cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Instilling a defect prevention philosophy [software engineering education]

In software, teaching a programming language and how to compile and execute programs allows people to write programs immediately. Very likely, such programs will require considerable debugging. Errors and unit debugging are just an expected and integral part of programming. However, people with the right education and training need not unit debug their software any more than people need to look at the keys when they type. Serious programming begins only with formal methods, more explicit design, and verification from specifications. A proven software development process, Cleanroom Software Engineering, adds engineering rigor to the process and focuses on defect prevention and statistical quality control. Cleanroom has historically produced software with significantly superior quality and improved productivity. As a result, the University of Utah offers a new undergraduate course in Cleanroom Software Engineering. The course instills a defect-prevention, systematic/engineering philosophy in the students. This paper contains some introductory information on Cleanroom Software Engineering and explains how its principles are taught and enforced in the classroom.
Alterations of short-term tastant-containing fluid intake in zinc deficient adult rats.

Previous studies have demonstrated that zinc deficient rats have elevated taste preferences for tastant-containing solutions normally preferred or rejected by zinc sufficient rats when tested in a two-bottle, 24-hour procedure. Since that test does not control for postingestional determinants upon fluid consumption, we employed a two-bottle, 1-hour test combined with a restricted 3-hour eating period to evaluate taste preferences in seven rats fed a zinc deficient (1.3 ppm zinc) diet and nine rats pair-fed a zinc sufficient diet (100 ppm zinc). After 31 days of feeding, all rats were tested for 2 days (1 hour/day) with a choice between water and each of the following solutions: 0.15 M sodium chloride (NaCl), 2.5 X 10(-3) M Hydrochloric acid (HCl), 0.15 M NaCl, 2.5 X 10(-3) M HCl, 1.28 X 10(-6) M quinine sulfate (QS), 0.30 M NaCl and 1.28 X 10(p6) M QS. The zinc deficient rats demonstrated significantly greater preferences for all of the tastant-containing solutions but showed both significant increases and decreases in total volume intakes. Analysis of the individual water and tastant-containing fluid intakes demonstrated that the zinc sufficient rats consumed significantly more water but significantly less tastant-containing fluid than the zinc deficient rats. These results demonstrate that the increased preferences of zinc deficient rats may be related to preingestional, i.e., taste, rather than postingestion cues.
The Crimes of Terrorism

This work is a chapter for a forthcoming book on The Essentials of International Criminal Law to be published by Aspen Publishers as part of its Essentials series. This chapter discusses the contested concept of terrorism under international law, with a focus on efforts to criminalize the phenomenon. In particular, it discusses the major obstacles to achieving an omnibus definition of the crime with a particular emphasis on the intersection of the prohibitions against terrorism and international humanitarian law. Additional chapters in the text address the history of ICL, the sources of ICL, the major international crimes and defenses, and ICL reasoning and rhetoric. Publication is expected in October 2008.
Is It Time to Export the U.S. Tax Model to Latin America

There is a widespread view that high tax rates impede economic growth. This has certainly not been true in the United States. This economist argues that having a tax system akin to the one in the United States would enable countries in Latin America to spend on public investment in education, transportation, and health that is required for growth. Will high tax rates hurt growth?
Lynching and Power in the United States: Southern, Western, and National Vigilante Violence

Lynching has shaped U.S. history and identity from the colonial era to the present. Recent scholarship has expanded the periodization and geographical definition of lynching to encompass not only the South from 1880 to 1930, but also acts of vigilante violence in the West that span a much longer history. New scholarship treats the terrorizing and regulatory functions of lynching, but also the work that such violence does in creating and upholding different kinds of power. Such attention to the constitutive power of violence signals a momentous turn in the historiography, one that promises to connect histories of vigilantism with those of empire, torture, war, rape, and other kinds of violence.
Reachability analysis based minimal load shedding determination

This paper proposes a method to determine the minimal amount of load shedding based on backward reachability analysis. The backward reachable set is calculated using level set methods to compute the region of stability of a stable equilibrium point. The minimal amount of load shedding as a function of time elapsed since the post-disturbance condition can be systematically derived as the horizontal distance between the post-disturbance trajectory and the stability boundary of the stable equilibrium point. Case studies with a system consisting of an infinite bus feeding a dynamic load through a tap-changing transformer are presented to illustrate the approach.
Parallel Practices of Union Avoidance in Business and Academia

The strategies and tactics of academic administrators during union representation election campaigns by full-time faculty are described and compared with those of managers of private businesses. Data from private businesses and two northeastern research universities based on content analysis of workplace memoranda and home mailings, and from analysis of management-organized meetings, personal interactions and theatrics show strong parallels in union avoidance conduct. Case studies of this form of workplace control add empirical evidence of a hitherto neglected feature of administration in the “corporatized university,” and help develop critical theoretical perspectives on the restructuring of higher education.
Nanoscale mineralogy of arsenic in a region of New Hampshire with elevated As-concentrations in the groundwater

