cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
eVision: Influenza Forecasting Using CDC, WHO, and Google Trends Data

Influenza, more commonly known as the flu, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by viruses which in the 2018–19 flu season, infected 37.4 to 42.9 million people in the United States alone. Of those, 431 to 647 thousand were hospitalized and 36,400 to 61,200 (most of them elderly and children) succumbed to the disease. At the time of this writing, the best known defense against influenza is vaccination. However, due to the annual mutation of the very many strands of the flu virus, new vaccines must be administered every flu season. Hence, the prediction of the rate of growth in reported infection cases of each strand of the flu is paramount to ensuring the correct supply of vaccines per strand. Machine learning - specifically Neural Networks - are a great tool for making future predictions using existing data. Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural networks are utilized by Santa Clara University's EPIC (Ethical, Pragmatic, and Intelligent Computing) and BioInnovation & Design laboratories for continued research and development of a tool named eVision (Epidemic Vision) to predict the trend of influenza cases throughout the flu season. eVision has been trained on data gathered across 4 flu seasons from the 2014–15 season to the 2017–18 season of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) records as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) and Google Trends search result data gathered across the same period of time. eVision has been able to make 7 weeks in advance predictions about the flu trend in the 2018–19 United States flu season with 90.15% accuracy. This paper is to report the achievements of eVision thus far and to delineate next phases for the project which aims to provide a tool for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries to more accurately predict the trend of flu (and other) epidemics in order to meet the demands for vaccines and test kits ahead of time.
Depletion of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in RBCs and Changes of Inflammation Markers in Patients With Morbid Obesity Undergoing Gastric Bypass.

BACKGROUND Bariatric surgery is considered the most effective treatment for severe obesity. Despite this wide success, bariatric surgery is associated with increased risks of nutritional deficiencies. OBJECTIVES To examine whether Roux-en-Y-gastric bypass (RYGB) alters essential fatty acid (FA) status and inflammation markers. METHODS Subjects with obesity (n = 28; BMI > 40 kg/m2; mean age 48 years) were studied before and 1 year after RYGB. We collected blood samples before and 12 months after RYGB, and analyzed FA in RBCs and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and measured inflammation parameters in plasma. The proportion of total n-3 FAs was the primary outcome, while parameters related to other FAs and inflammation factors were the secondary parameters. In addition, PBMCs from 15 of the participants were cultured alone or with 100 and 200 μM DHA, and the production of IL-6, IL-1β, PGE2, and prostaglandin F2-alpha (PGF2α) was assayed after endotoxin (LPS) stimulation. RESULTS RYGB induced a significant reduction of BMI (-30%) and improvement of insulin resistance (-49%). While the proportion of arachidonic acid was 15% higher after RYGB, the proportions of total and individual n-3 FAs were 50%-75% lower (P < 0.01). Consequently, the RBC omega-3 index and n-3:n-6 fatty acid ratio were 45% and 50% lower after surgery, respectively. In isolated PBMCs, LPS induced the production of IL-6, IL-1β, PGE2, and PGF2α in both pre- and post-RYGB cells, but the effects were 34%-65% higher (P < 0.05) after RYGB. This effect was abrogated by DHA supplementation. CONCLUSIONS This study presents evidence that RBC and PBMC n-3 FAs are severely reduced in patients with obesity after RYGB. DHA supplementation in PBMC moderates the production of inflammation markers, suggesting that n-3 FA supplementation would merit a trial in bariatric patients.
Degradation-resistant TiO2@Sn anodes for high-capacity lithium-ion batteries

As the demand for higher-performance batteries has increased, so has the body of research on theoretical high-capacity anode materials. However, the research has been hindered because the high-capacity anode material properties and interactions are not well understood, largely due to the difficulty of observing cycling in situ. Using electrochemical scanning transmission electron microscopy (ec-STEM), we report the real-time observation and electrochemical analysis of pristine tin (Sn) and titanium dioxide-coated Sn (TiO2@Sn) electrodes during lithiation/delithiation. As expected, we observed a volume expansion of the pristine Sn electrodes during lithiation, but we further observed that the expansion was followed by Sn detachment from the current collector. Remarkably, although the TiO2@Sn electrodes also exhibited similar volume expansion during lithiation, they showed no evidence of Sn detachment. We found that the TiO2 surface layer acted as an electrochemically activated artificial solid-electrolyte interphase that serves to conduct Li ions. As a physical coating, it mechanically prevented Sn detachment following volume changes during cycling, providing significant degradation resistance and 80% Coulombic efficiency for a complete lithiation/delithiation cycle. Interestingly, upon delithiation, TiO2@Sn electrode displayed a self-healing mechanism of small pore formation in the Sn particle followed by agglomeration into several larger pores as delithiation continued.
Let's Talk about Stats: Revising Our Approach to Teaching Statistics in Psychology.

