cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Assessment Matrix for Evaluating Engineering Programs

In this paper we describe the use of an assessment matrix to help faculty develop an assessment plan for their engineering program. Use of the matrix assures that each of the key steps in an effective assessment plan is addressed: setting goals and objectives; selecting performance criteria; planning an implementation strategy; choosing appropriate measures; setting a timeline; and providing timely feedback. The matrix has been used successfully to provide an assessment framework for engineering curricula, individual courses, and educational research projects.
Analysis of High Frequency Squeal in a Disc-Brake System Using a Stick-Slip Friction Model

This paper presents a two degree of freedom (2-DOF) stick-slip friction model for studying the effect of contact stiffness on the stability of the system. It is shown that the stability is not only a function of non-linear variation in the friction force provide by stick-slip but also depends on the variation in stiffness of contact due to the formation of friction layers on the surface of the rotor and the brake pad. Parametric studies have been presented to show the effect of variation in coefficient of friction and contact stiffness on the system stability.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Methods of assessing the long-run equilibrium value of an exchange rate

Abstract The many industrial countries which have in recent years opted for a managed floating exchange rate regime are now in need of methods for assessing the appropriateness of their exchange rates and for guiding their exchange rate management policies. Three methods are considered here: the purchasing power parity (PPP) method, the underlying payments disequilibria (UPD) approach, and the asset-market disturbances (AMD) method. All three methods are found to have serious weaknesses, but, if used with care, provide rough yardsticks that would help the authorities in preventing their exchange rates from becoming widely undervalued or overvalued.
Multidimensional agreement in Byzantine systems

Consider a network of $$n$$n processes, where each process inputs a $$d$$d-dimensional vector of reals. All processes can communicate directly with others via reliable FIFO channels. We discuss two problems. The multidimensional Byzantine consensus problem, for synchronous systems, requires processes to decide on a single $$d$$d-dimensional vector $$v \in {\mathbb {R}}^d$$v?Rd, inside the convex hull of $$d$$d-dimensional vectors that were input by the non-faulty processes. Also, the multidimensional Byzantine approximate agreement (MBAA) problem, for asynchronous systems, requires processes to decide on multiple $$d$$d-dimensional vectors in $${\mathbb {R}}^d$$Rd, all within a fixed Euclidean distance $$\epsilon $$∈ of each other, and inside the convex hull of $$d$$d-dimensional vectors that were input by the non-faulty processes. We obtain the following results for the problems above, while tolerating up to $$f$$f Byzantine failures in systems with complete communication graphs: (1) In synchronous systems, $$n > \max \{3f, (d+1)f\}$$n>max{3f,(d+1)f} is necessary and sufficient to solve the multidimensional consensus problem. (2) In asynchronous systems, $$n > (d+2)f$$n>(d+2)f is necessary and sufficient to solve the multidimensional approximate agreement problem. Our sufficiency proofs are constructive, giving explicit protocols for the problems. In particular, for the MBAA problem, we give two protocols with strictly different properties and applications.
On the convective properties of magnetospheric Bernstein Waves

Recent plasma wave observations made by the ISEE and GEOS satellites of the electrostatic cyclotron harmonic waves have been consistent with and organized very well within the theoretical framework of Bernstein waves excited in magnetospheric plasma. Attention is given to an examination of a number of effects that result simply from the convective properties of Bernstein waves in a magnetospheric plasma environment. The roles of wave trapping in plasma density depressions and partial trappings near the magnetic equator are discussed. Certain future wave observations are suggested that can improve the understanding of this magnetospheric wave phenomenon.
Self-limited neonatal hyperparathyroidism in familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia

Organ-specific autoantibodies i n children with common endocrine diseases. J PEDIATR 1982;100:8. 6. Bestenie PA, Bonnyns M, Vanhaelst L. Grades of subclinical hypothyroidism in asymptomatic autoimmune thyroiditis revealed by the thyrotropin releasing hormone test. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1980;51:163. 7. Gordin A, Saarinen P, Pelkonnen R, Lambert BA. Serum thyrotropin response to thyrotropin releasing hormone in symptomless autoimmune thyroiditis and borderline and overhypothyroidism. Acta Endocrinol 1974;75:274. 8. Grufieiro de Papendieck L, Iorcansky S, Rivarola MA, Bergadfi. C. Variations in clinical, hormonal and serological expressions of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT) in children and adolescents. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 1982; 16:19. 9. Loeb PB, Drasb AL, Kenny FM. Prevalence of low titre and "negative" antithyroglobulin antibodies in biopsy proved juvenile Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Pediatrics 1973;82:17. 10. Rallison ML, Dobyns BM, Keating FR, Rall JE, Zyler FH. Occurrence and natural history of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis in childhood. J PEDIATR 1975;86:675. 11. Burtnan KD, Baker JR. Immuno mechanisms in Graves' disease. Endocrin Rev 1985;6:183. 12. Hollingsworth DR, McKean HE, Roeckel I. Goiter, immunological observations, and thyroid function tests in Down's syndrome. Am J Dis Child 1974;127:524.
The Diagnosis of Lyme Disease: Rewards and Perils

Excerpt Lyme disease, or, as it is increasingly called, Lyme borreliosis, is currently the commonest arthropodborne infection in the United States and Europe (1, 2). It also appears to be a frequen...
Purine and pyrimidine ribonucleotide contents of rat liver and hepatoma 3924A and the effect of ischemia.

