreciation and underestimate real capital gains. These biases make it difficult to appraise the financial well-being of the agricultural sector.
Introductory computer science courses a modular design

This paper proposes a set of assumptions about learning in general, followed by a set of assumptions concerning ICS courses in particular. Using these as a foundation, an ICS course content and structure is developed which clearly shows the relationships between the various branches of computer science, encourages a logical presentation, and is modular and hierarchical, permitting use for a wide variety of audiences and course objectives. Since content organization is only one aspect of a course, the method of presentation is also discussed, with emphasis on methodologies other than lecture.
A Comparison of Research University and Two-Year College Library Web Sites: Content, Functionality, and Form

The authors examined the library home pages of fifty Ph.D.-granting institutions and fifty two-year colleges to determine the home pages’ purpose as manifested by their content and its placement within the structure of the site. By looking at the library Web sites of contrasting academic institutions, the authors identified those aspects of the sites that reflect institutional character. They further identified a core common content that exists across academic library Web sites independent of the parent institution.
The Relation Between Change in Symptoms and Functioning in Children with ADHD Receiving School-Based Mental Health Services

This study examined the relation between reliable change in symptoms and reliable change in functioning in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; N = 64) who were enrolled in a school-based mental health program that included a daily report card intervention, teacher consultation, and behavioral parenting sessions. Parents and teachers completed the disruptive behavior disorders rating scale and the impairment rating scale at pre- and post-treatment. Group-level analyses indicated that symptom improvers demonstrated significant improvement in multiple domains of functioning, whereas symptom no-changers and deteriorators did not. However, individual-level analyses revealed that up to 40% (depending on the domain and the informant) of children achieved reliable symptom change without reliable improvement in functioning, and up to 16% achieved reliable change in functioning without reliable change in symptoms. The results have implications for measurement of treatment outcome.
Using two-class classifiers for function estimation

Abstract A technique for using several two-class classifiers simultaneously to perform function estimation is described. The two-class classifiers are trained on points belonging to the function being estimated; no information about the form of the function is needed; the function can have any number of independent variables; and the accuracy of the estimate increases with the number of two-class classifiers used. Computer tests on artificially generated data and on real-life data give satisfactory results.
Depth Dependent Diffusivity Profile in Bovine Articular Cartilage: Comparing Transverse and Axial Diffusivities

As articular cartilage is avascular, diffusion at a tissue length scale is the primary mode of solute and nutrient transport to its cells. The major extracellular matrix components are water (70–80%), chondrocytes, collagen (10–20%) and proteoglycans (5–10%) bearing sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAG) [1]. Electron microscopy studies have shown that articular cartilage can be regarded as having three separate structural zones — superficial, middle and deep. The proportions of the various matrix components vary from the surface to the deep zone in any given joint and the greatest variations in content occur in the GAG content [2]. In addition the collagen fiber alignment varies, with fibers oriented parallel to the articular surface in the superficial zone, randomly oriented in the middle zone and oriented perpendicular to the surface in the deep zone. To a large extent, it is the spatially inhomogeneous composition of articular cartilage and microstructural orientation of its extracellular matrix components that determines the tortuosity of the transport pathway [3]. We therefore hypothesized that the diffusivity profile of a solute through the cartilage depth is inversely related to the GAG content and that the ratio between the axial and lateral diffusivities within each cartilage zone is related to the degree of anisotropy within the zone.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Global food-price shocks and poor people – an overview

Hunger has been on the rise since the mid-1990s, due to a variety of factors, including a lack of policy attention and a sense of complacency generated by long-term real declines in food prices. Food prices rose sharply after 2006, and there is considerable controversy over the reasons why. Analysts have pointed to a number of factors as possible causes, including rising fuel prices, diversion of food crops into biofuels, speculation, increased meat consumption in Asia, climate change, and environmental degradation, among others. There is disagreement about both the role played by some of these factors in driving up prices, and also the weight to assign to each specific factor. Discussion of the consequences of higher food prices has been based primarily on modelling; this special issue of Development in Practice presents some new modelling results, as well as results from field research on the actual consequences for poor farmers and consumers in developing, transition, and developed countries. The price...
Impact Resistance of Polyurea-Coated High-Performance Cementitious Composites

AbstractPolyurea is a polymeric material that can be used to provide environmental protection and structural enhancement. In this study, a low modulus polyurea coating, having high elongation, high energy absorption capacities, and a fast gel time, was sprayed under field conditions onto the surfaces of high-performance cementitious composites (HPC2). Flexure tests were conducted to measure toughness so that predictions could be made regarding the impact performance of two uncoated and coated matrices, one containing polyvinyl butyral (PVB) as the only aggregate, the other with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers added for reinforcement. Results from the flexure tests showed that encapsulation by plain polyurea increased the flexural strength of specimens by at least 60%. Results from drop-weight tests showed that the PVA fibers helped to improve impact resistance. A visible reduction in damage was seen when polyurea was applied to one surface, more so by coating the tension side opposite the striker. Coating ...
The Scandalous Contract of Venice

