cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiple uses and anti-purposefulness on Momo, a Chinese dating/social app

Momo is becoming a popular mobile platform in China to date, hook up, and engage in social networking. Based on in-depth interviews with 35 dating app users and a survey of 250 current Momo users, ...
Primary Students’ Emic Views of Reading Intervention: A Qualitative Case Study of Motivation:

Although research indicates that motivation influences reading development and achievement, studies examining the motivation of primary-age readers are scarce and limited. Assuming school experienc...
Fairness is not static: deeper understanding of long term fairness via simulation studies

As machine learning becomes increasingly incorporated within high impact decision ecosystems, there is a growing need to understand the long-term behaviors of deployed ML-based decision systems and their potential consequences. Most approaches to understanding or improving the fairness of these systems have focused on static settings without considering long-term dynamics. This is understandable; long term dynamics are hard to assess, particularly because they do not align with the traditional supervised ML research framework that uses fixed data sets. To address this structural difficulty in the field, we advocate for the use of simulation as a key tool in studying the fairness of algorithms. We explore three toy examples of dynamical systems that have been previously studied in the context of fair decision making for bank loans, college admissions, and allocation of attention. By analyzing how learning agents interact with these systems in simulation, we are able to extend previous work, showing that static or single-step analyses do not give a complete picture of the long-term consequences of an ML-based decision system. We provide an extensible open-source software framework for implementing fairness-focused simulation studies and further reproducible research, available at https://github.com/google/ml-fairness-gym.
Water quality impacts of urban and non-urban arid-land runoff on the Rio Grande

Abstract Urban surface runoff from storms impacts the water quality dynamics of downstream ecosystems. While these effects are well-documented in mesic regions, they are not well constrained for arid watersheds, which sustain longer dry periods, receive intense but short-lived storms, and where stormwater drainage networks are generally isolated from sewage systems. We used a network of high-frequency in situ water quality sensors located along the Middle Rio Grande to determine surface runoff origins during storms and track rapid changes in physical, chemical, and biological components of water quality. Specific conductivity (SpCond) patterns were a reliable indicator of source, distinguishing between runoff events originating primarily in urban (SpCond sags) or non-urban (SpCond spikes) catchments. Urban events were characterized by high fluorescent dissolved organic matter (fDOM), low dissolved oxygen (including short-lived hypoxia
Arboriculture safety standards: Consistent trends

Abstract Arboricultural safety standards exist in some countries, but it is unclear how many standards exist, how they compare to one another, and whether (and how many) countries share standards. To address these gaps, we obtained and analyzed arboricultural safety standards from 29 countries. We determined which safety categories were included in each standard to highlight frequently and infrequently included categories. We computed the proportion of all safety categories included in each standard, and we compared standards to determine their similarity with one another. Among 29 countries, 14 unique standards exist. Of 90 safety categories gleaned from the standards, 19 were included in all standards and 20 were included in all but 1 standard. Standards in Hong Kong, Poland, Singapore, Spain, and Sweden included at least 90 % of 90 safety categories. Our findings can be used by safety committees around the world to develop or revise local standards; they may also be used to help develop an international best management practices guide for safety.
Outcomes after a Grammont-style reverse total shoulder arthroplasty?

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to determine the factors associated with outcomes after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA). METHODS We retrospectively evaluated all RTSAs performed by the senior author between January 1, 2007, and November 1, 2017. We evaluated pain visual analog scale (VAS), Simple Shoulder Test (SST), and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form (ASES) scores and complication and reoperation rates at a minimum of 2-year follow-up. We evaluated preoperative and 2-week postoperative radiographs for glenoid inclination (GI), medialization as distance between the center of the humeral head or glenosphere and the line of the deltoid, and distalization via the acromial-greater tuberosity distance. We performed inter- and intrarater reliabilities via intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and conducted a multivariable analysis. RESULTS We included 230 RTSAs in the analysis, with 70% follow-up at a median of 3.4 years. Reliability was acceptable with all ICCs >.678. Increased postoperative GI was significantly associated with increased VAS pain postoperatively (P = .008). Increased distalization was associated with an increased rate of complications and reoperations (P = .032). Younger age (P = .008), female gender (P = .009), and lower body mass index (BMI) (P = .006) were associated with worse ASES scores. Female gender (P < .001) and lower BMI (P = .039) were associated with worse SST scores. Female gender (P = .013) and lower BMI (P = .005) were associated with worse VAS-pain scores. CONCLUSION Age, gender, and BMI are associated with outcome after RTSA. In this retrospective analysis of a Grammont-style RTSA, superior inclination is associated with increased pain postoperatively, whereas excessive arm lengthening is associated with increased risk for complication or reoperation.
Slave Christologies: Augustine and the Enduring Trouble with the “Form of a Slave” (Phil 2:5–7):

This essay finds in the thought of Augustine of Hippo a key moment in the development of a strand of the Western theological tradition I will call slave Christologies: theological accounts of the p...
The effects of goat manure and sugarcane molasses on the growth and yield of beetroot (Beta vulgaris L).