Abstract Concentrations of 15 ribonucleotides were measured in freeze-clamped rat liver and rapidly growing hepatoma 3924A. The CTP content of the hepatoma was more than 500% of the liver concentration, and GMP was 300% of the liver value. ATP was decreased in the hepatoma (43% of liver concentration); other nucleotides showed smaller differences. In liver, 10 min of ischemia resulted in loss of 76% of the ATP, whilst AMP increased. Total adenine ribonucleotides decreased over this period, and the loss was accounted for by formation of IMP, which increased 75-fold. GTP and CTP levels also decreased in ischemic liver, but UTP remained constant. In contrast, the hepatoma was able to maintain ribonucleoside triphosphate concentrations in ischemia.
Role of circulating complement and polymorphonuclear leukocyte transfusion in treatment and outcome in critically ill neonates with sepsis

We examined the effects of early administration of polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) transfusions in neonates with sepsis by prospectively randomizing 35 consecutive critically ill infants with sepsis, 21 of whom received PMN transfusions in addition to supportive care, one ransfusion every 12 hours for a total of five transfusions. Each transfusion consisted of 15 mL/kg containing 0.5 to 1.0×10 9 PMN with less than 10% lymphocytes, and was subjected to 1500 rads. PMNs were obtained by continuous-flow centrifugation leukopheresis. Pretreatment values that did not significantly affect survival included weight, gestational age, sex, prematurity, C-reactive protein, initial hematocrit, platelet count and absolute granulocyte count (AGC ≤1500/mm 3 ), IgM, IgG, IgA, neutrophil supply pool depletion, hypoxia, acidosis, and hypotension. Postnatal age was significantly lower in the nontransfused group than in the transfused group; 2.3±0.6 vs 6.1±2.2, (P
Persistent Methicillin-RESISTANT Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia due to a Prostatic Abscess

This report describes a patient with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia secondary to a prostatic abscess. The literature describing complications of S. aureus bacteremia and the bacteriology of prostatic abscesses is reviewed. This was found to be the first report of a patient with persistent MRSA bacteremia maintained by a prostatic focus.
Helicopter tail rotor noise

A study was made of helicopter tail rotor noise, particularly that due to interactions with the main rotor tip vortices, and with the fuselage separation mean wake. The tail rotor blade-main rotor tip vortex interaction is modelled as an airfoil of infinite span cutting through a moving vortex. The vortex and the geometry information required by the analyses are obtained through a free wake geometry analysis of the main rotor. The acoustic pressure-time histories for the tail rotor blade-vortex interactions are then calculated. These acoustic results are compared to tail rotor loading and thickness noise, and are found to be significant to the overall tail rotor noise generation. Under most helicopter operating conditions, large acoustic pressure fluctuations can be generated due to a series of skewed main rotor tip vortices passing through the tail rotor disk. The noise generation depends strongly upon the helicopter operating conditions and the location of the tail rotor relative to the main rotor.
Quantum critical effects on transition temperature of magnetically mediated p -wave superconductivity

We determine the behavior of the critical temperature of magnetically mediated p-wave superconductivity near a ferromagnetic quantum critical point in three dimensions, distinguishing universal and nonuniversal aspects of the result. We find that the transition temperature is nonzero at the critical point, raising the possibility of superconductivity in the ferromagnetic phase.
Maintenance of the supercooled state in the gut fluid of overwintering pyrochroid beetle larvae, Dendroides canadensis : role of ice nucleators and antifreeze proteins

The effect of gut fluid ice nucleators and antifreeze proteins on maintenance of supercooling was explored in fire-colored beetle larvae, Dendroides canadensis, via seasonal monitoring of supercooling points, antifreeze protein activity and ice nucleator activity of gut fluid and/or larvae. During cold hardening in the field, freeze-avoiding larvae evacuated their guts and depressed larval supercooling points. Analysis of gut fluid indicated supercooling points and ice nucleator activity decreased, whereas antifreeze protein activity increased as winter approached. Suspensions of bacteria isolated from guts of feeding larvae collected in spring/summer had higher supercooling points than those from midwinter-collected non-feeding larvae, suggesting bacterial ice nucleators are removed from midwinter gut fluid. The ice nucleation active bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens was isolated from gut fluid of feeding larvae but was absent in winter. When mixed with purified D.␣canadensis hemolymph antifreeze proteins (structurally similar and/or identical to those in gut fluid), the cumulative ice nucleus spectra of P. fluorescens suspensions were shifted to lower temperatures indicating an inhibitory effect on the bacteria's ice-nucleating phenotype. By extending larval supercooling capacity, both gut clearing and masking of bacterial ice nucleators by antifreeze proteins may contribute to overwintering survival in supercooled insects.
Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR to gauge increased protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR-1) mRNA copy numbers in the Wobbler mutant mouse.