Bedrock samples were examined from a region in south-central New Hampshire in order to un- derstand the factors responsible for elevated As-concentrations (up to 180 ppb) in the groundwater. Although the As is predominantly from natural sources, the precise mineralogy of the As-bearing phases was unknown. As-bearing samples were examined in detail using advanced electron micros- copy techniques, including high-angle annular dark field scanning electron microscopy (HAADF- STEM), STEM elemental mapping, and high resolution TEM. Numerous As-bearing minerals were observed, predominantly arsenopyrite (FeAsS) with some westerveldite (FeAs). The arsenopyrite was partially altered to nanocrystalline (~20 nm) magnetite and westerveldite, most likely during hydrothermal circulation of fluids following the emplacement of a nearby granitoid pluton. A reac- tion rim surrounds the pristine cores of arsenopyrite, with compositionally variable amorphous zones (containing Fe, As, K, and O), a Cu-sulfide, and a uranium-bearing phase, suggesting at least three distinct fluid compositions during alteration. Because the K-Fe-As-oxide is amorphous and the nanocrystalline FeAs has a high surface area per unit mass, the dissolution rate of As-bearing phases during recent low-temperature weathering is increased. The rapid dissolution of the reduced As phase (FeAs), which is unstable under oxidizing conditions, may be an important factor in the el- evated As-concentrations in the groundwaters of this region.
Guided waves on a planar tensor impedance surface

Guided wave mode propagation constants are determined for an infinite planar surface characterized by an anisotropic impedance tensor. Restrictions on the tensor elements implied by the imposition of a passivity requirement are presented. The conditions under which E and H modes can exist are determined. The special case of a lossless surface is considered.
Measurement of ventricular electrogram amplitude during intraoperative induction of ventricular tachyarrhythmias

Adequate sensing of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) is necessary for proper functioning of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Several ICDs currently undergoing investigation have programmable fixed gain sensitivity for tachycardia detection. If intracardiac electrogram amplitude decreases below the programmed sensitivity during VT or VF, detection of a ventricular arrhythmia may be delayed or missed. The mean amplitude of intracardiac electrograms (ICEGM) recorded with bipolar epicardial or transvenous sensing leads was measured in 63 patients during induced VT and VF recorded in the operating room at the time of ICD implantation. The mean amplitude of the ICEGM during 41 episodes of VF in 15 patients decreased from 14.9 +/- 0.9 mV during sinus rhythm to 8.8 +/- 0.7 mV at 1 second, 9.7 +/- 0.7 mV at 5 seconds, and 9.4 +/- 0.7 mV at 10 seconds (p < 0.0001 vs sinus rhythm ICEGM) with endocardial leads. The mean amplitude of the ICEGM recorded during 173 episodes of VF in 43 patients with epicardial leads decreased from 10.4 +/- 0.3 mV in sinus rhythm to 7.8 +/- 0.3 mV at 1 second, 8.3 +/- 0.3 mV at 5 seconds and 8 mV at 10 seconds (p <0.0001 vs sinus rhythm ICEGM). The mean amplitude of epicardial and transvenous ICEGMs recorded during 34 episodes of monomorphic VT decreased from 18.5 +/- 1.8 mV (epicardial) and 14.4 +/- 2.0 mV (transvenous) during sinus rhythm (p = 0.15, epicardial vs transvenous) to 16.0 +/- 1.7 mV (epicardial) and 13.7 +/- 1.9 mV (transvenous) at 10 seconds (< 10% of baseline amplitude).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Molecular Traffic Jams on DNA Highways: Single Molecule Observation of Collisions Between RecBCD Helicase and DNA Binding Proteins

DNA helicases, polymerases, and other translocases must proceed along a substrate crowded with other DNA-binding proteins. The outcomes of these molecular collisions play a crucial role in shaping multiple metabolic pathways, such as DNA replication and repair. To address the question of how a translocase proceeds along a congested DNA substrate, we have established a high-throughput single molecule assay to observe the motion of RecBCD on individual DNA molecules. RecBCD is a heterotrimeric helicase and exonuclease that initiates homologous DNA recombination at the free dsDNA ends in E. coli. RecBCD is a processive motor enzyme that uses the energy of ATP hydrolysis to digest both strands of dsDNA until the protein encounters the regulatory sequence chi (5′-GCTGGTGG-3′). The chi sequence occurs roughly once every five kb in the E. coli genome, suggesting that RecBCD must travel for long distances along genomic DNA.In our assay, we observe the enzymatic activity of RecBCD on individual DNA molecules. Fluorescently labeled RNA polymerase and hydrolytically inactive EcoRI(E111Q) were selected as model roadblock proteins. By preparing a DNA substrate with these fluorescently labeled proteins, we directly observed the outcome of collisions with RecBCD. Our results indicate that RecBCD is able to push and eventually displace multiple proteins without reducing its rate of translocation. These results offer the first direct observation of collisions between a helicase and other proteins along the same DNA helix. We propose that the highly processive, dual motor structure of RecBCD is necessary for stimulating recombination many thousands of bp away from the initial dsDNA break. Our results provide additional evidence that an essential, if underappreciated, aspect of helicase function is the ability to clear dsDNA for further processing by other enzymes.
THE PLASMA PINCH AS A GAS ACCELERATOR