A pot experiment was conducted to study the effect of goat manure and sugarcane molasses on the growth and yield of beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) in sandy regosol. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) with six treatments. The treatments included inorganic fertilizer (T1), 10 t/ha of goat manure alone (T2) and also 10 t/ha of goat manure and 50% triple superphosphate (TSP) with 1-4 t/ha of sugarcane molasses (T3-T6). The results showed that plant growth parameters (leaf length, leaf petiole length, leaf width, leaf number, fresh weight and dry weight of leaves) were significantly varied among the treatments. There was a significant difference in the diameter of beetroot among the treatments. Significant differences (P<0.05) were observed in fresh weight of beetroot and total plant among the treatments. Fresh weight of root yield and total yield of beetroot per plant were increased in 10 t/ha goat manure, 2 t/ha sugarcane molasses and 50% TSP (T4) and 10 t/ha goat manure, 3 t/ha sugarcane molasses and 50% TSP (T5) when compared to the control treatment (T1). The total yield of beetroot per m2 was 1,792.62 g in T4 and 1,402.68 g in T1. The root yield of beetroot was increased in T4 in comparison to T5. It can be concluded that 10 t/ha of goat manure with 2 t/ha of sugarcane molasses and 50% TSP could be applied for obtaining a high yield of beetroot in sandy regosol.
The UN Secretary-General on the global digitalization and international cooperation

Nowadays, the establishment of peaceful cooperation between nations depends on the development of digital economy and its regulation. To a certain extent, this new reality challenges the basic principles of the old world and defines some new rules to which humankind is supposed to adapt. On May 13 during his visit to Moscow, Russia, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was welcomed at MGIMO-University and conferred an Honorary Doctor degree. Following the ceremony, as is tradition, the Secretary-General delivered a doctoral lecture to students and faculty. TheSecretary-General touched on the subject of the consequences of digitalization, its impact on human rights protection and the role of the international community in the era of digital revolution.
Perceived responsibility towards future generations and environmental concern: Convergent evidence across multiple outcomes in a large, nationally representative sample

Abstract A great number of social and environmental issues our society is facing today (e.g., climate change) necessitate action in the present in order to benefit future others. Perceptions of responsibility towards future generations have been shown to increase intergenerational prosociality and combat intertemporal discounting. However, the degree to which these findings are generalizable across samples and valid in the context of environmental issues remains unknown. We utilized data obtained from the Public Religion Research Institute to examine the association of perceived responsibility towards future generations with proenvironmental attitudes in a large and representative sample of the US population. Across a wide variety of proenvironmental outcomes and controlling for key demographic covariates (e.g., political ideology, religiosity), our results suggest that perceived responsibility towards future generations has a robust relationship with proenvironmental attitudes. Increasing and leveraging perceptions of responsibility towards future others may be a powerful tool for promoting intergenerational environmental concern and action.
Matter of Limited Interest: Does an Employer Pay Interest for the Year it Withdraws from a Multiemployer Pension Plan?

Under ERISA, an employer who withdraws from an underfunded multiemployer pension plan must pay its share of the plan's unfunded vested benefits. ERISA directs that this liability be calculated as of the last day of the year immediately prior to the year of withdrawal. The resulting liability is spread out in level payments over a period of years, with the payment schedule calculated "as if the first payment were made on the first day of the year following the year of withdrawal." At issue in this case is whether or not an employer must pay interest for the year in which it withdrew from the plan.
TEEMSS2: technology enhanced elementary math and science - year 1 report

Technology Enhanced Elementary Math and Science (TEEMSS2), has the goal of bringing the power of information and communication technology to science education in grades 3--8, by creating and disseminating valuable, proven, and easily implemented technology-based science learning materials and associated teacher professional development. The project has selected age-appropriate, standards-based content for which technology offers real advantages. The learning strategy is based on student investigations of real phenomena using sensors and of virtual environments based on computer models. The new materials take advantage of computers, sensors, handhelds, and electronic networking to more effectively teach students and give them deeper insights into the process of science inquiry. This paper reports on the year 1 formative evaluation of TEEMSS2, which showed both quantitative and qualitative evidence of student learning when teachers implemented the materials in their classrooms.
Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma with Choice and Refusal of Partners: Evolutionary Results

In a series of papers we have examined what happens when individuals make very calculated choices of partners, based on past interaction histories [17, 1, 16]. In Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma with Choice and Refusal (IPD/CR), players use expected payoffs, which are based on the play history between the players plus an initial expectation, to assess the relative desirability of potential partners and refuse play with those judged to be intolerable. We have primarily studied this model using evolved populations of finite state machines. In each generation, individual behaviors generate social networks of interacting players. Here we provide an overview of our previous evolutionary results, and include some preliminary results on the impact of increasing the population size and including more randomness into the partner selection procedure.
Foundations of Federal Housing Policy