Undergraduate statistics in psychology is an important, often challenging, course for students. The focus in psychology tends to be on hypothesis tests, such as t tests and analysis of variance. Wh...
TOTALLY MAGIC INJECTIONS

A labelling is a mapping whose domain is some set of graph elements- the set of vertices, for example, or the set of all vertices and edges - and whose range is a set of positive integers. In particular, if the labels associated with any edge - the label on the edge itself, and those on its endpoints -always add to the same sum, the labeling, and the graph possessing it, is called magic. A related concept, a vertex-magic total labeling, is one in which the sum of the label on any vertex with the labels on the edges containing it is always constant. A labeling which has both the vertex-magic and edge-magic properties (usually with two different constants) is called totally magic, as is a graph possessing such a labeling. In this paper we survey what is known about totally magic graphs and an important generalization. DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.22342/jims.0.0.24.123-131
Finding Logical Consequences Using Unskolemization

This paper presents a method for deriving logical consequences of first-order formulas based on resolution and a novel unskolemization algorithm. In general, it is not possible to derive certain logical consequences of a first-order formula by resolution without using tautologies or unskolemization. Therefore, if a formula H implies a formula W, we will not attempt to derive W from H; instead, we derive a formula F such that H implies F and F implies W, and such that F is “close” to W. A measure of closeness is defined such that the number of formulas F “close” to any given formula W is finite. A number of interesting applications are discussed, including a method for mechanically generating loop invariants for program verification, and a technique for learning characteristic descriptions of objects.
An International Comparative Study Of Per Capita Consumption Of Import: Implications For U.S-Japan Trade

This paper discusses the per-capita consumption of imports aspect of international trade. A research hypothesis is tested to investigate if there is a significant difference among G-7 countries in per-capita consumption of imports and the implication of the testing results for the U.S. - Japan bilateral trade deficit. The results of the ANOVA and the Kruskal-Wallis test yield insignificant variation in per-capita consumption of imported goods/services among the G-7 countries. The study recapitulates the reason(s) for the U.S. trade deficit with Japan and essentially states that factors other than trade barriers and restrictions cause the U.S. trade deficit with Japan. While this result may initially seem counterintuitive and inconsistent with popular wisdom, it may actually help uncover the true causes for the sustained trade deficit with Japan.
Dispute Resolution and Lawyers

This new edition of this popular book is much improved. It includes all of the latest developments, for example: the ABA SDR Task Force on Mediation Quality, all of the new arbitration cases to date, and the revised Rule 408, as well as new readings updating federal court ADR, mass torts (tied to the BP oil spill), and online dispute resolution. It has been streamlined considerably and reorganized to make it more user-friendly and even easier to teach. At the same time, new readings and cases have been introduced that tie the traditional materials more explicitly to ethics and the law more generally.
Coupled Climate and Earth System Models

We are all familiar with weather forecasts that predict the local weather for the next few days. These are made using a high-resolution numerical model of the atmosphere, and sometimes extend out as far as 10 days.
In Reply: To Tap, or Not to Tap, in the Febrile Convulsion

Rules are made to be broken; the only question is who may safely break them. I would never dispute Dr. Kafka, whose years of pediatric practice support his clinical intuition, if he were to discharge an infant who had just experienced his first febrile convulsion without performing a lumbar puncture. But this shortcut is not reserved for those physicians who have not yet acquired the "feel" for a seriously ill child. After all, a delayed diagnosis of meningitis may well be disastrous.
Radiative Heat Transfer and Fluorescence Measurements in Laminar Prevaporized Canola Methyl Ester/Diesel Blend Flames

Biofuels, such as canola methyl ester (CME), continue to receive considerable attention for their potential use as alternatives to petroleum diesel fuel. The studies on the application of biofuels in internal combustion engines, in general, have shown a considerable reduction in carbon monoxide (CO), soot, and radiative heat emissions, and a small increase in NOx emissions. Radiative heat transfer from flames, which is important in applications such as gas turbines and glass-manufacturing furnaces, has received little attention. The objective of this investigation was to document radiative heat transfer and radical and gas concentration measurements to understand the dominant mechanism of heat transfer in CME/diesel blend flames. In order to isolate the fuel chemical effects on the combustion characteristics of fuels, laminar flames of prevaporized liquid fuels were studied at injector-exit equivalence ratios of 1.2, 2, 3, and 7. Measurements of radiative heat transfer and flame structure including OH and CH radical concentration field were completed. While the peak temperatures in the various blend flames were comparable at the same equivalence ratio, the total flame radiation decreased with the increase in CME concentration in the fuel. Estimates of radiation from gaseous species and soot indicated that about 27–30% of the radiation was from gases, and the rest from soot. The gaseous species contribution to the flame radiation increased slightly with the biofuel content in the blend.
NONTRANSPLANT ALTERNATIVES FOR THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH METABOLIC DISEASE

Orthotopic liver transplantation is an accepted therapy for patients with acute and chronic liver disease including patients with hepatic based metabolic disease. In this review non-transplant options for the treatment of patients with liver disease including those with metabolic disorders are discussed.
The Classification of Automorphism Groups of Rational Elliptic Surfaces with Section

