cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DESCRIPTION, OBJECTIVITY, AND A ROBUST PLURALISM: A REPLY TO FLEISCHMAN AND TYSON

Readers are invited to submit materials for this feature to Professor Tyson, St. John Fisher College, Rochester, NY 14618. Typically, this column will contain commentaries on or critiques of pieces of accounting history literature that have appeared in AHJ or elsewhere. DESCRIPTION, OBJECTIVITY, AND A ROBUST PLURALISM: A REPLY TO FLEISCHMAN AND TYSON If more than welcome in intent, Fleischman and Tyson's article "Archival Researchers: An Endangered Species?" [1997] prompted for me another question, "With friends like this, . . . ?." It is a sad commentary on our field if their contributions are so apt to be "minimalized" that it may "embarras[s]" mainly descriptive accounting historians [Fleischman and Tyson (FT Dray, 1964, pp. 21-22]. In a 1989 philosophical lecture, I reviewed individually my publications, presentations, and current projects in accounting history as of that time for problematic factors regarding objectivity, usually citing from four to eight points varying materially from one case to the next, and my efforts to surmount or contain them. For my companion books [Sheldahl, 1982, 1986] covering the accounting fraternity Beta Alpha Psi over 65 years, for example, I listed [Sheldahl, 1989, p. 2] mostly joint concerns regarding eight factors: a. Periodization b. Independence from sponsor, especially in covering scandal c. Interviewing design and reliability d. Limitations of minutes and other official sources e. Random availability of files f. Displacement of postal by telephone communication g. Perspective on recent events h Pragmatic aspects. Such a piecemeal approach seems sounder than a bald assertion of "It]he impossibility of historical objectivity" (or of any contrary position) based on proof texting that excludes any sources of counter-arguments [F&T, 1997, pp. 97 (quoted), 9899]. This particular question-begging appeal to authority uncritically cites for example, principally [F&T, 1997, p. 97] from Ricoeur, the contention that historical selection is "value guided" as such [Dray, 1964, pp. 23, 24 (quoted), 27-29]. Dray has argued [1964, pp. 24 (quoted), 29-35] that this "ancient argument" has "often been [too] quickly dismissed," only to suggest [pp. 39-40], anticipating Haskell [1990], that it attacks a straw-person concept of objectivity. Fleischman and Tyson's wholly one-sided treatment reflects none of the complexity of an issue discussed by Passmore [1958] in terms of eight alternative criterias for objectivity. That nature is abundantly clear from historian Novick's That Noble Dream [1988], a philosophically informed study of a century of objectivity discussion and debate among, most prominently, American historians, credited by a British philosopher of history [Walsh, 1965, p. 436] as having long preceded their trans-Atlantic colleagues in such a concern. Novick's rhetoric, befitting [1988, pp. 259, 269] a primary title drawn from Charles Beard, is much more relativist than I would myself favor. …
Peacekeeping as Coup Avoidance: Lessons from Ghana

Recent scholarship has claimed that peacekeepers are more likely to mutiny or attempt military coups against their governments after returning home. These trends stand in contrast to the case of Gh...
Length Adaptive Regularization for Retrieval-based Chatbot Models

Chatbots aim to mimic real conversations between humans. They have started playing an increasingly important role in our daily life. Given past conversations, a retrieval-based chatbot model selects the most appropriate response from a pool of candidates. Intuitively, based on the nature of the conversations, some responses are expected to be long and informative while others need to be more concise. Unfortunately, none of the existing retrieval-based chatbot models have considered the effect of response length. Empirical observations suggested the existing models over-favor longer candidate responses, leading to sub-optimal performance.To overcome this limitation, we propose a length adaptive regularization method for retrieval-based chatbot models. Specifically, we first predict the desired response length based on the conversation context and then apply a regularization method based on the predicted length to adjust matching scores for candidate responses. The proposed length adaptive regularization method is general enough to be applied to all existing retrieval-based chatbot models. Experiments on two public data sets show the proposed method is effective to significantly improve retrieval performance.
Towards Large-scale Volumetric Fluorescence Imaging: Computational Miniature Mesoscope

We present a miniaturized platform for single-shot volumetric fluorescence imaging. With an array of microlenses in a finite-conjugate imaging geometry, the computational mesoscope achieves high resolution across an extended depth-of-field in a compact design.
Grafting Melons Increases Yield, Extends the Harvest Season, and Prevents Sudden Wilt in New England

