cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isomerization of cyclopropane on synthetic faujasite by pulse technique: I. Mathematical model

Abstract A mathematical model is derived to describe the transient behavior of a continuous stirred tank reactor containing catalyst particles with a bipore distribution when a stimulus is introduced. The reaction taking place inside the catalyst is assumed to be isothermal, first order, and irreversible. The expressions for the zeroth-, first-, and second-order moments of the response curve are given in terms of the adsorption equilibrium constant, the intercrystalline and intracrystalline diffusion coefficients, and the first-order reaction rate constant. A method for the determination of these parameters is presented. The same method also leads to the determination of micro- and macropore effectiveness factors.
A study of the abrasive wear behaviour of laser-clad tool steel coatings

Abstract A comparative study of the abrasive wear behaviour has been conducted on several tool steel coatings that were deposited by laser cladding process using a CW CO 2 laser in combination with a blown powder feed technique. The laser-clad CPM 15V and CPM 10V coatings exhibit superior abrasive wear resistance as compared with the reference material, AISI D2 tool steel. In contrast, the wear resistance of the CPM 9V and M4 coatings is inferior to that of the D2 steel. As multiple overlapping clad-tracks are used to produce a coating covering relatively large area, a thin layer of a pre-deposited clad-track will be “over-heated” while depositing the next adjacent one. Depending on the coating material, this re-heated zone (RHZ) can exhibit different wear rate compared with the other area of the track in the as-clad condition, which is especially significant for the CPM 10V coating. For coatings with a large proportion of retained austenite, post heat-treatment promotes the transformation of the retained austenite to martensite, improving the wear resistance. The wear resistance of tool steel coatings is dependent upon the matrix microstructure and the features of dispersed carbides, such as their type, proportion, shape, size and distribution.
The logic of the medical research article

As do all forms of science, medical theories have a factual as well as a logical basis. New information is presented in medical research articles. These papers have three separate arguments: the argument of the hypothesis, the argument of the experimental protocol, and the argument of the hypothesis's judgment. These arguments may be examples of the hypothetico-deductive or confirmational model of scientific inference. The logical form of these arguments are informal and inductive rather than formal and deductive. Understanding the nature of the logic of the medical research article may help avoid erroneous conclusions.
Response to Comment on "Iron Isotope Constraints on the Archean and Paleoproterozoic Ocean Redox State"

We reported a secular trend in iron isotope values of Precambrian sedimentary pyrite and related it to the changing redox state of Precambrian oceans. We restate that the iron cycle before 1.8 billion years ago was different from that now and reflected the rise of atmospheric oxygen and the subsequent moderate atmospheric oxygen level in the Paleoproterozoic.
The Envelope Glycoprotein of Human Endogenous Retrovirus HERV-W Induces Cellular Resistance to Spleen Necrosis Virus

Human endogenous retrovirus type W (HERV-W) envelope glycoprotein (Env) has recently been reported to induce fusion in cells expressing the RD-114 and type D retrovirus receptor (RDR) and to serve as a functional retroviral envelope protein. In this report, another biological function for HERV-W was demonstrated by testing its ability to protect cells against retroviral infection. Spleen necrosis virus (SNV), a gammaretrovirus was chosen for testing resistance because it uses RDR to enter cells. An HERV-W Env expression plasmid was transfected into canine osteosarcoma cells (D-17), which are permissive for SNV infection. Cell fusion assays were performed to demonstrate biological function of HERV-W Env in D-17 cells. The presence of HERV-W env sequences was confirmed in stably transfected cell clones by using polymerase chain reaction. Viral infectivity assays were performed with SNV and amphotropic Murine leukemia virus (MLV-A) pseudotyped vector viruses to measure titers in D-17 cells expressing HERV-W Env and in negative control cells. The HERV-W Env caused fusion of D-17 cells in culture and greatly reduced infection by SNV vector virus. A 1000- to 10,000-fold decrease in SNV infectivity was observed for D-17 cells expressing HERV-W Env as compared to D-17 cells that were not expressing HERV-W Env. In contrast, infection by MLV-A pseudotyped vector virus was not significantly reduced. Thus, HERV-W Env confers host cell resistance to infection by SNV. This is the first report of a human endogenous retrovirus gene product blocking infection by any exogenous retrovirus.
On the macromolecular composition of the zona pellucida from porcine oocytes