Abstract In this paper, we give a classification of (regular) automorphism groups of relatively minimal rational elliptic surfaces with section over the field C which have non-constant J-maps. The automorphism group Aut ( B ) of such a surface B is the semi-direct product of its Mordell–Weil group MW ( B ) and the subgroup Aut σ ( B ) of the automorphisms preserving the zero section σ of the rational elliptic surface B. The configuration of singular fibers on the surface determines the Mordell–Weil group as has been shown by Oguiso and Shioda (1991), and Aut σ ( B ) also depends on the singular fibers. The classification of automorphism groups in this paper gives the group Aut σ ( B ) in terms of the configuration of singular fibers on the surface. In general, Aut σ ( B ) is a finite group of order less than or equal to 24 which is a Z / 2 Z extension of either Z / n Z , Z / 2 Z × Z / 2 Z , D n (the Dihedral group of order 2n) or A 4 (the Alternating group of order 12). The configuration of singular fibers does not determine the group Aut σ ( B ) uniquely; however we list explicitly all the possible groups Aut σ ( B ) and the configurations of singular fibers for which each group occurs.
MEASUREMENT OF THE AMINO ACID CONTENT OF FISH MEAL PROTEINS BY CHICK GROWTH ASSAY. 1. ESTIMATION OF AMINO ACID AVAILABILITY IN FISH MEAL PROTEINS BEFORE AND AFTER HEAT TREATMENT.

Abstract AMINO acid availability studies have been carried out using various intact proteins as standards to provide a diet low in an essential amino acid. In order to indicate the amount of amino acid available to the animal from a protein, the growth achieved by the assay animal when fed a diet containing the test protein has then been compared with growth rates obtained on the same diet containing known quantities of the crystalline amino acid (Grau and Almquist, 1943; Schweigert, 1948; Schweigert and Guthneck, 1953; Gupta and Elvehjem, 1957; Kratzer and Green, 1957; Gupta et al., 1958). The use of these intact protein diets has given what appears to be reasonable availability figures but little is known concerning the effect of the amino acids, other than that which is limiting for growth, upon the growth of the assay animals and hence upon the amino acid availability estimate achieved. In order…
Presence of brain–spinal cord interactions alters lamprey locomotor response to periodic perturbation

Abstract The role of feedforward–feedback brain–spinal cord interactions in sensorimotor integration in vertebrates was investigated using a neural network model representing the brain and multiple oscillatory spinal segments of the lamprey. Periodic perturbation was applied to the caudal most spinal segment. Perturbation analysis indicated that perturbation of the caudal end could entrain the locomotor rhythm locally, but in the presence of intact brain–spinal cord interactions the effects of the spinal perturbation are not propagated along the spinal cord thereby affecting intersegmental coordination. This prediction of the model was confirmed by experimental investigation in an in vitro brain–spinal cord preparation.
Mediated facilitation: comparison of two methods and two paradigms.

The present study was designed to investigate two aspects of verbal mediation. The first of these involved a comparison of the anticipation and pairingtest methods of paired-associace presencacion. In the anticiption method each stim~ilus term is presented alone for a fixed period of time and is followed immediately by the appropriate stimulus-response pair. Ss' task is to anticipate the correct response before it is presented. However, in the pairing-test method all pairs are presented for study prior to presentation of the individual stimulus cerms. Generally speaking, experimentation has shown superiority for the pairing-test method of presentacion. Battig and Brackett ( 1961) have suggested that this finding may be due to the separation of learning and performance found with the pairing-test method. In pairing-test these two activicies occur independently whereas they proceed in an essentially simultaneous fashion when the anticipation procedure is employed. In the present sn~dy the anticipation and pairing-test methods were contrasted in the context of a mediation experiment. Two paradigms-forward chaining (A-B, B-C, A-C) and response equivalence (B-A, B-C, A-C)-were employed. The use of a mediation design involving these paradigms made ic possible to evaluate the relative superiority of the pairing-test procedure under varying conditions of stimulus learning, response learning, and associative strength. During the second stage of the paradigms it was possible co evaluate the two methods under conditions in which the stimulus terms were known to Ss as a result of having been stimuli or responses in the preceding stage. The teststage added response learning to stimulus learning and also provided variations in associative strength through comparisons of the experimental and control groups. In addition, the use of these paradigms provided the opportunicy to assess inter-paradigm differences using the pairing-rest method.
C2B Domain in Synaptotagmin I Induces Membrane Bending Only After Conformational Change

