cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EST derived SSR markers for comparative mapping in wheat and rice

Structural and functional relationships between the genomes of hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (2n=6x=42) and rice (Oryza sativa L.) (2n=2x=24) were evaluated using linkage maps supplemented with simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci obtained from publicly available expressed sequence tags (ESTs). EST-SSR markers were developed using two main strategies to design primers for each gene: (1) primer design for multiple species based on supercluster analysis, and (2) species-specific primer design. Amplification was more consistent using the species-specific primer design for each gene. Forty-four percent of the primers designed specifically for wheat sequences were successful in amplifying DNA from both species. Existing genetic linkage maps were enhanced for the wheat and rice genomes using orthologous loci amplified with 58 EST-SSR markers obtained from both wheat and rice ESTs. The PCR-based anchor loci identified by these EST-SSR markers support previous patterns of conservation between wheat and rice genomes; however, there was a high frequency of interrupted colinearity. In addition, multiple loci amplified by these primers made the comparative analysis more difficult. Enhanced comparative maps of wheat and rice provide a useful tool for interpreting and transferring molecular, genetic, and breeding information between these two important species. These EST-SSR markers are particularly useful for constructing comparative framework maps for different species, because they amplify closely related genes to provide anchor points across species.
Transparent conducting F-doped SnO2 thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract Transparent conducting fluorine-doped tin oxide (SnO 2 :F) films have been deposited on glass substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The structural, electrical and optical properties of the SnO 2 :F films have been investigated as a function of F-doping level and substrate deposition temperature. The optimum target composition for high conductivity was found to be 10 wt.% SnF 2 + 90 wt.% SnO 2 . Under optimized deposition conditions ( T s = 300 °C, and 7.33 Pa of O 2 ), electrical resistivity of 5 × 10 − 4 Ω-cm, sheet resistance of 12.5 Ω/□, average optical transmittance of 87% in the visible range, and optical band-gap of 4.25 eV were obtained for 400 nm thick SnO 2 :F films. Atomic force microscopy measurements for these SnO 2 :F films indicated that their root-mean-square surface roughness (∼ 6 A) was superior to that of commercially available chemical vapor deposited SnO 2 :F films (∼ 85 A).
GONADOTROPIN-RELEASING HORMONE AGONIST FAILURE IN A MAN WITH PROSTATE CANCER

Chronic treatment with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) agonist is an established alternative to orchiectomy for men with advanced prostate cancer. Marketed Gn-RH agonists, including 1 and 3-month formulations of leuprolide, are reported to be uniformly effective at decreasing serum testosterone to castrate (less than 50 ng./dl.) or near castrate levels. 1 We report a case of escape from testosterone suppres- sion in a man treated with leuprolide depot for prostate cancer. CASE REPORT A 44-year-old hormone naive man underwent radical pros- tatectomy for pathological stage T3N1Mx adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Serum testosterone was 354 ng./dl. (normal 270 to 1,100) and serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) was 7.5 ng./ml. 6 weeks after radical prostatectomy. Serum luteiniz- ing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone levels were normal. Body mass index was 27.5 kg./m. 2 The patient was treated with 22.5 mg. leuprolide 3-month depot intramuscu- larly. Testosterone was 402 and PSA was 6.7 12 weeks later (see figure). Re-treatment with leuprolide 3-month depot re- sulted in castrate levels of testosterone after 4 weeks with return to near normal testosterone by 8 weeks. Treatment with 7.5 mg. leuprolide 1-month depot intramuscularly every 4 weeks also failed to achieve consistent suppression of tes- tosterone levels in the castrate range. Computerized tomography of the abdomen and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed no significant abnor- mality. At week 37 additional endocrine testing revealed prolactin 2.7 ng./ml. (normal 0 to15), urine-free cortisol 36 mg./24 hours (normal 20 to 70) and morning serum cortisol 9.4 mg./dl. (normal 5 to 25). Dexamethasone suppression test was normal. Subsequent treatment with goserelin 1-month depot achieved consistent suppression of testosterone levels in the castrate range (data not shown). DISCUSSION
Are the Things That We Call ‘Wrong’ Contrary to the Commands of a Loving God?

Divine command theories of morality have not been particularly popular among philosophers for some time. Consequently, such theories have received very little serious attention in recent years. One notable exception to this rule has been Robert M. Adams, who on several occasions has defended what he calls a modified divine command theory of ethical wrongness (1973, 1979a, 1979b). Most recently he has formulated this theory in terms drawn from current work on the theory of meaning. Specifically, he has proposed an account of the meaning of the term "wrong" similar to Hilary Putnam's account of the meaning of natural kind terms such as "water" and "gold." In this paper I will (1) describe the major features of Putnam's account of the meaning of natural kind terms, (2) describe Adams's analogous account of the meaning of the term "wrong," (3) discuss what I take to be some advantages of Adams's theory, (4) discuss two problems with it, and (5) propose an alternative which retains the advantages and avoids the problems discussed here. According to Adams it is a necessary truth (if it is true at all) that any action is ethically wrong if and only if it is contrary to the commands of a loving God. But, and this is where the new theory of meaning comes into play, this is not an analytic proposition. It is not the result of an analysis of a concept or of moral language. Nor is it a proposition that is known a priori. It does not represent what everyone thinks that wrong actions are. Nor does it represent how everyone recognizes wrong actions for what they are. Nor does it represent just the meaning of the concepts, or language, of Judaeo-Christian believers. Rather, it represents the actual nature of wrong actions. As such, the proposition is necessarily true (if it is true at all), although it is a synthetic one and epistemically a posteriori.
Power policy and environmental issues in developing countries

