cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Benefits and risks of MRI in pregnancy

Ultrasound remains the modality of choice in imaging the fetus due to its availability, safety, and low cost. With advances in technology, however, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an important adjuvant in the evaluation of the fetus. MRI is not limited by fetal lie, oligohydramnios, overlying bone, or obesity. MRI can image the fetus in any plane, providing a large field of view of the fetus and placenta with excellent soft tissue resolution of the brain, airway, lungs, and abdomen. Advanced techniques are being developed that provide volumetric data, spectroscopy, and functional images. MRI has its own set of challenges with a lack of consensus regarding its utility and safety. Artifact from the moving fetus and breathing mother limits the sequences available. While there is currently no evidence that fetal MRI produces harmful effects, long-term safety regarding radiofrequency fields and the loud acoustic environment continues to be studied. In this review, the benefits and potential risks of fetal MRI will be discussed.
Vegetation change detection from NOAA polar orbiting satellites

A Method is proposed for detecting vegetation change using global area coverage data from the NOAA-7 Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer. Other methods of vegetation change detection, such as baseline images, are discussed, but not demonstrated. Vegetation Change Detection Images are produced by combining three separate weekly composites of Channel 2 minus Channel 1 AVHRR data. This compositing method takes the highest value of the differenced data for each week period and each pixel location. Three such weekly composites red imaged by individual red, green and blue CRT color guns respectively and then combined to form a color composite. The Vegetation Change Detection Image has 20 km resolution. It can be used to show an entire continent on a single image when the data point to CRT pixel ratio is 1:1. The vector vegetation change (magnitude and direction) is depicted by the color pattern resulting from the relative amount of red, green and blue placed in the pixel due to the individual weekly color composites. If there is no greenness change at a pixel location the amount of red, green and blue will be the same and a gray scale color results. The VCDI could provide a timely “first alert” for identifying regional and global agricultural changes.
Ab initio study of antiferroelectric PbZrO3 (001) surfaces

We have carried out first-principles total-energy calculations of bulk and (001) surfaces of PbZrO3. The ground state for bulk PbZrO3 is determined to be the antiferroelectric orthorhombic phase, with the ferroelectric rhombohedral and paraelectric cubic phases being 0.14 and 0.39 eV per formula unit higher in energy, respectively. PbO- and ZrO2-terminated (001) surfaces, either clean or when hydroxyl species were adsorbed were considered. Surface relaxations, in-plane antiferroelectric distortions and modifications to the electronic structure due to the surfaces, and hydroxyl adsorbates on the surfaces were investigated. We find that while clean surfaces retained bulk-like behavior, hydroxyl adsorbates induce significant changes to the surface geometry as well as introduce electronic states in the band gap possibly rendering the surfaces metallic.
C+(2P)+H2(D2,HD)→CH+(CD+)+H(D). I. Reaction cross sections and kinetic isotope effects from threshold to 15 eV c.m.

Total cross sections for the reactions of carbon(1+) ions with isotopic molecular hydrogen (H2, D2, and HD) to form methyliumylidene (CH+ and CD+) have been measured using guided ion beam techniques. Cross sections are reported as a function of the translational energy of the reactants from the reaction threshold up to 15 eV c.m. The true cross sections are shown to rise sharply from thresholds given by the thermochemical endothermicities. Inter‐ and intramolecular isotope effects in the threshold region can be attributed to the different endothermicities due to vibrational zero‐point energies. At higher energies, an unexpected intermolecular isotope effect is found. Thermal reaction rates (300 K) derived from the data are 1.2×10−16 for H2, 2.3×10−17 for D2, and 1.2×10−16 for HD (17% CH+, 83% CD+), all in units of cm3 s−1.
The economic impact of clinical transmissible gastroenteritis for swine producers participating in the Missouri mail-in-record program

Abstract Economic loss from transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) was estimated at $0.18 per hog marketed for the average Missouri Mail-in-Record swine panel producer in 1978. This cost was $0.19 per hog marketed in 1979. These estimates were averaged for all producers in the record system, those with TGE in their herds as well as TGE-free herds. Estimates were also prepared for those herds with TGE outbreaks. In 1978, the average loss due to TGE for producers who had the disease on their farms was estimated at $1.74 per hog marketed, or 18% of the average return earned above total production costs. In 1979, this cost was $1.25 per hog marketed, or 13% of the average return earned above total production costs.
Non-Helicobacter pylori related duodenal ulcer disease in children