Abstract The chemical and immunological relation between the glycoprotein components of the pig oocyte zona pellucida resolved by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was investigated. After disulfide bond reduction, four microheterogeneous glycoprotein components with apparent molecular weights of 25K, 55K, 65K, and 90K were resolved. When disulfide bonds were left unreduced, two microheterogeneous glycoprotein components were resolved with apparent molecular weights of 55K and 90K. Actin was present, but as a contaminant of the zona pellucida rather than as a true component. The structural relation of these components was investigated using deglycosylation with trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, limited proteolysis with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, amino acid and carbohydrate composition analyses, sequence analysis, and monoclonal antibodies. The 25K and 65K components comigrated with the 90K component when disulfide bonds were not reduced. When the intermolecular disulfide bonds crosslinking the two components were reduced, the 25K and 65K components behaved independently. The 25K and 65K components were derived from the 90K glycoprotein family by proteolysis. The 25K component originated from the C-terminal end, and the 65K component from the N-terminal end of the 90K glycoprotein. The 55K component was composed of two chemically and antigenically distinct glycoproteins, termed 55K α and 55K β , that electrophoretically comigrated. The N-terminal amino acid of the 55K α family was blocked. The 55K β family had an N-terminal amino acid sequence of Asp-Val-Pro-Thr-Ile-Gly-Leu-Ser-X-Ala-Pro-Thr. Thus, the two to four electrophoretic components of the zona pellucida observed on gel electrophoresis are derived from three glycoprotein families.
Examining the Relationship Between Soda Consumption and Eating Disorder Pathology

Objective: This study aimed to compare diet soda drinkers, regular soda drinkers, and individuals who do not regularly consume soda on clinically significant eating disorder psychopathology, including binge eating, overeating, and purging. Method: Participants (n = 2077) were adult community volunteers who completed an online survey that included the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire and questions regarding binge-eating behaviors, purging, current weight status, and the type and frequency of soda beverages consumed. Results: Diet soda drinkers (34%, n = 706) reported significantly higher levels of eating, shape, and weight concerns than regular soda drinkers (22%, n = 465), who in turn reported higher levels on these variables than non-soda drinkers (44%, n = 906). Diet soda drinkers were more likely to report binge eating and purging than regular soda drinkers, who were more likely to report these behaviors than non-soda drinkers. Consumption of any soda was positively associated with higher BMI,...
A combined CFD/experimental methodology for erosion prediction

Abstract The prediction of erosion damage caused by solid particles within flow lines is crucial for many industries. In most erosion modeling approaches, empirical erosion equations are commonly used to relate particle impact information to erosion magnitude. These equations are usually generated from jet impingement testing in air, since the particle impact speed and angle are assumed not to deviate from conditions in the jet. However, in slurry flows, a wide range of particle impact angles and speeds are produced on the target surface. In this work combining CFD simulation results with experimental data obtained from a normal slurry jet test, an erosion equation has been developed. In this methodology, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation is used to characterize the particle impact speed, angle and frequency at specific locations on the specimen. Then, the particle impact data are related to the measured erosion depth to achieve an erosion equation from submerged testing. The erosion equation has been validated for oblique impingement configurations and it has been shown that, the equation is well suited for various test conditions and it can successfully predict the local erosion depth. Furthermore, a series of dry impinging jet tests for normal and oblique configurations has been performed. Utilizing a particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique, the slip velocity between the gas and sand particles has been determined. In order to gain a better understanding of the erosion pattern, local erosion depth has been measured using a 3D surface profilometer. The effect of gas velocity and impingement angle on erosion profile has also been investigated.
Fusion of Stokes vector imagery using simple logical operators: application to the problem of surface land mine detection

Efficient surface and subsurface land mine detection is still one of the several important tasks in the civilian and military areas. Often information derived from multiple sensors are fused together to lead a net gain in probability of detection of these land mines. Some drawbacks of this approach are the different sensor output formats and the overall processing efficiency of the system. To overcome some of the aforementioned concerns we propose a simple and efficient image fusion using logical operators. The proposed technique uses logical operators to fuse multiple images derived from a single sensor. The logical fusion operation is applied to the output of the sensor to lead a logically fused image. This image serves as an input to the detection algorithm. The proposed technique is shown to improve the probability of detection of land mines. This improvement is shown using the ROC curve approach.
Synthesis and complexation of "back-to-back" capped bis-dioxocyclams.

Pyridine-capped 5,12-dioxocyclams were coupled “back-to-back” directly, with one or two intervening phenyl groups, an ethynyl group, or a diazo group via Suzuki, Sonogashira, or reductive coupling of the 4-nitropyridine monocyclam. These bis-dioxocyclams linked through extended π-conjugated systems were complexed to copper(II) and cobalt(III), producing bis-metal complexes which were characterized spectroscopically and electrochemically. These studies gave little evidence for electronic communication between metal centers across the π-conjugated linkers.
State Anxiety, Performance Accuracy, and Work Pace in a Simulated Pharmacy Dispensing Task

This study examined the effects of scores on state anxiety on overall accuracy of performance and speed of working in a simulated pharmacy dispensing task. 75 undergraduates worked in a simulated pharmacy environment, designed by Schell and Grasha in 1998, to fill 42 mock orders for simulated pharmacy items. Participants' accuracy and work pace in the simulation, presimulation stress, and postsimulation perceived workload and state anxiety were measured. Analysis indicated that state anxiety and overall accuracy were strongly related. State anxiety appears to be one of the best predictors of errors in the simulated pharmacy dispensing task found so far, while the lack of relationship between work pace and accuracy was confirmed. Work pace predicted accuracy, indirectly, but only after statistically removing the effects of anxiety, task frustration, significant-other stress, and grade point average.
Learner Characteristics and Writing Performance in a Community College English as a Second Language Course: Some Unexpected Findings.