Recently, environmental degradation has emerged as a serious problem that further complicates the major energy issues that arose in the 1970s. This article examines electricity related environmental issues in the developing countries, that will increasingly shape the future role of the power engineering profession. The growth related power needs of the Third World and their financial implications, the potential for better energy management, the financial mechanisms and policies that can improve the performance of developing countries power utilities, and the treatment of environmental impacts will be explored.
Cosmic ray nucleosynthesis in the early galaxy

Abstract Cosmic ray spallation/fusion reactions may yield astrophysically interesting amounts of lithium, beryllium and boron during the early evolution of the Galaxy. In particular, since α, α fusion reactions can produce 6Li and 7Li whereas Be and B require CNO nuclei as spallation targets, the Pop II ratios of Li to Be and/or B are vastly different from their Pop I counterparts. Current data on Pop II Be do not exclude the possibility that significant amounts of lithium have been produced via this mechanism. The observed increase in the Pop II abundance of beryllium with increasing metallicity points to synthesis during the early Galaxy. The boron to beryllium ratio is relatively insensitive to model-dependent, evolutionary uncertainties and could provide a signature for cosmic ray nucleosynthesis during the early Galaxy.
GMENAC report on U.S. physician manpower policies: Recommendations and reactions

Abstract After four years of study in the United States, the Graduate Medical Education National Advisory Committee (GMENAC) concluded that an excess of approximately 70,000 physicians will exist in 1990. Faced with a future surplus, GMENAC recommends that U.S. medical schools decrease enrollment levels by 10 percent relative to the 1978–79 level and severely restrict entrance of foreign medical graduates. Flaws identified in the GMENAC approach relate to the use of the delphi technique, the future role of nonphysician providers, and a lack of reliable data. The GMENAC report may provide impetus for an abrupt shift from expansionism to reductionism in U.S. physician manpower policy. Long range physician manpower planning has erred in the past, necessitating periodic reevaluation of national policy. A continuing balance between supply and demand, although ideal, can probably never be attained. Thus small adjustments in total supply and specialty mix will always be necessary. The GMENAC report, which is the most comprehensive study of U.S. physician manpower to date, requires serious consideration in this context.
Effect of Methyl Jasmonate on Phenolics, Isothiocyanate, and Metabolic Enzymes in Radish Sprout (Raphanus sativus L.)

The effect of spraying exogenous plant hormone methyl jasmonate (MeJA) upon radish sprout (Raphanus sativus L.) was investigated in aspects of total phenolic content (TPC), isothiocyanate content, antioxidant activity of the radish extract, and enzymatic activities of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) and myrosinase. The MeJA treatment significantly increased the TPC that resulted in the increased DPPH* (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging capacity. In addition, the PAL activity also increased by 60% at 24 h after MeJA treatment. However, the same treatment decreased the amount of 4-methylthio-3-butenylisothiocyanate (MTBITC), a major isothiocyanate in radish sprout and the activity of myrosinase, an enzyme related to produce isothiocyanates.
Expression of the α2β1 and α3β1 integrins at the surface of mesothelial cells : a potential attachment site of endometrial cells

Abstract Objective: To localize α2β1 and α3β1 integrins in the cell membrane of peritoneal mesothelium in vivo and in vitro. Design: Descriptive study using confocal and two-photon laser-scanning microscopy. Setting: University-based laboratory. Patient(s): Women without endometriosis undergoing surgery for benign conditions. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Peritoneal biopsies (n = 9) and mesothelial monolayer cultures (n = 4) were incubated with antibodies to the α2 and α3 subunits and to the intact α2β1 and α3β1 integrins. Specimens were examined with laser-scanning microscopy. Result(s): The α2 and α3 subunits and the intact α2β1 and α3β1 integrins were identified at the base of the mesothelial cells (i.e., toward the basement membrane). There was also expression of the α2 and α3 subunits and the intact α2β1 and α3β1 integrins at the cell surface (i.e., toward the peritoneal cavity). Conclusion(s): The resolution of the confocal and two-photon laser-scanning microscope enabled localization of integrins in mesothelial cells. The presence of α2β1 (collagen-laminin receptor) and α3β1 integrins (collagen-laminin-fibronectin receptor) at the base of mesothelial cells suggests a role for these molecules in adhesion to the basement membrane. The presence of these molecules at the cell surface suggests a potential locus for cell adhesion in such processes as endometriosis and cancer metastasis.
Stirling's Formula and Its Extensions: Heuristic Approaches