Federal housing policy is heavily funded and made up of a morass of programs. This book chapter provides a taxonomy of goals for housing policy. The chapter first asks what the aim of housing policy is. In other words, what can a well-designed and executed housing policy achieve? The answer to this question is not at all clear-cut. Some argue that the aim of housing policy is to allow all Americans to live in safe, well-maintained and affordable housing. Others argue for a more modest aim - achieving an income transfer to low- and moderate-income families that mandates that the income transferred is consumed in increased housing. And yet others argue that the main aim is to create a nation of homeowner-citizens, a goal which hearkens back to Jefferson's idealized "yeoman farmer" and continues through to George W. Bush's "ownership society."Beginning with these possibilities, I identify and categorize various "principles" of American housing policy. This is an important exercise because 80 plus years of housing policy; hundreds of billions of dollars; and literally hundreds of different housing programs have all conspired to confuse the essential aims of American housing policy. This chapter seeks to clarify debates surrounding American housing policy as the Obama Administration puts its own stamp on this field.
Electromagnetically induced transparency in cold atoms

Summary form only given. We report here measurements of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in a sample of cold trapped Rb/sup 87/ atoms. By using cold atoms, we avoid complications associated with Doppler broadening, which often exist in similar experiments performed with room-temperature vapors. The measurements were made on an 2mm-diameter sample of -10/sup 8/ laser-cooled Rb/sup 87/ atoms collected in a standard magnetooptic trap.
Molecular Wires in Electromagnetic Fields

We investigate the role of external electromagnetic fields on the conduction properties of bridged molecular wires. In particular, it is analyzed quantitatively how resonant excitations of electrons enhance the dc current and, simultaneously, lower the noise level of the current. The results from an exact numerical treatment are in good agreement with those obtained within an approximation scheme applicable at resonances.
Advanced Concepts in Pulsed Magnetic Resonance

Hahn’s discovery of spin echoes [8.1] demonstrated that one could defeat the effect of magnet inhomogeneity in obscuring the true width of magnetic resonance lines because the echo amplitude M(2τ) decayed exponentially with 2τ/T 2, where τ is the time between pulses. However, if the magnet inhomogeneity is large, and if the diffusion rate of the nuclei sufficiently great $$ M(2\tau ) = M(0)\exp ( - 2\tau /{T_2})\exp [ - {(\gamma \frac{{\partial H}}{{\partial z}})^2}D{\tau ^3} $$ (8.1) where D is the diffusion constant and ∂H/∂z the gradient in static field. In some instances, then, the τ 3 term might obscure the T 2. Or, conversely, if ∂H/∂z is known, the τ 3 term gives one a method of measuring D. The derivation of the diffusion term is given in Appendix G.
Power Quality Initiative: polymers processing

The purpose of this paper is to provide an update on the Power Quality Initiative aimed at the plastics and polymers processing industry. With the goal of identifying unique power quality problems and solutions, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Duke Power Company, and other industry "players" embarked on a Power Quality Initiative in late 1997. The initiative involves equipment testing for five process types: blown thin film, plastic jacket, thick film, injection molding, and plastic pipe extrusion. CommScope Incorporated of Hickory, NC became interested in the initiative at its inception and has since then partnered with EPRI, Duke Power and the Polymers Extension Program to test their extrusion equipment, implement solutions, and has offered their case study to promote this Power Quality Initiative.
A Morphotype Catalogue, Floristic Analysis and Stratigraphic Description of the Aspen Shale Flora(Cretaceous–Albian) of Southwestern Wyoming

We describe 28 fossil plant morphotypes from the Aspen Shale flora (Cretaceous: middle to late Albian) in southwestern Wyoming. This impression flora includes 6 ferns, 1 sphenopsid, 2 conifers, 17 dicotyledonous angiosperm (dicot) leaves and 2 dicot reproductive structures. The Aspen Shale megaflora is most similar to that of Subzone IIB of the Potomac Group of the eastern United States. Analysis of the Aspen Shale sedimentology and botanical composition shows occupation of open, paludal sites by a succession of progressively more complex plant communities. Like other middle Cretaceous floras, these data suggest that early angiosperms were weedy, herbaceous to shrubby, early successional compet itors to ferns on open substrates. The description and illustration of the Aspen Shale morphotypes is presented as an example of how an entire flora can be described and analyzed before full taxonomic determinations have been made.
On the robustness to symmetry of some nonparametric multivariate one-sample sign-type tests

