cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estimating the economic benefits of area-wide pest management: an extended framework with transport cost

While transport cost is an important explanatory variable in determining trade patterns and flows, existing analyses have not yet considered it in evaluating the economic consequences of technical innovation such as area-wide pest management. In this paper, we extended Alston et al.’s (Science under scarcity: principles and practice for agricultural research evaluation and priority setting, 1995) framework by incorporating transport cost and applied the extended model to assess the Hawaii Area-Wide Fruit-Fly Integrated Pest Management Program. The study results indicate that ignoring transport cost could significantly overestimate the potential gains from this program and overestimate the proportion of the benefits obtained by producer. Hence, it is imperative to take into account the effects of transport cost in estimating the welfare consequences associated with the adoption of area-wide pest management, especially when such adoption causes substantial changes in production.
Symptom laterality and psychological presentation in chronic pain syndrome

This study examined whether a subgroup of chronic pain patients would evidence laterality of somatic pain complaints, and whether there would be a relationship between laterality and: (a) intensity of psychological distress and (b) type of psychological distress. MMPI profiles were obtained from 152 patients. Patients were also asked to localize their pain on the Body Pain Diagram. There was no overall difference in sidedness of complaints for this cohort. However, patients with relatively elevated MMPI profile patterns showed a strong tendency to lateralize their symptoms towards the left side of the body. In contrast, patients with a suppressed profile of the ‘conversion v’ variety evidenced laterality of pain complaints towards the right side of the body. Possible implications for a neuropsychological model of somatoform pain symptoms are discussed.
Digital breast tomosynthesis: feasibility of automated detection of microcalcification clusters on projections views

We are developing a computer-aided detection (CAD) system to assist radiologists in detecting microcalcification clusters in digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of a 2D approach using the projection-view (PV) images as input. In the first stage, automated detection of the microcalcification clusters on the PVs is performed. In the second stage, the detected cluster candidates or the individual microcalcifications on the PVs are back-projected to the 3D volume. The true clusters or microcalcifications will therefore converge at their focal planes and ideally will result in higher cluster or microcalcification scores than the FPs. In the final step an analysis of the back-projected cluster or microcalcification candidates is performed to differentiate the true and false clusters. In this pilot study, a limited data set of 39 cases with biopsy proven microcalcification clusters (17 malignant, 22 benign) was used. The DBT scans were obtained in both CC and MLO views using a GE GEN2 prototype system which acquires 21 PVs over a 60o arc in 3o increments. In the 78 DBT volumes, a total of 74 clusters (33 malignant clusters in 34 breasts and 41 benign clusters in 44 breasts) were identified by an experienced radiologist. The computer detected 61% (956/1554) of the clusters on the PVs from the 74 scans. After back-projection of the microcalcification candidates detected on the individual PVs and excluding the first few PVs that had higher noise in back-projection stage, 84% (62/74) of the true clusters were detected in the 3D volume. Study is underway to develop methods to reduce FPs and to compare this 2D approach with 3D or combined 2D and 3D approaches.
Distributed approximating functional approach to Burgers' equation in one and two space dimensions

The method of distributed approximating functionals (DAFs) is applied to Burgers' equation, as a typical nonlinear PDE, in one and two space dimensions. This equation is similar to, but simpler than, the Navier-Stokes equation in fluid dynamics. The present approach uses DAFs for spatial discretization and a Taylor expansion for time discretization. Several moderately large values of the Reynolds number are considered in the present application. The results obtained, which are in excellent agreement with the formally exact series solutions, are compared with those obtained by other authors using various different methods. It is found that a simple numerical propagation scheme based on DAFs provides highly accurate numerical solutions for Burgers' equation, while requiring very few grid points.
Predicting Desipramine Levels in Children and Adolescents: A Naturalistic Clinical Study

ABSTRACT Objective To determine the predictability and stability of desipramine (DMI) concentrations in a clinically treated sample of children, estimating the risk of developing potentially toxic DMI levels at a higher dose after a most recent level in a clinically acceptable range. Method Subjects were 90 consecutive psychiatrically referred children and adolescents treated with DMI with at least two assays of serum DMI concentrations (462 pairs). Assay data were analyzed after log transformation and linear regression. Results Despite wide between-patient variability in serum DMI levels at the same dose, future within-subject DMI blood levels were highly predictable from knowledge of current levels, current dose, and the future dose. When the DMI serum level was 200 to 300 ng/mL, there was a 7.0% risk for subsequent levels at the same dose to exceed 300 ng/mL, but potentially toxic levels above 500 ng/mL were very infrequent (1.7%). Conclusions Although the results of this naturalistic clinical study may not generalize to other situations, the results indicate a reasonable stability, predictability, and safety of DMI levels in individual psychiatrically treated children that result from clinically chosen dose changes.
Impact of Surgical Volume on Mortality and Length of Stay After Nephrectomy

