cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Comparative Study of the Synthesis of Calcium, Strontium, Barium, Cadmium, and Lead Apatites in Aqueous Solution

The aqueous syntheses of the hydroxy and halo apatites of calcium, strontium, barium, lead, and cadmium were explored. Because these cations represent the main group s‐ and p‐fillers and a transiti...
Predicting India's Future: Does it Justify the Exportation of US Social Work Education?

Current social work education in India reflects globalization priorities and tendencies of neo-colonialism that emulate curriculum priorities and duplicate content developed in countries like the USA. Social work education as implemented by countries like the USA, has limited success in transnational training of social workers and their ability to address emerging social problems and deep rooted structural imbalances within non-USA social contexts. Yet, the concept of the world being an emerging global village is used to justify and reaffirm the colonial goals of universal education and pedagogies within social work and its application to starkly different contexts, such as India. This paper argues against the imperialist nature of social work education through examples from social work syllabi from Indian schools of social work. Secondly, this paper examines the role of academic collaborations and international organizations in addressing the challenges in curriculum development. Finally, through an exam...
Role of the CS-US interval in the US preexposure effect.

Theory and research suggest that long delay taste-aversion conditioning should be less affected by proximal US preexposure than short-delay conditioning The present research tested this hypothesis by administering illness-inducing LiCl shortly before a saccharin-LiCl pairing in which the postsaccharin LiCl was administered either immediately or 20 min. after access to saccharin. The results suggest that US preexposure has a more deleterious effect on conditioning when the illness-inducing US is delayed in conditioning than when it is immediate. These results are to be expected on the basis of classical conditioning principles and question theory and research that suggest more deleterious effects of US preexposure with shorter intervals between the preexposed and conditioning US.
Control of Paralytic Poliomyelitis in the United States

The changing annual vaccination status of the population and the greater than 1,000-fold drop in reported annual incidence of paralytic poliomyelitis between the early 1950s and early 1970s indicate that the control of poliomyelitis in the United States must be attributed to the use of both the inactivated poliovirus vaccine and oral poliovirus vaccine. The containment, in 1972 and 1979, of rare epidemics in poorly vaccinated subpopulations and the existence of only three reported cases of paralytic poliomyelitis clearly attributable to wild poliovirus in the last three years document a major triumph for public health. The continuing occurrence of vaccine-associated paralysis (six or seven reported cases per year, 1980-1982) indicates the necessity, despite the accomplishments, for continued review of the current vaccination strategy.
Epidemiology and Molecular Characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. in Humans, Wild Primates, and Domesticated Animals in the Greater Gombe Ecosystem, Tanzania

Cryptosporidium is an important zoonotic parasite globally. Few studies have examined the ecology and epidemiology of this pathogen in rural tropical systems characterized by high rates of overlap among humans, domesticated animals, and wildlife. We investigated risk factors for Cryptosporidium infection and assessed cross-species transmission potential among people, non-human primates, and domestic animals in the Gombe Ecosystem, Kigoma District, Tanzania. A cross-sectional survey was designed to determine the occurrence and risk factors for Cryptosporidium infection in humans, domestic animals and wildlife living in and around Gombe National Park. Diagnostic PCR revealed Cryptosporidium infection rates of 4.3% in humans, 16.0% in non-human primates, and 9.6% in livestock. Local streams sampled were negative. DNA sequencing uncovered a complex epidemiology for Cryptosporidium in this system, with humans, baboons and a subset of chimpanzees infected with C. hominis subtype IfA12G2; another subset of chimpanzees infected with C. suis; and all positive goats and sheep infected with C. xiaoi. For humans, residence location was associated with increased risk of infection in Mwamgongo village compared to one camp (Kasekela), and there was an increased odds for infection when living in a household with another positive person. Fecal consistency and other gastrointestinal signs did not predict Cryptosporidium infection. Despite a high degree of habitat overlap between village people and livestock, our results suggest that there are distinct Cryptosporidium transmission dynamics for humans and livestock in this system. The dominance of C. hominis subtype IfA12G2 among humans and non-human primates suggest cross-species transmission. Interestingly, a subset of chimpanzees was infected with C. suis. We hypothesize that there is cross-species transmission from bush pigs (Potaochoerus larvatus) to chimpanzees in Gombe forest, since domesticated pigs are regionally absent. Our findings demonstrate a complex nature of Cryptosporidium in sympatric primates, including humans, and stress the need for further studies.
Use of Silica Sol Step Gradients to Prepare Bundle Sheath and Mesophyll Chloroplasts from Panicum maximum