ABSTRACT Background. In spite of the worldwide distribution of Helicobacter pylori infection, recent data have reported an increased rate of non-H. pylori, non-NSAIDs-duodenal ulcer disease in adults. The estimated rate of these ulcers in children is unknown. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of non-H. pylori, non-NSAIDs-peptic ulcer disease in our pediatric patients who undergo upper endoscopic procedures. Methods. A retrospective analysis of 622 upper endoscopic reports was performed. Reports that documented mucosal ulcerations were included in our study. The demographic, clinical, endoscopic, and histological data were retrieved. The H. pylori-negative, duodenal/gastric ulcer-positive patients were compared with H. pylori-positive, duodenal/gastric ulcer-positive patients. Results. Out of the 622 upper endoscopy reports, a total of 11 (1.8%) children with mucosal ulceration were studied. Mucosal ulceration was distributed in the following locations: stomach-3 (27%), and duodenal bulb-10 (91%) (two children had ulcers in both the stomach and duodenal bulb). Helicobacter pylori infection was only detected in three (27%) children with duodenal ulcer. Gastritis was more severe in patients with H. pylori infection/duodenal ulcer compared with H. pylori-negative/duodenal ulcer group. No statistical difference in clinical symptoms or endoscopic appearance was observed between the H. pylori-negative and H. pylori-positive groups. Conclusion. ‘Idiopathic’ (H. pylori-negative, NSAIDs-negative) duodenal/gastric ulcers are present in symptomatic children. Clinical or endoscopic characteristics are insufficient markers to identify those ‘idiopathic’ ulcers. Investigating the ‘risk factors’ for those ulcers will be helpful in reducing the morbidity in these children.
Effect of a Financial Incentive on Returning for Post-Operative Care Following General Anesthesia

The aim of this study was to examine whether the use of a ten dollar financial incentive improved parental compliance in returning for their child's post-operative care appointment following dental treatment under general anesthesia at the University of Kentucky Pediatric Dentistry residency program. Study Design: Parents/guardians of 69 children scheduled for dental treatment carried out under general anesthesia at the University of Kentucky Pediatric Dentistry residency program from Oct 2007 to March 2008 were offered a $10 incentive if they returned for their one week post-operative care appointment. All subjects who returned received a $10 incentive by mail. A control consisting of 100 patients treated at the University of Kentucky Pediatric Dentistry residency program from October 2006 to April 2007 was used to determine historical return rates for post-operative care after dental treatment under general anesthesia. Results: Sixty-six percent (66%) of the control group returned for their post-operati...
Utilization of coal slag from pressurized coal-gasification plants

Slag tapped from pressurized slagging gasifiers has unique properties not associated with similar slag formed under nonpressurized conditions. Upon heating to a temperature in the 800 to 900 °C range, this slag expands to as much as twenty times its initial volume, producing a glass foam that is relatively inert and could be used to produce commercially viable insulating products. Initial attempts to fabricate loosefill aggregate insulation have resulted in a light-weight foam with a thermal conductivity and density comparable to those of vermiculite. Spectrochemical analysis of gas released upon crushing a specimen detected no toxic or noxious components.
Size effects in double-layer metallic films

Abstract An analysis is made of the electrical conductivity of double-layer, continouos, metallic films using the free-electron Boltzmann equation with elastic and isotropic bulk scattering. The electron-surface scattering is assumed to be specular. The analysis shows that a size effect can be expected when the thickness of the double-layer is of the same order of magnitude as the mean free path of the conduction electrons in the better conductor. The theoretical results are compared with the results obtained using the Fuchs-Sondheimer formalism and assuming diffuse electron-boundary scattering. The theoretical results are also related to published experimental results with superimposed metallic films.
Improved Solution to the Bethe-Faddeev Equations

An approximate analytic solution is derived for the Bethe-Faddeev three-body equations in nuclear matter. The solution is no more complicated than the original approximation proposed by Bethe, but it is more accurate and avoids the discontinuities that appear in the original solution. In a certain limiting case, the solution agrees with the one previously proposed by Moszkowski on the basis of a variational treatment.
CARCINOGEN-DNA ADDUCTS ARE INCREASED IN THE EXFOLIATED UROTHELIAL CELLS OF WIVES OF SMOKERS: BIOLOGICAL MONITORING OF PASSIVE SMOKE EXPOSURE

Passive or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure has been associated with an increased risk of lung cancer of approximately 1.3- to 1.6-fold. Sidestream smoke contains higher concentrations of 4-aminobiphenyl and other urinary bladder cancer-causing aromatic amines than does mainstream smoke. However, there is very limited data regarding the impact of ETS on the urinary bladder, another site of tobacco-related tumors in humans. This study was conducted to determine if ETS exposure can be assessed using biomarkers of internal and effective carcinogen dose. Urine samples from 39 women, 21 spouses of smokers, and 18 spouses of nonsmokers were obtained and the levels of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene and total DNA adduct levels in exfoliated urothelial cells were determined. Increases in both 1HP and DNA adduct levels were detected in the wives of current smokers. However, these increases were not statistically significant at the p < .05 level. Measurable differences in mean levels of 1HP, without an outlier, w...
Does exercise reduce mortality rates in the elderly? experience from the Framingham Heart Study☆