Neuronal exocytosis is mediated by a Ca2+-triggered membrane fusion event that joins synaptic vesicles and presynaptic membrane. In this event, synaptotagmin I plays a key role as a Ca2+ sensor protein that binds to and bends the presynaptic membrane with its C2B domain and, thereby, triggers membrane fusion. We report free energy calculations according to which C2B-induced membrane bending is preceded by a Ca2+- and membrane-dependent conformational transition, in which C2B attaches to the membrane, moves its C-terminal helix from the orientation seen in the membrane-free crystal/NMR structures as pointing away from the membrane (helix up), to an orientation pointing towards the membrane (helix down). In the C2B “helix down” state, lipid tails in the proximal membrane bilayer leaflet interact with the moved helix and become disordered, while tails in the distal leaflet, to keep in contact with the proximal leaflet, become stretched and ordered. The difference in lipid tail packing between the two leaflets results in an imbalance of pressure across the membrane and, thereby, causes membrane bending. The lipid disordering in the proximal membrane leaflet should facilitate Ca2+-triggered membrane fusion.
The Mini-Mental State Examination among Adult Outpatients with Major Depressive Disorder

One hundred forty-eight patients, ages 18-65, with major depression were administered the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) prior to 8 weeks of treatment with fluoxetine; 75 of these patients were readministered the MMSE following treatment. MMSE scores were not related to pretreatment severity of depression or to reported concentration problems and were not predictive of antidepressant response. Non- and partial responders had lower posttreatment MMSE scores than responders, men had lower posttreatment scores than women, and subjects over 50 had lower pretreatment scores than younger subjects, although in all cases, the magnitude of the differences was small and unlikely to be clinically important. Our results suggest that while the MMSE has been shown to be useful among geriatric and other depressed inpatients, it is not a sensitive indicator of depression severity, concentration problems, or likelihood of treatment response among otherwise healthy adults with major depression in an outpatient setting.
Regulated Translation of Heparan SulfateN-Acetylglucosamine N-Deacetylase/N-Sulfotransferase Isozymes by Structured 5′-Untranslated Regions and Internal Ribosome Entry Sites

We report the full-length 5′-untranslated region (5′-UTR) sequences of the four vertebrate heparan sulfate/heparin GlcNAcN-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferases (NDSTs) and their role in translational regulation in vivo and in vitro. All four NDST 5′-UTR sequences are unusually long, have a high degree of predicted secondary structure, and contain multiple upstream AUG codons, which together impose a major barrier to conventional, cap-dependent ribosomal scanning. At least two alternatively spliced forms of NDST2 differing in their 5′-UTRs exist, and two forms of NDST4 arise from alternative transcriptional start sites. The 5′-UTRs do not show any significant sequence similarity between isozymes, but possess highly conserved regions between mouse and human orthologs, pointing toward evolutionarily conserved functions. Expression of bicistronic vector constructs showed that the 5′-UTRs of NDST1–4 are capable of regulating translation differentially in vivo dependent on cell type and culture conditions. In vitro translation of a reporter gene located downstream of the UTRs demonstrated the presence of internal ribosome entry sites, providing an additional, cap-independent step in fine-tuning NDST expression. Comparative studies of NDST1–3 mRNAs and protein expression in brain and embryonic extracts revealed striking differences in translational efficiency. Other genes necessary for glycosaminoglycan synthesis in addition to the NDST isozymes have long, structured 5′-UTRs. Because several growth factors and morphogens that bind heparan sulfate also contain structured 5′-UTRs, translational regulation may coordinate the action of these factors and their heparan sulfate co-receptors.
Vertebral osteolysis originating from subchondral cyst end plate defects in transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion using rhBMP-2. Report of two cases.

Abstract Background Context Vertebral osteolysis has been reported as a complication of off-label recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) use in transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). It has been postulated that end plate violation during disc space preparation, rhBMP-2 overdosing, or a combination thereof can contribute to the development of vertebral osteolysis when rhBMP-2 is used in the lumbar interspace. Purpose To present two cases of vertebral osteolysis that occurred after TLIF in which rhBMP-2 was used. In each case, the osteolysis originated from subchondral cysts that were present on preoperative computed tomographic (CT) scans. Study Design Case report. Methods Two patients underwent instrumented TLIF using INFUSE (Medtronic, Inc., Littleton, MA, USA) on an absorbable collagen sponge carrier. In each patient, approximately 4 mg of rhBMP-2 was placed anteriorly in the disc space with 0.1 mg of rhBMP-2 being placed inside a polyetheretherketone interbody cage. Morcellized allograft bone mixed with demineralized bone matrix was also placed in the disc space and cage. The remaining rhBMP-2 was placed posterolaterally on the contralateral side. Each patient presented with worsening back pain approximately 3 to 4 months postoperatively and CT scans revealed osteolysis affecting the L4 and L5 vertebral bodies. The osteolysis appeared to originate from preoperative vertebral defects caused by subchondral cysts. Results One patient underwent removal of the interbody cage at the L4–L5 level and revision of the fusion with iliac crest autograft. At 15-month follow-up, he had no complaints of back pain, and CT scanning revealed solid fusion across the L4–L5 disc space. The other patient was offered revision of his fusion but declined any further surgery. At 2-year follow-up, that patient had persistent back pain but still declined any further surgery. A CT scan revealed unchanged osteolysis at the L4 and L5 levels. Conclusions It has been proposed that rhBMP-2-induced vertebral osteolysis occurring in TLIF procedures may be secondary to end plate violation during disc preparation or overdosing of rhBMP-2. Although overdosing may have also contributed to vertebral osteolysis in our two cases, the end plate violation from subchondral cyst formation that was present on preoperative CT scans seemed to be the origin of the osteolysis suggesting that the presence of preoperative subchondral cysts may be an additional risk factor for development of osteolysis in these patients.
Vibrato and pitch transitions