Plasma pinch as a gas accelerator, with an examination of the discharge by streak and kerr- cell photography
Parallel scheduling of complex dags under uncertainty

This paper introduces a parallel scheduling problem where a directed acyclic graph modeling t tasks and their dependencies needs to be executed on n unreliable workers. Worker i executes task j correctly with probability pi,j. The goal is to find a regimen E, that dictates how workers get assigned to tasks (possibly in parallel and redundantly) throughout execution, so as to minimize expected completion time. This fundamental parallel scheduling problem arises in grid computing and project management fields, and has several practical applications.We show a polynomial time algorithm for the problem restricted to the case when dag width is at most a constant and the number of workers is also at most a constant. These two restrictions may appear to be too severe. However, they are fundamentally required. Specifically, we demonstrate that the problem is NP-hard with constant number of workers when dag width can grow, and is also NP-hard with constant dag width when the number of workers can grow. When both dag width and the number of workers are unconstrained, then the problem is inapproximable within factor less than 5/4, unless P=NP.
Maximization of contour edge detection using adaptive thresholding

A new adaptive thresholding technique is presented that maximizes the contour edge information within an image. Early work by Attneave suggested that visual information in images is concentrated at the contours. He concluded that the information associated with these points and their nearby neighbors is essential for image perception. Resnikoff has suggested a measurement of information gain in terms of direction. This measurement determines information gained from a measure of an angle direction along image contours relative to other measures of information gain for other positions along the curve. Hence, one form of information measure is the angular entropy of contours within an image. Our adaptive thresholding algorithm begins by varying the threshold value between a minimum and a maximum threshold value and then computing the total contour entropy over the entire binarized edge image. Next, the threshold value that yields the highest contour entropy is selected as the optimum threshold value. It is at this threshold value that the binarized image contains the greatest amount of image features.
Assessing age-related changes in the biomechanical properties of rabbit lens using a coaligned ultrasound and optical coherence elastography system.

PURPOSE To evaluate the capability of a novel, coaligned focused ultrasound and phase-sensitive optical coherence elastography (US-OCE) system to assess age-related changes in biomechanical properties of the crystalline lens in situ. METHODS Low-amplitude elastic deformations in young and mature rabbit lenses were measured by an US-OCE system consisting of a spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) system coaligned with a focused ultrasound system used to produce a transient force on the lens surface. Uniaxial compressional tests were used to validate the OCE data. RESULTS The OCE measurements showed that the maximum displacements of the young rabbit lenses were significantly larger than those of the mature lenses, indicating a gradual increase of the lens stiffness with age. Temporal analyses of the displacements also demonstrate a similar trend of elastic properties in these lenses. The stress-strain measurements using uniaxial mechanical tests confirmed the results obtained by the US-OCE system. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate that the US-OCE system can be used for noninvasive analysis and quantification of lens biomechanical properties in situ and possibly in vivo.
Alternating minimization approach for multi-frame image reconstruction

There are a variety of imaging modalities that record a sequence of measurements where the sensor and/or the objects in the scene aremoving and the goal is to reconstruct an image without motion blur. Examples include multi-frame super-resolution problems and motion-compensated image reconstruction problems in medical imaging. Various methods have been proposed for such applications, often in the context of specific imaging modalities. However, many such methods can be formulated in a common framework and thus solved by the same optimization method. To solve the reconstruction problem efficiently, the optimization method must be designed carefully. This paper proposes a novel approach to solve multi-frame image reconstruction problems more efficiently. We use a variable-splitting technique to dissociate the original problem into a few simpler problems that are then solved individually using an alternating minimization method. The proposed method is amenable to preconditioning, parallelization, and application of block iterative algorithms to the sub-problems. Simulation results demonstrate that even with simple diagonal or circulant preconditioners, the proposed method converges faster than the conjugate gradient (CG) method.
A Case Study on Hedge Fund Fraud: Lessons for Investors

In this article, the author aims to present a case study focusing on the crucial details of a fraud perpetrated by a manager of a U.S. equity long/short hedge fund over the span of four years beginning in 1996. Though the names and facts have been modified to protect the identities of the parties involved, the article provides an interesting insight into the fraud that was perpetrated and on the way it finally came to light. It then presents the implications of the case, proposing seven possible area of careful investigation and due diligence focus that might have prevented the investors in that fund from losing hundreds of millions of dollars.
Facile Synthesis of Nitrogen-doped Porous Carbon for Selective CO2 Capture