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the volume-outcome relationship in patients undergoing nephrectomy for neoplastic disease by examining the impact of the number of cases performed on in-hospital mortality and length of stay. Surgical volume is associated with postoperative mortality for many complex procedures; however, this relationship has not been characterized for patients undergoing nephrectomy for neoplastic disease. Methods Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database, 20,765 patients who underwent nephrectomy for neoplasm from 1993 through 1997 were identified by International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision codes. Cases were stratified into volume groups on the basis of annual nephrectomy rates: low-volume hospitals performed 1 to 14 nephrectomies per year, medium-volume hospitals performed 15 to 33 per year, and high-volume hospitals performed more than 33 per year. Unadjusted and risk-adjusted analyses were performed. Results Overall mortality was 1.39%. Mortality declined as surgical volume increased. The mortality rate for low-volume hospitals was 1.60% versus 1.49% for medium-volume hospitals and 1.04% for high-volume hospitals ( P = 0.017). After adjusting for case mix, high-volume hospitals had a 32% lower risk of in-hospital mortality than medium-volume hospitals ( P = 0.029) and a 25% lower risk than low-volume hospitals ( P = 0.094). Length of stay was not affected by hospital volume. Other independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality included age older than 65 years, chronic pulmonary disease, metastatic disease, and the urgent nature of the admission. Conclusions A greater surgical volume, age younger than 65 years, elective conditions, and less comorbidity are associated with a significantly decreased risk of in-hospital mortality after nephrectomy. These findings provide compelling evidence that hospital volume and patient characteristics have important effects on surgical outcome specific to renal neoplasms.
Kant's arguments in support of the maxim ?Do what is right though the world should perish?

This article takes up the challenge that the motto “Do What is Right Though the World Should Perish” invites for an answer to Kant's arguments in defense of the motto. His argumentation is discussed, as well as the underlying assumptions concerning the role of Providence, the rejection of moral conflict, and the prudential risks associated with abandoning moral absolutism. The first two are rejected, the third seen as only partially tenable. Finally, the question is taken up what to do about moral prohibitions in a world in which they can quite literally prevent or bring about universal perishing.
Human rights and the Cold War: the campaign to halt the Argentine ‘dirty war’

In the late 1960s and 1970s, internationally-focused human rights groups in the United States worked to raise public awareness and generate popular opprobrium of repressive regimes overseas, and lobbied policymakers for more stringent congressional control over foreign aid funding to regimes violating human rights. By the mid-1970s, non-governmental human rights advocates and their sympathisers in Congress had created a strong grassroots base, established a powerful presence in Washington, and could effectively mobilise on behalf of human rights issues, as evidenced by the successful 1978 congressional cutoff of all US arms transfers to Argentina.
Assessing possible late treatment effectsin stopping a clinical trial early: A case study. Diabetic retinopathy study report no. 9

Abstract Suppose a fixed-sample trial in a disease with a long response time shows a statistically significant benefit of the experimental treatment before patients have completed the planned follow-up period. The question may then arise-and did arise in the Diabetic Retinopathy Study (DRS)—whether the observed early benefit of treatment may be offset at some time in the future by the subsequent development of harmful treatment effects. If this question raises serious concerns, then the investigators are faced with a dilemma.If the trial is stopped because of the observed early treatment benefit and thetreatment is administered to the untreated control group as well as to patients outside the study, and if the treatment is later found to have deleterious effects, then it may ultimately do more harm than good to patients. Moreover, the fact that the treatment is harmful may never become known. If, on the other hand, the trial is not stopped and the treatment proves to have no deleterious effects, then the control group and patients outside the study would be harmed because the treatment was withheld.We show how, in the DRS, this very problem was formulated and resolved. Firsta severe, delayed harmful treatment effect was postulated. Projections based on this postulation showed that the early gains were so great that they were unlikely to be offset—ever. Based in part on these projections, the following decisions were made: (a) the study protocol would be changed so as to allow treatment of the untreated control group, and (b) patients would continue to be followed in order to make possible the detection of late, harmful treatment effects, should they develop.
Nuclear physics: Long live isomer research

Excited quantum states in nature are normally extremely short-lived, and this certainly applies to most nuclei. But what makes the metastable nuclear states different? And how can we exploit them for useful applications?
Conspiracies and Test Compromise: An Evaluation of the Resistance of Test Systems to Small-Scale Cheating

