cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Carolina Redroot ( Lachnanthes caroliniana ) in Cranberry: Assessment of Shoot and Rhizome Control with Post Herbicides

Carolina redroot is a common weed of New Jersey cranberry beds that competes with crops for nutritional resources but also serves as a food source for waterfowl. Greenhouse studies were conducted in 2017 in Chatsworth, NJ, to determine control of Carolina redroot aboveground vegetation and rhizome production with 10 herbicide active ingredients. Herbicides were applied as a single application on 10- to 15-cm-tall plants. Diquat at 560 g ai ha-1and mesotrione at 280 or 560 g ai ha-1controlled more than 90% of emerged shoots at 63 d after treatment (DAT). Aboveground vegetation control at 63 DAT reached 87% with 2,4-D and flumioxazin but was limited with glyphosate, not exceeding 40%. Mesotrione at 560 g ai ha-1provided 98% control of roots and rhizomes (root/rhizome) at 63 DAT, a 10% increase compared with 280 g ai ha-1; and 2,4-D (90%), glyphosate (87%), diquat (86%), and flumioxazin (85%) also showed excellent root/rhizome control. The greatest reduction of plant biomass compared with the nontreated check (UNT) was noted with 2,4-D, mesotrione at 280 g ai ha-1and 560 g ai ha-1, and diquat, with decreases from 73% to 80% for shoots and from 82% to 88% for roots/rhizomes. Glyphosate had less impact on shoot biomass reduction (-56%) but similar effect on root/rhizome dry weight (-79%) compared with 2,4-D, mesotrione, and diquat. Flumioxazin and fomesafen significantly reduced root/rhizome biomass by 78% and 72%, respectively. Concurrently, 2,4-D, flumioxazin, fomesafen, and diquat reduced the number of secondary shoots 70% to 90% compared with the UNT, whereas glyphosate and mesotrione completely inhibited emergence of new shoots. These data suggest that mesotrione applied POST provides excellent control of Carolina redroot. Future research should evaluate field applications of mesotrione in early summer when Carolina redroot regrowth occurs following the dissipation of PRE herbicide activity.Nomenclature:2,4-D; diquat; flumioxazin; fomesafen; glyphosate; mesotrione; Carolina redroot, Lachnanthes caroliniana (Lam.) Dandy.; cranberry, Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait
When less is more: reducing redundancy in mental health and psychosocial instruments using Item Response Theory.

Background There is a need for accurate and efficient assessment tools that cover a range of mental health and psychosocial problems. Existing, lengthy self-report assessments may reduce accuracy due to respondent fatigue. Using data from a sample of adults enrolled in a psychotherapy randomized trial in Thailand and a cross-sectional sample of adolescents in Zambia, we leveraged Item Response Theory (IRT) methods to create brief, psychometrically sound, mental health measures. Methods We used graded-response models to refine scales by identifying and removing poor performing items that were not well correlated with the underlying trait, and by identifying well-performing items at varying levels of a latent trait to assist in screening or monitoring purposes. Results In Thailand, the original 17-item depression scale was shortened to seven items and the 30-item Posttraumatic Stress Scale (PTS) was shortened to 10. In Zambia, the Child Posttraumatic Stress Scale (CPSS) was shortened from 17 items to six. Shortened scales in both settings retained the strength of their psychometric properties. When examining longitudinal intervention effects in Thailand, effect sizes were comparable in magnitude for the shortened and standard versions. Conclusions Using Item Response Theory (IRT) we created shortened valid measures that can be used to help guide clinical decisions and function as longitudinal research tools. The results of this analysis demonstrate the reliability and validity of shortened scales in each of the two settings and an approach that can be generalized more broadly to help improve screening, monitoring, and evaluation of mental health and psychosocial programs globally.
Longitudinal change in autonomic symptoms predicts activities of daily living and depression in Parkinson’s disease

The primary objective of this study was to examine the relationship of longitudinal changes in autonomic symptom burden and longitudinal changes in activities of daily living (ADLs); a secondary analysis examined the impact of depressive symptoms in this relationship. Data were retrieved from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), a dataset documenting the natural history of newly diagnosed Parkinson’s disease (PD). The analysis focused on data from baseline, visit 6 (24 months after enrollment), and visit 12 (60 months after enrollment). The impact of longitudinal changes in autonomic symptom burden on longitudinal changes in ADLs function was examined. A secondary mediation analysis was performed to investigate whether longitudinal changes in depressive symptoms mediate the relationship between longitudinal changes in autonomic symptom burden and ADLs function. Changes in autonomic symptom burden, cognitive function, depressive symptoms, and motor function all correlated with ADLs. Only changes in ADLs and depression were found to be associated with changes in autonomic symptom burden. We found that longitudinal change in autonomic symptoms was a significant predictor of change in ADLs at 24 and 60 months after enrollment, with the cardiovascular subscore being a major driver of this association. Mediation analysis revealed that the association between autonomic symptoms and ADLs is partially mediated by depressive symptoms. Longitudinal changes in autonomic symptoms impact ADLs function in patients with early signs of PD, both directly and indirectly through their impact on depressive symptoms. Future investigation into the influence of treatment of these symptoms on outcomes in PD is warranted.
Sliding-Scale Shared Decision Making for Patients With Reduced Capacity