This study investigates the relationships between individual learner characteristics and gain in writing performance as measured by a standardized writing assessment in a sample of community college academic English as a Second Language (ESL) students in the United States. The ethnically and linguistically diverse convenience sample included 76 students (43 women, 32 men, 1 who did not indicate gender) enrolled in academic ESL courses. Multiple regression was used to investigate whether learner characteristics predicted students’ progress in their ESL courses over the course of one semester. On average, employed students showed less improvement in their writing than students who did not work. Moreover, among employed students, those who cared for children under 18 and used more English at work tended to show smaller gains in their writing scores over the course of the semester, while those who used more English at home showed larger gains. Among unemployed students, more years of English study in the home...
A Corporate Social Performance–Corporate Financial Performance Behavioral Model for Consumers

We present a model linking corporate social performance (CSP) and corporate financial performance (CFP). Our CSP–CFP behavioral model for consumers examines the roles of information intensity and moral values in linking CSP with purchase behavior. We predict information intensity will influence the consumer's brand attitude, and we expect consumer moral values to have a main effect on purchase intentions, as well as to interact with information intensity in predicting purchase intentions.
Human NK Cells Proliferate and Die In Vivo More Rapidly than T Cells in Healthy Young and Elderly Adults

NK cells are essential for health, yet little is known about human NK turnover in vivo. In both young and elderly women, all NK subsets proliferated and died more rapidly than T cells. CD56bright NK cells proliferated rapidly but died relatively slowly, suggesting that proliferating CD56bright cells differentiate into CD56dim NK cells in vivo. The relationship between CD56dim and CD56bright proliferating cells indicates that proliferating CD56dim cells both self-renew and are derived from proliferating CD56bright NK cells. Our data suggest that some dying CD56dim cells become CD16+CD56− NK cells and that CD16−CD56low NK cells respond rapidly to cellular and cytokine stimulation. We propose a model in which all NK cell subsets are in dynamic flux. About half of CD56dim NK cells expressed CD57, which was weakly associated with low proliferation. Surprisingly, CD57 expression was associated with higher proliferation rates in both CD8+ and CD8− T cells. Therefore, CD57 is not a reliable marker of senescent, nonproliferative T cells in vivo. NKG2A expression declined with age on both NK cells and T cells. Killer cell Ig-like receptor expression increased with age on T cells but not on NK cells. Although the percentage of CD56bright NK cells declined with age and the percentage of CD56dim NK cells increased with age, there were no significant age-related proliferation or apoptosis differences for these two populations or for total NK cells. In vivo human NK cell turnover is rapid in both young and elderly adults.
Automated Generation of Pointcut Mutants for Testing Pointcuts in AspectJ Programs

Aspect-oriented programming (AOP) provides new modularization of software systems by encapsulating cross-cutting concerns. AspectJ, an AOP language, uses abstractions such as pointcuts, advice, and aspects to achieve AOPpsilas primary functionality. Faults in pointcuts can cause aspects to fail to satisfy their requirements. Hence, testing pointcuts is necessary in order to ensure correctness of aspects. In mutation testing of pointcuts (a type of fault-based pointcut testing), the number of mutants (i.e., variations) for pointcuts is usually large due to the usage of wildcards. It is tedious to manually identify effective mutants that are of appropriate strength and resemble closely the original pointcut expression, reflecting the kind of mistakes that developers may make. To reduce developerspsila effort in this process, we have developed a new framework that automatically identifies the strength of each pointcut and generates pointcut mutants with different strengths. Developers can inspect the pointcut mutants and their join points for pointcut correctness or choose the mutants for conducting mutation testing. We conducted an empirical study on applying our framework on pointcuts from existing AspectJ programs. The results show that our framework can provide valuable assistance in generating effective mutants that are close to the original pointcuts and are of appropriate strength.
A prototype distance learning laboratory for image processing education

The results of the first year of an NSF-funded image processing distance learning project are described. The project addresses methods to deliver courses over boundaries of time and space where at least one laboratory component required for the project is too costly for an individual student. Hence, the challenge is to deliver distance learning in a fashion that does not financially disenfranchise students and simultaneously does not give distant students a less complete educational experience. To meet this challenge, we have developed new media-rich communication tools (which are accessible via the Internet and the WWW, allowing students to easily exchange media-rich documents), a client-server based interface (which we call WebKHOROS) to KHOROS (a powerful image processing system), and several other components.
Cognitive and Sociodemographic Risk Factors for Mortality in the Seattle Longitudinal Study