Melons (Cucumis melo var. reticulatis) are potentially a high value crop for New England, but production is limited by cool spring temperatures and sudden wilt. The sudden wilt syndrome in melon, attributed to both biotic and abiotic factors, is characterized by rapid wilting of vines either just preceding or during the harvest season, reducing melon quality and shortening the harvest period. We investigated the effects of grafting melons to rootstocks of interspecific hybrid squash (Cucurbita maxima × C. moschata), which have exhibited tolerance to soilborne diseases and cooler soil temperatures. In 2015, we compared the performance of ‘Halona’ melon grafted to two rootstocks, ‘Carnivor’ and ‘NH1320’, to that of nongrafted (NG) plants at two New Hampshire Agriculture Experiment Research Farms, Woodman (WRF) and Kingman (KRF). Pistillate flowering and melon harvests were 3 to 9 days earlier in NG than grafted (GR) plants. By harvest period, GR plant growth exceeded that of NG plants, and GR plants did not display wilting symptoms observed in NG plants. Total marketable yields were 57% and 90% higher for GR/‘Carnivor’ (47.8 and 45.0 Mg·ha⁻¹) and 44% and 89% higher for GR/‘NH1320’ (43.9 and 44.9 Mg·ha⁻¹) compared with the NG treatment (30.5 and 23.7 Mg·ha⁻¹) at WRF and KRF, respectively. There were no differences in fruit numbers per plot between treatments, but mean fruit weight was between 33% and 71% larger in GR than NG treatments. In 2016, GR (‘NH1320’ rootstock) and NG ‘Halona’ were compared at three transplantation dates, 12 and 21 May and 1 June, and with two irrigation frequencies, drip irrigation every 2 days (2-d Irr) or every 4 days (4-d Irr). NG plants exhibited symptoms of sudden wilt in early August compared with no symptoms on GR plants. Harvests of NG melons were 3 to 8 days earlier than GR plants for all three planting dates. The increase in yields of GR plants compared with NG plants for the 12 and 21 May and 1 June planting dates were, respectively, 131%, 123%, and 149% greater with the 2-day Irr, and 93%, 100%, and 78% greater with 4-d Irr. Irrigation frequency did not significantly affect fruit size or soluble solids content (SSC), whereas grafting increased both fruit number and fruit size but did not significantly affect SSC at all three planting dates.
The International Conference on Intelligent Biology and Medicine (ICIBM) 2020: Data-driven analytics in biomedical genomics

This editorial summarizes eight research articles included in this supplement issue for the 2020 International Conference on Intelligent Biology and Medicine (ICIBM 2020) conference, that was held on August 9-10, 2020 (virtual conference), with a topic on data-driven analytics in biomedical genomics. These articles cover a wide range of topics in medical genomics that focus on integrative analysis of genomics data together with other types of data toward understanding complex human diseases, including cancer. With the growing importance of data analytics in biomedical science, we expect this collection of research articles provides scientific discussions in this direction.
The Capabilities and Future Use of Facial Recognition Software on the Raspberry Pi – Exploratory System for Adolescent Mental Health Screening

This research project was conducted with the goal of creating an automatic facial detection and recognition system to be used in various areas, such as healthcare and security. By using the Raspberry Pi device and the OpenVINO toolkit, a facial recognition virtual environment was created, and programs such as the Human Pose Estimation Model and the Interactive Face Detection Demo were tested. Originally, the plan to test the Raspberry Pi and its capabilities was to collect images of initial random subjects for the device to learn, and have the subjects stand in front of the device to see if the connected camera could correctly identify them. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an extremely limited number of subjects available. Therefore, images of the members of the 13-member K-Pop group Seventeen were used, as there is a wide variety of content accessible through Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Furthermore, members go through a large number of changes in hair color and hairstyle, and therefore a variety of images could be used to fully test the accuracy of the device. In order to test the Raspberry Pi, 6-8 different images of each member were shown to the device camera to be identified. Of these images, 4-5 had been entered into the device's image database, while 2-3 were unfamiliar. Of the 100 total pictures, 77 (77%) were recognized as having an identifiable face, while 23 (23%) had faces not recognized by the Raspberry Pi. Of the 77 images that the Raspberry Pi recognized to have a face, 24 (31.17%) were identified correctly, 52 (67.53%) were identified incorrectly, and 1 (1.3%) was identified as unknown. Though the device was largely inaccurate, it was determined that modifications involving the sensitivity in which the camera measures and detects facial features will improve the accuracy of the device. Through the experimentation process, the idea for utilizing the technology to detect symptoms of stress and anxiety in teenagers was created, and a method for integrating the device into the daily lives of people as a self-care reminder system was formed.
Studies of Baker's yeast metabolism: III. Oxidation of acetaldehyde

Abstract The kinetics of respiration and pyridine nucleotide reduction during acetaldehyde oxidation by baker's yeast have been studied. While a concentration of 0.11 m m acetaldehyde causes a half-maximal saturation of the respiratory system, higher concentrations cause a reversible inhibition of respiration. Titration studies of oxygen with low concentrations (0.5 m m and lower) of acetaldehyde indicate that most of the aldehyde is oxidized, presumably by a DPN-linked dehydrogenase to acetic acid, while the remainder may be reduced to ethanol in short-term experiments. In experiments of longer duration the aldehyde tends to be oxidized completely. The reducing equivalents generated in the oxidation of acetaldehyde to acetic acid are capable of activating oxidative phosphorylation. Acid that is produced by oxidation of acetaldehyde yields hydrogen ions that permeate out of the cell in stoichiometric exchange with extracellular potassium which permeates into the cell.
Fatal neonatal infection due to Coxsackie B2 virus. Report of generalized infection and myocarditis in the newborn.