Shared decision making honors patient autonomy, particularly for preference-sensitive care decisions. Shared decision making can be challenging, however, when patients have impaired decision-making capacity. Here, after presenting an illustrative case example, this paper proposes a capacity-adjusted "sliding scale" approach to shared decision making.
Wannier band transitions in disordered π-flux ladders

Boundary obstructed topological insulators are an unusual class of higher-order topological insulators with topological characteristics determined by the so-called Wannier bands. Boundary obstructed phases can harbor hinge/corner modes, but these modes can often be destabilized by a phase transition on the boundary instead of the bulk. While there has been much work on the stability of topological insulators in the presence of disorder, the topology of a disordered Wannier band, and disorder-induced Wannier transitions have not been extensively studied. In this Rapid Communication, we focus on the simplest example of a Wannier topological insulator: a mirror-symmetric $\ensuremath{\pi}$-flux ladder in one dimension. We find that the Wannier topology is robust to disorder, and derive a real-space renormalization group procedure to understand a different type of strong disorder-induced transition between nontrivial and trivial Wannier topological phases. We also establish a connection between the Wannier topology of the ladder and the energy band topology of a related system with a physical boundary cut, something which has generally been conjectured for clean models, but still needs to be studied in the presence of disorder.
Necessary conditions for weak minima and for strict minima of order two in nonsmooth constrained multiobjective optimization

In this paper, we give necessary conditions for the existence of a strict local minimum of order two for multiobjective optimization problems with equality and inequality constraints. We suppose that the objective function and the active inequality constraints are only locally Lipschitz. We consider both regular equality constraints and degenerate equality constraints. This article could be considered as a continuation of [E. Constantin, Necessary Conditions for Weak Efficiency for Nonsmooth Degenerate Multiobjective Optimization Problems, J. Global Optim, 75, 111-129, 2019]. We introduce a constraint qualification and a regularity condition, and we show that under each of them, the dual necessary conditions for a weak local minimum of the aforementioned article become of Kuhn-Tucker type.
Three Levels of Language Processing

The three-level theory of language processing is almost a direct consequence of the theory of partitioned representations. It makes three basic claims: (1) In discourse understanding communicated information is distributed over spaces as the internal representation evolves. This means that at various points in language understanding a decision is made that some particular intermediate structure (or part thereof) will project into some particular space. (2) There are two kinds of processes responsible for these decisions. One implants an intermediate structure in some space in which further processing can begin. The other distributes an intermediate structure between a parent and a child space. I will call these contextualization and distribution respectively. (3) Most linguistic processing is completed with reference to the contents of a particular space. This includes most of the familiar processes. I will call such processes parochial.
Low voltage electroabsorption light modulator using an InGaAs/InP superlattice

Spectral transmission, reflection and photocurrent absorption results, obtained on gas source molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) grown InGaAs/InP multiple quantum wells (MQWs), and superlattice positive-intrinsic-negative (PIN) diode structures, demonstrate, for the first time in this materials system, that similar modulation to MQW structures can be achieved using superlattices, but at significantly lower operating voltages. Specifically, reflection changes of greater than 30% were observed for applied biases /spl lsim/ 4 V, in nonresonant modulators operating at a wavelength of 1.48 /spl mu/m. These results suggest the possibility of employing such devices in fast, high density optical modulator arrays operating over the 1.3 to 1.6 /spl mu/m range. >
The polemic around Mikhail Kalatozov’s A Nail in the Boot

The banning of Mikhail Kalatozov’s second feature film, A Nail in the Boot (Gvozd′ v sapoge, 1932), represents a critical moment in both the director’s career and the history of Soviet culture in the period of the Five-Year Plans. The polemic that erupted on the pages of the journal Proletarskoe kino [Proletarian Cinema], translated in this cluster, begins with the original review in which Kalatozov is accused of misrepresenting military tactics and Soviet justice and of the sin of formalism. This review was followed immediately by Kalatozov’s response, in which the director passionately argued that, rather than looking for flaws as evidence of crimes for which the artist needs to be punished, the critic’s job was to provide constructive criticism to Soviet artists. Several months later, another article in Proletarskoe kino put an end to the polemic by reasserting the superiority of the critic and unambiguously warning of the consequences for artists who refuse to accept the authority of criticism. This r...
A table look-up MOSFET model for analog applications

A generalized, precise, and computer-efficient table lookup model applicable to MOSFETs, MESFETs, and BJTs is presented. The model has been optimized and implemented into SPICE 2G.6 for analog large-signal and small-signal applications. The local and global accuracy is adjustable to within the limits of process variation. The model has been applied in the SPICE circuit simulator to predict the DC and AC performance of complex analog circuits such as a 1- mu m op amp more accurately and efficiently than conventional analytical models. The memory requirement for the model is 432 data points, which is less than 10 kbytes. >
Radiation-resistant mutants of Salmonella typhimurium LT2: development and characterization