Summary There are at least two timing variables to be considered in vocal music performance. The first is the note changes associated with the meter signature (4/4, 2/4, etc.) and the second is the vibrato rate of the performer. Because the probability is not great that these two temporal variables will always be in perfect synchrony, it was the purpose of this investigation to determine what singers do when these two timing variables come into conflict during singing. Six singers recorded a series of alternating upward and downward interval shifts of a third while singing whole notes, half notes, quarter notes and eighth notes. The same notes were then recorded with intervals of a fifth. The recorded samples were converted to a visual trace and examined for interactions between vibrato and meter. Analysis of the tracings indicated that, in the majority of the cases, the singers would alter their vibrato in order to adhere to the timing of the musical line.
Evaluating alternative rodenticides for island conservation: roof rat eradication from the San Jorge Islands, Mexico

Introduced commensal rats (Rattus spp.) are a major contributor to the extinction and endangerment of island plants and animals. The use of the toxin brodifacoum to completely eradicate rats from islands is a powerful conservation tool. However, brodifacoum is toxic to animals other than rats and on some islands its use may not be feasible without prohibitively expensive mitigation. As part of a regional conservation program, we experimentally tested brodifacoum and two less toxic rodenticides, diphacinone and cholecalciferol, in eradicating Rattus rattus from three small islands in the northern Gulf of California, Mexico. All three rodenticides were successful in eradicating rats, suggesting that the less toxic diphacinone and cholecalciferol may be useful alternatives to brodifacoum for some island eradication programs. However, the choice of rodenticide must be balanced between efficacy and the risks to non-target species. Applied field research is needed on less toxic rodenticides, as well as improving palatability of baits. This may prove invaluable in preventing extinctions and in restoring larger and more diverse island ecosystems.
Implementation of computer graphics exercises in freshman engineering graphics education

Abstract The rising application of computer-aided design (CAD) in the industrial environment has precipitated an interest in computer graphics for engineering education. At the University of Texas at Austin, a computer graphics laboratory has been established that is primarily dedicated to freshman engineering graphics education. The laboratory is currently equipped with eight Hewlett-Packard 2647 A intelligent graphics terminals. Five software modules have been developed to introduce the student to the graphics terminal and to demonstrate its capabilities for making engineering drawings. The modules permit the construction of line drawings, pictorials, graphs and charts on the CRT terminal without requiring any programming skill on the part of the student. The laboratory exercises have been successfully used by over 1000 engineering graphics students during the first two semesters of implementation. This paper describes the efforts to date in organizing and implementing this freshman computer graphics laboratory.
Information Security Resources: A Selected Annotated Bibliography

The article contains selected resources in the area of information security and its related topics, covering the majority of resources published within the past five years. Serials, Web sites, monographs, and conference proceedings are described. Serials and conferences are described as a whole, with examples of topics recently addressed. Books and Web sites are described with important features and examples of topics covered are pointed out. While a majority of the resources are mainly written with the needs of computer professionals in mind, some of the resources target general users or users from other disciplines.
Correlation of Preoperative Three-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Angiography with Intraoperative Findings in Laparoscopic Renal Surgery

Background and Purpose: Contrast-enhanced three-dimensional magnetic resonance angiography (3D-MRA) with image reconstruction has important applications in laparoscopic urologic surgery. We now use 3D-MRA as part of our preoperative evaluation in selected patients undergoing laparoscopic donor nephrectomy, pyeloplasty, radical nephrectomy, and partial nephrectomy. Patients and Methods: From June 2001 to December 2002, 50 patients underwent preoperative 3D-MRA at 1.5 T prior to laparoscopic renal surgery. In general, preoperative 3D-MRA was obtained for donor nephrectomies and pyeloplasties and for cases where prior imaging suggested a possible vascular anomaly. Patients who underwent preoperative imaging included those having donor nephrectomy (N = 28), pyeloplasty (N = 12), radical nephrectomy (N = 5), partial nephrectomy (N = 3), and other laparoscopic renal procedures (N = 2). The 3D-MRA studies were interpreted by one radiologist, and all laparoscopic cases were performed by one of two surgeons. The f...
Hydrolysis of lignocellulosics at low enzyme levels: Application of the AFEX process

