cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metathesis “rainbow” polymerizations--a systematic route into polyene sequences

Abstract Metathesis polymerization of 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene (COT) yields an intractable, silvery conducting polymer (polyacetylene). Metathesis polymerization of 1,5-cyclooctadiene (COD) affords a rubbery, transparent insulating polymer (poly-butadiene). What material results upon co -polymerization? Since COD and COT undergo metathesis polymerization at similar rates, the resulting copolymer should have a random distribution of ring-opened COD (CCCCCCCC) and and ring-opened COT(CCCCCCCC) units along the polymer backbone. The greater the concentration of COD in the COD/COT monomer mixture, the more sites of saturation randomly inserted in the polymer backbone. By controlling the COT/COT ratio, copolymers with varying conjugation lengths are produced. Raman spectroscopy, UV-Vis, NMR, electrical conductivity, and non-linear optical measurements all indicate a progression of conjugation length in the copolymer with increasing mol fraction COT in the COD/COT mixture. As an important control study, copolymers formed from norbornene (NBE) and COT--which undergo metathesis polymerization at very different rates--have also been investigated.
MIDDLE EAR MUSCLE ACTIVITY IN CATS DURING SLEEP.

Abstract A high level of activity in the middle ear muscles was recorded from cats during rapid eye movement sleep. In contrast, these muscles were found to be relatively inactive during slow-wave sleep. This result was obtained from records both of the EMG of the middle ear muscles, and of the contraction-induced attenuation of a steady-state acoustic signal recorded at the round window. The activity of these muscles during sleep is thus apparently similar to that of the extraocular muscles.
Dynamic programming algorithms for the conditional covering problem on path and extended star graphs

The Conditional Covering Problem (CCP) is a facility location problem on a graph, where the set of nodes represents demand points and potential facility locations. The key aspect of the CCP is that each facility covers all nodes within a given facility-specific coverage radius, except for the node at which it is located. The objective of this problem is to minimize the sum of the facility location costs required to cover all demand points. We first discuss the worst-case complexity of the CCP by examining literature related to the total domination problem, which is a special case of the CCP. Next, we examine the special case of path graphs and provide an O(n2) algorithm for its solution. Finally, we leverage information obtained from this procedure to derive an optimal algorithm for “extended star” graphs (multiple paths having one node in common), without increasing the worst-case complexity of the algorithm. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 46(4), 177–185 2005
Pejibaye palm: Yields, prices and labor costs

The records of each transaction relating to the production and sale of the fruit from the pejibaye palm on one farm in Costa Rica are tabulated and summarized herein. We find a fairly straight-line relationship between the number of sacks harvested per month and the monthly costs of harvesting them at about 3.16 colones (US$.45) corrected for inflation per sack (with r2 = .36), and also between the value to the farmer of the crop per month and the cost of harvesting it at about 11.5%. The relationship between the cost of harvesting a sack and its value per sack per month, corrected for inflation, is very similar, 11.6% (with r2 = .33). The average value of a 100 kilogram sack is 27.1 colones (US$4.07) with a standard deviation of 7.91 colones (US$1.19). No relation is found between day to day prices and the volume of sale on adjacent days. The peak of the harvest season in terms of volume and value of the pejibaye is in October and November, with production frequently important in September and December. Regarding the days of the week on which transactions take place, Thursday is the most frequent day on which some of the harvest is sold; however, on Friday slightly more of the harvest is marketed, though the frequency of marketing is less. Saturday sales tend to be the largest of any day of the week. However, sales are not made as often on Saturday, and the totals for that day are reduced. The pejibaye is an important staple in the American tropics because of its high starch, fat, and vitamins A and C content. The forms in production at present have great variability, but varieties can be selected from this gene pool that will provide for the improvement of the fruit and the eradication of the spines on the trunk and leaves of the pejibaye that, ultimately, may be dispersed throughout the tropical world.
Radio-loud and radio-quiet BAL quasars: a detailed ultraviolet comparison

Studies of radio-loud (RL) broad absorption line (BAL) quasars indicate that popular orientation-based BAL models fail to account for all observations. Are these results extendable to radio-quiet (RQ) BAL quasars? Comparisons of RL and RQ BAL quasars show that many of their properties are quite similar. Here we extend these analyses to the rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) spectral properties, using a sample of 73 RL and 473 RQ BAL quasars selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Each RQ quasar is individually matched to a RL quasar in both redshift (over the range $1.5 < z < 3.5$) and continuum luminosity. We compare several continuum, emission line, and absorption line properties, as well as physical properties derived from these measurements. Most properties in the samples are statistically identical, though we find slight differences in the velocity structure of the BALs that cause apparent differences in CIV emission line properties. Differences in the velocities may indicate an interaction between the radio jets and the absorbing material. We also find that UV FeII emission is marginally stronger in RL BAL quasars. All of these differences are subtle, so in general we conclude that RL and RQ BAL QSOs are not fundamentally different objects, except in their radio properties. They are therefore likely to be driven by similar physical phenomena, suggesting that results from samples of RL BAL quasars can be extended to their RQ counterparts.
Shear activation of mechanophore-crosslinked polymers