A series of repeated exposures to gamma irradiation with intervening outgrowth of survivors was used to develop radioresistant cultures of Salmonella typhimuium LT2. Stepwise increases in resistance to both ionizing and ultraviolet irradiation were obtained independently of the presence or absence of integrated P22 prophage. Single clonal isolates, representing parent and radioresistant populations, retained the general characteristics of the LT2 parent, including serological properties, phage typing, antibiotic sensitivities, mouse virulence, and most biochemical test reactions. Resistant cells were generally larger and contained 1.8 to 2.1 times more ribonucleic acid and protein than parent cells, but deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) contents were similar. Heterogeneity in the populations with respect to release of H2S, utilization of carbon sources, and growth on minimal medium is considered to be ancillary, rather than causally related, to increased radioresistance. The resistant isolates displayed an increased ability to reactivate gamma-irradiated P22 phage. DNA polymerase I and polynucleotide-joining enzyme activities were elevated in extracts of radioresistant cells relative to parent cells. It is suggested that the observed increases in radioresistance result from a selection of mutations leading to an increased capacity to repair DNA.
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have potential to be the most efficient and cost-effective system for direct conversion of a wide variety of fuels to electricity. The performance and durability of SOFCs depend strongly on the microstructure and morphology of cell components. As a unique synthesis and processing technique with easy control of composition, structure, morphology, and microstructure, sol-gel processes have been widely used for fabrication of key SOFC materials or critical components with desired properties or functionalities unattainable otherwise. In this chapter, we provide an overview on sol-gel processes applied for preparation of homogeneous and fine powders of electrolyte, electrode, and ceramic interconnect materials, for deposition of dense electrolyte membranes or porous electrode films, and for modification of electrode or metallic interconnect surface or interface to enhance catalytic activity, to improve tolerance to coking or contaminant poisoning, and to increase stability against oxidation, reduction, or other degradation mechanisms. While significant progress has been made in controlling and tailoring the composition, microstructure, morphology, and hence functionality of materials and components, many challenges still remain to make sol-gel processes cost-effective and versatile for many applications. The development of novel sol-gel processes as well as the exploration of the existing ones to new applications continues to be an intriguing research pursuit.
Effect of vitamin C concentration and co-injection with calcium chloride on beef retail display color.

The objectives of these experiments were to determine 1) the most effective vitamin C concentration to stabilize color of beef cuts during retail display and 2) the effect on color of incorporating vitamin C into a calcium chloride (CaCl2) injection solution. Top round cuts (semimembranosus and adductor) were injected with 5% by weight of a 0, .25, .5, 1, 2, or 4% sodium ascorbate solution (Exp. 1) or a 0, .5, 1, or 1.5% sodium ascorbate solution (Exp. 2). In Exp. 1, vitamin C resulted in more (P < .05) stable lean color during 9 degrees C display, and .5, 1, and 2% vitamin C were most (P < .05) effective. In Exp. 2, all concentrations of vitamin C maintained redder (P < .05) steaks after 3, 5, and 7 d of display than control steaks and had a lower (P < .05) percentage of surface discoloration after 5 and 7 d of display at 1 degree C. Experiment 3 used beef bottom round cuts (biceps femoris) to compare control, vitamin C- (1%), CaCl2-(200 mM) and vitamin C + CaCl2-treated steaks displayed at 1 degree C. Calcium chloride-treated steaks were more (P < .05) brown and had a higher (P < .05) percentage of surface discoloration on d 5 and 7 than control steaks, whereas steaks treated with vitamin C or vitamin C + CaCl2 were more (P < .05) red and had lower (P < .05) discoloration on d 5 and 7 than control steaks. Vitamin C can be injected into beef subprimals to enhance lean color stability and extend retail display life. Vitamin C also can be used in combination with CaCl2 to offset potential color deterioration, after 5 d of display, due to salt-induced oxidation.
Electric Field Effects on Structure in the Continuum

We have observed electric fields to have pronounced effects on autoionizing resonances in the continuum region above the first ionization threshold. The types of phenomena come under three categories: I) broadening (and narrowing); II) interference; III) “procreative” Rydberg Stark manifolds.
A bulk-Si-compatible ultrathin-body SOI technology for sub-100 nm MOSFETs

A novel method of forming 80 nm gate length ultrathin-body SOI MOSFETs has been presented. Lateral solid-phase epitaxy of a deposited amorphous Si film was used to provide excellent controllability over 20 nm body thickness, resulting in good uniformity of device characteristics. The ultrathin body provides good short channel effect suppression. Further optimization should enable fabrication of high-performance devices using a technology compatible with on-chip bulk devices.
The Structure of Genealogies and the Distribution of Fixed Differences between DNA Sequence Samples from Natural Populations