Abstract Solid-state post-combustion CO2 sorbents have certain advantages over traditional aqueous amine systems, including reduced regeneration energy since vaporization of liquid water is avoided, tunable pore morphology, and greater chemical variability. We report here an ordered mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon made by the co- assembly of a modified-pyrrole and triblock copolymer through a soft-templating method, which is facile, economic, and fast compared to the hard-template approach. A high surface area mesoporous carbon was achieved, which is comparable to the silica counterpart. This porous carbon, with a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area of 804.5 m2 g-1, exhibits large CO2 capacities (298 K) of 1.0 and 3.1 mmol g-1 at 0.1 and 1 bar, respectively, and excellent CO2/N2 selectivity of 51.4. The porous carbon can be fully regenerated solely by inert gas purging without heating. It is stable for multiple adsorption/desorption cycles without reduction in CO2 capacity. These desirable properties render the nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon a promising material for post-combustion CO2 capture.
BIOAVAILABILITY OF THE DIGESTIBLE LYSINE AND TOTAL SULFUR AMINO ACIDS IN MEAT AND BONE MEALS VARYING IN PROTEIN QUALITY

Abstract Experiments were conducted to determine whether the digestible Lys, Met, and TSAA in a high and low quality meat and bone meal (MBM) were totally bioavailable for protein synthesis in chicks. True digestibility of amino acids (AA) in the two MBM was determined by the precision-fed cecectomized rooster assay. Bioavailability of the digestible AA was then assessed in three slope-ratio chick growth assays using Lys-, Met-, or TSAA-deficient crystalline AA basal diets that were supplemented with varying levels of the test AA, high or low quality MBM, or AA mixtures simulating the mean digestible AA composition of the high and low quality MBM. Response parameters were weight gain, feed efficiency, body N gain, and body Lys gain in the Lys assay and weight gain and feed efficiency in the Met and TSAA assays. Bioavailability values for the digestible Lys, Met, and TSAA in the MBM and AA mixtures simulating MBM varied depending on response parameter, with values based on feed efficiency generally being highest. No consistent differences in bioavailability of the digestible AA were observed between the two MBM when all AA were considered; however, the bioavailability of the digestible Lys in the low quality MBM was lower than that in the high quality MBM for two of four performance criteria. When considering all response parameters and the AA mixture results, bioavailability of the digestible Lys and Met in the two MBM was generally 90% or greater, whereas bioavailability of the digestible TSAA was only 80% or less. The results of this study indicated that essentially all of the digestible Lys and Met in MBM were bioavailable for protein synthesis and metabolism but suggested that a significant amount of the TSAA, particularly Cys, was not bioavailable.
Comparison of Transperineal Mapping Biopsy Results with Whole-Mount Radical Prostatectomy Pathology in Patients with Localized Prostate Cancer

Objective. We sought to evaluate the accuracy of transperineal mapping biopsy (TMB) by comparing it to the pathology specimen of patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) for localized prostate cancer. Methods. From March 2007 to September 2009, 78 men at a single center underwent TMB; 17 of 78 subsequently underwent RP. TMB cores were grouped into four quadrants and matched to data from RP whole-mount slides. Gleason score, tumor location and volume, cross-sectional area, and maximal diameter were measured; sensitivity and specificity were assessed. Results. For the 17 patients who underwent RP, TMB revealed 12 (71%) had biopsy Gleason grades ≥ 3 + 4 and 13 (76%) had bilateral disease. RP specimens showed 14 (82%) had Gleason scores ≥ 3 + 4 and 13 (76%) had bilateral disease. Sensitivity and specificity of TMB for prostate cancer detection were 86% (95% confidence interval [CI] 72%–94%) and 83% (95% CI 62%–95%), respectively. Four quadrants negative for cancer on TMB were positive on prostatectomy, and six positive on TMB were negative on prostatectomy. Conclusion. TMB is a highly invasive procedure that can accurately detect and localize prostate cancer. These findings help establish baseline performance characteristics for TMB and its utility for organ-sparing strategies.
Dynamic Fly Performance of Air Bearing Sliders on Patterned Media

It is anticipated that a radical shift in design paradigm will be required in order to enable perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) areal densities beyond 1 Tb/in2 . The shift in question will involve the use of advanced magnetic recording assist technologies such as patterned media, heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), or microwave-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR). This paper is concerned with one of the challenges associated with the practical implementation of patterned media technology, namely, the impact of non-planarity, and shifts in pattern orientation (at data-servo transitions, in particular) on the dynamic fly performance of air bearing sliders. The nature of the latter challenge becomes apparent when considering that key to realizing recording areal densities exceeding 1 Tb/in2 will be air bearing sliders with superior dynamic fly stability at sub-2 nm clearances. Of the two types of patterned media technologies in development in the disk drive industry, namely, discrete track media (DTM) and bit patterned media (BPM), the former was chosen as a case study in this work.
The biosynthesis of pentalenolactone