Thrombin acts on cells through the surface protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR-1), a G-protein-coupled member of the seven-transmembrane domain superfamily. On neural cells, thrombin has deleterious effects, killing neurons through apoptosis. Consequently, knowledge of PAR-1 expression in the nervous system may help to elucidate the role of thrombin in neurodegenerative disease. We developed a mimic construct to facilitate the highly sensitive technique of quantitative reverse transcriptase to PCR (qRT-PCR) to measure the differential expression of low copy number PAR-1 mRNA in neurodegenerative model systems. In this article, we report our results comparing homozygouswobbler (wr/wr) mice and normal littermates. By optimizing the transcription and quantitative PCR procedures to facilitate rapid copy number determination in small RNA samples, we documented a fivefold greater level of PAR-1 mRNA in the cervical spinal cord ofwr/wr.
The relationship between indicators of sexual compulsivity and high risk sexual practices among men and women receiving services from a sexually transmitted infection clinic.

Sexual compulsivity, defined by sexual preoccupation and lack of sexual impulse control, is related to high‐risk sexual behaviors. However, little is known about the prevalence and predictors of sexual compulsivity in people at high risk for contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In the current study, patients receiving diagnostic and treatment services (85% African American) at an urban STI clinic completed measures of demographic characteristics, sexual compulsivity, substance use, and sexual behaviors. Measures were administered to 492 men and 193 women using confidential procedures and audio computer‐assisted interviewing technology. Results showed that men and women receiving STI clinic services frequently endorsed multiple indicators of sexual compulsivity. In this mostly African American sample, individuals with scores above the 80th percentile on the sexual compulsivity scale (translating to over one standard deviation above the mean) had more sex partners, engaged in higher rates of ...
High mobility W-doped In2O3 thin films: Effect of growth temperature and oxygen pressure on structural, electrical and optical properties

Abstract Highly conducting and transparent thin films of tungsten (W)-doped indium oxide were obtained using pulsed laser deposition to study the effect of growth temperature and oxygen pressure on structural, optical and electrical properties. The transparency of the films is seen to largely depend on the growth temperature. The electrical properties, however, are found to depend strongly on both the growth temperature and the oxygen pressure. High mobility (up to 358 cm 2 V −1 s −1 ), low resistivity (1.1 × 10 −4 Ω cm), and relatively high transmittance (∼90%) tungsten-doped indium oxide films have been prepared at a growth temperature of 500 °C and an oxygen pressure of 1 × 10 −6 bar.
Testing the incremental utility of the negative impression–positive impression differential in detecting simulated personality assessment inventory profiles

The usefulness of multiscale inventories depends on their ability to evaluate response styles effectively, such as fake-bad (feigning) and fake-good (defensiveness) profiles. The current investigation combined validity data across clinical, nonclinical, and simulating samples to evaluate the usefulness of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) negative impression (NIM)-positive impression (PIM) difference score to detect simulated profiles. In general, its effect sizes were not appreciably different from those afforded by NIM and PIM alone. Likewise, its incremental contributions in logistic regression were minimal. These results do not support the routine use of a NIM-PIM difference score in detecting response styles with the PAI.
Effects of environmental changes on the incorporation of carbon atoms of pyruvate into mouse brain and liver.

L'incorporation des atomes radioactifs de 1-14C-pyruvate dans le cerveau des souris est plus marquee quand les animaux ont soumis a un isolement prolonge.
Multi‐model trends in East African rainfall associated with increased CO2

[1] Nineteen coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Program (CMIP) were used to analyze future rainfall conditions over East Africa under enhanced CO2 conditions. 80 year control runs of these models indicated that four models produced mean annual rainfall distributions closely resembling climatological means and all four models had normalized root mean square errors well within the bounds of observed variability. East African (10°N–20°S, 25°–50°E) rainfall data from transient 80 year experiments which featured CO2 increases of 1% per year were compared with 80 year control simulations. Results indicate enhanced annual and seasonal rainfall rates, and increased extreme wet period frequency. These results indicate that East Africa may face a future in which mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and Rift Valley fever proliferate resulting from increased CO2.
Immunolocalization of the inducible nitric oxide synthase isoform in human fetal membranes

