cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computer Vision based Tomography of Structures Using 3D Digital Image Correlation.

Internal properties of a sample can be observed by medical imaging tools, such as ultrasound devices, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) which are based on relying on changes in material density or chemical composition [1-21]. As a preliminary investigation, the feasibility to detect interior defects inferred from the discrepancy in elasticity modulus distribution of a three-dimensional heterogeneous sample using only surface full-field measurements and finite element model updating as an inverse optimization algorithm without any assumption about local homogeneities and also the elasticity modulus distribution is investigated. Recently, the authors took advantages of the digital image correlation technique as a full field measurement in constitutive property identification of a full-scale steel component [22-27]. To the extension of previous works, in this brief technical note, the new idea intended at recovering unseen volumetric defect distributions within the interior of three-dimensional heterogeneous space of the structural component using 3D-Digital Image Correlation for structural identification [28-57]. As a proof of concept, the results of this paper illustrate the potential to identify invisible internal defect by the proposed computer vision technique establishes the potential for new opportunities to characterize internal heterogeneous materials for their mechanical property distribution and condition state.
microRNA regulation related to the protective effects of environmental enrichment against cocaine-seeking behavior.

Abstract Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are “master post-transcriptional regulators” of gene expression. Here we investigate miRNAs involved in the incentive motivation for cocaine elicited by exposure to cocaine-associated cues. Methods We conducted NanoString nCounter analyses of microRNA expression in the nucleus accumbens shell of male rats that had been tested for cue reactivity in a previous study. These rats had been trained to self-administer cocaine while living in isolate housing, then during a subsequent 21-day forced abstinence period they either stayed under isolate housing or switched to environmental enrichment (EE), as this EE intervention is known to decrease cocaine seeking. This allowed us to create groups of “high” and “low” cocaine seekers using a median split of cocaine-seeking behavior. Results Differential expression analysis across high- and low-seekers identified 33 microRNAs that were differentially expressed in the nucleus accumbens shell. Predicted mRNA targets of these microRNAs are implicated in synaptic plasticity, neuronal signaling, and neuroinflammation signaling, and many are known addiction-related genes. Of the 33 differentially-expressed microRNAs, 8 were specifically downregulated in the low-seeking group and another set of 8 had expression levels that were significantly correlated with cocaine-seeking behavior. Conclusion These findings not only confirm the involvement of previously identified microRNAs (e.g., miR-212, miR-495) but also reveal novel microRNAs (e.g., miR-3557, miR-377) that alter, or are altered by, processes associated with cocaine-seeking behavior. Further research examining the mechanisms involved in these microRNA changes and their effects on signaling may reveal novel therapeutic targets for attenuating drug craving.
Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Monitoring in Pediatric Anesthesiology: A Pro-Con Discussion.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been increasingly used as a non-invasive measurement of cerebral tissue oxygen saturation. The aim of this short review is to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of its use in the pediatric anesthesia population. In the context of cardiac surgery, lower intraoperative NIRS values have shown a modest association with neurodevelopmental outcomes while lower neonatal intensive care unit NIRS values have been correlated with reduced neurodevelopment in children. However, it is still unclear if management aimed at increasing cerebral tissue oxygenation would have any benefit on these outcomes. Without prospective research looking into the effects of intervention given proper thresholds, the true benefit of NIRS use is still up for debate. Even with current research gaps, its use in the clinical setting continues.
Prostate-specific antigen nadir and testosterone level at prostate-specific antigen failure following radiation and androgen suppression therapy for unfavorable-risk prostate cancer and the risk of all-cause and prostate cancer-specific mortality.

BACKGROUND Although both PSA nadir (PSAn) and testosterone levels at PSA failure are known prognostic factors in men undergoing radiation therapy (RT) and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for unfavorable-risk prostate cancer (PC), it is unclear whether their prognostic significance is independent or overlapping. METHODS Seventy-five men treated with RT with or without 6 months of ADT for unfavorable-risk nonmetastatic PC enrolled in 2 prospective clinical trials between 1986 and 2001 formed the study cohort. Competing risks and Cox multivariable regression were used to assess whether low versus normal serum testosterone at the time of PSA failure and higher PSAn after initial therapy were independently associated with the risk of PC-specific (PCSM) and all-cause mortality (ACM) adjusting for PC prognostic factors. RESULTS After a median follow-up of 15.34 years (interquartile range, 6.66-16.88 years), there were 53 deaths (73.3%): 30 (56.6%) were from PC. Low testosterone at PSA failure was significantly associated with an increased risk of PCSM (adjusted HR [AHR], 7.77; 95% CI, 1.14-52.99; P = .04) and ACM (AHR, 3.01; 95% CI, 1.01-8.96; P = .05), as was higher PSAn (PCSM AHR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.05; P < .01; ACM AHR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02-1.07; P < .01), although the prognostic significance of PSAn was only noted in men with a normal testosterone at PSA failure. CONCLUSIONS Low testosterone level at PSA failure in high-risk patients with PC treated with RT is associated with increased PCSM and ACM risk. In men with normal testosterone levels at the time of PSA failure, an elevated PSAn was associated with worse PCSM and ACM risk. LAY SUMMARY This study investigates whether the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) nadir and normal versus low testosterone at the time of PSA failure provide mutually exclusive or overlapping prognostic information following treatment with radiation and androgen deprivation therapy for unfavorable-risk patients with prostate cancer using data from 2 prospective clinical trials. It was found that both provided prognostic information; however, higher PSA nadir was only found to be of prognostic significance in men with normal testosterone levels at PSA failure.
Perceived autonomy supportive and culturally responsive environments contribute to international students’ participation and willingness to communicate