The first method for the direct separation of mesophyll and bundle sheath chloroplasts from whole tissue homogenates of a C4 plant is described. Centrifugation of mixed chloroplast preparations from Panicum maximum through low viscosity silica sol gradients effectively separates large, starch-containing chloroplasts from smaller plastids. The large chloroplasts are judged to be bundle sheath chloroplasts on the basis of microscopic appearance, the presence of starch grains, the protein complement displayed on sodium dodecyl sulfate acrylamide gels, and the exclusive localization of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase activity in these plastids. As a measure of intactness both the large (bundle sheath) and small (mesophyll) chloroplasts contain glyceralde-hyde-3-phosphate NADP-dependent dehydrogenase activity that is greatly enhanced by plastid lysis and both chloroplast preparations are impermeable to deoxyribonuclease. Chloroplast enzyme activities are inhibited by silica sol due to the Mg2+ chelating activity of this reagent. However, well washed chloroplasts separated on silica gradients had enzyme activities similar to reported values in which silica sol gradients were not used.
Silica aerogel films at ambient pressure

Abstract Silica films with refractive indices in the range of 1.006 – 1.036 (equivalent porosity 98.5–91%) have been prepared at ambient pressure by a process wherein organo-siloxane polymers are deposited on a silicon substrate by conventional dip-coating at 25°C and 0.85 bar (atmospheric pressure in Albuquerque) and heating to 450°C. The film thicknesses (from scanning electron microscopy) vary from 0.1 to 3.5 μm, depending upon the dip-coating rate (0.05 – 1.9 cm/s) and concentration of the sol. The process was optimized by varying the dilution, aging, organic modification, heat treatment and dip-coating conditions, allowing control of film porosity in the range ∼ 30–99%. Imaging ellipsometry has been used to study the evolution of film porosity and thickness in situ. It is observed that the high porosity in these films is mainly attributable to dilation or ‘springback’ of the film during the final stage of drying.
Aggregate behavior of branch points - persistent pairs

Light propagating through atmospheric turbulence acquires spatial and temporal phase variations. For strong enough turbulence conditions, interference from these phase variations within the optical wave can produce branch points; positions of zero amplitude. Under the assumption of a layered turbulence model, our previous work has shown that these branch points can be used to estimate the number and velocities of atmospheric layers. Key to this previous demonstration was the property of branch point persistence. Branch points from a single turbulence layer persist in time and through additional layers. In this paper we extend persistence to include branch point pairs. We develop an algorithm for isolating persistent pairs and show that through experimental data that they exist through time and through additional turbulence.
Antarctica: Measuring Glacier Velocity from Satellite Images

Many Landsat images of Antarctica show distinctive flow and crevasse features in the floating part of ice streams and outlet glaciers immediately below their grounding zones. Some of the features, which move with the glacier or ice stream, remain visible over many years and thus allow time-lapse measurements of ice velocities. Measurements taken from Landsat images of features on Byrd Glacier agree well with detailed ground and aerial observations. The satellite-image technique thus offers a rapid and cost-effective method of obtaining average velocities, to a first order of accuracy, of many ice streams and outlet glaciers near their termini.
Metal Nanoshell — Capsule for Light-Driven Release of a Small Molecule

We report the release of small molecules from the metal nanoshells driven by laser irradiation. The metal nanoshells were composed of 50 nm silica cores and variable thickness silver shells of 10 and 30 nm. The small-molecule fluorophores of Rhodamine 123 were physically absorbed in the silica cores of metal nanoshells and released through the metal walls. The release rate was significantly increased with the laser irradiation depending on the metal shell thickness; a thicker metal nanoshell led to a faster release. The results were interpreted by the photothermal effect of metal nanoshells that could convert the light into thermal energy via coupling interactions of light with the metal plasmon resonances of shells. The metal nanoshells may be potentially used as capsules for the controlled release of drugs as other molecules.
Effects of biofeedback on secondary-task response time and postural stability in older adults

Real-time single- and multiple-axis vibrotactile feedback of trunk motion has been shown to significantly decrease mean trunk tilt and decrease time spent outside a no vibrotactile feedback zone (dead zone) in older adults within a laboratory setting. This study aimed to determine if these improvements can translate into everyday use, during which other tasks may simultaneously demand attention. A dual-task paradigm was used in which 10 community-dwelling older adults were asked to perform standing trials in the presence of a secondary task (verbal or push-button), vibrotactile feedback, or both (dual-task). Results show that subjects significantly increased the percentage of time inside the dead zone when feedback was provided compared to when it was not during both verbal (+13.6%) and push-button (+10.1%) secondary tasks. Providing feedback also decreased RMS of trunk tilt during both secondary tasks (verbal: -0.129°; push-button: -0.138°). However, response times for secondary tasks increased (verbal: +119 ms; push-button: +110 ms) when feedback was provided. These results suggest that while vibrotactile feedback does increase attentional load in older adults, it can still be used effectively to improve postural metrics in high cognitive load situations.
Adiabatic photopolymerization of acrylamide