Test compromise is a concern in cognitive ability testing because such tests are widely used in employee selection and administered on a continuous basis. In this study, the resistance of cognitive tests, deployed in different test systems, to small-scale cheating conspiracies, was evaluated regarding the accuracy of ability estimation. Conventional tests with different numbers of test forms (one, two, or four) and different lengths (30 or 60 items) were simulated and evaluated. Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) systems employing the same test lengths were simulated using six different item selection methods. Results showed that 60-item tests were more resistant than 30-item tests given the same number of compromised items; when the frequency of test administration was held constant, CAT systems were better at resisting small-scale cheating than conventional test systems. For the conventional tests, lengthier tests and more test forms enhanced test security. Item selection methods had a strong effect on...
Malignant melanoma presenting as a mass obstructing the common bile duct

Pathologic and computed tomographic correlation of an obstructing common bile duct mass, found to be malignant melanoma, is presented. No tumour was demonstrated elsewhere. Such a pattern of presentation has not previously been described in this condition. Malignant melanoma, even in the absence of disease elsewhere, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of such lesions seen on computed tomography.
The nucleotide sequence of pUB110: Some salient features in relation to replication and its regulation

Abstract For the study of DNA-membrane interaction and the regulation of replication initiation we have determined the total nucleotide sequence of pUB110. As previously reported, this plasmid replicates in B. subtilis at a copy number of 30–50 per cell, with a majority of plasmids (60–80%) bound to the membrane (type-I binding). The type-I membrane binding is apparently necessary for pUB110 initiation of replication in vivo, but the membrane binding site is not known. Furthermore, four areas of the plasmid specifically bind to Bacillus subtilis membrane in an in vitro binding reaction (type-II binding). These two types of membrane binding of pUB110 are different in that the in vivo binding (type-I) requires one (dnaBI) of the host initiation genes and is high-salt resistant, whereas the in vitro binding (type-II) does not require the dnaBI gene product and is high-salt sensitive. A 7-mer double-strand sequence, TCAGCAA/AGTCGTT, or one-base derivatives of this sequence are frequently (17 of 23 of the 7-mer sequences) found in or close to the type-II binding areas. One of them is found at a restriction enzyme recognition site of a binding area that destroys the type-II membrane binding. These sequences may or may not have significance in type-II membrane binding. In addition to the neomycin resistance gene, the sequence data indicate two sizable open reading frames, ORF α and ORF β, and two small ORF, γ, and δ. All of these reading frames are in the same direction, which coincides with the direction of the replication. The open reading frame α (ORF α) corresponding to 334 amino acids close to the replication origin may be essential for the initiation of replication of pUB110. The putative protein α corresponding to this open reading frame contains a consensus sequence of the DNA binding sites which are found in a number of known DNA-binding proteins. The consensus DNA binding site of protein α is flanked by two hydrophobic areas. These two observations suggest that the corresponding protein may have both an affinity to a specific site in pUB110, and an affinity to the membrane.
Biochemical effects of three chlorinated phenols in rat liver

The hepatic biochemical effects of three chlorinated phenols and one phenate were determined. Two oral doses of 1/5 the LD50 of 2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2,4,5‐trichlorophenol, 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol and 2,3,4,6‐tetrachlorophenol were given 21 and 4 hours before sacrifice to four separate treatment groups of adult female rats. Although 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol is a carcinogen in lifetime rodent studies, no evidence was found for DNA damage in rat liver or white blood cells with the alkaline elution assay. Similarly no compound related changes were found in serum alanine amino‐transferase activity or hepatic glutathione. A dose of 193 mg/kg (slightly over the published rat LD50) of 2,3,4,6‐tetrachlorophenol increased five‐fold the activity of hepatic ornithine decarboxylase. At a dose of 500 mg/kg, 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol increased rat hepatic ODC activity by 106% and cytochrome P‐450 content by 41%. As 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol did not damage DNA in this acute study, it may cause cancer by an epigenetic mecha...
A possible structure forC-violating electromagnetic interactions

In accord with Lee's ideas (1,2) on discrete space-time symmetries, a phenomenological electromagnetic HamiltonianHγ is suggested for hadrons, which contains even-C and odd-C SU3 tensor components. The simplest consequences of this interaction are explored. It appears that in many instances theC-violating part does not become effective. Further significant tests of the theory are predicted for certainC-violating meson and decuplet baryon electromagnetic decays. Some comments on the possible underlying dynamics are also made.
In Search of a Competitive Edge in Banking: A Personnel Approach

Banks are increasingly trying to gain a competitive edge by means of technological, legal and geographical bases. Enterprise differentiation through personnel marketing may be now more effective, distinguishing a bank by its service delivery rather than mere availability. This new philosophy of management that positions bank personnel and customers equally is to be sought, widening and consolidating the marketing concept. Implementation guidelines are here reviewed and the specific benefits of human relations are spelled out.
Knowledge Based Image Processing