I was a student in high school when my batch-mates in a different section read The Merchant of Venice in their English class, while I ended up with a text that semester I can’t even recall. Though I did get Julius Caesar eventually, I missed The Merchant of Venice. For the past 25 years I have had a copy of The Merchant of Venice at home, but I found that the medieval English of Shakespeare strained my mind, notwithstanding his brilliant poetry, and so the book went unread all those years while remaining on my home shelf, moving with me as I moved from countries and cities. Well, I eventually caught up with my high school batch-mates when I watched the movie version of The Merchant of Venice last week. Just as well I didn’t read The Merchant of Venice in high school, I think, because I could now watch it without rosecolored glasses, and without any biases for what my teacher would have taught me, and without the prejudice of opinions that I might have developed at that young age. And there is another reason that it’s good I didn’t read The Merchant of Venice in high school, and that is that I was motivated enough to watch the movie. Who knows, if I had known the story, my hand might not have stretched out to the DVD for The Merchant of Venice when I picked it from the library shelf, and this article would never have seen the light of day or the dark of night, whatever you prefer. After watching the movie, needless to say, I stretched out to the book on my home shelf and read it through ... finding it quite entertaining.
Microwave and ultrasound enhanced extractive-transesterification of algal lipids

Abstract The use of non-conventional methods namely microwaves and ultrasound for extractive-transesterification of algal lipids (Chlorella, sp.) using ethanol as a solvent was investigated. Microwaves and ultrasound possess unique enhancing (thermal and non-thermal) mechanisms that can assist in successful and simultaneous extraction and transesterification of algal lipids in a very short reaction time. This paper presents a comparative study of microwave and ultrasound effects on the algal biodiesel production. The following conditions were determined as optimum through experimental studies: (1) microwaves – 1:12 algae to ethanol (wt./vol.) or 1:500 (molar) ratio; 2 wt.% catalyst; 5–6 min reaction time at 350 W microwave power; and (2) ultrasound – 1:6–9 algae to ethanol (wt./vol.) or 1:250–375 (molar) ratio; 2 wt.% catalyst; 6 min reaction time at 490 W ultrasound power. The highest fatty acid ethyl ester (FAEE) yields and conversions for microwave and ultrasound methods were 18.8%; 18.5% (yields) and 96.2%; 95.0% (conversions) respectively. In comparison, ultrasound method resulted in higher FAEE yield and conversion at low solvent ratios while microwaves were able to produce better results at lower power levels compared to ultrasound. The two methods performed better than the conventional bench-top Bligh and Dyer method which followed a two-step extraction and transesterification method with FAEE yields and conversions of 13.9% and 78.1% respectively.
VACUUM PHENOMENON IN TWELVE DOGS

The clinical and imaging features of twelve dogs with vacuum phenomena are reviewed. Gas accumulations were identified as radiolucent areas within the intervertebral discs of the cervical, thoracic, and lumber spine, the joint spaces in the sternum, and the shoulder joint. The intervertebral and sternal gas accumulations were associated with other radiographic features of degeneration such as endplate sclerosis and spondylosis. Gas attributable to vacuum phenomenon has not been previously described in the sternum of animals. Abnormal radiographic positioning stresses or instability were through to be responsible for the focal gas accumulations.
Coronae on Venus and Mars: Implications for similar structures on Earth

Complex volcano-tectonic structures, referred to as coronae, had not been described until the exploration of the surface of Venus. These large, generally circular structures are characterized by an elevated surface, concentric and radial fracture systems, and extensive volcanism. Thought to be unique to Venus, rare circular features on Mars bear a close resemblance to coronae. The most prominent corona-like feature on Mars is Alba Patera, a broad, low-relief, plateau-shaped volcano-tectonic center surrounded by an annulus of concentric fractures ∼600 km in diameter. A geophysical model for the formation of Venusian coronae involving uplift due to an ascending mantle diapir followed by gravitationally driven relaxation is applied to Mars. The results indicate that Alba Patera could have formed by such a mechanism. The formation of coronae and corona-like features on Venus and Mars from mantle diapirs suggests that similar structures may have formed in Earth9s lithosphere.
Leveraged Index Investing: Rydex Nova Fund