Two new cases of Coxsackie B 2 virus infections are reported in newborn infants. Both were associated with febrile illness in the mother in the postpartum period. The need is emphasized for a high degree of suspicion that apparent trivial infection in newborn infants may be associated with extremely serious neonatal disease. At this time prompt isolation offers the most practical way of preventing these often fatal diseases.
Prostacyclin elevation following glutathione depletion in vivo: Possible threshold dependency in liver and lung

The major objective of this study was to determine if a threshold level of glutathione (GSH) depletion is required to elevate plasma prostacyclin (6-ketoPGF1 alpha) in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were treated i.p. with various doses of phorone, diethyl maleate (DEM), or GSH with and without DEM. Similar maximal depletions of hepatic GSH (to 10% of control) and renal GSH (to 50% of control) were observed with DEM and phorone, but lung GSH was depleted maximally by only 30% with phorone compared with a 70% depletion by DEM. Changes in lung GSH, but not kidney GSH, were closely correlated with changes in hepatic GSH 6-KetoPGF1 alpha levels in the lung were 10- to 30-fold higher than in kidney or liver, and there was a stronger correlation between lung and plasma 6-ketoPGF1 alpha than with the other two tissues. The increase in lung 6-ketoPGF1 alpha following GSH depletion did not appear to be due to a shift in prostaglandin metabolite synthesis since reciprocal changes in PGE2 were not observed; lung PGE2 levels were largely unaffected by DEM or phorone. Both DEM and phorone elevated plasma 6-ketoPGF1 alpha but the magnitude of increase for DEM (5- to 6-fold) was much greater than the 2-fold increase for phorone. The increase in plasma 6-ketoPGF1 alpha by 1.0 mL DEM/kg was attenuated by simultaneous administration of 2 mmol GSH/kg. The results indicate that the lung may be responsible for increases in plasma 6-ketoPGF1 alpha following GSH depletion and that a critical level of GSH depletion in the liver and/or lung may be necessary to elevate plasma 6-ketoPGF1 alpha levels.
Pericardial and synthetic monocusp valves: Indication and results.

Construction of a monocusp valve is a simple, expeditious, and inexpensive method to prevent the known sequelae of pulmonary insufficiency in the immediate post-operative period whenever a transannular patch is used to establish right ventricular-pulmonary artery continuity. A detailed description of monocusp materials, construction and indications as well as late results are included.
Leguminosae and Homo sapiens

The legume plant family and its present role in agriculture are described. Critical agricultural problems in the immediate future may center about the maintenance of soil nitrogen supplies, a consequence of spiraling costs of fertilizers, and the need to improve the quantity and quality of protein in high-population countries. Unexploited legumes, if developed through research, may be of major importance in agriculture’s response to this challenge.
Influence of Temperature and Humidity on the Viability of Ophiognomonia clavigignenti-juglandacearum Conidia

Butternut canker, caused by the fungus Ophiognomonia clavigignenti-juglandacearum, primarily kills butternut (Juglans cinerea). Rain splash and local air currents are the primary means of conidia dispersal but that does not explain its long-distance spread and infection of isolated trees. Dispersal by insect or animal vectors or plant material likely necessitates the ability for conidia to tolerate drying for a period of time over variable temperature and humidity conditions. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of temperature and humidity on conidial germination and survival of air-dried conidia. Conidia collected from 1-month-old cultures germinated on water agar over a wide range of temperatures (4 to 32°C) and were viable after brief periods at 36°C when returned to a lower temperature. Viability of air-dried conidia held on nylon membranes at various temperatures and humidities varied from less than a day at 28°C and 90% relative humidity (RH) to a mean of 15 days at 20°C and 80% RH. RH had the least effect on viability at 12°C, with conidia remaining viable for 7 days at most humidity levels tested. Conidia held at 100% RH began germinating on the membranes after 21 days. Conidia in a water suspension remained viable for 168 days at all temperatures tested. These results suggest that O. clavigignenti-juglandacearum conidia may remain viable on the surface of a vector or plant material and seed for over 2 weeks, given the proper conditions, or for much longer if in water or in an environment of saturated humidity. This potential may, in part, explain the frequent presence of the disease on isolated trees.
Understanding Relations between People and their Pets

As evidenced by the popularity of animal behavior shows and books, online viral pet videos, and the presence of dogs or cats in two-thirds of American homes, pets clearly play an important role in many Americans’ lives. At the same time, however, millions of pets are abandoned, abused, and euthanized every year. What should we make of these seemingly conflicting realities? How do Americans really feel about and treat their pets? And what explains the differences? In recent years social scientists have begun to investigate the various and changing interactions between humans and animals. In particular, a growing body of research examines humans’ relationships with pets, most often dogs and cats. This paper reviews recent research in this field. After discussing what differentiates pets from other animals, the paper begins with a review of research investigating the meanings and roles of pets in people’s lives and the nature and benefits of human-pet attachments. Secondly, it reviews research on the factors that help explain why some people have a higher regard for pets than others. The paper concludes with a discussion of some of the limitations of existing research and some suggestions on how to expand future investigations.
A rigorous testing methodology for control systems