International students bring great cultural and economic value to universities in the United States, but they face unique challenges, the primary academic challenge concerns communication and participation in the classroom. Cultivating classroom environments that support international students’ success requires the consideration of cultural, psychological, and motivational factors. Following an integrated framework of Self-Determination Theory (SDT: Ryan & Deci, 2018) and Culturally Relevant/Responsive Pedagogy, Teaching and Education (CRPTE: Aronson & Laughter, 2016; Gay, 2018; Ladson-Billings, 1995, 2014), we examined if international students’ perceptions of autonomy supportive and culturally responsive environments predicted their general and intercultural willingness to communicate and oral participation through basic psychological needs, self-determined motivation, and communication anxiety in U.S. university classrooms. Data from 397 nonnative English-speaking and 113 native English-speaking international students from one institution were analyzed using structural equation modeling and path analysis. Results supported the significant roles of perceived autonomy supportive and culturally responsive environments in communication and participation outcomes. This study responds to a recent trend for motivation research to integrate cultural perspectives, addresses international students’ needs in the era of active learning, and extends willingness to communicate research beyond the previous scope. We discuss theoretical, methodological, and practical implications for motivation research and teaching and learning in higher education.
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs): The Private Sector's Solution to Government Overreach

This research was designed to examine the growth in popularity of Special Purpose Acquisition Companies, particularly the U.S. Federal Government’s responsibility for such growth and their concerns and proposed solutions. I will attempt to answer the following questions: (1) What characteristics of SPACs or the market operating environment led to the explosion in SPAC transactions, (2) What was the U.S. Government’s role in igniting SPAC growth, (3) What concerns the U.S. Government has communicated regarding SPACs, (4) What solutions is the U.S. Government proposing to address their concerns, and finally, (5) My analysis of the aforementioned questions. I rely on qualitative research methods to support my argument. Additionally, I incorporated quantitative data from SpacInsider.com to buttress my arguments. Future research papers will require primary research as well as multivariable regression analyses to better understand which factors are pushing SPAC growth, and which policy options have the desired impact of reducing the use of SPACs for going public and increasing the use of traditional IPOs. My qualitative research uncovered an outsized role played by the U.S. Government in the growth and popularity of SPACs. Additionally, precedent research demonstrated that the U.S. Federal Government’s proposed solution of additional regulations will not work and will, instead, create a new alternative investment vehicle in the same fashion that overregulation of IPOs led to SPACs. To solve the concerns regulators have voiced, officials charged with developing and altering the IPO regulatory framework must loosen the grip of listing-crushing regulations. If smaller businesses were able to access the markets via an IPO, they would do so because there is more certainty in the legal grounding of an IPO, and the process is an established one familiar to the business world. Any actions, on the government’s part, to tighten already strangling regulations will lead to more of the same.
Race differences in public satisfaction with and trust in the local police in the context of george floyd protests: an analysis of residents’ experiences and attitudes

Measuring public opinions about the police is a mainstay of police–community relations because the police need to know how well they are doing in the communities they serve. To understand public at...
Sexual Dimorphism in Species of Raninoides (Brachyura: Raninidae) and the Status of Raninidoides schmitti Sawaya, 1944

The frog c;.ab Raninoides schmitti was described from Sio Paulo, Brazil, ascloselyrelatedto R. loevis.De' tailed comparison shows R. schmitti to be a junior synonym of R. loevis. Absence of information detailing sexual dimorphismof speciesin thegentsRaninoldescontributedtothedesignationofadimorphicmaleasadiscretetaxon.Examples of sexual dimorphism within the genus Raninoides are described.
Contact urticaria to Compositae: Ratibida columnifera, the Prairie Coneflower

