cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using Design Metrics to Identify Error-Prone Components of SDL Designs

The goal of our design metrics research is to support the design process of software development by providing validated metrics that can be used to highlight error-prone components in a software design and to determine overall design quality. We have developed a metrics approach for analyzing software designs that helps designers engineer quality into the design product. Two of the design metrics developed are an external design metric, De, that focuses on a module’s external relationships to other modules in the software system, and an internal design metric, Di, that incorporates factors related to a module’s internal structure. Over a nine-year metrics evaluation and validation period, on study data consisting of university-based projects and large-scale industrial software, these design metrics consistently proved to be excellent predictors of error-prone modules. This paper presents the results of a two-year study of SDL designs and error report data from Motorola Corporation. Our collaboration with Motorola was to develop an appropriate mapping from SDL artifacts to design metrics primitives that reflects the experience of industrial software developers, and that will then assist them in identifying error-prone components of their SDL designs. Once the mapping was completed, the design metrics De and Di were computed on SDL designs of existing communications products. We then determined if the stress points identified by the metrics were those SDL components that were either identified by developers as difficult or were indeed error-prone as indicated by error reports produced at Motorola. The results indicate that design metrics can be applied to SDL models to identify error-prone components.
Towards standardization of dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the forearm: a common region of interest (ROI) improves the comparability among DXA devices.

Manufacturer-implemented regions of interest (ROIs) to determine the bone mineral density (BMD) at the forearm are currently not standardized across dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) devices. We hypothesized that their differences introduce considerable variation in measurement results for forearm BMD when taken on different devices, and that a ROIs common to all devices with standardized placement and size significantly improve device comparability. The common ROI was defined to have a fixed length of 2 cm and to extend proximally from the location where the ulna and radius bones superimpose on the DXA image. The effects of universal standardization of forearm BMD were combined with and compared to those of the common ROI. They were drawn on 91 female study participants (ages 20–80 years, 10 per decade) who were scanned on Hologic QDR-4500, Aloka DCS-600EX, GE Lunar PIXI and Norland pDEXA DXA scanners. For all device combinations, manufacturer-implemented ROI root mean-square errors were significantly higher than for the common ROI, suggesting that implementing an ROI with common design on all scanners is a good way to reduce interdevice variability. When manufacturer-implemented ROIs were universally standardized root mean-square error (RMSE) values were less different from that of the nonstandardized Common ROI, suggesting that universal standardization can further improve interdevice comparability even when a common ROI such as the one implemented here is used. ROI standardization dramatically improves interdevice comparability.
Note on generalization, regularization and architecture selection in nonlinear learning systems

The author proposes a new estimate of generalization performance for nonlinear learning systems called the generalized prediction error (GPE) which is based upon the notion of the effective number of parameters p/sub eff/( lambda ). GPE does not require the use of a test set or computationally intensive cross validation and generalizes previously proposed model selection criteria (such as GCV, FPE, AIC, and PSE) in that it is formulated to include biased, nonlinear models (such as back propagation networks) which may incorporate weight decay or other regularizers. The effective number of parameters p/sub eff/( lambda ) depends upon the amount of bias and smoothness (as determined by the regularization parameter lambda ) in the model, but generally differs from the number of weights p. Construction of an optimal architecture thus requires not just finding the weights w/sub lambda /* which minimize the training function U( lambda , w) but also the lambda which minimizes GPE( lambda ). >
The Microwave-Optical Resonance Method

The spectroscopic method of microwave-optical resonance is one of a class of stimulated resonant transition techniques which, over the past 40 years, have exhibited both a remarkable propensity to differentiate and mutate into new forms as details of particular experimental situations have demanded, and a great fertility in producing precise experimental data on atomic and molecular energy levels. The class may be said to have originated with the molecular-beam radio-frequency resonance experiments of Rabi and co-workers at Columbia.(1) Its range of applicability was extended greatly by the development in 1949–50 of the optical double resonance method by Brossel and Kastler(2) and by Bitter(3) and the microwave-optical resonance method by Lamb and Skinner.
ANISOTROPIC CONTACT PROCESS ON HOMOGENEOUS TREES

The existence of a weak survival region is established for the anisotropic symmetric contact process on a homogeneous tree T2d of degree 2d ≥ 4 : For parameter values in a certain connected region of positive Lebesgue measure, the population survives forever with positive probability but ultimately vacates every finite subset of the tree with probability one. In this phase, infection trails must converge to the geometric boundary of the tree. The random subsetof the boundary consisting of all ends of the tree in which the infection survives, called the limit set of the process, is shown to have Hausdorff dimension no larger than one half the Hausdorff dimension of the entire geometric boundary. In addition, there is strict inequality at the transition between weak and strong survival except when the contact process is isotropic. It is further shown that in all cases there is a distinguished probability measure �, supported by , such that the Hausdorff dimension of � ∩µ, where µ is the set of � -generic points of , converges to one half the Hausdorff dimension of µ at the phase separation points. Exact formulae for the Hausdorff dimensions ofand � ∩ µ are obtained. We also prove that the contact process at the transition between extinction and weak survival does not survive. The method developed shows that the contact process at the phase transition to strong survival survives weakly for d ≥ 2.
Maya Codex Book Production and the Politics of Expertise: Archaeology of a Classic Period Household at Xultun, Guatemala