This paper discusses the development of a generalized verification testing methodology as applied to control systems. The methodology is based upon determining inputs that rigorously test each element of a system in order to verify that it has been specified properly. The methodology was successfully applied to testing of Boeing 737 autoland control system.
Sartre and Lived Experience

"The conception of 'lived experience' marks my change since L'Etre et le Neant ... L'Etre et le Neant is a monument of rationality. But in the end it becomes an irrationalism, because it cannot account rationally for those processes which are 'below' consciousness and which are also rational, but lived as irrational. Today, the notion of 'lived experience' represents an effort to preserve that presence to itself which seems to me indispensable for the existence of any psychic fact, while at the same time this presence is so opaque and blind before itself that it is also an absence from itself."1
Development and Initial Validation of a Scale Measuring the Beliefs of Educators Regarding Response to Intervention.

This article presents information on the development and initial validation of the 16-item Response to Intervention (RTI) Beliefs Scale. The scale is designed to measure the extent to which educators working in schools hold beliefs consistent with the tenets of RTI. The authors administered the instrument to 2,430 educators in 62 elementary schools in the fall of 2007 and 2,443 educators in 68 elementary schools in the spring of 2008. Exploratory, single-level confirmatory, and multilevel confirmatory factor analysis procedures were used to examine construct validity. Results supported a correlated 3-factor model (Academic Abilities and Performance of Students with Disabilities, Data-Based Decision Making, and Functions of Core and Supplemental Instruction) at both the school and educator levels of analysis. Furthermore, the factor scores derived from the model demonstrated significant, positive relations to RTI implementation. Reliability estimates for two of the three factor scores exceeded.70. Implicat...
Science interest and confidence among preservice elementary teachers

Research on science teaching in the elementary school indicates that science is often taught “little and poorly” by teachers who lack confidence in their subject matter. The purposes of this study of prospective teachers were to (1) examine the effect of elementary, high school, and college science experiences as well as informal science (play, museums, and hobbies) on interest in science and confidence in teaching science and (2) determine the effect of an inquiry-based science methods course on interest and confidence. The subjects were three groups of students in an initial certification master’s program who were studied during a field-based science methods course. Their own experience with science when they were in elementary school, followed by informal experiences and high school experience, predicted initial interest in science. Elementary school experience, followed by the number of science courses taken in college, predicted initial confidence. The inquiry-based science methods course increased both interest and confidence.
Mesoionic Thiazol-5-ylidenes as Ligands for Transition Metal Complexes

The first examples of thiazol-5-ylidene complexes featuring group 9, 10 and 11 metal centers, have been prepared by deprotonation of a series of 2,3,4-triaryl-susbtituted thiazolium salts in the presence of the corresponding transition metal precursor.
Context-free preserving functions

A functionf on the non-negative integers is a context-free preserving function (cfpf) if and only if for every context-free languageL, {x|(∃y) (xy ∈ L, and |y| =f(|x|))} is a context-free language. In this note we give an algebraic characterization of the class of cfpf's.
How settings change people: Applying behavior setting theory to consumer‐run organizations

Self-help initiatives stand as a classic context for organizational studies in community psychology. Behavior setting theory stands as a classic conception of organizations and the environment. This study explores both, applying behavior setting theory to consumer-run organizations (CROs). Analysis of multiple data sets from all CROs in Kansas provide insight into how organizational size influences member participation, how members benefit from participation, and how behavior setting theory may need to be revised. Results suggest that members do benefit from participation. However, individual involvement in organizational planning and decision making does not appear to be the primary factor leading to member benefit. The predictions of behavior setting theory are found to be true, but results suggest that these predictions provide an incomplete picture of CROs. The incorporation of roles as a unit of analysis within behavior settings is suggested to improve the explanatory power of this theory. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Credentialed Persons, Credentialed Knowledge

The vast experimental literature on human error agrees with history of medicine, folklore, and superstition In discrediting knowledge claims based solely on anecdotal impressions. Since clinical experience consists of anecdotal impressions by practitioners, tt Is unavoidably a mixture of truths, half-truths, and falsehoods. The scientific method is the only known way to distinguish these, and it is both unscholariy and unethical for psychologists who deal with other persons' health, careers, money, freedom, and even life itself to pretend that clinical experience suffices and that quantitative research on diagnostic and therapeutic procedures is not needed. Disputes about philosophy of science (e.g., logical positivism) are irrelevant to this issue, which is simply one of distinguishing knowledge claims that bring reliable credentials and others that do not.
Linear Programming with Entropic Perturbation

In this paper, we derive an unconstrained convex programming approach to solving standard form linear programs through an entropic perturbation. The whole duality theory is established by using only one simple inequality “lnz ≤ z −1 forz > 0”. A curved search algorithm is also proposed for obtaining a pair of primal and duale-optimal solutions. The proposed algorithm is proven to be globally convergent with a quadratic rate of convergence. Computational results are included in support of theoretic findings.
Recent paleorecords document rising mercury contamination in Lake Tanganyika