PROBLEM: Nitric oxide (NO) synthesized by fetal membranes may protect the fetus from maternal infection or immune challenge or have a tocolytic effect on myometrium. The sites of synthesis and enzymes responsible for NO production in human fetal membranes remain unidentified. METHOD OF STUDY: Fetal membranes were obtained from four groups of patients: term (>37 weeks gestation) or preterm (<37 weeks gestation), both either in labor or not in labor. Frozen sections of membrane rolls were immunostained for inducible (iNOS) and endothelial (eNOS) nitric oxide synthase isoforms and the monocyte/macrophage marker CD14. RESULTS: Positive iNOS immunostaining was found in fibroblasts of amnionic and chorionic mesenchyme and in decidual macrophages identified by CD14 from all four groups of tissues. No iNOS immunostaining was seen in amnion epithelium or chorion trophoblast. Very intense iNOS staining was seen with evidence of monocyte/macrophage invasion of membranes. eNOS immunostaining was only found in decidual vascular endothelium. CONCLUSIONS: Constitutive expression of iNOS in decidual macrophages and fetal membrane fibroblasts may form an immune barrier against maternal insult. In chorioamnionitis, macrophage recruitment and NO expression may be part of the maternal immune response.
Analysis of organophosphorus pesticides in water samples using a continuous membrane permeation extractor

Abstract A membrane permeation method used for the determination of organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) at trace levels in water is described. OPPs were collected on Tenax-TA polymeric resin after permeating through a silicone polycarbonate membrane. OPPs were then stripped by thermal desorption and directed into a gas chromatograph using a helium stream for quantitative analysis. A linear relationship was found between the mass collected on Tenax-TA and the product of external concentration and exposure time. The method detection limits (MDL) for OPPs were 0.26–2.37 μg/l with the relative standard deviations (R.S.D.) less than 20%. This method provides an easy, low-cost way of preconcentrating samples. It eliminates the involvement of any organic solvent, and has the potential for automated on-site analysis of OPPs in water.
Fiber optic biosensor for cyclodiene insecticides

Chlorendic caproic acid (CCA) was used to synthesize hexachlorocyclopentadienefluorescein (FL) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) conjugates. Anti-CCA antibodies (CCA−Abs), which were raised against BSA−CCA and immobilized on quartz fibers, bound FL−CCA selectively and reversibly. Fluorescence generated by evanescent excitation of the bound FL−CCA was used to monitor the binding event. The affinity of CCA−Abs for FL−CCA (KD = 1.9 nM) was calculated from the time courses of association and dissociation of FL−CCA. The cyclodiene insecticides chlordane, heptachlor, dieldrin, endrin, aldrin, and endosulfan competed with FL−CCA for binding to CCA−Abs and reduced fluorescence in a concentration-dependent manner with the following rank order: chlordane > heptachlor > dieldrin > aldrin > endosulfan. This fiber optic fluoroimmunosensor detects cyclodiene insecticides at the ppb level, has low cross-reactivity with γ-hexachlorocyclohexane, and does not detect (p,p'-dichlorodiphenyl)trichloroethane (DDT). Keywords: Cyc...
Correcting the Effects of Mismatches in Time-Interleaved Analog Adaptive FIR Equalizers

Analog discrete-time finite-impulse-response (FIR) filters have been used as equalizers in digital communication receivers. For high speed applications, an FIR equalizer can be implemented using parallel sample-and-holds (S/Hs) and time-interleaved equalizer channels. Mismatches among the parallel S/Hs degrade the equalizer performance. This paper addresses mismatches of DC offsets, gain errors, sample-time errors, and bandwidths in the S/Hs. It is shown that having a different set of adapted coefficients in each equalizer channel can reduce the effects of mismatches. Simulation results are presented for different communication channels.
Substrate bias effect of the activated reactive evaporation processed β-SiC thin films

Abstract β -SiC film prepared by the activated reactive evaporation (ARE) process, using Si as evaporation source and C 2 H 2 as reactive gas, was proposed as a thermoelement of potential β -SiC/MoSi 2 thin film thermocouples [1]. In this paper, some of the important factors determining the sensor performance, i.e., structural, electrical, and mechanical properties of the silicon carbide films, were studied as a function of one of the important ARE process parameters, i.e., substrate bias, to improve the film quality and obtain the optimum deposition conditions for the β -SiC films with the properties suitable for thin film thermocouples. It was found that the film properties were very much dependent on substrate bias. The best quality β -SiC films with a C/Si ratio of 1.17 were obtained under optimum deposition conditions, i.e., C 2 H 2 pressure 3 mTorr, substrate temperature 700 °C, ARE electrode voltage +150 V, and substrate bias −50V. Summarizing their electrical and mechanical properties: (i) conduction type, n-type; (ii) electrical resistivity, 4.8Ω·cm; (iii) carrier density, 6.5 × 10 16 cm −3 ; (iv) Hall mobility, 19.4cm 2 /Vs; (v) Vickers hardness, 3680 kg mm −2 at 25 g load; and (vi) Knoop hardness, 2060 kg mm −2 at 100 g load.
Design Robust Nonlinear Controllers for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles with Comparison of Simulated and At-sea Test Data

Successful controller development involves three distinct stages, namely, control law design, code debugging and field test. For Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) applications, the first two stages require special strategies. Since the dynamics of an AUV is highly nonlinear, and the environment that an AUV operates in is noisy with external disturbance that cannot be neglected, a robust control law must be considered in the first stage. The control law design is even more difficult when optimal criteria are also involved. In the second stage, since the software architecture on an AUV is very complicated, debugging the controllers alone without all the software routines running together often can not reveal subtle faults in the controller code. Thorough debugging needs at-sea test, which is costly. Therefore, a platform that can help designers debug and evaluate controller performance before any at-sea experiment is highly desirable. Recently, a 6 Degree of Freedom (DOF) AUV simulation toolbox was develo...
Relating systems concepts and public planning