When two samples of DNA sequences are compared, one way in which they may differ is in the presence of fixed differences, which are defined as sites at which all of the sequences in one sample are different from all of the sequences in a second sample. The probability distribution of the number of fixed differences is developed. The theory employs Wright-Fisher genealogies and the infinite sites mutation model. For the case when both samples are drawn randomly from the same population it is found that genealogies permitting fixed differences are very unlikely. Thus the mere presence of fixed differences between samples is statistically significant, even for small samples. The theory is extended to samples from populations that have been separated for some time. The relationship between a simple Poisson distribution of mutations and the distribution of fixed differences is described as a function of the time since populations have been isolated. It is shown how these results may contribute to improved tests of recent balancing or directional selection.
Effect of dietary fat saturation of absorption and intestinal secretion of cholesterol by the hypercholesterolemic rat

The fate of an oral dose of [4-14C] cholesterol given to rats grown on diets with 20% safflower oil or 20% hydrogenated coconut oil was determined by analysis of digestive tract, feces and tissues. The pattern of isotope distribution did not support the view that rats fed a saturated fat absorb less cholesterol than those fed an unsaturated fat. Fasted animals growth on the diet with 5% of these two fats and beef fallow showed no clear difference in the amount of digitonin-peecipitable sterol in their intestines. A shorter transit time for intestinal contents was observed with the saturated fat groups. It is concluded that neither absorption of cholesterol from the gut nor secretion of β-hydroxy sterol into the gut accounts for the hypocholesterolemic effect of polyunsaturated fat.
Liposome assay for evaluating ocular toxicity of surfactants.

Purpose The ocular toxicity of various compounds is typically determined by the Draize eye test, which has been criticized in the past for its lack of reproducibility and the cruelty associated with harsh testing conditions for animals. In this study, a liposome-based assay was developed for estimating ocular toxicity of surfactants. Methods The release of calcein dye from liposomes induced by interactions with surfactants was studied and correlated to Draize eye scores. First, the liposome assay was conducted for various surfactants at identical concentrations and correlated to the Draize scores. Next, mechanistic and geometric considerations were used to determine the appropriate surfactant concentration that should be used in the liposome assay. Results Correlations between the percentage of dye released and the Draize scores were drastically improved after surfactant concentrations were chosen based on CMC/200, where CMC is the critical micelle concentration of the surfactants. With this choice of surfactant concentration, excellent correlations were obtained with Draize scores from three separate sources and two different ocular surfactant loadings (Pearson = 0.99, 0.82, 0.78, and 0.74; Spearman = 0.94, 0.79, 0.79, and 0.85). Subsequently, the ocular toxicities of six nonionic surfactants, Brij 700, -58, -56, -78, -97, and -98 were shown to be minimal based on the proposed correlations. Conclusions The modified liposome assay developed in this study could be used in conjunction with other in vitro assays to obtain initial estimates for ocular toxicities and thus minimize the need for the Draize test.
K–12 and University Educators Working Together Toward Change: Initiating a Conversation About Practice

This case study of a joint school/university professional development opportunity explored how 12 practitioners came together to examine change in light of discrepancies between current practice in local schools and promising practices recommended in the literature for students identified as having significant disabilities. The group met monthly over the course of one school year to study action research and to examine aspects of individual practice and their emerging identity as a community of learners. Participants explored perceptions about promising practice relative to actual practice engaged in by K–12 teachers, the impact of ongoing structured conversation on individual practice, and the impact of group membership for both individual participants and school/university partnerships. After one academic year, participants reported that the impact of this structured conversation was highly meaningful with respect to positive change in individual practice, the creation of a new support network for parti...
Increased pituitary activation following metyrapone administration in post-traumatic stress disorder

Our previous findings have demonstrated that individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) show lower basal cortisol levels, a larger number of lymphocyte glucocorticoid receptors, and an enhanced suppression of cortisol following the administration of dexamethasone compared to normals and patients with major depression. We have previously suggested that these alterations reflect an enhanced negative feedback inhibition of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in PTSD. However, in the absence of direct knowledge of pituitary capability in this disorder, it has been equally likely that the alterations observed reflected either pituitary or adrenal insufficiency. In the present study, we examined ACTH release from the pituitary gland in PTSD following the administration of metyrapone. Metyrapone resulted in a significantly greater increase of ACTH and 11-deoxycortisol in combat veterans with PTSD (n = 11) compared with normal male volunteers (n = 8). When seen in the context of other abnormalities observed in PTSD, the present demonstration of increased pituitary activity in the absence of negative feedback provides unequivocal support for the hypothesis of enhanced negative feedback.
Effect of the ionic strength of salts on retention and overloading behavior of ionizable compounds in reversed-phase liquid chromatography I. XTerra-C18.