Abstract Rationale Compositae (Asteraceae) family members are known to cause allergic rhinitis in sensitized individuals. Contact dermatitis to Compositae family members has also been described. We report a case of IgE mediated contact urticaria to a common wildflower in the Compositae family, Ratibida columnifera . Methods An atopic patient with a complaint of urticaria within minutes after contact with Ratibida columnifera was evaluated. The exposure occurred while mountain-biking on trails in South Central Texas. The flower heads were reported to strike the patient's legs as he was riding. Samples of the wildflower were collected and identified. The patient and five non-atopic control subjects were skin tested with coneflower extract prepared from the collected flower heads. IgE immunoblotting was performed using the patient's serum and cord serum as a control. Results The patient had a positive prick skin test to the Ratibida columnifera extract, whereas the five control subjects were negative. The patient's immunoblot revealed IgE binding to 5 bands between 10 kd and 75 kd. The cord serum control immunoblot showed no IgE binding. Conclusions Contact urticaria caused by Ratibida columnifera , a member of the Compositae family, is reported. Extraction of allergen from the wildflower, skin testing, and immunoblotting suggests a Type I allergic reaction.
Bridge Decks with Precast UHPC Waffle Panels: A Field Evaluation and Design Optimization

AbstractThe first full-depth precast ultrahigh-performance concrete (UHPC) waffle panels have been designed and implemented in a bridge replacement project to use accelerated bridge construction and increase bridge deck longevity. This paper first evaluates the structural performance of this bridge using a combination of field live-load testing and analytical modeling. The collected data for vertical deflections and strains at discrete critical locations on the bridge deck, subjected to static and dynamic truck loads, demonstrated satisfactory performance of the bridge deck and correlated well with the results obtained from the analytical model. Thereupon, options to optimize the bridge deck are examined to minimize the UHPC volume and associated labor costs. Using the analytical model, an optimization of the waffle panels was undertaken by varying the number of ribs as well as spacing between the ribs. An optimized panel was achieved by reducing the interior ribs per panel from four to two, or zero, in t...
Embedded microcomputers: how to easily add it to the core computer science curriculum

Computer Science students today are typically well versed in software techniques and tools by the time they graduate. They are able to create solutions to most any problem as long as it can be run on standard hardware and operating systems. These types of solutions require high performance microprocessors such as the Pentium Processor and the need for such talent is evident. However, in today's world more and more products are using embedded microprocessors (aka: single chip microcomputers) and the CS student has little if any formal exposure to this world. This paper discusses the importance of this area and how, with only a little effort or change, one may incorporate this topic into the main stream CS curriculum.
Quality and correlates of medical record documentation in the ambulatory care setting

Documentation in the medical record facilitates the diagnosis and treatment of patients. Few studies have assessed the quality of outpatient medical record documentation, and to the authors' knowledge, none has conclusively determined the correlates of chart documentation. We therefore undertook the present study to measure the rates of documentation of quality of care measures in an outpatient primary care practice setting that utilizes an electronic medical record. We reviewed electronic medical records from 834 patients receiving care from 167 physicians (117 internists and 50 pediatricians) at 14 sites of a multi-specialty medical group in Massachusetts. We abstracted information for five measures of medical record documentation quality: smoking history, medications, drug allergies, compliance with screening guidelines, and immunizations. From other sources we determined physicians' specialty, gender, year of medical school graduation, and self-reported time spent teaching and in patient care. Among internists, unadjusted rates of documentation were 96.2% for immunizations, 91.6% for medications, 88% for compliance with screening guidelines, 61.6% for drug allergies, 37.8% for smoking history. Among pediatricians, rates were 100% for immunizations, 84.8% for medications, 90.8% for compliance with screening guidelines, 50.4% for drug allergies, and 20.4% for smoking history. While certain physician and patient characteristics correlated with some measures of documentation quality, documentation varied depending on the measure. For example, female internists were more likely than male internists to document smoking history (odds ratio [OR], 1.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.27 – 2.83) but were less likely to document drug allergies (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.35 – 0.75). Medical record documentation varied depending on the measure, with room for improvement in most domains. A variety of characteristics correlated with medical record documentation, but no pattern emerged. Further study could lead to targeted interventions to improve documentation.
Exhaustive Geographic Search with Mobile Robots Along Space-Filling Curves

Swarms of mobile robots can be tasked with searching a geographic region for targets of interest, such as buried land mines. We assume that the individual robots are equipped with sensors tuned to the targets of interest, that these sensors have limited range, and that the robots can communicate with one anotlier to enable cooperation. I low can a swarnl of cooperating sensate robots efficiently search a given geographic region for targets in the absence of a priori information about the targets' locations? Many of the “obvious” approaches are inefficient or lack robustness. One efficient approach is to have the robots traverse a space filling curve. For many geographic search applications, this method is energy-frugal, highly robust, and provides guaranteed coverage in a finite time that decreases as the reciprocal of the number of robots sharing the search task. Furthermore, control is inherently decentralized and requires very little robot-to-robot communication for the robots to organize their movements. This report presents some preliminary results from applying the Hilbert space-filling curve to geographic search by mobile robots.
Reaction of fluorogenic reagents with proteins II: capillary electrophoresis and laser-induced fluorescence properties of proteins labeled with Chromeo P465.