A new strategy is employed to impart productive mechanochemical response to crosslinked polymers. Force-sensitive molecules, termed mechanophores, are successfully incorporated as crosslinkers into poly(methyl methacrylate) through a free radical polymerization initiated with benzoyl peroxide and N,N-dimethylaniline. Evidence of a shear activated local chemical reaction (an electrocyclic ring opening) is provided by a color- and fluorescence-generating spiropyran mechanophore. Bulk polymer samples and controls were studied under shear loading. In situ full field fluorescence imaging is used to determine the threshold stress and strain required for activation as a function of shear rate and polymer architecture, both of which have a significant effect on mechanochemical activity in the bulk polymer. Increasing the shear rate leads to an increase in activation stress, similar to bulk polymer yielding. Increasing the length of the primary crosslinker with respect to the spiropyran leads to a decrease in activation stress, while the activation strain becomes more shear rate dependent with longer primary crosslinkers. These findings show that the molecular details of the network architecture can be altered to tune the mechanochemical response.
North Pacific Decadal Variability and Climate Change in the IPCC AR4 Models

AbstractThe two leading modes of North Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) and sea level pressure (SLP), as well as their connections to tropical variability, are explored in the 24 coupled climate models used in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) to evaluate North Pacific decadal variability (NPDV) in the past [twentieth century; climate of the twentieth century (20C3M) scenario] and future [twenty-first century; Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) A1B scenario] climate. Results indicate that the two dominant modes of North Pacific oceanic variability, the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) and the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation (NPGO), do not exhibit significant changes in their spatial and temporal characteristics under greenhouse warming. However, the ability of the models to capture the dynamics associated with the leading North Pacific oceanic modes, including their link to the corresponding atmospheric forcing patterns and to tropical varia...
Differences in apolipoprotein E3/3 and E4/4 allele-specific gene expression in hippocampus in Alzheimer disease

Apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4) allele is a major risk factor for late-onset familial and sporadic Alzheimer disease (AD). The mechanism of action of APOE in the etiology of AD remains unclear. Using gene expression (microarray) analysis of human hippocampus from APOE3/3 AD and APOE4/4 AD cases, we found different gene transcription patterns between APOE4/4 and APOE3/3 AD cases. The expression of APOE4/4 alleles, in comparison to APOE3/3, is associated with upregulation of multiple gene transcripts encoding cell growth suppresser or arrest, signal transduction, myelinogenesis, cell adhesion and migration, heavy metal metabolism and detoxification. Whereas the APOE4 gene expression is associated with downregulation of gene transcripts involved in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and energy metabolism, synaptic vesicle docking and fusing, and synaptic plasticity compared to APOE3. These mechanisms may contribute increased risk for AD and for cognitive dysfunction in AD patients who carry the APOE4 allele(s).
Theory of polarized electron beam production by field emission from ferromagnets

A theory is given for field emission from ferromagnetic solids in which the two spin subbands of the conduction band are split by exchange forces. Using a simple plane wave model for the conduction band states it is shown that the familiar WKB approximation for the tunneling probability has to be improved by momentum dependent factors to account for the spin polarization of the emission current observed in a recent experiment which is 8% in the case of Gd. The calculations are extended to describe emission from Bloch states. Applications of the theory to various ferromagnetic systems are discussed, the use of ferromagnetic Eu1−xGdxS as a source for highly polarized beams is suggested.
RESPONSES TO TELEVISED DEPICTIONS OF INTIMACY

Sz~mmay.-A mail survey of 1119 persons chosen randomly from telephone directories showed that depictions of intimacy on television do not affect most viewers' decisions to watch or continue watchkg a program. No diFferences in viewing decisions were found benveen more and less educated respondents or benveen older and younger ones. Significantly more men than women reported they would continue watching the program and become more interested in the program when depictions of intimacy appeared. Effects of sexual film and television content have been stuhed extensively in experimental settings, but data are lacking on typical viewing situations and response to less explicit depictions of intimacy. Sex on television has long been the subject of ~ublic concern and criticism (Bower, 1973; Roper, 1975). Sprafkin, Rubinstein, and Silverman called for research to "help broadcasters and parents to take sensible and effective action" (1980, p. 314). Wurtzel and Surh (1978) reported televised advisories of mature content &d not influence viewing decisions among most viewers, suggesting the hypothesis (HI) that actual depictions of intimacy do not influence viewing decisions among the majority of viewers. Spraflun, et al. reported older and less educated viewers consider sexual material less suitable for television than the younger and more educated (1980, p. 313), suggesting (Hz) older viewers are more Uely to report negative reactions to depictions of intimacy than younger viewers and (H,) less educated viewers are more ltkely to report negative reactions to depictions of intimacy than more educated viewers.
Mandibular implant-supported fixed dental prosthesis with a modified design: A clinical report