The relationship between cognitive function and survivorship was examined in a community-dwelling sample. Survival analysis was used to examine how level and change in intellectual functioning, verbal memory, perceptual speed, and psychomotor speed were related to mortality in a sample of 601 individuals who subsequently died (decedents; n = 342 men; n = 259 women; M = 73.81 years of age) and a control group of 609 survivors (n = 296 men; n = 313 women; M = 71.96). The sample of survivors was selected to be of similar age and to have a similar level of education as the decedents. Individuals in the lowest 25th percentile of performance (crystallized abilities, visualization abilities, verbal memory, and perceptual and psychomotor speed) had a significant risk for subsequent mortality compared to individuals in the highest 25th percentile. However, after adjusting for demographic variables and psychomotor speed, only perceptual speed remained a significant risk factor for mortality. Significant 7-year declines (lowest 25th percentile) in measurements of Verbal Meaning, Spatial Ability, Reasoning Ability, and Psychomotor Speed were risk factors for subsequent mortality relative to those who had the least amount of decline. The relationship between mortality and cognitive function tended to be a specific rather than a pervasive phenomenon, even after adjusting for sociodemographic factors and psychomotor speed. Decrease in cognitive performance tended to be a better predictor of subsequent mortality than was the level of cognitive performance.
Non-Coding RNAs and Cancer

The discovery of the biological relevance of non-coding RNA (ncRNAs) molecules represents one of the most significant advances in contemporary molecular biology. Expression profiling of human tumors, based on the expression of miRNAs and other short or long ncRNAs, has identified signatures associated with diagnosis, staging, progression, prognosis, and response to treatment. In this review we will discuss the recent remarkable advancement in the understanding the biological functions of human ncRNAs in cancer, the mechanisms of expression and the therapeutic potential.
Reducing Race: News Themes in the 2008 Primaries

This article presents a content analysis exploring how racial issues were addressed in newspaper and news magazine coverage of the 2008 Democratic primaries. Despite the presence of Latino and biracial candidates, discussion of race was limited by binary racial frames, resulting in the construction of racial groups as competing voting blocs (including frequent references to white voters) and few references to Barack Obama’s biracial heritage. The dominant framing constricted the range of racial issues to matters of interpersonal insensitivity and misguided statements and ignored matters of public policy and racial equity.
Flashlamp-pumped Cr:LiSAF thin slab zig-zag laser studies

We have demonstrated a flashlamp-pumped Cr:LiSAF zig-zag thin slab laser that has achieved laser output energies to 6.4 J from a single slab in a configuration capable of operation at high average power. This corresponds to an intrinsic photon efficiency of close to 35%. Tuning of the laser output from 800 to 900 nm was accomplished using an etalon with a free spectral range of 30,000 GHz. The laser bandwidth was narrowed to about 160 GHz (from a free-running bandwidth of about 250 GHz) and the laser output decreased by about a factor of 2. Further bandwidth control was demonstrated near the peak of the gain, around 830 nm, using three intracavity etalons with free spectral ranges of 30,000 GHz, 5,000 GHz, and 200 GHz, respectively. A bandwidth narrowed output of 8 GHz was observed. Beam quality was measured for the laser operating singly. The short, 40-ns Q-switched pulses resulted in beam qualities of about 2.2 XDL. It appears that the Q-switched pulse lengths did not provide adequate build-up time to form a good low-order mode. Better beam quality was observed in a free-running operating regime where longer pulses occurred. Under these operating conditions a beam quality of 1.35 times the diffraction limit was achieved.
Microarrays and the relationship of mRNA variation to protein variation during the cell cycle

Microarray analyses have led to the postulated existence and identification of numerous genes that are believed to be expressed and presumably to act in a cell-cycle-specific manner because their expression varies during the cell cycle. It is important to see how protein variation can be produced from mRNA variation. We have calculated the protein content throughout the cell cycle resulting from cell-cycle-specific mRNA expression, and compared the result to protein content resulting from constant, cell-cycle independent, mRNA expression. For stable proteins, cell-cycle-specific mRNA expression leads to a maximum 2-fold change in protein content compared to proteins synthesized from constantly expressed mRNA. More realistic sinusoidal patterns of mRNA expression exhibit much smaller ratios of 1.25 or lower, even for extremely large amplitudes in mRNA expression. For unstable proteins that have a cycle-independent half-life, only at extremely short protein half-lives does mRNA variation have a significant impact on variation of protein content during the division cycle. We also apply these findings to proteins with a cycle-specific decay pattern. mRNA variations during the eukaryotic division cycle variation of mRNA during the cell cycle can have only a minimal affect on the variation of protein content during the cell cycle. We conclude that mRNA variations during the division cycle, as measured by microarrays, cannot by themselves, identify cycle-specific functions related to protein variations.
Timing is everything: antiretroviral nonadherence is associated with impairment in time-based prospective memory.