Abstract Feeding of [UL-13C6]-glucose, an in vivo precursor of [1,2-13C2]-acetyl-CoA, gave pentalenolactone in which the pattern of 13C-enrichments and couplings supported a mevalonoid biosynthetic pathway.
The evolution of protostome GATA factors: Molecular phylogenetics, synteny, and intron/exon structure reveal orthologous relationships

Invertebrate and vertebrate GATA transcription factors play important roles in ectoderm and mesendoderm development, as well as in cardiovascular and blood cell fate specification. However, the assignment of evolutionarily conserved roles to GATA homologs requires a detailed framework of orthologous relationships. Although two distinct classes, GATA123 and GATA456, have been unambiguously recognized among deuterostome GATA genes, it has been difficult to resolve exact orthologous relationships among protostome homologs. Protostome GATA genes are often present in multiple copies within any one genome, and rapidly evolving gene sequences have obscured orthology among arthropod and nematode GATA homologs. In addition, a lack of taxonomic sampling has prevented a stepwise reconstruction of protostome GATA gene family evolution. We have identified the complete GATA complement (53 genes) from a diverse sampling of protostome genomes, including six arthropods, three lophotrochozoans, and two nematodes. Reciprocal best hit BLAST analysis suggested orthology of these GATA genes to either the ancestral bilaterian GATA123 or the GATA456 class. Using molecular phylogenetic analyses of gene sequences, together with conserved synteny and comparisons of intron/exon structure, we inferred the evolutionary relationships among these 53 protostome GATA homologs. In particular, we resolved the orthology and evolutionary birth order of all arthropod GATA homologs including the highly divergent Drosophila GATA genes. Our combined analyses confirm that all protostome GATA transcription factor genes are members of either the GATA123 or GATA456 class, and indicate that there have been multiple protostome-specific duplications of GATA456 homologs. Three GATA456 genes exhibit linkage in multiple protostome species, suggesting that this gene cluster arose by tandem duplications from an ancestral GATA456 gene. Within arthropods this GATA456 cluster appears orthologous and widely conserved. Furthermore, the intron/exon structures of the arthropod GATA456 orthologs suggest a distinct order of gene duplication events. At present, however, the evolutionary relationship to similarly linked GATA456 paralogs in lophotrochozoans remains unclear. Our study shows how sampling of additional genomic data, especially from less derived and interspersed protostome taxa, can be used to resolve the orthologous relationships within more divergent gene families.
Religion and the American Political Culture: Alternative Models of Citizenship and Discipleship†

L'A. s'interroge sur le lien entre la religion et la culture politique americaine : il s'agit de mettre en valeur trois modeles de conceptions politiques. Le premier repose sur la theorie du consensus. Le second se fonde sur la lutte a l'interieur d'une dualite. Le dernier a pour principe le pluralisme. L'A. examine le role approprie et ideal de la religion dans chacun de ces trois modeles. Il en mesure aussi les risques provoques par leur conjonction
New feeds from genetically modified plants: the US approach to safety for animals and the food chain.

Abstract The US regulatory review process for novel crops is accomplished jointly by three federal agencies through a science-based, integrated and multidisciplinary approach. This process assesses safety for inserted genes and recipient plants, potential for allergenicity, integrity for genes, functionality for novel proteins, agronomic characteristics and environmental safety for novel crops, and composition for key nutrients and toxicants for crops and important products. To date, more than 50 crops produced through biotechnology have been approved for commercialization and the vast majority of these have been compositionally comparable to conventional counterparts for nutrient content and known toxicants. Experimental data that are required for the process are clearly defined by a decision-tree approach, and for crops approved to date, feeding studies using livestock have not been required as part of the regulatory process. Further, the United States Food and Drug Administration considers the consumption of DNA to be "Generally Regarded as Safe." Findings from independently conducted studies have indicated no differences for nutrient composition, digestibilities, and animal performance when livestock were fed feedstuffs from conventional and biotech crops. In addition, in independent studies conducted to determine whether transgenic DNA and proteins can be detected in animal products, no transgenic plant-source DNA and proteins have been found in milk, meat, and eggs.
Spatiotemporal coherence properties of entangled light beams generated by parametric down-conversion

We investigate the amplitude and intensity spatiotemporal coherence and the photon coincidence rates of far-field down-converted light resulting from the interaction of a pump wave of finite spectral width with a nonlinear crystal of finite spatial width. We examine the interplay between energy and phase mismatches and their effects on the intrabeam and interbeam spatial and temporal coherence of the down-converted beams. We show that the down-converted light is spatially incoherent in the second order, and that the signal-idler fourth-order coherence extends over finite entanglement angles. We also study the effect of the apertures through which the down-converted light is collected, when they are centered at phase-matched or misaligned directions.
VAPI: low cost, rapid automated visual inspection system for Petri plate analysis