In order to take a promising Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) algorithm or system from the development stage to the point where it is robust enough for the application which it is intended for, a considerable amount of testing, training, and evaluation is required. This can take years. For example with seemingly slight distortion in the target/clutter characteristics, the algorithm behavior becomes erratic and random. In addition, no well defined method currently exists for designing image processing algorithms. Sophisticated and intelligent tools are needed in order to perform such a task in a rapid & efficient manner. A prototype system has been developed which uses a blackboard architecture and allows rapid mapping of procedural algorithms into a knowledge based development environment. This system was developed at Honeywell Systems and Research Center. Coupled with the graphics interface, this provides a powerful tool for prototyping & tuning ATR algorithms. Significant improvements were obtained from the knowledge based version over the conventionally coded procedural version.
Models for hyperspectral image synthesis and implications for algorithm evaluation

Image synthesis tools provide a means for generating hyperspectral image data without the expense of data collection. An important use of these tools is to provide data for the assessment of image exploitation algorithms. However, the detailed spectral/spatial structure of synthetic images is typically not sufficiently realistic to support the prediction of algorithm performance on real data. In this paper, we develop a new method for hyperspectral texture synthesis that accurately simulates the spectral/spatial structure of real hyperspectral image data. We demonstrate the utility of the new technique by presenting real and synthesized images and by analyzing spectral angle deviation from the mean curves that describe spectral properties. We also demonstrate that a signaturebased detection algorithm has similar performance against real and synthesized hyperspectral backgrounds.
Evaluation of the quality of ambient vibration monitoring data from the Henry Hudson Bridge

The quality of test data is an important consideration in conducting field experiments on civil infrastructure. In addition to possible errors due to the experimental setup, the uncertainties due to incomplete knowledge of a structure's behavior and its interactions with the natural environment greatly affect the reliability of the system identification results. This paper discusses the uncertainties related to ambient vibration testing of a long-span steel arch bridge and possible ways to mitigate them. The consistency of the identified parameters is examined through statistical analyses.
Impact of Desires on Consumer Satisfaction with Hospitals

ABSTRACT Recent research has shown a product's or service's credence qualities are important in understanding a consumer's ability to evaluate the product or service. This study posits desires as a source for evaluating service encounters high with credence qualities, since desires represent what consumers seek from a service, and current research has shown a positive association between desires and satisfaction. This research differentiates between desires representing lower and higher levels of credence qualities. It shows specifically defined desires with lower levels of credence qualities greatly impact specifically defined areas of satisfaction.
The Environment, the Community and Tuberculosis

SUMMARY During the year 1963 in the United States, a total of 54,042 new active tuberculosis cases were reported for the first time. This total gave an attack rate of 28.7 per 100,000 population. Reported deaths totalled 9,311, a death rate of 4.9 per 100,000. The above figures conclusively prove that the disease tuberculosis is still a major communicable disease problem. Although we have had declining numbers of cases and deaths reported for quite a number of years, the disease still remains a challenge to the medical profession and to community organization. This presentation outlines the major problems of distribution in our large American cities and their suburbs and the practical approach to solving these problems. The medical profession at the present time has enough knowledge not only to control, but to eradicate this disease. We admit this is not a simple problem, since it means the total cooperation of the medical and allied professions plus the education of the public and the person who contracts the disease. The cooperation of the patient with the program of treatment is the most important single factor. Various avenues of approach to discovering the disease, treating the patient, protecting the contacts and alerting the public have been discussed. Some of these recommendations have already become practice in many metropolitan areas. However, lack of vision and limited funds, as well as a lack of qualified personnel have delayed the application of some of these measures. The challenge to each of us is to do all in our power to use the knowledge we have, to raise the funds we need, to teach the facts as we know them and to do the job that lies before us.
On Galbtaith's ‘Affluent’ Society

ONE DISTINCTION of J. K. Galbraith's The Affluent Society,' is quite unusual. Though it is a book about economic problems, it made the bestseller lists. This is a review of the book, but an imbalanced one. It is not concerned with Galbraith's clever and vivid prose, nor with his exposition of cultural lag, nor with his readable survey of dassical economics, nor even with his perceptions on the equality issue. Rather it is an attempt to assess how well the thesis of the book comes to grips with contemporary economic problems. In this respect economists may find the book less provocative than provoking. Over the years the profession has accumulated certain insights. Some of these are elemental principles of methodology which almost serve to define an economist.
Graded-effective-index waveguiding structures fabricated with laser processing

The technique of laser direct-writing was used to fabricate low-loss, rib-like waveguides on GaAs/A1GaAs material. Since this is a inaskless fabrication process, laser-etched structures such as bends, tapers, and Y-branches are readily demonstrated. The ability to smoothly control the etch depth, and thus the effective index of refraction across the wafer, was used to make a compact directional coupler. Finally, the reduction of losses in waveguide tapers and bends by grading the effective index will be discussed.
Half-Latency Rule for Finding the Knee of the Latency Curve