Abstract Recent Lake Tanganyika Hg deposition records were derived using 14C and excess 210Pb geochronometers in sediment cores collected from two contrasting depositional environments: the Kalya Platform, located mid-lake and more removed from watershed impacts, and the Nyasanga/Kahama River delta region, located close to the lake’s shoreline north of Kigoma. At the Kalya Platform area, pre-industrial Hg concentrations are 23 ± 0.2 ng/g, increasing to 74 ng/g in modern surface sediment, and the Hg accumulation rate has increased from 1.0 to 7.2 μg/m2/a from pre-industrial to present, which overall represents a 6-fold increase in Hg concentration and accumulation. At the Nyasanga/Kahama delta region, pre-industrial Hg concentrations are 20 ± 3 ng/g, increasing to 46 ng/g in surface sediment. Mercury accumulation rate has increased from 30 to 70 μg/m2/a at this site, representing a 2–3-fold increase in Hg concentration and accumulation. There is a lack of correlation between charcoal abundance and Hg accumulation rate in the sediment cores, demonstrating that local biomass burning has little relationship with the observed Hg concentration or Hg accumulation rates. Examined using a sediment focusing-corrected mass accumulation rate approach, the cores have similar anthropogenic atmospheric Hg deposition profiles, suggesting that after accounting for background sediment concentrations the source of accumulating Hg is predominantly atmospheric in origin. In summary, the data document an increase of Hg flux to the Lake Tanganyika ecosystem that is consistent with increasing watershed sediment delivery with background-level Hg contamination, and regional as well as global increases in atmospheric Hg deposition.
Genes That Regulate Eosinophilic Inflammation

Eosinophils and neutrophils may be considered close cousins, because of their shared bone-marrow origin, circulation in the blood stream, and egress at tissue sites of inflammation. Under the influence of distinct cytokines, both eosinophils and neutrophils differentiate in the bone marrow and enter the bloodstream. Both cell types interact with the surface of inflamed endothelium, diapedese between endothelial cells, and migrate through the extracellular matrix at tissue sites of inflammation, where they eventually release their stores of inflammatory mediators.
γ-Radiation-Initiated Polymerization of Acrylonitrile in Aqueous Solution and in Emulsion

Abstract The γ-radiation-initiated polymerization of acrylonitrile (AN) at 25[ddot] C has been studied, both in aqueous solution and in emulsion, at dose rates between 70 and 175 krad/hr. The effect of added emulsifier, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), on reaction rates, Rp, and on polymer molecular weight, Mn, has been investigated. G (monomer polymerized) values ranged from 7,500 in aqueous solution to 20,000 in bulk to 45,000 in emulsion, all based on the total energy absorbed. In the aqueous solution polymerization, where Rp is approximately first order in initial monomer concentration over the range 0.15 ± [AN]o ± 1.06 moles/liter, addition of SLS increases Rp but does not influence the order of the reaction with respect to [AN]o. In the emulsion system at 70 krad/hr and at a phase volume ratio AN/H2O of 1/2, (PR = 1/2), Rp varies as [SLS]0.1 over the concentration range 0.01 ± [SLS] ± 2.5± wt/vol of aqueous phase. At the same PR value, and at 80 krad/hr, Mn of the polymer (measured by viscometry in dime...
High-performance liquid chromatographic measurement of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate in liver.

The folate coenzyme 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate is an important folate metabolite which cannot be determined directly by HPLC near neutral pH because it dissociates to formaldehyde and tetrahydrofolate. A method for the determination of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate in liver is described. This method involves (1) determination of liver 5-methyltetrahydrofolate; (2) chemical reduction of liver 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate (stabilized at pH 10) to 5-methyltetrahydrofolate; and (3) determination of total liver 5-methyltetrahydrofolate. Subtraction of (1) from (3) gives the concentration of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate in liver.
TranScaling: a video coding and multicasting framework for wireless IP multimedia services

The convergence of the Internet with new wireless and mobile networks is creating a whole new level of heterogeneity in multimedia communications. This increased level of heterogeneity emphasizes the need for scalable and adaptive video solutions both for coding and transmission purposes. However, in general, there is an inherent tradeoff between the level of scalability and the quality of scalable video streams. In other words, the higher the bandwidth variation, the lower the overall video quality of the scalable stream that is needed to support the desired bandwidth range. In this paper, we introduce the notion of TranScaling (TS) which is a generalization of (non-scalable) transcoding. With transcaling, a scalable video stream, that covers a given bandwidth range, is mapped into one or more scalable video streams covering different bandwidth ranges. Our proposed TS framework exploits the fact that the level of heterogeneity changes at different points of the video distribution tree over wireless and mobile Internet networks. This provides the opportunity to improve the video quality by performing the appropriate transcaling process. We argue that an Internet/wireless network gateway represents a good candidate for performing transcaling. Moreover, we describe Hierarchical TranScaling (HTS) which provides a "Transcalar" the option of choosing among different levels of transcaling processes with different complexities. We illustrate the benefits of transcaling by considering the recently developed MPEG-4 Fine-Granular-Scalability (FGS) video coding. Simulation results of video transcaling are also presented.
The Intellectual Origins of New Political Science