Nonadherence to combination antiretroviral (ARV) therapies (cART) is highly prevalent and significantly increases the risk of adverse human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease outcomes. The current study evaluated the hypothesis that prospective memory—a dissociable aspect of episodic memory describing the ability to execute a future intention—plays an important role in successful cART adherence. Seventy-nine individuals with HIV infection who were prescribed at least one ARV medication underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological and neuromedical evaluation prior to completing a 1-month observation of their cART adherence as measured by electronic medication monitoring. Nonadherent individuals (n = 31) demonstrated significantly poorer prospective memory functioning as compared to adherent persons (n = 48), particularly on an index of time-based ProM (i.e., elevated loss of time errors). Deficits in time-based prospective memory were independently predictive of cART nonadherence, even after considering the possible influence of established predictors of adherence, such as general cognitive impairment (e.g., retrospective learning and memory) and psychiatric comorbidity (e.g., depression). These findings extend a nascent literature showing that impairment in time-based prospective memory significantly increases the risk of medication nonadherence and therefore may guide the development of novel strategies for intervention. (JINS, 2009, 15, 42–52.)
Encoding of aversion by dopamine and the nucleus accumbens.

Adaptive motivated behavior requires rapid discrimination between beneficial and harmful stimuli. Such discrimination leads to the generation of either an approach or rejection response, as appropriate, and enables organisms to maximize reward and minimize punishment. Classically, the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and the dopamine projection to it are considered an integral part of the brain’s reward circuit, i.e., they direct approach and consumption behaviors and underlie positive reinforcement. This reward-centered framing ignores important evidence about the role of this system in encoding aversive events. One reason for bias towards reward is the difficulty in designing experiments in which animals repeatedly experience punishments; another is the challenge in dissociating the response to an aversive stimulus itself from the reward/relief experienced when an aversive stimulus is terminated. Here, we review studies that employ techniques with sufficient time resolution to measure responses in ventral tegmental area (VTA) and NAc to aversive stimuli as they are delivered. We also present novel findings showing that the same stimulus – intraoral infusion of sucrose – has differing effects on NAc shell dopamine release depending on the prior experience. Here, for some rats, sucrose was rendered aversive by explicitly pairing it with malaise in a conditioned taste aversion paradigm. Thereafter, sucrose infusions led to a suppression of dopamine with a similar magnitude and time course to intra-oral infusions of a bitter quinine solution. The results are discussed in the context of regional differences in dopamine signaling and the implications of a pause in phasic dopamine release within the NAc shell. Together with our data, the emerging literature suggests an important role for differential phasic dopamine signaling in aversion versus reward.
Reciprocal favor exchange and compliance

Three experiments examined the effect of exchanging small favors on compliance to a subsequent request. In Experiment 1, undergraduate participants walked up a flight of stairs to sharpen a pencil for a confederate, and the confederate brought the participants a bottle of water. These participants were more likely to agree to a request from the confederate than participants who had not exchanged favors or who had performed a favor without receiving one in return. The order in which the favors were performed did not affect compliance rates. In Experiment 2, students selling bake sale treats retrieved a “fresh” treat for customers, and customers picked up some spilled pencils for the students. The percentage of customers who subsequently purchased treats replicated the pattern uncovered in the first investigation. In a partial replication of the first experiment, Experiment 3 findings ruled out explanations for the results based on mood and modeling of helping behavior. Taken together, the research suggests...
A neural-type parallel algorithm for fast matrix inversion

The paper introduces the orthogonalized back-propagation algorithm (OBA), a training procedure for adjusting the weights of a neural-type network used for matrix inversion. In this framework the adjustable weights correspond to the estimate of the inverse of the matrix. The algorithm is iterative, in the sense that an initial estimate of the solution is chosen and then updated according to some error measure. However, it is also a direct algorithm since, it guarantees exact convergence after n steps, independent of the initial estimate, where n is the dimension of the matrix to be inverted. The method can also be directly applied to solving linear equations and to computing the pseudoinverse of matrices with full row or column rank. From an optimization point of view, it is shown that the OBA is an optimal algorithm for minimizing a quadratic least-squares cost functional. >
Urban Migration in India and Africa

Industrialization and urbanization are two of the most important social phenomena of the present time.
Comparison of two methods of conducting the Fit and Strong! program.