Although the adiabatic polymerization of acrylamide using photoinitiation was first described over 30 years ago, it still offers convenient opportunities for innovation. In the present work, the effect of EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, tetrasodium salt) as a reducing agent with two photosensitizers is described. With riboflavin-5'-phosphate sodium, the rate of polymerization rises with the ⅓ power of the EDTA concentration. With a new photosensitizer, 4-benzoyl-N,N,N-trimethylbenzenemethanaminium chloride, the rate rises with the ½ power of the EDTA concentration. Adiabatic temperature rise is used as the measure of conversion in the early stages of polymerization.
Dynamic Analysis of Heart Sounds in Right and Left Bundle-Branch Blocks

A clinical, electrocardiographic, phonocardiographic, and arteriographic study was made of 20 normal subjects, 20 patients with right bundle-branch block (RBBB) and 20 patients with left bundle-branch block (LBBB). Ventricular asynchronism was documented in nearly all cases of bundle-branch block by the behavior of the arterial pulse and the heart sounds. The first heart sound was of normal duration in all cases and usually had the normal number and position of its three components. The first sound had a normal relationship with the QRS component of the electrocardiogram in RBBB, but its onset was markedly delayed in LBBB. This fact confirms the exclusive left-sided origin of the first sound. The third (or ejection) component of the first sound had a greater delay in LBBB, due to intraventricular block, and this delay was closely related to that of the carotid pulse rise. Reversed splitting of the second sound in LBBB was common.
Regulation of tumor invasion and metastasis in protein kinase C epsilon-transformed NIH3T3 fibroblasts.

Protein kinase C epsilon is an oncogenic, actin nucleating protein that coordinately regulates changes in cell growth and shape. Cells constitutively expressing PKCϵ spontaneously acquire a polarized morphology and extend long cellular membrane protrusions. Here we report that the regulatory C1 domain of PKCϵ contains an actin binding site that is essential for the formation of elongate invadopodial-like structures, increased pericellular metalloproteinase activity, in vitro invasion of a Matrigel barrier, and the invasion and metastasis of tumors grown in vivo by PKCϵ-transformed NIH3T3 fibroblasts in nude mice. While removing this small actin binding motif caused a dramatic reversion of tumor invasion, the deletion mutant of PKCϵ remained oncogenic and tumorigenic in this experimental system. We propose that PKCϵ directly interacts with actin to stimulate polymerization and the extension of membrane protrusions that transformed NIH3T3 cells use in vivo to penetrate and degrade surrounding tissue boundaries. J. Cell. Biochem. 85: 785–797, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Physiological and biochemical perturbations in Daphnia magna following exposure to the model environmental estrogen diethylstilbestrol

The estrogenic properties of many environmental contaminants, such as DDE and PCBs, have been associated with reproductive failure in a variety of vertebrate species. While estrogens have been measured in many invertebrate species, the function of this hormone in invertebrates is controversial. The objective of the present study was to identify possible physiological and biochemical target sites for the estrogenic effects of some xenobiotics on the freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna using the model environmental estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES). Chronic exposure of daphnids to 0.50 mg/L DES reduced molting frequency among first-generation juveniles and decreased fecundity of second-generation daphnids. Adult first-generation daphnids chronically exposed to DES, as well as adult daphnids acutely exposed to DES for only 48 h, were examined for steroid hormone metabolic capabilities using testosterone as the model steroid. The rate of elimination of two major hydroxylated metabolites of testosterone was significantly reduced, and elimination of glucose conjugates of testosterone was significantly elevated from exposure to 0.50 mg/L DES. These results demonstrate that multigeneration exposure of daphnids to DES results in reduced fecundity and altered steroid metabolic capabilities. Thus, some arthropods, like vertebrates, are sensitive to the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
A case-match analysis of failed prior bariatric procedures converted to resectional gastric bypass.

Background: Failure to lose weight or intractable symptoms after bariatric surgery presents a complex diagnostic and management challenge. The outcome of a standardized surgical approach to this problem has not been well described. Conversion of failed bariatric procedures to a resectional gastric bypass (RGB) can achieve symptomatic relief and acceptable weight loss. Methods: We reviewed all patients in a prospectively maintained database who underwent reoperative bariatric surgery over a 4-year period. Reoperative patients (RO) were case-matched (by age, body mass index, and comorbidities) in a 1:2 ratio with control patients undergoing an initial bariatric procedure (IN). Results: Twenty-seven reoperative patients and 54 case-matched control patients were identified. Mean body mass index was 42 in the RO group versus 45 in the IN group (P = not significant). Indications for conversion were weight gain (89%), dysphagia/emesis (30%), esophagitis (19%), and marginal ulcer (7%). All patients in both groups underwent RGB (subtotal gastrectomy with Roux-Y gastrojejunostomy). Compared with IN patients, the RO patients had significantly longer operative times (420 versus 268 minutes), greater blood loss (650 versus 315 cc), longer time to oral intake (3.1 versus 2.2 days), and longer hospital stays (6.5 versus 4.7 days), all P <0.01. There were no deaths or anastomotic leaks in either group. Excess body weight lost at 6 months was 46% for RO versus 54% for IN (P = 0.02). One-year excess weight lost was 71% for RO versus 77% for IN (P = not significant). All RO patients achieved symptomatic relief, and no patient required further bariatric revision. There was significant improvement in weight-related comorbidity in each group. Conclusions: Conversion of failed hariatric procedures to RGB, although technically demanding, resulted in relief of presenting symptoms, significant 6-month and 1-year weight loss, and improvement of major comorbidities. Conversion of failed bariatric procedures to resectional gastric bypass can achieve results comparable with those of patients undergoing an initial bariatric procedure.
Comparison of High-Dose Intermittent and Low-Dose Continuous Oral Artemisinin in Dogs With Naturally Occurring Tumors