Most culture-based microbiology tasks utilize a petri plate during processing, but rarely do the scientists capture the full information available from the plate. In particular, visual analysis of plates is an under-developed rich source of data that can be rapid and non-invasive. However, collecting this data has been limited by the difficulties of standardizing and quantifying human observations, by the limits of a scientists' fatigue, and by the cost of automating the process. The availability of specialized counting equipment and intelligent camera systems has not changed this - they are prohibitively expensive for many laboratories, only process a limited number of plate types, are often destructive to the sample, and have limited accuracy. This paper describes an automated visual inspection solution, VAPI, that employs inexpensive consumer computing hardware and digital cameras along with custom cross-platform open-source software written in C++, combining Trolltech's Qt GUI toolkit with Intel's OpenCV computer vision library. The system is more accurate than common commercial systems costing many times as much, while being flexible in use and offering comparable responsiveness. VAPI not only counts colonies but also sorts and enumerates colonies by morphology, tracks colony growth by time series analysis, and provides other analytical resources. Output to XML files or directly to a database provides data that can be easily maintained and manipulated by the end user, offering ready access for system enhancement, interaction with other software systems, and rapid development of advanced analysis applications.
Muonic isomer shifts of the 803- and 2648-keV states in Pb 206

The decay of the 2648- and the 803-keV excited states in muonic /sup 206/Pb has been observed and the isomer shifts of these states have been measured. The isomer shift of the nuclear 2/sup +/ state at 803 keV is -1.45 +- 0.31 keV; the isomer shift of the nuclear 3/sup -/ state at 2648 keV is +6.81 +- 0.46 keV. The measured shifts in /sup 206/Pb are similar to those measured in /sup 208/Pb and support the suggestion that the corresponding states in those nuclei have similar origin.
MRI of pulmonary airspace disease: experimental model and preliminary clinical results

To evaluate the potential of MRI for differentiating the various causes of pulmonary consolidation, 16 patients with known airspace diseases were imaged, and T1 and T2 values were determined. Substantial overlap was encountered between different diagnostic groups of T1 and T2 mapping, although alveolar proteinosis was notable for its low T1 value. In addition, a gelatin phantom simulating consolidation with varying degrees of residual aeration was constructed and tested, demonstrating that the degree of aeration did not influence the T1 and T2 values measured.
Impact of the menopause on skeletal metabolism and osteoporotic syndromes

Abstract Evidence is rapidly acumulating that implicates calcium intake and genetic factors as important determinants of the variations in bone mass in many geographical areas as well as the loss of bone following the accumulation of peak bone mass. However, it has also been well established that the postmenopausal component of bone loss is one of the predominant factors contributing to increases in the ratio of the female/male risk of skeletal fractures after the sixth decade of life, and that vertebral bone loss can result from relatively mild changes in estrogen production and metabolism before the clinical menopause begins. Although estrogen use during early menopause prevents bone loss in the axial and appendicular skeleton in the majority of females, those estrogen-dependent mechanism(s) that initiate and perpetuate alterations in osteoclast-osteoblast interactions and bone remodeling are still ill-defined. Until the specific pathophysiological mechanisms have been defined, the informed physician should attempt to identify those peri- and postmenopausal patients at risk for more active bone turnover and rapid bone loss syndromes utilizing well-established and FDA-approved therapeutic interventional procedures to prevent the loss of skeletal tissue.
Understanding and Controlled Growth of Silver Nanoparticles Using Oxidized N-Methyl-pyrrolidone as a Reducing Agent

We report a facile synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by using a new reducing agent, pretreated N-methyl-pyrrolidone (NMP*). The resulting AgNPs are characterized by using UV−vis, TEM, and X-ray spectroscopy. These AgNPs exhibit strong surface enhanced Raman scattering response on addition of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid. A possible redox mechanism involving silver ion and NMP* was proposed. The oxidized species resulting from thermally treated NMP/O2 were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance and gas chromatography techniques, and it was determined that 5-hydroxy-N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone played the role of reducing agent. The facile synthesis of functional metal nanoparticles via an environmentally friendly procedure with control in particle size, and understanding of the reaction mechanisms pave the ways to further developing metal nanoparticles for chemical and biological detections.
Rapid Detection of Visually Provocative Animals by Preschool Children and Adults.

The ability to detect dangerous animals rapidly in complex landscapes has been historically important during human evolution. Previous research has shown that snake images are more readily detected than images of benign animals. To provide a stringent test of superior snake detection in preschool children and adults, Experiment 1 consisted of two parts using a touch-screen visual search task. Reaction times to detect different target snakes embedded in matrices of lizards were compared with reaction times to detect target lizards embedded in matrices of snakes. Experiment 2 compared the visual salience of lions with that of similarly colored antelopes. This experiment tested the prediction that historically dangerous felid predators would also engender rapid detection. Results from the two experiments revealed that both preschool children and adults located snakes and lions more quickly than their nonthreatening counterparts. Experiment 3 examined the ability of children and adults to distinguish between similar appearing cows and horses. Preschool children and adult men exhibited no reliable differences in detecting the two animal types. Adult women located horses reliably faster than cows, suggesting that visual biases for some animals can be acquired after childhood.
Adults' Attitudes Toward Multiracial Children:

A between-groups experimental design was used to examine adults' attitudes to-ward multiracial children of African descent. The purpose was to determine if the races of the respondent, the child, and the child's friends are related to adults' ratings of children's self-perception and depressive symptoms. A total of 156 undergraduate students (African American = 78,European American = 78) read a vignette in which the race of the target child (European American, African American, or multiracial) and the child's friends (European American or African American) were experimentally controlled. Participants assessed the child using a revision of Harter's Self-Perception Profile for Children and a revised version of Kovacs's Children's Depression Inventory—Short Form. Ratings of the child's global self-worth and depressive symptoms were negatively correlated. The results of a 2 X 2 X 3 MANOVA revealed a significant three-way interaction for the races of the child, the respondent, and the child's friends on adults...
A study of turbulent flow downstream of an abrupt pipe expansion

Etude numerique du transfert de chaleur dans la region d'ecoulement decolle creee par l'elargissement brusque d'une conduite. On emploie une methode hybride de differenciation finie centrale et amont pour resoudre les equations completes de Navier-Stokes avec le modele de turbulence k-e
Magnetic properties of BaTiO3/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 thin films integrated on Si(100)

Two-phase multiferroic heterostructures composed of room-temperature ferroelectric BaTiO3 (BTO) and ferromagnetic La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) epitaxial thin films were grown on technologically important substrate Si (100). Bilayers of BTO/LSMO thin films display ferromagnetic Curie transition temperatures of ∼350 K, close to the bulk value, which are independent of BTO films thickness in the range of 25–100 nm. Discontinuous magnetization jumps associated with BTO structural transitions were suppressed in M(T) curves, probably due to substrate clamping effect. Interestingly, at cryogenic temperatures, the BTO/LSMO structure with BTO layer thickness of 100 nm shows almost 2-fold higher magnetic coercive field, 3-fold reduction in saturation magnetization, and improved squareness compared to the sample without BTO. We believe that the strong in-plane spin pinning of the ferromagnetic layer induced by BTO layer at BTO/LSMO interface could cause such changes in magnetic properties. This work forms a significant ste...
Randomized Blocks Analysis for the Exponential Distribution

A procedure for analyzing randomized blocks experiments for uncensored exponential random variables is presented. Its small sample behavior is studied in several simulations. Sample size requirements are given.
Direct bonding in the management of an ankylosed second deciduous molar

A simple, efficient technique for management of the retained ankylosed deciduous molar is presented step by step. A method is described in which an acrylic resin dummy is bonded to the occlusal surface of the submerged deciduous tooth to act as an effective space maintainer.
Effect of N2 on the mutagenic and lethal activities of ICR-170 in Neurospora crassa.

The nature of the N2 effect for ICR-170, i.e., the greater mutagenic and lethal activities of this agent in the presence of N2 than O2, has been studied at the ad-3 region of Neurospora crassa. The characteristics of the N2 effect for ICR-170 were that (1) the N2 effect with ICR-170 was displayed in conidia when N2 was administered during, but not before or after, ICR-170 treatment, (2) the highly increased mutagenic and lethal activities of ICR-170 in the presence of N2 were due to an anoxic condition rather than to the presence of N2 per se, (3) the high killing activity of ICR-170 under N2 was due largely to increased cytoplasmic inactivation, (4) the N2 effect was a general phenomenon at the ad-3 region of N. crassa, and (5) the highly ICR-170-induced mutation in conidia under N2 was attributable to an actual enhancement in the mutagenic activity of ICR-170 rather than to selective killing. With regard to the mechanisms of the N2 effect with ICR-170, results indicate that this effect (1) was not due to more extracellular oxidative degradation of ICR-170 molecules in the presence of O2, or to a greater uptake of ICR-170 by conidia under N2, but (2) was due to the inhibition of conidial respiration under an anoxic environment.
Cartography as an Academic Field: A Lost Opportunity or a New Beginning?

Cartography, as an academic field (and as a profession) should be at the centre of the dramatic increase of place in every facet of our lives – but it is not. What happened? One answer is that the ...
Phenotypic features and impact of Beta blocker or calcium antagonist therapy on Aortic lumen size in the Marfan syndrome

Systematic, prospective data regarding phenotypic features, including echocardiographic findings, in pediatric patients with the Marfan syndrome are lacking. In addition, limited and conflicting information exists regarding the impact of pharmacologic therapy on aortic growth rate in children. Fifty-three children and adolescents with the Marfan syndrome underwent physical examination, anthropometric evaluation, and echocardiography. The relation of pharmacologic therapy to aortic growth rate was examined in the 44 subjects in whom serial echocardiograms were recorded. Although boys and girls did not differ in ocular, skeletal, or cardiovascular manifestations, aortic dilatation tended to be more common in boys (86% vs 72%). Children with aortic dilatation at baseline (42 of 53 or 79%) were more likely to also have scoliosis and mitral prolapse (both p <0.005). The medicated patients had slower aortic growth than the unmedicated patients with regard to both absolute aortic growth rate (p <0.01) and aortic growth rate adjusted for age and body size (p <0.005). Nevertheless, major cardiovascular complications developed in 5 patients despite long-term pharmacologic therapy. In conclusion, beta-blocker and calcium antagonist therapy retards aortic growth rate in children and adolescents with the Marfan syndrome.
Queuing analyses of a topologically tree-based local area network