Walsh (1995) introduced a heuristic approach to motivate Stirling's formula by equating a Poisson probability to an analogous value from a normal density function. We explore similar heuristics to derive approximations for various binomial, negative binomial, and multinomial coefficients. Also, using heuristics markedly different from those of Walsh, we develop an approximation of (nk)! for positive integers n (large) and k. These heuristics are then used to validate Stirling's formula for Γ(nα) where α is a positive real number. To derive each of our approximations we use a different probability distribution, and hence each section may serve as pedagogical module.
Herbivorous Mammals Along a Montane Sere: Community Structure and Energetics

All common herbivorous mammals were censused along a successional gradient in northern Utah in order to assess some of the changes in ecosystem attributes predicted to occur by Odum (1969). Biomass (B) and energy flow [Production (P), Respiration (R), and P + R (e)] through each of nine species in each of four serai stages (montane meadow, Populus -dominated forest, Abies -dominated forest, and Picea -dominated forest) were estimated. Tests of eight predicted trends were supportive in five cases (P/R ratio, P/B ratio, B/e ratio, net community production, and species richness), inconsistent in two cases (total organic matter and species evenness/general diversity) and ambiguous in one (size of organism). Community stability, as measured by changes in average community biomass between years of relatively normal and extremely low precipitation, increased with ecosystem maturity. Individual species, however, fluctuated greatly in biomass between the 2 years. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that mammals are determinants of successional patterns only insofar as they affect plant colonization. However, a continuum probably exists between completely passive species and those that strongly influence successional patterns in plant communities through their effects on plant recruitment and/or mortality. Changes in the plant community in turn affect the composition of the herbivorous mammal community.
Prevalence and significance of an abnormal S-T segment response to exercise in a young athletic population

Abstract Treadmill stress electrocardiography is employed widely to detect underlying cardiovascular disease in asymptomatic persons. To determine the frequency and significance of an abnormal S-T segment response to exercise in young athletes with increased left ventricular (LV) mass induced by physical conditioning, 75 male isometrically trained athletes without evidence of heart disease (mean age 21 years) and 48 nonathletic young normal subjects were studied by M-mode echocardiography and exercise electrocardiography. Ventricular septal and posterior free wall thicknesses and calculated LV mass were significantly greater in athletes than in control subjects. An abnormal S-T segment response to exercise was present in 7 (9%) of the 75 athletes, all of whom had a LV mass > 275 g and in 5 the LV mass was above the 95th percentile of that of the control subjects. An abnormal treadmill exercise test result also was present in 3 (6%) of 48 control subjects. Seven of the 10 subjects with abnormal exercise test results had radionuclide angiograms at rest and with exercise, each of which was normal. It is concluded, therefore, that (1) abnormal exercise test results occur commonly in both athletes and nonathletes; (2) almost 10% of isometrically trained athletes have “false-positive” exercise electrocardiograms, suggesting that this test has major limitations in screening for underlying cardiovascular disease in athletes; and (3) in athletes, a relation was present between “physiologically” increased LV mass and false-positive exercise test results.
Evaluation of phytocannabinoids from high-potency Cannabis sativa using in vitro bioassays to determine structure–activity relationships for cannabinoid receptor 1 and cannabinoid receptor 2

Cannabis has been around for thousands of years and has been used recreationally, medicinally, and for fiber. Over 500 compounds have been isolated from Cannabis sativa with approximately 105 being cannabinoids. Of those 105 compounds, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol has been determined as the primary constituent, which is also responsible for the psychoactivity associated with Cannabis. Cannabinoid receptors belong to the large superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors. Targeting the cannabinoid receptors has the potential to treat a variety of conditions such as pain, neurodegeneration, appetite, immune function, anxiety, cancer, and others. Developing in vitro bioassays to determine binding and functional activity of compounds has the ability to lead researchers to develop a safe and effective drug that may target the cannabinoid receptors. Using radioligand binding and functional bioassays, a structure-activity relationship for major and minor cannabinoids was developed.
Polymorphisms in tobacco metabolism and DNA repair genes modulate oral precancer and cancer risk

The highest rates of oral squamous cell carcinomas are observed in south Asia, particularly in India, where complex forms of tobacco and alcohol exposures exist. Genetic polymorphisms contribute significantly to observed differences in cancer susceptibility. We examined the association of 13 variants in eight genes (rs4646903, rs2031920, rs3813867, GSTM1 null, GSTT1 null, rs1695, rs1138272, rs1799782, rs25487, rs1799791, rs1799793, rs13181 and rs1052133) involved in various stages of tobacco and alcohol metabolism and the risk of leukoplakia and oral cancer (OC) in a case-control study involving 219 oral leukoplakia, 665 OC and 802 age, sex and habit-matched controls. GSTT1 null and rs1695 were inversely associated with oral leukoplakia while GSTM1 null, GSTT1 null, rs2031920, rs3813867 (CYP2E1), and rs13181 were associated with OC. We report that genetic variants associated with premalignant and malignant conditions of the oral cavity differ. The associations appeared to be consistent among smokeless tobacco users, a characteristic risk factor in these parts.
Artificial intelligence and brain theory: unities and diversities.