Objectives—Fit and Strong! is an award winning, evidence-based multiple component physical activity/behavior change intervention. It is a group and facility-based program that meets for 90 minutes three times per week for eight weeks (24 sessions total). We originally tested Fit and Strong! using Physical Therapists (PT) as instructors but have transitioned to using nationally Certified Exercise Instructors (CEI) as part of an effort to translate Fit and Strong! into community based settings. This paper presents findings from our test of the impact of this shift in instruction type on participant outcomes. Methods—We used a two group design. The first 161 participants to sequentially enroll received instruction from PTs. The next 190 sequential enrollees received instruction from CEIs. All participants were assessed at baseline, at the conclusion of the eight-week Fit and Strong! program, and at 6 months. Results—We saw no significant differences by group on outcomes at eight weeks or 6 months. Participants in both groups improved significantly with respect to lower-extremity strength, aerobic capacity, pain, stiffness, and physical function. Significant differences favoring the PT-led classes were seen on two of five mediators, self-efficacy for exercise and barriers adherence efficacy. Participant evaluations rated both types of instruction equally highly, attendance was identical and no untoward health events were observed or reported under either instruction mode. Conclusion—We conclude that outcomes under the two types of instruction are remarkably stable. These findings justify the use of CEIs in the future to extend the reach of Fit and Strong!. Given dramatic growth in the number of older adults in the U.S. and the high prevalence of sedentary lifestyles among them, the need to efficiently and effectively translate and diffuse evidence-based physical activity programs specifically designed for this population is paramount. The need to diffuse evidence-based programming for older adults with osteoarthritis (OA) is particularly acute. Osteoarthritis is not only the most common chronic condition among older adults, but is a major barrier to participation in physical activity, and is a known risk factor for disability and institutionalization.1 , 2 Fit and Strong! is an evidence-based physical activity/behavior change program that effectively targets this high risk group. It addresses documented strength and aerobic deficits in this population and is inexpensive and simple to replicate.3 , 4
REFERENT GRAMMAR MACHINE TRANSLATION WITH DISCOURSE ANAPHORIC EXTENSION

While unification grammars have been in existence for some time and have given birth to grammar formalisms such as Generalized Phrase Structure Grammar (GPSG), it is only recently that computational tools such as Prolog Definite Clause Grammars (DCG) have allowed direct implementation of such grammars on personal computers. A very promising new formalism Referent Grammar is an outgrowth of these events. Referent Grammar (RG) is a sub-class of GPSG which can be directly implemented in Prolog DCG and provides weak generative power at least equal to GPSG. This paper describes the Referent Grammar formalism and the research MT system developed using RG and anaphoric pronoun resolution extensions to RG. It also describes plans for combining sublanguage analysis with RG.
LGMA: localized gradient management algorithm for mobile wireless sensor networks

In this work, we consider the problem of reliable data dissemination in mobile wireless sensor networks. We propose a Localized Gradient Management Algorithm (LGMA) that operates as a mobility sub-module for data-centric protocols. LGMA allows sensor nodes more responsibility in keeping the gradients in their neighborhood operational by using local information deduced from their environment. Performance comparisons of LGMA versus a Sink-Oriented data dissemination protocol with location updates show that LGMA provides considerably higher event delivery ratio under multiple scenarios and rates of sink and network mobility while incurring much lower communication overhead and enabling faster gradient repairs.
Robust STAP using reiterative censoring

Effective methods are developed for selecting sample snapshots for the training data used to compute the adaptive weights for an adaptive match filter; specifically a space/time adaptive processing (STAP) airborne radar configuration is considered. Several new robust adaptive algorithms are presented and evaluated against interference scenarios consisting of jamming, nonhomogeneous airborne clutter (generated by the RLSTAP model), internal system noise, and outliers (which could take the form of targets themselves). These algorithms use either the generalized inner product (GIP) or the adaptive power residue (APR) metrics in reiterative fashion for culling the training data.
A method for the transformation of arbitrary electromagnetic fields based on Huygens principle

The transformation of arbitrary electromagnetic fields is investigated, in order to characterize the near field of the source and transform the result to any location outside the source region. The method presented, referred to as the Huygens principle method, is based on principles of diffraction theory. It is developed from the homogeneous scalar wave equation, and a comparison is made with vector wave equation results based on the Kottler-Franz formulas. The aim is to characterize the sources from measurements made on a surface so as to allow transformation to other locations. The power spectral density is used as the most meaningful characteristic. The method requires measurement of the cross spectral density of the electric or magnetic field. The sensitivity of the Huygens principle method to location error is investigated, and a computer simulation example is presented to illustrate the method. Suggestions for the physical implementation of this transformation method are made. >
Dynamic Bayesian Forecasting of Presidential Elections in the States

I present a dynamic Bayesian forecasting model that enables early and accurate prediction of U.S. presidential election outcomes at the state level. The method systematically combines information from historical forecasting models in real time with results from the large number of state-level opinion surveys that are released publicly during the campaign. The result is a set of forecasts that are initially as good as the historical model, and then gradually increase in accuracy as Election Day nears. I employ a hierarchical specification to overcome the limitation that not every state is polled on every day, allowing the model to borrow strength both across states and, through the use of random-walk priors, across time. The model also filters away day-to-day variation in the polls due to sampling error and national campaign effects, which enables daily tracking of voter preferences toward the presidential candidates at the state and national levels. Simulation techniques are used to estimate the candidate...
Evaluation of a diagnostic algorithm using immunoglobulin M enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to differentiate human West Nile Virus and St. Louis Encephalitis virus infections during the 2002 West Nile Virus epidemic in the United States.