Abstract The fluorogenic reagent Chromeo P465 is considered for the analysis of proteins by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection. The reagent was first used to label α-lactalbumin; the product was analyzed by capillary zone electrophoresis in a sub-micellar sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) buffer. The product generated a set of equally spaced but poorly resolved peaks that formed a broad envelope with a net mobility of 4 × 10 −4 cm 2 V −1 s −1 . The components of the envelope were presumably protein that had reacted with different numbers of labels. The mobility of these components decreased by roughly 1% with the addition of each label. The signal increased linearly from 1.0 nM to 100 nM α-lactalbumin ( r 2 = 0.99), with a 3 σ detection limit of 70 pM. We then considered the separation of a mixture of ovalbumin, α-chymotrypsinogen A, and α-lactalbumin labeled with Chromeo P465; unfortunately, baseline resolution was not achieved with a borax/SDS buffer. Better resolution was achieved with N -cyclohexyl-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid/Tris/SDS/dextran capillary sieving electrophoresis; however, dye interactions with this buffer system produced a less than ideal blank.
Reconnaissance of a Channel Dam Site and Flood Area On the San Saba River, Menard County, Texas

During December 1984, a reconnaissance was carried out along portions of the San Saba River west of Menard, Texas. The purpose of the study was to examine the location where a new channel dam will be constructed, and areas upstream, incl uding Presidio San SabA (41 MN 1), to determine what cultural resources might be affected by any water level change as a result of dam installationo The reconnaissance determined that construction of a new concrete dam to replace an earlier earthen dam of similar size will not impact any known cultural resources. The water level is not expected to be appreciably higher and, therefore, will not impact Presidio San Sab&. However, during a visit to Presidio San SabA, it was noted that gol f course sprinkler system trenches have recently been excavated across portions_of the historic site by the County of Menard. This trenching has disturbed buried cultural resources.
China's Long March Toward Rule of Law: Post-Mao reforms: competing conceptions of rule of law

With the death of Mao in 1976, China began to steer a new course. Many Party leaders, having suffered personally and severely from the arbitrary and lawless acts of Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution, were eager to advocate greater reliance on law as a means of preventing the reoccurrence of such policy-driven excesses. In addition, legal reforms were seen as a way for the Party, whose image had been badly tarnished, to regain legitimacy both domestically and abroad. Most importantly, however, Deng Xiaoping and other leaders decided that the major problem confronting China was not class struggle but economic growth. China was declared to be in the primary stages of socialism.Before China could reach the hallowed ideal of a communist society, it would first have to pass through a capitalist phase. One of Mao's mistakes was to try to leapfrog over the capitalist stage. Accordingly, Deng announced that to get rich was glorious and threw open the doors to foreign investment. The success of the reforms, and especially China's ability to attract foreign investment, hinged on improvements to the legal system and greater reliance on law. “A market economy is a rule of law economy” became the rallying cry. At the most basic level, law is necessary to create and maintain a modern market: to establish property rights and a contract regime; ensure market equality and maintain market order by protecting against fraud, unfair competition, and monopoly; separate government from enterprises; establish and regulate financial and capital markets; and so on.
The Time-Dependent Schrödinger Equation Revisited: Quantum Optical and Classical Maxwell Routes to Schrödinger’s Wave Equation

In a previous paper [1–3] we presented quantum field theoretical and classical (Hamilton–Jacobi) routes to the time-dependent Schrodinger’s equation (TDSE) in which the time t and position r are regarded as parameters, not operators. From this perspective, the time in quantum mechanics is argued as being the same as the time in Newtonian mechanics. We here provide a parallel argument, based on the photon wave function, showing that the time in quantum mechanics is the same as the time in Maxwell equations.
STUDIES ON VITAL STAINING IV. INDIA INK AND BRILLIANT VITAL RED. IMPORTANCE OF CONSIDERING LIVER EXCRETION IN THE STUDY OF "BLOCKADE OF THE RETICULO-ENDOTHELIAL SYSTEM"

When brilliant vital red is injected into the blood stream of dogs much of it is slowly taken up into numerous phagocytes scattered throughout the tissues ("reticulo-endothelial system" of Aschoff). The rate at which the dye leaves the blood stream is determined in large part by the action of these phagocytic cells, but the excretion of dye into the bile is also in part responsible for the loss of dye from the plasma. The injection of a small amount of India ink into the blood stream results in lowering the rate at which the dye disappears from circulation. The fact that much of the carbon of the ink is promptly taken up by the phagocytes would lead one to suspect that they were saturated with foreign materials, or "blocked" against the entrance of dye, but it is shown that the ink causes a remarkable inhibition of the excretion of dye into the bile, and this alone seems to account for the longer retention of dye in the blood stream. There is no evidence that any of the retention is due to defective activity on the part of the phagocytes. Thus, prolonged retention of foreign materials in the blood stream cannot be cited to prove "blockade of the reticulo-endothelial system" unless one can rule out such peculiar reactions on the part of excretory organs. It is felt that the literature of "blockade" should be studied with such sources of error in mind. Preliminary studies indicate that the suppression of dye excretion by the liver is not due to the carbon content of the ink. Studies of other components of the ink are now in progress.
A comparative evaluation of propofol and midazolam as sedative agents in fiberoptic bronchoscopy.