ABSTRACTMany nonparametric multivariate one-sample tests in the literature require the assumption of symmetry or directional symmetry to be distribution-free. Examples include the bivariate sign test of Blumen [A new bivariate sign test. J Am Stat Assoc. 1958;53(282):448–456], the bivariate sign test of Brown and Hettmansperger [An affine invariant bivariate version of the sign Test. J R Stat Soc B. 1989;51(1):117–125], the multivariate sign test of Randles [A simpler, affine invariant, multivariate, distribution-free sign test. J Am Stat Assoc. 2000;95:1263–1268] and the multivariate signed-rank test of Oja and Randles [Multivariate nonparametric tests. Stat Sci. 2004;19:598–605]. In the current literature, it is not known how robust these tests are to the assumption of (directional) symmetry. When the symmetry assumption is not satisfied, the observed or attained significance level (the type I error probability or the size) of these tests may be unacceptably different from the specified nominal value. I...
Process, Policy, and Implementation of Pool‐Wide Drawdowns on the Upper Mississippi River: A Promising Approach for Ecological Restoration of Large Impounded Rivers

The Upper Mississippi River (UMR) has been developed and subsequently managed for commercial navigation by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The navigation pools created by a series of lock and dams initially provided a complex of aquatic habitats that supported a variety of fish and wildlife. However, biological productivity declined as the pools aged. The River Resources Forum, an advisory body to the St. Paul District of the USACE, established a multiagency Water Level Management Task Force (WLMTF) to evaluate the potential of water level management to improve ecological function and restore the distribution and abundance of fish and wildlife habitat. The WLMTF identified several water level management options and concluded that summer growing season drawdowns at the pool scale offered the greatest potential to provide habitat benefits over a large area. Here we summarize the process followed to plan and implement pool-wide drawdowns on the UMR, including involvement of stakeholders in decision making, addressing requirements to modify reservoir operating plans, development and evaluation of drawdown alternatives, pool selection, establishment of a monitoring plan, interagency coordination, and a public information campaign. Three pool-wide drawdowns were implemented within the St. Paul District and deemed successful in providing ecological benefits without adversely affecting commercial navigation and recreational use of the pools. Insights are provided based on more than 17 years of experience in planning and implementing drawdowns on the UMR. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
What Should Recreational Professionals Do When Providing Services to Elderly Immigrants

ABSTRACTMany studies address quality of life, life satisfaction, and well-being in later life in the United States. Asian elderly immigrants, however, have been beyond the interest of researchers in the leisure and recreation area for a long time, although there has been a dramatic influx of Asian elderly immigrants to the United States. Leisure participation by Asian elderly immigrants has been threatened by leisure barriers—language barrier, lack of support network toward new environment, and collapse of family-oriented relationship—based on acculturative procedures in a host culture. Accordingly, the goal of this paper is to stress the importance of psychosocial activity among Asian elderly immigrants, and to suggest psychosocial activity as an efficient method for recreational professionals to reduce leisure barriers of elderly immigrants by understanding their cultural values and specific life circumstances.
Generalized Einstein relations for electron diffusion in monatomic gases

Abstract The two-term approximation is used to solve the Boltzmann equation for electrons in a monatomic gas, and thereby derive generalized Einstein relations (GER) connecting the diffusion coefficients with the mobility. These GER are essentially exact for power-law interaction models in the cold-gas limit, and approximate extensions are proposed for including general interactions and finite temperatures. Comparison is made with other theories, and with experiments for He, Ne, and Ar. Some peculiar phenomena associated with a Ramsauer minimum in the cross section are pointed out.
Treatment of prostate cancer local recurrence after whole-gland cryosurgery with frameless robotic stereotactic body radiotherapy: initial experience.

Abstract Background The use of frameless robotic stereotactic body radiotherapy has not been investigated in patients whose primary cryosurgery treatment failed. The aim of this series was to present initial experiences with frameless robotic radiosurgery in the treatment of local prostate recurrence after cryotherapy. Methods We reviewed the outcome of frameless robotic radiosurgery in 4 patients for biopsy-proven local recurrent prostate cancer after cryotherapy. The patients underwent stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) at Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, New York. Results The patients' ages ranged from 66 to 75 years old. The average follow-up was more than 4 months. Presalvage prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were 7.3, 11.9, 6.1, and 20.9 ng/mL for the four patients. Presalvage Gleason scores were 7, 7, 9, and 8 respectively. One patient had insufficient follow-up for inclusion. The 3 remaining patients showed reduction of PSA levels after SBRT. Follow-up post-SBRT PSA levels were 2.2, 0.19, and 2.0 ng/mL. The average PSA reduction was 7.0 ng/mL. Morbidity at 3-week follow-up included urinary urgency, dysuria, and constipation. There was no change in international prostate symptom score or The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form scores after SBRT. One patient experienced erectile dysfunction from SBRT. Conclusions Initial results indicate that robotic SBRT is a viable option for patients who have failed initial cryosurgery therapy measures. The patients had minimal morbidity with significant reduction in PSA levels.
MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF FURTHER‐PROCESSED TURKEY PRODUCTS