Latency curves for computer systems typically rise rapidly beyond some threshold utilization and many mathematical methods have been suggested to find this knee, but none seem to match common practice. This paper proposes a trade-off metric called ATP (an alternative to Kleinrock's power metric) which generates a half-latency rule for calculating the location of the knee for a latency curve. Exact analysis with this approach applied to the simplest singleserver queue results in an optimal server utilization of 71.5%, which is close to the 70% utilization used in practice. The half-latency rule also applies to practical situations that generate a discrete set of throughput and latency measurements. The discrete use cases include both production systems (for provisioning new work) or lab systems (for summarizing the entire latency curve into a single figure of merit for each workload and system configuration).
Synthesis of Secondary Alcohols and Their Esters from 4-Alkoxy-4-acetyl-1-(2-ethoxyethyl)piperidines

4-Alkoxy-4-(1-hydroxyethyl)-1-(2-ethoxyethyl)piperidines were prepared by reduction of 4-alkoxy-4-acetyl-1-(2-ethoxyethyl)piperidines. The esters of the hydroxyethyl derivatives were prepared. The presence of an asymmetric carbon atom in the molecules of the carbinols and their esters results in complication of their 1H NMR spectra.
Conditional deletion of menin results in antral G cell hyperplasia and hypergastrinemia

Antral gastrin is the hormone known to stimulate acid secretion and proliferation of the gastric corpus epithelium. Patients with mutations in the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) locus, which encodes the protein menin, develop pituitary hyperplasia, insulinomas, and gastrinomas in the duodenum. We previously hypothesized that loss of menin leads to derepression of the gastrin gene and hypergastrinemia. Indeed, we show that menin represses JunD induction of gastrin in vitro. Therefore, we examined whether conditional deletion of Men1 (Villin-Cre and Lgr5-EGFP-IRES-CreERT2), with subsequent loss of menin from the gastrointestinal epithelium, increases gastrin expression. We found that epithelium-specific deletion of Men1 using Villin-Cre increased plasma gastrin, antral G cell numbers, and gastrin expression in the antrum, but not the duodenum. Moreover, the mice were hypochlorhydric by 12 mo of age, and gastric somatostatin mRNA levels were reduced. However, duodenal mRNA levels of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(Kip1) were decreased, and cell proliferation determined by Ki67 staining was increased. About 11% of the menin-deficient mice developed antral tumors that were negative for gastrin; however, gastrinomas were not observed, even at 12 mo of age. No gastrinomas were observed with conditional deletion of Men1 in the Lgr5 stem cells 5 mo after Cre induction. In summary, epithelium-specific deletion of the Men1 locus resulted in hypergastrinemia due to antral G cell hyperplasia and a hyperproliferative epithelium, but no gastrinomas. This result suggests that additional mutations in gene targets other than the Men1 locus are required to produce gastrin-secreting tumors.
Flight Implementation of Shortest-Time Maneuvers for Imaging Satellites

Shortest-time maneuvers are constrained time-optimal slews that enable spacecraft to be maneuvered more quickly than conventional rotations. Shortest-time maneuvers can increase a spacecraft’s imaging capability without any changes to the hardware. Previous studies have shown that, depending upon the spacecraft design, the increased capability can be over 50%. Motivated by such high increases in efficiencies, the first flight demonstration of a shortest-time maneuver was performed on 10 August 2010 onboard NASA’s TRACE Space Telescope. To transition this new technology from flight demonstration to standard operational procedures, several qualification thresholds need to be met. This paper demonstrates two of these qualification thresholds: 1) the ability to consistently and reliably generate flight-implementable shortest-time maneuvers on demand, and 2) flight demonstrations over multiple operational scenarios involving minimum-time slewing, attitude hold for point data collection, and transition maneuver...
Simple device for objective measurements of haze following excimer laser ablation of cornea

We have developed a simple instrument for making objective measurements of haze that develops following excimer laser ablation of the cornea. It consists of an appropriately modified slit-lamp microscope, with a fiber optic pickup, a filter system for wavelength selection, and a photomultiplier detector. The scattered intensity at 120 degree(s) from the forward direction is determined. Preliminary tests were made by measuring the haze following a deep photorefractive ablation on a rabbit cornea under conditions which ensured that rather severe haze would develop. The VISX Model 20/20 laser system was set to produce a 6.0 mm diameter, -15 D correction, with a central depth of 236 micrometers . Measurements were made on the normal cornea prior to ablation and at various times up to 114 days post-ablation and are compared to slit-lamp photographs. Scattering peaked two weeks post-ablation at a value approximately 40X that of the normal (unablated) cornea and gradually decreased to approximately 11X the normal value at 114 days.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A Second-Language Approach to Mathematics Skills: Applications for Limited-English Proficient Students with Learning Disabilities.