This clinical report describes the rehabilitation of a patient with a mandibular implant-supported fixed dental prosthesis. Because of the limited restorative space available in the posterior mandible and in considering the higher wear rate of acrylic resin in comparison with titanium when it opposes metal ceramic restorations, the treatment used a milled titanium bar with acrylic resin denture teeth, which replaced the anterior teeth with milled titanium for the posterior occluding surfaces.
Simulations of active ion injection experiments on ARCS 3

The ARCS 3 sounding rocket experiment used two argon guns oriented parallel and perpendicular to the geomagnetic field. The parameters of this experiment have been used in a series of particle simulations in order to interpret ion beam interaction with the multispecies ionospheric plasma. Along with the lower hybrid mode between the electron and the hydrogen gyrofrequencies, ion-ion hybrid modes between the hydrogen and helium gyrofrequencies and between the helium and oxygen gyrofrequencies are identified in the simulations. Besides these cold plasma modes, warm Bernstein modes of the respective ion species are identified. The parallel argon beam injections excite lower hybrid waves perpendicular to the magnetic field because of the finite thermal spread of the parallel beam. Perpendicular ion heating of background hydrogen, helium, and oxygen is comparable in the simulations. Comparisons are made with the wave and particle data from the ARCS 3 rocket experiment.
Modeling solidification processes using FIDAP

This paper describes both fundamentals and applications using FIDAP to solve metal solidification problems. A brief discussion of the relationships between phase diagrams and latent heat formulations is given, followed by a description of methods for handling solidification and fluid flow. Examples will be given to demonstrate both laboratory and commercial applications. Finally, a description is given of work linking FIDAP with sensitivity analysis and optimization.
Reproductive phenology and growth rates in two species of Gracilaria from Hawaii

Abstract Observations on wild populations of Gracilaria bursapastoris (Gmelin) Silva and G. coronopifolia J. Ag. showed significant differences in gametophyte: tetrasporophyte ratios from the expected 1: 1 ratio. As in many other perennial red algae, the proportion of tetrasporic individuals in a population of these two Gracilaria spp. dominates the combined male and female gametophytc stage. There were significantly more male than female thalli in the G. cornopifolia population whereas the gametophytes of G. bursapastoris occurred in the expected 1: 1 ratio. In addition, there are seasonal changes in the proportions of tetrasporic and gametophytic individuals within the populations. Tetrasporic thalli of G. coronopifolia evinced a biphasic seasonal pattern with high proportions in winter and summer. The tetrasporic phase of G. bursapastoris , on the other hand, showed a low proportion in winter. Maximum biomass does not necessarily correlate with maximum proportion of the tetrasporophyte generation. Seasonal patterns in the proportion of male and female gametophytes differed for each stage as well as for each species. The proportion of male thalli in G. bursapastoris and G. coronopifolia showed high peaks in winter and autumn, respectively. Cystocarpic thalli were most abundant in the former in late winter and summer and in the latter in winter and spring. In both species the female gametophytes grew significantly slower than did the male gametophytic or tetrasporophytic stages. Practical applications regarding seasonal cycles in the various reproductive stages and their differential growth rates are discussed.
Clinical management of behavioral characteristics of Prader–Willi syndrome

Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder caused by an abnormality on the long arm of chromosome 15 (q11–q13) that results in a host of phenotypic characteristics, dominated primarily by hyperphagia and insatiable appetite. Characteristic behavioral disturbances in PWS include excessive interest in food, skin picking, difficulty with a change in routine, temper tantrums, obsessive and compulsive behaviors, and mood fluctuations. Individuals with PWS typically have intellectual disabilities (borderline to mild/moderate mental retardation) and exhibit a higher overall behavior disturbance compared to individuals with similar intellectual disability. Due to its multisystem disorder, family members, caregivers, physicians, dieticians, and speech-language pathologists all play an important role in the management and treatment of symptoms in an individual with PWS. This article reviews current research on behavior and cognition in PWS and discusses management guidelines for this disorder.
Richard L. Solomon and learned helplessness.

This article reviews the course of development of research on a currently popular explanatory approach to dysfunctional behavior, the learned helplessness analysis. The early history is prominent in this review as it reflects the inspirations of Richard L. Solomon, a scholar who fostered the resurgence of psychologists’ interests in Pavlovian conditioning in the 1950s and 1960s. Current research is characterized as having four separate themes: elaboration of “symptoms,” elucidating the role of fear, explicit modeling, and extensions involving attributional constructs.
Interaction of the phospholipid head group with representative quartz and aluminosilicate structures: an ab initio study.