Abstract The presumed high cost of cellulase enzymes is seen as a major economic hurdle in ethanol fuel production from lignocellulosic biomass. One way to reduce enzyme cost is to use much less enzyme per unit of biomass hydrolysed. The ammonia fiber explosion (AFEX) process produces a highly reactive biomass but the relationship between AFEX treatment conditions, enzyme loadings and hydrolysis yields has never been thoroughly explored. We report here the effects of AFEX treatment on the initial rates and 24 h hydrolysis yields for several crop residues and lignocellulosic materials using low enzyme levels (1–5 IU/g dry biomass). Near theoretical sugar yields are obtained for some AFEX treatment conditions at 1 IU/g for corn fiber and 5 IU/g for switchgrass. Implications of the experimental results are discussed.
Krypton XANES studies in implanted systems

On a mesure la dependance en temperature de l'absorption des rayons X pres du seuil K pour le krypton implante dans du niobium, de l'aluminium et du grafoil. Pour les cibles d'aluminium et de grafoil on observe une augmentation des «white line» mesurees avec des bassses temperatures. Apres les mesures avec XANES, les echantillons ont ete etudies par retrodiffusion de Rutherford
The next 50 years: future challenges and opportunities for empathy in our science

To stay relevant and applicable in a rapidly changing world, ergonomics must meet several challenges. The paper explores these challenges and how the profession might respond. It is proposed that there are opportunities, and a need, to embrace empathy as a legitimate and useful tool. Empathy has value in three main areas. In research we can broaden our understanding of people and situations, learning ‘why’ as well as ‘how and what’ people do. Second, by identifying with the emotional as well as intellectual concerns of sponsors and colleagues from other professions, we inspire trust and confidence, adding value to our collective efforts in collaborative work. Third, through methods such as role-playing and story telling, empathy is a powerful tool for getting ergonomics issues across to implementers and influencing outcomes. Care is needed to balance empathy with systematic observation in the tradition of the scientific method; the power of empathy is in combining it with objective methods to make full us...
Chromosomal relationships of the tortoises (family Testudinidae)

Banded chromosomes of five species of testudinid turtles (Geochelone pardalis, G. elongata, G. elephantopus, Gopherus berlandieri, and G. polyphemus) reveal little variation within either genus, although there are differences in amount and distribution of heterochromatin between Geochelone pardalis and G. elongata. The chromosomal position and size of the nucleolar-organizer region differs between species of the two genera.
Ancient conservation of trinucleotide microsatellite loci in polistine wasps.

Microsatellites have proven to be very useful genetic markers for studies of kinship, parentage, and gene mapping. If microsatellites are conserved among species, then those developed for one species can be used on related species, which would save the time and effort of developing new loci. We evaluated conservation of 27 trinucleotide loci that were derived from 2 species of Polistes wasps in cross-species applications on 27 species chosen from the major lineages of the Vespidae, which diverged as much as 144 million years ago. We further investigated cross-species polymorphism levels for 18 of the loci. There was a clear relationship between cladistic distance and both conservation of the priming sites and heterozygosity. However the loci derived from P. bellicosus were much more widely conserved and polymorphic than were those derived from P. annularis. The disparity in cross-species utility between these sets of loci means that caution should be used in generalizing from conservation rates derived from single species. We found no relationship between locus conservation or heterozygosity and GC content of flanks, repeat motif, repeat length, or heterozygosity in the original species, which suggests that generalizations from other studies reporting such patterns are premature.
Language history questionnaire (LHQ 2.0): A new dynamic web-based research tool

The language history questionnaire (LHQ) is an important tool for assessing the linguistic background of bilinguals or second language learners and for generating self-reported proficiency in multiple languages. Previously we developed a generic LHQ based on the most commonly asked questions in published studies (Li, Sepanski & Zhao, 2006). Here we report a new web-based interface (LHQ 2.0) that has more flexibility in functionality, more accuracy in data recording, and more privacy for users and data. LHQ 2.0 achieves flexibility, accuracy, and privacy by using dynamic web-design features for enhanced data collection. It allows investigators to dynamically construct individualized LHQs on the fly and allows participants to complete the LHQ online in multiple languages. Investigators can download and delete the LHQ results and update their user and experiment information on the web. Privacy issues are handled through the online assignment of a unique ID number for each study and password-protected access to data.
Detecting Pitch Accents at the Word, Syllable and Vowel Level