Propofol, a new intravenous sedative agent, was investigated in 41 asthmatic patients undergoing day-case (outpatient) fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The study design was a randomized comparison between propofol and midazolam, which is a well-established intravenous sedative agent. The age, weight, and American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status and lung function of the two groups were not significantly different. Mean (SD) induction dose of propofol was 104.7 (30.1) mg with a maintenance dose of 121.9 (38.5) mg. Corresponding values of midazolam were 9.3 (3.1) mg and 3.7 (2.3) mg. The required level of sedation was achieved significantly faster with propofol, mean (SD) 125.4 (39.8) s, compared with midazolam, 179.4 (55.2) s (p
STORY PROBLEMS: MERELY CONFUSING OR DOWNRIGHT BEFUDDLING?

For several years teachers and students have experienced difficulty in dealing with story problems. Teachers have commented that the teaching of story problems is one of the "thorniest problems" in the elementary school curriculum (Ashlock & Herman, 1970, p. 193). The reaction of students to story problems is perhaps best summarized in the words of a pupil who said, "I can read the arithmetic all right; I just can't read the writing (Barney, 1973, p. 57)." Studies have demonstrated that problems containing extraneous information severely impair the accuracy of educable mentally retarded students. (Cruickshank, 1948; Goodstein, Cawley, Gordon, & Helfgott, 1971; Schenck, in press; Thibodeau, 1974). The effect of extraneous information on the performance of exceptional children, other than the educable mentally retarded (EMR), has been a neglected area of study. Little attempt has been made to modify directly the performance of students, although the facilitative effects of pictures (Goodstein, Bessant, Thibodeau, Vitello, & Vlahakos, 1972) and the use of indefinite quantifiers in place of written numerals (Schenck, in press) have been recommended as teaching techniques. Kilpatrick (1969) suggested that researchers would be well advised to undertake clinical studies of the performance of individual subjects. Such a clinical study was the aim of the present investigation with the additional component of direct modification of the performance of individual students.
Revising Images of Public Punitiveness: Sentencing by Lay and Professional English Magistrates

England grants unusually broad responsibility for sentencing of criminal offenders to voluntary part-time lay magistrates who, like their legally trained professional colleagues, sentence a wide range of offenders. Using simulated cases, archival analyses, and observational techniques, this article compares the sentencing decisions of the lay and professional magistrates in London. The study reveals no evidence of the lay preference for more severe sentencing that is typically shown in public opinion polls. The extent to which legal training, court experience, panel decisionmaking and role within the court system can explain the relative leniency of the lay magistrates are considered Consistent with results from other studies, these findings suggests that when laypersons assign sentences to particular offenders rather than express generalized satisfaction or dissatisfaction with current sentencing practices, laypersons are no more punitive than professional judges.
On a theorem of Goldie

Abstract : The theorems proven are: (1) Let R be a semiprime (left) Goldie ring; then R has a left quotient ring Q; and (2) Q is a semisimple ring satisfying the descending chain condition on left ideals.
Hypoglycemic effects of melatonin in the goldfish, Carassius auratus

Abstract 1. 1. The effect of melatonin treatment (one or three injections daily) on plasma glucose levels in sham-operated and pinealectomized goldfish was examined. 2. 2. Melatonin significantly decreases blood glucose levels in sham-operated but not pinealectomized goldfish when the animals are maintained under continuous light. 3. 3. Melatonin significantly increased liver glycogen levels in both sham-operated and pinealectomized goldfish maintained under continuous light. 4. 4. The effect of melatonin on carbohydrate metabolism appears to be multifaceted as this hormones' hypoglycemie effects are pineal dependent while glycogenic effects are pineal independent.
Nasal reconstruction in ancient India.

The special issue on the Bionic Human (8 Feb.) was fascinating. However, the timeline (“Historical highlights in bionics and related medicine,” p. [996][1]) contained one error, dating nasal reconstruction with tissue flaps to 1597 A.D. In ancient India, nasal amputation was a common form of punishment for adulterers, creating a broad need for nasal reconstruction. In a remarkably detailed and rational book written at the time of Vedic medicine, perhaps 1000 B.C., the Sushruta Samhita, nasal reconstruction using tissue flaps either obtained from the face or forearm is described ([1][2]). The first use of a mechanical tissue stapler is also described, intestinal injuries being repaired with the heads of black ants. 1. [↵][3]1. P. S. Sankaran , Sushruta's Contribution to Surgery (Indological Book House, Varanasi, India, 1976). [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.295.5557.995 [2]: #ref-1 [3]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1 in text"
The immunology of sarcoidosis.