Silica dust particles in the form of quartz (but not kaolin) have been hypothesized to promote pulmonary diseases such as silicosis. The hypothesis is that quartz and kaolin have a comparable membranolytic potential on a specific surface area basis, and they have a comparable cytotoxic potential for lavaged pulmonary macrophages. Suppression of the cytotoxic activity occurs when these dust particles are treated with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), a common phospholipid component of the lung pulmonary surfactant. However, the enzyme phospholipase A2 is known to digest the phospholipid component more readily in the presence of quartz than kaolin. Since surface silanol (Si−OH) and aluminol (Al−OH) groups may interact differently with the phospholipid, an understanding of the selective removal of phospholipid by PLA2 may explain in vivo differences in cytotoxicity between quartz and kaolin. To develop some insight into this phenomenon, the interaction between a phospholipid and silica particles was exa...
RON overexpression accelerates tumorigenesis and induces metastasis in a KRAS mutant mouse model of pancreatic cancer

Introduction The RON receptor is increasingly over-expressed during pancreatic cancer progression and has been implicated as a mediator of KRAS oncogene addiction. It remains unclear if RON promotes disease progression or simply represents an epiphenomenon. Methods To address this, we generated a transgenic mouse which over-expressed wt-RON in a pancreas-specific manner using Pdx-1, the identical promoter used to drive cre expression in the Kras-LSLGD12/Pdx-1-cre (KC) strain that develops pancreatic duct neoplasia. RON over-expression was verified via Western and IHC. Pdx-1/RON mice were crossed with LSL-KRASG12D mice to yield mice (RK), then bred to Pdx-1-Cre mice to combine RON over-expression in the presence of oncogenic KRAS (RCK). RCK mice were aged and sacrificed at various time points and histology compared to KC controls. Results Pdx-1-RON mice developed no pancreatic phenotype prior to 12 months. At 18 months, one of 4 animals developed primary pancreatic adenocarcinoma with lung metastasis. RON overexpression in KRAS mutant mice (RCK) led to accelerated PanIN progression compared to KC (p 1yr). Metastatic disease was visible in RCK mice at 9 months. Conclusions RON overexpression alone results in pancreatic cancer at long latency. In the presence of KRAS mutation, RON overexpression markedly accelerates PanIN progression to primary and metastatic pancreatic duct cancer. This data supports a role for RON in pancreatic carcinogenesis and this model may prove useful for investigations regarding the role of the RON receptor in pancreatic cancer biology.
Surge Model: Predicting Damping and Excitation Frequencies of Complex Pumping Systems

Frequency domain analysis is presented to define susceptibility of complex pumping systems to surge oscillations. In the analysis, piping spans are considered as distributed elements, compressors or pumps, orifices, valves, and junctions as lumped acoustic four pole elements. The piping elements are connected into one network through the use of appropriate matching boundary conditions. The analysis is most readily applicable to single stage units, typical of gas transmission stations. The surge model is based on predicting damping (logarithmic decrement values) and mode shapes for pressure and flow pulsations of the interactive dynamic system at its various natural acoustic frequencies. The system design is optimized by assuring that all operating points are sufficiently removed from surge, i.e., logarithmic decrements are above certain specified value. The effects of mean flow on acoustic wave propagation, pipe friction, viscothermal dissipation, and pressure losses at various piping locations (junctions, valves, orifices) are accounted for in the model. Results of the computational modeling of a complex centrifugal compressor system is presented. The analytical model is also verified by comparing the analytical results with experimental data.Copyright © 1989 by ASME
From Epistemic Contextualism to Epistemic Expressivism

In this paper, I exploit the parallel between epistemic contextualism and metaethical speaker-relativism to argue that a promising way out of two of the primary problems facing contextualism is one already explored in some detail in the ethical case – viz. expressivism. The upshot is an argument for a form of epistemic expressivism modeled on a familiar form of ethical expressivism. This provides a new nondescriptivist option for understanding the meaning of knowledge attributions, which arguably better captures the normative nature of epistemic discourse than descriptivist competitors like invariantism and contextualism.
Prevalence and predictors of cancer screening among American Indian and Alaska native people: the EARTH study

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence rates for cervical, breast, and colorectal cancer screening among American Indian and Alaska Native people living in Alaska and in the Southwest US, and to investigate predictive factors associated with receiving each of the cancer screening tests.
A space-marching method for incompressible Navier-Stokes equations

This paper deals with the development of a space-marching method for incompressible flows. The method solves the continuity and momentum equations as a coupled system at each streamwise station. The character of the system of equations has been changed from elliptic to hyperbolic/parabolic in order to enable the equations to be marched in space. The present method has many advantages compared to the existing parabolic or space-marching methods for incompressible flow: (1) it avoids the solution of Poisson equations, (2) it conserves the mass flow with no additional computation, (3) it does not require the specification of an assumed pressure field when used in the prediction of duct flows. The present method can capture strong secondary velocities and strong transverse pressure gradients. Predictions of the flow through straight and curved ducts are in good agreement with analytical and experimental results.
The effect of exocrine pancreatic function on chloramphenicol pharmacokinetics in patients with cystic fibrosis.