In a companion paper, we describe the influence of the concentration and the nature of salts dissolved in the mobile phase (methanol:water, 40:60, v/v) on the adsorption behavior of propranolol (R'-NH2+ -R, Cl-) on XTerra-C18. The same experiments were repeated on a Symmetry-C18 column to compare the adsorption mechanisms of this ionic compound on these two very different RPLC systems. Frontal analysis (FA) measurements were first carried out to determine the best isotherm model accounting for the adsorption behavior of propranolol hydrochloride on Symmetry with a mobile phase without salt (and only 25% methanol to compensate for the low retention in the absence of salt). The adsorption data were best modeled by the bi-Moreau model. Large concentration band profiles of propranolol were recorded with mobile phases having increasing KCl concentrations (0, 0.002, 0.005, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 M) and the best values of the isotherm coefficients were determined by the inverse method (IM) of chromatography. The general effect of a dissociated salt in the mobile phase was the same as the one observed earlier with XTerra-C18. Increasing the salt concentration increases the two saturation capacities of the adsorbent and the adsorption constant on the low-energy sites. The adsorption constant on the high-energy sites decreases and the adsorbate-adsorbate interactions tend to vanish with increasing salt concentration of the mobile phase. The saturation capacities decrease with increasing radius of the monovalent cation (Na+, K+, Cs+, etc.). Using sulfate as a bivalent anion (Na2SO4) affects markedly the adsorption equilibrium: the saturation capacities are drastically reduced, the high-energy sites nearly disappear while the adsorption constant and the adsorbate-adsorbate interactions on the low-energy sites increase strongly. The complexity of the thermodynamics in solution might explain the different influences of these salts on the adsorption behavior.
A structural transmissibility measurements-based approach for system damage detection

The transmissibility between two response measurements is a widely-used feature for damage detection and localization in vibration-based, structural health monitoring applications. In this paper, we investigate two features computed from transmissibility measurement changes to quantify connection stiffness loss: root-mean-square error and dot-product difference. In real practice, noise contaminates the measurements, and this noise can lead to reduced sensitivity in the transmissibility as a damage-sensitive feature and increase false-positive (Type-I) errors. This work establishes a model to investigate the effect of noise and establishes statistical confidence limits on the transmissibility estimate. We make the assumption that the system is stationary, the signal channels are optimized, and the signal-to-noise ratios are balanced. The analytical expressions of the biased error and variation are given in terms of coherence estimation, and the confidence bounds of the transmissibility with corresponding level of confidence are estimated.
Academic and Social Self-Efficacy Scale: Development and Initial Validation:

The Academic and Social Self-Efficacy Scale (ASSESS) was developed to assess the self-efficacy judgments of students and to predict academic achievement and sociometric status. Self-reported judgme...
Ultraviolet-photoemission studies of formic acid decomposition on ZnO nonpolar surfaces

Abstract Ultraviolet photoemission studies of HCOOH decomposition on ZnO (1 1 00) at 120 and 300 K show that the reaction products remaining on the surface include CO and atomic O. Both the 5 σ (lone-pair) and 1 π orbitals of CO show chemical bonding shifts due to adsorption; this multiple-bonding behavior contrasts that observed on transition metal surfaces and apparently reflects special properties of the ZnO semi-conductor surface.
When natural disasters strike: managing individual and organisational needs with web-based systems

Increased impacts and frequency of recent natural disasters have given rise to the need for finding new ways to enhance disaster preparedness, planning and management. Web-based information systems have demonstrated the usefulness of websites in recent disasters. However, little is known about the contents of web-based information management for disaster management and the needs and requirements of those who use it. In this paper, we focus on identifying the contents of a web-based disaster management system from the perspectives of multiple stakeholders (victims and aid providers), the needs the system should meet, and crisis behaviours that the system should anticipate. We propose two conceptual models to investigate how these categories of web-design elements could enhance victims’ coping mechanisms and reduce impacts of natural disasters on individuals (Model 1) and businesses (Model 2). Extending the theories of task-technology fit and self-efficacy, we propose the concepts of need-web element fit, behaviour-web element fit, and disaster self-efficacy. We formulate an assessment model for dealing with the effectiveness of the proposed design. The contribution of this work is in assisting organisations, managers, and individuals involved in disaster management to create effective and efficient web-based tools that prepare for disasters and deal with the aftermath of disasters once they occur.
Generation of Stokes and Anti-Stokes Radiation in Raman Media

Abstract : A three-dimensional analysis of stimulated Raman emission is presented for a medium through which a cylindrical laser beam passes. The buildup of the Stokes radiation from the spontaneous fluctuations in the Raman medium is considered. A generalization of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem is derived relating the current-current fluctuations at the Stokes frequency to the laser-induced (negative) conductance at this frequency. The anti-Stokes radiation is treated as arising from the interaction of the laser field and the molecular vibrations accompanying the Stokes radiation. The anti-Stokes radiation emerges in a narrow cone around the familiar phase-matching direction given by B(-) = 2k - B(+), where B(-) and B(+) are the (real parts of the) propagation constants of Stokes and anti-Stokes waves in the medium, and k is the laser propagation vector. The angular width of the anti-Stokes radiation cone is evaluated. (Author)
RSCORE-J: Pooled rating-method data: A computer program for analyzing pooled ROC curves