Learning disabled limited-English proficient (LEP) students' specific needs in learning the language of mathematics have not yet been clearly defined. Based on our knowledge about mathematics and learning disabled students, language comprehension, knowledge of syntax and vocabulary, and understanding of relational terms as they apply to mathematics appear to represent the areas which researchers and teachers must focus on when dealing with LEP students. A diagnostic/prescriptive approach to teaching mathematics with specific emphasis on needed language skills will be presented in this article.
Cultural Meaning and Structure in Conversations and their Pedagogical Implications

As teachers of foreign language are becoming more aware than ever that language form, function, and cultural meaning are integrally linked, two questions arise which demand our attention: how are form, function, and meaning interconnected within target language texts, and how can knowledge of structure and meaning interrelationships be conveyed to students? To these ends, this article examines features of a German conversation, which illustrate some of the connections. It then explom the pedagogical implications through suggested first-year classroom activities.
Concurrent imaging and sensing using a single optical imaging fiber

A sensor capable of simultaneous imaging and pH measurements has been prepared by coating the distal tip of a single imaging fiber with a pH sensitive material. The coated fiber is fabricated using photochemical polymerization with a spin coating technique and results in a fairly uniform coating of polyHEMA/fluorescein on the order of 5 micrometers thick. Performance data and imaging capabilities, as well as instrumentation requirements and deposition chemistry, will be discussed. Progress towards the fabrication of enzyme based biosensors utilizing this technique will also be presented.
Clergy Request Linkages: Implications for Planning Ministry with Older Adults.

The church can hardly avoid the impact of increasing numbers of older people. Clergy play pivotal roles, but little attention has been given to training needs as they become reoriented from a youth‐oriented to an older adult‐centered church constituency. Until recently seminary curriculum included minimal gerontological information. In an effort to address the question of training needs for ministries with the elderly, a postal survey was conducted of 300 clergy in Rochester, New York. Returned for analysis were 132 questionnaires (44%). One vehicle that could be useful for reorienting clergy is a variety of continuing education workshops. Encouragingly, 74% expressed a desire to participate in such workshops. Identified areas of perceived need are assistance with community resource linkage and counseling. Of concern, however, was a low perceived need to clarify attitudes about aging. Survey findings are discussed in terms of needs perceived, and content and format of training programs requested.
Current research activity of the national fire protection research foundation

Most of the previously mentioned projects are in progress, though some have been completed. Copies of the completed reports are available from the Research Foundation for a nominal charge each to cover production and handling.
A Comparison of Alternative Crop Response Models

Three parsimonious models are hypothesized to represent com yield response to nitrogen and phosphorus. Each model imposes specific restrictions with regard to the elasticity of factor substitution and growth plateau. Nonnested hypothesis tests are used to evaluate the competing hypotheses. The results support the restrictions imposed by the Mitscherlich-Baule model. For these data, corn response is characterized by limited substitution between nitrogen and phosphorus and a growth plateau. Further, the cost of using optimal input levels implied by the Mitscherlich-Baule if it were not “true” is small relative to the other parsimonious forms and a translog approximation.
Free fatty acids in the protective coats ofSpongilla wagneri gemmules

A gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric analysis of the free fatty acids found in the resistant coat ofSpongilla wagneri gemmules was performed. The coats were found to contain 8.79% extractable lipids with 18.53% free fatty acids, ranging in chain length from C10 to C24. The unsaturated acids were in relatively low concentrations with the preponderant saturated being palmitic and behenic. Distinct differences in distribution were observed when compared to the total gemmule fatty acids.
Molecular determinants of Ca2+ selectivity and ion permeation in L-type Ca2+ channels.

VOLTAGE-GATED Ca2+ channels link changes in membrane potential to the delivery of Ca2+, a key second messenger for many cellular responses1. Ca2+ channels show selectivity for Ca2+ over more plentiful ions such as Na+ or K+ by virtue of their high-affinity binding of Ca2+ within the pore2& ndash;6. It has been suggested that this binding involves four conserved glutamate residues7& ndash;10 in equivalent positions in the putative pore-lining regions of repeats I& ndash;IV in the Ca2+ channel & alpha;1 subunit. We have carried out a systematic series of single amino-acid substitutions in each of these positions and find that all four glutamates participate in high-affinity binding of Ca2+ or Cdd2+. Each glutamate carboxylate makes a distinct contribution to ion binding, with the carboxylate in repeat III having the strongest effect. Some single glutamate-to-lysine mutations completely abolish micromolar Ca2+ block, indicating that the pore does not possess any high-affinity binding site that acts independently of the four glutamate residues. The prevailing model of Ca2+permeation2,3 must thus be modified to allow binding of two Ca2+ ions in close proximity11,12, within the sphere of influence of the four glutamates. The functional inequality of the glutamates may be advantageous in allowing simultaneous interactions with multiple Ca2+ ions moving single-file within the pore. Competition among Ca2+ ions for individual glutamates11,12, together with repulsive ion-ion electrostatic interaction2,3, may help achieve rapid flux rates through the channel2& ndash;5.
A method for the observation of cyclotron resonance at millimeter wavelengths