This review article synthesizes studies ofartificial intelligence (AI) andbrain theory (BT). In the control ofmovement, AI offers insight into overallplanning of behavior; while control theory enables BT to modelfeedback andfeedforward adjustments by the spinal cord, brainstem, and cerebellum. We stressaction-oriented perception—analyzing perception in terms of preparation for interaction with the world, and offer a new concept of aschema as the internal representation of an “object” in the sense of a domain of interaction. A schema comprises input-matching routines, action routines, and competition and cooperation routines. The internal representation of the world is then given by a “collage” of tuned and activated schemas.Segmentation of input andregion labeling are offered as two mechanisms in the activation of a suitable “collage.” We see a number of studies that offer hope of a unified theory ofcompetition and cooperation within a single subsystem: brain theory models of the reticular formation, of the frog midbrain visual system, and of segmentation on prewired features; and AI models of segmentation on ad hoc features, and of region labeling. We then turn to the modeling of a set of brain regions as acooperative computation system—a distributed structure in which each system has its own “goal structure” for selecting information to act on from its environment, and for transmitting the results to suitable receivers. We use this to describe a few findings ofneurology. We then sample AI studies of computerunderstanding of natural language, ascribing particular significance to a speech understanding system configured as a cooperative computation system. The literatures of AI and BT hardly overlap at all, and differ widely in choice of both problem and method. The aim of this article is to overcome these diversities by extracting contributions from extant AI and BT that can be melded into the creation of atop-down brain theory: the building of a coherent model of cooperative computation within which the computational roles of brain regions, and of neurons within those regions, can be analyzed.
The heterogeneity of radioiod noted parathyroid hormone in rat plasma

Abstract Parathyroid hormone has been reported to occur in plasma les a mixture of intact hormone and fragments most of which exhibit a molecular weight around 6000. The present studies were undertaken to clarify the origins of these fragments. Labeled hormone was found to generate the 6000 molecular weight fragment (s) presumably by peripheral proteolytic degradation. It was found that the 6000 molecular weight fragments (s) never exceeded the concentration of the intact hormone in the circulation of the rat and that a widely used chromatographic system (non-denaturing) underestimates the proportion of intact hormone present in plasma samples. This finding is of direct significance to elution profile analysis by radioimmunoassay.
Maximum Life Span Predictions From the Gompertz Mortality Model

This study examined maximum life span predictions obtained with the Gompertz mortality rate model, which assumes that there is a constant rate of acceleration in the age-related mortality of adult populations. The influence of population size N on the maximum life span (tmax) was shown to be small, because the numeric impact of N is reduced to ln[ln(N)]. In contrast, the Gompertz exponential mortality coefficient alpha has much more influence on the tmax, which varies as 1/alpha. Examination of select mammals and birds showed that tmax as reported for local populations agrees very well with that calculated from mortality rate coefficients for these local populations. However, the tmax as reported from the world literature, which is designated here as the "world record, " shows major discrepancies for some species from the predicted tmax based on the local population. We demonstrate that these discrepancies are not due to population size, but represent other factors that may include genotype, diet, and environmental dangers. Potential increases in human tmax will depend mostly on slowing the age-related acceleration of mortality. If the degree of mortality rate slowing achieved in rats by diet restriction is applied to humans, then the median human life expectancy would approach the present tmax of 120 years.
Computer-tailored smoking cessation materials: A review and discussion

Tailored smoking cessation materials combine many of the interactive, diagnostic elements of a clinical encounter with the dissemination potential of mass media. In this article, the differences between general, targeted and tailored smoking cessation materials are discussed, and the impact of tailored versus the general or targeted modalities is examined. A review of ten randomized trials of tailored materials found a significant impact of these materials in a majority of the studies. Very few patterns, in terms of the characteristics associated with the tailored materials, subject recruitment, subject characteristics, or follow-up procedures were found when comparing positive versus negative trials. The two trials that combined tailored materials with nicotine replacement therapy found a strong impact on smoking cessation; studies that examine the combined effects of tailored behavioral and pharmacological interventions are suggested. Another notable finding was the effect tailored materials had among precontemplators. Most studies that included precontemplators found a significant positive impact of materials tailored to this group. Taken together, these findings suggest important new avenues for reaching smokers.
Agriculture and Rurality: Beginning the “Final Separation”?*