The effect of exocrine pancreatic function on AUC, area under the curve the pharmacokinetics of the choramphenicol oral capsule C1, clearance (CAP-base), chloramphenicol palmitate oral liquid (CAP- Vdarea, volume of distribution P), and chloramphenicol succinate intravenous (CAP-S) MIC, minimum inhibitory concentration formulations was evaluated in 10 patients, aged 16-30 yr, with cystic fibrosis. Pancreatic insufficiency was assessed in each patient by measuring the absorption of p-amino- benzoic acid after oral administration of N-benzoyl-L-ty- rosyl-p-aminobenzoic acid which requires chymotrypsin to cleave p-aminobenzoic from the parent molecule. In a controlled cross-over design, the overall biodisposition of each formulation was assessed in each patient with or without concurrent administration of oral pancreatic en- zymes. The relative amounts of active chloramphenicol available in systemic circulation was CAP-base > CAP-S > CAP-P. Pancreatic enzyme replacement had little effect on the biodisposition parameters for the CAP-base and CAP-S formulation, but significantly increased the peak concentration and bioavailability of the CAP-P formula- tion. Although pancreatic enzyme replacement improved the absorption characteristics of the CAP-P formulation, absorption remained prolonged and unreliable. Serum con- centration-time profiles for either CAP-base or CAP-S consistently exceeded the MIC of important nonpseudo- monal pathogens. This finding was not observed after CAP- P administration independent of pancreatic enzyme re- placement. The results of this study support the continued clinical use of either CAP-base or CAP-S, but the cautious use of CAP-P formulations in CF patients with concurrent pancreatic insufficiency. (Pediatr Res 23: 388-392, 1988) Abbreviations
Democracy, Oil, or Religion? Expanding Women's Rights in the Muslim World

Of the 45 Muslim majority countries in the world, 42 have signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. While this does indeed signal a motive to improve women's rights, there is wide disparity in terms of which countries expand rights and which do not. Social science literature suggests that in addition to economic factors like wealth and oil resources, or political factors like the quality of democracy in the country, Islamic culture may be at odds with the Western conception of women's rights. We posit that Muslim countries are unique in this regard due to religious pressures that often conflict with conventional measures of human rights. Using data from the Cingranelli-Richards Human Rights Dataset and the Religion and State Project, we find that Muslim countries that restrict the influence of fundamentalist religion in the government and population improve women's economic and social rights.
Sexual activity during late pregnancy and risk of preterm delivery.

Abstract Objective: To examine the association between sexual activity during late pregnancy and preterm delivery. Methods: Women at least 16 years old and carrying singleton fetuses were recruited between 24 and 29 weeks’ gestation from prenatal clinics in central North Carolina. They were interviewed by telephone about sexual activity before and during pregnancy. One hundred eighty-seven women delivered between 29 and 36 weeks and had a follow-up interview after delivery. Four hundred nine women who were selected randomly from the cohort served as controls and had a follow-up interview between 29 and 36 weeks (mean gestational age 39.2 weeks). Results: Intercourse during late pregnancy was associated with a reduced risk of preterm delivery. The conditional odds ratio (OR) was 0.34 and 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.23, 0.51 for preterm delivery within 2 weeks after intercourse. Similar decreased risk for preterm delivery was found with recent female orgasm. Adjusting for race, age, education, and living with a partner had little effect on results. Cases were more likely than controls to report poorer health, medical reasons for reducing sexual activity, less interest in sex, and receipt of advice to restrict sexual activity during pregnancy. Results did not differ substantially according to presence or absence of bacterial vaginosis at 28 weeks. Conclusion: These data provide evidence against the hypothesis that sexual activity generally increases risk of preterm delivery between 29 and 36 weeks. However, we cannot exclude the possibility that a small subgroup of susceptible women might have adverse consequences of sexual activity.
Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) amphiphiles: synthesis, self-assembly, and duplex stability.