In 1967, the burgeoning discontent of many political scientists culminated in the establishment of the Caucus for a New Political Science. The Caucus included political scientists of many diverse viewpoints, but it was united methodologically by a critique of behavioralism and by the idea that political science should abandon the myth of a value-free science. In recent years, political scientists have authored numerous commentaries on “the tragedy” of political science, “the crisis” in political science, and “the flight from reality in political science,” while in 2000 these discontents resurfaced in the “perestroika” rebellion, which again denounced the American Political Science Association as an organization that promotes a “narrow parochialism and methodological bias toward the quantitative, behavioral, rational choice, statistical, and formal modeling approaches.” This paper reviews the intellectual origins of New Political Science by examining some of the major works of the late 1960s and early 1970...
A study of the applicability of complexity measures

A study of the predictive value of a variety of syntax-based problem complexity measures is reported. Experimentation with variants of chunk-oriented measures showed that one should judiciously select measurable software attributes as proper indicators of what one wishes to predict, rather than hoping for a single, all-purpose complexity measure. The authors have shown that it is possible for particular complexity measures or other factors to serve as good predictors of some properties of program but not for others. For example, a good predictor of construction time will not necessarily correlate well with the number of error occurrences. M.H. Halstead's (1977) efforts measure (E) was found to be a better predictor that the two nonchunk measures evaluated, namely, T.J. McCabe's (1976) V(G) and lines of code, but at least one chunk measure predicted better than E in every case. >
Physiological reactions to stress in subjects with and without myofascial pain dysfunction symptoms.

Summary Myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction syndrome have been suggested as resulting from masticatory muscle hyperactivity. Furthermore, this hyperactivity has been viewed as a response-specific reaction to stress. The present study was designed to assess the effects of laboratory-induced stress (i.e., startle stimulus, buzzer series, serial sevens tasks, and pain threshold/tolerance tests) on physiological responses (i.e. bilateral masseter EMG, skin conductance level, and heart rate) of ten patients (TMJ pain) with a history of facial pain and TMJ sounds. The two control groups, one with TMJ sounds only (TMJ sound) and the other with no history of these symptoms (non-TMJ), were matched for sex and age. The results indicated that the TMJ pain group did not exhibit different masseter EMG levels when comparing symptomatic versus asymptomatic sides. Few significant differences were noted in the masseter EMG recordings of the TMJ pain and non-TMJ group, while no difference occurred between the EMG levels of the TMJ pain and TMJ sound group. Little support was found for the assertion that TMJ pain subjects show greater EMG reactivity and less adaptation than do non-TMJ subjects. Finally, no differences were found among groups in relation to the latency to ischaemic pain onset or tolerance. The discussion focuses on reasons for the findings of the present study being discrepant from previously reported research.
Manipulation of thermal phonons: a phononic crystal route to High-ZT thermoelectrics

Phononic crystals (PnCs) are acoustic devices composed of a periodic arrangement of scattering centers embedded in a homogeneous background matrix with a lattice spacing on the order of the acoustic wavelength. When properly designed, a superposition of Bragg and Mie resonant scattering in the crystal results in the opening of a frequency gap over which there can be no propagation of elastic waves in the crystal, regardless of direction. In a fashion reminiscent of photonic lattices, PnC patterning results in a controllable redistribution of the phononic density of states. This property makes PnCs a particularly attractive platform for manipulating phonon propagation. In this communication, we discuss the profound physical implications this has on the creation of novel thermal phenomena, including the alteration of the heat capacity and thermal conductivity of materials, resulting in high-ZT materials and highly-efficient thermoelectric cooling and energy harvesting.
The Romance of Leadership and The Evaluation of Organizational Performance

Suggesting that as an explanatory concept, leadership has assumed a heroic, larger-than-life quality, this research investigated the effects of leadership attributions on evaluations of organizatio...
The nature of S Andromedae (SN 1885A)

The spectral data on S Andromedae, or SN 1885A, which indicate that it was a type I supernova, are reexamined, and it is concluded that SN 1885A belongs to a supernova class distinct from types SN Ia and SN Ib. The light curve had a rapid rise to maximum, a rapid postmaximum decline, and a large magnitude difference between maximum and 150 days postmaximum, compared to other type I events. SN 1885A was probably a low-mass explosion, ejecting 0.1-0.3 solar mass of matter mostly in the form of Ni-56. This suggests that it left behind a compact remnant, either a neutron star or a white dwarf.
Capture antibody targeted fluorescence in situ hybridization (CAT-FISH): dual labeling allows for increased specificity in complex samples