A diagnostic algorithm was developed to differentiate between human infections of West Nile virus (WNV) and St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) using positive-to-negative (P/N) ratios derived from the immunoglobulin M capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (MAC-ELISA). To validate this algorithm, we tested 1,418 serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from confirmed WNV and SLEV infections collected during the WNV epidemic of 2002 in the United States. WNV P/N-to-SLEV P/N ratios (W/S ratios) were calculated and used to identify the infecting virus. These results were compared to results from the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT), which is currently the standard assay used to discriminate between closely related flavivirus infections. If the W/S ratio was ≥1, the predictive value positive (PNP) for WNV was 97.8%, where 95% of flavivirus cases were due to WNV infection and only 3.7% of specimens would require PRNT to differentiate WNV from SLEV infection. Use of the W/S ratio as part of the testing algorithm to interpret MAC-ELISA results generates reportable probable cases quickly, alleviating the need for PRNT in most instances.
Astroglial-neural networks, diffusion-enhancement bilayers, and spatiotemporal grouping dynamics

A network is described that can be used for multiple targets grouping and tracking or directing a vision system's focus of attention. The network models a biologically plausible astroglial- neural network in the visual cortex whose parameters are tuned to match a psychophysical database on apparent motion. The architecture consists of a diffusion layer and a contrast- enhancement layer coupled by feedforward and feedback connections; input is provided by a separate feature extracting layer. The dynamics of the diffusion-enhancement bilayer exhibit grouping of static features on multiple scales as a function of time, and long-range apparent motion between time varying inputs. The model is cast as a parallel analog circuit which is realizable in VLSI. We present simulations that reproduce static grouping phenomena useful for multiple target grouping and tracking over multiple scales, demonstrate several long-range apparent motion phenomena, and discuss single targets that split, and multiple targets that merge.
Is Peritoneal Ultrafiltration Influenced by Acetate or Lactate Buffers

Loss of net ultrafiltration (UF) of the peritoneum is a serious complication in patients undergoing CAPD, and acetate has been considered as one of the possible causes. Three different peritoneal solutions (Brand A: acetate (A) or lactate (L1); Brand B: lactate (L2)) produced by two different firms were used in six patients treated by CAPD. Net UF and absolute glucose absorption (GA) from the peritoneum as well as plasma glucose (PG) and insulin levels (PI) were measured before and during the experiment. There was no difference in net UF and PG levels with the three peritoneal solutions used, but GA was significantly lower with solution L2 in comparison to L1 and A. Concerning the changes in PI levels and the insulinogenic index
Effects of hedgerows on bats and bush crickets at different spatial scales

Abstract Biodiversity is threatened by the loss and fragmentation of habitats. The role of hedgerows in maintaining biodiversity is well established, but few studies have addressed the importance for biodiversity of the intrinsic characteristics of hedgerows and the quality of hedgerow networks along a spatial scale. We examined three quality indices providing information at different territorial levels: density in the landscape, structural diversity and wood production. We performed an acoustic survey in a grassland to estimate the species abundance and community composition of bats (9 taxa) and bush crickets (11 species). Using an approach based on species and traits, we assessed how hedgerow quality influenced the activity of these taxa at different spatial scales (from 50 to 1000 m) and focused on three types of traits: bush cricket mobility ability, bat foraging strategy and habitat specialization. In general, our results showed the importance of hedgerow quality for bats and bush crickets, but the strength of the association between taxa and hedgerows varied substantially among the species and the spatial scales. Although it depends on the taxa, the production, density and structural diversity of hedgerows each had an overall positive effect. Our results suggested that these effects were generally more important at large scales. The scale effect of the production index is the best predictor of activity for bat and bush cricket taxa and traits. Our results showed the importance of hedgerow quality for the ecology of bat and bush cricket communities and could be used to improve conservation management.
Extensively drug- resistant tuberculosis: new strains, new challenges

Megan Coffee was born in New York City (NY, USA), and was raised in New Jersey (NJ, USA). She completed her undergraduate degree at Harvard University (MA, USA) with high honors in chemistry. Her PhD from Oxford University (UK) is in mathematical modeling of infectious diseases, focusing on the epidemiology of HIV transmission with migration and other cofactors in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Her MD is from Harvard University, where she studied health sciences and technology, a joint program between Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA, USA) and Harvard. She finished her residency in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MA, USA). She is board certified in infectious disease after completing her fellowship in infectious diseases at the University of California at San Francisco (CA, USA) where she was researching mathematical models of respiratory viral spread at the University of California at Berkeley (CA, USA). Since January 2010, she has developed with nurses the Tuberculosis Clinic at L’Hopital de l’Universited’Etatd’Haiti, treating over 800 patients a year at the largest hospital in Port Au Prince, Haiti. She is also an affiliate at the Center for Infectious Disease and Emergency Readiness at the University of California at Berkeley. About the Author
Nutritive Value of Keratins. I. Powdered Swine Hoofs.