Peptide amphiphiles comprising a class of conjugates of peptide nucleic acid (PNA), natural amino acids, and n-alkanes were synthesized and studied. These PNA amphiphiles (PNAA) self-assemble at concentrations between 10 and 50 μM and exhibit water solubilities above 500 μM. The highly specific, stable DNA binding properties of PNAs are preserved by these modifications, with no significant differences between the thermodynamics of DNA binding of the PNA peptide and the PNA amphiphile. Proper solubilization of the PNAA required the attachment of (Lys)2 and (Glu)4 peptides to PNAs, which affected the PNAA−DNA duplex stability by electrostatic interactions between these charged amino acids and the negatively charged DNA backbone. These electrostatic effects did not affect the specificity of DNA binding, however. Electrostatic effects are screened with added salt, in a manner consistent with previous studies of PNA−DNA duplex stability and predictions from a charged-cylinder model for the duplex.
VERTICAL GRID DESIGN FOR MORE ACCURATE AND EFFICIENT SURF ZONE SIMULATION

Nonuniform vertical discretization is investigated for use with a previously developed numerical model that solves the incompressible, nonhydrostatic, Navier–Stokes equations for free surface flow. The equations are vertically transformed to the sigma coordinate system and solved in a fractional step manner in which the pressure is computed implicitly by correcting the hydrostatic flow field to be divergence free. A specific discretization is proposed to attain greater accuracy and/or minimize computational effort when compared to a uniform vertical discretization. Numerical accuracy is assessed by comparison with experimental data for spilling and plunging breakers.
Facilitating the Academic Success of International Students

International seminarians seeking an education at academic institutions located in the United States often face a host of learning challenges. Seminary faculty that teach in these institutions are often confronted with a need to adjust their teaching methods to facilitate learning by international students. This essay outlines specific strategies to facilitate academic success of international seminarians by offering specific teaching methods for faculty and learning strategies for international students. Topics include training faculty in how to respond to diverse learning styles, expanding learning environments beyond the classroom, methods for enhancing student participation, and development of assignments. Strategies for student success include developing skills in how to improve note taking, critical reading, and writing.
Optimization of mobile phases for multisolvent gradient elution liquid chromatography

Abstract Optimization procedures which have been previously developed for isocratic separations in liquid chromatography (LC) have been extended to include gradient elution systems. A multisolvent classification system is used which defines LC solvent systems based upon both solvent strength and selectivity considerations. A systematic experimental design is employed to gather basic retention data on the compounds in a mixture of interest. The data can then be fitted to a second-order polynominal surface and an overlapping resolution mapping technique is used to predict the optimum solvent system for selectivity purposes. Optimization of isoselective multisolvent gradient elution systems is the easiest and should be the most useful technique. A more powerful, but somewhat more complex, selective multisolvent gradient elution system is also described.
Termination of night feeding in infancy.

Summary The age when the first night feeding was eliminated in a series of 95 infants was unrelated to the type of milk, age at acceptance of solid foods, caloric intake, birth weight, weight increment, or position in the family. The achievement of an 8 hour interval between night feedings seems to be a developmental stage which is most likely to be reached early in the second month of life, but may vary from the newborn period to the age of 15 months. Infants who were early in terminating the first night feeding tended to be early in terminating the second night feeding.
Social capital and equilibrium selection in Stag Hunt games

Surveys of trusting attitudes are found to correlate with growth and development outcomes. The question of why trust attitudes correlate with economic growth remains open however. I argue that trust surveys capture facets of social capital not previously investigated, namely, coordination. Hence a complete investigation of the relationship between trust attitudes in growth must encompass their predictive power in a coordination game. This study shows that affirmative responses to surveys of trust attitudes correlate with and predict efficiency-supporting behavior in a Stag Hunt game.
Surface distribution of flash-evoked and pattern reversal-evoked potentials in hooded rats

Abstract Simultaneous recording from 21 electrode sites in a 4×4 mm area over the posterior cortex was used to determine the surface distribution of all major peaks which constitute flash-evoked potentials (FEPs) and pattern reversal evoked-potentials (PREPs) in hooded rats. Topographical maps were constructed with respect to Bregma and midline reference points. The data indicate that not all of the peaks which constitute either evoked potential have their greatest amplitude within the classically defined primary visual cortex. Further, since the FEPs were produced by uniform stimulation, the data suggest that surface regions of the rat visual cortex differ in ways other than simply the portion of the visual field from which information is received.
Prevention of succinylcholine myalgias: a meta-analysis.

Meta-analysis is a term used to describe statistical methods for evaluating a series of research reports; this analysis transcends the limitations that may be inherent in each of the individual studies summarized. Forty-five research reports of clinical trials for the prevention of myalgias after su
Model JSG-1 Laser Velocity Interferometer For Measuring Kinematic Parameter Of Any Reflector

Model JSG-1 laser velocity interferometer is introduced in this paper. The instrument design is based on the VISAR principle and employes some recent developed teckniques. Some improvements have also made in our device. It has some features: compactness in construction, simplicity for operation and reliability in behavior. As a versatile system with wide measuring range and dual sensitivity, it can be widely used in shock wave and ballistics research.
Murine Norovirus Infection Has No Significant Effect on Adaptive Immunity to Vaccinia Virus or Influenza A Virus