The automatic identification of prosodic events such as pitch accent in English has long been a topic of interest to speech researchers, with applications to a variety of spoken language processing tasks. However, much remains to be understood about the best methods for obtaining high accuracy detection. We describe experiments examining the optimal domain for accent analysis. Specifically, we compare pitch accent identification at the syllable, vowel or word level as domains for analysis of acoustic indicators of accent. Our results indicate that a word-based approach is superior to syllable- or vowel-based detection, achieving an accuracy of 84.2%.
Prognostic and diagnostic monitoring of complex systems for product lifecycle management: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract Modern technological advances have resulted in a myriad of complex systems, processes and products. These increasingly complicated processes, systems and products pose considerable challenges in their design, analysis, manufacturing and management for successful operation and use over their lifecycles. In the process industries, for example, the maintenance and management of complex process equipment and processes, and their integrated operation, play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of plant personnel and the environment as well as the timely delivery of quality products. In the discrete parts industries, such as the auto industry, many product malfunctions are due to unanticipated dynamic interactions due to repeated use or misuse of components. These interactions thrive in complex systems when the combined effects of uncertainty and operational adversity are not properly addressed either in design or in operation. Given the size, scope and complexity of the systems and interactions, it is becoming increasingly difficult for plant personnel to anticipate, diagnose and control serious abnormal events in a timely manner. Hence, it should come as no surprise that human operators tend to make erroneous decisions and take actions which make matters even worse, as reported in the literature. All these cost the companies and consumers in billions of dollars every year in product lifecycle management. Businesses and federal organizations are increasingly required to manage their entire products’ lifecycles to avoid costly failure or degradation in performance through service/maintenance, more robust design and control, and so on. These product lifecycle management (PLM) issues present us with both major challenges and opportunities. There exist considerable incentives in developing appropriate prognostic and diagnostic methodologies for monitoring, analyzing, interpreting and controlling such abnormal events in complex systems and processes. People in the process and product industries view this as the next major challenge in control systems research and application. In this paper, we will present an overview of these challenges and the opportunities. Recent progress has promising implications on the use of intelligent systems for product lifecycle management applications in the chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and discrete parts manufacturing industries.
Jitter control for imaging spacecraft

The current imaging spacecraft design trend is for higher imaging performance, allowing very low jitter. Vibration sources on spacecraft include reaction or momentum wheels, control moment gyros (CMG), solar drive motors, thruster firing, cryogenic coolers and slew maneuvers. Several techniques have been developed to reduce jitter. One technique is to increase damping of the spacecraft support structure to reduce vibration response by adding passive and/or active damping. The second technique is to introduce isolation between vibration source and the spacecraft. The third technique is to isolate the optical payloads from the spacecraft. The fourth technique is to reduce jitter in the optical beam by using fast steering mirrors. For spacecraft requiring the very low jitter, a combination of these techniques is used. This paper discusses briefly all these jitter control techniques.
A Systematic Functional Grammar of Chinese by LI, EDEN SUM–HUNG.

The article reviews the book "A Systematic Functional Grammar of Chinese," by Eden Sum-Hung Li.
The life-history of Mesorchis denticulatus (Rudolphi, 1802) Dietz, 1909 (Trematoda, Echinostomatidae)

Red-tailed gigantocercous cercariae which developed in the euryhaline snailHydrobia ulvae Pennant (Prosobranchia, Hydrobiidae) in Denmark developed intoMesorchis denticulatus (Rudolphi 1802) Dietz 1909 (Echinostomatidae). Synonyms areStephanoprora denticulata (Rudolphi 1802) Odhner 1910,M. pseudoechinatus (Olsson 1876) Dietz 1909, andS. pseudoechinata (Olsson 1876) Odhner 1910. The rediae are cannibals devouring whole extraredial cercariae. The cercariae are actively ingested by small fish or carried by the respiratory current into their gill chambers. They encyst in the gill filaments.Gasterosteus aculeatus L.,Pungitius pungitius L. andPomatoschistus microps Kroyer are the most important second intermediate hosts in Danish waters, but all species of small fish, exceptAnguilla anguilla L., exposed to the cercariae were experimentally infected. Chickens were suitable laboratory hosts, whereasLarus spp. and other piscivorous birds function as natural final hosts in Europe and North America. Mammals may also be suitable hosts.
The absorption of injected pollen antigens

Abstract Evidence is presented that in the nonimmune, nonsensitive person aqueous pollen extracts are absorbed more rapidly after subcutaneous injection than after intramuscular injection.
New law to cut 1986 budgets

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are among the agencies whose budgets are likely to be cut 4.3% on March 1, 1986, when the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 makes its first impact. Under the law, the cuts will be implemented across the board by an order from the president. Unless Congress passes legislation to make its own cuts sometime between now and March 1, these cuts will automatically take an equal percentage from every nondefense program, project, and activity not protected from “sequestration” of funds and will automatically take a slightly higher percentage from the unprotected portions of the defense budget. Individual agencies could circumvent the across-the-board cuts by formulating their own plans to distribute their share of the reductions; however, these plans would need congressional approval. These cuts will affect budgets for the federal government in fiscal year (FY) 1986, which began on October 1, 1985. Unless revenues increase substantially, additional and mone severe belt-tightening is in store for FY 1987 and beyond.
Pregnancy Weight Retention in Morbid Obesity