To evaluate the clinical toxicity and activity of orally administered artemisinin in dogs with spontaneous tumors, 24 client-owned dogs were randomly divided into two groups and received either low-continuous dose (3 mg/kg q 24 hr) or high-dose intermittent (three doses of 45 mg/kg q 6 hr repeated q 1 wk) of artemisinin per os. Treatment was continued for 21 days. Dogs were evaluated weekly for clinical effect and at the end of the treatment for hematologic and biochemical adverse events. Whole blood concentrations of artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin were measured by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry after the first dose of artemisinin in three dogs in each group. Blood concentrations of artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin were <0.1 μM at all time points, and there was no difference in blood concentration between the two dosing groups. The most frequent adverse event was anorexia, which was observed in 11% of the low-dose group and 29% of the high-dose group. Oral artemisinin, both in low-dose continuous and high-dose intermittent, is well tolerated in dogs but results in low bioavailability. Parenteral administration should be considered for future studies.
Factors associated with civilian drivers involved in crashes with emergency vehicles

Motor vehicle crashes involving civilian and emergency vehicles (EVs) have been a known problem that contributes to fatal and nonfatal injuries; however, characteristics associated with civilian drivers have not been examined adequately. This study used data from The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System and the National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates System to identify driver, roadway, environmental, and crash factors, and consequences for civilian drivers involved in fatal and nonfatal crashes with in-use and in-transport EVs. In general, drivers involved in emergency-civilian crashes (ECCs) were more often driving: straight through intersections (vs. same direction) of four-points or more (vs. not at intersection); where traffic signals were present (vs. no traffic control device); and at night (vs. midday). For nonfatal ECCs, drivers were more often driving: distracted (vs. not distracted); with vision obstructed by external objects (vs. no obstruction); on dark but lighted roads (vs. daylight); and in opposite directions (vs. same directions) of the EVs. Consequences included increased risk of injury (vs. no injury) and receiving traffic violations (vs. no violation). Fatal ECCs were associated with driving on urban roads (vs. rural), although these types of crashes were less likely to occur on dark roads (vs. daylight). The findings of this study suggest drivers may have difficulties in visually detecting EVs in different environments.
Liberty, Equality, Receptive Generosity: Neo-Nietzschean Reflections on the Ethics and Politics of Coalition

sustaining coalition politics. Yet, they illustrate the limits of such a project insofar as they are unable to address adequately the problems posed by Reagon. I argue that only by supplementing (and transfiguring) equality and liberty with an ethic of receptive generosity, suggested by an idiosyncratic reading of Nietzsche's gift-giving virtue, would coalition politics likely be sustainable and ethically desirable. The gift-giving virtue allows us to formulate a vision of the possible grandness of plurality that is ethically more compelling than the logics of identity and difference offered by Laclau and Mouffe. In some sense progressive politics has always concerned itself with the politics of difficult coalitions. Yet, these concerns often stemmed from perceived tactical and strategic exigencies: uneven contingent historical developments which, with increasing revolutionary praxis, would dissolve into an ever more unified, harmonious, and transparent collective subject. The necessity for coalitions is addressed in classics such as Lenin (1975). The praxis and telos of increasing unity is addressed most philosophically in two of Lukacs's (1971) essays, "Reification and the Consciousness of the Proletariat" and "Towards a Methodology of the Problem of Organization." For numerous intermeshed reasons, concerning both concrete politics and theoretical shifts, the past few decades have witnessed a movement toward various theories of a more fragmented and contestational politics. Concretely, the issue of diverse coalitions among new social movements has gained greater visibility in the past two decades due to a wide range of political events and experiences that have sprung from the increasing heterogeneity which characterizes the progressive political terrain. From the "Rainbow Coalition"; to the efforts of the Industrial Areas Foundation to organize communities across boundaries of race, class, and ethnicity; to the challenges to the mainstream environmental movement on questions of race and class; to racial, sexual, and class differences among "the women's movement"; to questions and struggles concerning multiculturalism, issues concerning the relations among different groups have become increasingly central. While efforts at coalition building in these instances have met with varying degrees of success and failure, they have almost always had to face agonizing issues of difficult communication, charges of imperialism or assimilation made by some groups with respect to others, withdrawal,
A compartmental model for the Bicoid gradient