Abstract A method is described for observing cyclotron resonance in materials whose extrinsic photoconductivity depends on carrier energy. Because of the high sensitivity which may be achieved with a minimum of microwave circuitry, the method is especially useful for experiments at the shorter mm wavelengths. Typical results for electrons and holes in germanium at wavelengths of 2mm and 4mm are presented.
Temporal-difference reinforcement learning with distributed representations.

Temporal-difference (TD) algorithms have been proposed as models of reinforcement learning (RL). We examine two issues of distributed representation in these TD algorithms: distributed representations of belief and distributed discounting factors. Distributed representation of belief allows the believed state of the world to distribute across sets of equivalent states. Distributed exponential discounting factors produce hyperbolic discounting in the behavior of the agent itself. We examine these issues in the context of a TD RL model in which state-belief is distributed over a set of exponentially-discounting “micro-Agents”, each of which has a separate discounting factor (γ). Each µAgent maintains an independent hypothesis about the state of the world, and a separate value-estimate of taking actions within that hypothesized state. The overall agent thus instantiates a flexible representation of an evolving world-state. As with other TD models, the value-error (δ) signal within the model matches dopamine signals recorded from animals in standard conditioning reward-paradigms. The distributed representation of belief provides an explanation for the decrease in dopamine at the conditioned stimulus seen in overtrained animals, for the differences between trace and delay conditioning, and for transient bursts of dopamine seen at movement initiation. Because each µAgent also includes its own exponential discounting factor, the overall agent shows hyperbolic discounting, consistent with behavioral experiments.
Steganographic information hiding that exploits a novel file system vulnerability

In this paper, we present DupeFile, a simple yet critical security vulnerability in numerous file systems. By exploiting DupeFile, adversary can store two or more files with the same name/path, with different contents, inside the same volume. Consequently, data-exfiltration exploiting DupeFile vulnerability, hereafter called DupeFile Hiding, becomes simple and easy to execute. In DupeFile Hiding, a known good file is chosen, whose name serves as the cover for hiding the malicious file. Hence we classify DupeFile Hiding as a steganography technique. This vulnerability can also be exploited for legitimate applications - hiding product licence, DRM, etc. DupeFile was first uncovered on a FAT12-formatted disk on Win-98 VM. Nonetheless, the vulnerability exists in numerous file systems, including NTFS, HFS+, and HFS+ Journaled. We have developed two tools: DupeFile Detector and DupeFile Extractor for detecting and recovering hidden files respectively. We have also developed DupeFile Creator for hiding files in legitimate applications.
Offshore Remanufacturing with Variable Used Product Condition

We consider the acquisition and production decisions of a remanufacturer who acquires used products of variable condition and allocates remanufacturing activity to domestic and offshore facilities. The problem is formulated as a multicommodity network flow model with economies of scale and product obsolescence. We show that the remanufacturer's optimal strategy can be chosen from a finite set of simple policies in which each product is routed to a facility based on its condition. We then numerically investigate the impact of key parameters on optimal decisions regarding offshore remanufacturing.
Technology Needs in Medical Imaging

Advances in technology make it possible to extend the range of physical and chemical tissue parameters used for formation of images. This in turn adds to the capabilities to diagnose disease and assess its extent. Quantitative improvements in instrumentation augment the fidelity with which the imaging is performed, and at a certain point provide a quantum jump in diagnostic capability. We discuss recent technological advances in digital radiography, NMR and nuclear medicine imaging that demonstrate these effects.
Retrieval of mid-tropospheric CO2 directly from AIRS measurements

We apply the method of Vanishing Partial Derivatives (VPD) to AIRS spectra to retrieve daily the global distribution of CO2 at a nadir geospatial resolution of 90 km x 90 km without requiring a first-guess input beyond the global average. Our retrievals utilize the 15 (micro)m band radiances, a complex spectral region. This method may be of value in other applications, in which spectral signatures of multiple species are not well isolated spectrally from one another.
Performance Measurement, Organizational Technology and Organizational Design