HUNT, STEVEN C, MARIA M DAINES, TED D ADAMS, EDWARD M HEATH AND ROGER R WILLIAMS. Pregnancy weight retention in morbid obesity. Obes Res. 1995;3:121–130. Recent hypotheses suggest that for women who develop morbid obesity, increases in weight associated with pregnancy may represent a significant contribution to their obesity status. The effects of multiple pregnancies on weight gain were studied in 96 morbidly obese women ( 44.5 kg over ideal weight) and 115 random control women from the Utah population. Self-reported weights for each pregnancy included: prepregnancy, greatest during pregnancy, and 6 weeks following delivery, which were validated against available hospital records. Mean number of pregnancies in each group were similar (4.2 and 4.3), ranging from 1 to 9. Mean current age was 46 and mean weight gain since ages 20–24 was 46.0 kg in the morbidly obese and 14.1 kg in controls. Regression of current weight on total number of pregnancies, adjusting for weight at ages 20–24, showed a 1.3 kg/pregnancy increase in current weight (p=0.03) with no difference between groups (p=0.6). Weight gain subsequent to the last pregnancy was not related to the number of pregnancies (p=0.2). Morbidly obese women gained more weight during pregnancy than controls only for the first pregnancy. Gains were similar for all other pregnancies. Morbidly obese women had smaller weight losses after delivery than the controls, but these differences were not significant. For the first pregnancy, morbidly obese women had a net weight retention that was 4.0 kg greater than the controls at 6 weeks post-partum and an average of 1.6 kg/pregnancy greater retention for the remaining pregnancies. Pregnancy weight gains for each pregnancy subsequent to the first pregnancy were constant. These findings suggest: 1) women who develop morbid obesity have slightly less weight loss after delivery and greater between-pregnancy weight gains than controls; 2) the number of pregnancies does not affect the amount of weight gained after the last pregnancy; and 3) while multiparity may augment weight gain in morbidly obese women, it is probably not a primary factor in the later development of morbid obesity.
A novel low-voltage electron-bombarded CCD readout

ABSTRACT We present proof-of-concept results for a novel ultraviolet-sensitive, photon counting, solar blind detector thathas the potential for high QE in a compact low voltage, low power, unsealed design. We utilize a delta-dopedback-illuminated CCD to read out low energy electrons from a photocathode. In parallel, a new generationof high-QE ultraviolet -sensitive GaN photocathodes is being devel oped with initial success using delta-dopingtechnology rather than cesiation. In this paper we presen t results with the new readout using a CsI test cathode,which produces events at under 1000 V accelerating potential.Keywords: Ultraviolet, Detector, Microchannel plate, EBCCD, GaN 1. INTRODUCTION The next generation of NASA science missions to perform ultraviolet (UV) studies will require signicant im-provements in sensitivity. Since space telescope aperture area is unlikely to grow very quickly in the next twodecades, detector advances , particularly in quantum eciency (QE), w ill be required to make up the bulk of theseimprovements. UV detectors have lagged behind visible an d IR devices in performance, oering the possibilityof better instrument sensitivity without the weight and cost increases associated with larger mirrors.At the present time, MCP-based detectors, with their r equisite high voltage (HV) requirements, remain theworkhorse of UV astronomy because they are solar-blind, have ultra-low background, and, most importantly,are available. There are other options. Delta-doped ch arge-coupled devices (CCDs) have been shown to haveexcellent UV QE, however the broad-band nature of their sensitivity may not be suitable for studies of faint UVsources. Also, the conventional el ectron bombarded CCD (EBCCD) can acces s the relatively high QE of opaquephotocathodes, but at the expense of high voltage and weight requirements.We are developing a new type of EBCCD detector that will marry some of the best aspects of these tech-nologies in a proximity-focused, semi- transparent mode resulting in a low-background cathode readout operatingat modest voltages in a compact and low-weight package. In parallel, we are addressing the QE issues of semi-transparent photocathodes with a program to delta-do pe the surface of a GaN cathode, in eect replacing thenormally-required cesium layer with an engineered surface that has the same benet. The cathode results, whichwill be discussed in a forthcoming p aper, are showing early signs of su ccess and will eliminate the need forultra-high vacuum sealing processes. This new detector will be solar-blind, photon-counting, and high-QE, withthe possibility of very large pixel formats. At the same time, it promises to be robust and comparatively easy tofabricate.The major features of the detector design are: High-eciency, high-resolution, and low-noise resulting from the marriage of a delta-doped CCD with anovel delta-doped GaN photocathode.
Environmental security and labor migration in Nepal

Do changes in environmental security that result from declining access to forest resources shape labor migration in a context where household production and consumption are intimately dependent on natural resources? Using 1996 household data from the Chitwan Valley of Nepal, we examined if a decrease in access to firewood increased the likelihood of migration of individuals for work. The results of multinomial logistic regression showed that, environmental insecurity was a significant predictor for migration regardless of destination, domestic or international. Labor requirements for household maintenance also played an important role in the decision to migrate. Management of forest resources and poverty alleviation by providing firewood substitutes and economic opportunities at the local level is likely to change the labor migration flow, which could be an important issue for future research.