Regular physical activity decreases the mortality rate in middle-aged men and probably in middle-aged women. It is unknown whether this is also true in the elderly. We studied 285 men and women aged 75 years or older who were free of cardiovascular disease. Subjects were ranked by baseline physical activity levels and grouped into quartiles. After adjustments were made for cardiac risk factors, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer, women in the second most active quartile had a much lower risk of mortality at 10 years (relative risk 0.24, 95% confidence interval 0.12 to 0.51). There was no statistically significant difference in men. There appeared to be an excess of sudden cardiac deaths in the most active women, although this group still lived longer than the least active women. We conclude that women aged 75 years or older who are more active live longer. This benefit may be attenuated in those who are extremely active.
Preparation of tritium-labelled α-dihydrograyanotoxin II

α-Dihydrograyanotoxin II has been labelled with tritium at the C-10 and C-19 positions by catalytic hydrogenation of grayanotoxin II. Pd-catalyzed reduction in tetrahydrofuran produced the α-form exclusively. The compound was obtained with specific activity 1.21 Ci/mmole and with 99% radio-chemical purity.
Sukzessive Cyclisierungen eines Arachidonsäurehydroperoxids

Das vollstandige Manuskript dieser Zuschrift erscheint in: Angew. Chem. Suppl. 1982, 513. DOI: 10.1002/ange.198205130
“Youshould ‘wear a mask’”: Facework norms in cultural and intercultural conflict in maquiladoras☆

Abstract This ethnographic study analyzes cultural norms for conflict communication among Mexicans and U.S. Americans working in maquiladoras (U.S. American-owned assembly plants in Mexico). Descriptions of cultural and intercultural communication were gathered from 20 ethnographic interviews and from researcher's observations in touring seven plants. The ethnography of communication frame “SPEAKING” (Hymes, 1962, 1972) is used as a device for interpreting norms related to two elements of competency: (1) cultural appropriateness, and (2) effectiveness in meeting corporate goals. Understanding communicative behaviors reflecting concern for other's face (Goffman, 1959; Ting-Toomey, 1985, 1986,1988) are described as essential in addressing conflict at every organizational level. U.S. Americans are often described as violating these norms, which are deeply felt and widely held among Mexicans. This study contributes to an understanding of how to effectively manage problematic communication issues in maquilas relating to turnover, absenteeism, and employee productivity, as well as coordination of corporate functions in international communication. U.S. American managers involved in continuous and everyday intercultural interaction may learn to adapt their communicative behaviors in adherence to Mexican cultural norms. U.S. American adaptation occurs when Mexican norm violations decrease organizational effectiveness. This involves processes through which U.S. Americans' reflect on their own cultural behaviors and select from a varied repertoire of culturally appropriate behaviors in order to demonstrate intercultural competency and to meet corporate goals.
A Single General Method for the Analysis of Cross-Classified Data: Reconciliation and Synthesis of Some Methods of Pearson, Yule, and Fisher, and Also Some Methods of Correspondence Analysis and Association Analysis

(1996). A Single General Method for the Analysis of Cross-Classified Data: Reconciliation and Synthesis of Some Methods of Pearson, Yule, and Fisher, and Also Some Methods of Correspondence Analysis and Association Analysis. Journal of the American Statistical Association: Vol. 91, No. 433, pp. 408-428.
Optimal management of oropharyngeal and esophageal candidiasis in patients living with HIV infection

Mucocutaneous candidiasis is frequently one of the first signs of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Over 90% of patients with AIDS will develop oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) at some time during their illness. Although numerous antifungal agents are available, azoles, both topical (clotrimazole) and systemic (fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole) have replaced older topical antifungals (gentian violet and nystatin) in the management of oropharyngeal candidiasis in these patients. The systemic azoles, are generally safe and effective agents in HIV-infected patients with oropharyngeal candidiasis. A constant concern in these patients is relapse, which is dependent on the degree of immunosuppression commonly seen after topical therapy, rather than with systemic azole therapy. Candida esophagitis (CE) is also an important concern since it occurs in more than 10% of patients with AIDS and can lead to a decrease in oral intake and associated weight loss. Fluconazole has become the most widely used antifungal in the management of mucosal candidiasis. However, itraconazole and posaconazole have similar clinical response rates as fluconazole and are also effective alternative agents. In patients with fluconazole-refractory mucosal candidiasis, treatment options now include itraconazole solution, voriconazole, posaconazole, and the newer echinocandins (caspofungin, micafungin, and anidulafungin).
Eclampsia: A Pediatric Neurologic Problem

Eclampsia is a syndrome of hypertension, proteinuria, edema, and neurologic manifestations such as seizures, focal deficits, or blindness occurring during pregnancy, mainly in primigravidas. Although it is not seen often in the pediatric population, it occurs with greater frequency among pregnant patients under the age of 15 than in the general population. Serious sequelae can be prevented with prompt and adequate treatment, including termination of pregnancy.
Homocysteine levels in women with antiphospholipid syndrome and normal fertile controls