Scientism so pervades our society that its methodological arm, the research approach, is assumed to be de rigeur for establishing policies and solving problems. Using the research approach, modern disciplinary developments created many techniques, such as operations research/management science/systems analysis (OR/MS/SA), ostensibly for finding solutions to pressing organizational and societal problems.
The Legal Process

Being named in a malpractice case may be one of the most stressful events in a physician's career and participating in a trial is likely to be remembered for a lifetime. Despite the climate of tort reform, it is a system that is unlikely to change anytime soon. By understanding and knowing the system and proactively participating in one's own defense, the traumatic experience of being named in a malpractice case may be mitigated.
A Parent-Teen Collaborative Treatment Model for Academically Impaired High School Students With ADHD ☆

Abstract The current study pilots a low-intensity behavioral intervention for parents and high school students with ADHD that promotes parent-teen collaboration at home and in session (Supporting Teens’ Academic Needs Daily-Group; STAND-G). Twenty-three high school students with ADHD and their parents were randomly assigned to receive an 8-week behavioral treatment beginning in October, January, or March. Weekly data were collected from students’ online grade books for 37 weeks of the school year to monitor changes in academic functioning through baseline, posttreatment, and follow-up phases. Students who had not yet received the treatment served as a control group for students who completed treatment. Qualitative and quantitative ratings of satisfaction, improvement, and parent implementation of home-based behavioral strategies were collected. Results indicated parent and teen satisfaction with STAND-G, parent compliance with intervention strategies, and a range of parent-rated therapeutic benefits (i.e., organization and time-management skills, academic conscientiousness, parent-teen communication, adolescent autonomy). Findings for the objective grade book data were mixed, with Group 2 (January), but not Group 1 (October), displaying identifiable acute improvements relative to control students. However, both groups evaluated at follow-up displayed meaningful improvements in the percentage of work turned in up to 2 months out of treatment. With these results in mind, we discuss the importance of tailoring interventions to the lives of high school students with ADHD and the future of treatment development and delivery for this often underserved population.
Exchange and Correlation Corrections to the Electron-Phonon Interaction

The method of Bardeen and Pines for treating electron-phonon interactions in normal metals is extended to include exchange and correlation effects. The interaction matrix element is found to depend not only on electron momentum transfer but also on the initial electron wave vector. An average over initial wave vector direction is therefore made; the average taken is discussed as being more reasonable than that of Bailyn in a previous treatment. Shielding is also introduced in a more physical manner than in Bailyn's paper\char22{}via the dielectric constant as it arises in the random phase approximation. An alternate method of treating the problem in the long wavelength limit\char22{}employing deformation potential techniques\char22{}verifies the results of the above method in this limit.
Biopsy proven eradication of an aneurysmal bone cyst treated by superselective embolization: A case report

A large aneurysmal bone cyst of the upper tibia in a 17-year-old patient was treated by superselective embolization with excellent clinical and radiological results. Extensive curettage and detailed pathologic analysis performed 2 years following embolization revealed only healing bone. The presented case and reviewed cases in the literature indicate that embolization is a promising method for definitive therapy of the aneurysmal bone cyst.
Socio‐demographic disparities in distribution shifts over time in various adiposity measures among American children and adolescents: What changes in prevalence rates could not reveal

Background. While obesity prevalence in the US has been increasing, adiposity shifts may vary across socio-demographic groups, and various adiposity measures may reveal different patterns. Methods. To study changes over time in adiposity measures, distributional shifts in body mass index (BMI, kg/m(2)), BMI-percentile, waist circumference (WC) and triceps skinfold thickness (TST), and compare between-group differences, National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) III 1988-94 and 1999-2004 from children aged 2-19 years old data were analyzed. Annual shift in adiposity measures across percentiles were shown as Tukey's mean-difference plots, with percentile-specific mean differences being divided by 10.5 years. Overall and quintile-specific adjusted shifts were estimated from multivariate ordinary least square (OLS) regression models. Results. Mean 10.5-year increases in adiposity were statistically significant, higher in older groups, more pronounced in some sex-ethnic groups (e.g., black girls) and at upper percentiles (more obese groups) for most measures and sex-age-ethnic groups. Adjusted increase in mean BMI was 0.60 in girls and 0.64 in boys; BMI percentile, 3.02 and 3.15 units; WC, 2.85 and 2.42 cm; and TST, 0.81 and 1.18 mm, for girls and boys, respectively. Ethnic, age and sex disparities in mean BMI became wider over time. Several significant ethnic differences in adjusted adiposity shifts within the lowest (Q1) and uppermost (Q5) quintiles of adiposity measure distributions were noted. Conclusions. The increase in adiposity among American children was unequally distributed across groups and varied across the spectrum of various adiposity measures. Overweight groups gained more adiposity over time, especially WC. Solely examining prevalence shifts masks pattern complexity.
Analysis of late operations in transplant patients.