The discovery of mural paintings at the Classic Maya site of Xultun, Guatemala, provides an important context for the study of ancient literacy and writing in practice. The mural chamber was a place of writing where the hands of multiple scribes recorded events and astronomical tabulations on walls that were also painted with portraits of ritual specialists and the reigning king. We present evidence suggesting that creation and inscription of indigenous Maya books, called codices, also took place onsite by a specific cohort of ritual specialists called taaj. In this article, we seek to archaeologically “situate” these codex-like inscriptions in the mural room—revealing a crucial and distinctly Precolumbian window (as opposed to colonial Spanish view) into Maya bookmaking, its practitioners, and the physical contexts in which it was carried out. Together, the images, texts, and archaeological materials found in and around the chamber enable us to contextualize acts of writing and their authorship as well as engage larger questions regarding the social and political structures shaping literacy in Maya society during the eighth century.
Incidental music: Enhancing the emotional experience of the audience

Environmental psychologists, who study transactions between individuals and their physical settings, maintain when an individual’s environment is changed, his/her behavior and experience are also changed by the environment (Gifford, 2002). Like other segments of the theatrical setting, a manipulation of the environment can enhance or constrain audience actions. Physical elements, as well as other ambient factors such as lighting, color, quality of materials, set design, music, fragrance, and room temperature are just a sample of the dramatic elements used to orchestrate the environment. However, this paper explores the relationship between the elements utilized to create enhanced experiences for the audience through the introduction of incidental music to dramatic performances that take place in all theatrical settings and venues, ranging from traditional theatres to special events.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus FlaJ, a homologue of FliS, is required for production of a flagellin.

The flaA locus of Vibrio parahaemolyticus encodes one of the four polar flagellin genes, the flagellum-capping protein HAP2, and three additional flagellar genes. Sequence analysis downstream of the gene encoding HAP2 revealed the region to be similar to the fliD (HAP2) locus of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The deduced protein sequences for the newly identified genes suggest that one protein belongs to the family of transcriptional regulatory proteins known to interact with sigma (54), one may be a rod component of the flagellum, and one resembles the FliS protein. fliS is an essential flagellar gene in many bacteria; however its function is not clear. The V. parahaemolyticus polar flaC flagellin gene was poorly expressed in Escherichia coli Production of FlaC was stimulated by provision of the flaA locus in trans. Dissection of this locus revealed that the fliS-like gene, flaJ, was required for increased expression of flaC. Stimulation by FlaJ occurred in E.coli mutants defective in either the master flagellar-controlling operon or the gene encoding the flagellar sigma (28). Therefore the effect of FlaJ was not mediated through flagellar proteins. Nor was it mediated through sigma (54) for enhanced FlaC production was observed in mutants with defects in the gene encoding sigma (54).
Walking and chewing reduce postprandial acid reflux

Background: Gastro-oesophageal reflux is worse after meals, and antacids are usually consumed after dietary indiscretion. Aim: To investigate whether walking or gum chewing affect meal-induced gastro-oesophageal reflux. Methods: The study population comprised 12 case subjects with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and 24 healthy controls. Each subject was studied using pH-metry for 5 h on 3 separate days. After baseline recording of pH for 1 h, all subjects were fed a standard breakfast over a 20-min period. On one of the days, oesophageal pH was recorded after the 20-min eating period for an additional 4 h in the sitting position. On another day, postprandial oesophageal pH was recorded for the first hour whilst walking, and for 3 subsequent hours whilst sitting. During a third day, oesophageal pH was recorded for the first postprandial hour whilst gum-chewing, followed by 3 h of sitting. Results: Food intake promoted gastro-oesophageal reflux in case subjects with GERD as well as in healthy controls, although postprandial reflux was more pronounced amongst the refluxers than amongst the controls. Chewing gum for 1 h after the meal reduced the acid contact time in both groups, with a more profound effect in refluxers than in controls. Whilst the beneficial effect of 1-h of gum-chewing lasted for up to 3 h in both groups, the beneficial effect of 1-h of walking was apparent only in refluxers, only to a mild degree, and only for a short duration. Conclusions: Chewing gum after a meal helps to reduce postprandial oesophageal acid exposure.
AC Mechanical Susceptibility of a Voltage Gated Potassium Channel

The (KvAP) voltage gated ion channel operates by coupling the voltage driven motion of a charged group of amino acids to the opening and closing of the pore. In our experiment we drive this charged group with an AC field and observe the effect on the gating. The measurements for different frequencies and amplitudes of the forcing reveal the nonlinear mechanical behavior of the molecule.
Activation of the Ha-ras gene in C3H 10T1/2 cells transformed by exposure to N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine.