RSCORE-J, a computer program for a signal-detection analysis of pooled rating-method data, is listed and described. RSCORE-J computes jackknife estimates of ROC parameters and their standard errors from rating-method data pooled over a group of observers.
Techniques and lessons learned from a rapid response deployment of an automated test system

Well known and established requirements are an ideal scenario for developing test equipment; however, for projects that have aggressive schedules and short period of performances, test requirements are constantly evolving as the final design of the Unit-Under-Test (UUT) materializes. Additionally, test equipment ends up getting shoehorned into a full rate production environment when considerations for such deployment were not factored into the initial design. Many aspects need to be considered early on in the test system development to allow for changes in the requirements. In one of Draper Laboratory's early opportunities to develop a production test system, there are several lessons that can be learned from the process. One important decision is the hardware platform of the test system. By leveraging commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS), industry-standard equipment with an open architecture, the modular test system is adaptable and scalable so that additional requirements can be met without major redesign efforts. Other considerations to be made include designing for automation, training for efficiency with using software tools, hardware sparing strategies, UUT health and welfare concepts, staffing, facility needs, validation of the test system, error handling, data logging with post processing in mind, data archiving, and more. All of these factors and techniques are key to the rapid development of a test system that will meet the needs of a fastpaced project.
Recurrent ependymoma treated with high-dose tamoxifen in a peripubertal female: Impact on tumor and the pituitary–ovarian axis

Due to high rates of recurrence, the prognosis of childhood ependymoma remains guarded. Anecdotal evidence suggests that tamoxifen may have a role in the treatment of these tumors. We present a case of a child with recurrent ependymoma treated with tamoxifen who showed tumor regression on two separate occasions. However, treatment with tamoxifen resulted in the development of large ovarian cysts associated with supraphysiological plasma concentrations of estradiol.
Unanticipated monetary policy: Another look for a developing country

Abstract This paper examines the problem of testing the RESN hypothesis from the perspective of a developing economy where deviation of the level of output from its natural rate is assumed to be affected by the unexpected monetary change only. In this context, we have developed three different methods to estimate the anticipated and unanticipated money change. The empirical findings are in conflict with the RESN hypothesis that only unanticipated money growth matters for real economic activity and, hence, the paper provides opposing evidence for the usefulness of this approach for the macroeconomic policies in developing economies.
Two different methods of determining electromigration parameters associated with resistance change

Abstract In thin films carrying d.c. currents I, the resistance R(t) increases with time due to electromigration. As a consequence the voltage V(t) = IR(t) ⋍ IR 0 + At , developed across the film, increases linearly with time for relatively small t. It is shown that the electromigration coefficient A can be evaluated by applying the signal V(t) to an amplifier followed by an FFT analyzer; the output response Vo(t) can then be analyzed by Fourier transform techniques. In an alternate procedure Vo(t) is evaluated by Laplace transform techniques and the time average, 〈Vo2(t)〉, is calculated for 0 ⩽ t ⩽ T0. In that case it is convenient to use a sharply tuned RCL parallel circuit, tuned at the low frequency ω0, and to use values of T0 such that ω0T0 ⩾ 2π.
T Wave Inversion Associated with Severe Theophylline Toxicity

Adverse cardiovascular effects are commonly seen in severe theophylline poisoning. Primary ST-T wave changes have not been described previously. We report T wave inversion associated with severe theophylline toxicity in a 33-year-old woman with no evidence of organic heart disease. The T wave inversion resolved after treatment. Physicians should be alerted to possible T wave abnormalities in patients with severe theophylline poisoning.
Synchrophasor based auxiliary controller to enhance power system transient voltage stability in a high penetration renewable energy scenario

An auxiliary coordinated control approach focusing on transient voltage stability is proposed in this paper. The concept is based on support vector machine (SVM) classifier and multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) model predictive control (MPC) on the high penetration renewable power system. To achieve the objective, the voltage stability condition of the power system is predicted by the SVM classifier first, using measured synchrophasor data in the power system. Next, the control strategy is triggered by the prediction results. The designed auxiliary MPC strategy will augment the existing control variables aiming to keep transient voltage stability. To validate the proposed approach, the Kundur two-area power system with a wind plant is built and the numerical results demonstrate the feasibility, effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method.
The effect of oral neomycin on the conversion of cholic acid to deoxycholic in man

Abstract The oral administration of neomycin in man lowers serum cholesterol and causes an increase in the fecal excretion of bile acids. Normally deoxycholic acid is the principal bile acid excreted in human feces. Neomycin inhibits the formation of deoxycholic acid from cholic acid by intestinal bacteria, whereas there is no effect on the bacteria that hydrolyze conjugated bile acids. A simplified ion-exchange procedure for the purification of bile acids and new solvent systems for two-dimensional thin-layer and glass-paper chromatography of bile acids is presented.
Vertical measurement accuracy and reliability of mapping-grade GPS receivers