When is a farm a farm? When is rural rural? Has the issue of the rural-urban continuum returned? Decades ago rural sociology worked itself into two blind alleys: rural-urban differences and attempts to define the rural-urban fringe. Although these conceptual problems eventually were exhausted, recent developments in California raise the possibility of a phoenix-like revival, although in new form. Three cases—the success of Napa Valley winemaking and the urban crowding that has accompanied it, the explosion of wine grape acreage in neighboring Sonoma County as demand for premium wine grapes has increased dramatically, and an antibody-manufacturing goat “farm” in Santa Cruz County—have spurred community controversies and are now generating debates over the definition of “agriculture,” whether agriculture is rural, and “When is rural rural?”
Zawilinski: helping beginning programmers conduct mediawiki-based research

Zawilinski is our Java library that helps undergraduates conduct research on Wikipedia and Wiktionary. It simplifies the loading and filtering MediaWiki XML dumps so that the resulting object tree will fit into the memory of a typical PC, thereby eliminating the need for advanced programming techniques to access Wikipedia and Wiktionary data.
Experimental investigation of uniaxial and biaxial rate-dependent behavior of a discontinuous metal-matrix composite at 538 °C

Abstract Uniaxial and biaxial exploratory tests were performed to determine the mechanical behavior and to guide constitutive modeling efforts for a Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy reinforced with TiC particles at 538 °C. Experiments included strain-controlled monotonic and cyclic tests at different strain rates. Uniaxial monotonic tests were combined with relaxation and creep. Biaxial tests used both proportional and out-of-phase loading. The experimental results demonstrate that the present composite may be idealized as an isotropic, pseudo homogeneous continuum, and may be modeled with the unified viscoplasticity theories developed for engineering alloys.
Nucleon form factors with a fundamental length

I t seems to be difficult to fit the observed nucleon form factors over the whole range of q 2 ~ _ t ~ n e g a t i v e four-momentum transfer squared by the expressions given by current field theory. For instance, in the (~ pole approximat ions , one can fit either the low q2 or the high q2 behaviour with a single pole, but not both (~.2), while, allowing several poles, one still cannot fit the data for all measured values of q2 (3). In addition, none of these theoretical expressions predict the (~ structure ~> which the experimental curves seem to show in the intermediate q~range (4). In this note we point out that the fundamental length ~ (equivalently: high momentum cut-off A ~ -~ in S-matr ix elements), wh<)se existence is necessary if fiehl theory is meaningful, changes the situation in the following way: 1) it depresses the ~ d y n a m i c a l , form factors (the usual form factors considered by current field theory, due to the nucleons' strong coupling) for low q~<<2-2; 2) it gives rise to (( structure ,), that is, a flattening off or bumps, for intermediate q2~xo~-2, where x0=0(1); and 3) it cuts off the dynamical form factors rather sharply at q2~xo2-2 so that G ~ G z ~ a common (( k inemat ica l , form factor for large q 2 ~ 2 Moreover this kinematical form factor falls off like 1/q 2 for large q2 (5). All of these features seem to be observed. We use a consistent theory (s) of a fundamental length arising from treating the underlying space-time co-ordinates as random rather than dispersiouless variables. The fundamental length enters via the dispersion oc 22 of the co-ordinate random variables. Since this is a consistent theory of a high momentum cut-off (the only
Epistemology, psychology, and Goldman

(1991). Epistemology, psychology, and Goldman. Social Epistemology: Vol. 5, Analytic Social Epistemology I, pp. 91-100.
Elementary models for biological interaction

Abstract This paper provides a brief review of two theories of biological interaction of hazardous exposures, the Hewlett-Plackett theory and the sufficient-component cause theory. Although the former has its origin in bioassay and the latter in epidemiology, it is possible to show that the two theories are isomorphic in that they imply identical relationships between biological interaction and disease rates. The relationship of biological interaction to statistical and public health interaction is also reviewed. In particular, the presence or absence of biological interaction under the two theories does not correspond in a one-to-one fashion with the presence or absence of any proposed form of statistical or public health interaction. This observation confirms the importance of clearly distinguishing different concepts of interaction.
A wavelet approach to the terrain correction in gravimetry and gravity gradiometry

A traditional, standard method to compute the gravitational effect of the topographic masses uses a finite element decomposition into right rectangular, vertical prisms, one for each terrain elevation data point. An alternative construction is proposed based on the two-dimensional Haar wavelet, which ultimately is identical, but instead slices the topography into horizontal slabs. It is shown that far fewer such slabs need to be accounted to obtain the same accuracy in the gravitational effect, or, also, the terrain correction. The method is tested on first and second derivatives of the gravitational potential in areas of relatively gentle and rough terrains.
On pattern recognition dependency of desorption heat, activation energy, and temperature of polymer-based VOC sensors for the electronic NOSE