Pathogen detection using biosensors is commonly limited due to the need for sensitivity and specificity in detecting targets within mixed populations. These issues were addressed through development of a dual labeling method that allows for both liquid-phase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and capture antibody targeted detection (CAT-FISH). CAT-FISH was developed using Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus as representative bacteria, and processing techniques were evaluated with regard to FISH intensities and antibody recognition. The alternative fixative solution, methacarn, proved to be superior to standard solid-phase paraformaldehyde fixation procedures, allowing both FISH labeling and antibody recognition. CAT-FISH treated cells were successfully labeled with FISH probes, captured by immunomagnetic separation using fluorescent cytometric array beads, and detected using a cytometric array biosensor. CAT-FISH treated cells were detectable with LODs comparable to the standard antibody-based technique, (~10(3)cells/ml in PBS), and the technique was also successfully applied to two complex matrices. Although immunomagnetic capture and detection using cytometric arrays were demonstrated, CAT-FISH is readily applicable to any antibody-based fluorescence detection platform, and further optimization for sensitivity is possible via inclusion of fluorescently tagged antibodies. Since the confidence level needed for positive identification of a detected target is often paramount, CAT-FISH was developed to allow two separate levels of specificity, namely nucleic acid and protein signatures. With proper selection of FISH probes and capture antibodies, CAT-FISH may be used to provide rapid detection of target pathogens from within complex matrices with high levels of confidence.
Leaping Too Far Too Soon

Gilbert and Johnson use the timely and controversial issue of a purported association between American tackle football and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) as a vehicle for proposing substant...
Stable DNA transformation of Toxoplasma gondii using phleomycin selection.

Abstract Toxoplasma gondii (Tg) is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that is an important opportunistic pathogen in humans. To provide additional tools for molecular genetic analysis, we have developed a set of vectors for DNA transformation in Tg based on selection with the antibiotic phleomycin (Ph). These new vectors rely on the flanking sequences from the parasite genes GRA1, GRA2 or SAG1 to drive expression of the Tn5 ble gene encoding resistance to the DNA intercalating drug Ph (PhR). Treatment of extracellular parasites was used to select stable PhR transformants by plaque formation on host cell monolayers. Transfection of linear or circular forms of the pGRA1/ble, pGRA2/ble or pSAG1/ble vectors by electroporation resulted in stable transformation with an efficiency of approx. 10−4/μg DNA. Stable transformants contained 1-5 copies of ble that were integrated at non-homologous sites in the parasite nuclear genome. Ble provides a new dominant selectable marker for safe, efficient and rapid isolation of stable DNA transformants in Tg.
Low-dose radiation risk extrapolation fallacy associated with the linear-no-threshold model:

Managing radiation risks typically involves establishing regulations that limit radiation exposure. The linear-no-threshold (LNT) dose-response model has been the traditional regulatory default assumption. According to the LNT model, for low a linear-energy-transfer (LET) radiation-induced stochastic effects (e.g., neoplastic transformation and cancer), the risk increases linearly without a threshold. Any radiation exposure is predicted to increase the number of cancer cases among a large population of people. Cancer risk extrapolation from high to low doses based on this model is widespread. Here, indirect evidence is provided that the excess cancer risk calculated at very low doses of low-LET radiation (e.g., around 1 mGy), based on extrapolating from high dose data for an irradiated human population using the LNT model, is likely a phantom excess risk. Indirect evidence is provided, suggesting that for brief exposures to low-LET radiation doses on the order of 1 mGy, that a decrease below the spontaneous level is many orders of magnitude more probable than for any increase in risk as would be predicted by extrapolating from high to low doses using the LNT model. Such a decrease is, however, not expected after exposure to high-LET alpha radiation. The risk reduction has been largely attributed to the induction of a protective apoptosis-mediated (PAM) process that selectively eliminates cells that contain genomic instability (e.g., mutant and neoplastically transformed cells). The PAM process appears to require a dose-rate-dependent stochastic threshold for activation whose minimum is estimated to possibly be as low as 0.01 mGy for X-rays and gamma rays. However, if the dose is too high (e.g., above 250 mGy for brief exposure at a high rate to X-rays or gamma rays), the PAM process is not expected to be activated. For protracted exposure to X-rays or gamma rays, doses as high as 400 mGy (and possibly higher) may activate the PAM process.
A Spreadsheet-Based Method for Estimating the Skin Disposition of Volatile Compounds: Application to N,N-Diethyl-m-Toluamide (DEET)

The disposition of N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) applied to split-thickness human cadaver skin was measured in modified Franz cells maintained at 32°C and fitted with a vapor trap. Ethanolic solutions of DEET (1% w/w) spiked with 14 C radiolabel were applied to skin at a dose of 10 μL per cell, corresponding to a DEET dose of 127 μ g/cm 2 . Room air was drawn over the skin at velocities ranging from 10–100 mL/min. Evaporation of radiolabel from the skin surface and absorption into the receptor solution were monitored for 24 hr post-dose. The percentage of radioactivity collected in the vapor trap after 24 hr increased with airflow, ranging from 16 ± 4% at 10 mL/min to 59 ± 7% at 70 mL/min. The percentage of radioactivity absorbed through the skin after 24 hours decreased with increasing airflow, ranging from 69 ± 7% at 10 mL/min to 20 ± 1% at 80 mL/min. Tissue retention after 24 hr was 6–14% of the radioactive dose with no clear correlation to airflow. This data as well as DEET absorption data from...
Genetic analysis of the APAF1 gene in male germ cell tumors.