This evaluation of the long-run performance of leveraged index investing uses Rydex Nova Fund as a proxy. The results of a regression model are used to predict the fund9s performance from 1950 through the time it was actually established in 1993. A Monte Carlo simulation suggests that the probability of outperforming the underlying index goes to one as the holding period goes to infinity. The volatility of the underlying index and the geometric nature of returns means that the return magnification achieved by leveraged funds over time will be lower than the fund9s daily target magnification.
Necrotizing Sialometaplasia: Report of an Ulcerative Case

A case is reported of necrotizing sialometaplasia, a benign condition that is often misdiagnosed, mainly affecting the minor salivary glands.
Chemical Changes during Storage of an Alcoholic Orange Juice Beverage

Chemical stability of a pasteurized, noncarbonated, alcoholic orange juice beverage, (8% ethanol and 30% reconstituted Valencia frozen concentrated orange juice), was investigated. It was hot-filled into clear glass bottles under nitrogen and subjected to 14-wk storage at 4, 25, and 40°C. pH, °Brix, titratable acidity, and % alcohol remained constant throughout storage. Accumulation of furfural and darkening paralleled ascorbic acid degradation. The beverage exhibited 25 times more browning at 40°C and 9 times more at 25°C than at 4°C after 14-wk. d-Limonene decreased at all temperatures. Nitrogen headspace slightly improved stability at 40°C. Time and temperature were most significant in storage and long-tem shelf-life could only be achieved with refrigeration.
Uruguay Introduces Government by Committee.

Of the ten countries in South America, nine now have presidents who are dictators or who at some time during their careers have exercised dictatorial power. The tenth, Uruguay, with its tradition of working democracy, has resisted this trend towards personalist government. Recently it took an important step in the diffusion of executive power when through orderly constitutional reform the national presidency was replaced by a nine-man executive committee. The nation's stability has been attested to by those most cautious of judges, the international investors, who, fearful of trouble in Europe after the outbreak of war in Korea, moved their capital holdings from Berne to Montevideo. The country's democracy has been even more welcomed by those who have found it an oasis of freedom from Peron's police state across the river. Uruguay has successfully met Latin America's ever basic problem, political stability under democratic procedure.
Using school-level student achievement to engage in formative evaluation: comparative school-level rates of oral reading fluency growth conditioned by initial skill for second grade students

We present a method for data-based decision making at the school level using student achievement data. We demonstrate the potential of a national assessment database [i.e., the University of Oregon DIBELS Data System (DDS)] to provide comparative levels of school-level data on average student achievement gains. Through the DDS as a data source, and the analytic methods we outline, we illustrate one way that schools can engage in system-level formative evaluation by examining their students’ gains across an academic year conditional on initial skill level relative to the performance of a large sample of other schools. We provide the empirical Bayes estimates of school-level effects and their associated standard errors for second grade, DIBELS oral reading fluency using a percentile band plot. We illustrate a practical way that schools could use this output to improve their data-based decision making procedures.
Dynamic Characterization of Thermal Interface Material for Electronic Cooling

The principle of measuring thermal resistance of thermal interface material (TIM) by sandwiching the material between a hot block and cold block is well known in the industry. TIM manufacturers usually use a variation of the industrial standard ASTM D5470 test method, and subsequently provide data that is difficult for the end user to effectively utilize for product development. This paper will discuss the design and construction of an automated TIM test system based on the ASTM D5470 standard. This automated test vehicle provides an independent study of various TIMs. The instrument enables standardized testing and performance documentation of interface materials from a wide array of manufacturers making it easier for end-users to compare and select the appropriate material for various applications. The automated test method is faster and easier to use than previous methods. It requires minimal operator intervention during the test and can perform preconditioning, and non-uniform heating if required. Experimental results obtained from the instrument will be discussed.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
On-Road Measurement of Vehicle Tailpipe Emissions Using a Portable Instrument

A study design procedure was developed and demonstrated for the deployment of portable onboard tailpipe emissions measurement systems for selected highway vehicles fueled by gasoline and E85 (a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline). Data collection, screening, processing, and analysis protocols were developed to assure data quality and to provide insights regarding quantification of real-world intravehicle variability in hot-stabilized emissions. Onboard systems provide representative real-world emissions measurements; however, onboard field studies are challenged by the observable but uncontrollable nature of traffic flow and ambient conditions. By characterizing intravehicle variability based on repeated data collection runs with the same driver/vehicle/route combinations, this study establishes the ability to develop stable modal emissions rates for idle, acceleration, cruise, and deceleration even in the face of uncontrollable external factors. For example, a consistent finding is that average emissions during acceleration are typically 5 times greater than during idle for hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide and 10 times greater for nitric oxide and carbon monoxide. A statistical method for comparing on-road emissions of different drivers is presented. Onboard data demonstrate the importance of accounting for the episodic nature of real-world emissions to help develop appropriate traffic and air quality management strategies.