A transfectable, presumably mutationally activated, c-Ha- ras gene was identified in a clonal population of 10T1/2 cells established from a Type II focus induced by exposure of a parental, wild-type population to N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG).
Relationships among attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, induced labor, and selected physiological and demographic variables

We investigated whether events associated with physiological maternal and fetal stress during the birth process were associated with diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), alone or in combination with demographic variables. We gathered data through maternal responses to a 17-item questionnaire. Sex, mother's educational level, mother's age at delivery, interval between the beginning of labor and birth, and presence or absence of complications during the delivery process accounted for 42% of the variance in the diagnostic (ADHD) category. The model correctly classified 87% of the non-ADHD group (n = 90) and 48% of the children with ADHD (n = 40), for an overall correct classification rate of 75%. A differential effect for sex was indicated, but a low number of females in the diagnostic category limited meaningful analysis. Maternal age at delivery and maternal education level emerged as the strongest predictors, with the exception of sex, of ADHD in the full model.
On the rate enhancement of ammonia synthesis over iron single crystals by coadsorption of aluminum oxide with potassium

The behavior of doubly promoted iron catalysts utilized for ammonia synthesis is modelled by the coadsorption of aluminum oxide and potassium on iron single crystal surfaces that were employed in high pressure reaction rate studies. The promoter effect of aluminum oxide is due to its interaction with iron oxide during the preparation stage of the industrial catalyst. After reduction, aluminum oxide stabilizes the most active Fe(111) and Fe(211) crystal surfaces. Potassium does not appear to be involved in the structural promotion but its presence on the active iron surfaces increases the rate of dinitrogen dissociation mostly by lowering the concentration of adsorbed ammonia thus, making more catalytic sites available for dinitrogen dissociation. Co-adsorbed potassium and alumina form a potassium aluminate compound that a) inhibits the aluminum oxide induced restructuring of iron and b) covers up the active iron sites for ammonia synthesis.
Cyclic fluctuations in arylphorin, the principal serum storage protein of Lymantria dispar, indicate multiple roles in development

Abstract Arylphorin (Ap) was isolated and partially characterized from larval serum of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae). Non-denaturing and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis suggest a 440,000 Da hexamer composed of nonidentical subunits of M r 73,000 and 80,000. Tyrosine and phenylalanine comprise 15.6% of the total protein amino acid. L. dispar Ap is immunologically related to Manduca sexta Ap. Hemolymph Ap concentrations throughout the larval stadia were determined using quantitative immunoelectrophoresis. Cyclic fluctuations in hemolymph concentrations are correlated with each molting cycle. A general increase in Ap concentration during each intermolt is followed by a sharp decline between apolysis and ecdysis. The last days of each instar were found to be the best time to sample protein titer with minimum variance. Hemolymph space, estimated by measuring the dilution of an injected foreign protein, is a constant 28% (v/w) of body weight. Total serum Ap per animal was calculated. A divergent allometric relationship between Ap accumulation and weight gain throughout the larval period results in the ultimate domination of the serum protein profile by Ap in the ultimate larval instar of the female in particular. An additional instar of Ap accumulation in the female gypsy moth is suggested to compensate for the lack of a predominantly female-specific storage protein in this species.
The estimation of non-normalized breakage distribution parameters from batch grinding tests

Abstract The Harris hypothesis that a Weibull plot of grinding data should give a straight line of slope one if grinding is first-order is disproved. Due to the shape of the breakage distribution parameter B and the fact that it is not normalized, the slope is generally greater than one even for perfect first-order grinding. A computation technique is described for calculating non-normalized values of B , using the results of batch grinding tests on a closely sized sample.
Haiti and the Earthquake Examining the Experience of Psychological Stress and Trauma

For approximately 35 seconds on January 10, 2010, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck the small Caribbean nation of Haiti. This research used a preexperimental one-shot posttest to examine the incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and associated trauma symptomatology from the earthquake experienced by a sample of adult Haitians who were living in temporary shelters located in “tent cities” in Port-au-Prince and a comparative group of displaced individuals who left the capital city and took up residence in the northern rural town of Terrier Rouge. Sixty-five (N-65) participants completed the Impact of Events Scale–Revised (IES-R) to assess the severity of trauma symptomology in the study groups. Data presented are comparisons between the groups on total IES-R scores and the measure subscales for intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal. Based on the scores on the measure for the comparison groups 4 months after the earthquake, the findings suggests that all participants in the...
Active Sensors for Health Monitoring of Aging Aerospace Structures