Murine norovirus (MNV) is endemic in many research mouse colonies. Although MNV infections are typically asymptomatic in immunocompetent mice, the effects of MNV infection on subsequent experimental viral infections are poorly documented. Here, we infected C57BL/6 mice with MNV and then with either vaccinia virus or influenza A virus. MNV infection had no effect on CD8(+) T-cell or antibody responses to secondary viruses or to secondary virus-induced morbidity or mortality. While our findings suggest that MNV has little influence on host immunity in immunocompetent mice, we would urge caution regarding the potential effects of MNV on immune responses to viruses and other pathogens, which must be determined on a system-by-system basis.
A neural network's learning algorithm based on interval optimization

Artificial neural networks provide a neurocomputing approach for solving complex problems that might otherwise not have a tractable solution. Neural networks are usually trained using local gradient-based procedures. Such methods are frequently find sub-optimal solutions being trapped in local minima. And It will be difficult for the traditional neural network to solve such problems where the input/output data sets used to train a neural network may not be hundred percent precise but within certain range. A learning algorithm based on interval optimization is presented in this paper. The above disadvantages of the traditional learning algorithm can be settled by using this method.
Electronics packaging - a course for the Rutgers University School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

In this presentation I will profile a course in electronic packaging that I have introduced in the spring semester, 2001, at Rutgers University, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. This presentation will first present a brief overview of the whole course and its status and then highlight the audio recording process. The course is targeted to the general population of electrical engineering students and industry part time students. The proposed course presents the concepts of analyzing and electrically modeling the IC package and investigates the package effects on signal integrity. Since packaging contributes significantly to the cost to manufacture an integrated circuit, this course will be of interest to students intended for employment in the microelectronics industry. A joint funded (IEEE and the PRC of Georgia Tech) project began in September 2001. This project takes all of the course material and generates a series of computer based lecture notes that would be modular in format. This way other instructors could select and download portions of the modules. The modules would be made available on a CD-ROM. Each module unit would be designed to stand-alone so that the audience would be able to learn only one topic of their choice. The series of modules, if taken in sequence, would provide the audience with a complete course.
Volcanic pollution and climate: The 1783 Laki eruption

The atmospheric impact of volcanic eruptions on the earth's climate is not simply related to the volume of erupted material, but relfects the chemistry of the magma, specifically the concentration of the volatile constituents SO/sub 2/, H/sub 2/S, and to a lesser extent Cl and F. Ice cores extracted by drilling reveal peak acidity values in the 1783 ice layer are higher than any others in the last thousand years and correspond to a global fallout of 100 x 10/sup 9/ kg of H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ from the Laki eruption. Analyses indicate that the magma contained 800 to 1000 parts per million of S before eruption and that only 150 ppm were retained by the volcanic deposits, or 85% released to the atmosphere. Volcanoes deposit two types of aerosols - volcanic ash, which is so coarse it settles out of the atmosphere in a few days, and sulfates. Sulfates are mainly in the form of liquid H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ droplets which absorb incoming solar radiation and cause cooling at the earth's surface. The Laki event resulted in a two-hundredfold increase in atmospheric S loading over that which is usually emitted by volcanoes. The results from Laki indicate that the Smore » content of the Magma and the erupted volume are the critical parameters in determining the impact of a volcanic eruption on climate. 19 references, 1 figure, 2 tables.« less
Bronchoscopic instillation of surfactant in acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Abnormalities of surfactant action in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) result in decreased lung compliance and significant hypoxemia. Several case reports and small studies suggest that there is an improvement in patients with ARDS following the administration of surfactant. However, there is no clear-cut ideal method for surfactant administration. The bronchoscopic administration of surfactant may represent an effective method of surfactant delivery in ARDS. Bronchoscopic instillation offers the theoretical advantages that the surfactant may be distributed directly to the desired regions of the lung, a more economical use of surfactant, and the opportunity to lavage leaked serum proteins prior to instillation. Surfactant has been administered in adults with success. We present a case of initial improvement in oxygenation index, ventilation index, and mechanical ventilatory support in a pediatric patient with ARDS following the bronchoscopic administration of surfactant. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2001; 31:317–320. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Anthrax in New Jersey: A Health Education Experience in Bioterrorism Response and Preparedness

The anthrax attack in 2001 created new challenges to health educators working on the response effort in New Jersey. Never before had there been a need for educating a group of people who had been exposed to a biological weapon. Coming on the heels of the catastrophic World Trade Center collapse on September 11, 2001, the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services was entrenched in the response to, and management of, the anthrax attack that placed a heavy emphasis on educating the postal workers of the United States Postal Service Trenton Processing and Distribution Center. This article provides an account of the preparation and delivery of educational materials and activities in the midst of a biological emergency, emphasizes the role health educators play in responding to bioterrorism events, and encourages health educators to become involved in bioterrorism preparedness efforts.
Spatiotemporal Algorithm for Background Subtraction