Abstract Objective The charts of 174 consecutive patients were analyzed for incidence, etiology, and outcome of late operations (1 month or more posttransplant) following liver (OLT), kidney (KT), or pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplantation. Materials and methods Clinical and demographic data were analyzed by chi-square analysis and Fisher exact tests to compare subpopulations. All P values Results Censured data revealed 155 patients who did not suffer death or organ loss within 30 days of transplant. Late operations were performed on 89 occasions in 57 patients (65% occurred within 1 year posttransplant) with 20 patients having two or more late operations. Of these 89 procedures, 40% were emergent, 37% were related to the transplant operation, 38% were related to the initial disease, and 73% were major interventions. Fifty-six procedures were performed by the transplant surgery team and all occurred in the same facility as the transplant. Conclusions Transplant recipients have a high incidence (36%) of late operations, most within the first year and most related to either the transplant or the original disease. This heavy operative load is important in planning resource allocation. Oversight by and involvement of the transplantation service in these procedures may contribute to the favorable outcome of these operations.
A Centralized Display for Mission Monitoring

Humans traditionally experience a vigilance decrement over extended periods of time on reliable systems. One possible solution to aiding operators in monitoring is to use polar-star displays that will show deviations from normal in a more salient manner. The primary objectives of this experiment were to determine if polar-star displays aid in monitoring and preliminary diagnosis of the aircraft state. This experiment indicated that the polar-star display does indeed aid operators in detecting and diagnosing system events. Subjects were able to notice system events earlier and they subjectively reported the polar-star display helped them in monitoring, noticing an event, and diagnosing an event. Therefore, these results indicate that the polar-star display used for monitoring and preliminary diagnosis improves performance in these areas for system related events.
Comparison of three-color image segmentation algorithms in four color spaces

In this paper, we describe how three conventional segmentation methods can be generalized to handle color images. The segmentation algorithms we consider are: (1) seed based region growing, (2) directional derivative based edge detection, and (3) recursive split and merge. We then evaluate the effectiveness of these techniques using color difference metrics associated with four different color spaces and a variety of real and synthetic color images. The four color spaces we evaluate are: (1) the spectral primary system (RGB), (2) the NTSC transmission system (YIQ), (3) the hue saturation and brightness system (HLS), and (4) the CIE perceptually uniform space (LAB). We compare these segmentation results using real and synthetic color images which have been 'hand segmented' to determine true object boundaries.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
CD8 Lineage Commitment in the Absence of CD8

The absence of cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity and the failure of MHC class I–restricted T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic thymocytes to mature in CD8α-deficient mice suggest that CD8 may be essential for CD8 lineage commitment. We report that variants of the antigenic peptide that delete TCR transgenic thymocytes from CD8 wild-type but not CD8α-deficient mice can restore positive selection of CD8 lineage cells in the absence of CD8. The positively selected cells down-regulate CD4, up-regulate TCR, respond to the antigenic peptide, and express CD8β mRNA. Interestingly, there was no enhanced selection of CD4+ T cells, implying that the TCR–MHC interaction, even in the absence of CD8, provided instructive signaling for commitment to the CD8 lineage. Our results are discussed in terms of recent models of T cell lineage commitment.
EFFECTS OF AGING AND GENDER ON QT DISPERSION IN AN OVERTLY HEALTHY POPULATION

The objective of this study was to measure the normal variation of QT dispersion (QTd) with respect to age and gender. The QT interval is a measure of the duration of ventricular depolarization and repolarization, while the QTd is a measure of the variability of the ventricular recovery time. The QTd has been suggested as a means of identifying those patients at risk for sustained ventricular tachyarrythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD). A total of 250 patients (120 women, 130 men; age range 20-86 years) were recruited for this study. The QT intervals were measured in each of the 12 standard leads of the electrocardiogram. Data are presented as mean (mu) +/- SD. The QTd did not vary significantly within the same gender. A significant difference (P < 0.001) was noted in QTd between men (age [mu] = 53.3 +/- 15.6 years, QTd = 0.044 +/- 0.019 s) and women (age [mu] = 52.1 +/- 15.1 years, QTd = 0.034 +/- 0.015 s). Overall, men had a greater QTd, while women had a longer QT. In conclusion, we found that men had a longer QTd, which may explain the increased risk of SCD. However, women have a longer QT interval with a smaller QTd. A longer QTmin, as opposed to a longer QTmax, is responsible for the shorter QTd in women. This longer QTmin in women may predispose to an increased risk of drug induced torsades de pointes.
Success Stories: Welfare Reform, Policy Discourse, and the Politics of Research