A project to develop non-intrusive active sensors that can be applied on existing aging aerospace structures for monitoring the onset and progress of structural damage (fatigue cracks and corrosion) is presented. The state of the art in active sensors structural health monitoring and damage detection is reviewed. Methods based on (a) elastic wave propagation and (b) electro-mechanical (E/M) impedance technique are cited and briefly discussed. The instrumentation of these specimens with piezoelectric active sensors is illustrated. The main detection strategies (E/M impedance for local area detection and wave propagation for wide area interrogation) are discussed. The signal processing and damage interpretation algorithms are tuned to the specific structural interrogation method used. In the high-frequency E/M impedance approach, pattern recognition methods are used to compare impedance signatures taken at various time intervals and to identify damage presence and progression from the change in these signatures. In the wave propagation approach, the acousto-ultrasonic methods identifying additional reflection generated from the damage site and changes in transmission velocity and phase are used. Both approaches benefit from the use of artificial intelligence neural networks algorithms that can extract damage features based on a learning process. Design and fabrication of a set of structural specimens representative of aging aerospace structures is presented. Three built-up specimens, (pristine, with cracks, and with corrosion damage) are used. The specimen instrumentation with active sensors fabricated at the University of South Carolina is illustrated. Preliminary results obtained with the E/M impedance method on pristine and cracked specimens are presented.
A retrospective benefit-cost analysis of the 1997 stair-fall requirements for baby walkers☆

Based on estimates from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there were about 25,000 baby walker-related injuries treated annually in U.S. hospital emergency departments during the early 1990s. This amounted to about 8 injuries for every 1000 baby walkers in use. Most injuries resulted from falls down stairs. After CPSC initiated a regulatory proceeding in 1994, the CPSC staff worked with industry to address the stair-fall hazard. This cooperative effort resulted in requirements designed to prevent stair-fall injuries that became effective in 1997 as part of a revised voluntary safety standard. This study presents a retrospective benefit-cost analysis of the 1997 stair-fall requirements. The benefits were defined as the reduction in the costs of injuries resulting from the use of the safer walkers. The costs were defined as the additional resource costs associated with making baby walkers safer. The study found that the stair-fall requirements were highly effective in reducing the risk of stair-fall injury, and that the benefits of the requirements substantially exceeded the costs. The expected net benefits (i.e., benefits minus costs) amounted to an average of about $169 per walker, over the walker's expected product life. Given current U.S. sales of about 600,000 baby walkers annually, the present value of the expected net benefits associated with 1 year's production amounts to over $100 million annually. A sensitivity analysis showed that the major findings were robust with respect to variations in underlying assumptions.
PDGF Receptor-to-Nucleus Signaling of p91 (STAT1α) Transcription Factor in Rat Smooth Muscle Cells

Abstract Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) are the predominant cell type in the media of a normal artery. Injury to the vessel wall leads to platelet deposition and the release of numerous factors, including PDGF, which exerts its biological effects by binding to specific surface receptors on the smooth muscle cell membrane. We demonstrate that PDGF-stimulated smooth muscle cells activate the STAT (signal transducers and activators of transcription) family of proteins in addition to other signaling pathways (e.g., RAS-RAF-MAP Kinase). We show that the transcription factor p91 (STAT1α) is rapidly activated by PDGF in VSMC and specifically binds to the regulatory elements SIE or GAS. We hypothesize that signal transduction by p91 plays an important role in VSMC, especially after injury with the release of growth factors such as PDGF.
Cumulative beam breakup in linear accelerators with time-dependent parameters

A formalism presented in a previous paper for the analysis of cumulative beam breakup (BBU) with arbitrary time dependence of the beam current and with misalignment of the cavities and focusing elements [J. R. Delayen, Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams 6, 084402 (2003)] is extended to include time dependence of the focusing and coupling between the beam and the dipole modes. Such time dependence, which could result from an energy chirp imposed on the beam or from rf focusing, is known to be effective in reducing BBU-induced instabilities and emittance growth. The analytical results are presented and applied to practical accelerator configurations and compared to numerical simulations.
Random Continuous Functions

We investigate notions of algorithmic randomness in the space C(2^N) of continuous functions on 2^N. A probability measure is given and a version of the Martin-Lof test for randomness is defined which allows us to define a class of (Martin-Lof) random continuous functions. We show that random @D"2^0 continuous functions exist, but no computable function can be random. We show that a random function maps any computable real to a random real and that the image of a random continuous function is always a perfect set and hence uncountable. We show that for any y@?2^N, there exists a random continuous function F with y in the image of F. Thus the image of a random continuous function need not be a random closed set.
Religious and cultural legitimacy of bioethics: lessons from Islamic bioethics

Islamic religious norms are important for Islamic bioethical deliberations. In Muslim societies religious and cultural norms are sometimes confused but only the former are considered inviolable. I argue that respect for Islamic religious norms is essential for the legitimacy of bioethical standards in the Muslim context. I attribute the legitimating power of these norms, in addition to their purely religious and spiritual underpinnings, to their moral, legal, and communal dimensions. Although diversity within the Islamic ethical tradition defies any reductionist or essentialist reconstruction, legitimacy is secured mainly by approximation of Islamic ethical ideals believed to be inherent in the scriptural texts, rather than by the adoption of particular dogmatic or creedal views. With these characteristics, Islamic (bio) ethics may provide useful insights for comparative ethics and global bioethics.
Work and Life Balance: Community College Occupational Deans

This article focuses on work and life balance from a community college occupational dean perspective. It addresses definitions and concepts of work life and the nature of the role of occupational dean. The themes from this study include the use of time both at work and away from work, work/life crossover, perception of work/life, and work/life satisfaction.
Explaining levels of within-group wage inequality in U.S. labor markets.