Abstract A topologically tree-based local area network (LAN), proposed by Lipovski, Goyal and Malek, is found to be most adaptable to various purposes and applications within a LAN environment. In addition, the network provides a high degree of fail-softness (reliability), simplicity in the access protocol, high bandwidth utilization, low-delay characteristics, and modularity (insuring future expansion and ease of installation and maintenance). A series of questions on limitations of key mechanisms of the above LAN is investigated and answered. These include traffic load, number of levels, maximum span and channel transmission rate.
Orthopaedic crossfire--All patellae should be resurfaced during primary total knee arthroplasty: in opposition.

Abstract After more than 20 years of debate, the decision on whether to resurface the patella in primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains controversial. Laboratory testing suggests that performing a TKA alters knee kinematics. Every study to date has suggested that kinematics are more abnormal when the patella is resurfaced than when it is retained. In addition, patellofemoral contact areas are higher and contact stresses are lower with the native patella compared with the resurfaced patella after TKA. Virtually every clinical study of bilateral knee arthroplasty in which one patella has been resurfaced and the other has not has shown either equivalent results or a preference for the unresurfaced side. Laboratory and clinical data indicate that not resurfacing the patellar is a viable if not preferable option in most TKA patients. © 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Single cell sequencing reveals low levels of aneuploidy across mammalian tissues

Whole-chromosome copy number alterations, also known as aneuploidy, are associated with adverse consequences in most cells and organisms. However, high frequencies of aneuploidy have been reported to occur naturally in the mammalian liver and brain, fueling speculation that aneuploidy provides a selective advantage in these organs. To explore this paradox, we used single cell sequencing to obtain a genome-wide, high-resolution assessment of chromosome copy number alterations in mouse and human tissues. We find that aneuploidy occurs much less frequently in the liver and brain than previously reported and is no more prevalent in these tissues than in skin. Our results highlight the rarity of chromosome copy number alterations across mammalian tissues and argue against a positive role for aneuploidy in organ function. Cancer is therefore the only known example, in mammals, of altering karyotype for functional adaptation.
Fatigue behavior of a nial precipitation hardening medium carbon steel

The fatigue behavior of an Fe-0.30C-4.48Ni-l.32Al steel tempered to give three different microstructures of the same ultimate tensile strength has been investigated by light and electron microscopy, low and high cycle fatigue tests, X-ray line broadening and stress relaxation measurements. The three different heat treatments produced the following structures: I) a conventional quenched and tempered microstructure with a high density of dislocations and elongated carbides, II) a microstructure of high dislocation density, coarse carbides and fine coherent NiAl precipitates and III) a highly tempered micro-structure with a recovered dislocation substructure, coarse carbides and fine coherent NiAl precipitates. In low cycle, strain controlled fatigue cyclic softening in Treatment I was accompanied by a rearrangement of the dislocation substructure and a reduction in both the internal stress and lattice microstrain. Treatment II, which remained cyclically stable during the initial portion of the fatigue life, showed little change in the internal stress and dislocation density and showed a slight increase in lattice microstrain. Treat-ment III, which initially cyclically hardened, exhibited a rise in internal stress, lattice microstrain and dislocation density. The behavior of Treatments II and III is attributed in part to the presence of the fine NiAl precipitates which appear to reduce the tendency of the transformation induced dislocation substructure to rearrange itself into a cell structure during fatigue. In high cycle, stress controlled fatigue Treatment II showed the best fatigue resistance and Treatment I the worst. Improvement in life was attributed to improved resistance to crack initiation.
CHARACTERIZATION OF THE TEXTURAL PROPERTIES OF SPREADABLE PEANUT BASED PRODUCTS

Textural characteristics of two peanut butter samples and one peanut paste sample were determined using three instrumental methods and a texture profile panel. In Method A, a penetrometer with a cone-shaped probe attachment was used. Method B involved the use of a plunger attached to the crosshead of the Instron Universal Testing Machine. Method C was a modified texture profile analysis (TPA). Instrumental measures show that peanut paste was the hardest, exhibited the greatest adhesive force but the least time to break the peanut column, and was the least cohesive. All instrumental methods were acceptable but TPA provided more information than the two other methods in describing texture. The panel rated the paste as firmest, least adhesive, spread least on the tongue, least smooth, most grainy, and most difficult to swallow. Significant correlations were found between several instrumental measures and sensory characteristics.