SUMMARY —The increased production and consumption of frozen, further-processed turkey products has created a need for more information on their microbiological quality. Samples of frozen, further-processed turkey products including roasts, rolls, turkey in gravy and turkey with stuffing and gravy were purchased either in a retail market or directly from the processor. Numbers of aerobic and anaerobic organisms, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens and coliform bacteria in each product were determined. Conventional agar plate count and multiple-tube dilution-to-extinction techniques were employed. In addition, enrichment techniques were used to ascertain the presence of salmonellae and C. perfringens. More than one procedure was utilized in each analysis for comparisons of methodology. Results of analyses carried out on these products show a wide range in total numbers of microorganisms present. In the 35 raw products examined, all were found to contain coliform types, 19 E. coli, 25 S. aureus, 7 C. perfringens; salmonellae were found in only 3 samples. In the 38 cooked products analyzed, the incidence of these types of organisms was lower. Neither salmonellae nor E. coli were found, whereas, 16 of 38 contained coliform types, 6 of 38 contained C. perfringens and only one of 38 was positive for S. aureus.
Frequency-independent fast-lock register-controlled DLL with wide-range duty cycle adjuster

A fast-lock all-digital register-controlled delay-locked loop (RCDLL) with wide-range duty cycle adjuster is presented. The architecture of the proposed fast-lock RCDLL uses the initial delay monitor without the delay line, which shares with the register controlled delay line for high accuracy of initial delay. Also, the duty cycle corrector of the DLL has achieved wide correction range to a small delay of the duty cycle adjuster. The proposed RCDLL with wide-range duty cycle adjuster has been designed with a 0.18um CMOS process and operates over a frequency range from 250MHz to 1.2GHz with a 1.8V supply voltage. The lock-time of the DLL is 10cycles independent to the input frequency.
Diffusional transport of solutes through mesentery and peritoneum

Equations are derived to represent the permeability of a barrier composed of either two or three distinct layers through which solutes diffuse in sequence. In mesentery and peritoneum the thickest layer consists of areolar connective tissue, but it probably offers little more resistance to diffusion than an equal volume of extracellular fluid. The mesothelium is judged to present a more formidable barrier. The ions 86Rb+ and 32P-orthophosphate migrate independently through excised pieces of rabbit mesentery and peritoneum in the absence of hydrostatic and electrochemical gradients (tracer-ion diffusion). This transport can be described by experimental values of the permeability constant K. If one assumes that 86Rb+ diffuses freely within pores that lie between mesothelial cells, experimentally determined values of K require that these pores occupy in the aggregate 0·6% of the macroscopic area of the mesentery. For the peritoneum, which is less permeable than mesentery to both rubidium and phosphate, the corresponding pore area is 0·2%. These values are comparable to Pappenheimer's estimate of 0·2% for capillary endothelium, representing one more of the many similarities between mesothelium and endothelium in both structure and function. It is believed that these inferences about the pore area of mesothelium are not inconsistent with morphological evidence.
Developing Instruments for Use in Counseling

This article describes the author's experiences and roles in developing four career-oriented measures. The first effort, translating the Ramak into English, proved to be a failure. The second and third efforts, the development of the Career Decision Scale and the Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI), have been more successful. The fourth, the Task Specific Scale of Occupational Self-Efficacy, is still underway, and its usefulness remains to be seen. In sketching these experiences, an attempt is made to show both how proper test development steps are to be followed as well as to indicate that research and development activities can logically grow out of one's personal experience.
Pregnancy influences breast cancer stage at diagnosis in women 30 years of age and younger

Background: To evaluate the purported decreased survival of pregnancy-associated (PA) breast cancer, a previously described homogeneous cohort of women of childbearing age with primary operable cancer was studied. The current analysis was designed to (a) identify those patients among the cohort known to have PA cancer and (b) compare clinical factors, pathologic characteristics, stage at diagnosis, and survival statistics for PA and non-PA cancer subgroups.
Surface pressures induced on a flat plate with in-line and side-by-side dual jet configurations

A jet in a crossflow is of interest in numerous practical situations including jet-powered VTOL aircraft. Two aspects of the problem have received little prior study. First is the effect of the angle of the jet to the crossflow. Second is the performance of dual-jet configurations both in-line and side-by-side. The test plan for this work was designed to address these two aspects. The experiments were conducted in the 7 x 10 tunnel at NASA Ames at velocities from 14.5 - 35.8 m/sec (47.6 - 117.4 ft/sec.). Detailed pressure distributions are presented for single and dual jets over a range of velocity ratios from 3 to 8, spacings from 2 to 6 diameters and injection angles of 90, 75, and 105 degrees. The effects of the various parameters and the differences between the axisymmetric and flat plate geometries on the nature, size, shape, and strength of the interaction regions on the body surfaces are shown.
Effects of methylated xanthines on the neuronally isolated cerebral cortex.