Abstract Objective: Recent studies have identified hyperhomocysteinemia as a risk factor for both recurrent pregnancy loss and thrombosis. Antiphospholipid syndrome, an autoimmune disorder, is also characterized by recurrent pregnancy loss and thrombosis. Thus, our purpose was to determine if hyperhomocysteinemia is more common in patients with APS than normal fertile controls. Methods: Plasma, sera and whole blood were obtained from two groups of women: (1) 22 with well-characterized antiphospholipid syndrome; and (2) 41 healthy fertile controls. Levels of fasting homocysteine, vitamin B 6 , vitamin B 12 , folate and the incidence of the C677/T mutation of the methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase genotype (C677T/MTHFR) were determined. Results: The proportion of individuals with hyperhomocysteinemia and fasting plasma homocysteine levels were similar in women with APS and controls. Levels of vitamin B 6 , vitamin B 12 , folate and the incidence of C677/MTHFR were also similar in the two groups. Conclusion: Hyperhomocyteinemia and the C677T/MTHFR mutation are not common in women with antiphospholipid syndrome. Abnormal homocysteine metabolism is unlikely to play a major role in the pathogenesis of antiphospholipid syndrome.
Values and State Ratings: An Examination of the State-By-State Education Indicators in Quality Counts

What are educational indicators? What are the strengths and weaknesses of using such indicators? What do we need to learn about educational indicators?
Generators of the character tables of generalized wreath product groups

A method based on the cycle-type matrix algebra is devised to generate the character tables of generalized wreath products which are useful in describing the symmetry groups of non-rigid molecules, NMR groups, groups of non-rigid van der Waals complexes, the groups of space types in configuration interaction calculations, etc. This newly developed method is illustrated with examples.
Ficción y metaficción en la narración de Arthur Gordon Pym de Edgar Allan Poe

El presente trabajo abordara los niveles ficticios y metaficticios presentes en la unica novela de Edgar Allan Poe, La Narracion de Arthur Gordon Pym, de 1838. Ambos niveles comunican un rico cumulo de informacion respecto al proceso de composicion de La Narracion en particular como a la creacion de ficciones en general. Al manipular la textura narrativa del viaje de Pym, Poe enfatiza la intencion deliberada de crear una ficcion que trata sobre la ficcion.
Standardisation and outcomes audit: a step forward in surgical oncology.

Looking back in time, we appreciate how efforts in basic, translational and clinical research have allowed us to arrive at sophisticated treatment modalities for cancer and results that could not be imagined some decades ago. Along the timeline of cancer management evolution, where profound changes in drug therapy and radiation technology have occurred, surgery has remained –and remains today– the key component of cancer treatment for solid malignancies. The classic aphorism “no surgery, no cure” is still fully valid in the majority of cases. Moreover, it is well known that fl aws in the primary surgical resection of a malignant tumour imprint a negative impact on diseasespecifi c survival that cannot be overcome by complementary cancer therapy delivered at a later time. The surgeon has been identifi ed as a signifi cant prognostic factor in malignant disease [1], and the crucial responsibility of surgeons in the ultimate outcome of their cancer patients cannot be overemphasised.
Dialogism as Antiracist Education: Engaging with Competing Racial Ideologies in Brazil.

Brazil has recently enacted sweeping policies against racial inequality, including a mandate to teach African and Afro-Brazilian history and culture in schools across the country. This article analyzes Afro-Brazilian activists' heteroglossic engagement with recent legal and social changes while leading teacher-training courses. I demonstrate how participants juxtapose long-held narratives of racial mixture with the discourse of new antiracist legislation and, in doing so, construct antiracist positions in relation to Brazil's competing racial ideologies.
Estimating and optimizing RC interconnect delay during physical design

During the physical design process, prior to detailed routing, it is desired to bound the interconnect delay based on the bounding box of the pins on the net, horizontal, and vertical estimates of interconnect capacitance and resistance per length and estimate the pin-to-pin delays based on the positions of the pins inside and on the bounding box. Assuming the interconnect will be routed based on a rectilinear Steiner tree (RST), the work of F.K. Chung and F.H. Hwang (1979) is used to bound the size of the largest and smallest possible RSTs given the bounding-box of the pins on the net (this is done for nets with >
Three-dimensional structure and interaction studies of hepatitis C virus p7 in 1,2-dihexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine by solution nuclear magnetic resonance.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) protein p7 plays an important role in the assembly and release of mature virus particles. This small 63-residue membrane protein has been shown to induce channel activity, which may contribute to its functions. p7 is highly conserved throughout the entire range of HCV genotypes, which contributes to making p7 a potential target for antiviral drugs. The secondary structure of p7 from the J4 genotype and the tilt angles of the helices within bilayers have been previously characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Here we describe the three-dimensional structure of p7 in short chain phospholipid (1,2-dihexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) micelles, which provide a reasonably effective membrane-mimicking environment that is compatible with solution NMR experiments. Using a combination of chemical shifts, residual dipolar couplings, and PREs, we determined the structure of p7 using an implicit membrane potential combining both CS-Rosetta decoys and Xplor-NIH refinement. The fin...
Soft Pipes Cause Reliability Problem in Bipolar Integrated Circuits