Sarcoidosis continues to be a disease of research interest because of its complicated immune mechanisms and elusive etiology. So far, it has been established that granulomatous inflammation in sarcoidosis is predominately a T-helper 1 immune response mediated by a complex network of lymphocytes, macrophages, and cytokines. The cause of progression to a chronic and potentially fibrotic form is unclear but may involve loss of apoptotic mechanisms, loss of regulatory response, or a persistent antigen that cannot be cleared. Recent genomic and proteomic technology has emphasized the importance of host susceptibility and gene–environment interaction in the expression of the disease.
Complex variable formulations for usual and hypersingular integral equations for potential problems — with applications to corners and cracks

This paper first presents an unified discussion of real and complex boundary integral equations (BIEs) for two-dimensional potential problems. Relationships between real and complex formulations, for both usual and hypersingular BIEs, are discussed. Potential problems in bounded as well as in unbounded domains are of concern in this work. Quantities of particular interest are derivatives of the primary field that exhibit discontinuities across corners, as well as stress intensity factors at the tips of mode III cracks. The latter problem in an application of a recent generalization of the well-known Plemelj-Sokhotsky formulae. Numerical implementations and results for interior problems in bounded domains, as well as for crack problems in unbounded domains, are presented and discussed.
Solvation Free Energy of the Peptide Group: Its Model Dependence and Implications for the Additive-Transfer Free-Energy Model of Protein Stability

The group-additive decomposition of the unfolding free energy of a protein in an osmolyte solution relative to that in water poses a fundamental paradox: whereas the decomposition describes the experimental results rather well, theory suggests that a group-additive decomposition of free energies is, in general, not valid. In a step toward resolving this paradox, here we study the peptide-group transfer free energy. We calculate the vacuum-to-solvent (solvation) free energies of (Gly)n and cyclic diglycine (cGG) and analyze the data according to experimental protocol. The solvation free energies of (Gly)n are linear in n, suggesting group additivity. However, the slope interpreted as the free energy of a peptide unit differs from that for cGG scaled by a factor of half, emphasizing the context dependence of solvation. However, the water-to-osmolyte transfer free energies of the peptide unit are relatively independent of the peptide model, as observed experimentally. To understand these observations, a way to assess the contribution to the solvation free energy of solvent-mediated correlation between distinct groups is developed. We show that linearity of solvation free energy with n is a consequence of uniformity of the correlation contributions, with apparent group-additive behavior in the water-to-osmolyte transfer arising due to their cancellation. Implications for inferring molecular mechanisms of solvent effects on protein stability on the basis of the group-additive transfer model are suggested.
The high-temperature oxidation of ductile CrRu alloys

Abstract The high-temperature oxidation of two ductile CrRu alloys of compositions on either side of the b.c.c. α-phase solubility limit has been investigated using thermogravimetric, metallographic, electron micro-beam probe, and X-ray analytical techniques. Both alloys formed an external Cr 2 O 3 scale, which usually spalled during cooling, and an unidentified volatile Ru oxide. Weight-gain measurements showed essentially parabolic kinetics, which became modified with increasing temperature because of Ru-oxide volatilization. Air-oxidized samples showed essentially the same kinetics as samples exposed to pure oxygen ; no evidence of Cr 2 N formation was found. Metal recession measurements showed that the higher Ru alloy oxidized at slower rates than did pure Cr. A tentative explanation for this is presented, based on the Verwey-Hauffe valency-effect theory.
Joint confidence region estimation for area under ROC curve and Youden index

In the field of diagnostic studies, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) serves as an overall measure of a biomarker/diagnostic test's accuracy. Youden index, defined as the overall correct classification rate minus one at the optimal cut-off point, is another popular index. For continuous biomarkers of binary disease status, although researchers mainly evaluate the diagnostic accuracy using AUC, for the purpose of making diagnosis, Youden index provides an important and direct measure of the diagnostic accuracy at the optimal threshold and hence should be taken into consideration in addition to AUC. Furthermore, AUC and Youden index are generally correlated. In this paper, we initiate the idea of evaluating diagnostic accuracy based on AUC and Youden index simultaneously. As the first step toward this direction, this paper only focuses on the confidence region estimation of AUC and Youden index for a single marker. We present both parametric and non-parametric approaches for estimating joint confidence region of AUC and Youden index. We carry out extensive simulation study to evaluate the performance of the proposed methods. In the end, we apply the proposed methods to a real data set.
Analysis of alkyl nitrates and selected halocarbons in the ambient atmosphere using a charcoal preconcentration technique