Abstract Although caffeine has long been considered to be a cerebral cortical stimulant, relatively little is known of its sites and mechanism of action in the cerebral cortex. Therefore, the effects of the methylated xanthines, caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine have been studied on the evoked electrical afterdischarge of the neuronally isolated cerebral cortex preparation of dogs. Electrical stimulation of the neuronally isolated island of suprasylvian gyrus with an intact pial circulation in postanesthetized and immobilized dog preparations elicited a characteristic reproducible spikelike discharge limited within the island. The duration of such afterdischarge was measured before and after the administration of various drugs. Among the methylated xanthines, caffeine in doses as low as 0.25 mg/kg was the most potent in prolonging cortical afterdischarge. Theophylline and theobromine appeared much less potent. The dose-effect relationship with different doses of the methylated xanthines was determined. It was found that large doses of theophylline and theobromine clearly reduced the duration of cortical afterdischarge. Repeated administration of caffeine appeared to cause no further or even less prolongation of afterdischarge than that produced by the first dose suggesting that tachyphylaxis occurred.
Salt-specific effects in aqueous dispersions of carbon nanotubes

Tremendous progress has been made to stabilize carbon nanotube dispersions using surfactants, although many questions await answer to design surfactant formulations that selectively stabilize nanotubes mono-dispersed in diameter and chirality. Stimulated by recent experimental observations [J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2010, 132, 16165–16175], we attempt here to quantify how changing the counter-ion (Cs+ instead of Na+) affects the morphology of dodecyl sulfate surfactants adsorbed on carbon nanotubes. Using atomistic molecular dynamics we simulated aqueous cesium dodecyl sulfate (CsDS) adsorbed on (6,6), (12,12), and (20,20) single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) at ambient conditions. When compared to results for sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), our results suggest that surface aggregates with Cs+ ions, compared to Na+, yield a more compact coverage of the nanotubes at the surfactant surface coverage of 0.25 nm2 per headgroup, with the surfactant heads extended towards the bulk aqueous solution, and prevent water from accessing the nanotube surface. These morphological results suggest that CsDS should be more effective than SDS at stabilizing aqueous carbon nanotubes dispersions. More importantly, these results were obtained only for the (6,6) nanotubes simulated. For the wider nanotubes our simulations show limited, if any, differences in the morphology of the surfactant aggregates when the Na+ ions are substituted with Cs+ ones. To validate our results we measured experimental UV-Vis-NIR absorbance spectra for aqueous carbon nanotubes with diameters similar to that of (6,6) and of (12,12) nanotubes stabilized by SDS at increasing salt concentration (CsCl vs. NaCl). The results are indicative of changes in the surfactant self-assembled structure on the narrow nanotubes in the presence of Cs+ ions, while data for the wider tubes only suggest salt-screening effects for both Na+ and Cs+ ions. The different salt-specific behavior observed for the surfactants adsorbed on narrow vs. wide carbon nanotubes could be exploited for the selective stabilization of mono-dispersed carbon nanotube samples, although a surfactant more effective than SDS should be used.
Homogeneity measurements of plasma immersion ion-implanted complex-shaped samples

Abstract It is commonly accepted, that one of the favourable features of plasma immersion ion implantation in comparison to conventional beam-line ion implantation is its ability to treat non-planar samples without complicated workpiece and beam manipulation. Therefore, it is of particular interest to study the homogeneity of PIII treatment of three-dimensional bodies. In the present paper, homogeneity measurements are of PIII treated model systems are discussed. Wedge-shaped specimens (V- and D-shaped) with different angles made of silicon were treated by plasma immersion ion implantation with argon ions. The voltage pulse heights ranged between 30 and 45 kV. The samples were analysed for retained implantation dose by lateral Rutherford backscattering measurements. These show that large gradients in implantation dose develop under the chosen PIII conditions. An explanation for these gradients is a misalignment of electric field lines, crooked near the edges of samples, and ion trajectories, due to the inertia of the ions.
Modeling Climate Change Impacts on the US Agricultural Exports

Climate change is expected to have substantial effects on agricultural productivity worldwide. However, these impacts will differ across commodities, locations and time periods. As a result, landowners will see changes in relative returns that are likely to induce modifications in production practices and land allocation. In addition, regional variations in impacts can alter relative competitiveness across countries and lead to adjustments in international trade patterns. Thus in climate change impact studies it is likely useful to account for worldwide productivity effects. In this study, we investigate the implications of considering rest of world climate impacts on projections of the US agricultural exports. We chose to focus on the US because it is one of the largest agricultural exporters. To conduct our analyses, we consider four alternative climate scenarios, both with and without rest of world climate change impacts. Our results show that considering/ignoring rest of world climate impacts causes significant changes in the US production and exports projections. Thus we feel climate change impact studies should account not only for climate impacts in the country of focus but also on productivity in the rest of the world in order to capture effects on commodity markets and trade potential.
Role of high activation energy homogeneous chemical reactions in affecting CVD-rates and deposit quality for heated surfaces