The anterior region of the Drosophila embryo is patterned by the concentration gradient of the homeodomain transcription factor bicoid (Bcd). The Bcd gradient was the first identified morphogen gradient and continues to be a subject of intense research at multiple levels, from the mechanisms of RNA localization in the oocyte to the evolution of the Bcd-mediated patterning events in multiple Drosophila species. Critical assessment of the mechanisms of the Bcd gradient formation requires biophysical models of the syncytial embryo. Most of the proposed models rely on reaction-diffusion equations, but their formulation and applicability at high nuclear densities is a nontrivial task. We propose a straightforward alternative in which the syncytial blastoderm is approximated by a periodic arrangement of well-mixed compartments: a single nucleus and an associated cytoplasmic region. We formulate a compartmental model, constrain its parameters by experimental data, and demonstrate that it provides an adequate description of the Bcd gradient dynamics.
Toxoplasma gondii Microneme Secretion Involves Intracellular Ca2+ Release from Inositol 1,4,5-Triphosphate (IP3)/Ryanodine-sensitive Stores

Calcium-mediated microneme secretion in Toxoplasma gondii is stimulated by contact with host cells, resulting in the discharge of adhesins that mediate attachment. The intracellular source of calcium and the signaling pathway(s) triggering release have not been characterized, prompting our search for mediators of calcium signaling and microneme secretion in T. gondii. We identified two stimuli of microneme secretion, ryanodine and caffeine, which enhanced release of calcium from parasite intracellular stores. Ethanol, a previously characterized trigger of microneme secretion, stimulated an increase in parasite inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate, implying that this second messenger may mediate intracellular calcium release. Consistent with this observation, xestospongin C, an inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor antagonist, inhibited microneme secretion and blocked parasite attachment and invasion of host cells. Collectively, these results suggest that T. gondii possess an intracellular calcium release channel with properties of the inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate/ryanodine receptor superfamily. Intracellular calcium channels, previously studied almost exclusively in multicellular animals, appear to also be critical to the control of parasite calcium during the initial steps of host cell entry.
Minimization of volume and astigmatism in White cells for use with circular sources and apertures

Conditions are derived for minimum volume and astigmatism of White-type multiple reflection absorption cells, with multiple row and column image arrays, for the case of circular images and apertures.
Consumer Perceptions & Video Game Sales: A Meeting of the Minds

With its newfound mainstream appeal, the video game marketplace has become increasingly competitive, with software publishers churning out titles designed to appeal to every taste and niche imaginable. But as prosperous as the industry has been, many companies have found it tough to survive the last few years. Video games are driven by an ever-changing technological landscape, and development costs for new games have skyrocketed since 2005 when the most recent generation of hardware was released. As a result, commercial failure is catastrophic for most companies and firms are now forced to rethink the way they produce and market games. Because companies within the video game industry live and die by these sales figures (now more than ever), this paper‘s goal is to address the determinants of video game sales in order to provide a greater understanding of the market‘s inner workings and discover the recipe for success in this newlyburgeoning industry. This article is available in The Park Place Economist: http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/parkplace/vol18/iss1/12
Terabit photonic integrated circuits in InP: 10-channel coherent PM-QPSK transmitter and receiver PICs operating at 100 Gb/s per wavelength

In this talk, we report on a pair of monolithically integrated multi-wavelength transmitter and receiver PICs employing polarization multiplexing and quadrature phase-shift keying modulation to provide an aggregate bandwidth greater than 1Tbps on a single chip.
Crystal Structures of the NO- and CO-bound Heme Oxygenase from Neisseriae meningitidis IMPLICATIONS FOR O2 ACTIVATION

Heme oxygenases catalyze the oxidation of heme to biliverdin, carbon monoxide, and free iron while playing a critical role in mammalian heme homeostasis. Pathogenic bacteria such as Neisseriae meningitidis also produce heme oxygenase as part of a mechanism to mine host iron. The key step in heme oxidation is the regioselective oxidation of the heme α-meso-carbon by an activated Fe(III)-OOH complex. The structures of various diatomic ligands bound to the heme iron can mimic the dioxygen complex and provide important insights on the mechanism of O2 activation. Here we report the crystal structures of N. meningitidis heme oxygenase (nm-HO) in the Fe(II), Fe(II)-CO, and Fe(II)-NO states and compare these to the NO complex of human heme oxygenase-1 (Lad, L., Wang, J., Li, H., Friedman, J., Bhaskar, B., Ortiz de Montellano, P. R., and Poulos, T. L. (2003) J. Mol. Biol. 330, 527–538). Coordination of NO or CO results in a reorientation of Arg-77 that enables Arg-77 to participate in an active site H-bonded network involving a series of water molecules. One of these water molecules directly H-bonds to the Fe(II)-linked ligand and very likely serves as the proton source required for oxygen activation. Although the active site residues differ between nm-HO and human HO-1, the close similarity in the H-bonded water network suggests a common mechanism shared by all heme oxygenases.
APPLICATIONS OF SPECTRAL ANALYSIS