Elevation measurements are essential for many natural resource activities including hydrologic modeling, viewshed analysis, and forest road and trail engineering design. We collected elevation measurements with five identically configured mapping-grade global positioning system (GPS) receivers at two distinctly different test courses within a forest. Our primary objectives were to quantify the accuracy and reliability of GPS elevation measurements within two distinctly different environmental settings and to examine the influence of different data collection approaches. One test course was established within a forest clearing and had a generally unobstructed view of the overhead sky while the other course was mostly covered by forest canopy. We collected measurements using several different data groupings (1, 30, and 60s intervals) and calculated the elevation error of all GPS receiver measurements for both unprocessed and differentially corrected (processed) measurements. The average error was 2.7m (1.8 SD) for unprocessed and 0.4m (0.3 SD) for processed measurements when all GPS receiver data and point intervals (1, 30, and 60s) were combined at the open sky course. Average measurement error was 5.0m (4.6 SD) for unprocessed and 3.0m (2.8 SD) for processed measurements when grouping all GPS receiver data and point intervals (1, 30, and 60s) at the forest canopy course. Although the GPS receivers were identical in model and data collection parameters, we found statistically significant differences in elevation measurements between the receivers that we tested. We determined no statistical influence of 1, 30, and 60 point intervals on elevation measurement accuracy within each individual GPS receiver, regardless of measurement course or data processing. For many basic elevation measurement requirements, mapping-grade GPS receivers may provide an acceptable level of accuracy and reliability. Projects that require a high degree of elevation measurement accuracy may have to consider alternative methods, such as electronic digital measurement tools or manual means, of capturing elevation change across a forested landscape.
Infrared spectroscopy of carbon monoxide at the ordered palladium (110)-aqueous interface : evidence for adsorbate-induced surface reconstruction

Abstract In situ infrared reflection-absorption spectra in the CO stretching (νCO) region for carbon monoxide adsorbed on an ordered Pd(110) electrode in 0.1 M HClO4 as a function of coverage (θCO) and electrode potential (E) are compared with corresponding θCO-dependent spectra reported in previous studies for the same surface in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV). The latter system has been shown from electron diffraction to involve an unusual case of CO-induced surface reconstruction which is reflected also in marked changes in the θCO-dependentνCO spectra. Detailed comparison of the infrared data obtained in the electrochemical and UHV environments therefore enables the possible occurrence of Pd(110) reconstruction in the former system to be assessed. Indeed, rich θCO-dependentνCO spectra were obtained which provide strong evidence that similar surface structural changes also occur at the Pd(110)-aqueous interface. Specifically, dosing CO from dilute (ca. 0.01 mM) solution yields a single νCO band (at 1810–1840 cm−1) at low coverages. These spectra transform for θCO values above ca. 0.4 into a complex multiple-band pattern which contains an additional band near 1930–1940 cm−1 and weaker higher-frequency νCO features along with a peak at ca. 1850–1880 cm−1. Significantly, this spectral pattern, obtained for coverages between ca. 0.4 and 0.75, is similar to that observed in the UHV system over a comparable θCO range, the latter being diagnostic of the CO-induced formation of a (1 × 2) “missing-row” reconstruction. Increasing the coverage further, from 0.75 up to saturation, θCO = 1.0, triggers another spectral transition to a single dominant νCO band at 1960–1965 cm−1, consistent with the formation of a (2 × 1) atop CO adlayer on a (1 × 1) (i.e. unreconstructed) substrate. Further evidence that the freshly prepared surface is unreconstructed prior to CO dosing, as well as in the presence of a saturated adlayer, was obtained from νCO spectra following CO removal and redosing, and also from energetic considerations along with voltammetric data. Intermediate-coverage CO adlayers formed by solution dosing followed by partial electrooxidative removal exhibit much smaller θCO-dependent spectral changes, indicative of adsorbate island formation. However, the νCO spectra for such adlayers transformed within 10–20 min into θCO-dependent patterns comparable to those obtained upon initial solution CO dosing. This “island dissipation” may be driven by the resultant formation of reconstructed nanoscale domains.
Structural Requirements for the Ectodomain Cleavage of Human Cell Surface Macrophage Colony-stimulating Factor