An investigation of yield-limiting bipolar emitter-collector shorts (commonly called "pipes") uncovered a "soft" pipe reliability problem. For us the major crystal defects causing pipes can be detected by Wright etching test wafers after epitaxial growth. The electrical effects of pipes become apparent during in-process probing and DC testing. Test patterns give a defect density figure which correlates with the corresponding etched wafer defect densities. Wafers which were below an appropriate defect level were shipped. Subsequent AC testing on a product line showed previously undetected, or "soft", pipes caused circuit timing errors and line returns from the customer. Both types of pipes were determined to be the result of secondary implantation of Carbon atoms arising from an ultrathin layer of vacuum pump oil. The Carbon atoms were knocked through the preimplant oxide during an Arsenic buried-layer implant step. Both types of pipes were eliminated by modifying the vacuum system on the implanter.
Deregulation of XPC and CypA by Cyclosporin A: An Immunosuppression-Independent Mechanism of Skin Carcinogenesis

Skin cancer is the most common malignancy in organ transplant recipients, causing serious morbidity and mortality. Preventing and treating skin cancer in these individuals has been extraordinarily challenging. Following organ transplantation, cyclosporin A (CsA) has been used as an effective immunosuppressive to prevent rejection. Therefore immunosuppression has been widely assumed to be the major cause for increased skin carcinogenesis. However, the mechanism of skin carcinogenesis in organ transplant recipients has not been understood to date; specifically, it remains unknown whether these cancers are immunosuppression-dependent or -independent. Here, using both immunocompromised nude mice which are defective in mature T lymphocytes as an in vivo model and human keratinocytes as an in vitro model, we showed that CsA impairs genomic integrity in the response of keratinocytes to UVB. Following UVB radiation, CsA inhibited UVB-induced DNA damage repair by suppressing the transcription of the DNA repair factor xeroderma pigmentosum C (XPC). In addition, CsA compromised the UVB-induced checkpoint function by up-regulating the molecular chaperone protein cyclophilin A (CypA). XPC mRNA levels were lower, whereas CypA mRNA and protein levels were higher in human skin cancers than in normal skin. CsA-induced PI3K/AKT activation was required for both XPC suppression and CypA up-regulation. Blocking UVB damage or inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway prevented CsA-sensitized skin tumorigenesis. Our findings identified deregulation of XPC and CypA as key targets of CsA, and UVB damage and PI3K/AKT activation as two principal drivers for CsA-sensitized skin tumorigenesis, further supporting an immunosuppression-independent mechanism of CsA action on skin tumorigenesis.
Photodynamic therapy for choroidal hemangioma associated with serous retinal detachment.

Objective To describe the clinical findings in 3 eyes with circumscribed choroidal hemangioma before and after treatment with photodynamic therapy. Patients and Methods In the setting of a tertiary referral center, 2 patients with circumscribed, posteriorly located, choroidal hemangiomas (thicknesses 2.4 and 2.9 mm) contiguous with the superior boundary of the optic nerve and accompanied by serous detachments of the sensory retina extending into the macula were treated with photodynamic therapy using a Zeiss diode laser (692 nm) and a sensitizing dye, verteporfin. A third patient with a circumscribed subfoveal hemangioma (3.9 mm in thickness) and a prominent serous retinal detachment was similarly treated. The tumors were studied with ultrasonography and fluorescein angiography. Visual fields were tested with Goldmann perimetry at follow-up. Results Following photodynamic therapy, the serous retinal detachments resolved, and the choroidal hemangioma in each of the 3 eyes regressed to a nonmeasurable thickness within 2 to 5 months. The visual acuity improved from 20/50 to 20/20, 20/150 to 20/20, and 3/200 to 20/200 in the respective cases. Two eyes were treated twice. The tumors have not recurred at follow-up visits from 11 to 16 months. Nerve fiber bundle field defects were not demonstrated with Goldmann field testing. Conclusions Photodynamic therapy seems to be effective in the management of circumscribed choroidal hemangioma. Following photodynamic therapy, the choroidal hemangiomas in 3 eyes were no longer measurable by ultrasonography, and the accompanying serous detachments resolved with improvement in the central visual acuities. Nerve fiber bundle defects were not identified.
Use of a field-scale biofilter for the degradation of the organophosphate insecticide coumaphos in cattle dip wastes

Insecticide wastes generated from livestock dipping operations are well suited for biodegradation processes since these wastes are concentrated, contained, and have no other significant toxic components. A field-scale biofilter capable of treating 15 000-litre batches of dip waste containing the acaricide coumaphos was used to reduce the coumaphos concentration in two successive 11 000-litre batch trials from 2000 mg litre -1 to 10 mg litre -1 in approximately 14 days at 25-29°C. Removal of coumaphos from the biofilter effluent is a function of both physical filtration and biodegradation by the biofilter. However, stoichiometric increases in chloride levels in the effluent as coumaphos concentrations decreased confirmed that coumaphos was being degraded by the biofilter rather than just being filtered out. In subsequent 5500-litre batch experiments, the addition of a vitamin supplement to the biofilter-treated dip resulted in a further decrease in coumaphos concentration to approximately 1 mg litre -1 . Results from incubations of two representative Texas soils with biofilter-treated dip spiked with [benzo-U- 14 C] coumaphos revealed that 32-36% of the spiked [ 14 C] coumaphos was mineralized in the soils after 110 days at 30°C.
Planning strategies-paradigms old and new