The basic concepts and application of spectral analysis are explained. Stationary time series and autocorrelation are first defined. Autocorrelation is related to the familiar concepts of variance and covariance. The use of autocorrelation analysis is explained in estimating the interdependent relationship of a time series over discrete time lags. In order to measure the behavior of the time series using autocorrelation, it would be necessary to examine a very large number of autocorrelation lags. Alternatively, the technique of Fourier analysis can be used to transform the autocorrelation function of the time series into a continuous function, termed a spectrum. The spectrum has a one to one correspondence to the autocorrelation for the time series and has the advantage of representing all possible autocorrelations over the discrete time lags. The spectrum can then be examined as a measure of the behavior of the time series. Spectral analysis indicates the reliability of the analysis of autocorrelated variables when familiar statistical techniques such as sample means and variances are used. The application of spectral analysis to management science problems in three general areas is illustrated: (1) inventory demand, (2) transportation simulation, and (3) stock market price behavior. Spectral analysis was used to detect cycles and trends in the data. Analyses were focused on the spectrum which provides a measure of the relative contribution of cycles in a band of frequencies to the total variance of the data.
Decision-theoretic saliency: Computational principles, biological plausibility, and implications for neurophysiology and psychophysics

A decision-theoretic formulation of visual saliency, first proposed for top-down processing (object recognition) (Gao & Vasconcelos, 2005a ), is extended to the problem of bottom-up saliency. Under this formulation, optimality is defined in the minimum probability of error sense, under a constraint of computational parsimony. The saliency of the visual features at a given location of the visual field is defined as the power of those features to discriminate between the stimulus at the location and a null hypothesis. For bottom-up saliency, this is the set of visual features that surround the location under consideration. Discrimination is defined in an information-theoretic sense and the optimal saliency detector derived for a class of stimuli that complies with known statistical properties of natural images. It is shown that under the assumption that saliency is driven by linear filtering, the optimal detector consists of what is usually referred to as the standard architecture of V1: a cascade of linear filtering, divisive normalization, rectification, and spatial pooling. The optimal detector is also shown to replicate the fundamental properties of the psychophysics of saliency: stimulus pop-out, saliency asymmetries for stimulus presence versus absence, disregard of feature conjunctions, and Weber's law. Finally, it is shown that the optimal saliency architecture can be applied to the solution of generic inference problems. In particular, for the class of stimuli studied, it performs the three fundamental operations of statistical inference: assessment of probabilities, implementation of Bayes decision rule, and feature selection.
The content of troponin, tropomyosin, actin, and myosin in rabbit skeletal muscle myofibrils.

Abstract A stacking sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis system has been used to resolve and quantify all the major myofibrillar protein components (actin, myosin, tropomyosin, and troponin C, T, and I). Quantification was achieved by densitometry of the fast green-stained gels calibrated with the use of purified proteins. The approximate molar ratios of these proteins in rabbit muscle are: actin: myosin: tropomyosin: troponin T: troponin I: troponin C = 7:1:1:1:1:1. On the basis of these results and available structural information one obtains an estimate of 254 myosin molecules per thick filament.
Beyond the catalytic core of ALDH: a web of important residues begins to emerge

Site-directed mutagenesis was performed in class 3 aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) on both strictly conserved, non-glycine residues, Glu-333 and Phe-335. Both lie in Motif 8 and are indicated to be of central catalytic importance from their positions in the tertiary structure. In addition, a highly conserved residue at the end of Motif 8, Pro-337, and Asp-247, which interacts with the main chain of Motif 8, were also mutated. All substitutions were conservative. Kinetic values clearly show that Glu-333 and Phe-335 are crucial to efficient catalysis, along with Asp-247. Pro-337 appears to have a different role, most likely relating to folding.
A neonate with left pulmonary artery thrombosis and left lung hypoplasia: a case report

Spontaneous intrauterine arterial thrombosis and congenital pulmonary hypoplasia are rare conditions and have not been reported to occur together. The literature rather includes two reports of babies with neonatal pulmonary artery occlusion and post-infarction cysts of the lungs. We report a case of a live Caucasian male newborn with left lung hypoplasia that occurred in association with left pulmonary artery thrombosis. Despite a critical neonatal course, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, this infant is alive and well at 18 months of age without any neurodevelopmental sequelae or reactive airway disease. This association suggests the possibility of an intrauterine vascular event between the fifth and eighth weeks of gestation during early pulmonary artery and lung development.
Neutron magnetic scattering from F.C.C. iron alloys

Paramagnetic diffuse scattering of thermal neutrons by two gamma phase iron alloys (Fe/sub 0.88/Mn/sub 0.12/ and Fe/sub 0.71/Cr/sub 0.18/ Ni/sub 0.11/) measured at room and elevated temperatures, indicates that the iron carries a moment of approximately one-half Bohr magneton. Measurement of the coherent scattering at 4.2 deg K showed no evidence for antiferromagnetism in the stainless steel. (auth)
Doxycycline Pleurodesis for Pneumothorax in Patients With AIDS