Hayes and Clark note that in many manufacturing companies managers: do not have adequate measures for judging factory‐level performance or for comparing overall performance from one facility to the next. Of course, they can use the traditional cost‐accounting figures, but often these figures do not tell them what they really need to know. Worse, even the best numbers do not sufficiently reflect the important contributions that managers can make by reducing confusion in the system and promoting organizational change.
Characterization and localization of the sporulation glucoamylase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract Glucoamylase (SGA) was purified approximately 250-fold from sporulating Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. The partially purified enzyme was active against glycogen, starch, maltotriose and maltose. It exhibited maximum catalytic activity against glycogen at pH 5.5. The enzyme appears to be glycosylated, because it bound to lentil-lectin Sepharose. SGA was expressed in vegetatively growing cells under the control of the GAL 1 promoter, and the cellular location of the enzymatic activity determined by fractionation techniques. SGA was preferentially recovered in fractions which were enriched for the vacuolar hydrolases, carboxypeptidase Y and α-mannosidase.
Proton transfer facilitated by ligand binding. An energetic analysis of the catalytic mechanism of Trypanosoma cruzi trans-sialidase.

Trans-sialidase is a crucial enzyme for the infection of Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoa responsible for Chagas’ disease in humans. This enzyme catalyzes the transfer of sialic acids from mammalian host cells to parasitic cell surfaces in order to mask the infection from the host’s immune system. It represents a promising target for the development of therapeutics to treat the disease and has been subject of extensive structural studies. Elaborate experiments suggested formation of a long-lived covalent intermediate in the catalytic mechanism and identified a Tyr/Glu pair as an unusual catalytic couple. This requires that the tyrosine hydroxyl proton is transferred to the carboxylate group of glutamate before the nucleophilic attack. Since the solution pKas of tyrosine and glutamate are very different, this transfer can only be accomplished if the reaction environment selectively stabilizes the product state. We compute the free energy profile for the proton transfer in different environments, and our res...
Global image editing using the spectrum of affinity matrices

In this work we introduce a new image editing tool, based on the spectrum of a global filter computed from image affinities. Recently, we have shown that the global filter derived from a fully connected graph representing the image, can be approximated using the Nystrom extension [1]. This filter is computed by approximating the leading eigenvectors of the filter. These orthonormal eigenfunctions are highly expressive of the coarse and fine details in the underlying image, where each eigenvector can be interpreted as one scale of a data-dependent multiscale image decomposition. In this filtering scheme, each eigenvalue can boost or suppress the corresponding signal component in each scale. Our analysis shows that the mapping of the eigenvalues by an appropriate polynomial function endows the filter with a number of important capabilities, such as edge-aware sharpening, denoising and tone manipulation.
The reaction of ClONO2 with HCl on aluminum oxide

The chlorine activation reaction ClONO2 + HCl → HNO3 + Cl2 was investigated in the laboratory on hydroxylated α-alumina surfaces under reactant partial pressure, humidity, and temperature conditions covering those which are encountered at mid-latitudes in the lower stratosphere. The measured reaction probability is γ∼ 0.02. This result has implications with regard to the stratospheric impact of launch vehicles utilizing solid-fuel rocket motors (SRMs), such as the Space Shuttle. The exhaust from SRMs consists of alumina particles and of HCl and other vapors. The reaction probability measured in this work suggests that the ozone depletion potential of SRMs may be higher than that predicted on the basis of the chlorine emissions alone, especially at mid-latitudes in the lower stratosphere, where catalytic chlorine activation by background sulfuric acid aerosols is very inefficient. The reaction probability on Pyrex glass was found to be similar to that on α-alumina. The reaction mechanism appears to be determined by the water layers adsorbed on the surface, rather than by the detailed nature of the refractory surface itself.
Prominent characters and events organize narrative understanding

Abstract Readers understand a narrative by constructing a representation from a sequence of sentences. They must identify which parts of the narrative are most prominent in order to assign the appropriate referents to referring expressions and construct a coherent representation. The present experiments demonstrate that properties of the characters and events expressed by narratives are often more important for guiding referent assignment than the order in which these parts of narratives are mentioned. In particular, in congruent narratives, where the protagonist (i.e., the most important character of the narrative) participates in a foreground event (i.e., part of the narrative plot) and the nonprotagonist participates in a background event, readers chose the protagonist as referent for a subsequent pronoun, regardless of the order of mention of the events the two characters participated in. However, in incongruent narratives, where the protagonist participates in the background event and the nonprotagonist in the foreground event, readers were less confident and relied on the order of mention and status of events, choosing the nonprotagonist in a last mentioned foreground event and favoring neither character when the foreground event with nonprotagonist was mentioned first. When narratives more sharply delineated foregrounded from backgrounded events, readers were less confused and chose characters from foregrounded events. When narratives contained pronouns that referred to places rather than characters, readers chose referents from the last mentioned place regardless of the kind of character or event it was associated with. The results suggest that readers combine information about the characters, events, and places that narratives express with information about their order of mention in order to assign referents and that this process is part of the process of constructing a model that represents the world described by the narrative.