Compares two planning strategies, act-after-thinking, and act-while-thinking. The act-after-thinking paradigm is exemplified by the piano mover model, according to which robot motion planning is done based on preprocessed complete information about the robot and its environment. Resulting systems are rigid and require retraining when conditions change. The act-while-thinking paradigm can be exemplified by a robot motion planning model called the South Pole search model. The straight line preferred motion is not feasible, the actual path is an intricate combination of wiggles and loops and dead-end retreats. Actual decisions about the next move are dictated by local information. The result of this strategy is flexibility, economy, and robustness. This second strategy could be the way of introducing economic flexibility into factory robot systems. >
On the capacity improvement of ad hoc wireless networks using directional antennas

The capacity of ad hoc wireless networks is constrained by the interference between concurrent transmissions from neighboring nodes. Gupta and Kumar have shown that the capacity of an ad hoc network does not scale well with the increasing number of nodes in the system when using omnidirectional antennas [6]. We investigate the capacity of ad hoc wireless networks using directional antennas. In this work, we consider arbitrary networks and random networks where nodes are assumed to be static.In arbitrary networks, due to the reduction of the interference area, the capacity gain is proven to be √2π/α when using directional transmission and omni reception. Because of the reduced probability of two neighbors pointing to each other, the capacity gain is √2π/β when omni transmission and directional reception are used. Although these two expressions look similar, the proof technique is different. By taking advantage of the above two approaches, the capacity gain is 2π/√αβ when both transmission and reception are directional.For random networks, interfering neighbors are reduced due to the decrease of interference area when directional antennas are used for transmission and/or reception. The throughput improvement factor is 2π/α, 2π/β and 4π2/αβ for directional transmission/omni reception, omni transmission/direc-tional reception, and directional transmission/directional reception, respectively.We have also analyzed hybrid beamform patterns that are a mix of omnidirectional/directional and a better model of real directional antennas.
Orchestrating an Ensemble of MapReduce Jobs for Minimizing Their Makespan

Cloud computing offers an attractive option for businesses to rent a suitable size MapReduce cluster, consume resources as a service, and pay only for resources that were consumed. A key challenge in such environments is to increase the utilization of MapReduce clusters to minimize their cost. One way of achieving this goal is to optimize the execution of Mapreduce jobs on the cluster. For a set of production jobs that are executed periodically on new data, we can perform an offline analysis for evaluating performance benefits of different optimization techniques. In this work, we consider a subset of production workloads that consists of MapReduce jobs with no dependencies. We observe that the order in which these jobs are executed can have a significant impact on their overall completion time and the cluster resource utilization. Our goal is to automate the design of a job schedule that minimizes the completion time (makespan) of such a set of MapReduce jobs. We introduce a simple abstraction where each MapReduce job is represented as a pair of map and reduce stage durations. This representation enables us to apply the classic Johnson algorithm that was designed for building an optimal two-stage job schedule. We evaluate the performance benefits of the constructed schedule through an extensive set of simulations over a variety of realistic workloads. The results are workload and cluster-size dependent, but it is typical to achieve up to 10-25 percent of makespan improvements by simply processing the jobs in the right order. However, in some cases, the simplified abstraction assumed by Johnson's algorithm may lead to a suboptimal job schedule. We design a novel heuristic, called BalancedPools, that significantly improves Johnson's schedule results (up to 15-38 percent), exactly in the situations when it produces suboptimal makespan. Overall, we observe up to 50 percent in the makespan improvements with the new BalancedPools algorithm. The results of our simulation study are validated through experiments on a 66-node Hadoop cluster.
“The world around me”: The environment and single women

The “environment” has often been taken as a backdrop for feminist research and theory, as a setting within which issues of feminist concern are played out. This environment, however, is not a neutral setting; rather, research over the past 15 years has evidenced the assumptions about “a woman's place” as a man's wife literally built into women's worlds. Space speaks, and the stories it tells center around particular and identifiable assumptions about gender and where a woman “should” be, when, and with whom. Unmarried women are in a unique position in this environment: they are subjected not only to the economic disadvantages and social subjugation of being a woman, but also to the social and economic drawbacks of being single in a couple-oriented society and in an environment they see as not built for them. Although research exists on the sexism in the physical environment, on women's economic and social position, and on singlehood, a need exists to bridge these areas to explore how single women experience their singlehood, their womanhood, and the environment in their everyday lives and decision making. I conducted in-depth interviews with 25 single women, 23 white and 2 African-American women, about their experiences of living single. This article, based on the results of those interviews and a series of focus group discussions, examines how single women negotiate and respond to their necessary environmental decisions about housing, transportation, and leisure activities in an environment not likely to be conducive to their ways of life.
A Salt Marsh Microcosm: An Experimental Unit for Marine Pollution Studies