Most research on earnings inequality has focused on the growing gap between workers of different races and at different education, age, and income levels, but a large portion of the increasing inequality has actually occurred within these groups. This article focuses on the extent and sources of “within-group” wage inequality in more than 500 labor markets in the United States in 1990. In addition to documenting that within-group wage inequality across regions varies more widely today than over the past several decades, the analysis reveals that two frequently cited explanations of rising wage inequality over time have little impact on within-group wage inequality when measured at the local labor market level: (1) industrial shifts and (2) increased technology and trade. By contrast, flexible and insecure employment conditions (e.g., unemployment, contingent work, and immigration) are associated strongly with high local levels of within-group wage inequality, especially among women.
SU‐GG‐T‐534: The Impact of Linac Static Jaw Setting on Dose Output from Small Field SRS/SRT Using an Add‐On Micro‐Multileaf Collimator

Purpose: In small field SRS/SRT using an add‐on MMLC, the default jaw setting from the BrainLAB treatment planning is larger than the furthest end of MMLC‐defined segment. The purpose of this study is to evaluate how the dose output changes with varying static jaw setting. Methods and Material: The BrainLAB micro‐multileaf collimator (BrainLAB M3) was mounted on a Varian 2100EX linear Accelerator. Output factors were measured for six different MMLC and jaw field sizes (12×12mm2 ∼ 100×100mm2) and compared with different MMLC and fixed jaw setting (100×100mm2). A PTW 31016 PinPoint ionization chamber (0.016cc) was employed to measure the field sizes less than 42 × 42 mm and a PTW 30013 farmer chamber (0.6cc) was used to measure field sizes larger than 42 × 42mm. The measurement depth was 5 cm using solid water (Gammex). Source to surface distance was 100cm and 300 monitor units were used for each measurement. The measurements were repeated twice for each condition. Results: For 6 MV photon beams, compared to the output from the same static jaw settings as MMLC defined field size (12×12mm2 ∼ 100×100mm2), the dose percentage difference varies from 10.2% down to the 1.2 % for MMLC defined field size from 12×12mm2 to 80×80mm2 with the fixed static jaw setting(100×100mm2 ). For 18 MV photon beams, the dose percentage difference varies from 9.1% to 1.4% .Conclusion: The static jaw setting should be manually adjusted as close to the furthest end of MMLC segment to reduce summated leakages through the MMLC and reduce unintentional over‐irradiation to target and organs at risk. Future work: More retrospective studies will be conducted to include various tumor sites in order to quantitize dose deviations from beam limiting jaw settings.
“This Country Is Not Woman-Friendly or Child-Friendly”: Talking About the Challenge of Moving from Welfare-to-Work

ABSTRACT Through the use of focus groups, this paper examines how former welfare recipients living in public housing in New York City adapted to the policy changes caused by welfare reform, how they experienced their transition to the “world of work” and how this affected their perceptions about their quality of life and their personal and familial relationships. The primary theme that emerged from the focus group sessions was the difficulties reconciling parenthood with employment. A second theme was that many participants felt discouraged and frustrated with the paths available to them in the labor market. Labor market conditions in New York City only exacerbated participants' difficulties maintaining employment and supporting a family, heightening the tensions between parenthood and paid employment. Their frustrations with the paid labor market fed back into the primary theme of the difficulties reconciling parenthood with employment because the paid labor market did not offer them well-paying part-tim...
Official sources for French Foreign Affairs

Abstract The attraction of the records of the French Foreign Ministry for researchers is apparent from the numbers of people using the Ministry's archives each year. In 1979, 807 readers requested 11,190 items, with almost 60% of requests coming from new users [1]. In addition to archival materials, which have long received the lion's share of attention from researchers in foreign affairs, there are a number of published works produced by the Ministry and related agencies which are extremely valuable for research. This article brings together the most important published and unpublished resources available from the Ministry and related agencies. It describes the nature of the information contained in them, the way in which they are organized, and access to them.
Carotenoid Compound Crocetin Improves Cerebral Oxygenation in Hemorrhaged Rats