Abstract We present here a rational but simple asymptotic theory for the influence of homogeneous reagent consumption on heated surface chemical vapor deposition (CVD) rates, exploiting the fact that in most cases the overall activation energy of the homogeneous chemical reaction is large enough to confine reaction effects to a thin chemical sublayer embedded within the ordinary diffusion boundary layer. Explicit analytical results are obtained and illustrated for cases in which both heterogeneous and homogeneous kinetics can be represented by power-law/Arrhenius functions. Because of the large molecular weight disparities and high-temperature gradients prevailing in many CVD-systems we also allow for the Soret reduction of dilute reagent Fick transport to the hot surface. The resulting closed-form rate expressions provide rational quantitative criteria for ‘vapor-phase ignition’ (VPI) in terms of the CVD-system parameters and the presumed ‘known’ chemical kinetic parameters characterizing the vapor reactants. Conversely, armed with such a theory, one can use experimentally observed VPI conditions to infer the effective homogeneous kinetic parameters for the system in question—information not always independently available. In effect, one uses the gaseous boundary layer as a ‘flow reactor’, with the CVD-surface as a detector (albeit imperfect) of the surviving reactant. Our general results can be applied to specific film systems of current interest, with our present emphasis being the CVD of TiO 2 (s) [from TiCl 4 or Ti(OC 3 H 7 ) 4 (g) + O 2 ].
Measuring and improving productivity in general radiology.

Purpose The aim of this study was to determine a method of measuring productivity among general radiographers in a moderate-sized hospital and to improve and sustain productivity within that work area. Methods The average times needed to perform the 13 most common examinations were measured. Performance of the various examinations was tracked and multiplied by the time allocated per procedure; this measure was divided by the length of the work shift to determine productivity. Productivity measures were shared among the work group, and decisions to improve productivity (eg, whether to fill open positions) were made by group members. Results Average time spent per examination type was calculated (range, 10 minutes to 1 hour 16 minutes). At baseline (February 2008), group productivity was 50%. Productivity increased during the first year of monitoring and was sustained through November 2009 (productivity range, 57%-63%). Yearly savings from not filling open positions were estimated to be $174,000. Conclusions Productivity in a general radiology work area can be measured. Consensus among the work group helped increase productivity and assess progress. This methodology, if widely adopted, could be standardized and used to compare productivity across departments and institutions.
Detection and localization of L-band satellites using an antenna array

Argus is an experimental L-band radio telescope, consisting of a large number of low-gain antennas networked together to facilitate detection and localization of astronomical transients over the entire sky instantaneously. In this paper, we report an experiment in which we used Argus to observe man-made satellites, namely the 1691 MHz WEFAX signal from the GOES-12 satellite and the combined 1575.42 MHz signal from the US GPS constellation. This is a useful interim step to astronomical observations because WEFAX and GPS are strong relative to astronomical sources, yet weak enough to provide a meaningful test of the ability to operate with high sensitivity in field conditions.
In vitro inhibition of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin-induced activity by α-naphthoflavone and 6-methyl-1,3,8-trichlorodibenzofuran using an aryl hydrocarbon (Ah)-responsive construct

Abstract Rat hepatoma H4IIE and mouse hepatoma Hepa 1c1c7 cells were transiently transfected with a plasmid construct that contained the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene under the control of the mouse mammary tumor virus promoter and one copy of the dioxin responsive element. Treatment of transfected H4IIE and Hepa 1c1c7 cells with 10 −13 to 10 −6 M 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin (TCDD) resulted in a concentration-dependent increase in transient CAT activity. Maximum CAT activity was induced in both cell lines by exposure to 10 −9 M TCDD. The induction of CAT activity correlated well with the TCDD-induced, P4501A1-dependent ethoxyresorufin O -deethylase activity. Cotreatment of transfected cells with 10 −9 M TCDD and 10 −8 to 10 −6 M α-naphthoflavone (αNF) or 6-methyl-1,3,8-trichlorodibenzofuran (MCDF) resulted in a concentration-dependent reduction of TCDD-induced CAT activity. Treatment of cells with 10 −6 M αNF or MCDF alone resulted in only minimal induction of CAT activity. Both antagonists inhibited the induction of genes under the control of the CYP1A1 and mouse mammary tumor virus promoters, which indicates that the αNF- and MCDF-mediated antagonism of TCDD-induced, aryl hydrocarbon receptor-dependent gene transcription does not depend on promoter context.
Choosing the optimal mother wavelet for decomposition of radio-frequency intravascular ultrasound data for characterization of atherosclerotic plaque lesions