Design of polymer-based, chemo-responsive chemical sensors for a given set of target vapors is a challenging task, as the detailed mechanism of the sensing phenomena is still not well understood. In this work, we propose a novel approach to select gas-sensing materials for a given set of volatile organic compounds (VOC) when the governing phenomenon that drives gas/vapor interaction is adsorption. We do so by varying the activation energy, EA; enthalpy of adsorption, Q; and temperature, T, that directly relate to gas–solid interaction followed by neural network pattern recognition to evaluate to what extent variations in adsorption energetics and operational temperature results in satisfactory or unsatisfactory adsorbate classification. The adsorption of four gases; toluene, benzene, heptane and butanol at six discrete polymer sensors was simulated by varying EA and Q for different gas–solid interaction at normal temperature and pressure (NTP) and by varying T for a fixed set of EA and Q conditions. Data sets thus generated were used to build a feed-forward neural network (NN) model to classify the vapors. Performance of the NN model was evaluated by its ability to correctly identify the various gases. Pattern recognition dependency upon variation of activation energy and desorption heat was evaluated using data generated with perturbed EA. Upper and lower bound variation of the activation energy were found in order to retain within acceptable classification accuracy. It has been found that to be able to remain a classification accuracy of at least 90%, the tolerated perturbation of the activation energy should not exceed, in absolute value, 3% of that used during the training step of the neural networks. Similarly, temperature shifts that are set outside the range −4% to +3% of the training temperature were found to degrade classification accuracy to below acceptable limits of 90%. These results should be taken into consideration when designing and fabricating chemoresistive polymer sensors for use in an e-natural olfactory sensor emulator (e-NOSE™) ANN system.
Investigations of the role of nonlinear couplings in structure formation and transport regulation: experiment, simulation, and theory

In this paper, we report on an integrated program of experimental, computational, and theoretical studies of sheared zonal flows and radially extended convective cells, with the aim of assessing the results of theory–experiment and theory–simulation comparisons. In particular, simulations are used as test beds for verifying analytical predictions (specifically locality and directionality of energy transfer) of nonlinear dynamics and to investigate the suitability of bispectral analysis for studying nonlinear couplings. Initial comparisons to experimental results are presented, and future experimental studies are motivated. We also present analytic and numerical work investigating the role of structures in transport.
Two Degrees of Freedom Control for Combine Harvester Header Height Control

This paper presents a two degree of freedom (DOF) controller for combine harvester header height control (HHC). Previous work [1] identified fundamental limitations to the tracking and disturbance rejection bandwidths for feedback control designs. In this work, we utilize H∞ optimal control design to ensure closed loop stability and robust performance, and augment a feedback loop with a feedforward control structure based on readily available Global Positioning System (GPS) information. The GPS provides anticipatory information of the field map elevation, which become disturbances to the header height control problem, to the feedforward controller thereby increasing the overall disturbance rejection bandwidth. Simulation results illustrate the performance improvements resulting from the two DOF design over the stand alone feedback controller. Additionally, an error analysis examines the effect of uncertainties from system modeling and field map measurements on the system performance.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Natural convection in a partially divided enclosure

This paper describes an experimental and analytical study of the phenomenon of heat transfer by natural convection in a rectangular enclosure fitted with an incomplete internal partition. The experiments were carried out in a water-filled enclosure with adiabatic horizontal walls and vertical walls maintained at different temperatures. Heat transfer measurements and flow visualization studies were conducted in the Rayleigh number range 109–1010, for aperture ratios h/H = 1, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, and 0, where h and H are the height of the internal opening (above the partition) and the height of the enclosure, respectively. It is demonstrated that the aperture ratio h/H has a strong effect on both the heat transfer rate and the flow pattern. The second part of the study consists of an asymptotic analysis of the same phenomenon, valid in the limit of vanishing Rayleigh numbers. The flow and temperature fields in this limit are reported graphically for H/L = 0.5, Pr = 0.71 and 0.3 < h/H < 0.7, where L and Pr are the enclosure length and the Prandtl number, respectively.
A Mn(III) chain derived from Mn12–acetate that exhibits both glauber dynamics and antiferromangetic ordering regimes

Abstract In this work, we present a detailed AC magnetic susceptibility investigation of the metamagnet {[Mn(OH)(CH3CO2)2]·CH3CO2H·H2O}∞ (1). Compound 1 was previously reported and the magnetic properties were investigated. The data revealed that the compound is a linear-chain antiferromagnet with a phase transition at TN = 6.1 K to an ordered antiferromagnetic state and a metamagnetic transition at approximately 1000 Oe from the antiferromagnetic phase to a paramagnetic phase. In this new study we report detailed AC susceptibility measurements which reveal frequency dependent data indicative of a slow relaxation process which was not previously described. These additional magnetic data support the conclusion that this compound is a rare example of an antiferromagnetic ordered system that displays magnetic relaxation properties induced by the intrinsic single chain magnet (SCM) properties of the canted homospin chains composing the material.
Betweenness relation and isometric imbeddings of metric spaces