The carotenoid compound crocetin has been shown to increase oxygen diffusivity in vitro. In the present study the effect of crocetin on tissue oxygenation was examined in the cerebral cortex of rats subjected to hemorrhage. Twelve male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized with pentobarbital and ventilation was controlled (PaCO2 = 33 mm Hg). A craniotomy was performed and the animals were hemorrhaged (20% of estimated total blood volume). Six of 12 animals then received a bolus of crocetin (2 U in 0.1 ml saline); the remaining animals received saline (0.1 ml i.v.) only. Values for mean arterial pressure. PO2, PCO2, pH, and hematocrit did not differ in rats that received either saline or crocetin. Tissue oxygen tension (PtO2) was measured at approximately 170 locations in the parietal cerebral cortex of each rat by a platinum-oxygen microelectrode technique. Results were compared by PtO2 frequency histograms. Crocetin as compared with saline treatment resulted in a right shift of the PtO2 frequency distribution and a significant decrease in the frequency of occurrence of low PtO2 values. The average of individual median PtO2 values was significantly greater in crocetin-treated animals as compared with those receiving saline (7.6 +/- 1.7 vs. 3.2 +/- 1.2 mm Hg, respectively). The results suggest that the carotenoid compound crocetin improves tissue oxygenation in the cerebral cortex of hemorrhaged rats.
Nonketotic hyperglycinemia in two retarded adults A mild form of infantile nonketotic hyperglycinemia

Two mentally retarded adults with nonketotic hyperglycinemia had biochemical findings similar to those of the infantile form of the disease. Our patients differ from other adult patients and may represent the survival to adulthood of individuals with a mild form of infantile nonketotic hyperglycinemia.
Kinetic and physical properties of phosphofructokinase

Abstract Kinetic and physical properties of phosphofructokinase from the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica and from the mammalian heart were described. Evidence for the presence of an inactive-active conversion of the enzyme was presented. The kinetic behavior of the enzyme was discussed in terms of the Monod-Changeux-Wyman model for allosteric proteins. Studies were described elucidating the role of thiol groups on allosteric kinetics of the enzyme. Evidence was presented showing that the allosteric kinetics of the enzyme is different from the catalytic site. Binding properties of the two sites to substrates and modifiers were presented. Possible physiological significance seen in all these properties was discussed in terms of the regulation of enzyme activity within the cell
Competing values on the Antarctic high seas: CCAMLR and the challenge of marine-protected areas

The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has been lauded as a leader in high seas conservation. Highlighting its leadership, CCAMLR joined the international movement to designate a representative network of marine-protected areas (MPAs) throughout the world’s oceans by 2012. Over the last decade, CCAMLR has been working towards this goal convening a series of workshops and celebrating their first Southern Ocean MPA in 2009. In 2011, plans for large MPAs in the Ross Sea and East Antarctic came up for discussion but their adoption has stalled due to Member States’ objections, with the primary concern being interference with fishing. In July 2013, CCAMLR’s Scientific Committee and Commission convened a special intersessional meeting dedicated to making progress on the Ross Sea and East Antarctic MPAs. Progress was again stalled due to Member’s objections and the Russian delegation’s concerns over the legal capacity of CCAMLR to adopt Southern Ocean MPAs. To address po...
On the equations relating a three-dimensional object and its two-dimensional images

Our goal is to interpret computer vision in terms of the vanishing or non-vanishing of certain sets of polynomials. To this end, we establish the algebraic geometric foundations of computer vision using transformation groups. Let @a be a three-dimensional object in whose structure m points and n lines play an important role. Let @b be a possible two-dimensional image in whose structure are m points and n lines which may be an image of those chosen in @a. We show that there is a set of polynomials F"i(@a,@b) which must vanish when @b is a true image of @a. The F"i are the maximal subdeterminants of a (3m+2n)x(12+m) matrix and their vanishing says that the rank of this matrix is at most 11+m. Let Z={(@a,@b):F"i(@a,@b)=0 for all i} and let @C={(@a,@b):@b is a true image of @a}. We show that the Zariski-closure of @C is an irreducible component of Z and give a precise description of the other components. We construct a set U^', defined by the non-vanishing of certain polynomials, so that U^'@[email protected]=U^'@?Z. We conclude with two applications to object recovery: when (m,n)=(3,3), we show that different objects have the same image sets; for any (m, n), we show that objects cannot be distinguished by any polynomial function on their image sets.
Proton NMR study on rhamnolipids produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The extracellular rhamnolipids α-L-rhamnopyranosyl - 3- hydroxydecanoyl -3- hydroxydecanoate and α-L- rhamnopyranosyl-(1 2)-αL- rhamnopyranosyl - 3 - hydroxydecanoyl - 3 - hydroxydecanoate were isolated from the culture broth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa grown under growth-limiting conditions. Proton NMR spectra of these rhamnolipids were characterized.
Neuroscience: What to do and how