Since first described in 1984, nontraumatic pneumothoraces in patients with AIDS has become more common. When compared with spontaneous pneumothorax in the general population, pneumothoraces in patients with AIDS are often complicated by prolonged air leaks as well as higher recurrence rates. Chemical pleurodesis has an important role in the management of these complications. The most experience with chemical pleurodesis uses tetracycline hydrochloride as the sclerosing agent; however, this agent is no longer available. Doxycycline has been used in pleurodesis of malignant effusions, but its use in managing pneumothoraces is limited. We present five patients who have AIDS with a total of seven pneumothoraces. Each patient experienced a persistent air leak. Six of the pneumothoraces were managed successfully with doxycycline. Although the follow-up period was limited, there were no recurrences noted and the only side effect seen was chest pain in four which was easily controlled with narcotics. Doxycycline sclerotherapy can be used effectively for pleurodesis in the management of nontraumatic pneumothorax in the patient with AIDS.
Local control of blood flow

Organ blood flow is determined by perfusion pressure and vasomotor tone in the resistance vessels of the organ. Local factors that regulate vasomotor tone include myogenic and metabolic autoregulation, flow-mediated and conducted responses, and vasoactive substances released from red blood cells. The relative importance of each of these factors varies over time, from tissue to tissue, and among vessel generations.
A New Generation of the “FUGI” Model — A Global Early Warning System for National and International Conflicts

Abstract The purpose of this paper is two-fold: namely, to introduce ongoing global modeling activities at Soka University's Institute of Applied Economic Research and to explain a new generation of the FUGI Model designed to serve as a global early warning system for national and international conflicts. It covers (1) scope and methodology, (2) the main features of the “Global Early Warning System,” and (3) measures to prevent occurrences of national and international conflicts.
How consumer-generated images shape important consumption outcomes in the food domain

Purpose – The purpose of the present research is to investigate consumer-generated images (CGI), or images of products and experiences that are produced and controlled by consumers, particularly in the food domain, and the influence that producing such images has on the consumer creating the image. Design/methodology/approach – The authors present three studies that manipulate the type of food (indulgent vs healthy) and whether participants create CGI prior to consumption. Data were analyzed using a combination of ANOVA and PROCESS. Findings – It is shown that producing CGI causes a momentary active delay in consumption, which increases the savoring associated with consumption of pleasurable (i.e. indulgent) foods and, in effect, increases attitudes and taste evaluations of the experience when consumption actually takes place. When descriptive social norms regarding healthy eating are made salient, CGI can also lead to more favorable outcomes for less pleasurable (i.e. healthy) foods. Practical implicatio...
Genetic Sequence Patents: Historical Justification and Current Impacts

In 1980, the United States Supreme Court in Diamond v. Chakrabarty authorized the patenting of a genetically-engineered living organism. The Court indicated that this was an invention, not a product of nature and said that “[t]he laws of nature, physical phenomena, and abstract ideas have been held not patentable. Thus, a new mineral discovered in the earth or a new plant found in the wild is not patentable subject matter.” Nevertheless, in an erroneous application of the case, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) began allowing patents to be issued on genetic sequences when “isolated from their natural state and purified.” The proponents of gene patents claim that legal precedents allowing the patenting of isolated and purified products of nature justify the patenting of genetic sequences. They claim that the remaining genetic sequence is an “invention” since it has been “isolated” (taken out of the body) and “purified” (had non-coding regions removed). In this project, we tested that claim by analyzing U.S. court cases at all levels that either specifically or indirectly address the products of nature doctrine (including all cases that specifically claim that isolation and purification transforms an unpatentable product of nature into a patentable invention). In analyzing the patent cases, we assessed the application of the products of nature doctrine from the late-1800s until today and undertook research to identify the product or process claimed in each patent and the relationship of that product or process to something that occurred in nature.
Room Temperature Emission from Erbium Nanoparticles Embedded in a Silicon Matrix

Strong room temperature photoluminescence emission from thin films of Er nanoparticles embedded in a matrix of silicon is reported. The Er nanoparticles were produced by a pulsed laser ablation supersonic expansion technique. After a heat treatment at 500°C in an Ar-atmosphere, intense Er-related luminescence appears at λ = 1.54 µm, characteristic of intra-4f emission from Er3+. Only a 50% reduction in photoluminescence intensity is observed as the temperature increases from 4 K to 300 K. A photocarrier mediated process is responsible for the excitation of the optically active Er-centers.
A zonal computational approach to thrust augmentor optimization