We give an elementary proof of the classical Menger result according to which any metric space X that consists of more than four points is isometrically imbedded into $$ \mathbb{R} $$ if every three-point subspace of X is isometrically imbedded into $$ \mathbb{R} $$ . A series of corollaries of this theorem is obtained. We establish new criteria for finite metric spaces to be isometrically imbedded into $$ \mathbb{R} $$ .
Propagation of a Gaussian-beam wave in general anisotropic turbulence

Mathematical models for a Gaussian-beam wave propagating through anisotropic non-Kolmogorov turbulence have been developed in the past by several researchers. In previous publications, the anisotropic spatial power spectrum model was based on the assumption that propagation was in the z direction with circular symmetry maintained in the orthogonal xy -plane throughout the path. In the present analysis, however, the anisotropic spectrum model is no longer based on a single anisotropy parameter—instead, two such parameters are introduced in the orthogonal xyplane so that circular symmetry in this plane is no longer required. In addition, deviations from the 11/3 power-law behavior in the spectrum model are allowed by assuming power-law index variations 3 α < 4 . In the current study we develop theoretical models for beam spot size, spatial coherence, and scintillation index that are valid in weak irradiance fluctuation regimes as well as in deep turbulence, or strong irradiance fluctuation regimes. These new results are compared with those derived from the more specialized anisotropic spectrum used in previous analyses.
Molecular enthalpies: 1. Ground-state thermodynamic and computed enthalpies of the norbornadiene cycle

The enthalpies of formation of norbornadiene, norbornene, norbornane, nortricyclane, and quadricyclane, which are experimentally known, have been calculated using the semiempirical programs MNDO, AM1, and PM3 and the empirical force-field method MMP2. MMP2 agrees most closely with experimental results. Of the semiempirical methods, PM3 agrees most closely with experimental results and is very good for the alkenes. Enthalpies of hydrogenation, calculable fromΔH f, are inconclusive on the question of ground-state homoaromatic stabilization of norbornadiene.
Deposition of molybdenum and uranium along the major ocean ridge systems.

ANOMALOUSLY high concentrations of uranium and molybdenum along with other transition metals have been found in the surface sediments on the world-wide system of rises1–5. Bostrom et al.1,2 ascribe the high transition metal content of the East Pacific Rise sediments in particular to volcanic activity. We suggest here an alternative hypothesis, at least for uranium and molybdenum and possibly for some of the other elements.
Shell-model calculations for the three-nucleon system

We use Faddeev's decomposition to solve the shell-model problem for three nucleons. The dependence on harmonic-oscillator excitations allowed in the model space, up to $32 \hbar\Omega$ in the present calculations, and on the harmonic-oscillator frequency is studied. Effective interactions derived from Nijmegen II and Reid93 potentials are used in the calculations. The binding energies obtained are close to those calculated by other methods. The structure of the Faddeev equations is discussed and a simple formula for matrix elements of the permutation operators in a harmonic-oscillator basis is given. The Pauli principle is properly treated in the calculations.
Predictive validity of the attitudes toward medical help-seeking scale

Objective This study examines the predictive validity of the action/intention subscale of the attitudes toward seeking medical help scale in a college sample.
Barrier Tunneling and Reflection in the Time and Energy Domains: The Battle of the Exponentials

The issue of quantum barrier crossing and reflection in the time domain is addressed. We find that (1) classically forbidden barrier tunneling and above-barrier reflection are well-defined and important processes in the time domain, (2) classically forbidden processes can overshadow allowed ones when both are present, and (3) classically allowed trajectories in the time domain are not, in general, sufficient to explain tunneling amplitudes in the energy domain. We also make clear the essential distinction of barriers which flatten out at large distance and those which do not. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Early detection of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions in the cervix with quantitative spectroscopic imaging

Quantitative spectroscopy has recently been extended from a contact-probe to wide-area spectroscopic imaging to enable mapping of optical properties across a wide area of tissue. We train quantitative spectroscopic imaging (QSI) to identify cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) in 34 subjects undergoing the loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP subjects). QSI's performance is then prospectively evaluated on the clinically suspicious biopsy sites from 47 subjects undergoing colposcopic-directed biopsy. The results show the per-subject normalized reduced scattering coefficient at 700 nm (An) and the total hemoglobin concen- tration are significantly different (p < 0.05) between HSIL and non-HSIL sites in LEEP subjects. An alone retrospec- tively distinguishes HSIL from non-HSIL with 89% sensitivity and 83% specificity. It alone applied prospectively on the biopsy sites distinguishes HSIL from non-HSIL with 81% sensitivity and 78% specificity. The findings of this study agree with those of an earlier contact-probe study, validating the robustness of QSI, and specifically An, for identifying HSIL. The performance of An suggests an easy to use and an inexpensive to manufacture monochromatic instrument is capable of early cervical cancer detection, which could be used as a screening and diagnostic tool for detecting cervical cancer in low resource countries. © 2013 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) (DOI: 10.1117/1 .JBO.18.7.076013)
Excavating for Economics in Africana Studies