Decisions can differ depending on the context that surrounds them. Analyses of the prefrontal cortex region of the monkey brain indicate that a dynamical process at the neuronal population level controls this behaviour. See Article p.78 The neurons of the primate prefrontal cortex represent multiple aspects of sensory stimuli and have task-dependent, time-varying responses. How these complex responses represent relevant aspects of their inputs or contribute to behaviour in different contexts remains unclear. Valerio Mante et al. show here that when monkeys perform a context-dependent sensorimotor task, task-relevant and task-irrelevant signals are intermingled in single units of the prefrontal cortex, but are readily understood in the framework of a dynamical process unfolding at the level of the population. A recurrently connected neural network model reproduces key features of the data and suggests a novel mechanism for selection and integration of task-relevant evidence towards a decision.
Viscerosomatic Facilitation in a Subset of IBS Patients, an Effect Mediated by N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptors

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder in which the pathophysiological mechanisms of the pain and hypersensitivity are incompletely understood. IBS patients frequently complain of pain in body regions somatotopically distinct from the gut, suggesting involvement of central hyperalgesic mechanisms. We tested the role of tonic peripheral impulse input by using both repetitive thermal stimuli to the leg and repetitive stimuli to the rectum. Changes in thermal/visceral pain sensitivity after nociceptive thermal/visceral repetitive stimulation were determined. A subset of IBS patients showed enhanced rectal/thermal pain sensitivity after repetitive thermal/rectal stimulation respectively. IBS patients then received 60 mg dextromethorphan and placebo (Benadryl) in a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial. The results showed: (1) a subset of IBS patients had increased visceral/cutaneous hypersensitivity following a series of repetitive nociceptive stimuli (2) This increased pain sensitivity was blocked by administration of dextromethorphan. This is the first human study that indicates repetitive stimulation enhances a bidirectional mechanism of secondary hyperalgesia due to viscerosomatic facilitation in IBS patients. These unique findings elucidate mechanisms of somatic hypersensitivity in IBS patients and support an etiologic basis for abnormal NMDA receptor mechanisms that may be the target of future therapies for IBS.
The scope interpretation of complex predicates in Japanese: A unified lexicalist analysis

This paper proposes a unified analysis of adverb scope and quantifier scope phenomena in a lexicalist approach to complex predicates. I first observe that the availability of scope ambiguity for adverbs and for quantifiers always coincides for a given type of complex predicate, drawing on data from different kinds of compound verb constructions, the verbal noun-taking predicates and the nominative object construction. The challenge for a unified treatment in lexicalist frameworks comes from the fact that syntactic structures cannot be taken as the locus for representing the scope of adverbs and quantifiers, unlike in derivational frameworks where such an analysis is the most natural. Thus, a previous lexicalist analysis by Manning, Sag & Iida (1999) makes use of completely different mechanisms to account for adverb scope and quantifier scope, failing to capture the close parallel between them. I remedy this problem of Manning et al.'s analysis by proposing a unified account of adverb scope and quantifier scope that crucially makes use of a slightly enriched semantic representation explicitly encoding the property of mono-/biclausality with respect to scopal phenomena. J. Linguistics 43 (2007), 489-530. © 2007 Cambridge University Press doi:io.ioi7/Soo222267O7OO4756 Printed in the United Kingdom
Graffiti vandalism: Frequency and context differences between the sexes

This paper explores a popular yet highly destructive form of property crime — graffiti vandalism. The localities of such destruction selected for study were male and female restrooms. Three hundred and ninety-two cases were collected and analyzed. Prior research theorized the existence of a significant difference in the amount of graffiti produced between the sexes. (It was believed that males produce more graffiti than females). Analysis, however, revealed equal production of graffiti by males and females.Content differences between the sexes were hypothesized. The content categories included homosexual, heterosexual, nonsexual (humorous and political statements) and racial graffiti. The findings as they relate to content differences between the sexes are presented and discussed relative to sex-role socialization theory.
Reverse Waiver and the Effects of Legal, Statutory, and Secondary Legal Factors on Sentencing Outcomes for Juvenile Offenders

Over the past few decades, various forms of waiver have become increasingly used at the state level. Generally, the research literature has focused on three types of waiver: judicial, prosecutorial, and legislative. Reverse waiver, a fourth type, remains little studied. Moreover, little is known of the factors that judges consider when making the decision to either sentence juvenile offenders as adults or sentence them as juveniles after they have been waived. This article is an attempt to shed some light on how factors unrelated to the instant offense, often the case with reverse waiver, may affect sentencing outcomes for waived offenders. Several important findings were revealed. First, judges are sentencing the most violent and serious offenders as adults. Second, secondary legal factors such as pending charges and prior placements influence the sentencing decision. Third, the amount of experience that judges have in handling waiver cases significantly influences the sentencing decision.
Reuse of highly saline aquaculture effluent to irrigate a potential forage halophyte, Suaeda esteroa