One form of human macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF-1256, M-CSFα) is a member of a restricted set of cell surface transmembrane proteins, which is selected to undergo proteolytic ectodomain cleavage. To determine the substrate requirements for this cleavage, we have constructed a series of mutations in the cytoplasmic tail, transmembrane domain, and juxtamembrane region of CSF-1256 and stably expressed the mutated genes in NIH 3T3 cells. Our results demonstrate that membrane association of the CSF-1 precursor is required for cleavage of its growth factor ectodomain and furthermore that the juxtamembrane region Pro161-Gln162-Leu163-Gln164-Glu165 (PQLQE) (residues 161–165 of the ectodomain) is an essential determinant of cell surface CSF-1256 cleavage and that the cleavage site is partially sequence-specific. Furthermore, a mechanism of steric hindrance, which likely involves interference with protease accessibility, is postulated to explain the observed decreases in the cleavage efficiency in certain CSF-1 mutants. Finally, our results strongly suggest that the CSF-1 ectodomain is cleaved at or very near the cell surface by a membrane-associated proteolytic system.
High-quality alloyed CdSxSe1-x whiskers as waveguides with tunable stimulated emission

High-quality ultra-long alloyed CdSxSe1-x (0 <= x <= 1) whiskers were obtained by a simple thermal evaporation route. The near band-edge emission in these whiskers can be effectively guided at the sub-millimeter scale under continuous-wave laser excitation. As good optical waveguide cavities, the whiskers exhibit stimulated emissions under pulsed light excitation at room temperature for all compositions 0 <= x <= 1. The spectral positions of the sharp emission lines of the whiskers were tuned by their compositions, covering the spectral range from green to red.
The Works of the Messiah

In a recent issue of Revue de Qumran, Emile Puech published an exceptionally interesting text, 4Q521, which he dubbed a "messianic apocalypse. "1 The proposed designation is at best an approximate indication of generic affinity. The extant fragments show none of the formal marks of apocalyptic revelation,2 but, like many apocalypses, they deal with eschatological expectations which include the resurrection of the dead. In another formulation of Puech, it is "an exhortation based on the blessings or chastisements which God will bring about through, or in the days of, his Messiah."3 Three aspects of the text are especially interesting in this regard. First, there is explicit mention of a "messiah" or "anointed one,' and so the text is an important addition to the limited repertoire of explicit messianic references from the preChristian period. Second, there is explicit mention of resurrection in two passages. References to resurrection are notoriously scarce in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Third, one of the resurrection passages has a very close parallel in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke and may throw some light on the categories in which Jesus of Nazareth was perceived by his followers at an early stage. The fragmentary state of the text, however, leaves room for some questions about its interpretation. It is not immediately clear what role, if any, the messiah plays in the resurrection. I shall argue that he most probably serves as God's agent in raising the dead. Such a role, however, is not
Some Economic Considerations in the Intellectual Property Protection of Software

Intellectual property has frequently had to confront the issue of how to protect new technologies. The rise of software as a major industry is one such new challenge. An economic approach to the protection of software adds to the already extensive legal analysis. On the one hand, existing copyright and patent law provides a sound basis for an economically efficient system of protection. Copyright law deals with the appropriability problem without creating significant monopoly or rent-seeking problems. Copyright law also provides a sound basis for preserving a balance between innovation today and innovation tomorrow. These conclusions depend crucially, however, on maintaining the distinctions between attachment and replacement and between transformative and substitutive uses. Software-related patents are economically sound. However, as actually administered, the system may generate too many invalid patents. Sui generis protection is less desirable than copyright and patent protection.
A microscope system with a dual-band filter for the simultaneous enumeration of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts and sporozoites.

Abstract A dual band filter set was designed to allow the simultaneous viewing of two fluorochromes (fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)) so that Cryptosporidium oocysts and sporozoites can be viewed together. Simultaneous viewing increases accuracy and decreases examination time as compared to current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 1623 for the detection of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in water by filtration/IMS/FA (Immunomagnetic Separation/Fluorescent Antibodies). Additionally, a microscope equipped with a programmable, motorized stage, CCD camera, and display monitor was used to facilitate well slide evaluation in a quick and precise fashion ensuring complete coverage without overlap and eliminating the optical strain associated with counting hundreds of images through an eyepiece.
Gas chromatography of trimethylsilyl derivatives of glucosinolates

Abstract A method has been developed for the qualitative assay of glucosinolates by gas chromatography. Silylation of eleven glucosinolates resulted in the formation of the trimethysilyl derivatives of the corresponding desulfoglucosinolates and all could be completely separated using two silicone columns. The trimethylsilyl derivatives of four glucosinolates extracted from rapeseed meal were well resolved on a single column and preliminary results of their quantitative determination compared favorably with results obtained by an independent assay.
High-Frequency Variations in the Rotation of the Earth

We report here observational results demonstrating that a three-station network of properly distributed VLBI observatories can routinely determine UT1 with a formal standard error of ±0.05 ms of time, in an observing period of 24 h. We also report the results of a three-month series of daily observing sessions of only 1-h duration with a single interferometer, which produced estimates of UT1 with standard errors of ±0.1 ms. The UT1 values obtained from the 1-h observing sessions track smoothly between the points of the 24-h time series, and the combined time series shows that it is not unusual for UT1 to vary by 1-2 ms in periods of several days. Preliminary results of reprocessing the 24-h observing sessions in 2-h segments suggest that variations of 0.4 ms may occur on time scales of only 6-8 h.