A method has been developed to measure {ge}C{sub 3} alkyl nitrates and C{sub 1}-C{sub 2} halocarbons, such as perchloroethylene and bromoform, in ambient air. The method preconcentrates analytes on a 5-mg charcoal trap from multiliter volumes of air. Analytes are desorbed from the charcoal with a small volume of solvent and are analyzed by high-resolution gas chromatography with electron capture detection. Laboratory and field tests have been performed to evaluate method precision, analyte breakthrough, and compound recovery from the charcoal. Tests verified that the sampling/analytical system is free from artifact formation under clean to moderately polluted conditions, but further tests are required for areas of high concentrations of hydrocarbons, NO{sub x}, and oxidants. The method allows measurement of halocarbons and {ge}C{sub 3} alkyl nitrates at concentrations in the pptv range.
The Natural World as Religious Educator: A Mediated Address by the Natural World

Abstract Our sacred scriptures tell us that all Creation groans in eager anticipation of God's grace. For those who are attentive to the voice of Creation, groaning in anticipation of deliverance is but one of the natural world's many modes of expression and communication. Creation sings, celebrates, instructs, and bears witness to the wisdom that orders all things. Indeed as Meister Eckhart reminds us, everything in the universe is a word of God and about God. What would be revealed to us if we listened carefully to ALL of the voices? This essay invites the human community to hear what some of the members of the larger life community seem to be communicating to us as these voices are discerned by contemporary humans, especially attentive to their presence and message.
A GIS-based system for tracking pavement compaction☆

Abstract Compaction is an important operation for improving construction material stability in construction operations such as soils and asphalt pavement. Through the process of compaction, soil strength and stability can be increased to the magnitude required by the design. Quality control is an extremely important concern of State Highway Agencies and contractors. For asphalt pavements, performance and quality are affected by three primary factors: a properly designed mix, drainage, and adequate compaction. These three factors must be performed together to assure quality. For this reason, compaction is considered to be very important in the performance of asphalt pavements. This paper reports on research to develop a system to map the moving compaction equipment, transform this result into a geometrical representation, and to investigate the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to develop a graphical representation depicting the number of coverages. Results are stored in a permanent record that can serve as a historical document.
The Risks and Inadequacy of Extended Programs.

The cost of extending teacher education to include a fifth year would be $6 billion annually, and there is no evidence that extended programs produce more effective teachers.
Bystander Responses to Public Episodes of Child Abuse

Bystander responses to public episodes of child abuse were surveyed among 269 self reported witnesses. Respondents completed an 80-item self-report questionnaire which inquired into a broad range of events, experiences, and behaviors surrounding naturally occurring incidents of perceived child abuse witnessed in public places. Almost one-half of the sample reported having witnessed at least one event of child abuse in public, but only one out of four witnesses acted to intervene. Data analyses identified 40 statistically significant variables across four categories: characteristics of the bystander, situation, victim, and perpetrator. Results were generally consistent with predictions and findings from previous research on bystander intervention, but a number of new and significant variables were identified that characterized intervention events. Direct and indirect forms of intervention were also distinguished. Implications of the findings are discussed, and educating people to intervene on behalf of abused children is proposed.
Enhanced intramolecular excimer formation of guest molecules included in the cavity of γ-cyclodextrin

Whereas both α-and β-cyclodextrin significantly inhibit intramolecular excimer formation of bis-(4-biphenylmethyl)ammonium chloride, γ-cyclodextrin enhances it considerably, indicating its ability to induce a conformational change in a molecule by forming an inclusion complex.
Characterization of United States outbreak isolates of Vibrio parahaemolyticus using enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) PCR and development of a rapid PCR method for detection of O3:K6 isolates

Outbreaks of Vibrio parahaemolyticus gastroenteritis in the United States (Texas, New York and Pacific Northwest) in 1997–98 emphasized the need to develop molecular methods for identification and differentiation of these organisms. When outbreak isolates were analyzed for the enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus sequences, the Texas and New York outbreak isolates had a specific 850-bp DNA fragment that was absent in Pacific Northwest isolates. The 850-bp polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product was found in isolates of serovar O3:K6, which have an unusual potential to spread and cause infections. To develop a specific molecular detection method for serovar O3:K6, the nucleotide sequence of the 850-bp product was determined. The GenBank blast analysis did not show homology with any known Vibrio spp. gene sequences. Two PCR primers were designed to specifically amplify the unique sequences from serovar O3:K6 isolates. Genomic DNA from 10 Texas, eight New York, and seven Pacific Northwest outbreak isolates of V. parahaemolyticus was assayed by PCR. Texas and New York isolates were positive in the PCR assay, giving a 327-bp PCR product as predicted; however, Pacific Northwest isolates were negative, indicating the absence of the target gene. Texas and New York isolates were all serovar O3:K6; the Pacific Northwest isolates were not. The primers were tested with other Vibrio spp. and other closely related species and no amplification of the 327-bp PCR product was found. The PCR method can be used to specifically identify O3:K6 V. parahaemolyticus isolates in less than 6 h.
Influence of a supersonic flowfield on the elastic stability of cylindrical shells