We tested the feasibility of reusing saline aquaculture effluent to produce a salt-tolerant shrub (Suaeda esteroa) with potential as a forage crop. Plants were grown in sandy loam soil, in drainage lysimeters to determine forage yield, water use and capacity for nitrogen and phosphorus uptake when irrigated with highly saline (31 ppt NaCl) effluent from a tilapia culture system. Water was applied to soil three times per week at five rates, ranging in volume from 50 to 250% of the pan evaporation rate. Plant biomass increased significantly with increasing irrigation volume (P<0.05). Due to higher plant growth, water consumption also increased with increasing irrigation volume (P<0.05). Nitrate concentrations in water draining from the lysimeters decreased during the experiment and decreased with increasing irrigation volume (P<0.05). Toward the end of the experiment, concentrations of nitrate in the leachate in the high volume treatments were below the mean limits set by the US Environmental Protection Agency for effluent discharge. Phosphorus concentrations in the leachate water increased during the experiment and increased with increasing irrigation volume (P<0.05). We conclude that using high salinity aquaculture wastewater to irrigate halophyte crops can be a viable strategy for disposal of effluent, especially where phosphorus is not a limiting nutrient.
Physiology and Morphology of Substantia Gelatinosa Neurons Intracellularly Stained With Horseradish Peroxidase

Neurons in Rexed's layer II were physiologically characterized with natural and electrical stimuli applied to their cutaneous receptive fields. The neurons were then intracellularly stained with horseradish peroxidase. Three general patterns of physiological responses were found. Nociceptive specific neurons did not respond to gentle mechanical stimulation. Most responded exclusively to tissue-damaging stimuli. Some also responded to moderately heavy pressure, but these responded to noxious stimuli with an increased discharge frequency. Wide dynamic range neurons responded to both gentle mechanical stimulation and to tissue-damaging stimulation. Low-threshold mechanoreceptive neurons responded only to gentle mechanical stimulation. Some of the low-threshold mechanoreceptive neurons were innervated by primary afferents with unmyelinated axons. Excepting those low-threshold mechanoreceptive neurons with input from unmyelinated afferents, the patterns of primary afferents innervation of layer II neurons were similar to the patterns of innervation that have been found for neurons in layers I and IV-V. All but 2 of the 22 neurons that we found were recognized as being of two general morphological types. Stalked cells had their perikarya situated along the superficial border of layer II. Most of their dendrites traveled ventrally while spreading out rostrocaudally. This gave their dendritic arbors a fan-like shape. Stalked cell axons arborized largely in layer I. Islet cell perikarya were found throughout layer II. Most of their dendrites traveled rostrocaudally. Their dendritic arbors were shaped like cylinders with their long axes parallel to the long axis of the spinal cord. Islet cell axons arborized in the immediate vicinity of their dendritic territories, within layer II. Stalked cells and those islet cells whose dendritic arbors were largely contained within the superficial one-third of layer II (layer IIa) were either nociceptive specific or wide dynamic range neurons. The islet cells whose dendritic arbors were largely within the deeper two-thirds of layer II (layer IIb) were all low-threshold mechanoreceptive neurons. These observations suggest that layers IIa and IIb have different functional roles and that stalked cells and islet cells are separate and distinct components of the neural circuitry of the superficial dorsal horn.
Reconstruction and energetics for surfaces of silicon, diamond and β-SiC

Abstract A semi-empirical potential energy function comprising two- and three-body interactions was employed in association with a Monte Carlo procedure to calculate the energies and structures for Si(100), Si(111), Cdiamond(100), Cdiamond(111) and various index planes of β-SiC surfaces. Calculated results for adatom and vacancy free surfaces, were found to be in fair agreement with experiments.
TRP Proteins: Novel Therapeutic Targets for Regional Blood Pressure Control?

Peripheral vascular resistance is controlled in large part by the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. In response to sensory input primarily via the vagus nerve, a change in sympathetic outflow alters the tone of the vascular tree via the release of catecholamines from nerve terminals present in the adventitial layer of the vessel wall and from chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla. Through action at the α1-adrenergic receptor (α1-AR) present on the surface of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs), catecholamines increase contraction, constrict blood vessels, and, thus, cause an increase in mean arterial pressure. As in cardiac and skeletal muscle, a rise in cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) triggers contraction of vascular SMCs. Stimulation of α1-ARs causes an increase in [Ca2+]i through several different mechanisms.1 2 First, α1-AR is a member of the heptahelical receptor family, which activates phospholipase C (PLC) via a GTP-binding protein, Gq. Activation of PLC causes the production of 2 second messengers, inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] and diacylglycerol (DAG). Ins(1,4,5)P3 causes the release of Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum, resulting in a rapid but transient increase in [Ca2+]i. DAG is primarily thought to activate protein kinase C but may also play a more direct role in activating Ca2+ entry (see below). In many types of SMCs, receptor stimulation is associated with activation of nonselective cation channels (NSCCs) that may allow Ca2+ to enter the cell from the extracellular space. Perhaps more importantly, the activation of an NSCC will tend to depolarize the SMC, which in turn will activate voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (VDCCs), allowing additional Ca2+ influx. The importance of VDCCs to vascular smooth muscle contraction is …