ABSTRACT Present day bioassay procedures are inadequate to assess impact of a pollutant upon the environment. Using a single species tested under rigid laboratory conditions does not produce ecologically relevant information. A salt marsh microcosm was established and monitored to assess its applicability as a water pollution research tool toward determining the impact of oil spills upon coastal salt marshes. Growth of the major grass species was a measure of similarity between a nearby native salt marsh and the microcosm. No significant differences in growth were observed in low (Spartina alterniflora) and high marsh (Spartina patens and Distichlis spicata) species during most of the growing season. Gas chromatography, ultraviolet and fluorescent spectrophotometry were used to monitor the fate of oil released into one side of the microcosm. High boiling range hydrocarbons probably of biogenic origin, interfered with quantification by ultraviolet and fluorescent spectroscopy, but could be separated by gas...
Columns Braced by Girts and a Diaphragm

Light gage steel panels often are used as wall cladding or roof decking of steel framed structures. These interconnected panels act as diaphragms which can resist shear and, therefore, brace the members to which they are attached if proper connection is provided between the diaphragms and the members. When used as wall cladding the panels usually are fastened to horizontal girts which in turn are connected to the columns. A reliable theory and computational procedure is presented for obtaining critical loads of columns with such diaphragm-girt bracing. This critical load can be the same as that of a column having an effective length equal to the girt spacing. The theory has been verified by tests, and can serve as the basis for the development of suitable design procedures for diaphragm-girt bracing.
H. pylori stimulates gastrin release from canine antral cells in primary culture.

Patients chronically infected withHelicobacter pylori are known to have hypergastrinemia. Previous studies have demonstrated the stimulation of gastrin from isolated G cells by monocytes and cytoki...
High-Performance Pd3Pb Intermetallic Catalyst for Electrochemical Oxygen Reduction

Extensive efforts to develop highly active and strongly durable electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction are motivated by a need for metal–air batteries and fuel cells. Here, we report a very promising catalyst prototype of structurally ordered Pd-based alloys, Pd3Pb intermetallic compound. Such structurally ordered Pd3Pb/C exhibits a significant increase in mass activity. More importantly, compared to the conventional Pt/C catalysts, ordered Pd3Pb/C is highly durable and exhibits a much longer cycle life and higher cell efficiency in Zn−air batteries. Interestingly, ordered Pd3Pb/C possesses very high methanol tolerance during electrochemical oxygen reduction, which make it an excellent methanol-tolerant cathode catalyst for alkaline polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. This study provides a promising route to optimize the synthesis of ordered Pd-based intermetallic catalysts for fuel cells and metal–air batteries.
Onset of Volancy and Foraging Patterns of Juvenile Little Brown Bats, Myotis lucifugus

In this paper I quantify and compare patterns of use of habitat and diet of adult and juvenile little brown bats ( Myotis lucifugus ). Individuals were captured in mist nets as they foraged. Clutter indices (CIs) ranging from 0 (least cluttered) to 5 (most cluttered) were used to categorize feeding microhabitats based on density of vegetation. A total of 378 M. lucifugus was banded over a 2-year period and dietary analysis was performed on fecal samples from 90 individuals. Foraging patterns of juveniles and adults differed significantly, and patterns of adult were density dependent. When population density was high, adults moved from foraging primarily in open areas close to the ground (CIl) to semiclutter and heavy clutter microhabitats (CI3, CI4, and CI5). Adults shifted foraging areas in mid-July when juveniles developed volancy. When density of the population was low (the result of a population crash at the site), adults foraged in CIl throughout summer and did not shift habitats. Juveniles foraged predominantly in the least-cluttered microhabitat (CIO) in both years independent of density of population.
The Design of Sprite in 2D Games

Although the popularity of 3D games, 2D games but there are still a powerful surviving space. The design of sprite is the most fundamental part of realizing game effect and improving game playability in 2D games. In this paper, we discuss the design of sprite.
HABIT FORMATION IN ONLINE COMMUNITIES

A long standing dilemma of online communities is that a small group of community members account for a disproportionate amount of contributions. Prior studies built on intent-based explanations cannot fully explain the phenomenon. This paper introduces the concept of habit formation as a key driver of individual contributions and investigates how habit is formed and how it influences individuals’ participation behavior in online communities. We propose that a threshold of behavioral repetitions exists for individuals to develop a habit. Once the threshold is surpassed, the habit of participation grows stronger and becomes self-reinforcing. We also propose that habit formation weakens the influence of reciprocity, social capital and competition on user participation in virtual communities. Using a panel data of 130,882 postings across 115 discussion boards, we find support for all the hypotheses. Our analysis contributes to the emerging literature on routinized information technology use.
User-Centered Design in Block-Based Programming: Developmental & Pedagogical Considerations for Children