Aviscous-inviscidinteractionmethodolcgy based on a zonal description of the flowfield is developed as a means of predicting the perfonnanceoftwo-dimensionalthrustacqmnw ejectors. An inviscid zone comprising the irrotational flow about the device is patched together with a viscous zone containing the turbulent mixing flow. The inviscid region is computed by a higher order panel method, while an integral method is used for the description of the viscous part. A non-linear, constrained optimization study is undertaken for the design of the inlet region. In this study, the viscous-inviscid analysis is complimented with an algebraic penaltyfunctiontoaccountforflowseparation. The thrust-based Reynolds number as well as the free stream velocity are shown to be important parameters in the design of a thrust augmentor inlet.
Research start Calibration Based on BOSCH ME7 System

The article based on BOSCH ME7 system for light-duty gasoline vehicles starting condition calibration research.According to the starting of the engine fuel injection,ignition,gas phase and other aspects to calibration the starting of the engine speed,lambda,ignition angle,in order to get a better start performance.
Hormonal responses and their effect on metabolism.

The author reviews the endocrine response to major stress and relates these hormonal changes to the alterations in physiology and biochemistry of critically ill surgical patients.
Perspectivalism and Blaming

Using the combination of two views of blame (T. M. Scanlon and J. J. C Smart), I will argue in favor of a thesis I refer to as perspectivalism; that blame from the perspective of a third party is fundamentally a different sort of thing than blame from the perspective of an injured party. Using both examples that focus on hypocrites and moral luck cases, I will attempt to give reasons to why perspectivalism has strong explanatory value. Focusing on cases that involve hypocrites, I will attempt to show that two statements about hypocrites are true if we accept perspectivalism. First, that as many philosophers have noted, hypocrites lose their standing to blame from a third party perspective. Second, utilizing my new understanding of blaming as the injured party, I will conclude that hypocrites retain their standing to blame in virtue of their relationship to the wrong doing. In the case of the moral luck examples, I will give an example that shows the complexity that the two types of blame described. Ultimately, I will be arguing that a correct general theory of blame must take into consideration the blamer’s placement relative to an instance of wrongdoing using the explanatory value of the hypocrite cases.
Screening for Breast Cancer.

S.O. is a 47-year-old woman who presents to your office for a well-woman visit. She is healthy, takes no medications, and has no health concerns. She has never been diagnosed with breast cancer, nor have any of her first-degree relatives. Her digital mammography two years ago was negative, and she asks whether she should be screened again this year.
Search for the SM Scalar in the $$WH\rightarrow e\mu \tau _h$$ Channel

The cross section for the associated production of the SM scalar boson with a W boson is several times larger compared to the associated production with a Z boson, but the background reduction is less strong because of a less clean signature.
Finite Element Implementation of Contact Interaction

In this chapter, a finite element discretization is applied to the continuum equations developed in Chapter 4, thereby exposing the contact contribution to a global discrete equation system corresponding to a solid mechanical system featuring contact/impact interaction. It should be noted that the resulting expressions are either similar or equivalent to formulations from the literature for certain subcases. For example, the finite element equations developed in this chapter, for the special case of frictionless contact, are equivalent to those given by [WS85] for bilinear contact in two dimensions, and to those of [Par89] for trilinear discretizations in three dimensions. In the frictional regime, the finite element equations of this work resemble those of [JT88] or [WVVS90] for the specific case of bilinear discretization in two dimensions. For three dimensional friction, the work summarized in [RNH90], although specific to the rigid obstacle problem, is similar to the approach proposed here.
Constitutional and Statutory Treatment of Drug Testing in the United States

Drug testing brings together two worlds normally viewed as unrelated in the treatment of rights and responsibilities: the workplace and criminal law enforcement. Testing for the presence of metabolites consistent with illegal drug use is a highly intrusive search of a person. Given the invasion of privacy resulting from any search of a person or place, the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits government from conducting searches without a warrant issued by a court upon a showing of probable cause. Broadening the power of an employer to search employees through drug testing must draw comparisons with government searches under the Fourth Amendment. Such a comparison raises questions about society’s vision of the workplace, including employee rights and the scope of employer power. Should the government use methods of criminal law enforcement when acting as an employer? Should private employers be able to assume a police power by using these same enforcement methods against employees? What restrictions and obligations should be placed on employers who test employees for drugs? Is there any justification for the loss of privacy of employees subjected to sweeping drug testing?
Fostering Students' Comprehension of Topographic Maps

Novice earth science students often have difficulty visualizing three-dimensional interpretations of flat, two-dimensional displays. This challenge becomes apparent when students attempt to comprehend topographic maps. In this study, we investigated conditions that influence such activity. Earth science students viewed standard topographic maps, maps that included shading, maps that included stereo visualization (affording a three-dimensional percept of the map), or maps with both stereo visualization and shading. Students answered line-of-sight questions (i.e., intervisibility tasks) while viewing their assigned map. These questions required students to visualize a route-perspective from the map's survey-perspective, with particular attention to the terrain relief. Tasks like this are routinely completed during topographic map experiences, and provide insight into a user's understanding of the dynamic land surfaces conveyed by those maps. Overall, stereo visualization was more successful than shading in ...