Welfare reform is now widely hailed as a success. In this article, the authors analyze this public verdict as a political construction. During the 1980s and 1990s, welfare discourse shifted to emphasize concerns over program dependency. This shift not only promoted policy retrenchment, it also defined the terms on which retrenchment would be judged. Specifically, it established caseload levels and studies of program "leavers" as a common frame of reference for judging welfare reform. This article presents evidence that a majority of media stories on welfare reform from 1998 to 2000 offered positive assessments. The authors then show that perceptions of reform as a policy success depend chiefly on the diversion of attention away from standards of evaluation and interpretations of evidence that might suggest failure. They conclude by discussing how the construction of policy success is likely to affect upcoming debates over the renewal of welfare reform.
Mammalian 5′ C-Rich Telomeric Overhangs Are a Mark of Recombination-Dependent Telomere Maintenance

Recent evidence for 5'-cytosine (C)-rich overhangs at the telomeres of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans provided the impetus to re-examine the end structure of mammalian telomeres. Two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis, single telomere-length analysis (STELA), and strand-specific exonuclease assays revealed the presence of a 5'-C-rich overhang at the telomeres of human and mouse chromosomes. C-overhangs were prominent in G1/S arrested as well as terminally differentiated cells, indicating that they did not represent replication intermediates. C-rich overhangs were far more prevalent in tumor cells engaged in the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway of telomere maintenance, which relies on the homologous recombination (HR) machinery. Transient siRNA-based depletion of the HR-specific proteins RAD51, RAD52, and XRCC3 resulted in changes in C-overhang levels, implicating the involvement of 5'-C-overhangs in the HR-dependent pathway of telomere maintenance.
Potential energy surfaces for the interaction of hydrogen atoms with beryllium metal clusters

Abstract With a modified CNDO/2 molecular orbital approach, potential energy surfaces are computed for the attack of beryllium atom clusters simulating “smooth” (0001) and “corrugated” (1010) faces of beryllium metal. Several stable sites for chemisorption are found with binding energies of 40–55 kcal/mole, but penetration of the lattice appears possible at some points. Results are compared with the preliminary ab initio predictions of Bauschlicher, Liskow, Bender and Schaefer.
A nonlinear set-membership filter for on-line applications

A guaranteed estimator for a general class of nonlinear systems and on-line usage is developed and analysed. This filter bounds the linearization error, then applies a linear set-membership filter such that stability guarantees hold for nonlinear systems. A tight bound on the linearization error is found using interval analysis. This filter recursively estimates an ellipsoidal set in which the true state lies. General assumptions include the use of bounded noises and twice continuously differentiable dynamics. When the system is uniformly observable, it is proven that the nonlinear set-membership filter is stable. In addition, if no noise is present and the initial error is small, the error between the centre of the estimated set and the true value converges to zero. The result is an estimator which is computationally attractive and can be implemented robustly in real-time. The proposed method is applied to a two-state example to demonstrate the theoretical results. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Relations among theories of excitation transfer. II. Influence of spectral features on exciton motion

The generalized-master-equation (GME) theory of excitation transfer is applied to the standard model of linearly interacting excitons and phonons, the spectral prescription for memory functions given by Kenkre and Knox is verified for the model, peculiarities of memory functions pertinent to isolated versus open systems are analyzed, and exciton transport relevant to representative memory functions is studied. Physical relations are established between the GME theory and the stochastic-Liouville-equation theories, thus completing the author's earlier formal study of these relations. The influence of spectral features on exciton motion is analyzed in detail and it is shown that the presence of zero-phonon peaks in optical spectra is an indication of long-time coherence in exciton motion. Criteria for the validity of theories in the context of a given real system are developed on the basis of the spectral analysis.
Microcomputers as a university resource

At the turn of the century electric motors were very expensive, so expensive in fact, that a commercial workshop with several machines could not afford to have a separate motor to drive each machine. Therefore, the power of a large central motor was distributed to several machines through a series of belts, shafts and pulleys. As motors became cheaper, this method of supplying mechanical power to machines was abandoned. Each machine was equipped with its own motor which acted as a dedicated supplier of mechanical power to that machine.
Do superantigens play a role in autoimmunity

Abstract Mycoplasma arthritidis produces a typical soluble superantigen (SAg) which shares many characteristics with bacterial toxins and Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus SAg. However, this microbe is associated with an autoimmune-like disorder and this disease may therefore serve as a model to investigate the potential role of a SAg in autoimmune disease pathogenesis.
Hypomethylation of the interferon‐γ gene correlates with its expression by primary T‐lineage cells

To determine the potential role of methylation in the regulation of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) gene transcription by T cells, primary T-lineage cell populations were analyzed for the extent of methylation of three CpG sites within or near transcriptional activator elements in the 5′ flank and first intron of the human IFN-γ gene. A striking correlation was observed between the capacity of the IFN-γ gene to be expressed and the degree of hypomethylation. The IFN-γ gene was virtually completely methylated at all sites in thymocytes, neonatal T cells, and adult CD45RAhiCD45R0lo (antigenically naive) CD4 T cells, cell types that all have a low or undetectable capacity to express the IFN-γ gene. In contrast, there was substantial hypomethylation in T-lineage cell types with relatively high capacities to express the IFN-γ gene, including adult CD8 T cells and adult CD45RAloCD45R0hi (memory/effector) CD4 T cells. These results suggest that hypomethylation of the IFN-γ genetic locus may be an important determinant of IFN-γ gene expression in vivo by T-lineage cells.
An Efficient, Stereocontrolled Synthesis of the 25-(R)-Diastereomer of Dafachronic Acid A from β-Ergosterol