The rather complex interaction problem of shell divergence and panel flutter that may be encountered by an aerospace vehicle during the boost phase of a trajectory is treated theoretically and the results then compared qualitatively with recent experimental observations. The analytical model considers the combined influence of internal pressure and axial compressive loading on a thin-walled cylindrical shell in a supersonic flowfield. Radial edge constraint and initial imperfections also are considered. The formulation employs the nonlinear Donnell shell equations and a linear "piston theory" aerodynamic approximation and utilizes a kinetic stability approach. The aeroelastic stability of the shell is determined about its deformed middle surface using Galerkin's technique in a modal solution. The results of the analysis indicate that the supersonic flowfield has no effect on the critical buckling load or the unstable mode of the shell. Small amounts of axial loading, however, were found to reduce significantly the critical panel flutter speed of the shell. These results were verified, at least qualitatively, in recent wind-tunnel tests on shell models.
Rinne Revisited: Steel versus Aluminum Tuning Forks

Objective(1) Determine whether tuning fork material (aluminum vs stainless steel) affects Rinne testing in the clinical assessment of conductive hearing loss (CHL). (2) Determine the relative acous...
Enhanced reversibility and durability of a solid oxide Fe–air redox battery by carbothermic reaction derived energy storage materials

The recently developed solid oxide metal–air redox battery is a new technology capable of high-rate chemistry. Here we report that the performance, reversibility and stability of a solid oxide iron–air redox battery can be significantly improved by nanostructuring energy storage materials from a carbothermic reaction.
The Polls: Public Attitudes Toward the Energy Crisis

DESPITE the gas lines and the president's warnings, most Americans remain doubtful that there is a "real" oil shortage stemming from a genuine depletion of oil resources. Their predominant view is that oil shortages have been contrived, particularly by the oil companies, to raise prices and profits. Americans believe that the oil companies and oil-producing countries could provide all the gasoline that's wanted for the near future. As for the long term, Americans are optimistic that technology will lead us to the development of new energy sources and less dependence on foreign oil. By the year 1990, oil and gas are expected to be superseded by coal, nuclear, and solar power as leading U.S. sources of energy. By the year 2000, solar power is expected to emerge as our major source. The public's attitudes toward nuclear power, in the wake of the Three-Mile Island accident, can be summarized as favoring (1) continued operation of existing plants while introducing stricter safety and inspection regulations as investigations show the need, and (2) postponement of new plant construction until safety issues are resolved. The American public's attitudes toward the energy crisis are reviewed below in two sections. The first examines what the polls tell us about public perceptions of the energy problem. The second describes the public's preferences on how to deal with the energy problem, including its attitudes toward energy development and conservation policies.
The dynamical mind: Process and the collective unconscious

The mind is viewed as a complex autopoietic system comprised of a wealth of mutually interacting cognitive, perceptual, and emotional processes, all undergirded by similarly complex neurological events, many of which are reasonably characterized as chaotic attractors. From this perspective it is argued that both the mind and the brain are systems at the edge of chaos. Such systems, though globally stable, can be highly sensitive to weak biasing influences. The latter might include subtle connections between individuals that extend beyond ordinary causality, including the possibility of resonance effects from the vacuum scalar spectrum as suggested by Ervin Laszlo and computed by Attila Grandpierre.
Asphaltene and Resid Pyrolysis. 2. The Effect of Reaction Environment on Pathways and Selectivities

Pyrolysis experiments with resids and isolated asphaltenes from Arabian Light and Arabian Heavy feedstocks were compared with previous experiments with Hondo and Maya feeds to determine the effect of reaction environment on reaction paths, kinetics, and mechanisms. The experiments were at temperatures of 400, 425, and 450 °C for holding times ranging from 20 to 180 min in microbatch reactors. Reaction products were recovered as gas, maltene, asphaltene, and coke lumps. The maltene, asphaltene, and coke product fractions were collected by a solvent extraction sequence where heptane-soluble material was defined as maltene, toluene-soluble material as asphaltene, and toluene-insoluble material as coke. Gas chromatography revealed the presence of C1−C5 paraffins, C2−C5 olefins, isoparaffins, H2S, and CO2. Results were summarized by a lumped reaction network that allowed for quantitative kinetics analysis. Comparison of relative kinetics and apparent activation energies yielded insight into thermal reaction pa...
Distributed formation control for nonholonomic mobile robots

In this paper, we propose a new nonlinear cooperative steering control to solve the formation control problem for multiple mobile robots with nonholonomic constraints. By using a new contraction mapping method, it is rigorously proved that the proposed cooperative formation control is asymptotically stabilizing under the condition that the sensing/communication network among robots is sequentially complete. Simulation results are included to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control.