ConclusionRats and chicks are able to utilize powdered pig and hog hoofs as a source of protein for growth. The available protein of powdered hoofs is more adequate for the growing chick than for the growing rat.
Human Performance Modeling: Identification of Critical Variables for National Airspace Safety

Computational human performance modeling tools have been under development for over 50 years to generate human performance predictions for studying complex human behaviors that possess high costs associated with failures. A common measure for analysis from the digital human modeling tools is operator workload. One complex behavioral environment that is being explored by international regulatory and airline operations groups and is likely to reflect workload differences is known as “free flight”. “Free flight” in the United States is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strategic goal for system capacity and for Air Traffic Services to improve accessibility, flexibility, and predictability in the national airspace in order to reduce flight times, crew resources, maintenance, and fuel costs. The experimental scenarios used to explore “free flight” are based on the full “free flight” concepts anticipated by Requirements and Technical Concepts for Aviation (RTCA) in the year 2025. These concepts explore th...
Field Biology and Control of Haplaxius crudus on St. Augustinegrass and Christmas Palm

Haplaxius crudus (Van Duzee) develops readily on St. Augustinegrass, Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kunze, Bahiagrass, Paspalum notatum Flugge, and Bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. Adults feed on these turfgrasses and on at least 9 species of palms including the Christmas palm, Veitchia merrillii (Becc.) Moore, and coconut palm, Cocos nucifera L. Mean populations of 3.1/leaf on Christmas palms and 23.7/0.09m2 on St. Augustinegrass were reported. Populations of H. crudus were controlled with aldicarb and with carbofuran and dimethoate soil drenches at rates of 28 g AI/tree on mature Christmas palms. Chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and propyl thiopyrophosphate provided 100% control, while carbaryl and carbofuran gave excellent control of H. crudus on St. Augustinegrass. Malathion also provided good control, but acephate, dimethoate, and methomyl did not give control on this grass.
On the Possibility of non-Line-of-Sight Imaging and Laser Beam Projection by Optical “Ducting” in Atmospheric Temperature Inversions

Light propagation over the horizon is demonstrated with a simulation of propagation through a Weather Research and Forecasting model air mass between Isle Royale National Park and the northwest edge of the Keweenaw Penninsula in Upper Michigan.
Sites of Kinetically Critical Femoral Head Roughening for Third Body Acceleration of Total Hip Implant Wear

Polyethylene debris shed during the use of total hip implants can result in debris-induced aseptic loosening. This aseptic loosening is the leading cause of implant failure. Total hip implant wear is highly variable and can be accelerated by third body ingress and subsequent roughening of the metal femoral head counterface. Up to 40% of clinical wear rate variance may be attributable to third body effects [1]. It is hypothesized that the location of counterface roughening will have dramatic effects on the induced implant wear. Using a previously validated sliding-distance-coupled contact finite element (FE) model of total hip implant wear [2], we identified regions of the femoral head surface that, when roughened, result in maximal wear. By implication, these are the sites most important to protect from third body access.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
The Liberal Ascendancy, Ireland, and Henry George, 1880–1886

In April 1880, the Liberals swept to power on the basis of a campaign against Beaconsfieldism. From that time until 20 July 1886, the Liberal leaders controlled the affairs of government, except for approximately six months between Gladstone’s second and third ministries from June 1885 to February 1886. Initially the Liberals had few specific programs in mind for domestic and social reforms. Moreover, a series of crises descended upon them and made it extremely difficult to govern. A rebellion in the Transvaal in 1880–81, Charles Bradlaugh’s refusal to take the oath of office, turmoil in Egypt, General Gordon’s death in Khartoum in 1885, and above all the problems of Ireland were but some of the more divisive issues. Gladstone’s inability to control the machinery of parliamentary government, and Liberal party politics, further eroded Liberal unity.1 Many Liberals were frustrated in their attempts to introduce specific measures for such reforms as that of land, education, municipal government, or Scottish, Welsh, and Irish devolution.
The Inescapable Lesson of the Master

You’re going to be a writer. You’re going to create a language which will essentially be a body of images. The images will come from your perception of the world and from your unconsdous mind: they will be the details of all your accumulated personal experience and the experience of the human race. You're going to construct structures in which those images will appear to have a natural presence. You will be preoccupied always with words, how they're to be put together for a variety of effects: brilliant clarity, subtle ambiguity, irony, symbolic force. The more your language will be your own, the greater will be the degree to which your choice of words will capture your unique voice. It must follow, therefore, that no one can prescribe to you what you should write and how you should write.