A direct and stereocontrolled synthesis of the 25-(R)-diastereomer of dafachronic acid A from β-ergosterol has been developed.
Comparison of speed and accuracy for selected electronic communication devices and input methods

Four brands of electronic communication devices and three input selection methods were compared in terms of speed and accuracy. Sixteen able-bodied subjects (college students) used one of eight possible device/input method combinations to copy text or engage in a scripted interactive communication task. The printed outputs were analyzed for the number of words generated and the number of errors made. The electronic communication devices included the Equalizer, the EvalPAC, the ScanWRITER, and the Apple Macintosh with Screentyper software. The input selection methods included row-column scanning with a single switch, directed scanning using a joystick, and direct selection/access using head control. Analyses of the subjects' printed outputs, produced following short-term training, showed that the input selection method was a significant factor in text input rate for both text copying and interactive communication. The input method had no significant effect, however, on accuracy during either text copying o...
SOME PROPERTIES OF SINGLE LOOP DIAGRAMS IN PERTURBATION THEORY

Some analytic properties of single loop diagrams are discussed, and in particular it is shown that it is not possible to set up a two-variable spectral representation for production processes.
A Dictyostelium chalone uses G proteins to regulate proliferation

Several studies have shown that organ size, and the proliferation of tumor metastases, may be regulated by negative feedback loops in which autocrine secreted factors called chalones inhibit proliferation. However, very little is known about chalones, and how cells sense them. We previously identified two secreted proteins, AprA and CfaD, which act as chalones in Dictyostelium. Cells lacking AprA or CfaD proliferate faster than wild-type cells, and adding recombinant AprA or CfaD to cells slows their proliferation. We show here that cells lacking the G protein components Galpha8, Galpha9, and Gbeta proliferate faster than wild-type cells despite secreting normal or high levels of AprA and CfaD. Compared with wild-type cells, the proliferation of galpha8 - , galpha9 - and gbeta - cells are only weakly inhibited by recombinant AprA (rAprA). Like AprA and CfaD, Galpha8 and Gbeta inhibit cell proliferation but not cell growth (the rate of increase in mass and protein per nucleus), whereas Galpha9 inhibits both proliferation and growth. galpha8 - cells show normal cell-surface binding of rAprA, whereas galpha9 - and gbeta - cells have fewer cell-surface rAprA binding sites, suggesting that Galpha9 and Gbeta regulate the synthesis or processing of the AprA receptor. Like other ligands that activate G proteins, rAprA induces the binding of [3H]GTP to membranes, and GTPgammaS inhibits the binding of rAprA to membranes. Both AprA-induced [3H]GTP binding and the GTPgammaS inhibition of rAprA binding require Galpha8 and Gbeta but not Galpha9. Like aprA - cells, galpha8 - cells have reduced spore viability. This study shows that Galpha8 and Gbeta are part of the signal transduction pathway used by AprA to inhibit proliferation but not growth in Dictyostelium, whereas Galpha9 is part of a differealnt pathway that regulates both proliferation and growth, and that a chalone signal transduction pathway uses G proteins.
Extraction of on-body creeping wave mechanism using ESPRIT algorithm

The electromagnetic wave propagation on a human body is studied using a measurement approach. First the complex transmission data is collected around a human body at 2.45 GHz using a pair of monopole antennas. The same measurement setup is also used for open space transmission data collection. Comparison between on-body and open space measurements reveals that there is one dominant wave mechanism propagating around the body. Propagation characteristics of this creeping wave mechanism, such as propagation constants and attenuation constants, are extracted from the measurement data using a super resolution algorithm ESPRIT.
Potentials and limitations of robotics: Guides to managerial evaluations

Abstract This article primarily focuses on: the place of robotics within current and prospective advances in manufacturing technology, the impacts of increasing robot utilization on the productivity and costs of users, and resulting effects on the international competitiveness of domestic industries.
Visualizing membership in multiple clusters after fuzzy c-means clustering

Cluster analysis is an exploratory data mining technique that involves grouping data points together based on their similarity. Objects or data points are often similar to points in more than one cluster; this is typically quantified by a measure of membership in a cluster, called fuzziness. Visualizing membership degrees in multiple clusters is the main topic of this paper. We use Orca, a java-based high-dimensional visualization environment, as the implementation platform to test several approaches, including convex hulls, glyphs, coloring schemes, and 3D plots.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Proton-Implantation-Isolated Separate Absorption Charge and Multiplication 4H-SiC Avalanche Photodiodes

We report reach-through structure 4H-SiC avalanche photodiodes isolated by proton implantation. These devices achieved low dark current (85 pA at a gain of 1000) and high external quantum efficiency ( 75% at 260 nm).