Aim: The objective of this work is to determine the optimal basis function to perform wavelet analysis for tissue characterization of radio frequency intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) backscattered data. This is the most important step in wavelet analysis as it ensures accurate decomposition of the original signal into the various frequency bands. The criterion to choose the mother wavelet that is best suited to the data depends on the intended application. Wavelet families possessing properties like orthogonality, regularity, stability and admissibility have previously been shown to have application in tissue characterization. Algorithm: Depending on the usable data bandwidth known from previous studies we decomposed data using a 4-level decomposition scheme. We then calculated Shannon’s entropy for every level and employed “minimum Shannon entropy criterion” to determine the best mother wavelet for signal decomposition. According to this criterion, accurate decomposition is indicated when the total entropy of the daughter (decomposed) levels is lower than the entropy of the parent level. Analysis and Results: We acquired 40 MHz IVUS data ex-vivo from 10 left anterior descending (LAD) coronary arteries. Data was acquired such that each frame comprised of 256 scanlines. Next, we randomly selected 3 scanlines for each LAD and applied the above-mentioned Shannon entropy criterion for these 30 scanlines. We analyzed 23 mother wavelets from different families. Daubechies 3rd order wavelet accurately decomposes 29/30 scanlines at all levels. Daubechies 6th order wavelet appears optimal for 21/30 scanlines. Future direction: To obtain more precise signal decomposition, the optimal mother wavelet should be selected at every decomposition level. The best mother wavelet is indicated by the lowest Shannon entropy for that particular level.
How can we measure the costs and benefits of changes in financial reporting standards

Abstract This paper first describes the components of a conventional cost‐benefit analysis, a decision tool that is widely used to evaluate large public‐sector projects such as dams. It then compares a conventional cost‐benefit analysis to the approaches used by financial reporting standard‐setters and others to evaluate the costs and benefits of changes in authoritative accounting guidance. The last portion of the paper describes how accounting research provides analyses of effects of changes in accounting standards and describes how these effects‐analyses differ from, and are similar to, a conventional cost‐benefit analysis.
A comparison of withdrawal in rats implanted with different types of morphine pellets.

Abstract Time course and duration of physical dependence was investigated in rats implanted subcutaneously with 3 different types of morphine (M) pellets. Each was formulated according to the method of Gibson and Tingstad [8], but differed in surface area and hardness. Animals were maintained for 19 days after implantation and physical dependence was assessed every other day. Severity of naloxone (Nx)-induced withdrawal was quantified by the use of a composite symptom score and weight loss. Withdrawal severity was greatest following implantation of a pellet (Type C) of large surface area and low hardness rating, and least following implantation of a pellet (Type A) of small surface area and high hardness rating. Abstinence severity which resulted from implantation of a pellet (Type B) of moderate surface area and low hardness rating was intermediate. When 2 pellets were implanted the difference between Type C and B was amplified. It was concluded that formulation per se was not sufficient for specifying M pellet characteristics.
Exercises in the Russell model of eclipsing binaries

Abstract A general critique of the successive procedures in the use of the Russell Model is presented. The cautions to be observed in calculations of “third” light and in the recognition and interpretation of photometric “complications” are presented in part by specific examples. The main burden of the article is intended to emphasize a more cautious acceptance of all the results of a photometric solution.
Medical and ethical issues in genetic screening--an academic view

This article is intended to acquaint those whose principal concerns are the health and safety of workers with genetic screening and some of the medical and ethical issues it raises. Population-based genetic screening increasingly is being considered for predicting future disease in the person being screened. A major problem in screening for alleles that contribute to the development of common, multifactorial disorders is low sensitivity and positive predictive value. In many instances, no demonstrably effective prophylaxis or treatment is available to help those with positive test results. This creates ethical problems of assuring that testing is in the person's best interest and raises in turn issues of autonomy, discrimination, and privacy. Instead of screening for genetic predispositions to harm from workplace exposures, other means of improving the health of workers may bring greater benefits to a higher proportion of workers. The current state of genetic tests for chronic beryllium disease are considered. None are suitable for screening.
Effect of backing layer thickness on adhesion of single-level elastomer fiber arrays

The effect of the backing layer thickness on adhesion was investigated for single-level elastomer fibrillar adhesives. Polyurethane microfiber arrays with spatulated tips on a 160μm thick backing layer show nine times greater adhesion strength (around 22N∕cm2) than those with a 1120μm thick backing. A theoretical model is proposed to explain this difference in which very thin backing layers promote equal load sharing, maximizing adhesion, while very thick backings can lead to reduced adhesion due to edge stress concentration. Therefore, backing layer thickness should be considered as a significant parameter for design of high performance fibrillar adhesives.
Carboplatin in Clinical Stage I Seminoma: Too Much and Too Little at the Same Time

(HR) of 1.28 (90% CI, 0.85 to 1.93). 8 The updated 5-year RFR is 1.34%. The upper limit of the 90% CI for 5-year RFR exceeds 3% (90%CI,0.7%to3.5%),andtheHRisgreaterthan1.0(HR,1.28; 90%CI,0.83to1.89). 7 Therefore,thedifferenceinRFRiswideningin a direction favoring RT. These results imply that a 2-year RFR end point was probably too short (consistent with surveillance studies in which 30% of relapses occurred after 2 years), and carboplatin may