For 30 years, Africana Studies has developed as an interdisciplinary field. Although much attention has been paid within the field to the humanities and arts, much less has been paid to the social sciences, particularly economics. This analysis documents the presence of economists and economics course content among Africana Studies programs. The authors also discuss the presence of economists and economic content among leading general interest journals in Africana Studies and of economics content in several influential Africana Studies texts. Only 1.72% of the faculty members in leading Africana Studies departments are economists, and economics course content among Africana Studies programs is anemic. Also, there is little economics content in Africana journals, particularly peer-reviewed journals. Recommendations include incorporating accessible economics texts into course reading lists; encouraging African American students to take economics, calculus, and statistics; teaching statistics and economic theory in the context of course content; and adding economists to the editorial boards of Black Studies journals.
Preparing Business- and Technical-Writing Teachers: An Extended Program

While demand for business- and technical-writing courses at colleges and uni versities has increased, genuinely qualified teachers are not always available. This article describes an extended program for training graduate assistants to teach business and technical writing. The three-semester program includes a semester of apprenticeship teaching, followed by two semesters in which the graduate assistants teach their own classes. During the graduate assistants' first two semesters, they attend preparatory seminars on the teaching of pro fessional writing. The program emphasizes providing guidance and support for new teachers throughout their assistantship period, while encouraging the graduate assistants to develop their own teaching styles.
Modulated interfacial disorder scattering in quantum wells and its device applications

We investigate the nature of the electronic states and transient transport in a single, selectively doped, GaAs quantum well where the dopants are confined near one of the interfaces. The electronic states are calculated from self-consistent solutions of the Schrodinger and Poisson equations and are used to compute the scattering rates for electrons interacting with the dopants. These scattering rates are then used in a Monte Carlo simulation to study the time-dependent decay of the momentum of an ensemble of electrons traveling parallel to the interface. We also investigate the momentum relaxation of electrons injected into the well under different transverse electric fields that skew the wavefunction towards one of the interfaces. When the wavefunction is skewed away from the doped interface, the momentum relaxation time (and hence the mobility) increases dramatically by three orders of magnitude. A device application of this phenomenon, namely the operation of a velocity modulation transistor (VMT), has been investigated, with special focus on the transistor's switching speed.
Factors in High Reliability Wire Bonding

The production of devices with highest reliability is the result of optimum specifications on equipment and piece parts together with a process which has been selected from knowledge of how the operating variables affect the bond. This knowledge must be developed on each bonding system by a series of test samples, with suitable curves developed, which enable the engineer to select the process.
LOUSE-BORNE BACTERIAL PATHOGENS IN LICE (PHTHIRAPTERA) OF RODENTS AND CATTLE FROM EGYPT

We collected 1,023 lice, representing 5 species, from rats and domestic cattle throughout 13 governorates in Egypt and tested these lice for Anaplasma marginale, Bartonella spp., Brucella spp., Borrelia recurrentis, Coxiella burnetii, Francisella tularensis, and Rickettsia spp. by PCR amplification and sequencing. Five different louse-borne bacterial agents were detected in lice from rodents or cattle, including “Bartonella rattimassiliensis”, “B. phoceensis”, and Bartonella sp. near Bartonella tribocorum, Coxiella burnetii, and Rickettsia typhi. More lice from governorates bordering the Mediterranean and Red Seas contained pathogens. Our data indicate that lice of urban and domestic animals harbor pathogenic or potentially pathogenic bacterial agents throughout Egypt.
No More than Necessary: Safety and Efficacy of Low-Dose Promethazine

Background:Limitations in antiemetic options have resulted in increased use of intravenous promethazine. However, this drug has significant sedative effects with its standard dosage of 25 mg, especially when used in conjunction with narcotic analgesics. While studies have revealed the bioavailability of enteric promethazine to be 25%, current dosing references suggest identical dosing regardless of the route of administration.Objective:To compare the antiemetic efficacy and sedative effects of low-dose intravenous promethazine (6.25 or 12.5 mg) with intravenous ondansetron 4 mg.Methods:We assessed inpatients with noncritical conditions at Anne Arundel Medical Center who were treated for nausea or vomiting from any cause except chemotherapy or pregnancy. Forty-six patients received low-dose promethazine and 41 received ondansetron. Statistical analysis was carried out for significant differences in efficacy and sedation.Results:For patients who received intravenous promethazine 6.25 or 12.5 mg, nausea and ...
A High-Level Approach to Synthesis of High-Performance Codes for Quantum Chemistry

This paper discusses an approach to the synthesis of high-performance parallel programs for a class of computations encountered in quantum chemistry and physics. These computations are expressible as a set of tensor contractions and arise in electronic structure modeling. An overview is provided of the synthesis system, that transforms a high-level specification of the computation into high-performance parallel code, tailored to the characteristics of the target architecture. An example from computational chemistry is used to illustrate how different code structures are generated under different assumptions of available memory on the target computer.