In this paper, we present an analysis of 123 students' (aged 9-12) digital stories created in a visual block-based programming language across three grade levels (grades 4-6). These students were all involved in the same introductory computer science curriculum. Participating students attended the same school and received computer science instruction from the same teacher within the context of the academic day. We analyzed each project for the extent of user-centered design that the student programmed. Specifically, we identified two components of user-centered design: 1) the programmed control choices students used, and 2) if/how they communicated those mechanisms of control to the user. Our work indicates that students in fifth and sixth grade (aged 10-12) used higher diversity of event blocks and coordinated action across multiple sprites at a higher rate compared to fourth grade students (aged 9-10). In contrast, fourth grade students tended to create more simplistic programs, rarely coordinating actions across multiple sprites. This work suggests that the construct of user-centered design within visual block-based programming languages is more complex than previously indicated. Additionally, explicit instruction about user-centered design is necessary, but may be more effective when a student reaches the age of 10 or 11 years old.
Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome

The clinical, radiological, and biological features of Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome in 27 patients are reviewed from the Neuropediatric Unit, Hopital des Enfants Malades, Paris, France.
Human vs robot: Comparing the viability and utility of autonomous underwater vehicles for the acoustic telemetry tracking of marine organisms

Abstract Currently, individual animal movement data can be obtained using a variety of methods, but each methodology is limited in either temporal or spatial resolution. A new method of active tracking was developed which utilizes autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) equipped with stereo-hydrophones that can accurately estimate the position of a moving acoustic tag, while remaining at a distance. This technology was tested and compared to standard human-based active tracking technology to understand the benefits and limitations of this new technique. An AUV and a researcher independently tracked stationary and moving targets of known location in order to compare their spatial and temporal accuracy. Both methods were then used to track a leopard shark, Triakis semifasciata, in the field. The autonomous vehicle accurately positioned both stationary and moving tags with a positional error of
Overcoming the challenge of back pain complaints

Back pain is one of the more challenging aspects of medical care, for which many physicians feel unprepared. The dichotomy between mechanical and inflammatory derivation is blurred and the possibility of referred pain is always present. Solutions are facilitated with careful localization and identification of exacerbating and ameliorating factors. Fibromyalgia, pain reproducible by pressure on specific points, must be distinguished from general body pain. It is the clinical evaluation that allows distinguishing among the most common causes of back pain and assures minimal chance of overlooking non-musculoskeletal explanations. Removal of narcotics from the therapeutic armamentarium is a good start. Pain is often accompanied by depression, although common measures of depression are not specific, being a component of the pain itself. Mechanical solutions to back pain, whether perceived as mechanical or inflammatory in derivation, are reasonable initial approaches. Finally, the importance of sleep hygiene cannot be overemphasized, as disturbed sleep aggravates pain, even if it is not the initiating factor. This article addresses back pain amenability not only to clinical diagnosis but also to effective intervention.
Abstract 45: Systemic Illness in Ece1 Ablated Adult Mice

Endothelin converting enzyme-1 (ECE1) catalyzes the conversion of inactive big endothelin 1 (ET1) to active ET1. Homozygous Ece1 knock out (KO) mice die in utero or at birth, displaying multiple abnormalities including mandibular hypoplasia and cardiac outflow tract malformations, in spite of the presence of ample tissue ET1. However, increased ECE1 activity and circulating and/or tissue ET1 are associated with many adult cardiovascular diseases, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic and fatal lung disease. There is an apparent paradox between the need for ET1 in development and its harmful effects in adult disease. Therefore, our lab developed a conditional Ece1 KO mouse, in which Ece1 is ablated following tamoxifen (tam) treatment. We hypothesized that ECE1 serves to localize ET1 signals to specific cell populations and is essential in normal adult physiology. We studied the following groups: mice given vehicle rather than tam, mice lacking tam-inducible Cre recombinase, mice harboring a normal Ece1 allele ( Ece1 +/flox ), and the experimental animals (Cre Ece1 -/flox ). Mice were treated with vehicle or tam at 8-9 weeks of age. Cre Ece1 -/flox mice showed 85-100% mRNA knock-down efficiency 8 weeks after tam treatment. By 17 weeks of age, Cre Ece1 -/flox mice have tachypnea, decreased activity, and weight loss, requiring euthanasia for humane considerations. They display depleted adipose tissue mass compared to controls. By two weeks after treatment, Cre Ece1 -/flox mice had lower blood pressure relative to controls, which persisted until euthanasia at 17-20 weeks old (p=0.004). Between 17-20 weeks of age, most of Cre Ece1 -/flox mice develop pectus excavatum, enlarged right hearts and have reduced stroke volume and cardiac output as analyzed by echocardiography. Histological examination revealed eosinophilic crystalline pneumonia and increased collagen in the lung and heart. These findings are consistent with development of IPF in the experimental mice. Our findings show that Ece1 ablation in post-natal animal results in a severe cardiorespiratory disease, suggesting that ectopic activation of ET1 by other tissue proteases is the primary mechanism underlying the association of increased ET1 signaling in disease states.