Background modeling and subtraction is a fundamental task in many computer vision and video processing applications. We present a novel probabilistic background modeling and subtraction method that exploits spatial and temporal dependencies between pixels. By using an initial clustering of the background scene, we model each pixel by a mixture of spatiotemporal Gaussian distributions, where each distribution represents locally a region in the neighborhood of the pixel. By extracting the local properties around each pixel, the proposed method obtains accurate models of dynamic backgrounds that are highly effective in detecting foreground objects. Experimental results for indoor and outdoor surveillance videos in comparison with other multimodal methods demonstrate the performance advantages of the proposed method.
Does the Measure of Dispersion Matter in Multilevel Research? A Comparison of the Relative Performance of Dispersion Indexes

Within the context of climate strength, this simulation study examines the validity of various dispersion indexes for detecting meaningful relationships between variability in group member perceptions and outcome variables. We used the simulation to model both individual-and group-level phenomena, vary appropriate population characteristics, and test the proclivity of standard and average deviation, interrater agreement indexes (rwg, r*wg, awg), and coefficient of variation (both normed and unnormed) for Type I and Type II errors. The results show that the coefficient of variation was less likely to detect interaction effects although it outperformed other measures when detecting level effects. Standard deviation was shown to be inferior to other indexes when no level effect is present although it may be an effective measure of dispersion when modeling strength or interaction effects. The implications for future research, in which dispersion is a critical component of the theoretical model, are discussed.
Harmonic analysis and restoration of separation methods for periodic signal mixtures: algebraic separation versus comb filtering

Abstract The problem of separating a mixture of periodic signals into its constituent components occurs in sound detection, biomedical signal processing, and in communications. Existing approaches to solving it are either based on harmonic selection in the frequency domain or on linear comb filtering in the time-domain. In this paper, the recently proposed matrix algebraic separation approach is analyzed in the frequency domain. The insight obtained via this analysis leads to the development of harmonic restoration techniques that fill in the information missing at the harmonics shared by the components and also to the development of constraints on the carrier frequencies and bandwidths for narrowband, bandpass, and periodic AM–FM components for minimum information loss. The restored methods are then applied to mixtures of sines and AM–FM signals. Differences between this improved approach and a similar improvement of the comb filtering approach are also emphasized.
A novel DSP-based LVDT signal conditioner

A novel signal conditioning system for linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs) is presented. This system considers the signals involved in the operation of the LVDT to be analogous to a double sideband suppressed carrier AM (DSBSC-AM) communication system, where the position information is akin to the signal to be transmitted and the input sine wave elicitation to the LVDT is akin to the carrier wave. Signal conditioning is achieved through a modified digital signal processor-based Costas receiver. This system has better dynamic response than existing solutions and better noise rejection than commercially available solutions. Static testing of the system using both 4-wire and 5-wire LVDTs verifies that the conditioner meets or exceeds the linearity performance of existing signal conditioning systems over the full-scale operating range. In addition, this system requires no phase compensation network or manual tuning.
Toward chromium speciation in solids using wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry Cr Kβ lines

The determination of chromium speciation in solid samples is critical for environmental and industrial purposes. Several analytical methods exist to perform such a determination either directly in solid state or liquid state after an extraction step, each of them having some limitations. In this study, the use of a high-resolution wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer to determine and quantify chromium species is investigated by looking at the differences in the Kβ transition profiles between Cr(0), Cr(III) and Cr(VI) compounds. Three different approaches were tested and compared to determine the Cr(VI) fraction of known mixtures: relative height and peak fitting using calibration mixtures, partial least square regression (PLS) of pure compounds, and principal component regression (PCR) of pure compounds. The accuracy of these methods was found to be about the same with an average relative error in the range of 15%. However, PLS and PCR can be easily implemented in an automated way contrary to peak fitting which can be sometimes perceived as analyst-dependant. Another advantage of using PLS and PCR is that information concerning the other oxidation states present in the sample can be retrieved. Finally, PLS and the peak height approach can be used up to 0.5% total chromium which make the XRF an alternative technique to X-ray induced photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for chromium speciation in solid state.
The positron accumulator ring for the APS

The Positron Accumulator Ring (PAR) is designed to accumulate and damp positrons from the 450-MeV linac during the 0.5-s cycle time of the injector synchrotron for the Advanced Photon Source (APS) 7-GeV storage ring. During 0.4 s of each synchrotron cycle, up to 24 linac pulses are injected into the horizontal phase space of the PAR at a 60-Hz rate. Each injected pulse occupies about one third of the circumference of the accumulator ring. After 0.1 s for longitudinal damping, the single accumulated bunch is transferred to one of the 353-MHz buckets of the injector synchrotron RF system. The bunch is accelerated to 7 GeV and transferred to the storage ring, while the PAR accumulates the next bunch of positrons. >