Cytogenetic and molecular analyses have shown that the chromosome band 12q22 is recurrently deleted in male germ cell tumors (GCTs), indicating the presence of a candidate tumor suppressor gene (TSG) in this region. To identify the TSG, we mapped the APAF1 gene, a proapoptotic mammalian homologue of ced-4, to chromosomal band 12q22, that suggested that this might be the candidate deleted gene in GCTs. We further localized the gene between the polymorphic markers D12S1671 and D12S1082 at 12q22 to determine the role of APAF1 in the pathogenesis of GCT, and we characterized its normal genomic structure and analyzed its alterations in GCTs. The APAF1 gene comprises 27 exons, with the coding region spanning 26. The region containing APAF1 was found to be deleted in GCT by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis, but without evidence of coding sequence alterations. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis showed APAF1 gene expression at detectable levels in all GCT cell lines analyzed. An aberrant-sized APAF1 protein was seen in one cell line. This and 2 other cell lines carrying APAF1 deletions also exhibited defects in dATP-mediated caspase-3 activation. Caspase-3 activity was effectively restored by addition of recombinant caspase-9 and APAF1 proteins, and to a lesser extent by caspase-9 alone, but not by APAF1 alone. These data do not support a TSG role for APAF1, but defects in other components of the apoptotic pathway that may be related to 12q22 deletion cannot be ruled out. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 28:258–268, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Copulatory Behavior of Golden Hamsters (Mesocricet Us Auratus)

Several experiments were performed in order to provide quantitative and qualitative descriptions of the copulatory behavior of syrian golden hamsters (Mesocricetits auratus) observed under laboratory conditions. The results of these studies indicate that: I. The male copulatory pattern may be generally classified as a multiple intromission, multiple ejaculation pattern with no copulatory lock and an absence of thrusting during intromission. The exception to this is the appearance of "long" intromissions, involving multiple intravaginal thrusting, as the male approaches satiety. The function of the long intromission appears to be to increase penile stimulation in the male. Significance of the long intromission for the female is unknown. 2. Behavioral criteria which allow ejaculations to be distinguished from other complete intromissions were identified. The most valid criterion was an increase in rate of preinsertion thrusting prior to ejaculation. It was also possible to use behavioral measures to identify the post ejaculatory interval. 3. Data from standard latency and frequency measures were quite similar with those of BEACH & RABEDEAU (1959). There was, however, an increase in ejaculation latencies and interintromission intervals as the male approached the satiety criterion. 4. The duration of intromissions during which ejaculations occurred was reliably, but not strikingly, longer than that of non-ejaculatory "regular" intromissions. The durations of "long" intromissions, during which no ejaculations were ever found to occur, generally exceeded the duration of both ejaculations and regular intromissions, but some overlap existed. "Long" intromissions could, however, be identified by multiple intravaginal thrusting behavior. In the first copulatory of a test, the first intromission was of longer duration than later intromissions. 5. Male golden hamsters exhibit renewed copulatory behavior after reaching satiation if another, previously unmated female is introduced into the test situation (Coolidge Effect). Female contributions to the regulation of satiety effects appeared to be extensive but were not analyzed in the present study. 6. In contrast to many other rodents, male behavior of golden hamsters is exceptionally channelized toward copulatory behavior during the ejaculation latency period. Also, in contrast to many other rodents, the duration of lordosis in female golden hamsters is very long. Other species typical differences were also observed.
On Meinardus’ examples for the conjugate gradient method

. The conjugate gradient (CG) method is widely used to solve a positive definite linear system Ax = b of order N. It is well known that the relative residual of the kth approximate solution by CG (with the initial approximation x 0 = 0) is bounded above by 2[∇ k k +∇ -k k ] -1 with ∇k=√k+1 √k-1 where K = K ( A) = ∥A∥ 2 ∥A -1 ∥ 2 is A's spectral condition number. In 1963, Meinardus (Numer. Math., 5 (1963), pp. 14-23) gave an example to achieve this bound for k = N - 1 but without saying anything about all other 1 < k < N - 1. This very example can be used to show that the bound is sharp for any given k by constructing examples to attain the bound, but such examples depend on k and for them the (k + 1)th residual is exactly zero. Therefore it would be interesting to know if there is any example on which the CG relative residuals are comparable to the bound for all 1 ≤ k < N - 1. There are two contributions in this paper: (1) A closed formula for the CG residuals for all 1 ≤ k < N- 1 on Meinardus' example is obtained, and in particular it implies that the bound is always within a factor of -√2 of the actual residuals; (2) A complete characterization of extreme positive linear systems for which the kth CG residual achieves the bound is also presented.